
Beijing: India is ready to write a new chapter of its relationship with China and the two countries should align their positions in many areas despite differences, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said on the eve of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to India. "This visit is special because it is the first visit abroad by the Chinese premier since he assumed office in March. The relationship between our two countries are now sound and good," Khurshid told Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua in an interview on Saturday.
Khurshid believed the two neighbouring countries, despite their differences, have a lot in common and should "align their positions in many areas." "India is ready to write a new chapter of our relationship with China," he said. The upbeat tone is shared by Sitaram Yechury, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a member of the upper house of the Indian parliament. "This will be a very important visit for India. It will not only strengthen but also multiply the ties between the two countries," said Yechury, noting that the two countries are registering enviable growth rates while many other economies are struggling in recession or slowdown.
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03:05 AM, May 19, 2013

New Delhi: All issues, including the boundary question, would be on the table when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meet in New Delhi on Sunday evening for talks. Li, who arrives in India Sunday afternoon on a three-day state visit, and Manmohan Singh are also likely to discuss the proposed border defence cooperation agreement during their talks, sources said Saturday. Li's visit comes days after the...

07:58 PM, May 18, 2013

Tokyo: India and Japan on Friday agreed to further strengthen investment and trade ties by ensuring faster implementation of ongoing projects. Both the countries have agreed to support planned initiatives and projects in this year designed for strengthening business partnership to be organized by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a joint statement by Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and...

05:35 AM, May 18, 2013

New Delhi: In the high profile Sahara case involving over Rs 24,000 crore raised through "various illegalities", market regulator SEBI has begun the process of refund to individual investors who have been verified by it. The money is being refunded only in those cases where SEBI has not found any multiplicity during its verification process. Refund for others will have to wait till the next direction from the Supreme Court,...

05:17 PM, May 14, 2013

Washington: Nawaz Sharif's decision to invite Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a "positive sign", the United States has said and expressed its willingness to work with the new government in Pakistan. "We have seen those comments. I don't want to analyze it too much, but to say that it is a positive step and we look forward to working with the new government as it's formed," State Department spokesperson Jen...

11:00 AM, May 14, 2013

London: British Prime Minister David Cameron has telephoned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif to congratulate him on his party's success in general elections. Cameron, who took time out of an official US tour to telephone Sharif, agreed to work with him to strengthen bilateral relationship. "The Prime Minister spoke to Nawaz Sharif earlier today to congratulate him on his party's success in the recent Pakistani elections. They agreed...

09:36 AM, May 14, 2013

Washington: Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Sherry Rehman, has resigned from her post. Congratulating the new parliament on its election, Ambassador Rehman has sent in her resignation to the Prime Minister, saying that it is time a new envoy come in as quickly as possible so that there is no gap in the relationship, an Embassy spokesman said. A political appointee of the previous government and a close aide of...

09:30 AM, May 14, 2013

Washington: Even as there is a sense of positivity over Indo-Pak ties after the outcome of Pakistan polls, a former Pakistani diplomat believes a regime change is unlikely to bring any substantial shift in Islamabad's approach. Former Pakistan Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani noted this while giving an analysis of the post-election scenario in Pakistan. "We will have a kind of a hug-hug, embrace-embrace, but no substantial changed attitude...

09:21 AM, May 14, 2013

Mumbai: In a judgement that might clear the way for the land development in Tulip Star property, the Bombay High Court has set aside an arbitration award which had held that the agreement between Siddhivinayak Realties and V Hotels stood terminated. Siddhivinayak Realties is a joint venture between Oberoi Realty and DB Realty founders Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka, while V Hotels is currently the owners of the Tulip Star...

12:31 AM, May 14, 2013

Nadiad: Union Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel on Sunday expressed confidence that Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan government will bring a new perspective to Indo-Pak relations. "A new government is going to be formed in Pakistan led by Nawaz Sharif. I believe this will bring a new perspective to Indo-Pak relations and mark a new beginning in the relationship between the two countries," Patel told reporters in Nadiad on Sunday. The Union...

01:21 AM, May 13, 2013

Sofia: Bulgaria has seized 350,000 fake ballot papers, prosecutors said on Saturday, a day before a parliamentary election that is likely to deliver no party a majority and more political turmoil in the EU's poorest country. Prosecutors said the ballots were found at a printing house owned by the company of a local councillor from the centre-right GERB whose government resigned from office during protests against low living standards and...

01:40 AM, May 12, 2013

Amman: Syrian casualties treated in Turkey show signs of being victims of chemical weapons, the Turkish foreign minister said on Friday, adding to indications that President Barack Obama's "red line" on the use of such arms may have been crossed. Wary of the false intelligence used to justify the 2003 war in Iraq, the United States says it wants proof that chemical weapons have been used before taking any action...

06:56 AM, May 11, 2013

Beijing: China-India relations have "strategic significance" and "global impact" as both are large developing countries and emerging markets, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told India's visiting External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid in Beijing on Friday. Later, Khurshid also met Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, who also pledged to strengthen ties between the two countries. Premier Li highlighted the importance that the new Chinese government has placed on developing ties with India,...

04:25 AM, May 11, 2013

New Delhi: There are no Indian universities in the top 200 in the world, to the QS World University Rankings. But in the recently released QS World University Rankings by Subject, a few Indian universities have broken into the top 50 for certain subjects. In all 15 Indian institutions in world's top 200 for at least one subject. Top Indian institutions by subject [global rank in brackets] ARTS & HUMANITIES...

06:21 PM, May 10, 2013

New Delhi: In a virtual snub to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and PCC Chief Ramesh Chennithala, Congress MPs from the state on Tuesday sought senior leader AK Antony's "services" for putting the "house in order" in the party-led UDF government in the state. The MPs made this demand during their interaction with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi at Parliament House. Party MPs and central ministers from the state, including...

02:25 AM, May 08, 2013

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday said her government would upgrade 12,500 acre of barren land into cultivable farm land with adequate water facilities while announcing several schemes for ushering in a second green revolution in the state. "With food production to be affected owing to the reducing cultivable land, my government this year will upgrade 12,500 acres of barren land and to set up proper water...

04:46 AM, May 07, 2013

New Delhi: India attaches the highest importance to its relationship with Bangladesh due to their shared history, common heritage, linguistic and cultural ties, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said on Friday. "India attaches the highest importance to its relationship with Bangladesh due to shared history, common heritage, linguistic and cultural ties and the passion they share for music, literature and the arts that strongly unite India and Bangladesh," the speaker...

04:51 AM, May 04, 2013

On Board Special Aircraft: India will participate in the upgradation of strategically crucial Chahbahar port in Iran, that gives access to Afghanistan, and the issue will be discussed when External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid holds talks with his counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi. "We have taken a decision. We will collaborate for development of the port," Khurshid told reporters accompanying him on a three-day visit to Iran. He said the Cabinet...

02:30 AM, May 04, 2013

New Delhi: Ways to increase commercial links with sanctions-hit Iran to reduce huge bilateral trade imbalance will be high on the agenda when External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid travels to Tehran on Friday on a three-day visit. India's participation in the upgradation of Iran's Chahbahar port, which gives access to Afghanistan, will also be among a host of issues expected to figure in the talks that Khurshid will have with...

03:25 AM, May 03, 2013

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed proceedings on pleas filed by Sahara group and its chief Subrata Roy against refunding Rs 24,000 crore to investors and attachment of their properties after the SEBI accused them of approaching different forums for delaying the process. A bench comprising by Justices KS Radhakrishnan and JS Khehar also issued notice to them on SEBI's plea seeking transfer of all cases filed by...

12:25 AM, May 03, 2013