Iran's Ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, has said that the people of his country won't"allow foreign interference" and normalcyis returning after the recent protests. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Fathali stated that "at present, the situation in the country is under control, and in many cities we are witnessing a return to calm and stability." He explained how "millions of Iranians took to the streets across the country to express their support for the Islamic Republic, demonstrating", he said that it "clearly" shows that despite "existing challenges and economic pressures, they will never allow foreign interference in their internal affairs."


'Situation in Iran under control, Indian students safe': Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Fathali 

Taiwan has hit back at the Chinese embassy in Delhi over its criticisms of a WION interview featuring Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The interview, conducted by WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal on Friday (Apr 12), sparked a strong response from the Chinese embassy, which expressed its strong disapproval.

Taiwan has hit back at the Chinese embassy in Delhi over its criticisms of a WION interview featuring Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The interview, conducted by WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal on Friday (Apr 12), sparked a strong response from the Chinese embassy, which expressed its strong disapproval. Not only did the embassy issue a lengthy statement, but sent copies of it to our correspondent. Watch: China Embassy reacts to Taiwan FM's WION interview, says 'It will eventually unify with motherland' × The Taiwan government took to social media on Sunday to firmly dismiss the Chinese embassy's remarks. In a pointed post, Taiwan emphasised its status as a free country and its unwavering commitment to maintaining that freedom. "Those Chinese communists just don’t get it: Taiwan is a free country & is determined to stay free," read the post, directly addressing Beijing's stance. It further admonished China's lack of tolerance for press freedom and expression, stating, "If they (Chinese) can’t stand the freedoms of the press & expression, they should steer clear of democracy. Learn to respect India & the will of Taiwanese people, OK?". The post concluded with a symbolic display of the flags of Taiwan and India, alongside the initials "JW" representing Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. Those #Chinese communists just don’t get it: #Taiwan is a free country & is determined to stay free. If they can’t stand the freedoms of the press & expression, they should steer clear of democracy. Learn to respect #India & the will of Taiwanese people, OK? 🇹🇼🤝🇮🇳 JW https://t.co/AO67wJa2ky — 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) April 14, 2024 × The Chinese embassy's statement on Saturday reiterated Beijing's longstanding position on Taiwan, opposing any moves towards "Taiwan independence." This statement reflected China's assertive "wolf warrior" diplomacy, known for its aggressive approach to foreign relations. Also read: Taiwan FM Joseph Wu speaks to WION on India-Taiwan ties, semiconductor, Indo-Pacific, and more Foreign Minister Joseph Wu's extensive interview with WION covered various topics, including the strengthening of ties between India and Taiwan and the current situation in the Taiwan Strait. In recent months, there has been increased engagement between India and Taiwan, marked by significant developments such as the signing of a mobility pact and the involvement of a Taiwanese company in establishing a semiconductor fab plant in Gujarat. Moreover, Taiwan is set to open an office, serving as its de facto consulate, in Mumbai later this year, highlighting the growing cooperation between Taiwan and India, particularly in the economic and diplomatic spheres.

Taiwan hits back at Chinese embassy’s criticism of WION interview

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner has emphasised that they are currently awaiting the "green light" from the government for a ground offensive in Gaza.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner has emphasised that they are currently awaiting the "green light" from the government for a ground offensive in Gaza. Since the October 7th terror attack by Hamas, which claimed the lives of 1,400 Israelis and led to numerous hostages, Israel has remained on high alert. Speaking to WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Tel Aviv, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner explained, "If the ground offensive is instructed and approved by the government, we will be prepared to mobilize. The reservists are now being equipped, trained, and given specific tasks in anticipation of that ground offensive." In response to the situation in the Gaza Strip resulting from what Israel says are actions to deal with Hamas hideouts, Lerner noted, "We've instructed much of the population in the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate and move towards the south. I'm happy to report that we have seen a massive number of people who have actually followed our instructions, despite Hamas' efforts to prevent them." The continuous Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have raised significant concerns about the humanitarian situation, with the United Nations and other world leaders expressing their worries. The IDF spokesperson also pointed out that Hamas is currently in a "state of disarray" adding, "They will definitely be in shock when we get to them." Here is the full interview: WION: We know there is a buildup at Gaza so can we expect a ground offensive very soon? Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: The IDF is now on its 14th day of its offensive to destroy Hamas, to dismantle its capabilities to seek out pursue its leaders and terrorists. Indeed in the course of the last 14 days the IDF has recruited some 300,000 reservists. Their role if instructed to will be across the various services of the IDF and also including the ground offensive. If the ground offensive is instructed and approved by the government, we will be prepared to mobilize. The reservists are now being equipped and trained and given specific tasks in an anticipation for that ground offensive and that is what they are preparing for. Indeed, it does appear that that is the way forward. But we are as I said, waiting for the green light from the government in order to mobilize. Currently we are striking Hamas in its entirety, seeking out its leaders, destroying its operational capabilities, its command and control positions. And of course hunting down its leaders in the perpetrators of the atrocities of the seventh of October. WION: Sir, it has been over a week since the terror attack happened. How much have you been able to neutralise Hamas in Gaza strip? Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: We have struck and targeted hundreds of different targets, including leaders, including terrorists, including planners including operators including the cabinet of the Hamas's terrorist government. And indeed, we understand that they are in a state of disarray as an organization, as a governing body. But they are hiding they're hiding behind the people of Gaza. They are willing to sacrifice the people of Gaza because they have no regard for human life, Israeli or Palestinian. So our understanding is that they are in a state of disarray. They haven't got a clue what is going on above ground. They will definitely be in shock when we get to them. But we will, we are determined to defeat them. We did not open this war, but we will win it. WION: Right now we Hamas the Southern Front is open but we see Activities on the Northern Front as well with Hezbollah planning some kind of offensive or attack. How do you plan to deal with Hezbollah if it plans to open Northern front as well? Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: Absolutely, we've seen over the last 14 days, a constant increase in hostilities by Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations operating in Lebanon. We've seen anti tank guided missiles fired and as we've seen mortars, we've seen rockets, we've seen sniper fire and we've seen machine gun fire at our forces. We have taken the necessary precautions some of those reservists that have been called up have been sent to reinforce the northern border in order to be prepared for a potential flare up with Hezbollah as well. Their attacks still appear to be on the low scale, which indicates that they are trying to divert our attention from the South to the North. And we understand that Iran is actually behind this effort. We are a strong military. We have great capabilities. We have a professional military, and I would say we can fight on two fronts or multi fronts if required. We don't want to but we are prepared to if we if we are needed. WION: Coming back to your previous reply, IDF has been targetting Hamas in gaza strip and you talked about the Palestinians as well. What would you say about humanitarian aspects given that there's is an increased pounding of Hamas hideouts by israeli side that can lead to collateral damage as well? Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: So we operate basically, like the Indian military based on three core principles: 1) the principle of distinction between civilians, non combatants and terrorists, 2) the principle of military necessity what is the advantage of the specific strike? What abilities does it take from the enemy? 3) And thirdly, proportionality And we're constantly balancing out those three components in order to be effective in our efforts in order to try and minimize and keep civilians out of harm's way. We've instructed much of the population in the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate and go towards the south. I'm happy to report that we have seen a huge massive amount of people that have actually listened to us. And that is despite Hamas' efforts to prevent them. Hamas put out public announcements telling people not to evacuate. When people went, when they saw that people weren't listening to them, they erected checkpoints, physical checkpoints with terrorists that are trying to prevent them. Even that wasn't successful. So I'm happy to say that people listen to us because they understand that what happened on the seventh of October is unacceptable on any decent human beings understanding. So the people, the decent people of Gaza, have listened to Israel and have head South. Indeed Hamas have no regard for human life, and they will jeopardize the civilian population of Gaza. And our job is to differentiate between those analysis, specifically what we're doing. We've designated a humanitarian zone in the southwest of the Gaza strip in Al-Mawasi area. And our operations, when we need to strike in the Gaza Strip are much more precision intelligence based against specific targets in order to eliminate specific threats. So I would say that when we look at the operation, and when we look at what we're doing, to defeat and destroy us, we are doing it in a way that sends a clear message to the people of Gaza. You are not our enemy. Hamas is our enemy. And that is what we're doing. WION: How much IDF casualities have been there since the attacks? Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: So, we have, I think the last number is 304 in IDF fatalities in this attack. Of course, there are 203 hostages being held by Hamas. We still have over 100 people that are unaccounted for. So that number might go up and of course, Hamas butchered, murdered and massacred over 1400 people, Israelis, men, women, children, the elderly, they have no regard for anybody. And they just came on the mass mass mass murder of anybody that they found. In that time, they have also fired some 7000 rockets at Israel and jeopardised Israeli security, safety and the safety of the people from Haifa although in the north all the way down to the south. And they're continuing their attacks against us, and we are continuing our strikes against them. We have I can say that we are every time we meet a terrorist on the grounds, the terrorist is killed in the exchange. That is what we are doing. We are restoring safety and security. I can say even yesterday we still found a Palestinian terrorists in Israel's territory 13 days after the initial attack. So we are constantly securing the border, closing the breaches that they penetrated through, preventing terrorists from escaping back to the Gaza Strip, and preventing further infiltration from the Gaza strip into Israeli communities. WION: One thing we have noticed that Hamas is attacking even though Iron Dome is working well. How come Hamas still has the capability to attack.... Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: Well of course the Iron Dome isn't foolproof, but it is a very effective mechanism in order to safeguard and save civilians. Hamas has accumulated a huge amount of rockets, and they are continuing to....; and I think the basic working assumption is even when ground offensive takes place. They will continue to try and launch rockets. What we have seen as a decline in the amount of rockets that they're firing daily, which suggests that they are being pursued and have not got the comfort to launch them as freely as before. But yes, indeed they still have this arsenal. They will try and challenge us at each age period. This is the reason or one of the reasons or another part of the equation, why we need to change the paradigm so that this organization cannot fire rockets on us and not butcher our babies, can never adopt us again, and this is why we need to change the entire system. WION: When do you see hostages being released.....? Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: So unfortunately, I have nothing to report on this issue as I said the to the number of 203 is the number that could actually go up. The working assumption is that they're alive. And I would add that we expect Hamas to take care of their well being, they need to be released and be released now. Prime Minister Netanyahu has demanded that they have the International Committee of the Red Cross have access to the to the hostages. But I don't want to comment beyond that because I don't want to jeopardize them or the families of 203 people that are in despair and their life has been torn into pieces in the aftermath of this attack for the last 14 days. So I don't want to comment on that. And jeopardize anything we can actually bring them home. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Exclusive | IDF awaits approval for ground offensive; 300,000 reservists recruited, says spox Peter Lerner

Sri Lanka's foreign minister Ali Sabry has emphasised strong connectivity between the two countries, highlighting how both ferry and aviation will increase people-to-people linkages.

