News Analysis India

Tag: quad

  • ‘Normal Relations With China Not Possible If…’: S Jaishankar Talks Tough On Border Issues |

    NEW DELHI: In a candid revelation on the strained relations between India and China, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Saturday emphasized that the resolution of border issues is paramount for the restoration of normalcy in diplomatic ties.

    ‘Border Solution Essential For Normal Relations’

    EAM Jaishankar, addressing the complexities surrounding India-China relations, stated, “I have explained to my Chinese counterpart that unless you find a solution on the border, if the forces will remain face-to-face and there will be tension, then you should not expect that the rest of the relations will go on in a normal manner, it is impossible.”

     

    #WATCH | On India & China relations, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “…I have explained to my Chinese counterpart that unless you find a solution on the border, if the forces will remain face-to-face and there will be tension, then you should not expect that the rest of the relations… pic.twitter.com/ej06WcCdzz
    — ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2024

     

    Deterioration In India-China Ties Over The Past Three Years

    Expressing a desire for improved relations with China, Jaishankar highlighted the unfortunate turn of events over the last three years, attributing the strain to China’s failure to uphold agreements at the border. He asserted, “We would certainly like our relation with China to be better than what it is today, but things have taken a turn for the worse in the last 3 years, not because of us. They have chosen not to observe the agreements at the border.”

    Jaishankar pointed out the disregard for mutual agreements in 2020, emphasizing that the foundational principles of the relationship were not adhered to. He stated, “In 2020, agreements were disregarded; mutuality at which this relationship is predicated has not been followed.”

    India’s Changing Global Role

    Asserting India’s growing influence on the world stage, Jaishankar emphasized that no major global issue is decided without New Delhi’s consultation. He highlighted India’s transformation, becoming the fifth-largest economy and underlining the nation’s evolving global perception.

    Addressing concerns about India’s participation in groups with conflicting interests, Jaishankar emphasized India’s independence and the need to manage its interests by engaging with diverse nations. He stated, “Our nature is to be independent. We cannot and we should not be part of somebody else’s subsidiary or enterprise.”

    Quad And BRICS: Balancing Conflicting Interests

    Discussing India’s involvement in Quad and BRICS, Jaishankar explained that India, being a 5000-year-old civilization, must navigate its interests independently. Quad aims to secure a rules-based global order, while BRICS focuses on enhancing economic cooperation among member nations.

    Transformative Decade For India

    Jaishankar reflected on the transformative decade for India, highlighting the country’s rapid development in infrastructure, education, and digitalization. He underscored the world’s increasing interest in India, citing the rise in talent and attracting substantial foreign investments.

    Looking Ahead: The Next 25 Years

    In conclusion, Jaishankar echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Amrit Kaal’ and envisioned the current decade as the foundation for the next 25 years of India’s growth and global influence.

  • As G7 president, Japan wishes to coordinate closely with G20 chair India: Japanese Foreign Minister

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put a great strain on the global economy including energy and food security, and Japan is keen to respond to the challenges by working hand-in-hand with India, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday.

    In an exclusive interview to PTI, Hayashi cited China’s “unilateral attempts” to change the status quo by force in East and South China as well as its military activities around Taiwan as the region’s challenges and concerns.

    He said Japan’s revised National Security Strategy views China’s current external stance and military activities as “unprecedented” and the “greatest” strategic challenge in ensuring peace and stability of Japan and the international community.

    Hayashi also said that it is necessary to build a free and an open international order that is inclusive and based on the rule of law to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region that has seen mounting Chinese assertiveness.

    He said as the G7 president, Japan wishes to coordinate closely with the G20 president India in addressing pressing global challenges.

    “2023 is a crucial year as Japan chairs G7 and India chairs G20. As the premier forum for international economic cooperation, G20 is of paramount importance for responding effectively to issues facing the international community, such as food security and development,” he said.

    The Japanese foreign minister was in Delhi to attend a Quad foreign ministerial meeting that extensively deliberated on the situation in the Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s military muscle flexing.

    He said the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition is neither an initiative to counter something nor for military cooperation and referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words that it is a “force for good”.

    The Japanese minister said given India’s “outstanding” leadership, including its hosting of the Voice of Global South Summit in January, having coordination with New Delhi has become more vital now.

    “Because of the adverse effect by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, establishing access to affordable, safe and nutritious food as well as ensuring resilient food security has become an urgent priority,” he said.

    “Moreover, transparent and fair developmental finance has become essential for sustainable development of developing countries. There is ample room for cooperation between G7 and G20, especially in these areas,” he added.

    Japan is the current chair of the powerful G7 grouping. “Nevertheless, given that Russia continues its aggression in Ukraine and is a member of the G20, we can no longer sustain cooperation in the same ways as before the invasion. We will explore how we can collaborate with such limitations in consultation with India,” he said.

    “Given India’s outstanding leadership, including its hosting Voice of Global South Summit in January, coordination with India is now even more vital. Japan looks forward to working hand in hand with India to lead responses to global challenges,” he said.

    The Japanese Foreign Minister noted that the Russian invasion of Ukraine put a great strain on the international economy and livelihoods of people all around the world in various aspects, including energy and food.

    “Given these circumstances, Japan is keen to discuss with India ways to respond to key issues such as food and energy security, with the cooperation of the international community,” he said.

    “In addition, leveraging existing economic ties, Japan will work with India bilaterally to respond to such challenges and consider ways of effective cooperation with middle to long-term perspectives,” he said.

    For instance, he said Japan wishes to utilise the Japan-India Clean Energy Partnership, launched during Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to India in March 2022 in order to realise carbon neutral and safe and stable supply of energy. “New energy sources such as hydrogen and ammonia are also promising areas of cooperation,” Hayashi said.

    On China’s increasing muscle flexing in the region, the foreign minister said Japan is finding itself in the midst of the “most severe” and complex security environment since the end of World War II.

    He said maintaining and strengthening the free and open international order based on the rule of law has never been more important than now.

    “Against this backdrop, Japan issued a new National Security Strategy. Vis-a-vis China, there are a number of challenges and concerns along with various opportunities, such as China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas, including in the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands,” he said.

    “This also includes a series of military activities by China around Taiwan, in particular the launch of ballistic missiles into the seas adjacent to Japan which also includes its Exclusive Economic Zones,” he said.

    Hayashi said the National Security Strategy revised late last year views China’s current external stance and military activities as an “unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge” in ensuring the peace and stability of Japan and the international community, as well as strengthening the international order based on the rule of law.

    “It states that Japan should respond with comprehensive national power and in cooperation with its ally and like-minded countries,” he said.

    At the same time, he said Japan and China have great responsibility towards the peace and prosperity of the region and the world.

    He said Japan will firmly maintain and assert our position and strongly requests responsible actions from China. “At the same time, both sides will make an effort to build a constructive and stable relationship by continuing dialogues, including at the leaders’ level, and working together on common challenges,” he said.

