New Delhi:

India on Thursday once again voiced its opposition to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as the project lacked respect for New Delhi’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said unlike in the past, India had not been invited by China to this year’s Belt and Road Forum.

“I don’t think we received an invitation this year,” he said at his weekly media briefing in reply to a question.

The spokesperson said India’s position on BRI, especially its “lack of respect for our sovereignty and territorial integrity are well known and consistent”.

There has been increasing global criticism of the BRI.

India has been severely critical of the BRI as the project includes the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.

In his remarks, Mr Bagchi also referred to a statement issued by New Delhi in May 2017, when the first Belt and Road Forum was held.

Asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin attending this year’s Belt and Road Forum even as he skipped the G20 Summit in New Delhi weeks back, Mr Bagchi said India is “loathe to link G20 participation with other things”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

File picture of MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
| Photo Credit: ANI

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has been appointed India’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations in Geneva.

Mr. Bagchi, a 1995-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) official, took over as spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in March 2021 and handled a number of critical issues and developments including the eastern Ladakh border row, India’s COVID-19 response and New Delhi’s G20 presidency.

In Geneva, Mr. Bagchi would succeed Indra Mani Pandey who is set to return to New Delhi.

“Arindam Bagchi (IFS:1995), presently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva,” the MEA said in a brief statement on Monday.

“He is expected to take up the assignment shortly,” it said.

It is learnt that around four senior diplomats, including joint secretary (G20) Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur and high commissioner to Mauritius K. Nandini Singla are being considered for the post of MEA spokesperson.

Earlier, Mr. Bagchi served as ambassador to Croatia and deputy high commissioner to Sri Lanka. He also had a stint in the Prime Minister’s Office as a director as well as at India’s permanent mission at the UN in New York.

New Delhi:

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi was on Monday appointed India’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations in Geneva.

Mr Bagchi, a 1995-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) official, took over as spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in March 2020 and deftly handled a number of critical issues and developments including the eastern Ladakh border row, India’s COVID-19 response and New Delhi’s G20 presidency.

In Geneva, Mr Bagchi would succeed Indra Mani Pandey who is set to return to New Delhi.

“Arindam Bagchi (IFS:1995), presently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva,” the MEA said in a brief statement.

“He is expected to take up the assignment shortly,” it said.

It is learnt that around four senior diplomats, including joint secretary (G20) Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur and high commissioner to Mauritius K Nandini Singla are being considered for the post of MEA spokesperson.

Earlier, Mr Bagchi served as ambassador to Croatia and deputy high commissioner to Sri Lanka.

He also had a stint in the Prime Minister’s Office as a director as well as at India’s permanent mission at the UN in New York.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Indian students evacuated from Israel arrive at Delhi airport, in New Delhi, India, on October 13, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Glad to be home and traumatised by what they had seen in the last few days, the first batch of around 200 Indians returned from Israel on October 13 with the sound of air raid sirens, rocket fire and screams ringing loud in their ears.

Israel witnessed a surprise and unprecedented attack by Hamas in its southern parts on Saturday morning. At least 700 people have been killed and more than 2,100 injured in Israel — the deadliest day for the country in at least 50 years.

“We woke up to sounds of air raid sirens. We stay in central Israel and I don’t know what shape this conflict will take,” said Shashwat Singh soon after landing at Delhi airport along with his wife.

The post-doctoral researcher in agriculture, who has been staying in Israel since 2019, said the sound of those sirens and the nightmarish experience of the past few days still haunt him.

The evacuation of Indians is a “praiseworthy step”, Mr. Singh said soon after the flight landed. “We hope peace will be restored and we will return to work… The Indian government got in touch with us via email. We are thankful to Prime Minister Modi and the Indian Embassy in Israel.” India has launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return of those who wish to come back home as a series of brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend triggered fresh tension in the region.

Many students who returned home recalled the fateful night of Saturday and how they had to rush to shelters multiple times in the wake of rocket attacks by Hamas.

