The Indian government informed Parliament that India and the US are engaged in negotiations for a mutually beneficial multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement. The two countries also cooperate on strategic, economic, and defense matters, managing divergences through high-level dialogues.
India expects partners to understand its policy of 'zero tolerance' against terrorism, and it will never countenance 'perpetrators of evil' being put on par with its victims, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday during extensive talks with his British counterpart David Lammy.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar of "collapsing" India's foreign policy and questioned the government's handling of the recent tensions with Pakistan, particularly the US President Donald Trump's role as a mediator. Gandhi's remarks come amidst a war of words between the Congress and the ruling BJP over their leaders' statements on the Indo-Pak conflict.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit China for an SCO conclave, marking a significant step in easing tensions after the 2020 border standoff. Discussions on the boundary dispute are also anticipated.
General Manoj Mukund Naravane's memoir has triggered a controversy by revealing behind-the-scenes decision-making during the 2020 India-China standoff in Ladakh. Its candid account of military and political responses at a critical moment has reignited debate over civil-military relations, accountability, and the limits of disclosure in matters of national security.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed the condolences of the people of India and the government to Tarique Rahman, Khaleda Zia's elder son.
The security cover of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has been strengthened with the addition of two bullet-resistant vehicles following a review of his Z category armed central protection recently, official sources said on Wednesday.
After the war erupted between Russia and Ukraine, the US and Western nations imposed sanctions on Moscow. However, India has continued to purchase Russian oil.
'The BCB announced the schedule for India's tour of Bangladesh because there was a sense of positivity but now we need to get an official confirmation from the Indian board as to why Mustafizur's contract was cancelled.'
Jaishankar said that the Pahalgam attack "was an act of economic warfare. It was meant to destroy tourism in Kashmir, which was the mainstay of the economy. It was also meant to provoke religious violence because people were asked to identify their faith before they were killed."
US lawmakers have expressed concerns that policies enacted by the Trump administration, such as the H1B visa fee and tariffs on India, are detrimental to American businesses and threaten the relationship between the United States and India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has informed a parliamentary panel that Pakistan was notified about Indian strikes on terror camps in their territory only after they were carried out. He also clarified that the decision to halt the military operation was taken bilaterally following a request from Pakistan, and there was no US mediation involved. Jaishankar emphasized India's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and the importance of conveying a united message against it globally.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted that India has zero tolerance for terrorism and will never give in to nuclear blackmail, emphasizing that New Delhi will deal with Pakistan purely bilaterally. He made these remarks during a joint press conference with his German counterpart in Berlin, where he also highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between India and Germany, emphasizing the need for a free trade agreement between the two nations.
'Pakistan's role in Bangladesh will always be negative, since it's a one-point agenda is hostility against India.'
"India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said.
Over the years, India-EU ties have grown, and covered trade, investment, climate change, science and technology, space, digital, mobility, and connectivity.
India on Thursday welcomed Kabul's firm rejection of attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan during a phone conversation between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
India and the European Union are set to announce on January 27 the conclusion of negotiations and finalisation of a free trade agreement, which is aimed at boosting economic ties between the two regions amid disruptions in global trade due to US tariffs, an official said.
The Congress MP said he had been "troubled" by the US tariff regime from the very beginning, adding that India was already at a disadvantage compared to its regional competitors.
Jaishankar said such a description would be like putting the perpetrator and the victim of the Pahalgam attack at the same level.
The meeting comes in the wake of the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday in which 26 men, mostly tourists and including a Nepalese citizen, were gunned down in cold blood.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it "very clear" that any talks with Pakistan will be only on terror.
Under the defence partnership, India and the UAE are eyeing defence industrial collaboration and cooperation in advanced technologies, cyberspace training, special operations, interoperability of their militaries and counter terrorism.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the recent confrontation between India and Pakistan was not just a mere conflict between two neighbours, but it was about combating terrorism, which will eventually come back to haunt the West.
