<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong> Development, security, and progress will be areas of key focus for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union this year when it comes to India ties. Poland assumed the presidency on January 1, 2025, for a term of six months, and at a time when India and the EU look to firm up relationships in several areas, including speeding up trade pact talks. Later this year, India is expected to host the India EU summit.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:<span>&nbsp;</span></strong><a aria-label="Saif Ali Khan attacked: Ibrahim Ali Khan took father to hospital in an autorickshaw" class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/saif-ali-khan-attacked-ibrahim-ali-khan-took-father-to-hospital-in-an-autorickshaw-8627011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saif Ali Khan attacked: Ibrahim Ali Khan took father to hospital in an autorickshaw</a></p>
<p>Speaking to WION, Poland&rsquo;s Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;affaires to India, Sebastian Domżalski, said, &ldquo;With India, we want to work not only on security...Surksha, also development, Vikas and Pragati, very important to EU. We hope to have an EU-India summit later this year. India is a top priority in the EU at the moment, we have new EU authorities, aiming and fostering relationships with India, and hope EU-India summit will enable us to talk about important topics and the EU FTA being one of them.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a aria-label="Explosions heard in Kyiv amid British PM Starmer's visit" class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explosions-heard-in-kyiv-as-british-pm-starmer-visits-ukraine-8627086" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Explosions heard in Kyiv amid British PM Starmer's visit</a></p>
<p>Security will be the central focus of Poland&rsquo;s presidency, particularly with the war in Ukraine entering the 3rd year. Domżalski pointed out, &ldquo;It is a great moment for us as we look forward to strengthening the European Union, its security, its competitiveness, and also looking forward to working with India, our main, important partner.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br>This is the second time that Poland is holding the presidency of the EU Council, the first time was in 2011.</p>
<p>Apple is the official symbol of the Polish Presidency of the EU, something that was seen in good amount at a ceremony organised in Delhi by the Polish diplomatic mission. Speaking about the Polish apple, the CdA said, &ldquo;Happy to have them in India and Indian fruit importers enjoying it.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a aria-label="Netanyahu stalls gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas drops &lsquo;last-minute concessions&rsquo;; group denies backtracking&nbsp;claims" class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gaza-ceasefire-deal-stalled-by-israels-netanyahu-hamas-denies-backtracking-claims-8627077" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netanyahu stalls gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas drops &lsquo;last-minute concessions&rsquo;; group denies backtracking&nbsp;claims</a></p>
<p>PM Narendra Modi had travelled to Poland last year, and it was the first visit by an Indian PM to the country in 45 years. This visit was part of celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Poland, aiming to elevate the bilateral relationship to a &ldquo;Strategic Partnership&rdquo;. A five-year Action Plan for 2024-2028 was agreed upon, covering areas like political dialogue, security, economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and more.</p>
<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a aria-label="Trump is not the first US president to think about buying Greenland. A look at the geopolitics of the Arctic" class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-is-not-first-us-president-to-think-about-buying-greenland-8626496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump is not the first US presi</a><a aria-label="Trump is not the first US president to think about buying Greenland. A look at the geopolitics of the Arctic" class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-is-not-first-us-president-to-think-about-buying-greenland-8626496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dent to think about buying Greenland. A look at the geopolitics of the Arctic</a></p>

World | India News: PM Narendra Modi had travelled to Poland last year to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Poland. It was the first visit by an Indian PM to Poland in 45 years. 

New Delhi: Development, security, and progress will be areas of key focus for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union this year when it comes to India ties. Poland assumed the presidency on January 1, 2025, for a term of six months, and at a time when India and the EU look to firm up relationships in several areas, including speeding up trade pact talks. Later this year, India is expected to host the India EU summit. Also read: Saif Ali Khan attacked: Ibrahim Ali Khan took father to hospital in an autorickshaw Speaking to WION, Poland’s Chargé d’affaires to India, Sebastian Domżalski, said, “With India, we want to work not only on security...Surksha, also development, Vikas and Pragati, very important to EU. We hope to have an EU-India summit later this year. India is a top priority in the EU at the moment, we have new EU authorities, aiming and fostering relationships with India, and hope EU-India summit will enable us to talk about important topics and the EU FTA being one of them.” Also read | Explosions heard in Kyiv amid British PM Starmer's visit Security will be the central focus of Poland’s presidency, particularly with the war in Ukraine entering the 3rd year. Domżalski pointed out, “It is a great moment for us as we look forward to strengthening the European Union, its security, its competitiveness, and also looking forward to working with India, our main, important partner.” This is the second time that Poland is holding the presidency of the EU Council, the first time was in 2011. Apple is the official symbol of the Polish Presidency of the EU, something that was seen in good amount at a ceremony organised in Delhi by the Polish diplomatic mission. Speaking about the Polish apple, the CdA said, “Happy to have them in India and Indian fruit importers enjoying it.” Also read | Netanyahu stalls gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas drops ‘last-minute concessions’; group denies backtracking claims PM Narendra Modi had travelled to Poland last year, and it was the first visit by an Indian PM to the country in 45 years. This visit was part of celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Poland, aiming to elevate the bilateral relationship to a “Strategic Partnership”. A five-year Action Plan for 2024-2028 was agreed upon, covering areas like political dialogue, security, economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and more. Also read | Trump is not the first US president to think about buying Greenland. A look at the geopolitics of the Arctic

‘Suraksha, Vikas, Pragati’ key areas of focus for Polish Presidency of EU on India ties

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The outgoing US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has assured "justice will be served" in response to the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman who has been implicated in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Rana was convicted in the United States in 2011 for providing material support to the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and India has been seeking his extradition in the 26/11 terror attack case.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Garcetti spoke on India's Khalistani concerns, India importing Russian energy, and defence deal. On India's Khalistani concerns, particularly the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco, he said, "We take very seriously any threat against Indian diplomats. We've made progress, deep investigation and working with Indian officials on the attacks which no diplomat, let alone an Indian diplomat, should ever have to face at the consulate in my home state of California."&nbsp;<i></i></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><i></i></span>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explosions-heard-in-kyiv-as-british-pm-starmer-visits-ukraine-8627086" rel="dofollow"><span class="s1">Explosions heard in Kyiv amid British PM Starmer's visit</span></a></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><i>This is one of his last interviews as he steps down from the office with the incoming administration&nbsp;taking charge next week.&nbsp;</i><i></i></span></p>
<h2 class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><strong>Interview with&nbsp;<span class="s1">Eric Garcetti</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2"><strong>Sidhant Sibal: </strong>We know that India is concerned about the space being given to Khalistani extremists like Pannun, also, any update on the attack that happened at the Indian consulate in San Francisco?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Eric Garcetti: </strong>First and foremost, I know that people like to follow the challenging moments, but let me just say, as I end my time, just how remarkable the US India, relationship, friendship, partnership is. We've set records in visas, records in visitors, records in students, records in trade, records in defence cooperation, record defence sales, record space cooperation. The list goes on and on. So as we look at those challenging moments, I also think it's a sign of our strength that it's like a marriage. It's not whether you love each other, clearly, we do. It's whether we get through occasional fights or a difference of opinion. We're showing our ability to do that.&nbsp;We're working very closely. We take very seriously any threat against Indian diplomats. We've made progress, deep investigation and working with Indian officials on the attacks which no diplomat, let alone an Indian diplomat, should ever have to face at the consulate in my home state of California. And secondarily, we're pleased to see India making progress in what it said. Because systems are not perfect. We have to make sure systemic change ensures no laws get broken in the future and that accountability will occur in case of a misstep. Yesterday's news, we welcome that step. It's very positive, and again, adding to the positivity of what we've accomplished, it shows even in our challenging moments, we know how to move through them.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-is-not-first-us-president-to-think-about-buying-greenland-8626496" rel="dofollow"><span class="s1">Trump is not the first US president to think about buying Greenland</span></a></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Sidhant Sibal: </strong>Defense is one relationship that has grown leaps and bounds. But in that as well, the GE, whether it's 404 or 414 deal, any update on the negotiations, and also the delay that is impacting India's Tejas program.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Eric Garcetti:&nbsp;</strong>We are excited that this is the most exquisite technology we've ever shared in the world with anybody, even our closest allies. And now those negotiations are really between two companies, HAL and GE, but I'm confident that the next generation of Indian fighter jets will be powered by the best engines in the world and produced here. In fact, we may buy some of our engine parts or engines in the future from India. We're really integrating supply chains. We're integrating our research and development. We know it's a tight moment to get supplies because of all the wars in the world, if you're committed to those deals, we're going to make sure only the 404, which will help the current generation of Tejas fighters go forward, the future generation of Tejas fighters, there will be that fifth generation fighter indigenously producer here. We are also committed to and have seen great progress.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-govt-panel-recommends-action-against-individual-with-earlier-criminal-links-8624536" rel="dofollow"><span class="s1">Indian govt panel recommends action against individual with 'earlier criminal links'</span></a></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Sidhant Sibal:</strong> Counter-terror is another area in which both countries have worked. Any update on the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Eric Garcetti:</strong> I was just in Mumbai at the site of the Taj hotel where that tragedy occurred, and I promise then, as I promised now,&nbsp;we will see justice served. And this is another beautiful example of how we work together. This investigation from the FBI, this prosecution from our Department of Justice, and there's one last appeal, but the Supreme Court has never overturned an extradition order in the history of the United States. We don't expect to do it now, so as soon as we get the paperwork from India assuring that transfer, it will happen.</span></p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Sidhant Sibal: </strong>On Russia, did India and the American side see eye to eye, because we saw earlier the American side criticizing India for importing energy. But it looked like there was a U-turn from the American side if you can perhaps set the record. And essentially, if you can talk about that</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Eric Garcetti: </strong>I've certainly never criticised, the US government has not criticized the legal purchase that was authorized of oil and gas. But it is clear that India and the United States respect international law, and the most important international law is that you don't invade and cross a border, something India has to experience too many times in its own history. So making sure that we don't fuel an unwarranted War Machine coming out of Russia is very important to the American people. Even the incoming administration, as they have moved towards trying to help Russia and Ukraine find peace that is still non-negotiable. So we know that there is plentiful oil we put in other places so that India can purchase so that prices aren't affected here, from the Middle East, from North America. So we know that the world doesn't have to fuel a war in order to fuel its economy.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">Sidhant Sibal: </span></strong><span class="s1">How do you&nbsp;see your legacy?</span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2"><strong>Eric Garcetti: </strong>I have been working very hard to the very end of this country, I love whether it's cricket, whether it's consulates, whether it's cooperation, record trade that we saw, record visas, and we're very excited that visa wait time, we'll be announcing in the weeks, visa wait time have dramatically come down. Visa wait time doesn't even exist for most categories now and 60% more, the more Indians we can come to America, the More Americans we can send to India. I hope that will be my legacy. Indians coming to watch a gold medal in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. That will be part of what we have worked on. Increased trade and investment jobs here and jobs in America from our companies investing together. That will be the legacy. And at the end of the day, it's really about the people-to-people ties. When we know India's great history, we see its ambitions, you can count on America to be your closest friend, we will always be there for you.</span></p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Sidhant Sibal:&nbsp;</strong>So my last question to you is how much perhaps Bangladesh was an issue for India, US relationship. We saw Hasina leaving which was seen as a setback for India. There is a rise of Jamaat as well as increased Chinese engagement. What's your sense?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Eric Garcetti: </strong>I think we both share the principles that we want to see a peaceful, democratic South Asia, and we share those principles. We're coordinating on that together.&nbsp;We've spoken out clearly that, whether it's Bangladesh or any country, religious minorities should not be persecuted.&nbsp;And I think we have an opportunity. Both of us want to see democracy and democratic elections established in Bangladesh as soon as possible, and that can help Bangladesh open its next chapter. It's not about the past, it's about what we can do together. And India and the United States have never acted together around the world more closely than today.&nbsp;</span></p>

World | India News Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Garcetti spoke on India's Khalistani concerns, India importing Russian energy, and defence deal. 

