Page 16 - Bilateral Ties

Chairman of French Senate Gerard Larcher on two-day visit to India

Chairman of the French Senate Gerard Larcher is on a two-day visit to India beginning Monday to strengthen bilateral ties and parliamentary cooperation. Larcher is accompanied by a delegation of five other senators who are members of the Senate's foreign affairs and defence committee. This is the first official India visit of a chairman of the French Senate, the Upper House of France's Parliament. Larcher and his delegation will meet with Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar. They will discuss ways to increase cooperation and mutual understanding between the French Senate and India's Parliament, including through a dedicated agreement, the French embassy said in a readout. The chairman of the French Senate will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it said. Larcher had previously met Prime Minister Modi during the latter's visit to Paris on July 14 last year. The prime minister was received at the French Senate by Larcher and leaders of all major parliamenta

India, Taiwan sign migration agreement to strengthen bilateral cooperation

India and Taiwan on Friday signed a migration and mobility agreement that will facilitate the employment of Indian workers in diverse sectors in the self-ruled island, a move that is seen as reflective of the renewed momentum in the cooperation between the two sides. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at a virtual ceremony by Director General of the India-Taipei Association (ITA) Manharsinh Laxmanbhai Yadav and Baushuan Ger, the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in New Delhi. In order to strengthen the bilateral labour cooperation relations, Taiwan and India have signed an MoU, Taiwan's labour ministry said. Both sides were engaged in discussions over the pact for the last several years. After all the preparatory work is completed, India will be announced as a "new source" country of migrant workers in accordance with the law, the Taiwanese labour ministry said. Taiwan's current source countries for migrant workers are Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippine

India-Qatar ties growing stronger, says PM Modi after talks with Emir

India-Qatar ties are growing "stronger and stronger" and both sides are looking at collaborating in futuristic sectors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday following his talks with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani that came days after the Gulf nation freed eight former Indian Navy personnel who were sentenced to death. Modi described his meeting with the Emir as "wonderful" and said ways to deepen cooperation across various sectors were discussed. "Had a wonderful meeting with HH Sheikh @TamimBinHamad. We reviewed the full range of India-Qatar relations and discussed ways to deepen cooperation across various sectors. Our nations also look forward to collaborating in futuristic sectors which will benefit our planet," Modi said on 'X". The discussions centred around bolstering bilateral relations, with a focus on deepening cooperation in areas of trade and investment, energy, space, cultural and people-to-people ties. "India and Qatar ties are growing stronger an

PM Modi in Doha, holds talks with Qatar counterpart on bilateral ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he had a wonderful meeting with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani here and discussed ways to strengthen ties between the two countries. Modi arrived in Doha on Wednesday night on an official visit to Qatar. This is the prime minister's second visit to Qatar, he first visited Qatar in June 2016. Had a wonderful meeting with PM @MBA_AlThani. Our discussions revolved around ways to boost India-Qatar friendship, Modi said in a post on X after the meeting. Earlier, the external affairs ministry said Modi held fruitful talks with the prime minister of Qatar. "PM @narendramodi held a fruitful meeting with HH @MBA_AlThani_, PM & FM of Qatar in Doha. Discussions covered expanding bilateral cooperation in sectors such as trade & investment, energy, finance among others," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X. On his arrival, Modi was received by Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, State ...

Govt in talks with ministers of IEA member countries for full membership

Ministers from the International Energy Agency's member countries have begun talks with India on its application to become a full member of the Paris-based agency of 31 nations, IEA said on Wednesday. In a statement issued after IEA's 2024 ministerial meeting in Paris, the agency said the talks with India are in recognition of the country's "strategic importance" in tackling global energy and climate challenges. "The Ministerial gave the IEA a strong mandate to deepen cooperation with major emerging economies. This includes starting discussions with India on its request for full IEA membership," it added. India, which joined the IEA as an associate member in 2017, sent a formal request for full membership in October 2023. "Ministers recognised the 'strategic importance' of India in tackling global energy and climate challenges," IEA said. Addressing the meeting through video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is the world's fastest-growing major economy. "Susta

Hope to work on untapped areas of cooperation: Asean SG during India visit

Maritime cooperation was one of the key focus areas of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) that was adopted in June 2019

India, UAE sign bilateral investment agreement during PM Modi's visit

Framework on proposed IMEC also signed

PM Modi holds talks with UAE Prez to take bilateral partnership forward

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held wide-ranging talks with the UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to take forward the bilateral strategic partnership. Modi was received at the airport by Mohamed bin Zayed where they hugged each other. He was later given a guard of honour. "Immensely grateful to my brother, HH @MohamedBinZayed for taking the time to receive me at Abu Dhabi airport," Modi posted on X. "I thank you for this grand welcome of me and my team. As you said, I feel that whenever I have come here, I have always felt that I have come to my home and family," Prime Minister Modi said in his opening remarks at the bilateral meeting with the UAE President. "We have met five times in the last seven months. Today, there is a mutual partnership between India and UAE in every sector," he said. Modi, who will inaugurate the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir, the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday, said:

Discussed our expanding bilateral partnership: EAM meets Fiji Dy PM Prasad

Notably, the Fiji Deputy PM will participate in a programme in the national capital today and head to Goa on February 7 for another event

Bilateral agreements

India must align its treaties with best global practices

Fiji's Dy PM Prasad on week-long visit to India, includes trip to Ayodhya

The Deputy PM of Fiji is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Sunday around 21:35 hours, as per the MEA. His visit will span from February 4 to 10, departing on February 11

