- Tuesday, May 07, 2024
Canada's investigation into alleged Indian involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist in Vancouver last year is a "political compulsion", India's foreign minister S. Jaishankar said after three Indian citizens were arrested over the killing. Canadian police on Friday arrested the trio for the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar,…
Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has agreed to allow Indian authorities to meet with 17 Indian crew members of a cargo vessel that was seized by the Iranian military near the Strait of Hormuz. This development was communicated during a telephonic conversation with India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar on…
External affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Friday that there was a significant increase in the budget for infrastructure along the India-China border after Narendra Modi took office as prime minister in 2014. He pointed out that prior efforts to improve border infrastructure had been stagnant since the 1962 war.…
India secured multiple victories at the United Nations, including the re-election of Jagjit Pavadia to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) for her third term. Pavadia's re-election, running from March 2025 to 2030, marked a significant win with the highest number of votes. India also earned seats in other UN…
Indian folk singer Maithili Thakur thought she was successful, with millions following her Hindu devotional tunes on social media - but then Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent her popularity into the stratosphere. With India's marathon general elections set to start on April 19, critics say Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party…
A 25-year-old Indian student who was missing since March 5 was found dead in the US city of Cleveland, the second death within a week in the country and the eleventh such incident this year. Mohammad Abdul Arfath, hailing from Hyderabad, arrived in the US last year in May to…
Thousands are lured to Cambodia with promises of data entry jobs, only to find themselves trapped in a nightmarish world of forced labour. These "cyber slaves" are forced to run online scams that target people worldwide. These victims are held captive in high-security complexes, guarded by armed men. Their passports…
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has expressed hope that ties with India will improve after the general elections in the neighbouring country. Asif's comments came days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Singapore said that Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism almost at an "industry level" and the mood in India…
THE Indian government has taken up the issue of ban on imports of Russian-origin unpolished diamonds by the 27-member European Union (EU) and G7 nations as the measure will end up hurting the domestic diamond polishing industry, foreign minister S Jaishankar has said. The initial stage of an EU and…
INDIA rejected China's renaming of about 30 places in its northeastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday (2), calling the move "senseless" and reaffirming that the border province is an "integral" part of India. Beijing says Arunachal Pradesh, which its calls Zangnan, is a part of South Tibet -…
INDIA'S half-century-old decision to end a territorial dispute with Sri Lanka over a tiny island has become a hot-button election issue, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party accusing the rival Congress of compromising fishermen's rights. A 1976 agreement barred Indian fishermen from waters around the 285-acre (115-hectare) island Katchatheevu in…
UKRAINE'S Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba will arrive in New Delhi on his maiden visit to India amid the festering Russia-Ukraine conflict. His visit on Thursday (28) comes at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. During his…
After India's democratic credentials faced a series of downgrades by various international agencies, the Narendra Modi administration is planning to develop a homegrown democracy ratings index to counter the Western narrative, Al Jazeera reports. Though the Indian government has been publicly dismissive of these reports, it is keen to retain…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi held separate phone calls on Wednesday (20) with Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy and discussed strengthening ties with both, ahead of a visit by the Ukrainian foreign minister to New Delhi. India has traditionally had close economic and defence ties with Moscow…
INDIA on Tuesday (12) rejected Chinese objections to prime minister Narendra Modi's weekend visit to Arunachal Pradesh, saying the northeastern border state has always been "an integral and inalienable part of India". The Indian foreign ministry's comments came a day after Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Beijing was…
IN the dynamic landscape of international relations, the influence of non-state actors, including transnational religious organisations, plays a crucial role in shaping a nation’s global standing. India, with its rich tapestry of religious diversity, has witnessed the emergence and growth of various such organisations that contribute significantly to the country’s…
THE Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is envisioned as a Spiritual Oasis for Global Harmony. Rooted in the aspiration to promote love, harmony, and tolerance, the fundamental ethos of the mandir transcends borders. Each carving within the mandir tells compelling stories of…
INDIANS are becoming victims of frequent muggings in London, especially for Rolex watches in Mayfair, with police allegedly doing little to respond to their appeals for help. The traumatic experience of senior lawyer Vijay Goel, founder of the Indo-European Business Forum, as relayed to Eastern Eye, appears to be fairly…
SWAMI BRAHMAVIHARIDAS is one of the most respected and admired of Swaminarayan figures who lead the global organisation that is BAPS today. He has led the project to build the spectacular Akshardham Temple in Abu Dhabi since its conception. In this exclusive and very special interview with Shailesh R Solanki,…
INDIAN travellers feel they have to “look over their shoulder” in posh London areas as several businesspersons have had their expensive watches and bags mugged, according to a Delhi-based entrepreneur. The issue featured during discussions with UK shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, who is in New Delhi for talks on…
IN a series of incidents, an Indian doctoral candidate was found dead at Purdue University in Indiana while another Indian IT student was brutally attacked near his house in Chicago. The back-to-back incidents since Sunday (4) were the sixth in the US in this year alone. According to The Purdue…
UGANDA’S president, Yoweri Museveni, has appealed to British Asians expelled by Idi Amin more than half a century ago to “build a living bridge between their newfound homes in the United Kingdom and the cherished homeland of their forefathers”. His emotional message was aimed at some 30,000 refugees – and…
Labour party’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds on Monday (5) began a three-day visit to India to strengthen diplomatic and trade ties. The Labour leaders will visit Delhi and Mumbai to meet senior Indian politicians and business leaders and discuss their party’s…
THREE women and a youth, all Indians, drowned at an unpatrolled beach in Australia in what the officials said Thursday (25) was the worst tragedy in the state of Victoria in decades. Jagjeet Singh Anand, 23, students Suhani Anand and Kirti Bedi, both 20, and Reema Sondhi, 43, were part…
THE minister of state at the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), Lord Tariq Ahmad, has spoken to Eastern Eye about his recent trip to India, during which he tried to negotiate deals on such issues as climate change, pharmaceuticals, cyber and education with the prosperous states of Tamil Nadu…
According to a UK media report, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak aims to secure a free trade agreement (FTA) with India by Easter, which falls at the end of March 2024. The India-UK FTA talks began in January last year, aimed at significantly enhancing the £36-billion bilateral trading partnership. A new…
PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (27) invited prime minister Narendra Modi to visit Russia next year as external affairs minister S Jaishankar called on the Russian leader at the Kremlin. "We will be glad to see our friend, prime minister Modi in Russia," Putin told Jaishankar. Jaishankar, who is in…
A NEW round of discussions in the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK will begin in the New Year after the 13th round was completed last week, a joint outcome statement issued by the British government said on Monday (18). The Department for Business and Trade…
A US delegation, headed by White House deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, visited New Delhi on Monday (4). During the visit, Finer acknowledged India's establishment of an investigative panel to examine an unsuccessful plot involving the assassination of a Sikh separatist in the US. "Mr. Finer acknowledged India's establishment…
INDIA’S purchase policies “softened” the oil and gas markets by its decision to continue transactions with Russia, and New Dehi should be “thanked for managing global inflation” as a consequence, the country’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar said last week. His remarks came in response to a question of India…
INDIAN external affairs minister S Jaishankar has said that India is not ruling out an investigation into Canada’s allegations about the involvement of the government’s agents in the killing of a Khalistani separatist in that country but wants it to provide evidence to back its claims. Jaishankar made the comments…
INDIAN external affairs minister S Jaishankar has raised the country's long-standing concerns about pro-Khalistan extremism in the UK during his meetings with the country's leaders. He stressed that they should be on guard against the misuse of freedom of expression and speech. Jaishankar concluded his five-day visit to the UK…
The UK is facing increased pressure to contribute additional evidence against individuals linked to the protests outside the Indian High Commission in London in March. This urging coincides with a meeting between the new foreign secretary, David Cameron, and the Indian external affairs minister, S Jaishankar. Jaishankar is supporting the…
India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Monday (13) that India and the UK are presently concentrating on a free trade agreement and expressed optimism that the two parties will identify a "landing point" that benefits both. Jaishankar, who is in London on a five-day official visit to the…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak visited the Vedic Society Hindu Temple in his home city of Southampton on Sunday (12) to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. He was accompanied by his wife Akshata Murty, their two daughters and his parents as he participated in the ceremony of Aarti, lighting candles…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty on Sunday (12) hosted Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his wife Kyoko Jaishankar for Diwali tea at Downing Street. “Delighted to call on prime minister @RishiSunak on #Diwali Day. Conveyed the best wishes of PM @narendramodi. India and UK…
INDIA and the US announced progress on key defence deals and said they would expand their growing partnership in the face of geopolitical challenges as their top diplomats and senior ministers met on Friday (10). US secretary of state Antony Blinken and defense secretary Lloyd Austin met Indian foreign minister…
US SECRETARY of state Antony Blinken and defence secretary Lloyd Austin will hold talks with India this week that officials say will focus on security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and concerns over China, rather than the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The talks in New Delhi on Friday (10) with…
INDIA'S foreign minister on Monday (30) said the country would "make all efforts" to secure the release of eight ex-navy personnel sentenced to death by a court in Qatar, reportedly for spying for Israel. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said he had met the families of the detained Indians and told them the…
INDIA will reopen visa services for Canadians, its embassy in Ottawa announced, a move that could ease tensions in a high-profile dispute over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. Relations between India and Canada plunged after prime minister Justin Trudeau last month publicly linked Indian intelligence to…
