Page 7 - Mea

Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar and why his murder has led to a diplomatic row

Situations between India and Canada have escalated, with both nations expelling high-ranking diplomats from their respective countries

India lodges protest with China showing Arunachal as its territory in map

India on Tuesday lodged a strong protest with China over its so called "standard map" laying claim over Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin, and asserted that such steps only complicate the resolution of the boundary question. The External Affairs Ministry also rejected these claims as having "no basis". "Just making absurd claims does not make other people's territories yours," External Affairs Minister Jaishankar told NDTV while reacting to the Chinese move. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said,"We have today lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with the Chinese side on the so called 2023 'standard map' of China that lays claim to India's territory." "We reject these claims as they have no basis. Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question," he added. India's strong reaction came a day after China officially released the 2023 edition of its "standard map" that claimed Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chi

Pak cricket team at ICC World Cup to be treated like any other team: MEA

India on Friday said the Pakistani cricket team will be treated just like any other squad participating in the upcoming ICC World Cup in the country. India is hosting the tournament from October 5. "The Pakistan cricket team will be treated just like the cricket team of any other country participating in the ICC World Cup," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. On Pakistan seeking better security for its team, he said the questions should be better directed towards the security agencies or the organisers. "Of course, we would hope that all necessary security will be provided not just to them but to all other participating teams." "I hope that there is a good match and I hope this is not war as it seems to be made out to," Bagchi said when asked about Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's reported comments that Islamabad does not mix sports with politics and that was the reason why it decided to send the team to the tournament and defeat India in

India advises its citizens to leave violence-hit Niger as soon as possible

India on Friday advised its nationals residing in violence-hit Niger to leave that country as soon as possible in view of escalating violence there. At present, around 250 Indians are living in Niger that has witnessed widespread protests and violence following last month's coup, according to officials. In an advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs said those who may be planning to travel to Niger should reconsider their plans until the situation normalises. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at his weekly media briefing that India is closely monitoring the ongoing developments in Niger. "In light of the prevailing situation, Indian nationals whose presence is not essential are advised to leave the country as soon as possible," he said. "They may bear in mind that air space is currently closed. When departing through a land border, utmost precautions may be taken to ensure safety and security," he added, reading out the advisory. "All those Indian natio

Niger crisis: Govt asks Indian nationals to leave 'as soon as possible'

The central government is closely monitoring ongoing developments in Niger, said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday

India to attend Jeddah conference on Ukraine's peace plan on Aug 5-6

India is among a select group of countries invited by Saudi Arabia to a two-day conference on Ukraine's peace plan that will take place in the coastal city of Jeddah from Saturday. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday that India's participation in the meeting would be in consonance with its long-standing position that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward to resolve the Ukraine crisis. Several European nations, the US, China and India are among the countries invited to the conference. "Yes, India has been invited to a meeting being hosted by Saudi Arabia on Ukraine in Jeddah," Bagchi said, replying to a question in his weekly media briefing. "India will participate in this event and our participation is in consonance with our long-standing position that dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward," he said. The MEA spokesperson, however, did not mention who will represent India at the conference. "We will let you know (about level of participa

Environment free of terror imperative for normal ties: MEA on Pak PM

India on Thursday said an environment free of terror and hostilities is imperative for normal ties with Pakistan, days after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his willingness to hold talks with New Delhi. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India wants normal ties with all neighbouring countries including Pakistan and it is incumbent upon that country to create the environment. He was responding to queries relating to comments by Sharif. "We want normal ties with all the neighbouring countries including Pakistan, but for that an environment free of terror and hostilities is imperative," he said.

