Latest news with #Troika
Saba Yemen
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Araghchi begins talks with European Troika Foreign Ministers & Kallas in Geneva
Geneva – Saba: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi began talks on Friday in Geneva with the foreign ministers of the three European "Troika" countries—Britain, France, and Germany—and the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, regarding the nuclear issue, at the request of the three European nations. The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported the start of discussions between Iran's foreign minister, the European ministers, and the EU's foreign policy chief on the nuclear issue in Geneva. Earlier, Araghchi confirmed that a meeting would be held on Friday between the Iranian delegation and the foreign ministers of the European Troika (Britain, France, Germany), along with the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, in the Swiss city of Geneva. In a press statement, Araghchi confirmed reports in some media outlets about preparations for a joint meeting, clarifying that the meeting was requested by the three European countries and would focus on political developments, bilateral issues, and regional matters of mutual interest. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh announced Araghchi's visit to Geneva to discuss the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions. Khatibzadeh reiterated the diplomatic institution's commitment to fully supporting the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in defending the country against the criminal aggression of the Zionist regime. He stated, "A joint meeting with the three European countries and the EU's foreign policy chief is being planned at their request, aimed at discussing the nuclear issue and recent regional developments following the Zionist regime's military aggression against Iran." This comes amid ongoing Zionist aggression since last Friday dawn, targeting Iran with attacks that have killed military leaders, scientists, and civilians, while striking civilian, military, and nuclear facilities. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
News18
10-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Russia-India On Shaky Grounds? Why India Needs To Become Truly Independent
Last Updated: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, twice in a matter of weeks, has indicated that Russia is interested in reviving the RIC (Russia-India-China) under the Troika format. Russia is one of India's longest-serving partners. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union signed a treaty of Friendship with India, which ultimately became the foundation of the relationship between both countries. After decades of trade and cultural exchange, a sense of camaraderie has developed between the citizens of both nations. However, Russia's recent actions have raised eyebrows. First of which is the acknowledgement that US President Donald Trump played a personal and pivotal role in negotiating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, a claim that India has vehemently denied. The second action is a bit more complex and is rolled up in history, international relations and regional tensions. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, now twice in a matter of weeks, has indicated that Russia is 'genuinely' interested in reviving the RIC (Russia-India-China) under the Troika format. The Kremlin's public endorsement of Trump's assertion that he personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor has landed a discordant note in New Delhi. Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide, Yury Ushakov, stated that the India-Pakistan conflict was resolved through Trump's 'personal involvement", a claim repeatedly echoed by Trump himself, who even suggested he averted a nuclear disaster by leveraging US trade access as a bargaining tool. India, however, has consistently and vehemently denied any third-party mediation. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar firmly rejected these claims, clarifying that the cessation of hostilities on 10 May occurred through direct communication via a hotline, initiated by the Pakistani army. Similarly, Shashi Tharoor, leading an all-party delegation to the US, unequivocally stated that India had 'never particularly wanted to ask anyone to mediate," stressing that mediation implies an equivalence between parties, which India rejects between a state fostering terrorism and a multi-party democracy exercising its right to self-defence. Russia's alignment with a narrative that undermines India's sovereignty and strategic autonomy on such a sensitive security matter casts a shadow over their long-standing partnership. Adding to it, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has also cancelled his planned trip to Russia. Russia's Persistent Call Reviving a Dormant Troika Against this backdrop, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's repeated calls for the revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) troika, citing significantly eased tensions between New Delhi and Beijing, appear left field. The RIC format, established in 1996 to challenge US unipolarity, has been largely dormant since the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020. Russia perceives its revival as a step towards a multi-polar architecture and pan-Eurasian processes. Lavrov has expressed that Russia has a genuine interest in resuming ministerial-level meetings, asserting that 'an understanding has been reached between India and China on how to ease the situation on the border". Why the RIC Troika is Problematic for India Lavrov's assessment of eased tensions, however, stands in stark contrast to India's ground reality. India's Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, recently affirmed that border tensions persist, with a 'degree of standoff" remaining and India maintaining its troop deployments along the Line of Actual Control, which indicates a clear lack of trust for China. And he has been proven right. China's actions during the recent India-Pakistan conflict exposed a chilling dimension of the China-Pakistan nexus. Pakistan extensively employed Chinese weapon systems and manufactured jets in its retaliation, attacking Indian soil. China provided significant strategic aid, including helping Pakistan reorganise its radar and air defence systems and adjusting satellite coverage over India during the critical 15-day period from the Pahalgam massacre to the start of large-scale