Latest news with #India-NordicSummit
NDTV
07-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
PM Modi To Reschedule 3-Nation Europe Visit As Tensions With Pakistan Soar
Quick Take Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. PM Modi's Europe visit is postponed amid rising India-Pakistan tensions after a deadly terror attack in Kashmir. India conducted precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. All involved nations have been informed of the schedule change. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put his three-nation Europe visit on hold as tensions between India and Pakistan have surged in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which 26 civilians were killed by Pak-linked terrorists in a religiously-motivated terror attack. India responded on Wednesday with precision missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. PM Modi, who is closely-monitoring the situation, has reportedly asked for his visit to Croatia, Norway, and the Netherlands, which was due next week, to be rescheduled. As per his original schedule Prime Minister Modi was to commence his official visit to the three nations on May 13. He was also going to participate in the India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 15 and 16. All three countries have been informed about the change in PM Modi's schedule. They have also been appraised about the current situation between India and Pakistan. Last month too, on the day of the Pahalgam terror attack, PM Modi, who was in Saudi Arabia, returned to New Delhi immediately and called for a top-level meeting to assess the incident. Upon finding cross-border terror links with Pakistan, the Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Modi, decided to take a slew of measures to punish Islamabad diplomatically and eliminate the terrorists in a military strike. Another visit that PM Modi cancelled, was to Moscow, where he was scheduled to attend Russia's Victory Day celebrations on May 9. On May 8, India carried out targeted missile strikes on nine high-value terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi described the operation as a calibrated military action aimed solely at dismantling terror infrastructure without escalating broader hostilities. In a statement issued shortly after the strikes, India said, "Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution." 'Operation Sindoor', was launched at 1:05 am on Wednesday and lasted for 25 minutes. "This government has kept its promise - those responsible will be held accountable," India said in a statement.
The Print
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Modi's tri-nation visit to Croatia, Norway & Netherlands postponed after Operation Sindoor
Modi was set to land in Croatia for a bilateral visit, while he was due to attend the third India-Nordic Summit in Oslo along with leaders from Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, and then visit the Netherlands. The tri-nation visit was originally scheduled from 13 to 17 May. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands has been postponed amid surging tensions between India and Pakistan following New Delhi's Operation Sindoor, ThePrint has learnt. The trip has been rescheduled for a later date after India hit nine sites linked to terrorists in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir between 1 am and 1.30 am Wednesday. The strikes were in response to last month's terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam, which left 26 tourists dead, including 25 Indians and one foreign national. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at a special briefing Wednesday announced that terrorists trained by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a United Nations-proscribed organisation, were behind the attack through a smaller group, The Resistance Front (TRF). 'This group is a front for the UN-proscribed Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. It is notable that India had given inputs about the TRF in the half-yearly report to the monitoring team of the UN's 1267 Sanctions Committee in May and November 2024, bringing out its role as a cover for Pakistan-based terrorist groups,' said Misri. 'Pakistan's pressure to remove references to TRF in the April 25 UN Security Council press statement is notable in this regard.' Misri added that further attacks against India were 'impending', which led to Operation Sindoor to 'deter' and 'pre-empt' future attacks. Islamabad has claimed that Operation Sindoor constitutes an act of war. India's first punitive measures against Pakistan were diplomatic, such as holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, reducing the strength of Islamabad's mission in New Delhi from 55 to 30, and expelling three defence advisers stationed in Delhi and annulling the posts. Pakistan has announced its own measures, including that it 'shall exercise' its right to hold all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, in abeyance. Pakistan's foreign ministry summoned India's Charge D'Affaires in Islamabad to protest Operation Sindoor. India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval briefed his American counterpart Marco Rubio on the strikes, while senior Indian officials briefed their counterparts in the UK, UAE, Russia and Saudi Arabia about the same. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: 'India's waters will now be used only in India's interests'—Modi issues strong message to Pakistan
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
PM Modi calls off visit to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands
May 07, 2025 01:12 PM IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called off a planned visit to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands next week following India's military strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Photo from X) The visit to the three countries was planned during May 13-17 but had not been formally announced so far by any of the countries. He was set to co-chair the third India-Nordic Summit in Norway, the centre-piece of the visit. The people said on condition of anonymity that New Delhi had informed the capitals of the three countries about the visit being called off after India's military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) early on Wednesday morning. Called 'Operation Sindoor', the strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and PoK were carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 that killed 26 men, mostly tourists, making it the worst such attack on civilians since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The India-Nordic Summit brings together the leaders of India, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The first summit was held in Sweden in 2018 and the second in Denmark in 2022. The visits to Croatia and the Netherlands were aimed at bolstering cooperation in areas ranging from trade to the green economy.