Sri Lanka's foreign minister Ali Sabry has emphasised strong connectivity between the two countries, highlighting how both ferry and aviation will increase people-to-people linkages. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Colombo, FM Sabry on the proposal of land connectivity said, "Connecting with each other could be a good opportunity. But the proposal, first of all, you need to study the feasibility of it, see the benefit for both countries and see that it will be beneficial for both countries and both nations then we must go ahead with it." Earlier this week, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe visited New Delhi, with both countries agreeing on new ferry services, among other key connectivity issues. × Regarding the proposal for an energy pipeline, Sabry stated, "The idea is to freely flow oil, making it easier to connect. This could ensure energy security for both Sri Lanka and India at various points." Both countries have also been working on FinTech connectivity, with a pact on UPI being announced during the visit of President Wickremesinghe. UPI is expected to start in Sri Lanka in a few months and will help Indian tourists. On India's security concerns in the backdrop of a visit of a Chinese vessel last year, Sabry assured, "We have finalised SOP and SOPs is in place...We have worked on that over a period of time in line with the UNCLOS-UN laws of seas". Here is the full interview: WION: Connectivity was the key focus of the visit, connectivity in various formats, if you can talk about that. Also, a proposal on land connectivity, if you can talk about that, what is the plan for it? Ali Sabry: We had a wonderful 2-day tour led by our President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the discussion centered around the economic partnership, mutual benefit for both countries and taking the maximum out of the expected economic growth in the region. So, in that everybody understands the entire growth is centred around people-to-people contact, whether it is business, social, economic, or educational thing, people are centred around that. That could only happen if you have better connectivity. So connectivity as you said that different forms and shapes but we thought in the long run it really to make sense of it like many countries and the regions which are connected with each other in various parts of the world, whether in Europe or in Northern America, or in the Middle East, going North Southeast Asia. Connecting with each other could be a good opportunity. But the proposal, first of all, you need to study the feasibility of it, see the benefit for both countries and see that it will be beneficial for both countries and the both nations then we must go ahead with it. So the idea is to propel growth through connectivity and connectivity really takes place when you are connected through land so ordinary people could drive from one end to the other end, and it becomes a larger region where economic cooperation, social cooperation educational cooperation, and people to people contact become a reality. WION: Ferry connectivity, aviation connectivity were other focus areas, if you can talk about that.. Ali Sabry: Aviation connectivity is to some extent is well connected. Sri Lankan airlines fly to different destinations within India and some of the Indian Airlines are flying to Sri Lanka so we would want more airlines to fly for both times. We are open to it. Then of course the Alliance airline which flies from Chennai to Jafna is now flying more frequencies on every day. So that's an area in which we want to see more connectivity so that it is affordable for people to travel and connect with each other. The second one of course the ferry, we identified two points, in Sri Lanka and two points in India so that it takes shape and form in the foreseeable future and very soon it and thirdly, His Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi very clearly stated that he would like to see more cruise tourism take place and connecting Sri Lankan and Indian ports in various regions. So these are the forms and shapes we are looking at connecting people, so we hope this will again, help to really tap the real potential of tourism and hospitality trade and other forms and shapes. WION: Coming to land connectivity, will it be passed by the cabinet? Ali Sabry: Yeah, generally any main decision-making process in Sri Lanka is we can propose any proposal thereafter, there will be a feasibility study from both countries. And once the feasibility study shows that it is feasible and then of course, it has to be taken into several layers, Attorney General have to clear and then the cabinet has to clear and ultimately they have to come before the parliament and get that get the clearance. So and why we want to do that is then it becomes not a partisan action it becomes a national issue. So, once a national decision is taken, is sustainable, it has long-term stability in that so, so these decisions are important decisions. It has to be taken by taken after consulting various levels with the decision makers and the representative of the people. WION: Key announcement on Trincomalee as India, Sri Lanka agree to develop Trincomalee city as regional hub...if you can talk about that.. Ali Sabry: Yes, Sri Lanka has seen three major ports. Colombo is one of the world's largest port and busiest ports. And then of course we have the Hambantota port, Trincomalee is the in the eastern part of Sri Lanka. That's a very important port, which is the second deepest natural port in the world, in the world. So it's a very strategically located port, and that's easier to connect with the southern part of Indian ports. So we are looking at the whole region of Trincomalee to be developed and through that, to develop the living standard of the Eastern Sri Lankans and northern Sri Lanka in order to do that, we will--government of Sri Lanka will identify several projects-- in that some of the projects which we have earmarked are for port development, creating an energy hub and to develop the tank farms jointly and also to establish a probably industrial zone, hospitality trade. So, in all these things, we are also looking at the opportunity to work with the Indian side, a joint working group sitting and looking at the feasibility of those projects, various projects and work to get. WION: Focus also on energy connectivity, with proposal of an energy pipeline, if you can talk about that Ali Sabry: Yeah, oil pipeline, the idea is freely to flow the oil, rather than physically carrying it through mobile applications like what is happening now through the vehicles. So once that happens, it's become easy to connect. So the idea is our Ministry of Power and Energy working very closely on that. We have looked at the feasibility of it. We feel this is good and this could ensure the energy security of the Sri Lankan at various points so both countries and within the country also in Sri Lanka to connect it at various points. WION: Focus also on financial connectivity, the big announcement was on the UPI, so how do you see it benefiting people of the 2 countries, and also Indian tourists travelling to Sri Lanka? Ali Sabry: yeah, I think it will be a good beginning, it will help many other Indians to feel safe, easy and devoid of unnecessary transaction costs. For example, if you are an Indian and to travel, he has to go get another third denomination currency by changing his Indian rupee and then come back to Sri Lanka and then again get Sri Lankan rupee and then before you go back, again change it to the international currency, then go back again get it into Indian currency. See this is a lot of countries have seen this, this is not good and therefore, like many other currencies, which we have identified, Indian currency will also be given an opportunity to use it as a legal tender and UPI will allow them to come into Sri Lanka and just use like you they use in India, at any shop, any place so that it really becomes very feasible for them. So that's an idea, that will definitely encourage more Indians to travel more efficiently and at less expense. So therefore, we see this good opportunity for Indians to travel more and how Sri Lanka will benefit out of that is that more Indians feel better travelling to Sri Lanka and easy destination just like many of us travel to Singapore without some time visa-free or Visa on arrival, it could propel tourism growth so we see an opportunity and mutually beneficial for both countries. WION: Are we looking at a timeline when the UPI can be started in Sri Lanka? Ali Sabry: I believe within the next three months or so, we should be able to use that because we have signed a key agreement. Financial authorities and monetary authorities have worked on that. So all in all the maximum timeline I feel is about three months time WION: Usage of Rupee has started in Sri Lanka, if you can give an update how the transaction has been going or what kind of transaction has been going? Ali Sabry: Yeah, I think those discussions have been held with the experts. I think, once there is clarity on that, we will share with the ordinary public, general public rather, it's important that at this point in time, we continue to work towards it. We all see an opportunity in that and a lot of traction in that, our experts are working on that with their counterparts. All in all, we see this will happen sooner rather than later. WION: India has its set of concerns over security, and we saw a visit of a Chinese spy ship, any assurances by Sri Lanka or how both countries are working on the issue? Ali Sabry: Basically, the conversation centred around keeping the Indian Ocean as a peaceful region and the commitment towards it. Number two is to be sensitive towards each other security concerns. In other words, as far as India is concerned that India's legitimate security concerns are to be taken into consideration in whatever the decisions what we are making. To be fair by India, India didn't ask or wanted us in any way to block any investment from any other countries or any trade with any other countries. And that's all perfectly normal because every country is doing that. But security concerns which are legitimate need to be taken into consideration. So that we have repeatedly told that the legitimate security concerns of the Indian Government and the people of India will not be compromised by Sri Lanka at any stage being a responsible neighbour and also a close friend of India for generations. WION: There was a plan for a standard operating procedure or SOP in the backdrop of the visit of the Chinese research vessel, any update on that? Ali Sabry: Yes, we have finalised SOP and SOPs are in place. We will share this with all our stakeholders and the friends of the SOPs. We have worked on that over a period of time in line with the UNCLOS-UN laws of the seas. We have developed that and then probably we will put that in place very soon. WION: Sri Lanka has also sought an innocent passage, for its vessels to the Arabian Sea, was that matter raised? Ali Sabry: Yes, in fact, the Sri Lankan side made a request that, innocent passage to be allowed which means not to engage in fishing in the Indian water, but sometimes from Sri Lanka you had to pass the Indian water to get into the mid sea and the Arabian Sea which is international waters, anybody can fish in that particular areas. So we have sought the innocent passage that will pass through the Indian territory and Indian waters to go into the international waters, so our fishermen who are engaging in multi-day troll operations. WION: Indian PM Modi called for a humane view on the fisherman issue, if you can talk about your view? Ali Sabry: Yeah, basically two things were in the conversation. That is all agreed that we should have a joint working group sitting and talking in detail in order to avoid any unpleasantries. Secondly, Sri Lanka, kind of explained that the bottom trawling which is taking place, bottom trawling is very dangerous, it just sweeps the seabed and it could be very dangerous. And in our understanding, the bottom trawling had already done a lot of damage to the seabed on the side of the Indian waters. So there are a lot of bottom trawlers coming into international waters and to the Sri Lankan water, which is bad for all, not only for Sri Lanka but for India as well in the long run, because that will kind of destroy marine life. So therefore we explain the concerns that we have and our fishermen have, and I'm sure Fisheries Working Group will sit and discuss this and finalise it so. WION: If you can give an update on the current economic situation in Sri Lanka? India played a key role, but what is the current situation? Ali Sabry: Actually, compared to the last year, we have made a lot of progress. We had a plan, for getting over this economic crisis. The first step was to stabilize the economy, that is, to control inflation and eliminate the various queues and shortages, the second was the recovery; and the third was the growth. So what we are now going through is the second page of recovery. We have started to recover; it is like a vehicle that was going down where you first stop stabilization, then slowly take it back to the normal level of the ground, and then you start moving. So, we are on the second level, we are coming to the ground stage now, and now we have taken off. So in terms of that, in other words, we have controlled the inflation, which was running around 80% and came down to a single figure in July, less than 10%. The Sri Lankan Rupee has stabilized; in fact, until recently it gained about 20%, and it's already again for this year about 10 to 12%. Then there are no queues, 24 hours electricity, and tourists have started to come back, migrants working in the middle east, and in East Asia and also from some of the countries in the West have started sending their money through the normal channels. So our foreign reserves have significantly improved. The Sri Lankan situation is much better than it used to be. You can see that right now. So many of cricket matches are taking place. This month tourism has picked up very well. So we are very confident that Sri Lanka is on a path to a moderate recovery. But it is just the first step a long, long way to go. We understand the gravity of it. And President Ranil Wickremesinghe had given leadership to an unprecedented economic reform package in terms of revenue generation, in terms of fiscal discipline and in also in terms of laws, which are necessary to curb corruption. So all in all, we have made some good progress, but a long, long way to go. I could only see some resemblances and similarities of India in the early 1990s, they started a reform program. Across the government and party lines, they continued with the same policies and are reaping the benefits now. So we can only learn lessons from that and hope that we will continue to proceed with these reforms in order to achieve the true potential of the Sri Lankan economy. WION: Sir, you and the President have played a key role in Sri Lankan recovery, My last question is: what next in Indo-Sri Lanka ties? Do we expect Prime Minister Modi to travel to Sri Lanka? Ali Sabry: We would love to have the honourable Prime Minister Modi visit Sri Lanka. And we also wanted your finance minister, who played a very crucial role in getting Sri Lanka out of the woods, to visit Sri Lanka, and we will have many high-level delegations coming from both sides. We also discussed the parliamentary groups—Sri Lankans and Indian parliamentarians meet--so that they will tell people to people contact and work together by dispelling all the myths and the suspicion of each other so that you can move on with the new generation of leadership. So we look forward and are confident that in the years to come, our relationship, with both Sri Lanka and India will be stronger, better, mutually beneficial, and will be an example for the region. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Exclusive: Sri Lanka FM emphasises strong connectivity, economic recovery; protocol put on maritime activity 

Switzerland's ambassador to India Dr. Ralf Heckner has backed strong trading and political ties with India hoping that the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) free trade talk will "accelerate" soon. European Free Trade Association is a free trade area between 4 countries--Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.&nbsp;

Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Heckner said, the Swiss "state secretary for economic affairs will visit Delhi at the beginning of February and both sides will look into negotiations and try to figure out how to accelerate the negotiations and try to wrap them up." He also indicated that the President of the Swiss confederation will be visiting India later this year and for this, both sides are in contact.

