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Thousands of devotees waded into the foul waters of the Yamuna river in the Indian capital Monday for a Hindu festival, amid political wrangling over the sacred but severely polluted waterway.At dusk, worshippers stood waist-deep in the river’s brown waters to offer prayers to the sun god Surya as the setting orb sank into the haze blanketing New Delhi’s skyline, marking the annual Chhath festival.Unlike previous years, the scene was free of the thick layers of white foam that have long symbolised the Yamuna’s toxic condition.”At least this time it feels like a river, even if dirty,” said 35-year-old homemaker Kanchan Devi.”Earlier it was like going into a filthy drain.”The Yamuna river, a major tributary of the Ganges, continues to suffer from severe pollution despite repeated clean-up pledges.At one location in south Delhi in 2021, faecal bacteria levels exceeded safe health limits by 8,800 times.The river’s dismal condition was a key issue in Delhi elections earlier this year that saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) return to power in the sprawling megacity of more than 30 million people.One of the Hindu nationalist party’s main campaign promises was to clean the river.Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said Monday that becuase of her government’s efforts, “after many years, our brothers and sisters will be able to worship the sun on the banks of the Yamuna.” – ‘Cosmetic’ -“This water is now in such a condition that aquatic creatures can live very well in it, whereas earlier, even a mosquito could not thrive in this water,” Gupta told reporters.But opposition leaders have called the clean-up “cosmetic”, alleging that chemicals had been used to mask the froth without addressing the fundamental causes of the pollution: untreated sewage and industrial effluents.Laboratory analysis conducted earlier this month indicated that the faecal count in the river had reduced since last year but remained far from safe at most sites.”All said and done, it is certainly better than before,” said Sanjay Paswan, a carpenter.”I have been coming here for a decade. The difference is clear.”Delhi’s pollution crisis extends beyond its rivers.The capital is routinely blanketed by toxic smog each winter, a deadly combination of emissions from crop burning, factories and traffic.Despite years of government initiatives, little progress has been made, and the pollution is blamed for thousands of premature deaths annually.Earlier this month, air quality worsened sharply, following widespread use of fireworks during the Hindu festival of Diwali.Although bans have been imposed in previous years, enforcement has been weak due to the deep religious significance of fireworks for many devotees.This year, the Supreme Court eased restrictions, allowing the use of so-called “green” firecrackers that are designed to emit fewer particulate pollutants.At the Chhath festivities too, firecrackers lit up the sky, leaving the air acrid with the smell of burnt sulphur.Revellers, though, said they were not concerned.”At least the water is clean and so is the riverbank,” said daily wage labourer Sanjay Prasad.

Optimism grew Monday that Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping will end their bruising trade war during talks this week, as the US president touched down in Tokyo on the latest leg of an Asian tour.Trump said en route to close US ally Japan that he was hopeful of a deal when he sees Xi on Thursday, while also indicating he was willing to extend his trip in order to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.”I have a lot of respect for President Xi and we are going to I think… come away with a deal,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One, adding that he aimed to go to China “in the earlier part” of 2026.The optimism boosted stock markets, with Japan’s Nikkei surpassing 50,000 points for the first time.As dozens of people gathered at Haneda Airport to take photos, the presidential plane — also bearing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — landed at sunset.Sporting a golden tie, Trump boarded a helicopter to take him into the bright lights of the Japanese metropolis in time for an evening audience with the emperor.”A great man,” Trump said afterwards.On Tuesday, Trump was expected to meet new conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and make a speech on the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, docked at the US naval base Yokosuka.”I hear phenomenal things. (Takaichi) was a great ally and friend of Shinzo Abe, who was my friend,” Trump said, referring to the assassinated former premier.- ‘Framework consensus’ -Trump’s Asia trip, his first tour of the region since returning to office, kicked off in Malaysia on Sunday with a flurry of agreements on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.He also moved to mend fences with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but not with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, ruling out a meeting any time soon.”Canada has been ripping us off for a long time and they’re not going to rip us off any more,” Trump said.The greatest prize for Trump — and for global markets — remains a China deal.Trump is due to meet Xi on Thursday in South Korea for their first face-to-face talks since the 79-year-old Republican’s return to the White House.Before Trump’s arrival in Malaysia, Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng held two days of trade talks, seeking an agreement to avoid additional 100 percent tariffs due to come into effect on November 1.Negotiators from Beijing and Washington have both confirmed a “framework” has been agreed.”The two sides… reached a framework consensus on reciprocal solutions to current pressing economic and trade issues,” China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, according to a state media readout of his Monday call with Rubio.Earlier on Air Force One, Bessent said they had “a framework for President Trump (and) President Xi to decide”.