Page 21 - Ministry Of External Affairs

Bangladesh releases 95 Indian fishermen in reciprocal repatriation

Bangladesh on Sunday handed over to India 95 Indian fishermen while New Delhi released 90 Bangladeshi fishermen. The process of reciprocal repatriation of fishermen in each other's custody came amid frosty ties between the two countries. The decision to release the fishermen was announced by New Delhi and Dhaka on Thursday. The exchange of the fishermen was coordinated by the Indian Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The Bangladeshi side handed over 95 fishermen and four fishing vessels to the Indian Coast Guard, according to an official statement. The Indian Coast Guard released 90 Bangladeshi fishermen including 12 rescued from sunken fishing boat "Kaushik", it said. "Idian fishermen are being handed over to West Bengal State fisheries authorities at South 24 Parganas post repatriation from Bangladesh," the Indian Coast Guard said in the readout. In recent months, several Indian fishermen have been arrested by Bangladesh authorities when they happened to inadvertently

H-1B visa row: Skilled worker movement helps both US and India, says MEA

India-US economic ties benefit significantly from the technical expertise provided by skilled professionals

President to confer Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, MEA announces names

President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman during the valedictory session of the upcoming PBD Convention, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday as it announced the names of the awardees for this year. The awardees, who "represent the excellence achieved by our diaspora in various fields", include among others Baroness Usha Kumari Prashar from the UK (in the field of politics), Dr Sharmila Ford from the US for community service. There are a couple of institutions as well who will be given the award. The names for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) 2025 were recommended by a Jury-cum-Awards Committee. The PBSA is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians. The award is conferred by the President as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention on Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin or an organisation or institution established and run by the Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin in "recognition of their outstanding .

Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Khaleel begins 3-day visit to India

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit to explore ways to bolster bilateral ties in several key areas including maritime security, trade and investment. Khaleel's trip to India comes nearly three months after Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu visited India. On Friday, the Maldivian foreign minister will hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar covering almost all aspects of India-Maldives ties. "Working towards India-Maldives joint vision of a 'Comprehensive Economic & Maritime Security Partnership'. Warm welcome to FM @abkhaleel of Maldives on his first official visit to India," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X'. The Maldives is one of India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and the overall bilateral ties including in areas of defence and security witnessed an upward trajectory under the previous government in Male. The ties between India and the Maldives .

Govt announces $500,000 relief assistance to earthquake-hit Vanuatu

India on Thursday announced an assistance of USD 500,000 to the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu to help it deal with destruction caused by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake last month. New Delhi conveyed to Vanuatu its readiness to extend all possible support to people of the country in this time of "difficulty". The earthquake struck near Vanuatu's coast in the South Pacific Ocean on December 17 causing major destruction and loss of lives. "As a close friend and partner under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation and as a gesture of solidarity with the friendly people of Vanuatu, the government of India extends a relief assistance of USD 500,000 to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It said India has firmly stood by Vanuatu during times of difficulty and devastation caused by natural disasters. "An important pillar of India's Indo-Pacific Oceans' Initiative, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nove

Man crosses over illegally into Pak to marry Facebook friend, lands in jail

A 30-year-old Indian man crossed over illegally into Pakistan to meet a Facebook friend he wanted to marry, but instead found himself behind bars. And the woman told the local police she does not want to tie the knot. Badal Babu from the Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh was arrested last week in the Mandi Bahauddin district of Pakistan's Punjab province (some 240 kms from Lahore) for illegal border crossing. Babu attempted to cross the border illegally to meet the Facebook friend with whom he wanted to marry. Police have recorded the statement of Babu's Facebook friend Sana Rani, 21, who said she wasn't interested in marrying him. "In her statement to police, Sana Rani says that Babu and she have been friends on Facebook for the last two-and-a-half years. But she is not interested in marrying him," a Punjab police officer, Nasir Shah, told PTI on Thursday. He said Babu illegally crossed the border and reached Sana Rani's Maung village in Mandi Bahauddin, where he was arrested by

Iran offers help in case of Kerala nurse Nimsha Priya on death row in Yemen

Priya's mother is currently in Yemen, negotiating with Mahdi's family to stop the death penalty by offering 'blood money', a compensation allowed under Yemeni law

India extends relief assistance worth $500K to earthquake-hit Vanuatu

The MEA in a release stated, India extended its deep condolences to the Government and the people of Vanuatu for the damage and destruction caused by this unprecedented disaster

What is blood money, key to saving Kerala nurse from death row in Yemen?

The Quran encourages forgiveness and compensation to the victim's family as preferable alternatives to retribution. This system is called 'diyya,' which loosely refers to 'blood money.'

