
PM served food on Sohari leaf at dinner during Trinidad and Tobago visit
'Here, food is often served on this leaf during festivals and other special programmes,' Modi added.Sohari is a tropical plant akin to banana plant in India. Most Indian-origin people have continued with the tradition of consuming food on leaves during special occasions.During the dinner, Modi also met with Rana Mohip, who had sung 'Vaishnava Jana To' during a programme to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi a few years ago.'At the dinner in Port of Spain, met Mr Rana Mohip, who had sung 'Vaishnava Jana To' when we marked the 150th Jayanti of Mahatma Gandhi a few years ago. His passion towards Indian music and culture is appreciable,' Modi said on X.During the dinner, the prime minister also presented a replica of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya to his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart and holy water from the Saryu river as well as from the Mahakumbh held in Prayagraj earlier this year.'They symbolise the deep cultural and spiritual bonds between India and Trinidad & Tobago,' Modi wrote on X.Modi's visit to the Caribbean island nation was the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1999.Modi was received on Thursday by his counterpart Kamla Persad-Bissessar at Piarco International Airport, where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome and a guard of honour. Several Cabinet ministers and senators were also present to greet the prime minister.- EndsTune InTrending Reel
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Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘I am sure there will be no hurdle': Bilawal Bhutto claims Pakistan open to handing over Hafiz, Azhar to India; says New Delhi must cooperate
File photo: Pakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto (Picture credit: ANI) Pakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that Islamabad would be open to extraditing individuals of concern, including terror accused, as a goodwill gesture to India, provided New Delhi is willing to cooperate in the process. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Bilawal, who also heads the Pakistan People's Party, said that such a move could be part of a 'comprehensive dialogue' between the two countries, where terrorism is discussed as a key issue. "As part of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, where terrorism is one of the issues that we discuss, I am sure Pakistan would not be opposed to any of these things," he said, when asked whether figures like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) founder Masood Azhar could be handed over as a sign of good faith. Bilawal clarified that cases currently prosecuted against these individuals were related to domestic offences, such as terror financing. He, however, blamed India's "noncompliance" for the lack of progress on cross-border terrorism charges. "India is refusing to comply with certain basic elements that require that conviction to take place," Bilawal said, pointing to the need for Indian witnesses to testify in Pakistani courts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More "If India is willing to be cooperative in that process, I am sure there will be no hurdle in extraditing any individual of concern", he added. According to Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), both LeT and JeM are proscribed outfits. Hafiz Saeed, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind, is currently serving a 33-year sentence in Pakistan for terror financing. Masood Azhar, a UN-designated global terrorist, has also been banned by Nacta. Addressing concerns about Azhar's whereabouts, Bilawal claimed, "It is our belief that he is in Afghanistan," adding that Pakistan had so far failed to locate or arrest him. 'If and when the Indian government shares information that he is on Pakistani soil, we will be more than happy to arrest him,' he further said. Dismissing allegations that Hafiz Saeed was free, he said, 'It is factually not correct that Hafiz Saeed is a free man; he is in the custody of the Pakistani state.' Responding to India's assertive posture on terror, Bilawal called it a 'new abnormal,' warning it could harm both nations. 'This does not serve the interests of Pakistan, and it does not serve the interests of India,' he said. A 2025 Global Terrorism Index ranked Pakistan as the second-most terrorism-affected country, with a 45% rise in terror-related deaths, especially near the Afghanistan border. Bhutto has previously insisted that Pakistan met the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) standards, citing convictions and seizures of over 90 extremist-linked institutions.