    On the Indo-Pacific, Hayashi said it is necessary to build a free and open international order that is inclusive and based on the rule of law in accordance with the vision of ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)’. “The Quad is not an initiative to counter something nor for military cooperation; rather, to borrow Prime Minister Modi’s words, it is a ‘force for good.’” 

    He said the Quad member states have been working on a wide range of practical cooperation, including in health, infrastructure, climate change, maritime domain awareness and disaster response.

    “I strongly believe that candid discussions among the four countries, which share a common vision for the future, including at leaders and foreign ministers’ level, will contribute to the deepening of Japan-India relations as well,” he said.

    Replying to a question on overall India-Japan ties, Hayashi referred to Japanese Prime Minister Kishida’s announcement last year about the goal of 5 trillion yen public and private investment and financing from Japan to India in the next five years.

    “In order to achieve this goal, Japan is deepening economic bonds and encouraging Japanese companies to boost their investment in India. Looking ahead, we will work with India on pressing issues such as clean energy and economic security by building on our existing economic ties,” he said.

    “India is the world’s biggest democracy, and the Special Strategic Global Partner with whom Japan shares basic principles and strategic interests. Further, this year is crucial as Japan chairs G7 and India chairs G20. Japan wishes to cooperate closely with India and contribute to the international community,” he added.

    Hayashi described 2022 as a milestone year for Japan-India bilateral ties as it marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship.

    “Especially, our cooperation flourished in the area of security and defense, an example of which is the first ever Japan-India bilateral fighter jet exercise that took place in Japan in January this year,” he said.

    NEW DELHI: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put a great strain on the global economy including energy and food security, and Japan is keen to respond to the challenges by working hand-in-hand with India, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday.

    In an exclusive interview to PTI, Hayashi cited China’s “unilateral attempts” to change the status quo by force in East and South China as well as its military activities around Taiwan as the region’s challenges and concerns.

    He said Japan’s revised National Security Strategy views China’s current external stance and military activities as “unprecedented” and the “greatest” strategic challenge in ensuring peace and stability of Japan and the international community.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Hayashi also said that it is necessary to build a free and an open international order that is inclusive and based on the rule of law to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region that has seen mounting Chinese assertiveness.

    He said as the G7 president, Japan wishes to coordinate closely with the G20 president India in addressing pressing global challenges.

    “2023 is a crucial year as Japan chairs G7 and India chairs G20. As the premier forum for international economic cooperation, G20 is of paramount importance for responding effectively to issues facing the international community, such as food security and development,” he said.

    The Japanese foreign minister was in Delhi to attend a Quad foreign ministerial meeting that extensively deliberated on the situation in the Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s military muscle flexing.

    He said the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition is neither an initiative to counter something nor for military cooperation and referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words that it is a “force for good”.

    The Japanese minister said given India’s “outstanding” leadership, including its hosting of the Voice of Global South Summit in January, having coordination with New Delhi has become more vital now.

    “Because of the adverse effect by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, establishing access to affordable, safe and nutritious food as well as ensuring resilient food security has become an urgent priority,” he said.

    “Moreover, transparent and fair developmental finance has become essential for sustainable development of developing countries. There is ample room for cooperation between G7 and G20, especially in these areas,” he added.

    Japan is the current chair of the powerful G7 grouping. “Nevertheless, given that Russia continues its aggression in Ukraine and is a member of the G20, we can no longer sustain cooperation in the same ways as before the invasion. We will explore how we can collaborate with such limitations in consultation with India,” he said.

    “Given India’s outstanding leadership, including its hosting Voice of Global South Summit in January, coordination with India is now even more vital. Japan looks forward to working hand in hand with India to lead responses to global challenges,” he said.

    The Japanese Foreign Minister noted that the Russian invasion of Ukraine put a great strain on the international economy and livelihoods of people all around the world in various aspects, including energy and food.

    “Given these circumstances, Japan is keen to discuss with India ways to respond to key issues such as food and energy security, with the cooperation of the international community,” he said.

    “In addition, leveraging existing economic ties, Japan will work with India bilaterally to respond to such challenges and consider ways of effective cooperation with middle to long-term perspectives,” he said.

    For instance, he said Japan wishes to utilise the Japan-India Clean Energy Partnership, launched during Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to India in March 2022 in order to realise carbon neutral and safe and stable supply of energy. “New energy sources such as hydrogen and ammonia are also promising areas of cooperation,” Hayashi said.

    On China’s increasing muscle flexing in the region, the foreign minister said Japan is finding itself in the midst of the “most severe” and complex security environment since the end of World War II.

    He said maintaining and strengthening the free and open international order based on the rule of law has never been more important than now.

    “Against this backdrop, Japan issued a new National Security Strategy. Vis-a-vis China, there are a number of challenges and concerns along with various opportunities, such as China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas, including in the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands,” he said.

    “This also includes a series of military activities by China around Taiwan, in particular the launch of ballistic missiles into the seas adjacent to Japan which also includes its Exclusive Economic Zones,” he said.

    Hayashi said the National Security Strategy revised late last year views China’s current external stance and military activities as an “unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge” in ensuring the peace and stability of Japan and the international community, as well as strengthening the international order based on the rule of law.

    “It states that Japan should respond with comprehensive national power and in cooperation with its ally and like-minded countries,” he said.

    At the same time, he said Japan and China have great responsibility towards the peace and prosperity of the region and the world.

    He said Japan will firmly maintain and assert our position and strongly requests responsible actions from China. “At the same time, both sides will make an effort to build a constructive and stable relationship by continuing dialogues, including at the leaders’ level, and working together on common challenges,” he said.

    On the Indo-Pacific, Hayashi said it is necessary to build a free and open international order that is inclusive and based on the rule of law in accordance with the vision of ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)’. “The Quad is not an initiative to counter something nor for military cooperation; rather, to borrow Prime Minister Modi’s words, it is a ‘force for good.’” 

    He said the Quad member states have been working on a wide range of practical cooperation, including in health, infrastructure, climate change, maritime domain awareness and disaster response.

    “I strongly believe that candid discussions among the four countries, which share a common vision for the future, including at leaders and foreign ministers’ level, will contribute to the deepening of Japan-India relations as well,” he said.

    Replying to a question on overall India-Japan ties, Hayashi referred to Japanese Prime Minister Kishida’s announcement last year about the goal of 5 trillion yen public and private investment and financing from Japan to India in the next five years.

    “In order to achieve this goal, Japan is deepening economic bonds and encouraging Japanese companies to boost their investment in India. Looking ahead, we will work with India on pressing issues such as clean energy and economic security by building on our existing economic ties,” he said.

    “India is the world’s biggest democracy, and the Special Strategic Global Partner with whom Japan shares basic principles and strategic interests. Further, this year is crucial as Japan chairs G7 and India chairs G20. Japan wishes to cooperate closely with India and contribute to the international community,” he added.

    Hayashi described 2022 as a milestone year for Japan-India bilateral ties as it marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship.

