Although the pact would focus mainly on the Pacific and the South China Sea region, any action designed to deter China with or without New Delhi's active participation is a welcome move, notes Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Rajapaksa said China indicated that it would help Sri Lanka, while adding that "usually they don't like" lending out more money to cover earlier debt payments.
India's COVID-19 situation remains hugely concerning, with several states continuing to see a worrying number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday, warning that the pandemic's second year will be 'far more deadly' than the first for the world.
Embargo on imports from a neighbouring country would send a chilling signal to foreign investors who look for transparency and companies with manufacturing units in India had requested the government to publish any change in port policy "to provide the business community with the visibility they need to function", says United States-India Strategic Partnership Forum.
Describing Lord Buddha as the inspiration for India's Constitution even today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said Buddha resides in the soul of humanity and connects different cultures and countries.
Aseem Chhabra presents his list of 10 international films that mattered to him, stories that he connected with and characters that gave him a better understanding of the human condition.
The Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said India is proud of its achievements and despite the scarcity of land and rainfall, it boasts of eight per cent of the world's biodiversity.
'The ban on Chinese imports is a suicidal step.' 'This will result not only in economic depression, but in a chaotic situation.'
US President Barack Obama's proposed visit will be coming less than a month after a new spell of violence between the native Buddhists of the Rakhine State and the Rohingya Muslims, points out B Raman
A list of monarchs who abdicated after 2000.
As US President Joe Biden launched a new trade deal with 12 Indo-Pacific nations, including India, to enhance trade, economic and investment opportunities, China, which sees the pact as a threat to its dominance in the region, went on the offensive against it, promising more opening up, while the official media here termed it as "economic Nato".
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Thursday visited Angkor Wat days after India allayed Cambodian concerns over reports of building of a replica of the world heritage site in Bihar.
Sixteen countries in the Asia Pacific were studied by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Ltd.
The Kannada film speaks of the importance of family values and ties on one hand, and animal welfare and protection on the other.
Kovind, who is on his first visit to Ayodhya after the landmark 2019 Supreme Court verdict paved the way for the construction of the temple, also offered prayers at the Hanumangarhi shrine, about 2 km away.
Life expectancy of Indians at birth in 2019 was 69.7 years while Bangladesh has a life expectancy of 72.6 years and Pakistan 67.3 years, the 2020 Human Development Report said.
'I want to win the MMA World championship.'
The Modi government has to embrace the history of Tamil conquests in South East Asia and stop obsessing about Babar/Humayun, argues Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
The United Nation's International Court of Justice ruled on Monday that Cambodia should have sovereignty over the disputed land around the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple bordering Thailand.
Countries that have signed the RCEP agreement can start negotiations with India for joining the pact once New Delhi submits a written request stating its intention for the same, according to a declaration. On November 4 last year, India walked out of mega free trade agreement RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) as negotiations failed to address New Delhi's outstanding issues and concerns. The remaining 15 member countries have signed RCEP agreement and have stated that the pact would remain open to India.
'Fear psychosis has gripped the entire world.' 'Nobody is going to enter shops freely in the next 5, 6 months.' 'Secondly, the priority has changed.' 'Now that they have seen the bottom of the economy, people will prefer to save for tomorrow.'
Football captain Sunil Chhetri wants India to "set a benchmark" by regularly qualifying for AFC Asian Cup, the continent's premier tournament.
Of the 4.10 crore to be shared through COVAX, 1.40 crore will go to Latin America and the Caribbean nations and 1.60 crore to Asia.
Move the slider on the map above to see the change in percentage of population using an improved drinking water source over 1990 to 2015.
Indian companies feel it will be difficult to take on the competition from Bangladesh, Cambodia and others, with their made-in-India products. Ethiopia offers ready-to-use sheds, income tax breaks, training subsidies, and a tax-free gateway into the US, Europe and China. Moreover, labour is available for $60 per month compared to $130-$150 in India.
It has been rated second after Cambodia's Angkor Wat.
Had India agreed to join the trade pact, Indian markets would have been flooded with cheap Chinese products.
PM Modi proposed a USD one billion line of credit to promote projects that support physical and digital connectivity between India and ASEAN.
Indian claims to the Ram story and ownership could be challenged from more places than one, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The budget airline is waiting for approval from India.
Most human cases have been traced to contact with sick poultry, but experts fear the virus could mutate into a form that is easily transmissible among humans, sparking a global pandemic.
Earlier in the day, Bolivia beat Venezuela 3-1 at home and Uruguay and Paraguay drew 0-0 in Montevideo.
Rediff.com takes a look at the new entrants on the World Heritage List.
Don't miss the top 15 Asian landmarks in TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice listings.
A female Iranian fan died earlier this month, after setting herself on fire to protest against her arrest for attending a match.
Qatar smashed 15 unanswered goals past Bhutan and the United Arab Emirates knocked in 10 against Malaysia in a lopsided round of World Cup qualifiers across Asia on Thursday
Iranian women have been banned from stadiums when men's teams have been playing, since just after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Govt policy, not trade with Asean, stifles manufacturing.
