Modi to visit Canada as India steps up global diplomatic outreach

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Canada on December 11 and 12, while preparations are under way for Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s official visit to India, news agency Press Trust of India reported. India has also approved the rollover of a 3,000-crore currency swap facility for the Maldives.

Other developments reported by PTI include External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s meeting with the ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, an advisory for Indians in Saudi Arabia amid flight disruptions, China’s proposed export restrictions on key technologies and its response to India’s concerns over trade barriers.

The Indian High Commission in Ottawa said Modi will visit Canada on December 11 and 12, PTI reported.

Jaishankar on Friday met Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and a member of the UAE’s Supreme Council. They discussed bilateral ties and the situation in the Gulf.

India on Friday issued a fresh advisory for its nationals in Saudi Arabia, asking them to follow instructions from local authorities and remain indoors in the event of an aerial attack. The advisory also warned travellers, including Umrah pilgrims, about continuing flight disruptions and the possibility of extended stays, PTI reported.

Preparations are under way for Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s official visit to India, Foreign Ministry sources in Kathmandu told PTI on Friday. The dates and agenda have not yet been finalised.

India has approved the rollover of a 3,000-crore currency swap facility for the Maldives, the Indian High Commission in the island nation said on Friday.

In the United States, senior lawmakers, leaders and civil society members strongly condemned a foiled plot to attack a Hindu temple in Illinois. They called for efforts to combat growing anti-Indian and anti-Hindu prejudice in the country.

China on Friday released a draft plan proposing new export restrictions on 14 technologies across sectors including artificial intelligence, biotechnology and solar power. The proposed curbs could have significant implications for global technology competition, particularly for countries that rely on Chinese AI.

The US military is considering the use of the largest non-nuclear bomb in its arsenal, known as the “mother of all bombs”, to target Iran’s energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump approves the move, according to a report cited by PTI.

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered district-level inspections of private schools across the province after a roof collapse in Peshawar killed 34 children and a teacher.

A most-wanted fraudster accused of irregularities in US government schemes has been extradited from India by the FBI, the US Department of Justice said.

Minorities in Pakistan continue to face violations of fundamental rights, misuse of blasphemy laws, forced marriages and conversions, and discriminatory practices, the country’s human rights body said.

China on Friday said it was ready to work with India to address “each other’s” economic and trade concerns. The statement came after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticised Beijing’s restrictions on market access for Indian products.

An American space technology start-up plans to offer on-demand sunlight at night at specific locations on Earth by placing large reflecting mirrors in orbit. It plans to use launch services from India’s Skyroot Aerospace.

An Indian company and a German firm will collaborate on manufacturing and commercialising immunoglobulin products, including a drug used in organ transplantation, the Embassy of India in Berlin said. The collaboration will include the transfer of technology to India.

The developments span India’s diplomatic engagements with Canada, Nepal, the Maldives, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, alongside trade, technology, security, rights and business-related updates from the US, China, Pakistan and Germany.

With PTI Inputs

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