Bilateral Ties

Will work with India to further strengthen bilateral ties, says Balen Shah

Rastriya Swatantra Party's (RSP) prime ministerial candidate Balendra Shah on Tuesday expressed confidence in further deepening "historic" Nepal-India ties and making them more "outcome-oriented". The 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician is all set to become Nepal's first Madhesi prime minister and also the Himalayan nation's youngest elected executive head. Shah made the remarks in a social media post while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his wishes on the party's electoral success. "Thank you for the good wishes honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji," he said in the post. "I express my confidence that we will work together to further strengthen, deepen and make more outcome-oriented the historic, close, and multi-dimensional relations existing between Nepal and India in the coming days," he said. The RSP, formed in 2022, has won 125 of the 165 seats under direct voting in Nepal's parliamentary polls as vote counting under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system ...

India, China should see each other as partners: Chinese foreign minister

India and China should view each other as "partners, not rivals" and "opportunity instead of threat", Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday. Wang, at his annual press conference on the sidelines of the Chinese parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), said both countries should stick to the direction set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping to improve relations without interference. Modi and Xi had a successful meeting in Tianjin last August, Wang said. "Building on the fresh start enabled by their Kazan meeting in 2024, the Tianjin summit brought about further improvement in China-India relations," he added. "We are heartened to see re-energised interactions at all levels, a new record in bilateral trade, and closer people-to-people exchanges. All this has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples," he said. On the future course of the ties, Wang said both countries "must maintain the correct strategic perception of each other as partn

Finland President Stubb begins 4-day India visit with trade as top agenda

Finnish President Alexander Stubb began a four-day visit to India on Wednesday to bolster bilateral cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas, including trade, investment and critical technology. Stubb will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday following which the two sides are expected to firm up a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to boost cooperation in a number of sectors. The crisis in West Asia is likely to figure prominently in the meeting. "The visit will further strengthen the relations between Finland and India, including in the area of trade," Stubb said before leaving for New Delhi. The Finnish president will grace as the chief guest at the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue on Thursday evening. Stubb was accorded a warm welcome at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh. "India and Finland share a warm and friendly relationship rooted in shared democratic values. President Stubb's visit will impa

Beyond Uranium: Why India-Canada trade matters more than one thinks

Prime Minister Carney's visit spotlights the untapped potential in India-Canada trade, highlighting opportunities in energy, technology, agriculture, and expanding markets for mutual growth

French President Macron to meet PM Modi today in Mumbai: What's on agenda

During the visit, Macron is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is set to travel to Mumbai on Tuesday for the meeting

Brazil President to hold talks with PM Modi during Feb 18-22 India visit

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to hold bilateral talks with PM Modi, attend AI Impact Summit and lead business delegation during five-day state visit

India, Canada agree on 'shared work plan' to boost security cooperation

The decision was taken at a meeting between National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin in Ottawa

India, Malaysia review bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors: MEA

The discussions were followed by the exchange of several agreements and memoranda of understanding covering strategic, economic, technological and people-to-people engagement

US invites India to join Pax Silica, cites 'positive momentum' in ties

The US has said it is "very excited" to have extended an invitation to India to join the Pax Silica initiative on supply chain security and will be soon signing with the Indian Government, underlining there is "very positive momentum" in relations with New Delhi. Highlighting the "great relationship" between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Washington also stressed that India is probably the only other country on Earth to be able to "rival China" in terms of the sheer volume of its human talent. "We are very excited to have extended an invitation for India to join" Pax Silica, and "I'll be travelling to India in just a couple weeks for a major signing with the Indian Government," Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg told reporters on Friday. The US had last year in December launched 'Pax Silica', a strategic initiative to build a secure, prosperous, and innovation driven silicon supply chain-from critical minerals and energy inputs to .

