News for 'Foreign Commonwealth Office'

PM should not attend CHOGM meet in Sri Lanka: AIADMK, DMK

PM should not attend CHOGM meet in Sri Lanka: AIADMK, DMK

Rediff.com19 Aug 2013

The All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam and the Dravida Munetra Kazhagam on Monday joined hands in Rajya Sabha to demand that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should not attend Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka in November.

Prime Minister Modi meets Iranian Supreme Leader

Prime Minister Modi meets Iranian Supreme Leader

Rediff.com23 May 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Modi attacks Khurshid over remarks against EC, SC

Modi attacks Khurshid over remarks against EC, SC

Rediff.com15 Mar 2014

The Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Friday attacked External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid for his criticism of the Election Commission and the Supreme Court, accusing him of denigrating the country's two most respected institutions on the foreign soil.

Pressure nothing compared to growing up rigours: Geeta Phogat

Pressure nothing compared to growing up rigours: Geeta Phogat

Rediff.com27 Dec 2016

Geeta Phogat might be feeling the pressure of making a comeback at the upcoming Pro Wrestling League after a long injury lay-off but the celebrated grappler said it is nothing compared to the "tough training" she and her siblings went through during their formative days. Inspired by the story of Phogat sisters -- Geeta and Babita -- and their hard taskmaster father Mahavir Singh, Aamir Khan-starrer 'Dangal' has set the cash registers ringing at the the box office.

PM Modi to visit Sri Lanka as part of 3-nation tour

PM Modi to visit Sri Lanka as part of 3-nation tour

Rediff.com9 Mar 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets off on Tuesday on a five-day tour of Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka that is expected to give traction to the country's Indian Ocean outreach during which he also visit a former war zone and Tamil heartland of Jaffna.

Boris Johnson, Hammond in UK PM May's new Cabinet

Boris Johnson, Hammond in UK PM May's new Cabinet

Rediff.com14 Jul 2016

May announced her first big shake-up just minutes after entering Downing Street on Wednesday.

Violence mars Sri Lankan presidential election

Violence mars Sri Lankan presidential election

Rediff.com16 Nov 2019

Polls opened at 7 am local time and would close at 5 pm with some 12,845 polling stations being set up throughout the country for 15.9 million voters, who will choose a successor to President Maithripala Sirisina.

World Cup 2022 the ultimate goal for reborn Afghanistan

World Cup 2022 the ultimate goal for reborn Afghanistan

Rediff.com18 Sep 2014

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been beset by controversy, but for the visionaries bringing soccer back to life in Afghanistan it represents a shining, magical light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel.

India needs to adapt to the world of tomorrow

India needs to adapt to the world of tomorrow

Rediff.com10 Sep 2020

In another 2-3 weeks, coronavirus will chariot India to overtake the United States. In March, Modi had exhorted the nation to celebrate India's impending success over the virus by clanging metal plates. Make no mistake, India is losing this momentous war under his captaincy, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

A diplomat ahead of his times

A diplomat ahead of his times

Rediff.com10 Mar 2014

'His negotiations with Idi Amin and his men for compensation for the Indians, who left Uganda, were particularly tough. Apparently, Amin warned him that the body of the British negotiator, who came earlier, was found in a roadside gutter... As Jagat Mehta's special assistant during the last two years of his tenure as foreign secretary, I saw for myself how his conviction, courage and patriotism enabled him to fight against heavy odds, says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.

Brexit jolt: Asian markets sink

Brexit jolt: Asian markets sink

Rediff.com24 Jun 2016

Market meltdown and volatility pushed many traders to the sidelines.

UK's visa bond scheme never targeted at India: Cameron

UK's visa bond scheme never targeted at India: Cameron

Rediff.com5 Nov 2013

The aim of the scheme was to reduce the number of people from some "high risk" countries - including India, Pakistan, and Nigeria - staying in the UK once their short-term visa had expired.

'India cannot take Gotabaya for granted'

'India cannot take Gotabaya for granted'

Rediff.com16 Jan 2020

'We should expect a cold-blooded, transactional relation that requires a lot of engagement and mutual trust to sustain,' says Constantino Xavier, Fellow, foreign policy, Brookings India.