Centre, state govt need to take initiative: Kerala LoP on Nimisha Priya

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier in the day confirmed its awareness of the death sentence handed to Nimisha Priya and assured that the government is providing all possible assistance

Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya on death sentence in Yemen: All we know

Nimisha Priya's death sentence was approved by the Yemeni President on December 30 and her execution is scheduled to take place within a month

South Africa-India in 2024: 30th anniversary of resumed diplomatic ties

Trade between India and South Africa picked momentum in 2024 after a sluggish spell following the COVID-19 pandemic. The two countries also marked the 30th anniversary of the resumption of their diplomatic ties this year. Bilateral trade totalled USD 19 billion in the year, surpassing the pre-pandemic figure. We hosted several high-profile Invest India events in partnership with local institutions. An India-South Africa Investment Network was formed to drive more connections and conversations among the investment community. We hosted several capacity-building sessions for South African entrepreneurs through India Entrepreneurs Forum," India's Consul General Mahesh Kumar said. With the India Business Forum, representing the 150 Indian companies with a presence in South Africa, we started sector-specific meetings to have more focused engagements with Indian businesses in South Africa," he added. At a seminar, he also urged South African investors to reconsider the need for Western ..

Quad members renew pledge towards working for free, stable Indo-Pacific

India and other Quad member nations on Tuesday renewed their firm commitment to work towards a free and open Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable and prosperous. The foreign ministers of the member nations of the grouping made the pledge in a joint statement commemorating the 20th anniversary of Quad cooperation. The foreign ministers said the Quad will work together in responding to the future needs of the Indo-Pacific, an assertion that came against the backdrop of China's increasing muscle-flexing in the region. India, the US, Australia and Japan came together 20 years ago to extend assistance in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. The coalition is now known as Quad. "As four partners, we share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, underpinned by effective regional institutions," the joint statement said. The Quad foreign ministers also talked about the centrality of 10-nation grouping Association of Southeast

Govt providing help after Kerala nurse sentenced to death in Yemen: MEA

Nimisha Priya, who is sentenced to death in Yemen, is a trained nurse and has worked in private hospitals in Yemen for a few years

Ex-Maldives Prez dismisses report of India's hand in 'plot' against Muizzu

The former Maldives president stated he was unaware of any 'serious plot' against President Muizzu and added that India would never support such a move

Manmohan Singh served with humility & integrity: Singapore foreign minister

Manmohan Singh was an eminent statesman who served his country with humility and integrity, said Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. He (Dr Singh) also strengthened India-Singapore ties, Dr Balakrishnan wrote in a condolence book at the Indian High Commission in Singapore. Our thoughts are with Dr Singh's family and the people of India during this period of loss, the minister said on Monday. The High Commission has opened the condolence book for two days -- December 30-31 -- for Singaporeans to pay respect to Singh who died on December 26. We sincerely appreciate Hon'ble Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for visiting the HCI Singapore to sign the Condolence Book opened in memory of Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India, the High Commission said in a post on X and LinkedIn.

GCC region 2024: India deepens ties with first PM visit to Kuwait in 40 yrs

India has deepened its diplomatic and economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council region this year with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting three of the six GCC countries including Kuwait where no Indian PM had been after Indira Gandhi. As 2024 unfolded, a renewed focus on strategic partnerships in the region took centre stage, with Abu Dhabi serving as the pivotal gateway to this robust alliance. From high-profile visits to pivotal agreements, the story of India and the GCC, an influential grouping comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, is a dynamic one. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, became Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first GCC destination in 2024. The India-UAE bonhomie has been an ongoing story in recent years, and some layers were added this year. PM Modi's Abu Dhabi visit may have hogged the limelight due to the much-talked-about inauguration of BAPS Hindu Mandir; it also gathered momentum on substantive bilateral ..

Fake passport scam: Bengal DGP urges MEA to strengthen verification process

West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar on Sunday said that he had written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urging a total overhauling of the verification and distribution of new passports to combat misuse. Kolkata Police recently unearthed a fake passport racket and arrested at least eight persons for their alleged involvement in it. Talking to reporters, the IPS officer said in the letter to the MEA, they also pointed out software issues and proposed the idea of superintendents of police personally conducting the verification process. "We have written to the MEA requesting them to strengthen the passport verification system. We have proposed a new system where the district intelligence branch (DIB), local police stations, and senior officers will have a more significant role," Kumar said. "In the letter, we have also expressed our concerns about the distribution of passports through post offices. All the agencies must collaborate to address these ...

EAM concludes meeting with Indian Embassy team, Consuls General in US

The officials discussed opportunities for deepening India-US partnership, focusing on technology, trade and investments

EAM meets Trump's NSA pick Waltz; discusses bilateral ties, global issues

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has met Congressman Michael Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for National Security Advisor, during which they had a wide-ranging conversation on the bilateral partnership between India and the US as well as current global issues. Jaishankar is currently on an official visit to the US from Dec 24-29. This was the first highest-level in-person meeting between the Indian government and the incoming Trump administration. Delighted to meet Waltz this evening, Jaishankar posted on X on Friday. Enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation on our bilateral partnership as well as current global issues. Look forward to working with him, he said. Waltz, 50, would replace Jake Sullivan as the National Security Advisor on January 20, when Trump would be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. Waltz is no stranger to India-US relationship. A three-term Congressman from the sixth Congressional District of Florida, Waltz is Republican Co-Cha