Latest news with #AnantaAspenCentre
The Print
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Print
Nepalese Foreign Minister calls for ‘green energy cooperation' with India
Nepal and India had signed a long-term agreement in January 2024 to facilitate the export of 10,000 MW of electricity to India in the next 10 years. 'India's commitment to import 10,000 MW electricity over the next decade reflects the growing momentum in Nepal-India energy cooperation,' Deuba said while speaking at the Nepal–India Strategic Dialogue organised by think tanks Ananta Aspen Centre and Centre for Innovative Foreign Policy in Kathmandu. Kathmandu, Jun 12 (PTI) Green energy cooperation will foster mutual interdependence between New Delhi and Kathmandu, Nepal's Foreign Minister Arzoo Rana Deuba said on Thursday, adding that it can be done by promoting clean and sustainable energy sources. The foremost priority in Nepal- India relations is the 'need to advance our economic partnership by intensifying cooperation in trade, transit and investment,' Deuba asserted. Nepal's enormous hydro-potential offers a clean climate resilient and renewable energy source that can be harnessed for generations to come, she added. There are multiple well-endowed rivers originating in the higher reaches of the Himalayas – the four main being Mahakali, Karnali, Sapta Gandaki, and Sapta Kosi – flowing through different valleys and then cutting across plains before entering India to meet River Ganga. India has helped Nepal develop multiple hydropower projects on these high-volume rivers and more projects are in the pipeline; and the power export agreement comes as the next step in the bilateral relations. The minister also stressed on enhancing 'mutual connectivity by investing in roads, railways, waterways, airways and digital infrastructure.' The country shares a border of over 1,850 kilometres with five Indian states – Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services. PTI SBP RD NPK RD RD This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
12-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Nepalese Foreign Minister calls for 'green energy cooperation' with India
Green energy cooperation will foster mutual interdependence between New Delhi and Kathmandu, Nepal's Foreign Minister Arzoo Rana Deuba said on Thursday, adding that it can be done by promoting clean and sustainable energy sources. India's commitment to import 10,000 MW electricity over the next decade reflects the growing momentum in Nepal-India energy cooperation, Deuba said while speaking at the NepalIndia Strategic Dialogue organised by think tanks Ananta Aspen Centre and Centre for Innovative Foreign Policy in Kathmandu. Nepal and India had signed a long-term agreement in January 2024 to facilitate the export of 10,000 MW of electricity to India in the next 10 years. The foremost priority in Nepal- India relations is the need to advance our economic partnership by intensifying cooperation in trade, transit and investment, Deuba asserted. Nepal's enormous hydro-potential offers a clean climate resilient and renewable energy source that can be harnessed for generations to come, she added. There are multiple well-endowed rivers originating in the higher reaches of the Himalayas the four main being Mahakali, Karnali, Sapta Gandaki, and Sapta Kosi flowing through different valleys and then cutting across plains before entering India to meet River Ganga. India has helped Nepal develop multiple hydropower projects on these high-volume rivers and more projects are in the pipeline; and the power export agreement comes as the next step in the bilateral relations. The minister also stressed on enhancing mutual connectivity by investing in roads, railways, waterways, airways and digital infrastructure. The country shares a border of over 1,850 kilometres with five Indian states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Working closely with India on defence, security issues: New Zealand Deputy PM
In the current era of 'great uncertainty', New Zealand has started working 'more closely' with India in the fields of defence and security, said Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand in New Delhi on Friday (May 30, 2025). Speaking at an event, Mr. Peters gave an overview of his country's foreign policy, and said that freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region is 'crucial' for New Zealand. Editorial | Navigating differences: On India-New Zealand ties 'During a time of great uncertainty, instability and disorder, we have taken steps to work more closely on matters of defence and security with India. A recently signed Defence Cooperation Arrangement will facilitate closer links between our militaries,' Mr. Peters said, speaking at a fireside chat organised by the Ananta Aspen Centre. Security cooperation Mr. Peters, who was among the global leaders who had joined India in condoling the loss of lives in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, said that security cooperation between the two sides is increasing. 'The New Zealand Navy is leading Combined Task Force 150, charged with securing trade routes and countering terrorism, smuggling, and piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden,' he added. To deal with the uncertain and unpredictable conditions in the fields of security and economy, New Zealand has 'reset' its foreign policy and is 'significantly increasing' its 'focus and resources' on south and southeast Asia, Mr. Peters said. Describing India as a 'geopolitical giant', he said that India has emerged as an 'indispensable security actor in both regional and global spheres. In the prevailing international circumstances, he argued in favour of giving space to diplomacy saying, 'We need more diplomacy, more engagement, more compromise.' 'Small states matter' 'Since war and instability is everyone's calamity, diplomacy is the business of us all. We have observed that at this moment in time the ability to talk with, rather than at, each other has never been more needed,' Mr. Peters said, arguing in favour of safeguarding rights of countries like New Zealand that he described as a 'small state'. He described New Zealand's foreign policy reset as the outcome of three pillars: the realism of the New Zealand government's foreign policy, importance of diplomacy in the troubled world, and New Zealand's 'unshakeable belief that small states matter and that all states are equal.' Freedom of navigation Mr Peters, who held an official-level meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday (May 29, 2025), described the maritime interests of his country unambiguously and said New Zealand is 'self-evidently' a maritime nation that regards freedom of navigation as 'crucial' both for itself and for India. Mr. Peters is the second high-level leader from New Zealand to visit India in three months. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited India during March 16-20, when the two sides announced the launch of a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). Deputy Foreign Minister Peters described the launch of FTA negotiations as a 'breakthrough' in bilateral India-New Zealand economic relations. Mr Peters also met with the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and discussed 'democratic systems and recent developments in both countries'.