Time for reshaping India's neighbourhood policy

Time for reshaping India's neighbourhood policy

Rediff.com28 Mar 2014

Abstaining from voting on a UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka was dictated as much by necessity and self-preservation as by a desire to place bilateralism at the front and centre of New Delhi's ties with Colombo, says Ramesh Ramachandran.

What a weakened May means for Indians' business visas to UK

What a weakened May means for Indians' business visas to UK

Rediff.com20 Jun 2017

On issues like the extradition of tycoon Vijay Mallya, which was already proceeding slowly, further delays should be expected, says Aditi Phadnis.

Public servant tag worries NGO sector workers

Public servant tag worries NGO sector workers

Rediff.com7 Jul 2016

Many claim they fear witch hunts for disagreeing with those in power.

'We expect some hiccups with Trump'

'We expect some hiccups with Trump'

Rediff.com27 Mar 2017

'There will be some issues of contention, especially on H1B visa and on trade policy.'

The Army will always be there to keep the country together

The Army will always be there to keep the country together

Rediff.com12 Jul 2016

'Whether Kashmir or anywhere else, whether in peace or in war, pay commissions or no pay commissions, hollowness and shortages notwithstanding, the Indian Army -- and Sekin Fif -- will always be there to keep India together.'

Asian Games: Why government refused to bear the cost of 49 members

Asian Games: Why government refused to bear the cost of 49 members

Rediff.com11 Aug 2018

Sports Ministry has cleared a 804-member Indian contingent, including 572 athletes, for the Asian Games but said it will bear the expense of 755 members with 49 out of 232 officials allowed at no cost to government.

Sports Shorts: India should become sports-playing nation, says Tendulkar

Sports Shorts: India should become sports-playing nation, says Tendulkar

Rediff.com20 May 2018

A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday

India, Sweden to deepen defence, security ties

India, Sweden to deepen defence, security ties

Rediff.com17 Apr 2018

Swedish Prime Minister Lofven lauded India as 'global power' and said the two countries are a 'perfect match'.

Sports shorts: Jitu, Heena strike gold in mixed team event

Sports shorts: Jitu, Heena strike gold in mixed team event

Rediff.com24 Oct 2017

Former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs has expressed his interest in the vacant managerial positions at Premier League sides Leicester City and Everton.

Modi@1: All that did not happen. The 'No's have it

Modi@1: All that did not happen. The 'No's have it

Rediff.com19 May 2015

'In the last one year, it looks like there were bad things that didn't take place, and there were good things that didn't take place,' says Rajeev Srinivasan.

Maldives polls: Unexpected defeat for Nasheed, Yameen wins

Maldives polls: Unexpected defeat for Nasheed, Yameen wins

Rediff.com16 Nov 2013

Abdulla Yameen, half-brother of former autocratic ruler Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, on Saturday clinched an unexpected victory in the presidential run-off elections by defeating former President Mohamed Nasheed, who had led in two recent aborted polls.

US university with 90 per cent Indian students ordered to shut down

US university with 90 per cent Indian students ordered to shut down

Rediff.com24 Jul 2013

The University of Northern Virginia has been asked to stop operations July 16 onwards because it has failed to get accreditation from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia

AAP MLAs should be prepared for 'snap polls': BJP

AAP MLAs should be prepared for 'snap polls': BJP

Rediff.com27 Dec 2013

On the eve of Arvind Kejriwal's swearing-in as Delhi chief minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday asked its newly elected members of Legislative Assembly to be prepared for "snap polls" in near future, stating that tenability of the Aam Admi Party government with Congress support looks extremely suspect.

India's anti-corruption campaign makes quiet strides

India's anti-corruption campaign makes quiet strides

Rediff.com9 Jul 2015

The government has made it much harder for tycoons to get special dispensations from Delhi

Land Ordinance 2.0: Better but not good enough

Land Ordinance 2.0: Better but not good enough

Rediff.com15 Apr 2015

On the face of it, some clauses in the new land ordinance looks pro-farmer but in reality it is not so. The problem is two-fold. The first is the vagueness of the law itself. The other problem with this ordinance is that it is against the very ethos of judicial interpretation, says Vidhan Vyas.

