South Asia

Foreign Minister upset by Amit Shah’s comment on Bangladeshis

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks that “the poor in Bangladesh still go hungry” has upset Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.
Editor’s Guild of India urges govt to declare journalists as frontline workers

The Editors Guild of India today urged the Indian government to declare journalists as frontline workers and ensure priority vaccination for them amid a rise in coronavirus cases.
UAE is mediating between India and Pakistan, says senior diplomat

The United Arab Emirates’ envoy to Washington confirmed the Gulf state is mediating between India and Pakistan to help the nuclear-armed rivals reach a “healthy and functional” relationship.
India, China talk disengagement for rest of friction points at east Ladakh

India and China today held the 11th round of corps commander talks to iron out differences over the next phase of disengagement in Eastern Ladakh.
India to review Covid-19 vaccine side effects: report

A panel of Indian experts is investigating if there are any domestic cases of blood clotting, even mild ones, as a side effect of the two Covid-19 vaccines being administered in the country.
Indian Army Chief arrives in Dhaka

Chief of Army Staff of Indian Army Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane arrived in Dhaka this morning on a five-day visit, on invitation from Gen Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army.
Modi sends letter of appreciation to Agri minister for playing role of minister-in-waiting

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday sent a letter of thanks to Bangladesh’s agriculture minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque for playing role of the minister-in-waiting during the premiere’s recent visit to the country.
Modi thanks Dhaka for 'excellent arrangements' during visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed his thanks to Dhaka for making “excellent arrangements” during his two-day state visit, from March 26.
Afghan leader proposes peace road map in three phases-document

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document seen by Reuters shows.
BIMSTEC finalises charter to be signed at next summit

Bangladesh and other BIMSTEC countries have finalised the text of its charter, a master plan for transport connectivity, and a Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters to be signed at the fifth summit of the group expected to be held in Sri Lanka soon.
India to send delegation to four-nation military exercise in Bangladesh

India is sending a 30-member delegation to the four-nation military exercise “Shantir Orgoshena 2021” to be held in Bangladesh from April 4 to 12, commemorating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence.
‘Bangabandhu promoted noncommunal politics in the Indian sub-continent’

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has promoted peace and non-communal politics not only in Bangladesh but in the entire Indian sub-continent, said Indian Railway, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
18 months after banning trade, Pakistan to buy sugar and cotton from India

Eighteen months after banning bilateral trade after heightened tension over Kashmir, Pakistan today decided to buy sugar and cotton from India, Pakistan’s newly-appointed Finance Minister Hammad Azhar announced today.
South Asia set to bounce back but faces fragile recovery: World Bank

South Asia's prospect for an economic rebound is firming up as the area's growth is set to increase by 7.2 per cent in 2021 and 4.4 per cent in 2022, World Bank said in its twice-a-year-regional update today.
Pakistan PM to India PM: We too want peaceful relations

Pakistan’s prime minister has responded to a recent peace overture from his Indian counterpart, writing in a letter to Narendra Modi that Islamabad also desires peaceful relations with New Delhi, officials said yesterday.
Promote Bangladesh-Pakistan ties: Imran Khan to envoy

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed High Commissioner Imran Ahmed Siddiqui to continue efforts for promotion of bilateral ties with Bangladesh.
No meeting planned with Indian counterpart, says Pakistani foreign minister

The much-anticipated meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) on the sidelines of a ministerial conference of the Heart of Asia — Istanbul Process, which gets under way on today — has not been scheduled so far.
Philippines sends fighter aircraft over Chinese vessels in South China Sea

The Philippine military is sending light fighter aircraft to fly over hundreds of Chinese vessels in disputed waters in the South China Sea, its defence minister said, as he repeated his demand the flotilla be withdrawn immediately.
Suspected suicide bombing at Indonesian church wounds 14 people

Two suspected suicide bombers blew themselves up outside a Catholic church in the Indonesian city of Makassar on Sunday, wounding fourteen people on the first day of the Easter Holy Week, the country’s national police said.
Congress files RTI seeking info on Modi’s claim of his arrest for supporting Bangladesh’s independence

An application has been filed under the Right to Information Act (RTI) seeking detailed information about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim of his arrest and imprisonment for supporting Bangladesh’s independence.
Bangladesh, India bilateral talks begin

Bilateral talks between Bangladesh and India started this afternoon at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Dhaka.
Hasina-Modi talks: Focus to be on connectivity, trade, health

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are set to have “substantive discussions” with focus on trade, connectivity and Covid-19 cooperation.
India needs to play leading role in building stable, vibrant South Asia: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said India, being the largest country in the region, needs to play a pioneering role in building a stable and politically and economically vibrant South Asia.
PM Hasina welcomes Modi at Dhaka airport

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Dhaka on a two-day official visit to take part in the golden jubilee celebration of Bangladesh's independence and Mujib Borsho – birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Destinies of our peoples are intertwined: Imran Khan writes to PM Hasina

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, congratulating her on 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence and Mujib Borsho, seeking to fortify the existing bonds between the two countries and to build new ones for the succeeding generations.
7th Staff Talks between Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy ends in New Delhi

The three-day 7th Staff Talks between Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy for further bolstering existing defence relations between the two countries in the maritime domain ended in New Delhi today.
Hi-Tech Park in Chattogram will emerge as hub for ICT-centric growth: South Korean PM

The Hi-Tech Park, which is being built in the Korean Export Processing Zone in Chattogram, will emerge as a hub for ICT-centric innovative growth in tune with the digital transformation in Bangladesh, said South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun today.
Modi to have ‘substantive discussions’ with PM Hasina during upcoming visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he would be having “substantive discussions” with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka following the “very productive” virtual meeting between them in December last year.
Bhutanese PM, delegation start 21-day quarantine upon return to country

Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering returned to his country today and started a 21-day mandatory quarantine.
Environment of trust, devoid of hostility, imperative: Modi to Imran on Pakistan Day

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in a Pakistan Day message that his country desires cordial relations with Pakistani people and for that an environment of trust, devoid of terror and hostility is imperative.