Suparno Ghosh, a West Bengal native and a first-year Ph.D student of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at Beersheba in Israel, was also among the group of Indians who reached Delhi on the special flight.

“We could not know what happened. On Saturday, some rockets were launched. But, we were safe in shelters… the good thing is that the Israeli government has made shelters everywhere, so we were safe,” he said.

Several women students also recounted the grim situation they faced when the attacks happened. “It was a panic situation. We are not citizens there, we are just students. So, for us whenever the sirens go on, it’s a panic situation for us,” Jaipur native Mini Sharma told PTI.

Asked when she received the information about the rescue flight, she replied, “Just a day before.” “We packed our bags yesterday morning after receiving a message from the Indian Embassy. They were very helpful. We were able to get in touch with them round the clock,” Ms. Sharma said.

Deepak, another student, said, “We heard sirens on Saturday. We could also hear the sound of the attack. Israeli authorities were instructing us (to take safety measures). I am happy to return home but at the same time sad that our friends are there (in Israel).” “The evacuation process was very smooth,” the student told reporters.

Duti Banerjee, another West Bengal native who was also among the first batch of Indians evacuated from Israel, said the situation in Israel was “pretty messy and unsettled”.

“Normal life has been paused. People are scared and angry. Even when I was leaving, I heard sirens and had to go to a shelter,” she said. Soni, another student, thanked the government of India and Israel for “taking such good care of us”.

“I booked two flights as I was not sure when would the Indian government evacuate us. But, I am glad to be back… many Indians still in Israel,” she said.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on October 12 said around 18,000 Indians are currently residing in Israel while about a dozen people are in the West Bank and three to four are in Gaza.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar welcomed the passengers at the Delhi airport as they streamed into the lounge area from the tarmac side. He greeted them with folded hands and also shook hands with many of them saying, “Welcome home”.

New Delhi:

The government today said it had asked Canada to downsize its diplomatic presence in India and cited the “interference of Canadian diplomats in Indian affairs”, as the diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani terrorist escalated sharply.

This was hours after India suspended visa services in Canada, potentially impacting thousands seeking to travel to India.

“The Canadian diplomatic presence in India is larger than what India has and accordingly needs to be downsized,” foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters.

“We have informed the Canadian government that there should be parity in diplomatic presence. Their numbers are very much higher than ours in Canada… I assume there will be a reduction,” he said.

The spokesperson added that “Canadian diplomatic interference in our internal affairs is a factor”.

On India suspending visa applications in Canada, the foreign ministry cited “security threats” that were “disrupting” the work of their officials. Mission personnel were unable to carry out visa functions because of the security environment that they were facing, said the spokesperson.

“For now, the security situation in Canada and because of Canadian government inaction, we have stopped visa services temporarily”, Mr Bagchi said.

The suspension of visas came a day after the foreign ministry said it was concerned for the safety of its citizens in Canada because of “politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence”.

“Threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda,” said the foreign ministry.

Canada’s High Commission had earlier said it would “adjust” diplomat numbers in India after “threats on various social media” against their staff.

“In light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats. As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India,” it had said in a statement.

India-Canada ties have hit a new low after Justin Trudeau’s allegation that Indian agents played a role in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver in June. India has called the allegation “absurd and motivated”. 

Nijjar was killed by masked gunmen outside a Gurdwara on June 18 in Surrey. India has firmly rejected Mr Trudeau’s allegations, saying he offered no evidence.

“We are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us, but so far we have received no specific information from Canada,” Mr Bagchi said, adding that Canada’s inaction was a huge concern.

“From our side, specific evidence about criminal activities by individuals based on Canadian soil has been shared with Canada but not acted upon…Yes, I do think there is a degree of prejudice here. They have made allegations and taken action on them. To us, it seems that these allegations by the government of Canada are primarily politically driven,” he added.

Mr Trudeau’s explosive charge was followed by tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions. Canada also suspended talks on a trade deal with India.