Putting all speculations to rest, BJP president Amit Shah took oath at the much awaited swearing-in ceremony as a minster in Modi government's cabinet on Thursday. However, the biggest surprise that PM Modi threw up was the inclusion of former foreign secretary S Jaishankar Prasad in cabinet. Watch this video to know more.

Amit Shah, S Jaishankar PM Narendra Modi's surprise pick

Narendra Modi took oath of office and secrecy as Prime Minister for the second consecutive term, administered by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. Watch this video to know more.

Watch: Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony

The newly inducted Narendra Modi government will hold its first Cabinet meeting on Friday. According to reports, the cabinet meeting will be held around 5 PM on Friday. Watch this video to know more.

All-new Narendra Modi govt to hold its first Cabinet meet

Sushma Swaraj may not be part of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Modi government this time</a>, but she leaves a legacy of an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister who helped the diaspora in distress by her revolutionary social media outreach.

From being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government to becoming the first woman Delhi chief minister, Swaraj has been a politician with many firsts.

Some of the key ministers in the previous Modi government, including Swaraj, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Maneka Gandhi were not part of the new dispensation.

Swaraj had opted out of fighting the Lok Sabha elections due to health reasons.

She was a celebrated minister in the previous cabinet after she earned the reputation of being an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister.

Her interaction with the diaspora on social media, established her as someone who can be reached in distress with just the click of a mouse.

Several path-breaking measures such as the passport infrastructure expansion and enhanced engagement with the East were the highlight of her tenure.

Swaraj, 66, became the External Affairs Minister in 2014 when Modi's first cabinet was sworn-in on May 26.&nbsp;

She is only the second woman to hold the portfolio after Indira Gandhi, who briefly kept External Affairs Ministry under her while being the Prime Minister.

Swaraj has many firsts to her credit such as being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government, first woman Chief Minister of Delhi and the first woman spokesperson for any national political party in the country.

During her tenure as the External Affairs Minister, Swaraj handled several strategically-sensitive issues, including Indo-Pak and Sino-India relations.

Her role in resolving the prickly Doklam standoff between the Indian and Chinese sides will be remembered.

India's joining of the SCO was also a key achievement during her tenure as External Affairs Minister.

In 1977, at 25 years of age, Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister -- she held the education portfolio in Haryana.

Swaraj, a law graduate who practised in Supreme Court, has been elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

She began her political career with the ABVP in the 1970s.

Member of the Haryana Assembly from 1977 to 1982 from Ambala Cantonment, she was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in Devi Lal government.

Swaraj has previously also held the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Health and Family Welfare, and Parliamentary Affairs in the Union Cabinet.

Swaraj is married to Swaraj Kaushal, a designated senior advocate of Supreme Court of India who served as Governor of Mizoram from 1990 to 1993. Kaushal was also a Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004.

She has been the recipient of the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award.

Sushma Swaraj may not be part of the Modi government this time, but she leaves a legacy of an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister who helped the diaspora in distress by her revolutionary social media outreach.

Sushma Swaraj may not be part of the Modi government this time, but she leaves a legacy of an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister who helped the diaspora in distress by her revolutionary social media outreach. From being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government to becoming the first woman Delhi chief minister, Swaraj has been a politician with many firsts. Some of the key ministers in the previous Modi government, including Swaraj, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Maneka Gandhi were not part of the new dispensation. Swaraj had opted out of fighting the Lok Sabha elections due to health reasons. She was a celebrated minister in the previous cabinet after she earned the reputation of being an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister. Her interaction with the diaspora on social media, established her as someone who can be reached in distress with just the click of a mouse. Several path-breaking measures such as the passport infrastructure expansion and enhanced engagement with the East were the highlight of her tenure. Swaraj, 66, became the External Affairs Minister in 2014 when Modi's first cabinet was sworn-in on May 26. She is only the second woman to hold the portfolio after Indira Gandhi, who briefly kept External Affairs Ministry under her while being the Prime Minister. Swaraj has many firsts to her credit such as being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government, first woman Chief Minister of Delhi and the first woman spokesperson for any national political party in the country. During her tenure as the External Affairs Minister, Swaraj handled several strategically-sensitive issues, including Indo-Pak and Sino-India relations. Her role in resolving the prickly Doklam standoff between the Indian and Chinese sides will be remembered. India's joining of the SCO was also a key achievement during her tenure as External Affairs Minister. In 1977, at 25 years of age, Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister -- she held the education portfolio in Haryana. Swaraj, a law graduate who practised in Supreme Court, has been elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. She began her political career with the ABVP in the 1970s. Member of the Haryana Assembly from 1977 to 1982 from Ambala Cantonment, she was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in Devi Lal government. Swaraj has previously also held the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Health and Family Welfare, and Parliamentary Affairs in the Union Cabinet. Swaraj is married to Swaraj Kaushal, a designated senior advocate of Supreme Court of India who served as Governor of Mizoram from 1990 to 1993. Kaushal was also a Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004. She has been the recipient of the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award.

Sushma Swaraj an EAM who reached out to diaspora in distress

Two-time BJP MP C R Patil Thursday came close to surpassing the all-time victory margin in Lok Sabha polls as he won the Navsari seat in Gujarat by garnering 6.89 lakh more votes than his rival -- the highest margin in 2019 polls.

So far, the highest victory margin of 6.96 lakh votes in Lok Sabha polls belongs to Pritam Munde, who won the by-election to Beed seat in Maharashtra in October 2014. The by-poll was necessitated after the death of her father and senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde.

Patil has party colleagues Sanjay Bhatia, Krishan Pal and Subhash Chandra Baheria in the 6 lakh-plus clubs, while about a dozen other candidates have won by over 5 lakh margin.

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-results-2019-modi-wave-sweeps-india-again-nda-poised-to-win-lok-sabha-elections-221034">Narendra Modi widened his victory margin</a> to 4.79 lakh votes when he defeated his nearest rival of Shalini Yadav of Samajwadi Party in Varanasi parliamentary constituency. In 2014, he had defeated Arvind Kejriwal by 3.71 lakh votes.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/the-rise-and-rise-of-amit-shah-his-journey-to-becoming-bjps-most-successful-president-221101">Amit Shah won his maiden Lok Sabha election</a> by a huge margin of 5.57 lakh votes from Gandhinagar in Gujarat this election, bettering senior party leader L K Advani's margin of 4.83 lakh votes in 2014.

The party got winners with huge margins primarily in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh which it swept defeating nearest Congress rivals.

In the results declared by the Election Commission on Thursday, Sanjay Bhatia won the Karnal constituency in Haryana by a margin of 6.56 lakh votes, while his party colleague Krishan Pal won Faridabad in the same state by 6.38 lakh votes.

With his party sweeping Rajasthan, Subhash Chandra Baheria of the BJP won the Bhilwara seat in the state by 6.12 lakh votes.

Shankar Lalwani, who contested from Indore in Madhya Pradesh on BJP ticket after Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan opted out of the race, defeated his nearest Congress rival by a margin of 5.47 lakh votes. Mahajan, an eight-time Lok Sabha MP, had in 2014 had won the seat by 4.67 lakh votes.

Contesting for the first time, Ramakant Bhargava, standing in from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj opted out, won by 5.03 lakh votes, a lakh vote higher than victory margin in 2014 elections.

In Gujarat's Vadodara, BJP Ranjanben Bhatt won by 5.87 lakh votes while in neighbouring Surat Darshana Vikram Jardosh won by 5.48 lakh votes.