South China Morning Post
30-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Can India and Asia seize ‘historic opportunity' as US appeal for foreign students wanes?
Advertisement International students have been facing deportations for taking part in political protests to trivial offences such as traffic violations, dimming the allure of the American dream. Cuts to federal research grants have also driven students and academics to seek opportunities abroad. Other countries such as France and Canada have jumped into the fray to bring top academic talent from America to their shores – similar to how global companies compete to bring aboard highly-skilled professionals to give them an edge. For Asian countries such as India, which have struggled for decades to staunch the flow of top scientific and technological talent to America and other western nations, the churn in America's educational and research institutions, represents a historic opportunity. 'The US has long led the world in higher education and public research funding. It is now destroying one of its greatest strengths,' said Naushad Forbes, chairman of the non-profit Ananta Aspen Centre, describing the worsening conditions as one of the most significant acts of self harm in history. India's potential lies in harnessing its demographic dividend from the world's largest young population. Photo: Shutterstock India has the student and faculty talent available. 'We have to take advantage of the situation,' Forbes said, underscoring that intensive efforts are needed in research and development by tapping into academic talent offers the potential to leapfrog in economic growth.
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
India's outreach to US in focus after strikes in Pakistan
India's diplomatic outreach to America was in the spotlight hours after India launched a series of precision military strikes on Pakistan. Analysts believe this reflects the Trump administration's other global priorities and not Washington's view of its partnership with India. (HT Archive) US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed the hope that India-Pakistan tensions would not escalate further after India launched precision strikes on several targets in Pakistan on early Wednesday. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, America has expressed solidarity with India and has held high level interactions with New Delhi. However, it has been unwilling to directly call out Pakistan for sponsoring cross-border terrorism. President Trump's statements over the last few weeks indicate that the administration wishes to remain neutral as India-Pakistan tensions escalate. Trump had stated that India and Pakistan had been fighting over Kashmir 'for centuries' and that the two nations would 'figure it out one way or another'. Some experts believe that Trump's neutrality works well for India. 'There was never an expectation that America would 100% support India's position and directly condemn Pakistan. India's diplomatic efforts were geared towards getting America to understand our position. America needs to publicly toe the diplomatic line of needing to see proof that Pakistan is linked to these terror attacks. India understands that,' said Prerna Bountra, deputy director at the Ananta Aspen Centre, a New Delhi-based think tank. 'We know the choices America has made in the past regarding its partnership with Pakistan. So neutrality is a step in the direction of India.' Experts have argued that the Trump administration is keen to see India and Pakistan contain escalation at a time when Washington is engaged in nuclear talks with Iran, a difficult peace process in Ukraine and an ongoing conflict in West Asia. This was the position Rubio took when he spoke to the National Security Advisers of both India and Pakistan. 'Earlier this afternoon, @SecRubio spoke to the national security advisers from India and Pakistan. He urged both to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation,' the US State Department said on X. For its part, India has made America the prime focus of its global diplomatic efforts as it battles to swing international opinion around to New Delhi's viewpoint. Prime Minister Modi spoke with President Donald Trump over the phone immediately after the Pahalgam attack. The American leader expressed solidarity with India and his condolences for the victims of the terror attack. In the days after the attack, several senior figures in the Trump administration — including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel — issued statements expressing solidarity with India. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth also spoke with Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh and expressed support for India's fight against terrorism last week. Despite this, the US has not directly called out Pakistan for sponsoring the Pahalgam terror attack. Rubio urged Islamabad to cooperate fully in an investigation into the attack. Analysts believe this reflects the Trump administration's other global priorities and not Washington's view of its partnership with India. 'The larger Indian outreach to the Trump administration remains intact. Now, if you go back to the Modi-Trump joint statement in February, there was no mention of Pakistan. In a sense, India has also downplayed Pakistan as a factor in its outreach to America and America has also looked at India through a different lens. So I don't think this particular episode reflects in any way on the India-US partnership,' said Harsh Pant, Vice President, Studies at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank.
