Jakarta 'Closer' Vibes: Last Breath Before the Green Light
Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge has called out the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for an apparent "U-turn" over political clearance for his official visit to the United States. According to Kharge, his request—originally submitted on May 15—was denied without explanation and later approved after his scheduled departure. Kharge was set to attend the BIO International Convention in Boston and the Design Automation Conference (DAC) in San Francisco, aiming to pitch Karnataka to global investors. However, the clearance for his own visit was delayed until June 19, well past the start of the trip (June 14). Kharge shared the 'chronology' of denials and partial approvals for other delegation members in a viral post, questioning whether politics influenced the MEA's delay. He demanded accountability and asked why such crucial representation opportunities were blocked or delayed.#priyankkharge #mea #khargevisacontroversy #chronologysamajhiye #meaclearanceissue #congressvsmodigovt #usvisitdrama #karnatakanews #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews
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India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Following Flurry Of Threat By Top Pakistan Leaders, India Warns Islamabad: ‘Watch Your Words, Any Misstep Will Have Serious Consequences'
New Delhi: India has issued a stern warning to Pakistan following a series of provocative statements by three of its top leaders over the past 48 hours. The comments by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Ex-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto have drawn a sharp response from New Delhi, with the Ministry of External Affairs asking Islamabad to exercise restraint. At the weekly press briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randeep Jaiswal said, 'Pakistani leaders are issuing irresponsible, war-inciting and hate-filled statements against India. These remarks appear to be aimed at covering up domestic failures.' He added, 'They must control their words. Any wrong step from their side will have very serious consequences.' The remarks follow the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, a decision that has drawn repeated threats from Islamabad in recent days. On August 11, Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir made a provocative statement during a private event at Tampa in Florida. 'We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, phir 10 missile sey faarigh kar dengey,' he declared, implying the use of missile strikes to destroy any future dams constructed by India on the Indus River. Following Munir's remarks, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a strong warning regarding the Indus Waters Treaty. Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad, he stated, 'I want to tell the enemy today that if you threaten to hold our water, then keep this in mind that you cannot snatch even one drop from Pakistan.' He emphasised that any attempt to cut off water supplies would result in a 'decisive response' from Pakistan, framing the Indus waters as the 'lifeblood' of the nation. Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto also joined the chorus of threats. He warned that if India continued to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, Pakistan would have 'no choice' but to consider war. His remarks came shortly after Munir's nuclear threat, heightening regional alarm over potential conflict escalation. Addressing claims related to the treaty, Jaiswal dismissed Pakistan's position and questioned the validity of the Court of Arbitration. 'India does not recognise the arbitration court legally or formally. It has no authority to issue such decisions. Its orders fall outside its jurisdiction. They do not affect India's rights over water usage,' he said. He also reaffirmed India's reasoning for suspending the treaty, pointing to rising cross-border terrorism. 'As stated in our press release of June 27, 2025, the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is a direct response to Pakistan's repeated acts of cross-border terrorism, including the Pahalgam attack. This step is a measure to safeguard India's national security and is fully within our rights,' he said. Jaiswal also addressed broader geopolitical issues during the briefing. On India-US relations, he said, 'The partnership between India and the United States rests on deep strategic cooperation, shared democratic values and strong mutual respect. The relationship has withstood challenges and changes, and we remain confident it will continue to grow on the basis of shared interests.' Regarding upcoming international engagements, he highlighted that External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is expected to travel to Moscow later this month for the 26th India-Russia Inter-Government Session. On the Alaska meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15, Jaiswal welcomed the agreement for dialogue. He reiterated Prime Minister Modi's repeated message that 'this is not the age of war'. On trade with China, he confirmed that discussions continue to resume border trade at Lipulekh and Shipki La in Uttarakhand, ensuring safe and regulated commerce. Finally, Jaiswal addressed the United States' Human Rights Report 2025, released on August 12. 'These reports are based on allegations, misrepresentations and one-sided assumptions that fail to capture India's democratic framework accurately. We do not place any reliance on such biased assessments.' The report has raised concerns about several aspects of civil and political life in India. It highlights restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and the press in certain regions. It cites instances where journalists, activists and students allegedly faced legal actions or other pressures for voicing dissenting opinions. The report also mentions limitations on digital freedoms, pointing to internet shutdowns in areas such as Jammu and Kashmir that have affected the flow of information. Religious freedom and communal harmony remain key points of critique. The report highlights episodes of communal tension and alleged discrimination against religious minorities, including reports of mob violence and concerns about law enforcement responses. It also flags alleged challenges faced by women, children and marginalised communities in accessing justice, social services and protection from exploitation or discrimination. The report draws attention to issues within the criminal justice system. It references alleged cases of arbitrary arrests, custodial deaths and prolonged pretrial detention in some states. These, according to the report, indicate gaps in procedural safeguards and the need for reforms in law enforcement practices.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