On the issue of illicit money issue, he pointed to the 2018 India-Switzerland automatic exchange pact and on the basis of that "on a yearly basis between September-October, both countries are exchanging information on bank accounts". Switzerland, for the first time in its history also became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for a time frame of 2 years on 1st January 2023. The ambassador listed priorities for his country including peace amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Asked about India's bid for UNSC, he said, "India is now aspiring for the next non-permanent membership of the security council. We will look into that very favourably". Other than the key aspiration to be a permanent member of the UNSC in the long term, India has also bid to be a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2028-29 time frame. The ambassador also spoke on reforms of the UNSC Sanctions regime, tourism and other ties.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: How will you characterize India, Switzerland ties? This year both countries are celebrating 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2023.&nbsp;

Dr. Ralf Heckner:&nbsp;Maybe before 2023, let's talk about 2022 from where we are coming and where we would like to go when it comes to our bilateral relations. Our bilateral relations were on steroids. We had a number of high-ranking officials from Switzerland, we had the minister of finance, trade, innovation, President of the Swiss national bank in Mumbai. He took 3-4 days out of his schedule to have a discussion on Fintech and meeting the governor of the Reserve bank of India and in the last 6 months of last year, we had 12 delegations coming to town. That is the interest from the Swiss side, but there was also good and important interest when it comes to the Indian side. 
 
We had the trade minister in Davos, Geneva. We had the health minister in Geneva too, both met counterparts on Swiss soil and we had an important railway delegation. If you look at last year, we discussed G20, we discussed fintech, digitization, trade, innovation, and railways, so a huge number of issues were discussed at the highest level. For me, it was important that our people-to-people relations were up and running. I think my colleagues at the visa centre here in the Swiss embassy did a good job. Some of my ambassadors here had to excuse themselves over Visa not delivered, or not delivered on time or not delivered at all. I received praise from the external ministry. Our people-to-people relations are very high, several visa applications were dealt with. People can fly throughout the year, connecting Delhi, Mumbai to Zurich. We got a green light from civil aviation authorities by the end of 2021. Also, Zurich airport is a functioning airport on European soil, things that made Switzerland an attractive destination. 
 
We are very positioned for 2023, I would say we have 3 important things we would like to move forward. First I would like to see a very high level of bilateral relations accelerated, 75 years of friendship. India had chosen Switzerland as the very first country India signed a friendship treaty after independence. So on August 14, 1948, we had the first friendship treaty of India with any given country of India and that was Switzerland. If you look at the world, it is important that friendly countries work together and we celebrate our friendship and cater to our bilateral relations. And then, when it comes to getting things, there are two&nbsp;things. I was very much impressed last year to see how India is growing and climbing up the ladder when it comes to the world innovation index. India's trajectory is very clear on the world innovation index, ambition is also to be among the top 20. Switzerland is also the most innovative country according to the world innovation index and has been for the last 10 years. The more India turns into an innovative country, the more interest India and Switzerland are covering when it comes to innovation. I would like to see our innovation relationship being directed in a more strategic way. 
 
We would like to create a platform of the best universities, companies and align the scientific policies of India and Switzerland accordingly. This will be the first time Switzerland will try to create an innovative platform of that kind worldwide. If we are able to do that in India, we will be able to replicate that in 20 other states. That is the innovation trajectory we have. When it comes to innovation, the more innovative India is becoming the more intellectual property rights will be important for India. That is also something where I see convergence. A more innovative India means, India that attaches importance to intellectual property rights, something that Switzerland also attaches as a small country with an innovative community. 
 
There is also convergence happening. The most important thing will also be that our trade relations will be accelerated. We have been negotiating with India for a number of years, we have seen India is open for business when it comes to trade deals. The proof of the pudding was given last year when India had pacts with Australia and UAE. Switzerland together with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, the European Free trade association countries, have a clear ambition to accelerate the trade negotiation. For that, the state secretary for economic affairs will visit Delhi at the beginning of February and both sides will look into negotiations and try to figure out how to accelerate the negotiations and try to wrap them up. So those are the three things, to cater to friendly countries which are incredibly important to the current international situation. Then moving our innovation relations to a more strategic level and accelerating our trade relations.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Can we expect any high-level visits this year? 
 
Dr. Ralf Heckner: Actually we are expecting the President of the Swiss confederation to come to town. We are in contact to make this happen. This would for sure be the highlight of this year and be part of celebrating 75 years of our friendship but also a moment to move our economic relations forward. What is the potential of a trade deal as well, because if you understand the potential of a trade deal, you will also have the ambition to wrap up a trade deal. So Switzerland is number 20 when it comes to worldwide economies. Our GDP is 900 billion dollars, India's GDP is 3.2 trillion dollars. So three and a half times bigger than Switzerland. We are one of the most important financial centres, we are one of the most important innovative countries. This is just to set the stages. 
 
Let's talk about the numbers, the potential we have. There are 330 Swiss businesses physically present in India. In China there are 1000, so that means we have triple the presence of Swiss companies in India, if we take China as one of the reference points. In China, we were able to wrap up a free trade pact years back, including one on intellectual property. If you have a look at the US, which is the biggest economy in the world, we are one of the biggest countries to put FDI in the US. We are talking about 300 billion US dollars, invested in the US. We are talking about 10 billion US dollars invested in India from Switzerland. In the US its, 300 billion. Only the research and development investment from Switzerland into the US is 10 billion US dollars. So sky's the limit when it comes to the potential of Swiss businesses here and when it comes to foreign direct investment into India. So once you grasp the potential, the ambition to wrap up trade deals will come with it as well.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: India is the President of the G20 grouping this year, and is inviting Switzerland to take part in the Sherpa track. Your comments on that...

Dr. Ralf Heckner: We are very grateful to the Indian government that Switzerland is invited again as a permanent invitee to the finance track. We have been part of the finance track since 2016. It can be explained, we are one of the biggest financial centres and I think what we bring to the table is the know-how to new technology, Fintech. We are sharing that with India. I referred to the visit of the President of the Swiss national bank with a keen interest in India's fintech space. One thing I see, is the major contribution of Switzerland is sustainability. PM Modi is very much focused on turning India into a green country when it comes to energy and the economy. The Swiss govt also had a vision, a vision for Switzerland's financial sector, to turn into a sustainable international financial sector. We are not talking about the billions of dollars that will be invested in climate change adaptation, and mitigation like at COP27 but we are talking about trillions of dollars in Swiss pension funds, insurance, and banks, that would be invested in sustainable businesses and solutions. There we have a huge opportunity to work with India. 
 
It is the right thing to have Switzerland at the table when it comes to the G20 finance track. I think overall, and the most important thing when it comes to India's G20 presidency and Switzerland is the focus of India on peace. The PM wrote an OP-ED and made it clear that this is not a time of war and made it clear we are talking about "One family, one world, One future". If you look at Switzerland's security council priorities-- we are for the first time in our history non-permanent members of the security council--the number one priority is sustainable peace. Whenever war breaks out in the last 10-20 years, there is no peace that follows. The most important thing is we keep peace where it is and then try to foster peace where war is. This is an overarching alignment where the objectives of India's G20 presidency and we would like to achieve in New York.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: India has been focusing on automatic exchange of information when it comes to illicit money. On the bilateral aspect if you can talk about that?

Dr. Ralf Heckner: So, in 2018 India and Switzerland signed a pact on automatic exchange of bank information. So on a yearly basis between September-October, both countries are exchanging information on bank accounts. With that, the whole issue of banking information being exchanged is being catered for. I have been here in India for 2 years now, and I have never heard anything that is of importance when it comes to our relations and transparency in the banking sector. So no clouds on the horizon in our bilateral ties on the contrary. But it was dealt with in 2018.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: What are Switzerland's priorities when it comes to its non-permanent time frame at the UNSC which has just started. You have already talked about peace, but what are the other priorities?

Dr. Ralf Heckner: Other Priorities are very Swiss priorities based on our foreign policy priorities. One is the protection of civilians in armed conflict, Switzerland attaches importance to protection and international humanitarian law with the founding of the International Committee of Red Cross in the 19th century. Unfortunately, if you look at the world in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, the protection of civilians is really an issue. This is our second priority. The 3rd priority will be the link between climate change and security and the 4th one, very much in line with the reform objectives of India. We would like to see an effective and transparent security council.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Reforms of the UNSC are also something India has been talking about, what is your view on how UNSC should reflect the current geopolitical realities and will you support India's bid for a permanent seat at a reformed UNSC?

Dr. Ralf Heckner: Already the fact that we support India's candidacy for 2021-22 security council membership is an indication, India is now aspiring for the next non-permanent membership of the security council. We will look into that very favourably. I think Switzerland and India are coming from 2 different sides to the same issue, that is the reform of the security council and international institutions as a whole. We are trying to change things in the current circumstances and hoping and working for a real reform. For that reason, we are talking about the effectiveness and transparency of the security council. 
 
If you look at what Switzerland has pushed forward and moved forward in the last years in that specific file, we have made it clear that we are of the opinion that P5 with a veto power should refrain from using the veto power whenever they are involved in a war. I think Ukraine is an example why Switzerland's proposal for a restrained use of a veto power is the right one. When it comes to India, once the conditions are ripe, I am sure Switzerland will look very favourable into India's candidacy. If you look at the world, it is very clear that India is an important country growing in influence and Switzerland attaches a lot of importance to our bilateral relations and which direction it will go.

Sidhant Sibal: What is your view on the reform of the sanctions regime? Sanctions regimes looked politicised and China has blocked the listing of Pakistan-based terrorists.

Dr. Ralf Heckner: I cannot tell you how we will vote, once things are on the table of my colleagues in the Swiss government in New York. But Switzerland is adhering to UN Sanctions, sanctions being taken by UNSC and that is clear. So Switzerland is implementing sanctions of the security council and will do so in the future. 
 
When it comes to sanctions and terrorism, just have a look at how Switzerland, decisions last year. India invited a number of countries to an extraordinary session of the UNSC sanctions committee. We were there with one person from New York and another from Berne. This shows the importance we attach to the sanctions regime and then no money for the terror conference, we had the deputy state secretary of financial affairs in town for those 2 days. Our message was a clear one that we would like to see all international states adhering and implementing the international standards when it comes to fight against terrorism. They are very much aligned with India and working with India on one of the priorities of India's security council membership 2021-2022.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Switzerland has had a cultural impact due to movies, how do you see it? There seems to be a lull in that, but how do you plan to take it forward?