Hamas studies ceasefire proposal after Israeli hospital raid in West Bank

The raid underscored the risk of the Gaza war spreading to other fronts, while Israeli forces fought new battles with Hamas fighters in the Palestinian enclave

Foreign secy, new Bhutanese PM meet; discuss ways to boost bilateral ties

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Monday called on Bhutan's new Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and discussed areas of mutual interest and multifaceted cooperation to further boost India's relations with the Himalayan nation. Kwatra arrived earlier here on a three-day trip, in the first high-level visit from India after the formation of a new government under People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Tobgay. Kwatra called on Prime Minister Tobgay at the Prime Minister's Office in Gyalyong Tshogkhang. The meeting discussed various areas of mutual interest and cooperation between Bhutan and India, according to The Bhutanese newspaper. The Prime Minister also hosted a dinner for the Foreign Secretary and his delegation at his residence, it said in a post on X. Kwatra also held bilateral consultations with Foreign Secretary of Bhutan Aum Pema Choden. A wide ranging discussion on multifaceted cooperation between India and Bhutan in development partnership, space, energy, trade, ...

China accuses US of 'exaggerating threat in space' to boost forces

Wang Wenbin's remarks came after the US Space Force released an assessment report, which claimed that Russia and China are designing and testing counter-space weapons

PM Modi, French President Macron hold talks to boost bilateral ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday held wide-ranging talks to further consolidate India-France strategic cooperation, especially in areas of defence, security, trade and clean energy, after the French leader was accorded a red-carpet welcome here. The talks took place at a 19th century palace after Modi and Macron held a roadshow from the astronomical observation site of Jantar Mantar to iconic Hawa Mahal in the Pink City. Macron will be the chief guest at Friday's Republic Day celebrations at the Kartavya Path, the ceremonial boulevard in the heart of the national capital. Prime Minister Modi was the guest of honour at the prestigious Bastille Day Parade in Paris in July last. "Welcome to India, my friend President @EmmanuelMacron. I am happy that President Macron begins his India visit from Jaipur in Rajasthan, a land with rich culture, heritage and talented people," Modi said in a post on 'X'. "It is a matter of great pride that he will

Pakistan alleges 'Indian agents' killed 2 citizens, claims to have evidence

Pakistan on Thursday claimed that it had credible evidence of links between what it called as "Indian agents" and the assassination of two Pakistani terrorists associated with the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Sialkot and Rawalkot last year. India was carrying out extra-territorial and extra-judicial killings inside Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi alleged at a press conference here. Shahid Latif, a key aide of terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar and the mastermind of the 2016 attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, was gunned down in a mosque in Sialkot in Punjab province on October 11, 2023. On September 8, 2023, Riyaz Ahmad alias Abu Qasim, affiliated with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit, who was one of the main conspirators behind the Dhangri terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on January 1, 2023 was shot dead by unidentified gunmen inside the Al-Qudus mosque during pre-dawn prayers in the Rawalakot

Pakistan, Iran restore bilateral ties by agreeing to reinstate ambassadors

Pakistan and Iran have "mutually agreed" to reinstate their ambassadors in each other's country, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday, restoring bilateral ties downgraded following last week's tit-for-tat attacks on each other's territory. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian will also visit the country on January 29 at the invitation of cash-strapped Pakistan's Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, the FO said in a statement. Tensions escalated between Islamabad and Tehran after Pakistan conducted "precision military strikes" against what it called "terrorist hideouts" in Iran's Siestan-Balochistan province that killed 9 people in the wee hours on Thursday. The attack was seen as retaliation to Iranian missile and drone attacks last Tuesday on two bases of the Sunni Baloch militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan's unruly Balochistan province. Following the telephone conversation between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, it has been .

US-India ties not based on convenience and calculation, says Eric Garcetti

He said that the foundation of the bilateral ties is built on four Ps -- peace, prosperity, planet and people

Maldives' pro-India oppn MDP secures landslide victory in Male Mayoral poll

In a setback to Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, pro-India opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Saturday secured a landslide victory in the capital Male's Mayoral election. The MDP candidate, Adam Azim, has been elected as the new mayor of Male, a post held by Muizzu till recently. Muizzu resigned from the position to contest the presidential elections last year. The Maldives media reported Azim's win as a landslide and victory by a large margin. The MDP is headed by pro-India former president Mohammad Solih, who was defeated by Muizzu, a pro-China leader, in the presidential elections. With 41 boxes counted, Azim has taken a huge lead with 5,303 votes. His rival Aishath Azima Shakoor of Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) got 3,301 votes, Maldives' Sun Online news portal reported. The poll was marked by a low turnout, according to reports. The Mayoral election victory is expected to revive the political fortunes of the MDP, which still holds a majority in the .

PM Modi meets Timor-Leste Prez, discusses ways to further boost ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta here on Tuesday with the discussions covering cooperation in various fields including health, traditional medicine, energy, IT, fintech and capacity building, an MEA official said. PM Modi reached Ahmedabad on Monday night. On Tuesday morning, he reached the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar to hold bilateral meetings with world leaders, a day before the inauguration of the 10th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. "Had an excellent meeting with President @JoseRamosHorta1 of Timor-Leste. The fact that our meeting is taking place in Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, makes this meeting even more special considering Gandhi Ji's influence on President Horta's life and work. We discussed ways to further bilateral and cultural ties between our nations," Modi said in a post on X after the meeting. "Furthering the Delhi-Dili connect! PM @narendramodi held a ...