Reset with Canada, Trump tariffs, Iran-Israel tensions to dominate as Modi leaves for 3-nation tour
In his first visit abroad since the strikes on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave on Sunday (June 15, 2025) for a three-nation tour to Cyprus, Canada and Croatia.He will be attending the G-7 summit of Western-allied developed economies during the tour, which will conclude on June 19. Cyprus and Croatia are part of Mr. Modi's refuelling stopovers. He will be first Indian Prime Minister to visit Cyprus since 2002, and the first to visit Croatia since the country was founded in 1991.
However, it is the visit to Canada, 10 years after he visited last, as well as his meetings on the sidelines of the G-7 summit, where India is one of five special invitees, which will be watched most closely. Mr. Modi is expected to speak about India's fight against terrorism at every stop, including holding Pakistan accountable at the UN, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other multilateral institutions.
'This would be the Prime Minister's sixth consecutive participation in the G-7 Summit. At the Summit, PM (Modi) will exchange views with leaders of G-7 countries, other invited outreach countries and Heads of International Organisations on crucial global issues, including energy security, technology and innovation, particularly the AI-energy nexus and Quantum-related issues,' the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.
Mr. Modi will meet with Canadian PM Mark Carney, which the Ministry referred to as a chance to explore a 'reset' in acrimonious ties, and to restore diplomats in each other's capitals. In particular, Mr. Carney has said in the Canadian Parliament that he hopes to take forward a 'law enforcement dialogue' with Mr. Modi, indicating the Nijjar case and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's (RCMP) allegations against Indian government officials, including Home Minister Amit Shah would be discussed. India will raise concerns on Khalistani threats to Indian diplomats.
While the Ministry has yet to confirm Mr. Modi's other bilateral meetings, this would be the first time Mr. Modi will see U.S. President Donald Trump since Mr. Trump claimed credit for mediating the India-Pakistan truce, which India has denied. Mr. Modi will also see French President Emmanuel Macron, who plans to co-host a now-postponed UN conference on the two-state solution for Palestine along with Saudi Arabia, and hopes for India's support.
The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, Israel's bombardment of Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war and the economic disruptions caused by U.S. tariffs are all expected to dominate what is expected to be a fractious discourse at the G-7 Summit on June 16, given the divide between the U.S., and other members Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.K. on these issues. In addition, leaders of Australia, Brazil, India, South Africa, Mexico and Ukraine will attend an 'Outreach Session' on the June 17, focused on security issues, energy security and AI, and building trade and investment partnerships.
On Sunday, Mr. Modi will depart for Nicosia, Cyprus, for talks with President Nikos Christodoulides, where he is expected to address business leaders and discuss plans for the India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) that have been stalled due to the situation in Israel since 2023. Mr. Modi's visit to Cyprus, which has a decades-old territorial tussle with neighbour Turkiye, whose forces have occupied Northern Cyprus since 1974, is also seen as a sharp message from New Delhi to Ankara over Turkiye's support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
'The visit will reaffirm the shared commitment of the two countries to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen India's engagement with the Mediterranean region and the European Union,' the MEA said.
Mr. Modi will travel to Zagreb on the final part of the tour, for talks with Croatian PM Andrej Plenković, on June 18. 'The visit to Croatia will also underscore India's commitment to further strengthening its engagement with partners in the European Union,' the MEA said, indicating talks on improving bilateral trade -- which at present is just $300 million, technological cooperation, and facilitating the movement of Indian labour and professionals for contractual work.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
PM Modi: 3-nation tour chance to thank partners for backing India's fight against terror
PM Modi being welcomed by members of the Indian diaspora in Cyprus Ahead of his departure for Cyprus on Sunday, PM Narendra Modi said his three-nation tour was also an opportunity to thank partner countries for their "steadfast support" to India in its fight against cross-border terrorism, and to galvanise global understanding on tackling terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Modi arrived in Cyprus on Sunday afternoon and was received at the airport by President Nikos Christodoulides. A formal bilateral meeting will take place today. He will also travel to Canada and Croatia during what is his first visit abroad since Operation Sindoor . Modi will participate in the G7 outreach session on Tuesday. While he will look to address issues related to the Global South at G7, Modi is expected to touch upon Pakistan's support to cross-border terror in several bilateral meetings on the sidelines.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Air India crash probe panel set to meet today
A high-level government committee will hold its first meeting Monday to examine the Air India flight 171 crash that has claimed at least 271 lives, even as the first funerals of passengers killed aboard the Boeing 787 took place on Sunday while most grieving families continue an agonising wait for their loved ones' remains. The multi-disciplinary panel, chaired by the home secretary, is mandated to submit its report within three months and will focus on 'formulating Standard Operating Procedures for preventing such occurrences in the future,' people aware of the matter said, according to PTI. Also Read: Air India flight's 2nd black box recovered; cockpit voice recorder to aid probe The committee's formation comes as a separate technical investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues at the crash site. In Ahmedabad, hospital authorities confirmed the identification of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani through DNA matching, with the state government announcing Monday as a day of mourning with the national flag flying at half-mast. Rupani's remains will be handed over to his family Monday morning for funeral in Rajkot. Also Read:Teen who recorded viral Air India crash video 'very scared', records statement However, the identification process remains painfully slow for most families. Health officials said just 87 victims had been identified by Sunday evening, more than three days after the crash – leaving over 200 still to be confirmed. 