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Ministry Of External Affairs
India on Friday categorically rejected Pakistan's allegations of an Indian link to the suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), describing the attack as "condemnable", said it is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan chose to "delude" itself by blaming others for its home-grown ills. At least 31 people were killed and 169 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Islamabad. The powerful explosion took place at Khadijah al-Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in the Tarlai area of Islamabad, police said in a statement. "The bombing at an Islamabad mosque earlier today is condemnable and India condoles the loss of life it has caused," the MEA said. "It is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan should choose to delude itself by blaming others for its
The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested seven Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the island nation's territorial waters. The fishermen were arrested and and their two trawlers seized on Tuesday off Kovilan, in the northern Jaffna peninsula, the Navy said in a statement. Those arrested will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna, for legal proceedings, it said. Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other's waters. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters. The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries. In 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 346 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching and seized 4
India is mulling various options on its engagement in the development of the strategically-located Chabahar port in Iran against the backdrop of the Trump administration threatening a 25 per cent additional tariff on countries doing business with Tehran. India is a major partner in development of the Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan province Iran's southern coast. In September last year, the US imposed crippling economic sanctions on Iran but had granted India a six-month exemption from the punitive measures on the Chabahar port project. The waiver will come to an end on April 26. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said New India is engaged with the US on the issue. His remarks in answering a question came amid reports that New Delhi is looking at withdrawing from it in view of fresh American tariffs on nations having trade relations with Iran. "As you are aware, on October 28, the US Department of Treasury had issued a letter outlinin
India on Friday called on Bangladesh to firmly deal with communal incidents in that country. New Delhi's reaction came against the backdrop of the killing of at least five Hindu men in hostile circumstances in Bangladesh in the last few weeks. "We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities as well as their homes and businesses by extremists," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. Such communal incidents need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly, he said. "We have observed a troubling tendency to attribute such incidents to personal rivalries, political differences, or extraneous reasons," Jaiswal said. "Such disregard only emboldens the perpetrators and deepens the sense of fear and insecurity among minorities," he added.
India is strengthening its relationship with Europe and both sides can bring more stability into the international economy and global politics, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. His remarks, after holding talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris, came in the face of a factitious geopolitical environment, including global concerns over the way the United States has carried out a military operation in Venezuela to capture President Nicolas Maduro. The external affairs minister said Europe is an important player in global politics and it is necessary that India strengthens its relationship with it. "I think it was a very conscious choice. It was a choice which reflected our belief that this relationship with Europe is really poised to grow, grow to the next level," Jaishankar said at a media briefing when asked why he was in Europe. The comments also came amid New Delhi's frosty ties with the US after President Donald Trump slapped a whoppin