In Madhya Pradesh's Hoshangabad constituency, Uday Pratap Singh returned to the Lok Sabha by a margin of 5.53 lakh votes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-results-2019-bjp-certain-of-a-clean-sweep-in-delhi-two-candidates-leading-by-huge-margin-220973">Of the seven constituencies in the national capital</a>, two BJP candidates emerged victorious by over 5 lakh votes -- Hans Raj Hans in North West Delhi (5.53 lakh) and Parvesh Verma in West Delhi (5.78 lakh).

CP Joshi of BJP won Chittorgarh seat in Rajasthan by a margin of 5.76 lakh and his colleague Diya Kumari from Jaipur royal family won by 5.51 lakh in Rajsamand constituency. General (Retd) V K Singh also won Ghaziabad seat by over 5 lakh votes.

During the 2014 general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi won his Vadodara seat with the highest margin. He defeated his nearest rival by a huge margin of 5,70,128 votes. He, however, resigned from the seat and retained Varanasi parliamentary constituency where victory margin was 3,71,784.

The second-biggest victory margin was of General V K Singh (BJP) from Ghaziabad constituency with winning difference of 5,67,260 votes. The former army chief was followed by C R Patil (BJP), who won Navsari seat in Gujarat, with a margin of 5,58,116 votes.

Another BJP candidate Ramcharan Bohara won Jaipur seat with a vote margin of 5,39,345. Darshana Vikram Jardosh (BJP) won Surat, Gujarat, seat with a difference of 5,33,190 votes.

The sixth-highest victory margin crown was with CPM candidate Sankar Prasad Datta of Tripura West. He won the seat with a difference of 5,03,486 votes. Jitendra Chaudhury followed him by winning Tripura East seat by 4,84,358 votes.

BJP patriarch L K Advani won Gandhinagar, Gujarat, seat with a margin of 4,83,121. He was followed by another senior BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan, who defeated her rival by 4,66,901 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

The tenth biggest victory margin was of Krishan Pal (BJP), who defeated his opponent by 4,66,873 votes in Faridabad, Haryana. 
&nbsp;

Two-time BJP MP C R Patil Thursday came close to surpassing the all-time victory margin in Lok Sabha polls as he won the Navsari seat in Gujarat by garnering 6.89 lakh more votes than his rival -- the highest margin in 2019 polls.

Two-time BJP MP C R Patil Thursday came close to surpassing the all-time victory margin in Lok Sabha polls as he won the Navsari seat in Gujarat by garnering 6.89 lakh more votes than his rival -- the highest margin in 2019 polls. So far, the highest victory margin of 6.96 lakh votes in Lok Sabha polls belongs to Pritam Munde, who won the by-election to Beed seat in Maharashtra in October 2014. The by-poll was necessitated after the death of her father and senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde. Patil has party colleagues Sanjay Bhatia, Krishan Pal and Subhash Chandra Baheria in the 6 lakh-plus clubs, while about a dozen other candidates have won by over 5 lakh margin. Prime Minister Narendra Modi widened his victory margin to 4.79 lakh votes when he defeated his nearest rival of Shalini Yadav of Samajwadi Party in Varanasi parliamentary constituency. In 2014, he had defeated Arvind Kejriwal by 3.71 lakh votes. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah won his maiden Lok Sabha election by a huge margin of 5.57 lakh votes from Gandhinagar in Gujarat this election, bettering senior party leader L K Advani's margin of 4.83 lakh votes in 2014. The party got winners with huge margins primarily in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh which it swept defeating nearest Congress rivals. In the results declared by the Election Commission on Thursday, Sanjay Bhatia won the Karnal constituency in Haryana by a margin of 6.56 lakh votes, while his party colleague Krishan Pal won Faridabad in the same state by 6.38 lakh votes. With his party sweeping Rajasthan, Subhash Chandra Baheria of the BJP won the Bhilwara seat in the state by 6.12 lakh votes. Shankar Lalwani, who contested from Indore in Madhya Pradesh on BJP ticket after Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan opted out of the race, defeated his nearest Congress rival by a margin of 5.47 lakh votes. Mahajan, an eight-time Lok Sabha MP, had in 2014 had won the seat by 4.67 lakh votes. Contesting for the first time, Ramakant Bhargava, standing in from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj opted out, won by 5.03 lakh votes, a lakh vote higher than victory margin in 2014 elections. In Gujarat's Vadodara, BJP Ranjanben Bhatt won by 5.87 lakh votes while in neighbouring Surat Darshana Vikram Jardosh won by 5.48 lakh votes. In Madhya Pradesh's Hoshangabad constituency, Uday Pratap Singh returned to the Lok Sabha by a margin of 5.53 lakh votes. Of the seven constituencies in the national capital, two BJP candidates emerged victorious by over 5 lakh votes -- Hans Raj Hans in North West Delhi (5.53 lakh) and Parvesh Verma in West Delhi (5.78 lakh). CP Joshi of BJP won Chittorgarh seat in Rajasthan by a margin of 5.76 lakh and his colleague Diya Kumari from Jaipur royal family won by 5.51 lakh in Rajsamand constituency. General (Retd) V K Singh also won Ghaziabad seat by over 5 lakh votes. During the 2014 general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi won his Vadodara seat with the highest margin. He defeated his nearest rival by a huge margin of 5,70,128 votes. He, however, resigned from the seat and retained Varanasi parliamentary constituency where victory margin was 3,71,784. The second-biggest victory margin was of General V K Singh (BJP) from Ghaziabad constituency with winning difference of 5,67,260 votes. The former army chief was followed by C R Patil (BJP), who won Navsari seat in Gujarat, with a margin of 5,58,116 votes. Another BJP candidate Ramcharan Bohara won Jaipur seat with a vote margin of 5,39,345. Darshana Vikram Jardosh (BJP) won Surat, Gujarat, seat with a difference of 5,33,190 votes. The sixth-highest victory margin crown was with CPM candidate Sankar Prasad Datta of Tripura West. He won the seat with a difference of 5,03,486 votes. Jitendra Chaudhury followed him by winning Tripura East seat by 4,84,358 votes. BJP patriarch L K Advani won Gandhinagar, Gujarat, seat with a margin of 4,83,121. He was followed by another senior BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan, who defeated her rival by 4,66,901 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The tenth biggest victory margin was of Krishan Pal (BJP), who defeated his opponent by 4,66,873 votes in Faridabad, Haryana.

Lok Sabha election result 2019: Biggest victory margin in 2019 elections, BJP's CR Patil wins by 6.89 lakh votes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led-BJP appeared set for a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/bjp-surges-ahead-with-319-seats-in-early-trends-congress-trails-far-behind-with-105-220814">resounding comeback</a> on Thursday with leads in 345 seats while the Congress trailed far behind with 90, as the counting of the votes polled in India's 17 Lok Sabha election was underway.

BJP president Amit Shah tweeted that "the result is India's mandate against propaganda, lies, personal insinuations and baseless politics by the opposition".

