There are 88 military personnel manning the three Indian platforms that have been providing humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of the Maldives for the last few years using two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft.
In his opening remarks at a ministerial meeting in Tokyo of the Quadrilateral coalition, also known as 'Quad', External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India remained committed to a rules-based world order, respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Nationhood is constituted by people who share a "common sense of their history" and a "common vision of their future", National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said as he released an 11-volume book series that charts different phases of the history of ancient India and its accomplishments.
The Pakistan Army chief arrived in Washington last week on his first official visit to the US.
Pakistani authorities have arrested 12 Indian fishermen and seized two boats for allegedly violating the country's territorial waters, a spokesman for the Maritime Security Agency has said. The fishermen were handed to the docks police in Karachi, the spokesman said on Saturday.
The USNS Salvor was welcomed with a ceremony at the shipyard on Monday, and it is the first ship to arrive after the signing of the MSRA.
'India does not wish to remain silent in improving its strategic space so that its leverage to counter China's expansionist designs is maintained, besides enabling it to play a responsible role from a position of strength for peace and stability in Asia,' points out Dr Rajaram Panda.
'Cooperation at sea involves not just ships going out together and carrying out exercises over a couple of days, but understanding the whys and the wherefores,' points out Vice Admiral Premvir Das (retd).
In a statement on Sunday, the Maldivian foreign ministry said they were aware of the "derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals".
The Quad has come of age and its agenda covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes it a force for global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the first summit of the coalition. In his opening remarks, he also talked about shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
The President He said his administration will not allow any State agreements that may compromise the country's sovereignty, The Edition newspaper reported.
The expansion plan will see the maritime security force acquire Advanced Light Helicopters, Twin-engine Helicopters and Maritime Multi-mission Surveillance Aircraft.
In a strong message to China, India and ASEAN on Thursday called for a "full and effective" implementation of the understanding between the parties involved in the South China Sea dispute, while stressing on maritime security and freedom of navigation in the critical sea lanes.
Call it the lure of the game, but when it comes to venturing near the Pakistani Maritime Boundary in the Arabian sea, the Indian fishermen risk everything.
The meeting between Jaishankar and Zameer in the Ugandan capital city of Kampala came amid an unease in the Maldives' bilateral ties with India.
China on Monday signed a defence cooperation agreement with the Maldives to provide free military assistance to foster "stronger" bilateral ties with Male, weeks after President Mohamed Muizzu set a deadline for the withdrawal of the first group of Indian military personnel from his island nation.
The attorney general's office filed the case on Sunday, the same day when clashes broke out in the House between pro-government MPs and opposition lawmakers following differences over the approval of four members of his cabinet.
India-France synergy is poised to open vistas of collaboration between the two countries, notes Rup Narayan Das.
Nazim confirmed the meeting and said the agenda for the meeting was the request to withdraw troops by March 15.
Gujarat Police have registered an FIR on charges of murder and attempt to murder against 10 personnel of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) after they fired at an Indian fishing boat in the Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast, killing a crew member and injuring another, an official said on Monday.
Vouching for preserving its independence and sovereignty, Muizzu made a firm commitment to ensure that the Maldives remains "free of any foreign military presence."
Seven aid workers who were working for the World Central Kitchen, a charity delivering food to besieged Palestinians, were killed in the Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Tuesday. The victims comprised three British nationals, an Australian, a Polish national, an American-Canadian dual citizen and a Palestinian.
India will replace its military personnel in the three aviation platforms in the Maldives by May 10 and the first phase of the process would be completed by March 10, the Maldivian foreign ministry said on Friday after a high-level meeting between the two sides on the contentious issue.
At least 38 Indian fishermen have been arrested by Pakistan maritime officials for allegedly violating territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, police said on Thursday.
Pakistani maritime authorities have arrested 50 Indian fishermen and seized nine boats after they strayed into its territorial waters near Karachi port. "These fishermen were fishing in nine boats which have been taken into custody as well. They would be produced before a magistrate on Friday for further investigations," an official of the Pakistan Maritime security forces said on Thursday.
The permission to allow the Chinese ship comes amid strains in ties between India and Maldives after its new President Mohamed Muizzu came to power and made Beijing as his first port of call early this month after assuming office.
Pakistan on Thursday arrested at least 40 Indian fishermen for allegedly straying into its waters while on a routine fishing trip, a news channel reported.
CIDCA is headed by Luo Zhaohui, the former vice foreign minister and ex-ambassador to India.
The United States will provide security assistance to Pakistan to help it build counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism capabilities under a joint five-year plan developed by the two countries.
Japan also reported that five of those missiles landed in its exclusive economic zone, understandably causing grave concern.
The chances of India and China going to a war are "very very little" as 8000 years of statecraft is good enough to take care of that problem, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon said in New Delhi on Monday.
The Indian Navy has a big role to play in support of our strategic objectives in the Indian Ocean. The increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean is a matter of concern and need to be factored. Hence, the requirement of an Aircraft Carrier is a foregone conclusion, asserts Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
India on Thursday said it remains committed to take forward its development agenda with the Maldives, including implementation of various welfare projects in the island nation.
'Modi is trying avenues to convince people why they should vote for the BJP.'
It is early to make out which way the wind is blowing, but there is no denying that challenges for the BJP, far outweigh the advantages in this region, notes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Carter arrived at INS Dega in Vishakhapatnam and was briefed by top officials about the activities of the Eastern Naval Command.
India and the Maldives are in discussions for keeping the Indian military platforms in the island nation and a core group that both sides agreed to set up will look at the details relating to it, official sources said on Sunday.
India has expressed concern about the movement of the Xiang Yang Hong 03 vessel in Indian Ocean waters and also prevailed on Sri Lanka to refuse permission for the ship to dock at Colombo port.
Indian Coast Guard officials and their counterparts in Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency, after two-days of talks, finalised a Memorandum of Understanding that would be signed after endorsement by the respective governments.
India is also likely to sign a deal to buy MQ-9B Predator armed drones from US manufacturer General Atomics.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances