Tag: Jaishankar

Jaishankar holds talks with Israel foreign minister on cooperation in defence

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New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday held wide-ranging discussions with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, focussing on cooperation in areas of defence, agriculture and water.
“Productive and wide-ranging discussions with Foreign Minister @elicoh1 of Israel this afternoon. The main pillars of our strategic partnership – agriculture, water, defence & security – are taking our ties forward. New agreements in water & agriculture today underline the potential to do more,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting with Cohen.
He also informed that discussions were held in cooperation in high-tech, digital and innovation and also connectivity, mobility tourism, finance and health sectors.

Both the leaders noted the progress in I2U2 and cooperation in multilateral fora. They also exchanged perspectives on their respective regions, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific.
The two leaders also initiated an agreement in the area of mobility.
Cohen on his part said that he had an “excellent meeting with the Foreign Minister of India – @DrSJaishankar. We are strengthening ties with the most populous country in the world, and expanding cooperation in the fields of cyber, agriculture and water”.
“Our cooperation will strengthen Israel’s position in the world and stability in the Middle East,” Cohen tweeted.
The Israel Foreign Minister, who arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a scheduled three-day visit, cut short his trip and is returning back to Tel Aviv on Tuesday night owing to some pressing concerns.

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#Jaishankar #holds #talks #Israel #foreign #minister #cooperation #defence
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 9, 2023
‘Indo-China relations are not normal…’: Jaishankar at SCO meet

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Panaji: Reiterating his stand on India-China border issues, External Affairs Minister S Jaishnakar on Friday made it clear again that the ties between the two countries cannot be normal until peace and tranquillity are maintained on the Land of Actual Control (LAC).
Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the Foriegn Ministers’ Meeting under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), S Jaishankar was asked to share details about his talks with Chinese Foriegn Minister Qin Gang.
To this, the EAM replied, “The issue is that there is an abnormal position in the border areas, along the boundary. We had a very frank discussion about it…We have to take the disengagement process forward.

“I have made it very clear, publically as well, that India-China relations are not normal and cannot be normal if peace and tranquillity in the border areas are disturbed…” Jaishankar added.
“I have been very consistent about it and I have not changed my position in this meeting either,” he added.
Regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Jaishankar said, “It was made very clear twice that connectivity is good for progress but it cannot violate the integrity and sovereignty of states.”
“This has been our long-standing position and nobody should have any doubt about it and I assure you nobody in this room has any doubt about it. I made sure of that,” Jaishanakar added.
China’s CPEC projects in Pakistan have slowed down due to the prevailing economic crisis in the neighbouring country.

Pakistan has been slow to complete infrastructure projects and China has been slow to fund new ones, reported Foreign Policy.
Citing a case in point, the report said a reactor that was inaugurated by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in February was funded by China to strengthen Pakistan’s energy security. The work on the reactor began in 2016 after the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The slowing pace of the CPEC projects is not only because of the ongoing economic crisis in Pakistan as it cannot afford the infrastructure loans extended to it, but also due to Beijing’s own economic slowdown.
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#IndoChina #relations #normal.. #Jaishankar #SCO #meet
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
We have to take disengagement process forward: Jaishankar on eastern Ladakh border row

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Benaulim: The relations between India and China cannot be normal if peace and tranquillity in border areas are disturbed, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.
His comments at a press conference came a day after his talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.
“I think the issue is that there is an abnormal position in border areas,” he said, adding “we had a frank discussion about it.”

“We have to take the disengagement process forward,” he further said.
Jaishankar and Qin held bilateral talks on Thursday on the sidelines of a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The meeting between the two foreign ministers was their second in the last two months. The Chinese foreign minister visited India in March to attend a meeting of the G20 foreign ministers.
During the talks, Jaishankar conveyed to his Chinese counterpart that the state of India-China relations is “abnormal” because of the lingering border row in eastern Ladakh.
Last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu at a meeting that China’s violation of existing border agreements “eroded” the entire basis of ties between the two countries and that all issues relating to the frontier must be resolved in accordance with the existing pacts.

The meeting on April 27 took place in New Delhi on the sidelines of a conclave of the SCO defence ministers.
Days ahead of the meeting between the two defence ministers, the Indian and Chinese armies held 18th round of talks on ending the border row.
In the Corps Commander talks on April 23, the two sides agreed to stay in close touch and work out a mutually acceptable solution to the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh at the earliest.
However, there was no indication of any clear forward movement in ending the three-year row.
The ties between India and China nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
The Indian and the Chinese troops are locked in a standoff in a few friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh for the last three years though they disengaged in several places following a series of military and diplomatic talks.
India has been maintaining that the relationship between the two countries should be based on “three mutuals” — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests.
The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.
As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in 2021 on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.
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#disengagement #process #Jaishankar #eastern #Ladakh #border #row
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Jaishankar hosts reception for foreign ministers attending SCO meet

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Benaulim: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday evening hosted a gala reception for the foreign ministers of Russia, China, Pakistan and other member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), marking the beginning of a two-day conclave of the grouping.
The main deliberations of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers will take place on Friday.
The reception at the sea-side Taj Exotica Resort in Benaulim was attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Russia’s Sergey Lavrov and Pakistan’s Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Uzbekistan’s Bakhtiyor Saidov and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming.

The foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were also among those who joined the reception.
This evening’s cultural performance was an amalgamation of Indian classical and folk dance forms along with Bollywood dance styles, as a glimpse of Hindi cinema.
There was a special segment where representatives of the SCO countries showcased their dance performances.
India is hosting SCO conclave amid the escalating confrontation between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine and concerns over China’s expansionist behaviour.
The overall situation in Afghanistan including apprehensions that the country may turn into a breeding ground for terrorism under the Taliban rule as well as the fast evolving regional security situation are expected to figure prominently during the deliberations on Friday.

India is emerging as a key player among the SCO countries though China and Russia are seen as the major drivers of the grouping that is increasingly seen as an “alternative” to NATO.
India is hosting the SCO conclave when its ties with China are under severe strain in view of the lingering border row in eastern Ladakh.
People familiar with the preparation of the conclave said the foreign ministers will deliberate on overall challenges facing the region in the backdrop of the current geo-political turmoil and the state of bilateral ties between the member nations would not impact the discussions.
The SCO is an influential economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.
India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping, which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.
India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.
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#Jaishankar #hosts #reception #foreign #ministers #attending #SCO #meet
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 4, 2023
World is recognising capabilities and contributions of ‘New India’, EAM Jaishankar

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Bogota: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the world is recognising the capabilities and contributions of a ‘New India’ as he underscored that there is a feeling that today’s India has the ability to bridge the difficult issues.
During an interaction with the Indian community members in Bogota on Tuesday, Jaishankar also said that the world today is acknowledging the changes in India and getting more ready for India.
Jaishankar also shared with the community members India’s transformation into ‘New India’ and its global implications. “Underlined how the world is recognising the capabilities and contributions of a New India,” he said.

Citing the Ukraine conflict or problems which deal with the developed world and the developing world, he told the Indian diaspora that “in all of this from all quarters, there is today that feeling that India is a country which in some way or the other can serve as a bridge as a someone who brings differing opinions together (and) helps to find a solution”.
“In the last decade, we have built up a reputation as what we call a first responder. When something happens we are quick to move because we’ve developed our own capability within the country. And now we feel we are good enough, experienced enough and responsible enough to do that outside…” he said, citing the example of the recent earthquake in Turkey where India sent its disaster rescue team within 24 hours.
Noting that there are some issues which trouble all countries in the world, the minister said that climate is one and here too there’s been a big change in India’s positioning, in India’s image.
“We are seeing today as a climate leader, a country which has done a lot on solar energy, on renewables, which is actually coming up with a whole series of ideas and practices and institutions,” he said.
He added that today a much more united global position on terrorism is at least partly due to the efforts that India has made in the last 10 years. “There is a feeling that today’s India has the ability to bridge the difficult issues. And frankly, sometimes the difficult arguments of the day,” he added.

He said that there is a much greater inclination on the part of the world to make an effort to understand India, that an India which is stronger, more powerful, more impactful. “There is a much greater willingness on the part of the world to make an effort to understand us and what we are,” he said.
Jaishankar also talked about the work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for the welfare of Indians abroad.
He lauded the Indian diaspora’s contributions, saying the image of India in foreign countries is significantly shaped by the community. “In this era of globalisation, of technology, of mobility, Indians are making their presence felt everywhere,” he added.
While responding to a question on dual citizenship, Jaishankar said that the issue involves security implications and not many big countries allow it.
During his stay in Colombia, Jaishankar would meet several top leaders of the country and review bilateral ties with his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Leyva Duran.
Jaishankar is on a nine-day trip to Guyana, Panama, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic, his first visit as the external affairs minister to these Latin American countries and the Caribbean.
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#World #recognising #capabilities #contributions #India #EAM #Jaishankar
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 26, 2023
Difficult to engage with neighbour that practices cross-border terrorism: Jaishankar

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New Delhi: Without naming Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that it is difficult to engage with a neighbour which practices cross-border terrorism against India.
At the same time though, Jaishankar, who is currently in Panama as part of his four-nation tour of North and South America, expressed hope that one day a stage will arrive when Pakistan will deliver on its commitment to not sponsoring cross-border terrorism.
During a joint press briefing with his counterpart from Panama, the Minister said: “It is for us very difficult to engage with a neighbour who practices cross-border terrorism against us. We’ve always said that they have to deliver on the commitment to not sponsor and carry out cross-border terrorism.

