Latest news with #Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is JP Singh? The IFS officer behind John Abraham's The Diplomat who helped Uzma return from Pakistan
John Abraham's newly released political drama The Diplomat has captured the attention of audiences all around the country. Based on real-life events, the film highlights a tense diplomatic operation led by Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer JP Singh, who was instrumental in helping an Indian woman escape a dire situation in Pakistan. As the compelling story plays out on screen, viewers are curious to learn more about the real diplomat who inspired the film. So scroll down to know who JP Singh is and more. Who is JP Singh? The IFS officer behind John Abraham's The Diplomat Jitender Pal Singh, better known as JP Singh, is a high-ranking officer in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), widely recognized for his crucial involvement in the 2017 rescue of Uzma Ahmed an Indian woman who was coerced into marriage and held against her will in Pakistan. During this operation, Singh was posted as the Deputy High Commissioner at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Yesterday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar hosted a special evening at @IsraelMFA with the world premiere of movie "The Diplomat", starring the famous Indian actor John Abraham. The film tells the true story of #India's new Ambassador to #Israel, JP Singh, and the extraordinary… JP Singh has held several prominent positions throughout his diplomatic career, including serving as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs' Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran (PAI) division, where he was instrumental in formulating India's approach to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. His appointment as India's Ambassador to Israel in January 2025 further highlights his deep experience and skill in managing sensitive international affairs. All you need to know about The Diplomat Featuring John Abraham in the lead role, The Diplomat is a dramatized retelling of the real-life mission to rescue Uzma Ahmed played by Sadia Khateeb, with Abraham's character based on the experiences of IFS officer JP Singh. The film has been directed by Shivam Nair and written by Ritesh Shah. The soundtrack for The Diplomat was created by composers A. R. Rahman, Manan Bhardwaj, and Anurag Saikia, with lyrics penned by Manoj Muntashir, P. K. Mishra, and Kausar Munir. You can watch The Diplomat on Netflix.
Economic Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
India's Afghanistan outreach points to emerging dynamics
India EAM S Jaishankar and Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi New Delhi: External affairs minister S Jaishankar's phone call with Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday night was the first engagement between ministers from India and Taliban since 1999, signalling a churning in regional geopolitics. Recent engagements between India and Taliban, starting with foreign secretary Vikram Misri's meeting with Muttaqi this January, followed by an external affairs ministry delegation's visit to Kabul after the Pahalgam attack and Jaishankar's phone call signal emerging regional dynamics amid Pakistan's interference in both India and Afghanistan, said people familiar with India-Afghanistan relations. The last such contact between India and Taliban (Taliban 1.0) took place when the then external affairs minister Jaswant Singh spoke to his Afghan counterpart Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil after the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 to Kandahar in December groundwork for India's highest-level outreach to the Taliban in about 25 years was laid through the opening of India's technical mission in Kabul and a visit by JP Singh - India's current envoy to Israel and earlier head of Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the external affairs ministry - to Kabul. The Taliban 2.0, seeking mainstream diplomatic ties with several countries, especially in Asia, has major expectations from New Delhi, particularly in areas like investment, development assistance and people-to-people ties. Taliban was quick to condemn the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India's Afghanistan outreach points to emerging dynamics
New Delhi: External affairs minister S Jaishankar 's phone call with Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday night was the first engagement between ministers from India and Taliban since 1999, signalling a churning in regional geopolitics . Recent engagements between India and Taliban, starting with foreign secretary Vikram Misri's meeting with Muttaqi this January, followed by an external affairs ministry delegation's visit to Kabul after the Pahalgam attack and Jaishankar's phone call signal emerging regional dynamics amid Pakistan's interference in both India and Afghanistan, said people familiar with India-Afghanistan relations. The last such contact between India and Taliban (Taliban 1.0) took place when the then external affairs minister Jaswant Singh spoke to his Afghan counterpart Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil after the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 to Kandahar in December 1999. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by The groundwork for India's highest-level outreach to the Taliban in about 25 years was laid through the opening of India's technical mission in Kabul and a visit by JP Singh - India's current envoy to Israel and earlier head of Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the external affairs ministry - to Kabul. The Taliban 2.0, seeking mainstream diplomatic ties with several countries, especially in Asia, has major expectations from New Delhi, particularly in areas like investment, development assistance and people-to-people ties. Taliban was quick to condemn the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Live Events
