Amidst the ongoing border tensions between India and China, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is set to resume in 2025, with its modalities yet to be finalized. This was stated by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in his weekly media briefing, where he also highlighted the constructive engagement between the two countries at various levels since the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping in October 2024. The External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, and the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, had also met in February to discuss the resumption of the yatra and other bilateral issues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus met at the BIMSTEC Summit, marking their first encounter since former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster. The meeting comes in the midst of diplomatic tensions after Yunus's comments during his visit to China, where he encouraged their influence in Bangladesh, referring to the country as the "only guardian of the ocean" in the region. This remark was met with criticism from India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who highlighted India's expanding connectivity in the Northeast as a hub for the BIMSTEC countries.
In response to two devastating earthquakes hitting Myanmar, India has launched ‘Operation Brahma’ to send 15 tonnes of relief material. The aid was transported by an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft and includes tents, blankets, food packets, and essential medicines. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered assistance and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar shared visuals of the aid arriving in Yangon. India acted as a “first responder” to assist the people of Myanmar in the aftermath of the natural disaster.
During a visit to London, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was heckled by a pro-Khalistani extremist who breached security and ran towards his car, tearing the Indian national flag. Police were initially unresponsive but eventually intervened and attempted to calm the man down instead of restraining him. The Ministry of External Affairs has condemned the actions of the separatist group and expects the UK government to fulfill their diplomatic obligations. This incident comes after Jaishankar brought up concerns about Khalistani extremism during a meeting with UK's Secretary of State for Home Yvette Cooper.
In a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed concerns about the increasing delays faced by Indian citizens in obtaining US visas. Jaishankar highlighted the impact of these delays on business, tourism, and people-to-people interactions, stressing the need for urgent attention to the issue. He also mentioned the strong trust between India and the US, and the desire to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and cooperate on regional and global issues, including the Quad.
The United States has deported 104 Indian migrants on a military aircraft, landing them in Amritsar, India yesterday. The move has caused a political controversy, with the US defending their actions as crucial for national security while Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar downplayed the deportations as routine. However, opposition leaders have pointed out that the Indian government has previously arranged special flights to evacuate citizens from crisis zones, questioning why a similar measure was not taken for these deportees.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the Parliament regarding the deportation of over 100 Indian nationals from the US, assuring that the government is actively engaging with the US to ensure the deportees are not mistreated. He also emphasized the need for cracking down on the illegal immigration industry and taking necessary action against agents based on information provided by the deportees.
In his first bilateral meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, newly-appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed the Trump administration's commitment to advancing economic ties and addressing concerns related to irregular migration with India. The meeting between the top diplomats took place following a Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where representatives from Australia, India, Japan, and the US discussed regional and global issues. Both sides affirmed the strong partnership between India and the US and exchanged views on various topics.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is travelling to the US on behalf of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for President Donald Trump's inauguration. Jaishankar will deliver a personal letter from Modi to Trump and attend the swearing-in ceremony as India's special envoy. This is a common practice for India to send special envoys to attend the inauguration of heads of state or government, showcasing the importance of the relationship between the two countries.
Amid Uproar, Jaishankar Confirms India's Accessibility to Depsang and Demchok Patrolling Points after Disengagement with China The ongoing tension between India and China reached the parliament when Congress MP Manish Tewari questioned the accessibility of Indian patrolling points in Depsang and Demchok after recent disengagement. In response, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar clarified that after the understanding between the two countries, the Indian forces now have access to all patrolling points, including the historically disputed areas in Depsang. Additionally, Indian troops have reported that Chinese troops have withdrawn from the Depsang area, allowing Indian forces to patrol the Y Junction and Raki Nala as agreed upon in the meeting.