'A sense of purpose is lacking in India's diplomacy.' 'This is what happens when foreign policy becomes the stuff for grandstanding before the domestic audience,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
On the eve of the most crucial round of talks between Iran and the world powers, the United States has said that Tehran has a choice to make in the coming weeks to address concerns about its military nuclear programme.
The Indian retaliation came a day after Pakistan military resorted to unprovoked firing in Tangadhar sector along the Line of Control in which two Indian Army personnel and a civillian were killed. Three others were also injured in the attack, the sources said.
Pakistan on Friday "regretted" India's virtual rejection of its proposal for talks on Kashmir even as it briefed the ambassadors of the P-5 and European Union countries about the situation there in yet another attempt to internationalise the issue.
Two astronauts of space shuttle Discovery have stepped out into space completing the first of the three spacewalks aimed at extending and rewiring the International Space Station.
France, a key player in the P5+1 talks with Iran on its contentious nuclear programme, on Friday asked India to 'convince' its 'close friend' Tehran to enter into serious negotiations and respect international obligations with regard to nuclear non-proliferation.
In a major diplomatic breakthrough, the foreign ministers of United States and Iran will hold talks on Tehran's controversial nuclear drive at a landmark meeting on Thursday -- the first between the two states in more than 30 years.
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday asked Iran to build "international confidence" in its nuclear programme by fully complying with the global obligations under NPT and cooperating with IAEA, shortly after Tehran slammed the UNSC for being "unjust and completely undemocratic".
The battle to manage the international environment over Kashmir has just begun, but what is expected to help is the lifting of internal controls. All eyes are now on that exercise. Aditi Phadnis reports.
Foreign ministers trying to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear programme in Vienna are considering extending the negotiations as the Monday deadline looms large with "serious gaps" in the dialogue.
The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday lauded the steps taken by India to reduce its dependence on Iranian oil saying that New Delhi has put itself on the line to get Iran back to the negotiating table.
Providence had bought 15 per cent in Idea Cellular in 2006 for around Rs 1,800 crore (Rs 18 billion) through its investment arm - P5 Asia Investment (Mauritius).
Rediff.com takes a look at how the Indian sojourn turned out for the presidents and prime ministers of the mighty P5.
'The Pakistani move to ban militant outfits and placate international opinion and Islamabad's openness to a UN security council resolution on Azhar -- instead of beseeching China to cast yet another veto -- enables Islamabad to occupy the high ground,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Election for final seat on the International Court of Justice stays deadlocked.
Speaking in the National Assembly during a debate on the Line of Control situation, Aziz said Pakistan is fully capable to defend its border and will not accept any "Indian influence or hegemony" under any circumstances.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will make his first state visit to the United States in September, China said on Wednesday, hours after President Barack Obama spoke to him and called for "swift work" to narrow down differences on cyber theft, pace of reform and currency issues.
In a scathing attack, Democratic presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton has accused China of "hacking into everything that doesn't move" in America and "stealing" huge amounts of government information.
The latest updates on the fallout of one of the most daring strikes carried out by the Indian Army, attacking terrorists across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
At scaling back Tehran's nuclear programme and relieving the Islamic Republic from the sanctions
On October 24, the United Nations turns 70. 'The credibility of the UN has been eroded by the fact that the Security Council does not represent the political realities of the world today,' says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan, listing the 10 things the UN needs to do to become more relevant and effective.
The 15 proposals were cleared following recommendations by Foreign Investment Promotion Board.
Pakistan Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Friday wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, protesting the killing of soldiers in BSF firing and seeking an immediate probe into the incident.
Pakistan has claimed that its credentials for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group are "stronger than India" if the elite club agrees on uniform criteria for non-Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty states to join the group.
'Parading French troops alongside Indian military personnel, says Rajeev Sharma, turns India's non-alignment policy on its head!'
The powerful United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution that endorses the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.
US President Barack Obama has secretly written a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to seek his support in the fight against the Islamic State militants.
In his latest response to his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry's fresh invitation of August 19 for talks, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar once again emphasised on the need for earliest possible vacation of Islamabad's illegal occupation of PoK and conveyed that not just India but the larger region is aware that Pakistan is actually a "prime perpetrator" of terrorism.
Sebi has asked stock exchanges and other market participants to remain watchful of funds and entities with Iranian links, as the global inter-governmental agency FATF continues to classify Iran as one of the 'high-risk and non-cooperative jurisdictions' with respect to money laundering and terror financing activities.
Asserting that it will continue to engage Iran in bilateral economic activities, India on Thursday said any issue that Iran has with other parts of the world should not impede "legitimate economic interaction" of the two countries.
The US president said new sanctions would be imposed, adding 'America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail'.
Former external affairs minister, K Natwar Singh, shares his critique of the Narendra Modi government's foreign policy in this e-mailed interview with Aditi Phadnis. Edited excerpts
Warning companies eyeing business deals with Iran, United States President Barack Obama has said that they can take such a move at their own peril as America and its allies would come down like a "ton of bricks" on those that violated sanctions against Tehran.
'If the Iran nuke deal holds, Iran becomes a gateway to Afghanistan, and a better one than Pakistan because the route is not so mountainous. Correspondingly, I imagine Pakistan's value to the US will fall,' says Rajeev Srinivasan.
The external affairs minister said India will continue to take all necessary steps to safeguard the nation's security and safety of all citizens.
The United States has discussed with Iran the need to refrain from pressing a "sectarian agenda" in Iraq as the two rivals met on the sidelines of talks on Tehran's nuclear programme in Vienna.
'If all goes well, Modi will visit the Maldives later this year. But two Indian concerns remain unaddressed: President Yameen's intentions about Mohammad Nasheed and China,' says Rajeev Sharma.
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