Ahead of Modi-Xi heart-to-heart, India refrains from backing OBOR at SCO meet

Days before the first-ever informal summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, China’s One Belt One Road project continue to remain a subject of contention. New Delhi has refrained from expressing support for the mammoth trans-regional connectivity project at the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Corporation Organization.

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India-France ties enter a new era with logistics and defence pacts

India and France have elevated their multi-pronged strategic partnership to a new level by signing a landmark logistics pact between their armed forces and unveiled a joint strategic vision for the Indian Ocean region, which is set to usher in a phase 2.0 in their blossoming relationship.
The wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in New Delhi on March 10 culminated in a soaring vision of next steps in India-France strategic partnership, which was reinforced by the signing of 14 pacts in critical areas such as defence, nuclear energy and infrastructure.

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With China watching, India, Vietnam bolster Indo-Pacific connect, defence ties

Amid the continuing volatility around South China Sea and China’s growing clout, India and Vietnam have decided to deepen their coordination in the Indo-Pacific region and bolster their defence ties to shape an inclusive regional architecture.
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang’s March 2-4 visit to India and his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expanded the scope of comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Vietnam, and underscored the pivotal role of India-Vietnam relations in the mutating regional landscape. Two visits by Vietnam’s prime minister and president to India within weeks of each other have cemented Hanoi’s role as a pivot in New Delhi’s Act East policy.

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Modi in Muscat: Bolstering India-Oman defence & economic connect

Elevating their bilateral partnership to a new level, India and Oman have inked eight agreements in the fields of health, outer space, tourism and military cooperation during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to the energy-rich Gulf sultanate.
High on optics as well as substance, Mr Modi visited an iconic mosque and Shiva temple in a visit that saw the two countries place their multi-faceted relationship onto a new trajectory. The delegation-level talks between Mr Modi and Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said al Said, in Muscat has pushed the envelope for India’s partnership with the Gulf country.
Defence cooperation has emerged as an important pillar of India-Oman relations, with reports of a possible Indian military base in Oman amid shifting geopolitical equations in the Indian Ocean region.

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