An Indian engineer, Yogesh Panchal, was detained in Iran for almost two months for allegedly clicking photographs in a restricted zone. He was released earlier this week after the Ministry of External Affairs intervened. Panchal, who hails from Nanded district in Maharashtra, visited Iran in December to explore business opportunities. He was apprehended from his hotel room on December 7 and accused of shooting videos and photos in a restricted zone. He was held in a local detention center for 59 days and treated well, although blindfolded throughout his incarceration. The family sought help from Rajya Sabha member Ajit Gopchade, but the Iranian Embassy in Delhi initially did not cooperate. The MEA's intervention led to a hearing and his eventual release.
Former embassy officials Shubham Shokeen and Aarti Mandal allegedly made Rs 32,00,000, charging Rs 50,000 per visa by clearing files of questionable candidates, they said.
Doval is in Beijing for the 23rd round of the Special Representatives' talks being held after a gap of five years.
The Indian government has lodged a strong protest with Canada after consular officials at the Indian consulate in Vancouver were informed they were under audio and video surveillance and that their private communications had been intercepted. The Indian government maintains that Canada has provided space for pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity and has urged Canada to take action against anti-India elements.
'Adventure travel, cultural tours, and wellness retreats are in high demand.'
'If Pakistan's army wants to escalate violence in Kashmir, they have an unlimited supply of jihadis they can train and send. That's not an issue for them.'
Indian and Russian officials have discussed Indian-Russian cargo transit along the Northern Sea route, joint projects in Arctic shipbuilding and possible training of Indian sailors for polar navigation.
With temperatures soaring in Paris Olympics, Indian athletes battling the soaring temperatures and lack of cooling in their rooms in the Paris Olympic Games Village have been provided with 40 portable air conditioners
'The strategic direction of the relationship will not be affected. But the perception has been affected.'
The move comes amid apprehensions by Western leaders that Russia was set to invade Ukraine soon as it deployed over 130,000 soldiers, heavy weapons and fighter jets along the Ukrainian border.
It was not immediately known how Arya, a 2008-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, died.
Whether it's navigating the labyrinthine Cu Chi Tunnels, boating on the Mekong, marveling at ancient Champa temples, or the Mekong Bay, Vietnam promises a journey like no other.
Everyone is in the Diwali spirit, from our dear readers to Bollywood, to the White House!
The Indian diplomatic missions in Israel and Iran on Sunday issued fresh advisories for its nationals after Tehran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on the Jewish state, advising them to stay calm, adhere to safety protocols along with activating additional helpline numbers.
The possibilities of this serviceable thriller are immense but the makers prefer to play it safe and hold back the daredevil in the diplomat's clothing, observes Sukanya Verma.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is verifying details of deportation flights to Panama and Costa Rica, which were undertaken as part of a bridge arrangement between the US and the respective governments. The MEA spokesperson said that India is in touch with the local authorities in Panama and Costa Rica to ensure the return of any Indian nationals who may have been deported.
Since April this year, the ministry of defence of the Russian Federation has stopped recruiting citizens of a number of foreign countries, including India, into the military service, it said.
'We are not opposed to any Indian language. We are against Hindi imposition.'
The bench gave liberty to Mukerjea to approach the trial court
'In view of the continued high levels of tensions and uncertainties with respect to the situation in Ukraine, all Indian nationals whose stay is not deemed essential and all Indian students, are advised to leave Ukraine temporarily,' the embassy said.
Over 1,200 Indian students stranded at Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine make a desperate call for help.
Eleven Indian nationals were found dead at a restaurant in Georgia's mountain resort of Gudauri. The Indian mission in Tbilisi said it was working closely with local authorities to facilitate the prompt repatriation of the mortal remains to India. Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs said the initial inspection found no signs of injury or violence. All victims died from carbon monoxide poisoning, local media reported, citing police. The victims were employees of an Indian restaurant 'Haveli' in Gudauri and were from north India. The police started an investigation under Article 116 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which implies negligent manslaughter.
