"In 1948, Indian armed forces were in a decisive position to take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir but then PM Jawaharlal Nehru declared unilateral ceasefire," Amit Shah said. In 1971, Shah said, 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered and India had 15,000 sq km Pakistan territory under control, but still PoK was not taken back. During the 1962 war with China, then PM Nehru bade goodbye to Assam in a speech on Akashvani, he said.
'Bush was too committed towards Indo-US relations. I don't know if Obama is as committed.' Former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh in an exclusive interview.
He won two terms in office, which was a stunning feat for a leader who used his silence as the most vocal weapon to change the economy and the lives of a billion people, asserts Tarun Vijay, former BJP MP and former Chief Editor, Panchjanya, the RSS weekly.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said the 'wholesale attack on the democratic system' currently underway in India is the single biggest risk the country is facing, and asserted that allowing different traditions to thrive is very important as 'we cannot do what China does, which is to run an authoritarian system'. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: / Rediff.com Speaking at a seminar titled 'The Future is Today' at the EIA University in Medellin, Colombia, Gandhi also alleged that there are 'huge amounts of corruption at a centralised level' in India now. "In India, we have huge amounts of corruption now at a very centralised level. So, three or four businesses taking over the whole economy, having a direct relationship with the prime minister, is rampant in India," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said. "But I believe decentralising power, making things more transparent, bringing people into conversations, and bringing people into processes is the best way forward," Gandhi said while addressing the seminar on Wednesday. Hitting back at the Congress leader for his remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused Gandhi of insulting and degrading India on foreign soil. Posting a video clip of Gandhi's speech on X, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, 'Rahul Gandhi does it again, degrades India on foreign soil. From defaming our democracy in London, to mocking our institutions in the US, now in Colombia he spares no chance to insult Bharat globally.' 'This isn't dissent. It's disgrace to the fake Gandhi. Criticising BJP may be your right but dare you malign Mother India for your cheap and petty politics,' Bhatia said. Speaking at the seminar, Gandhi said India has a much more complex system as compared to China and its strengths are very different from that of the neighbouring country. India also has a very old spiritual tradition and a thought system with profound ideas that are useful in today's world, he said, adding that there is a lot that the country can offer in terms of tradition and way of thinking. "I am very optimistic about India, but at the same time, there are fault lines within the Indian structure. There are risks that India has to overcome. The single-biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place in India," the Leader of Opposition said. "India has multiple religions, traditions and languages. India is actually a conversation between all its people. Different ideas, religions and traditions require space. The best method for creating that space is the democratic system," he said. "Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India, so that is a risk. The other big risk is different conceptions -- some 16-17 different languages, different religions... So, allowing these different traditions to thrive, and giving them space to express themselves is very important for a country like India.
The Congress on Wednesday expressed sadness over 'pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated' while being deported from the United States and recalled that America had to express regret over the treatment meted out to India diplomat Devyani Khobragade in 2013 after the then United Progressive Alliance government retaliated sharply.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has lauded his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, describing him as a "genuine person" who is keen to resolve all bilateral issues.
Because of his proximity to Indira Gandhi, he was able to intervene directly at the level of the PMO, which he did in the days leading up to the partition of Pakistan in 1971 when he transferred crucial information about Pakistan's moves via information handed to him by an East Pakistani diplomat in Poland where he was posted.
New British Prime Minister David Cameron will meet his Indian counterpart in Toronto on Sunday on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, his first after assuming office last month. Cameron, who heads the Conservative-Liberal Democrats coalition government, will meet Singh to take forward his administration's commitment made in the Queen's Speech to 'work to establish a new special relationship with India.'
K Natwar Singh wore many hats as he straddled the worlds of diplomacy, politics and writing but what remained consistent across decades was his sharp-wit and plainspeaking.
Amrit Singh believes violent measures have resulted in some Americans feeling it is okay to racially profile South Asians, Sikh Americans and Arab Americans, whom they perceive as terrorist threats.
Only Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani are ahead of her.