The Print
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
Former Iceland PM backs stronger India-Nordic ‘partnerships', says ‘Greenland not for sale'
The former Icelandic prime minister is in New Delhi for the Arctic Circle India Forum, co-hosted by the Arctic Circle and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). 'What we have seen really is the fact that the relation between India and the Nordics has been growing stronger. And now, actually, the Nordic prime ministers are heading for a third meeting in Oslo. So, I think this is an important relation both to Nordic countries and to India,' Jakobsdóttir said to ThePrint. New Delhi: India and the Nordic countries are working together to build 'understandings' and a 'partnership', former Icelandic prime minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said in an exclusive interview with ThePrint, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Norway for the third India-Nordic Summit this month. 'We're living in very turbulent times where dialogue is needed between different countries. Also, even though the differences are great, it's so important to create understanding and opportunities. India is the largest democracy in the world. Its population is growing very fast. It's one of the largest economies in the world,' Jakobsdóttir added. 'I noticed that your foreign minister [S. Jaishankar] said we don't need preachers, we need partners. But I think exactly that is what the Nordic-Indo relationship has been about. It has been about partnerships.' Jaishankar had Sunday criticised European countries at the Arctic Circle India Forum as having a penchant for 'preaching', saying they need to 'start acting based on a framework of mutuality'. Modi is set to travel to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands from 13 May to 17 May. Norway will hold the third India-Nordic Summit, where the leaders of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland will also participate. Jakobsdóttir represented Iceland at both the previous editions of the summit. Last year, India signed a free trade agreement with Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland—the four members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)—the first such deal with European nations. Jakobsdóttir led Reykjavik through the negotiations for the deal during her 7-year tenure as prime minister. Also Read: Why India needs to be a part of strategic conversations on Greenland Politics of the Arctic & Greenland The Arctic region has been in the news in the past few months as US President Donald J. Trump has set his sights on Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark. The King of Denmark, Frederik X, travelled to the strategic island last week. US Vice-President J.D. Vance, during a trip to an American military installation on the island at the end of March, accused Denmark of underinvesting in the island, while Trump has refused to rule out a military takeover of the mineral-rich island. Denmark is a military ally of the US through its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). 'The three countries that the Kingdom of Denmark is built on—Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. And of course, Greenland is a country with a rich culture, population, with a very special culture and language. And, as so many have said, you know, Greenland can't be bought or sold,' Jakobsdóttir said to ThePrint. 'Greenland is our nearest neighbour in Iceland. I've been there several times and I've met many Greenlandic friends. I think their future is bright. Greenland is not a commodity to be bought or sold,' she added. The US president has been wary of the Arctic build-up by Russia and China, and has claimed it is an issue of international security for the US to annex Greenland. Trump's focus on Russia's potential to strengthen its position in the Arctic comes at a time when the Arctic Council, the main intergovernmental forum to deal with the region, remains hamstrung due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. 'Of course, we have had severe challenges in the Arctic Council for the last years after Russia's illegal and brutal invasion into Ukraine. And from that point, we haven't really had a political debate with Russia. Within the Arctic Council, that has proven to be quite a challenge,' said Jakobsdóttir. 'And there we have Russia and then other seven countries that are all actually members of NATO around the Arctic. So obviously, that creates a challenge for the Arctic Council,' she added. Set up in 1996, the Arctic Council has eight members—Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the US. India is an observer member of the intergovernmental forum, along with China and 11 other countries. The former Icelandic prime minister said developments in the Arctic have an impact on other parts of the world, including India. 'The changes in the Arctic might have an effect on the water supply of India and the rest of Southeast Asia,' she said. The changes in the 'Arctic might have an effect on the monsoon, which is really the backbone of Indian agriculture and food production,' added Jakobsdóttir. 'When we talk about possible opportunities in the Arctic, I think it's very important to keep in mind the holistic picture that the climate crisis is affecting each and every one of us. Of course, we need to think about applications, but we cannot stop thinking about mitigation and how we can actually reduce the effects of climate change.' (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: 'India wants partners, not preachers'—Jaishankar slams Europe's lack of engagement with Russia for peace