“We continue to hope that one day we would reach that stage.”
As part of the visit, Jaishankar first visited Guyana, which was followed by Panama.
He is also scheduled to make stops in Colombia (April 25-27) and the Dominican Republic (April 27-29).
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#Difficult #engage #neighbour #practices #crossborder #terrorism #Jaishankar
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 25, 2023
Jaishankar joins Guyana’s President Ali at commissioning of India-made ferry

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Georgetown: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar joined President of Guyana Irfaan Ali at the commissioning of an India-made ferry which would enhance connectivity and provide mobility and economic opportunities in the country’s distant hinterlands.
The ferry is truly a testimony of the close friendship between our two countries, Jaishankar said at the launch ceremony.
“MV Ma Lisha means friendship. The ferry made by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata is its practical expression. This ferry would significantly enhance connectivity within Guyana. It will provide mobility and economic opportunities for distant hinterlands,” Jaishankar tweeted.

The vessel serves the dual purpose of being a passenger and a cargo ferry in Guyana. It can carry almost 300 passengers, 14 cars, two trucks, 14 containers and other assorted cargo.
He said it was important to look at the ferry and consider the larger context, which is that of the long-standing development partnership between India and Guyana.
“Our cooperation is human-centric, it reflects the priorities of the people and the Government of Guyana. Over the years our two countries have collaborated in several areas of interest, which directly impact the lives of the people,” Jaishankar said.
Some of the notable projects in Guyana include a cricket stadium in Georgetown, a Centre for Excellence in IT, modernisation of sugar plants and installation of solar traffic lights, he said.
“I want to underline today, that we remain committed to continuing to support Guyana’s developmental goals and to work with this country, on projects of its interest and priorities,” the minister said.

Cooperation in human resource development has also been an important feature of the bilateral ties. So far, 640 Guyanese nationals have benefited from India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programmes, which are designed to enhance skills and capacity building, he said.
“It would be India’s privilege to partner Guyana on our premier training institutions, universities and learning institutions. We would also be happy to work with Guyana to build a modern ecosystem of institutes for training and capacity building, to meet its growing requirements,” he said.
Jaishankar noted that the visits of both President Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in quick succession to India have infused new energy in the bilateral relationship.
He also said that the arrival of the ferry and his own visit are milestones in ties and an indication that the two countries were moving to the next phase of their bilateral cooperation.
Jaishankar is on a nine-day trip to Guyana, Panama, Colombia and the Dominican Republic, his first visit as the external affairs minister to these Latin American countries and the Caribbean
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#Jaishankar #joins #Guyanas #President #Ali #commissioning #Indiamade #ferry
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 24, 2023
‘Looking at it positively, says Jaishankar in Afghan meeting to be hosted by UN

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United Nations: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday that India is looking “positively” at the meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan to be hosted by UN chief Antonio Guterres in Doha next month.
UN Secretary-General Guterres will be hosting the meeting in Doha on May 1 and 2.
“We’re looking at it. We’re looking at it positively, but I guess we’ll take a call closer to the time but we are looking at it,” Jaishankar said here in response to a question on whether India will be participating in the meeting.

St phane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said the purpose of the small group meeting is to reinvigorate the international engagement around the common objectives for a durable way forward on the situation in Afghanistan.
“The Secretary-General has said and continues to believe that it’s an urgent priority to advance an approach based on pragmatism and principles, combined with strategic patience, and to identify parameters for creative, flexible, principled, and constructive engagement.
“It is his aim that the discussions, which will be held behind closed doors, can contribute to a more unified consensus regarding the challenges ahead,” Dujarric said.
Jaishankar is on his way to South America, beginning a nine-day trip to Guyana, Panama, Colombia and the Dominican Republic on Friday.
Before his visit, he arrived in New York and met Guterres, discussing the situation in Sudan with the UN chief.

(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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#positively #Jaishankar #Afghan #meeting #hosted
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
EAM Jaishankar discusses Sudan situation with UN chief Guterres

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United Nations: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday discussed the worsening situation in Sudan with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and said the focus is really on how to get the diplomatic processes to yield the desired result of a workable, on-the-ground observed ceasefire.
Jaishankar met Guterres and also discussed a range of issues, including India’s presidency of the G20 and the Ukraine conflict.
Jaishankar said the focus is really on how to get the diplomatic processes to yield the desired result of a workable, on-the-ground observed ceasefire.

