'I give Modi full credit, for brilliantly using his personal diplomacy, his personal stature, to accomplish his goals...'
The decision to introduce four-day Test was taken during a recent ICC board meeting in Auckland with South Africa and Zimbabwe set to play the inaugural four day 'Test' on Boxing Day.
'Modi has visited all these three countries (the UAE more than once, inexplicably) but has left out Kuwait and Oman, the two Gulf countries that are closest to India in their political, cultural and civilisational ethos,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The India-Japan joint naval exercises are a strategic signal for China, observes Dr Rajaram Panda.
Chinese foreign policy will acquire a more ideological and less pragmatic character. It will be conducted with more nationalist overtones, predicts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
India on Wednesday asked Pakistan to rein in its "compulsive hostility" towards it and fulfil its obligation to vacate illegal occupation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which has become a "hub" for the global export of terror.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said that Pakistan was committed to the implementation of UNSC 1267 sanctions regime and has taken several steps in this regard.
India is hopeful of getting the non-permanent Asian seat in the United Nations Security Council, said Minister of state for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor on Friday.
As the pandemic unfolded, the India-China relationship has come under severe stress. To restore normalcy, agreements between the two countries must be respected scrupulously in their entirety. Where the Line of Actual Control is concerned, any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo is unacceptable, declares External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
The beauty of the relationship between the two countries is that they agree to disagree and perhaps that is the strongest bond between the two governments and their relationships, notes Rup Narayan Das.
Paul noted that "three to four months from now, there will be other vaccines and the stockpile will be even bigger. "And more acceleration can be brought about in the vaccination programme," Paul added.
Sikh leaders in the United States have declined an invitation to attend an inter-faith event during Pope Benedict's first visit to the country next month because they would not be allowed to carry their 'Kirpans' due to security reasons. The US Secret Service insisted that Sikh leaders attending the meeting with Pope Benedict XVI would have to come without the ceremonial daggers as required by their faith, The Washington Post reported.
Xi will attend the second informal meeting with Modi at Mahabalipuram near Chennai from October 11 to 12 and pay a state visit to Nepal on October 13, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Wednesday.
Welcoming Jaishankar, Foreign Minister Wang referred to the Indo-Pak tensions without directly mentioning about India scrapping the Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
While the standards of Visva Bharati University fall, the chief minister of West Bengal fantasises about a Biswa Bangla University a few kilometres away. Keya Sarkar ponders the sad state of affairs.
The Cricket World Cup Contracts Committee will discuss whether the altered contracts will be accepted, ICC corporate affairs manager Brendan McClements said.
It is often said that the India-Indonesia relationship is overshadowed by mutual neglect.
She lamented that Africa despite being the largest continent in terms of number of the countries and India, which has has one-sixth of the world's population, still don't have permanent membership of the UNSC.
In his opening remarks at a ministerial meeting in Tokyo of the Quadrilateral coalition, also known as 'Quad', External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India remained committed to a rules-based world order, respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
PCB chairman Ehsan Mani told a National Assembly standing committee meeting that the board paid each West Indian player around $ 25,000 to come for the tour.
The Pakistani PM explained how the war-like scenario could erupt in the middle of the current tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. He said Kashmiris would protest and India would launch a crackdown on them.
Iran's decision to keep India out and welcome China to the scene is a huge strategic setback for India, observes Dr Rajaram Panda.
Introducing a new irritant into the bilateral ties, Pakistan has complained to UN Security Council alleging that India was building a wall along the International Border in violation of the world body's resolutions.
The combativeness reflects her insistence not to meekly acquiesce to what has been going on in Raisina Hill for years or decades, observes Kartikeya Tanna.
Pak's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said that Modi's statement shows India's nervousness over the situation in Kashmir.
China was the sole member in the 15-nation UN organ to put a hold on India's application with the rest 14 members of the Council supporting New Delhi's bid to place Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to an assets freeze and travel ban.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India has friendly ties with both the countries.
Infrastructure, manufacturing and telecom are understood to be among the focus sectors
Pitching for a greater role for India in global affairs, French President Nicholas Sarkozy on Thursday favoured its inclusion in the expanded UN Security Council and G-8 to give New Delhi its "rightful place" in the changed world order.
'Both India and Japan can find themselves in a win-win situation if they draw some lessons from each other's strengths,' says Dr Rajaram Panda.
India was fooled into believing that Communist China wanted a 'negotiated' settlement with the Tibetans; it was never the case, says Claude Arpi.
The fact that known terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin have been able to hold huge rallies in Pakistan's main cities is a reflection of the state of affairs in Pak, said India.
When a media person asked why despite the affinity the United States had such a hard time endorsing India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, Burns went into a spin.
The Security Council as it is today is unable to bring peace and security in the world and so there is reason for countries like India to become members of the Council, Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji tells Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com.
West Indies cricket president James Cameron and Pakistan board chairman Najam Sethi have been awarded seats on the International Cricket Council's new executive committee, but South Africa has been snubbed from the game's new world order.
Hitting out at the report, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the update of the earlier OHCHR report is "merely a continuation of the earlier false and motivated narrative" on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
An update on anti-corruption measures and the progress report of Bangladesh's preparedness for next year's World Twenty20 will be top of the agenda when the International Cricket Council's Board gathers in London for a two-day meet starting Saturday.
The prime minister's office will play the principal role in decision-making.
'The expansion of the Security Council should be seen in the context of overall reforms of the United Nations, which would make it more effective and efficient and give strong legitimacy to its decisions.'
Bharat Krishak Samaj demanded that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana should be replaced with a new crop insurance and compensation scheme.
