News articles and essays on the Indian diplomacy at work around the world.
India has dusted off its past strategic inertia on terror and self-preservation. It will hear the world’s counsel, it will take the world into confidence, it will remain within the confines of international rules of law. But above all, it will do what is in the best interest of India.
With China already making impressive strides in the space sector, both India and Japan are getting closer and seeking higher cooperation in critical sectors.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Ajay Kumar, Deputy Chief of Mission, the Indian Embassy on behalf of the Government of India and Dr. Purnima Parida, Group Leader, Planning & Business Development Group, CBRI, Roorkee.
New Delhi [India], Mar 7 (ANI): United Kingdom’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Mark Sedwill on Thursday spoke to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and offered all assistance, including intelligence sharing to deal with any form of terrorism, sources said.
During the talks, Sedwill expressed solidarity with India in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, sources said.
He said that all assistance in dealing with any form of terrorism will be extended to India bilaterally through counter-terrorism cooperation, intelligence sharing and by bringing the perpetrators of terrorist attacks to justice, they said.
Several countries have backed India in its fight against terrorism and have urged New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise restraint to avoid further provocations.
Doval on Tuesday spoke to his US counterpart John Bolton and discussed the latest situation in the context of India-Pakistan relations. It was the third exchange between the two NSAs after the February 14 Pulwama attack.
In the aftermath of the dastardly terror attack, the US had supported India’s right to self-defence. It was seen as a strong support to India on the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Both the sides also agreed to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
In fact, Washington had termed New Delhi’s February 26 air strike at a JeM terror training camp in Balakot in Pakistan as a counter-terrorism action. It has also urged Pakistan to take effective action against proscribed terrorists and terror outfits.
There has been intense global pressure against Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists and terror outfits after India mounted a diplomatic campaign in this regard.
Tensions have escalated between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into their convoy. JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Last month, France said it stands with India in the fight against terror and asked both New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise restraint to avert any risk of military escalation and preserve strategic stability in the region.
It also asked Pakistan to put an end to operations of terror groups in the country, while recognising India’s legitimacy to ensure its security against cross-border terrorism.
On March 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin telephoned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed his deep condolences on the Pulwama terror attack. He also conveyed solidarity of the people of Russia with the people of India in the fight against terrorism.
In a veiled reference to Pakistan, both leaders agreed that the concerned should stop all support to terrorism.
“The Prime Minister thanked President Putin for Russia’s steadfast support for India’s efforts to protect its interests against cross-border terror attacks and renewed India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in countering terrorism as a pillar of privileged and special strategic partnership,” read a press statement. (ANI)
Saudi Arabia has unilaterally allowed Indian carriers to add as many flights as they want to Dammam. If flights to Dammam were to be included, India operates more flights to Saudi Arabia than vice versa.
“The CNES-ISRO agreement, intended to supply an operational system for detecting, identifying and tracking ships in the Indian Ocean, provides for a maritime surveillance centre to be set up in India in May this year, sharing of capacity to process existing satellite data and joint development of associated algorithms,” the statement read.
A day before the Pulwama terror attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad last month, a suicide bomber had killed 27 elite Revolutionary Guards and left several others wounded in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan border province.
Ajit Doval also provided evidence of the Pakistanis using their F-16 fighter planes in the attack on Indian targets by showing them the parts of the American AIM-120 air-to-air missiles.
Pakistan has gone to all countries seeking mediation but there is greater understanding of India’s position, sources said, adding India has told the international community that it is not an Indo-Pak issue, but about terrorism.
Sources said Pakistan wanted the international community to get involved, but India was not playing its game. The focus, they said, was on global war on terrorism. Even Iran and Afghanistan have said Pakistan-based groups indulged in terror activities on their soil, sources said.
