India and the World
India, Nepal in Dispute About Birthplace of Buddha
Buddhist history is an ever-more-serious business. China and India have identified Buddhism as an instrument of soft power. In an area where, for centuries, Buddhism all but disappeared, a range of global stakeholders are investing in infrastructure to accommodate throngs of future pilgrims. India’s prize attraction is Bodh Gaya, the site where, it is believed, the Buddha attained enlightenment. Nepal jealously guards its claim to the Buddha’s birth and early life. read more
Sri Lanka President Sirisena Begins Another State Visit to India
Sri Lanka’s leader began his second state visit to India in 17 months Friday in a trip that underscores his island nation’s delicate efforts to balance relations with regional superpowers India and China. President Maithripala Sirisena was slated to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dinner after arriving during the day from Britain. On Saturday, the two men plan to participate in Kumbh Mela, a Hindu religious ritual of plunging into a river believed to wash away sins.
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Japan to Participate in India’s Naval Exercises With U.S.
Japan is expected to take part in the 2015 edition of India’s joint naval exercises with the United States that are scheduled in October. This is being seen as a sign of stronger military and diplomatic ties between India and Japan, and an attempt by India to recover its position as the dominant maritime power in the Indian Ocean that has recently seen inroads by China. read more
Modi Sets Agenda for Pakistan Visit: Deal With Terror
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted an invitation from his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to attend the SAARC summit in Islamabad next year. In doing so, Modi has set the agenda for dialogue with Pakistan: dealing with terrorism. read more
Modi Pushes BRICS Towards Further Cooperation
The group of emerging economies known as BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – are as different in their values as they are in their economic growth. This informal club has in the past decade largely spent its time challenging the developed world. But the time has now come for closer cooperation and coordination, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who proposed a 10-point initiative at the ongoing BRICS summit. read more
India to Project ‘Soft Power’ on Yoga Day
June 21 will be celebrated worldwide as International Day of Yoga, the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to highlight yoga as India's signature cultural export. In Delhi, 45,000 people are expected to join Modi in a mass yoga class conducted by Baba Ramdev, while Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj will lead the events planned at the U.N. in New York.
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Army Retaliates Against Militants, Myanmar Says Border Not Crossed
The Indian army reportedly attacked separatist rebels along the border with Myanmar on Tuesday, though it is not clear whether this was indeed a cross-border strike. The government said its tough response showed its resolve to fight terrorism beyond the country's borders. But on Wednesday Myanmar maintained that its border was not crossed and that Indian forces had attacked insurgents inside India. read more
Modi Focuses on Trade, Gets China to Invest $22 Billion
India has signed trade and economic co-operation deals worth $22 billion in Shanghai on the last leg of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China. The agreements cover a range of industries including renewable energy, the financial sector and ports. But It’s not clear how much these new deals can help in reducing India's soaring trade deficit with China. read more
After 41 Years, India Settles Border With Bangladesh
Parliament cleared a historic land agreement with Bangladesh on Thursday to settle India’s border with its eastern neighbour. Nearly 160 enclaves exist on either side of the border that are encircled by the other nation’s territory – an odd situation left over from Partition in 1947. The agreement would end decades of uncertainty for tens of thousands of citizens living in enclaves on the "wrong" side of the border. read more
India Leads International Relief Efforts in Nepal
India has deployed the largest teams among the international relief operations in quake-ravaged Nepal, with the first aircraft sent within hours of the 7.9-magnitude earthquake. Operation Maitri is already the largest relief effort mounted by India on foreign soil, involving more than two dozen aircraft and hundreds of personnel from the military and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). read more
Uranium from Canada to Boost Power Generation
Canada has agreed a $280 million deal to supply uranium fuel to India, boosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to increase nuclear capacity to meet growing energy demand. The agreement was signed in Ottawa during Modi's visit to Canada, formally ending a decades-long nuclear dispute. The two countries now plan to boost bilateral trade and revive stalled talks on a free trade agreement. read more
Tax Headaches Could Dent Foreign Investors’ Interest in India
The attractiveness of India as an investment destination is at stake with the government targeting foreign institutional investors (FIIs) to increase tax revenues. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley confirmed that he plans to raise as much as Rs 40,000 crore ($6.4 billion) by issuing tax demands against FIIs. Global fund managers could join jittery shareholders of Cairn Energy and Vodafone in wondering if India is the right place to invest after all. read more
Delhi Welcomes New Sri Lankan President With Nuclear Energy, Defence Deals
India has put the Rajapaksa decade firmly behind it with the government sealing a nuclear energy agreement with the new Sri Lanka president Maithripala Sirisena, who is in Delhi on his first trip abroad since winning his country’s election in January. read more
Modi to Make India Business-Friendly, Obama Pledges to Invest $4 Billon
U.S. President Barack Obama ended his landmark visit to India with a pledge of $4 billion in investments and loans, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to slash the country's notorious red tape and make it one of the world's easiest places for business. read more
With ‘Act East’ India Begins to Push Back Against China
There has been an imperceptible shift in India’s approach to dealing with China's recent expansion into South Asia. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has pushed back against China in the region with a new robust diplomacy, which Modi calls "Act East". The biggest diplomatic victory for India so far has been the unexpected defeat of pro-China Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka's election this month. read more
Corporate Tax Deal to be Signed With U.S.
India has worked out a bilateral tax agreement with the United States, which could be signed during U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit, that would boost foreign investment and ease investors’ concerns raised by high profile cases against Vodafone and Shell. read more