The Print
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Business as usual: How Modi maintained a packed schedule after Pulwama, just like now after Pahalgam
He has held two meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Security, including one on 23 April. He also maintained his scheduled visit to Bihar on 24 April, where, at a public meeting, Modi vowed to punish terrorists and their backers 'beyond their imagination'. In the immediate aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, Modi, who was on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, cut short his trip to return to New Delhi, cancelling a number of official engagements. This included a dinner on the night of 22 April, the day the attack took place. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained a business-as-usual public engagement schedule since the Pahalgam attack, with one domestic visit to Bihar and his upcoming visits to three European countries expected to go ahead. This is no different from the days after the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019, when he kept to his schedule as normal. On 30 April, he announced the caste census ahead of assembly polls in Bihar, inaugurating the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai the next day (1 May). In the coming days, his tri-nation visit to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands is expected to carry on according to schedule, with the third India-Nordic Summit set to take place in Oslo sometime around 15 May. The Prime Minister is known for his packed schedule, and that he has kept to such a high number of engagements after a terror attack is also not new. Between the Pulwama terrorist attack on 14 February 2019 and the Balakot air strikes on 26 February 2019, Modi carried out at least seven domestic visits to different states, launching a raft of new government schemes. A week after the Pulwama attack, he also travelled abroad for his state visit to the Republic of Korea on 21 and 22 February 2019, where he held bilateral talks with then president Moon Jae-in. He was awarded the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize on that trip. Modi also addressed the Indian community in the East Asian country, apart from unveiling the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Yonsei University in Seoul. The international visit took place a week after a vehicle carrying a suicide bomber rammed into a Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, killing 39 personnel and injuring several others. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack. Also Read: Tale of two readouts: Rubio tells Pakistan PM Sharif to cooperate with India on Pahalgam probe Engagements before Balakot air strikes A day after the Pulwama attack (15 February 2019), the Prime Minister convened the Cabinet Committee on Security, following which he flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express from the New Delhi Railway Station. Addressing the gathering before flagging off India's first semi-high speed train, Modi vowed that the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack will 'pay a heavy price' while declaring that the security forces had been given a 'free hand' to act. He laid the foundation stone for several projects in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi on 15 February 2019. A day later, the Prime Minister travelled to Maharashtra's Pandharkawada and Dhule, where he carried out official duties and addressed public gatherings. In his speech at Pandharkawada, Modi once again reiterated that the sacrifices of the CRPF jawans will not 'go in vain' and that the security forces had been given a free hand to act. On 17 February 2019, PM Modi travelled to Bihar and Jharkhand before heading to his constituency of Varanasi two days later, on 19 February 2019, to inaugurate a number of projects. This was followed by his trip to South Korea. On his return to India, he continued his scheduled visits to Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In UP, on 24 February 2019, the Prime Minister launched the PM-KISAN scheme. All of these activities came less than two days before India's response to the Pulwama attack, when it launched bombing raids on JeM training camps across the border in the town of Balakot on 26 February 2019. Similarly, he has maintained his schedule as usual since the attack in Pahalgam, when at least four armed terrorists wielding AK-47s sprayed bullets at tourists in J&K's Baisaran Valley, killing 26 people. The attack is one of the most significant against civilians in the Union territory in recent years. In between chairing Cabinet meetings and maintaining a tight domestic schedule, Modi has also spoken to a number of world leaders to build India's diplomatic case against Pakistan, which it has said has links to the attack, in the last few days. (Edited by Sanya Mathur) Also Read: Behind ISI chief's appointment as NSA, a bid by Pakistan to revive backchannel talks after Pahalgam