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
यह परिणाम विपक्ष द्वारा किये गये दुष्प्रचार, झूठ, व्यक्तिगत आक्षेप और आधारहीन राजनीति के विरुद्ध भारत का जनादेश है। 
 
आज का जनादेश यह भी दिखाता है कि भारत की जनता ने देश से जातिवाद, परिवारवाद और तुष्टिकरण को पूरी तरह से उखाड़ फेंककर विकासवाद और राष्ट्रवाद को चुना है। 
 
भारत को नमन।
— Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1131487589276368896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"Today's mandate also shows that the people of India have chosen evolution and nationalism by completely uprooting casteism, familyism and appeasing from the country," his tweet read.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
प्रधान मंत्री जी <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> - भारतीय जनता पार्टी को इतनी बड़ी विजय दिलाने के लिए आपका बहुत बहुत अभिनन्दन. मैं देशवासियों के प्रति हृदय से कृज्ञता व्यक्त करती हूँ.
— Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/1131429757831135232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted out saying, "Thank you very much for giving the prime minister, Bharatiya Janata Party such a great victory. &nbsp;I convey my heartfelt gratitude to the countrymen".&nbsp;

Senior leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed the early trends "historic" and credited it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "astute" leadership and party chief Amit Shah's "dynamism".

In a series of tweets, Singh said the people of India have once again given a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/bjp-ahead-in-57-seats-in-up-modi-leading-in-varanasi-rahul-trails-in-amethi-220871">decisive mandate to the BJP-led NDA</a> and reposed their faith in Modi's leadership and vision of New India.

Party's spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain described the party's excellent performance as "the victory of the developmental work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the defeat of negative politics."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath: I want to congratulate Prime Minister Modi for this victory. BJP is touching 300 mark for the first time &amp; NDA is touching 350. I also congratulate the party President Amit Shah. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LokSabhaElectionresults2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LokSabhaElectionresults2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/0JxtURwjLL">pic.twitter.com/0JxtURwjLL</a>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1131497577994760198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

He further said those who thought that by forming a coalition based on caste politics they can defeat development, "this is a new era...Modi era...An era of development politics. Whoever will bring development, will win."

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj extended her gratitude to PM Modi for helping Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to lead in the Lok Sabha elections.

"Congratulations @narendramodi for helping BJP win big. On behalf of people, I extend my gratitude," she tweeted.

Commerce and Industry minister Suresh Prabhu said,&nbsp;"People wanted Modi for the future of the nation".

"We did a great job in West Bengal where we didn’t have the strength... The impact of the BJP has increased in UP".

"People are with Modi and opposition was on the other side," Suresh Prabhu added.

While attacking opposition Suresh Prabhu said, "When BJP wins they blame EVMs and when they win they accept the results".

"You can blame anyone for their work, their policies are responsible for their defeat," Prabhu added.

BJP's Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat candidate, Sunny Deol in an upbeat tone said that he is very "happy with the fact that Modiji is winning."

"I am very happy and want Modiji to come back. Let the counting complete. I am happy with the fact that Modiji is winning. &nbsp;I want to work with him to make our constituency better."

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, BJP's Jaipur Lok Sabha seat candidate, said that PM Modi has "made the country strong". 
&nbsp; 
"Now when India has seen the work done by Prime Minister Modi, the country would not see back. This is for the country's development. The captain of the team deserves all the praises. He is the leader. He has made the country strong," Rathore said.

Watch:&nbsp;Vivek Oberoi speaks to WION about Modi biopic and general elections

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/vivek-oberoi-speaks-to-wion-about-modi-biopic-and-general-elections-220873/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led-BJP appeared set for a resounding comeback on Thursday with leads in 345 seats while the Congress trailed far behind with 90, as the counting of the votes polled in India's 17 Lok Sabha election was underway.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led-BJP appeared set for a resounding comeback on Thursday with leads in 345 seats while the Congress trailed far behind with 90, as the counting of the votes polled in India's 17 Lok Sabha election was underway. BJP president Amit Shah tweeted that "the result is India's mandate against propaganda, lies, personal insinuations and baseless politics by the opposition". यह परिणाम विपक्ष द्वारा किये गये दुष्प्रचार, झूठ, व्यक्तिगत आक्षेप और आधारहीन राजनीति के विरुद्ध भारत का जनादेश है। आज का जनादेश यह भी दिखाता है कि भारत की जनता ने देश से जातिवाद, परिवारवाद और तुष्टिकरण को पूरी तरह से उखाड़ फेंककर विकासवाद और राष्ट्रवाद को चुना है। भारत को नमन। — Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 23, 2019 × "Today's mandate also shows that the people of India have chosen evolution and nationalism by completely uprooting casteism, familyism and appeasing from the country," his tweet read. प्रधान मंत्री जी @narendramodi - भारतीय जनता पार्टी को इतनी बड़ी विजय दिलाने के लिए आपका बहुत बहुत अभिनन्दन. मैं देशवासियों के प्रति हृदय से कृज्ञता व्यक्त करती हूँ. — Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 23, 2019 × External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted out saying, "Thank you very much for giving the prime minister, Bharatiya Janata Party such a great victory. I convey my heartfelt gratitude to the countrymen". Senior leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed the early trends "historic" and credited it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "astute" leadership and party chief Amit Shah's "dynamism". In a series of tweets, Singh said the people of India have once again given a decisive mandate to the BJP-led NDA and reposed their faith in Modi's leadership and vision of New India. Party's spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain described the party's excellent performance as "the victory of the developmental work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the defeat of negative politics." UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath: I want to congratulate Prime Minister Modi for this victory. BJP is touching 300 mark for the first time & NDA is touching 350. I also congratulate the party President Amit Shah. #LokSabhaElectionresults2019 pic.twitter.com/0JxtURwjLL — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 23, 2019 × He further said those who thought that by forming a coalition based on caste politics they can defeat development, "this is a new era...Modi era...An era of development politics. Whoever will bring development, will win." Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj extended her gratitude to PM Modi for helping Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to lead in the Lok Sabha elections. "Congratulations @narendramodi for helping BJP win big. On behalf of people, I extend my gratitude," she tweeted. Commerce and Industry minister Suresh Prabhu said, "People wanted Modi for the future of the nation". "We did a great job in West Bengal where we didn’t have the strength... The impact of the BJP has increased in UP". "People are with Modi and opposition was on the other side," Suresh Prabhu added. While attacking opposition Suresh Prabhu said, "When BJP wins they blame EVMs and when they win they accept the results". "You can blame anyone for their work, their policies are responsible for their defeat," Prabhu added. BJP's Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat candidate, Sunny Deol in an upbeat tone said that he is very "happy with the fact that Modiji is winning." "I am very happy and want Modiji to come back. Let the counting complete. I am happy with the fact that Modiji is winning. I want to work with him to make our constituency better." Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, BJP's Jaipur Lok Sabha seat candidate, said that PM Modi has "made the country strong". "Now when India has seen the work done by Prime Minister Modi, the country would not see back. This is for the country's development. The captain of the team deserves all the praises. He is the leader. He has made the country strong," Rathore said. Watch: Vivek Oberoi speaks to WION about Modi biopic and general elections ×

People of India have chosen evolution and nationalism: Amit Shah tweets, BJP leaders react to landslide win

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj Is Attending The SCO Meeting. India Is Likely To Raise The Issue Of Cross-Border Terrorism At The Meeting.

Gravitas: Strategic Autonomy: The New Template Of India's Foreign Policy

Meanwhile, even as India’s messaging remains the same terror and talks cannot go together, all eyes would on the summit level meeting.

SCO Meet: No Indo-Pak meeting on the cards

External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj says the wounds of Pulwama attack are still raw on the minds of India at the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation meeting. Here's all that happened on Day 1 of the two-day long SCO Meet

Gravitas: Sushma Swaraj addresses SCO meet

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/india-speaks-out-against-terror-at-sco-fms-meet-in-kyrgyzstan-220584">Shanghai Cooperation Organisation </a>meeting in Kyrgyzstan.