- ‘Hot’ trucks -On Friday, Takaichi announced in her first policy speech that Japan would be spending two percent of gross domestic product on defence this fiscal year.But Washington, which has around 60,000 military personnel in Japan, wants Tokyo to spend more, potentially matching the five percent of GDP pledged by NATO members in June.Most Japanese imports into the United States are subject to tariffs of 15 percent, less painful than the 25 percent first threatened.However, Trump also wants Japan to import more American products like rice, soybeans and cars, including “hot” Ford F-150 pickup trucks.Questions also surround Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in the United States, as specified in their July trade deal.”What I expect is that, since he (Trump) is someone who acts decisively, things might move in a positive direction for Japan,” said Tokyo resident Sayaka Kamimoto, 45.- Kim meeting? -Trump is due in South Korea on Wednesday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and will meet President Lee Jae Myung.Trump has also fuelled speculation that he could hold face-to-face talks with North Korea’s Kim while on the Korean peninsula.The two leaders last met in 2019 at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the border area separating the two Koreas.”I would love to meet with him if he’d like to meet. I got along great with Kim Jong Un. I liked him. He liked me,” Trump said on Air Force One.Asked if he would extend his trip to enable a meeting, he said: “Well, I hadn’t thought of it, but I think the answer would be yeah, I would, I would do that, sure.”

Donald Trump headed to Japan on Monday, the next leg of an Asia tour that could see the US president and China’s Xi Jinping end the bruising trade war between the world’s largest economies.Speaking on Air Force One, Trump said he was hopeful of a deal when he sees Xi on Thursday in South Korea, while also indicating he was willing to extend his trip in order to meet North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un.”I have a lot of respect for President Xi and we are going to I think… come away with a deal,” he told reporters en route from Malaysia, where comments from US and Chinese trade negotiators raised hopes of an accord.Trump was due in Tokyo in time for an evening audience with Japan’s emperor. Dozens of people gathered at Haneda Airport hoping to take photos of Air Force One. On Tuesday, Trump is expected to meet new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and make a speech on the USS George Washington.”I hear phenomenal things. (Takaichi) was a great ally and friend of Shinzo Abe, who was my friend,” Trump said, referring to the assassinated former Japanese premier.”That really helps Japan and the United States, I think she’s going to be great.”Takaichi said she told Trump ahead of their meeting that strengthening the Japan-US alliance was her administration’s “top priority on the diplomatic and security front”.On Friday, she announced in her first policy speech that Japan would be spending two percent of gross domestic product on defence this fiscal year.But Washington, which has some 60,000 military personnel in Japan, wants Tokyo to spend even more, potentially matching the five percent of GDP pledged by NATO members in June.Most Japanese imports into the United States are subject to tariffs of 15 percent, less painful than the 25 percent first threatened.But Trump also wants Japan to import more American products, including rice and cars, particularly “very beautiful” Ford F-150 pickup trucks.Questions also surround Japan’s commitment in their July trade deal to invest $550 billion in the United States. Japan says only 1-2 percent of this will be actual investments.- ‘Going to be great ‘ -Trump’s Asia trip, his first tour of the region since returning to office, kicked off in Malaysia on Sunday with a flurry of agreements.That included rewarding neighbours Cambodia and Thailand with trade agreements after co-signing their ceasefire pact on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.He also agreed a trade and minerals deal with Malaysia, and moved to mend fences with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.”I’m convinced that in a few days we’ll have a definitive solution…. so that life can continue well and happily,” Lula told reporters afterwards.The greatest prize for Trump remains a China deal.He is due to meet Xi on Thursday for their first face-to-face talks since the 79-year-old Republican’s return to the White House.Before Trump’s arrival in Malaysia, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng had already held two days of trade talks, seeking an agreement to avoid additional 100 percent tariffs due to come into effect on November 1.China’s vice commerce minister, Li Chenggang, said a “preliminary consensus” had been reached.Bessent told ABC that the extra tariffs had been averted, and signalled a deal on rare earths and American soybean exports had been reached.”It’s going to be great for China, great for us,” Trump told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.- ‘Would love’ to meet Kim -Trump is due in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and will meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.Global markets will be watching closely to see if the meeting with Xi on Thursday can halt the trade war sparked by Trump’s sweeping tariffs, especially after a recent dispute over Beijing’s rare earth curbs.Trump has also fuelled speculation that he could meet North Korea’s Kim while on the Korean peninsula.The two leaders last met in 2019 at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the border area separating the two Koreas.”I would love to meet with him if he’d like to meet. I got along great with Kim Jong Un. I liked him. He liked me,” Trump said on Air Force One.Asked if he would extend his trip to enable a meeting, he said: “Well, I hadn’t thought of it, but I think the answer would be yeah, I would, I would do that, sure.”