After lagging behind benchmarks and broader indices over the past five years, real estate investment trusts (Reits) have outperformed them since the start of 2024. The four listed Reits have posted an average return of 16 per cent year-to-date, compared to 9.9 per cent for the S&P BSE Sensex and 11 per cent for the National Stock Exchange Nifty.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into allegations of Pakistan links of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's British wife Elizabeth Colburn. Sarma alleged that Colburn had visited Pakistan after her marriage and that there are apprehensions of ISI infiltration into the Chief Minister's Office when Gogoi's father, the late Tarun Gogoi, was the chief minister. Sarma also shared screenshots of social media posts by Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, an advisor of the Pakistan Planning Commission and a former colleague of Colburn, claiming that the relationship between the Gogois and Sheikh appeared to be "deeply rooted." Sarma's allegations have been rejected by the Congress as "laughable and entertaining."
'Putin dreams about his legacy. He wants to forcibly restore the Russian empire.' 'Unfortunately, after three years of large-scale war with massive human losses, Putin will not budge from his goal because human life is the cheapest resource in the Russian State.'
The Indian embassy in Moscow confirmed the death of Ravi Moun, who hailed from Matour village in Haryana's Kaithal district, his brother Ajay Moun said.
Visa delays have perturbed Indian visitors this summer. But a solution could be in sight soon, as embassies gear up to address the challenges caused by a spike in applications and staff shortages. While the British High Commission has said it is working urgently to reduce the current visa processing time, the German Embassy has introduced extra shifts to process more visas. However, appointments with the latter are fully booked till August-end due to high volumes.
Descendants of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose claim they have documentary evidence to prove that the Renkoji temple authorities in Japan have always been willing to hand over the 'ashes' believed to be his, refuting perceptions of roadblocks to their repatriation. They assert that successive Indian governments have shown little interest in retrieving the remains and conducting DNA tests, despite numerous appeals from the family. The article highlights the conflicting reports and controversies surrounding Netaji's death and the ongoing mystery surrounding his remains.
The Indian government has informed Parliament that there are currently over 10,000 Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign jails. The Ministry of External Affairs shared country-wise data, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE having the highest number of Indian prisoners. The government has assured that it prioritizes the safety and well-being of Indians abroad and provides consular assistance, legal aid, and financial support to those imprisoned.
The Congress on Tuesday took strong objection to the criticism directed at it by the Indian envoy to Ireland while responding to an Irish daily's editorial, saying that attacking opposition parties openly in a manner like a 'party apparatchik' was 'disgraceful behaviour' and the ambassador should be sacked.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met two Kuwaiti nationals who translated and published India's two iconic epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana in Arabic during his two-day visit to Kuwait. Modi, who praised their work, said it highlights the popularity of Indian culture globally. His visit to Kuwait is the first by an Indian prime minister in 43 years.
'Modi's intention was to create goodwill that will allow India to be seen by Trump as more than just a bad tariff problem.' 'He succeeded brilliantly on that count but none of these wins are unfortunately permanent.' 'Modi will have to do this again and again if Trump's grievances are to be durably assuaged.'
A minor IED blast took place near the Israeli embassy in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday evening.
Last week, India asked its students in Bishkek to stay indoors following the incidents of violence.
The embassy, however, said certain disruptions in Russian banking services, as well as direct flight connectivity to India, have been reported and Indian students may consider returning home if they have concerns over these aspects.
Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal made the request during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on Monday.
A delegation of high-level executives from US public pension funds (non-profit and government sectors) is visiting India next week to assess and familiarise themselves with the investment opportunities in the country. These executives belong to various American states and cumulatively represent $1.8 trillion in assets under management (AUM) invested across the US and global markets. The United States (US) mission to India, which includes its embassy and consulates and the Department of Treasury, along with India's Ministry of Finance and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), is hosting the delegation.
The visit comes days before Rahul Gandhi's visit to the US between September 8 and 10.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is closely monitoring the security situation in that country.
India on Tuesday said the evacuation of its embassy staff from Kabul has been completed and the focus now would be to ensure the safe return of all Indian nationals from the Afghan capital in view of the prevailing situation in the country.
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