The two leaders discussed issues of bilateral interest, including the implementation of understanding reached during last year's Wuhan Summit.

The meeting came a month after India skipped the OBOR in China last month. The two South Asian countries, meanwhile, continue to build on their ties post the battle over Masood Azhar at the UNSC.&nbsp;

"Continuing the momentum of high-level exchanges. EAM @SushmaSwaraj met Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of #SCO Foreign Minister's Meeting in Bishkek. Discussed issues of bilateral interest, including the implementation of understanding reached during Wuhan Summit," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.&nbsp;

Swaraj who arrived here on Tuesday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council (SCO) of Foreign Ministers in the Kyrgyz capital, also had a brief encounter with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Earlier today as the delegates of member nations met, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Indian Foreign Minister Swaraj were seen standing next to each other.

This was the first time that top government functionaries of both countries came face to face post the Pulwama attacks.

It was also the first time since that strike that Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Qureshi were seen under the same roof.

Tensions escalated between the two countries after the Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF men. It was followed by the Indian Air Force striking Jaish-e-Mohammed terror launchpads deep inside Pakstan.

India raised the issue of Pulwama and the recent attacks in Sri Lanka.

Swaraj said that India is open to strengthening the Regional Anti-Terror Structure or RATS of SCO to fight terrorism and security challenges in the region.

The meeting comes at a time when Pakistan is seeking talks with Delhi and is keen to push the restart button with India.

India maintains that talks and terror can't go hand in hand.

India will also raise the issue of region-specific terror, weeks after it successfully ensured a global blacklisting of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar at the UNSC.

India through its successful issue-based negotiations has made Pakistan-based cross-border terror a central theme on international platforms.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Kyrgyzstan.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Kyrgyzstan. The two leaders discussed issues of bilateral interest, including the implementation of understanding reached during last year's Wuhan Summit. The meeting came a month after India skipped the OBOR in China last month. The two South Asian countries, meanwhile, continue to build on their ties post the battle over Masood Azhar at the UNSC. "Continuing the momentum of high-level exchanges. EAM @SushmaSwaraj met Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of #SCO Foreign Minister's Meeting in Bishkek. Discussed issues of bilateral interest, including the implementation of understanding reached during Wuhan Summit," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. Swaraj who arrived here on Tuesday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council (SCO) of Foreign Ministers in the Kyrgyz capital, also had a brief encounter with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Earlier today as the delegates of member nations met, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Indian Foreign Minister Swaraj were seen standing next to each other. This was the first time that top government functionaries of both countries came face to face post the Pulwama attacks. It was also the first time since that strike that Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Qureshi were seen under the same roof. Tensions escalated between the two countries after the Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF men. It was followed by the Indian Air Force striking Jaish-e-Mohammed terror launchpads deep inside Pakstan. India raised the issue of Pulwama and the recent attacks in Sri Lanka. Swaraj said that India is open to strengthening the Regional Anti-Terror Structure or RATS of SCO to fight terrorism and security challenges in the region. The meeting comes at a time when Pakistan is seeking talks with Delhi and is keen to push the restart button with India. India maintains that talks and terror can't go hand in hand. India will also raise the issue of region-specific terror, weeks after it successfully ensured a global blacklisting of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar at the UNSC. India through its successful issue-based negotiations has made Pakistan-based cross-border terror a central theme on international platforms.

Sushma Swaraj meets Chinese counterpart, shares dais with Pak Foreign Minister at SCO meet

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will travel to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyz Republic, on Tuesday to take part in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

India at SCO Foreign Ministers meet; likely to raise issue of terrorism

A day ahead of declaration of Lok Sabha election&nbsp;results, China said it's ready to work with the new government in New Delhi.&nbsp;

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of Shanghai cooperation organisation (SCO) foreign ministers meet in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday. It is during this meet, Wang Yi expressed his country's desire to work with the soon to be elected new Government.&nbsp;

Both sides also agreed on the implementation of the Wuhan informal summit goals. A tweet by the ministry of external affairs said, "Discussed issues of bilateral interest, including implementation of understanding, reached during Wuhan Summit". As part of Wuhan understanding, both leaders gave "strategic guidance" to their respective militaries to strengthen communication in order to build trust.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Continuing the momentum of high-level exchanges 
 
EAM <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> met Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SCO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SCO</a> Foreign Minister's Meeting in Bishkek. Discussed issues of bilateral interest, including implementation of understanding reached during Wuhan Summit. <a href="https://t.co/apfo2sEv9D">pic.twitter.com/apfo2sEv9D</a>
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1131124148355383296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Both sides also discussed how to celebrate the 70th year anniversary of India-China relations. On 1 April 1950, India became the first non-socialist bloc country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.&nbsp;

This is the first meeting between both the ministers after listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist at the United Nation. China prevented the listing of Azhar, the chief of Pakistan based United nations listed terror group--Jaish-e-Mohammad since 2009. On May 1, it finally relented, paving the way for his listing leading to an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on him.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met four times in 2018 starting with the famous informal summit in Wuhan. The Chinese President Xi Jinping will be visiting India for the second informal summit this year.

A day ahead of declaration of Lok Sabha election results, China said it's ready to work with the new government in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of Shanghai cooperation organisation (SCO) foreign ministers meet in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday.

A day ahead of declaration of Lok Sabha election results, China said it's ready to work with the new government in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of Shanghai cooperation organisation (SCO) foreign ministers meet in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday. It is during this meet, Wang Yi expressed his country's desire to work with the soon to be elected new Government. Both sides also agreed on the implementation of the Wuhan informal summit goals. A tweet by the ministry of external affairs said, "Discussed issues of bilateral interest, including implementation of understanding, reached during Wuhan Summit". As part of Wuhan understanding, both leaders gave "strategic guidance" to their respective militaries to strengthen communication in order to build trust. Continuing the momentum of high-level exchanges EAM @SushmaSwaraj met Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of #SCO Foreign Minister's Meeting in Bishkek. Discussed issues of bilateral interest, including implementation of understanding reached during Wuhan Summit. pic.twitter.com/apfo2sEv9D — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) May 22, 2019 × Both sides also discussed how to celebrate the 70th year anniversary of India-China relations. On 1 April 1950, India became the first non-socialist bloc country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. This is the first meeting between both the ministers after listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist at the United Nation. China prevented the listing of Azhar, the chief of Pakistan based United nations listed terror group--Jaish-e-Mohammad since 2009. On May 1, it finally relented, paving the way for his listing leading to an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on him. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met four times in 2018 starting with the famous informal summit in Wuhan. The Chinese President Xi Jinping will be visiting India for the second informal summit this year.

Ready to work with new government in India: Chinese foreign minister 

As part of 100 million Maldivian rufiyaa grant aid announced during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to the Maldives in March 2019, India will be building two projects in the country.&nbsp;

The projects include Police Academy in Dhaalu Atoll and Convention Centre in Ukulhas, Alif Alif Atoll. The total cost of both the projects will be $960,000.

Maldivian foreign ministry said, "The purpose of Police Academy is to provide modern training to police officers, and the necessary skills and knowledge required to perform their duties efficiently and effectively."

"The aim of the grant assistance is to conduct socio-economic development projects across the country which are of high impact,'' Ministry added.

The development comes even as reports emerged that India and Japan are planning to build part of Colombo port in Sri Lanka even as Chinese attempts to make inroads in the region, especially through its belt and road initiative.

