Latest news with #MinistryofExternalAffairs
NDTV
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
India To Organise Yoga Day Events In 191 Countries Tomorrow
India will organise thematic events and programmes in 1,300 cities across the globe to mark the International Day of Yoga on Saturday, showcasing the nation's ancient tradition and soft power. The Indian High Commission in Pakistan is also organising a yoga event in Islamabad on the occasion, according to a statement issued on Friday by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the cultural arm of the Ministry of External Affairs. "On the 10th anniversary of International Day of Yoga, we will practically cover every country in the world where yoga events are being organised. In some countries like the US, we are hosting multiple events across various cities," ICCR's Director General, K Nandini Singla, was quoted as saying in a statement. The ICCR will organise various yoga events and programmes in 191 countries on June 21 to mark the IDY, with more than 2,000 events to be hosted at 1,300 locations, covering multiple cities in various nations, it said. Additionally, the ICCR is also hosting 'Yoga Bandhan', a signature event of IDY 2025, where 17 yoga gurus and practitioners from 15 countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Russia, China, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea, will lead the Yoga Day events across India, Singla said. In Delhi, yoga events will be led by these foreign yoga gurus at Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar, Purana Quila and Humayun's Tomb, while similar 'Yoga Bandhan' programmes will be organised at iconic locations in Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhopal, Gwalior and other cities, she added. Just as yoga is a 'union' between ' Atma' and 'Paramatma', 'Yoga Bandhan' seeks to "unite India and the world', the ICCR's DG said. "It is a matter of great satisfaction that yoga has come full circle. Yoga went from India to these countries. People abroad learnt yoga, and today they have come back to India to lead yoga demonstrations by Indian people in India," Singla added. The theme for IDY 2025 is 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'. This theme echoes a vital truth about the interconnectedness of health, sustainability, and the environment, aligning with India's "One Earth, One Family, One Future" vision highlighted during its G20 presidency, the ICCR underlined. The ICCR DG noted that preparations for IDY- 2025 started several months ago. "To create awareness about IDY, we did various programmes to mark the 100-day countdown, 75-day countdown, 50-day countdown and 25-day countdown events. Globally, our embassies and consulates hosted special yoga events in the run-up to the IDY," she said. India's 37 cultural centres in different countries also organised numerous yoga programmes during the last 100 days, Singla added. Regarding yoga's popularity in foreign countries, she said, "prominent personalities like MPs, legislators, police officers and judges are also learning yoga abroad". Many people in foreign countries are adopting yoga in their daily lives to stay healthy and beat stress, Singla said, adding that yoga has "truly become a global movement".
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid conflict with Israel, Iran opens airspace to evacuate around 1,000 Indian students
Iran has opened its airspace for India, allowing New Delhi to bring back around 1,000 Indian students under Operation Sindhu as tensions are escalating in the Middle East. According to multiple reports, Mahan Air, an Iranian carrier, will bring back the students to New Delhi in multiple chartered flights over the weekend. Nearly 1,000 Indian students have been moved from Tehran to Mashad and will be brought back in three flights. On Wednesday, the Indian government officially launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had confirmed that 110 Indian students from northern Iran were successfully escorted across the border into Armenia on June 17. These students were taken to Yerevan, the Armenian capital, under the supervision of Indian diplomatic missions. Operation Sindhu was launched after reports of Indian students sustaining injuries during a strike on a medical student dormitory in Tehran's Keshavarz Street area. Iranian embassy officials in Delhi confirmed that the Iranian foreign ministry remains in close contact with the Indian mission in Tehran following the incident. In an earlier statement, the MEA emphasised the Indian government's focus on the well-being of its citizens abroad. 'India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options,' it had said. The MEA also expressed gratitude to both Iran and Armenia for their cooperation in facilitating the evacuation efforts. Indian nationals in Iran have been advised to stay connected with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline and to coordinate with the 24×7 Control Room established by the MEA in New Delhi.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Operation Sindhu: Iran opens airspace for Indian evacuation flights