Foreign Secy Kwatra holds talk with visiting Bhutanese counterpart Choden

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra held wide-ranging talks with his visiting Bhutanese counterpart Aum Pema Choden on Saturday and conveyed India's commitment to partner with Bhutan based on the priorities of the Himalayan nation. The top Bhutanese diplomat paid an official visit to India from July 28 to 29, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday. "The two foreign secretaries reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, and discussed ways to further strengthen it across diverse sectors," it said in a statement. Both foreign secretaries co-chaired the India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks. The MEA said the visit of the Bhutanese foreign secretary reinforced the "long-standing tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries to discuss all issues of mutual interest". It said the Bhutanese side shared details regarding Bhutan's 13th Five Year Plan during the talks. "Foreign Secretary Kwatra conveyed India's commitment to partner with Bh

Unauthorised sites trying to issue India e-visa via fraudulent means: Govt

Some unauthorised and unrecognised private websites try to intermediate and facilitate issuance of India e-visa through fraudulent means and the government has taken several steps to check it, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said with respect to e-Visas, from time to time, it has come to the notice of the government that some unauthorised and unrecognised private websites try to intermediate and facilitate issuance of India e-visa. "Some of them also appear similar to official Indian visa website (indianvisaonline.gov.in) and also appear through the search engines. The government of India has taken several steps to minimise such a practice. In this regard, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has coordinated with Google search engine to ensure that Indian Visa official link appears prominently in the search engine," he said, replying to a written question. Secondly, Rai said, the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) refers from time to

Investigations underway, says MEA on Pakistani national Seema Haider

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said investigations are underway on the matter relating to Pakistani national Seema Haider, who crossed over to India over two months ago. Thirty-year-old Haider, who hails from Sindh province in Pakistan, entered India illegally along with her four children in a bus via Nepal on May 13. "We are aware of this matter as she has appeared in court. She has been granted bail. She is free on bail. The matter is being investigated," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. "We will let you know more when there are developments. It is a judicial matter and investigations are underway and I would not like to say anything more," he said. Bagchi was responding to media queries on the case at his weekly press briefing. Haider says she had come to live with his Indian lover Sachin Meena who stays in Rabupura area of Greater Noida. While Seema was arrested on July 4 for illegally entering India without a visa via Nepal with her four children, al

MEA terms Europe's resolution on human rights in India 'unacceptable'

The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in India, with particular reference to the recent clashes in Manipur, a move rejected by India as "unacceptable" and a reflection of "colonial mindset". The Parliament in Strasbourg, France, called on Indian authorities to put in place measures to halt the ethnic and religious violence and to "protect all religious minorities". Responding to media queries on the development, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that "such interference in India's internal affairs is unacceptable, and reflects a colonial mindset". "We have seen that the European parliament held a discussion on developments in Manipur and adopted a so-called Urgency resolution," he said. He said that the Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order. "The European parliament would be well

EAM inaugurates Swami Vivekananda's bust at cultural centre in Tanzania

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has inaugurated the bust of Swami Vivekananda at India's cultural centre here in Tanzania, saying it stands in testimony to his timeless teachings which have transcended boundaries and underlines his message of faith in humanity. Jaishankar arrived here on Thursday after visiting Zanzibar. "Honoured to inaugurate the bust of Swami Vivekananda at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Dar es Salaam," Jaishankar tweeted after inaugurating the bust on Friday. In his address on the occasion, the minister said, "It is a momentous occasion" to inaugurate the bust of one of the greatest spiritual leaders. "This bust must certainly stand in testimony to his timeless teachings, which have transcended boundaries and actually underlying his message of faith in humanity," Jaishankar said. He also highlighted the importance of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, which has played a very significant role in promoting Indian culture and arts in Tanzania

India now part of Champions Group of Global Crisis Response Group: MEA

India has joined the champions group of the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) following an invitation from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. The GCRG was set up by the UN Secretary General (UNSG) in March last year to address urgent and critical global issues such as food and energy security challenges. The MEA said the decision to join the group reflects India's increasing global leadership and commitment addressing contemporary challenges. "India has joined the Champions Group of the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG), accepting an invitation from United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) Antnio Guterres to Prime Minister Narendra Modi," it said. The GCRG is overseen by the Champions Group and comprises heads of states and heads of governments of Bangladesh, Barbados, Denmark, Germany, Indonesia and Senegal. "The decision to join the group reflects India's increasing global leadership an

Posters inciting violence against Indian diplomats unacceptable: MEA

Days after posters inciting violence against Indian diplomats surfaced in Canada and a few other countries, India on Thursday said such activities are not at all acceptable. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said that space must not be given to extremist and terrorist elements in the name of freedom of expression. At a media briefing, he also asserted that the safety of Indian diplomats and the country's missions is of utmost importance for the government.