US President Donald Trump headed to Japan on Monday, the second leg of an Asia tour, in advance of a meeting with China’s Xi Jinping aiming to end the bruising trade war between the world’s largest economies.Washington and Beijing sounded hopeful notes at the weekend over the chances of sealing a deal, which helped on Monday to push Japan’s Nikkei above 50,000 points for the first time.Trump is expected to land in Tokyo in time for an evening appointment with the Emperor of Japan, before a meeting on Tuesday with the nation’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.The US leader said he had heard “great things about her” and hailed the fact that she was an acolyte of assassinated former premier Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump had close ties.Takaichi said she told Trump ahead of the meeting that strengthening the Japan-US alliance was her administration’s “top priority on the diplomatic and security front”.Japan has escaped the worst of the tariffs Trump slapped on countries around the world to end what he calls unfair trade balances that are “ripping off the United States”.- ‘Going to be great ‘ -The trip, Trump’s first in the region since returning to office, kicked off in Malaysia on Sunday with a flurry of agreements.That included rewarding neighbours Cambodia and Thailand with trade agreements after co-signing their ceasefire pact, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur.He also agreed was a trade and minerals deal with Malaysia, and moves to mend fences with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after months of bad blood.”I think we’ll be able to do some pretty good deals,” Trump told the leftist leader.Trump squeezed in a meeting with Qatar’s leaders during a refuelling stop on the way to Malaysia, where they discussed the fragile truce in Gaza.It was Trump’s first visit as president to Kuala Lumpur, where his flight was escorted by two Malaysian F-18 jets, before a red carpet welcome where he gave his trademark arm-waving dance.The greatest prize for Trump remains a China deal.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng had already held two days of trade talks, seeking an agreement to avoid additional 100 percent tariffs due to come into effect on November 1.China’s vice commerce minister, Li Chenggang, said a “preliminary consensus” had been reached.Bessent told ABC that the extra tariffs had been averted, and signalled a deal on rare earths and American soybean exports had been reached.”It’s going to be great for China, great for us,” Trump told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.- ‘Open’ to meet -The highlight of the trip is expected to be South Korea, where Trump will meet Xi for the first time since returning to office.Trump is due in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and will meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.Global markets will be watching closely to see if the meeting with Xi on Thursday can halt the trade war sparked by Trump’s sweeping tariffs, especially after a recent dispute over Beijing’s rare earth curbs.Trump has also added to speculation that he could meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un while on the Korean peninsula, saying he was “open to it”.The two leaders last met in 2019 at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the border area separating the two Koreas.South Korea’s reunification minister has said there is a “considerable” chance that Trump and Kim will meet.Kim has said he would also be open to meeting the US president if Washington drops its demand that Pyongyang give up its nuclear arsenal.burs-pjm/jm

Passengers of the first direct flight between India and China in five years touched down on Monday, after Asia’s giants lifted a long-term air travel suspension as they cautiously rebuild relations.IndiGo flight 6E1703 from Kolkata touched down in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou shortly before 4:00 am (2000 GMT), officially resuming nonstop air links that had been suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic and subsequent geopolitical tensions.The neighbours and world’s two most populous nations remain strategic rivals competing for regional influence, but ties have eased gradually since a deadly Himalayan border clash in 2020.India’s government said the resumption of flights will boost “people-to-people contact” and aid the “gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges”.Passengers aboard the first flight — among them many Indians in search of cross-border business opportunities — told AFP in the Guangzhou airport about the convenience of the resumed links.”It was such a smooth and easy, lovable trip,” said Rashika Mintri, a 44-year-old interior designer from Kolkata.”I could come again and again,” she said.Warming relations with Beijing come as India’s ties with key trade partner Washington falter, following US President Donald Trump’s order imposing punishing 50 percent tariffs.Trump’s aides have accused India of fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying Moscow’s