Central News Hub

Tag: jaishankar

  • Jaishankar to take part in SCO FMs meet

    Jaishankar to take part in SCO FMs meet

    EAM Jaishankar’s visit comes at the invitation of Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Vladimir Norov…reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Uzbekistan on July 28-29 to take part in the meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers ahead of the meeting of the Heads of State.

    Announcing the visit on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the meeting will discuss preparations for the upcoming Meeting of the Council of Heads of State on September 15-16 in Samarkand.

    “They will review ongoing cooperation in expansion of the SCO Organisation and exchange ideas on regional and global developments of common concern,” the MEA added.

    EAM Jaishankar’s visit comes at the invitation of Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Vladimir Norov.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will also be attending the meet but there is no official word yet about a bilateral meeting with EAM Jaishankar.

    The Chinese Foreign Minister and India’s External Affairs Minister had met on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting at Bali in Indonesia on July 7. In the meeting, EAM Jaishankar called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

    It should be noted that the 16th round of negotiations between the military commanders of India and China to resolve the stand-off along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh was held last week.

    Jaishankar is likely to meet his Chinese counterpart to review the outcome of the commander-level talks.

    The India-China talks, if taking place, would also pave the way for a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as they are expected to attend the SCO summit on September 15 and 16 in Samarkand.

    Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will also attend the SCO meeting.

    The SCO, or the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, comprises eight member states – China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. There are four Observer States (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).

    ALSO READ-Jaishankar to convene all-party meeting on SL crisis

  • Jaishankar hold talks with Wang Yi in Bali

    Jaishankar hold talks with Wang Yi in Bali

    This meeting came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he had called the Dalai Lama to wish him on his birthday. Modi’s public articulation of his call to the Dalai Lama – for the second year in a row — comes amid the slide in India-China ties over the military standoff…reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met State Councillor Wang Yi in Bali on Thursday for the G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting amid the ongoing standoff between troops along the India-China border.

    “The External Affairs minister called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

    Jaishankar reiterated that Indo-China relations is “best served by observing the three mutuals — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests”, the MEA statement added.

    Jaishankar said that they focussed on “specific outstanding issues” in the bilateral relationship pertaining to the “border situation”. He added that they also discussed matters including students and flights, and “shared perspectives” on the international situation.

    Jaishankar and Wang last met in Delhi during the Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit in March this year.

    “Began my day in Bali by meeting FM Wang Yi of China. Discussion lasted one hour. Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights,” Jaishankar tweeted.

    “Shared perspectives on the international situation and its impact on the G20 deliberations,” he said.

    The MEA statement stated: “The External Affairs minister called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. Recalling the disengagement achieved in some friction areas, the External affairs minister reiterated the need to sustain the momentum to complete disengagement from all the remaining areas to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas.”

    It added, “He reaffirmed the importance of fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between the two Ministers during their previous conversations. In this regard, both Ministers affirmed that the military and diplomatic officials of the two sides should continue maintaining regular contact and looked forward to the next round of Senior Commanders’ meeting at an early date.”

    Jaishankar, the MEA statement said, recalled his meeting with Wang Yi in Delhi in March 2022 and “reviewed the progress of some key issues discussed then, including the return of students”. The External affairs minister stressed the “need for expediting the process and facilitating the return of students on an early date”.

    “The two ministers also exchanged perspectives on other regional and global developments,” the statement said, adding that Foreign Minister Wang Yi “appreciated India’s support during China’s BRICS Chairship this year” and “assured China’s support for India’s upcoming G20 and SCO Presidency”.

    This meeting came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he had called the Dalai Lama to wish him on his birthday. Modi’s public articulation of his call to the Dalai Lama – for the second year in a row — comes amid the slide in India-China ties over the military standoff.

    “Conveyed 87th birthday greetings to His Holiness the @DalaiLama over phone earlier today. We pray for his long life and good health,” Modi tweeted. Last year too, Modi had announced that he had wished the Dalai Lama on his birthday.

    The phone calls to the Tibetan spiritual leader and the public announcements have diplomatic significance given that Beijing calls the Dalai Lama a “splittist”. India has maintained that the two sides should be mindful of “mutual sensitivities, interests and concerns”.

