Page 14 - Europe

Jaishankar meets Danish PM, thanks Denmark for support against terrorism

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday thanked Denmark for its solidarity and support in combating terrorism as he held talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen. Jaishankar arrived here in the evening in the second leg of his three-nation tour to the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. In a post on X, Jaishankar thanked Prime Minister Frederiksen for "warmly receiving" him in Copenhagen. During the meeting, Jaishankar conveyed personal greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed gratitude for Denmark's unwavering support in combating terrorism. "Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. Thank Denmark for its solidarity and support in combating terrorism," he said in the X post. Jaishankar appreciated Prime Minister Frederiksen's guidance in advancing India-Denmark partnership and highlighted the shared commitment to addressing global challenges through sustainable solutions. "Value PM Frederiksen's guidance to take forward

US-China trade war risks making Europe dumping ground for cheap goods

As Europe tightens checks to block a surge of Chinese goods redirected from the US, data show China's trade surplus with the EU hit a record $90 billion in the first four months of 2025

German govt bans largest 'Reich citizen' group, arrests 4 leaders

The German government has banned the largest Reich citizen group, an extremist far-right organisation that calls itself the Kingdom of Germany and seeks to undermine the country's democratic order. Four of its leaders were arrested. Since early Tuesday morning, hundreds of security forces in several states have been searching the association's properties and the homes of leading members. The members of this association have created a counter-state in our country and built up economic criminal structures, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said, adding that the members of the group underpinned their supposed claim to power with antisemitic conspiracy narratives a behaviour that the country cannot tolerate. We will take decisive action against those who attack our free democratic basic order, Dobrindt added. The so-called Reich citizen", or Reichsburger" movement does not recognise Germany as a state. Many of them claim that the historical German Reich still exists and ignore the

Ursula von der Leyen opens 1st strategic dialogue with EU defence industry

The meeting highlighted the crucial role of the defence sector, with President von der Leyen emphasising the urgent need for Europe's defence industry to operate at a greater scale and speed

Chemical giants weigh Europe exits amid soaring energy costs, Asian rivals

Sabic, Dow, Shell and others are reviewing European assets as high energy costs global competition and expansions in Asia and West Asia strain the continent's chemical sector

European leaders visit Kyiv to show support amid calls for 30-day ceasefire

The leaders of four European countries arrived in Kyiv Saturday in a joint show of support as calls intensify for Russia to agree to a monthlong cease-fire in the war. The leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom arrived together at the train station in Kyiv, where they are expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The visit marked the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine, while Friedrich Merz is making a first visit to Ukraine as Germany's new Chancellor. Along with President Donald Trump, the European leaders are pushing for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to allow for peace talks on ending the conflict. We reiterate our backing for the President Trump's calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace, the leaders said in a joint statement.

India looking for partners, not 'preachers': Jaishankar's message to Europe

S Jaishankar said that Europe must display some 'sensitivity and mutuality of interest' for closer ties with India

Jindal SAW Q4 results: Profit plunges 82% to Rs 87 crore

Jindal Saw on Friday reported an 81.9 per cent decline in consolidated profit after tax (PAT) at Rs 86.9 crore for the March quarter. The company had posted consolidated PAT of Rs 480.4 crore in the year-ago period. The consolidated total income of the company during January-March period dropped 8 per cent to Rs 5,067.5 crore over Rs 5,493.7 crore in the year-ago period, according to a filing to the BSE. The board has approved the re-appointment of Sminu Jindal as Managing Director of the company from February 1, 2026, it said. The company is a manufacturer and supplier of steel pipe products, fittings and accessories with manufacturing facilities in India, the US, Europe, and the UAE.

Europe saw stronger growth, but Trump's tariffs darkened outlook

As a result, indicators of business and consumer optimism in Europe have fallen

Backing founders building from India for the world: Pearl Agarwal

The pre-seed venture firm is sharpening its investment strategy around emerging AI applications across enterprise software, automation, and industrial analytics

India's military expenditure was nearly 9 times that of Pak in 2024: SIPRI

India's military spending in 2024 was nearly nine times that of Pakistan's expenditure, according to a study released on Monday by a leading Swedish think-tank that comes amid growing tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam attack. India's military expenditure, the fifth largest globally, grew by 1.6 per cent to USD 86.1 billion while Pakistan's spent USD 10.2 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The top five military spenders -- the United States, China, Russia, Germany and India -- accounted for 60 per cent of the global total, with combined spending of USD 1635 billion, it said. China's military expenditure increased by 7.0 per cent to an estimated USD 314 billion, marking three decades of consecutive growth, the study noted. The communist nation accounted for 50 per cent of all military spending in Asia and Oceania, investing in the continued modernisation of its military and expansion of its cyberwarfare capabilities

Will AI help Denmark avoid its Nokia moment as Ozempic boom starts fading?

