Three significant aspects of Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent visit to Sri Lanka need to be highlighted. First, the timely medical assistance to tackle the problems posed by Covid-19; second, New Delhi’s hope that Sri Lanka “in its interest” should fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community for equality and dignity in a united Lanka; and third, finding a durable solution to the travails of fishermen in the Palk Bay. My focus is on the third subject, which has eluded a solution for the past several decades.
The fisheries issue, according to Jaishankar, was discussed in the earlier Joint Working Group in an “open and candid manner”. He also had a meeting with the Sri Lankan Minister for Fisheries Douglas Devananda. The outcome of the meeting is not known. The two countries are at present engaged in a “fire-fighting exercise”. The Indian fishermen who get detained in Sri Lankan waters are released after a few days; the detained trawlers are also
A file photo of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. | Joshua Roberts/Reuters
Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the relationship between India and China had been profoundly disturbed because of the “bloodshed” on the border after 45 years, Reuters reported.
Jaishankar made the remark in reference to the clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in June. The tensions between the two countries started with initial scuffles that led to a pitched battle – without firearms – in June that led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers . Beijing, however, refused to release casualty numbers on its side.
Farm law protests: Over 100 British MPs urge Boris Johnson to take up matter with PM Modi
The letter said that people in UK were ‘horrified to see’ the use of water cannons and tear gas against protesting farmers. Jan 10, 2021 · 04:42 pm Police personnel use water canons on protesting farmers to stop them from marching to Delhi in Ambala on November 26. | PTI
Over 100 members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom have written to the country’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, urging him to take up the farmers’ protests against India’s new agriculture laws with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The letter dated January 5, was released by UK’s Labour Party MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi on Twitter on Friday. It said that people in the UK, especially with links to Punjab or India, were “horrified to see footage of water cannon, tear gas and brute force” against peacefully protesting farmers.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) and Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. | Secretary Pompeo/Twitter
United States’ outgoing Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Wednesday said that the relations between the country and India have “never been closer”.
“The U.S. relationship with Asia’s most populous democracy has never been closer, from trade to military cooperation and more,” he said in a tweet, with a link to to his speech from June 2019, when he had visited India.
The U.S. relationship with Asia s most populous democracy has never been closer, from trade to military cooperation and more. #LeadingFromTheFronthttps://t.co/aibBDPWPhK Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 5, 2021
Updated Dec 17, 2020 | 06:50 IST
India and UK would be working on strengthening the academic and research collaborations and also set up a joint task force which would work towards mutual recognition of academic qualifications. India, UK to work on mutual recognition of academic degrees | Photo Credit: iStock Images
Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, Dominic Raab on Wednesday hailed India s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as visionary and expressed the resolve of strengthening India-UK collaboration on deepening engagement in the field of education and research.
According to an official release, Raab, during a bilateral meeting with Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank , said that the proposed reforms of NEP 2020 will open up opportunities for students, economy and for deeper engagement and collaboration between the two countries.