Dr. Ralf Heckner: I am so impressed to see how one person, Mr Chopra and a friend of his, a Swiss farmer in Berne, were at the beginning of an incredible people to people relationship. The fact that the biggest visa centre worldwide of our network is in India, shows you the vibrancy of our people to people relations. It is not lull, if you look at 2 things–shooting a move in Switzerland that is still being done which is being done in a lot of other countries and then there is social media. Switzerland tourism is working very much with popular figures in India, Shah Rukh Khan or now the Olympic gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra. That is how we try to keep the attention level of our Indian friends when it comes to visiting Switzerland as a tourist destination. But what I think is important is that Indian people, Indian administration understand what Switzerland has to offer beyond the beautiful landscape and cable cars and trains, that is our country is the most innovative country on our planet. 
 
If you want to tap into the most innovative country on this planet, you can do that in Switzerland, if you want to have a relationship with one of the biggest FDI investors, that is Switzerland. That is something people do not see that much. The economic muscle Switzerland has as an FDI investor and also when it comes to innovation and research and that is where I would like to direct the attention of the Indian public but I am very happy Indian tourists are visiting Switzerland and by the way a lot of Swiss tourists are also visiting India. Before the pandemic, My friends in the Indian embassy in Berne were issuing 40-50,000 visas so it's a two-way relationship. 
 
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Switzerland's ambassador to India Dr. Ralf Heckner has backed strong trading and political ties with India hoping that the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) free trade talk will "accelerate" soon.

Switzerland's ambassador to India Dr. Ralf Heckner has backed strong trading and political ties with India hoping that the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) free trade talk will "accelerate" soon. European Free Trade Association is a free trade area between 4 countries--Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Heckner said, the Swiss "state secretary for economic affairs will visit Delhi at the beginning of February and both sides will look into negotiations and try to figure out how to accelerate the negotiations and try to wrap them up." He also indicated that the President of the Swiss confederation will be visiting India later this year and for this, both sides are in contact. On the issue of illicit money issue, he pointed to the 2018 India-Switzerland automatic exchange pact and on the basis of that "on a yearly basis between September-October, both countries are exchanging information on bank accounts". Switzerland, for the first time in its history also became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for a time frame of 2 years on 1st January 2023. The ambassador listed priorities for his country including peace amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Asked about India's bid for UNSC, he said, "India is now aspiring for the next non-permanent membership of the security council. We will look into that very favourably". Other than the key aspiration to be a permanent member of the UNSC in the long term, India has also bid to be a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2028-29 time frame. The ambassador also spoke on reforms of the UNSC Sanctions regime, tourism and other ties. Sidhant Sibal: How will you characterize India, Switzerland ties? This year both countries are celebrating 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2023. Dr. Ralf Heckner: Maybe before 2023, let's talk about 2022 from where we are coming and where we would like to go when it comes to our bilateral relations. Our bilateral relations were on steroids. We had a number of high-ranking officials from Switzerland, we had the minister of finance, trade, innovation, President of the Swiss national bank in Mumbai. He took 3-4 days out of his schedule to have a discussion on Fintech and meeting the governor of the Reserve bank of India and in the last 6 months of last year, we had 12 delegations coming to town. That is the interest from the Swiss side, but there was also good and important interest when it comes to the Indian side. We had the trade minister in Davos, Geneva. We had the health minister in Geneva too, both met counterparts on Swiss soil and we had an important railway delegation. If you look at last year, we discussed G20, we discussed fintech, digitization, trade, innovation, and railways, so a huge number of issues were discussed at the highest level. For me, it was important that our people-to-people relations were up and running. I think my colleagues at the visa centre here in the Swiss embassy did a good job. Some of my ambassadors here had to excuse themselves over Visa not delivered, or not delivered on time or not delivered at all. I received praise from the external ministry. Our people-to-people relations are very high, several visa applications were dealt with. People can fly throughout the year, connecting Delhi, Mumbai to Zurich. We got a green light from civil aviation authorities by the end of 2021. Also, Zurich airport is a functioning airport on European soil, things that made Switzerland an attractive destination. We are very positioned for 2023, I would say we have 3 important things we would like to move forward. First I would like to see a very high level of bilateral relations accelerated, 75 years of friendship. India had chosen Switzerland as the very first country India signed a friendship treaty after independence. So on August 14, 1948, we had the first friendship treaty of India with any given country of India and that was Switzerland. If you look at the world, it is important that friendly countries work together and we celebrate our friendship and cater to our bilateral relations. And then, when it comes to getting things, there are two things. I was very much impressed last year to see how India is growing and climbing up the ladder when it comes to the world innovation index. India's trajectory is very clear on the world innovation index, ambition is also to be among the top 20. Switzerland is also the most innovative country according to the world innovation index and has been for the last 10 years. The more India turns into an innovative country, the more interest India and Switzerland are covering when it comes to innovation. I would like to see our innovation relationship being directed in a more strategic way. We would like to create a platform of the best universities, companies and align the scientific policies of India and Switzerland accordingly. This will be the first time Switzerland will try to create an innovative platform of that kind worldwide. If we are able to do that in India, we will be able to replicate that in 20 other states. That is the innovation trajectory we have. When it comes to innovation, the more innovative India is becoming the more intellectual property rights will be important for India. That is also something where I see convergence. A more innovative India means, India that attaches importance to intellectual property rights, something that Switzerland also attaches as a small country with an innovative community. There is also convergence happening. The most important thing will also be that our trade relations will be accelerated. We have been negotiating with India for a number of years, we have seen India is open for business when it comes to trade deals. The proof of the pudding was given last year when India had pacts with Australia and UAE. Switzerland together with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, the European Free trade association countries, have a clear ambition to accelerate the trade negotiation. For that, the state secretary for economic affairs will visit Delhi at the beginning of February and both sides will look into negotiations and try to figure out how to accelerate the negotiations and try to wrap them up. So those are the three things, to cater to friendly countries which are incredibly important to the current international situation. Then moving our innovation relations to a more strategic level and accelerating our trade relations. Sidhant Sibal: Can we expect any high-level visits this year? Dr. Ralf Heckner: Actually we are expecting the President of the Swiss confederation to come to town. We are in contact to make this happen. This would for sure be the highlight of this year and be part of celebrating 75 years of our friendship but also a moment to move our economic relations forward. What is the potential of a trade deal as well, because if you understand the potential of a trade deal, you will also have the ambition to wrap up a trade deal. So Switzerland is number 20 when it comes to worldwide economies. Our GDP is 900 billion dollars, India's GDP is 3.2 trillion dollars. So three and a half times bigger than Switzerland. We are one of the most important financial centres, we are one of the most important innovative countries. This is just to set the stages. Let's talk about the numbers, the potential we have. There are 330 Swiss businesses physically present in India. In China there are 1000, so that means we have triple the presence of Swiss companies in India, if we take China as one of the reference points. In China, we were able to wrap up a free trade pact years back, including one on intellectual property. If you have a look at the US, which is the biggest economy in the world, we are one of the biggest countries to put FDI in the US. We are talking about 300 billion US dollars, invested in the US. We are talking about 10 billion US dollars invested in India from Switzerland. In the US its, 300 billion. Only the research and development investment from Switzerland into the US is 10 billion US dollars. So sky's the limit when it comes to the potential of Swiss businesses here and when it comes to foreign direct investment into India. So once you grasp the potential, the ambition to wrap up trade deals will come with it as well. Sidhant Sibal: India is the President of the G20 grouping this year, and is inviting Switzerland to take part in the Sherpa track. Your comments on that... Dr. Ralf Heckner: We are very grateful to the Indian government that Switzerland is invited again as a permanent invitee to the finance track. We have been part of the finance track since 2016. It can be explained, we are one of the biggest financial centres and I think what we bring to the table is the know-how to new technology, Fintech. We are sharing that with India. I referred to the visit of the President of the Swiss national bank with a keen interest in India's fintech space. One thing I see, is the major contribution of Switzerland is sustainability. PM Modi is very much focused on turning India into a green country when it comes to energy and the economy. The Swiss govt also had a vision, a vision for Switzerland's financial sector, to turn into a sustainable international financial sector. We are not talking about the billions of dollars that will be invested in climate change adaptation, and mitigation like at COP27 but we are talking about trillions of dollars in Swiss pension funds, insurance, and banks, that would be invested in sustainable businesses and solutions. There we have a huge opportunity to work with India. It is the right thing to have Switzerland at the table when it comes to the G20 finance track. I think overall, and the most important thing when it comes to India's G20 presidency and Switzerland is the focus of India on peace. The PM wrote an OP-ED and made it clear that this is not a time of war and made it clear we are talking about "One family, one world, One future". If you look at Switzerland's security council priorities-- we are for the first time in our history non-permanent members of the security council--the number one priority is sustainable peace. Whenever war breaks out in the last 10-20 years, there is no peace that follows. The most important thing is we keep peace where it is and then try to foster peace where war is. This is an overarching alignment where the objectives of India's G20 presidency and we would like to achieve in New York. Sidhant Sibal: India has been focusing on automatic exchange of information when it comes to illicit money. On the bilateral aspect if you can talk about that? Dr. Ralf Heckner: So, in 2018 India and Switzerland signed a pact on automatic exchange of bank information. So on a yearly basis between September-October, both countries are exchanging information on bank accounts. With that, the whole issue of banking information being exchanged is being catered for. I have been here in India for 2 years now, and I have never heard anything that is of importance when it comes to our relations and transparency in the banking sector. So no clouds on the horizon in our bilateral ties on the contrary. But it was dealt with in 2018. Sidhant Sibal: What are Switzerland's priorities when it comes to its non-permanent time frame at the UNSC which has just started. You have already talked about peace, but what are the other priorities? Dr. Ralf Heckner: Other Priorities are very Swiss priorities based on our foreign policy priorities. One is the protection of civilians in armed conflict, Switzerland attaches importance to protection and international humanitarian law with the founding of the International Committee of Red Cross in the 19th century. Unfortunately, if you look at the world in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, the protection of civilians is really an issue. This is our second priority. The 3rd priority will be the link between climate change and security and the 4th one, very much in line with the reform objectives of India. We would like to see an effective and transparent security council. Sidhant Sibal: Reforms of the UNSC are also something India has been talking about, what is your view on how UNSC should reflect the current geopolitical realities and will you support India's bid for a permanent seat at a reformed UNSC? Dr. Ralf Heckner: Already the fact that we support India's candidacy for 2021-22 security council membership is an indication, India is now aspiring for the next non-permanent membership of the security council. We will look into that very favourably. I think Switzerland and India are coming from 2 different sides to the same issue, that is the reform of the security council and international institutions as a whole. We are trying to change things in the current circumstances and hoping and working for a real reform. For that reason, we are talking about the effectiveness and transparency of the security council. If you look at what Switzerland has pushed forward and moved forward in the last years in that specific file, we have made it clear that we are of the opinion that P5 with a veto power should refrain from using the veto power whenever they are involved in a war. I think Ukraine is an example why Switzerland's proposal for a restrained use of a veto power is the right one. When it comes to India, once the conditions are ripe, I am sure Switzerland will look very favourable into India's candidacy. If you look at the world, it is very clear that India is an important country growing in influence and Switzerland attaches a lot of importance to our bilateral relations and which direction it will go. Sidhant Sibal: What is your view on the reform of the sanctions regime? Sanctions regimes looked politicised and China has blocked the listing of Pakistan-based terrorists. Dr. Ralf Heckner: I cannot tell you how we will vote, once things are on the table of my colleagues in the Swiss government in New York. But Switzerland is adhering to UN Sanctions, sanctions being taken by UNSC and that is clear. So Switzerland is implementing sanctions of the security council and will do so in the future. When it comes to sanctions and terrorism, just have a look at how Switzerland, decisions last year. India invited a number of countries to an extraordinary session of the UNSC sanctions committee. We were there with one person from New York and another from Berne. This shows the importance we attach to the sanctions regime and then no money for the terror conference, we had the deputy state secretary of financial affairs in town for those 2 days. Our message was a clear one that we would like to see all international states adhering and implementing the international standards when it comes to fight against terrorism. They are very much aligned with India and working with India on one of the priorities of India's security council membership 2021-2022. Sidhant Sibal: Switzerland has had a cultural impact due to movies, how do you see it? There seems to be a lull in that, but how do you plan to take it forward? Dr. Ralf Heckner: I am so impressed to see how one person, Mr Chopra and a friend of his, a Swiss farmer in Berne, were at the beginning of an incredible people to people relationship. The fact that the biggest visa centre worldwide of our network is in India, shows you the vibrancy of our people to people relations. It is not lull, if you look at 2 things–shooting a move in Switzerland that is still being done which is being done in a lot of other countries and then there is social media. Switzerland tourism is working very much with popular figures in India, Shah Rukh Khan or now the Olympic gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra. That is how we try to keep the attention level of our Indian friends when it comes to visiting Switzerland as a tourist destination. But what I think is important is that Indian people, Indian administration understand what Switzerland has to offer beyond the beautiful landscape and cable cars and trains, that is our country is the most innovative country on our planet. If you want to tap into the most innovative country on this planet, you can do that in Switzerland, if you want to have a relationship with one of the biggest FDI investors, that is Switzerland. That is something people do not see that much. The economic muscle Switzerland has as an FDI investor and also when it comes to innovation and research and that is where I would like to direct the attention of the Indian public but I am very happy Indian tourists are visiting Switzerland and by the way a lot of Swiss tourists are also visiting India. Before the pandemic, My friends in the Indian embassy in Berne were issuing 40-50,000 visas so it's a two-way relationship. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Switzerland Envoy Heckner backs strong trade, political ties with India

