World going through tensions, Yoga gives direction of peace: PM Modi
Addressing the 11th International Yoga day participants here, Modi said the day marks the beginning of the ancient practice for humanity where inner peace becomes global policy.
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News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Not So ‘Nobel'? Why Pakistan's Push For Trump Reeks Of A Strategic Gamble
Last Updated: Official sources in India said Pakistan's move is aimed at strengthening ties with US, securing economic and technological support, and gaining American backing on Kashmir In a diplomatic move, Pakistan has formally nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Official sources within Pakistan's government have confirmed that the nomination stems from their belief that Trump played a pivotal role in defusing the tensions during the India-Pakistan crisis of May 2025. However, official sources in India told CNN-News18 that Pakistan's move is aimed at strengthening ties with the United States, securing economic and technological support, and gaining American backing for its position on the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan's Desperate Push The Nobel nomination comes after what Islamabad describes as Trump's 'decisive diplomatic intervention" in de-escalating the May 2025 crisis between India and Pakistan. Pakistani officials have credited Trump for averting what could have been a catastrophic nuclear conflict. 'This move is about acknowledging President Trump's key role in ensuring peace during a period of intense crisis," one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'We believe that Trump's mediation was instrumental in averting escalation, and we are seeking international recognition of his contribution." However, this narrative has been categorically rejected by India. Indian government sources have expressed strong opposition to Pakistan's claims, dismissing them as factually incorrect and misleading. In an official statement, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri rejected the suggestion that Trump mediated the crisis, stating, 'India did not seek or accept any third-party mediation during the crisis, and Pakistan's attempts to rewrite the history of the events are not based in reality." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his public remarks, further dismissed Pakistan's narrative, refusing to engage with any external mediation efforts, including those from Trump. 'India has always managed its security concerns on its own and does not require the intervention of any third party," he said. This week, PM Modi also declined Trump's invite to visit the United States on his return journey from Canada, citing his pre-existing schedule. The development came as PM Modi spoke with Trump and set the record straight that India's 'Operation Sindoor' was 'paused" following a request from Pakistan and not due to mediation or offer of a trade deal by the US. According to official sources within the Indian government, the Indian leadership maintained full control over the crisis and managed it without any foreign involvement. Indian Defence Secretary RK Singh provided further details, telling a news agency: 'All communications during the crisis were thoroughly documented, including logs and records that make it clear that India initiated the calls. Any claims of third-party mediation are unfounded." Singh's comments were aimed at countering Pakistan's narrative, which has been widely disseminated in international forums and media. The Kashmir Angle Pakistan's push to nominate Trump is also linked to its long-standing goal of internationalising the Kashmir issue. Islamabad has consistently sought global support for its position on Kashmir, which India maintains is a bilateral issue to be resolved solely between the two countries. Indian government officials have made it clear that any third-party involvement in the Kashmir dispute is unacceptable. 'The Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter, and India will not tolerate any external interference," said a senior Ministry of External Affairs official, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Pakistan's attempt to gain international support through this Nobel nomination is part of its ongoing campaign to internationalise Kashmir, which India has firmly rejected." In contrast, Pakistan has highlighted Trump's previous offers to mediate the Kashmir dispute as evidence of his willingness to involve himself in the issue. According to Pakistani diplomatic sources, this endorsement of Trump is aimed at pushing the United States to take a more active role in the region. Munir's Ambition The diplomatic push for the Nobel nomination has raised eyebrows in both Pakistan and India. There are reports that General Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, is positioning himself as a potential co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Trump. While this remains unconfirmed, Indian intelligence sources suggest that Munir's growing role in shaping Pakistan's foreign policy may be influencing the country's decision to publicly support Trump. 'Munir is an ambitious leader," said an Indian security analyst, 'and while the Nobel campaign may seem like a strategic move to secure Pakistani interests, it could also be a personal gambit to raise his own stature on the international stage." Interestingly, the nomination demand came after a rare White House meeting between Trump and Munir in which geo-political issues ranging from the Israel-Iran conflict, and Kashmir to defence purchasing were discussed. The Bigger Picture For Pakistan, the move is seen as a way to potentially gain economic concessions, technological transfers, and a softer US stance on its nuclear programme. In particular, Pakistan hopes that by aligning itself with Trump's leadership, it can secure American backing for its position on Kashmir, despite India's firm objections. top videos View all For India, however, the matter is a reminder that, despite Pakistan's claims, the Kashmir issue remains firmly within India's domain and will not be internationalised through external mediation. The coming months will reveal whether Pakistan's strategic gamble will pay off or whether it will simply be seen as a fleeting diplomatic gesture in the complex web of South Asian geopolitics. tags : Asim Munir donald trump Kashmir Nobel Prize pakistan United states Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: June 21, 2025, 11:36 IST News world Not So 'Nobel'? Why Pakistan's Push For Trump Reeks Of A Strategic Gamble | Exclusive
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
PM Modi to embark on multi-nation tour in July as India builds global consensus on combatting terror
