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New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) India and Ecuador held the sixth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi on Tuesday, reviewing the progress of bilateral relations and exchanging views on regional and global developments, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“The sixth round of India-Ecuador Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) was held on 10th November 2026, in New Delhi. Indian delegation was led by Shri Rudrendra Tandon, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs and the Ecuadorian delegation was led by Mr. Alejandro Davalos, Dy. Minister of Foreign Affairs & Human Mobility of Ecuador,” the MEA said in a statement.

“The two sides reviewed the progress of bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global developments,” it added.

During his visit, Davalos also held meetings with senior Indian officials and the business community.

“During his visit to India, Mr. Davalos, Dy. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador held bilateral meetings with Commerce Secretary; Health Secretary; and Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals. He also met with Indian business fora,” the statement said.

In September, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Roberto Kury in New York, where they discussed “strengthening our economic ties, including in energy and pharmaceuticals, mobility, training of personnel, development partnership and cooperation in multilateral fora, including the UN”, he had said on X.

Technology and pharmaceuticals figure prominently in the relations between New Delhi and Quito. India has trained 223 Ecuadorian professionals over the last five years, and the Centre of Excellence in Information Technology India set up at an Ecuadorian university has trained 813 others.

Earlier, highlighting strong economic synergies, the Ambassador of Ecuador to India Fernando Xavier Bucheli Vargas had said Ecuador exports products including gold, oil and cocoa to India while importing automobiles, bikes, pharmaceutical products and agricultural ingredients.

“Ecuador and India are complementary economies. We offer the products that India is looking for. For instance, we are selling gold and oil to India, and cocoa to prepare the best chocolates. At the same time, we are importing from India automobiles, bikes, pharmaceutical products, and also ingredients for the agricultural sector,” Vargas had told IANS.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) The Commanding Officers of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ships JS Takanami and JS Kirisame, currently on a goodwill visit to Mumbai, called on Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command said.

“The Commanding Officers of JMSDF ships JS Takanami and JS Kirisame currently on a goodwill visit to Mumbai, called on VAdm Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command,” the Western Naval Command posted on X.

The two sides exchanged perspectives on issues of mutual interest during the interaction.

“The interaction provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed the longstanding friendship, mutual trust and growing maritime partnership between the Indian Navy and JMSDF,” it said.

“The goodwill visit reaffirms the shared resolve of both navies to deepen mutual understanding, strengthen maritime cooperation and work together towards a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” the Western Naval Command added.

Last week, Indian Ambassador to Japan Nagma Mohamed Mallick and Vice Admiral AN Pramod, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, hosted a deck reception onboard INS Sahyadri in Japan commemorating the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic ties.

“INS Sahyadri is visiting Japan for participation in the multilateral maritime exercise MALABAR 2026 and bilateral maritime exercise JAIMEX 2026,” the Indian Embassy in Japan had said.

In October, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, visited Japan to strengthen India-Japan cooperation in shipbuilding and mine countermeasures and to explore possibilities for joint development under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Vice Admiral Kochhar held bilateral consultations with Vice Admiral Yasuhiro Kunimi, Vice Chief of Staff of the JMSDF, and Lieutenant General Norimichi Shirakawa, Vice Chief of Staff of Japan’s Joint Staff, and the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue close collaboration to strengthen India-Japan defence cooperation.

The visit came after the defence ministers of the two countries agreed to leverage each other’s strengths in defence shipbuilding.

--IANS

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Paris, Nov 10 (IANS) India and France on Tuesday reviewed progress in their bilateral space cooperation, including between ISRO and CNES, and discussed pathways to facilitate commercial space collaboration between the two countries’ space industrial ecosystems at the 3rd India-France Strategic Space Dialogue in Paris, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri, along with Secretary General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Martin Briens, co-chaired the 3rd India-France Strategic Space Dialogue earlier today in Paris,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

The two sides reviewed the ongoing space cooperation and discussed ways to further strengthen it.

