Hate crimes, especially on religious grounds, have become increasingly prominent since Modi’s Hindu nationalist government was elected in 2014. [...] Mander has gathered a group of dedicated volunteers who helped to crowdfund the entire trip. They are an eclectic mix – lifelong activists, including a mother and son, along with photographers and seven young priests-in-training from a seminary in Delhi. [...] “We want to create a network of peace communities in every district,” said Suroor Mander, one of the organizers.

For a majority of Indians living in metropolitans, a meal at a restaurant consists of the usual Chinese, Italian and American fare with Japanese food presumably lying somewhere at the bottom of the list of preferred cuisines. However, if Prime Minister Narendra Modi has his way, gastronomic delights from the land of the rising sun will enthrall the tastebuds of more and more Indians with the PM inviting Japanese business community to open more restaurants chains throughout the country.

Reiterating the importance of cultural interactions and people to people contacts in strengthening bilateral relations, India and Kenya on Monday affirmed their commitment to renew the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for 2016-19, which will provide a framework for cooperation in culture.

The Ministry of External Affairs is the most active wing of the Modi government on Twitter with 130 official Twitter accounts, revealed an RTI response. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cabinet number 2, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, have two accounts each for information dissemination and ensuring quick response during any crisis.

President Barack Obama is not just reigning the United States. He also rules on Facebook. According to a new study by Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations and communications firm, Obama has the most Likes on Facebook of all world leaders.

Dealing with Pakistan is one of the most formidable challenges that has confronted Indian administrations over the last 30 years. For the governments led by both Atal Behari Vajpayee and his successor Manmohan Singh, relations with Pakistan were the most insoluble conundrum they encountered.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drop-by diplomacy in Lahore has set a new paradigm in summitry: doing away with sherpas. It is designed to catalyse the peace process, grounded over ego and who sets the agenda. 

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed at the Russian Exhibition Centre ahead of his address at the Friends of India conclave with Sanskrit shlokas by a local singer on Thursday, it signalled that the two sides were keen to push soft diplomacy.