The outgoing US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has assured "justice will be served" in response to the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman who has been implicated in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Rana was convicted in the United States in 2011 for providing material support to the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and India has been seeking his extradition in the 26/11 terror attack case. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Garcetti spoke on India's Khalistani concerns, India importing Russian energy, and defence deal. On India's Khalistani concerns, particularly the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco, he said, "We take very seriously any threat against Indian diplomats. We've made progress, deep investigation and working with Indian officials on the attacks which no diplomat, let alone an Indian diplomat, should ever have to face at the consulate in my home state of California." Also Read: Explosions heard in Kyiv amid British PM Starmer's visit This is one of his last interviews as he steps down from the office with the incoming administration taking charge next week. Interview with Eric Garcetti Sidhant Sibal: We know that India is concerned about the space being given to Khalistani extremists like Pannun, also, any update on the attack that happened at the Indian consulate in San Francisco? Eric Garcetti: First and foremost, I know that people like to follow the challenging moments, but let me just say, as I end my time, just how remarkable the US India, relationship, friendship, partnership is. We've set records in visas, records in visitors, records in students, records in trade, records in defence cooperation, record defence sales, record space cooperation. The list goes on and on. So as we look at those challenging moments, I also think it's a sign of our strength that it's like a marriage. It's not whether you love each other, clearly, we do. It's whether we get through occasional fights or a difference of opinion. We're showing our ability to do that. We're working very closely. We take very seriously any threat against Indian diplomats. We've made progress, deep investigation and working with Indian officials on the attacks which no diplomat, let alone an Indian diplomat, should ever have to face at the consulate in my home state of California. And secondarily, we're pleased to see India making progress in what it said. Because systems are not perfect. We have to make sure systemic change ensures no laws get broken in the future and that accountability will occur in case of a misstep. Yesterday's news, we welcome that step. It's very positive, and again, adding to the positivity of what we've accomplished, it shows even in our challenging moments, we know how to move through them. Also Read: Trump is not the first US president to think about buying Greenland Sidhant Sibal: Defense is one relationship that has grown leaps and bounds. But in that as well, the GE, whether it's 404 or 414 deal, any update on the negotiations, and also the delay that is impacting India's Tejas program. Eric Garcetti: We are excited that this is the most exquisite technology we've ever shared in the world with anybody, even our closest allies. And now those negotiations are really between two companies, HAL and GE, but I'm confident that the next generation of Indian fighter jets will be powered by the best engines in the world and produced here. In fact, we may buy some of our engine parts or engines in the future from India. We're really integrating supply chains. We're integrating our research and development. We know it's a tight moment to get supplies because of all the wars in the world, if you're committed to those deals, we're going to make sure only the 404, which will help the current generation of Tejas fighters go forward, the future generation of Tejas fighters, there will be that fifth generation fighter indigenously producer here. We are also committed to and have seen great progress. Also Read: Indian govt panel recommends action against individual with 'earlier criminal links' Sidhant Sibal: Counter-terror is another area in which both countries have worked. Any update on the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana Eric Garcetti: I was just in Mumbai at the site of the Taj hotel where that tragedy occurred, and I promise then, as I promised now, we will see justice served. And this is another beautiful example of how we work together. This investigation from the FBI, this prosecution from our Department of Justice, and there's one last appeal, but the Supreme Court has never overturned an extradition order in the history of the United States. We don't expect to do it now, so as soon as we get the paperwork from India assuring that transfer, it will happen. Sidhant Sibal: On Russia, did India and the American side see eye to eye, because we saw earlier the American side criticizing India for importing energy. But it looked like there was a U-turn from the American side if you can perhaps set the record. And essentially, if you can talk about that Eric Garcetti: I've certainly never criticised, the US government has not criticized the legal purchase that was authorized of oil and gas. But it is clear that India and the United States respect international law, and the most important international law is that you don't invade and cross a border, something India has to experience too many times in its own history. So making sure that we don't fuel an unwarranted War Machine coming out of Russia is very important to the American people. Even the incoming administration, as they have moved towards trying to help Russia and Ukraine find peace that is still non-negotiable. So we know that there is plentiful oil we put in other places so that India can purchase so that prices aren't affected here, from the Middle East, from North America. So we know that the world doesn't have to fuel a war in order to fuel its economy. Sidhant Sibal: How do you see your legacy? Eric Garcetti: I have been working very hard to the very end of this country, I love whether it's cricket, whether it's consulates, whether it's cooperation, record trade that we saw, record visas, and we're very excited that visa wait time, we'll be announcing in the weeks, visa wait time have dramatically come down. Visa wait time doesn't even exist for most categories now and 60% more, the more Indians we can come to America, the More Americans we can send to India. I hope that will be my legacy. Indians coming to watch a gold medal in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. That will be part of what we have worked on. Increased trade and investment jobs here and jobs in America from our companies investing together. That will be the legacy. And at the end of the day, it's really about the people-to-people ties. When we know India's great history, we see its ambitions, you can count on America to be your closest friend, we will always be there for you. Sidhant Sibal: So my last question to you is how much perhaps Bangladesh was an issue for India, US relationship. We saw Hasina leaving which was seen as a setback for India. There is a rise of Jamaat as well as increased Chinese engagement. What's your sense? Eric Garcetti: I think we both share the principles that we want to see a peaceful, democratic South Asia, and we share those principles. We're coordinating on that together. We've spoken out clearly that, whether it's Bangladesh or any country, religious minorities should not be persecuted. And I think we have an opportunity. Both of us want to see democracy and democratic elections established in Bangladesh as soon as possible, and that can help Bangladesh open its next chapter. It's not about the past, it's about what we can do together. And India and the United States have never acted together around the world more closely than today.

'Justice will be served': US Amb Garcetti on Tahawwur Hussain Rana extradition

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<div class="x_elementToProof" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">New Delhi: Moscow has called for adding India to the Quad grouping on Afghanistan that currently has China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia.&nbsp;Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday (Jan 14) at a briefing: "It is more important to strengthen trust within the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organisation], within the format that is currently working on Afghanistan (Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran). We are confident that the inclusion of India would be the right step."&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="x_elementToProof" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">The "Afghanistan Quad" last met at the foreign ministers' level in November of 2024 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Defence Minister Muhammad Asif were present at the meeting.&nbsp;</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody"><strong><br>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-trying-to-convert-quad-into-military-bloc-india-fully-aware-russias-lavrov-8621142">US trying to convert QUAD into military bloc, India 'fully aware': Russia's Lavrov</a></strong></div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody"><br>A joint statement after the meeting called for support for Afghanistan's "national sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity."</div>
<h2 class="x_elementToProof" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Afghan Quad on terrorism</h2>
<p class="x_elementToProof" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Terrorism was a key issue that was discussed, with the joint statement expressing concerns over the "security situation related to terrorism in Afghanistan".</p>
<div class="x_elementToProof">Significantly during the presser, Lavrov termed Pakistan a "victim of terrorism" and said for Islamabad to "fight against terrorism requires joining efforts with your Afghan neighbours, with India, with all SCO members, because Central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan are used by "bad people" to plan and implement their criminal plans.</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"></div>
<div class="x_elementToProof">SCO had an Afghanistan Contact Group which had all members including India, but the group has become defunct since Taliban took power in in 2021.</div>
<h2 class="x_elementToProof">India's engagement with new Afghan regime</h2>
<p class="x_elementToProof">The Russian minister's comments are significant at a time when New Delhi has increased its engagement with the Taliban government in Kabul.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="x_elementToProof"><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-in-farewell-foreign-policy-speech-slams-president-elect-donald-trump-claims-america-stronger-on-world-stage-8619679">Joe Biden in farewell foreign policy speech slams Trump, defends Afghanistan withdrawal</a></strong></div>
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<div class="x_elementToProof">In early January, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi met in Dubai and discussed Chabahar port and Indian humanitarian assistance among other issues.</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"></div>
<div class="x_elementToProof">India had opened a "technical office" in Kabul in 2022 and since has had engagement with the Taliban government in Kabul, despite not recognising it.&nbsp;</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"></div>
<div class="x_elementToProof">India had first "shared the table" with Taliban under the Moscow Format on Afghanistan in 2018, which was represented at "non-official level" by two former Indian diplomats: Amar Sinha, who was India's ambassador to Afghanistan and TCA Raghavan, who was India's High Commissioner to Pakistan.</div>
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India news, World, South Asia: The "Afghanistan Quad" last met at the foreign ministers' level in November of 2024 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. 

New Delhi: Moscow has called for adding India to the Quad grouping on Afghanistan that currently has China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday (Jan 14) at a briefing: "It is more important to strengthen trust within the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organisation], within the format that is currently working on Afghanistan (Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran). We are confident that the inclusion of India would be the right step." The "Afghanistan Quad" last met at the foreign ministers' level in November of 2024 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Defence Minister Muhammad Asif were present at the meeting. Also read: US trying to convert QUAD into military bloc, India 'fully aware': Russia's Lavrov A joint statement after the meeting called for support for Afghanistan's "national sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity." Afghan Quad on terrorism Terrorism was a key issue that was discussed, with the joint statement expressing concerns over the "security situation related to terrorism in Afghanistan". Significantly during the presser, Lavrov termed Pakistan a "victim of terrorism" and said for Islamabad to "fight against terrorism requires joining efforts with your Afghan neighbours, with India, with all SCO members, because Central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan are used by "bad people" to plan and implement their criminal plans. SCO had an Afghanistan Contact Group which had all members including India, but the group has become defunct since Taliban took power in in 2021. India's engagement with new Afghan regime The Russian minister's comments are significant at a time when New Delhi has increased its engagement with the Taliban government in Kabul. Also read: Joe Biden in farewell foreign policy speech slams Trump, defends Afghanistan withdrawal In early January, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi met in Dubai and discussed Chabahar port and Indian humanitarian assistance among other issues. India had opened a "technical office" in Kabul in 2022 and since has had engagement with the Taliban government in Kabul, despite not recognising it. India had first "shared the table" with Taliban under the Moscow Format on Afghanistan in 2018, which was represented at "non-official level" by two former Indian diplomats: Amar Sinha, who was India's ambassador to Afghanistan and TCA Raghavan, who was India's High Commissioner to Pakistan.

Lavrov calls for adding India to 'Afghan Quad' that currently has Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran

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<div dir="auto"><strong>New Delhi:</strong> India summoned the top Bangladeshi diplomat earlier on Monday (Jan 13) as border row escalated between the South Asian neighbours. Tensions have been reported at the India-Bangladesh border over fencing issues.&nbsp;</div>
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<p>"It was conveyed that with regard to security measures at the border, including on fencing, India observed all protocols and agreements between the two governments and between the Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh," MEA said in a statement.</p>
<p>"India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking. Barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures for securing the border," it added.</p>
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<div dir="auto">It is reported that Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been resisting the Indian side's continuing fencing of the border.&nbsp;</div>
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<div dir="auto">India's BSF and Bangladesh's BGD have held flag meetings on the issue. Despite these interruptions, the BSF continues to press for completing the fencing.</div>
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<div dir="auto">The India-Bangladesh border stretches approximately 4,096.7 kilometres, according to estimates, out of which around 3,180 km have been fenced so far.</div>
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<div dir="auto">The development comes a day after Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin met and discussed the border situation.</div>
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<div dir="auto">A Bangladesh foreign ministry release had cited FS Uddin as saying that "construction of barbed wire fences without proper authorisation undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries."</div>
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<div dir="auto">"He hoped that the upcoming BGB-BSF DG Level Talks would be able to discuss the matter at length," it added.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">The development comes at a time when India-Bangladesh ties remain tense over several issues, including the situation of the minorities.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">After the fall of the stable Sheikh Hasina government, a number of attacks have been reported on the minorities, especially Hindus, in the country.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">The interim government led by Mohammad Yunus has largely refused to acknowledge the seriousness of the issue and termed the attacks on minorities as 'media exaggerations'.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
According to the findings shared over the weekend by chief adviser&rsquo;s press wing, 98.4 per cent of the 1,415 reported incidents of attacks and vandalism against minorities between August 4 and August 20 are labelled as "politically motivated".</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, which has played a crucial role in bringing attention to the plight of minorities in Bangladesh, reported 2,010 incidents of communal violence in the given time frame.</div>
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<div></div>
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India News, South Asia: It is reported that Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been resisting the Indian side's continuing fencing of the border. 

New Delhi: India summoned the top Bangladeshi diplomat earlier on Monday (Jan 13) as border row escalated between the South Asian neighbours. Tensions have been reported at the India-Bangladesh border over fencing issues. "It was conveyed that with regard to security measures at the border, including on fencing, India observed all protocols and agreements between the two governments and between the Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh," MEA said in a statement. "India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking. Barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures for securing the border," it added. It is reported that Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been resisting the Indian side's continuing fencing of the border. India's BSF and Bangladesh's BGD have held flag meetings on the issue. Despite these interruptions, the BSF continues to press for completing the fencing. The India-Bangladesh border stretches approximately 4,096.7 kilometres, according to estimates, out of which around 3,180 km have been fenced so far. The development comes a day after Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin met and discussed the border situation. A Bangladesh foreign ministry release had cited FS Uddin as saying that "construction of barbed wire fences without proper authorisation undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries." "He hoped that the upcoming BGB-BSF DG Level Talks would be able to discuss the matter at length," it added. The development comes at a time when India-Bangladesh ties remain tense over several issues, including the situation of the minorities. After the fall of the stable Sheikh Hasina government, a number of attacks have been reported on the minorities, especially Hindus, in the country. The interim government led by Mohammad Yunus has largely refused to acknowledge the seriousness of the issue and termed the attacks on minorities as 'media exaggerations'. According to the findings shared over the weekend by chief adviser’s press wing, 98.4 per cent of the 1,415 reported incidents of attacks and vandalism against minorities between August 4 and August 20 are labelled as "politically motivated". The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, which has played a crucial role in bringing attention to the plight of minorities in Bangladesh, reported 2,010 incidents of communal violence in the given time frame.