During Sushma Swaraj's&nbsp;visit in March, Maldives requested Indian assistance for the construction of a cricket stadium which New Delhi is currently looking into.

Interestingly, Maldivian Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid met with a delegation from Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) led by General Manager, Cricket Operations Saba Karim on Tuesday.

There has been a number of high-level visits between the two countries since the new government came.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present during the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in November, 2018 followed by visits of Maldivian Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid and President Solih had that year itself.

As part of 100 million Maldivian rufiyaa grant aid announced during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to the Maldives in March 2019, India will be building two projects in the country.

As part of 100 million Maldivian rufiyaa grant aid announced during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to the Maldives in March 2019, India will be building two projects in the country. The projects include Police Academy in Dhaalu Atoll and Convention Centre in Ukulhas, Alif Alif Atoll. The total cost of both the projects will be $960,000. Maldivian foreign ministry said, "The purpose of Police Academy is to provide modern training to police officers, and the necessary skills and knowledge required to perform their duties efficiently and effectively." "The aim of the grant assistance is to conduct socio-economic development projects across the country which are of high impact,'' Ministry added. The development comes even as reports emerged that India and Japan are planning to build part of Colombo port in Sri Lanka even as Chinese attempts to make inroads in the region, especially through its belt and road initiative. During Sushma Swaraj's visit in March, Maldives requested Indian assistance for the construction of a cricket stadium which New Delhi is currently looking into. Interestingly, Maldivian Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid met with a delegation from Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) led by General Manager, Cricket Operations Saba Karim on Tuesday. There has been a number of high-level visits between the two countries since the new government came. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present during the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in November, 2018 followed by visits of Maldivian Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid and President Solih had that year itself.

India to build police academy, convention centres for Maldives

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), beginning on Tuesday, in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, during which several pressing issues including a thread of terrorism are expected to be discussed.

This will be her last visit as the External Affairs Minister to any country under the present government. She will leave for Bishkek on&nbsp;Tuesday at 10 am.

During the meet, India will be strongly raising the issue of terror and the Afghan peace process.&nbsp;

The meeting comes just weeks before the SCO summit that will take place in Bishkek from June 13-14 and will see the participation of the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers.

The External Affairs Ministry said the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) will exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance, besides reviewing the preparation for the SCO Summit in Bishkek from June 13-14.

External Affairs Minister’s program in Bishkek will include the "meeting of Council of SCO Foreign Ministers" and a joint call of SCO Foreign Ministers on Kyrgyz President Sooranbay Jeenbekov.

This is the second SCO FMs meet India is participating as a full member of SCO, the last being in April of 2018 in Beijing.

India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry has increased the bloc's heft in regional geopolitics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue.

No India-Pakistan meet

Pakistan will be represented by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.&nbsp;

Asked if Pakistani and Indian ministers will meet during the SCO FMs summit, the Pakistani foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said, "The two foreign ministers would be present in the meeting and in all likelihood would interact amongst themselves and with other leaders. No formal meeting is, however, envisaged."

India got full membership of the grouping along with Pakistan in 2017 during the Astana summit of SCO with the process beginning during 2015 SCO summit in Russia.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), beginning on Tuesday, in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, during which several pressing issues including a thread of terrorism are expected to be discussed.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), beginning on Tuesday, in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, during which several pressing issues including a thread of terrorism are expected to be discussed. This will be her last visit as the External Affairs Minister to any country under the present government. She will leave for Bishkek on Tuesday at 10 am. During the meet, India will be strongly raising the issue of terror and the Afghan peace process. The meeting comes just weeks before the SCO summit that will take place in Bishkek from June 13-14 and will see the participation of the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers. The External Affairs Ministry said the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) will exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance, besides reviewing the preparation for the SCO Summit in Bishkek from June 13-14. External Affairs Minister’s program in Bishkek will include the "meeting of Council of SCO Foreign Ministers" and a joint call of SCO Foreign Ministers on Kyrgyz President Sooranbay Jeenbekov. This is the second SCO FMs meet India is participating as a full member of SCO, the last being in April of 2018 in Beijing. India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry has increased the bloc's heft in regional geopolitics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue. No India-Pakistan meet Pakistan will be represented by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Asked if Pakistani and Indian ministers will meet during the SCO FMs summit, the Pakistani foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said, "The two foreign ministers would be present in the meeting and in all likelihood would interact amongst themselves and with other leaders. No formal meeting is, however, envisaged." India got full membership of the grouping along with Pakistan in 2017 during the Astana summit of SCO with the process beginning during 2015 SCO summit in Russia.

Sushma Swaraj to attend SCO foreign ministers meet in Bishkek, her last tour under present government

Today marks the last day of campaigning (except West Bengal) for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha election 2019, political parties across the country will leave no stone unturned in their attempts to woo the voters. Watch this video to know more.

India Votes: Final push by star campaigners

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Wednesday said the BJP has already crossed the majority mark after sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls and appealed to voters in Varanasi&nbsp;to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a record margin.

Flagging off a motorcycle rally of women, Swaraj said the "relationship between you and Modi has become more strong...Like a family in the past five years".&nbsp;

"Today I have come as a representative of PM Modi and the NDA government to give details of the work done in various fields," she said and listed the government's performance on national security, economy and external affairs fronts.

She referred to the surgical strike on terror launch pads and air strike in Balakot to highlight the government's success on national security front.

"The Mumbai terror attack was the worst but the UPA government did nothing, whereas the NDA government under PM Modi's leadership retaliated with surgical strikes and air strikes soon after the Pulwama terror attack to give a strong message to Pakistan and also isolated it on international platform...," she said.

Swaraj also highlighted her efforts to help Indians abroad.&nbsp;

She laid emphasis on the success of Bharatiya Pravasi Diwas organised here.

On the economic front, she said the Indian economy has become the sixth largest in the world, whereas during the UPA regime it was counted among the first five fragile economy.&nbsp;

Referring to the late premier Rajiv Gandhi's remark that only 15 paise of every rupee meant for the welfare of downtrodden reaches them, Swaraj said the NDA government has completely ended this "commission system".

She appealed to the voters to ensure Modi's victory with the highest margin in the country.&nbsp;

Varanasi goes to poll in the seventh and last phase on May 19.&nbsp;

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Wednesday said the BJP has already crossed the majority mark after sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls and appealed to voters in Varanasi to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a record margin.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Wednesday said the BJP has already crossed the majority mark after sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls and appealed to voters in Varanasi to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a record margin. Flagging off a motorcycle rally of women, Swaraj said the "relationship between you and Modi has become more strong...Like a family in the past five years". "Today I have come as a representative of PM Modi and the NDA government to give details of the work done in various fields," she said and listed the government's performance on national security, economy and external affairs fronts. She referred to the surgical strike on terror launch pads and air strike in Balakot to highlight the government's success on national security front. "The Mumbai terror attack was the worst but the UPA government did nothing, whereas the NDA government under PM Modi's leadership retaliated with surgical strikes and air strikes soon after the Pulwama terror attack to give a strong message to Pakistan and also isolated it on international platform...," she said. Swaraj also highlighted her efforts to help Indians abroad. She laid emphasis on the success of Bharatiya Pravasi Diwas organised here. On the economic front, she said the Indian economy has become the sixth largest in the world, whereas during the UPA regime it was counted among the first five fragile economy. Referring to the late premier Rajiv Gandhi's remark that only 15 paise of every rupee meant for the welfare of downtrodden reaches them, Swaraj said the NDA government has completely ended this "commission system". She appealed to the voters to ensure Modi's victory with the highest margin in the country. Varanasi goes to poll in the seventh and last phase on May 19.

