bilateral engagements

India and the UK are working to resolve outstanding issues, including steel quotas and duties, to expedite the implementation of their bilateral trade agreement. Discussions between Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State Peter Kyle focused on overcoming these sticking points to advance economic engagement and strengthen the partnership.

India and Singapore solidified their robust defence partnership during the 16th Defence Policy Dialogue in Singapore. Discussions focused on deepening cooperation in strategic areas, including emerging and digital warfare domains. The visit also explored collaboration opportunities in advanced digital and technical capabilities, reinforcing the strong bilateral ties guided by their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah proposed resolving border disputes with India through dialogue and suggested involving the UK, citing its historical role in defining regional borders. He emphasized negotiations and diplomatic efforts, noting that Nepal has exchanged notes with India to examine historical and geographical records concerning disputed territories.

India and Singapore's defence chiefs met to boost cooperation, exploring new frontiers in cyber security, AI, and maritime domains. Discussions focused on strengthening strategic ties, industry collaboration, and building capacity to tackle evolving regional security challenges. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to a stable Indo-Pacific.

India and the UK are addressing key issues delaying the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) implementation, including Britain's steel safeguard measure and carbon border adjustment mechanism. These concerns could lead India to rebalance duty concessions on British products like Scotch whisky, impacting bilateral trade.

India and China convened their 35th border talks in Beijing, reviewing the Line of Actual Control and discussing measures for peace. Both nations expressed satisfaction with progress in border areas, deeming it crucial for normalizing bilateral ties. Discussions covered delimitation, management, and cooperation, with India pushing for an early expert meeting on trans-border rivers. Diplomatic and military exchanges will continue.

India and the US have signed a bilateral framework to secure supplies, mining, and processing of critical minerals and rare earth elements. This agreement aims to strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains, fostering collaboration on financing and management of these vital resources. The pact underscores the strategic importance of the growing partnership between the two nations.

India and Canada are accelerating free trade agreement negotiations, aiming to boost bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. Both nations are committed to deepening economic ties, with a "Team Canada" business delegation set to visit India later this year to explore new opportunities.

India and Australia have significantly boosted their defence ties, agreeing to enhance interoperability, expand maritime security cooperation, and deepen military engagements. Key initiatives include joint exercises, reciprocal aircraft deployments, and increased information sharing. Discussions also focused on defence industrial collaboration, with plans for joint research and industry roundtables, strengthening their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.