Page 9 - External Affairs Ministry

Foreign Secy Kwatra holds meetings with US officials, industry leaders

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra is here this week for a series of meetings with senior officials from the US Government and interaction with industry leaders to advance bilateral cooperation in areas like defence and technology. Kwatra held separate meetings with Richard Verma, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and Kurt Campbell, Deputy Secretary of State at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department. Productive catch up with Indian Foreign Secretary Kwatra on advancing ongoing US-India cooperation and the need for our countries' close partnership for regional security and prosperity, Verma said in a post of X. Earlier in the day, Kwatra was hosted by the US India Business Council over a breakfast meeting with its Board Chair and NASDAQ Executive Vice Chairman Ed Knight. They engaged in discussions on deepening investment channels, fostering innovation and technology, and strengthening the commercial ties between our countries, the USIBC said in a pos

'Sound and stable ties' serve common interests: China on PM Modi's comment

China on Thursday said that "sound and stable ties" serve the common interests of China and India as it reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that for New Delhi, ties with Beijing are important and the prolonged situation at the borders should be addressed urgently. In an interview with Newsweek magazine, which described India's rise as "unstoppable", Prime Minister Modi expressed hope that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, the two countries will be able to restore and sustain peace and tranquillity at their borders. China has noted the remarks by the prime minister, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing here when asked for her reaction to Modi's statement. We believe that sound and stable China, India relations serve the common interests of both sides and are conducive to peace and development of the region and beyond, she said. In his interview, which is the first to be given to

Missing Indian student found dead in Cleveland, 11th case in US in 2024

Mohammed Abdul Arfath had moved to the US in 2023 for a Master's degree; his father says he got ransom call

17 Indians, lured into unsafe work in Laos, way back home: EAM S Jaishankar

Seventeen Indian workers, who were lured into unsafe and illegal work in Laos, are on their way back home, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday. He also complimented the Indian embassy in Laos for its successful efforts in the case. In a post on X, he said, "Modi ki Guarantee works for all at home and abroad. Seventeen Indian workers, lured into unsafe and illegal work in Laos, are on their way back home." "Well done, @IndianEmbLaos. Thank Lao authorities for their support for the safe repatriation," he added. The external affairs ministry on Thursday cautioned Indian nationals against falling prey to human traffickers promising lucrative job opportunities in Cambodia. In an advisory, the ministry called upon Indians looking at job opportunities in the southeast Asian country to thoroughly check the background of the prospective employer. "It has come to attention that Indian nationals, lured by fake promises of lucrative job opportunities in Cambodia, are fall

EAM Jaishankar dismisses UN official's remark on elections in India

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday dismissed a senior UN official's recent remark on elections in India, saying that he does not need the global body to tell that the elections in the country should be free & fair. His comments came in response to a query regarding a spokesperson for UN Secretary General statement that they hope that in India, people's political and civil rights were protected and everyone is able to vote in a free & fair atmosphere. Jaishankar, who was here to campaign for his ministerial colleague and BJP candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar in the Lok Sabha polls, also said that the UN official made the comment on the Indian elections last week in response to a "very loaded question" during a press briefing at the UN. "I don't need the United Nations to tell me our elections should be free & fair. I have the people of India. The people of India will ensure that elections are free & fair. So, don't worry about it," the minister told ...

India distressed at escalating tensions in West Asia: Randhir Jaiswal

India on Thursday expressed concern over the deadly attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syrian capital Damascus three days back and said that it is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia and their potential to fuel further instability. Following the April 1 attack, Iran accused Israel for the strike and vowed to respond to it. Iranian media reported that seven Revolutionary Guards personnel, including two generals, were killed in the attack. "We have noted with concern the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on April 1. India is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia, and their potential to fuel further violence and instability," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "We urge all parties to avoid actions that go against commonly accepted principles and norms of international law," he said. Jaiswal's remarks came in response to a query on the attack. The strike came amid Israel's continuing military operations in ...