'As far as I'm concerned, how effective the Rafale was or frankly, how effective other systems were -- to me, the proof of the pudding is the destroyed and disabled airfields on the Pakistani side'
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand held their first phone conversation, focusing on strengthening bilateral economic ties and advancing shared priorities. The call comes amid efforts to repair relations between the two countries, which had been strained under the previous Canadian government. Both ministers expressed their commitment to improving ties and working together on areas of mutual interest. The conversation follows a period of tensions stemming from allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of a Sikh activist on Canadian soil.
A man from Punjab claims that 10 Indians recruited into the Russian Army have died in the Ukraine war. He says he has documents confirming the deaths and has appealed to the government for help.
India has no intention to escalate tensions with Pakistan, but any military attacks on its soil will be met with a "very" firm response, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday. Jaishankar made the remarks at a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, emphasizing that the "barbaric" Pahalgam terror attack compelled India to carry out strikes on "cross-border" terror infrastructure on Wednesday. He reiterated that India's response was targeted and measured, but stressed that any further military attacks would be met with a firm response. The Iranian foreign minister, who landed in New Delhi amidst escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, called for de-escalation of the situation and stressed the need for regional cooperation to eradicate terrorism. The meeting also focused on boosting ties in areas of trade and investment, including the Chabahar port project.
Funeral prayers were held for Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia amid tight security. Millions joined the namaz-e-janaza of Zia, a three-time Prime Minister and political icon of Bangladesh.
Today's situation in the Shaksgam Valley is the consequence of what happened in Gilgit in 1947. But is India ready to militarily get back its territories? asks Claude Arpi.
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has called on Europe to display sensitivity and mutuality of interest for deeper ties with India, stating that New Delhi seeks partners, not "preachers." Jaishankar emphasized the importance of "Russia realism" in India's foreign policy, highlighting the natural complementarity between India and Russia as a resource provider and consumer. He criticized attempts by the West to address the Russia-Ukraine conflict without Russia's involvement, arguing it "challenged the basics of realism." Jaishankar also stressed the importance of finding common ground with the US, suggesting that focusing on mutuality of interest rather than ideological differences is key to successful engagement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened" by the bus accident in Saudi Arabia's Medinah, in which several Indian Umrah pilgrims are feared dead.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been instructed by its sports ministry to seek shifting of the country's T20 World Cup league games from India to Sri Lanka as there are "concerns about players' safety".
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the 2008 Mumbai terror attack marked a turning point in relations with Pakistan when Indians collectively felt that such behaviour from a neighbouring country could no longer be tolerated. Speaking at Charotar University of Science and Technology, Jaishankar acknowledged India's transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the last decade, while Pakistan has remained unchanged, continuing with what he termed as its "bad habits."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement early Saturday.
The impact of United States President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs is not yet known and New Delhi's strategy to deal with the situation is to firm up a bilateral trade pact with Washington, DC by fall of this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that the US administration under President Donald Trump is moving towards multipolarity, which aligns with India's interests. He also revealed that India and the US have reached an agreement on the need for a bilateral trade pact. Jaishankar touched upon various foreign policy issues including India's role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the trajectory of the BRICS grouping, and relations with China during a session at the Chatham House think-tank in London.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attended dinner hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday evening.
The UK has strongly condemned a security breach involving a pro-Khalistan extremist rushing towards External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's convoy in London. The incident took place as Jaishankar was leaving the Chatham House think tank on Wednesday evening. The protester was swiftly taken aside by officers of the Metropolitan Police, with no arrests being confirmed so far. The UK said such attempts to "intimidate, threaten, or disrupt" public events are "completely unacceptable". The incident comes after Jaishankar's talks with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, during which both leaders covered the entire gamut of bilateral ties, including the relaunched Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, regional and global issues. The MEA has condemned the security breach and the provocative activities of the "small group of separatists and extremists", calling on the UK to "live up to their diplomatic obligations".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday spoke separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, emphasising the need for de-escalation and reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.
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