INDIA on Sunday (22) said its relationship with Canada is passing through a difficult phase and there had been "continued interference" by Canadian personnel in New Delhi's internal affairs. The Indian government is angry that Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau last month suggested Indian agents might have been involved in…
Canada's foreign affairs minister, Melanie Joly has announced the withdrawal of 41 diplomats and their family members from India. She said the decision was made following India's threat to revoke their diplomatic immunity. The move comes amidst a diplomatic dispute surrounding the killing of a Sikh separatist, escalating tensions between…
The first charter flight assisting stranded Indian citizens in Israel will take off Thursday (12) evening from Ben Gurion airport, sources said, amid the current conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Sources have disclosed that approximately 230 Indians residing in Israel are set to leave for India…
In response to the Canadian allegations implicating India in the assassination of a pro-Khalistan separatist, The White House has said that the accusations are "serious" and warrant a comprehensive investigation. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was killed in Surrey, British Columbia on June…
CANADA wants private talks with India to resolve a diplomatic dispute over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, foreign minister Melanie Joly said on Tuesday (3), after a report said India had asked the country to withdraw 41 diplomats. India has told Canada that it must repatriate the diplomats…
INDIA has told Canada that it must repatriate 41 diplomats by October 10, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday (3). Ties between India and Canada have become seriously strained over Canadian suspicion that Indian government agents had a role in the June murder in Canada of a Sikh separatist leader…
INDIAN foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has said there is a "climate of violence" and an "atmosphere of intimidation" against Indian diplomats in Canada, where the presence of Sikh separatist groups has frustrated New Delhi. "Because there is freedom of speech, to make threats and intimidate diplomats, I don't think that's…
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on India to "cooperate fully" with the ongoing Canadian investigation into the killing of a Khalistani separatist, a senior State Department official said on Friday (29). This statement came a day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar met with the top American…
India's external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, is set to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Thursday (28), amidst the ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Canada following the killing of a Khalistani separatist. Although officials from both sides are tight-lipped about the agenda of the…
India-China relations have remained in an "abnormal state" since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which external affairs minister S. Jaishankar has described as a "possibly longer than medium-term issue". He has also emphasised that none of Beijing's explanations for the buildup of its forces along the LAC are truly justifiable.…
INDIA's external affairs minister S Jaishankar has said that in the next 25 years, the country’s Amrit Kaal as espoused by prime minister Narendra Modi, India will strive to be a developed country and it is “logical” that it also seeks to be a global power. Jaishankar, speaking at the…
India expressed on Tuesday (26), its willingness to review the evidence provided by Canada regarding New Delhi's alleged role in the killing of a Sikh separatist near Vancouver. However, India reiterated its criticism of Ottawa in the matter. Relations between the two countries plunged last week as prime minister Justin…
THE G20 Summit in New Delhi has positioned India as a key player in the global arena, edging closer to becoming the 'leader of the Global South,' according to analysts. The two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday (10), showcased India's leadership as it championed initiatives aimed at countering the ascendancy…
THE Group of 20 nations adopted a consensus declaration at a summit on Saturday (9) that avoided condemnation of Russia for the war in Ukraine but called on all states to refrain from the use of force to seize territory. Prime minister Narendra Modi of host India announced that the…
LEADERS of the world's wealthiest and most influential nations are set to convene at the two-day G20 Summit in India's capital, New Delhi, commencing on Saturday (9). This marks India's inaugural hosting of this prestigious assembly of global leaders. The capital city has been adorned with ornate flowers and fountains…
CHINA'S president Xi Jinping skipping this week's G20 summit in New Delhi was not unusual and will not affect negotiations to produce a consensus communique at the meeting, Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said. The September 9-10 summit of leaders of the world's richest countries is being held in the…
India has conveyed a strong protest to China regarding an unveiled map that asserts ownership over Indian territory. The map, made public by China's ministry of natural resources on Monday (28), shows the disputed Aksai Chin plateau and the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of China's territory, the…
In Canada's British Columbia province, a notable temple has fallen victim to vandalism carried out by two individuals expressing support for Khalistan. The temple was vandalised with "anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti," marking the latest occurrence in a series of incidents targeting Hindu places of worship within the country. The incident…
The safety and security of the Indian High Commission in London, as well as its personnel, are being safeguarded through essential measures by the UK, British security minister Tom Tugendhat said. This initiative comes approximately five months subsequent to an attack on the mission by pro-Khalistani groups, which had introduced…
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers will travel to India to take part in the Red Fort address of prime minister Narendra Modi on the country’s Independence Day on August 15, according to an official statement. The bipartisan Congressional delegation is led by Indian-American congressman Ro Khanna and congressman Michael…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi will attend the next BRICS summit to be held Johannesburg in-person from August 22, the South African government has said. It dismissed some media reports as "rumours" that the Indian leader will not take part in the meeting of the five-nation grouping. The BRICS bloc…
OVERSEAS students who return home after three to five years in the UK should not be included in the migration statistics, Lord Simon McDonald, master of Christ’s, academically one of the strongest colleges in Cambridge, has said. “I think the idea that student numbers can contribute to overall migration numbers…
PAKISTAN prime minister Shehbaz Sharif offered talks with India to address all serious and outstanding issues as he said 'war is not an option' for both countries as they fight poverty and unemployment. Sharif made the remarks while addressing the inaugural session of the Pakistan minerals summit. The meeting, organised…
CHINA'S top diplomat Wang Yi told the Indian foreign minister bilateral ties need to be stabilised, as the neighbours searched for ways to ease simmering military tensions along their vast border. On the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, Wang told India’s external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam…
INDIA on Thursday (13) said it brought up with the UK its concerns about the security of its diplomats amidst extremist elements threatening officers of Indian missions in Britain. External affairs minister S Jaishankar raised the issue with the British foreign secretary James Cleverly days after India’s national security advisor…
In a statement indirectly criticising China, India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar emphasised that India does not operate as an "extractive economy" and does not engage in "narrow economic activities" in Africa, despite the continent's abundant resources. These comments were made by Jaishankar during his visit to Zanzibar and subsequent…
A 42-year-old US-based software engineer from Andhra Pradesh drowned while rescuing his children at a beach in Florida, his family said on Monday (3). Potti Venkata Rajesh Kumar died around 4.30 am IST on Sunday (2), said his younger brother P Vijay Kumar. Rajesh Kumar was a native of Addanki…
The Consulate of India in San Francisco experienced an attack perpetrated by Khalistan supporters, who attempted to set ablaze the diplomatic facility. This marked the second occurrence of such violence within a few months, eliciting a firm rebuke from the US government, which categorised it as a "criminal offense." A…
CANADA'S response to the Khalistan issue appears to be constrained by its electoral considerations, India said and warned it will have to respond if the activities impinge on its national security. Khalistan refers to the demand for independent statehood for the Sikh majority areas in north-western India. External affairs minister…
THE state of border will determine the state of relationship between India and China, Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar said, amid an over three-year military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. “The state of the border today is still abnormal,” Jaishankar said in an interactive session…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak should leverage his Indian heritage for forging stronger ties between the UK and India in trade and defence, former foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said. “Britain remains uniquely placed to reap the dividends of a deeper friendship with India” with Sunak as the prime minister but…
More than 380 guests were invited to the state dinner President Biden hosted for Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on Thursday night (22), a list that included government officials, business leaders, star athletes, a renowned violinist, a Hollywood director, the son of a civil rights icon, fashion designers and…
INDIA's defence ministry has approved the procurement of US-made armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, sources said. India will buy 31 drones made by General Atomics worth slightly over $3 billion, one of the sources said. India’s defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The defence ministry's initial clearance…
INDIA's foreign minister on Thursday (8) hit out at Canada for allowing a float in a parade depicting the 1984 assassination of Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards, perceived to be glorification of violence by Sikh separatists. "I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space…
India has called on Germany to expedite the return of an Indian baby girl, Ariha Shah, who has been living in foster care in Berlin for more than 20 months. The Indian government has emphasised the importance of placing the child in her linguistic, religious, cultural, and social environment. The…
Top diplomats representing BRICS countries expressed openness to welcoming new members into the group during discussions held in South Africa on Thursday (01). The bloc aims to strengthen its influence in the international arena and seeks a broader representation to amplify its voice. Foreign ministers from the five-nation grouping of…
I was born in South London, but like millions of British people, my family’s story embodies the “living bridge” that connects the UK and India. My father moved to Glasgow with only £5 to his name. He worked hard, initially on the railways, studied hard to become an accountant and…
In a recent interview, S Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs of India explained the profound significance of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, UAE. For him, this architectural marvel transcends being a mere symbol of India's ancient civilization; it embodies thousands of years of culture, wisdom, creativity, and…
Ambassadors from more than 30 nations visited the construction site of the BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi. Ashok Kotecha, Yogesh Mehta, Chirag Patel, Pranav Desai and the dedicated directors and volunteers overseeing the mandir's construction welcomed more than 85 guests, a statement said. Indian ambassador to the UAE, Sunjay Sudhir,…
India and the EU have said they are committed to deepening their partnership to accelerate the growth and deployment of advanced digital technologies. A joint statement after the first meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) said the two sides “emphasised the importance of the rules-based international order…
