All posts tagged: bilateral ties

PM Modi presents various cultural treasures to  Vietnamese President To Lam

PM Modi presents various cultural treasures to Vietnamese President To Lam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday presented a carefully curated selection of gifts — reflecting the country`s rich spiritual, artistic and cultural traditions — to Vietnamese President To Lam during his three-day visit to India.  The gifts included the specially developed Namoh 108 lotus, a handcrafted brass Buddha sculpture with a Bodhi tree motif, and exquisite silk fabric from Varanasi. Each item carried deep symbolic and cultural significance, showcasing India`s heritage and craftsmanship. Among the most distinctive gifts was the Namoh 108 lotus, a unique variety of India`s national flower developed by the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) in Uttar Pradesh`s Lucknow. The flower is considered significant not only botanically but also spiritually, as it acts as a “living bridge” between India`s ancient traditions and modern scientific achievement. The lotus was specially developed with exactly 108 petals, a number considered sacred in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The number 108 is associated with meditation malas, sacred sites across the Indian subcontinent and several cosmic calculations in Vedic traditions, making the flower a representation of spiritual completeness …

India rejects China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh; says move could impact process to normalise ties| India News

India rejects China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh; says move could impact process to normalise ties| India News

New Delhi, India on Sunday said China’s move to assign “fictitious names” to Indian territory to manufacture “baseless narratives” cannot alter the reality but could impact ongoing efforts to normalise bilateral ties. India rejects China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh; says move could impact process to normalise ties External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi “categorically rejects” any “mischievous attempts” by the Chinese side to assign such names to places which form part of the Indian territory. India had reacted sharply when China resorted to renaming certain places in Arunachal Pradesh in May last year as well as in April 2024. “India categorically rejects any mischievous attempts by the Chinese side to assign fictitious names to places which form part of the territory of India,” Jaiswal said. “Such attempts by China at introducing false claims and manufacturing baseless narratives cannot alter the undeniable reality that these places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he said. Jaiswal said these actions by the …

‘Your Visit Will Take India-Finland Ties To New Heights’: PM Modi Welcomes President Alexander Stubb | India News

‘Your Visit Will Take India-Finland Ties To New Heights’: PM Modi Welcomes President Alexander Stubb | India News

Last Updated:March 04, 2026, 12:12 IST PM Modi welcomed Finnish President Stubb to India, confident in strengthening ties. Stubb will be Chief Guest at Raisina Dialogue 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finland President Alexander Stubb (From left to right) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday welcomed Finnish President Alexander Stubb to India, expressing confidence that his State Visit would elevate bilateral ties. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Welcome to India, President Alexander Stubb. I fully agree with you, your visit will take India-Finland relations to new heights. I eagerly look forward to our meeting tomorrow and to your keynote address at the Raisina Dialogue 2026.” The message was in response to President Stubb, who earlier shared details on his engagements, stating, “Travelling on a state visit to India. I will meet with President of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as other members of the state leadership.” He added, “The visit will further strengthen the relations between Finland and India – including in the area of trade.” Earlier, President …

Trump on trade with India after SC ruling on sweeping tariffs| India News

Trump on trade with India after SC ruling on sweeping tariffs| India News

US President Donald Trump said there would be no change in the United States’ trade stance toward India, asserting that the current tariff arrangement benefits Washington. US President Donald Trump has slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods coming from India as penalty for New Delhi’s continued buying of Russian oil. (PTI) Stressing that the “India deal is on,” Trump described his relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “fantastic” and repeated his claims on trade with India. “Nothing changes. They’ll be paying tariffs and we will not be paying tariffs… PM Modi is a great man. He was much smarter than the people he was against in terms of the US… He was ripping us off. So we made a deal with India… We are not paying tariffs to them and they are. We did a little flip,” Trump said. Trump also addressed bilateral ties. “My relationship with India is fantastic, and we are doing trade with India. India pulled out of Russia. India was getting its oil from Russia, and they …

Former US national security official Lisa Curtis| India News

Former US national security official Lisa Curtis| India News

US-India relations were once described as one of Washington’s most important strategic bets in the 21st century. But, over the past year, that partnership has come under serious strain — buffeted by trade disputes, sharp rhetoric, and deep disagreements over Pakistan and Kashmir. US-India relations were once described as one of Washington’s most important strategic bets in the 21st century. (PTI/File) Former US national security official Lisa Curtis spoke about the turbulent state of US-India ties on a recent episode of Grand Tamasha, a weekly podcast on Indian politics and policy co-produced by HT and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Curtis is the co-author (with Richard Fontaine) of a widely circulated essay in Foreign Affairs which argues that the current rupture is not just another rough patch, but rather a potentially consequential turning point. Curtis is the Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. She is a foreign policy and national security expert with over 20 years of service in the US government, including at the National …

