News Analysis India

Tag: Prime Minister

  • Prime Minister Modi interacts with people of different communities in Rome

    By PTI

    ROME: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with people of different communities, including the Indian diaspora and friends of India from different organisations here in the Italian capital and appreciated the role played by them in strengthening ties between India and Italy.

    Modi, who arrived here earlier in the day at the invitation of his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi, was received by him upon arrival at Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Council of Ministers, for their first in-person meeting. He was also accorded a guard of honour.

    The prime minister met members of the Indian diaspora in Italy and friends of India from different organisations, including representatives of the Italian Hindu Union, the Italian Congregation for Krishna Consciousness, the Sikh community and institutions involved in the commemoration of Indian soldiers who fought in Italy during the world wars, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters at a briefing.

    Modi also met Sanskrit scholars during the meeting, he said. The prime minister appreciated the role played by the community members in strengthening ties between India and Italy.

    Earlier, the prime minister paid floral tributes at the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Rome during which he was cheered by an enthusiastic group of Indians at the venue, Shringla said.

    “The ideals of the great Bapu reverberate globally,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had tweeted earlier. From Rome, Modi will travel to Glasgow, the UK, at the invitation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

  • PM Modi will meet Pope Francis on October 30, says Church

    By PTI

    KOCHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Pope Francis on October 30 during his European visit commencing later this week, a Catholic Bishops’ body in Kerala said on Wednesday.

    In a statement, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) President Cardinal George Alencherry said they have come to know from official sources that the “meeting between His Holiness Pope Francis and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will take place on Saturday, October 30”.

    Describing it as a “historic meeting, the Cardinal said it will “add more energy and warmth to the relations between our country and the Vatican and the Catholic Church”. He also wished “all success” to the Prime Minister for all his events in Rome and Italy.

    Modi will be travelling to Rome and Glasgow from October 29 to November 2 to attend the 16th G-20 Summit and the World Leaders’ Summit of COP-26 respectively, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said.

  • PM Narendra Modi re-affirms India’s focus on a free and open Indo-Pacific

    By PTI

    NEW DE:HI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reaffirmed India’s focus on a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and support for ASEAN’s centrality in the region. Modi made the comments while participating virtually at 16th East Asia Summit hosted by Brunei.

    The prime minister said India remains committed to strengthening respect for shared values of multilateralism, rules-based international order, international law and sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.

    “Participated in the 16th East Asia Summit hosted by Brunei through video conference. Re-affirmed India’s focus on a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and the principle of ASEAN Centrality in the region,” Modi tweeted.

    Modi said he was looking forward to participating at the 18th ASEAN-India summit on Thursday. 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.

    The East Asia Summit is the premier forum in the Asia-Pacific region to deal with issues relating to security and defence.

    Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia.

    Apart from the ASEAN member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia. The East Asia Summit is the premier Leaders-led forum in the Indo-Pacific.

    Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic and geopolitical evolution of East Asia.

  • Supreme Court decision on Pegasus row in line with government’s stand: BJP

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The BJP said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court’s decision to constitute an expert committee to look into the alleged use of the Pegasus software for surveillance is in line with the government’s affidavit on the matter, as the opposition launched a fresh attack on the Modi dispensation over the issue.

    The party also mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his attack on the government following the court’s judgment, saying he uses the same vocabulary and repeats himself whatever be the issue to target the BJP dispensation.

    “The government had categorically said (in court) that we are of the opinion that in order to counter the false narrative of certain vested interest groups it would be fair if we establish a committee of experts to look into the issue. This is what has happened,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, welcoming the order.

    To a question that the apex court declined the government’s submission to allow it to appoint an expert panel, Patra said this is not an issue as “experts are experts”.

    The Supreme Court has appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of the Israeli spyware for surveillance of certain people in India, saying that the state cannot get a “free pass” every time the spectre of national security is raised and it cannot be the “bugbear” that the judiciary shies away from.

    Declining the vehement submission of the central government to permit it to appoint an expert panel on its own, the court said such a course would violate settled judicial principle against bias as “justice must not only be done, but also be seen to be done”.