New Delhi: Strengthening multilateralism, fostering bilateral economic cooperation and garnering further support on India's fight against terrorism from countries across different continents, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a major tour of several nations, including Brazil for 17th BRICS Summit, early next month. PM Modi is expected to visit Morocco, Argentina, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and Jordan from July 2-10, top officials have revealed while not ruling out stopovers in more nations. Consolidating India's position as a voice of the Global South, Prime Minister Modi has been spotlighting India's emergence as a 'Vishwa Bandhu' in a divided world. Over the last 11 years, India has also strongly established itself as an all-weather friend of Africa with PM Modi emphasising New Delhi's commitment to the continent. The State Visit to Morocco will only be the second by an Indian PM after late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's landmark February 1999 visit to the North African nation. King Mohammed VI, who had chosen India for his first visit to an Asian country in 2001, visited India again in 2015 to participate in the third India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III). Analysts reckon that it was his meeting with PM Modi on the sidelines of the event that intensified the partnership between both countries like never before. Since then, India and Morocco have seen over two dozen Ministerial visits and signing of more than 40 MoUs/agreements in areas including counter-terrorism, cyber security, space, agriculture, vocational training, etc. PM Modi's significant visit would take place in the aftermath of the heinous April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and holds huge significance as Morocco also continues to battle the growing onslaught of terrorism, militancy and extremism in the Sahel region. Morocco is also a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and co-chairs the Africa Focus Group. After wrapping up his engagements in Africa, PM Modi could visit Argentina, sources with knowledge of the itinerary that is being finalised, said. The multi-faceted relations between the two countries have strengthened, especially after being elevated to the level of Strategic Partnership during the State Visit to India of the then President of Argentina in February 2019. In what was the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders, Prime Minister Modi had met Argentina President Javier Milei, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. The two leaders, the PMO stated after the meeting, had an engaging discussion and also expressed satisfaction at the broadening of the Strategic Partnership between the two vibrant democracies in the last few years. They had also noted the deepening of trade and economic relations with India emerging among the top five trading partners of Argentina. PM Modi would then attend the BRICS Summit at the Museum of Modern Art, scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7. In the last Summit, held under Russia's chairship in Kazan in October 2024, PM Modi had noted that the event was taking place at a time when the world is undergoing several uncertainties and challenges including conflicts, adverse climatic impacts, and cyber threats, placing greater expectations upon BRICS. Addressing two sessions of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, PM Modi had suggested that the group take a people-centric approach to tackle these challenges and also underlined the need for early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations to combat the menace of terrorism. It is expected that PM Modi will visit Trinidad and Tobago in the southern Caribbean after the BRICS Summit. Last November, while addressing the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown, Prime Minister Modi had underscored that India stands firmly for giving voice to the concerns of the Global South. Noting that the Global South countries were the most impacted by the challenges and conflicts of recent years, he had also reaffirmed India's steadfast commitment to Caribbean countries as a reliable partner. It was on the sidelines of the Summit in Guyana that PM Modi also met with the then Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, Keith Rowley and congratulated him for adoption of India's flagship UPI Platform by the Caribbean nation while assuring further collaboration in the field of digital transformation. Both countries also share deep-rooted people-to-people ties since 1845, when the first ship 'Fatel Razack' carrying 225 Indian indentured workers reached the shores of Trinidad, then a British colony. On his way back to India, it is expected that PM Modi will be visiting Jordan, a country that has had historical links with India since times immemorial. PM Modi had transited Amman in February 2018 during his official visit to Palestine when he was received by King Abdullah at his private residential palace followed by a bilateral meeting between the two leaders. After King Abdullah's historic State Visit to India in February-March 2018, both leaders have met on four occasions - at a pull-aside meeting during the 74th UNGA in New York on 24 Sep 2019; in Riyadh during the 'Future Investment initiative' meeting held in October 2019; on the sidelines of COP-28 in Dubai in December 2023; and, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy in June 2024. On April 24, in a phone call with Prime Minister Modi, King Abdullah II had strongly condemned the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam and conveyed sincere condolences at the loss of innocent lives. 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India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
CJI BR Gavai joins Yoga session at Supreme Court on International Yoga Day
New Delhi [India] June 21 (ANI): On the 11th International Yoga Day, yoga was also performed at the Administrative Building Complex of the Supreme Court in Delhi on Saturday. Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai was also present at the event and participated in the session. He also addressed the other participants who were present at the International Yoga Day. The 11th International Yoga Day is being celebrated all over India. People are coming out of their houses to participate in several events being organised in different parts of India. Yoga is a way to a healthy and happy life, and 21 June, which is recognised as International Yoga Day, is a reminder to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Several ministers and leaders are participating in yoga celebrations in different states and regions to bring awareness and to motivate people as well. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the international community to embrace 'inner peace' as a 'global policy' and make yoga a collective global responsibility. Speaking at the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations in Visakhapatnam, the Prime Minister called upon countries to adopt yoga not just as a personal or cultural practice, but as a unifying force for humanity. 'I would like to take this opportunity to urge the global community on this important occasion to let this International Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for Humanity. Let this be the day when inner peace becomes a global policy, where yoga is embraced not just as a personal practice, but as a powerful tool for global partnership and unity. Let every country and every society make yoga a shared responsibility, a common contribution toward collective well-being,' the Prime Minister said. The event was held along the scenic Visakhapatnam coastline, with Indian Navy ships stationed near the shore, adding to the grandeur of the celebration. PM Modi was joined by lakhs of yoga enthusiasts, residents, and dignitaries from Andhra Pradesh. The 11th International Day of Yoga saw widespread participation across states. The theme for this year is 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health,' which echoes India's vision of global wellness and reflects the integrated vision of well-being. It emphasises the interconnectedness of human and planetary health, drawing from the Indian ethos of 'Sarve Santu Niramaya' (May all be free from disease). (ANI)
