NEW DELHI, 25 February 2022, (TON): Ahead of a visit by Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to India this week, the two countries are close to finalising three defence-related agreements and arrangements that are expected to boost cooperation for maritime security.

Minister Rajapaksa has been coordinating with the Indian side to sign up an economic assistance package to help Sri Lanka tide over a severe balance of payments crisis according to the HT report.

The HT report says “he is expected to visit New Delhi during February 25-26, his second trip to the Indian capital since December.”

While a USD 1-billion line of credit to be provided by India to Sri Lanka to purchase food, medicines and essential items will be the focus of Minister Rajapaksa’s visit, the two sides are close to finalising three defence-related agreements and arrangements that will bolster the capabilities of Sri Lanka’s armed forces and boost cooperation for maritime security.

In addition to agreements for the purchase of two Dornier aircraft and the acquisition of a 4,000-tonne naval floating dock by Sri Lanka, Colombo has agreed to post a naval liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram, people familiar with the matter said.

NEW DELHI, 25 February 2022, (TON): A team from the Indian embassy in Hungary has been sent to the border post of Zohanyi to provide assistance to facilitate the exit of Indians from Ukraine.

The Indian embassy in Hungary said “it is working with the Hungarian government for providing all possible assistance for facilitating the entry of Indians from Ukraine.”

As Ukraine closed its airspace for civilian aircraft following the Russian attack, India is looking at evacuating its nationals from Ukraine through land routes.

Hungary shares a border with Ukraine.

The Indian embassy in Hungary tweeted "team from Embassy of India in Hungary has been despatched to the border post Zohanyi to coordinate and provide assistance to facilitate exit of Indians from Ukraine. Mission is working with Govt of Hungary to provide all possible assistance.”

DHAKA, 25 February 2022, (TON): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement “Bangladesh is deeply concerned at the recent escalation of violence in Ukraine.”

It said "such violence would seriously impact the peace and stability of the whole region, therefore, we urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, cessation of hostilities and endeavour to resolve this crisis through returning to diplomacy and dialogue.”

Added the statement “Dhaka has asked the Bangladeshi nationals in Ukraine to move to a safer location, and if necessary to Poland.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been maintaining close coordination with the Embassy of Bangladesh in Poland.

It also said "we have been extending all-out support to the stranded Bangladeshis there for their immediate repatriation to Bangladesh.”

 DHAKA, 25 February 2022, (TON): Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla have stressed the need for regular engagement to maintain the momentum in growing bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries.

Masud met his Indian counterpart today in New Delhi after he visited Chennai yesterday when he saw the newly-opened Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in the capital city of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The two foreign secretaries discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest and emphasised regular engagement to keep up the momentum of ever-growing relations between the two friendly neighbours, said the Bangladesh foreign ministry on its official Twitter handle.

Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi, in his Twitter post, said it was a productive meeting between Shringla and Masud when "both sides discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties.

KABUL, 25 February 2022, (TON): The foreign ministry said “the Netherlands has evacuated 294 Afghan citizens who arrived in neighbouring Pakistan over the last few days and will be flown soon to a Dutch destination.”

The Hague-based ministry said in a statement “the group, consisting of translators, non-governmental workers and other people assisting Dutch missions to the war-torn country as well as their families, have been allowed across the Afghan-Pakistani border following intense diplomatic negotiations.

It added “the group consists of persons and families of whom not everyone has valid travel documents.”

The foreign ministry said “the Pakistani authorities have made an exception for this specific group and have given permission to travel to the Netherlands via that country.”

The NOS public broadcaster reported “the group is currently being housed by the Dutch government in hotels in Islamabad.”

KABUL, 25 February 2022, (TON): A joint statement was issued by the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan, Central Asia Special Envoys for Afghanistan and the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, following a meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The statement called for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

The EU Special Envoy Tomas Niklasson tweeted he was heading to Tashkent with EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Terhi Hakala to discuss Afghanistan’s regional significance and how the EU can engage as a constructive partner.

The representatives stressed a continuous need to ensure good governance and service delivery, promote and respect rule of law, universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Afghans.

The participants also reaffirmed EU and Central Asia cooperation in support of the Afghan people as well as security and “resilience in a wider region”.

They also expressed concerns over the Afghan humanitarian crisis and called for a concerted response by the international community.

KABUL, 25 February 2022, (TON): The Ministry of Economy said “it has drafted a plan through which Afghan traders and foreign investors will be provided with more facilities to invest in the country.”

According to the MoE, “the rate of imports has significantly dropped compared to last year.”

Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy minister of Economy said “we want trade to not be politicalized. We want the private sector to be active and incentivized as well as have government support.”

The Directorate of Non-Governmental Organizations said that nearly 2,200 national and foreign organizations were registered with the government and that at least 134 new organizations have been registered within the past six months.

Ihsanullah, Director of Non-Governmental Organizations said “1,915 national organizations and 262 foreign organizations are registered in the ministry.”

NEW DELHI, 25 February 2022, (TON): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar night held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the Ukraine crisis.

In a tweet, Mr Jaishankar said the discussion with Blinken was on the ongoing developments in Ukraine and their implications.

He said "appreciate the call from @SecBlinken. Discussed the ongoing developments in Ukraine and it implications.”

On his talks with Lavrov, Mr Jaishankar said he conveyed to his Russian counterpart that dialogue and diplomacy are the best way forward.

The external affairs minister tweeted "just spoke to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia on the Ukraine developments. Underlined that dialogue and diplomacy are the best way forward.”

In the course of the day, Jaishankar also spoke to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on the evolving situation in Ukraine.

NEW DELHI, 25 February 2022, (TON): Aprit Katiyar, an Indian student in Kharkiv, was glued on his television screen on Wednesday night, watching the news about a possible invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

But the 22-year-old’s slumber did not last long.

Katiyar, from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, told media “I had fallen asleep for just around 45 minutes when at 5am, the sound of bombs woke me up. “I was horrified.”

Katiyar’s fear had become a reality.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised statement in the early hours of Thursday, announced the launch of a military operation in Donbas and called on Ukraine’s military to lay down its arms.

Putin claimed the action comes in response to threats coming from Ukraine, saying Russia does not have a goal to occupy the neighbouring country.

DHAKA, 25 February 2022, (TON): Bangladesh has sought India’s cooperation in resolving the outstanding issues, especially early completion of water sharing agreement of the common rivers including Teesta.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen raised this during his meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla in New Delhi.

Masud enumerated that India is the closest and most important neighbour of Bangladesh and assured his Indian counterpart that the government of Bangladesh is committed to sustaining the momentum of having a friendly relation with India which is based on mutual trust and respect.

He urged his Indian counterpart to extend necessary support to facilitate the early, safe, secure and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.

Foreign Secretary Shringla thanked his counterpart Masud for visiting him in New Delhi and emphasized on the regular interactions at the Foreign Secretary level.