[Vol. 18 – April – June, 2025]

NEWS FROM MALAWI

11th International Yoga Day 2025

High Commission of India, Lilongwe celebrated the 11th International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2025 under the theme ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’ at the Indian Country Club, Lilongwe. H.E. Ms Nancy Tembo, M.P, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Malawi graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. In her remarks Foreign Minister Tembo said that yoga not only promotes discipline but is a way of life that nurtures balance between body and mind. High Commissioner H.E. S. Gopalakrishnan in his remarks emphasised on various health benefits of yoga for self and the Society. He also highlighted decade of growing global recognition of yoga and increasing participation at the IDY across the world. During the celebration, Ms. Bhawna Vajpai and her team presented yoga fitness workout. The event was attended by large number of people including diplomats, school children, friends of India, members of Indian community among others. The event was live telecasted on Zodiak TV, Malawi's leading TV channel.

Felicitation of Mr.  Krishna Savjani

The High Commission of India organised a seminar/interactive session on the history of Indians in Malawi cum Pravas Bharatiya Samman Award felicitation ceremony of Mr. Krishna Savjani on June 06, 2025 at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre. Mr. Savjani, an eminent lawyer was conferred with prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) 2025 by the Hon’ble President of India. Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians by the Government of India. The High Commissioner H.E. S. Gopalakrishnan presented the PBSA medal and Sanad to Mr. Savjani. Mr. Krishna Savjani is the first person from Malawi to receive the PBSA award. The award was conferred to Mr. Savjani for his outstanding achievement which has enhanced India’s prestige in Malawi. Over 200 persons, including dignitaries, members of the Indian diaspora & Friends of India participated at the event. Speakers at the event also traced history of Indians in Malawi and their contributions towards strengthening India-Malawi relations.

Tribute to the innocent victims of the terrorists attack

The High Commission of India, Lilongwe organised a ceremony on 02 May 2025 to pay tribute to the innocent victims of the terrorists attack on 22 April, 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. High Commissioner S. Gopalakrishnan addressed the gathering and offered tribute to the innocent victims. Members of Indian community and Friends of India attended the solemn ceremony in large numbers at the Chancery.  A minute of silence was observed and attendees also paid floral tribute  to the innocent victims.  
India stands against terrorism and in solidarity with the victims' families.

Malawi stands in solidarity with India

“Malawi stands in solidarity with India in dire moments following a heinous terrorist attack at Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. Terrorism has no place in our civilised world. Let’s end it” - H.E. Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi.

INDIA COMMUNITY

NEWS FROM INDIA

PM Modi leads 11th International Yoga Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations from the scenic beachfront of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on June 20, 2025, joining nearly 5 lakh participants in performing the Common Yoga Protocol. Addressing a huge gathering, PM Modi delivered a powerful message, urging the global community to adopt “Yoga for Humanity 2.0”, where“inner peace becomes global policy.” In his address, the Prime Minister underscored yoga’s universal relevance: “Yoga has united the entire world,” he said. “It is for everyone — beyond boundaries, beyond backgrounds, beyond age or ability.” Reflecting on India’s proposal at the United Nations a decade ago, which led to June 21 being declared International Yoga Day, the PM highlighted the global unity that yoga has fostered: “Eleven years on, yoga has become an integral part of life for millions across the globe. Read more

PM Modi Holds Key Bilateral Meetings with Global Leaders at G7 Summit

On June 18, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and Canada bilateral relations are very important and both nations have to work together to strengthen democracy as well as humanity. In his remarks during bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Mr Modi said many Canadian companies have investments in India and vice versa. He said he looks forward to taking India Canada relations forward. In a social media post, Mr Modi said that India and Canada are connected by a strong belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law. He added that areas like trade, energy, space, clean energy, critical minerals, and fertilisers offer immense potential for bilateral cooperation. In his remarks, Mr. Carney said that India’s regular participation in G7 Summit is testament to the importance of India and Prime Minister Modi. Prime Minister Modi also held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of Germany, France, Mexico, and South Korea among others. Read more

India opens world's highest single-arch railway bridge in Kashmir

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the world's highest single- arch railway bridge in Indian-administered Kashmir. The term "single-arch bridge" typically refers to a bridge with a single, continuous arch spanning between two supports. The bridge will connect the valley region of Kashmir with the rest of the country by train for the very first time. The showpiece infrastructure project, which is built over the Chenab river, is 35m (114ft) taller than the Eiffel Tower and took the Indian Railways more the 20 years to build. It is part of a 272km (169 miles) all-weather railway line that will pass through Jammu, ultimately going all the way to the Kashmir valley. Read more

PM Modi Highlights India-US Tech Collaboration In Conversation With Elon Musk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Elon Musk on April 18, revisiting key topics deliberated during their earlier meeting in Washington, D.C. this year. The interaction focused on the shared vision and huge probability for bilateral cooperation in technology and innovation. During the conversation, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s strong commitment to advancing technological partnerships with the United States, emphasising chances for joint progress in cutting-edge sectors. “Spoke to @elonmusk and talked about various issues, including the topics we covered during our meeting in Washington DC earlier this year. We discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation. India remains committed to advancing our partnerships with the US in these domains,” the Prime Minister posted on X while sharing details of the discussion. The conversation marks another step toward deepening Indo-US collaboration in transformative technologies. Read more