News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
'India Negotiates Based On National Interest, Not Deadlines': Piyush Goyal On India-US Trade Talks
Last Updated: 'This is not a weak India under Congress and UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which are not in national interest,' says Piyush Goyal on US-India trade pact. India-US Trade Talks: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said India does not negotiate trade deals based on deadlines, but rather conducts discussions keeping in mind national interests. He added that this is not a weak India under the Congress and the UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which are not in national interest. 'India does not negotiate under deadlines, we negotiate keeping national interest in mind. National interest is paramount in all our work across the world. This is not a weak India under Congress and UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which are not in national interest," said Goyal on the US-India trade pact while addressing reporters. — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2025 The comments come amid reports that India and the US are close to finalising an interim trade agreement ahead of a key deadline — July 9, which marks the end of the 90-day suspension of reciprocal tariffs announced by former US President Donald Trump. Under that move, the US had imposed an additional 26% import duty on several Indian goods, which remains suspended temporarily. According to a report by news agency PTI, citing an official, there is still a possibility that the deal could be announced before the July 9 deadline. An Indian delegation, led by Rajesh Agrawal, special secretary in the Department of Commerce, returned from Washington earlier this week after several days of negotiations between June 26 and July 2. The two countries are looking to finalise the first tranche of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by September–October this year. The full pact is part of a broader plan to boost bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, up from the current $191 billion. What India and the US Want The US is seeking duty cuts on a range of industrial goods, including automobiles (especially electric vehicles), wines, and petrochemicals. In the agriculture sector, the US is seeking duty concessions on products like dairy items, apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. On the other hand, India is pushing for better market access for labour-intensive sectors, such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oilseeds, grapes, and bananas. Both sides have indicated that negotiations are progressing, but consensus on core issues will be required before any formal pact can be signed. Agriculture a Sticky Point One of the most sensitive issues in the talks is the US demand for duty concessions on agricultural products, including dairy, apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. India has held firm on its position that trade pacts must be mutually beneficial. India has so far not opened up its dairy sector in any of its free trade agreements. Auto Sector Concerns and WTO Dispute India has also raised objections to high US tariffs on steel, aluminium, and automobiles. Specifically, Washington has imposed a 25% duty on passenger vehicles and parts from India, which came into effect on May 3, 2025, and remains open-ended. India has filed a formal communication at the World Trade Organization (WTO), asserting its right to impose retaliatory tariffs in response. India's share in the US auto parts import market remains small, with just $2.2 billion in exports compared to Mexico's $36 billion and China's $10.1 billion. Bilateral Trade on the Rise Despite ongoing tariff tensions, trade between India and the US continues to grow. During the first two months of the current fiscal year, India's merchandise exports to the US rose 21.78% to $17.25 billion, while imports climbed 25.8% to $8.87 billion, official data shows. Meanwhile, the US has stated that it is preparing to issue notices to countries with which it has not concluded any trade agreement, warning of possible unilateral tariff hikes. Apart from the US, India is also negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with different countries, including the European Union, New Zealand, Oman, the US, Chile, and Peru. FTAs are possible only when both sides get benefitted and it should be a win-win agreement, Goyal has said. Stay updated with all the latest business news, including market trends, stock updates, tax, IPO, banking finance, real estate, savings and investments. Get in-depth analysis, expert opinions, and real-time updates—only on News18. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : india us news India US trade Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 15:08 IST News business » economy 'India Negotiates Based On National Interest, Not Deadlines': Piyush Goyal On India-US Trade Talks


New Indian Express
24 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
PM Modi lauds Bihar's legacy among Indian diaspora in Trinidad & Tobago
Bihar's deep connection with the people who migrated and have now settled as citizens in Trinidad and Tobago featured prominently in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Indian community there. Notably, this comes ahead of Bihar's legislative assembly elections later this year. Hailing the Bihar linkage of the Indian-origin population in Trinidad and Tobago as a "heritage of Bihar", PM Modi remarked that the "heritage of Bihar" is the "pride of not only India but the world as well." The majority of the Indian-origin population in Trinidad and Tobago traces its ancestry to Bihar's Bhojpuri-speaking regions. Emphasising this cultural connection, PM Modi also highlighted in a social media post that the bond between the two countries is reflected in the shared use of Bhojpuri. "Be it democracy, politics, diplomacy, higher education... Bihar had shown a new direction to the world in many such subjects' centuries ago," he noted. In a move seen by many as a subtle message of his deep respect and regard for Bihar's heritage-especially significant ahead of the upcoming polls-PM Modi struck an emotional chord with the Diaspora during an event held at the National Cycling Velodrome in Couva on Thursday. He said, "The ancestors of many people present here came from Bihar. The heritage of Bihar is the pride of not only India but the world as well". Modi also referred to the ancestral roots of his Trinidad & Tobago counterpart, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, noting that her ancestors hailed from Bihar's Buxar. Describing the cultural significance of being served food on traditional leaves, a gesture he experienced during a dinner hosted in his honour, PM Modi remarked that food served on a "Sohari" leaf holds great cultural importance for people in Trinidad & Tobago, especially those of Indian descent. Tapping into the cultural psyche, Modi added that the people of India regard Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a daughter of Bihar.