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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 10 INDIA August 8, 2025 India Reaffirms Support For Palestine At UN Conference I ndia stated its support for the Two States solution at the three-day high level International Conference on ‘The Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution’. Held July 28 through 30, 2025 at the UN headquarters, the conference was co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. India also stated the urgent need to focus on iden- tifying and implementing steps towards the Two State solution. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P. Harish, presenting India’s official statement, suggested purpose- ful dialogue and diplomacy to facilitate bilateral negotia- tions between Israel and Palestine. Harish charted out the basic prerequisites for the Two-State solution listing ensuring the flow of humani- tarian assistance without any hindrance, access to food, fuel and other basic necessities. It was also necessary to improve the plight of the hostages and their families and normalize life for civilians, women and children, Harish said. Harish pointed out that India was among the first states to recognize Palestine in 1988 with firm support commitment. India has contributed close to 160 million dollar in the form of human-centric projects in various sectors, partnering with the Palestinian Authority and the UN, he said. Harish commended endorsement for the Two-State solution by the leaders of the Arab states and the eight Working Groups which provided the outlines and action points for the Two-State solution. At the same time, he warned against keeping the action points on paper only. Calling for lasting solutions, Harish listed short term measures for the interim which include an immediate ceasefire, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian as- sistance, release of all hostages, and the path of dialogue and diplomacy which are being facilitated by some member states. The UN had first stated establishment of the two states of Israel and Palestine in 1947. The question of Palestine was reintroduced in the UN General Assembly in 1974. India has had diplomatic relations with both Israel and Palestine. India recognized Israel in 1950 and full diplo- matic relations were established in January 1992. Israel had a Consulate in Mumbai since 1953. India recognized Palestine in 1988, and has under- taken various projects collaborating with the Palestinian Authority. Ambassador P. Harish has served in Gaza City as India’s Representative to the Palestinian Authority from 1998 to 2000. The conference pushed for renewed global action to advance the implementation of UN resolutions for the two-State solution. New member states announced recognition of the state of Palestine and pledged new aid and support. 149 countries recognize the State of Pales- tine already. United Kingdom announced conditional recognition for Palestine and announced restoring funding to the UN Relief andWorks Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. It announced suspending arms exports that could be used in Gaza; and signed a ‘landmark agreement ‘ with the Palestinian Authority. France also announced full recognition of the state of Palestine. The State of Palestine has also been recog- nized since 2010 by most Latin American and Caribbean countries. Canada pledged additional 10 million dollars in 2025 to accelerate reform and capacity building for the Pales- tinian Authority, and 30 million dollars in new money for civilians in Gaza. The European Union announced 1.6 billion Euros over the next three years. The conference concluded with creation of the ‘New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Ques- tion of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two- State Solution’ which outlines political, humanitarian and security steps to be taken in a timely fashion. Member States were urged to support the declaration and endorse it by the end of the 79th session of the General Assembly. By Archana Adalja Buddhist Gem Collection Returns To India After 127 Years A collection of hundreds of jewels linked to Buddha’s remains has returned to India after 127 years following an auction planned for earlier this year that drew threats of legal action from the government in Delhi. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the return of the collection, known as the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha. “A joyous day for our cultural heritage!” Modi wrote in a post on X onWednesday. “It would make every Indian proud.” The collection of more than 300 gems including amethyst, topaz and pearls dates from the Mau- ryan Empire, Ashokan Era, around 240-200 BCE. The collection, first unearthed by a Briton in northern India, was originally scheduled to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in May but the sale was postponed after India’s government threatened legal action and demanded the jewels be returned. Sotheby’s subsequently identified Indian con- glomerate Godrej Industries Group as the buyer and secured a sale that saw the permanent return of the gems to India, where they would be placed on public display. “Sotheby’s is delighted to have facilitated the return of the Piprahwa Gems to India,” the auction house said in a statement late onWednesday. India’s Ministry of Culture said it was an exem- plary public-private partnership and the initiative aligned with Modi’s broader mission to reclaim and celebrate India’s ancient cultural and spiritual heritage from across the world. The gems were unearthed in 1898 from an an- cient stupa in Piprahwa, northern India, by English estate managerWilliam Claxton Peppe, along with fragments of bone thought to belong to Buddha. Peppe was later allowed to keep more than 300 duplicate gems, which remained in his family. - Reuters India’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat prays after he received repatriated sacred Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, at the airport in New Delhi, India, July 30, 2025. PHOTO: INDIA’S PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS UN General Assembly Hall. PHOTO:UN Cricket-Dubai, Abu Dhabi To Host T20 Asia Cup Matches D ubai and Abu Dhabi will be the host cities for the men’s Twenty20 Asia Cup, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) said, with arch-rivals India and Pakistan to meet in Dubai on September 14. The tournament in the United Arab Emirates, sched- uled to run from September 9 to 28, will feature eight teams — two more than the last edition —with 11 matches in Dubai and eight in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi will host the opener between Afghanistan and Hong Kong, while the final will be held in Dubai. “Hosting it in the UAE allows us to bring the excite- ment to one of the most vibrant cricketing hubs in the world,” ACC President Mohsin Naqvi said in a media release on Saturday. “Dubai and Abu Dhabi are well equipped to deliver a seamless and world class experience for players, fans, and broadcasters alike.” Group A includes defending champions India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman, while Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong are in Group B. - Reuters