India and the EU vowed on Tuesday (16) to boost trade ties and tackle thorny issues through dialogue, after they risked overshadowing a significant meeting between the two sides in Brussels. The European Union held its first-ever trade and technology council with Indian foreign, trade and communications ministers as they…
India gave a frosty reception Friday (5) to Pakistan's foreign minister during the first official visit by a senior official from its arch-rival neighbour since 2016. Relations between the countries have remained tense in recent years with both sides trading barbs over the disputed territory of Kashmir, with Friday no…
Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang assured his Russian and Indian counterparts of deepening bilateral ties, promising that "coordination and cooperation" will only grow stronger, in a show of solidarity with two of China's biggest neighbours. Qin met in India on Thursday (4) with other foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation…
Pakistan's foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, arrived in India Thursday (4) to take part in an international conference, the first official visit by a senior Pakistani official to India since 2016. Bhutto Zardari is in Goa for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting of foreign ministers, along with counterparts from…
In response to the unrest in Sudan, India launched 'Operation Kaveri' on Monday (24) to evacuate its citizens from the region. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed that Indian ships and aircraft are ready to transport the stranded individuals back to India. In a tweet, he announced the start of…
Relatives of several Indians stuck in Sudan following the fighting between the Army and paramilitary forces have appealed to the government to evacuate them from the African country as soon as possible. Around 3,000 Indians are estimated to be stranded in Sudan. They include around 100 people from the Hakki-Pikki…
Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will participate in the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) meeting in India next month. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahrah Baloch said in Islamabad on Thursday (20): “…Zardari will be leading the Pakistan delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) being held on May…
India and Russia on Tuesday (18) agreed to address trade deficit and market access issues, the Indian foreign ministry said, as New Delhi seeks to narrow trade imbalance after a more than four-fold rise in imports from Russia since the war in Ukraine. The two nations are discussing a free…
Ministers from India and Russia on Monday (17) announced that they are engaged in discussions for a free trade agreement that would strengthen their economic relationship. The two countries have experienced strong commercial ties since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar disclosed at a New…
India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar has called on Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and discussed possible cooperation in the areas of trade, infrastructure, energy and defence. Jaishankar, who arrived in Uganda on Monday (10), met Museveni at his farm in Rwakitura and conveyed to him the personal greetings of prime…
India refused to accept the renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh by China on Tuesday (4). This region is considered to be a part of India's eastern state by India, but China claims it as its own territory. In the past, the two countries have fought a war along their…
Following Russia’s military deployment to Ukraine in February last year, the nation’s share of the European market plummeted when it came to oil supplies, resulting in sanctions on the country's oil sector by Kyiv’s allies. But, India is snapping up discounted crude from Russia, refining it and selling it. The…
FORMER Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga, who is the US nominee to lead the World Bank, returned to his homeland, India, on Thursday (23). The visit will conclude his three-week international trip to seek support and discuss development and climate requirements with borrowing and donor countries. According to the US Treasury,…
Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar expressed concerns on Saturday (18) that the situation in the western Himalayan region of Ladakh between India and China is fragile and dangerous, with military forces situated in close proximity in certain areas. In mid-2020, there were clashes in the region that led to the…
Gina Raimondo, the US Secretary of Commerce who is on an official visit to India, attended the Holi celebration at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's residence on Wednesday (08). Speaking to ANI, Raimondo expressed her delight in participating in the Holi celebration with the people and said, "It's an honour for…
A PROMINENT Hindu temple was attacked by pro-Khalistan supporters on Saturday (4) in the latest instance of vandalism in Australia. The incident took place at the Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple in Brisbane. "Temple priest and devotees called this morning and notified me about the vandalism on the boundary wall of…
RAHUL GANDHI, the former president of India’s opposition Congress, said he is not afraid of criticism and asserted the fight in his country is between “courage and cowardice”.During his interaction with the Indian diaspora, organised by the Indian Overseas Congress in London on Sunday (6), he said of the governing…
On Friday (03), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that permitting Russia to continue its actions in Ukraine would send a message to aggressors worldwide. "If we allow Russia to do what it is doing in Ukraine then that's a message to the aggressors everywhere that they may be…
On Friday (03), the foreign ministers of Quad countries reiterated their dedication to a free and unimpeded Indo-Pacific, emphasising the importance of upholding the principles of rule of law, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful conflict resolution. At a meeting chaired by India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and attended by…
In a much anticipated development, India's external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday (2) met his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi. This was the first such bilateral meeting between the two diplomats. Jaishankar and Qin, who took charge from…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (01) held wide-ranging discussions with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on bilateral cooperation, the Ukraine conflict and issues relating to G-20. The Russian Foreign Minister landed in the national capital on Tuesday night to attend a two-day meeting of the G20 foreign ministers…
Referring to the extradition of fugitive economic offenders Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday (01) said that the British Judicial system is independent of the government and it is them to decide. Without mentioning the names of fugitive economic offenders, Cleverly, who is currently…
Foreign secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday (1) met his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi where he has reached to attend the G20 foreign ministers' meeting. The duo spoke on a range of issues, including the commencement of the Young Professionals Scheme (YPS). They also spoke over the India-UK…
The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM), which is scheduled to take place in physical format from March 1-2, 2023 in New Delhi under India's Presidency is "one of the largest gatherings of foreign ministers hosted by any G20 Presidency." In a special briefing by Foreign Secretary (FS) Vinay Kwatra on…
THE year-long Russian war in Ukraine took centrestage on the eve of a G20 foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday (1) with the European Union foreign policy chief saying the success of the gathering in New Delhi would be measured by what it could do about the war and its impact.…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (01) held a bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, holding discussions on the commencement of the Young Professional Scheme. He also exchanged views on the global situation as well as the G20 agenda. "Began the morning with a bilateral meeting with…
INDIA'S G20 presidency comes at an “incredibly important time” when the world confronts challenges like the Ukraine conflict, global food supply disruptions and China's increasingly assertive actions on the world stage, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said. He also announced that he will travel to New Delhi next week…
INDIA does not want the Group of 20 nations to discuss additional sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine during New Delhi's one-year presidency of the bloc, six senior Indian government officials said. On the sidelines of a key G20 gathering in India, financial leaders of the Group of…
PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (21) said Russia is developing a North-South Transport Corridor, which will open up new routes for business cooperation with India, Iran and Pakistan, as well as west Asian countries. Putin also said Russia will expand its international economic connections, as well as build new supply…
German chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to pay a state visit to India on February 25 and 26, his first trip to the country more than a year after he took charge of the top post in December 2021. Announcing the German chancellor's visit, the Indian ministry of external affairs…
INDIA'S foreign minister called for a debate on democracy as he slammed billionaire investor George Soros as “old, rich, opinionated and dangerous” for his comments on India. In a speech ahead of the Munich Security Conference, the billionaire investor Soros on Thursday (16) criticised India’s prime minister Narendra Modi and…
Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday (7) spoke to his British counterpart James Cleverly focusing on various aspects of bilateral ties and India's G-20 presidency. The phone conversation came ahead of the British foreign secretary's likely visit to India to attend a meeting of the G-20 foreign ministers…
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's plan to fully implement India-backed 13th Amendment to grant political autonomy to the minority Tamils received a blow on Thursday as the powerful Buddhist clergy expressed strong opposition to the move, claiming it challenges the unitary nature of the country. The four chief prelates of…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (28) reprimanded foreign newspapers for reserving adjectives like "Hindu nationalist" for the Indian government. "If you read foreign newspapers, they use words like Hindu Nationalist Government. In America or Europe, they won't say Christian Nationalist... these adjectives are reserved for us. They don't…
As India celebrates its 74th Republic Day, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly extended greetings to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the people of the country. https://twitter.com/JamesCleverly/status/1618502632229961728?s=20&t=Bk4KLbT8lFEUIoWG_nM-kg Taking to his Twitter handle, Cleverly stated that the UK looks forward to another year of "friendship and cooperation." James Cleverly tweeted, "Happy Republic…
Australia's High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell AO on Friday said that Australia is shocked at the vandalism of two Hindu temples in Melbourne, and authorities are investigating the same. India on Thursday condemned the vandalization of Hindu temples in Australia and said that the matter has been raised with…
Scottish National Party MP Martin Docherty-Hughes has urged the UK government to secure the release of a Sikh campaigner who has been in the custody of Indian authorities for more than five years. Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in Punjab when he was shopping with his wife in November 2017.…
India considers the full implementation of the 13th Amendment in Sri Lanka “critical” for achieving reconciliation with the minority Tamil community, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday, underlining that New Delhi has always supported both the political and economic stability in the island nation. India has been pressing…
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday called for reconciliation and coexistence in the island nation, saying his government has initiated the process by talking to Sri Lankan Tamils and understanding their problems. President Wickremesinghe's statement at the 100th anniversary of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama came ahead of his…
India's foreign minister arrives in Colombo on Thursday following his country's backing of Sri Lanka for a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, leaving China as the island's last remaining major creditor which has yet to agree to the debt restructuring plan. India has told global lender IMF that…