India summons top Bangladeshi diplomat as border row escalates

<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong> India&rsquo;s state-owned shipbuilding entity, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), is reaching out to countries in Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, amid the Indian government&rsquo;s push to establish the country as a major defence products exporter and manufacturing centre. Negotiations are underway with the Vietnam People&rsquo;s Navy (VPN) for submarine refits. Other than Vietnam, the shipyard is looking to explore opportunities in the Philippines. HSL, which is among India&rsquo;s largest shipyards, is headquartered in Visakhapatnam and has attracted international business by repairing foreign vessels.</p>
<p>Also Read | <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canine-heroes-how-dogs-are-protecting-worlds-vineyards-from-threats-8612545" rel="dofollow">Canine heroes: How dogs are protecting world's vineyards from threats</a></strong></p>
<p>For example, in 2021, they docked and repaired a US pipe-laying vessel with a gross tonnage of 17,000T, something that highlights the state-owned entity&rsquo;s capacity to handle large foreign vessels and also contributes to their revenue through foreign exchange earnings.<br>The state-owned company, which has been a strategic builder, has had a rich history of developing platforms for the Indian Navy, which includes building naval ships and repairing submarines. In fact, one of the first ships built indigenously for the Indian Navy was by this company. In 2020, it delivered advanced state-of-the-art platforms like the Ocean Surveillance Ship (OSS), &lsquo;INS Dhruv', which is India&rsquo;s first nuclear missile-tracking vessel, for the Indian Navy.</p>
<p>Also Read | <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-awards-presidential-medal-of-freedom-to-pope-francis-8612579" rel="dofollow">Joe Biden awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Pope Francis</a></strong></p>
<p>In 2022, HSL launched two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)&mdash;Nistar and Nipun&mdash;designed for deep-sea diving and submarine rescue. Built with 80% indigenous material, it aligns HSL&rsquo;s efforts with the Indian government&rsquo;s &lsquo;Aatmanirbhar Bharat&rsquo; initiative. Both vessels underwent successful sea trials in May 2024, completing rigorous tests without significant defects.</p>
<p>Also Read | <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreas-yoon-to-skip-frst-impeachment-trial-hearing-lawyer-confirms-8612478" rel="dofollow">South Korea's Yoon to skip first impeachment trial hearing, lawyer confirms</a></strong></p>
<p>The company has also signed a contract with the Defence Ministry for a project involving the five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) worth Rs 19000 crore. The first ship is slated for delivery in mid-2027, with the subsequent ships following at intervals of 10 to 12 months, aiming for all ships to be delivered by 2031-32.</p>
<p>The country&rsquo;s oldest shipyard has steadily made its way to a robust shipbuilder while reporting its highest-ever turnover and profit in its history during the last financial year. In 2024, the shipyard recorded its highest-ever turnover of ₹1,413 crore, with a profit of ₹119 crore.</p>
<p>Also Read | <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-lights-125k-lamps-to-mark-first-anniversary-of-ayodhyas-ram-temple-8612466" rel="dofollow">Nepal lights 125K lamps to mark first anniversary of Ayodhya&rsquo;s Ram Temple</a></strong></p>
<p>Hemant Khatri (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) has led the company since 2020, and the key achievements include delivering the Ocean Surveillance Ship (OSS) and INS Sindhuvir after completing its timely delivery, the launch of two DSVs, and completing 17 ship repairs in a single year (2022). Under strategic vision 2025-2034, the company plans to increase production targets, diversification, and technological innovations, which include the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.</p>

India News | Business & Economy: The country’s oldest shipyard has steadily made its way to a robust shipbuilder while reporting its highest-ever turnover and profit in the last financial year. 

New Delhi: India’s state-owned shipbuilding entity, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), is reaching out to countries in Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, amid the Indian government’s push to establish the country as a major defence products exporter and manufacturing centre. Negotiations are underway with the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) for submarine refits. Other than Vietnam, the shipyard is looking to explore opportunities in the Philippines. HSL, which is among India’s largest shipyards, is headquartered in Visakhapatnam and has attracted international business by repairing foreign vessels. Also Read | Canine heroes: How dogs are protecting world's vineyards from threats For example, in 2021, they docked and repaired a US pipe-laying vessel with a gross tonnage of 17,000T, something that highlights the state-owned entity’s capacity to handle large foreign vessels and also contributes to their revenue through foreign exchange earnings. The state-owned company, which has been a strategic builder, has had a rich history of developing platforms for the Indian Navy, which includes building naval ships and repairing submarines. In fact, one of the first ships built indigenously for the Indian Navy was by this company. In 2020, it delivered advanced state-of-the-art platforms like the Ocean Surveillance Ship (OSS), ‘INS Dhruv', which is India’s first nuclear missile-tracking vessel, for the Indian Navy. Also Read | Joe Biden awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Pope Francis In 2022, HSL launched two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)—Nistar and Nipun—designed for deep-sea diving and submarine rescue. Built with 80% indigenous material, it aligns HSL’s efforts with the Indian government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Both vessels underwent successful sea trials in May 2024, completing rigorous tests without significant defects. Also Read | South Korea's Yoon to skip first impeachment trial hearing, lawyer confirms The company has also signed a contract with the Defence Ministry for a project involving the five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) worth Rs 19000 crore. The first ship is slated for delivery in mid-2027, with the subsequent ships following at intervals of 10 to 12 months, aiming for all ships to be delivered by 2031-32. The country’s oldest shipyard has steadily made its way to a robust shipbuilder while reporting its highest-ever turnover and profit in its history during the last financial year. In 2024, the shipyard recorded its highest-ever turnover of ₹1,413 crore, with a profit of ₹119 crore. Also Read | Nepal lights 125K lamps to mark first anniversary of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple Hemant Khatri (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) has led the company since 2020, and the key achievements include delivering the Ocean Surveillance Ship (OSS) and INS Sindhuvir after completing its timely delivery, the launch of two DSVs, and completing 17 ship repairs in a single year (2022). Under strategic vision 2025-2034, the company plans to increase production targets, diversification, and technological innovations, which include the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

India’s state-owned HSL in talks with Vietnam for submarine refits

<p>Dev Pragad, the Indian-origin CEO of the influential American news magazine Newsweek, has lauded the hardworking and results-oriented nature of the Indian diaspora that has made the community successful in the West. Pragad was in India as the guest of honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, the mega diaspora event hosted by Indian government in the eastern state of Odisha.</p>
<p>Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, he said, "I think 20 years ago, if you're especially in America, if you're Indian American, it was not easy...Through sheer hard work, talent and genius, they helped shape the narrative about Indians in that part of the world. And I think that's made life a lot easier for people like me, who have come much later."&nbsp;</p>
<p>Born in India in 1984, Pragad grew up in the United Kingdom and is a British American dual citizen. He became CEO of Newsweek in 2016 and a co-owner in 2018.</p>
<p>He has been credited with transforming Newsweek into a profitable enterprise, making it debt-free, and increasing its digital presence dramatically.</p>
<p>Asked about Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, he said, it was "very inspiring for me. It was also a real honour to be personally invited by Dr S Jaishankar, recognising my contributions and having the foresight.</p>
<p>First time the government had deviated from inviting a political leader, and rather inviting a business leader to get a guest of honour.</p>
<p>Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), which happens every two years, aims to strengthen India's bonds with its large diaspora. PBD is traditionally held on January 9th to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's return to India from South Africa in 1915.</p>
<p>Pragad also spoke about international media and perception about India.</p>
<p>He explained, "The media is a very small industry, there are not a lot of Indian-American leaders there. There are some, but not a lot of Indian Americans especially on the business side, which is where a lot of the decisionmaking happens and the power control lies. And I don't know if it's related to that or not, a lot of the media narrative about India, how India is represented, can also be a little skewed because of it, because the vast person may not always fully comprehend India, because India is a very complex and a nuanced country".</p>
<p><strong>WION:</strong> If you can talk about your India connection..</p>
<p><strong>Dev Pragad:</strong> I was born in India in 1984 in Tamil Nadu, in a town called Coimbatore. My parents left when I was 11 years old, briefly to the Middle East. Then they were in London, the United Kingdom, which is where I did my undergrad and then my PhD. And then I moved to the States in 2016 to become the CEO, and then in 2018 I became a co-owner of Newsweek. So, though I'm a British American national, I'm an overseas citizen of India, I'm still very Indian by heritage and culture. Indian food is still my go-to comfort food. I'm an Indian in many ways. So, India helped shape who I am. And you know the values that my parents instilled in me, hard work, devotion to education, excellence, honesty, integrity, all of that, I believe, led me to be, you know, very successful like many other Indian Americans. So, I'm not a unicorn. There's a lot of people like me who have been even more successful than me, and all of that has made us so proud in India. Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas convention was very inspiring for me. It was also a real honour to be personally invited by Dr S Jaishankar, recognising my contributions and having the foresight. First time the government had deviated from inviting a political leader and rather inviting a business leader to get a guest of honour. And I'm just 40, last year in October, so I'm still relatively young, so I hope that my story was inspiring for a lot of the other young people from the Indian diaspora, and also for many others too. I wasn't born into wealth or anything. You know, through sheer hard work, I made it all the way up.</p>
<p><strong>WION:</strong> So you mentioned that India shaped you, perhaps, if we can delve on it, essentially the Indian Americans. So how do you see Indians making it big in the West, and any challenges do they face currently?</p>
<p><strong>Dev Pragad:</strong> I think being a person of Indian origin, you naturally possess certain inherent skills. So the world is often not a binary place. And in business, especially as a leader, you're faced with very complex situations. And growing up in India, from a young age, you're used to seeing what appears to be chaos, but also order within chaos. And there are different shades of gray in every situation that you're very comfortable with dealing with. This leads to you being very comfortable with complexity. And I think that's a major advantage a lot of Indian American or, you know, people of Indian origin, process as they rise up to leadership roles, that they can handle complexity really well. And I also think we are very suited to manage complex people management situations and manage conflicts between people. I think we do have a natural temperament for that, and as you grow in your leadership, managing people becomes a huge part of what you do. You execute your plans and your strategies through people empowering them to excel. So I think that's also a huge, huge plus. Then, of course, a lot of us tend to be focused on working hard and executing rather than trying to tell the world how awesome you are, how great you are. I think that we prefer some of us, not all of us, quite a few of us, or a majority of us, like to be under the radar. Just work really hard, focus on actually delivering stuff, rather than tell the world and make an appearance that you're delivering stuff. So I think as the world has become very driven by performance metrics where delivery of results is more important than the appearance of delivering I think that's also another reason why people of Indian origin have been so successful in the West.</p>
<p>In terms of challenges, we have come a long way. So, I think 20 years ago, if you're especially in America, if you're Indian American, it was not easy. I think there were a lot of pioneers who went into Silicon Valley. Through sheer hard work, talent and genius, they helped shape the narrative about Indians in that part of the world. And I think that's made life a lot easier for people like me, who have come much later. So I think today, in certain fields, you know, Indian Americans are extremely well-respected. In the media circle, keep in mind, the media is a very small industry, there are not a lot of Indian American leaders there. There are some, but not a lot of Indian Americans especially on the business side which is where a lot of the decision-making happens and the power control lies. And I don't know if it's related to that or not, a lot of the media narrative about India, you know, how India is represented can also be little skewed because of it, because the vast person may not always fully comprehend India, because India is a very complex and a nuanced country. As we earlier said, there are so many shades of gray here, and it's very hard to interpret it all when you just look from a very faraway prism. I think it's an evolution as different industries get comfortable with people from diverse cultures, right? Our culture is quite unique, and that culture also shapes how we do things, how we approach things, and it can differ from the standard status quo of how some of the people there would do things or approach things, right? So I wouldn't say this is a major issue, but definitely, you know, it is an evolution.</p>
<p><strong>WION:</strong> If you can talk about India and about India's rise, what India can do..</p>
<p><strong>Dev Pragad:</strong> First of all, India has gifted the world with its amazing, amazingly talented people, who are the Indian diaspora. There are so many great people who have gone abroad and, you know, did amazing things for those countries and also for the world. I mean, we over-glamourised the CEOs, but let's also not forget, a lot of scientists, a lot of doctors, a lot of people in academia have gone there, discovered many things, done a lot of great things, and contributed greatly to the global society. So you know, in a way, directly or indirectly, that is credit to India, and testament to the rise of the ways in which India contributes to the world. So, we must really acknowledge that. And it is my view that like America, India is a democratic country. And India takes great pride in being a democratic country and given its very decentralised system, broadly speaking it is a very stable democracy. People hold the democratic values very close to their heart, very much, like America. You know last year in the presidential elections people in America really celebrated it, it's almost like a celebration. It's a festival. People take it very seriously. It means a lot to them. So, it was a very defining moment for me as an American to vote in the elections this time. But that's a huge thing. I think the more it indeed succeeds, it's a testament and a strength to the importance of democracy. And also at Newsweek, we care about geopolitics a lot. And I think, as a democratic India rises and becomes more influential, our shared values from a geopolitical angle also plays a very important part, I think, for India.</p>
<p><strong>WION:</strong> So my last question to you is about you being the CEO of Newsweek, that's a major outlet in the West now, essentially as the CEO, how do you see the media landscape? There are challenges like fake news, there are new opportunities, especially driven by artificial intelligence. So if you can sum up, what's your view?</p>
<p><strong>Dev Pragad:</strong> For us at Newsweek, it's incredibly important to be trustworthy. We say trustworthy more than trusted, because when we say we want to be trustworthy. We are seeking to earn the trust of our readers. So that's super-important for us, and that we're very conscious in that our journalism is very accessible to as many people as possible, and also at Newsweek, we listen to, we speak to and listen to people across the political and cultural spectrum in America. America is a very big country, and people do hold very different views. And we want to be a publication for all Americans that's been an integral part of our turnaround. And also, you know, we do want to be a very global publication, because that's always been a part of Newsweek's history and heritage. So if you look deep into Newsweek's history, it had two major products. One was the domestic American product, and one was the global product, which was really much more elite. And it's really where we focus on interviewing world leaders, like we had with the Japanese prime minister or the Indian prime minister, or the president of South Korea. So those are the few, the two major products that we produce, and being a very fair and trustworthy publication is incredibly important for us, and we place a lot of emphasis on that, and that's been quite central to the way we have transformed the business. Even independent studies have shown our brand is being trusted more across the political spectrum, on both sides and for the huge win, and that's also been a big part of what's driven the audience. You know, today we have between four, four and 5 million people every day reading us on newsweek.com, alone, plus we add some of the more, wider distribution platforms, like Apple News, and probably easily a few more million. And we take everything very seriously in terms of, you know, we fact-checked a lot of news. We are an accredited fact checker. You know, we do use AI to help and supplement, with the rise of AI, of course, it will be easier for people to spread fake news. So our view is that if we stay true to our mission and true to our values of being a trustworthy publication for all Americans, we think we can remain very relevant in an era in which there could be a lot of fake news and AI-generated news.</p>