fighting. This level of logistical and intelligence support is akin to being an accessory to a murder. It has led to a deep erosion of trust in India, cementing a two-front situation in its strategic planning. Furthermore, China continues its territorial assertiveness with claims over Arunachal Pradesh and renaming 27 places as recently as May 2025, a move India calls preposterous and an attempt to alter undeniable reality. In addition, Beijing's consistent blocking of India's proposals at the UN Security Council to ban Pakistan-based terrorists implicated in major attacks against India, including the Pahalgam terror attack and 26/11, further highlights its deep-seated strategic alignment with India's primary adversary. For India, China's actions during the conflict, despite recent limited diplomatic thaws, underscore a paradoxical reality where attempts at normalisation are undermined by a deep-seated strategic alignment with a terror state fundamentally rendering any genuine cooperation impossible and solidifying the relationship as one of strategic rivalry. India's Path to True Independence India's foreign policy has long been characterised by strategic autonomy, a delicate balancing act that Russia often misconstrues, particularly regarding India's participation in the Quad. While Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov has alleged that the US and Quad are coercing India into anti-China military operations, India maintains that Quad is a diplomatic partnership for maritime security and a free and open Indo-Pacific, not a military alliance targeting China. India's neutrality on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including abstaining from UN resolutions, and Prime Minister Modi's concurrent engagements with both Western and Russian leaders, underscore its commitment to multi-alignment rather than outright alliance with any single power bloc. India has continued to buy crude oil despite sanctions on the sale of Russian Crude oil, underlining the relationship that both these nations share. Despite Russia retaining a degree of strategic trust and remaining a key defence supplier, the recent diplomatic gaffes and the push for a problematic RIC revival might force India to re-evaluate its foreign policy foundations. China's continued support for Pakistan's military capabilities and its diplomatic protection of Pakistan-based terrorist organisations means that the India-China relationship cannot evolve beyond a transactional one, fraught with underlying tensions. While economic interdependence with China is substantial, highlighted by a significant trade deficit and reliance on Chinese components, India's strategic imperatives, including managing a potential two-front situation, necessitate strengthening diverse partnerships, especially in its South-South axis. top videos View all Russia's actions are jarring, from endorsing a disputed ceasefire narrative to advocating a troika with an actively hostile China. It pushes India to prioritise its own security and strategic interests with even greater determination. India must continue to strengthen partnerships with countries across the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the Southern Hemisphere, and position itself as a leader of the Global South. India's challenge now is to navigate this complex geopolitical landscape by becoming truly independent, resisting global geopolitical headwinds that compromise its core security interests, and forging a path ensuring its long-term stability and growth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. About the Author Sohil Sinha Sohil Sinha is a Sub Editor at News18. He writes on foreign affairs, geopolitics along with domestic policy and infrastructure projects. tags : india-china relationship India-Russia relations Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 10, 2025, 17:19 IST News opinion Opinion | Russia-India On Shaky Grounds? Why India Needs To Become Truly Independent
Irish Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The Celtic Tiger was a time of vulgarity and gross incompetence, but at least we got things done
The passage of time allows us the luxury of viewing periods of history in a more considered and rounded context. In the years that followed the banking collapse and the bailout paid for by Irish citizens, the phrase ' Celtic Tiger ', which was once a source of pride, became synonymous with gross economic incompetence, greed and vulgarity. The damage has been exhaustively documented – the austerity that hit the poorest communities, the young people forced to emigrate, the builders that went bust, the young couples trapped in negative equity, the middle classes who invested in property and bank shares as a one-way ticket to prosperity only to find themselves facing hardship in their old age. The collapse of the Celtic Tiger was all of these things, but to view it entirely through the prism of how it all ended is to miss the point. READ MORE The Troika left town more than a decade ago. Now, the ratio of Ireland's debt to gross national income has fallen to 70 per cent from 170 per cent at the peak of austerity. Everybody who wants a job has one. Ghost estates, once seen as the most visible manifestation of that period and all its follies, have vanished from the landscape. There were 3,000 in 2010; there are less than one per cent of that figure now. What is the real legacy of the Celtic Tiger? Look around you. In the noughties, more than 600,000 homes were built. The State built a motorway network between 1991 and 2010, which made it immeasurably easier to get around. The tailbacks of Monasterevin and Moate, to name but a couple of bottleneck towns, are a distant memory. The M50 faced multiple objections and was eventually finished in 2005. Would it get built now? The Port Tunnel (2006), Terminal 2 of Dublin Airport (opened in 2010, but built during the boom), Cork suburban railway (2009), the Aviva Stadium, Croke Park, Dublin docklands and Temple Bar - which dates back to the Charles Haughey era - are long-term projects that will outlast the memories of those austerity years. The Celtic Tiger was informed by a can-do attitude and a spirit of optimism. Despite recovering our prosperity, we have not regained the optimism of this heady time. The most basic metric of confidence about the future, the number of children being born, has declined precipitously since peaking during the boom years. Twenty thousand fewer children were born in the State last year than in 2007, despite a significantly bigger population. This has mirrored trends