India-EU Free Trade Agreement Deal By Year-End: PM Modi In Cyprus
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PM Modi addressed the India-Cyprus CEO Forum, highlighting India's growth, digital revolution, and manufacturing vision. He reiterated commitment to an FTA with the EU by year-end.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the India-Cyprus CEO Forum, highlighting New Delhi's prowess.
Speaking at the event Prime Minister Modi underlined India's growth trajectory in reference to making a mark among world's largest economies, its digital revolution, the vision to emerges as a big manufacturer in the world mission.
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The Hindu
10 minutes ago
- The Hindu
PM Modi holds delegation-level talks with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (June 16, 2025) held delegation-level talks with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides to discuss a range of issues to boost the bilateral ties. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were present during the talks. Mr. Modi is currently visiting Cyprus, the first leg of his three-nation tour. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus in over two decades. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival at the Presidential Palace ahead of the talks. Mr. Modi arrived in Cyprus on Sunday (June 15, 2025). Earlier on Monday (June 16, 2025), PM Modi was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III - the highest merit honour awarded in Cyprus, by President Nikos Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia. The Order of Makarios III, named after Makarios III, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus, is conferred upon heads of state and other people of significant status in recognition of meritorious service to the nation. 'Prime Minister embraced the honour as a renewed commitment to strengthening and diversifying the partnership between India and Cyprus. He emphasised that the award was a symbol of the unwavering commitment of the two countries to peace, security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity,' Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. PM Modi expressed gratitude to President Christodoulides, the government and people of Cyprus for the honour. He stated that honour symbolises their unwavering commitment to peace, security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of people of two nations. Upon receiving the honour, PM Modi stated, 'President, for the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, I express heartfelt gratitude to you, the Government of Cyprus and the people of Cyprus. This honour is not just mine, it is the honour of 140 crore Indians. It is the honour of their capabilities and aspirations. It is the honour of our country's cultural brotherhood and the ideology of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.' I dedicate this honour to the friendly relations between India and Cyprus and our shared values and mutual understanding. On behalf of all Indians, I accept this honour with utmost humility and gratitude.' He further said, 'This honour symbolises our unwavering commitment to peace, security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of our people. I understand the significance of this honour and accept it as a responsibility towards the relations between India and Cyprus.' He expressed confidence that the ties between two nations will touch new heights. He stated, 'I am confident that in the time to come, our active partnership will touch new heights. Together, we will not only strengthen the progress of our two nations but also contribute towards building a peaceful and secure global environment.' In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, 'An award dedicated to the trusted India-Cyprus friendship & 1.4 billion people of India. President @Christodulides conferred PM @narendramodi with the 'Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III' of Cyprus. The honour reflects the enduring India - Cyprus bilateral partnership and shared commitment to work together for the common vision for peace, progress and prosperity.' Christodoulides welcomed Mr. Modi to the Presidential Palace in Nicosia earlier today. The Cypriot President and PM Modi introduced each other to the delegates from their respective countries. In a post on X, Mr. Jaiswal stated, 'Strengthening ties with a trusted partner. PM @narendramodi was warmly received by President @Christodulides at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia today and accorded a ceremonial welcome. Official talks lie ahead.' Mr. Modi had arrived in Cyprus on Sunday afternoon (local time), marking the first visit by an Indian PM to the island nation in over two decades. He was received by the Cypriot President at Larnaca International Airport. He received a heartfelt welcome from the Indian diaspora in Limassol. Upon his arrival, PM Modi, along with Cyprus President Christodoulides, interacted with leading CEOs during the business roundtable. During the interaction, PM Modi spoke about India's reform trajectory in the last decade. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
Hans India
10 minutes ago
- Hans India
Consensus unlikely in ASEAN on Pakistan's push to become full dialogue partner: Reports
Pakistan is likely to face a stiff opposition from Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia and Singapore, in its bid to become a full-fledged dialogue partner of ASEAN with support from the grouping's current chair Malaysia, reports cited on Monday. Islamabad's decision to seek membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is part of its recent strategy to engage with various multilateral forums to promote its anti-India narrative. Experts reckon that Pakistan is attempting to internationalise its bilateral issues with India, a move that New Delhi has consistently opposed. However, reports suggest that Pakistan's attempts have hit a significant wall considering that ASEAN operates on a consensus-based approach. Indonesia and Singapore are likely to join India in opposing Islamabad's efforts. Some insiders suggest that, acting under pressure from Beijing, Cambodia may support Pakistan's entry into the bloc as a dialogue partner. Cambodia is considered as China's closest partner in the Southeast Asian region while Malaysia, the current chair of ASEAN, has also been enhancing and deepening ties with China. After initially expressing solidarity with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack, Cambodia and Malaysia had withdrawn their statements and backed India's counter-terrorism efforts. Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, has viewed Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir with scepticism and actively tried to counter its move against India within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meetings. At the same time, the Indonesian government has focused on enhancing its strategic and economic ties with India, seeking to expand its engagement with New Delhi. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, the Chief Guest at 76th Republic Day Celebrations this year, had not only extended his stay during his official visit to India but also cancelled the plan to go to Pakistan. During a recent OIC Parliamentary Union meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia - along with Egypt and Bahrain - blocked attempts by Pakistan to include a reference against India on Kashmir. At a recent OIC meet in New York following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Oman initiated efforts to soften references on Kashmir in the outcome document. The move was backed by Indonesia, Egypt, Bahrain and Kazakhstan. Additionally, last month, the Indian all-party parliamentary delegation led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha during the global outreach campaign on Operation Sindoor held a meaningful interaction with Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. The Secretary-General strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and appreciated India's principled approach. He also reiterated ASEAN's commitment to work closely with India -- a comprehensive strategic partner -- on security and counter-terrorism cooperation. The ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN. The member states included Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. ASEAN countries remain an important pillar of India's 'Act East' policy and key partner of its Indo-Pacific Vision underlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision. India attaches huge importance to the ASEAN-centred regional architecture and has reiterated its strong commitment to ASEAN unity, ASEAN centrality, the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and taking forward the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
India Gazette
15 minutes ago
- India Gazette
India maintains nuclear edge over Pakistan with more warheads, next-gen 'canisterised' MIRV-capable missiles: SIPRI
New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): India continues to maintain an edge over Pakistan in nuclear capabilities, with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) noting that New Delhi has not only expanded its nuclear arsenal from 172 warheads in 2024 to an estimated 180 in 2025, but also made significant progress in developing advanced nuclear delivery systems. According to the SIPRI report, India's new 'canisterised' missiles, which allow warheads to be pre-mounted and transported more safely, could potentially carry nuclear warheads even during 'peacetime'. These next-generation systems may also be able to deliver multiple warheads using a single missile in the near future. 'India is believed to have once again slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2024 and continued to develop new types of nuclear delivery systems. India's new 'canisterized' missiles, which can be transported with mated warheads, may be capable of carrying nuclear warheads during peacetime, and possibly even multiple warheads on each missile, once they become operational,' the SIPRI report said. Among the newest of India's next-generation delivery platforms are the Agni Prime (Agni-P) missile and the Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV)-capable Agni-5 system. According to India's Ministry of Defence, Agni-P is a new-generation, advanced variant of the Agni series of missiles. It is a canisterised missile with a range of between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometres. The latest test of the Agni-P was conducted last year. India also successfully tested the MIRV-capable Agni-5 last year. This missile is capable of striking targets at ranges exceeding 5,000 kilometres. Following the test, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lauded the efforts of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists involved in the mission. In a post on X, he wrote: 'Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of the indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.' Pakistan, meanwhile, also continued the development of new nuclear delivery platforms and accumulated more fissile material in 2024, suggesting an intent to further expand its nuclear arsenal in the coming decade, SIPRI observed. Referring to a brief India-Pakistan military clash in early 2025, SIPRI raised serious concerns about the risks of escalation during conventional conflicts between nuclear-armed neighbours. Associate Senior Researcher with SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme and Associate Director for the Nuclear Information Project at FAS, Matt Korda, warned: 'The combination of strikes on nuclear-related military infrastructure and third-party disinformation risked turning a conventional conflict into a nuclear crisis.' He added, 'This should act as a stark warning for states seeking to increase their reliance on nuclear weapons.' SIPRI also noted that while India and Pakistan continue to modernise their arsenals, China's nuclear build-up is progressing at a much faster rate. The report estimated that since 2023, China has been adding around 100 new nuclear warheads annually. By January 2025, China had completed or was nearing completion of approximately 350 new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) silos spread across desert areas in the north and mountainous terrain in the east of the country. Depending on its force structure, China could potentially match the number of ICBMs possessed by Russia or the United States by the end of the decade. However, even if China reaches the projected 1,500 warheads by 2035, it would still possess only about one-third the number of warheads currently held by Russia or the US. SIPRI Director Dan Smith voiced concerns about the weakening of nuclear arms control and the prospects of a new nuclear arms race. 'China is increasing its nuclear force steadily,' Smith said, adding that the country could reach 1,000 warheads within the next seven to eight years. As of January 2025, SIPRI estimated the total global nuclear warhead inventory at 12,241, of which about 9,614 were in military stockpiles for potential use. Around 3,912 warheads were deployed with operational missiles and aircraft, and the rest remained in central storage. Approximately 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept on high operational alert on ballistic missiles, most of them belonging to Russia or the United States. However, SIPRI noted that China may now also be maintaining some warheads on missiles during peacetime. The report further noted that since the end of the Cold War, Russia and the US had dismantled more warheads than they deployed each year, leading to a slow reduction in global nuclear stockpiles. But this trend may now be reversing, with dismantlement slowing down while deployment of new warheads increases. SIPRI said that all nine nuclear-armed states--the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel--continued to invest heavily in modernising their nuclear forces in 2024. This includes not only upgrading existing systems but also introducing newer technologies and weapons. (ANI)
