French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the launch of an exclusive programme called "Classes Internationales" (international classes) for Indian students. On January 26, President Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a joint statement. The programme aims to enhance educational and cultural exchange between the two countries. Starting in September, this special programme will offer Indian students the opportunity to spend a year in France learning French before pursuing their chosen degrees. As per a statement from the French Embassy, students who complete a foundatio
Vietnam and the Philippines have signed an agreement to enhance cooperation in safeguarding the South China Sea to prevent untoward incidents in the region. The announcement came during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s state visit to Hanoi, underscoring the strategic importance of collaboration amid escalating tensions. With China laying claim to nearly all of the $3 trillion in annual shipborne trade passing through the South China Sea, both Southeast Asian nations find themselves in competition over vital maritime territories. The bilateral agreement, consisting of two memoranda of un
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has set the stage for a fresh era of collaboration with Africa during a pivotal one-day summit. In an unveiling of long-awaited plans, Meloni outlined a vision aimed at fortifying economic ties, establishing an energy hub for Europe, and mitigating migration pressures. In a bid to kickstart this ambitious agenda, Meloni committed an initial investment of $5.95 billion, which includes state-backed guarantees. Meloni said, "We are only at the beginning; there is a very long road ahead of us. This day is a restart." She outlined the need for swift action
On Tuesday, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed that Australia stands as the premier "security ally" for its close neighbour Papua New Guinea (PNG), following revelations that China had initiated discussions for a policing and security arrangement. PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko said that China approached PNG in September with proposals to support its police force through training, equipment provision, and surveillance technology. He emphasised that discussions were in preliminary stages and assured that PNG remained committed to its security relationships with Au
The United States and Iraq held their first round of talks on the future of the US military presence in Iraq. Meanwhile, Baghdad discussed its expectations for creating a timeframe for the withdrawal of US troops. On Saturday, high-ranking officials of the US-led coalition and the Iraqi military forces met with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudas in Baghdad. PM Al-Sudani said in a joint statement, “the commencement of the first round of bilateral dialogue between Iraq and the United States of America to end the coalition in Iraq.” He further added that military experts will be in
India and France have solidified their dedication to joint ventures in defence equipment development, fortifying bilateral ties across a spectrum of sectors, including defence production, nuclear energy, space exploration, and harnessing artificial intelligence for public services. The collaboration encompasses the provision of helicopters and submarines to the Indian armed forces, marking significant progress in defence cooperation. Nevertheless, the precise financial details of these agreements remain undisclosed at present. On January 26, Emmanuel Macron and PM Narendra Modi held discus
On Wednesday, Tshering Tobgay, the liberal politician and leader of Bhutan's People’s Democratic Party (PDP), secured his second term as prime minister. At 58, Tobgay becomes the nation's fourth freely elected prime minister since its transition to democracy fifteen years ago. Previously serving from 2013 to 2018, Tobgay led the opposition in the newly established parliamentary system. A former bureaucrat, Tobgay staunchly supported Bhutan's Buddhist culture. Situated between China and India, Bhutan is renowned for pioneering the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, a holistic economic
US billionaire Elon Musk calls India's not being a United Nations Security Council member ‘absurd.' Musk’s statement comes after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanded reforms in the institutions of global governance. Guterres further questioned the African Union's lack of representation in the UNSC and said that institutions must reflect today’s world and not that of 80 years ago. According to him, India and Africa should be added to the permanent member seat as they are two of the most populous countries in the world. He stated that the UNSC is unjustly divided, and the
On Saturday, Felix Tshisekedi was sworn in as the president of the second-largest country in Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The 80,000-seat Martyrs sports stadium in Kinshasa was chosen by the leader known as "Fatshi" for the inauguration event. Despite the political unrest in the country, he will take on the position for a second five-year term. He won reelection with more than 70% of the votes, but the opposition parties refused to acknowledge his win due to several election irregularities in December. However, the authorities swiftly refuted the allegations of fr
On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Kampala, Uganda, for a two-day summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). His visit is part of a two-nation tour of Uganda and Nigeria. Dr. S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegations to the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement on January 19–20. It is expected that he will meet with Ugandan leaders and counterparts from several other NAM members. Later, Minister of State for External Affairs V Miraleedharan will represent India at the G-77 Third South Summit on January 21 and 22. On his arrival today, Dr S Jaishankar sha