Iran opens airspace exclusively for Indian flights as India begins evacuating students from conflict-hit nation under Operation Sindhu Prateek Shukla New Delhi Iran has made a rare exception by permitting Indian evacuation flights to transit its otherwise restricted airspace, according to a report by NDTV. The move supports Operation Sindhu, launched by the Indian government to rescue its citizens from conflict-affected regions in Iran. The first flight carrying Indian students is expected to land in Delhi tonight at 11:00 pm IST. Two additional flights are scheduled for Saturday—one in the morning and another in the evening. Exclusive airspace access amid escalating tensions Iranian airspace has largely been closed to international flights due to continuing missile and drone attacks linked to the conflict with Israel. Despite the broader restrictions, India has been granted an exclusive air corridor to ensure the safe passage of its nationals. India formally announced Operation Sindhu on Wednesday. The Indian Embassy in Tehran is coordinating closely with the Iranian foreign ministry, particularly after reports emerged of injuries among Indian students. 'India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,' stated the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Thousands of Indians in Iran, many in northern regions There are over 4,000 Indian nationals living in Iran, with roughly half of them being students. A significant number are located in northern regions where military activity has intensified. Earlier this week, 110 students were relocated from northern Iran to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, by road. This effort was jointly managed by Indian diplomatic missions in Tehran and Yerevan. A special flight departed from Yerevan at 14:55 hours on 18 June, arriving in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19. Alongside the stranded students, many Indian pilgrims, including 28 from Lucknow, remain stuck in Iran. They began their journey on May 27 from India to Iraq and crossed into Iran on June 9. Their planned pilgrimage included visits to religious sites in Karbala, Mashhad, Tehran, Nishapur, and Kashan. A large number of these pilgrims had completed Haj, which ended with Eid on Monday, before proceeding to Iran—a route commonly followed by Shia pilgrims visiting holy shrines. Aqeel Jafar Rizvi, a tour operator with Mehndi Tours and Travels, told The Times of India, 'Over 1,000 pilgrims from Lucknow are currently in Iran, and many are facing difficulties due to a shortage of funds and limited access to essential medicines.' Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas has written to the MEA urging action. Gratitude expressed to regional partners 'The Indian government is grateful to the governments of Iran and Armenia for facilitating the safe passage of Indian nationals through their territories,' said an MEA spokesperson. The evacuated students were enrolled at Urmia Medical University in Iran's West Azerbaijan province, near the Turkish border— an area that has recently seen increased military movement. Of the 110 students evacuated, 90 are from Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association.
Deccan Herald
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
India to organise Yoga Day events in 191 countries, including Pak on June 21: ICCR
The Indian High Commission in Pakistan is also organising a yoga event in Islamabad on the occasion, according to a statement issued on Friday by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the cultural arm of the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
First batch of 33 pilgrims leaves for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra via Sikkim's Nathula
'The first batch of 33 pilgrims and two liaison officers left for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra via Nathula in Sikkim on Friday (June 20, 2025),' officials said. 'Governor Om Prakash Mathur flagged off the yatra at a function held at the Sino-Indian frontier in East Sikkim,' they said. The function was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs. Tourism and Civil Aviation Department Additional Chief Secretary C.S. Rao welcomed the pilgrims on behalf of the State Government and the people of Sikkim. He said that the first batch comprised 33 pilgrims and two liaison officers, one each from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Mr. Rao said the State Government, in coordination with the departments concerned and paramilitary forces, had made all necessary arrangements to ensure the safety, comfort and smooth passage of the pilgrims during their journey. The Governor, in his address, appreciated the reopening of the yatra after six years and said that the resumption of pilgrimage was made possible owing to consistent efforts by the Centre. Mathur said Kailash Manasarovar holds deep religious and cultural importance for pilgrims across the country. The Sikkim Governor said that more batches of pilgrims would undertake the journey in the coming days. Mathur lauded the State Government for the flag-off event at Nathula and appreciated the people of Sikkim for upholding the value of "Atithi Devo Bhava" with commitment and respect towards the pilgrims. The Governor advised the pilgrims to take care of their health and expressed hope for a smooth and safe pilgrimage. This year, 750 Indian pilgrims have been selected for the yatra, with 500 travelling in 10 groups via the Nathu La route and 250 through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand.
