Ties with India at 'readjustment' stage: Bangladesh
Sheikh Hasina
govt.
Bangladesh-India relations suffered following the ouster of Hasina last year. The Muhammad Yunus-led caretaker govt in Dhaka has sought the former PM's extradition from India. Asked at a press conference about the June 19 Bangladesh-China-Pakistan meeting in the Chinese city of Kunming, he said, "I can assure you it was not done targeting India". "We are not forming any alliance. It was a meeting at the official level, not at the political level," Hossain said
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Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
US, China and Russia: Navigating the superpower trilemma
Today, Indian foreign policy discourse is mired in an important debate. Two key assumptions govern this debate: that New Delhi's ties with the US arguably constitute its most important relationship in the 21st century, and that any negotiations with Beijing are a signal of weakness. India-US relations are undergoing a tense phase. The tensions have primarily been instigated by US President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 25% tariff on India, and an additional, 'unspecified penalty' for continuing to buy energy resources from Russia. His social media comments have gone so far as to refer to both India and Russia as 'dead economies.' Naturally, this has called into question the time-tested nature of the partnership in the face of the 'China challenge'. With the US-China equation changing, India has to balance ties with both as well as work towards its own national interests Speaking of China, after a long period of severed dialogue, postures on both sides have slightly relaxed, though the road to stability vis-à-vis the border issue, or even China's backing of Pakistan, is long and winding. Nonetheless, communication and negotiation between the two neighbours is underway, and is perhaps a welcome break from the silent-but-violent treatment. Besides the volatility in New Delhi's ties with the two superpowers, there exists a bilateral dynamic between the US and China, which vitally impacts India. An intense back-and-forth of escalating tariffs ensued between the two economic giants earlier this year. Yet, Trump's recent statements seem to suggest that a trade deal with Beijing is in the works. So how does that affect India? So far, India has believed that Trump's continued dissatisfaction with Beijing will be a core aspect of mutual convergence between itself and the US. This definitely was the case under the Joe Biden administration. But if anything is certain about Trump, it is that nothing, indeed, is certain. So, the US and China may not be entering a friendly phase, but they sure are inching toward some semblance of stability. The dynamics of this fateful triangle require that India think in its national interests— sustained economic growth and security of its territory from both external and internal threats. And as PM Modi himself remarked in an interview in 2023, '[The] foremost guiding principle in foreign affairs is our country's national interest.' This begs the question: How should New Delhi balance the nuances of its ties with the US and China and the repercussions of their own thaw, while working to achieve its national interests? One way is not to believe that negotiations with China signal weakness. This anxiety is likely to play up as New Delhi and Beijing negotiate. Most recently, India has eased tourism rules, while China has opened up access for Indians to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. To a great degree, India's geographical, economic and military constraints require that communication with Beijing continue for sustainable security to be achieved. This is not to say that India should give up its confident posture, or discontinue investments in de-risking or border security. It is also not a call for it to shed its affinity for the US. But the steps toward a thaw with Beijing — high-level political conversations, ministerial-level dialogues, and working mechanism consultations on the border — are necessary. And at a time when Trump seems to be prepared to meet the 'China challenge' alone, India must figure its own way out to do the same. Second, is to evaluate costs when it comes to fulfilling its energy requirements through purchases from Russia. The affordability of such purchases, and the historic nature of ties with Moscow (especially in defence), make it a vital partner to New Delhi. However, Trump is prioritising reciprocal access to the Indian market over having a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific. And in a world where the US is vastly more powerful than India — or in most aspects, even China — much of what Trump says, goes. So the question is, where is the common ground between India not shedding its friendship with Russia, not risking insurmountable tariffs from the US, and not enabling China's unchecked regional power? The intertwined interests of economic growth and stable security seem orthogonal in this situation. But it is important to face facts. If it wasn't buying oil from Russia, India would still get the tariff slap. If there was great openness in the Indian dairy and agricultural markets, which Trump consistently demands, there would still be an 'unspecified penalty' for trading with Russia. So, the acknowledgement that there is no absolute win-win, is essential. It boils down to assessing what is more harmful — not making any adjustments to the trade numbers with Russia, or the US. It is also important to acknowledge the trade-offs — if there is a significant reduction in the imports of oil and/or defence equipment from Russia, and the US becomes the preferred alternative source of imports, Moscow may become unabashed in its support for China in its disputes with India. If trade with Russia continues as is, India shall face agonistic tariffs under Donald Trump and an overall lack of support in regional geopolitics. It is indeed true that India's tariffs continue to remain high, market openness is low, and domestic innovation and production capability face challenges. Hence, is the first step to addressing the above mentioned dilemma to take difficult steps towards phased openness? Most likely. It may assuage Trump's concerns about the US's trade deficit, without creating many troubles in India-Russia relations. Finally, the worrisome trend of self-reliance across the globe is leaving fewer alternatives for India to replace its dependencies on the US, China, or Russia. Where it gets affordable imports, it faces controversial dilemmas. Where it sees a strong partner, it faces chiding and deriding. So, moving forward, even as the willingness to negotiate diplomatically must continue, India must invest in its own trajectory toward economic and military modernisation. Illustration credit: Illustration by Chad Crowe (USA) Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trumped: Indian basmati may lose out to Pak, as 25% tariff gives neighbour 6% edge