India news, WION interview, exclusive I Pragad became CEO of Newsweek in 2016 and a co-owner in 2018 and has been credited with transforming Newsweek into a profitable enterprise, making it debt-free, and increasing its digital presence dramatically.

Dev Pragad, the Indian-origin CEO of the influential American news magazine Newsweek, has lauded the hardworking and results-oriented nature of the Indian diaspora that has made the community successful in the West. Pragad was in India as the guest of honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, the mega diaspora event hosted by Indian government in the eastern state of Odisha. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, he said, "I think 20 years ago, if you're especially in America, if you're Indian American, it was not easy...Through sheer hard work, talent and genius, they helped shape the narrative about Indians in that part of the world. And I think that's made life a lot easier for people like me, who have come much later." Born in India in 1984, Pragad grew up in the United Kingdom and is a British American dual citizen. He became CEO of Newsweek in 2016 and a co-owner in 2018. He has been credited with transforming Newsweek into a profitable enterprise, making it debt-free, and increasing its digital presence dramatically. Asked about Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, he said, it was "very inspiring for me. It was also a real honour to be personally invited by Dr S Jaishankar, recognising my contributions and having the foresight. First time the government had deviated from inviting a political leader, and rather inviting a business leader to get a guest of honour. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), which happens every two years, aims to strengthen India's bonds with its large diaspora. PBD is traditionally held on January 9th to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's return to India from South Africa in 1915. Pragad also spoke about international media and perception about India. He explained, "The media is a very small industry, there are not a lot of Indian-American leaders there. There are some, but not a lot of Indian Americans especially on the business side, which is where a lot of the decisionmaking happens and the power control lies. And I don't know if it's related to that or not, a lot of the media narrative about India, how India is represented, can also be a little skewed because of it, because the vast person may not always fully comprehend India, because India is a very complex and a nuanced country". WION: If you can talk about your India connection.. Dev Pragad: I was born in India in 1984 in Tamil Nadu, in a town called Coimbatore. My parents left when I was 11 years old, briefly to the Middle East. Then they were in London, the United Kingdom, which is where I did my undergrad and then my PhD. And then I moved to the States in 2016 to become the CEO, and then in 2018 I became a co-owner of Newsweek. So, though I'm a British American national, I'm an overseas citizen of India, I'm still very Indian by heritage and culture. Indian food is still my go-to comfort food. I'm an Indian in many ways. So, India helped shape who I am. And you know the values that my parents instilled in me, hard work, devotion to education, excellence, honesty, integrity, all of that, I believe, led me to be, you know, very successful like many other Indian Americans. So, I'm not a unicorn. There's a lot of people like me who have been even more successful than me, and all of that has made us so proud in India. Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas convention was very inspiring for me. It was also a real honour to be personally invited by Dr S Jaishankar, recognising my contributions and having the foresight. First time the government had deviated from inviting a political leader and rather inviting a business leader to get a guest of honour. And I'm just 40, last year in October, so I'm still relatively young, so I hope that my story was inspiring for a lot of the other young people from the Indian diaspora, and also for many others too. I wasn't born into wealth or anything. You know, through sheer hard work, I made it all the way up. WION: So you mentioned that India shaped you, perhaps, if we can delve on it, essentially the Indian Americans. So how do you see Indians making it big in the West, and any challenges do they face currently? Dev Pragad: I think being a person of Indian origin, you naturally possess certain inherent skills. So the world is often not a binary place. And in business, especially as a leader, you're faced with very complex situations. And growing up in India, from a young age, you're used to seeing what appears to be chaos, but also order within chaos. And there are different shades of gray in every situation that you're very comfortable with dealing with. This leads to you being very comfortable with complexity. And I think that's a major advantage a lot of Indian American or, you know, people of Indian origin, process as they rise up to leadership roles, that they can handle complexity really well. And I also think we are very suited to manage complex people management situations and manage conflicts between people. I think we do have a natural temperament for that, and as you grow in your leadership, managing people becomes a huge part of what you do. You execute your plans and your strategies through people empowering them to excel. So I think that's also a huge, huge plus. Then, of course, a lot of us tend to be focused on working hard and executing rather than trying to tell the world how awesome you are, how great you are. I think that we prefer some of us, not all of us, quite a few of us, or a majority of us, like to be under the radar. Just work really hard, focus on actually delivering stuff, rather than tell the world and make an appearance that you're delivering stuff. So I think as the world has become very driven by performance metrics where delivery of results is more important than the appearance of delivering I think that's also another reason why people of Indian origin have been so successful in the West. In terms of challenges, we have come a long way. So, I think 20 years ago, if you're especially in America, if you're Indian American, it was not easy. I think there were a lot of pioneers who went into Silicon Valley. Through sheer hard work, talent and genius, they helped shape the narrative about Indians in that part of the world. And I think that's made life a lot easier for people like me, who have come much later. So I think today, in certain fields, you know, Indian Americans are extremely well-respected. In the media circle, keep in mind, the media is a very small industry, there are not a lot of Indian American leaders there. There are some, but not a lot of Indian Americans especially on the business side which is where a lot of the decision-making happens and the power control lies. And I don't know if it's related to that or not, a lot of the media narrative about India, you know, how India is represented can also be little skewed because of it, because the vast person may not always fully comprehend India, because India is a very complex and a nuanced country. As we earlier said, there are so many shades of gray here, and it's very hard to interpret it all when you just look from a very faraway prism. I think it's an evolution as different industries get comfortable with people from diverse cultures, right? Our culture is quite unique, and that culture also shapes how we do things, how we approach things, and it can differ from the standard status quo of how some of the people there would do things or approach things, right? So I wouldn't say this is a major issue, but definitely, you know, it is an evolution. WION: If you can talk about India and about India's rise, what India can do.. Dev Pragad: First of all, India has gifted the world with its amazing, amazingly talented people, who are the Indian diaspora. There are so many great people who have gone abroad and, you know, did amazing things for those countries and also for the world. I mean, we over-glamourised the CEOs, but let's also not forget, a lot of scientists, a lot of doctors, a lot of people in academia have gone there, discovered many things, done a lot of great things, and contributed greatly to the global society. So you know, in a way, directly or indirectly, that is credit to India, and testament to the rise of the ways in which India contributes to the world. So, we must really acknowledge that. And it is my view that like America, India is a democratic country. And India takes great pride in being a democratic country and given its very decentralised system, broadly speaking it is a very stable democracy. People hold the democratic values very close to their heart, very much, like America. You know last year in the presidential elections people in America really celebrated it, it's almost like a celebration. It's a festival. People take it very seriously. It means a lot to them. So, it was a very defining moment for me as an American to vote in the elections this time. But that's a huge thing. I think the more it indeed succeeds, it's a testament and a strength to the importance of democracy. And also at Newsweek, we care about geopolitics a lot. And I think, as a democratic India rises and becomes more influential, our shared values from a geopolitical angle also plays a very important part, I think, for India. WION: So my last question to you is about you being the CEO of Newsweek, that's a major outlet in the West now, essentially as the CEO, how do you see the media landscape? There are challenges like fake news, there are new opportunities, especially driven by artificial intelligence. So if you can sum up, what's your view? Dev Pragad: For us at Newsweek, it's incredibly important to be trustworthy. We say trustworthy more than trusted, because when we say we want to be trustworthy. We are seeking to earn the trust of our readers. So that's super-important for us, and that we're very conscious in that our journalism is very accessible to as many people as possible, and also at Newsweek, we listen to, we speak to and listen to people across the political and cultural spectrum in America. America is a very big country, and people do hold very different views. And we want to be a publication for all Americans that's been an integral part of our turnaround. And also, you know, we do want to be a very global publication, because that's always been a part of Newsweek's history and heritage. So if you look deep into Newsweek's history, it had two major products. One was the domestic American product, and one was the global product, which was really much more elite. And it's really where we focus on interviewing world leaders, like we had with the Japanese prime minister or the Indian prime minister, or the president of South Korea. So those are the few, the two major products that we produce, and being a very fair and trustworthy publication is incredibly important for us, and we place a lot of emphasis on that, and that's been quite central to the way we have transformed the business. Even independent studies have shown our brand is being trusted more across the political spectrum, on both sides and for the huge win, and that's also been a big part of what's driven the audience. You know, today we have between four, four and 5 million people every day reading us on newsweek.com, alone, plus we add some of the more, wider distribution platforms, like Apple News, and probably easily a few more million. And we take everything very seriously in terms of, you know, we fact-checked a lot of news. We are an accredited fact checker. You know, we do use AI to help and supplement, with the rise of AI, of course, it will be easier for people to spread fake news. So our view is that if we stay true to our mission and true to our values of being a trustworthy publication for all Americans, we think we can remain very relevant in an era in which there could be a lot of fake news and AI-generated news.

Dev Pragad, Indian-origin CEO of Newsweek, lauds diaspora's success in the West

<p>Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto will be travelling to Malaysia after India visit later this month. President Subianto is the chief guest at India's Republic Day, the 4th time an Indonesian leader will be gracing the occasion since 1950. India extends invites for Republic Day only to countries with which it has strong diplomatic relations, and Indonesia is seen as a close maritime neighbour. India, Indonesia have strong cultural, historic ties, and both Indian PM and Indonesian President Subianto met in November on the sidelines of the G20 Brazil summit.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Earlier the Indonesian President was expected to travel to Pakistan from India but the optics of joint India, Pakistan visit is something that Indian govt will not be keen on as it is known that Delhi has been pushing for de-hyphenation for decades now. Ties between the 2 neighbours are not in positive trajectory due to Pakistan's support to cross border terrorism. As per unwritten protocol, India has told foreign delegations not to travel to Pakistan from India.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-indonesia-working-on-brahmos-deal-8609013" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">India, Indonesia working on BrahMos missile deal</a></p>
<p>The policy of de-hyphenation began gaining prominence during the second term of the George W. Bush administration. It was aimed at separating U.S. foreign policy towards India from its policy towards Pakistan, recognizing India's rising power status and its potential as a strategic partner. In February 2019, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) travelled to India &amp; Pakistan separately in the same month.</p>
<p>India side has invited the Indonesian President to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade. This is for the third time that an Indonesian leader has been invited after 2018 and 1950, and the visit is part of India's broader outreach to the ASEAN countries.&nbsp;</p>
<p>India, of course, shares close relationship with Indonesia, both in the maritime domain, political domains and cultural and historical domain. Visit comes even as India is celebrating 10 years of the Act East Policy, and under it, leaders from ASEAN countries, including Vietnamese and Malaysia have travelled to India last year. Also the Indian President Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to South East Asian countries as part of this broader outreach.</p>

 India News | India, Indonesia have strong cultural, historic ties, and both Indian PM and Indonesian President Subianto met in November on the sidelines of the G20 Brazil summit. 

Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto will be travelling to Malaysia after India visit later this month. President Subianto is the chief guest at India's Republic Day, the 4th time an Indonesian leader will be gracing the occasion since 1950. India extends invites for Republic Day only to countries with which it has strong diplomatic relations, and Indonesia is seen as a close maritime neighbour. India, Indonesia have strong cultural, historic ties, and both Indian PM and Indonesian President Subianto met in November on the sidelines of the G20 Brazil summit. Earlier the Indonesian President was expected to travel to Pakistan from India but the optics of joint India, Pakistan visit is something that Indian govt will not be keen on as it is known that Delhi has been pushing for de-hyphenation for decades now. Ties between the 2 neighbours are not in positive trajectory due to Pakistan's support to cross border terrorism. As per unwritten protocol, India has told foreign delegations not to travel to Pakistan from India. Also Read: India, Indonesia working on BrahMos missile deal The policy of de-hyphenation began gaining prominence during the second term of the George W. Bush administration. It was aimed at separating U.S. foreign policy towards India from its policy towards Pakistan, recognizing India's rising power status and its potential as a strategic partner. In February 2019, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) travelled to India & Pakistan separately in the same month. India side has invited the Indonesian President to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade. This is for the third time that an Indonesian leader has been invited after 2018 and 1950, and the visit is part of India's broader outreach to the ASEAN countries. India, of course, shares close relationship with Indonesia, both in the maritime domain, political domains and cultural and historical domain. Visit comes even as India is celebrating 10 years of the Act East Policy, and under it, leaders from ASEAN countries, including Vietnamese and Malaysia have travelled to India last year. Also the Indian President Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to South East Asian countries as part of this broader outreach.

Indonesia president to travel to Malaysia, after India visit

<p>India, and Indonesia are working together to close millions of dollars worth Brahmos deal ahead of President Prabowo Subianto. The deal in works for sometime came up for conversation during Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi's visit to Indonesia last month. In a post, Indonesia's defence minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said, "advanced technology collaboration, such as BrahMos, was also highlighted, presenting opportunities for Indonesia to learn and grow". The BrahMos missile, known for its speed and precision would significantly enhance Indonesia's coastal and maritime defense capabilities.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Sources have suggested that Indonesia's defence ministry has sent a letter regarding a USD 450 million BrahMos deal to the Indian side. India is offering a loan to Indonesia from either SBI or any other Indian National Banks for the deal, with specifics are being worked out. EXIM Bank was initially slated to process the loan to Indonesia; however, it has not materialised. &nbsp;While the conversation is underway, an expectation will be that the announcement of the deal could be made as early as Subianto's visit scheduled for this month as he has been invited to be the chief guest at India's Republic day.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explainer-india-and-the-taliban-a-brief-history-from-1996-to-2025-8609003" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Explainer: India &amp; the Taliban, a brief history from 1996 to 2025</a></p>
<p>The deal, if concluded, would make Indonesia the second ASEAN nation after the Philippines to procure BrahMos missiles. India signed a groundbreaking $375 million deal with the Philippines in January 2022 for the supply of three batteries of the shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos missile. This was India's first major defense export contract. India and Vietnam are also close to finalizing a $700 million deal for BrahMos missiles.</p>
<p>The BrahMos project was initiated in 1998 and is a joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya. New Delhi has been actively marketing BrahMos globally, aiming to become a significant defense exporter.</p>

India News | The Brahmos missile, known for its speed and precision would significantly enhance Indonesia's coastal and maritime defense capabilities. 

India, and Indonesia are working together to close millions of dollars worth Brahmos deal ahead of President Prabowo Subianto. The deal in works for sometime came up for conversation during Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi's visit to Indonesia last month. In a post, Indonesia's defence minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said, "advanced technology collaboration, such as BrahMos, was also highlighted, presenting opportunities for Indonesia to learn and grow". The BrahMos missile, known for its speed and precision would significantly enhance Indonesia's coastal and maritime defense capabilities. Sources have suggested that Indonesia's defence ministry has sent a letter regarding a USD 450 million BrahMos deal to the Indian side. India is offering a loan to Indonesia from either SBI or any other Indian National Banks for the deal, with specifics are being worked out. EXIM Bank was initially slated to process the loan to Indonesia; however, it has not materialised. While the conversation is underway, an expectation will be that the announcement of the deal could be made as early as Subianto's visit scheduled for this month as he has been invited to be the chief guest at India's Republic day. Also Read: Explainer: India & the Taliban, a brief history from 1996 to 2025 The deal, if concluded, would make Indonesia the second ASEAN nation after the Philippines to procure BrahMos missiles. India signed a groundbreaking $375 million deal with the Philippines in January 2022 for the supply of three batteries of the shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos missile. This was India's first major defense export contract. India and Vietnam are also close to finalizing a $700 million deal for BrahMos missiles. The BrahMos project was initiated in 1998 and is a joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya. New Delhi has been actively marketing BrahMos globally, aiming to become a significant defense exporter.

India, Indonesia working on BrahMos missile deal

<p>The year 2025 began with an unprecedented development in India-Afghanistan ties, something that was unthinkable at one time happened. A top Indian government official, foreign secretary Vikram Misri meeting Afghanistan's acting foreign minister, or top Taliban official, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. On the table were several issues, but a message that the Delhi and Taliban are going to increase engagement. The engagement continues despite Taliban being on the UN sanctions list and not recognised by India. Explaining the history of ties:</p>
<h2><strong>Taliban in Kabul: 1996-2001</strong></h2>
<p>Taliban first came as a major political force in 1996, till it was overthrown by US invasion in 2001 post the 9/11 terror attacks planned by Osama Bin Laden. Laden planned the terror attacks from Afghanistan but he was killed by American forces in 2011 in Pakistan's Abbottabad. The Taliban regime of 1996 was known for its strict religious regulation, and was opposed by the Northern Alliance led by Ahmad Shah Massoud. While the Taliban back then was supported by Pakistan, the northern alliance was supported by Massoud. Infact, a road in Delhi's diplomatic enclave is named after Massoud to honour him. Northern Alliance not only had India's support but also Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, US, Uzbekistan. India back then recognised Burhanuddin Rabbani as Afghan President and not Taliban regime MEA's annual report of 1999 sums up the situation. "The continuation of the civil war principally on account of the intransigence of the Taliban and its foreign mentor, Pakistan, continued to bring great suffering for a people with whom we have historical ties of friendship and cooperation", the report says.</p>
<h2><strong>IC814 Hijacking</strong></h2>
<p>But 1999 was the year when India established direct contact with Taliban but that was due to an unfortunate incident. The hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 by Pakistani terrorists who took the plane from Kathmandu to Kandahar via Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai. The MEA report of 1999 details, "The role played by the Taliban during this crisis was noted but we made it clear that the fundamentals of our Afghan policy would not change." The Taliban essentially played a key interlocutor between the Indian govt and the hijackers. The hijackers initially demanded the release of many terrorists, $200 million, and the coffin of a deceased terrorist but that is believed to have been dropped at the instance of the Taliban. India had eventually released 3 terrorists, and they were allowed to travel to Pakistan, and were not arrested by Taliban as Delhi had hoped for. But the images of Taliban fighters around the hijacked plane still remain fresh in the minds of Indians.</p>
<h2><strong>UN Sanctions, 1999</strong></h2>
<p>1999 was an important year since that year a key resolution was passed, the UNSC resolution 1267 that imposed sanctions on Taliban. The sanction regime imposed air embargoes, financial sanctions against Taliban in response to threats posed by Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaida etc. MEA's 1999 Annual report says, "India played an active role in the formulation of the resolution." What is interesting to note is that this sanction regime directed at Taliban later became the 1267 sanctions committee that not only oversees the implementation of the sanctions but also later on broadened its scope to include Pakistani terrorists. Currently the 1267 sanctions regime lists many Pakistan-based terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) involved in terror attacks in India including the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. All UNSC members are members of the 1267 committee.</p>
<h2><strong>UNGA, 1999</strong></h2>
<p>That year in August, UNGA also held an open debate on Afghanistan. The debate generally saw countries taking tough positions against the Taliban. MEA annual statement of the year says, India statement during the debate "noted that the criminal conduct of Taliban had negative implications for peace and security in Afghanistan and the region". India also "drew attention to international terrorist groups who find a safe haven in Afghanistan and the dangerous nexus between the Taliban, terrorism and the drug mafias operating in the region." All in all, Delhi, "called upon the Security Council and the international community to take meaningful and effective measures in this regard."</p>
<h2><strong>Taliban out of Kabul: 2001-2021</strong></h2>
<p>With US invasion of Afghanistan post 9/11 terror attacks, the Taliban was out and the Afghan republic was established. India increased its engagement, humanitarian support and infrastructure projects in the country. From dams (Salma Dam/ India Afghanistan friendship dam 2016) to Parliament (2015), from education to community projects, India was actively involved in rebuilding Afghanistan after decades of war and civil war. Both countries jointly launched the 'New Development Partnership' in September 2017 to further enhance India&rsquo;s development assistance to Afghanistan. India had also agreed to undertake the Shahtoot Dam project which will provide drinking water to residents of Kabul besides rehabilitation of existing irrigation and drainage networks. But the Taliban, while on the sanctions list, was a major insurgent group and continued to commit a number of attacks against occupying American forces. The US after 2 decades of presence decided to leave the country. With direct talks in Doha starting 2018, it was a matter of time and the day came in August 2021. The Afghan republic fell like a pack of cards as the then Afghan President Ghani fled the capital as the Taliban came back with full force as the new rulers and the new reality of Afghanistan.</p>
<h2><strong>2018: Sharing the table</strong></h2>
<p>India first shared the table with Taliban in 2018, in Moscow at the Russia sponsored peace conference. India was represented at what was known as the "non official level", with 2 former Indian ambassadors to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Amar Sinha and TCA Raghavan representing Delhi. India continued to support peace and reconciliation efforts with a policy that was "Afghan led, Afghan owned, Afghan controlled". The Taliban was led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai and the Afghan republic govt, though its high peace council was present at the table for what came to be known as intra Afghan talks. The Taliban and US soon started to have a conversation with Qatar playing a key role.&nbsp;</p>
<p>India had continued to engage on Afghanistan's future via the Moscow talks. By 2019, it looks like the Taliban will be a potent force. In one of the first interviews to India based media, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid while speaking to WION showed the group's intent to protect the minorities and Chabahar port. On ties with India, he said, "Afghanistan wants good relations with all its neighbouring and regional countries." That interview was one of the first public comments by the Taliban on India.</p>
<h2><strong>Doha peace process</strong></h2>
<p><br>The Doha Peace Process, a series of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Afghanistan, primarily involving the Taliban, the Afghan government, and international stakeholders, notably the United States. India was present in many of its meetings though not as a negotiating party. India was invited to be part of the US Taliban peace deal signing ceremony in Doha in 2020.<br><strong></strong></p>
<h2><strong>Taliban Back in Kabul: 15th August 2021</strong></h2>
<p>It is a day when India celebrates its independence day, but it was the day when Taliban re-entered Kabul after 2 decades. As an immediate reaction, India closed its embassy in the country, and launched operation "Devi Shakti" that saw evacuation of its citizens, embassy staff, Afghan nationals from minority communities like Sikhs &amp; Hindus. India, which had a large diplomatic presence, overnight reduced its presence to zero.</p>
<h2><strong>August: First acknowledgement of talks</strong></h2>
<p>August 2021 were pivotal for Afghanistan, but India, and the wider region. On the last day of August 2021, that is on 31st August first known engagement happened between India and Taliban. These talks were publicly announced by India's Ministry of external affairs, in what was first such confirmation. Head of Taliban&rsquo;s Political Office in Doha Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai met with the then Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal. The meeting happened at the Indian embassy, with the MEA statement saying, "discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit India also came up". Ambassador Mittal raised India&rsquo;s concern that "Afghanistan&rsquo;s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner."</p>
<h2><strong>August 2021: India at UNSC</strong></h2>
<p>Interestingly, that month, when Taliban re entered Kabul, India was the President of the United Nations Security Council. India, under its UNSC presidency, convened emergency meetings to address the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. These meetings took place on August 6 and August 16, 2021, focusing on the Taliban's offensive and the unfolding humanitarian crisis. India, through its UNSC statements, condemned the Taliban's violence and emphasized the need for an immediate reduction of hostilities. On the 16th of August 2021 meet, India's then ambassador to UN TS Tirumurti said, "There is widespread panic...security situation remains precarious" &amp; as a "neighbour &amp; friend of Afghanistan, the current situation is a great concern to us, in India"</p>
<p>India played a significant role in the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2593 on August 30, 2021, which demanded that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or shelter terrorists. This resolution was crucial as it came right after the Taliban's takeover and was adopted under India's presidency, though with abstentions from Russia and China.</p>
<h2><strong>2022: First steps towards engagement</strong></h2>
<p>June 2022, was pivotal in many ways as India not only announced the opening up of its technical mission in the country, a de facto embassy to monitor and coordinate India's humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan but also the visit of India's points person on Afghanistan, MEA's Joint Secretary &amp; head of Pakistan Afghanistan Iran division JP Singh. Taliban welcome the engagement. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of the Taliban-run Afghan foreign ministry said, "the return of Indian diplomats to Afghanistan &amp; reopening of embassy demonstrates that security is established in the country, &amp; all political &amp; diplomatic rights are respected."</p>
<p>Visit of JP Singh was the first official visit by an Indian diplomat since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. He visited projects like the Chimtala Power Station and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health.</p>
<p>Singh also met with Taliban's Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai as well. &nbsp;Important to point, Stanekzai was trained at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, India, from 1979 to 1982 under an Indo-Afghan cooperation program. He completed his pre-commission training at IMA for a year and a half, where he was known by the nickname "Sheru" among his batchmates. This visit was focused on overseeing the delivery of humanitarian assistance from India. During the visit the Indian team visited Indian projects in the country as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For the Taliban, keen to get global recognition, it was a positive development. Balkhi , "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes India's step to upgrade its diplomatic representation in Kabul. Besides ensuring security, we will pay close attention to the immunity of the diplomats and cooperate well in endeavors."</p>
<p>Meanwhile, while the political regime changed, India's outreach to Afghan people continued. That year, India supplied several shipments of humanitarian assistance consisting of 40,000 MT of wheat, 55 tons of medicines, 500,000 doses of Covid vaccines and winter clothing. In the wake of the tragic earthquake that struck Eastern Afghanistan on 22 June 2022, India dispatched 28 tons of emergency relief assistance in two flights for the people of Afghanistan.</p>
<h2><strong>2023: Cautious engagement</strong></h2>
<p>Focus remained on India's humanitarian support, use of Chabahar port in Iran for connectivity, and overall expanding political and diplomatic ties. India continued to send Afghanistan wheat, medicines, medical and surgical items throughout 2023 despite the continuation of the Taliban regime. Delhi partnered with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Afghanistan, to provide assistance for the welfare of the Afghan drug-user population, especially women. Under this partnership, 11,000 units of female hygiene kits, baby food, general-use hygiene kits, blankets, clothing, footwear, medical aid and other miscellaneous items were supplied.</p>
<p>While issuance of visas to Afghans remains restricted post Taliban return, under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship scheme, fresh admissions were granted to more than 2000 Afghan students, including 301 girls. ICCR began providing online scholarships for 1000 Afghan students through e-VidyaBharti portal in the academic year 2023-24. The two countries continued to interact in the sporting domain with Afghan players visiting India to participate in various sporting events like the International Chess Olympiad, Cricket-IPL and ICC Cricket World Cup.</p>
<h2><strong>2024: visits from Delhi</strong></h2>
<p>The engagement continued as Indian Diplomat JP Singh visited the country in March and November. During the march, an Indian diplomat &amp; his delegation met Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. His delegation included a woman diplomat Deepti Jharwal, who was back then in the PAI division of the MEA. The presence of a women diplomat was seen as significant at a time when Taliban was being criticised globally over its rules on women's role in the society.</p>
<p>Singh again visited Afghanistan in November of 2024 during which he not only met Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi but also defence minister Mohammad Yaqoob, former Afghan President Karzai. This was the first time a top Indian diplomat from Delhi was meeting Taliban's Yaqoob who is the eldest son of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the founder of the Taliban.</p>
<p>In June, India attended the Doha UN meet on Afghanistan with Taliban's Zabihulah saying that a bilateral meet happened with MEA's JP Singh. Meanwhile lots of changes happened at the Afghan embassies in India as well as diplomats appointed by the Afghan republic left. In November 2024, Ikramuddin Kamil was appointed as the acting consul at the Afghan Consulate in Mumbai, marking the first such appointment by the Taliban in India. Kamil studied in India for seven years, completing his doctorate from South Asia University in New Delhi on a scholarship provided by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Indian sources have said as far as his affiliation is concerned "for us, he is an Afghan national working for Afghans in India&rdquo;.</p>
<h2><strong>2025: India ups the engagement with Taliban</strong></h2>
<p>With work done in 2022, 2023, 2024, Kabul and Delhi looked fairly confident to firm up engagement. And that happened on 8th January 2025, with first ever talks between top Indian govt officials with Taliban leadership. Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri met Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai. During the talks both sides discussed Indian humanitarian assistance, Chabahar port project, support to Afghan refugees, India's security concerns, and even cricketing ties.</p>
<p>A statement from the ministry of external affairs said, "The two sides evaluated the ongoing Indian humanitarian assistance programmes. The Afghan Minister appreciated and thanked the Indian leadership for continuing to engage and support the people of Afghanistan. In view of the current need for development activities, it was decided that India would consider engaging in development projects in the near future, in addition to the ongoing humanitarian assistance programme." &nbsp;During the talks, the Afghan side hoped that Afghan students could get visas soon. The Indian visa issuance, an issue that comes under India's home ministry, was stopped in 2021 with the fall of Kabul.</p>
<p>Clearly, from 1996 to 2025, India-Taliban ties have come a long way. India sees Afghanistan as an important neighbour, with historic connection and while the political color has changed in Kabul, Delhi's humanitarian support to Afghan people continues. All in All, the engagement is expected to continue and grow as well.&nbsp;</p>

