International Diplomacy

2025 marks PM Narendra Modi's busiest foreign travel year in a decade

PM Modi's overseas travel peaked in 2025 with visits to 23 countries, driven by trade diversification, critical minerals diplomacy and the India-Oman CEPA

World leaders use flattery, patience to handle Trump's erratic diplomacy

If world leaders were teaching a course on how to deal with US President Donald Trump early in his second term, their lesson plan might go like this: Pile on the flattery. Don't chase the policy rabbits he sends running across the world stage. Wait out the threats to see what, specifically, he wants, and when possible, find a way to deliver it. With every Oval Office meeting and summit, the leaders of other countries are settling on tactics and strategy in their pursuit of a working relationship with the emboldened American leader who presides over the world's largest economy and commands its most powerful military. The results were there to see at NATO, where leaders heaped praise on Trump, shortened meetings and removed contentious subjects from the agenda. Given that Trump dominates geopolitics, foreign leaders are learning from each other's experiences dating to Trump's first term, when he reportedly threatened to withdraw the US from the alliance. Among the learnable Trumpisms:

Op Sindoor delegation scheduled to brief PM Modi on diplomatic outreach

Seven multi-party delegations that were sent to 33 nations as part of India's diplomatic outreach effort will brief PM Modi about the outcome of the various meetings held overseas

Between Trump tariffs and China charm, EU rethinks trade strategy

As Beijing offers investment incentives and Trump threatens tariffs, the EU walks a diplomatic tightrope to protect its economic interests on both fronts

Chilean President Gabriel Boric to begin 5-day India visit from April 1

Chile President Gabriel Boric Font will pay a five-day state visit to India beginning April 1 to explore ways to shore up bilateral cooperation in a number of areas including trade and defence. It will be Boric's first visit to India in his capacity as the president. The Chilean leader is coming to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday, announcing the trip. Boric will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, members of Parliament, senior officials, business associations, media and prominent Chileans involved in the India-Chile cultural connect. "The forthcoming state visit of President Boric will provide an opportunity for the leaders to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, as well as to discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest," it said. Apart from New Delhi, Boric will also travel to Agra, Mumbai and Bengaluru before returning to Chile on April ...

India must develop broad, diverse set of energy relationships: Jaishankar

As the world's fifth-largest economy, India must necessarily develop a broad and diverse set of energy relationships, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday. Speaking at a Business Today event here, Jaishankar also said that after decades of hearing the virtues of globalisation, the world today is grappling with the reality of industrial policies, export controls and tariff wars. He said that ensuring a favourable energy environment for coming decades is understandably one of India's key diplomatic objectives. Beyond fossil fuels, it extends to developing and deploying renewables on a large scale as well as exploring the potential of small modular reactors, he said. The fifth biggest economy of the world must necessarily develop a broad and diverse set of energy relationships, Jaishankar said. The Indian embassies now are far more active than before in the pursuit of the country's commercial interests. They inform, advise and facilitate wherever possible to ensure

Canadian leader Jagmeet Singh urges diplomatic sanctions on India, RSS ban

Canada's New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh expressed concerns for the Sikh community in Canada, urging the Canadian government to take decisive action against India

India-Canada ties hit new low: Timeline of how the relationship turned sour

Since Justin Trudeau's controversial 2018 visit to India when he invited a convicted Sikh separatist to official dinner to Nijjar's killing, the India-Canada relations have only gone south

US, India relations not just bipartisan, but enduring too: Condoleezza Rice

The relationship between India and the United States is not just bipartisan, it is enduring as well, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said, asserting that whoever comes to power next year, would realize that this is the most important relationship. Rice, who is currently Director of the prestigious Hoover Institution, made the remarks during the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit in Stanford this week hosted by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), in collaboration with Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation and the Hoover Institution. "The US-India relationship is not just bipartisan, it is enduring. Whoever occupies the White House in January 2025, will realize, that this is the most important relationship, she said. "There is so much potential for cooperation between the United States and India in defence, interoperability, and technology partnerships. There is a lot of work we can do on the ...

Here are the key highlights from PM Modi's meeting with Zelensky in Ukraine

Marking a historic diplomatic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi war-torn Ukraine just days after a visit to Russia, offering humanitarian aid and a call for advanced peace efforts

India will have political stability for next decade or even two: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday exuded confidence that India will have a stable government for 15 years, even longer, as he highlighted how long-term political stability helps a government make "bold" decisions. Jaishankar, speaking at the Nikkei Forum on India-Japan Special Strategic Partnership here, said a reformist and visionary leadership backed by a strong political mandate, which in a democracy means having a majority in Parliament, results in "bold decision making". The minister's comments were in response to a question about political stability in India and whether the upcoming elections will affect India's foreign policy. India in May this year heads for crucial general elections with more than 950 million citizens gearing up to exercise their right to choose the government. "Hundred per cent we will have 15 years of stable government. It could even be that of 20 years or longer," Jaishankar said in response to the question. "Every country, every society

US narrows gap with China in number of diplomatic posts, says report

China has pushed in recent years to be seen as a key voice of the Global South, a reference to emerging-economy nations

Global South is about mindset, solidarity, self-reliance: EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said Global South is about a "mindset, a solidarity and a self-reliance". Addressing the Nigerian Institute Of International Affairs (NIIA) here on India and the Global South, he said the global agenda today is on promoting rebalancing and multipolarity, thereby restoring the world to its natural diversity. "Contemporary challenges emanate from old forms of domination as well as new economic concentration...Global South is about a mindset, a solidarity and a self-reliance," Jaishankar said. The transformation over the last decade, the minister said, has "enabled India to be an example, a partner and a contributor". Jaishankar arrived in Nigeria in the concluding leg of his two-nation tour to Uganda and Nigeria. He arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Sunday after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda.

China's top diplomat calls on US to host 'cooperative' APEC summit

China's foreign minister called on the US on Tuesday to do what it can to host a cooperative meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in November, criticising those who seek to play up a confrontation between democracy and authoritarianism. Wang Yi said the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco in November should promote cooperation rather than provoke confrontation, and said the U.S. should show fairness and inclusiveness to create better conditions for a smooth meeting. We should ... oppose advocating for democracy versus authoritarianism' and imposing our own values and models on others, he said at the launch of a government report on its proposals for what it calls a global community of shared future. US President Joe Biden has sought to create alliances and partnerships with other democratic countries to build a more unified response to China's growing geopolitical influence. China is a one-party state that has been ruled by the Communist Party for more than 70 ...

India-Canada row: Quiet diplomacy can achieve a lot more

The leaders of both countries should encourage bilateral trade and people-to-people exchanges that can help build bridges

India temporarily suspends visas for Canadian nationals as row escalates

The latest rules would extend to Canadians applying for Indian visas from third countries, he added

Afghanistan already has a lot on its plate, but not enough food

Following the August 2021 Taliban takeover, a severe economic crisis gripped Afghanistan, exacerbated by droughts, floods, and earthquakes

Indian diplomat alleges poor facilities at AI lounge at NY's JFK airport

Earlier, during the day, renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor on Monday hit out at Air India after he was served unsatisfactory meals on a flight from Nagpur to Mumbai

Turkey prez Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits Saudi Arabia to mend strained ties

Erdogan said his talks in Jiddah will focus on ways to increase cooperation but also discuss regional and international developments

India, US have growing convergence of strategic interests: Rajnath Singh

India and the US have a convergence of strategic interests and both sides seek a resilient international order that safeguards integrity of all countries, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said