Page 44 - Ministry Of External Affairs

India holding G20 Presidency at this time a golden opportunity: MEA

India holding the G20 Presidency at this time is a "golden opportunity" and it is ready to make a mark on the global stage, a top official in the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday, asserting that the country is all set for the summit. In an interview with PTI on the eve of the mega conclave, G20 India Special Secretary Muktesh Pardesi also said the "broad agenda of the summit will revolve around 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' -- One Earth, One Family, One Future". Many world leaders have already arrived in Delhi on Friday ahead of the summit, including US President Joe Biden. Biden also held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his arrival. "It is not only one event (summit), the overall backdrop in the country is positive. We celebrated 75 years of our Independence, we are the fifth largest economy right now, we are the largest democracy. So many things are in favour of India," he said. "And, India holding the G20 Presidency at this time is like a golden .

PM leaves for India after Jakarta visit to attend ASEAN, East Asia summits

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for home on Thursday after wrapping up a short but fruitful and productive visit to Indonesia to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits during which he reaffirmed India's strong ties with the countries in the strategically key region. The prime minister arrived in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, in the morning. "PM @narendramodi concludes his visit to Indonesia, forging stronger partnerships with ASEAN and EAS partners," the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X. "Had a very short but fruitful Indonesia visit, where I met ASEAN and other leaders. I thank President @jokowi, the Indonesian Government and the people for their welcome," Prime Minister Modi posted on X. "The prime minister has just completed a very short but very productive visit to Jakarta to participate in the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit," Secy (East) Saurabh Kumar said. The prime minister's participation in the summit will give India-ASEAN relations a strat

PM Modi to depart for Jakarta on Wednesday for 20th ASEAN India Summit

The MEA Secretary (East) said: "Prime Minister will depart Delhi on the night of September 6 and return late evening on the September 7

North Macedonia's foreign minister calls first India visit significant

Expressing his expectations from India, he said that there is a "need for more Indian economy in our region"

Defaced passport covers not acceptable, says MEA in stern advisory

The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a stern advisory to combat the growing misuse of Indian Passports as advertising platforms, a senior official said here on Thursday. It highlighted the alarming trend where travel agents have been defacing the cover of Indian Passports by pasting their agency or company stickers, said Dasari Balaiah, Regional Passport Officer and Head of MEA Branch Secretariat, Hyderabad in a release. The practice not only undermines the sanctity of the passport, but contravenes Union Government guidelines pertaining to passport maintenance, it said. "The outer cover of the Indian Passport carries the national emblem with the Ashoka Chakra on it and incorporates several security features aimed at ensuring its authenticity and integrity. Pasting adhesives or promotional stickers by agent can mask the national emblem and tamper with the security features and can be compromised--preventing verification of authenticity," the release said. It may also cause ..

India has inspired world: Jaishankar on Chandrayaan-3 mission success

Speaking at an event at Delhi University, Jaishankar also shared the success of India during the pandemic and said that India helped several countries by providing them with vaccines

G20 explained: Details on the global bloc, its history & India's presidency

G20 nations account for about 85% of the global GDP, 75% of global exports and around 60% of the global population

Andhra Pradesh CM to take up students deportation from US issue with MEA

In wake of some students from Andhra Pradesh being deported from US, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to take up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to resolve it, said an official on Saturday. An unspecified number of students from the southern state were deported by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) federal law enforcement agency officials recently from the American airports on landing, reports said. "Reddy is looking into this matter and will address it to the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India for resolving this at the earliest as all students have a valid USA visa for higher studiesand also keeping in view of the careers of these students of AP," said an official of the state-government body Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) in a statement without divulging details. Though the students possessed valid visas, the Andhra Pradesh government has said that CBP officials should consider granting entry to the

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

Govt to deploy AI, advanced analytics solutions for Passport Seva services

The efforts are part of the Ministry of External Affairs' upgraded Passport Seva Program 2.0, which is being implemented through service partner TCS

EAM S Jaishankar bats for deeper bilateral India-Latin America engagement

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday pitched for deeper two way engagement between India, and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) especially in areas of agriculture, supply chain diversification and resource partnership. In an address at an event, he said New Delhi's overall ties with the region have moved on a "new trajectory" in the last nine years and there was scope to further consolidate the relations in a range of areas. "We must ensure that distance is no longer an impediment for stronger ties," he said. Jaishankar said bilateral trade has surged close to USD 50 billion during the financial year 2022-23 and it is a testament to both the strength and potential to our economic partnership". "Over the last nine years, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been at the helm, our ties have actually moved on a new trajectory," he said. The external affairs minister was speaking at the ninth CII India-LAC Conclave on the theme 'Furthering Economic Partnerships for

Iran releases 8 Indian fishermen detained by its force: MoS Muraleedharan

Eight Indian fishermen detained by the Iranian authorities for allegedly entering their waters without permission have been released by the Middle East nation, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Wednesday. In a Malayalam Facebook post, Muraleedharan said natives of Anchuthengu in Kerala are also among the fishermen who were released by Iran recently. The minister said the information about the fishermen's release was given by the Ambassador of Iran to India, Iraj Elahi, who met him at his office in New Delhi on Wednesday. Muraleedharan thanked the Government of Iran for the release of the Indian fishermen. He also sought intervention for the early release of the remaining fishermen. On June 29, Muraleedharan had met the families of seven fishermen from Kerala at a church nearby Anchuthengu and assured them of all possible efforts to release them. Out of seven fishermen from Kerala, five are from Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district, and two are fr

Expecting Sri Lankan prez's visit to impart momentum to bilateral ties: MEA

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday kicked off a two-day visit to India that is expected to impart a new momentum in bilateral ties, especially in the economic and trade sphere. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Wickremesinghe will hold wide-ranging talks on Friday covering all key aspects of relations between the two countries. It is the first visit to India by a Sri Lankan leader since the island nation reeled under a severe economic crises last year. "We Look forward to the visit to impart a new momentum to the relationship," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at his weekly media briefing. India extended financial assistance worth around USD 4 billion to Sri Lanka including lines of credit for purchases of food and fuel last year when it was hit by the economic crisis. New Delhi also provided guarantees to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help the country secure a USD 2.9 billion bailout package. In the evening, External Affairs

Foreign tourist arrivals in Jan-April at 79% of same period in 2019: Centre

In a written response to a query, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said the ministry has been working closely with the home and the external affairs ministries for easing of the visa regime

India engaged with Germany for return of baby Ariha Shah, says MEA

India on Thursday said it remained engaged with Germany for the return of an Indian baby girl, who has been living in a foster care in Berlin for over 20 months. Ariha Shah was placed in the custody of Germany's Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) on September 23, 2021 after the then seven month-old baby suffered an accidental injury. She has been in foster care since then. India has been maintaining that it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment. At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said sending back the child to India is important for her cultural and national identity. "We have made very clear our desire to safeguard the child's cultural and national identity and ensure her return to India. We remain engaged with German authorities in this regard," he said. "There are separate parallel judicial proceedings underway and we are keeping close track of that," Bagchi said, replying to a questi

Updated Indo-France document has no mention of Scorpene submarine deal

A version of the India-France joint document issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) late on Friday referred to an agreement for procuring three Scorpene submarines but this portion didn't figure in an updated version. The document titled "Horizon 2047: 25th Anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, Towards A Century of India-France Relations" noted that two sides welcomed the agreement between Mazgaon Dockyard Ltd and Naval Group for the construction of three additional submarines under the P-75 programme. However, the version available now on the MEA's website does not have that portion. People aware of the matter said the joint document that is available on the ministry's website was agreed on by both countries and the same text is on the French website too. They said it seemed some earlier negotiating text got uploaded on the ministry's website for a short while. That was not an agreed text in any way, said one of the people.

MEA slams EU Parl resolution on Manipur situation, calls it unacceptable

Arindam Bagchi said that Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary are aware of the situation in Manipur and are taking measures to maintain peace, harmony, law and order

If world has to progress, then Indian way is the way forward: MoS Lekhi

The exhibition inaugurated by Lekhi on Friday, showcases banknotes of G-20 Member Nations depicting UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites

Indians can now zip through arrivals at US airports via automatic kiosks

Since it began a few years ago, 24,000 applications have been processed, many of them from frequent visitors

Maha govt requested for consent to take control of Ambedkar house in London

The Centre has requested the Maharashtra government for its consent to hand over the control of Dr B R Ambedkar's house in London to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), an official said on Thursday. The file has been submitted for approval, the official in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) told PTI. The 3.1 million pound three-storey house located on King Henry's Road in north London was purchased by the state government in 2015 to turn it into a museum. In 2020, the house was converted into a museum and thrown open to public. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, lived in the house in 1921-22. The CMO official said, "The MEA has requested the state government to give consent to hand over control of Dr Ambedkar's home in London to it." The 2,050 square feet residential property in London went up for sale through an estate agent in 2014. The Federation of Ambedkarites and Buddhist Organisation (FABO) UK had written to the Indian government to urge them to purcha