Hotline between India, China would save time: Sitharaman
Chennai, June 8: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said a hotline between the decision makers of India and China would enable sorting out of the problems at the ground level faster.
Referring to the China-India border stand-off that went on for about 72 days last year over the Chinese construction of a road in Doklam, she called for forums that ensure greater interaction, while noting the hotline will cut time in reaching the empowered decision makers during a crisis.
The minister was speaking at a seminar on Trends and Transformations in China's Geo-Politics, Strategy, Society and Business here organised by the Chennai Centre for China Studies and National Maritime Foundations.
Emphasizing that there was increased engagement with China, Sitharaman said India's participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gives both nations an opportunity to engage further.
She said engagement between the leaders of the two nations would benefit the countries in the long run and vigorous engagement is possible even at informal meetings.
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Flight services between Kolkata, Dubai resume partially
Kolkata (PTI): Flight services between Kolkata and Dubai resumed partially on Thursday, after a four-day suspension due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, officials said.
A flydubai aircraft from Dubai landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here at 2:40 am with 130 passengers on board, marking the first arrival from the Middle East after services were halted for over 113 hours, they said.
The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was scheduled to arrive at 12:25 am, Kolkata airport officials said.
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The same aircraft departed for Dubai at 3:59 am with 55 passengers, they said.
The last flight to depart for the Middle East from Kolkata before the suspension was an Emirates aircraft to Dubai on February 28, the officials said.
International services between Kolkata and cities such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi were disrupted, after airlines temporarily suspended operations amid escalating tensions and airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East, due to the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran.
There is no clear indication about when all the Middle East routes will fully reopen, they said.