oil.There are already regular flights between India and Hong Kong, while additional services from the capital New Delhi to Shanghai and Guangzhou will begin in November.Abhijit Mukherjee, the captain of the flight that arrived Monday in Guangzhou, told AFP that without the new nonstop, passengers would need to travel through other airports, such as in Bangkok or Singapore.”It adds up,” the 55-year-old pilot said of the transfers.But the direct flight he had just completed was “very smooth” he said, holding a bouquet of flowers presented to him upon arrival.India’s eastern port city of Kolkata has centuries-old ties with China dating back to British rule, when Chinese migrants arrived as traders. Indo-Chinese fusion food remains a beloved staple of the city’s culinary identity.”It’s great news for people like us, who have relatives in China,” said Chen Khoi Kui, a civil society leader in Kolkata’s Chinatown district of Tangra. “Air connectivity will boost trade, tourism and business travel.”- ‘First step’ -India runs a significant trade deficit with Beijing, relying heavily on Chinese raw materials for industrial and export growth.The thaw between New Delhi and Beijing followed meetings between their leaders in Russia last year and in China in August.The resumption of direct flights is a “first step” in repairing ties, said passenger Athar Ali, a 33-year-old businessman from India, as he waited to check in for IndiGo’s Monday flight returning the aircraft to Kolkata.A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the check-in counter, where a long queue had formed for the first direct flight from mainland China to India since 2020.Nonstop services between the two countries were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, halting roughly 500 monthly services.Relations then plummeted after the 2020 border skirmish between the nuclear-armed nations, when at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed.New Delhi responded by tightening restrictions on Chinese investments and banning hundreds of apps, including TikTok.India then deepened ties with the US-led Quad alliance — also including Japan and Australia — aimed at countering China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific.Both sides have troops posted along their contested 3,500-kilometre (2,175-mile) high-altitude frontier.But this month, soldiers on each side exchanged gifts of sweets on the Hindu festival of Diwali, “marking a gesture of goodwill”, said Yu Jing, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India.The Indian Express, in an editorial after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping met in August, said improving ties with Beijing “sends an appropriate signal” to Washington.But relations still have far to go.”Managing an increasingly assertive China remains India’s long-term challenge,” the newspaper added.

US President Donald Trump heads to Japan on Monday for the second leg of an Asia tour expected to culminate in a meeting with China’s Xi Jinping.The trip, Trump’s first swing through the region since returning to office, kicked off in Malaysia on Sunday with a flurry of agreements.That included rewarding neighbours Cambodia and Thailand with trade agreements after co-signing their ceasefire pact on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur.He also inked a trade and minerals deal with Malaysia, and moved to mend fences with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after months of bad blood.”I think we’ll be able to do some pretty good deals,” Trump told the leftist leader.Before arriving in Southeast Asia, Trump had already squeezed in a meeting with Qatar’s leaders during a refuelling stop, where they discussed the fragile truce in Gaza.It was Trump’s first visit as president to Kuala Lumpur, where his flight was escorted on its final approach by two Malaysian F-18 jets, before a red carpet welcome with a sea of Malaysian and US flags.A beaming Trump responded to cultural performers with his trademark arm-waving dance.But the greatest prize for Trump remains a China deal.- ‘Going to be great’ -US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng had already held two days of trade talks, seeking an agreement to avoid additional 100 percent tariffs due to come into effect on November 1.China’s vice commerce minister, Li Chenggang, said a “preliminary consensus” had been reached.Bessent told ABC that the extra tariffs had been averted, and signalled a deal on rare earths and American soybean exports had been reached.”It’s going to be great for China, great for us,” Trump told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.Before that, however, Trump will head to Tokyo on Monday morning, landing in time for an evening appointment with the emperor of Japan, ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with the new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.The US leader said he had heard “great things about her” and hailed the fact that she was an acolyte of assassinated former premier Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump had close ties.Takaichi said she told Trump ahead of the meeting that “strengthening the Japan-US alliance is my administration’s top priority on the diplomatic and security front”.Japan has escaped the worst of the tariffs Trump slapped on countries around the world to end what he calls unfair trade balances that are “ripping off the United States”.