    The fact that Beijing has not bothered about Indian “sensitivities” — on the India-China border, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, status of Jammu and Kashmir — has led New Delhi to recalibrate its position. It signals that India will not hesitate to subtly dial up the rhetoric.

    In recent months, there have been some moves by Beijing to put the relationship back on track — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India in March this year. But Delhi has maintained that bilateral ties cannot be back on track until the border standoff is resolved.

    ALSO READ-Jaishankar: Unanimous support on need to stand with Lanka

  • Jaishankar to attend G20 meeting in Bali

    Jaishankar to attend G20 meeting in Bali

    According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India will hold the G-20 presidency from December 1, 2022, and convene the first G20 leaders’ summit in 2023…reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Bali, Indonesia from July 7 to 8 to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM).

    During the meeting which is set to take place from July 7 to 8, the participating Foreign ministers will hold talks on issues of contemporary relevance, such as strengthening multilateralism and current global challenges including food and energy security, read a release by the Ministry of External Affairs.

    The External Affairs Minister is slated to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other G20 member states and invited countries during the visit.

    The EAM’s participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India’s engagement with G20 member states. As a G20 troika member and as the incoming G20 Presidency, India’s role in the upcoming FMM discussions assumes even greater importance, the official statement read.

    “We are currently extending steadfast support to the Indonesian Presidency, and will be taking forward discussions on contemporary global challenges, with a view to achieving meaningful outcomes, during our Presidency,” the MEA said.

    According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India will hold the G-20 presidency from December 1, 2022, and convene the first G20 leaders’ summit in 2023.

    India is planning to host certain events of G20 in J-K, reported The Express Tribune.

    Pakistan is reaching out to its close allies in the group of twenty – China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to boycott the upcoming G20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The G20 countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom.

    India’s representation at G20 summits has been led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014.

    The G20 Bali summit is the seventeenth upcoming summit of group of twenty (G20) set to take place on November 15 to 16, 2022 where the progress of G20 will be discussed as well as the intense work carried out within the ministerial meetings, working groups, and engagement groups throughout the year. (ANI)

    ALSO READ-Jaishankar: Unanimous support on need to stand with Lanka

  • Jaishankar, Czech counterpart discuss Ukraine, Indo-Pacific

    Jaishankar, Czech counterpart discuss Ukraine, Indo-Pacific

    The Czech Foreign Minister participated in the meeting through video conferencing as he is in self-isolation due to Covid-19….reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Czech counterpart Jan Lipavsky on Sunday discussed bilateral relations, including commerce and defence, as well as the the consequences of the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific.

    Jaishankar is in Prague for the final phase of a two-nation journey to Slovakia and the Czech Republic in a bid to fuether strengthen India’s ties with the two Central European nations.

    In a tweet, he stated, “A warm and productive meeting with Czech FM @JanLipavsky. As Czech Republic takes over EU Presidency, discussed taking India-EU partnership forward.”

    In another tweet, he added, “Noted the steady progress in bilateral cooperation, including in trade, defence, S&T, and people-to-people exchanges. Welcomed our trade level crossing US$ 2 billion. Exchanged views on the repercussions of the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific.”

    The Czech Foreign Minister participated in the meeting through video conferencing as he is in self-isolation due to Covid-19.

    Earlier, Jaishankar met with a group of Czech European Parliament members and had a productive conversation about India’s relations with the EU and the Czech Republic, the Indo-Pacific, food, and energy security, and digital collaboration.

    In a tweet, EAM Jaishankar described it as “A good discussion on India’s ties with EU and the Czech Republic, the Indo-Pacific, food and energy security and digital cooperation”.

    He thanked the members -Jan Zahradil, Tom Zdechovsky, Mikulas Peksa, and Veronika Vrecionova – for the meeting.

    He also met and interacted with members of the Indian community.

    “Delighted to meet the Indian community in Prague. Good to see many of them doing so well.

    The expansion of the community has also been encouraging. Shared with them developments at home and the state of our bilateral relationship.

    Count on their continuing support,” he tweeted.