“Reviewed progress in the wide-ranging ongoing bilateral space cooperation, including between ISRO and CNES. Discussed avenues for furthering strategic space cooperation and pathways to facilitate commercial space collaboration between the two space industrial ecosystems. Exchanged views on multilateral space matters,” the MEA said.

Misri and Briens also co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the India-France Economic Security and Critical Technologies Dialogue, and held bilateral talks.

“Both sides also held bilateral talks, reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations. They also exchanged views of regional and global issues of mutual interest,” the Indian Embassy in France posted on X.

Misri arrived in Paris on Monday for the dialogues, which are aimed at expanding cooperation between the two countries, with a particular focus on resilient supply chains.

“These discussions will deepen cooperation between India and France in space, critical technologies and economic security, particularly in the area of resilient supply chains,” the Embassy had said.

In April, Misri had co-chaired the India–France Foreign Office Consultations with Briens in Paris.

“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri co-chaired the India–France Foreign Office Consultations with Secretary General of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Martin Briens, holding discussions on a wide range of issues including civil nuclear energy, defence and space, cyber and digital cooperation, AI and innovation and people-to-people and cultural ties, along with global and regional developments,” Jaiswal had posted on X after the meeting.

--IANS

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Dhaka, Nov 10 (IANS) At least two garment workers were injured in clashes with police in Dhaka’s Ashulia on Tuesday as protests demanding higher minimum wages resumed in Bangladesh after a break of several days, local media reported.

Workers blocked a road in the Jamgora area, prompting police to fire tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse them, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

“At around 10:30 am, workers blocked the road in the Jamgora area of the Baipail-Abdullahpur Road and began demonstrating. Police initially tried to persuade them to leave the road, but the protesters began throwing bricks and stones at police, triggering clashes and chases between the two sides,” the report said.

The injured were identified as Alamgir Hossain and Rafia Begum, both employees of Sterling Style. Hospital authorities said the workers had sustained rubber bullet injuries, though it could not be independently verified whether police had actually fired rubber bullets.

Rafia Begum, who sustained a head injury, was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, while Alamgir received primary treatment and returned home, Harun-or-Rashid, operations manager of Ashulia Women and Children Hospital, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Several platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in the industrial area, alongside additional police personnel stationed in front of factories and at key locations to prevent further unrest.

“Separately, authorities have announced the indefinite closure of all factories operated by New Age Group in Ashulia from November 10, 2026, under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, citing the ongoing labour unrest,” the report stated.

As hundreds of thousands of garment workers staged protests across several parts of the country on October 31, demanding a minimum wage of 30,000 Bangladeshi taka ($241), police had detained 21 people who they called Awami League activists and not genuine workers.

“Consistent with international standards, Bangladesh authorities should ensure that police use force only when necessary and proportionate, and that those responsible for violence are held accountable,” the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) had stated last week, amid condemnation by several international rights groups of the violence against protesting workers.

--IANS

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Washington, Nov 10 (IANS) The United States has moved diplomatic personnel away from security threats overseas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, as he voiced concern over Iranian-linked activities and the danger of a wider regional conflict.

Speaking to reporters in Paris on Monday, Rubio was asked whether the administration had neutralised a threat against American diplomats overseas that US intelligence had warned about last month.

“We’ve addressed it by moving people away from the threat,” Rubio said.

He said the safety of American personnel and their families was a constant priority. Any threat crossing a certain threshold triggered a review of security conditions, the ability to move staff and the risks of being caught in a rapidly deteriorating situation.

Rubio said the concerns extended beyond Iran. He pointed to the Houthis in Yemen and attacks involving Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, warning that a regional escalation could leave American personnel stranded if airports were shut.

“What we always have to take into consideration is not just what’s happening now, it’s what could happen,” he said.

He described an internal process in which security officials assess facilities, staff numbers, dependants and evacuation options before making recommendations. Rubio said he had acted on those recommendations when deciding to move personnel.

