Relatives of Ukrainian prisoners arriving from Russia at Borispil Airport, outside Kiev, September 7, 2019 The meeting of the foreign and defense ministers of Russia and France in the 2+2 format in Moscow on September 9 signified not only a warming up of relations between the two countries but a reset in Russia’s ties with the …
Saudi-Indian bromance gets complicated
(Khalid Al-Falih replaced as Saudi oil minister and chairman of Saudi Aramco. File photo.) The India-Saudi relationship was historically a finely poised balance of mutual interests despite all contradictions. Its glacial pace had an inner logic — don’t push too hard, as life is real. But the Modi government quickened the pace — probably …
Saudis and Emiratis visit Pakistan to atone for sins
UAE Foreign minister Sheikh bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (L) and Saudi Minister of State Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir (R) met Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (C), Islamabad, Sept 4, 2019 The unscheduled joint visit by the foreign minister of the UAE and the junior foreign minister of Saudi Arabia — Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and …
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Kashmir casts shadows on India-Russia ties
President Vladimir Putin (L) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) met in Vladivostok for the jubilee 20th Annual Russian-Indian Summit, Vladivostok, September 4, 2019. PM Modi’s visit to Vladivostok on Sept. 3-5 has turned out to be anti-climatic. The main outcome of the event could be, arguably, that Modi can now add Vladivostok to …
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Modi needs congenial team to advance Russia ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian PM Narendra Modi at the informal summit in Sochi in May 2018. File photo. The expected signing of a logistics agreement between India and Russia will be a notable happening during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vladivostok on September 4-6. When such an agreement was concluded with the …
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Moratorium on US oil sanctions to open talks with Iran
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani telephoned French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday to resume decisions on JCPOA The diplomatic manoeuvrings over the situation around Iran are entering a crucial phase with an Iranian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi leaving from Tehran for Paris today to pick up the threads of the 3-way discussions …
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Asian Century bypasses Modi’s India
European Parliament to take up Kashmir on Sept. 2, 2019. The stunning news that India’s GDP growth rate is hitting a six-year low figure of 5 percent in the past six-year period comes as reality check. Many economists even hold the view that in actuality, take away the statistical jugglery, India’s actual GDP growth figure …
Offer from Biarritz not good enough for Iran
Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (L) held talks in Biarritz on Sunday Aug. 25, 2019 with France’s President Macron (R) and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. From all accounts, Tehran is struggling to cope with the startling news in the weekend from the G7 summit at Biarritz that a meeting between the presidents of the …
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Macron’s Carolingian Renaissance of the G7
India draws satisfaction that the Kashmir issue did not figure in the G7 Leaders’ Declaration issued at Biarritz, France, on August 26. Prime Minister Narendra Mod’s hectic effort canvass with French President Emmanuel Macron at Chateau de Chantilly, north of Paris, on August 22, has had the desired outcome. Macron reportedly told Modi that Paris …
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With eye on Trump, India scrambles for Russian support
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) at informal meeting in Sochi in May 2018 Within a week of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s consultations in Moscow on August 21, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is travelling to the Russian capital for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday. Prima …
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