Page 2 - Ministry Of External Affairs

'Statement misconstrued': Lalit Modi apologises after 'fugitives' video row

After backlash over a viral London video with Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi apologised and said his remarks were misconstrued and never intended in that manner

India flagged H-1B visa delays with US amid cancellations, holiday shutdown

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the matter remained under active discussion with US officials in New Delhi and Washington, DC

We condemn Das' killing, reject anti-India narrative in Bangladesh: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the killing of Dipu Chandra Das and flagged over 2,900 cases of minority violence in Bangladesh, urging the interim government to ensure their security

Security tightened at Indian Assistant High Commission office in Bangladesh

Security has been strengthened at the Indian Assistant High Commission office and the visa application centre in Bangladesh's Sylhet city in the wake of heightened tensions following the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, officials said on Saturday. The enhanced security measures were put in place to ensure that "no third party can exploit the situation", Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police Saiful Islam was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune newspaper. According to police, security was reinforced from Friday morning at the Assistant High Commission office located in Upashahar area, the residence of the Assistant High Commissioner in the same locality, and the visa application centre in the Shobhanighat area. Members of the security forces also remained deployed throughout the night. Following the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Hadi on Thursday, Gano Odhikar Parishad had announced a programme to besiege the Assistant High

Foreign policy needs clarity, choices and a game plan: EAM Jaishankar

Jaishankar said that foreign policy cannot be driven by ambiguity or hesitation, underlining the importance of aligning India's interests with long-term strategic thinking

EAM urges Dutch support as India enters decisive phase in EU FTA talks

With new, important areas of bilateral cooperation coming up, there is scope for raising the ambition of India-Netherlands relationship, and whether it is semiconductors, digital, cyberspace or life sciences, "we would like to work more closely with you", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday. In his opening remarks before holding talks with his Dutch counterpart David van Weel here, the EAM also said, "We also count on your support as we are moving to what I hope is a decisive phase in our negotiations with the European Union on the Free Trade Agreement." The minister of foreign affairs of the Netherlands visited India from December 17-19 at the invitation of the external affairs minister, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The MEA in a statement said the Indian side looked forward to welcoming Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026 in New Delhi. The Dutch side reiterated the invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi fo

Indian Ambassador Kwatra discusses AI, defence, trade with US lawmakers

India's Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra has held meetings with senior Democratic lawmakers, discussing cooperation in emerging technologies, defence, and trade as part of efforts to further strengthen bilateral ties. In a social media post on Saturday, Kwatra said he held an engaging conversation with Congressman Ted Lieu, Vice Chair of the House Democrats Caucus, during which they discussed shared priorities on emerging developments in artificial intelligence, defence and security cooperation, trade and investment, and people-to-people exchanges. The envoy said he looked forward to continued collaboration on issues of mutual interest. In another meeting on Friday, Kwatra met Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Chair of the House Black Caucus, and described her as a "steadfast supporter of strong IndiaUS relations". He said the discussions with Clarke focused on advancing IndiaUS collaboration in the AI space, including data privacy and data security.

India, Liberia sign MoU to boost cooperation on medicine quality standards

According to the Ministry of AYUSH, the pharmacopoeias are official compendia of quality standards of the drugs being imported, manufactured for sale, stocked or exhibited for sale in India

India, Denmark reaffirm ties in health, agriculture, and green partnership

According to a post on X by the Ministry of Health, both sides met on Thursday and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening India-Denmark collaboration in health, food, and agriculture

MEA debunks fake letter falsely linked to EAM Jaishankar on Rafale deal

The fake letter, falsely attributed to Jaishankar, claimed that details of the Rafale naval aircraft delivery schedule had been leaked and that the disclosure had caused unexpected complications

'Democracy and Pakistan don't go together: MEA amid Imran Khan protests

Jaiswal, while replying to a query on diminishing democratic institutions in Pakistan, noted that India was following events but would not go into details

Op Sagar Bandhu: Indian, Sri Lankan armies works together to restore lives

The death toll has soared to 627, with several hundred people still missing, the Daily Mirror reported on Sunday, citing the country's Disaster Management Centre (DMC)

