Israel and India on May 9 inked an agreement that will allow 42,000 Indian workers to work in the Jewish state in the sectors of construction and nursing, in a move expected to help deal with the rising cost of living and assist thousands of families waiting for nursing care. Of the 42,000 Indian workers, 34,000 workers will be engaged in the construction field and the rest 8,000 will serve the country’s nursing needs. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who reached New Delhi on May 9, held talks with his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar. The ministers discussed ways to strengthen Indi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United States of America on a state visit from June 21 to 24, following an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, the US government said in a statement on May 10. The US President and the First Lady will also host PM Modi for a state dinner on June 22. “The upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement while announcing t
In nearly a fortnight, India’s Operation Kaveri brought back stranded citizens from conflict-ridden Sudan, informed the Indian government on May 5 as it wrapped up the evacuation programme. The Indian Air Force C130 flight brought the final batch of 47 passengers home. The highly laborious and dangerous operation rescued 3,862 people from Sudan, informed External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Twitter. He also appreciated the countries that helped India evacuate its citizens safely. “From Jeddah, airforce and commercial flights have brought people home. We are grateful to Sa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted French President Emmanuel Macron’s invitation to be the guest of honour at France’s traditional military parade held during Bastille Day on 14 July. An Indian armed forces contingent will also take part in the parade alongside French forces, said the French presidency in a statement. The Indian Prime Minister’s visit will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the “strategic partnership” between France and India. The visit will also allow joint initiatives to address challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and achievi
The President of COP28, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, has said that climate diplomacy should focus on phasing out emissions from oil and gas, leaving the door open for the continued use of fossil fuels while ramping up technologies to capture the carbon pollution produced from burning these fuels. Speaking at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin on May 2, Dr Al Jaber, who also heads Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), said, “In a pragmatic, just and well-managed energy transition, we must be laser focused on phasing out fossil fuel emissions, while phasing up viable, affordable zero-ca
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said that he will host US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a security summit on May 24 in Sydney. This will be the first time that Australia will host the Quad Leaders’ Summit. Albanese attended a summit in Tokyo hours after he was sworn in as prime minister following elections last year. “Quad partners are deeply invested in the success of the Indo-Pacific,” Albanese said in a statement, adding, “Leveraging our collective strengths helps Australia advance its intere
In a first, India, Iran and Armenia held a round of political consultations in Yerevan, Armenia in April. The countries agreed to hold future meetings in a trilateral format. In addition to trilateral cooperation, the countries had a wide range of discussions, particularly on economic issues and regional communication. J. P. Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian side. He was joined by Mnatsakan Safaryan, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, and Seyed Rasoul Mousavi, the Assistant of the Foreign Minister of Iran, Head of the Regional General Department of So
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will temporarily join Harvard University later this year. The university said that she has been appointed to dual fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School and to a concurrent fellowship at the Berkman Klein Center. In January, Ardern announced her decision to step down, saying she had “no more in the tank” to lead the country. A global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, Ardern led her country through a devastating mass shooting. She will serve as the 2023 Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow and a Hauser Lea
Mohammed Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd president of Bangladesh on April 24 at a state ceremony attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet colleagues. The veteran politician was elected unopposed as the President of Bangladesh in February as a candidate of the ruling Awami League. Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the oath to 73-year-old Shahabuddin at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban. Several politicians, Supreme Court judges, and senior civil and military officials attended the event. Born in 1949 and hailing from the northwestern Pa
India has evacuated 534 citizens so far from the crisis-hit Sudan in a 72-hour ceasefire. The first batch of 278 citizens arrived at a port in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah on board INS Sumedha under Operation Kaveri on Tuesday. The second and third batches of 121 and 135 citizens carried by IAF's C-130J aircraft arrived on April 26. The Government of India launched an evacuation mission for its citizens stuck in Sudan following the fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. It is looking to rescue more of its citizens from the strife-torn African nation. Under O