Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday ruled out India sending troops to war-torn Iraq, saying there is no change in his government's policy with regard to that country.
Breaking its silence on the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers, particularly inmates of Abu Ghraib jail, India on Tuesday termed such acts as 'abhorrent'.
India and China plan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Panchsheel.
New Delhi is the first halt in Rice's eight-day trip to South Asia and East Asia covering India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan, Korea and China.
The external affairs minister has confirmed that he will be attending a SAARC foreign ministers meeting in Islamabad in July.
Pakistan on Monday said that it was ready to provide international guarantees afresh to India to lay the gas pipeline from Iran to Gujarat via its territory provided there were no "extraneous conditionalities" attached to it.
Addressing his first press conference after taking over as foreign minister, Singh said the new government is committed to take the Indo-Pak peace process forward.
'We will continue to engage our American friends in a constructive manner as the government would like to further strengthen, deepen and widen Indo-US relations in all areas,' the external affairs minister said.
It was a United Nations Committee and Washington had nothing to do with it.
External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh has to deal with the Indo-Pak peace process at a crucial stage and tough negotiations underway with China to expeditiously resolve the complex boundary issue.
On being asked whether he knew Sehgal, he told reporters, "Andaleep Sehgal is also our acquaintance but as far as his business, his trade or his financial transactions are concerned I am not familiar with it.
"We expect to host the India-EU summit under the UK presidency in New Delhi and welcome the British Prime Minister to our country later this year," External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh said.
Pakistan expressed its willingness to play a Test match in Mumbai and said that it would hold discussions with BCCI to resolve the differences over playing in Ahmedabad.
Asserting that the party was in no way connected with the issue, the Congress recalled that it was not in power at the Centre between 1996 and 2003 when the deal was executed.
External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh told the Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician that he could stay in j&K as long as me wanted and also meet anyone he pleased.
Imran Khan has said that the Indian foreign ministry has cleared his visit to Kashmir Valley next year.
"Around 45,000 pilgrims will perform Haj through private tour operators," External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh said at the Annual Haj Conference in New Delhi.
Most Japanese and Chinese imported oil and one-third of the world's traded goods pass through this area in Southeast Asia.
"President Musharraf is coming here [Delhi] on April 16 evening to watch the cricket match on April 17," External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh said in Lok Sabha.
Rice, on her part, has invited External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh to visit the US.
The three will be among 22 others attending the third ACD Foreign Ministers' meeting from June 21-22.
The Congress is strongly opposed to deploying Indian troops in Iraq except under UN auspices.
But the external affairs minister also warned against expecting miracles during the visit of the Pakistan Prime Minister.
Powell also added that Kashmir is a 'very difficult issue' that will take time to resolve, but pointed out that the environment for positive discussions between India and Pakistan has greatly improved
At a meeting with the prime minister, Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi insisted that Congress president suggested the government consult other political parties before taking any decision on the issue.
Congress candidate Shafia Zubair won the Ramgarh assembly poll in Rajasthan, while BJP candidate Krishan Middha won over his nearest rival from the Jannayak Janata Party for the high-stakes Jind bypoll in Haryana.
China will flood direct flights to India with wholesale takeaways of the authentic stuff; Indian businessmen will fight for the commission and the consumers for the cuisine, predicts Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
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