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday informed the parliament that talks with India and China on debt restructuring are successful. "We are continuing discussions in that regard and I am pleased to announce to this House that the discussions are currently successful," read Sri Lankan President Media Division press…
Nepal Army on Monday said they have not rescued anyone alive from the site of the plane crash that occurred on Sunday in the central resort city of Pokhara. "We haven't rescued anyone alive from the crash site," said Nepal Army Spokesperson Krishna Prasad Bhandari. A Yeti Airlines passenger plane…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended India's move to import crude oil from Russia notwithstanding the growing disquiet over it by Western powers, saying that Europe has imported six times the fossil fuel energy from Russia than India has done since February 2022. Jaishankar, who arrived here from Cyprus…
The BJP on Friday slammed Pakistan’s Bilawal Bhutto for his objectionable comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the foreign affairs minister of the neighbouring country represents a “morally, intellectually and financially bankrupt” nation which has no credibility due to its support to terrorism. Union minister Anurag Thakur said Bhutto’s…
France and the United Kingdom, two veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council, reiterated their support for a permanent seat for India at the powerful horse-shoe table. “France supports the candidacy of Germany, Brazil, India and Japan as permanent members. It also wishes to see a stronger presence of African…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday admitted that there is a delay in the issuing of foreign visas and said that at the ministerial level he had raised the matter with the Western countries including the US, UK, and Germany. While addressing the Agenda Aaj Tak 2022 in New…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Tuesday reviewed the state of India-US strategic partnership including in sectors like critical and emerging technologies and artificial intelligence. It is understood that Modi and Biden also touched upon the Ukraine conflict and its implications in their meeting that took…
Ties between the United Kingdom and India will remain on a “phenomenal upward trajectory” under Indian-origin UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, that country’s former premier Boris Johnson said on Saturday. The two countries need each other now more than ever as “we live in dangerous and turbulent times”, he said.…
India is expected to surpass China in getting the number of US visas by 2023 and will be ranked two in the issuance of visas after Mexico, a Senior US Embassy official said. "We expect that India will surpass China in getting the number of US visas by next year's…
India on Thursday said it is working “sincerely” with the UK for finalisation of the proposed free trade agreement, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak agreed on the “early conclusion” of the deal. “Both sides are working sincerely on the free trade agreement,” External…
Britain is prioritising reaching a free-trade agreement with India, its foreign minister told Reuters on Saturday in his first visit to the country, but declined to give a new deadline after missing one this month.James Cleverly said after a meeting with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar in New Delhi that…
Britain's new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday (27) thanked his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for congratulating him on his new role, saying he was "excited" about what the two great democracies can achieve as they deepen their security, defence and economic partnership. His comment came soon after Prime Minister…
The Indian mission in Australia is providing consular assistance to a 28-year-old student from the north-western city of Agra who was stabbed multiple times in Sydney and is under "serious but stable" condition after undergoing surgery at a local hospital. "The Indian Consulate in Sydney has provided consular assistance to…
The India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) is reportedly on the verge of collapse after the Indian government was angered by comments made by UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman questioning action over visa overstayers from the country, a UK media report claimed on Wednesday. The Times' newspaper quoted government sources to…
India has a substantial inventory of Soviet and Russian-origin weapons because the Western countries opted for a military dictatorship in the region as its preferred partner and did not supply weapons to New Delhi for decades, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.…
Britain’s Indian-origin Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has cast doubts over a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with India over the issue of migration and branded Indians as the “largest group of people who overstay” their visas in the UK. Expressing concerns over what she feared would be an “open borders”…
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (local time) emphasized the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand, and said that he "could not agree more" with PM Modi's advice. On the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand on September 16,…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has slammed the mainstream American media, including The Washington Post, for their “biased” coverage of India. “I look at the media. You know, there are some newspapers you know, exactly, what they are going to write including one in this town,” Jaishankar told a gathering…
A Sikh student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte was allegedly detained on campus for wearing a Kirpan, one of the integral parts of five Sikh Kakars. The video of the incident was initially shared by the student, who posted it on Twitter saying that the police handcuffed…
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has met with local police officers and Hindu and Muslim community leaders in Leicester and assured them that thugs behind recent violent clashes would face the full force of the law. During a visit to the eastern England city on Thursday, the Indian-origin Cabinet minister…
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Wednesday met his British counterpart James Cleverly and shared India's concern about the security and welfare of the Indian community in the UK. His remarks came in the wake of recent reports of violence in several UK cities against the Indian community. Jaishankar…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a powerful, influential voice on the world stage and the Russian leadership respects India’s position on the global arena, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said, emphasising that London hopes President Vladimir Putin listens to those voices who are calling for peace amid the Ukraine…
Ahead of Queen Elizabeth's state funeral, President Droupadi Murmu met King Charles III at a reception held at Buckingham Palace on Sunday. President Murmu also signed the condolence book for Queen Elizabeth II, at the Lancaster House near Buckingham Palace in London. "President Droupadi Murmu signed the Condolence Book in…
President Droupadi Murmu arrived in London on Saturday (17) evening to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and to offer condolences on behalf of the Indian government. Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 at her summer residence of Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, is lying-in-state…
On the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi, India's external affairs minister Dr S. Jaishankar visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir site in Abu Dhabi. He was accompanied by an esteemed delegation of senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, including the Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ambassador Sanjay Sudhir, Joint…
External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar who is on a three-day visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited the under-construction Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi said to be the first traditional temple in the Arabian Peninsula and expressed his happiness over its "rapid progress." On Wednesday, Jaishankar visited the site of…
The US and other nations in the world may not appreciate India buying Russian oil, but they have accepted it as New Delhi has not been defensive about its stand but made them realise the obligation the government has to its people amidst "unreasonably high" oil and gas prices, External…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday urged Indians home and abroad to join the Har Ghar Tiranga Movement between 13th and 15th August and hoist the Indian Tricolour. "Har Ghar Tiranga" is an initiative by the Ministry of Culture to mark celebrations for India's 75th year of Independence. As…
Indian business magnate Anand Mahindra’s meme on the ongoing political developments in the UK has amused social media users.The image he posted on Twitter shows the British prime minister’s official residence decorated in the traditional Indian way - a garland of mango leaves (toran) adorning the top of the front…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's determination that he would not allow cross-border terrorism to be normalised has helped in shaping India's Pakistan policy since 2014. Speaking at an event at Delhi University, S Jaishankar noted that Prime Minister Modi is perceived abroad…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson has said that he raised the issue of the arrest of Scotsman Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi Johal with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his visit in April. He added that Johal has been “arbitrarily detained” in a Delhi jail, the Indian Express reported.…
Commonwealth leaders have told Eastern Eye that the UK government is “hell bent on destroying the Commonwealth in pursuit of a colonial agenda”. This newspaper has previously reported on the campaign by Boris Johnson’s administration to oust the current boss of the organisation’s administrative arm, Patricia Scotland. But now her…
Iran is satisfied with the efforts made by the Indian government in dealing with those responsible for comments on Prophet Muhammed, the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said.Abdollahian, who is on his first visit to India since he assumed office last year, raised the issue of the controversial…
INDIA has a difficult relationship with China but it is perfectly capable of managing it, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Friday (3). He rejected the European construct that New Delhi's position on Ukraine could impact global support to it if its problems with Beijing increases. In an interactive…
The inaugural edition of the Ideas for India conference ended on Friday after three days of rich discussion on public policy. The three-day event on 18-20 May was held to celebrate India’s 75th anniversary of Independence, with speakers providing their vision for where they see India in the coming 25…
THE European Union (EU) and India agreed on Monday (25) to set up a trade and technology council (TTC) to step up cooperation, as the bloc’s chief held talks with officials in New Delhi. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen concluded a two-day trip to India’s capital, part of…
INDIA said the best solution to the Ukraine conflict is to “stop the fighting” and get the warring sides to the negotiation table.“The best way forward is to focus on stopping the fighting, getting the talking and finding ways of moving forward. We think our choices, our positions are best…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Monday (25) announced the setting up of an India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), a strategic mechanism to tackle key trade, economic and technological challenges.India is the second country after the US to have such a…
INDIAN and the European Union (EU) agreed on Monday (25) to set up a trade and technology council to step up cooperation between them, the two sides said in a joint statement as the EU chief met government officials in New Delhi.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is on…
BORIS JOHNSON was accorded a cordial welcome when he landed in Gujarat on Thursday (21) as the British prime minister began his two-day trip to India. But the pomp and publicity that generally marks top world leaders’ visits to the south Asian country was conspicuously missing.Johnson was received at the…
SENIOR officials of India and France have explored ways to further expand their close bilateral defence cooperation.The two sides deliberated on various facets of the defence ties at the two-day India-France Joint Staff Talks that took place in Paris from April 12 to 13."The discussions focused on new initiatives under…