He is headed on a nine-day trip to Guyana, Panama, Colombia and the Dominican Republic beginning on Friday, his first visit as the external affairs minister to these Latin American countries and the Caribbean.
Before his travel to Latin America, he arrived in New York and met the UN chief at the UN headquarters here on Thursday afternoon.
Noting that he had a “very good meeting” with Guterres, Jaishankar said once the fighting in Sudan started out, “I felt that it was very important” that he met the UN Secretary-General Guterres.
“Most of our meeting was on the Sudan situation. We also of course discussed the G20 and we also spend some time on the Ukraine conflict. But essentially it was about the Sudan” situation, he said.
Jaishankar said that in Sudan, the UN is at “the heart of the efforts” to establish a ceasefire.

“And that is really key because at the moment, unless there is a ceasefire and unless there are corridors, it is not safe for people to really come out,” he said.
“The UN is doing its bit talking to everybody. We of course have obviously very strong interest in the matter because so many Indians are there,” Jaishankar added.
Around 300 people, including an Indian, have been killed, and more than 3,000 injured in clashes in Sudan, according to the World Health Organisation. The violence between forces from Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted on Saturday.
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#EAM #Jaishankar #discusses #Sudan #situation #chief #Guterres
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
Appalling response to ‘genuine appeal’: Cong slams Jaishankar for accusing Siddaramaiah

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New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday slammed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for accusing former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of politicising the issue of Indians stranded in Sudan, saying it was an “appalling response” to a “genuine appeal” for assistance.
The Opposition party lashed out at the Modi government over the issue, saying the problem with most of ministers is that they are so eager to prove their loyalty to “their master and be his voice” that they have forgotten that they are sworn to certain responsibilities.
The issue began with Siddaramaiah posting a series of tweets saying “it is reported that 31 people from Karnataka belonging to Hakki Pikki tribe, are stranded in Sudan which is troubled by civil war” and the government is yet to initiate action to bring them back.

The former Karnataka chief minister urged the prime minister’s office, the union home minister’s office and the ministry of external affairs to “immediately intervene” and ensure the safe return of the Indians.
Siddaramaiah also said the ‘Hakki Pikkis’ in Sudan are left stranded without food since the last few days.
He said the BJP government should immediately open diplomatic discussions and reach out to international agencies to ensure the well-being of Hakki Pikkis.
Jaishankar then came down hard on Siddaramaiah and tweeted, “Simply appalled at your tweet! There are lives at stake; don’t do politics.”
“Since the fighting started on April 14th, the Embassy of India in Khartoum has been continuously in touch with most Indian Nationals and PIOs in Sudan,” Jaishankar tweeted.

“Their details and locations cannot be made public for security reasons. Their movement is constrained by fierce fighting that is ongoing,” he added.
Jaishankar said plans regarding them have to take into account a “very complicated” security scenario and that the Indian embassy in Sudan is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs over the situation in that country.
“It is grossly irresponsible of you to politicise their situation. No electoral goal justifies endangering Indians abroad,” he said.
Assembly elections in Karnataka are due next month.
Hitting back at Jaishankar, Siddaramaiah said, “Since you are the External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar I have appealed you for help. If you are busy getting appalled please point us to the person who can help us bring our people back.”
Tagging Jaishankar’s tweet accusing Siddaramaiah of politicising the issue, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “A most appalling response from the External Affairs minister to a former CM with a genuine appeal. This level of nastiness from a man I have known so very well… who has developed new loyalties and who wants to show that in whatever he says and does.”
Ramesh added that he will not say anything on Jaishankar’s past.
Asked about the sharp Twitter exchange between Jaishankar and Siddaramaiah, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, “I am very shocked at the reaction that came. Our leader Siddaramaiah gave him an apt reply when he said that “if he is done with appalling, he needs to start assisting citizens’.”
The problem with people in this government is that for every little thing they get so riled up, she said.
“He (Siddaramaiah) put out a message seeking the assistance of India’s foreign minister to safely ensure the passage of citizens from Karnataka struck in Sudan, what was so riling about it. The problem with most of these ministers, who are so eager to prove their loyalty to their master and be his voice, is that they have forgotten that they are sworn to certain responsibilities, they are sworn to accountability,” Shrinate said.
“This was nothing about politicising this was about seeking help. You (Jaishankar) may be helpless, you may be good for nothing and that is who you are. You have decided to turn a two-rupee troll, good for you, do all you want to do, ensure the safe passage of citizens back in India,” she said.
Tagging a tweet on the Siddaramaiah-Jaishankar Twitter exchange, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, “On this issue Dr S Jaishankar’s response surprises me. He knows that public representatives frequently convey to Govt appeals from constituents in distress. He has helped me with several during Covid. Why was Siddaramaiah ji’s request ‘appalling’?”
Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group for the last five days that has reportedly left around 100 people dead.
Meanwhile, government sources said on Wednesday said India is coordinating closely with various countries to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in violence-hit Sudan.
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#Appalling #response #genuine #appeal #Cong #slams #Jaishankar #accusing #Siddaramaiah
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 19, 2023