 "India's EAM Jaishankar is set to attend the SCO meeting in China. File image/PTI")
It is set to be a busy Tuesday with several events lined up for the day.
Firstly, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting scheduled to take place today in China’s Tianjin. Meanwhile, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is on a mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), will return to Earth today.
Nato Secretary General, Mark Rutte, will be in Washington, DC to hold key meetings with top US officials. Foreign ministers from the European Union nations will meet in Brussels for a session of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC).
Here is all that is set to take place throughout the day.
EAM Jaishankar to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be in China’s Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave. The visit marks Jaishankar’s initial visit to China since the bilateral relations deteriorated following the 2020 military confrontation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Jaishankar’s presence at the SCO meeting is a key engagement in his three-day diplomatic journey that also included a stop in Singapore. China, as the current chair of the SCO, is hosting these preparatory meetings ahead of the main SCO summit later this year. The CFM is expected to see foreign ministers from the 10 member states – China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus – discuss the organisation’s future, regional security, and other pressing international issues.
Shubhanshu Shukla to return to Earth
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, along with other members of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, is set to return to Earth after spending 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their return journey began with the undocking of their SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14 at approximately 4:30 pm IST.
The 22.5-hour journey back to Earth involves a series of critical manoeuvres, including de-orbit burns and atmospheric re-entry, followed by a parachute-assisted splashdown. During his groundbreaking mission, Group Captain Shukla conducted over 60 scientific experiments, including seven India-specific payloads crucial for the nation’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program. His work focused on diverse fields such as space farming, including germinating moong and methi seeds, studying microalgae for sustainable life support, and researching human health in microgravity.
Nato chief in Washington
Nato’s new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, who is on a two-day visit to Washington DC to hold key meetings with top US officials. Rutte’s itinerary includes high-profile discussions with US President Donald Trump , Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. He is also slated to meet with members of Congress.
The discussions are expected to cover a range of pressing issues, including strengthening Nato’s collective defence and deterrence capabilities, bolstering long-term support for Ukraine and addressing broader security challenges. There is anticipation that the meetings will involve talks on a renewed plan for the US to potentially sell weapons to Nato allies, who would then transfer them to Ukraine, signifying a potential shift in the Trump administration’s approach to military aid for Kyiv.
EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels
EU foreign ministers are convening in Brussels on Tuesday for a crucial session of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC). Chaired by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, the meeting will address a packed agenda dominated by critical geopolitical developments.
A primary focus of the discussions will be the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine. Ministers will exchange views on the conflict, likely with an intervention from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha via videoconference. The talks are expected to cover strengthening military and humanitarian support for Kyiv, as well as the potential approval of further sanctions against Russia.
With inputs from agencies