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai met Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday (12) and both agreed the newly relaunched US-India Trade Policy Forum could help boost bilateral trade and reduce barriers, Tai's office said. Tai and one of her deputies, Sarah Bianchi, discussed bilateral trade relations and the…
INDIA's relationship with Russia was developed over decades at a time when the US was not able to be a partner, secretary of state Antony Blinken. Top officials of the Biden administration on Monday (11) showed an understanding of New Delhi's position on Ukraine war. "India's relationship with Russia was…
AN INDIAN student has been shot dead by an unidentified man at the entrance of a subway station in Toronto while he was on his way to work, Canadian police said.Kartik Vasudev, 21, was shot on Thursday (7) evening at the Glen Road entrance to Sherbourne station in St James…
INDIA'S dependence on Russia for major defence equipment and other items like fertiliser is immense, a top American diplomat said.US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman, during her testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, dwelt on India's position on Russia and its repeated abstention from the United Nations on…
RUSSIA was suspended from the UN Human Rights Council after the 193-member General Assembly on Thursday (7) voted to adopt a resolution moved by the US while India abstained.The resolution titled ‘Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council' was adopted with 93…
INDIA has said it will “soon” begin the delivery of more medicines requested by Ukraine, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said as the situation in the war-torn country calls for urgent humanitarian relief.He also asserted that Russia remains “an important partner” for India, amid calls from Western countries to scale…
INDIA's foreign minister said he was "deeply disturbed" by civilian deaths in the Ukrainian city of Bucha but stopped short of blaming Russia, calling for an independent probe. New Delhi has historically close ties with Moscow and has refrained from condemning its invasion of its ex-Soviet neighbour, abstaining in several…
INDIA is in talks with eastern European countries for continuing the education of the students evacuated from Ukraine, external affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.The Ukrainian government has offered relaxation for students for taking two key examinations in their medical education courses, he told Parliament on Wednesday (6)."The mandatory CROC…
INDIA'S foreign minister said on Wednesday (6) the government is working to stabilise economic transactions with Russia, a day after New Delhi condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine and called for an independent probe.S Jaishankar told lawmakers in Parliament that Russia continues to be a critical economic partner and…
India on Tuesday condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine's Bucha and called for an independent investigation, having earlier declined to explicitly criticise the invasion of Ukraine by its long-time partner Russia. A Ukrainian human rights ombudswoman said on Tuesday that between 150 and 300 bodies may be in a…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson is planning to visit India by April end with a focus on strengthening bilateral ties, according to official sources. The visit, which is expected around April 22, is long overdue after Johnson was forced to cancel planned visits to India twice last year due to…
RUSSIA will increase its use of non-Western currencies for trade with countries such as India, its foreign minister said on Friday (1), as he hailed India as a friend that was not taking a "one-sided view" on the Ukraine war.Sergei Lavrov visited India on a mission to shore up support…
STRONGER ties with India are more important than ever before in view of the crisis in Ukraine, British foreign secretary Liz Truss said Thursday (31), but she said the UK would not tell India not to buy discounted Russian oil. Her comments came after talks with India’s external affairs minister…
US president Joe Biden's deputy national security adviser for economics Daleep Singh will be in New Delhi on March 30 and 31 to meet government officials to discuss Russia's war against Ukraine and develop an economic framework for the Indo-Pacific, the White House said. “Singh will consult closely with counterparts…
BRITISH foreign secretary Elizabeth Truss will visit India on Thursday (31) against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine.India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Monday (28) said Truss will hold consultations with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.Russian foreign minister…
INDIA said on Friday (25) ties with China could not be normal until their troops pulled back from each other on the disputed border, but Beijing struck a conciliatory note during a meeting of their foreign ministers in New Delhi. Both nations have deployed thousands of troops on the high-altitude…
CHINA's foreign minister Wang Yi drew a rebuke from the Indian government ahead of his expected but unconfirmed visit to New Delhi on Friday (25), upsetting his hosts with remarks made in Pakistan this week concerning the disputed Kashmir region. Relations between the two nuclear-armed Asian powers turned chilly two…
CHINA's foreign minister will visit New Delhi for talks on Friday (25), an Indian official said, though neither side has formally announced what would be the purpose of the highest-level visit since border clashes soured relations two years ago. Foreign minister Wang Yi attended a conference of the Organization of…
FIVE Indian students were killed in a road accident in Canada after the passenger van they were travelling in collided with a tractor-trailer on the Ontario highway on Saturday (12), Indian High Commissioner to Canada Ajay Bisaria said on Monday (14). Taking to Twitter, the Indian envoy expressed his condolences…
EMOTIONS ran high as Indian students, evacuated from the embattled Ukrainian city of Sumy, came out of the Delhi airport on Friday (11) and hugged their waiting parents.Some of the parents distributed sweets and garlanded their children while others welcomed them with bouquets and hugs as they arrived at the…
THE Indian embassy in Ukraine on Monday (28) advised all Indian students stranded in Kyiv to reach the railway station in the Ukrainian capital for their onward journey to the western parts of the war-torn country. It said the weekend curfew in Kyiv has been lifted and they can go…
Prime minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Sunday (27) and asserted that ensuring the safety of Indian students and evacuating them is the government's top priority, official sources said. It was also decided at the meeting to further enhance cooperation with the neighbouring countries…
A GROUP of students stuck in Ukraine has made a desperate appeal to the Indian government to evacuate them from the eastern European country “as fast as possible”. The students have been stranded in Ukraine as the nation closed its airspace because of the ongoing military action by Russia on…
INDIA abstained on a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution that condemned Russia's "aggression" against Ukraine and demanded "immediate, complete and unconditional" withdrawal of Russian forces from the neighbouring country. The UN Security Council voted on Friday (25) on the draft resolution sponsored by the US and Albania and supported by…
UKRAINE’S foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday (25) spoke to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to discuss the situation in Ukraine, ahead of a vote at the UN Security Council on the Russian attack. Jaishankar said he emphasised that India supports diplomacy and dialogue as the "way out". "Received call…
US PRESIDENT Joe Biden said Washington is in unresolved "consultations" with India over Ukraine. He was asked on Thursday (24) if Washington and Delhi were "fully in sync" over Russia's attack on Ukraine ahead of an expected UN Security Council vote. Biden did not elaborate, but his short response to a question…
The United Arab Emirates and India signed a "milestone" economic deal to boost trade and investment Friday, as the countries seek to bolster their economies after the coronavirus pandemic. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE's de facto ruler, and India's prime minister Narendra Modi held a…
THE US has expressed its hope that India will stand by it in case of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in Washington on Wednesday (16) that there was a discussion on Russia and Ukraine during the recently concluded Quad ministerial in Melbourne that included…
INDIA said on Tuesday (8) it had summoned South Korea's ambassador to express displeasure over a social media post by a Pakistan partner of Hyundai Motor over disputed Kashmir.The foreign ministers of India and South Korea also spoke over the telephone as the car company faced a backlash in India…
SENIOR cabinet members from Boris Johnson’s team, including the prime minister, are expected to travel to India this year as both countries step up their bilateral engagements, India’s high commissioner to the UK has revealed. In an exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, Gaitri Issar Kumar also said New Delhi was…
THE Indian diaspora acts as a living bridge connecting the country and the world, India’s junior minister for external affairs V Muraleedharan on Sunday (9) said on the occasion of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) or Non-Resident Indian Day. The day is observed to mark the contribution made by the overseas…
BRITAIN'S secretary of state for international trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan will launch Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations during a visit to New Delhi starting on Wednesday (12), the UK government has said.The schedule for the two-day visit to India will include bilateral talks between Trevelyan and the south Asian nation’s commerce…
INDIAN defence chief General Bipin Rawat and 12 other people were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday (8), with one survivor being treated for his injuries. Rawat was India's first chief of defence staff, a position that the government established in 2019, and was seen as close to prime…
A video of an officer at the Indian consulate in New York screaming at a visa applicant has gone viral on social media prompting action from the Consul General of India, New York, media reports said. The consulate said they have taken note of the incident and visas were issued…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he had a "very warm meeting" with Pope Francis and discussed a wide range of issues and also invited him to visit India at an early date. Modi, who is the first Indian prime minister to meet Francis since he became Pope…
BRITAIN and India must step up their economic and security ties, foreign secretary Liz Truss said ahead of a visit to Delhi where she will announce a green tech investment and pitch her vision of Britain's new role in the world to senior Indian ministers. Truss, who was appointed as…
WENDY Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, on Tuesday (5) arrived in New Delhi to review her country's bilateral agenda with India and discuss regional and global issues with the Narendra Modi government During her visit till Thursday (7), Sherman will hold talks with India’s external affairs minister Subrahmanyam…
BRITONS visiting India this month will have to undergo mandatory quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, in retaliation for the UK’s curbs on Indian citizens, a senior government source in New Delhi said on Friday (1). The new rules, which take effect from Monday (4), follow the…
PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi on Friday (24) described as "outstanding" his first bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden who said the Indo-US relationship is destined to be "stronger, closer and tighter" as the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including combating Covid-19, climate change, trade and the…
INDIA’S foreign minister on Tuesday (21) urged Britain to remove a rule requiring Indians visiting there to quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated. India's Covishield vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and manufactured in India by Pune-based Serum Institute, is not recognised by Britain under new rules despite being identical to…
INDIA has given a message to China that their bilateral relations will only get better when both pull back their troops from a confrontation point on their disputed Himalayan border, the country’s external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has said. Jaishankar, who is in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan for the…