- ‘Open’ to meet -The highlight of the trip is expected to be South Korea, where Trump will meet Xi for the first time since returning to office.Trump is due in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and will meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.Global markets will be watching closely to see if the meeting with Xi on Thursday can halt the trade war sparked by Trump’s sweeping tariffs, especially after a recent dispute over Beijing’s rare earth curbs.Trump has also added to speculation that he could meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un while on the Korean peninsula, saying he was “open to it”.The two leaders last met in 2019 at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the border area separating the two Koreas.South Korea’s reunification minister has said there is a “considerable” chance that Trump and Kim will meet.Kim has said he would also be open to meeting the US president if Washington drops its demand that Pyongyang give up its nuclear arsenal.burs-pjm/jhe/lb

India and China resumed direct flights on Sunday after a five-year suspension, a move important both for trade and a symbolic step as Asia’s giants cautiously rebuild relations.Data from tracking website Flightradar24 showed the flight, operated by India’s largest commercial airline IndiGo, took off from Kolkata’s Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in eastern India at 10:00 pm (1630 GMT) for Guangzhou in China.The neighbours — the world’s two most populous nations — remain strategic rivals competing for regional influence, but ties have eased gradually since a deadly Himalayan border clash in 2020.India’s government said the resumption of flights will boost “people-to-people contact” and aid the “gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges”.Warming relations with Beijing come as India’s ties with key trade partner Washington falter, following US President Donald Trump’s order imposing punishing 50 percent tariffs.Trump’s aides have accused India of fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying Moscow’s oil.There are already regular flights between India and Hong Kong, while additional services from the capital New Delhi to Shanghai and Guangzhou will begin in November.”The direct air link will reduce logistics and transit time,” said Rajeev Singh, head of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata, telling AFP it would benefit businesses.India’s eastern port city of Kolkata has centuries-old ties with China dating back to British rule, when Chinese migrants arrived as traders. Indo-Chinese fusion food remains a beloved staple of the city’s culinary identity.”It’s great news for people like us, who have relatives in China,” said Chen Khoi Kui, a civil society leader in Kolkata’s Chinatown district of Tangra. “Air connectivity will boost trade, tourism and business travel.”- ‘Long-term challenge’ -India runs a significant trade deficit with Beijing, relying heavily on Chinese raw materials for industrial and export growth.The thaw between New Delhi and Beijing followed meetings between their leaders in Russia last year and in China in August.India’s imports from China surged to more than $11 billion last month, up more than 16 percent compared with September 2024, according to New Delhi’s commerce ministry.Exports from India to China were $ 1.47  billion, modest by comparison, but up around 34 percent year-on-year.Direct flights between the two countries were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, halting roughly 500 monthly services.Relations then plummeted after the 2020 border skirmish between the nuclear-armed nations, when at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed.New Delhi responded by tightening restrictions on Chinese investments and banning hundreds of apps, including TikTok.India then deepened ties with the US-led Quad alliance — also including Japan and Australia — aimed at countering China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific.Both sides have troops posted along their contested 3,500-kilometre (2,175-mile) high-altitude frontier.But this month, soldiers on each side exchanged gifts of sweets on the Hindu festival of Diwali, “marking a gesture of goodwill”, said Yu Jing, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India.The Indian Express, in an editorial after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping met in August, said improving ties with Beijing “sends an appropriate signal” to Washington.But relations still have far to go.”Managing an increasingly assertive China remains India’s long-term challenge,” the newspaper added. “These fundamental realities remain unchanged, regardless of Trump’s whimsical diplomatic actions.”