Hindustan Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
After Pahalgam, reset in India-Afghanistan ties
India's outreach to the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan amid heightened tensions with Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack should be seen as part of the continuing calibrated engagement with the set-up in Kabul with an eye on regional security and stability. Officially, this was the first meeting between the Indian diplomat recently assigned to lead the crucial Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the external affairs ministry and the Taliban's acting foreign minister. It is significant that the Taliban regime condemned the terror attack that killed 26 people and said such incidents undermine regional security. The attack also figured in Sunday's meeting between the two sides at a time when the Afghan Taliban's relations with their previous benefactors in Pakistan are severely strained. India's engagement with the Taliban has moved forward largely because of a sense of pragmatism in New Delhi despite long-standing suspicions about the militant group in some quarters. Not engaging with the regime in Kabul will leave the field open to other regional players, who have already made moves that could impinge on India's security interests. Continuing this engagement in a clear-eyed manner could also help manage Kabul's reaction to any further escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. However, one of the punitive measures taken by India against Pakistan – the closure of the only operational land border crossing at Attari – has hit Afghan traders, who rely on the check point as the cheapest route to transport a variety of goods to India. India should act quickly to address the concerns of these traders who fear their exports will get blocked. Iran's Chabahar route can be an alternative route though the costs will be relatively higher. Steps taken by India at this juncture to bolster trade and development cooperation with Afghanistan will go a long way in addressing the economic challenges confronting the Afghan people.
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Indian diplomat meets Taliban foreign minister, discusses ‘regional developments'
The Indian diplomat overseeing relations with Afghanistan has met the Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul and discussed political relations and regional developments amid India-Pakistan tensions over the Pahalgam terror attack. M Anand Prakash, who recently took over as joint secretary of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division of the external affairs ministry, met Muttaqi in the Afghan capital on Sunday. Hafiz Zia Ahmad, deputy spokesperson of the Taliban's foreign ministry, said on social media that the two sides discussed 'recent regional political developments' but didn't give details. Other matters that figured in the meeting were bilateral political relations, trade and transit. Muttaqi emphasised the development of diplomatic and economic relations and invited Indian investors to take advantage of good investment opportunities in Afghanistan, Ahmad said. Muttaqi said the movement of people between Afghanistan and India should be facilitated and the issuance of visas to Afghan patients, students and businessmen should be 'restored to normal'. Prakash was quoted by Ahmad as saying that relations with Afghanistan are important to India and he hoped to expand ties in various fields. Prakash was also quoted as saying that that India will continue its cooperation with Afghanistan and wants to invest in some infrastructure projects. Work has also resumed on some projects that had been stalled for some time. Ahmad said both sides emphasised the development of relations, exchange of delegations, facilitation of visas and mutual cooperation. There was no word from the Indian side on the meeting. The Taliban foreign ministry has condemned the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people and said such incidents affect regional security. 'The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan categorically condemns the recent attack on tourists in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses our condolences to the bereaved families,' the ministry said in a statement on April 23. 'Such incidents undermine efforts to ensure regional security and stability,' the statement said. One of the punitive measures taken by New Delhi against Islamabad after the attack – the closure of the only operational land border crossing at Attari – has affected trade between India and Afghanistan via Pakistan. This is one Afghanistan's shortest and cheapest transit routes for trade with India, and the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment has said annual trade via this route is worth $500 million. Afghan traders and economic institutions have warned about potential damage from the continued closure of this route, according to Tolo News. Khan Jan Alokozay, a board member of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: 'Currently, the ports are closed and the problems are considerable. It is now the season for dried fruits and in two months, the season for fresh fruits will arrive. We hope the issue is resolved by then. Unfortunately, our trade with India through this route has been completely halted.' Most of Afghanistan's dried fruits are exported to India via the Attari route. The Afghan Dried Fruit Exporters Union said alternative export routes come with significant difficulties. Prakash also met former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and discussed the regional situation and the strengthening of ties between India and Afghanistan. Karzai said in a social media post that he called for providing scholarships to Afghan youth and emphasised the facilitation of trade transactions.