INDIA’S ambassador to Qatar held talks with a top Taliban leader on Tuesday (31), the Indian foreign ministry said, the first formal diplomatic engagement since the hardline Islamist group took over Afghanistan. The envoy, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha,…
INDIA is carefully monitoring the situation in Afghanistan but its first priority is the safe return of Indian nationals, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said. He added that India's approach to the Afghanistan situation would be guided by the country's relationship with the Afghan people. "At the moment, we, like…
INDIA'S external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his British counterpart Dominic Raab have exchanged views on the developments in Afghanistan and agreed to work together to tackle shared security threats, support refugees and ease the humanitarian plight of Afghans. Jaishankar arrived in New York on Monday (16) to chair meetings…
INDIA on Tuesday (17) brought back its ambassador and staff at the embassy in Kabul in an Indian Air Force's C-17 aircraft, after the situation became fluid with the Afghan capital falling to the Taliban insurgents. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed the news in…
IN his first official visit to India, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday (28) issued a veiled warning about Indian democracy backsliding. Blinken told civil society groups -- his first appointment before meeting Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Modi -- that the US and India are "connected by…
US state department on Friday (23) said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to India next week. It will be Blinken's first visit to the world's largest democracy and an important US ally in Asia. Blinken will also visit Kuwait and meet senior officials there at the end of…
SOUTH AFRICAN president Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday (16) he would not allow "anarchy and mayhem" to prevail and suggested that a wave of looting and arson that has destroyed hundreds of businesses had been deliberately provoked. Rioting broke out in several parts of the country following the jailing…
INDIA’S external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday (29) said that international cooperation is the answer to the challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic. "Whether it is vaccines, medicines, PPE or oxygen, international cooperation is the answer to the Covid challenge. Need more, not less," Jaishankar said while addressing the…
WITH India stepping up its diplomatic activities in Afghanistan's peace process as the US prepares for withdrawal of its troops, Pakistan has said “at times” it feels that New Delhi's presence in the war-torn country “is perhaps larger than it ought to be". Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's remarks…
INDIA'S Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane on Tuesday (15) saluted 20 martyred soldiers who gave their lives while defending the country’s territorial integrity against “unprecedented” Chinese aggression at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh region a year ago. On the first anniversary of the deadly clashes that brought…
THEY both are promising economies and with mammoth populations on either side of the border, these two neighbours can aspire to be world beaters in decades to come. But in reality, India and China have been more at odds than in unity. From border to political to geostrategic, the two…
INDIA's envoy to the US has said that the country will be a "significant recipient" of US vaccines as president Joe Biden announced details of his administration's decision to send 25 million Covid-19 shots to countries across the globe. In a phone call on Thursday (3), Modi and US vice…
US secretary of state Antony Blinken has said that the US and India are united in trying to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic together and Washington is determined to help India with its coronavirus crisis. Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who has spent the past week in the US seeking help…
INDIA’S foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar on Thursday (27) conveyed his appreciation for US solidarity in addressing Covid challenges during a meeting with US national security advisor Jake Sullivan. Jaishankar also stressed healthcare partnerships and the importance of India US collaborations, which he hoped would strengthen supply chains for vaccine…
INDIA’S foreign minister S Jaishankar will meet the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, on Monday (24) to emphasise the procurement of coronavirus vaccines. During his five-day visit to the country, the minister explore the possibility of joint production as well as procurement of coronavirus vaccine with American companies. He…
Bangladesh will receive about 106,000 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine on June 2, according to a health ministry official. Ministry spokesperson Maidul Islam confirmed on Tuesday (18) that the vaccines will arrive in Bangladesh under the COVAX scheme, which is co-led by the World Health Organization, the Gavi vaccine…
THE extradition coordination between Indian and UK has fundamentally changed and improved, said Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel. A new India-UK Migration and Mobility Partnership (MMP) was signed between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Patel last week. MMP aims to cover the whole spectrum of immigration issues, including streamlining extradition…
UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab and Indian external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar held a virtual two hour meeting on Thursday (6) focussing on implementing the '2030 roadmap' of the India-UK enhanced trade partnership (ETP) to pave the way for a free trade agreement (FTA). Both the ministers also discussed Indo-Pacific…
INDIA'S entire delegation in London to attend the G7 summit is isolating after two of its members tested positive for Covid-19, ther British government said on Wednesday (5). "Two delegates tested positive so the entire delegation is now self isolating," a British official said. "The meeting had been enabled by…
The UK said on Sunday it was sending an extra 1,000 oxygen ventilators to Covid-struck India, as a group of doctors staged their own intervention by offering long-distance telemedicine from Britain. Britain has already sent 495 oxygen concentrators and 200 ventilators to India as the country grapples with a devastating…
AS the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic spreads unabated, many countries have reached out to India and extended help with life-saving drugs, medical supplies and equipment. India has been hit hard in the second wave of the pandemic and has seen at least 300,000 people test positive each day…
INDIA is hopeful the United States will soon lift ban on the export of vaccine raw materials after the foreign ministers of both the countries spoke on this issue, government sources told Reuters on Monday (19). According to an Indian government official, Joe Biden administration has told India that its…
PAKISTAN'S foreign minister has welcomed mediation efforts by the United Arab Emirates between his country and India but said he was not planning to meet his Indian counterpart in the UAE, according to newspaper Khaleej Times. Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar are visiting…
The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan made crossover visits to the United Arab Emirates this weekend, after it was revealed the Gulf nation has been mediating between the hostile neighbours. "Good to be in the #UAE," Pakistan's Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted late Saturday, after announcing a three-day trip which…
INDIA could face the possible consequences of a resurgent Taliban after US and NATO troops leave Afghanistan by September, experts have cautioned, as they noted the likelihood of the war-torn country being used as a safe abode by terrorists. US president Joe Biden said on Wednesday (14) that all American…
THE joint commitment by India and Pakistan last month to respect a 2003 cease-fire agreement was brokered by top United Arab Emirates (UAE) Royals, reported The Bloomberg. The cease-fire statement marked a milestone in secret talks brokered by the UAE that began months earlier, and is only the beginning of…
The resignation of one of India's most prominent intellectuals and a fierce government critic from a top university has sparked student protests and worries about freedom of speech in the world's biggest democracy. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a respected scholar on political theory and constitutional law, had long been dismayed by…
India's foreign minister arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday ahead of a visit by prime minister Narendra Modi amid efforts to resolve the fate of 81 Rohingya refugees who are on a boat adrift in international waters. Foreign minister S. Jaishankar will hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart on water sharing,…
INDIA's foreign minister arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday (4) ahead of a visit by prime minister Narendra Modi amid efforts to resolve the fate of 81 Rohingya refugees who are on a boat adrift in international waters. Foreign minister S Jaishankar will hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart on water…
Myanmar's generals came under increased diplomatic pressure on Thursday over the coup that deposed Aung San Suu Kyi, as India joined the United States and other countries in calling for a restoration of democracy, and Britain and Canada announced sanctions against the junta. As the ruling generals pressed on with…
BRITISH MP and the president-designate of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) Alok Sharma on Tuesday(16) met Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to discuss the India-UK collaboration on climate change. The COP26 will be hosted by the UK in November 2021 in Glasgow. "Pleased to meet…
THE US special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry has said that India's transition into clean energy provides a 'red-hot' investment opportunity. Kerry on Thursday(11) praised prime minister Narendra Modi for his commitment to addressing the challenge posed by climate change which the Biden Administration believes poses an existential threat…
A small bomb exploded outside the Israeli embassy in New Delhi on Friday (31) as it marked the anniversary of setting up diplomatic relations with India. No injuries were reported but an Israeli official told AFP the incident was being treated as terrorism. The windows on three nearby cars were…
India exported its first batch of locally produced coronavirus shots on Wednesday (20), officials said, as the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer scrambled to meet requests from other countries desperate to protect their populations. The Maldives and Bhutan will be the first recipients of India's coronavirus vaccine, while Brazil and South…
INDIAN government has informed the Supreme Court that the extradition of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya from the UK is being delayed due to some legal issues. The government added that it is making all efforts to extradite Mallya, accused in bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore (over…
THE UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said that the mutual benefits of a post Brexit free-trade agreement between UK and India would be 'enormous'. He, however, added that such a deal could take many years. Responding to questions on the ongoing farmers’ protests in India, Raab said that India…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will travel to India in January, his first bilateral visit since taking office, to try to strengthen trade and investment ties and work together on tackling climate change, his office said on Tuesday(15). He also accepted his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's invitation to be the…
Carnegie India’s global technology summit, co-hosted by India's external affairs ministry, will be held from December 14-18. The virtual summit will be inaugurated with a keynote address by India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar. Experts from around the world will address critical questions on technology and its place in today’s…
BRITISH parliamentarians have extended their support to farmers in India who are protesting against new agricultural reforms in the country. A group of 36 cross-party parliamentarians has written to UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab asking him to make representations with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, about the impact on British…