BJP crossed majority mark after sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls: Sushma Swaraj

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday held "constructive" talks with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and conveyed to him that India will take a decision on import of Iranian oil after the Lok Sabha polls, keeping in mind its commercial, economic and energy security interests.

The talks between the two foreign ministers came 12 days after the US ended six-month-long exemptions from sanctions to India and seven other countries to buy oil from Iran. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Relations spanning millennia 
 
EAM <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> and Iranian Foreign Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/JZarif?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JZarif</a> held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan. <a href="https://t.co/bF04by3HLj">pic.twitter.com/bF04by3HLj</a>
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1128223564182634496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Zarif's visit here came amid escalating face-off between Iran and the United States on Tehran's nuclear programme.&nbsp;

In a tweet, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar described the discussions between Swaraj and Zarif as "constructive". &nbsp; &nbsp; 
"EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan," he said.

Official sources said Swaraj reiterated the position that a decision will be taken after the elections based on commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests.

In the meeting, Zarif recalled the steps announced by President Hassan Rouhani on May 8 including decisions linked to the export of enriched uranium and heavy water, the sources said.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also mentioned that 60 days timeline has been given to EU-3 and other parties to Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA for restoring Iran's oil and banking channels, the sources said.

In a televised address, Rouhani had on May 8 said that Iran would suspend some parts of its "commitments" to the JCPOA, but will not fully withdraw from it.

In the meeting with Zarif, the Indian side reiterated its position on JCPOA and said New Delhi would like all parties to continue to fulfill their commitments and that they should engage constructively to the issues peacefully, the sources said.

They said the visit took place at Zarif's own initiative to brief India on the Iranian approach to the recent developments in the region, including on JCPOA, and to review bilateral cooperation.&nbsp;

"This was part of their consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan, and Iraq over the last few days," said a source.

In the meeting, Swaraj and Zarif shared their views on the situation in Afghanistan and agreed to maintain close coordination on the evolving situation, the sources said.

They said both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalisation of the interim contract on the Chabahar port between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO).

The US sanctions on Iran is unlikely to impact the Chabahar port project.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday held "constructive" talks with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and conveyed to him that India will take a decision on import of Iranian oil after the Lok Sabha polls, keeping in mind its commercial, economic and energy security interests.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday held "constructive" talks with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and conveyed to him that India will take a decision on import of Iranian oil after the Lok Sabha polls, keeping in mind its commercial, economic and energy security interests. The talks between the two foreign ministers came 12 days after the US ended six-month-long exemptions from sanctions to India and seven other countries to buy oil from Iran. Relations spanning millennia EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/bF04by3HLj — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) May 14, 2019 × Zarif's visit here came amid escalating face-off between Iran and the United States on Tehran's nuclear programme. In a tweet, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar described the discussions between Swaraj and Zarif as "constructive". "EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan," he said. Official sources said Swaraj reiterated the position that a decision will be taken after the elections based on commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests. In the meeting, Zarif recalled the steps announced by President Hassan Rouhani on May 8 including decisions linked to the export of enriched uranium and heavy water, the sources said. The Iranian Foreign Minister also mentioned that 60 days timeline has been given to EU-3 and other parties to Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA for restoring Iran's oil and banking channels, the sources said. In a televised address, Rouhani had on May 8 said that Iran would suspend some parts of its "commitments" to the JCPOA, but will not fully withdraw from it. In the meeting with Zarif, the Indian side reiterated its position on JCPOA and said New Delhi would like all parties to continue to fulfill their commitments and that they should engage constructively to the issues peacefully, the sources said. They said the visit took place at Zarif's own initiative to brief India on the Iranian approach to the recent developments in the region, including on JCPOA, and to review bilateral cooperation. "This was part of their consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan, and Iraq over the last few days," said a source. In the meeting, Swaraj and Zarif shared their views on the situation in Afghanistan and agreed to maintain close coordination on the evolving situation, the sources said. They said both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalisation of the interim contract on the Chabahar port between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO). The US sanctions on Iran is unlikely to impact the Chabahar port project.

India will take a decision on import of Iranian oil after polls: Swaraj 

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif held talks with his counterpart Sushma Swaraj in the Indian capital today after New Delhi stopped purchases of Iranian oil this month in the wake of renewed US sanctions.

Iran, India foreign ministers hold talks in New Delhi after US sanctions

&nbsp;

The Iran nuclear deal, the Afghan peace process and India's import of Iranian oil were the three important subjects of discussion when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iranian-foreign-minister-javad-zarif-visits-india-as-us-sanctions-weigh-in-218495">Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif</a> met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Zarif's Delhi visit is part of tour to countries such as Russia, China, Turkmenistan and Iraq to brief about the Iran Nuclear deal among other issues.

This is the second visit by Iranian foreign minister to India this year and a significant one since it comes as tensions rise in West Asia due to Tehran - Washington showdown.

Saving the Nuclear Deal

Iran foreign minister Zarif briefed his country's position on the 2015 Iran Nuclear deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and steps taken by Tehran as part of the deal.&nbsp;

Recalling the steps announced by Iranian President Rouhani on May 8 including decisions linked to the export of enriched material and heavy water, the visiting foreign minister mentioned that 60 days timeline given to EU-3 (France, Germany and UK) and other parties to JCPOA for restoring the oil and banking channels which has been blocked due to American sanctions.

New Delhi, reiterated its position on the deal and said it would like all parties to the agreement to continue to fulfil their commitments. Remember the US had withdrawn from the 2015 deal. Tehran is now banking on the EU to save the deal now.

Afghan Peace Process

The Afghan peace process was discussed by both sides with the spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs Raveesh Kumar in a tweet on the Zarif-Sushma meet said, "Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan."

Iran's Chabahar port plays an important role in connecting India with Afghanistan and India last year took partial control of it. Chabahar port is also central to International North-South Transport (INSTC) Corridor which will connect Mumbai to Moscow.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalization of the interim contract on the &nbsp;Chabahar Port between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO).

In January, India formally established shipping lanes with the Chabahar port and now every two weeks Indian ships go from three Indian ports—Mumbai, Kandla and Mundra to the port in Iran.

India has been engaging with regional countries such as Russia, Iran, China and Central Asian countries on the Afghan peace process and supports an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled process.

Import of Iran Oil

The Iranian Foreign Minister landed in Delhi from Turkmenistan on Monday. Speaking to media on his arrival, he lauded his countries ties with India and said New Delhi "is one of our most important partners - economic, political and regional."

On the oil Imports by India, Zarif said, "the two sides have designed a special financial system to augment trade and economic cooperation."

During the Tuesday talks, external affairs minister said New Delhi will take any final decision on continuation of import of Iran oil only after election results "keeping in mind our commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests."

India is one of the largest importers of Iranian oil, but due to the American sanctions faces pressure from Washington to cut oil imports from the west Asian country.

&nbsp;

The Iran nuclear deal, the Afghan peace process and India's import of Iranian oil were the three important subjects of discussion when Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday.