Gogoi writes to EAM, seeks reply on MEA link to Zubeen death case accused

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to clarify the association of his ministry with a key accused in connection with the death of singer Zubeen Garg. Gogoi has also sought a statement from Jaishankar over Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's claim that Garg's death in Singapore was an incident of murder. Garg had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. He was in the island nation to participate in the North East India Festival (NEIF), 2025. The SIT of Assam Police has so far arrested seven people in the case, including the chief organiser of the festival, Shyamkanu Mahanta. Gogoi, in a letter to Jaishankar on Thursday, said that the festival was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs with support from the High Commission of India in Singapore. The Congress leader pointed out that one of the accused in the ongoing police investigation was directly associated with the organisation of the festival, i

Putin India Visit HIGHLIGHTS: India, Russia sign Vision 2030 document to boost economic ties

Putin India Visit HIGHLIGHTS: Get all the information on Vladimir Putin's India visit, from his arrival and dinner with PM Modi to key talks on trade, defence, economy and global security

India airlifts movable bridge system, water units to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

India has airlifted a movable modular bridge system and hundreds of water-purification units to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka as part of its ongoing humanitarian support to reconnect isolated communities and restore essential services in the island nation, the Indian mission here said on Thursday. Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and severe infrastructure collapse triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country's disaster-response capacity. At least 479 people have been killed and 350 are missing as of Wednesday evening due to catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16. A C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force flew in the Bailey Bridge system along with 500 water purification units on Wednesday, following a request from Colombo, the Indian High Commission said in a statement. The massive structure can be installed within a few hours to repl

Houthis free Kerala sailor after nearly five-month detention in Yemen

An Indian national from Kerala, who was in detention of Houthi rebels in war-torn Yemen since early July, has been released. Anilkumar Raveendran was among the crew members of cargo ship MV Eternity C. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India welcomes the release of Raveendran, who was under detention in Yemen since July 7. "He reached Muscat yesterday and is expected to travel back to India soon," it said. The MEA said the government had been coordinating efforts with various parties to ensure his safe release and return. "The government of India would like to thank the Sultanate of Oman for facilitating the release of Anilkumar Raveendran," it said in a brief statement.

West will be 'net losers' if skilled immigration restricted: Jaishankar

Jaishankar took a question on the rising political and social backlash against immigration in several nations and argued that the debate is often misplaced

EAM Jaishankar underlines India's commitment to full BWC implementation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday addressed the inaugural conference on the occasion of '50 Years of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)Speaking to experts and representatives from over 80 countries, Jaishankar discussed the need to modernise the BWC and the critical role of the Global South in shaping its future. He outlined India's record of ensuring non-proliferation of sensitive and dual-use goods & technologies, the vaccine Maitri initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic and the proposal of a National Implementation Framework that covers the identification of high-risk agents, oversight of dual-use research, domestic reporting, incident management, and continuous training.Jaishankar highlighted in his remarks that they strive to modernise the BWC, the Global South must take ownership--preparing wisely for future challenges.In a post on X, he emphasised the need for ensuring that BWC remains the guardrail between innovation and misuse in the life sciences ..

Jaishankar calls on Putin, conveys PM Modi's greetings ahead of summit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin along with other heads of delegation of SCO member states. Jaishankar is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council meeting. "Called on President Putin along with other Heads of SCO Delegations this afternoon," Jaishankar said on social media. The meeting in the Kremlin was also attended by Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, Prime Ministers Alexander Turchin of Belarus, Oljas Bektenov of Kazakhstan, Adylbek Kasymaliyev of Kyrgyzstan, Kokhir Rasulzoda of Tajikistan and Abdulla Aripov of Uzbekistan, as well as Pakistan Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev. On Monday, Jaishankar held extensive talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The meeting comes as the two sides prepare for President Putin's visit to India for the 23rd annual summit. The Russian president is expected to visi

PM Modi meets Bhutan's former king, praises his efforts for bilateral ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met with Bhutan's former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck and said he appreciated his extensive efforts over the years towards further cementing ties between the two South Asian neighbours. Had a wonderful meeting with His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. Appreciated his extensive efforts over the years towards further cementing India-Bhutan ties, Modi said in a social media post. During the meeting, they discussed cooperation in energy, trade, technology and connectivity. Lauded the progress in the Gelephu Mindfulness City Project, which aligns with our Act East Policy, Modi added. Modi also thanked His Majesty for his wise counsel and guidance in further enhancing the special India-Bhutan friendship, the Ministry of External Affairs said. The prime minister conveyed best wishes of the government and people of India for the former king's continued good health, well-being and a long life, the ministry added. Modi, who is on a two-day visit to t