The secretary also sharply criticised Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after being asked about cyberattacks that a reporter said French officials had attributed to the group.

Rubio said French officials had briefed him about their planned announcement but declined to say whether Washington had shared intelligence with Paris.

“What kind of sickos are these people? They attack refrigerators,” Rubio said.

He argued that the reported operation was consistent with a pattern of activity he attributed to the Iranian force.

“The IRGC’s been conducting acts of terrorism,” he said, before adding that it had also carried out “sabotage around the world for a long time.”

Rubio said he was not surprised by the French allegation and emphasised that his criticism was directed at Iran’s leadership rather than its population.

“The Iranian people are great people,” he said, drawing a distinction between ordinary citizens and those he described as a small group of violent rulers.

Responding to a question, Rubio defended Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on a congressman’s move to seek his impeachment over the Iran war.

Rubio praised Hegseth’s performance and claimed that US operations had seriously weakened Iran’s military.

“They still retain capabilities, obviously, but they are very degraded from where they were a year ago at this time,” Rubio said.

His remarks brought together three issues facing Washington: threats to American diplomats, allegations of Iranian cyber operations in Europe and the regional consequences of confrontation with Tehran. Rubio did not provide details of the personnel movements, locations or any intelligence shared with France.

--IANS

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Washington, Nov 10 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Iran wants an agreement with Washington but is demanding conditions he considers unacceptable, as he warned that American sanctions are causing mounting economic pressure on Tehran.

“Iran would love a deal. The problem is, the conditions they continue to place are absurd. They're not even serious. But that could change. Eventually, you have to eat.”

“The economic pain that is being inflicted on Iran right now, on that regime, is extraordinary. It compounds; it's growing every day,” Rubio said.

“These sanctions get worse over time; they get more painful as time goes on,” he added.

Rubio placed responsibility for the economic hardship on Iran's leadership rather than American policy.

“It's all brought about by the fact that this radical regime of lunatics is imposing this on their own people. They're destroying their own country.”

Rubio criticised how Tehran had used resources after sanctions relief granted during former President Barack Obama's administration.

“When Obama gave them sanctions relief, they didn't use that money to build up hospitals, roads, bridges, and universities. They used that money to build weapons and arm proxies in the region to attack us and other countries.”

Rubio also accused Iran's leadership of fuelling conflicts across the Middle East.

“Behind every single one of these destabilising activities in the Middle East there's one common denominator — the Iranian regime.”

He added: “They are behind all the instability in the region. They are the source of instability in the region. I think the countries of the region realise that as well.”

“We work for America. We don't work for the global order; we don't work for other countries. We work for the United States.”

Asked about cyberattacks in France attributed by French officials to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Rubio declined to discuss whether Washington had shared intelligence with Paris.

He accused the force of a longstanding pattern of sabotage but distinguished Iran's leadership and its citizens.

“The Iranian people are great people,” he said.

--IANS

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Islamabad, Nov 10 (IANS) A breach in a protective embankment at the Tarbela Dam's Tunnel Five hydropower project in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province triggered a flood with officials stopping the construction work due to the collapse of protective embankment, local media reported. The project reportedly involves Chinese construction firms.

The breach of protective embankment caused an increased flow of water in the River Indus, with authorities issuing an alert for the regions near the river, Pakistan-based daily 'The Express Tribune' reported.

A weak rock mass collapsed during excavation of the second bench connecting tunnel, causing water from the intake pit to enter the tunnel and the powerhouse area, according to a statement issued by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).

The statement said, "The water from the Intake Pit has been completely drained, and no further water is entering the downstream work sites," adding that dewatering from the under-construction powerhouse had began.

No casualties were reported as all workers were immediately evacuated after the incident. Wapda said that senior officers, the engineer and the contractor were analysing the situation to address any challenges to the T-5 project, The Express Tribune reported.

