India stands by tsunami-hit Indonesia, says Swaraj
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Monday expressed grief over the loss of life in a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia and said India stands by Indonesians in this hour of grief. On Sunday, a powerful tsunami hit Indonesia, known for its thousands of islands stretching from the Andaman Sea to Indian Ocean and South China Sea, killing at least 281 people and injuring thousands. “My deepest condolences to the families of victims who lost their lives in the Tsunami that struck the coast of Sunda Straits in Indonesia. Our prayers are with them as we stand by our Indonesian brothers in this hour of grief @Menlu_RI,” Swaraj tweeted tagging the foreign ministry of Indonesia — Menteri Luar Negeri. In October, when a deadly tsunami hit Indonesia India had pressed its Air Force and Navy for rescue and humanitarian work. Oxfam and other international aid agencies said they would help in the aftermath, as local rescuers evacuated the injured. (PTI)
Imran Khan’s remarks demonstrate duplicity: India
New Delhi: India on Thursday described Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on civilians’ deaths during violence in Jammu and Kashmir last week as expressions of “insincerity and duplicity.” “The statements coming out from their side demonstrate their insincerity and duplicity,” said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar. Following the death of seven civilians during clashes with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday, Khan tweeted the next day: “Strongly condemn killing of innocent Kashmiri civilians in Pulwama IOK by Indian security forces. Only dialogue & not violence & killings will resolve this conflict. We will raise issue of India’s human rights violations in IOK & demand UNSC fulfil its J&K plebiscite commitment.” In his briefing, Kumar reiterated India’s demand that Pakistan stop allowing its territory to be used by terror groups and terrorists and exporting terrorism to other countries. “No action is being taken on that,” he said. “On the other hand, they have sometimes the gumption to comment on the internal affairs of a neighbouring country. I think it will be better if their mind their own business and look at their internal affairs which are in a mess,” the spokesman said. (IANS)
Navy commissions INHS Sandhani
Mumbai: The Indian Navy Monday commissioned INHS Sandhani, its tenth Naval hospital, at the Naval station Karanja in Uran near Mumbai. Preeti Luthra, President of NWWA (Navy Wives Welfare Association), Western Region, unveiled the commissioning plaque of the hospital. The Commissioning Warrant was read by the first Commanding Officer of the hospital Surgeon Captain HBS Chaudhry, the Navy said in a release. “With the steady expansion of Naval Station Karanja, over the last few decades, a need for a dedicated multi-specialty hospital was felt, in order to provide quality healthcare to more than 8,000 naval personnel and their dependents, who reside here” it said. Indian Naval Hospital Ship (INHS) Sandhani is the tenth naval hospital of the Indian Navy, said an official. “The commissioning of this 30-bedded hospital, with a team of specialists in the fields of medicine, surgery, gynaecology, paediatrics, anaesthesia and dental sciences, will not only improve the quality and speed of healthcare delivery, but also obviate the need for patients, including those with critical ailments and emergency cases, to travel by sea to Mumbai”, it said. (PTI)
Bhutan PM to visit India from Dec 27-29
New Delhi: Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will be on a three-day visit to India from Thursday, during which he will hold talks with counterpart Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday. This is Tshering’s first visit to the country since taking charge last month. The ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs and other senior officials will be accompanying the Bhutanese prime minister, a statement said. During the December 27-29 visit, Tshering will deliberate on ways to step up ties between the two neighbours and also call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other ministers will call on the Bhutanese prime minister, the statement said. The two sides are likely to discuss all aspects of bilateral relations, including high-level exchanges, people-to-people ties, and economic, development and hydropower cooperation, it said. The upcoming visit of Tshering will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in the multifaceted partnership, and discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation, the statement said. Tshering’s visit comes a month after Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale’s official trip to Bhutan, it added. (PTI)