India news: Indian delegation leaves for Khamenei's funeral

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After Meta's WhatsApp, the Indian government has issued notices to Telegram and Signal citing concerns over the platforms' username features.

The government has asked the platforms to ​explain safeguards around features that allow users to post ‌messages without revealing their phone numbers, a government source told Reuters news agency.

On Wednesday, the government had asked WhatsApp to freeze its planned rollout of a new feature that would let users reserve a unique username ​and eventually message others without sharing their phone numbers.

Telegram and Signal already had the feature and have now come under the Indian government's scrutiny.

Telegram and Signal were ⁠asked on Thursday to detail how they protect users from ​impersonation and misuse enabled by features that let people interact without ​revealing phone numbers, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Internet Freedom Foundation, ​a digital ⁠rights group based in New Delhi, called on the IT Ministry to withdraw all three notices, saying the notice to Signal, an encrypted messenger used by ⁠journalists, activists and other citizens, struck directly at protected speech.

"This ​is a dragnet, it is widening, and it has no basis in law."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to fly to New Zealand for his first official visit to the country next week, New Zealand ​Prime Minister Christopher Luxon shared in a statement on X.

"Prime Minister ‌Modi's ⁠visit is historic, with this being the first to New Zealand ​by an ​Indian ⁠Prime Minister in 40 years," ​Luxon said.

He further added that the two nations are expected to sign a free-trade agreement to take the diplomatic ties to the next level.

Modi ⁠will arrive in Auckland on July 10 and depart ​a day ​later.

Traders sold petrol produced by Indian refiner Nayara Energy to Russia, which is trying to meet its fuel demand amid a shortage triggered by Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure.

On Thursday, Reuters news agency reported that Russia imported oil from India.

However, later on Thursday, Indian Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri denied that Indian companies were selling fuel to Russia, but that it was "possible" that Russia purchased Indian-origin fuel from traders.

The European Union imposed sanctions on Indian refiner Nayara last year because Russia's state oil company, Rosneft, held a 49% stake in Nayara.

Following the EU sanctions, Nayara has relied on traders to import crude and export refined fuels.

Nayara's 400,000 barrels-per-day Vadinar refinery in western India has been processing only Russian oil since other suppliers backed out following the sanctions, a Reuters news agency report said.

At least ​60,000 metric ⁠tons of gasoline has been dispatched from India to Russia, according to the report which cited industrz sources.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to upgrade Japan's Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA) with India.

Takaichi, whose three-day trip to India ended Friday, said that officials from both countries should get together to take the next steps in reviewing the CEPA.

Both India's Narendra Modi and Takaichi agreed to modernise the CEPA, which came into force in 2011 but has come under scrutiny over its limited benefits for Indian exporters.

"The existing CEPA between the two countries is somewhat dated, especially in the context of new trade arrangements that are now being struck across the world. We have in fact made the proposal to our Japanese colleagues in recent times that maybe it is time to look at the upgrade and review its provisions," Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri told a press briefing.

The two leaders also signed their first-ever defence co-development project.

"Today, we have signed an agreement on the first co-development project between India and Japan in the defence sector. This project for a naval radio antenna will open a new chapter in our defence technology partnership," Modi said as reported by The New Indian Express.

The pact relates to the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) project, a next-generation naval communications system designed to provide secure and reliable communications for warships.

The governor of the state of Bihar, Syed Ata ​Hasnain, and Deputy Foreign Minister Pabitra ⁠Margherita left for Iran, where they will be officially representing India at the state funeral of Iran's former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali ​Khamenei.

Other Indian dignitaries, including former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Congress Party leader Salman Khurshid, paid tribute to Khamenei ahead of the formal state funeral in Tehran.

Mufti shared a video in a post on X and said, "An honour for me to be here in Tehran to express my deepest condolences & solidarity on the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei."

In a statement on Thursday, the Indian Foreign Ministry said that Pabitra Margherita and Syed Ata Hasnain would visit the Islamic Republic of Iran on July 3 to attend the Khamenei.

"The high-level representation in the ceremony underscores the importance of civilisational ties, including people-to-people connection, between the two countries, providing a robust foundation to political and economic engagements," the ministry statement said.

In addition to the delegation, Iran has invited several other dignitaries, including leaders from the opposition Congress Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and leaders from Indian-administered Kashmir.

Iran had also invited Modi, but he won't be taking part as he is scheduled to leave for a three-nation tour of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand on Monday.

Good morning! This is Midhat from the New Delhi Bureau, bringing you the latest developments from and about India.

Several prominent political figures from India are heading to Iran to attend the state funeral of its slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali ​Khamenei. The Indian delegation has departed for the official burial ceremony in Tehran.

Meanwhile, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is in the capital on the last day of her three-day visit to India.

On Thursday, she and her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, signed several agreements to boost cooperation between India and Japan. The agreements involved heavy investments in artificial intelligence, defense and the energy sector. The pair have also agreed to upgrade their economic partnership.

Following Takaichi's visit, the Indian leader will turn his attention to his upcoming trip to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand next week. 

Stay tuned as we bring you all this and more.