The landmark India-US civil nuclear deal of 2008, brokered during Manmohan Singh's tenure as Prime Minister, is seen as a crowning achievement in his foreign policy legacy. The agreement ended India's nuclear isolation, fostered a strategic partnership with the US, and opened doors to advanced technologies and defense cooperation. This historic deal also laid the groundwork for India's engagement with the global nuclear community.
'If they do not have this minimum self-respect, I can only feel sympathy for them. I was quoting President Bush about the Hyde Act, the Leader of the Opposition was quoting the under secretary of the US administration. What can I do?' External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on the NSG waiver, the Chinese stand and the domestic opposition to the nuclear deal.
On the heels of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee blaming some 'elements in Pakistan' for the audacious terror attacks on Mumbai, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh received a phone call from Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari
Sharmistha Mukherjee, the fiercely independent daughter of the President of India, would rather not have her life and her father's official position cross paths.
Former Telecom Minister A Raja, the main accused in 2G spectrum scam, has told the Joint Parliamentary Committee that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in the loop over policy decisions and has accused Attorney General G E Vahanvati of telling a "series of untruths" against him.
Attorney General G E Vahanvati on Wednesday told a Delhi court that former Telecom Minister A Raja's letter to the prime minister regarding the DoT's policy to be adopted for 2G spectrum allocation was not based on discussion with him and the then External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Visiting Namibian Foreign Minister Marco Hausiku conveyed his country's "strong support" to India's candidature for permanent membership of the Security Council during talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Pranab Mukherjee supports Shilpa Shetty.
The Government on Wednesday virtually turned own demands of two Tamil parties, including United Progressive Alliance constituent Patali Makkal Katchi, for India's intervention to stop military offensive in Sri Lanka, saying it cannot force a sovereign government of another country to take a particular line.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who discussed Pakistan's response on the Mumbai terror attacks dossier with senior ministerial colleagues P Chidambaram and A K Antony, on Thursday said that India is examining the report received from Islamabad. "Pakistani authorities have admitted that elements in Pakistan were responsible for terror attacks in Mumbai," Mukherjee told reporters hours after Pakistan's response was handed over to India's High Commissioner.
Observing that Islam does not have any link with terrorism, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that sometimes religious texts are misinterpreted to commit terrorist activities.
Peeved at Pakistan's contention that the dossier on the Mumbai attacks was not evidence, India on Wednesday said it reflects Islamabad's continuing pattern of evasiveness and reinforces doubts about that country's willingness to cooperate in tackling terrorism.
Rejecting Pakistan's contentions, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Tuesday that there had been no escalation of tensions on the part of India and that its military movements were routine winter exercises.
Mukherjee denied that he was made to pass through security checks in his recent official visit to Moscow, Russia.
Tough talking by the then external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, following the 26/11 attacks, rattled Pakistan so much that it pressed the panic button and called everyone from Chinese to the Americans saying that India has decided to go to war.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will embark on a visit to China from June 4 which Beijing hopes would promote "mutual political trust" and deepen "practical cooperation" between the two neighbours. Mukherjee would hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on better implementing the consensus on developing the partnership of strategic cooperation.
The US has capped the number of H1-B visas at 65,000 a year. The bailout-condition could affect Indian skilled workers. "We are already witnessing worrying signs of protectionism in the world's biggest economy. We need to argue against this trend at the international fora," external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee said inaugurating the 42nd Indian Labour Conference.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday approved the interim general budget which will be presented in the Lok Sabha by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday. Singh went through the interim budget related papers and after formally signing them, forwarded them to President Pratibha Patil, a Prime Minister's Office spokesman said."The Prime Minister also approved the interim budget speech," the spokesman added.
India on Thursday termed Pakistan's much-awaited response to the Mumbai evidence dossier as 'positive' and promised to share whatever more information it can with Islamabad after examining its queries. Soon after Pakistan handed over the response to India's High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee discussed it with senior ministerial colleagues P Chidambaram and A K Antony.
India and Bangladesh on Monday signed two agreements to further cement their trade and investment ties as External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee hailed the recent upward swing in bilateral relations.
Insisting that all options are open on dealing with terrorism emanating from Pakistan, The government said on Sunday that nobody should think that India is "helpless" and asserted that the menace would be confronted with "courage and fortitude".
