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SPARSH service centre for defence pensioners inaugurated in Guntur
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The SPARSH Service Centre of the Defence Accounts Department being inaugurated with the lighting of a ceremonial lamp at the NCC Canteen premises in Syamala Nagar, Guntur, on Monday. | The centre was launched by Lt. Col. S. V. S. Sudarsan, officer-in-charge of the Unit Run Canteen, who lit the ceremonial lamp.The SPARSH Service Centre has been set up under the supervision of the Defence Accounts Department, Secunderabad, to provide pension-related services to retired personnel of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Pensioners can use the services free of charge, with help from trained staff at the centre.In a press release, the Defence Accounts Department said the facility would help defence pensioners resolve pension issues. It said services such as the submission and processing of Digital Life Certificates and the redressal of pension grievances would be available at the centre.The authorities said the centre would give pensioners continued support and help resolve their concerns faster. The initiative is expected to improve access to pension administration services for defence veterans and family pensioners in the region.The SPARSH Service Centre is now operational and open to eligible beneficiaries. Published - June 01, 2026 04:48 pm IST
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. | K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will travel to China on Monday (June 1, 2026) before a visit to India on a two-nation tour focused on tackling global challenges and bolstering cooperation.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the ministerial engagements with the two major powers are expected to cover the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Ebola outbreak in Africa.Ms. Cooper is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday (June 4), followed by interactions across business and academia."The Foreign Secretary (Cooper) will be in India, where she will meet with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and meet with entrepreneurs, academics and government partners who are delivering on the U.K.-India Vision 2035," the FCDO said.Her visit to Delhi comes nearly a year after the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his U.K. counterpart, Keir Starmer, last July.The leaders also endorsed the 'U.K.-India Vision 2035' at the time to reaffirm a shared commitment to unlock the full potential of a "revitalised partnership".It was dubbed an ambitious and future-focused agreement, which underscores both nations’ resolve to work together for “mutual growth, prosperity, and to shape a prosperous, secure, and sustainable world in a time of rapid global change”.While the U.K. ratification process of the India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has progressed through Parliament, the FTA hit some hurdles over Britain's upcoming steel import restrictions.The 2026 'India Meets Britain Tracker' released earlier this week found that bilateral trade between India and the U.K. rose to 47.4 billion pounds in 2025, an 11.7T% year-on-year increase and a figure expected to be further boosted once the CETA is implemented in the coming weeks.While in Beijing, the U.K. Foreign Secretary will hold discussions with Vice-President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Ms. Cooper will then travel to Shenzhen for a programme focused on science and technology on Wednesday (June 3) before leaving for India.Her visit to South Asia comes at a time of considerable global turmoil amid ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Europe, impacting the growth prospects of all major world economies. Published - May 31, 2026 04:24 pm IST
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh interacts with Australia Defence Secretary Meghan Quinn on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue 2026, in Singapore on May 30, 2026 | After Mr. Singh's bilateral discussions with Australian Defence Secretary Meghan Quinn, India's defence ministry posted on social media: “Both sides reviewed the progress of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, discussed forthcoming high-level engagements, and explored avenues to further strengthen defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest.”The India-Australia defence relationship has acquired greater strategic significance in recent years amid growing focus on security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.The Indo-Pacific has emerged as the central theatre of global strategic competition, with around 60% of global maritime trade passing through it. For India, the Indo-Pacific forms the core of its security calculus, with growing strategic interests stretching from the Strait of Malacca to the Persian Gulf.Mr. Singh also met Secretary General of the European External Action Service Belen Martínez Carbonell and Deputy Chair of the European Union Military Committee Lt Gen Enrico Barduani.The ministry said, "The meeting advanced strategic dialogue between India and the European Union, with discussions on shared security interests and avenues for deepening defence and strategic cooperation."The engagement came amid increasing cooperation between India and the European Union on strategic and security issues, including maritime security and wider Indo-Pacific developments.Mr. Singh also interacted with the Netherlands Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius.The discussions, according to India’s defence ministry, focused on “enhancing bilateral #DefenceCooperation, strengthening military-to-military ties, and exploring opportunities for defence industrial collaboration”, reflecting growing strategic partnership between the two sides.All these meetings took place on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security summit, which brings together defence ministers, military leaders and security officials from across the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Published - May 30, 2026 03:53 pm IST
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