    In Prague, EAM Jaishankar also paid tribute to Rabindranath Tagore, who is much adored by Czechs, at a memorial in a street names after him. (India News Network)

    ALSO READ: India-Qatar bilateral trade touched $15 billion: Naidu

  • Jaishankar raps Europe over silence in ‘Asia’

    Jaishankar raps Europe over silence in ‘Asia’

    When asked about India’s stand on the war, Jaishankar said: “When rules-based order was under challenge in Asia, the advice we got from Europe was; do more trade. At least we are not giving you that advice.”…reports Asian Lite News

    India has a clear position on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday, stressing that New Delhi “urges a cessation of hostilities, return to dialogue and national sovereignty”.

    During an interaction at the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar said the conflict in Ukraine is one of the most dominating issues at present “not only because of interests or values concerned, but also because of the consequences worldwide”.

    “And there is a wide world out there where sustaining a rules based order is often an issue.”

    When asked about India’s stand on the war, he said: “When rules-based order was under challenge in Asia, the advice we got from Europe was; do more trade. At least we are not giving you that advice.”

    He also stated that what happened in Afghanistan clearly stated what was the rules-based order.

    “We have to find a way to return to diplomacy and to do that, the fighting must stop.”

    Talking about the wider consequences of the war, the Minister said “there will be no winners out of this conflict” and added that the immediate issue is the effect on oil and food prices.

    When asked about what “three things that keeps him up at night”, Jaishankar replied: “The shocks that the international order is experiencing, particularly in the past two years — the Covid 19 pandemic, Afghanistan and Ukraine, and the friction between the West and Russia, the US and China.”

    He also explained that Ukraine is not a precedent for China, such events have been underway in Asia for the past decade without Europe’s attention.

    “So, this is a wake-up call for Europe to start looking at Asia. This is a part of the world with unsettled boundaries, terrorism, and continuous challenges to the rules-based order. The rest of the world has to recognise that problems are not ‘going to happen’, but that they are happening.”

    On India’s role in the Western Indo-Pacific, the Minister said: “We need to reclaim our history. Our ties and trade were disrupted in colonial times, but in a more globalised world, we should focus on how we aim to rebuild and interact with each other, rather than through intermediaries.”

    He also said that the aim should be to recreate the Indian Ocean community, look for solutions amongst and partner with each other instead of looking to countries far away.

    “The Indian and Pacific Oceans have become much more seamless. It is increasingly untenable to see them in compartmentalised terms, which is part of a larger geopolitical shift.”

    Talking about India’s actions towards climate change, Jaishankar said that from New Delhi’s perspective, there are two parts to the issue – one is climate action, and the other is climate justice.

    “We need both… When it comes to climate action, everyone needs to do their utmost. But we also need to ensure that the more vulnerable, less-resourced countries and societies are supported.

    “Today, we do need to find ways to work together – on connectivity, climate change, and India is prepared to step forward in a much more substantive way on these global issues,” the Minister added.

    ALSO READ: India’s GDP to be boosted with real time payments

  • Jaishankar, Boris discuss expansion of India-UK roadmap 2030

    Jaishankar, Boris discuss expansion of India-UK roadmap 2030

    He said the bilateral ties have never been as good or as strong as they are today…reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday called on visiting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and discussed the expansion and implementation of the India-UK Roadmap 2030.

    Taking to Twitter following their meeting, Jaishankar said: “Delighted to call on UK PM Boris Johnson during his India visit. Discussed our expanding partnership and implementation of the India-UK Roadmap 2030.”

    Johnson arrived in India on a two-day visit on Thursday.

    On Friday morning, he was given a ceremonial reception and a Guard of Honour at the Rashtrapati Bhawan where he was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Talking to the media later, Johnson called it a very auspicious moment in the relationship and friendship between India and UK.

    He said the bilateral ties have never been as good or as strong as they are today.

    Johnson also visited Rajghat and laid wreath at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.

    This is his maiden visit to India as Prime Minister of the UK.

    The two nations enjoy a long and historical relationship that was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the India-UK Virtual Summit last year.