India News | Taliban first came as a major political force in 1996, till it was overthrown by US invasion in 2001 post the 9/11 terror attacks planned by Osama Bin Laden.

The year 2025 began with an unprecedented development in India-Afghanistan ties, something that was unthinkable at one time happened. A top Indian government official, foreign secretary Vikram Misri meeting Afghanistan's acting foreign minister, or top Taliban official, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. On the table were several issues, but a message that the Delhi and Taliban are going to increase engagement. The engagement continues despite Taliban being on the UN sanctions list and not recognised by India. Explaining the history of ties: Taliban in Kabul: 1996-2001 Taliban first came as a major political force in 1996, till it was overthrown by US invasion in 2001 post the 9/11 terror attacks planned by Osama Bin Laden. Laden planned the terror attacks from Afghanistan but he was killed by American forces in 2011 in Pakistan's Abbottabad. The Taliban regime of 1996 was known for its strict religious regulation, and was opposed by the Northern Alliance led by Ahmad Shah Massoud. While the Taliban back then was supported by Pakistan, the northern alliance was supported by Massoud. Infact, a road in Delhi's diplomatic enclave is named after Massoud to honour him. Northern Alliance not only had India's support but also Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, US, Uzbekistan. India back then recognised Burhanuddin Rabbani as Afghan President and not Taliban regime MEA's annual report of 1999 sums up the situation. "The continuation of the civil war principally on account of the intransigence of the Taliban and its foreign mentor, Pakistan, continued to bring great suffering for a people with whom we have historical ties of friendship and cooperation", the report says. IC814 Hijacking But 1999 was the year when India established direct contact with Taliban but that was due to an unfortunate incident. The hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 by Pakistani terrorists who took the plane from Kathmandu to Kandahar via Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai. The MEA report of 1999 details, "The role played by the Taliban during this crisis was noted but we made it clear that the fundamentals of our Afghan policy would not change." The Taliban essentially played a key interlocutor between the Indian govt and the hijackers. The hijackers initially demanded the release of many terrorists, $200 million, and the coffin of a deceased terrorist but that is believed to have been dropped at the instance of the Taliban. India had eventually released 3 terrorists, and they were allowed to travel to Pakistan, and were not arrested by Taliban as Delhi had hoped for. But the images of Taliban fighters around the hijacked plane still remain fresh in the minds of Indians. UN Sanctions, 1999 1999 was an important year since that year a key resolution was passed, the UNSC resolution 1267 that imposed sanctions on Taliban. The sanction regime imposed air embargoes, financial sanctions against Taliban in response to threats posed by Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaida etc. MEA's 1999 Annual report says, "India played an active role in the formulation of the resolution." What is interesting to note is that this sanction regime directed at Taliban later became the 1267 sanctions committee that not only oversees the implementation of the sanctions but also later on broadened its scope to include Pakistani terrorists. Currently the 1267 sanctions regime lists many Pakistan-based terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) involved in terror attacks in India including the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. All UNSC members are members of the 1267 committee. UNGA, 1999 That year in August, UNGA also held an open debate on Afghanistan. The debate generally saw countries taking tough positions against the Taliban. MEA annual statement of the year says, India statement during the debate "noted that the criminal conduct of Taliban had negative implications for peace and security in Afghanistan and the region". India also "drew attention to international terrorist groups who find a safe haven in Afghanistan and the dangerous nexus between the Taliban, terrorism and the drug mafias operating in the region." All in all, Delhi, "called upon the Security Council and the international community to take meaningful and effective measures in this regard." Taliban out of Kabul: 2001-2021 With US invasion of Afghanistan post 9/11 terror attacks, the Taliban was out and the Afghan republic was established. India increased its engagement, humanitarian support and infrastructure projects in the country. From dams (Salma Dam/ India Afghanistan friendship dam 2016) to Parliament (2015), from education to community projects, India was actively involved in rebuilding Afghanistan after decades of war and civil war. Both countries jointly launched the 'New Development Partnership' in September 2017 to further enhance India’s development assistance to Afghanistan. India had also agreed to undertake the Shahtoot Dam project which will provide drinking water to residents of Kabul besides rehabilitation of existing irrigation and drainage networks. But the Taliban, while on the sanctions list, was a major insurgent group and continued to commit a number of attacks against occupying American forces. The US after 2 decades of presence decided to leave the country. With direct talks in Doha starting 2018, it was a matter of time and the day came in August 2021. The Afghan republic fell like a pack of cards as the then Afghan President Ghani fled the capital as the Taliban came back with full force as the new rulers and the new reality of Afghanistan. 2018: Sharing the table India first shared the table with Taliban in 2018, in Moscow at the Russia sponsored peace conference. India was represented at what was known as the "non official level", with 2 former Indian ambassadors to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Amar Sinha and TCA Raghavan representing Delhi. India continued to support peace and reconciliation efforts with a policy that was "Afghan led, Afghan owned, Afghan controlled". The Taliban was led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai and the Afghan republic govt, though its high peace council was present at the table for what came to be known as intra Afghan talks. The Taliban and US soon started to have a conversation with Qatar playing a key role. India had continued to engage on Afghanistan's future via the Moscow talks. By 2019, it looks like the Taliban will be a potent force. In one of the first interviews to India based media, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid while speaking to WION showed the group's intent to protect the minorities and Chabahar port. On ties with India, he said, "Afghanistan wants good relations with all its neighbouring and regional countries." That interview was one of the first public comments by the Taliban on India. Doha peace process The Doha Peace Process, a series of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Afghanistan, primarily involving the Taliban, the Afghan government, and international stakeholders, notably the United States. India was present in many of its meetings though not as a negotiating party. India was invited to be part of the US Taliban peace deal signing ceremony in Doha in 2020. Taliban Back in Kabul: 15th August 2021 It is a day when India celebrates its independence day, but it was the day when Taliban re-entered Kabul after 2 decades. As an immediate reaction, India closed its embassy in the country, and launched operation "Devi Shakti" that saw evacuation of its citizens, embassy staff, Afghan nationals from minority communities like Sikhs & Hindus. India, which had a large diplomatic presence, overnight reduced its presence to zero. August: First acknowledgement of talks August 2021 were pivotal for Afghanistan, but India, and the wider region. On the last day of August 2021, that is on 31st August first known engagement happened between India and Taliban. These talks were publicly announced by India's Ministry of external affairs, in what was first such confirmation. Head of Taliban’s Political Office in Doha Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai met with the then Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal. The meeting happened at the Indian embassy, with the MEA statement saying, "discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit India also came up". Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that "Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner." August 2021: India at UNSC Interestingly, that month, when Taliban re entered Kabul, India was the President of the United Nations Security Council. India, under its UNSC presidency, convened emergency meetings to address the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. These meetings took place on August 6 and August 16, 2021, focusing on the Taliban's offensive and the unfolding humanitarian crisis. India, through its UNSC statements, condemned the Taliban's violence and emphasized the need for an immediate reduction of hostilities. On the 16th of August 2021 meet, India's then ambassador to UN TS Tirumurti said, "There is widespread panic...security situation remains precarious" & as a "neighbour & friend of Afghanistan, the current situation is a great concern to us, in India" India played a significant role in the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2593 on August 30, 2021, which demanded that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or shelter terrorists. This resolution was crucial as it came right after the Taliban's takeover and was adopted under India's presidency, though with abstentions from Russia and China. 2022: First steps towards engagement June 2022, was pivotal in many ways as India not only announced the opening up of its technical mission in the country, a de facto embassy to monitor and coordinate India's humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan but also the visit of India's points person on Afghanistan, MEA's Joint Secretary & head of Pakistan Afghanistan Iran division JP Singh. Taliban welcome the engagement. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of the Taliban-run Afghan foreign ministry said, "the return of Indian diplomats to Afghanistan & reopening of embassy demonstrates that security is established in the country, & all political & diplomatic rights are respected." Visit of JP Singh was the first official visit by an Indian diplomat since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. He visited projects like the Chimtala Power Station and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health. Singh also met with Taliban's Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai as well. Important to point, Stanekzai was trained at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, India, from 1979 to 1982 under an Indo-Afghan cooperation program. He completed his pre-commission training at IMA for a year and a half, where he was known by the nickname "Sheru" among his batchmates. This visit was focused on overseeing the delivery of humanitarian assistance from India. During the visit the Indian team visited Indian projects in the country as well. For the Taliban, keen to get global recognition, it was a positive development. Balkhi , "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes India's step to upgrade its diplomatic representation in Kabul. Besides ensuring security, we will pay close attention to the immunity of the diplomats and cooperate well in endeavors." Meanwhile, while the political regime changed, India's outreach to Afghan people continued. That year, India supplied several shipments of humanitarian assistance consisting of 40,000 MT of wheat, 55 tons of medicines, 500,000 doses of Covid vaccines and winter clothing. In the wake of the tragic earthquake that struck Eastern Afghanistan on 22 June 2022, India dispatched 28 tons of emergency relief assistance in two flights for the people of Afghanistan. 2023: Cautious engagement Focus remained on India's humanitarian support, use of Chabahar port in Iran for connectivity, and overall expanding political and diplomatic ties. India continued to send Afghanistan wheat, medicines, medical and surgical items throughout 2023 despite the continuation of the Taliban regime. Delhi partnered with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Afghanistan, to provide assistance for the welfare of the Afghan drug-user population, especially women. Under this partnership, 11,000 units of female hygiene kits, baby food, general-use hygiene kits, blankets, clothing, footwear, medical aid and other miscellaneous items were supplied. While issuance of visas to Afghans remains restricted post Taliban return, under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship scheme, fresh admissions were granted to more than 2000 Afghan students, including 301 girls. ICCR began providing online scholarships for 1000 Afghan students through e-VidyaBharti portal in the academic year 2023-24. The two countries continued to interact in the sporting domain with Afghan players visiting India to participate in various sporting events like the International Chess Olympiad, Cricket-IPL and ICC Cricket World Cup. 2024: visits from Delhi The engagement continued as Indian Diplomat JP Singh visited the country in March and November. During the march, an Indian diplomat & his delegation met Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. His delegation included a woman diplomat Deepti Jharwal, who was back then in the PAI division of the MEA. The presence of a women diplomat was seen as significant at a time when Taliban was being criticised globally over its rules on women's role in the society. Singh again visited Afghanistan in November of 2024 during which he not only met Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi but also defence minister Mohammad Yaqoob, former Afghan President Karzai. This was the first time a top Indian diplomat from Delhi was meeting Taliban's Yaqoob who is the eldest son of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the founder of the Taliban. In June, India attended the Doha UN meet on Afghanistan with Taliban's Zabihulah saying that a bilateral meet happened with MEA's JP Singh. Meanwhile lots of changes happened at the Afghan embassies in India as well as diplomats appointed by the Afghan republic left. In November 2024, Ikramuddin Kamil was appointed as the acting consul at the Afghan Consulate in Mumbai, marking the first such appointment by the Taliban in India. Kamil studied in India for seven years, completing his doctorate from South Asia University in New Delhi on a scholarship provided by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Indian sources have said as far as his affiliation is concerned "for us, he is an Afghan national working for Afghans in India”. 2025: India ups the engagement with Taliban With work done in 2022, 2023, 2024, Kabul and Delhi looked fairly confident to firm up engagement. And that happened on 8th January 2025, with first ever talks between top Indian govt officials with Taliban leadership. Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri met Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai. During the talks both sides discussed Indian humanitarian assistance, Chabahar port project, support to Afghan refugees, India's security concerns, and even cricketing ties. A statement from the ministry of external affairs said, "The two sides evaluated the ongoing Indian humanitarian assistance programmes. The Afghan Minister appreciated and thanked the Indian leadership for continuing to engage and support the people of Afghanistan. In view of the current need for development activities, it was decided that India would consider engaging in development projects in the near future, in addition to the ongoing humanitarian assistance programme." During the talks, the Afghan side hoped that Afghan students could get visas soon. The Indian visa issuance, an issue that comes under India's home ministry, was stopped in 2021 with the fall of Kabul. Clearly, from 1996 to 2025, India-Taliban ties have come a long way. India sees Afghanistan as an important neighbour, with historic connection and while the political color has changed in Kabul, Delhi's humanitarian support to Afghan people continues. All in All, the engagement is expected to continue and grow as well.