    At a press conference, Gandhi alleged that the suspected use of Pegasus for snooping is an “attempt to crush Indian democracy”, and said it is a “big step that the Supreme Court has said that they are going to look into this matter. I am confident that we will get the truth out of this”.

    Hitting back, Patra said, “Rahul Gandhi has a habit of speaking lies and spreading confusion. He has nothing new to offer, uses the same vocabulary and repeats the same thing like ‘democracy is in danger’ or ‘BJP is attacking ‘Constitution’ on every thing. Such is his repetition you won’t be able to say which press conference of him was done on which issue.” Taking a swipe at Gandhi, the BJP spokesperson alleged that he had in the past attacked courts over issues like the Ram temple and the purchase of Rafale fighter aircraft over their verdicts.

    The BJP fully believes in democratic values, he said, and asserted that the issue of alleged snooping through the software has been a “manufactured” controversy based on conjectures and unsubstantiated reports.

    “There are vested interest groups in the country and outside which want to defame India. Experts will now look into the issue and we welcome it,” he said.

  • PM Modi to attend virtually ASEAN-India summit on Thursday

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend virtually the annual ASEAN-India summit on Thursday that will review the status of strategic partnership between the two sides and take stock of progress made in areas of trade and investment, post-COVID-19 economic recovery and connectivity.

    The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Modi will also attend the 16th East Asia Summit to be held virtually on Wednesday that will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concern including maritime security and terrorism.

    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.

    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend 18th ASEAN-India Summit to be held virtually on October 28 at the invitation of Sultan of Brunei,” the MEA said.

    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.

    The East Asia Summit is the premier forum in the Asia-Pacific region to deal with issues relating to security and defence.

    Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia.

    Apart from the ASEAN member states, the East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.

    The MEA said the ASEAN-India summit will be attended by heads of state and government of the member countries of the grouping.

    “The 18th ASEAN-India Summit will review the status of ASEAN-India strategic partnership and take stock of progress made in key areas including COVID-19 and health, trade and commerce, connectivity, and education and culture,” the MEA said in a statement.

    It said important regional and international developments including post-pandemic economic recovery will also be discussed. The two sides are also expected to review the maritime security scenario in the Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea.

    Modi attended the 17th ASEAN-India summit held virtually in November last year. The upcoming summit will be the ninth ASEAN-India summit to be attended by him.

    “ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership stands on a strong foundation of shared geographical, historical and civilizational ties. ASEAN is central to our Act East Policy and our wider vision of the Indo-Pacific,” the MEA said.

    The year 2022 will mark 30 years of ASEAN-India relations. The East Asia Summit is the premier Leaders-led forum in the Indo-Pacific.

    Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic and geopolitical evolution of East Asia. “India, being a founding member of the East Asia Summit, is committed to strengthening the East Asia Summit and making it more effective for dealing with contemporary challenges,” the MEA said.

    “It is also an important platform for furthering practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific by building upon the convergence between ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative (IPOI),” it said.

    The MEA said the 16th East Asia Summit will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concern including maritime security and terrorism.

    It said the leaders are also expected to accept declarations on mental health, economic recovery through tourism and green recovery, which are being co-sponsored by India.

  • Protect country without worry, Modi govt will take care of your families: Amit Shah to troops

    By PTI

    MAKWAL: Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the International Border (IB) in Jammu on Sunday evening and lauded the bravery of soldiers guarding India’s frontiers.

    Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, interacted with BSF jawans and said they should protect the country without any worry as the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take care of their families.

    The Home Minister also visited the last border hamlet of Makwal and told residents that the Modi government is committed to providing every facility and ensuring development in the border areas.

    Shah, along with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, visited Makwal border Out Post (BoP), where he met the BSF jawans and spent some time with them, officials said.

    He was received by the BSF’s Additional Director General (ADG) N S Jamwal. The minister also presented some gifts to jawans and interacted with them, they said. During the interaction, he praised the dedication of the security personnel towards defending India.

    “On the behalf of all the countrymen, I salute the bravery of our security forces and express my gratitude,” Shah said in a tweet later. The minister said that the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi is fully devoted to the welfare of the security personnel guarding the country and their families.

    “I want to tell everyone that you should protect the country without any worry. The Modi government will take care of your families”, Shah said.