    The multi-dimensional relationship ranges from trade and economy, health, science and technology, defence and security, climate change to close cooperation on multilateral issues

    ALSO READ-Boris lauds India-UK ties

  • Jaishankar calls up Hungarian, Moldavan counterparts for support

    Jaishankar calls up Hungarian, Moldavan counterparts for support

    Special flight carrying Indian students stranded in Ukraine arrived at Delhi airport on Sunday evening from Romanian capital Bucharest…reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Sunday spoke to his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Hungary and expressed gratitude for providing support so far in evacuating Indians from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border.

    “Called up Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto. Thankful for the evacuation support provided so far. Requested further cooperation on the Hungary-Ukraine border,” he said, in a tweet.

    He also dialled his Moldovan counterpart Nicu Popescu to seek support for facilitating entry of Indian nationals on Ukraine-Moldova border.

    “Appreciate his ready response & strong support. MEA representatives will accordingly reach there tomorrow,” he said, in another tweet.

    Poland, Romania and Hungary are allowing Indian students who escape from Ukraine to enter without any visa.

    So far, around 1,000 students have been evacuated from Ukraine while more will be airlifted by Monday via neighbouring countries.

    The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday said that till now four flights have come back with Indian students evacuated via Romania and Hungary and two flights are likely to depart Sunday night or by Monday morning to evacuate more students.

    “The Government of India has launched ‘multi-pronged’ Operation Ganga to evacuate our citizens stranded in Ukraine. This evacuation process will be at government cost,” Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday.

    A special flight carrying Indian students stranded in Ukraine arrived at Delhi airport on Sunday evening from Romanian capital Bucharest.

    Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who was at the airport to receive the returning Indian students, said that every student stuck in Ukraine is being brought back.

    “PM (Narendra) Modi is himself monitoring the situation and we have sent teams to the neighbouring countries of Ukraine. The MEA has also set up a control room regarding the ongoing situation,” he added.

    ALSO READ-UK, Ukrainian envoys in India pay tribute to lives lost in Ukraine

  • Quad is not Asian NATO, says Jaishankar

    Quad is not Asian NATO, says Jaishankar

    He said that India’s relations with the United States, Japan and Australia have steadily improved in the last 20 years…reports Asian Lite News

    Rejecting the notion that the Quad is an Asian NATO, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said there are “interested parties” who advance such analogies and one should not slip into it.

    “Quad is a grouping of four countries who have a common interests, common values, great deal of comfort, who happen to be located in the four corners of the Indo-Pacific who found out that in this world no country, not even the United States has the ability to address big global challenges all on their own,” Jaishankar said on Saturday while participating in a panel discussion on ‘A Sea Change? Regional Order and Security in the Indo-Pacific’ at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2022.

    “I would urge you not to slip into that lazy analogy of an Asian-NATO. It isn’t because there are three countries who are treaty allies. We are not a treaty ally. It doesn’t have a treaty, a structure, a secretariat, it’s a kind of 21st century way of responding to a more diversified, dispersed world,” he said on the Quad grouping which has the United States, India, Australia and Japan as its members.

    Jaishankar clarified that the present incarnation of Quad started in 2017 and is not a post-2020 development referring to the tension along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh with China.

    He said that India’s relations with the United States, Japan and Australia have steadily improved in the last 20 years.

    Mentioning that the Quad has value in itself, the EAM said it is four countries that recognize today that the world would be a better place if they are cooperating and that is what is happening.

    “The first time Quad countries came together was in 2004 in response to the Tsunami. Then their representatives met in 2007 in Manila but the countries then were not invested politically in it so they let it fritter away,” he said.

    The Quad partners again met a decade later in 2017, this time at a higher level. In 2019, it became Minister’s level and 2021 it became a summit, Jaishankar informed.

    “It’s in a sense natural, as you are sitting in Europe, but all of us pull out concepts from pre-existing lexicon to say that it an Asian NATO, because it is convenient though, a completely misleading term and also there are some parties who advance that kind of an analogy,” he observed.

    “Our Prime Minister used this term, ‘Quad is a force for global good”, the EAM said.

    “What’s the Quad doing, the Quad is trying to supply a billion vaccines that are US IPR, manufactured in India funded, logistically supported by Japan, Australia as well as the two of us,” he stated.