India signs agreement with Tanzania to set up first int'l IIT campus

The first IIT campus outside India will come up in Tanzania's Zanzibar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for setting up of a campus of IIT Madras in Zanzibar, which is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. The agreement was inked on Wednesday in presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Zanzibar's President Hussein Ali Mwinyi. Jaishakar is on a visit to Tanzania. "The first IIT campus to be set up outside India will be in Zanzibar," the MEA said. It said an MoU was signed between the India's education ministry, IIT Madras and Zanzibar's ministry of education and vocational training. "This campus is reflective of the longstanding friendship between India and Tanzania and a reminder of the focus India places on building people to people ties across Africa and the Global South," the MEA said. It said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recommends that "high performing Indian

Decision to host SCO summit in virtual mode based on various factors: MEA

India on Friday said its decision to hold the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the virtual format was taken considering a number of factors. Replying to a question on the issue during his weekly media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi noted that India did not make any announcement in the past it would be an in-person summit. The MEA on Tuesday announced that India will host the annual summit of the SCO in the virtual format on July 4. While making the announcement, it did not cite any reason behind the decision. India is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current chair of the SCO. Bagchi said many international summits in recent years have taken place in the virtual format and it was decided to hold the SCO summit in that mode taking into consideration various factors. He, however, did not mention the factors. He said the decision was not driven by a single factor. "We have now communicated to the SCO partners a

Both sides remain in touch: MEA's Arindam Bagchi on journalists' visa issue

India on Friday expressed hope that Chinese authorities would facilitate continued presence of Indian journalists in China, noting that both sides remained in touch on the matter. Nearly two months ago, China informed two Indian journalists in Beijing that their visas had been "frozen". China had said it was taking "counter-measures" in response to what it alleged was India's "unfair" treatment of Chinese journalists. "All foreign journalists, including Chinese journalists have been pursuing journalistic activities in India without any limitations or difficulties in reporting or doing media coverage," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He was replying to questions on the issue during his weekly media briefing. "We hope that Chinese authorities facilitate the continued presence of Indian journalists working and reporting from China. The two sides continue to remain in touch regarding this issue," he said. Bagchi said the Indian journalists in China have be

Internal matter, says MEA Bagchi on power struggle in Afghan embassy

As the Afghan embassy in Delhi reels under a power struggle after the Taliban appointed a diplomat to head the mission in place of the incumbent, India on Friday said it is an "internal matter" of the embassy. "From our perspective, this is an internal matter of the Afghan embassy and we hope that they would resolve it internally," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said when asked about a question on the matter. Ambassador Farid Mamundzay Mamundzay, who was appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government, has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban came to power in August 2021. However, the Taliban in April appointed Qadir Shah to head the mission. Shah has been working as a trade councillor at the Afghan embassy since 2020. When Mamundzay was on a visit abroad, Shah tried to take charge of the embassy as the charge d'affaires late last month, but his attempt was stalled by other diplomats at the mission, people familiar with the matter said.

Disturbances in Kosovo won't affect visit of President Murmu to Serbia: MEA

President Murmu will pay a State Visit to Serbia on June 7, at the invitation of Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia

Cambodian King to visit India from May 29 to 31; MEA says will deepen ties

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni will be on his maiden state visit to India from May 29 to 31 and his trip would mark the culmination of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Cambodia, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. At a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East), Saurabh Kumar, said the Cambodian King would be accompanied by a 27-member high-level delegation, including the minister of the royal palace, vice president of the Vietnamese senate, minister of foreign affairs and other senior officials. The state visit marks the culmination of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Cambodia, which were established in 1952, the MEA said in statement. The forthcoming visit of King Sihamoni will further strengthen and deepen the civilisational relations between India and Cambodia, it said. This visit by the King of Cambodia is taking place after almost six ...