'If the Chinese military gets hold of some western sectors on the India-China boundary, it will give them added military advantage.'
India, Pakistan and Afghanistan must cooperate with each other to reduce violence in the region, a powerful US Senator and President Barack Obama's key foreign policy aid said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Monday dismissed the controversy that arose over the joint statement issued by United States President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing on the eve of his state visit to Washington, seemingly mooting a role for Beijing in resolving the India-Pakistan dispute, saying, "What happens between President Obama and President Hu is not our direct concern."
Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik on Wednesday met Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and discussed issues related to the India-Pakistan meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on February 25. Malik met Rao after his return from Islamabad, where he held consultations with the Pakistan government on the forthcoming meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, sources said. After a 14-month hiatus, India on January 28 offered to hold talks with Pakistan.
Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua in connection with the case of Jadhav, who has been given death sentence by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying.
Singh issued a statement on Monday, listing those who attended the dinner, and stressed that the election was not discussed during the meeting.
Asserting that India wants peaceful relations with all countries but it should not be treated as its weakness, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said security forces have been directed to give a "befitting" reply to ceasefire violations by Pakistan.
Nawaz Sharif's appointment of a new army chief will influence India-Pakistan relations
During Dr Gates' just-concluded stay in Delhi, one saw the transition in adjusting himself to Obama's vision of India as the pre-eminent power of South Asia, whose role will be important for the success of Obama's Af-Pak strategy, writes strategic expert B Raman.
'The challenge before the two countries is to turn the peak into a plateau and enter an irreversible phase of cooperation,' notes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
The Old Trafford cricket ground had a festive feel with fans from both sides wearing replica jerseys, colourful headgear and sounding hooters as they began trooping in.
The politics of hate does not pay. The people are too sensible to fall for such a ruse, says Amulya Ganguli.
If Pakistan allows India to send its investigation team to question Azhar it would take the India-Pakistan camaraderie to a new level, says Rajeev Sharma.
'His deposition shows that the dividing line between Pakistan's State and non-State actors had completely blurred in Mumbai's 26/11 terror strikes.'
In a telephone conversation, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Advani expressed hope that relations between the two neighbouring countries would improve during Zardari's tenure as president.
'India showcased its ability to launch multiple Special Forces strikes simultaneously across a well defended front.' 'Through these strikes Pakistan was given a glimpse of the full range of India's military capabilities,' says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
As Xi is due to arrive in Goa on Saturday to take part in the BRICS Summit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said the relations between India and China made "great headway" despite some "disputes" but there was no change in in Beijing's stand on the issues of NSG and Azhar.
'The general perspective -- certainly on Capitol Hill and Congress -- the love for India, the positive feeling for India still focuses on India as a democracy.' 'The more that Indian democracy and its pluralistic features is called into question by Indians, the more that same debate will replay back here.'
It was an exciting time for India and the world. Photography had been invented 50 years earlier, and the mass-produced Kodak camera of the 1880s helped democratise photography. Ritika Kochhar reports on an unusual exhibition of postcards that chronicle life in the British Raj.
Raking up the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said it is the "main source of tension" in Indo-Pak relations and sought its peaceful resolution to explore new ways to bolster bilateral ties.
Pakistan had promised to grant this status, mandatory under global trading rules, to India in December 2012.
Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com looks on the lighter side of things after India beat Pakistan in Adelaide for their sixth straight win over their arch rivals in a World Cup clash.
Due to both sides undertaking patrolling up to their perception of the LAC, transgressions do occur.
'Many fresh faces have come before him on both sides, and every sort of individual -- liberal, conservative, hardliner, dictator -- has come and gone.' 'I think we just seem to be happier when we hate one another,' says Aakar Patel.
In recent years, China has refrained from taking a public stance on the India-Pakistan ties, expressing hope for resolution of the disputes through dialogue.
'What his minions do, we are not sure, but he has got to keep them under control. Pogroms against Muslims in India -- I don't think that is going to be his policy.'
Following are some of the terror-related incidents that have taken place in Punjab between 2001 and 2016.
South Asia expert Daniel Markey believes India will not go to war with Pakistan. His reading of comments made by the external affairs minister leads him to believe that India does not consider a short-term military solution.
'The Opposition has no option but to make it an 'All versus One' fight to even think about winning.'
Indian agencies have been engaged in countering Pakistani cyber-attacks on social media platforms for a very long time. But just like the fight against the coronavirus, only through the active participation of ordinary citizens that this war on fake news can be won, suggets Colonel S Dinny (retd).
'The Modi government will be wasting its time talking to Nawaz Sharif.' 'It would be better if it were to open a direct channel with the Pakistan army,' says Rajeev Sharma.
'The sooner Pakistan and India face these geopolitical realities, the better it will be for their own security and prosperity,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'Imran Khan hopes to fulfill the dreams of the founders of of Pakistan in establishing an Islamic Welfare State.' 'The grave situation of the economy makes realisation of this dream very difficult,' points out Colonel R N Ghosh Dastidar (retd).
AITA likely to request ITF to consider neutral venue for Davis Cup tie vs Pak
According to official sources, the 20-minute one-on-one meeting was held on a request of Swaraj. However, offices of both Singh and Swaraj did not comment on the issues discussed between the two.
Pak seeks US help to ease tensions with India.
Singh held that India wanted to engage in dialogue with Pakistan at different levels and that was why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently met his Pakistani counterpart PM Nawaz Sharif at Ufa in Russia.
'Inept handling by the National Security Advisor transformed what should have been a short counter-terrorist operation in Pathankot into an apparent debacle.'
Politics is set to take centrestage in Himachal cricket yet again with the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, led by BJP MP and Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur, asking the Congress-run state government for land to set up the National Cricket Academy.
Pakistan's intelligence agency detained bothe the clericks for their alleged links with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, official sources said on Saturday.