    Shah later visited Makwal hamlet, the last village on IB in Jammu to know about the living conditions of the villagers, they said. He interacted with villagers and admired their resilience.

    Shah also visited border bunkers, where the residents take shelter during cross-border shelling. “As much as a citizen living in the national capital has the right to the resources of the country, so do the citizens living in the border villages (on the resources of the country)”, he said.

    The home minister on Sunday began the second leg of his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir by inaugurating a multi-disciplinary research centre and laying the foundation stone of the third phase of the Indian Institute of Technology at Jagti on the outskirts of Jammu city. Shah said that nobody can stop the era of development that has started in the Union Territory.

    “It’s the land of temples of Mata Vaishno Devi, of Prem Nath Dogra, the land of Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s sacrifice. We won’t let any disruption of peace in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

    This is Shah’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. On the first day of his visit on Saturday, Shah met families of soldiers and civilians killed in a spate of terrorist attacks in the Valley throughout the month.

    He also addressed a youth conclave. Shah held a security review meeting in Srinagar where anti-terror measures were discussed.

  • PM Modi meets Indian Covid vaccine manufacturers

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indian COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers on Saturday, within two days of the country achieving a key milestone of administering 100 crore doses of the jabs, official sources said.

    During the meeting, Modi discussed various issues including furthering the vaccine research, sources said.

    Representatives from seven vaccine makers — Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Cadila, Biological E, Gennova Biopharma and Panacea Biotech — participated in the meeting.

    Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar were also present in the meeting. The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 101.30 crore, according to the latest health ministry data.

    On October 21, India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against COVID-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore mark, resulting in celebratory events across various parts.

    More than 75 per cent of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with nine states and union territories administering the first dose to all eligible people.

    Over 31 per cent of the country’s around 93 crore adults have been administered both doses, according to health ministry officials.

    So far, all adult population in nine states and union territories — Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Dadra and Nagar Haveli — have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.

    Three vaccines — Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Sputnik V — are currently being used in the country’s Covid vaccination drive.

  • PM Modi meets Indian Covid vaccine manufacturers; CEOs say his leadership key force in vaccination drive

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Indian COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers who said his leadership was a key factor in India being able to administer 100 crore doses of the jabs in just about nine months.

    During the meeting, Modi discussed various issues including furthering the vaccine research, sources said.

    Representatives from seven vaccine makers — Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Cadila, Biological E, Gennova Biopharma and Panacea Biotech — participated in the meeting.

    Following the meeting, Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India credited Modi’s vision for the milestone and said they in the meeting discussed how to take the industry forward and prepare for future pandemics, to continue enhancing the capacity.

    “All over the world now, countries are going to invest in vaccine production and India needs to stay ahead. We discussed how to do that together with industry and government,” he said.

    His father Cyrus Poonawalla said, “Had it not been for him (Modi) and (he) driving the health ministry, today India would not have been able to make a billion doses. There is no doubt in my mind about that.” The prime minister was happy that the assurance given by the Serum Institute that it will make India self-sufficient in vaccines at the lowest possible price in the world was fulfilled.

    “The PM went out of the way and made regulatory people move very fast and they also cooperated,” he added. Pankaj Patel of Zydus, another vaccine maker, said Modi was the “biggest factor” in the development of the DNA-based COVID vaccine. He praises the prime minister for his encouragement and support and also for mentioning the DNA vaccine at his address at the United Nations.

    Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar were also present in the meeting. The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country have exceeded 101.30 crore, according to the latest health ministry data.

    On October 21, India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against COVID-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore mark, resulting in celebratory events across various parts.

    More than 75 per cent of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with nine states and union territories administering the first dose to all eligible people.

    Over 31 per cent of the country’s around 93 crore adults have been administered both doses, according to health ministry officials.

    So far, all adult population in nine states and union territories — Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Dadra and Nagar Haveli — have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.

    Three vaccines — Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Sputnik V — are currently being used in the country’s Covid vaccination drive.

  • PM Modi recalls his ‘chaiwala’ past during interaction with divyang man from Goa

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday comforted a divyang tea seller from Goa during his virtual interaction with beneficiaries and stakeholders of a government scheme by recalling his past as a ‘chaiwala’ or a tea seller.

    Modi interacted with the select beneficiaries and stakeholders of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Swayampurna Goa programme’ via video conferencing.’

    “Aap bhi meri tarah chaiwale hai (You are also a tea seller like me),” Modi told Rurki Ahmad Rajasaheb, a differently-abled small-time businessman and a para table tennis player from Vasco town.

    He runs a tea stall outside the Kadamba Transport Corporation’ bus stand.

    Rajasaheb is one of the beneficiaries under the differently-abled category of the “Swayampurna Goa” programme, an extension of the Central government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

    Rajasaheb told the prime minister about how he participated in the camp for the “Swayampurna Goa” scheme in December 2020 and subsequently became its beneficiary.

    Modi said the Central government has been working towards giving respectful life to the differently-abled persons. “The government is with you. If you progress, the country will progress,” the PM said.

  • India remains steadfast partner in global efforts to combat Covid: PM Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked a host of world leaders for their wishes to India on crossing the 100-crore vaccine doses milestone and underlined that the country remains a steadfast partner in global efforts towards fighting the Covid pandemic.

    Wishes continued to pour in for India from various heads of state and government a day after the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore milestone.

    ALSO READ: India’s economy accelerating with increasing COVID vaccination coverage, says PM Narendra Modi

    “Congratulations to my friend @narendramodi and his government for administering 1 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. A huge achievement,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Twitter.

    India and Australia are working side by side in the Quad grouping to expand vaccine access across the Indo-Pacific, he said.

    Responding to Morrison, Modi tweeted, “Thank you, my friend @ScottMorrisonMP for your wishes on India achieving #VaccineCentury. And, congratulations to you for achieving high vaccination target in Australia.” Mauritian Premier Pravind Jugnauth also congratulated India and Prime Minister Modi on attaining the 1-billion vaccination mark, saying that his country commends India’s leadership in pandemic response efforts.

    ALSO READ: India’s vaccination programme science- born, science-driven, science-based, says PM Modi

    “Thank you for choosing Mauritius as one of the first recipients under the Vaccine Maitri Programme,” he said. In response, Modi tweeted, “Thank you PM @JugnauthKumar for your kind words. Our two countries are making rapid strides in our respective vaccination programme and fight against COVID-19.” Modi also expressed confidence that the close partnership between the two countries will continue to grow.

    Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid said taking “281 days to get 1 billion vaccinated” is indeed spectacular.

    “Congratulations to the people of India and Prime Minister @narendramodi for this outstanding achievement. This only gives hope that we can get the world vaccinated,” he said.

    “Thank You Mr. @abdulla_shahid for your warm words of encouragement. You can always count on India’s support for your #PresidencyofHope in tackling this pandemic. India stands together with the UN in achieving vaccine equity and ensuring vaccine accessibility,” Modi said.

    Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis Timothy Harris congratulated India on the major achievement of administering 100 crore vaccination doses and said it is a “significant landmark”.

    “Thank you @pmharriskn for your kind words. We continue to remain committed in our fight against COVID-19,” Modi said.

    Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit congratulated Modi for leading India into a massive vaccination campaign and successfully administering over 1 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccines.

    “Together, we must work closely in our fight against the global pandemic,” he said on Twitter. Responding to Skerrit, Modi said, “Thank you @SkerritR for your kind words. Agree with you that we must work together in our collective fight against the pandemic.

    ” Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh congratulated Prime Minister Modi and the Indian people for achieving the vaccination landmark, saying Mongolia is proud of its strategic partner India.

    “Thank you President @UKhurelsukh for the thoughtful wishes on #VaccineCentury. We are committed to intensifying ‘Strategic Partnership’ with Mongolia,” Modi said. Co-founder of Microsoft Corp. Bill Gates also hailed India for the feat, saying it was a testament to the country’s innovation, ability to manufacture at scale, and the efforts of millions of health workers backed by CoWIN.

    In response, Modi tweeted, “Thank You @BillGates for your appreciation of the efforts of Indian scientists, health workers and innovators in achieving the 1 billion vaccine milestone.” India remains a steadfast partner in global efforts towards fighting this pandemic, the prime minister said.