New Delhi: The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved USD 1.5 billion in financing to support India’s structural reforms aimed at boosting private sector-led job creation and accelerating economic growth. The financing, provided under the Boosting Job Creation in the Private Sector Development Policy Financing (DPF) Operation, is expected to support reforms that…
Washington: The US has formally notified the proposed sale of sustainment support services and related equipment for India’s Apache helicopters and M777A2 Ultra-Light Howitzers at an estimated cost of USD 482.2 million. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which administers the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme of the US, issued the arms sales notification in…
Zurich: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday praised the Iranian delegation’s “cool-headedness, dignity and attempts at de-escalation” while speaking to the press in the Swiss mountain resort of Burgenstock. The quadrilateral talks between the US, Iranian, Qatari and Pakistani delegations – being termed the Lake Lucerne Summit – are focused on implementing key provisions…
London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to resign on Monday (June 22) and set out a timetable for his departure, the Observer newspaper reported on Saturday. The newspaper said Starmer had concluded that his position was no longer tenable after speaking to cabinet ministers, advisers, donors and trade union leaders. The report said…
Washington: US President Donald Trump lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is a “great leader” and “tough guy”, who has been in power for more than 12 years. In an interview with Axios, Trump referred to China’s President Xi Jinping and Modi as the two greatest leaders he likes the most in…
Washington: President Donald Trump has unveiled a new Boeing 747-8 jet for Air Force One that the Qatari government donated last year as an “unconditional” gift to the US. The US military has finished modifications to the luxury jumbo jet, which has been valued at an estimated $400m (£300m). “This plane was transformed into a…
United Nations: India has slammed Pakistan at the United Nations, calling it a “Frankenstein state” that gets shocked when its “own monster bites back”, as it accused Islamabad of “hosting, training and deploying” terrorists. The remarks were made by Anupama Singh, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on Wednesday, after Pakistan…
Jerusalem: Israel’s military said Friday its forces struck targets throughout southern Lebanon overnight as Hezbollah reported intense fighting in the area, threatening the nascent agreement between Iran and the United States to end their war. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported at least 16 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, which the Israeli military said were…
Paris: Trade was a major subject of discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, with both leaders directing their negotiators to finalise the proposed trade pact at the earliest, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday. Misri’s comments came a day after Modi and Trump held wide-ranging talks for the first…
Paris: India is emerging as a “trusted partner” to the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, underlining that the country is investing across sectors that will drive growth, innovation and opportunity for generations to come. Addressing the Indian diaspora here, Modi also said that this is a defining period in India’s journey, where…