His videos may have landed him in trouble in the past, but CarryMinati (CM) remains--to this day--one of the most successful content creators India has ever produced.

His videos may have landed him in trouble in the past, but CarryMinati (CM) remains--to this day--one of the most successful content creators India has ever produced. Born as Ajey Nagar, CM thinks his alter ego was a major confidence booster in his life and helped shape his digital career in ways more than one. "It felt amazing to (be) recognised due to the fan appreciation, something like what we see in the superhero films," he says, proudly. All of 22, CarryMinati wants it all: a booming acting career, the gamer's high, giving wings to his musical inclinations and never being irrelevant. In an exclusive interview with WION, the uber successful content creator talks about navigating his awkward teenage years and coming out of his cocoon through CarryMinati, expresses his concerns over people associating virtual harassment culture to his rant videos, and reveals why he will be a gambler for life. Unedited excerpts from our conversation with the digital star: View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑨𝒋𝒆𝒚 𝑵𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒓 (@carryminati) × You just completed eight years of being this public persona, CarryMinati. You were too young, some may even say just a child, when you were starting out. What has these years taught you? Like Spider man said, "With great power comes great responsibility." While what I do appears to be the most entertaining job on the planet there are a lot of limitations that tag along with the responsibility of being Asia’s number 1 YouTube creator and adds up to the whole pressure. You see it’s not enough to simply generate great content. The audience expects consistency, novelty and frequency if you want to stand out in a crowd. Without these, it’s incredibly easy to slip off the radar and lose favour with the algorithm that gave you your success. The pressure helps me build the best version of myself. Also read: 'Tiger King 2' review: Joe Exotic's life is now a reality show with more drama than the Kardashians How is Ajey Nagar different from his alter ego, CarryMinati? Ajey is a very private, non-controversial and loving person. I enjoy my alone time at home and have a very close-knit circle. My alter ego gives me that driving force to look forward to a new day and be grateful for it. I gained confidence with the CarryMinati moniker as I am an introvert. It felt amazing to go from being invisible to being widely recognised due to the fan appreciation, something like the superhero fictional films. Your brother has ventured into music and you are supporting him like any brother would. What advice did you give him about showbiz? Always believe in your art despite what the world and the naysayers say and never underestimate the power of the hustle, your inner voice and the fans. Wily Frenzy is such an amazing DJ and producer and I feel he has a great future awaiting him. He has a great eye for detail and aesthetics. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑨𝒋𝒆𝒚 𝑵𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒓 (@carryminati) × You are heavily into gaming, rants, sketches, acting and of course, music. Are you venturing into multiple avenues just to explore or we will see all these versions of you even five years down the line? Age is just a number for me. I feel younger with every passing year. Maybe my style of content creation will change when I’m 30 plus but I’ll continue pursuing content creation because that’s my first love. By the time I’m 40 I may turn into a serial entrepreneur in the gaming industry, you just never know where life takes you! My last video ‘Cancel Culture’ where I tried an English sketch for the first time, got a lot of love from the across the globe audience, I would like to incorporate it more in the coming videos so that my content could appeal to a global audience. I maybe want to get to the point of being the most loved YouTuber and gamer in the world through continued fan support. After the success of ‘Uncanny Roaches’ I also plan to invest in an animated web series with my business partner Deepak Char. With the advent of technology, the exposure to the online world has doubled and today content creators are as important as cricketers and Bollywood stars in the ecosphere. Using profanities has always been a major part of your content, and has always worked for you. What if there’s ever a ban. What’s your alternative? I personally do not support any kind of cyber bullying, trolling, abuse and harassment in any form and I have disclaimers. I do get shocked when people react to my videos as a medium of profanity harassment because that’s a total disrespect to my art. My passion isn’t built on any form of exploitation. There is a hairline difference between roasting and commentary videos. The formats are the same but the nature is completely different. A roast is meant to be silly, ridiculous, hard hitting whereas a commentary is meant to be opinionated, quirky and relatable. I use a character who is frustrated, angry and aggressive to play out my scenes which are pre-recorded shoots and not lives. Yes, roasting is a new concept for a lot of people but I believe it will be full blown in the next decade as sensibilities become more cosmopolitan. You can’t always expect people to say nice things about you, you need to be a sport when the bad things come your way, because everyone will have an opinion that you may not like. I mean I was roasted a hundred times before I even took this profession up seriously and I took all of it in my stride. Stand-up comedy also faced a similar resistance in its formative years till it became a fad. Also read: 'Tick, Tick... Boom!' review: Andrew Garfield's ode to musical genius is heart-wrenching You are never afraid to be emotional in front of your audience. With time, have you been able to take that part of you? Or, that’s just what one gets for being part of the CM brigade? My platform is a place where you can set yourself free and be your most authentic self without being judged most of the time and I think that's the biggest vantage point. Experimental content is the king of new age media today, and the algorithm loves you the most when content speaks to the audience and breaks stereotypes. Also read: WION exclusive! Raftaar: I choose to mentor young rappers as I never had one during my time Acting must have been terrifying for you, given the names involved. Will you ever be Carry, the actor, and no longer Carry, the content creator? Carry is multi-faceted and I like to view life through rose colored glasses. I can multi-task between roles and that’s my pedigree. But my first and last love will be content creation, everything I attempt in between is a gamble. My end goal was to positively impact many lives through my art and passion. Just like other performers I am here to entertain and allow the common man to escape momentarily from the clutches of mundane living. If you look around, notice how cases of stress and depression are constantly on the rise and people have forgotten how to be just content and happy, amongst all these the most fulfilling part is that I can inspire people to live optimistically. I can bring smiles to a million faces without having to actually do this in person and that’s so motivational. I am so grateful to the audience because without them I don’t think it would have been possible. I consider myself lucky and blessed to be in this position where people love me unconditionally. I believe more than the numbers, it’s about the impact you have on so many lives.

WION exclusive! CarryMinati: My alter ego made me from being invisible to widely recognised

Trust us when we say that there are very few people in showbiz half as honest and real as rapper Raftaar, otherwise known as Dilin&nbsp;Nair. The celebrated rapper, who is well-aware of his popularity in India as well as&nbsp;the international music scene, vows to keep it real: famous or not. "If I lie or try to be diplomatic, you will catch me. So, why lie at all?" he reasons.

 
In an exclusive interview with WION, the say-it-as-it-is musician shares his hopes and aspirations for his upcoming birthday (November 16), shares he is not bothered about&nbsp;the so-called diss tracks in India, why he does not want to lend his voice to any celebrity at the moment and reveals&nbsp;the sweetest thing he has done for his mother: act!

 
Unedited excerpts from our conversations from the OG of hip-hop in India. Read on:&nbsp;

 
WION: Your new number, 'Ghana Kasoota', is such a fun and upbeat number. Tell us about the inspiration behind that?

 
RAFTAAR: Yahin tha inspiration (chuckles!) It is the party season, wedding season and the inspiration behind 'Ghana Kasoota' was that everybody gets together, have fun and enjoy after being homebound due to two years of pandemic. I mean people are finally getting out (of their homes). So, bringing people together and letting them enjoy the festive/ party season together is what we were aiming for.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-dwayne-johnson--shooting-red-notice-during-covid-19-was-challenging-but-we-rallied-together-428034">Exclusive: Dwayne Johnson- Shooting 'Red Notice' during COVID-19 was challenging, but we rallied together</a>

 
WION: You have an amazing chemistry with TV actor Surbhi Jyoti in the music video. How was it teaming up with someone from a&nbsp;completely different field?

 
RAFTAAR: It was amazing, yaar! I mean I could not tell for a moment that she is a different artist from a different medium. On the set (of the music video), she was very co-operative, very collaborative and very insightful as far as promoting the music video was concerned. She knows many innovative ways of promoting the music video for better reach. She is a really nice individual and I appreciate that about her.&nbsp;

 
WION: Your birthday is just round the corner. Your hopes and aspirations for the &nbsp;coming year?

 
RAFTAAR: My hopes for the coming year are very simple: I don't want to go through (again) what happened in the last two years. I don't want history repeating itself. I want people to be safe, I want people to have a good time with their families. I want us to have a positive life as a community. That'[s what I truly hope for, man. I am really looking forward to rebuild and reconnect.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-gal-gadot--i-said-yes-to-red-notice-for-its-ambitious-script-and-dwayne-johnson-427791">Exclusive: Gal Gadot- I said yes to 'Red Notice' for its ambitious script, and Dwayne Johnson!</a>

 
WION: If you could, what advice would you give to your younger self?

 
RAFTAAR: Please don't change anything that you have done so far for anybody (laughs!) Do exactly what you have done so far; know that you have done everything you can, and everything right.&nbsp;

<img alt="cvfgngfbvcxz" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cdcf4eb8-9b98-4d9c-aa28-4b5882ddbca5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-11-14T205715.898.jpg" />

 
WION: I was talking to Karma just the other day, and he told me you are more than a mentor: you are like a brother to him. And that's been something that I keep hearing about you. How do you react to the fact that you, while you are on your own path, have inspired so many along the way?

