Morena Deputy Collector arrested in rape case, sent to judicial custody till June 19

New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday reiterated India’s call for de-escalation in the ongoing regional conflict while assuring that adequate supplies of crude oil, petrol, diesel and LPG are available in the country. The government also said efforts are underway to safeguard maritime operations and repatriate Indian seafarers from the affected region.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has consistently called for dialogue and restraint since the conflict began, stressing the importance of ensuring the uninterrupted transit of goods and energy.

“Since the outbreak of this conflict, India has consistently called for de-escalation and for all issues to be addressed through dialogue. At the same time, one of our key priorities is to ensure the unimpeded transit of goods and energy,” Jaiswal said.

He added that India has urged all sides not to target civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, given the wider global impact of the conflict.

Jaiswal said India has been in constant communication with key stakeholders in the region. “We have remained in close contact with all important interlocutors, including the Gulf Cooperation Council members, Iran, the U.S. and Israel, at various political and diplomatic levels to underline our priorities, particularly regarding energy security,” he said.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken with several counterparts in recent days, while External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Indian embassies have maintained close coordination with their interlocutors.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said that efforts are being made to assist Indian seafarers and maintain smooth maritime operations.

Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha said that in the past 24 hours, 30 Indian seafarers have been repatriated and transported safely to their respective destinations, taking the total number of repatriated seafarers to 253.

He said major ports had accorded priority berthing to six LPG carriers that arrived from various parts of the world.

Sinha also noted that the DG Shipping Communication Centre has been operating round the clock and handling a large volume of queries. “Over the past 15 days, the centre has received more than 2,500 phone calls and around 5,000 emails, all of which have been responded to,” he said.

Providing an update on maritime movement in the Gulf region, Sinha said that two Indian-flagged LPG carriers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — had safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday and are now heading towards India.

Officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas also assured that the country has adequate fuel supplies.

Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refinery) Sujata Sharma said India’s crude oil supply remains sufficient and refineries are operating at full capacity.

“Our crude supply is sufficient, and our refineries are operating at full capacity. There are no dry-out reports at retail outlets, and sufficient petrol and diesel are available,” she said, adding that India produces enough petrol and diesel domestically to meet its needs.

She said state governments and district administrations are closely monitoring the fuel supply situation. Sharma noted that several Chief Ministers, including those of Haryana and Goa, have already held review meetings with officials.

On LPG supply, Sharma said the situation remains stable despite the geopolitical challenges, but warned against panic booking by consumers.

“Yesterday, we reported around 75–76 lakh LPG bookings. That number has now increased to nearly 88 lakh. This is clearly due to panic booking,” she said, urging citizens to book cylinders only when necessary.

She clarified that booking restrictions remain in place, with a minimum gap of 25 days between bookings in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas.

Sharma also appealed to consumers to use digital platforms for LPG bookings and avoid visiting distributors or standing in queues.

“There is no need for panic — neither for booking nor for cylinders. Oil marketing companies are delivering cylinders to homes and will continue to do so,” she added.

–IANS

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Oslo, June 2 (IANS) India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal held a bilateral meeting with Terada Yoshimichi, Japan’s Vice Minister here on Monday to boost cooperation between the two countries in shipbuilding, ports, smart islands, and maritime training for a globally sustainable future.

Sonowal’s discussions with Yoshimichi, Japan’s vice minister for International Affairs, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism (MLITT) were aimed at deepening maritime relations between the two countries in multiple areas including investment by Japanese Shipyards, collaboration on port digitisation and green port initiatives. An increase in R&D cooperation, upskilling human resources and employment of Indian seafarers in Japan were also discussed, according to an official statement.

The two ministers held discussion on using sustainable technologies, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and enhanced connectivity to enable Andaman Nicobar islands and Lakshwadeep islands to be converted into Smart Islands.

Acknowledging the rich expertise of Japan in developing island territories, Sarbananda Sonowal said: “Japan’s expertise in this area is highly valued. We see scope for joint work in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands, particularly in deploying renewable energy, smart mobility systems, and digital infrastructure. These initiatives will further our shared commitment to ecological conservation and regional maritime security.”