    “Especially, our cooperation flourished in the area of security and defense, an example of which is the first ever Japan-India bilateral fighter jet exercise that took place in Japan in January this year,” he said.

  • 2022, a historic and remarkable year for India-US relations

    By PTI

    WASHINGTON:  The year 2022 has been a remarkable and historic year for the India-US relationship, top diplomats and experts from both sides feel and are confident that 2023 would be a momentous year for the ties between the world’s largest and oldest democracies that will determine the future of technology and innovation.

    During the year, President Joe Biden met Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice – first on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Tokyo in May and second on the margins of the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken here in September and held productive discussions on the entire gamut of Indo-US relations and the way forward.

    “2022 saw further consolidation of the India-US bilateral partnership in the direction and vision set by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden,” India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, told PTI as the year comes to an end.

    The intensity of high-level engagements continued in the form of Quad and Bilateral Summits in Tokyo, the 2+2 Ministerial Meeting in Washington DC, and visits by senior members of the Cabinet in both directions, he said.

    The year also saw the resolution of some old market access issues, the first-ever maintenance of a US Naval Ship in India, the Quad focus on STEM, the signing of an Investment Incentive Agreement, the launch of Technology Innovation Hubs as a collaboration of the respective science agencies, record level of trade and investments, etc, said Sandhu. “Our strategic convergences deepened, new initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) were launched while others such as I2U2 were strengthened,” Sandhu said in response to a question.

    Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu concurred with Ambassador Sandhu’s take on the bilateral ties, saying that he believes that the India-US relationship is one of the most consequential relationships in the world. This relationship, he asserted, will determine whether Asia remains free and democratic. “It will determine the future of technology and innovation. And increasingly, it will determine whether we will be successful in combating climate change,” he said.

    “This has been a remarkable and historic year for our relations,” Lu told PTI in response to a question.

    “We have successfully worked in both countries to move beyond the acute phase of COVID-19 and supported millions of people around the world with innovative vaccines,” he said.

    “We have worked together in the Quad to launch the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness and the Partnership for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. We launched the US-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment which is working to support entrepreneurship and mentoring of women business leaders,” he said.

    Observing that the bedrock of this relationship has always been the people-to-people relationship, the senior American diplomat said more than 1 million people travel back and forth each year between the two nations. “This year we had a record number of Indian students studying in the United States, nearly 200,000. Our bilateral trade this year is on track to exceed last year’s record of USD 157 billion. This has been a very good year indeed,” Lu said.

    OPINION | Quad spreads its wings, but how high can it soar?

    According to Mukesh Aghi, president, and CEO of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum, 2022 was “a momentous year” for US-India relations, as the two nations celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations.

    These 75 years symbolized a long journey that had humble beginnings from the Cold War era, long before India’s own economic growth story, he noted. Today, the relationship, which has been dubbed as the most important strategic partner of the 21st century, has moved long beyond symbolic platitudes between the world’s oldest and largest democracy to robust engagements across trade, defence, climate, and technology, Aghi said.

    Despite the pandemic, the bilateral trade between India and the US crossed the USD 100 billion mark in 2021, and in 2022, official figures state that the overall US-India bilateral trade in goods and services reached a record USD 157 billion, a drastic increase from the 2020 trade figures, he said.

    “The year 2022 has seen deep collaboration between various ministries and not just between the key principals and the Foreign Minister and Secretary of State. On the finance side, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s recent visit to India and meeting with her counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman. On the energy front, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri recently worked with his counterpart, Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm on the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership, and of course Minister Piyush Goyal and USTR Katherine Tai are in regular conversations on trade,” Aghi told PTI.

    Next year is going to take the relationship to a new level.

    “As we usher in 2023, I am confident that the bilateral relationship would cement even further to address the challenges of tomorrow, continuing to be a partnership for global good. India’s G-20 Presidency and the commonalities that India’s priorities as President have with the US will also be a significant factor in this,” Sandhu told PTI when asked about the India-US relationship in 2023.

    Excited about what lies ahead in 2023, Lu said India has the G20 presidency for the first time, and the United States looks forward to working closely with India at all levels of government in support of this important position.

    PHOTOS | Indo-US joint military exercises in full swing; kites and dogs get trained, too

    “This year we plan to move forward on intensive collaboration in the defence and clean energy fields. We have committed ourselves to support Prime Minister Modi’s Make in India efforts through more co-production of cutting-edge defence technologies in India,” Lu told PTI.

    “We are also working to provide the technology and financing to support the Prime Minister’s vision of 500 gigawatts of installed non-fossil fuel energy by 2030. We are collaborating in solar, wind, civilian nuclear, green hydrogen, and thermal energy projects. Together we can change the planet,” he said.

    “I am bullish about prospects for cooperation in the year ahead,” Lu said.

    In the year 2023, Aghi said the Russia-Ukraine conflict will continue to dominate global affairs as both Washington and New Delhi along with their G20 partners work to secure and prevent escalating energy prices and the shortage arising from food grains.

    There is also room for synergy not just in tech but space collaboration, as India and the US both have scientific prowess and with increased privatization and a growing list of unicorns in India, space tech startups will be a new engine of economic growth and scientific synergy, he said.

    “Most importantly, in 2023, India will be the President for the G20 summit. India’s G20 Presidency propels its role as an emerging leader in the global scenario. The leadership also gives a stronger voice to the challenges faced by the developing world as New Delhi leads the way with its increasingly growing economy,” he said.

    “India has already outlined priorities for G20 2023 pertaining to climate action, critical and emerging technologies, resilient supply chains, and vaccines. New Delhi can strive towards building an inclusive ecosystem with holistic mechanisms to address key global issues for the private sector,” Aghi said.

    WASHINGTON:  The year 2022 has been a remarkable and historic year for the India-US relationship, top diplomats and experts from both sides feel and are confident that 2023 would be a momentous year for the ties between the world’s largest and oldest democracies that will determine the future of technology and innovation.

    During the year, President Joe Biden met Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice – first on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Tokyo in May and second on the margins of the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken here in September and held productive discussions on the entire gamut of Indo-US relations and the way forward.

    “2022 saw further consolidation of the India-US bilateral partnership in the direction and vision set by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden,” India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, told PTI as the year comes to an end.

    The intensity of high-level engagements continued in the form of Quad and Bilateral Summits in Tokyo, the 2+2 Ministerial Meeting in Washington DC, and visits by senior members of the Cabinet in both directions, he said.

    The year also saw the resolution of some old market access issues, the first-ever maintenance of a US Naval Ship in India, the Quad focus on STEM, the signing of an Investment Incentive Agreement, the launch of Technology Innovation Hubs as a collaboration of the respective science agencies, record level of trade and investments, etc, said Sandhu. “Our strategic convergences deepened, new initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) were launched while others such as I2U2 were strengthened,” Sandhu said in response to a question.

    Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu concurred with Ambassador Sandhu’s take on the bilateral ties, saying that he believes that the India-US relationship is one of the most consequential relationships in the world. This relationship, he asserted, will determine whether Asia remains free and democratic. “It will determine the future of technology and innovation. And increasingly, it will determine whether we will be successful in combating climate change,” he said.

    “This has been a remarkable and historic year for our relations,” Lu told PTI in response to a question.

    “We have successfully worked in both countries to move beyond the acute phase of COVID-19 and supported millions of people around the world with innovative vaccines,” he said.

    “We have worked together in the Quad to launch the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness and the Partnership for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. We launched the US-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment which is working to support entrepreneurship and mentoring of women business leaders,” he said.

    Observing that the bedrock of this relationship has always been the people-to-people relationship, the senior American diplomat said more than 1 million people travel back and forth each year between the two nations. “This year we had a record number of Indian students studying in the United States, nearly 200,000. Our bilateral trade this year is on track to exceed last year’s record of USD 157 billion. This has been a very good year indeed,” Lu said.

    OPINION | Quad spreads its wings, but how high can it soar?

    According to Mukesh Aghi, president, and CEO of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum, 2022 was “a momentous year” for US-India relations, as the two nations celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations.

    These 75 years symbolized a long journey that had humble beginnings from the Cold War era, long before India’s own economic growth story, he noted. Today, the relationship, which has been dubbed as the most important strategic partner of the 21st century, has moved long beyond symbolic platitudes between the world’s oldest and largest democracy to robust engagements across trade, defence, climate, and technology, Aghi said.

    Despite the pandemic, the bilateral trade between India and the US crossed the USD 100 billion mark in 2021, and in 2022, official figures state that the overall US-India bilateral trade in goods and services reached a record USD 157 billion, a drastic increase from the 2020 trade figures, he said.

    “The year 2022 has seen deep collaboration between various ministries and not just between the key principals and the Foreign Minister and Secretary of State. On the finance side, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s recent visit to India and meeting with her counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman. On the energy front, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri recently worked with his counterpart, Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm on the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership, and of course Minister Piyush Goyal and USTR Katherine Tai are in regular conversations on trade,” Aghi told PTI.

    Next year is going to take the relationship to a new level.

    “As we usher in 2023, I am confident that the bilateral relationship would cement even further to address the challenges of tomorrow, continuing to be a partnership for global good. India’s G-20 Presidency and the commonalities that India’s priorities as President have with the US will also be a significant factor in this,” Sandhu told PTI when asked about the India-US relationship in 2023.

    Excited about what lies ahead in 2023, Lu said India has the G20 presidency for the first time, and the United States looks forward to working closely with India at all levels of government in support of this important position.

    PHOTOS | Indo-US joint military exercises in full swing; kites and dogs get trained, too

    “This year we plan to move forward on intensive collaboration in the defence and clean energy fields. We have committed ourselves to support Prime Minister Modi’s Make in India efforts through more co-production of cutting-edge defence technologies in India,” Lu told PTI.

    “We are also working to provide the technology and financing to support the Prime Minister’s vision of 500 gigawatts of installed non-fossil fuel energy by 2030. We are collaborating in solar, wind, civilian nuclear, green hydrogen, and thermal energy projects. Together we can change the planet,” he said.

    “I am bullish about prospects for cooperation in the year ahead,” Lu said.

    In the year 2023, Aghi said the Russia-Ukraine conflict will continue to dominate global affairs as both Washington and New Delhi along with their G20 partners work to secure and prevent escalating energy prices and the shortage arising from food grains.

    There is also room for synergy not just in tech but space collaboration, as India and the US both have scientific prowess and with increased privatization and a growing list of unicorns in India, space tech startups will be a new engine of economic growth and scientific synergy, he said.

    “Most importantly, in 2023, India will be the President for the G20 summit. India’s G20 Presidency propels its role as an emerging leader in the global scenario. The leadership also gives a stronger voice to the challenges faced by the developing world as New Delhi leads the way with its increasingly growing economy,” he said.

    “India has already outlined priorities for G20 2023 pertaining to climate action, critical and emerging technologies, resilient supply chains, and vaccines. New Delhi can strive towards building an inclusive ecosystem with holistic mechanisms to address key global issues for the private sector,” Aghi said.

  • India’s foreign Secy meets US Deputy Secy of State; talks on bilateral ties, Ukraine & Indo-Pacific

    By PTI

    WASHINGTON, D.C: Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has met Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman here and discussed Indo-US ties and ways to further advance their bilateral security and regional cooperation, the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and Ukraine.

    During the meeting on Monday, Sherman underscored the US’s commitment to the people of Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal war of aggression, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.

    “They also discussed ways to improve regional and multilateral coordination, including via the Quad partnership in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.

    The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprising India, the United States, Japan and Australia was set up in 2017 to counter China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region.

    The two leaders also “reaffirmed our shared commitment to democratic principles, regional security and prosperity, and strengthening people-to-people ties,” Price said.

    “Great meeting Indian Foreign Secretary @AmbVMKwatra to discuss #USIndia relations and advance our security and regional cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific region and the world,” Sherman tweeted.

    India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region.

    China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.

    Kwatra is on an official trip to the city. He arrived in Washington DC from New York on Sunday night.

    WASHINGTON, D.C: Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has met Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman here and discussed Indo-US ties and ways to further advance their bilateral security and regional cooperation, the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and Ukraine.

    During the meeting on Monday, Sherman underscored the US’s commitment to the people of Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal war of aggression, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.

    “They also discussed ways to improve regional and multilateral coordination, including via the Quad partnership in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.

    The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprising India, the United States, Japan and Australia was set up in 2017 to counter China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region.

    The two leaders also “reaffirmed our shared commitment to democratic principles, regional security and prosperity, and strengthening people-to-people ties,” Price said.

    “Great meeting Indian Foreign Secretary @AmbVMKwatra to discuss #USIndia relations and advance our security and regional cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific region and the world,” Sherman tweeted.

    India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region.

    China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.

    Kwatra is on an official trip to the city. He arrived in Washington DC from New York on Sunday night.

  • China’s engagement with world largely driven by commercial, strategic interests: Prof Swaran Singh

    Express News Service

    Prof Swaran Singh, Visiting Professor, Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada and Professor for Diplomacy and Disarmament, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi,  in an exclusive interview talks about India’s relationship with China and its rising activities in India’s neighbourhood. Excerpts

    Q. What is your analysis about India’s neghbourhood from the perspective of geostrategy and geopolitics?

    A: India, being increasingly recognised as an emerging economy and middle power, has transformed its imagination in its neighbourhood. Today, India is an active player not only in its immediate periphery in South Asia where sub regional cooperation like the BIMSTEC have received added attention but also increased engagement in its extended neighbourhood both in East and West. India is an influential voice today in both the Quads in the Indo-Pacific in the East and I1U2 Framework in West Asia. Surely, this has brought forward India’s worldview both in geostrategy and geopolitics for increasing debates both for its theories as also praxis. This provides opportunities to both India’s policy analysts as also policy practitioners to contribute to this transformation and empower India’s ambitious leadership that seeks to harness this historic moment in India’s rise to global power stature.

    Q. In recent years China has been pursuing a pro-active/aggressive approach in building its relations with countries in our neighbourhood. What is your observation on it?

    A: Surely, the unprecedented rise of China’s economic leverages in the last forty years has made it increasingly visible in all parts of the world including in India’s immediate and extended neighbourhood. Given India’s complicated equations with China, this no doubt presents a major challenge but India has its own advantages that must be recognised. China’s engagement with the world has been largely driven by commercial and strategic interests resulting in rapid rise in its one-sided trade and investments. These have increasingly begun to cost recipient nations revealing the ‘debt-trap’ part of China’s economic engagement. India on the other hand has had enduring civilisational, cultural, historical, linguistic, social, religious and a whole range of inter-societal relations that are completely different. This has seen India’s leadership emphasising on diaspora and cultural links to great advantage with substantial success.

    Q: Indian Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande is on a visit to Bhutan at the time there are reports of China carrying out construction in Bhutan’s territory towards Dokalam. What do you have to say on this?

    A: India-Bhutan relations are unique and Indian military had successfully withstood an eye-ball to eye-ball in Doklam sector in 2017. Second, China’s incremental two-steps forward one-step backward attempts with the rest of the neighbourhood have proven ineffective so far making China to change its strategy to sustained heavy deployments and modernisation of its frontier areas. India’s strategy therefore needs to be redefined accordingly which, in this case, would require stronger military engagement of Bhutan. Gen Major Pande’s visit is a reflection of Indian leadership taking steps to implement such efforts at building stronger synergies with Bhutan. The fact that world powers today see China as their shared challenge and are more than willing to cultivate India as their friends provides an added advantage to India when dealing with its China challenge. Bhutan no doubt has seen a very piecemeal increase in its engagement with China yet fundamentals of its policy remain clearly aligned to India. Finally, the fact that China has lately disclosed some of new territorial claims in eastern Bhutan are sure to make Thimpu increasingly skeptical of China and therefore equally inclined to synergise its China engagement with India.

    ALSO READ | India-China ties are tense, situation may turn dangerous: S Jaishankar

    Q: Asia has become a centre of tense border situations, be it Russia-Ukraine, China-India and even that of South China Sea. Share your insights on possible Chinese moves keeping the situation in Mind.

    A: Ever since the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia — that created the system of territorial nation-states — territorial disputes have been the main cause of inter-state tensions. Europe over centuries, and partly thanks to its colonisation and colonial wars making them fight each other out of Europe, have stabilised their nation-building while newly independent states around Asia or in case of post-Soviet republics are still stabilising their sense of secure borders. But China, which has had a large number of border disputes with its neighbours should surely learn lessons from the Ukraine crisis where smaller nations have earned the support of much of the western world and withstood Russian power. This is especially true of China’s cross-strait relations which are often suspect of becoming a flashpoint. The recent example of Beijing’s commentaries in response to reports on Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of US House of Representatives, planning a visit to Taiwan is a lesson that China remains at the centerstage of global attention.

    Q: What role does the Western nations have in influencing the India-China relations?

    A: Western nations that see China as their shared challenges have always been keen to cultivate India’s friends to support their countervailing of China. Repeatedly, not just western leaders but also Russia has offered to mediate between India and China. New Delhi of course has always been clear about its being more than capable to redress its China challenge and not willing to allow any third party intervention. India’s approach to China has been nuanced in not treating it as either friend or foe but developing its China policy as a spectrum of responses that include multiple shades of cooperation, coordination, contestation and standing up to China when required. Compared to relatively monolith China, India has the advantage of being home to diverse languages, ethnicities, regions and religions and therefore perfectly at home in balancing such a complex spectrum of responses.

    Q: Where are India-China relations heading to?

    A: Given that both China and India are world’s largest population nations — next largest the United States being one-fourth in size — and are ordained to become by 2050 world’s largest and second largest economies, both have to tread carefully to avoid derailing their unprecedented development and historic mandate to lead the world together. But it is also true that as they manage to redress and resolve their historic and bilateral irritants, there will always be newer unforeseen challenges that will flow from their rise in stature as also form their expanding mutual economic and social engagements. Their leadership has so far managed this roller coaster so far with minimum costs and hopefully will continue to manage their challenges to fulfil their historic mandate of reemerging as world’s leading civilisational nations.

    Q: How can India and China overcome their limitations and work together for the overall good?

    A: This sure remains an uphill task, especially when leaders on any side become too engaged with their myopic staying in power impulses. Lately, President Xi has been preoccupied with the 95th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army and coming 20th Party Congress at home and with China’s continuing trade and technology wars with the United States abroad. These become distracting especially when President Xi seeks to break all conventions to stay in power beyond two terms in office. Without doubt such distractions have their impact on China’s relations with India. In the long run however both China and India fully understand each other’s import for their historic rise and therefore in spite of occasional rhetoric against each other or even in face of increasing frequency of border tensions both have continued to engage each other and hopefully continue to manage their enduring and emerging challenges to rise to their historic mandate of reemerging as leading nations with opportunity to lead the world to becoming a more peaceful place for all. 

    Prof Swaran Singh, Visiting Professor, Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada and Professor for Diplomacy and Disarmament, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi,  in an exclusive interview talks about India’s relationship with China and its rising activities in India’s neighbourhood. Excerpts

    Q. What is your analysis about India’s neghbourhood from the perspective of geostrategy and geopolitics?

    A: India, being increasingly recognised as an emerging economy and middle power, has transformed its imagination in its neighbourhood. Today, India is an active player not only in its immediate periphery in South Asia where sub regional cooperation like the BIMSTEC have received added attention but also increased engagement in its extended neighbourhood both in East and West. India is an influential voice today in both the Quads in the Indo-Pacific in the East and I1U2 Framework in West Asia. Surely, this has brought forward India’s worldview both in geostrategy and geopolitics for increasing debates both for its theories as also praxis. This provides opportunities to both India’s policy analysts as also policy practitioners to contribute to this transformation and empower India’s ambitious leadership that seeks to harness this historic moment in India’s rise to global power stature.

    Q. In recent years China has been pursuing a pro-active/aggressive approach in building its relations with countries in our neighbourhood. What is your observation on it?

    A: Surely, the unprecedented rise of China’s economic leverages in the last forty years has made it increasingly visible in all parts of the world including in India’s immediate and extended neighbourhood. Given India’s complicated equations with China, this no doubt presents a major challenge but India has its own advantages that must be recognised. China’s engagement with the world has been largely driven by commercial and strategic interests resulting in rapid rise in its one-sided trade and investments. These have increasingly begun to cost recipient nations revealing the ‘debt-trap’ part of China’s economic engagement. India on the other hand has had enduring civilisational, cultural, historical, linguistic, social, religious and a whole range of inter-societal relations that are completely different. This has seen India’s leadership emphasising on diaspora and cultural links to great advantage with substantial success.

    Q: Indian Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande is on a visit to Bhutan at the time there are reports of China carrying out construction in Bhutan’s territory towards Dokalam. What do you have to say on this?

    A: India-Bhutan relations are unique and Indian military had successfully withstood an eye-ball to eye-ball in Doklam sector in 2017. Second, China’s incremental two-steps forward one-step backward attempts with the rest of the neighbourhood have proven ineffective so far making China to change its strategy to sustained heavy deployments and modernisation of its frontier areas. India’s strategy therefore needs to be redefined accordingly which, in this case, would require stronger military engagement of Bhutan. Gen Major Pande’s visit is a reflection of Indian leadership taking steps to implement such efforts at building stronger synergies with Bhutan. The fact that world powers today see China as their shared challenge and are more than willing to cultivate India as their friends provides an added advantage to India when dealing with its China challenge. Bhutan no doubt has seen a very piecemeal increase in its engagement with China yet fundamentals of its policy remain clearly aligned to India. Finally, the fact that China has lately disclosed some of new territorial claims in eastern Bhutan are sure to make Thimpu increasingly skeptical of China and therefore equally inclined to synergise its China engagement with India.

    ALSO READ | India-China ties are tense, situation may turn dangerous: S Jaishankar

    Q: Asia has become a centre of tense border situations, be it Russia-Ukraine, China-India and even that of South China Sea. Share your insights on possible Chinese moves keeping the situation in Mind.

    A: Ever since the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia — that created the system of territorial nation-states — territorial disputes have been the main cause of inter-state tensions. Europe over centuries, and partly thanks to its colonisation and colonial wars making them fight each other out of Europe, have stabilised their nation-building while newly independent states around Asia or in case of post-Soviet republics are still stabilising their sense of secure borders. But China, which has had a large number of border disputes with its neighbours should surely learn lessons from the Ukraine crisis where smaller nations have earned the support of much of the western world and withstood Russian power. This is especially true of China’s cross-strait relations which are often suspect of becoming a flashpoint. The recent example of Beijing’s commentaries in response to reports on Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of US House of Representatives, planning a visit to Taiwan is a lesson that China remains at the centerstage of global attention.

    Q: What role does the Western nations have in influencing the India-China relations?

    A: Western nations that see China as their shared challenges have always been keen to cultivate India’s friends to support their countervailing of China. Repeatedly, not just western leaders but also Russia has offered to mediate between India and China. New Delhi of course has always been clear about its being more than capable to redress its China challenge and not willing to allow any third party intervention. India’s approach to China has been nuanced in not treating it as either friend or foe but developing its China policy as a spectrum of responses that include multiple shades of cooperation, coordination, contestation and standing up to China when required. Compared to relatively monolith China, India has the advantage of being home to diverse languages, ethnicities, regions and religions and therefore perfectly at home in balancing such a complex spectrum of responses.

    Q: Where are India-China relations heading to?

    A: Given that both China and India are world’s largest population nations — next largest the United States being one-fourth in size — and are ordained to become by 2050 world’s largest and second largest economies, both have to tread carefully to avoid derailing their unprecedented development and historic mandate to lead the world together. But it is also true that as they manage to redress and resolve their historic and bilateral irritants, there will always be newer unforeseen challenges that will flow from their rise in stature as also form their expanding mutual economic and social engagements. Their leadership has so far managed this roller coaster so far with minimum costs and hopefully will continue to manage their challenges to fulfil their historic mandate of reemerging as world’s leading civilisational nations.

    Q: How can India and China overcome their limitations and work together for the overall good?

    A: This sure remains an uphill task, especially when leaders on any side become too engaged with their myopic staying in power impulses. Lately, President Xi has been preoccupied with the 95th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army and coming 20th Party Congress at home and with China’s continuing trade and technology wars with the United States abroad. These become distracting especially when President Xi seeks to break all conventions to stay in power beyond two terms in office. Without doubt such distractions have their impact on China’s relations with India. In the long run however both China and India fully understand each other’s import for their historic rise and therefore in spite of occasional rhetoric against each other or even in face of increasing frequency of border tensions both have continued to engage each other and hopefully continue to manage their enduring and emerging challenges to rise to their historic mandate of reemerging as leading nations with opportunity to lead the world to becoming a more peaceful place for all. 

  • PM Modi leaves for Japan on two-day visit 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday evening left for Japan on a two-day visit to attend a summit of the Quad leaders which is aimed at further bolstering cooperation among the member nations of the influential grouping and discussing developments in the Indo-Pacific region.

    In a statement, Modi said the summit will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the four member countries to review the progress of the Quad initiatives.

    ALSO READ: Ahead of Quad summit, China says US’ Indo-Pacific strategy ‘bound to fail’ 

    Besides Modi, the summit in Tokyo on May 24 will be attended by US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian prime minister-elect Anthony Albanese.

    “A visit to further the ‘force for global good’. PM @narendramodi emplanes for Tokyo. Quad Leaders’ Summit with PM @AlboMP of Australia, PM @kishida230 of Japan, and @POTUS @JoeBiden awaits,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

    Modi will also hold separate bilateral meetings with Biden, Kishida and Albanese on the sidelines of the summit.

    “In Japan, I will also participate in the second in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit, which will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the four Quad countries to review the progress of Quad initiatives,” Modi said in his statement.

    “We will also exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest,” he said.

  • Quad summit: PM Modi to skip going to Netaji memorial at Renkoji temple again

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Japan after eight years and though he will engage with all Quad leaders in his individual capacity and collectively for the Summit, the one place he will skip going to for the second time is visiting the Renko ji temple which houses the ashes of Subash Chandra Bose.

    Even though the Modi government has been giving a lot of importance to Netaji and even placed his hologram in India Gate to mark his 125th birth anniversary in January this year, they haven’t so far decided to go further and unravel the mystery around his death or even ascertain whether the ashes in Renkoji are true of Netaji.

    “It will be a symbol of India’s indebtedness to him,” PM Modi had tweeted when the hologram of Netaji was showcased in January this year.

    After Netaji died in an air crash in Taiwan on August 18th,1945 his ashes were brought to Tokyo and kept in Renkoji. 

    “When PM Modi visited Japan in 2014 a political party called Netaji Subash Kranti Manch urged him not the visit the temple as they said it would send wrong signals of his government on Netaji. Even though the Indian Embassy in Tokyo had suggested that PM Modi visit the temple, he prefered to skip it,” said a political expert.

    Renkoji Temple was visited by PM Nehru in 1957, President Rajendra Prasad in 1958, PM Indira Gandhi in 1969 and PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001. 

    Meanwhile, earlier this year Chandra Kumar Bose, Netaji’s grand nephew, had urged the government to bring back the ashes from Renkojiand conduct a DNA test to prove that it was him. They are looking at a closure of this case.

    Anita Bose Pfaff, daughter of Netaji, also wanted to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek a DNA test of the ashes interred in Renkoji since she believes he died in a plane crash in August 1945. Anita Bose Pfaff (born in 1942) is an Austrian economist and the only child of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Emilie Schenki.

    Earlier, in 2019, Hiroshi Hirabayashi, President of Japan India Association, Tokyo and former Ambassador of Japan to India asked why successive governments in India have failed to take back the ashes of the “hero” back home. 

    His question came in the run-up to the 2019 general elections when our political parties were accusing each other for having let down the nation, including ignoring Netaji.

    “One of the reasons that PM Modi has kept away from Renkoji is that the Mukherjee Commission appointed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government had concluded that the ashes in Renko ji are not Netaji’s. PM Modi wants to refrain from getting embroiled in any debate,” the expert added.

    If you look at PM Modi’s diplomatic stand of skipping Renko ji it makes sense. With so much to fight, contest and establish he naturally wouldn’t want to stir a hornet’s nest which will entangle him in a controversy.

  • Quad summit: PM Modi likely to talk about China in the context of Indo-Pacific

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be leaving for Japan on 23rd May to attend the fourth Quad Summit. Besides, meeting the Quad leaders individually, PM Modi is also likely to talk about the China.

    “In the context of the Indo-Pacific challenges and opportunities, China and the issues we have with them are likely to be discussed,” says Foreign Secretary, Vinay Mohan Kwatra.

    India has condemned China for making a second bridge on Pangong Tso which was revealed through satellite images recently. China’s military built up around the LAC post-April 2020 has been a sore point with India.

    PM Modi will have individual bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and Australia’s new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. 

    “Discussions are also likely for the second India Japan 2+2 meeting. Besides, talks will take place around critical and emerging technologies with Quad countries,” Foreign Secretary added.

    PM Modi is also expected to attend a round table with leading members of the Japanese business community. He will also have an interaction with the Indian diaspora. The Quad Summit will take place on May 24th.

    With Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, PM Modi will discuss deepening bilateral economic cooperation including trade and investment, clean energy and cooperation in the northeast.

    The discussions between PM Modi and US President Biden on May 24th will focus on trade, defence, security and climate change, Foreign Secretary said adding that issues of regional and global importance will also be taken up during the talks.

    The forthcoming Quad Summit provides an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest.

    Quad Leaders will review the progress of Quad initiatives and Working Groups, identify new areas of cooperation and provide strategic guidance and vision for future collaboration. The Quad summit is likely to review the progress of the working groups formed last year on critical technologies, cybersecurity, vaccine distribution, climate change, space and other issues. The summit will also discuss regional issues like the Russian war in Ukraine.

  • Facing trouble at home, Imran praises India’s ‘independent foreign policy’ ahead of no-trust vote

    By Express News Service

    Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday praised India for following an “independent foreign policy” even while being part of Quad and importing crude oil from Russia despite American sanctions. He said his foreign policy would also favour the people of Pakistan.

    “I haven’t bowed before anyone and will not let my nation bow either,” said Khan, who is rallying public support ahead of a no-confidence vote against him. Khan said he had said “absolutely no” to the EU envoys seeking Pakistan’s support against Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

    Khan, a fierce critic of the ruling NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, spoke highly of India’s foreign policy.

    Addressing a public rally in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, he told his supporters that he would like to praise the neighbouring country India as it was having an “independent foreign policy”.

    Khan said that India, which is a part of the Quad grouping, has imported crude oil from Russia despite American sanctions on Moscow.

    The Quad grouping has the US, India, Japan and Australia as its members.

    The US-led Western countries have imposed crippling economic sanctions on Russia for its military offensive in Ukraine which was ordered by President Vladimir Putin on February 24.

    Prime Minister Khan said that his foreign policy would also favour the people of Pakistan.

    “I haven’t bowed before anyone and will not let my nation bow either,” said Khan, who is rallying public support ahead of a no-confidence vote against him in Parliament.

    Breaking from the tradition of not openly discussing complicated matters relating to foreign relations in public rallies, Khan mentioned that he had said “absolutely no” to the European Union (EU) envoys seeking Pakistan’s support against Russia in the Russia-Ukraine conflict because “they broke protocol by making the request”.

    He said that Pakistan would have gained nothing by complying with the EU’s request.

    “We became part of America’s war against terror in Afghanistan and lost 80,000 people and USD 100 billion,” he said.

    It is for the second time he spoke against a statement by the EU and other Western countries asking Pakistan earlier this month to condemn the Russian intervention in Ukraine.

    In his previous address, Khan had also asked the EU if it would make a similar demand to India.

    In another endorsement for New Delhi’s stand vis-a-vis the conflict, Australia on Sunday said the Quad member countries has accepted India’s position on the Russian attack on Ukraine.

    The crisis in Ukraine is expected to figure in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual summit with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Monday.

    Unlike other Quad countries — the US, Japan and Australia — India has not condemned the Russian invasion and has stressed conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy.

    “The Quad countries have accepted India’s position. We understand that each country has a bilateral relationship and it is clear from the comments of the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and Prime Minister Modi himself that he has used his contacts to call for the end of the conflict and no country will be unhappy with that,” Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell told reporters when asked about the disquiet in the West over India’s refusal to condemn the Russian invasion.

    Pakistan’s National Assembly will convene on Friday to take up a no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, who offered a deal to his dissent lawmakers on Sunday in an effort to overcome his toughest political test since assuming office in 2018.

    Around 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) submitted the no-confidence motion before the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8, alleging that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government led by Khan was responsible for the economic crisis and the spiralling inflation in the country.

    On Sunday, the NA Secretariat issued a notification, clearing the dust regarding the key session which the opposition had demanded to be convened by March 21 as per the legal requirements.

    “The session will convene at 11 am on Friday and will be the 41st session of the current National Assembly,” according to the notification.

    Speaker Asad Qaiser summoned the session under the power given to him by Article 54 (3) and 254 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

    The opposition has been saying that the session should be summoned within 14 days but Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said at a press conference it can be delayed due to extraordinary circumstances.

    The delay, in this case, is due to the high-profile 48th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) starting from March 22 at the Parliament House.

    Initially, the opposition had threatened to stage a sit-in if the session was not called on time.

    However, the joint opposition toned down its stance by stressing that Pakistan’s political turmoil will not be allowed to affect the event in any way.

    The lower house will deliberate on the opposition’s no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Khan on March 25.

    Once the motion is formally taken up by the house, the voting should be done between three to seven days.

    Khan, 69, is heading a coalition government and he can be removed if some of the partners decide to switch sides.

    In the 342-member National Assembly, the Opposition needs 172 votes to remove Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician.

    The PTI has 155 members in the House and needs at least 172 lawmakers on its side to remain in the government.

    The party has the support of 23 members belonging to at least six political parties.

    Nearly two dozen dissident lawmakers of the ruling party recently came out in the open ahead of voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan, with the government accusing opposition parties of horse-trading.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khan on Sunday offered an olive branch to rebel lawmakers of his party saying he was ready to forgive them like a ‘compassionate father’ if they returned to the party fold.

    “I will forgive you if you come back. We all commit mistakes. I am like a father who forgives his children and I will pardon you as well and no action will be taken against you,” he said while addressing a public rally in Malakand district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

    At the same time, he warned that those not heeding to his words should be ready to face a “social boycott’.

    “Return to the party’s fold or face social boycott,” he warned the rebel PTI lawmakers.

    Before offering the olive branch, Khan accused them of selling their conscience and told the rebel lawmakers that they will be forever known as people who “sold their conscience” and it will be difficult for them to attend social events like marriages.

    “Even it will be difficult for them to arrange marriages of their kids,” he said.

    In another development, supporters of rival parties were protesting against or in favour of various PTI lawmakers who announced to go against Khan.

    Dawn reported that the PTI supporters gathered outside the house of rebel lawmaker Malik Ahmed Hassan Dehar in Multan to protest against him, while workers of the opposition Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) staged a rally outside the residence of another PTI dissident Noor Alam Khan in Peshawar to give moral support to him and his family.

    Similar rallies were also held at other places like Lahore after Khan defended the peaceful right of his party activists against the ‘turncoats’.

    On Saturday, the ruling party issued show-cause notices to its dissident lawmakers for alleged defection and sought an explanation from them by March 26 as to why they may not be declared defectors and disqualified as a member of the National Assembly.

    Both government and opposition politicians have been working overtime to tilt the balance in their favour.

    The PPP held the meeting of its core committee, followed by the meeting of its leaders with PML-N and JUI-F leaders at a lunch hosted by PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif.

    Khan also consulted his core group about the latest situation.

    He has told his supporters that the no-trust move would fail.

    Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Sunday warned the opposition leaders not to disrupt the OIC meeting here as he termed it a matter of national security, amid opposition threat to block the high-profile conference.

    “I declare here that no one can dare to create any sort of hurdle in the holding of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference because it is an issue of security of Pakistan,” Rashid said at a press conference.

    The minister asserted that up to 15,000 security personnel of police and the paramilitary forces would be deployed to provide security to the delegates of Muslim countries coming to participate in the conference.

    The two-day event at the Parliament will have representatives of more than 50 countries in attendance.

    “Those due to attend the conference are our guests and the Pakistan Army has taken up the task of providing security to them,” he said earlier, adding that the government would “take care” of the opposition with ease and no one could dare create an obstacle in the way of the meeting.

    Initially, the opposition had threatened to stage a sit-in if the national assembly session was not called on time to take up a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    However, the joint opposition toned down its stance on Sunday stressing that Pakistan’s political turmoil will not be allowed to affect the event in any way.

    “The opposition pledges to do its utmost to create an atmosphere in which the distinguished guests will be able to carry out their activities with full attention, dedication and determination,” said a joint statement issued by opposition parties.

    National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Sunday announced to convene the assembly session on March 25 to take up the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Khan.

    Around 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) submitted the no-confidence motion before the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8, alleging that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government led by Prime Minister Khan was responsible for the economic crisis and the spiralling inflation in the country.

    Opposition leaders threat to disrupt the OIC meeting created panic among the Islamabad-based ambassadors of the Muslim countries, according to Rashid.

    “I received calls from at least 22 ambassadors and I told everyone that come what the conference would be held as per schedule,” he said at the press conference.

    The OIC is a 57-member grouping of Muslim majority nations, including Pakistan.

    Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said the OIC session will coincide with 75th-anniversary celebrations of Pakistan’s Independence Day.

    The 48th summit of the OIC-CFM will be held on March 22 and 23 under the theme: “Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development.

    Pakistan said on Sunday that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi would attend the conference of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) here.

    Pakistan is hosting the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the OIC here on March 22-23, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

    Foreign Ministers and high-level dignitaries from OIC Member and Observer States are attending the CFM.

    They will also witness the Pakistan Day Parade on March 23 as Guests of Honour.

    “State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi of the People’s Republic of China will attend as a Special Guest,” said the FO.

    Senior officials from non-OIC countries, senior representatives from the United Nations system, regional and international organisations, including the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council will also participate in the conference.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will deliver the keynote address at the Inaugural Session on March 22.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will chair the CFM.

    The FO said that the CFM assumes special significance given the backdrop of opportunities and challenges before the Muslim world in the political, security, social and economic spheres.

    Apart from an appraisal of the global and regional landscapes, the CFM will inter alia reaffirm the long-standing solidarity and support of its membership with the people of Palestine; reiterate its resolve to combat rising Islamophobia; and discuss strategies to counter the effects of climate change, vaccine inequity and erosion in progress towards SDGs.

    The Ministerial meeting will take stock of the decisions taken at the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC-CFM held in Islamabad in December 2021 to address the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

    The Islamabad Ministerial will consider and adopt over 100 resolutions on a broad range of issues, including peace and security; economic development; cultural and scientific cooperation; and humanitarian, legal, administrative and financial matters.

    The thematic focus of the Ministerial Conference is on ‘Partnering for Unity, Justice and Development’.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • In prelude to Quad meet, PM Modi to hold summits with Japan, Australia PMs in next few days

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The next few days will be like a prelude to the Quad as Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will be on a two-day visit to Delhi. This will be followed by a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Australian Prime Minister ScottMorrison.

    The Quad Summit, which will also be attended by US President Joe Biden, will be held in Japan sometime next month. So there is likely to be a spillover of discussions that take place in India in the next few days in the forthcoming Quad meet.

    PM Kishida will be in Delhi on the 19th and 20th for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit. This will be the first meeting of  PM Modi and PM Kishida. The previous India-Japan Annual Summit took place in Tokyo in October 2018.

    Both India and Japan have multi-faceted cooperation within the ambit of their ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’. The summit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review and strengthen the bilateral cooperation in diverse areas as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest so as to advance their partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

    This will be followed by the second India-Australia Virtual Summit on March 21st. It will be attended by PM Modi and PM Morrison. The first virtual summit between the two was held on June 4th, 2020 when the relationship between India and Australia was raised to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

    “The leaders of India and Australia are expected to commit to closer cooperation in trade, critical minerals, migration and mobility, and education, among others,” said Arindam Bagchi, MEA spokesperson.

    Views on regional and international issues of mutual interest will also be discussed by the leaders. The summit highlights the importance attached by both countries to their bilateral relations as also their close cooperation on regional and global issues.

    The India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has maintained the momentum of an upward trajectory with both countries continuing to collaborate closely, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, in wide-ranging areas including science andtechnology, defence, cyber, critical and strategic materials, water resource management, as well as public administration and governance.

    PM Modi and PM Morrison met in Washington DC for the first in-person meeting after the Covid-19 pandemic in September 2021 on the margins of the Quad Leaders’ Summit and jointly launched the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) in Glasgow on the margins of the COP26 in November 2021.