 
RAFTAAR: I feel really nice (knowing this). I feel like I am doing the duty of an elder brother. And I think I am playing that role really well and that makes me a very happy person. That's all I care about. I didn't have a mentor or an elder brother-like figure in my life in the beginning (of my career) and I have always wished I had one. So, why not be one in someone else's life?&nbsp;

 
WION: I have interviewed you in the past, and have always maintained that you are someone who is not afraid to speak his truth. I mean, despite being at the peak of your career, why is being truthful, raw and real about your humble beginnings so important to you?

 
RAFTAAR: I mean it is really important to me when I talk to someone like you because whenever I talk to you (referring to journalists as one unit), you guys say, 'Raftaar, you are at the peak of your career.' And I have been listening to this statement for the last seven years now and I am so glad that this thought about me hasn't changed with time. You interview so many people that if any of the artists lie or try to be 'politically correct'--hain naa, jaise diplomatic types (like those diplomatic types)--you can easily catch it. So, why lie at all?

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-ryan-reynolds--red-notice-wanted-dwayne-johnson-gal-gadot-and-my-friendship-to-be-seen-on-screen-427681">Exclusive: Ryan Reynolds- 'Red Notice' wanted Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and my friendship to be seen on screen</a>

 
WION: I know you have touched upon the topic of diss-track culture among Indian rappers in the past. But, despite it being entertaining, sometimes, it does get borderline unpleasant. Do you think attacking one another through music takes away from the seriousness of your music?

 
RAFTAAR: See, to elaborate on this, I will give you a simple example. When tobacco was first introduced, it was promoted by some left and right. It was the only way to feel like a gentleman, at least that's what some thought. No one knew about its drawbacks. Wahin same cheez diss track ke saath India main hua (That's exactly what has happened to diss tracks in India, too). When &nbsp;it came here first, people saw the fun aspect of it only. People saw two artists fighting through tracks and liked it; we have Gladiator (the movie) mindset (laughs!) Historically, people are like that. They enjoy when something new, entertaining and scandalous comes to town. But, now, people have started the bad side of it. Because, through diss tracks, artists say misleading things, use it to their advantage. Now, it has died down. The whole b**chy drama behind the diss-track culture has come down to a great extent. It will soon become a normal part of society. Yes, this is rap, but people have started to understand between what is good and bad (lyrics-wise). Baaki toh koi kuch bhi kar sakta hai. You can't stop people from doing what they want to do. Just that people need to know the difference between right and wrong (kind of diss tracks).&nbsp;

<img alt="xdfhfvczavfvsa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ae05136-95f5-4b81-bdd5-0122469ba8ed" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-11-14T205757.549.jpg" />

 
WION: We all have our dream&nbsp;list, our Before-I-Die-I-Want-To-Do-This list. Who all feature in yours: both from Bollywood and internationally?

 
RAFTAAR: Now, really, honestly, I am looking forward to voicing a cartoon character. No stars, no artists. I want to be the voice for an animated character. Because that world (of cartoons) is directly connected to children and I want to talk to the new generation. So, that, I think, will be a very good break from what I have been doing so far.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/opinion-britney-spears-a-long-walk-to-freedom-429069">Opinion | Britney Spears: A long walk to freedom</a>

 
WION: Is anything in the pipeline?

 
RAFTAAR: Yeah, I mean I have just developed a video game with a company. I feel through&nbsp;his I can get there eventually. It's one of the goals now.&nbsp;

 
WION: Also, you are making a brief appearance on an Indian daily soap. How did that gig come along and how are you preparing for that?

 
RAFTAAR: Yeah yeah yeah... Me and Rashmeet (Kaur, singer) are coming on 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain Season 2'. Mereko unlogo ne dialogues bhi diye hai (They have given me dialogues, too). I was not aware of that and that was the surprise element for me. I play Ram's friend in the cameo, who is the lead character in the show. It is a Karwa Chauth function and we go there to perform and promote the new song. You know, that's the real story behind it but somehow people can mix two different forms of entertainment and make it into one. I don't know who came up with the idea but I was really excited because I like trying out new things. I like to add new feathers to my cap: ki maine yeh &nbsp;bhi kiya, woh bhi kiya (I did this, I did that.) It is one of those&nbsp;things you do for your mother. I was like, 'Mumma, you watch a lot of serials and see now I have acted in one.' It is for my mom.&nbsp;

<img alt="zxvfgnhgbcxcxz" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="45181420-b8e7-4a85-989c-b674429736e3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-11-14T200150.239.jpg" />

 
WION: So, somewhere down the line, would you like to play a proper Bollywood hero in a feature film?

 
RAFTAAR: I can say this with conviction that I can play a character role and I can really work on it. It's not like I will just show up on set: I shall take workshops. But, I feel I can definitely do it. So, if somehting comes along, then why not?!

 
WION: Do you have some genuine interest in acting?

 
RAFTAAR: I am an artist and I am always interested in anything artistic. In music videos, we do act. Right?&nbsp;

Check out his latest track here:

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u0Y3EHuMktE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Trust us when we say that there are very few people in showbiz half as honest and real as rapper Raftaar, otherwise known as Dilin Nair. The celebrated rapper, who is well-aware of his popularity in India as well as the international music scene, vows to keep it real: famous or not.

Trust us when we say that there are very few people in showbiz half as honest and real as rapper Raftaar, otherwise known as Dilin Nair. The celebrated rapper, who is well-aware of his popularity in India as well as the international music scene, vows to keep it real: famous or not. "If I lie or try to be diplomatic, you will catch me. So, why lie at all?" he reasons. In an exclusive interview with WION, the say-it-as-it-is musician shares his hopes and aspirations for his upcoming birthday (November 16), shares he is not bothered about the so-called diss tracks in India, why he does not want to lend his voice to any celebrity at the moment and reveals the sweetest thing he has done for his mother: act! Unedited excerpts from our conversations from the OG of hip-hop in India. Read on: WION: Your new number, 'Ghana Kasoota', is such a fun and upbeat number. Tell us about the inspiration behind that? RAFTAAR: Yahin tha inspiration (chuckles!) It is the party season, wedding season and the inspiration behind 'Ghana Kasoota' was that everybody gets together, have fun and enjoy after being homebound due to two years of pandemic. I mean people are finally getting out (of their homes). So, bringing people together and letting them enjoy the festive/ party season together is what we were aiming for. Also read: Exclusive: Dwayne Johnson- Shooting 'Red Notice' during COVID-19 was challenging, but we rallied together WION: You have an amazing chemistry with TV actor Surbhi Jyoti in the music video. How was it teaming up with someone from a completely different field? RAFTAAR: It was amazing, yaar! I mean I could not tell for a moment that she is a different artist from a different medium. On the set (of the music video), she was very co-operative, very collaborative and very insightful as far as promoting the music video was concerned. She knows many innovative ways of promoting the music video for better reach. She is a really nice individual and I appreciate that about her. WION: Your birthday is just round the corner. Your hopes and aspirations for the coming year? RAFTAAR: My hopes for the coming year are very simple: I don't want to go through (again) what happened in the last two years. I don't want history repeating itself. I want people to be safe, I want people to have a good time with their families. I want us to have a positive life as a community. That'[s what I truly hope for, man. I am really looking forward to rebuild and reconnect. Also read: Exclusive: Gal Gadot- I said yes to 'Red Notice' for its ambitious script, and Dwayne Johnson! WION: If you could, what advice would you give to your younger self? RAFTAAR: Please don't change anything that you have done so far for anybody (laughs!) Do exactly what you have done so far; know that you have done everything you can, and everything right. WION: I was talking to Karma just the other day, and he told me you are more than a mentor: you are like a brother to him. And that's been something that I keep hearing about you. How do you react to the fact that you, while you are on your own path, have inspired so many along the way? RAFTAAR: I feel really nice (knowing this). I feel like I am doing the duty of an elder brother. And I think I am playing that role really well and that makes me a very happy person. That's all I care about. I didn't have a mentor or an elder brother-like figure in my life in the beginning (of my career) and I have always wished I had one. So, why not be one in someone else's life? WION: I have interviewed you in the past, and have always maintained that you are someone who is not afraid to speak his truth. I mean, despite being at the peak of your career, why is being truthful, raw and real about your humble beginnings so important to you? RAFTAAR: I mean it is really important to me when I talk to someone like you because whenever I talk to you (referring to journalists as one unit), you guys say, 'Raftaar, you are at the peak of your career.' And I have been listening to this statement for the last seven years now and I am so glad that this thought about me hasn't changed with time. You interview so many people that if any of the artists lie or try to be 'politically correct'--hain naa, jaise diplomatic types (like those diplomatic types)--you can easily catch it. So, why lie at all? Also read: Exclusive: Ryan Reynolds- 'Red Notice' wanted Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and my friendship to be seen on screen WION: I know you have touched upon the topic of diss-track culture among Indian rappers in the past. But, despite it being entertaining, sometimes, it does get borderline unpleasant. Do you think attacking one another through music takes away from the seriousness of your music? RAFTAAR: See, to elaborate on this, I will give you a simple example. When tobacco was first introduced, it was promoted by some left and right. It was the only way to feel like a gentleman, at least that's what some thought. No one knew about its drawbacks. Wahin same cheez diss track ke saath India main hua (That's exactly what has happened to diss tracks in India, too). When it came here first, people saw the fun aspect of it only. People saw two artists fighting through tracks and liked it; we have Gladiator (the movie) mindset (laughs!) Historically, people are like that. They enjoy when something new, entertaining and scandalous comes to town. But, now, people have started the bad side of it. Because, through diss tracks, artists say misleading things, use it to their advantage. Now, it has died down. The whole b**chy drama behind the diss-track culture has come down to a great extent. It will soon become a normal part of society. Yes, this is rap, but people have started to understand between what is good and bad (lyrics-wise). Baaki toh koi kuch bhi kar sakta hai. You can't stop people from doing what they want to do. Just that people need to know the difference between right and wrong (kind of diss tracks). WION: We all have our dream list, our Before-I-Die-I-Want-To-Do-This list. Who all feature in yours: both from Bollywood and internationally? RAFTAAR: Now, really, honestly, I am looking forward to voicing a cartoon character. No stars, no artists. I want to be the voice for an animated character. Because that world (of cartoons) is directly connected to children and I want to talk to the new generation. So, that, I think, will be a very good break from what I have been doing so far. Also read: Opinion | Britney Spears: A long walk to freedom WION: Is anything in the pipeline? RAFTAAR: Yeah, I mean I have just developed a video game with a company. I feel through his I can get there eventually. It's one of the goals now. WION: Also, you are making a brief appearance on an Indian daily soap. How did that gig come along and how are you preparing for that? RAFTAAR: Yeah yeah yeah... Me and Rashmeet (Kaur, singer) are coming on 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain Season 2'. Mereko unlogo ne dialogues bhi diye hai (They have given me dialogues, too). I was not aware of that and that was the surprise element for me. I play Ram's friend in the cameo, who is the lead character in the show. It is a Karwa Chauth function and we go there to perform and promote the new song. You know, that's the real story behind it but somehow people can mix two different forms of entertainment and make it into one. I don't know who came up with the idea but I was really excited because I like trying out new things. I like to add new feathers to my cap: ki maine yeh bhi kiya, woh bhi kiya (I did this, I did that.) It is one of those things you do for your mother. I was like, 'Mumma, you watch a lot of serials and see now I have acted in one.' It is for my mom. WION: So, somewhere down the line, would you like to play a proper Bollywood hero in a feature film? RAFTAAR: I can say this with conviction that I can play a character role and I can really work on it. It's not like I will just show up on set: I shall take workshops. But, I feel I can definitely do it. So, if somehting comes along, then why not?! WION: Do you have some genuine interest in acting? RAFTAAR: I am an artist and I am always interested in anything artistic. In music videos, we do act. Right? Check out his latest track here:

WION exclusive! Raftaar: I choose to mentor young rappers as I never had one during my time

When she walked into the room for our virtual interview, the first thing we noticed about breakout star Kubbra Sait is her energy—free, easygoing and no-drama plastered all over her face.