throughout Europe, but Ireland in the 2000s was an outlier in having a birth rate at or around the replacement rate of 2.1 children per women. That number is now 1.5 and declining. Nevertheless, because of the Celtic Tiger era baby boom, Ireland will have a relatively healthy demographic well into the 2040s. Huge mistakes were made during the Celtic Tiger era, but huge things were accomplished. We have spent too long dwelling on the former and not enough on the latter. Few would argue with this policy, but it also abolished tax relief for investors and developments Fifteen years on from the nadir of the bust, the Troika bailout of 2010, perhaps the most important lesson from the Celtic Tiger is that we got things done. The post-boom recovery has been a time of crippling inertia exemplified by the National Children's Hospital, over-budget and long-delayed. Dublin Metrolink, the country's longest-running joke, is a manifestation of how not to get things done. The State's most acute problem, the housing crisis, is a side effect of prosperity, not austerity. Everybody knows there is a serious problem, a bigger and more intractable one than faced when the Troika arrived in town, yet attempts to resolve it have foundered repeatedly because they have been inadequate. Banks lent irresponsibly during the Celtic Tiger years and we all paid a price. We went from being incorrigible spenders to incorrigible savers. Irish people have €156 billion in saving and as a result, the banks are now stuffed with money, yet small and medium-sized developers claim they can't get credit and the equity they need to purchase zoned land is too high. The banks want the Government to offer a State guarantee credit scheme to developers. The Government's response to the property-induced economic crash was to make credit much more restrictive to those wishing to buy a home. Few would argue with this policy, but it also abolished tax relief for investors and developments. Section 23 exemptions were first introduced in 1988 to give a boost to apartment development in inner-city areas of towns and cities which had suffered decades of flight to the suburbs. Developers and investors could write off the costs of investing in apartments against their rental income over a period of 10 years. [ Department objected to Government's 'housing tsar' amid concerns over pay and recruitment Opens in new window ] [ Ireland is like the paradox of Schrödinger's cat: a wet country that has too little water Opens in new window ] By 2011, they were in such bad odour that the coalition government of Fine Gael and Labour abolished them for new entrants at the behest of the Troika. They had an inflationary impact on housing, they allowed wealthy people to shelter taxable income, they were expensive for the State, or so the arguments went. Countering that fact is that they were a huge success in getting homes and apartments built – at least 60,000 over the duration of the scheme. At this remove, the question that the Government should be drawing from the Celtic Tiger years is how so many homes were built - about 90,000 in 2006 alone - and what positive lessons can be drawn from that.
First Post
01-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Russia Proposes Revival of Troika with India and China
Russia Proposes Revival of Troika with India and China | Vantage with Palki Sharma Russia Proposes Revival of Troika with India and China | Vantage with Palki Sharma Russia's foreign minister has called for reviving his country's trilateral forum with India and China. What is the significance of the Russia-India-China troika? Why was it frozen? Should India agree to Russia's proposal and revive it? Palki Sharma brings you three factors to keep in mind. See More
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
The Irish Independent's View: It's up to Housing Minister James Browne to sort out scarcity of zoned land
Now that he is unshackled from the doomed role, he is free to opine on the housing dilemma. Mr McDonagh introduced 'Felipe' as an acronym for the solution to the biggest problem facing Ireland. 'F' stands for finance being available for developers to build; 'E' is for expertise in trades and the necessity to address the shortage of carpenters, plumbers and electricians; 'L' represents the availability of land for housing; 'I' is the infrastructure to service the zoned land; 'P is for the planning system, shortening the time taken to get building and reducing the amount of developments being appealed to An Bord Pleanála and then judicially reviewed, which also costs money; and finally, 'E' is engineering and availing of modern methods of building to enhance construction productivity. 'To me, if you solve those six issues, you have gone a long way towards trying to help resolve the situation,' Mr McDonagh told the Oireachtas Finance Committee last week. Easier said than done. But then this cohort of parties in Government has had the best part of a decade to address much of the 'Felipe' framework. After saying goodbye to the Troika, Fine Gael told us it wanted to keep the recovery going. Fianna Fáil joined them loosely in partnership in 2016, before a formal marriage in 2020. Now the two Civil War parties have ditched the Green Party and replaced them with the Independents. It's been evident throughout this period that fixing society and providing housing was equally as important as repairing the economy. The first step in solving any problem is recognising there is one. We're a long way past that stage now and yet we still don't seem to have moved into the solutions phase. Instead, the problem is still being discussed. The latest contribution to the debate has been the 'L' in 'Felipe' being picked up on and teased out. Three of the country's biggest home builders say that the limited availability of residentially zoned land for housing is the key driver of property inflation. Supply and demand means that prices are being sent rocketing by a chronic shortage of homes to buy at a time of strong demand, according to a KPMG report. The industry says the lack of zoned land to meet demand is driving up prices, according to the report. Rather than leaving it to local councils, Housing Minister James Browne is promising to step in and zone more land, particularly in areas near critical infrastructure like road, public transport, electricity and water services. It can't come soon enough. However, Mr Browne made a hames of the appointment of the housing tsar. Now the minister will just have to clean up the mess himself, rather than sub-contracting the job out.