Explainer: India & the Taliban, a brief history from 1996 to 2025

<p>French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that Indian PM Modi will be traveling to France for a state visit and attending the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit. Addressing the French Ambassadors Conference, Macron said, 'France will be hosting on 11-12th February the AI Summit, summit for action. This summit will enable us to have an international discussion on Artificial intelligence. PM Modi will be there immediately after his state visit to our country, &amp; this enables us to have dialogue with all the powers on AI, US, China &amp; major nations like India which have a role to play, &amp; gulf states'.&nbsp;</p>
<p>India will be co-hosting the summit that will take place at the Grand Palais in Paris. This summit follows a series of international gatherings on AI, including the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in the UK (2023) and in Seoul, South Korea (2024). Indian govt itself has been engaging with global AI initiatives, something that was evident by hosted the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit 2023 in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurating the summit, emphasised India's role in AI development and governance.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/singapore-prez-tharman-to-visit-india-from-14th-to-18th-january-8608590" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Singapore Prez Tharman to visit India from 14th to 18th January</a></strong></p>
<p>This is the 2nd visit of PM Modi to France in the last one and a half years. PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at France's Bastille Day parade in July 2023, and the visit came as India France marked the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. The visit was followed by a reciprocal visit of French President Macron who was the chief guest at India's Republic day in January of 2024.</p>
<p>The upcoming visit is expected to focus on finalizing two large defense deals between India and France. The deals worth billions of dollars involve the purchase of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers and Scorpene-class conventional submarines. India, France has a strong defence partnership. Other than buying Rafael fighter jets, both sides are co-developing a combat aircraft engine. France has committed to supporting 'Make in India' by transferring technology for various defense projects, enhancing India's defense industrial capabilities. The countries hold exercises in all domains like Shakti, Varuna and Garuda.</p>
<p>From Indo Pacific to counter terror, both countries have been working with each other. France played a key role in listing of Pakistani terrorists at the UN and has been a vocal support of India's presence at a reformed United Nations Security Council.</p>

India News World | PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at France's Bastille Day parade in July 2023, and the visit came as India France marked the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. 

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that Indian PM Modi will be traveling to France for a state visit and attending the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit. Addressing the French Ambassadors Conference, Macron said, 'France will be hosting on 11-12th February the AI Summit, summit for action. This summit will enable us to have an international discussion on Artificial intelligence. PM Modi will be there immediately after his state visit to our country, & this enables us to have dialogue with all the powers on AI, US, China & major nations like India which have a role to play, & gulf states'. India will be co-hosting the summit that will take place at the Grand Palais in Paris. This summit follows a series of international gatherings on AI, including the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in the UK (2023) and in Seoul, South Korea (2024). Indian govt itself has been engaging with global AI initiatives, something that was evident by hosted the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit 2023 in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurating the summit, emphasised India's role in AI development and governance. Also Read: Singapore Prez Tharman to visit India from 14th to 18th January This is the 2nd visit of PM Modi to France in the last one and a half years. PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at France's Bastille Day parade in July 2023, and the visit came as India France marked the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. The visit was followed by a reciprocal visit of French President Macron who was the chief guest at India's Republic day in January of 2024. The upcoming visit is expected to focus on finalizing two large defense deals between India and France. The deals worth billions of dollars involve the purchase of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers and Scorpene-class conventional submarines. India, France has a strong defence partnership. Other than buying Rafael fighter jets, both sides are co-developing a combat aircraft engine. France has committed to supporting 'Make in India' by transferring technology for various defense projects, enhancing India's defense industrial capabilities. The countries hold exercises in all domains like Shakti, Varuna and Garuda. From Indo Pacific to counter terror, both countries have been working with each other. France played a key role in listing of Pakistani terrorists at the UN and has been a vocal support of India's presence at a reformed United Nations Security Council.

PM Modi to visit France, announces Macron

<p>Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be travelling to India next week from January 14 to 18, a visit that comes even as India and Singapore commemorate 60th year of establishment of ties. This is after a gap of 10 years that a Singapore President is travelling to India, the last being Tony Tan Keng Yam in February 2015.&nbsp;</p>
<p>January 16 is expected to be the main day of engagement in Delhi, with the Singapore President being welcomed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, meeting with PM Modi and other key engagements. In Delhi, he will also meet Indian thought leaders, the Singaporean community in India &amp; will confer the Honorary Citizen Award on former DG CII, Tarun Das for his contribution to Singapore India ties.</p>
<p>&nbsp;The visit will see the Singapore President travelling to Odisha, where not only the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will on him but he will visit skills centre set up by Singapore's Institute of Technical Education Services with funding from Asian development Bank, a vaccine manufacturing centre and UNESCO World Heritage Site-Sun Temple in Konark.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explainer-india-indonesia-the-maritime-neighbours-firming-up-ties-8608014" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Explainer: India, Indonesia, the maritime neighbours firming up ties</a></p>
<p>Important to point out, that 2 MoU are expected to be signed as well during the visit, one on skilling and one on Semi- conductors in Odisha. Singapore has been an active supporter of India's Skills development journey, and has helped to establish 5 skills centres in India</p>
<p>The visit comes a month after the visit of PM Modi to Singapore. As part of the 60 years celebration of diplomatic ties and 10 years of Strategic Partnership, the Singapore PM Lawrence Wong is expected to travel to India this year. Singapore is India's top foreign investor, and the country makes up about 24% of India's FDI inflows since 2000.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: &nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-his-first-ever-podcast-indian-pm-modi-says-he-im-human-not-god-8607937" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">A completely new world...,' Indian PM Modi makes his podcast debut</a></p>
<p>Defence, connectivity, finance have been other domains where both countries have been increasing ties. &nbsp;The digital payments linkages between Singapore's Pay Now and India's UPI was launched in Feb 2023, allowing participating financial institutions to send and receive funds between banks or e-wallets in real time. The 31st Singapore, India maritime bilateral exercise, which is the longest running joint maritime exercise between India and a foreign partner, took place in October 2024.</p>

World | News India January 16 is expected to be the main day of engagement in Delhi, with the Singapore President being welcomed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, meeting with PM Modi and other key engagements.

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be travelling to India next week from January 14 to 18, a visit that comes even as India and Singapore commemorate 60th year of establishment of ties. This is after a gap of 10 years that a Singapore President is travelling to India, the last being Tony Tan Keng Yam in February 2015. January 16 is expected to be the main day of engagement in Delhi, with the Singapore President being welcomed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, meeting with PM Modi and other key engagements. In Delhi, he will also meet Indian thought leaders, the Singaporean community in India & will confer the Honorary Citizen Award on former DG CII, Tarun Das for his contribution to Singapore India ties. The visit will see the Singapore President travelling to Odisha, where not only the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will on him but he will visit skills centre set up by Singapore's Institute of Technical Education Services with funding from Asian development Bank, a vaccine manufacturing centre and UNESCO World Heritage Site-Sun Temple in Konark. Also Read: Explainer: India, Indonesia, the maritime neighbours firming up ties Important to point out, that 2 MoU are expected to be signed as well during the visit, one on skilling and one on Semi- conductors in Odisha. Singapore has been an active supporter of India's Skills development journey, and has helped to establish 5 skills centres in India The visit comes a month after the visit of PM Modi to Singapore. As part of the 60 years celebration of diplomatic ties and 10 years of Strategic Partnership, the Singapore PM Lawrence Wong is expected to travel to India this year. Singapore is India's top foreign investor, and the country makes up about 24% of India's FDI inflows since 2000. Also Read: A completely new world...,' Indian PM Modi makes his podcast debut Defence, connectivity, finance have been other domains where both countries have been increasing ties. The digital payments linkages between Singapore's Pay Now and India's UPI was launched in Feb 2023, allowing participating financial institutions to send and receive funds between banks or e-wallets in real time. The 31st Singapore, India maritime bilateral exercise, which is the longest running joint maritime exercise between India and a foreign partner, took place in October 2024.