Sri Lanka: India's CHOGM dilemma

Sri Lanka: India's CHOGM dilemma

Rediff.com25 Oct 2013

If Indian PM boycotts the CHOGM, it is likely to add to Sri Lanka's bitterness. This would not help India's desire to add more depth and content to its relations with Sri Lanka but its ability to influence Sri Lanka's decision making process on the both strategic issues and on Tamil minority issues, says Colonel (retd) R Hariharan.

Rights abuse charges haunt Rajapaksa; Cameron gives ultimatum

Rights abuse charges haunt Rajapaksa; Cameron gives ultimatum

Rediff.com16 Nov 2013

Human rights abuses allegedly perpetrated in the war against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam haunted Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the CHOGM summit with UK Prime Minister David Cameron on Saturday giving the island country an ultimatum to conduct a credible probe into the war crimes by March, failing which he would seek an international investigation.

'At the UN, there were times I wished India had a stronger government'

'At the UN, there were times I wished India had a stronger government'

Rediff.com3 Jan 2014

'Under Narendra Modi's leadership, we will be able to regain our rightful place in the community of nations,' veteran diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri, who joined the BJP on January 2, tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.

Somnath Chatterjee's advice for India

Somnath Chatterjee's advice for India

Rediff.com13 Aug 2018

'We have to find a way out of this confrontational politics.'

Bofors was not the only controversy Quattrocchi courted

Bofors was not the only controversy Quattrocchi courted

Rediff.com15 Jul 2013

Quattrocchi lived in India for several years as the representative of an Italian firm, Snam Progetti, in the 1980s. He was close to the Gandhi family and in 1999 was named one of the accused in the case regarding the Rs 64-crore pay-off for the supply of 155 mm Howitzer guns made by Bofors, for which a controversial deal was signed in 1986 when Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister.

Talbott's tweet: LeT has major plans to attack India from the skies

Talbott's tweet: LeT has major plans to attack India from the skies

Rediff.com16 Mar 2014

Strobe Talbott's tweet that hijackers may have wanted to use the missing Malaysian flight to attack Indian cities should be seen in the context of Lashkar-e-Tayiba's long standing plans to attack Indian cities like Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai from the skies. Vicky Nanjappa reports.

The woman who brought Modi and Sharif together in a hug in Pakistan

The woman who brought Modi and Sharif together in a hug in Pakistan

Rediff.com28 Dec 2015

Sushma Swaraj's suave moves helped Narendra Modi pull off a diplomatic coup, helping regain her standing.

Suit boot ki sarkar definitely better than suitcase ki sarkar: PM

Suit boot ki sarkar definitely better than suitcase ki sarkar: PM

Rediff.com30 May 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently completed one year in office, has, in an exclusive interview with Smita Prakash, editor, ANI, said the opposition alleging that his government is a "suit boot ki sarkar" is definitely better and more acceptable than being labelled a "suitcase" (ki sarkar), and satirically added, that after ruling for sixty years, the Congress has suddenly remembered the poor.

'Nehru should have quit in the late 1950s'

'Nehru should have quit in the late 1950s'

Rediff.com18 May 2014

To mark his 50th death anniversary, rediff.com has launched a special series to evaluate Jawaharlal Nehru's legacy.

BJP's resolve: 'Dethroning UPA is now our historic duty'

BJP's resolve: 'Dethroning UPA is now our historic duty'

Rediff.com9 Jun 2013

Transcript of the political resolution adopted by the Bharatiya Janata Party in its national executive meeting in Panaji, Goa on Sunday.

The coup that changed India's Diaspora policy

The coup that changed India's Diaspora policy

Rediff.com7 Jan 2015

As India gears up to honour its pravasis on January 9 to mark their contribution in the nation's development, rediff.com presents perspectives from eminent writers on the Diaspora. Kicking off the series is Ambassador T P Sreenivasan, who points out that the change of the Diaspora policy put in place by Rajiv Gandhi following the military coup in Fiji and his decision to stand by them, was the one defining moment in India's dealings with its overseas family.