    ALSO READ-UP registers 60%, Punjab 65% polling

  • Truss holds talks with Jaishankar ahead of trade dialogue

    Truss holds talks with Jaishankar ahead of trade dialogue

    In May last year, India and the UK adopted a 10-year-roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connect among others…reports Asian Lite News

    India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday spoke to his British counterpart Liz Truss, covering “shared interest” in trade, investment and security.

    The telephonic conversation between Jaishankar and Truss came days before the start of negotiations between the two countries for a comprehensive free trade agreement.

    British Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to India from Wednesday to launch the negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

    Jaishankar described the talks with Truss as a “warm conversation”.

    “A warm conversation with UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz. Discussed our shared interest in trade, investment and security. Look forward to welcoming her in India,” S Jaishankar tweeted.

    In May last year, India and the UK adopted a 10-year-roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connect among others.

    The Roadmap 2030 was adopted at a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson at a virtual summit.

    The conversation between Jaishankar and Truss came days before India and the UK are set to start negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement. British Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to India from Wednesday to launch the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.

    Jaishankar also spoke to Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn.

    The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners.

    The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing in the last few years with the focus being on ramping up cooperation in the areas of trade and investment as well as security and defence.

    ALSO READ-Truss becomes chief negotiator in post-Brexit talks

  • Jaishankar reviews ties with US, Russia ahead of talks

    Jaishankar reviews ties with US, Russia ahead of talks

    Jaishankar tweeted on Tuesday that he had a broad-ranging conversation on Monday night with US secretary of state Antony Blinken that covered “current bilateral issues, Indo-Pacific and pressing global matters,” reports Asian Lite News

    External affairs minister S Jaishankar has reviewed bilateral relations with his American and Russian counterparts this week ahead of planned interactions with both countries in a wide range of areas with both countries.

    Jaishankar tweeted on Tuesday that he had a broad-ranging conversation on Monday night with US secretary of state Antony Blinken that covered “current bilateral issues, Indo-Pacific and pressing global matters”.

    The conversation came ahead of a planned 2+2 meeting of the Indian and US defence and foreign ministers. The meeting was initially slotted for last November but was put off for a variety of reasons. The dialogue will help guide cooperation in several key areas, including the Indo-Pacific and collaboration on defence research and manufacturing.

    Jaishankar said in another tweet that he had spoken to Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday evening and discussed the follow-up to the annual summit and 2+2 meeting, which were both held in New Delhi on December 6. “Agreed to remain in regular touch,” he added.

    A statement issued by the Russian embassy said that during the phone conversation, which was initiated by the Indian side, Lavrov and Jaishankar discussed “practical issues of bilateral cooperation” as a follow-up to the results of the India- Russia Summit.

    The two ministers also “confirmed the intention to consistently strengthen relations of the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two states in the spheres of economy and investments, nuclear energy, space, high technologies and healthcare”, the statement said.

    They discussed preparations for upcoming high-level contacts, including a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation, and other meetings between the leadership of the two foreign ministries.

    Jaishankar and Lavrov also agreed on steps to expand interaction in regional and international affairs, including cooperation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (Brics) grouping, the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping, the UN and the UN Security Council.

    On the completion of five decades of the 1971 Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation and two decades of Declaration on Strategic Partnership, India, on December 6, 2021, organised the 21st India-Russia annual summit in New Delhi which was jointly chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President Vladimir Putin.

    Back-to-back meetings of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation and the first 2+2 Dialogue of Foreign and Defense Ministers of India and Russia were also held in New Delhi on the same day.

    In the annual summit and 2+2 meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. They underscored that as major powers with common responsibilities, this important relationship continues to be an anchor of global peace and stability.

    India and Russia positively assessed their multi-faceted relations that span various areas of cooperation including political and strategic, economy, energy, military and security, science and technology, culture and humanitarian cooperation, and noted that while the traditional areas of cooperation are being further strengthened, new drivers of growth have led to diversification and expansion of bilateral cooperation.

    ALSO READ-Winds of change most apparent in Indo-Pacific: Jaishankar