Britain, India Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Ukraine

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi meet at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on April 22, 2022. (AFP)
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi meet at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on April 22, 2022. (AFP)
TT

Britain, India Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Ukraine

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi meet at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on April 22, 2022. (AFP)
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi meet at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on April 22, 2022. (AFP)

India and Britain on Friday called on Russia for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced steps to help move New Delhi away from its dependence on Russia by expanding economic and defense ties.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told reporters that both sides discussed the situation in Ukraine, underscoring the importance of diplomacy and dialogue to settle issues.

"Both sides also called for a free, open, inclusive and rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific,'' Modi said an apparent reference to China's aggressiveness in the region.

Johnson switched over to Hindi language to describe Modi as a "Khaas Dost," or special friend, and said, "Our relations have never been as strong or as good between us as they are now,´´

Johnson said Britain will issue an Open General Export License to India, reducing bureaucracy and shortening delivery times for defense procurement.

"This is our first OGEL in the Indo-Pacific region," he said.

Johnson also announced $1.29 billion in new investments and export deals in areas from software engineering and artificial intelligence to health, creating almost 11,000 jobs across the United Kingdom.

The two countries are committing up to $96.80 million to roll out adaptable clean tech innovations from India to the wider Indo-Pacific and Africa, and working together on international development and girls´ education, a British High Commission statement said.

Soon after his arrival in India on Thursday, Johnson said he was aware of the close ties that India and Russia have shared.

"We have to reflect that reality. But clearly, I'll be talking about it to Narendra Modi," he told reporters in Ahmedabad, the capital of western Gujarat state, where he landed.

Modi recently called the situation in Ukraine "very worrying" and has appealed to both sides for peace. While India has condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine, it has so far not criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, and abstained when the UN General Assembly voted this month to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council.

Modi has also responded coolly to pressure from US President Joe Biden and others to curb imports of Russian oil in response to the invasion.

Johnson said Friday that "the world faces growing threats from autocratic states which seek to undermine democracy, choke off free and fair trade and trample on sovereignty."

"Our collaboration on the issues that matter to both our countries, from climate change to energy security and defense, is of vital importance as we look to the future,'' he said.

The British High Commission statement said Britain is offering next-generation defense and security collaboration across five domains - land, sea, air, space and cyber - to face complex new threats.

This includes support for new Indian-designed and -built fighter jets, offering the best of British know-how on building aircraft. Britain will also seek to support India's requirements for new technology to identify and respond to threats in the Indian Ocean, the statement said.

Johnson said he and Modi also discussed new cooperation on clean and renewable energy, aimed at supporting India's energy transition away from imported oil and increasing its resilience through secure and sustainable energy.

India receives relatively little of its oil from Russia, but ramped up purchases recently because of discounted prices. India is a major buyer of Russian weapons, and recently purchased advanced Russian air defense systems.



Traffic on French High-Speed Trains Gradually Improving after Sabotage

Workers operate to reconnect the signal box to the track in its technical ducts in Vald' Yerres, near Chartres on July 26, 2024, as France's high-speed rail network was hit by an attack disrupting the transport system, hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (AFP)
Workers operate to reconnect the signal box to the track in its technical ducts in Vald' Yerres, near Chartres on July 26, 2024, as France's high-speed rail network was hit by an attack disrupting the transport system, hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (AFP)
TT

Traffic on French High-Speed Trains Gradually Improving after Sabotage

Workers operate to reconnect the signal box to the track in its technical ducts in Vald' Yerres, near Chartres on July 26, 2024, as France's high-speed rail network was hit by an attack disrupting the transport system, hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (AFP)
Workers operate to reconnect the signal box to the track in its technical ducts in Vald' Yerres, near Chartres on July 26, 2024, as France's high-speed rail network was hit by an attack disrupting the transport system, hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (AFP)

Traffic on France's TGV high-speed trains was gradually returning to normal on Saturday after engineers worked overnight repairing sabotaged signal stations and cables that caused travel chaos on Friday, the opening day of the Paris Olympic Games.

In Friday's pre-dawn attacks on the high-speed rail network vandals damaged infrastructure along the lines connecting Paris with cities such as Lille in the north, Bordeaux in the west and Strasbourg in the east. Another attack on the Paris-Marseille line was foiled, French rail operator SNCF said.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility.

"On the Eastern high-speed line, traffic resumed normally this morning at 6:30 a.m. while on the North, Brittany and South-West high-speed lines, 7 out of 10 trains on average will run with delays of 1 to 2 hours," SNCF said in a statement on Saturday morning.

"At this stage, traffic will remain disrupted on Sunday on the North axis and should improve on the Atlantic axis for weekend returns," it added.

SNCF reiterated that transport plans for teams competing in the Olympics would be guaranteed.