'My 72 hours are over, but I've not heard from them so far,' Imtiyaz Ali said , where he has been waiting to receive the remains of his brother Javed, who died alongside his wife and two children. At the BJ Medical College, where the plane crashed, PK Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conducted a review of relief efforts, visiting the crash site, meeting bereaved families at Civil Hospital, and observing DNA matching processes at Gandhinagar's Forensic Science Laboratory. Also Read: Air India plane crash: In first presser, Centre reveals what exactly happened on June 12 During his Ahmedabad visit, Mishra ' directed authorities to ensure compassionate assistance,' according to a state government official. He also visited injured victims and instructed officials to prioritise their treatment. Chairing a review meeting at Circuit House later, Mishra discussed relief and investigation efforts with Central and State officials, AAIB representatives, and Airport Authority officials. International investigation Technical experts from the UK and a Boeing team from the US visited the crash site on Sunday as the international investigation intensified. A team of seven Boeing officials, escorted by Indian investigators, spent nearly two hours examining the wreckage at the sealed BJ Medical College hostel complex. 'They were inside for almost two hours. The debris of the plane, including all its parts, are still inside,' said a police officer guarding the complex. The aircraft's tail section, removed by cranes Saturday, remains at the site along with other debris, all covered by sheets for protection from Saturday night's rain. Aviation experts from the UK also arrived on Sunday afternoon, brought by Air India officials, as the AAIB opened a second office near the hostel complex to coordinate the investigation. The AAIB is conducting the primary technical investigation while the US National Transportation Safety Board runs a parallel probe due to the American-made Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. 'The AAIB has launched a detailed investigation, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols since the aircraft is American-made. Officials confirmed that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) have been located and secured,' an official statement said. Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani said the debris of the plane were still at the spot and being examined by experts. 'The AAIB officials will tell us where it to be taken and when. The debris across the complex is being examined by the experts,' he said. Sunday marked the first cremations of plane passengers after their remains, charred beyond recognition, were returned to families through DNA matching. Earlier, eight bodies were handed over on Friday but these were of people killed in the hostel and surrounding areas whose remains did not require DNA identification. Families expressed growing frustration with both the identification timeline and airline response. Ali, whose brother was a passenger, said he understood the delay but criticised Air India's support efforts. 'With Air India, the next day after this accident they should have appointed whoever they needed to ensure everything is available to us,' he said, noting he was assigned a support person only Saturday—a day after providing his DNA sample. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in a video message Saturday that 'over 200 trained caregivers are now in place, with each family assigned dedicated assistance.' Recovery process Hospital authorities have deployed extensive resources for the identification process, with three forensic science laboratory teams analysing DNA samples from relatives of 250 plane passengers so far. The process involves matching tissue samples from bones and teeth of victims with blood samples from family members. The crash, which occurred Thursday afternoon just after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, represents India's worst single-aircraft disaster in history, and the deadliest in three decades. The London-bound flight carried 169 Indian, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian passenger, along with 12 crew members. Only one person—British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh—survived.
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Nepotism, corruption in police recruitment thing of past: Yogi
Lucknow, June 15 (UNI) Describing Uttar Pradesh Police as a symbol of social trust, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that before the year 2017, nepotism and corruption prevailed in police recruitment in UP, which is now a thing of the past. Addressing the recruitment and appointment letter distribution programme of 60,244, the CM said that the role of police in Maha Kumbh was an example. "Every person who came to Prayagraj praised the behaviour of the police. If we can do it there, we can do it everywhere. The police force is becoming a symbol not only of law and order but also of social trust," he said. He said that this is not just an administrative programme, but a historic step towards realising the 'smart policing' vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. "Before the year 2017, nepotism and corruption prevailed in police recruitment in UP. It was impossible to get a job without money and recommendation, but now all this is a thing of the past. We completed the entire process on the basis of merit and transparency while following the reservation provided by the Constitution," he said. Yogi said that there was no discrimination against any caste, religion, class or region in the recruitment. Dalits, backward, tribal, poor, daughters all have got equal opportunity in the recruitment in the state. "This is the new UP, where every youth is getting justice on the basis of merit. The recruitment and appointment letter distribution programme of 60,244 policemen in UP Police is happening at a time when PM Modi's 11-year tenure of service to the country, good governance and poor welfare has worked to bring change in the life of every Indian in the form of New India," he said. He said that in the last 8 years, more than 8.5 lakh government jobs have been given to the youth of the state. "At the same time, about 2.25 lakh recruitment have been made in UP Police alone. This is not just a number, but a proof of our commitment towards making the state riot-free, fear-free and investment-enabled. With this, the double engine government has presented an example of the purity and transparency of the examination," he said. He said that even the son of the poorest of the poor families has participated in this recruitment. "Now he too will be able to contribute to the service of the people of the state by becoming a constable" he said. Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's formula of 'smart policing', Strict and Sensitive, Modern and Mobile, Alert and Accountable, Reliable and Responsible and Techno Savvy and Trend, Yogi said that UP has made these principles a ground reality. The CM expressed gratitude to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said that when we started the recruitment process in the year 2017, the Union Home Minister played a big role in providing paramilitary and military training resources. "Now we have developed the capacity of training more than 60,000 police personnel in the state itself," he said. He said that at present 8 new forensic labs have been started in the state while 6 more are under construction. "Two mobile forensic vans have been deployed in all 75 districts. Along with this, cyber police stations have been set up in 75 districts and cyber help desks in 1,994 police stations," he said. He said, "All these arrangements are in line with the three new criminal laws (Indian Justice Code 2023, Indian Civil Protection Code 2023 and Indian Evidence Act 2023) to be implemented from July 2024." Yogi urged the new recruits to be friendly, sensitive, and solution-oriented, offering his congratulations to them and their families. He expressed confidence that they would serve the state excellently. UNI AB GNK
