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India Gazette
24-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Entire country has come together to condemn terrorism: Indian Envoy to Japan
Tokyo [Japan], May 24 (ANI): Ambassador of India to Japan, Sibi George, said on Saturday that the All-Party Delegation had a productive day conducting meetings with the leaders of Japan. George told ANI that the members of the parliament were speaking on the issue of terrorism in one voice, which reflected the power of India's diversity. 'It has been a great day yesterday for the members of parliament visiting the Foreign Office, the parliament, and today again we started the day with an interaction with the resident ambassadors and you have seen how proactive the engagement and interaction were there questions and answers and was very happy to see the members of the parliament replying to their questions in one voice. It's an amazing thing to see India's diversity,' he said. George, in conversation with ANI, said that everyone attending the meetings condemned the dastardly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. 'We had received our members of parliament yesterday early morning, and since then, it has been continuous meetings and interactions with the Japanese side. They met the Foreign Minister. They met the former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and members of the parliament from the Japanese side also attended the Raisina dialogue, where we spoke about counterterrorism and the fight against terrorism,' he said. George said that Japan was the first country to voice its condemnation against the attack. All ministers expressed condolences to the families. 'In India, the whole nation has come together in its fight against terrorism. Japan was one of the first countries to condemn the attack immediately after the incident on April 22nd. On 23rd itself, for Prime Minister of Japan telephoned our honourable Prime Minister and condemned the terror attacks, extended full support in the fight against terrorism, condolences on sympathies to the victims. So then the foreign ministers spoke,' he said. George said that he received several condolences from the Japanese across all levels, and their commitment to the fight against terrorism. 'I have received so many condolences messages and support messages from the Japanese at every level, and so it has been a, a period where everyone stood together in their commitment in their determination in the fight against terrorism,' he said. George further said that India is the most peaceful country in the world, just as Japan is, and both countries follow the doctrine of nonviolence. He further talked about the Mahatma Gandhi Bust in Hiroshima, which was unveiled by PM Modi on May 20, 2023, to perpetuate the same sentiment. 'India is the most peaceful country in the world, and India's connected with Japan. If you travel, you will find that they look at India as the land of Buddha. Lord Buddha is the symbol of non-violence, and again Mahatma Gandhi [echoes similar sentiment]. Last year, during the visit of the honourable Prime Minister to the Hiroshima National Park Peace Park, we installed the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Why? Because he is the icon of peace,' he said. George added that India stands for peace in the region. But the enemy had a target to disrupt peace in the region, as normalcy was returning in Jammu and Kashmir. 'So India is the land of peace and in Jammu and Kashmir, peace had returned, stability was there, democratic government was there, and life was normal. Schools were open, universities were open. Tourism was flourishing. The business-wise life was very normal. That was the time the enemy hit. The enemy hit and purpose was very clear- destroy the progress in Jammu and Kashmir. Destroy the harmony, religious harmony, communal harmony in India. That was the purpose,' he said. George India's message was loud and clear, which is to condemn terrorism, and the entire country had come together for that. 'There is no way we are going to let that happen. The whole country has to come together. Members of parliament from different political parties came together with one voice, zero tolerance to terrorism. And the message was loud and clear from the Indian side to our Japanese friends, to the diplomatic community, to the media. They went everywhere with one voice,' he said. George said that this was a great achievement as the delegation conveyed its message of strength and determination to destroy terrorism. 'This is a great achievement. I see it and you were seeing the interaction today and yesterday at every level. So I think it was a good visit and it helped us, convey our Message loud and clear, our unity, our strength, and our determination to go to any extent in destroying the infrastructure of terrorism,' he said. An all-party parliamentary delegation from India, led by Sanjay Kumar Jha, Member of Parliament, is visiting Japan from May 22 to 24. The delegation includes Ambassador Mohan Kumar, BJP MP Hemang Joshi, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, BJP MP Brij Lal, and BJP MP Pradan Baruah. (ANI)
Russia Today
26-03-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Conference of the disoriented: How an Indian event was a window into Western decline
Every spring, New Delhi becomes a global hotspot – at least for a few days. Politicians, analysts, think tankers, and journalists flock to the Indian capital for the Raisina Dialogue, South Asia's premier geopolitical conference. It aspires to be the region's answer to the Munich Security Conference – high-level, influential, and agenda-setting. Over the past decade, Raisina has grown steadily in stature, faithfully reproducing the trappings of a major global event: the same luxury hotel, plenty of panel sessions, and a cast of international VIPs flown in to weigh in on the world's most pressing problems. But, as in Munich, Raisina's inclusivity has clear limits. While the German conference has barred Russians since 2022, the Indians quietly exclude Chinese delegates – a revealing nod to the tensions between BRICS' two largest powers. India is not just a host. It's also the first line of engagement – if not confrontation – between the global North and South. And it plays this double role with confidence. Raisina is India's showcase: a platform to present itself to the West as the intellectual and technological leader of the South, and to the South as a country that can hold its own in global forums. To underline its distinct identity, each Raisina Dialogue is built around a concept drawn from India's civilizational heritage. In 2024, it was Chaturanga, the ancient precursor to chess, symbolizing strategic depth. This year's theme was Kalachakra, the 'wheel of time' – a Buddhist metaphor for interconnectedness and the idea that changing yourself can change the world. Poetic, yes – but quickly overtaken by the less elevated realities of contemporary geopolitics. In truth, the stage was dominated by Western institutions and voices. Raisina is funded by the likes of Meta, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Lockheed