PM Modi holds talks with Malaysian counterpart to boost bilateral ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held wide-ranging talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, focusing on boosting defence and security ties and enhancing economic and innovation partnership. The two sides are expected to ink a number of agreements that will provide for cooperation in several key sectors including semiconductor. Modi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to a grand red-carpet reception, with Ibrahim receiving him at the airport, signalling a new momentum in the bilateral relations. Ahead of the talks, Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Perdana Putra this morning. "India shares close bonds with Malaysia anchored in civilisational, historical and people-to-people ties," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. In his departure statement on Saturday, the prime minister signalled that the visit will focus on a major push for deeper defence cooperation and robust economic engagement. "The historic ties between India and Malaysia

India to grant import duty concessions on select US agricultural products

India has agreed to provide import duty concessions to certain US agricultural products such as dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum and apples for animal feed. According to a joint statement, India and the US have agreed on a framework for the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement, which is expected to be signed by mid-March. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters that India will provide quota-based tariff concessions on US agricultural products such as DDGs, soybean oil, apples, long staple cotton and soybean oil. "We have opened our markets for the US in a calibrated manner on some products like Distiller's Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), wines and spirits in which we have kept a minimum import price also," Goyal said. When asked if DDG's have GM (genetically modified) soymeal, the minister assured that the environment ministry has prescribed processes on allowing the import of GM materials in India, which will be followed. According to the US Grains an

US trade deal will not hurt interests of farmers, MSMEs, artisans: Goyal

Addressing a press conference, the commerce minister hailed the India-US trade framework, adding that it protects farmers, boosts exports, and strengthens bilateral trade ties

'India, Sri Lanka share deep civilisational bonds': PM on relics exposition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Sri Lanka are connected by "deep civilisational and spiritual bonds" as he thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the exposition of the holy Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha in Colombo. The first-ever international exposition of these sacred relics, which originate from the Devnimori archaeological site in Gujarat's Aravalli district, is taking place at Gangaramaya Temple from February 4-11. It was inaugurated by Sri Lankan President Dissanayaka along with Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and the state's Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi in the presence of Chief Incumbent Ven. Kirinde Assaji Thero at the Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo on Wednesday. "Respectfully welcome the Sacred Relics of the Buddha to Sri Lanka today for public veneration until the 11th at Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple. I deeply appreciate PM @narendramodi and the Government of India for honouring their promise and enabling this sacred ..

PM Modi speaks to Venezuela's acting president on deepening bilateral ties

This was the first time the two leaders spoke since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States

UK PM Starmer calls for deeper ties with China during 'challenging times'

The leaders of China and the U.K. were meeting Thursday as the two nations try to improve relations after several years of acrimony. Keir Starmer, the first British prime minister to visit in eight years, was holding talks with China's leader Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing. The two countries are expected to sign a number of agreements later in the day. Starmer, who became prime minister in July 2024, is trying to expand opportunities for British companies at a time when the economy at home is slow. More than 50 top business executives have joined him on the trip, along with the leaders of some cultural organizations. The U.K. leader earlier met Zhao Leji, the chairman of China's legislature, the National People's Congress. Relations deteriorated in recent years over growing concern about Chinese spying activity in Great Britain, China's support for Russia in the Ukraine war, and the crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong, the former British colony that wa

EAM Jaishankar hosts US lawmakers: Security and economy top agenda

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday discussed with a three-member American Congressional delegation various aspects of India-US relations, including trade and security, against the backdrop of continuing strain in ties between the two countries. US Ambassador Sergio Gor, who was also present at the meeting, said the talks were "productive" and that the focus was on strengthening the bilateral partnership in the domains of security, trade and critical technologies. The visit of the US Congressional delegation to India, comprising Jimmy Patronis, Mike Rogers and Adam Smith, came as both sides are looking to move forward in the negotiations for a bilateral trade deal. In a social media post, Jaishankar described the meeting as a "good interaction". "Discussed various aspects of India-US ties, Indo Pacific and Ukraine conflict. Congressional interactions have always been an important facet of our relationship," he said. On his part, Gor said on X: "Just wrapped a producti

India-Germany sign pacts to strengthen ties across defence, tech, energy

India and Germany signed multiple agreements during Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit, covering defence, semiconductors, critical minerals, green energy and mobility

PM Modi, Merz pitch 'limitless' India-Germany partnership in defence, tech

PM Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed to deepen cooperation in defence, space, semiconductors and emerging technologies during talks in Gujarat

PM Modi meets German Chancellor Merz in Gujarat: What's on the agenda

The German Chancellor, who is on a two-day visit, will be accompanied by a 25-member delegation consisting of several chief executive officers

Trade, talent, tech on table as Friedrich Merz's visit begins on Monday

India, Germany to advance deals in semiconductors, green energy, mobility