Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence (DNI), is currently in India to attend a high-profile security meeting as well as the Raisina Dialogue, a major global geopolitical and economics forum. Her visit is the first by a senior official from the Trump administration to India. Gabbard is on a multi-nation trip of the Indo-Pacific, including stops in Japan, Thailand, and France. During her visit to India, she is anticipated to meet with key leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She will give the keynote talk at the Raisina Dialogue on March 18. However, neither
India and New Zealand have officially begun discussions for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking an important milestone in their economic partnership. This would be India's second trade agreement in the Oceania region, following its FTA with Australia in April 2022. The pact intends to improve trade relations and open up new economic prospects for both nations. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal expressed confidence about the development, saying, "We are delighted to announce the start of India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement negotiations." This mileston
On March 11, Vietnam's Minister of Finance, Nguyen Van Thang, met with Singapore's Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Tan See Leng, to discuss measures to improve bilateral economic connectivity. Their meetings took place during Party General Secretary To Lam's official visit to Singapore, highlighting both nations' commitment to improving bilateral relations. During the discussions, Minister Thang expressed gratitude for Singapore's support and highlighted Vietnam's commitment to economic engagement. He emphasised Vietnam's continuous efforts to reorganise i
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Mauritius' highest civilian award, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius's president, Dharam Gokhool, awarded the medal during a magnificent event on the island nation. With this award, PM Modi becomes the first Indian leader to acquire such high recognition. Accepting the prize, Modi expressed sincere gratitude, describing it as not only a personal honour but also a tribute to 1.4 billion Indians. He highlighted the centuries-long cultural and historical linkages between India and Mauritius.
Mark Carney, the recently elected leader of Canada's Liberal Party, has stated that he wants to restore relations with India, which have been strained under departing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The 59-year-old, who is generally projected to become Canada's next Prime Minister, has placed a high priority on improving trade and diplomatic relations with India. Speaking in Calgary this week, he emphasised the necessity of developing commerce with friendly countries and highlighted the importance of re-establishing ties with India. "What Canada will seek to do is diversify its commercial p
Saudi Arabia is rapidly transforming into a key hub for artificial intelligence and data centres, with Riyadh likely to lead the Middle East's data centre growth over the next three years. According to a forecast by real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (JLL), the Saudi capital's data centre footprint would rise at a startling 37% compound annual rate by 2027. This ratio is about double the predicted growth rate of neighbouring Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and it is much higher than the global average of 15%. Daniel Thorpe, head of EMEA data centre research at JLL, emphasised the Kingd
India and Belgium have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding their logistics collaboration, with a focus on increased trade connections and supply chain efficiency. Maxime Prévot, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Belgium, emphasised this relationship when speaking at a seminar organised by Flanders Investment and Trade titled "Leveraging Logistics Expertise from Belgium to India." Prévot highlighted the need for multimodal transportation, cold chain logistics, and port connectivity in facilitating seamless trade. He emphasised Belgium's importance as a significant gateway
According to the Commerce Ministry, Thailand is arranging talks with Vietnam and India to address the problem of falling rice prices brought on by overstock. India and Vietnam are the world's two largest rice exporters, thus, they must play an important role in any market stabilisation efforts. Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan revealed the plan in Parliament in response to concerns made by People's Party MP Narongdet Urankul. Narongdet enquired about the fate of Thailand's estimated 2.2 million tonnes of unsold rice. Pichai indicated that the conversations with India and Vietnam would
India and the UAE have increased their efforts to develop the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). IMEEC, which was launched during the G-20 Summit in Delhi in 2023, has signatories from India, the UAE, the US, the EU, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy, and Germany. The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi issued a statement highlighting the corridor's expanding significance. The discussions centred on key players, including major shipping companies. A high-level Indian team, led by TK Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, met with HE Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi,
On March 3, 2025, the UAE and Senegal hosted the Organizational Session at the UN Headquarters in New York, officially launching preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference. As required by the resolution on the procedures of the 2024 Conference, this session gave Member States and interested parties the opportunity to suggest topics for six interactive discussions that would further Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) on water and sanitation. H.E. Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, and H.E. Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, Senegal's Mi