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As fresh attacks on West Asian gas hubs triggered fresh concerns, India on Thursday said such strikes are "unacceptable and need to cease". New Delhi described the attacks as "deeply disturbing" and that they only serve to further destabilise an already uncertain energy scenario globally. Iran targeted several energy infrastructure in West Asia including Qatar's LNG (liquefied natural gas) hub of Ras Laffan in retaliation to Israel's strikes on Iran's South Pars gas fields. "India had previously called for the avoidance of targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, across the region," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "The recent attacks against energy installations in different locations across this region are therefore deeply disturbing and only serve to further destabilise an already uncertain energy scenario for the whole world," he said. "Such attacks are unacceptable and need to cease," Jaiswal said.
Amid the escalating West Asia conflict, the government on Wednesday said around 2.6 lakh people have returned from the region to India since February 28. At an inter-ministerial briefing here on the West Asia situation, Additional Secretary (Gulf), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Aseem R Mahajan, said that on Wednesday, around 70 flights were expected to operate from various airports in the UAE to different destinations in India. The flight situation is "reassuring," he said. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal spoke about a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday. "The two leaders discussed the current situation in West Asia. The prime minister reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure," he said. The two leaders agreed on the importance of "ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strai
India on Monday said it hasn't engaged in bilateral talks with the US to ensure safe transit of merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The remarks by the Ministry of External Affairs came against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump calling on several countries to send warships to keep the strategically key shipping route open. Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). In a social media post, Trump hoped that China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and other countries affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Strait of Hormuz, will send warships to the region to keep the shipping route "safe and open". There has not been any concrete response by the leading countries. In its reaction, China called on all sides to immediately stop military operations in West Asia to help k
India on Monday asked its citizens currently in Iran not to approach or attempt to cross any land border for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Indian Embassy in Tehran. In an advisory, the Indian Embassy further said that Indian nationals who attempt to leave Iran via land borders without its knowledge and guidance are highly likely to encounter serious logistical and immigration difficulties. "...All Indian nationals currently in Iran are strictly advised not to approach or attempt to cross any land border of Iran for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Embassy of India," the advisory said. It said the embassy will not be in a position to provide assistance once individuals move outside Iranian territory without prior coordination. "The Embassy is in regular contact with members of the Indian community, and coordinated arrangements are being undertaken wherever necessary. Uncoordinated movement toward land borders is strongly
India and Chile have agreed to boost cooperation in trade, investment, health and pharmaceuticals, science and technology and other sectors. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh visited Chile from March 10-12, and represented the Government of India at the inauguration ceremony of new President of Chile, Jose Antonio Kast Rist, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. During the visit, Singh held a bilateral meeting with President Kast, and also interacted with outgoing president, Gabriel Boric Font. "During these meetings, the two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in key areas including trade, investment, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicines, science and technology, mining and mineral exploration, education, space, agriculture and people to people exchanges," the MEA said in a statement. The two sides also expressed satisfaction at the progress in the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement .
The Karnataka government has requested the Ministry of External Affairs to extend all necessary assistance, coordinate with local law enforcement, and provide support to the family of a 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student who has gone missing in the US state of California. Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, hailing from Karnataka, has been reported missing in Berkeley, California, since the morning of February 12, it said. In a letter to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh said Saketh is currently enrolled in the Master of Science program at the University of California, Berkeley. According to information received from his family and housemates, his whereabouts remain unknown despite a formal complaint being lodged with the Berkeley Police Department, the letter dated February 13 stated. Given the gravity of the situation and the mounting anxiety of his family residing in the state, she requested the
India on Friday said it is closely following developments relating to a proposed American legislation that seeks to impose up to 500 per cent tariff on countries procuring Russian crude oil. India and China are among a handful of countries which are procuring a significant volume of crude oil from Russia. US Senator Lindsey Graham, the author of the bill, said this week that President Donald Trump has green-lighted the proposed legislation. "We are aware of the proposed bill. We are closely following the developments," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing here. "Our position on the larger question of energy sourcing is well known." "In this endeavour, we are guided by the evolving dynamics of the global market and by the imperative to secure affordable energy from diverse sources to meet the energy security needs of our 1.4 billion people," he said.
India on Monday said Pakistan's "horrific and systemic victimisation" of minorities of various faiths is a well established fact and no amount of "finger pointing" will "obfuscate" it. New Delhi said this while strongly trashing Pakistan's comments on the condition of minorities in India. "We reject the reported remarks from a country whose abysmal record on this front speaks for itself," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "Pakistan's horrific and systemic victimisation of minorities of various faiths is a well established fact. No amount of finger pointing will obfuscate it," he said. In Islamabad, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, responding to media queries on alleged vandalism during Christmas celebrations in some places in India, said "persecution of minorities in India is a matter of deep concern". Andrabi referred to what he called "recent condemnable incidents" of vandalism during Christmas, as well as campaigns allegedly targeti