Following is the full text of External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's address on 'Lasting Peace through Joint Global Governance' at the preparatory ministerial meeting of the Non Alignment Movement Summit at Tehran, on Tuesday.
India's soft power diplomacy came into play during this cataclysm affecting the world as the pandemic defies barriers and borders, notes Rup Narayan Das.
The prime minister is all set to break his record of spending most days in the country without travelling abroad.
In an exclusive Interview to CNN-IBN's editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Centre of treating Gujarat as an 'enemy' state. He also now claims that he never questioned expenses on Sonia Gandhi's health, but only on her foreign travel.
'What Jaishankar says is simplistic.' 'The past does not matter that much.' 'If we think that it does it is because we are not good enough at running the nation competently today and are searching for excuses why,' argues Aakar Patel.
Pranab Mukherjee's stewardship of the economy will stand out as much for the manner in which he managed controversies as for creating quite a few of them, says A K Bhattacharya.
The foreign ministers of India, Russia and China on Friday held discussions on key regional and international issues, including situation in Iran, North Korean rocket launch and terrorism during a trilateral meet in Moscow.
In their new venture, Tata SIA Airlines Ltd, Tata Sons would hold 51 per cent stake and Singapore Airlines 49 per cent.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is not attending the Heart of Asia ministerial meeting.
In a cabinet that was already being touted as the most diverse in British history, Priti Patel became the first Indian-origin home secretary with Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid moving from the UK Home Office to become the new chancellor.
It also comes ahead of a possible visit by President Donald Trump to India later this month. Trump is set to visit India on a two-day trip between February 23 and 26 and both sides are in the process of fine-tuning his schedule, according to sources in New Delhi.
Who knows, the moment of truth in Ladakh may also augur for a giant leap toward boundary settlement with China in the fulness of time. The news that the special representatives of the two countries are planning to meet gives a positive signal, suggests Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'No matter what Modi may boast about 'new India', the geopolitical reality is that India's stature diminishes when it needs a small country like Saudi Arabia under an autocratic ruler to help out with what is arguably one of the most critical templates of its diplomacy,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Disapproving of Pakistan Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Advisor's meeting with Hurriyat leaders, India on Tuesday said for meaningful dialogue for sustainable peace it is necessary that its "sentiments and sensitivities" are respected and termed the recent ceasefire violations by Pakistani army along LoC as "counterproductive".
The industry ministry has circulated a draft Cabinet note for allowing foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, a move which will allay industry's concern over policy paralysis.
Raising the issue of black money stashed away in foreign banks, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani on Wednesday said that if the money is routed back to the country it could be used for development work.
The move follows concerns raised by the Reserve Bank of India. According to sources, the central bank is concerned that most sovereign wealth funds operate in a non-transparent manner.
Given the many policy areas where the Centre and the states have not been seeing eye to eye in the last few years, it is time the Modi government convenes a meeting of the Inter-State Council, recommends A K Bhattacharya.
The controversial 3,000-pound "security bond" for some "high-risk" foreign visitors to the UK, including those from India, is to be scrapped, the Home Office has confirmed.
Singh had made it known to his ministerial colleagues yesterday that they need not come all the way to the airport for the mere formality of seeing him off
Biden has reiterated America's support for India's permanent membership on a reformed UNSC and its entry into the NSG during his first in-person bilateral meeting with Modi at the White House.
Although Afghanistan will be formally inducted as the eighth member of SAARC on Tuesday, Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta also attended the meet.
The finance ministry has given its consent to the draft Cabinet note on opening the multi-brand retail to foreign investment, an official said.
The external affairs minister has confirmed that he will be attending a SAARC foreign ministers meeting in Islamabad in July.
The draft favoured up to 49 per cent foreign equity in inventory model in the case of 100 per cent made in India products sold through Indian management-controlled platforms with resident Indian founders/promoters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flew into Colombo in the early hours for a historic visit during which he is expected to hold talks with the country's top leadership.
Quoting diplomatic sources, The Express Tribune reported that India and Pakistan were exploring the possibility of a meeting between Swaraj and Aziz and also between the foreign secretaries of the two countries in the Nepalese tourist city of Pokhara.
A day earlier, the House of Representatives voted 326-78 to pass a waiver exempting Austin from the seven-year 'cooling off period' for retired generals taking over as defence secretary. The senate approved the waiver by 69-27 votes.
The Congress questioned Modi what was the use of "swinging" with Xi.
The government is likely to announce significant policy measures relating to allowance of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the multi-brand retail segment, even as the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (Dipp) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is giving final touches to the draft report prepared by an inter-ministerial committee.
'Without doubt, India's success story will come up for close scrutiny when Modi's prime ministerial legacy is summed up in history.' 'A failure is simply unthinkable.' 'And the success will largely depend on national unity,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The government on Wednesday cleared two ordinances for speedy settlement of commercial disputes in the country, giving a fresh impetus to ease of doing business.
Support from the committee gives Xi an indefinite extension on the reins of power, which will surely result in hawkish and insular policies. It does not bode well for relations with the USA, or with anyone else who does not bow the knee to Beijing, for that matter.
Opposition parties in Lakshadweep and Kerala are up in arms against various measures initiated by the Administrator of the group of islands, terming them as 'anti-people' and have sought his recall.
An elderly Mumbai-based couple, whose son is lodged in a Pakistani prison despite having completed his jail term, is seeking justice from visiting Pakistani Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz for his release.
Pakistan justifies the act saying it may be too onerous for small countries to have to participate in another working group as they have staffing issues.
Sartaj Aziz has blamed India for allegedly "creating hurdles" in the way of process to normalise the relations between the two countries.
The rupee had retreated four paise from its 11-month high levels to close at 58.63 against the dollar on Tuesday on fresh demand for the US currency from importers, amid some profit- booking in stocks.
Thnew deal will likely usher in a new era of cooperation and broad-basing of economic relationship between the two Asian powers.