Sonia Gandhi and the PM are not in conflict about aam-aadmi policy
Indian Prime minister Manmohan Singh, who's is landing in Toronto Saturday morning for the G20 summit, will meet Indo-Canadian MPs, and members of the State Legislatures on the sidelines on Monday.
India on Saturday announced plans to amend its nuclear liability law and set up a nuclear energy mission, a move that came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to the United States.
False and acrimonious debates such as Modi versus Manmohan might allow for victories that are political and partisan. But the real loser is the nation, India and Bharat, notes Arvind Subramanian, former chief economic advisor to the Modi government in its first term.
Hours after an Indian court convicted Ajmal Kasab for involvement in the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh had told him that he trusted Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the carnage to justice.
The Pakistan government believes Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should back up his call for re-engagement with concrete measures aimed at addressing key outstanding issues like the Kashmir dispute and security concerns, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.
'If the period between 1991 and 2014 was about laying the foundations and building the runway, the period from 2014 to 2024 has been about the aircraft taking off.'
The revelation may have come late in the century but the Congress disclosed on Thursday, May 29, 2025, that the Indian Army conducted six surgical strikes against Pakistan during UPA-2, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's second term in power.
Tensions between the Congress and its leader Shashi Tharoor escalated on Thursday with the party saying he was very much part of their family but had erred in claiming that surgical strikes against Pakistan were held for the first time in 2016.
People of the Trinidad and Tobago surprised all when they elected 58-year-old Kamla Persad Bissesar as the country's prime minister. The political coalition led by her won 29 of the 41 seats in parliament, the results of which were announced on May 26. She heads the United National Congress party.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh on September 6 and 7, his first to the eastern neighbour and the first by an Indian prime minister in 12 years, promises to take bilateral ties to the next level, reports Sheela Bhatt
Underlining that constabulary remains the backbone of the police, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said they should be better trained and inculcated with the right attitude towards the public. "The constabulary is the mainstay of our police forces, constituting 87 per cent of the total strength. Improving the image of the constabulary is, therefore, critical to building public trust in the police," Dr Singh said.
Indian and American youngsters came together on Tuesday at Mumbai's Gateway House for a dialogue about American President Barack Obama's visit to India.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has said it has no plans to invite Indian PM Manmohan Singh to watch the India-Pakistan series.
Now if only Manmohan Singh showed such acumen in dealing with other crises his government is facing, says Shivam Vij.
In a missive to Bush, USCIRF chair Felice D Gaer urged him to 'ask Prime Minister Singh to ensure the immediate security of Indian citizens -- security that is undermined by recurrent attacks on religious minorities and communities.'
Former Bush Administration official Ashley J Tellis, considered one of US' foremost strategic experts, praised Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his forbearance in dealing with Pakistan, while the addressing the Congress on the impending threat posed by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba on Thursday.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement favouring dialogue between the two countries and said it matched Islamabad's point of view.
In January 2006, King Abdullah became the first Saudi monarch in 51 years to visit India.
India even after 65 years of independence finds it bothersome to build a memorial for the Unknown Soldier in the national capital. The soldiers died so that we may live. And the least we can do is to remember them, writes Colonel R Hariharan (retd).
Menon said there is a large degree of congruence or identity of views between China and India.
Chidambaram said he was honoured that the two leaders visited him.
'Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay an official visit to Russia on November 11, on the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin,' the Kremlin press service announced on Tuesday, ending the reported protocol row between New Delhi and Moscow over the categorisation of the prime minister's visit.
Jaswant Singh, former external affairs in the National Democratic Alliance government, while taking a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, for telling American president George Bush how much Indians loved him, said that none of the preceeding prime ministers had ever made such a comment.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday congratulated Sushil Kumar for becoming the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the World Championships, in Moscow.
A strong leader, known for his strong speeches, uses his communication skills to guide and heal. He does not wait for 10 days to comment, provoking a worried President to speak instead-not once, but twice.
P V Narasimha Rao strongly felt that the reforms would have to be mindful of Indian concerns and would have to protect the interests of our poor and our working people, he said.
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