The US-China rapprochement, however tenuous, is not without implications for India. Both China and Pakistan have become closer to the US, notes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's impromptu rendition of Kishore Kumar's classic 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' has captivated audiences online, with a video of his performance garnering over a million views and widespread appreciation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday to a grand welcome. He is India on a three-day visit which will focus on significantly ramping up trade and investment, besides addressing the contentious border issue that has seen occasional flare ups between the two Asian giants.
China's ruling Communist Party on Monday unveiled a new generation of leadership, including Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, as members of the key Central Committee of CPC to lead the party and country for the next five years.
Important for Chinese President Xi Jinping will be Zhao's discussions on the issues of Tibet and the Dalai Lama and his assessment of the likely results of India's coming national elections, notes former senior RA&W officer and China expert Jayadeva Ranade.
Investment announcement for $100 bn over 5 years likely.
The successful hosting of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi has provided a significant boost to the BJP, offering a timely opportunity to strengthen its narrative against the opposition ahead of crucial assembly elections next year. BJP sources highlight the BRICS grouping's strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and the consensus declaration as major diplomatic victories for the Modi government, countering criticisms of its foreign policy. The party plans to leverage these outcomes during its month-long Seva Sankalp campaign to connect with various sections of society.
BRICS nations have successfully reached a consensus on a joint statement following extensive negotiations, with India playing a crucial role in bridging differences, particularly among West Asian members like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, despite regional conflicts and geopolitical tensions.
India has asserted that the state of its border with China directly impacts the broader bilateral relationship, emphasising the critical importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Ministry of External Affairs also firmly rejected China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, reiterating its status as an integral part of India. This stance was reiterated during a recent Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting, where both sides agreed to continue using diplomatic and military channels to resolve outstanding issues.
India and China are in what experts call 'a cooperation-versus-competition situation'.
President Xi is also skipping the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and East Asia summits in Jakarta this week.
'The Chinese military cannot advance much in Ladakh, even if they want to.' 'Similarly, in Arunachal Pradesh, they can rename a village or two, intrude here or there, but cannot do much more realistically.'
India and China held diplomatic talks to review the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), discussing boundary delimitation, border management, and trans-border cooperation. Both nations stressed the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity for bilateral relations and agreed to continue using existing channels to resolve outstanding issues.
Two former Chinese defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges, official media reported.
United States President Barack Obama took up with visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping his concerns over the human rights situation in China, which has experienced a recent surge in unrest among the Tibetan community.
China's Foreign Ministry has refuted allegations of providing military support to Iran, warning the US against imposing tariffs based on these accusations. The statement follows reports of Iran acquiring a Chinese satellite for targeting US military bases. Meanwhile, a rescheduled meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping is set for May.
China on Friday said the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal may have triggered the massive flash flood disaster that engulfed the Tibet-Nepal border, killing hundreds and causing widespread damage.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 13th BRICS summit to be held on Thursday at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China's foreign ministry announced in Beijing on Wednesday.
'I know China will implode. It is scientifically impossible for China to control a nation through the barrel of a gun.'
Former CDS Anil Chauhan stated that China poses a long-term and comprehensive challenge to India, with the boundary issue remaining unresolved due to differing perceptions of the Line of Actual Control. However, he emphasised that India's ties with Beijing cannot be solely defined by border disputes, advocating for engagement through platforms like SCO and BRICS. He also highlighted the broader global geopolitical flux and instability in India's neighbourhood as significant security concerns, stressing the need for self-reliance.
Indian and Japanese ships engaged in advanced level exercises in all three domains of maritime warfare -- surface, sub surface and air.
India's proposal to link BRICS payment systems, including central-bank digital currencies (CBDCs), was notably absent from the grouping's New Delhi Declaration, despite being a key agenda item for India's chairmanship. This omission leaves the 16-year effort for trade in local currencies without a settled payment architecture, with the declaration only 'acknowledging' the work of the BRICS Payment Task Force.
India is hosting the BRICS summit, leveraging the platform to address global trade tensions and champion the developmental priorities of the Global South, including food, energy, and supply chain security. The summit, attended by leaders like President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, will focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, with India aiming to strengthen intra-BRICS collaboration and discuss global matters. The expanded BRICS grouping represents a significant portion of the world's population and GDP, making its discussions crucial for global economic stability.
The BRICS summit in New Delhi brings together leaders from major emerging economies to address global challenges like trade disputes, geopolitical upheavals, and the economic impact of conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. India, as chair, aims to position BRICS as an economic growth engine, focusing on the Global South's food, energy, and supply chain security. The summit also highlights the grouping's expansion and its growing influence in global governance.
Trump also praised Chinese President as "a great leader of a great country" and said the two sides had "already agreed to a lot of things."
New Delhi is under a thick blanket of security as it hosts top world leaders for the BRICS Summit. Extensive security measures, including thousands of personnel and CCTV cameras, are in place. Commuters can expect temporary traffic restrictions and diversions due to VVIP movements, though officials aim to minimise public inconvenience.
United States President Donald Trump said that China 'knows the consequences' if it attacks Taiwan, asserting that Chinese President Xi Jinping understands the situation 'very well'.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping and apprised him of recent developments in India-China bilateral ties during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' meeting in Beijing.
Following his visit to China, US President Donald Trump has suggested a potential shift in Washington's approach to Taiwan, expressing reluctance to engage in military conflict over Taiwan's independence and cautioning against unilateral moves.
Traffic snarls were on Thursday reported from different parts of central and south Delhi after some roads were closed for the movement of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is in India on a three-day trip.
Former US President Donald Trump lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'great leader' and 'tough guy' who has been in power for over 12 years, placing him alongside China's President Xi Jinping as leaders he admires for their power and ability to execute.
In a message to Trump, Xi, 67, said that after learning US President Trump and Melania have tested positive for COVID-19, he and his wife Peng Liyuan extend sympathy to them and wish them a speedy recovery, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
'If you listen to a rowdy in a class, he will keep on bullying you.' 'India can say do whatever you want. We will not compromise on anything.'
A Chinese official stated that India and China should view each other as cooperative partners and opportunities for development, not rivals or threats. This statement came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments on the independent and strong ties Russia maintains with both nations, emphasising non-interference in India-China relations.
India has highlighted 13 key outcomes from the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, focusing on enhanced cooperation in security, counter-terrorism, and addressing transnational threats. These outcomes include the establishment of a Universal Centre for Countering Challenges and Threats to Security, a strong stance against state-sponsored terrorism, and agreements on narcotics control, climate change, and artificial intelligence, reinforcing India's engagement in the Eurasian region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the BRICS summit, called for a fundamental shift in global governance, advocating for the replacement of the current 'pyramid of privilege' with a 'platform of partnership' where the Global South becomes a 'rule shaper' rather than a 'rule follower'.
Check out these images from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, China, on Monday morning featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, taking bon homie to a new level.
India and China have agreed to advance discussions on an "Early and Substantial Harvest" of boundary delimitation and border management during the 25th round of Special Representatives talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Both sides reached an eight-point consensus, committing to the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement. Key outcomes include enhancing border management, improving understanding of the Line of Actual Control, establishing new meeting points and hotlines, and continuing cooperation on trans-border rivers and pilgrimage.
'The notion of a single unarmed town challenging the might of the People's Republic is a little absurd,' says Mihir Sharma.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday asked the United States to "play a constructive role" in maintaining peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea, asserting that Beijing will "unswervingly" safeguard its sovereignty over the area.