India's relations with neighbours much better than earlier, says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that India's ties with all neighbours, except China and Pakistan, have improved significantly compared to previous times. Speaking during a media interaction here to underscore India's diplomatic strides in the region, Jaishankar said India's relationship with China was "challenging," but the country was "confident" and capable of protecting its interests. "We have a challenging relationship with China. But this is a country which is today confident, which is capable of advancing and defending its interests, and in a competitive world, we will compete," he said when asked whether the Chinese interference in small countries around India is a matter of concern. The minister dismissed the suggestion that India has more unfriendly neighbours than it had a decade ago. "Please go to Bangladesh and ask people what they think. Please ask in Sri Lanka. During their deepest economic troubles, who stood by them? Go to Nepal and ask them

Sri Lankan Cabinet has not discussed Katchatheevu issue, says spokesperson

Sri Lanka's Cabinet has not discussed the Katchatheevu issue so far as it was never raised, a government spokesman said here on Tuesday, after India's ruling BJP blamed the Congress Party for ceding the tiny island to Colombo in 1974. The Cabinet did not discuss it as it was never raised," Bandula Gunawardena, the Cabinet spokesman and minister of information told reporters here today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited a media report to assert that new facts reveal that the Congress Party callously gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also slammed the Congress Party and ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over the Katchchatheevu island issue. On Monday, Jaishankar claimed that prime ministers from the Congress displayed indifference about Katchatheevu island as if they did not care and gave away Indian fishermen's rights despite legal views to the contrary. Citing details of the agreements between India and Sri Lanka firs

'I think the truth must come out': EAM S Jaishankar on Katchatheevu island row

Congress' indifference on Katchatheevu gave away fishermen's rights: EAM

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday claimed that prime ministers from the Congress displayed indifference about Katchatheevu island and gave away Indian fishermen's rights despite legal views to the contrary. Prime ministers such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi dubbed Katchatheevu, given to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of a maritime boundary agreement, as a "little island" and "little rock", he told a press conference, asserting that the issue has not cropped up abruptly but was always a live matter. It has been frequently raised in Parliament and has been a matter of frequent correspondence between the Centre and the state government, Jaishankar said, adding that he has replied to the chief minister at least 21 times. Attacking the DMK over its public posturing against the agreement, Jaishankar said its leader and then chief minister M Karunanidhi was kept fully informed about the agreement, first reached in 1974 between India and Sri Lanka. The Congress and DMK ..

Rescued 250 Indians; 75 in last 3 months: MEA on fake job scam in Cambodia

"Collaborating closely with Cambodian authorities, it has rescued and repatriated about 250 Indians, of which 75 in just the last three months," Jaiswal said

IAI enhancing commitment to Make in India in defence: CEO Boaz Levy

IAI president and chief executive officer (CEO) Boaz Levy and IAI Air and Missile Defence Division vice-president & general manager Dror Bar speak about their strategy for India

S Jaishankar meets Ukranian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in New Delhi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba in New Delhi on Friday as part of a bilateral engagement. Kuleba, who arrived here on Thursday, is on a two-day visit to India. "Welcome FM @DmytroKuleba of Ukraine to Hyderabad House. Look forward to our discussions today," Jaishankar posted on X ahead of their talks. The external affairs minister also shared a photograph of him shaking hands with his Ukranian counterpart at the Hyderabad House. Kuleba's visit comes amid efforts to seek a peaceful resolution to the over two-year-old Russia-Ukraine conflict. On Thursday, Kuleba had posted on X, "I began my visit to New Delhi upon @DrSJaishankar's invitation. The Ukrainian-Indian cooperation is important and we will be reinvigorating ties. Building on the dialogue between @ZelenskyyUa and @NarendraModi, we will pay specific attention to the Peace Formula." During his weekly press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson

We encourage peaceful resolution of Russia-Ukraine conflict, says India

India on Thursday said it continues to encourage a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict through "dialogue and diplomacy". MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this in response to a query during a press briefing on India's stand on the inaugural Peace Summit in Switzerland. "We continue to encourage peaceful resolution of Russian-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, and remain open to engage, all ways and means, that would help achieve this objective," he said. His comments came on a day Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba arrived here on his maiden visit to India. Kuleba said the bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and India is "important" and it will be strengthened. In response to a question on number of Indians "duped" by agents and sent to Russia to join the military, the MEA spokesperson said, "We are constantly in touch with Russian authorities, we are pressing, we have taken it up strongly for them to have our nationals released a

Jaishankar calls on Malaysian PM, discusses cooperation in multiple sectors

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday called on Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the two leaders exchanged views and discussed cooperation in the areas of trade, science and technology, education, agriculture, tourism, defence and also on regional issues including Myanmar. Jaishankar, who is here on a two-day official visit, met Anwar at the Prime Minister's Office and the meeting lasted about an hour, the official Bernama news agency reported. In a statement issued after the meeting, the Prime Minister's Office said that Anwar and Jaishankar exchanged views and discussed cooperation in the areas of trade, science and technology, education, agriculture, tourism, defence and digital, and also on regional issues including Myanmar. Anwar gave his commitment to facilitate the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) branch campus in Malaysia, it added. The Prime Minister also expressed appreciation to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for ...

Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to visit India on Thursday: MEA

Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba is slated to arrive here on Thursday for a two-day official visit during which he will have meetings with his Indian counterpart and others to discuss matters related to the bilateral relationship. His visit comes at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. During his visit, Kuleba will have "a number of engagements, including official meetings with External Affairs Minister and Deputy NSA to discuss matters pertaining to the bilateral partnership and cooperation on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the statement said. He is also expected to interact with the business community. Kuleba's visit comes amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 20 had held separate conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and asserted that dialogue and diplomacy were the way forward

EAM Jaishankar meets Malaysian counterpart, discusses bilateral ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a "productive and frank" discussion with his Malaysian counterpart Mohamad bin Haji Hasan here on Wednesday on enhancing collaboration on political, economic, defence and people-to-people linkages between the two countries and also discussed regional and international issues. Jaishankar is in Kuala Lumpur on the third and last leg of his three-nation tour to Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia. He met the Malaysian Foreign Minister Hasan here and held a "productive and frank discussion, including exchanging views on the multifaceted dimensions of Malaysia-India bilateral affairs as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an official statement. "Delighted to meet FM @tokmatn9 to begin my visit to Malaysia," Jaishankar said in a post on X. "Exchanged views on enhancing collaboration in political, economic, defence, digital, startups, consular and p2p ...

Two of four Kerala youth forced into Russia-Ukraine war to return home

Two of the four Kerala-based youths who fought in the war against Ukraine after being recruited into the Russian army by private agencies will soon return home to their families, Union Minister of State (Mos) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan has said. The MoS said on Tuesday evening that the Indian Embassy was readying their travel documents to return from Russia. "We expect that they will soon return home," Muraleedharan, who is contesting from the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming 2024 general elections, told reporters. Regarding the remaining two residents of the state, the MoS said the External Affairs Ministry was in talks with the Russian government to bring them back as well. "Rest assured we are taking strong measures to ensure their return," he said. According to the relatives of the three men, he said that they were taken to Russia by a recruitment agency with the promise of a whopping salary of Rs 2.5 lakh. Earlier, Muraleedharan had said that authori

India summons German envoy to protest comments on Kejriwal's arrest

India on Saturday summoned the German deputy chief of mission here and lodged a strong protest against the country's foreign ministry's remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The German envoy Georg Enzweiler was summoned by officials in the external affairs ministry and told that the German Foreign Ministry's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest were an interference in India's judicial process and any "biased assumptions" were "most unwarranted", an MEA official said. A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson had "taken note" of Kejriwal's arrest. "We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of Judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case," the German official had said. "The German deputy chief of mission in New Delhi was summoned today and conveyed India's strong protest on their Foreign Office spokesperson's comments on our internal affairs," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "We see

Jaishankar begins Singapore visit by paying homage to Bose, INA soldiers

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar began his three-day visit to Singapore by paying homage to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army soldiers at a war memorial here on Saturday. "Began my Singapore visit by paying homage to Netaji and the brave Indian National Army soldiers. The INA Marker in Singapore recognises their deep patriotism and indomitable spirit that remain an inspiration for generations to come," the minister posted on X. Jaishankar during his visit will meet the top leaders of Singapore, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, according to an official statement. Jaishankar's visit underscores the close friendship between Singapore and India and will be a good opportunity for both sides to exchange views on regional and global developments as well as to continue discussions on the good progress in bilateral cooperation, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. "India's EAM Dr S Jaishankar will call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien