Govt briefs Tharoor-led panel, conveys India's ties with US extend beyond trade
Tharoor made the comment after a three-hour committee meeting where the 22 participating members interacted with the Foreign and Commerce Secretary on the latest issues concerning India's Foreign Policy, especially the ongoing US-India trade negotiations and tariffs.
"I think the 22 members asked over 50 questions to the Foreign Secretary and the Commerce Secretary... Our Foreign Secretary mentioned that ties with America are quite important and trade is just one aspect. Several other issues are being discussed between both countries at the same time. It was explained to us in detail and whatever clarifications the members required were given," Tharoor told the waiting reporters after the meeting.
Tharoor also slammed Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for making controversial remarks on India during his trip to the United States over the weekend.
"The question of General Munir's statement on American soil has been brought up, concern was expressed about the misuse of a friendly country's soil to say something about us in this manner. At the same time, nuclear sabre-rattling is something the Pakistanis like to do, has been dismissed by the MEA in a statement that was issued just as our meeting was beginning. We will echo that statement, as the committee shares the same view that we are not going to allow this kind of nonsense to influence our thinking. Nuclear blackmail will not work with India, and no party and no representative of any party disagrees with that principle."
During his US visit, Munir had warned that Pakistan will never allow India to choke the Indus River and will defend its water rights at all costs even if the forces will have to destroy any dam that India sought to build on it.
"We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it ... The Indus River is not the Indians' family property. We have no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river," Munir was quoted as saying by leading Pakistani daily Dawn at an event organised by members of the Pakistani-American community in Tampa, Florida.
Earlier in the day, India, which has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail, reacted strongly to the comments made by Munir.
"Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade. The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups," read a statement issued by Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday.
Munir, the Pakistani media reported on Monday, visited two US cities over the weekend and flew to Belgium on Sunday after completing his second high-profile trip to the United States in less than two months.
"It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country. India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security," the MEA statement mentioned.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Ukraine seeks clarity on US, ally security guarantees amid Russian strike
Russia launched one of its biggest aerial attacks this year at Ukraine, firing 574 drones and 40 missiles overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said Thursday. The attack mostly targeted western regions of the country, it said. The strikes killed at least one person and injured 15 others, according to officials. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia struck a major American electronics manufacturer in western Ukraine. He provided no further details. Western parts of Ukraine are far from the battlefield's front line in the east and south of the country. Much of the military aid provided by Ukraine's Western allies is believed to be transported and stored there. It was Russia's third largest aerial attack this year in terms of the number of drones fired and the eighth-largest in terms of missiles, according to official figures. The strikes occurred during a renewed US-led effort to reach a peace settlement in the three-year war following Russia's invasion of its neighbour. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, saying it was carried out as if nothing were changing at all. Moscow has shown no signs of pursuing meaningful negotiations to end the war and urged the international community to respond with stronger pressure, including tougher sanctions and tariffs, he said. Russia wasted several cruise missiles against an American business, he said, noting it was a regular civilian enterprise producing domestic utilities, such as coffee machines. And that too became a target for Russia. Very telling. Earlier, Zelenskyy said Ukraine will hold intensive meetings to understand what kind of security guarantees its allies are willing to provide after receiving signals that the United States would back reinvigorated discussions seeking an end to war. The details are being hammered out among national security advisers and military officials and Zelenskyy thinks they will take clearer shape within 10 days. He then expects to be ready to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since the full-scale invasion. The talks could also be conducted in a trilateral format alongside US President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy said. We want to have an understanding of the security guarantees architecture within seven to 10 days. And based on that understanding, we aim to hold a trilateral meeting. That was my logic, Zelenskyy said, speaking to reporters Wednesday after his trip to Washington along with Europe's top leaders. President Trump suggested a slightly different logic: a trilateral meeting through a bilateral one, Zelenskyy said. But then we all agreed that, in any case, we continue working on the security guarantees, establishing this approximate framework, similar to Article 5. And what we have today is political support for this. Article 5 is Nato's common defence guarantee under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on them all. A venue for the meeting is being discussed with Switzerland, Austria and Turkey as possibilities, Zelenskyy added. Kyiv still does not have clarity over what kind of support it can expect from allies. A coalition of more than 30 countries have in principle pledged to contribute to security guarantees but talks came to a standstill when the US remained ambivalent about its role. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said working on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscow's involvement would not work, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work. We have already explained more than once that Russia does not overstate its interests, but we will ensure our legitimate interests firmly and harshly, Lavrov said at a news conference Wednesday. Recent positive signals from Trump suggesting the US will support Article 5-like security guarantees and Ukraine's hopes to join the European Union have reinvigorated those discussions, Zelenskyy said. Today we have a positive signal from America, from President Trump, from his team, that they will be participants in the security guarantees for Ukraine. And this opens up the possibility for other countries, he added. Now the general staff of key countries have already started talking about what they are ready for. And some countries that were not there will probably appear now. Turkiye vocalised its readiness to provide security along the Black Sea after Trump appeared open to the possibility of supporting security guarantees for Ukraine, Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine is ready to hold direct talks with Putin. And what if the Russians are not ready? The Europeans raised the issue. If the Russians are not ready, then we would like to see a strong reaction from the United States, he said. Ukraine previously has expressed hope that the US will punish Russia with more sanctions if it does not demonstrate a serious willingness to end the war. Zelenskyy spoke positively about his meeting with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday alongside Europe's top leaders. He sought to convince Trump that the battlefield situation was not as bad for Ukraine as Putin portrayed. Zelenskyy pointed to errors in the US map of the front line that he said showed Russia holding more territory than it actually does. President Trump was interested in hearing the details. We talked a lot about Donbas, about the East, what its importance is. I noted that if our military withdraws from this territory and it is occupied, then we will open the way to Kharkiv, Zelenskyy said, adding that he showed Trump roads leading to Ukraine's industrial centre in Dnipropetrovsk. I noted to him that there are many important aspects here. If we are simply talking about withdrawing from the east, we cannot do this, Zelenskyy said, noting that he believed Trump had understood him.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
B Sudarshan Reddy files V-P nomination in presence of Sonia, Rahul, Kharge
Reddy, a former Supreme Court Judge, submitted four sets of nomination papers before the Rajya Sabha secretary general, who is also the returning officer for the vice-presidential election Press Trust of India New Delhi Opposition vice-presidential candidate B Sudarshan Reddy on Thursday filed his nomination papers in the presence of top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Reddy, a former Supreme Court Judge, submitted four sets of nomination papers before the Rajya Sabha secretary general, who is also the returning officer for the vice-presidential election. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, TMC's Satabdi Roy, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut, CPI(M)'s John Brittas were among the opposition leaders present for the nomination. As many as 160 MPs have signed as proposers and seconders. The returning officer scrutinised the nomination documents, and handed over an acknowledgement slip to Reddy. The electoral college for the vice presidential elections comprises members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also eligible to cast their votes. The effective strength of the electoral college is 781 and the majority mark is 391. The ruling NDA has fielded C P Radhakrishnan. The ruling party enjoys the support of at least 422 members and non-INDIA bloc parties such as YSRCP have already announced support to Radhakrishnan. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mint
27 minutes ago
- Mint
Sudershan Reddy, INDIA Bloc's VP nominee vows to uphold Parliament integrity where ‘dissent is respected'
Opposition INDIA bloc's Vice-Presidential nominee and former Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy on 21 August filed his nomination papers for the Vice-Presidential election to be held on September 9. He vowed to uphold 'parliament integrity where dissent is respected'. 'My life in public service — as a judge of the Supreme Court of India, as a student of law, and as a citizen rooted in the democratic traditions of this Republic — has taught me that the true strength of India lies in the dignity of every individual, the protection of constitutional morality, and the unity in our diversity. This election is not merely about one individual. It is about reaffirming the idea of India as envisaged by our founders — an India where Parliament functions with integrity, where dissent is respected, and where institutions serve the people with independence and fairness,' Reddy said. He pledged to discharge role with 'impartiality, dignity, and a steadfast commitment to dialogue and decorum' if elected in Vice-Presidential election as he as stated the role of the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha which includes carrying 'the responsibility of safeguarding the highest traditions of parliamentary democracy'. 'I am deeply grateful to the leaders of the Opposition parties for reposing their trust in me, and to the countless citizens who continue to inspire this collective struggle for justice, equality, and harmony. With faith in our Constitution and hope in our people, I embark on this journey. May our democratic spirit continue to guide us all,' he added. 21 July: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament and cited health reasons as reason. 1 August: The Election Commission announced the schedule for the Vice Presidential election shortly after. 17 August: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate. 19 August: Judge B Sudershan Reddy, former judge of the Supreme Court, was announced as the joint Opposition nominee. 21 August: Last date for filing nominations for the Vice Presidential post. 25 August: Final date for withdrawing nominations. 9 September: Polling and counting for the Vice Presidential election will both take place on this day. The Vice President of India is elected by an electoral college made up of members from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The election process is conducted in accordance with Articles 64 and 68 of the Indian Constitution.
