France and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their cooperation in skill development, vocational education, and training. The agreement was signed by French Ambassador Thierry Mathou and Indian Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary during the Bharat SkillNXT 2025 event held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The event marked a decade of the Skill India Mission, which has trained 1.6 crore young Indians through the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. The MoU intends to improve professional mobility and skill alignment with ri
India and Finland are moving towards finalising a significant mobility agreement to facilitate the movement of students, researchers, skilled professionals, and entrepreneurs across sectors like education, information technology, and healthcare. Kimmo Lähdevirta, the Finnish ambassador to India, stated that the Memorandum of Understanding on migration and mobility is expected to be signed within the year, ushering in a new era of the two nations' partnership. The proposed agreement will replace the previous declaration, signed in 2022, and will establish a formal framework to encourage re
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a "massive" $550 billion trade agreement with Japan, calling it probably the greatest deal ever reached between the two countries. Trump asserted that Japan would invest $550 billion in the United States, with the US receiving 90% of the revenues generated under this agreement. He emphasised that the agreement is projected to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs across several industries. The pact will see Japan open its market to American products like vehicles, trucks, rice, and agricultural goods while paying 15% reciprocal tariffs to the United S
The 44th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) reinforced the Indian Navy's bilateral maritime ties with Indonesia. The exercise was conducted last week in the Indian Ocean Region. INS Saryu, an indigenous Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel, and LCU-55, the fifth Landing Craft Utility Mk-IV class ship, joined the Maritime Patrol Aircraft Dornier. The Indian Navy units arrived at Belawan, Indonesia, for the post-deployment debriefing and closing ceremony. The exercise aims to improve maritime cooperation and develop operational ties between the two countries. The Embassy
Malaysia is strengthening ties with Singapore by accelerating digital transformation in its public sector. The collaboration intends to improve service delivery through technology-driven reforms and demonstrates Malaysia's commitment to modernising governance systems. During an official visit to Singapore, Malaysia's Chief Secretary identified government technology as a top priority, citing Singapore's good performance in digital governance. Singapore has built innovative systems to assist policy decisions, such as digital identity, e-payments, and AI-driven analytics, establishing a stand
India has signed long-term fertilizer supply deals with Saudi Arabia to improve agricultural supply security. Union Minister JP Nadda returned from a three-day visit to Dammam and Riyadh, where he led a high-level group from the Department of Fertilizers and the Ministry of External Affairs. During negotiations with Saudi Minister Bandar bin Ibrahim Al Khorayef, both countries witnessed the signing of long-term supply agreements by Maaden and Indian companies, including IPL, KRIBHCO, and CIL. These agreements will guarantee the delivery of 3.1 million metric tons of Diammonium Phosphate (D
The United States and Thailand have officially implemented their Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, widely known as the 123 Agreement. This is a big step towards increasing civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries. The arrangement is consistent with the US administration's broader goals of deploying advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security while improving energy security under strict nonproliferation commitments. The agreement allows both countries to trade nuclear materials, reactors, equipment, components, and technical inf
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Namibia’s highest civilian honour, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, during his one-day state visit to the African nation. The award was presented by Namibian President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at a special ceremony, marking a new milestone in India-Namibia ties. PM Modi accepted the prize with deep gratitude, dedicating it to India's 1.4 billion people and to the historic partnership with Namibia. "This honour is a tribute to the people of India and the timeless bond that our two countries share," the Prime Minister
India is aggressively working with Norway to improve its deep-sea energy exploration capabilities. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, highlighted this relationship during his recent visit to Norway. He explored potential projects to leverage Norway’s advanced technologies and expertise in hydrocarbons. Mr Puri visited the Northern Lights CO2 Terminal in Bergen. Discussions with Norwegian energy professionals focused on seismic oil surveys, offshore wind, and new deep-sea research techniques. The minister stated that India intends to explore more than 2.5 lakh squa
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted Malaysia as vital to India's Vision MAHASAGAR and Act East Policy. PM Modi posted on his X account that he met Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. PM Modi added that they discussed bilateral relations and the progress made during Anwar's visit to India last year. Additionally, he highlighted that ties are increasing rapidly in futuristic sectors such as information technology, renewable energy, and infrastructure. The leaders addressed ways to strengthen