FirstUp: Seychelles President to visit India, German Chancellor's Gulf trip... The big headlines today

The President of Seychelles, Dr Patrick Herminie, will undertake a State Visit to India from 5 (today) to February 10 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This marks the president’s first visit to the nation after assuming office last October.

In other news, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has begun his three-day Gulf trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE from today. His visit will focus on key talks surrounding energy, arms and diplomacy, according to reports.

Read this and more news updates from across the world for today.

Seychelles president begins India visit

At the invitation of PM Modi, Seychelles President Dr Patrick Herminie will begin a State Visit to India today, which will continue until February 10.

This marks the president’s first trip to India since taking office last October. The visit also aligns with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

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President Herminie will also visit Chennai and Mumbai, where he will attend business events, according to a Ministry of External Affairs statement.

“Seychelles is a key maritime neighbour for India in the Indian Ocean region and holds a special place in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) and our commitment to the Global South,” the statement added.

Friedrich Merz starts Gulf trip

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz embarks on a three-day trip to the Gulf region from today, with his first stop in Saudi Arabia, followed by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Through his visit, he is pursuing a new “strategic partnership” at a time when Germany’s friendship with the US is becoming increasingly feeble. His visit will focus on key talks surrounding energy, arms and diplomacy, according to reports.

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Susanne Nies, an energy expert at think tank Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, said, “High dependency is a problem in view of the authoritarian development of the US government and the risk of geopolitical blackmail.” “Germany should also consider alternatives…” she added, as reported by Bloomberg.

Bank of England decision on interest rates

The Bank of England is highly likely to keep interest rates at 3.75 per cent at today’s meeting, Reuters reported. A Reuters poll of economists indicated that it would hold its benchmark interest rate at 3.75 per cent.

Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, said, as quoted by the media outlet, “If you go back to December, some of the voters who have cited two-sided risks to the outlook have talked about the need for a potentially larger accumulation of evidence before we have the next move in Bank Rate.”

The UK economy was forecasted to grow 1 per cent this year and 1.4 per cent next, while inflation is expected to average 2.5 per cent this year and fall to 2.1 per cent in 2027.

Chile president-elect to meet Meloni in Rome

Chile’s President-elect, José Antonio Kast, is on an international tour. According to media reports, Kast will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome today. He will also meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He began his tour on February 2 (Monday).

Amit Shah to kick off J&K visit 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will kick off a crucial three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir starting today to conduct a security review, assess several developmental projects and engage with political stakeholders.

Leaders across party lines have reacted to the visit, sharing a mix of optimism and political concerns.

Reacting to the news, BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa called his visit “an important signal of the Centre’s commitment to Jammu and Kashmir.” He told IANS, the news agency, “Such visits provide a morale boost to security agencies and reaffirm the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and instability.”

However, PDP MLA Syed Muntazir Mehdi described the visit as “routine.”

“As far as the Home Minister’s visit is concerned, it is a routine matter. He will review progress on security and administrative fronts, but initiatives on the political front are equally important. Restoring political rights and initiating dialogue with stakeholders is necessary to bring lasting stability to the region,” Mehdi said as quoted by Greater Kashmir.

With inputs from agencies