Tarbella Dam authorities said that the inflow of water in the River Indus was expected to reach 150,000 cusecs in the next 24 hours. It ordered all relevant department, district administrations and the public to take precautionary measures due to possible risks. It urged people to avoid going near the banks of the River Indus and to refrain from bathing, swimming or boating in the river.

Haripur Deputy Commissioner Waseem Ahmed said that water had entered the tunnel after the protective embankment collapsed. He said that one Pakistan worker was swept into the water as the tunnel flooded but they were rescued by emergency teams, adding that no casualties had been reported. He said that construction work on the T-5 project had been suspended indefinitely after the incident, while a probe has been launched to determine the cause of the breach.

The construction work was part of the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project and was planned to add 1,530 megawatts to the dam's installed generation capacity through three units of 510MW each, The Express Tribune reported.

After its completion, the project was expected to generate an average of 1.347 billion units of electricity annually and increase Tarbela Dam's installed capacity from 4,888MW to 6,418MW. The project has been delayed repeatedly, pushing its completion deadline back from the original five-year schedule to September 2027.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) India has called on developed countries to fulfil their climate finance obligations under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement and reaffirmed its commitment to climate multilateralism, seeking a fair, equitable and ambitious outcome at the UNFCCC COP31 being held in Antalya, Turkey, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said on Tuesday.

“On climate finance, India emphasised that public finance from developed countries remains central to catalysing climate action in developing countries and strengthening adaptation finance flows to address their vulnerabilities,” the ministry said in a press release.

Delivering India’s Opening Statement at COP31, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Narendra Bhooshan expressed gratitude to Turkey and Australia for their leadership of COP31 and stated that India aligns itself with the statements made by G77 and China, LMDC, and BASIC.

“It underscored the fundamental importance of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which establishes the obligation of developed countries to provide financial resources to developing countries,” the release said.

India underlined that the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement remain the most inclusive platforms where every country has a voice, and reaffirmed its faith in the process, rooted in equity and the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).

“Highlighting the growing challenges posed by the prospect of crossing 1.5°C warming, India stressed that equity has become particularly urgent to ensure that no one is left behind in the collective effort to address climate change,” the ministry said.

India also underscored that just transition and meeting adaptation needs remain significant challenges, particularly for the Global South, where these are closely intertwined with the challenge of development itself.

The two-week COP31 opened in Antalya on Monday with its President Murat Kurum calling on countries to turn climate promises into practical action, as the world confronts increasingly interconnected climate, economic and geopolitical challenges.

Kurum called for COP31 to become an “implementation COP”, focused on closing the gap between commitments made in negotiating rooms and tangible improvements in people’s lives.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) “2026 Adaptation Gap Report: Ready? Not”, international public adaptation finance flows from developed to developing countries are far below estimated needs of $305 billion annually by 2035.

--IANS

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Washington, Nov 10 (IANS) US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Tuesday welcomed Stephen Miller's move into a new Chief of Staff role, crediting him with helping shape Washington's border security and counter-cartel operations across the Western Hemisphere.

Hegseth told reporters at a Pentagon news conference that Miller was a close partner of the defence establishment and said he expected the two to work together on President Donald Trump's national security agenda.

"He'll be a fantastic Chief of Staff. He understands the President's agenda," Hegseth said.

The secretary singled out Miller's role in the creation of America's Counter-Cartel Coalition (ACCC), an initiative he said was bringing regional partners together against drug trafficking networks and outside influence.

Hegseth also linked Miller to efforts along the US-Mexico border. He claimed that the administration's ability to secure the southwestern border over the past 18 months would not have been possible without Miller's involvement.

He called Miller "an incredible American patriot and a great friend of this department".

Hegseth also said he was grateful for Trump's support amid efforts to impeach him and suggested he would remain at the Pentagon as long as the president wanted him in the role.

Asked whether Miller had discussed a reported proposal to end the Iran war as part of his move into the chief of staff position, Hegseth did not address the claim directly. He said the two had spoken about several matters and that he expected further discussions.

"I look forward to meeting with him soon in particular about the ways that we'll work together," he said.