The meeting also focused on increasing partnership between Indian and Japanese shipyards including greenfield investment such as Imabari Shipbuilding in Andhra Pradesh and others. Opportunities for co-development of ports and maritime industrial clusters as clean energy hubs were also gauged for mutual cooperation.

Sonowal expressed India’s interest in leading Japanese shipbuilding companies such as Imabari Shipbuilding, JMUC, Kanagawa Dockyard, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to explore joint ventures and collaborative arrangements with Indian shipyards.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said: “Relations between India and Japan have a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilisational ties. Our collaboration under the Quad framework and the India-Japan-Australia Supply Chain Resilience Initiative reflects our shared commitment to strengthening regional maritime security and economic integration. India appreciates Japan’s leadership in key initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT).”

As India moves ahead to transform its maritime sector under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is advancing port infrastructure, green shipping, shipbuilding, and digitalisation under ‘Maritime India Vision 2030.’ India seeks Japan’s participation in these transformative initiatives.

Yoshimichi said that Japan has been participating in the development of railway infrastructure in India and is now ‘very interested in the maritime sector’ as well. Prospects of mutual collaboration in shipbuilding and training of seafarers were discussed and considered positively. He expressed satisfaction over the meeting.

Emphasising the need to deepen bilateral ties in maritime training and development, as well as cooperation in research and development, both sides agreed to further strengthen collaboration in the maritime sector, especially on sustainable maritime technologies and next-generation ship design.

Sonowal said that India is keen on signing an MoU with Japan for a collaboration with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Indian universities, and public agencies.

On upskilling and employment of India’s human capital, Sonowal said: “India currently has over 154,000 trained seafarers which is capable of support and supplement Japan’s maritime workforce. India is ready and keen to facilitate Japanese maritime player’s interest in training Indian engineers and workers through structured programmes.”

Sonowal said: “We deeply value the relationship with Japan. Under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership, India aims to scale new heights with a target of five trillion yen (Rs 3.2 lakh crore) in investments with Japan by 2027. India will work closely with Japan toward a sustainable future, guided by our shared vision of advanced maritime cooperation that contributes meaningfully to global progress & mutual benefit for both countries.”

The Union Minister also offered Japan a partnership in India’s Maritime Heritage Museum (NMHC) project at Lothal in Gujarat which also serves as a world-class centre for heritage tourism, education, and research in the maritime sector.

Besides, he extended an invitation to Vice Minister Terada Yoshimichi for participation at the India Maritime Week, 2025 in Mumbai between 27th and 31st October this year.

–IANS

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Amaravati, Jan 28 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and discussed ‘ongoing issues’ in the state.

The Jana Sena leader posted on social media that he had a meaningful meeting with Amit Shah at his residence.

“We held detailed discussions on the ongoing issues in Andhra Pradesh, and several other important matters of public and administrative importance,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister thanked Amit Shah for providing an opportunity to the Kakinada district administration to present the proposal on the Uppada sea protection wall before the Technical Advisory Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Pawan Kalyan also met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw with a focus on improving rail infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh.

The Jana Sena leader said they discussed the development of Pithapuram Railway Station, construction of a Road Over Bridge, and key railway projects in the state.

“I requested that Pithapuram, an important spiritual centre visited by devotees from across the country, be developed as a model station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, and that the Road Over Bridge be taken up under the PM Gati Shakti programme,” he said.

Pawan Kalyan said he was received very cordially by Ashwini Vaishnaw, and the discussions were held in a positive and constructive atmosphere. He responded very positively to all the proposals and assured due consideration.

The Deputy CM said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Railways continues to move forward with a strong development focus. He thanked Ashwini Vaishnaw for his encouraging support towards railway development in Kakinada district and across the state.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the railway projects in the state during a meeting at the Secretariat in Amaravati.

The Chief Minister reviewed rail connectivity from different ports in the State and from the states of Telangana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Senior officials of South Central Railway, East Coast Railway and South Coast Railway attended the meeting.

–IANS

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