Martin, and Palantir. And their priorities – military, commercial, ideological – make clear that most of the guests came to talk about changing the world, not themselves. Read more Orban makes a daring bet as the West weakens Western Europeans, in particular, struck a peculiar note. Emotionally agitated and politically adrift, many of their delegates stuck to familiar talking points: 'Putin's Russia' is the number one threat to Europe's peace and security. Some added 'Trump's unpredictability' to the mix, highlighting fears that the next US administration may walk away from global commitments. The shared solution? A call for 'European strategic autonomy.' But no one could explain how that's possible without cheap Russian energy or Chinese goods – the twin pillars of the EU's post-Cold War prosperity. The Western Europeans wanted to sound brave. But they came off as disoriented. By contrast, the Gulf states were self-assured. Iran is contained, Gaza is winding down, Trump is back in the picture, and the Abraham Accords are quietly returning to the agenda. Confidence radiated from their delegates. The Americans? Not so much. Most came from hawkish, right-leaning think tanks – once champions of liberal interventionism, now adjusting to the new mood in Washington. Their rhetoric was more muted this year. Less preaching, more explaining. Fewer calls for 'democracy,' more realpolitik. It was an awkward adjustment – and many European guests found it unsettling. Some of the most revealing moments weren't in the sessions, but in the sniping between Western delegates. Old disputes between 'globalists' and 'nationalists' resurfaced in side conversations. A reminder that the so-called 'collective West' is far from united. Read more The Americans want Zelensky out – Is this woman their Plan B? Meanwhile, India played its host role with aplomb. It indulged some speakers and quietly ignored others. And it never missed a chance to remind the audience that it is the world's 'oldest democracy' – albeit on its own terms. The broader picture from Raisina is that the world is in flux – 'multipolar and non-polar at once,' as some described it. It's a world where a Yemeni analyst offers insights on US-China tensions; a Luxembourg minister speaks on the Ukraine conflict; and advisers from Romania and Moldova pronounce confidently on the future of the Middle East. Ministers from Latvia and Liechtenstein weighed in on global security. It was the illusion of seriousness – panels of people speaking on matters they barely influence. There was also, as usual, a linguistic and philosophical confusion. Asian delegates were visibly puzzled by the semantic divide between 'rules-based order,' as Westerners call it, and 'international law,' as Moscow prefers. Aren't they the same thing? Not in today's world. It's worth remembering what Raisina is not. It's not a venue for compromise or diplomacy. Russia wasn't represented officially. China wasn't welcome. It's a stage – a place to display power, posture, and polish. But also a mirror, reflecting how different regions interpret the world order's transformation. At Raisina, many talk about turning the 'wheel of time.' Few realize it may roll right over them. Mahatma Gandhi once said, 'Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.' Perhaps that's the most relevant piece of Indian wisdom for this moment. Because many delegates at Raisina came with the illusion that they were steering global change – when in fact, they were simply trying not to get crushed beneath it. This article was first published by the magazine Profile and was translated and edited by the RT team .
The National
28-01-2025
- Business
- The National
Raisina Middle East: Region has ‘immense significance' for India, says minister
Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India 's Minister of External Affairs, has outlined a sweeping set of realities evident in the world today during a speech at the Raisina Middle East conference in Abu Dhabi, referring to the 'sharp departure of the United States from a century of Wilsonian foreign policy'. 'We are more interdependent in the very era when the propaganda of a global village stands firmly rejected,' he said in Abu Dhabi. 'The global discourse pits progress against heritage, the future against the past. This has implications for both diplomacy and statecraft.' Dr Jaishankar said the digital world had a 'growing salience', which placed a premium on trust and transparency. He described several other key realities of the modern global order, including the competitive aspect of ties between the US and China and 'the anxiety we all share of overconcentration manufacturing in a limited geography and the resulting search for more reliable and resilient supply chains'. He also referenced 'the frequent weaponisation of market shares, finance and technology' and the 'unfolding insipient reglobalisation that now stresses national interests and identities', as well as the emergence of a global workplace. He said that 'regionalisation of power makes for more complicated decision-making'. 'In this world of change, challenges are best addressed, and opportunities exploited by forging a shared agenda and developing a common purpose,' he said. During his address at the inaugural session of Raisina Middle East, Dr Jaishankar had earlier described the Middle East as a region of 'immense significance' for India and noted that his country and West Asia are 'inextricably linked through commerce and connectivity, ideas and beliefs, traditions and customs' over centuries. He said the Gulf was crucial to India's strategic interests, citing trade levels of more than $160 billion annually. 'An India with wider interests and growing capabilities today contemplates the world with confidence,' he said. 'We certainly recognise the risks, but we are equally cognisant of the opportunities. For us, the Middle East is an extended neighbourhood, which we have reconnected with in full measure.' Dr Jaishankar also met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, today, Wam news agency reported. The pair discussed ties between the two countries and ways of strengthening collaboration. They were also reported to have exchanged views on several international developments. Speaking at the Raisina event, several people in attendance discussed the changing global landscape since the beginning of US President Donald Trump's second term this month. Brian Katulis, senior fellow for US Foreign Policy at the Middle East Institute, told The National that Mr Trump's main approach was to be disruptive and unpredictable.' I think the real risk to global order is that I don't see necessarily that he has a clear plan of what comes next. He wants to be unconventional and gain leverage.' Ana Palacio, Spain's former foreign minister, told The National that the next four years in the US could be characterised by 'instant reward' policies and a continuation of the transactionalism and unpredictability that was evident in some periods of the first administration of Mr Trump. Raisina Middle East continues on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.