1 2 Amritsar: US President Donald Trump's 25% tariff on all things Indian has dealt a double blow to Indian basmati exporters. Not only does it give Pakistan basmati a 6% tariff advantage, but it also comes at a time when the India-UK Free Trade Agreement talks offered no relief for basmati. US tariff on Pakistan stands at 19%. This widened gap threatens India's competitiveness against its traditional rival in international markets. "Pakistan has already got the 6% edge, which will make it difficult for us (Indian basmati exporters) to compete in the international market," said Tejinder Singh, CEO of Amar Singh Chawla Wala, makers of the Lal Qila basmati brand. "It makes it tough for us to compete globally, erasing any level playing field," he said. The US hardly consumes more than 10% of the basmati that is cultivated and exported from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, he said. But the 6% gap is "significant" in commodity trade and is likely to drive up prices for consumers abroad as Indian exporters will struggle to maintain market share against their traditional rival, he pointed out. Indian basmati trade was on the upswing till now. India exported 52.4 lakh metric tons of basmati, compared to 5.45 lakh metric tons by Pakistan in the 2023-24 fiscal. In 2024-25, Indian exports rose to 60.7 lakh metric tons, while Pakistan's saw a nominal increase, said Taranjit. The 25% traffic may prove to be a speedbreaker. Arvinderpal Singh, president of Punjab Rice Miller Exporters Association, said that the imposition of a 25% tariff by US will have a widespread impact — from growers to consumers. "We are directly competing with Pakistan, and they will be in a position to supply at lower rates than Indian exporters due to the lower tariff," he pointed out, adding that consumer nations are likely to opt for Pakistani basmati, with Thailand as the second preference. "If our sales decline, we will have to reduce our purchases, which will ultimately affect farmers, and they too will bear the brunt," he said. Singh suggested that the Indian govt should urge US administration to reduce the tariff on basmati, or at least ensure a level playing field with Pakistan so that Indian exporters can compete fairly in the international market. Taranjit said that Indian basmati exporters are already suffering with no relief in the India-UK Free Trade Agreement, and the recent imposition of a 25% tariff by the US will only leave a lasting impact on the Indian basmati rice exports. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Air India crash: UK families await update on DNA-matched remains
LONDON: British families, waiting for the remains of relatives aboard the London-bound Air India 171 plane that crashed soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, are expecting confirmation on DNA matches after high-level India-UK government talks, their legal team has said. Keystone Law, which has been working with aviation experts to assist many of the families who lost loved ones in the June 12 crash, called for urgency in the process this week. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UK visit last week, Downing Street had confirmed that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had discussed the Air India plane crash during their bilateral talks against the backdrop of UK media reports of mislabelling of some remains repatriated to Britain. "The UK and Indian governments have held high-level talks, as a result of the international media coverage of this problem," said James Healy-Pratt, Aviation Partner at Keystone Law. "It is believed that some matched DNA remains may now have been located in India. Confirmation is awaited," he said. The 241 passengers and crew who died in the disaster included 52 British nationals, with two out of 12 caskets repatriated to the UK for last rites found to be incorrectly identified. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) had responded to the UK reports to stress that "all mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased". "We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue," the MEA's official spokesperson said in a statement last month. Asked to estimate the scale of the issue, Keystone Law said of a sample of 12 caskets repatriated from India to the UK, two were "mislabelled, mishandled and misidentified". "Extrapolated out - with an unacceptable error rate of 15 per cent, that would suggest 40 sets of remains may have been mislabelled, mishandled and misidentified. That is a known unknown, and many of the families' loved ones have been cremated already," said Healy-Pratt. Last month, an inquest into the deaths of some of the British passengers was opened and adjourned in London, with the process of identification overseen by the Senior Coroner under UK procedures. It came as a preliminary report by the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that fuel to both engines appeared to have cut off shortly after takeoff. The engines tried to restart, but it proved too late to prevent the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft from crashing into Ahmedabad's B.J. Medical College, claiming 19 lives on the ground. Keystone Law called for further clarity about the transitioning of the fuel cutoff switches, and which voice was saying what on the excerpts of the Cockpit Voice Recorder. "The Indian AAIB has this evidence, and has for unexplained reasons not shared this detail with the families of AI 171. The Indian AAIB cannot complain of further speculation when evidence in its possession is not released to the families on a transparent basis," said Healy-Pratt. The aviation lawyer also called for further details around reports of compensation being considered for impacted families by the Tata Group, owners of Air India. Healy-Pratt said: "There is talk of TATA setting up a (Rs) 500 crore fund for all the AI 171 families - which will provide ex gratia support (legally a gift and separate and apart from any Court ordered compensation against Air India, or indeed Boeing) of a minimum of (Rs) 1 crore per loved one lost. "Families deserve to get details of that support urgently, as legal proceedings take time in India, England, and the United States." The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has "expert status" in the Indian safety investigation and has said it is reviewing the findings of the preliminary report released one month on from the crash, on July 12. The UK-based families who lost loved ones in the crash have previously also called for a mechanism of expert representation in the India-led investigatory process into the plane crash.
