Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Modi, Pence discuss defence and trade cooperation in Indo-Pacific 

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US vice-president Mike Pence held talks on Wednesday (14) on a wide range of issues including ways to combat terror and defence and trade cooperation.

The duo met on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Singapore, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said.


They had "productive discussion on all aspects of global strategic partnership based on growing convergence of interests on regional and global issues," he said, reported Press Trust of India.

Pence also praised India and the US's commitment to combating terrorism, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters after the meeting, adding that Modi reminded Pence that all leads in the global terror attacks ultimately leads to a "single source and single place of origin."

Modi did not name any country or organisation.

"He did point out that the mainstreaming of people involved in the Mumbai attacks in a political process which has taken place in the recent elections in Pakistan should be a matter of serious concern and not to just the two countries which is India and US but to international community," Gokhale said, referring to the Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's party contesting the July 25 elections in Pakistan.

"There was some good understanding of the areas of how we move forward in building cooperation in counter-terrorism and both countries recognised this is a challenge we have to fight together and to fight along with the rest of the international community," Gokhale said.

On bilateral issues, the two sides had brief discussions on trade-related matters and Modi is believed to have highlighted the fact that ever since Donald Trump assumed office, American exports to India have grown by 50 per cent.

"We agreed that in a new relationship we are building with the US where trade is expanding we need to find ways in which we can help that process to take place," he said.

Gokhale said Modi also discussed the import of oil and gas worth $4 billion from the US as the two leaders emphasised on the need to enhance energy cooperation.

"This is important from the perspective of US. There was a lot of discussions on energy. This is a new sector in Indo-US relations - we have begun importing oil and gas from US worth about USD 4 billion this year. We express our readiness to import more gas and oil from US as a way of expanding trade," he said.

The defence sector was another area of cooperation between the two sides.

"Both sides agreed that there have been a substantial enhancement in our defence relationship and in our imports of equipment from the US but prime minister Modi stressed that there was a great opportunity for the US in India in making defence equipment and in setting up defence industry in India," Gokhale said.

"Not only because India is a substantial market but because the way we are placed regionally we can become a hub for exports to the rest of the region," Gokhale said.

More For You

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala, India, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

THE Dalai Lama said on Saturday (5) he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday (6), and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK heatwave by mid-July

Daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C

iStock

Met Office warns of potential third UK heatwave by mid-July

Key points

  • Met Office forecasts rising temperatures by mid-July
  • Possible third heatwave after record-breaking June
  • High pressure system likely to bring hot air from the Atlantic
  • Yellow rain warning and flood alerts issued in parts of Scotland and Cumbria

Possible heatwave to return by mid-July

The UK could experience its third heatwave in a month by mid-July, the Met Office has said. Forecasters expect rising heat and humidity during the second weekend of July, following two weekends of unusually warm weather in late June.

June was officially the hottest on record in England, and the return of high temperatures could mean another heatwave for parts of the country. However, the Met Office cautioned that it is too early to confirm how hot conditions will get.

Keep ReadingShow less
crypto

Two men have been jailed for defrauding investors of £1.5 million through a fake crypto investment scheme. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Two jailed over £1.5m crypto investment scam

TWO people who duped investors of £1.5 million by selling fake investments in crypto have been jailed for 12 years, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.

Raymondip Bedi, of Bromley, and Patrick Mavanga, of Peckham, conned at least 65 people by cold-calling them between February 2017 and June 2019. They operated companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.

Keep ReadingShow less
Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE is now investigating more than 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects, following years of public criticism and institutional failings in tackling child sexual exploitation.

A new report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has revealed the force has made “significant improvements” in dealing with group-based sexual abuse and related crimes.

Keep ReadingShow less