PM Modi arrives in Malaysia on two-day visit| India News

PM Modi arrives in Malaysia on two-day visit| India News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived here on a two-day visit where he was received by his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim. PM Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with the Malaysian prime minister on Sunday, which are expected to produce a number of agreements to further expand cooperation between the two nations. “Landed in Kuala Lumpur. Deeply touched by the warm welcome extended by my friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the airport. I look forward to our conversations and to further strengthening the bonds of friendship between India and Malaysia,” Modi said in a post on X. Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with the Malaysian prime minister on Sunday, which are expected to produce a number of agreements to further expand cooperation between the two nations. In his departure statement, the prime minister signalled that the visit would focus on a major push for deeper defence cooperation and robust economic engagement between the two countries. Also Read | Will aim to deepen defence, security ties between India, Malaysia: PM Modi “The historic ties between …

Prez Murmu arrives in Botswana for 3-day state visit; India to get 8 cheetahs

Prez Murmu arrives in Botswana for 3-day state visit; India to get 8 cheetahs

Gaborone , President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Botswana on Tuesday on the final leg of her two-nation visit to Africa, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and finalising an agreement on the translocation of eight Kalahari desert cheetahs to India. Prez Murmu arrives in Botswana for 3-day state visit; India to get 8 cheetahs Murmu, who took off from Angola’s capital Luanda early in the day, arrived at the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Botswana’s capital Gaborone, and was received by President Duma Gideon Boko. She was accorded a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour at the tarmac. The two heads of state later witnessed a performance by the traditional dance troupe at the airport. This is the first-ever visit of an Indian President to Botswana, like Angola. Murmu is on a six-day state visit to the two countries. During her three days in the landlocked southern African country, Murmu will hold delegation-level talks with President Boko, and senior officials from both sides will exchange some Memorandum of Understanding aimed at enhancing bilateral ties. …

85,000 visas issued to ‘Indian friends’: What relaxations are in place for those traveling to China? | Latest News India

85,000 visas issued to ‘Indian friends’: What relaxations are in place for those traveling to China? | Latest News India

The Chinese Embassy in India issued over 85,000 visas to Indian citizens between January 1 and April 9, 2025, marking a step towards stronger people-to-people ties between the two countries. Over 85,000 visas issued by Chinese Embassy to Indians from Jan 1-April 9, 2025. (X-@China_Amb_India/representative image) Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong invited more Indians to visit China and experience its ‘open, safe, and friendly environment.’ “As of April 9, 2025, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in India have issued more than 85,000 visas to Indian citizens traveling to China this year. Welcome more Indian friends to visit China, experience an open, safe, vibrant, sincere and friendly China,” Xu said in a post on X. This comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has been warning countries of possible tariffs, particularly targeting China, which is Washington’s key trading partner and top economic rival. China recently urged India to stand with it in opposing what it called the “US abuse of tariffs,” after Trump announced a sharp hike, raising cumulative tariffs on Chinese imports. …

PM, UAE crown prince vow to strengthen ties | Latest News India

PM, UAE crown prince vow to strengthen ties | Latest News India

New Delhi PM, UAE crown prince vow to strengthen ties India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday agreed to enhance defence and Coast Guard cooperation, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan explored ways to bolster bilateral ties in key areas such as trade, technology and connectivity. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, who is the deputy prime minister and defence minister of the UAE, is on his first official visit to India as the crown prince. His delegation includes several ministers and top business leaders, and he will also go to Mumbai for business meetings. Dubai, one of the seven emirates in the UAE, has played a “key role in advancing the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and Sheikh Hamdan’s “special visit reaffirms our deep-rooted friendship and paves the way for even stronger collaboration in the future”, Modi said in a social media post after meeting the crown prince. Modi and Sheikh Hamdan discussed Dubai’s role in strengthening India-UAE ties across defence, trade, technology, space, connectivity and people-to-people …

Nations reach out to India on trade amid global churn | Latest News India

Nations reach out to India on trade amid global churn | Latest News India

New Delhi India’s economic resilience and political stability are key reasons that over a dozen small and big countries seek deeper bilateral ties with New Delhi to boost trade and investments, even as India is holding free trade talks with major economies such as the European Union and the United Kingdom, officials said. Nations reach out to India on trade amid global churn The government, particularly the commerce ministry, is simultaneously engaged with delegations of several countries in just the month of March, they said, requesting anonymity. Some of the countries holding talks either virtually or physically this month include Cuba, Egypt, Oman, Peru, Chile, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Malaysia, Sweden, Norway, Hungary, Guatemala, Slovak Republic and Belgium. Recently, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said bilateralism is emerging as a catalytic tool in a new global order while multinational institutions and their contributions are increasingly fading away. Referring to the global churning where India has an advantageous place, she said: “I’m glad to say that the leadership of Prime Minister Modi is conscious that India …