India and the US on Tuesday (27) strongly condemned cross border terrorism in all its forms and asked Pakistan to take "immediate, sustained and irreversible" action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terror attacks. The issue of cross-border terrorism figured in the third edition…
INDIA AND THE US began a top-level security dialogue aimed at countering China's growing power in the region on Monday(26). As part of the cooperation India will sign a military agreement with the US for sharing of sensitive satellite data, the defence ministry said. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo…
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Tuesday (6) visited Toyko to meet with some of Washington's closest allies in Asia, Japan, Australia and India, to shore up support against what the US says is China's dangerous and growing regional influence. It is Pompeo's first trip to East Asia since July 2019 and…
INDIAN and Chinese border troops had an exchange of gunfire last week just days before a meeting of their foreign ministers, Indian officials said on Wednesday (16), in a further breach of a decades-old restraint at the frontier. The two sides have had a long-standing agreement for troops not to use…
DESCRIBING Xi Jinping as the "architect" of the military aggression against India, a leading US magazine has reported that the Chinese president has risked his future with the high-profile incursions into Indian territory that "unexpectedly flopped" as the Indian Army "fought back ferociously". Xi, 67, already roiling the Communist Party…
CHINA will release five Indian nationals it detained earlier this month in a region bordering Tibet, state-back tabloid Global Times reported on Saturday(12), citing unnamed sources. The five were Indian intelligence agents dressed as hunters, the paper said, disputing claims that they had been kidnapped. Bilateral relations have been unusually…
CHINA AND INDIA said on Friday(11) they had agreed to de-escalate renewed tensions on their contested Himalayan border and take steps to restore "peace and tranquillity" following a high-level diplomatic meeting in Moscow. Chinese state councillor Wang Yi and Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar met in Moscow on Thursday(10) and…
INDIA has thanked members of the UN Security Council who thwarted Pakistan's bid to get two Indian nationals listed as terrorists as well as Islamabad's "blatant attempt" to politicise the world body's procedure on terrorism. Pakistan had submitted the names of Angara Appaji and Gobinda Patnaik for designation under the…
India's foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said on Monday (31) a US visa policy that supported Indian talent would be beneficial for both countries. A more knowledge-driven, global economy will require more trusted talent, which is an opportunity for India, Jaishankar told a virtual conference on relations between the two nations.…
INDIA announced a $500 million package to fund a project in the Maldives on Thursday (13) to help it connect the capital Male to three nearby islands, stepping up New Delhi's diplomatic efforts in a region China has also been focusing recently. The Indian Ocean island nation, popular with tourists for its…
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Wednesday (8) denounced China's "aggression" toward India and said that a fresh dispute over Bhutan showed Beijing's plan of "bullying." The remarks were the most extensive by the top US diplomat since a deadly clash between the world's two most populous nations on…
China and India have agreed to reduce tensions a week after their deadliest clashes in over 50 years on the disputed Himalayan border left 20 Indian troops dead in brutal hand-to-hand fighting. The June 15 battle, reportedly fought with fists, clubs and rocks, was the first time troops have been…
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday that his country was "hurt and angry" after a border clash with China that left 20 troops dead, and warned that the army has been given free reign to respond to any new violence. India and China have blamed each other for the…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi appeared to downplay a clash with Chinese troops in a disputed Himalayan region that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and more than 70 injured, saying there had been no intrusion across his country's borders. "Nobody has intruded into our border, neither is anybody there now,…
US president Donald Trump is aware of the fierce clash between the Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Laddakh, the White House said on Wednesday, stressing that there are no formal plans on mediating between the two countries. Twenty Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel, were killed in the clash…
INDIA and China held top level talks Wednesday (17) to "cool down the situation", Beijing said, after a violent border brawl that left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead. The two nations' foreign ministers spoke by telephone to calm escalating tensions after high-altitude fisticuffs involving rocks and clubs. News of…
RUCHI GHANASHYAM retired as the Indian high commissioner to the UK early this month in an unusually discreet way given the constraints related to the coronavirus lockdown, bidding farewell to her team at the India House in London virtually over a conference call. However, there has been little impact on…
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Wednesday (29) praised India for lifting export bans on critical medical supplies including pharmaceuticals used to treat COVID-19 patients, saying it was an example of working together with partner countries to tackle the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. "We're working with our…
THE Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ruchi Ghanashyam, issued another warning on Friday (4) for Indians stranded in the country amid the lockdown to not be misled by “mischievous” information being circulated around possible evacuation flights to India. Ghanashyam praised the “laudable contribution” of these Indian nationals in strengthening…
China-India relations are standing at a new starting point and facing new opportunities, Chinese president Xi Jinping said on Wednesday, exchanging congratulatory messages with his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind on the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. On April 1, 1950, India became the first non-socialist country in Asia…
by LAUREN CODLING and S NEERAJ KRISHNA THOUSANDS of Britons “stranded” in India following the Covid-19 pandemic will be repatriated in the coming days, the UK government announced on Monday (30). The response comes after a number of British nationals stranded in India accused the UK government of “abandoning” them…
Dominic Raab has announced that the UK government was planning to charter special flights to bring back British nationals who find themselves stranded in the Covid-19 worldwide travel lockdown. The UK foreign secretary and his counterparts from about 20 countries had held discussions with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar…
INDIA has evacuated 1,444 nationals from different COVID-19 infected countries in the past weeks. These include 766 from China, 124 from Japan, 336 from Iran and 218 from Italy so far. The country has carried out the latest rescue missions in Italy and Iran, worst COVID-19 affected countries after China.…
INDIA brought back 58 nationals from coronavirus-hit Iran in a military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday (10). The aircraft, a C-17 Globemaster, was sent to Tehran from Hindon airbase near Ghaziabad on Monday evening. IAF spokesperson Group Captain Anupam Banerjee said the aircraft evacuated 25…
After a month of an ordeal, Indians from coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship are back home. An Air India flight on Thursday (27) brought back 119 Indians and five foreigners who were on board the ship docked off Yokohama in Japan. The foreigners included two from Sri Lanka and one…
India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday (17) defended his country's controversial new citizenship law and crackdown in Kashmir, as he came to Brussels to promote what he hopes will be closer strategic ties to the European Union. Delhi's top diplomat was the guest of honour as EU foreign ministers…
INDIA’S External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave a firm repartee to a senior US senator that India will "settle" the Kashmir issue on its own when the American lawmaker brought up the subject at the ongoing Munich Security Conference. Referring to the Kashmir issue during a panel discussion, Senator Lindsey…
INDIAN External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday (7) that 80 Indian students are still living in the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan. He added that 70 of them chose to stay behind at the time of the evacuation operation. The minister said that the Indian Embassy in China…
INDIA and the US are set to seal a trade deal during president Donald Trump's planned visit to India in the last week of this month, multiple sources said. Trade officials of India and the US are giving final touches to the deal expected to cover specific sectors, they said.…
Seasoned diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed as India's Ambassador to the US, replacing Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the Ministry of External Affairs said. Shringla is set to take over as the next foreign secretary on Wednesday. Sandhu, a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently posted as High Commissioner…
At least 23 people were hurt at a prestigious Indian university on Sunday (5) in what police said were clashes between rival student groups but which an opposition politician blamed on a student organisation linked to prime minister Narendra Modi. Unverified videos on social media appeared to show a group…
Tehran and Delhi have agreed to accelerate the development of an important Iranian port, India's foreign minister said during a visit to the sanctions-hit Islamic republic on Monday (25). Chabahar port -- being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan -- is on the Indian Ocean about 100 kilometres (62…
Top Democratic Senator Kamala Harris on Friday (20) came out in support of her fellow Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, with whom External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar refused to meet during his visit to the country early this week. "It's wrong for any foreign government to tell Congress what members…
THE US should not obstruct the flow of talent from India as it is an important part of the economic cooperation and almost acts as a strategic bridge between the two countries, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, emphasising the importance of H-1B visas, popular among Indian IT…
India and the US on Thursday (19) asked Pakistan to take "immediate and irreversible action" to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorism against other countries and to prosecute the perpetrators of cross-border terror attacks, including Mumbai and Pathankot strikes. The two countries also asked Pakistan…
The United States promised on Wednesday (18) to take into account India's concerns as it looks to pull out of Afghanistan, in high-level talks aimed at boosting the two democracies' emerging alliance. The talks in Washington came against the backdrop of major protests in India over a citizenship law that…
The second two-plus-two dialogue between India and the US will take place on December 18 in Washington during which the two sides will take stock of the entire gamut of strategic ties between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday (12). The Indian side will be…
Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday (29) said he would strive to take his country's bilateral relationship with India to a "very high level". Speaking to reporters after a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, he also said both India and Sri Lanka need to work together on issues…
India's foreign minister arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday and announced that new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa had accepted prime minister Narendra Modi's invitation to visit New Delhi next week. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said he held talks with Rajapaksa in Colombo on his first full day in office after being sworn in…
CHINESE president Xi Jinping and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi are expected to agree new security measures along their unsettled border during a summit on Friday (11), officials said, in an effort to smooth ties ruffled by differences over Kashmir. The two are meeting in a seaside resort in southern…
India's prime minister Narendra Modi and China's president Xi Jinping will meet in the Indian city of Chennai from Friday in a bid to ease strained bilateral ties. The leaders of the world's two most populous nations will tackle "over-arching issues", according to India's announcement of the meeting. Here are…