When she walked into the room for our virtual interview, the first thing we noticed about breakout star Kubbra Sait is her energy—free, easygoing and no-drama plastered all over her face. “When you are on stage, there are no retakes,” she tells WION, when asked about the difference in approach in West and at home. Kubbra, who became a household name in India for her marvellous character Kuckoo in Emmy-nominated ‘Sacred Games’, has now gone global. In Apple TV’s recently released project ‘Foundation’, the actor plays a crucial role—that of Phara Keaen. Ask her about the back story behind bagging such a grand project and she shares it with the enthusiasm of a child. “I was doing my sales pitch left, right and centre,” she joked, or maybe not. Kubbra Sait has been many people in her brief yet impactful career and she will tell you she’s massively proud of each one of them. In a tete-a-tete with WION, the actor shed light on the topic of age-appropriate roles for women in cinema, the boom of OTT and what it meant for the masses, and why one should not hanker after inclusivity if that doesn’t happen organically. Edited excerpts (for clarity) from our conversation with the actor: WION: Okay, so first of all, tell me how does it feel to be called a global star? KB: Am I a global star yet? If you insist, I'll take it with a pinch of salt. Thank you so much (grins!) WION: So tell us everything about Apple TV's ‘Foundation’. How did it happen? What prompted you to take it up? Tell us everything related to your first global project. KB: It started off in 2019. I was called in for an audition by Tess Joseph and her casting company. I auditioned, and after a couple of attempts, I got the tape, which we nailed. And then I was called to Ireland for a screen test. I think the first time I really felt that I had got this part was when they put me in a silicone meld, and they took my facial, like size and dimensions. But after my test, I was very sweetly told that, you don't have it yet, so you have to wait to hear from us. (I said) I've come (with) this vibe; please don't do this to me just yet. I was, like, you know, my show sacred games was nominated the Emmys, I'm a very good actor, I was doing my sales pitch left, right and centre. All they said is, please focus on your lines and just do this well, and we'll come back to you. I think that was literally the journey, and on the 11th of Jan, I got that proverbial call. I was making my coffee, it was still night in LA. I got a call from my agent saying, well, congratulations, you are Phara Keaen in Foundation. So literally, that was the journey from its inception to me finally going there. And yeah, then the pandemic happened. I shot one scene which is the action scene that you'll see in episode five. That was the first scene we shot, and the next day I got a call saying so we're suspending the production for 15 days. (By) the fifth day of suspension, (it) became an indefinite suspension of the show, and then you're like, oh my god, is this even going to happen? What's going to be the fate of this show? Because you've already built so many mountains and so many castles in the air, you're like, oh my god; this is going to be the greatest thing that I've ever done. And now it's like, nothing's going to happen. Just sit at home and wait. (But) I'm so happy to report back after a year that now the show is successfully complete. The show is successfully doing well. It's on Apple TV plus, and I'm so excited. So that's our journey. WION: Like you mentioned, you joined the cast again after a year. So how did you get back into the skin of your character? Well, that must've required a lot of learning and un-learning on your part? KB: I came back in March, and we were back (to shooting) in September, so six months later, we went back to shoot. But when I went back, I was literally doing lines for the first time because up until this point (it) was just action that we had shot. So the genesis of my character happened during the second schedule, when I went back. And it was just incredible to build from the script and mouth these lines, and make her come alive and make her the fierce. It's just such a juicy character love it. WION: So you have worked in a Bollywood movie, you are a big name in the OTT space (featured in Emmy nominated ‘Sacred Games’), of course, and you have also done an international project. So, what, in your opinion, is the basic difference between these three platforms in terms of the work culture? What did you observe? KB: Eventually, we all are actors, and that is something that we need to first understand before anything else. But what particularly blew my mind is that time is an important factor for everybody there. Time is valued and people are valued. There are no excuses for being late, or not learning your lines, or you will not have an assistant director standing in to like give lines for somebody else. Everybody is there, and everybody is sincerely performing, even if the camera's not on them. Because most of these actors belong to a theatre background, they studied acting, they've done this for a long time. When you are on stage, there are no retakes. We all are in this together, and I thought that, for me it was an incredible learning experience. I say this a lot. And I'm going to say this again, as if I really have no other words. But to be honest, me this was like going to school and getting paid to go to school. WION: In ‘Jawani Jaaneman’, you play a mature character, right? So there was a time in Indian cinema when actresses did not get to play central characters after a certain point in their careers. But I feel that has changed with time. Vidya Balan doing ‘Sherni’ was a classic example of that. So what do you think about the advancement in the depiction of women in cinema? KB: I think it's changed drastically. I think it's been changing over years. You are playing age appropriate roles. Maturity is a state of mind. It's how much you've travelled, how much you've eaten, how much you've seen, and how much you live, and how much you failed. That's what reach reaches maturity, even in that film. So I'm saying that maturity is something that comes to you with experience, and that doesn't mean you need to be old or not. I think, for me it's a very cool character, because (it was) for the first (time) I've ever played a pretty person on screen. So I'm very grateful. It was angst-y, and I wasn't like that loud and bubbly person that I am, I was just like a very, like, simple, grounded, very self assured person. I thought that was just the greatest experience of playing Ria in ‘Jawani Jaaneman’. When you come to Mumbai, you think that I am going to be that quintessential heroine but then you need to have the quintessential hero, and then you need to have that antagonist. So I think that being said, just the scope of stories, you're telling is changing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kubbra Sait (@kubbrasait) × We just have got so many stories to tell, like today a film like, ‘Pagglait’ gets made, and it’s about a young widow, right? This really, really touched me, like really close to my heart, because my help who lives with me, lost her husband, she's one year older than I. Who talks about these stories, who talks about people like them who can be characters on screen. And for that kind of a story to be told is fantastic. It means we are evolving, because these are real people, somewhere in the real world. So I remember Ruthie and I watched that film together. It's such a beautiful film. It was pretty good. WION: ‘Shang Chi’ released recently. And we are awaiting the release of another diversified movie, ‘Eternals’. With the changing time—now more than ever—there's a lot of conversation around inclusion, especially of Asian actors in Hollywood. So do you think that Indian actors—with so many of you having made it to global cinema—are slowly but surely becoming a part of the whole inclusion narrative? KB: I think it's not to make a statement, but as I said, everybody is evolving, and you need to give that room for evolution. Allow stories to be told. But we are like also in a rush. I'm like, what's the rush? The question is, are people opening their eyes? And are they ready to embrace your individuality? And when you are there on that stage in that room? Do you deliver? And if you do, then you will receive the validation and the gratification, but I don't think we are necessarily waiting for XYZ to come in and say, ‘You are a part of my show, because I want to address inclusivity’. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kubbra Sait (@kubbrasait) × Because let's take Phara Keaen (my character) for example, right? She could have been from anywhere in the world, she just happened to be me, because of my audition. And the makers believed that this character could be authentically from Southeast Asia. So that had nothing to do with me, except for the fact that I worked hard and gave my audition and delivered. But everything else depended on the vision of the makers. And they stood by their vision. And they stood by the fact that this choice is right. It's as simple as that. And I really, really wish that more stories are written and more crossovers happen. I wish that we stopped typecasting a white person to be somebody who is British, and a tyrant. Now they are getting better roles, we are getting better roles, the world has become smaller. OTT has allowed all of us to see the world in a different light. Today you've got Eternals being directed by a female director. So instead of harping on all the things that aren't happening, try to speed up the process towards things that are happening. As you know, a journey that needs to happen is that arc that needs to be explored. Then I think we'll get there together. It's not about throwing in inclusivity for the sake of it, right? It needs to have a narrative; it needs to have a story to be told. And I'm so grateful that my story as Farah in foundation is worth a story being told. That's all that matters to me. And I think if I do something that allows people to see more Indians in that space, very well. At the end of the day, we all are doing great work, and the least we can do is sit in our respective living rooms, have a cup of chai, watch the show, watch the work and celebrate each other. I think if that's what we are doing as a community, we are excelling. As a race, we are excelling, and that's what we should do. Watch the trailer of 'Foundation' here:

WION exclusive: Kubbra Sait: We are rushing representation; it needs to have a narrative

If the saying ‘Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani’ were a person, British R&B artiste Rishi Rich would be it. With one foot in London and another in Mumbai, this ‘Gully Boy’ collaborator is still navigating the enigma that is India.

If the saying ‘Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani’ were a person, British R&B artiste Rishi Rich would be it. With one foot in London and another in Mumbai, this ‘Gully Boy’ collaborator is still navigating the enigma that is India. One rhythm, one blues at a time. “I have always wanted to infuse my different cultures, something I have done with ‘Gully boy’ and ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’,” he says from his apartment home in the city of dreams. He assures us that as the founding member of The Rishi Rich Project—that had introduced the idea of desi fusion to many—he may have lost touch with the others who had constituted the crew, but not Jay Sean. In an exclusive chat with WION, the celebrated musician talks about his association with Netflix’s in-house baddie ‘Bad Boy Billionaires: India’, his penchant for (musical) perfection, and of course, his camaraderie with ‘brother’ Jay Sean. Excerpts from the conversation: WION: To put it simply, ‘Zakham’ is Bollywood-meets-Brooklyn. What prompted this British boy to seek inspiration from the streets of Brooklyn? What’s the story? RR: I’ve always been inspired by hip hop and R&B and obviously, Hindi music. And when I heard the original song from Zakham I just had to sample it. I have a great working relationship with Ishtar Music and they love how I sample music. So it was a no brainer. With Zakham, once the sample was placed and the foundation of the beat made… I just knew that an Indian American Rapper would be the only kind of artist to do it justice and that’s why I called up Rush Toor. Though it took me a little while to get the feel and vibe right, I’m pleased how it’s all come together! WION: You have created the background music (BGM) for Netflix’s mammoth success ‘Bad Boy Billionaires: India’. In what ways was that experience different from making extended plays (EPs) and even full-length albums? RR: I think when working on score and title music there is a different approach to working on the music. You have to capture those fleeting moments of emotion, passion, fear… the music has to bring what’s happening on screen to life. It’s a big responsibility! Whereas working on singles and albums is more based around what the artist wants or how I want to sound, so the execution and vision is different I would say. But, Scoring film and BGM is something which is always something I’ve loved doing and I’m working on some exciting new projects for the same. WION: For someone who has lived in India for a few seconds, you seem to be making (and getting nominated for!) a lot of music here in Bollywood. How do you imbibe your Indian roots into your western way of life and upbringing? RR: Being in India for the last five years has been such a wonderful creative experience. I’ve always wanted to live here and make music infusing my different cultures which is something I have done with films like Gully boy and Pal Pal Dil ke pass to name a few. Even prior to living in India, I have always tried to pour my culture, my roots into all my music. Even if you hear my doing a hip-hop song, you would still be able to feel the trails of my Indian culture and roots too. It’s a fusion. WION: In one of my earlier interviews with Jay Sean, I vividly remember him calling you a ‘brother for life’. What are your thoughts on him? RR: Ahh! We have an amazing relationship. We are brothers and have been through so much together. Our bond goes so much beyond music. So much so that now whenever we talk, we’re always talking about our future plans and what we want to do next. Working on Nakhre with him was so much fun and Jay as an artist never fails to impress me. He’s just a star! View this post on Instagram A post shared by RISHI RICH (@rishirich) × WION: India is experiencing a wave of change in its music scene: underground artists going main stream being a major one. Do you think showbiz changes the musician in a person? RR: Well I can only talk from personal experience and for me nothing should change you. It’s always about the music. And for me, it will always come down to that. Longevity is the key and remaining true to yourself and who you are, is what will keep you around in the long run! View this post on Instagram A post shared by RISHI RICH (@rishirich) ×