India and China resume direct flights on Sunday after a five-year suspension, a move important both for trade and a symbolic step as Asia’s giants cautiously rebuild relations.The neighbours — the world’s two most populous nations — remain strategic rivals competing for regional influence, but ties have eased gradually since a deadly Himalayan border clash in 2020.India’s government said the resumption of flights will boost “people-to-people contact” and aid the “gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges”.Warming relations with Beijing come as India’s ties with key trade partner Washington struggle, following US President Donald Trump’s order of punishing 50 percent tariffs.Trump’s aides have accused India of fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying Moscow’s oil.India’s largest commercial carrier, IndiGo, is set to operate the first daily flight to mainland China, departing Kolkata at 10:00 pm (1630 GMT) Sunday for Guangzhou.There are already regular flights between India and Hong Kong, while additional services from the capital New Delhi to Shanghai and Guangzhou will begin in November.”The direct air link will reduce logistics and transit time,” said Rajeev Singh, head of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata, telling AFP it would benefit businesses.India’s eastern port city of Kolkata has centuries-old ties with China dating back to British rule, when Chinese migrants arrived as traders. Indo-Chinese fusion food remains a beloved staple of the city’s culinary identity.”It’s great news for people like us, who have relatives in China,” said Chen Khoi Kui, a civil society leader in Kolkata’s Chinatown district of Tangra. “Air connectivity will boost trade, tourism and business travel.”- ‘Long-term challenge’ -India runs a significant trade deficit with Beijing, relying heavily on Chinese raw materials for industrial and export growth.The thaw between New Delhi and Beijing followed meetings between their leaders in Russia last year and in China in August.India’s imports from China surged to more than $11 billion last month, up more than 16 percent compared with September 2024, according to New Delhi’s commerce ministry.Exports from India to China were $ 1.47  billion, modest by comparison, but up around 34 percent year-on-year.Direct flights between the two countries were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, halting roughly 500 monthly services.Relations then plummeted after the 2020 border skirmish between the nuclear-armed nations, when at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed.New Delhi responded by tightening restrictions on Chinese investments and banning hundreds of apps, including TikTok.India then deepened ties with the US-led Quad alliance — also including Japan and Australia — aimed at countering China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific.Both sides have troops posted along their contested 3,500-kilometre (2,175-mile) high-altitude frontier.But this month, soldiers on each side exchanged gifts of sweets on the Hindu festival of Diwali, “marking a gesture of goodwill”, said Yu Jing, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India.The Indian Express, in an editorial after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping met in August, said improving ties with Beijing “sends an appropriate signal” to Washington.But relations still have far to go.”Managing an increasingly assertive China remains India’s long-term challenge,” the newspaper added. “These fundamental realities remain unchanged, regardless of Trump’s whimsical diplomatic actions.”

Afghan and Pakistani negotiators were locked in talks to hammer out a lasting ceasefire Saturday, with Islamabad warning that if the Istanbul talks failed it could lead to “open war”. Two weeks ago, the Taliban government launched an border offensive following explosions in Kabul which it blamed on its Pakistani neighbour, triggering an outbreak of unexpectedly intense clashes that left dozens dead, among them civilians.Vowing a strong response, Islamabad then carried out “precision strikes” against armed groups on Afghan soil which are at the heart of the dispute, security sources said. After further clashes that left soldiers and civilians dead, both sides declared an initial 48-hour ceasefire which collapsed two days later, with Kabul blaming Islamabad. A second truce took shape last weekend following talks in Doha thanks to mediation by Qatar and Turkey, although the terms remained unclear. In Istanbul, negotiators were expected to detail the “mechanisms” announced in Doha that would ensure a return to stability. “The (Istanbul) talks are going on,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters in the eastern city of Sialkot on Saturday, while warning that if they “do not yield a positive outcome, there will be an open war with Afghanistan”. It was not clear where exactly the negotiators were meeting in Turkey’s largest city, nor how long the talks would continue.The Afghan delegation is led by its deputy interior minister, Haji Najib. Islamabad has not said who it has