The Iran nuclear deal, the Afghan peace process and India's import of Iranian oil were the three important subjects of discussion when Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday. Zarif's Delhi visit is part of tour to countries such as Russia, China, Turkmenistan and Iraq to brief about the Iran Nuclear deal among other issues. This is the second visit by Iranian foreign minister to India this year and a significant one since it comes as tensions rise in West Asia due to Tehran - Washington showdown. Saving the Nuclear Deal Iran foreign minister Zarif briefed his country's position on the 2015 Iran Nuclear deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and steps taken by Tehran as part of the deal. Recalling the steps announced by Iranian President Rouhani on May 8 including decisions linked to the export of enriched material and heavy water, the visiting foreign minister mentioned that 60 days timeline given to EU-3 (France, Germany and UK) and other parties to JCPOA for restoring the oil and banking channels which has been blocked due to American sanctions. New Delhi, reiterated its position on the deal and said it would like all parties to the agreement to continue to fulfil their commitments. Remember the US had withdrawn from the 2015 deal. Tehran is now banking on the EU to save the deal now. Afghan Peace Process The Afghan peace process was discussed by both sides with the spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs Raveesh Kumar in a tweet on the Zarif-Sushma meet said, "Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan." Iran's Chabahar port plays an important role in connecting India with Afghanistan and India last year took partial control of it. Chabahar port is also central to International North-South Transport (INSTC) Corridor which will connect Mumbai to Moscow. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalization of the interim contract on the Chabahar Port between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO). In January, India formally established shipping lanes with the Chabahar port and now every two weeks Indian ships go from three Indian ports—Mumbai, Kandla and Mundra to the port in Iran. India has been engaging with regional countries such as Russia, Iran, China and Central Asian countries on the Afghan peace process and supports an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled process. Import of Iran Oil The Iranian Foreign Minister landed in Delhi from Turkmenistan on Monday. Speaking to media on his arrival, he lauded his countries ties with India and said New Delhi "is one of our most important partners - economic, political and regional." On the oil Imports by India, Zarif said, "the two sides have designed a special financial system to augment trade and economic cooperation." During the Tuesday talks, external affairs minister said New Delhi will take any final decision on continuation of import of Iran oil only after election results "keeping in mind our commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests." India is one of the largest importers of Iranian oil, but due to the American sanctions faces pressure from Washington to cut oil imports from the west Asian country.

Foreign minister Javad Zarif, Sushma Swaraj discusses Iran nuclear deal & Afghan peace process

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived on Monday night in New Delhi to hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj primarily on the impact of the US ending waivers on import of oil from Iran, and ways to deal with it, official sources said.

The Iranian Foreign Minister and Sushma Swaraj will also discuss the latest developments pertaining to the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was inked in 2015 that had then paved the way for the lifting of US sanctions on Iran.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Javad Zarif arrived at 11.45 PM on Monday and will depart at 2:30 PM on Wednesday.

The Iranian foreign ministry in a release said, "Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will travel to the Indian capital of New Delhi to hold talks with Indian officials".

Iranian FM will also visit other countries and brief about the deal, from which the US withdrew last year. Tehran is banking on the European Union to save the deal now.

European Union’s (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini on Monday said, "As long as Iran remains compliant, we remain committed to implementing the Nuclear Deal and our stand is that the IAEA remains the only body to verify on Iran's compliance".

Import of Iranian oil will also be up for discussion when Zarif meets Sushma since US waivers to Delhi on Iran sanctions came to end earlier this month.&nbsp;

Iran is one of the supplier to crude oil to India. The India-Iran bilateral trade during the fiscal year 2016-17 was $12.89 billion with India importing $ 10.5 billion worth of goods mainly crude oil.&nbsp;

The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from Iran to "zero" by November 4 or face sanctions. However, Washington had granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries, including India.

The world's third-biggest oil consumer, India meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of its total needs.

This is Zarif's second visit to India this year. He met Minister of State in the ministry of external affairs Gen V K Singh in Doha at the ministerial meeting of Asian Cooperation Dialogue on 1 May.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived on Monday night in New Delhi to hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj primarily on the impact of the US ending waivers on import of oil from Iran, and ways to deal with it, official sources said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived on Monday night in New Delhi to hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj primarily on the impact of the US ending waivers on import of oil from Iran, and ways to deal with it, official sources said. The Iranian Foreign Minister and Sushma Swaraj will also discuss the latest developments pertaining to the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was inked in 2015 that had then paved the way for the lifting of US sanctions on Iran. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Javad Zarif arrived at 11.45 PM on Monday and will depart at 2:30 PM on Wednesday. The Iranian foreign ministry in a release said, "Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will travel to the Indian capital of New Delhi to hold talks with Indian officials". Iranian FM will also visit other countries and brief about the deal, from which the US withdrew last year. Tehran is banking on the European Union to save the deal now. European Union’s (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini on Monday said, "As long as Iran remains compliant, we remain committed to implementing the Nuclear Deal and our stand is that the IAEA remains the only body to verify on Iran's compliance". Import of Iranian oil will also be up for discussion when Zarif meets Sushma since US waivers to Delhi on Iran sanctions came to end earlier this month. Iran is one of the supplier to crude oil to India. The India-Iran bilateral trade during the fiscal year 2016-17 was $12.89 billion with India importing $ 10.5 billion worth of goods mainly crude oil. The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from Iran to "zero" by November 4 or face sanctions. However, Washington had granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries, including India. The world's third-biggest oil consumer, India meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of its total needs. This is Zarif's second visit to India this year. He met Minister of State in the ministry of external affairs Gen V K Singh in Doha at the ministerial meeting of Asian Cooperation Dialogue on 1 May.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif visits India as US sanctions weigh in

Three women and a man were found dead – with gunshot wounds – in their home in a suburban Ohio community, a coroner confirmed on Tuesday, 30 April.

1 Indian, 3 Indian-origin shot dead in United States' Ohio

Four members of a Sikh family, including three women, have been fatally shot in their home in the US, authorities said.

The victims who died of gunshot wounds in their home in a suburban Ohio community were found by another relative who called the police, West Chester Police Chief Joel Herzog said.

"My wife and three other family members were on the ground and bleeding... They're bleeding from the head," a man said on the 911 call that was released by the police.

"No one's talking, no one's talking," he shouted.

A local religious leader on Monday identified the deceased to Cincinnati Enquirer as Hakikat Singh Panag, 59, his wife, Paramjit Kaur, 62, their daughter, Shalinder Kaur, 39, and his sister-in-law, Amarjit Kaur, 58.

They were all shot to death around 9:50 pm (local time) on Sunday, the report said.

A coroner said all four deaths were homicides and they died from "gunshots."

At least one of them was preparing food when they died. By the time police arrived at the Lakefront at West Chester apartment complex, the unattended dish was on fire, police said.

Herzog said all four victims lived in the apartment where the shooting occurred. Children also live there, he said, but they were not there at the time of the attack.

The Indian consulate in New York said it was in close communication with the police.

"Our condolences to the bereaved family. We are in constant touch with the Police and family. We are confident about the culprit being brought to book," the Indian consulate in New York tweeted.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Externa Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted Tuesday that she was aware of the crime and did not believe it to be a hate crime.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The matter is under investigation by the Police but it is not a hate crime. Our Consul General in New York is coordinating with the concerned authorities and will keep me informed me on this. <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiainNewYork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiainNewYork</a> /2
— Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/1123276660415950848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

According to her tweets, one of the murder victims was an Indian resident in the US on a visit.

Members of a Gurdwara at Guru Nanak Society of Greater Cincinnati, said the four family members had worshipped there.

A motive behind the slayings remains unclear, and there were no indications if it was hate crime, the report said.

No suspect has been identified.

Such violent crime is rare in the township of some 62,000 people roughly 323 kilometres north of Cincinnati.