Designed specifically for big AI projects, Gefion - named after the Norse goddess of fertility - was funded to the tune of $87 million by Novo's nonprofit foundation, in partnership with Nvidia Corp

India announces 3-day state mourning on passing of Pope Francis

The government on Monday announced a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect on the passing away of Pope Francis. Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Monday. He was 88. In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs said, "His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See passed away on April 21. As a mark of respect, three-day state mourning shall be observed throughout India." As per the schedule, two days' state mourning will be on April 22 (Tuesday) and April 23 (Wednesday). Besides, one day's state mourning will be on the day of the funeral, the statement said. During the period of the state mourning, the national flag will be flown at half mast throughout India on all buildings where the national flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment, it added.

Israeli President urges India to boost ties on key geostrategic issues

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday urged India to further deepen bilateral ties by working together on geostrategic issues, especially emphasising on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project, which he described as the "future of the world". "We have a huge respect for the nation of India and its leadership. Israelis love your country. I can only anxiously wait to visit your country and host your President and Prime Minister in Israel," Herzog told India's newly appointed Ambassador to Israel J P Singh, who presented his credentials at a ceremony at the President's Official residence. "I wish you great success in your term. We can only go from height to height," the Israeli President said, welcoming India's new envoy. He urged India and Israel "to work together on the geostrategic issues, on the strategic issues, getting the hostages back home, preventing Iran (from acquiring nuclear weapons), moving towards peace and inclusion, connectivity and of course .

US, Italy call IMEC 'top economic, connectivity project of this century'

A US-Italy joint statement takes note of the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor, calling it one of the greatest economic integration and connectivity projects of this century that will connect partners and stimulate economic development and integration from India onward to the United States. The US and Italy will work together to develop the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC), one of the greatest economic integration and connectivity projects of this century, connecting partners by ports, railways, and undersea cables and stimulating economic development and integration from India, to the Gulf to Israel, to Italy, and onward to the United States, the joint statement issued Friday said. The United States Italy Joint Leaders' Statement' was issued after US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's first official meeting in Washington, DC Thursday.

JSW Steel to invest ₹50,000 cr for 10 MTPA green steel for Europe

JSW Steel will be investing over Rs 50,000 crore to create 10 million tonnes per annum of green steel capacity at a plant near the country's financial capital, a top official said on Tuesday. "We will be investing Rs 50,000-60,000 crore for the green steel capacity," Jindal told reporters on the sidelines of an event here. He said this will be a brownfield investment at its plant in Raigad district's Salav and the investment will happen over the next three-four years. In March, the company had announced plans to increase the green steel capacity at Salav to 4 MTPA in phases. The investment is necessitated because of a European mandate on green steel, and Jindal said the 10 MTPA capacity will emit a fifth of the carbon as used by conventional plants currently. Jindal also said that China and Vietnam are trying to dump steel into India, and expected the "vigilant" Government to slap safeguard duties to protect domestic steel makers like his company in a few days. Denying notions of

Belgrade braces for pro-president rally amid rising tensions in Serbia

Chanting patriotic songs, thousands of supporters of Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic gathered in downtown Belgrade on Friday, a day ahead of what authorities expect to be a huge rally in his support. Belgrade was on edge, with authorities preparing for large crowds and potential counter-demonstrations in different parts of Serbia, including an anti-government rally in a southern Muslim-populated part of the country. The rally in the Serbian capital is expected to be a significant moment in Serbia's ongoing political crisis after more than five months of student-led anti-corruption protests triggered by a rail station canopy collapse that killed 16 people in the north of the country on November 1. In Belgrade on Friday, Vucic unveiled a Serbian red blue and white flag which the state-run media said is the largest in the history of the Balkan state. In the central parts of the capital in front of the parliament building, dozens of tents were erected to house Vucic's ...

Defence chiefs from 30 nations to attend Nato talks on future Ukraine force

Britain and France are convening a meeting of defence ministers from around 30 countries on Thursday to press ahead with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia. The meeting at NATO headquarters the first between defence ministers representing the so-called coalition of the willing comes after a visit to Kyiv last week by senior British and French military officers. It's expected to work on fleshing out an agreement reached at an earlier meeting between leaders. As usual with coalition gatherings, the United States will not take part, but the success of the coalition's operation hinges on US backup with airpower or other military assistance. However, the Trump administration has made no public commitment that it will do so. Amid that uncertainty and US warnings that Europe must take care of its own security and that of Ukraine in future, the force is seen as a first test of the continent's willingness to defend itself and its interests.

Is there a new kind of war playing out for Europe beneath the sea?

In the Baltic Sea, undersea cables and pipelines that power homes, connect data, and sustain economies are reportedly being struck, severed, and quietly repaired repeatedly

Trump tariffs could slow euro growth by up to 1%, says Greek central banker

Comments come against the backdrop of European Union countries weighing approval of a first set of targeted countermeasures on up to $28 billion of US imports in coming days