ONCE India triggers development in Jammu and Kashmir, all of Pakistan's plan for the last 70 years against the state would come to a naught, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told a top US think tank here. The minister also pointed out to the Washington audience that the current…
TRADE deals are not simple arithmetic but much more complicated as they involve a number of variables, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, exuding confidence that India and the US will "find a fix" to their trade disputes with intense engagement going on between the two countries. Trade…
IT IS important for the larger India-US relationship to have some early results to address concerns on the trade issues between the two countries, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his American counterpart Mike Pompeo agreed here during a meeting. Trade tensions between India and the US have been rising…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi held a series of bilateral meetings with several world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session here, including with German chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte, and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad. Modi, who arrived here to attend…
Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan warned citizens on Wednesday (18) that anyone who goes to fight jihad in Kashmir will hurt the territory's cause, as anger simmers between Islamabad and New Delhi over the disputed region. Indian authorities are waiting for "any excuse" to crack down in the Himalayan region,…
INDIA'S foreign minister said on Tuesday (17) that the part of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan belongs to India and that he expected India to gain physical control over it one day. India rules the heavily populated Kashmir Valley while Pakistan controls a wedge of territory in the west- Pakistan-occupied Kashmir…
BRITISH Pakistani groups-led protests turned violent outside the Indian high commission in London on Tuesday (3) resulting in the arrest of two people. The Indian authorities will take up with the UK the matter of damage inflicted to the Indian high commission in London during the protests yesterday, media has…
INDIA on Thursday (15) confirmed the release of 24 Indian crew members aboard an Iranian oil tanker. The crew members are set to return India, the country’s external affairs ministry said. The officials in Gibraltar have finally dropped all charges against the Indian crew members. V Muraleedharan, India’s minister of…
The UK government said that it had expressed its concerns to over the Indian government's decision to revoke Article 370 and withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government on Monday revoked Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated…
Indian troops enforced the fifth day of a military lockdown across Kashmir but eased some restrictions for Friday prayers, as China and Pakistan vowed to stand together after New Delhi's move to end the disputed Muslim-majority region's autonomy. Beijing said it was "seriously concerned" after the decision by prime minister…
By Nadeem Badshah NEW DELHI is the cheapest major city in the world for Britons to move to due to its rent rates, food prices and transport costs, research found. India’s capital is the most affordable among 85 cities, with those moving there expected on average to shell out £1,789…
Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to visit India in October to discuss several bilateral and regional issues, including the long-pending pact on the Teesta water sharing and the Rohingya crisis, foreign minister Dr AK Momen said in Dhaka on Sunday (4). It will be Hasina's first visit to…
US president Donald Trump on Thursday (1) said it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute but he was ready to assist if the two South Asian neighbours wanted him to help in resolving the decades-old issue. Trump was referring to his last week's meeting with…
The US has a very good and growing relationship with India, the White House has said. White House Counsellor Kellyanne Conway was responding to a question on Thursday (26) on the denial by the Indian government that prime minister Narendra Modi requested president Donald Trump to mediate on the Kashmir…
INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi never asked US president Donald Trump to help mediate with Pakistan over Kashmir, the government said on Tuesday (23), after Trump's comments set off a storm of criticism. Trump told reporters on Monday (22) that Modi had asked him, during a meeting in Japan last month, if he would…
INDIA on Thursday (18) demanded that Pakistan release an alleged spy after the International Court of Justice called for a review of a death sentence against him. The arch-rivals each declared victory after the world court ruling made late Wednesday. But with 49-year-old Kulbhushan Jadhav still held in secret, his…
US and Indian trade negotiators ended talks on Friday (12) without making major progress on a range of disputes over tariffs and other protectionist measures imposed by both sides that are straining bilateral ties, according to officials with knowledge of the discussions. Many of the toughest questions on agricultural commodities,…
INDIA and US trade negotiators will meet on Friday (12), with few signs of a compromise on a series of protectionist measures taken by the two governments in recent months that have strained ties between the strategic partners. US president Donald Trump has been putting pressure on India to do…
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo sought to reduce heightened trade tension with India on Wednesday (26), promising a renewed focus on negotiating better ties, but giving few specifics of how they would overcome their disputes over trade and investment. Pompeo's India visit comes as the two countries grapple with…
INDIA and the US are closing in on an industrial security agreement that will allow the transfer of defence technology, sources said on Monday (24), ahead of US secretary of state Mike Pompeo's talks in New Delhi this week to promote strategic ties. Disputes over trade and protectionist moves have…
AHEAD of secretary of state Mike Pompeo's visit to India next week, an influential American lawmaker has asked him to take up the issue of increased tariff on almonds during his meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi. India has announced a hike in customs duties on as many as 28…
US secretary of state Michael Pompeo will be in India from June 25-27 and hold talks with the leadership here to strengthen the strategic partnership. His visit comes ahead of a meeting between US president Donald Trump and prime minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in…
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has pushed for India to further open its economy and also "diversify" its energy portfolio, saying countries that have provided American companies access to their markets have seen "real opportunity". Speaking at the India Ideas Summit of US-India Business Council here Wednesday (12), ahead…
By Amit Roy THE first official response to Narendra Modi's re-election as India's prime minister has come from Mark Field, Minister of State at the Foreign Office, who said he hoped to use the Indian diaspora in the UK to strengthen "the living bridge" between the two countries. Field,…
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, scheduled to visit India later this month, has put his own spin on the popular BJP election slogan - "Modi hai toh mumkin hai." "As prime minister (Narendra) Modi said in his latest campaign, 'Modi hai to mumkin hai,' or 'Modi makes it possible',…
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo will discuss "an ambitious agenda" for the US-India strategic partnership when he meets with prime minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar later this month in New Delhi, the State Department said. Pompeo will travel to four countries in the Indo-Pacific region…
FROM ferry services and port terminals to a new national cricket stadium, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to come bearing gifts on his visit to neighbours Sri Lanka and the Maldives this weekend. Modi's first overseas trip after winning a second term is being viewed as a statement of intent…
IT is time to get talking that seemed to be Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s message to both the US and China on Friday (31) when he named a highly rated career diplomat with expertise in dealing with both countries as India’s new foreign minister, diplomatic affairs experts said. The…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers took oath to office on Thursday (30). The union cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha (lower house) includes 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge, and 24 ministers of state. The list of the top leaders who were…
INDIA'S prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday (31) named Nirmala Sitharaman, formerly the country's defence minister, as the next finance minister, and chose ruling party president Amit Shah to become home affairs minister. Having masterminded the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party's landslide victory in the April-May general election, Shah had…
A rising India needs to work with Western nations to find new ground to further strengthen a relationship that has already delivered considerable global political benefits and economic gains, India’s former foreign secretary, Dr S Jaishankar said at the University of Birmingham on Thursday (25). He was delivering the University…
Indo-US relationship made great strides in 2017, with President Donald Trump keeping his electoral promise of being the "best friend of India" inside the White House. India was the only country for which the Trump administration came out with a 100-year plan; an honour not accorded to even Americas top…
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi along with other members of a parliamentary panel today raised questions on media reports that China was ramping up its military presence in areas close to Doklam at a meeting where the MPs were briefed by top government officials. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External…
The U.S. administration has told India that Westinghouse Electric Co will emerge from bankruptcy and be sold by the year end, industry and diplomatic sources have said, raising the prospect of a Washington-supported sale or bailout for the nuclear firm. India, like other nuclear nations, has been closely watching the fate of Japanese-owned Westinghouse, which filed for Chapter 11 in March after…
diplomats raise concerns about their nationals after attacks A GROUP of students from Africa in New Delhi called off a demonstration to protest against recent attacks against their community in the capital after the Indian government assured them of better security. The students said on Tuesday (31) that they had…
AN Indian court on Wednesday (March 2) granted bail to a student leader whose arrest on a controversial sedition charge last month sparked major protests and a nationwide debate over free speech. Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on February 12 over a rally at Delhi’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) at…
New Delhi has urged Islamabad today to make “visible progress” on a probe into a deadly attack on an Indian air force base, during a stalled meeting between their top diplomats. India and Pakistan postponed talks between their foreign secretaries in January after the assault—which Delhi blamed on a banned…
The top diplomats of India and Pakistan have met today for talks after a hiatus of several months following a militant attack on an Indian air base, in what the Pakistani side called a useful and wide-ranging exchange of views. The low-key meeting between the foreign secretaries, on the sidelines…
INDIA announced today (October 27) that it was expelling a Pakistani visa official for suspected spying after he was briefly detained carrying sensitive defence documents, with tensions between the neighbours already running high. New Delhi police said the official had been recruiting Indian nationals for two and a half years…
FOREIGN office minister Alok Sharma is set to lead a British business delegation to the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh this weekend. Indore, the state capital, is hosting the Global Investors Summit, with Indian and British industry leaders, policy makers, investors and businesses attending this Saturday (22). Britain is…
INDIA is trying to hasten a deal with the United States to buy Predator drone aircraft for military surveillance, one of several defence and nuclear projects the two sides are pursuing in the final months of the Obama administration. India’s request for 22 Predator Guardian drones made in June is…