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee refused to speak further on National Security Adviser M K Narayanan's claim that Pakistan had reverted on India's dossier on Mumbai attacks, saying he had already "clarified" his position on the issue.
Scotching speculation about External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's unscheduled visit to the country, Sri Lanka on Thursday said there was nothing 'secret' about it, which was aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations and to support efforts against terrorism."There seems to be many theories emanating about Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit. There is nothing sensational. It was a normal visit," a senior Sri Lankan minister told reporters.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee performed the first protocol duties of the prime minister on Saturday as he received Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh underwent a by-pass surgery, Mukherjee joined President Pratibha Patil in welcoming Nazarbayev on the forecourt of the majestic Presidential Palace."Our prime minister is indisposed, hence I am receiving you,"Mukherjee said
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who arrived in Kabul on Wednesday on a two-day visit, discussed cooperation in the field of security and developmental projects with President Hamid Karzai and Foreign Minister Rangin Dafdar Spanta.
Making it clear that Islamabad's claims of cooperation in Mumbai attacks probe will not suffice, India on Thursday asked Pakistan to implement its words and show in a "transparent" manner that action has been taken against Jamaat-ud-Dawa and other such groups.
Top sources in the external affairs ministry suggested the visit would be to a courtesy call to Hasina, an old friend of India who is set to assume power after a landslide victory in the recent elections. However, two major issues -- terrorism and cross-border trade and investment -- may also be discussed as the UPA government has just four months in office before facing the next Lok Sabha elections.
To checking human trafficking, the government plans to introduce biometric passport system that will include finger-printing, by 2010, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday. Stating that there was a nexus of recruiting agencies and employers in human trafficking, Mukherjee added that Indian workers fall for the lure of more money and resort to illegal migration and end up being harassed and exploited.
Voicing scepticism over Pakistan acting decisively against terrorists operating from its soil, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said such elements have been let off in the past after some initial action."We can make available whatever evidences we have. In this case, we are also investigating, we have not come to any conclusion. Therefore at this juncture, perhaps, it would be premature to share the evidences," Mukherjee said during a TV interview.
Maharashtra Industries Minister Ashok Chavan will be the next chief minister of the state.The decision comes after long deliberations by the Congress high command, which on Wednesday had asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to resign, following the terror attack in Mumbai last week. Chavan has been nominated the leader of the state Congress Legislature Party by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters on Friday.
Elements in Pakistan responsible for Mumbai attacks according to preliminary information with us, says External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to talk to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday on the Mumbai attacks, Mukherjee added.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Russian counterpart Servey Lavrov held wide-ranging discussions on international issues with special emphasis on progress made in the strategic partnership between the two countries and the forthcoming annual summit.
The three-member committee was constituted following a direction from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is currently abroad, government sources said. However, the defence forces have now agreed to accept the pay scales with the existing 'anomalies', but would wait for a decision from the committee in which Defence Minister A K Antony and Finance Minister P Chidambaram would be members.
On his first official visit to India, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday met leaders across the political spectrum and discussed issues of bilateral interest. Prachanda called on President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will head a six-member United Progressive Alliance -Samajwadi Party Coordination Committee. The committee has Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony as its members.The constitution of the Committee indicates that the SP, like the Left, would support the government from outside. The development also suggests that they would exert influence like that of the Left.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday described the resignation of the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as an "internal matter" of that country. "It is an internal matter of Pakistan," Mukherjee said when reporters sought his reaction on the resignation of President Musharraf.
Civil servants, armed forces and paramilitary personnel will get to rejoice this Independence Day with the government all set to approve the Sixth Pay Commission report in its Cabinet meeting on Thursday.
They said the very sanctity of the Constitutional process was being destroyed through the 'smear campaign' against her.
The Centre will continue to help the West Bengal government in its efforts to resolve the Darjeeling crisis despite the Left's withdrawal of support to the United Progressive Alliance government, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said.This assurance was given during a meeting between Mukherjee and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee in Kolkata on Sunday.The chief minister has already requested Patil for tripartite talks to resolve the Darjeeling deadlock.
'We are not corrupt like the CPM and BJP. The BJP is thoroughly corrupt but somehow you don't write about the BJP and CPM.' Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi speaks out.
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