Modi in UK: India doubles share in Commonwealth fund: Top 10 developments
Modi in UK: India doubles share in Commonwealth fund: Top 10 developments on Business Standard. During PM Narendra Modi's UK visit, he held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders from Commonwealth nations, on the sidelines of CHOGM in London. Here are the highlights of the Modi UK visit.
Latest News Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the multilateral Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London, met a number of leaders from Commonwealth nations and had a series of bilateral meetings, including discussions with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina and Seychelles President Danny Faure. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described some of his meetings as the "neighbourhood first" approach. Modi, who is on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom (UK), also met Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. These meetings were part of India's diplomatic reach-out across Commonwealth nations. However, among neighbours, things remained cold between New Delhi and Islamabad; the MEA clarified that Modi did not meet his Pakistani counterpart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at CHOGM. Meanwhile, India's national flag was pulled down and burnt by Pakistan-backed pro-Khalistani and Kashmiri protesters at London's Parliament Square on Wednesday. Subsequently, the British foreign office apologised for the flag-burning incident. Indian authorities from the MEA, for their part, said they expected legal action against the people who were involved in the incident. Another diplomatic flashpoint between New Delhi and Islamabad
emerged over Prime Minister Modi's revelations regarding the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army in 2016 during his 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sab ke Saath' programme in London. Pakistan rejected Prime Minister Modi's remarks on the surgical strikes across the Line of Control in 2016 as "false and baseless", adding that "repeating a lie doesn't turn it into truth". Pakistan continues to deny that the strikes ever took place, while the Indian establishment stands firm on the military action taken in the aftermath of the Uri terrorist attack. While Pakistan was busy with its rebuttal, Modi announced the doubling of India's contribution to the Commonwealth fund for technical cooperation. Further, the prime minister, during his interventions at the executive session of the CHOGM in London, highlighted the need for capacity building of small states and small island nations that are part of the Commonwealth. "The overall objective of the Prime Minister's participation at this CHOGM in 2018 signals our stepped up engagement with the Commonwealth. It conveys India's desire to see the Commonwealth increase its focus on developing the country's priorities," the MEA said. Here are the top 10 developments around Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UK visit and bilateral meetings on the sidlelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in
London:
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