WORLD

India has announced phase 4 of the High Impact Community Development Projects in Afghanistan which involves 100 projects worth $80 million.

India has already been involved in four hundred community projects in all 34 provinces of the country.

External affairs minister Jaishankar speaking at the Afghanistan 2020 virtual conference in Geneva said, "As contiguous neighbours, India and Afghanistan share natural historical relations. Our strategic partnership and long term commitment to the development of Afghanistan reflects the time tested partnership".

India's EAM also announced that India has concluded an agreement with Afghanistan for the construction of the Shatoot dam. The dam would provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents in Kabul. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina are expected to hold a virtual summit on December 17, during which the two sides will sign at least four memorandums of understanding to boost bilateral cooperation.

The summit will cap a string of engagements since foreign secretary Harsh Shringla visited Dhaka in August to put the relationship back on an even keel after it was hit by irritants such as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

Before the summit, Bangladesh foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen is expected to visit New Delhi on December 8 for talks with Shringla and other top officials, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity. Details of the MoUs to be signed during the summit are being finalised, they said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 21 November Saturday, attended the 15th edition of the G20 Summit, which was chaired by Saudi Arabia this year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump also joined PM Modi via video conferencing to discuss global impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Heads of 19 member countries, including the EU, Brazil and international organisations also attended the summit.

Speaking at the summit, PM Modi said that coordinated efforts by the largest economies of the world will surely lead to faster recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the summit, Modi called for a “new global index based on talent, technology, transparency and trusteeship towards the planet”, for the post-Corona world.

President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday sought to raise pressure on President Trump to concede defeat and grant him access to government intelligence, warning that the president's efforts to overturn the election are sending a "damaging" message to the rest of the world about American democracy, as well as putting lives at risk during a pandemic.

Speaking from near his home in Wilmington, Del., after a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors, Biden said there was "no excuse" for the Trump administration to continue to deny him access to government officials and intelligence briefings, as is customary in a transition process.

Asked about the president's efforts to overturn the election, Biden paused and looked off into the distance to collect his thoughts, saying he wanted to choose his words carefully.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the belief in democracy, rule of law and freedom is the strength of the partnership between India and Luxembourg.

Speaking at the first stand-alone India-Luxembourg summit via video conferencing, PM Modi said, "India-Luxembourg`s partnership amid the COVID-19 pandemic can be beneficial for the recovery of both the countries. Our bilateral belief in democracy, rule of law and freedom strengthens our relation and partnership.”

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel greeted PM Narendra Modi as "Hello my friend" after welcoming him with folded hands."On the behalf of 130 crore Indians, I send my condolences to the people who died of COVID-19 in Luxembourg. I also congratulate the Prime Minister for his efficient dealing with the coronavirus," he said.

As this year the Summit is being held in a virtual mode, PM Modi said, "This year`s summit is very important. We have been meeting on various platforms but this is the first stand-alone summit since the past two decades."