India, Poland and Hungary make spaceflight comeback with ISS mission

A US commercial mission carrying crew from India, Poland and Hungary blasted off to the International Space Station on June 25,2025, taking astronauts from these countries to space for the first time in decades. Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, launched from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2.31am local time with a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule riding atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The vehicle is scheduled to dock with the orbital lab on Thursday and remain there for up to 14 days. Onboard the spacecraft were the Indian test pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, the mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, and the US commander Peggy Whitson, a former Nasa astronaut who now works for the company Axiom Space, which organises private spaceflights among other things. The last time India, Poland or Hungary sent people to space, their current crop of astronauts had not yet been born – and back then they were called cosmonauts, as they flew on Soviet missions before the fall of the iron curtain. Shukla became the first Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma, an air force pilot who travelled to the Salyut 7 space station in 1984 as part of a Soviet-led initiative to help allied countries access space.  Read more

PM Modi addresses 78th World Health Assembly, highlights India’s global health vision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 20, 2025, addressed the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva via videoconferencing, reaffirming India’s commitment to a more inclusive, collaborative, and integrated approach to global health. Extending warm greetings to the delegates, he highlighted how the theme of this year’s assembly — “One World for Health” — echoes India’s own vision of “One Earth, One Health”. In his address, the Prime Minister emphasized that the foundation of a healthy world lies in inclusion, an integrated vision, and global cooperation. “The health of the world depends on how well we care for the most vulnerable,” he said, noting that the Global South continues to bear a disproportionate share of global health challenges. Read more

"India is emerging as a global hub for film production, digital content, gaming, fashion, & music"- PM Narendra Modi at Waves 2025

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated WAVES 2025—India’s first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit—at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai on May 1, 2025. Addressing the gathering, he extended greetings on the occasion of Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Statehood Day. Acknowledging the presence of international dignitaries, ambassadors, and leaders from the creative industries, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the summit, noting that representatives from over 100 countries—including artists, innovators, investors, and policymakers—had come together to foster a global ecosystem of creativity and talent. WAVES, he said, “is more than an acronym—it is a symbol of culture, creativity, and global connection.” He added that the summit brings to light the vast landscape of film, music, gaming, animation, and storytelling, offering a global platform for artists and creators to collaborate. Read more

“India and Angola: Partners in Progress, Pillars of the Global South” — PM Modi

In a landmark diplomatic moment that underscored historical solidarity and future-oriented partnership, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi warmly welcomed President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola to India on May 3, 2025. The visit, the first by an Angolan head of state to India in 38 years, signified more than a ceremonial exchange—it marked a strategic recalibration of India–Angola ties and reinforced India’s enduring commitment to Africa. “This is a historic moment,” Prime Minister Modi said, addressing the joint press statement alongside President Lourenço. “His visit is not only giving a new direction and momentum to India-Angola ties, but also strengthening India-Africa partnership.” While 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties between India and Angola, Prime Minister Modi emphasised that the foundations of friendship go much deeper. “When Angola was fighting for its freedom, India stood by it with unwavering faith and friendship,” he reminded the gathering, reflecting the moral continuity that guides India’s engagement with post-colonial nations. Read more

PM Modi unveils vision for India’s space future at GLEX 2025, astronaut to ISS soon, Moon landing by 2040

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Global Conference on Space Exploration (GLEX) 2025 via video conferencing on May 7, 2025, highlighting India’s evolving leadership in space technology and its commitment to global cooperation in advancing the frontiers of space exploration. Welcoming delegates, astronauts, and scientists from around the world, the Prime Minister described space as “not merely a destination but a declaration of curiosity, courage, and collective progress.” He spoke of India’s extraordinary journey, from launching a small rocket in 1963 to becoming the first nation to land near the Moon’s South Pole with Chandrayaan-3. “Indian rockets carry more than payloads—they carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians,” PM Modi said. Read more

Cricket History Made at New Road by 14-Year-Old Indian Sensation Suryavanshi

Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi struck the fastest ever Youth ODI century – from 52 balls – as India beat England by 55 runs at Visit Worcestershire New Road to secure a series victory. India’s total of 363 for nine featured two brilliant centuries. Suryavanshi smashed a blistering 143 from 78 balls and Vihaan Malhotra compiled a high-class 129 from 121 as they built a second-wicket partnership of 219 in 24 overs. That left India, at 233 for one after 27 overs, eyeing 400-plus but England fought back well as Worcestershire’s Jack Home took four for 63 and Middlesex seamer Sebastian Morgan added three for 54. England replied with 308 all out from 45.2 overs after they failed to build on a century opening stand from Kent’s Ben Dawkins (67, 58) and Lancashire’s Joe Moores (52, 41). Rocky Flintoff’s defiant century (107, 91) was thereafter largely unsupported against a well-drilled India attack with captain Thomas Rew perishing in the most unfortunate way for just 19, run out backing up.  Read more