Following are the top foreign stories at 2015 hours

FGN64: PM-INDIA-2NDLD AUSTRALIA ****Eye on Indo-Pacific: India and Australia deepen ties across nuclear, maritime and mineral sectors Melbourne: India and Australia on Thursday sealed a raft of landmark pacts spanning civil nuclear energy, maritime security and critical minerals sectors, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese reinforced the vital role of the bilateral partnership in ensuring a peaceful Indo-Pacific.**** FGN86: PM-AUSTRALIA-LD DIASPORA ****Driven by vision of 'Grow More, Achieve More', India working to become developed nation: PM Modi Melbourne: India, driven by the vision of "Grow More, Achieve More", is working towards the goal of becoming a developed nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, underscoring that the foundation of the country's big dreams and great aspirations is its people.**** FGN83: PM-AUSTRALIA-2NDLD-TRADE ****PM Modi invites Australian businesses to capitalise on India's 'unmatched' growth opportunities Melbourne: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched for early finalisation of the proposed India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) as it will further accelerate bilateral trade and investment ties.**** FGN71: PM-AUSTRALIA-INDIA-CRICKET ****PM Modi turns to cricket to illustrate strength of India, Australia ties Melbourne: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invoked India and Australia's shared passion for cricket to highlight the rapidly expanding strategic ties between the two nations.**** FGN44: PM-AUSTRALIA-MEETINGS ****PM Modi meets Australia Governor General Mostyn, discusses bilateral ties Melbourne: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn and discussed "enduring" bilateral bonds, strong people-to-people ties and the strengthening of the "multifaceted partnership" between the two countries.**** FGN57: INDIA-AUSTRALIA-CULTURE ****Three cultural artefacts of Indian origin to be brought back from Australia Melbourne: Three antiquities of Tamil Nadu origin, including a stone idol of sacred bull Nandi, are set to be repatriated to India by Australia, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.**** FGN72: PM-AUSTRALIA-EDUCATION ****Australia's Victoria University receives approval to set up, operate campus in Gurugram Melbourne: Australia's Victoria University has received an approval to set up and operate its campus in Gurugram in India, signifying a part of educational partnerships towards strengthening people-to-people ties, the Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday.**** FGN70: CHINA-US-TIBET ****Don't support Tibetan independence: China to US Beijing: China on Thursday urged the US to honour its commitment to recognise Tibet as part of China and not to support Tibetan independence.**** FGN61: NZ-INDIA-EXPERTS ****PM Modi's New Zealand visit historic, but not without friction: Experts Wellington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to New Zealand this week, the first by an Indian premier in 40 years, marks a watershed moment for bilateral ties but comes amid political and social friction, according to experts.**** FGN85: CHINA-LD FIRE ****28 killed in massive fire at shoe factory in China Beijing: Twenty-eight people were killed in a massive fire at a shoe factory in China's Jinjiang City on Thursday, local authorities said.**** FGN81: UK-INDIAN-DEATHS ****Inquest opens into Indian-origin family’s plunge to death in UK London: An inquest into the tragic deaths of an Indian-origin family of three who plunged to their deaths from a high-rise apartment block in south London opened this week.**** FGN75: UK-POLITICS-BURNHAM ****Andy Burnham on course to be new UK PM as election process begins London: Andy Burnham looks set for a so-called coronation as the next British Prime Minister as the process to elect a new Labour Party leader formally opened on Thursday.**** FGN43: US-TRUMP-INDOPAK ****Trump says 11 jets downed during India-Pak hostilities last year, repeats role in resolution of conflict Washington: US President Donald Trump has repeated his claim of settling the conflict between India and Pakistan, adding that 11 jets were shot down during the four-day hostilities in May last year.**** FGN77: BANGLA-ECONOMY ****Bangladesh orders reduced govt spending amid economic vulnerability Dhaka: Bangladesh on Thursday ordered austerity measures including cuts in government spending, procurement of motor vehicles, air and water craft and foreign trips by its officials as the nation faces persistent inflation and slower growth amid continued crisis in West Asia.**** FGN74: PAK-AIRCRAFT ****Pakistan: Search continues for five missing crew members of crashed cargo plane Karachi: Pakistani search and rescue teams were on Thursday searching for the second consecutive day for the five crew members of the cargo plane that crashed into the Arabian Sea, 300 kilometres west of Karachi.**** FGN76: US-INDIAN-ENGINEER ****Indian engineer charged in US for murdering wife Washington: A 30-year-old Indian has been charged with murdering his wife over an alleged affair with another lady, almost nine months after her death at their home in the US' Washington state, local media reported.**** FGN78: CHINA-INDIA-INVESTMENTS ****Indian embassy pitches deeper economic engagement with Chinese businesses Beijing: Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami has met senior representatives of various Chinese companies and conveyed the embassy's readiness to facilitate greater economic and commercial engagement with India.**** FGN12: USTR PROBE-INDIA ****India says US approach to forced labour tariffs inconsistent; exempts 1,600 items it needs Washington: India has flagged inconsistencies in the US approach to tariffs at a public hearing on the US Trade Representative's (USTR) proposal to impose levies on goods linked to forced labour.**** FGN65 US-IRAN-5THLD STRIKES ****US, Iran exchange intensifying fire across the Mideast, threatening interim deal to end war Dubai: The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting US-allied Mideast countries in an exchange of fire that threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Middle East. (AP)**** PTI GSP