Page 13 - Ministry Of External Affairs

India, Sri Lanka sign defence pact after PM Modi, Prez Dissanayaka talks

For the first time, India and Sri Lanka on Saturday inked an ambitious defence cooperation pact following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The two sides also signed a pact to develop Trincomalee as an energy hub. Another agreement was inked to facilitate New Delhi's multi-sectoral grant assistance to Sri Lanka's eastern region. PM Modi and President Dissanayake also virtually inaugurated the Sampur solar power project. Several agreements were also firmed up between the two sides following the talks between the two leaders. The talks were held a day after Modi arrived in the Sri Lankan capital after concluding his trip to Bangkok where he attended a summit of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation). Ahead of the talks, Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the historic Independence Square in the heart of the Sri Lankan capital, in perhaps the first such honour given to a forei

PM Modi receives ceremonial welcome as he begins 3-day visit to Sri Lanka

PM Modi's arrival in Colombo came after his visit to Thailand, where he held a bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and attended the Bimstec Summit

PM Modi, Bangladesh's Yunus discuss minority safety and Hasina extradition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus had their first high-level meeting since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year

PM Modi offers linking UPI with payment systems of BIMSTEC nations

Seeking to impart fresh impetus to the BIMSTEC grouping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday proposed linking India's UPI with the payment systems of the member nations, a move that could boost trade, business and tourism within the region. Addressing the sixth BIMSTEC Summit here, the Prime Minister also proposed to set up a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce, organise annual business summits and explore promoting trade in local currencies within the region. At the outset, the Prime Minister offered his condolences for the loss of lives and property in Myanmar and Thailand in the devastating earthquake on March 28. Modi also proposed establishing a BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management in India to collaborate on disaster preparedness, relief and rehabilitation. The BIMSTEC Summit, hosted by Thailand, is attended by leaders from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. The BIMSTEC Summit adopted the Bangkok Vision 2030 to realise the shared commitment to

PM Modi offers help to Myanmar Senior General as nation recovers from quake

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing that India was doing everything possible to assist the nation in recovering from the aftermath of a massive earthquake that killed several thousands. Modi met Senior General Min, the head of Myanmar's military government, on the sidelines of the Summit meeting of the leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping. "Met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Once again expressed condolences on the loss of lives and damage to property in the wake of the recent earthquake. India is doing whatever is possible to assist our sisters and brothers of Myanmar in this critical time," Modi wrote on X. This was the Prime Minister's first interaction with Senior General Min, who came to power in a military coup in February 2021. "We also discussed bilateral relations between India and Myanmar, ...

Quad joins forces to streamline aid delivery for Myanmar quake victims

The Quad countries of India, Australia, Japan and the US have committed humanitarian assistance of over USD 20 million for the Myanmar earthquake response and are delivering relief supplies and deploying emergency medical teams for those affected by the tragedy. In a joint statement from the governments of the United States, Australia, India, and Japan, the Quad countries extended their deepest sympathies and condolences to the people of Myanmar and Thailand following the earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28. The significant loss of life, injuries, and widespread destruction of infrastructure worsen an already-dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, the joint statement issued on Thursday by the State Department said. We, the Quad partners, have so far committed humanitarian assistance estimated at a combined value of over USD 20 million. Through our funding and bilateral efforts, we are delivering relief supplies, deploying emergency medical teams and supporting ...

Indian rescue team's valour shines amid devastation after Myanmar quake

Indian personnel are tirelessly conducting relief and rescue operations in quake-struck Mandalay, braving the stench of death to recover bodies from the rubble. Amid the devastation, a story of faith and resilience emergedone that will be etched in the memory of those who witnessed it. It was the sacred hour of Alvida Namaz of Ramzan when the catastrophic 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar last Friday, the death toll of which has risen to more than 3,000. Near Street 86A in the former royal capital of Mandalay, a devout Muslim woman and young child, among others, were deep in prayer, unaware of the disaster unfolding around them. "We men were performing Alvida Jumme ki Namaz at the mosque while women and children were praying in their respective homes in the society," Aadam Hussein, 65, told PTI. "Within moments, the ground convulsed violently, reducing a residential complex with around 50 people, mostly women and children, to ruins and leaving destruction in its wake," he ...

