Saudi Arabia on July 18 agreed to buy Turkish drones in the biggest defence contract in Turkey's history. Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the signing ceremony between Turkish defence firm Baykar and the Saudi defence ministry. Saudi Arabia will acquire the drones to enhance the readiness of the kingdom’s armed forces and strengthen its defense and manufacturing capabilities. In a tweet, Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar informed about signing a contract with the Saudi Arabian defence ministry for the Bayraktar Akinci (unmanned combat aerial ve
US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen on July 16 said that her country sees India as an “indispensable partner” with regard to its policy of “friend-shoring.” Addressing the media ahead of her participation in the G20 summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Yellen said that derisking and friend-shoring are important priorities for the United States that the country is promoting in India. Friend-shoring is a policy of encouraging companies to shift manufacturing away from authoritarian states and towards allies. The term is shorthand for the practice of relocating supply chains to co
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the decision of the United States to return 105 artefacts to India, following his official state visit to Washington DC last month. On July 17, the Manhattan district attorney’s office handed over the antiques to Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, at an event in New York. The antiquities are made of terracotta, stone, metal and wood, and span the time period from 2nd-3rd century CE to the 19th century. The artefacts belong to diverse parts of the country, with 47 from eastern India, 27 from the south, 22 from central India, six f
External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar on July 12 held a series of meetings with his counterparts from several countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and Vietnam, and discussed bilateral cooperation and issues of mutual concern during his week-long visit to Indonesia and Thailand. The union minister began his engagements in Jakarta with a meeting with the Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dr Kao Kim Hourn. The leaders discussed the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership. Jaishankar suggested India-ASEAN dialogues
French President Emmanuel Macron has bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an award ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris on July 14. It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. During PM Modi’s two-day visit to France, India and France reached an agreement to use India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France. Making the announcement in Paris, PM Modi said that in the coming days, UPI usage will begin from Eiffel Tower. India will open a new consulate in Marseille, PM Modi announced on July 13 while addressing the
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to France to attend the French National Day (Bastille Day) parade as the guest of honour. This year’s parade on July 14 will also see the participation of a 269-member Indian tri-service contingent, and the Indian Air Force aircraft performing in a fly past. PM Modi will also engage in discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, focusing on defence, space, trade and investment. On July 15, he is scheduled to travel to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for an official visit. In France, PM Modi will hold a meeting with French Prime M
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak honoured Rajindar Singh Dhatt, a 101-year-old Sikh World War II veteran, with a Points of Light award for his service and work in bringing together British Indian war veterans. The Points of Light award recognises outstanding people whose service is making a difference in their communities and whose stories can inspire others towards innovative solutions to social challenges in their own communities and beyond. Dhatt was one of the last surviving Sikh soldiers who fought in World War II. At a UK-India Week reception at 10 Downing Street, he
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to his counterparts among the Group of 20 (G20) members, calling for the African Union to be given full membership of the grouping at its September summit in New Delhi. If accepted, the move will effectively make the group of 20 largest economies G21, sources said on June 17. PM Modi’s proposal was made in line with a request from the Union, which is made up of 55 countries of the African continent, aimed at enhancing Africa’s voice “on the international stage and in shaping the future of our shared world.” The G20 was founded in 1999 aft
US President Joe Biden hailed a new era in the US-India relationship, after rolling out the White House red carpet for Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on June 22, pushing deals on defense and commerce. The partnership between the world's two big democracies is “stronger, closer and more dynamic than at any time in history,” Biden told reporters at a joint press conference with Modi, and the economic relationship is “booming,” with trade more than doubling over the past decade. Prime Minister Modi also called the current times as “a new chapter” to the countries’ “s
Opposition lawmakers have lifted the majority of seats in Kuwait’s parliament, in its third election held in the last three years. The snap election on June 6 took place amid an ongoing political crisis that led to repeated dissolution of parliament due to a dispute between the government and lawmakers, affecting financial reforms. According to the results announced on June 7, opposition politicians won 29 of the legislature’s 50 seats, with 37 lawmakers retaining their seats. In the election, 207 candidates competed for the 50 seats in five constituencies. The remaining 15 seats in