Hegseth portrayed the counter-cartel coalition as a cornerstone of Trump's approach to the Americas. He said countries had joined rapidly because they wanted stronger US leadership, operational support, and an alternative to influence from China, Russia and Iran.

"These countries that joined the America's Counter-Cartel Coalition, the ACCC, didn't just join us and they didn't join us reluctantly," he said.

He argued that the coalition gave governments assistance against trafficking organisations while helping the United States stop drugs and gangs from crossing its borders.

Hegseth said the administration had applied that policy through operations against suspected drug vessels, a blockade around Venezuela and a mission that brought Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro into US custody. Those descriptions were his account of the operations.

He claimed more than 70 suspected drug vessels had been sunk and 218 people he called narco-terrorists had been killed. Maritime smuggling had fallen by at least 65 per cent, he said, without presenting supporting figures at the briefing.

The secretary also rejected suggestions that US personnel involved in attacks on suspected trafficking boats had committed war crimes. He said such criticism could discourage regional partners from pursuing drug cartels.

Hegseth said Washington was working with coalition members to prevent what he described as legal campaigns against personnel engaged in counter-cartel operations. He presented the partnership as beneficial to both sides.

"They get to save their countries and take their streets back. We get to prevent drugs and gangs from coming to our country," he said.

--IANS

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Washington, Nov 10 (IANS) US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, said on Tuesday that Washington could take action if Iran renewed activity at its damaged nuclear sites, warning that a ceasefire did not mean the United States would stop monitoring Tehran.

At a Pentagon news conference, Hegseth told reporters that US forces could continue watching Iranian nuclear sites and monitoring attempts to rebuild military capabilities. He was responding to a question about reports that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was rearming behind an American blockade.

"We're able to maintain oversight and visibility of those nuclear sites, and if we saw the kind of nefarious activity that required action, we would take it," he said.

Hegseth said the administration had surveillance capabilities that would allow it to follow developments at several levels. He did not identify the sites under observation or specify what would trigger another operation.

"As far as the blockade is concerned, it's been ironclad. Nothing has gotten through," he said.

The secretary argued that restrictions on Iran's energy economy, together with damage sustained during the fighting, had made it harder for Tehran to rebuild its armed forces and nuclear infrastructure.

He acknowledged that Iran would try to recover lost capacity. "They've built tunnels and caves and all that. We know that they're gonna attempt to reconstitute," he said.

Hegseth described Operation Epic Fury as a decisive military success. He said US forces struck more than 13,000 targets in fewer than 40 days of combat, leaving Iran's navy, air force and defence industrial base severely damaged.

He cited Operation Midnight Hammer, an earlier mission involving US B-2 bombers against Iranian nuclear sites. He said the operation had destroyed the facilities, although he provided no technical assessment of the damage at the briefing.

He also claimed that more than 80 per cent of Iran's nuclear industrial base had been destroyed and that the American blockade remained in force. Those figures were presented as his assessment of the campaign.

The conflict nevertheless had a human cost, he acknowledged. Hegseth said 18 Americans died during Operation Epic Fury and that he had attended ceremonies at Dover to honour those killed.

The secretary was also asked about Vice President J.D. Vance's reported assessment that the Iran war had contributed to Republican losses in the midterm elections.

Hegseth praised Vance's role in administration deliberations and said lessons would be drawn from the conflict, without discussing the election results in detail.

"I respect the Vice President greatly," he said, adding that he was not interested in assigning blame.

Instead, Hegseth defended the original decision to confront Iran. He said the military action was intended to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and insisted that the administration would make the same decision again.

"It was a necessary undertaking," he said.

He also argued that political criticism had obscured what he regarded as the military outcome, saying future assessments of the war would differ from current perceptions.

"History will judge the Iran war quite differently than conventional wisdom right now," he said.

The Strait of Hormuz, which Hegseth said was under American control, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. It is an important passage for international energy shipments and has long figured in tensions over Gulf security.

--IANS

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