India, Nepal ink 10 MoUs worth NRs 625 million for development projects

India and Nepal have signed 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for high-impact community development projects in the Himalayan nation to be funded by Indian assistance amounting to NRs 625 million, according to an official release. The agreements were signed on Tuesday for development in the education, health, and culture sectors, the Indian embassy here said in a press release. "These High Impact Community Development Projects #HICDP are being built with (the) Government of India's financial assistance at a total cost of NRs 625.00 million in Education, Health and Culture Sectors under Nepal-India Development Cooperation'," the embassy said in a post on X. It added that implementing these projects will "help provide better educational, healthcare and cultural facilities to the people of Nepal." The projects undertaken include the construction of three schools, one monastery, one e-library at a school, and two health post buildings. With this, India has taken up over 573 HICDP

Over 100K members of Awami League fled to India: Information advisor

Bangladesh interim government's Information Advisor Mahfuj Alam on Tuesday claimed that more than one lakh members of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League have fled to India, according to media reports. Alam made the remark during an Eid gathering in Dhaka attended by families of individuals allegedly disappeared or killed during Hasina's tenure, Bangladeshi news portal bdnews24.com said. Human rights group Mayer Dak organised the event in the city's Tejgaon area, said a press release. Criticising Hasina, Mahfuj said she used enforced disappearances and killings as a means of avenging her parents' assassination, state-run news agency BSS reported. The highest number of enforced disappearances occurred in 2013 and 2014 when people were fighting for their voting rights. The main objective behind these actions was to destroy the electoral system, he said. The adviser said that the government has already formed a commission to investigate into enforced disappearances. B

Highlights: India sends relief materials to quake-hit Myanmar under 'Operation Brahma'

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6-day international workshop on land governance concludes in Delhi

The critical role of technology in improving property rights and reducing land disputes was in focus at a six-day international workshop on land governance organised by the panchayati raj ministry that concluded here on Saturday. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme and saw the participation of senior officials from 22 countries across Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. At the workshop, the participants engaged in detailed discussions and hands-on sessions focused on land governance, with delegates suggesting similar workshops in their own countries under the aegis of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The workshop explored innovative solutions for modernising land administration and served as a global platform for knowledge exchange, the panchayati raj ministry said in a statement. India showcased its technological advancements in drone-based land surveys, digital

India dispatches first tranche of humanitarian aid for people of Myanmar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow

Envoys from Muslim nations praise India's strong ties with Islamic world

Envoys from 19 Muslim-majority nations attended the 'Sadbhavana Iftar' hosted by the Indian Minorities Federation at MP Satnam Singh Sandhu's residence in New Delhi on Thursday evening

'Huge opportunity': Japan delegation meets PM Modi, keen to invest in India

The meeting was marked by optimism and enthusiasm, with the Japanese business leaders expressing their eagerness to invest in India and forge stronger ties

Indians not forced to remove turbans during deportation by US: Centre

The Ministry of External Affairs said it remains engaged with the US side regarding humane treatment of immigrants during deportation operations

MEA says no IAF aircraft used for immigrants' repatriation since 2020

The Ministry of External Affairs has not hired any IAF, chartered or commercial civilian aircraft for Indian immigrants' repatriation from any country since 2020, the government informed Parliament on Thursday. Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said this in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha by TMC MP Saket Gokhale. The MEA was asked the details of all instances when the ministry has used Indian Air Force aircraft or chartered or commercial civilian aircraft for repatriation of Indian immigrants being deported from other countries between 2020 till date. It also asked the details of countries that have used military aircraft for deporting Indian immigrants since 2020. "The Ministry of External Affairs has not hired any Indian Air Force or Chartered/Commercial Civilian aircraft for the purposes of repatriation of Indian immigrants being deported from any country since 2020. However, in a few exceptional cases, Indian immigrants facing deportation we

Jaishankar calls India optimistic society, contrasts it with global outlook

Jaishankar also emphasised India's technological embrace, underscoring the characteristic of the youth in India in embracing technology

India, China agree to initiate efforts to boost people-to-people exchanges

India and China on Wednesday explored ways to rebuild ties and agreed to initiate efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges, including arrangements for resumption of direct flights and resume Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year. In a meeting in Beijing, the two sides also discussed resumption of dialogue mechanisms in a "step-by-step" manner to utilize them to address each other's priority areas of interest and concern and move the relations to a "more stable and predictable path", according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The relations between the two countries came under severe strain following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. The meeting was held between Gourangalal Das, the joint secretary in the MEA's East Asia division, and Liu Jinsong, the director general at the Chinese foreign ministry's department of Asian affairs. The MEA said the two sides also made further progress on the modalities to resume Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year. It said the two sides

'Attempt to tarnish India's global image': MEA on US religious panel report

'USCIRF should be designated an entity of concern': India responds to US accusation of deteriorating religious freedom in the country

India, China hold diplomatic talks in Beijing on border row, bilateral ties

India and China on Tuesday agreed to work together to make "substantial preparation" for the next meeting of their Special Representatives (SR) on the boundary question that is set to be held in the national capital later this year. The decision was taken at a fresh edition of talks held in Beijing under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC). The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the WMCC meeting was held in a "positive and constructive atmosphere" and both sides "comprehensively" reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control. "The two sides agreed to work together to make substantial preparation for the next meeting of the Special Representatives (SR), which will be held in India later this year," it said in a statement. The MEA said peace and tranquillity on the border are critical for the smooth development of overall bilateral relations. "The two sides explored various measures and proposals to