sent to the talks. For the Taliban government, the goal is to ensure Afghanistan’s territorial integrity. For Islamabad, the negotiations must address “the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan,” its foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi said on Friday. – ‘Essential’ meeting -Security issues are at the heart of recurring bilateral tensions. Facing a resurgence of attacks against its security forces, Islamabad has repeatedly accused its Afghan neighbour of “harbouring” groups it views as “terrorist”, primarily the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) — a charge Kabul denies. Throughout the confrontation, Islamabad demanded that the Taliban authorities “regain control” over fighters present on Afghan soil.From the Pakistani perspective, this would be key to the Istanbul talks, explained Ibraheem Bahiss, an International Crisis Group analyst in Afghanistan. “The meeting in Istanbul is going to be quite essential because that’s where the so-called mechanism would be agreed on in terms of when Pakistan has concerns that anti-Pakistan elements inside Afghanistan are doing things against Pakistan,” he told AFP. He said such “mechanisms” could involve intelligence sharing on armed groups. “For example, Pakistan would give coordinates of where they suspect TTP fighters or commanders are, and instead of carrying out strikes, Afghanistan would be expected to carry out action against them,” he said.But it was unclear if that would end the problem. “I’m not so hopeful that a technical mechanism will really address the fundamental drivers of this escalatory cycle,” he admitted.Before the latest skirmishes, Pakistan had long been the Taliban’s biggest supporter, bolstering them in Afghanistan for so-called strategic depth against arch-rival India.Two weeks ago, the initial explosions in Kabul — which triggered the escalation — took place as the Taliban foreign minister was making an unprecedented visit to India.Turkey has not commented on Saturday’s meeting beyond hailing the sides’ joint decision in Doha “to establish mechanisms to strengthen peace and stability” and pledging to “continue to support the efforts” to achieve that. 

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli turned back the clock with a 168-run stand in what could be their Australian swansongs as India thrashed the hosts by nine wickets in the third one-day international on Saturday.Chasing a modest 237 to win, the visitors reached their target easily with 69 balls to spare at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground.Rohit top-scored with an unbeaten 121, but the biggest roar was for Kohli, who made ducks in the first two games won by Australia at Adelaide and Perth which clinched them the series.This time he was back to his best with a fluent 74 not out.Like Rohit, he has retired from Test and T20 duties and with no more ODI series scheduled Down Under before the 2027 World Cup it was almost certainly their final innings on Australian soil.”I don’t know if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but it was fun all these years that we played here,” said the 38-year-old Rohit. “You know, a lot of good memories, bad memories. But all in all, I’ll take the cricket that I played here.”India made a confident start to the chase after Mitchell Marsh won the toss and batted first only for Australia to be bowled out for 236.Rohit and Shubman Gill put on 69 before Josh Hazlewood enticed a faint edge from the Indian captain.That brought the 36-year-old Kohli to the crease and he and Rohit set about knocking off the runs quickly. Rohit was almost flawless in reaching a 33rd ODI ton, with 13 fours and three sixes in his 121, while Kohli brought up a 75th half-century to steer them home.”Going out there and having a situation is always something that brings the best out of me and when Rohit is batting it’s pretty easy to kind of rotate the strike, we know each other’s game pretty well,” said Kohli.”We want to say thank you, we’ve loved coming to this country,” he added. “We’ve played some of our best cricket here so thank you very much.”Earlier, Australia were ticking along nicely at 183-3 but lost their last seven wickets for just 53.Harshit Rana did the damage with 4-39 while Matt Renshaw top-scored with 56.Marsh and Travis Head made a watchful start but once they got their eye in the runs started flowing.Head looked dangerous, hitting six fours in reaching 29 off 25 balls, passing 3,000 one-day runs en route. But he failed to control a cut shot off Mohammed Siraj and was caught at backward point.Marsh was bowled for 41, confounded by the spin of Axar Patel, and when Matt Short (30) fell to Washington Sundar Australia were 124-3 after 23 overs.Shreyas Iyer pulled off a sensational backpeddling catch to remove Alex Carey (24) and it sparked a collapse.Renshaw reached a maiden ODI half-century, but with the runs drying up he charged at Sundar and was trapped lbw, before Mitchell Owen departed for one and Mitchell Starc for two leaving Australia in trouble at 201-7.Cooper Connolly made a late 23 but the tail failed to wag.