India underlines ‘substantive agenda' to mend strained ties with US over tariffs, Russia oil
At a time when India's ties with the US are strained over tariffs and energy imports from Russia, Delhi on Thursday underlined focus on the 'substantive agenda' between the two countries — an American defence policy team in Delhi, joint military exercises in Alaska and 2+2 meeting of the defence and foreign ministry officials later this month. This is to assuage concerns that India is gravitating towards the non-western partners — External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is headed to Moscow and Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi is likely to come to India next week, and NSA Ajit Doval was in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to Tianjin in China for the SCO leaders' summit on August 31-September 1. Responding to questions on the future of Indo-US relations on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs' official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: 'India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties.' 'This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges,' he said, alluding to the challenges posed by US President Donald Trump's imposition of 50% tariffs on India — 25% because of high tariffs and 25% for buying Russian energy. 'We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and we hope that the relationship will continue to move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests,' he said. The MEA spokesperson said, 'The India–U.S. defence partnership, underpinned by foundational defence agreements, is an important pillar of the bilateral partnership. This robust cooperation has strengthened across all domains… We are expecting a U.S. Defence Policy Team to be in Delhi in mid-August. The 21st edition of the joint military exercise — Yudh Abhyas — is also expected to take place later this month in Alaska. Both sides remain engaged to convene the 2+2 Intersessional meeting at the working-level towards the end of the month.' It is not usual to give out such details of upcoming activities, especially in the defence and strategic sectors, in advance. This announcement is significant since it gives out the message that India is not closing its doors of engagement with Washington DC. This comes at a time when preparations are underway to schedule a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US in the last week of September. The MEA spokesperson, when asked, said that no decision has been taken yet on the PM's visit. Sources said that the ostensible reason is to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, but a key objective will be to meet US President Donald Trump, iron out the issues on trade and arrive at a common ground on tariffs. This will also give an opportunity for the two leaders to announce a trade deal. However, for this to fructify, a lot of moving parts and a series of things have to fall in place. There has to be movement on two fronts — the Russia-Ukraine war and the Indo-US trade deal. Negotiations are underway on both fronts and Delhi is closely following the meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 to discuss a resolution to the war in Ukraine. Modi has already spoken to Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the last few days. A resolution to the conflict is in India's interest, sources said, and it has been conveyed to both leaders. On the trade deal front, Indian and American negotiators had been close to sealing a deal, but the US President was not happy about the deal that was agreed between the interlocutors. So, the negotiators have to discuss the terms of the deal further, and they have to offer new terms, as red lines have been drawn. But the two sides are focused on the new goal for bilateral trade – 'Mission 500' – aiming to more than double total bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Now, to schedule the visit, as a first step, the Indian side has reached out to the UN headquarters for a speaking slot for the Prime Minister at the UN General Assembly, and, as of now, that has been scheduled on September 26 morning. Trump is slated to speak on September 23. Now, if the PM's visit takes place, it will give an opportunity to speak at the UNGA and then hold a bilateral meeting with Trump and other world leaders.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
The India-US Tariff War Nobody Saw Coming... But Should Have In Our Defence S3
India's buying cheap Russian oil. Trump's not happy. And now he's slapped 50% tariffs on Indian goods. Officially, it's about funding Russia's war machine. Unofficially? It might be about one man's ego, a Nobel Peace Prize dream, and India refusing to play along. From the MEA's unusually sharp statement to the PM's vow to "pay any price to protect farmers," we unpack the real stakes amid the India-US showdown over tariffs. - Is India's "multi-alignment" foreign policy reaching breaking point? - Why agriculture is a red line in India-US trade talks. - How diplomats handle unpredictable leaders like Donald Trump. - The shift in India's diplomatic tone - and why a career diplomat as EAM matters. - Will India hit back with counter-tariffs or play the long game? Veteran national security journalist Sandeep Unnithan joins host Dev Goswami to decode this latest round of diplomatic warfare -- from South Block's air-conditioned strategy rooms to the high-stakes oil politics of Moscow and Washington. Produced by Garvit Srivastava Sound mixed by Rohan Bharti
