India’s technical mission in Kabul now embassy
New Delhi, Oct 21: India on Tuesday announced upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to the status of an embassy as part of broader efforts to deepen its bilateral engagement with Kabul. The announcement came over a week-and-a-half after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said during his meeting with Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi that India will upgrade its diplomatic presence in Kabul. India had withdrawn its officials from its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by deploying a “technical team”. (PTI)
Support for EU-India 2-way strategic agenda
New Delhi, Oct 21: All the 27 member nations of the European Union have unanimously backed the block’s new strategic agenda with India that seeks to significantly ramp up two-way ties in several key sectors such as defence, trade and technology. The new document was released by the European Commission and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Kaja Kallas last month. The European Council comprising representatives of all the EU member nations unanimously supported it on Monday, according to EU officials. The new strategic agenda is expected to be adopted at the India-EU summit that is expected to be held in New Delhi early next year. (PTI)
Bihar polls: Cash, liquor in dry state worth ₹71 cr seized
New Delhi, Oct 21: Enforcement agencies have seized cash, drugs, liquor and precious metals worth over ₹71 crore in Bihar since the announcement of the assembly polls, the Election Commission said on Tuesday. Bihar has been a dry state since 2016, when alcohol was banned. The EC said that as on October 21 (today), over ₹71.32 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and other freebies have been seized through a coordinated approach involving multi-enforcement agencies across different states and Union territories. It had announced on October 6 that the state would go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, and votes would be counted on November 14. (PTI)
University of London prof deported from IGI Airport
New Delhi, Oct 21: A professor associated with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London was deported from the IGI Airport over alleged violation of visa conditions, sources said on Tuesday. Francesca Orsini, a scholar of Hindi and professor emerita at SOAS, was deported Monday, soon after she arrived from Hong Kong, a source in the Ministry of Home Affairs said. Orsini has been on a ‘Black List’ since March 2025 for violation of visa conditions, they said. The scholar is known for her book, The Hindi Public Sphere 1920-1940: Language and Literature in the Age of Nationalism. (PTI)