WION exclusive- British R&B artist Rishi Rich: Jay Sean and I have a relationship that goes beyond music

In his first-ever interview since his massive victory for the post of President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly or UNGA, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has listed dealing with the COVID crisis, UN reforms among his 5 key priorities. Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from New York, Abdulla Shahid speaking on the COVID crisis said, "We need to make sure we provide vaccines to all". Shahid received 143 votes at the general assembly during Monday's votes, far higher than the 96 votes that are required with his one-year tenure all set to begin from September of this year.

WION Exclusive: First interview of President-elect of 76th session of UNGA Abdulla Shahid

The President-elect of the seventy-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly Abdulla Shahid has said that under his leadership he will "make sure the members move forward on this process". Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Abdulla who is on a Delhi visit pointed out that his "presidency of hope" will have a focus on covid crisis, rebuilding sustainably, reviving the economic devastation, UNSC reforms, climate change as the main issues.

"Will take UNSC reform forward," says UNGA President-elect Abdulla Shahid

"Violence has affected all the communities," Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and prominent South African peace activist, tells about the concerns of the Indian diaspora, following the recent unrest in the country.

South Africa unrest: Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi speaks to WION

Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, High Commissioner Barry lauding India's vaccine production capacity and said, "there are many vaccine manufacturers around the world, only one country has the manufacturing capacity to supply the world that is India."

Exclusive: Australian envoy Barry O'Farrell speaks about assistance to India, Indo Pacific | WION

Professor S Jayakumar is the former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. He has authored a book on governance titled, Governing: A Singapore Perspective. He talks to WION about the challenges of governance in a post-pandemic world. He also discusses the global impact of the U.S-China cold war; and the strong ties between India and Singapore.

Exclusive: Professor S Jayakumar discusses tactics of governance with WION

WION brings you an exclusive interview with the authors of 'A New Idea Of India'. Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri propose their idea of what India is and what India should aspire to be.

Conversation with the authors of 'A New Idea Of India'

In an Exclusive Interview to WION, Dr Sivan, Chairman ISRO & Secretary Department of Space shared the vision behind the reforms that are being rolled out and elaborated on the progress of various current and future missions.

WION in conversation with ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan

India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman while speaking exclusively to WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma said that the coronavirus pandemic has triggered multiple challenges in India.

"Our first priority was to save&nbsp;lives, the only approach available was the lockdown," Sitharaman said adding, "the government is very clear - we will stand by our industry, entrepreneurs, and farmers."

"We need our economy to be supported and we will support it," India's finance minister asserted.

On the next course of action over the lockdown, Sitharaman stated that there are signs people want&nbsp;to return to work while acknowledging that the government faces difficulty in attending to the need of every citizen.

However, the finance minister said that "reopening is a clear risk", though she added that "we have to go along and take a risk as we can't hold back people from functioning normally for too long."

The finance minister said that the impact of the lockdown on employment was difficult to assess at this stage, although she added that some employers were getting back workers at 20-30 per cent strength.

The finance minister added that it was impossible to say anything on India's growth right now as an analysis can be made only when the lockdown is lifted.

"Impossible for me to make any guesses," the finance minister told WION's&nbsp;Palki Sharma.

Sitharaman had recently unveiled&nbsp;Rs 20 lakh crore economic relief package aimed at MSMEs, migrants and farmers. India's finance minister explained that "we need to make sure that the money goes to the right places".

"What we are spending right now, we need to see where it goes," the finance minister said. "Our macroeconomic fundamentals are strong, were are able to face the lockdown due to strong fundamentals," she said.

"Indian entrepreneurs will be able to come out to restart the economy."

"Even after the pandemic, the two countries that will&nbsp;be growth engines are India and China," the finance minister said.

"PM Modi is very clear - we stand with the industry," Sitharaman added.

On the government's aim to become a $5 trillion economy, the finance minister said, "our Budget estimates will have to be relooked, none of my assumptions will hold good."

"The extent the impact of this pandemic is still not clear, things have changed from the last Budget."

"We started seeing green shoots in Q4, the numbers from the last quarter gave&nbsp;a feeling that revival was happening," she said.

"We won't do an estimate now, it is my duty to prepare, we have to be ready to help and support."

"We are ready for the expected contraction and have the full support of the prime minister and we will make sure everyone gets required support."

Expanding on the steps taken towards fighting the virus and the rise of India's PPE and pharma industry, the finance minister said research labs of at least eight big vaccine producers are now engaged in the race to develop the vaccine.

"India will set the pace on vaccine development,"&nbsp;the minister said.

"India will be the food basket of the world, we can be the supplier to the globe, Indian farmers need all the strength."

"We expect our agriculture sector to contribute to the world, we are giving a good hearing to the affected industries."

Delivering a message to global investors, the finance minister said India believes in the&nbsp;rule of law. PM Modi has laid emphasis on corruption free, policy-driven approach, she said.

"Policy is what we are working on - more friendly policy, earlier, Indians went out of the country for opportunities, if we create the right environment in India our youth can find interesting, challenging opportunities in the country."

"This should be a big draw for our investors, we have improved a lot in terms of keeping the youth in India with good challenging positions but we have a lot to do."

On the question of hostile takeovers, the minister told WION, "We will certainly do something to make sure that Indian industries don't get picked up at a throwaway price."

With the pandemic putting pressure on health care, the minister said, "We shall give more money for the health infrastructure, not just putting money in public health infrastructure, we are also giving our viability gap funding to private players."

"We want to strengthen health infrastructure, expanding capacities to train more doctors &amp; nurses."

The minister said her own family has been very supportive throughout the difficult period.

"My family has been absolutely supportive, I was a bit worried about the elders in my house," she informed.

"I had to take a lot more precautions, my family has got adjusted as these are very difficult times."

"The entire country has braved this pandemic," the minister said.

India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman while speaking exclusively to WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma said that the coronavirus pandemic has triggered multiple challenges in India.

India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman while speaking exclusively to WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma said that the coronavirus pandemic has triggered multiple challenges in India. "Our first priority was to save lives, the only approach available was the lockdown," Sitharaman said adding, "the government is very clear - we will stand by our industry, entrepreneurs, and farmers." "We need our economy to be supported and we will support it," India's finance minister asserted. On the next course of action over the lockdown, Sitharaman stated that there are signs people want to return to work while acknowledging that the government faces difficulty in attending to the need of every citizen. However, the finance minister said that "reopening is a clear risk", though she added that "we have to go along and take a risk as we can't hold back people from functioning normally for too long." The finance minister said that the impact of the lockdown on employment was difficult to assess at this stage, although she added that some employers were getting back workers at 20-30 per cent strength. The finance minister added that it was impossible to say anything on India's growth right now as an analysis can be made only when the lockdown is lifted. "Impossible for me to make any guesses," the finance minister told WION's Palki Sharma. Sitharaman had recently unveiled Rs 20 lakh crore economic relief package aimed at MSMEs, migrants and farmers. India's finance minister explained that "we need to make sure that the money goes to the right places". "What we are spending right now, we need to see where it goes," the finance minister said. "Our macroeconomic fundamentals are strong, were are able to face the lockdown due to strong fundamentals," she said. "Indian entrepreneurs will be able to come out to restart the economy." "Even after the pandemic, the two countries that will be growth engines are India and China," the finance minister said. "PM Modi is very clear - we stand with the industry," Sitharaman added. On the government's aim to become a $5 trillion economy, the finance minister said, "our Budget estimates will have to be relooked, none of my assumptions will hold good." "The extent the impact of this pandemic is still not clear, things have changed from the last Budget." "We started seeing green shoots in Q4, the numbers from the last quarter gave a feeling that revival was happening," she said. "We won't do an estimate now, it is my duty to prepare, we have to be ready to help and support." "We are ready for the expected contraction and have the full support of the prime minister and we will make sure everyone gets required support." Expanding on the steps taken towards fighting the virus and the rise of India's PPE and pharma industry, the finance minister said research labs of at least eight big vaccine producers are now engaged in the race to develop the vaccine. "India will set the pace on vaccine development," the minister said. "India will be the food basket of the world, we can be the supplier to the globe, Indian farmers need all the strength." "We expect our agriculture sector to contribute to the world, we are giving a good hearing to the affected industries." Delivering a message to global investors, the finance minister said India believes in the rule of law. PM Modi has laid emphasis on corruption free, policy-driven approach, she said. "Policy is what we are working on - more friendly policy, earlier, Indians went out of the country for opportunities, if we create the right environment in India our youth can find interesting, challenging opportunities in the country." "This should be a big draw for our investors, we have improved a lot in terms of keeping the youth in India with good challenging positions but we have a lot to do." On the question of hostile takeovers, the minister told WION, "We will certainly do something to make sure that Indian industries don't get picked up at a throwaway price." With the pandemic putting pressure on health care, the minister said, "We shall give more money for the health infrastructure, not just putting money in public health infrastructure, we are also giving our viability gap funding to private players." "We want to strengthen health infrastructure, expanding capacities to train more doctors & nurses." The minister said her own family has been very supportive throughout the difficult period. "My family has been absolutely supportive, I was a bit worried about the elders in my house," she informed. "I had to take a lot more precautions, my family has got adjusted as these are very difficult times." "The entire country has braved this pandemic," the minister said.

Our first priority was to save lives, only approach available was the lockdown: Nirmala Sitharaman to WION

In an exclusive interview to WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay- Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto pushed for alternatives to wet markets - calling on the WHO and the UN to come up with a plan to avoid future pandemics. Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto spoke on the COVID-19 pandemic and how Finland prepared for the pandemic. Watch the full interview to know more.

The Interview: Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto speaks on COVID-19 pandemic

In this segment of WION, watch an exclusive conversation with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay with the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke on the global leadership series on WION, about everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to the dire need of global leadership and on a lighter note about how he keeps himself busy with Hindi movies during the lockdown.

Former Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks with WION on COVID-19 pandemic

Freedom and rights of minorities is always being debated upon in India, to understand the political atmosphere in this extremely charged context. WION's Executive Editor, Palki Sharma Upadhyay spoke to the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

WION speaks to India's Union Minister of Minority Affairs

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