Herzog reassured residents Monday that he did not think there was a threat to the community and that the killings appear "isolated".

Four members of a Sikh family, including three women, have been fatally shot in their home in the US, authorities said. The victims who died of gunshot wounds in their home in a suburban Ohio community were found by another relative who called the police, West Chester Police Chief Joel Herzog said.

Four members of a Sikh family, including three women, have been fatally shot in their home in the US, authorities said. The victims who died of gunshot wounds in their home in a suburban Ohio community were found by another relative who called the police, West Chester Police Chief Joel Herzog said. "My wife and three other family members were on the ground and bleeding... They're bleeding from the head," a man said on the 911 call that was released by the police. "No one's talking, no one's talking," he shouted. A local religious leader on Monday identified the deceased to Cincinnati Enquirer as Hakikat Singh Panag, 59, his wife, Paramjit Kaur, 62, their daughter, Shalinder Kaur, 39, and his sister-in-law, Amarjit Kaur, 58. They were all shot to death around 9:50 pm (local time) on Sunday, the report said. A coroner said all four deaths were homicides and they died from "gunshots." At least one of them was preparing food when they died. By the time police arrived at the Lakefront at West Chester apartment complex, the unattended dish was on fire, police said. Herzog said all four victims lived in the apartment where the shooting occurred. Children also live there, he said, but they were not there at the time of the attack. The Indian consulate in New York said it was in close communication with the police. "Our condolences to the bereaved family. We are in constant touch with the Police and family. We are confident about the culprit being brought to book," the Indian consulate in New York tweeted. Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Externa Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted Tuesday that she was aware of the crime and did not believe it to be a hate crime. The matter is under investigation by the Police but it is not a hate crime. Our Consul General in New York is coordinating with the concerned authorities and will keep me informed me on this. @IndiainNewYork /2 — Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 30, 2019 × According to her tweets, one of the murder victims was an Indian resident in the US on a visit. Members of a Gurdwara at Guru Nanak Society of Greater Cincinnati, said the four family members had worshipped there. A motive behind the slayings remains unclear, and there were no indications if it was hate crime, the report said. No suspect has been identified. Such violent crime is rare in the township of some 62,000 people roughly 323 kilometres north of Cincinnati. Herzog reassured residents Monday that he did not think there was a threat to the community and that the killings appear "isolated".

Four of Sikh family shot dead in US; 'not hate crime' says Sushma Swaraj

US Special Representative for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/no-peace-if-taliban-do-not-adapt-us-envoy-zalmay-khalilzad-214206">Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad</a> is likely to visit India from May 6th to 7th. During his two-day visit, he will be meeting senior officials and leaders.

This will be his second visit to India this year. He was in India in early January when he met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.&nbsp;

Briefing the media during Zalmay's last visit to India, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, in January had said, "whether Pakistan’s role was discussed, you know there is something which I have articulated time and again about the destabilizing role, in a way, which Pakistan plays."

India will be raising the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and the continuation of the current political structure in the landlocked South Asian country which has arrived after 18 years.

He has already visited Pakistan and Afghanistan during his current visit to the region. Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale had met the US envoy in March in Washington and appraised him about India's view on the Afghan peace process.

India backs "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled" peace process. &nbsp;India has been engaging with regional countries - Iran, Russia, China and central Asian countries - &nbsp;regarding the Afghan peace process.&nbsp;

India last year had participated at an "unofficial level" at Moscow format talks by sending its former ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha and former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan.

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad is likely to visit India from May 6th to 7th. During his two-day visit, he will be meeting senior officials and leaders.

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad is likely to visit India from May 6th to 7th. During his two-day visit, he will be meeting senior officials and leaders. This will be his second visit to India this year. He was in India in early January when he met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. Briefing the media during Zalmay's last visit to India, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, in January had said, "whether Pakistan’s role was discussed, you know there is something which I have articulated time and again about the destabilizing role, in a way, which Pakistan plays." India will be raising the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and the continuation of the current political structure in the landlocked South Asian country which has arrived after 18 years. He has already visited Pakistan and Afghanistan during his current visit to the region. Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale had met the US envoy in March in Washington and appraised him about India's view on the Afghan peace process. India backs "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled" peace process. India has been engaging with regional countries - Iran, Russia, China and central Asian countries - regarding the Afghan peace process. India last year had participated at an "unofficial level" at Moscow format talks by sending its former ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha and former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan.

US special envoy on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad likely to visit India on May 6th

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/8-indians-killed-in-easter-blasts-in-sri-lanka-212635">At least 10 Indians are among the dead</a> after a series of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-bombings-death-toll-from-terror-attack-rises-to-310-40-people-arrested-212788">suicide attacks struck Sri Lanka</a> on Sunday afternoon, killing around 310 people.

The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka on Tuesday has confirmed the death of two more Indian nationals taking the toll of Indians died to 10 after a&nbsp;string of blasts ripped through&nbsp;hotels and churches holding Easter services.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Regret to confirm the deaths of two more Indian nationals Mr. A Maregowda and Mr. H Puttaraju in the blasts in Sri Lanka on Sunday, taking the total number of Indian deaths in the tragedy to 10 as of now.<a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a>
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiainSL/status/1120568256811552768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday identified three Indian nationals - Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh - as the victims of the blasts.

On Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan identified a Keralite, P S Rasina, among those killed in the deadly blasts. However, there was no confirmation about her from the Lankan authorities. &nbsp;

Sri Lankans observed three minutes of silence early Tuesday to pay tribute to the victims. National flags were lowered and people bowed their heads as the silence began at 8:30 am.

The government has declared a full day of national mourning on Tuesday, with flags at all government institutions lowered to half mast, liquor shops ordered shut and radio stations and television channels expected to play sombre music.

(With inputs from PTI)

At least 10 Indians are among the dead after a series of suicide attacks struck Sri Lanka on Sunday afternoon, killing around 310 people. The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka on Tuesday has confirmed the death of two more Indian nationals taking the toll of Indians died to 10 after a string of blasts ripped through hotels and churches holding Easter services.

At least 10 Indians are among the dead after a series of suicide attacks struck Sri Lanka on Sunday afternoon, killing around 310 people. The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka on Tuesday has confirmed the death of two more Indian nationals taking the toll of Indians died to 10 after a string of blasts ripped through hotels and churches holding Easter services. Regret to confirm the deaths of two more Indian nationals Mr. A Maregowda and Mr. H Puttaraju in the blasts in Sri Lanka on Sunday, taking the total number of Indian deaths in the tragedy to 10 as of now.@SushmaSwaraj — India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) April 23, 2019 × External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday identified three Indian nationals - Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh - as the victims of the blasts. On Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan identified a Keralite, P S Rasina, among those killed in the deadly blasts. However, there was no confirmation about her from the Lankan authorities. Sri Lankans observed three minutes of silence early Tuesday to pay tribute to the victims. National flags were lowered and people bowed their heads as the silence began at 8:30 am. The government has declared a full day of national mourning on Tuesday, with flags at all government institutions lowered to half mast, liquor shops ordered shut and radio stations and television channels expected to play sombre music. (With inputs from PTI)

Sri Lanka attacks: 2 more Indian nationals confirmed dead, taking toll to 10

sushma-swaraj

Sushma Swaraj, News on Sushma Swaraj, stories on Sushma Swaraj, articles on Sushma Swaraj, Sushma Swaraj stories at Wion, Sushma Swaraj news, Sushma Swaraj latest news

sushma swaraj