Singapore Prez Tharman to visit India from 14th to 18th January

<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong> India, and Indonesia, who are maritime neighbours are set to firm up ties with the visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Delhi later this month. Subianto has been invited to be the chief guest at India's Republic day on 26th January, an honour India reserves for countries with which it has close relationship. The ties between the 2 countries span several centuries, and one that looks towards further positive trajectory. Explaining the ties:</p>
<p><strong>History:</strong> India, Indonesia history spans centuries, with Hindu, Buddhist and later Muslim faith travelling to Indonesia from the shores of India. The stories from great Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata form a source of Indonesian folk art and dramas. Historically, ancient India has had a huge cultural impact on Indonesian kingdoms. From around the 1st to the 14th centuries, various kingdoms in Indonesia adopted these Indian religions alongside Sanskrit culture, literature, and scripts. These include the Majapahit Empire (1293-1527) in Java which was one of the last major Hindu-Buddhist empires in Indonesia to the Srivijaya Empire (7th to 13th century) centred in Sumatra but had extensive maritime trade networks connecting India.</p>
<p><strong>Ties since Independence:</strong> India, Indonesia who are 2 large countries of the global south have taken a major lead when it comes to post-independence goals of political sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency. The 1955 Bandung conference in Indonesia was hosted by then President Sukarno aimed to promote Afro-Asia economic and cultural cooperation and oppose colonialism. The conference laid the groundwork for the Non-Aligned Movement, which sought to keep newly independent countries out of Cold War politics. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, was one of the key architects of the conference and attended it along with leaders like Egypt's Nasser, China's Zhou Enlai.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/defying-the-odds-can-indias-indigenous-amca-secure-a-foothold-in-the-6th-generation-fighter-jet-echelon-8604310" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Defying the Odds: Can India's Indigenous AMCA Secure a Foothold in the 6th Generation Fighter Jet Echelon?</a></p>
<p><strong>Recent ties:</strong> PM Modi has been to Indonesia in 2018, which was his first bilateral visit to the country. He later travelled to the country for the G20 summit in 2022 in Bali. PM Modi and President Prabowo Subianto met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil's Rio in November 2024. Minister of state in MEA Pabitra Margherita visited Jakarta as Special Envoy of the Indian PM to attend the inauguration ceremony of Indonesia's President Prabowo in October 2024.</p>
<p><strong>Trade:</strong> Indonesia is the second largest trading partner of India in the ASEAN, with bilateral trade increasing from a meagre US$ 4.3 billion in 2005-06 to US$ 38.84 billion in 2022-23 and US$ 29.40 billion in 2023-24. India is the second largest buyer of coal and largest buyer of crude palm oil from Indonesia and imports minerals, rubber, pulp and paper and hydrocarbons reserves. There are about 100 Indian investments / Joint Ventures in Indonesia and as per Indonesian authorities, Indian investment in Indonesia is USD 1.56 billion in 7292 projects during 2000-2024.</p>
<p><strong>Republic day:</strong> This year, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has been invited to be the Chief Guest at India's Republic day, an honour India bestows on countries with which it has close relationships. But this is not the first time India has invited an Indonesian President to be the chief guest at the Republic day parade. President Sukarno of Indonesia in 1950 was invited to be chief guest at the Republic day, becoming the first foreign leader to grace the occasion. In 2011, President Susilo Bambamg Yudhoyono was invited, and then in 2018, Indonesian President Joko Widodo along with all ASEAN leaders was present for the Republic day.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-terror-group-ttp-kidnaps-17-workers-security-forces-rescue-8-8607334" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Pak terror group TTP kidnaps 17 staff from mine, security forces rescue 8, ops to save others ongoing</a></p>
<p><strong>Ganesha &amp; Garuda:</strong> Garuda, the bird-like creature which is the vehicle (Vahana) of Lord Vishnu and the symbol of the Majapahit empire is today part of the country's national emblem designed in 1949. Even after the fall of Majapahit, Garuda continued to be an emblem of nobility and power among subsequent Javanese kingdoms. The cultural connection is so strong that at one point the country had a banknote with Lord Ganesha which reflected the historic influence of Hinduism in Indonesia. The note was demonetized in 2008 by the authorities as part of a regular currency update.</p>
<p><strong>Connectivity:</strong> Plan is on the table to connect Andaman and Nicobar Islands with Aceh, a key outcome from PM Modi's visit to Indonesia in 2018. In May 2018, a Joint Task Force (JTF) was established on Andaman-Aceh connectivity. Indonesia will host the 3rd JTF in 2025. Direct Connectivity between India and Indonesia started in August 2023 by operation of Indigo flights between Mumbai and Indonesia's capital Jakarta. Direct flights started between Delhi and Bali in December 2023 and between Bangalore and Bali in March 2024. India emerged as the second largest source of tourists(more than 600,000) to Bali in 2023, after Australia.</p>
<p><strong>Defence:</strong> Defence has emerged as a key component of India, Indonesia relationship. Both have several exercises, like Samudra Shakti, which is a bilateral naval exercise, to Garuda Shakti, which is army to army exercise. Both nations have conducted coordinated patrols in the Andaman Sea and Java Sea to combat piracy, illegal fishing, and trafficking. Discussions have been ongoing regarding the sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia, which would mark a significant defense deal. It will be part of the discussion during the upcoming visit of the Indonesian President to India.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-new-capital-makran-tehran-why-iran-changing-capital-8607772" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Why is Iran changing its capital from Tehran to Makran?</a></p>
<p><strong>Diaspora: </strong>There are around 14,000 Indian Nationals (NRI) living in Indonesia including entrepreneurs, engineers, IT professionals, consultants, bankers, and other professions. They are mainly concentrated in Greater Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung and have community associations, and actively engage in various festivals. The country has a number of Persons of Indian origin, mostly from South India, but a significant number of them are also from North India which includes Sindhis (around 10,000), Sikhs (around 10,000), Gujaratis according to the Indian embassy.</p>
<p><strong>Indonesia &amp; Odisha:</strong>While Indonesia has had a strong relationship with India, the state of Odisha has special ties. Biju Patnaik the former CM of Odisha and the father of Naveen Patnaik (himself the CM of Odisha as well) launched a daring flight of freedom and flew Indonesia's 1st PM from Java to India as Dutch controlled the area. For his bravery and assistance in the Indonesian fight for freedom, President Sukarno awarded Biju Patnaik the title "Bhumiputra," meaning "Son of the Soil," an honour rarely bestowed upon foreigners. Biju Patnaik and his wife, Gyan Patnaik, were honoured by being asked to name Sukarno's daughter, whom they named Meghawati, later known as Megawati Sukarnoputri, who served as Indonesia's President from 2001 to 2004. Bali Yatra is an annual festival held in Cuttack that celebrates many things including the ancient maritime and cultural links between Odisha (historically known as Kalinga) and the islands of Southeast Asia, particularly Bali in Indonesia.</p>
<p><strong>Past irritants:</strong> While India, Indonesia ties have been historically positive, Jakarta's pro Pakistan stance during 1965 war Indo Pak war was a concern for Delhi. During the war started by Pakistan, several demonstrations were held before the Indian Embassy in Jakarta which culminated in a violent attack on the Chancery on 9 September, 1965, causing extensive damage. Similar violent demonstrations were held in front of the Indian Consulate in Medan. MEA's annual report of 1965 says, in September of that year "it was announced that Indian properties had been brought under the supervision of the Indonesian Government. It was explained that though the Indians continued to own their properties, they would not be free to sell or transfer them to others"</p>

India News | India, Indonesia history spans centuries, with Hindu, Buddhist and later Muslim faith travelling to Indonesia from the shores of India. 

New Delhi: India, and Indonesia, who are maritime neighbours are set to firm up ties with the visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Delhi later this month. Subianto has been invited to be the chief guest at India's Republic day on 26th January, an honour India reserves for countries with which it has close relationship. The ties between the 2 countries span several centuries, and one that looks towards further positive trajectory. Explaining the ties: History: India, Indonesia history spans centuries, with Hindu, Buddhist and later Muslim faith travelling to Indonesia from the shores of India. The stories from great Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata form a source of Indonesian folk art and dramas. Historically, ancient India has had a huge cultural impact on Indonesian kingdoms. From around the 1st to the 14th centuries, various kingdoms in Indonesia adopted these Indian religions alongside Sanskrit culture, literature, and scripts. These include the Majapahit Empire (1293-1527) in Java which was one of the last major Hindu-Buddhist empires in Indonesia to the Srivijaya Empire (7th to 13th century) centred in Sumatra but had extensive maritime trade networks connecting India. Ties since Independence: India, Indonesia who are 2 large countries of the global south have taken a major lead when it comes to post-independence goals of political sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency. The 1955 Bandung conference in Indonesia was hosted by then President Sukarno aimed to promote Afro-Asia economic and cultural cooperation and oppose colonialism. The conference laid the groundwork for the Non-Aligned Movement, which sought to keep newly independent countries out of Cold War politics. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, was one of the key architects of the conference and attended it along with leaders like Egypt's Nasser, China's Zhou Enlai. Also Read: Defying the Odds: Can India's Indigenous AMCA Secure a Foothold in the 6th Generation Fighter Jet Echelon? Recent ties: PM Modi has been to Indonesia in 2018, which was his first bilateral visit to the country. He later travelled to the country for the G20 summit in 2022 in Bali. PM Modi and President Prabowo Subianto met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil's Rio in November 2024. Minister of state in MEA Pabitra Margherita visited Jakarta as Special Envoy of the Indian PM to attend the inauguration ceremony of Indonesia's President Prabowo in October 2024. Trade: Indonesia is the second largest trading partner of India in the ASEAN, with bilateral trade increasing from a meagre US$ 4.3 billion in 2005-06 to US$ 38.84 billion in 2022-23 and US$ 29.40 billion in 2023-24. India is the second largest buyer of coal and largest buyer of crude palm oil from Indonesia and imports minerals, rubber, pulp and paper and hydrocarbons reserves. There are about 100 Indian investments / Joint Ventures in Indonesia and as per Indonesian authorities, Indian investment in Indonesia is USD 1.56 billion in 7292 projects during 2000-2024. Republic day: This year, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has been invited to be the Chief Guest at India's Republic day, an honour India bestows on countries with which it has close relationships. But this is not the first time India has invited an Indonesian President to be the chief guest at the Republic day parade. President Sukarno of Indonesia in 1950 was invited to be chief guest at the Republic day, becoming the first foreign leader to grace the occasion. In 2011, President Susilo Bambamg Yudhoyono was invited, and then in 2018, Indonesian President Joko Widodo along with all ASEAN leaders was present for the Republic day. Also Read: Pak terror group TTP kidnaps 17 staff from mine, security forces rescue 8, ops to save others ongoing Ganesha & Garuda: Garuda, the bird-like creature which is the vehicle (Vahana) of Lord Vishnu and the symbol of the Majapahit empire is today part of the country's national emblem designed in 1949. Even after the fall of Majapahit, Garuda continued to be an emblem of nobility and power among subsequent Javanese kingdoms. The cultural connection is so strong that at one point the country had a banknote with Lord Ganesha which reflected the historic influence of Hinduism in Indonesia. The note was demonetized in 2008 by the authorities as part of a regular currency update. Connectivity: Plan is on the table to connect Andaman and Nicobar Islands with Aceh, a key outcome from PM Modi's visit to Indonesia in 2018. In May 2018, a Joint Task Force (JTF) was established on Andaman-Aceh connectivity. Indonesia will host the 3rd JTF in 2025. Direct Connectivity between India and Indonesia started in August 2023 by operation of Indigo flights between Mumbai and Indonesia's capital Jakarta. Direct flights started between Delhi and Bali in December 2023 and between Bangalore and Bali in March 2024. India emerged as the second largest source of tourists(more than 600,000) to Bali in 2023, after Australia. Defence: Defence has emerged as a key component of India, Indonesia relationship. Both have several exercises, like Samudra Shakti, which is a bilateral naval exercise, to Garuda Shakti, which is army to army exercise. Both nations have conducted coordinated patrols in the Andaman Sea and Java Sea to combat piracy, illegal fishing, and trafficking. Discussions have been ongoing regarding the sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia, which would mark a significant defense deal. It will be part of the discussion during the upcoming visit of the Indonesian President to India. Also Read: Why is Iran changing its capital from Tehran to Makran? Diaspora: There are around 14,000 Indian Nationals (NRI) living in Indonesia including entrepreneurs, engineers, IT professionals, consultants, bankers, and other professions. They are mainly concentrated in Greater Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung and have community associations, and actively engage in various festivals. The country has a number of Persons of Indian origin, mostly from South India, but a significant number of them are also from North India which includes Sindhis (around 10,000), Sikhs (around 10,000), Gujaratis according to the Indian embassy. Indonesia & Odisha:While Indonesia has had a strong relationship with India, the state of Odisha has special ties. Biju Patnaik the former CM of Odisha and the father of Naveen Patnaik (himself the CM of Odisha as well) launched a daring flight of freedom and flew Indonesia's 1st PM from Java to India as Dutch controlled the area. For his bravery and assistance in the Indonesian fight for freedom, President Sukarno awarded Biju Patnaik the title "Bhumiputra," meaning "Son of the Soil," an honour rarely bestowed upon foreigners. Biju Patnaik and his wife, Gyan Patnaik, were honoured by being asked to name Sukarno's daughter, whom they named Meghawati, later known as Megawati Sukarnoputri, who served as Indonesia's President from 2001 to 2004. Bali Yatra is an annual festival held in Cuttack that celebrates many things including the ancient maritime and cultural links between Odisha (historically known as Kalinga) and the islands of Southeast Asia, particularly Bali in Indonesia. Past irritants: While India, Indonesia ties have been historically positive, Jakarta's pro Pakistan stance during 1965 war Indo Pak war was a concern for Delhi. During the war started by Pakistan, several demonstrations were held before the Indian Embassy in Jakarta which culminated in a violent attack on the Chancery on 9 September, 1965, causing extensive damage. Similar violent demonstrations were held in front of the Indian Consulate in Medan. MEA's annual report of 1965 says, in September of that year "it was announced that Indian properties had been brought under the supervision of the Indonesian Government. It was explained that though the Indians continued to own their properties, they would not be free to sell or transfer them to others"

Explainer: India, Indonesia, the maritime neighbours firming up ties

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Siddhant Sibal

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