Dhaka and Beijing on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation on the management of the Teesta and other rivers and signed 13 agreements to bolster bilateral ties following talks between Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has described militants operating in Balochistan as 'foreign-sponsored proxies' actively working to destabilise the province and obstruct its development.
The Beijing summit may have reduced immediate diplomatic uncertainty, but it did not resolve the deeper structural contest between the United States and China. That contest appears likely to define the coming decade, notes Varun Arya.
'It beggars belief that Saudi Arabia would deploy military force against India, a top partner and market.'
Nepal is grappling with the devastating aftermath of flash floods, with the death toll reaching 1,356 and nearly 5,000 people, including foreign nationals, still missing. Identification of bodies is a major challenge, with only a fraction identified so far. President Ramchandra Paudel has appealed for climate justice and national unity for relief efforts. International teams, including experts from India and China, are assisting in search and rescue, particularly at hydropower projects where workers are trapped. The country is also working to restore infrastructure and reassure tourists to protect its vital autumn tourism season.
In many ways, 17th century India occupied a position in the global economy comparable to that of the United States today. Just as millions of people now look towards America because of its economic opportunities, merchants, adventurers and trading companies once looked towards India.
Trade negotiations between the United States and Canada have collapsed, leading to the US imposing 50% tariffs on nearly $28 billion worth of Canadian imports, with Canada immediately vowing to retaliate dollar-for-dollar.
History may remember Takaichi Sanae not as the leader who simply accelerated Japanese rearmament, but as one who governed during Japan's transition from an industrial-age security model to a post-industrial strategic member of the global order, points out Varun Arya.
A new report suggests China's maritime vulnerability lies in the Strait of Hormuz, not Malacca, creating strategic competition in the Indian Ocean.
Millions of soccer fans in the world's two most populous nations may not be able to watch the World Cup that starts next month, due to a deadlock over broadcast rights in India and no official decision in China.
New Delhi must look for formal, institutional statements issued directly from Washington rather than rely on casual pronouncements meant for local audiences, notes Ambassador Rajasekhar.
The Quad grouping has expanded cooperation in critical minerals and energy, while unveiling new measures to boost maritime surveillance and port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific. This move comes against the backdrop of China's growing military posturing in the region, with ministers reiterating strong opposition to destabilising actions and expressing serious concerns over militarisation of disputed features.
For India, the guiding principle should remain clear: Engage Bangladesh as a sovereign nation and society rather than through the prism of any individual leader or political party, suggests Manoj Mohanka.
'Wages have not risen. Rural wages have stagnated. The growth was 0.7 per cent last year. For casual and irregular labour, the wage growth is negative.'
Gold and silver prices are expected to remain range-bound this week as investors await crucial US economic data, including the non-farm payrolls report, and further signals from the Federal Reserve regarding its interest rate policy.
Hangors are effectively 'dead-on-arrival' with Pakistanis saddled with deadweights that displace around 3,000 tons. Last time it was near Vishakhapatnam. This time, barnacles will clog the Hangors in Karachi port itself, points out Dr Abhishek Puri.
Chinese leaders, including its generals, will have to weigh whether they can win a war if they ever attack Taiwan and if at all, can they sustain the subsequent devastation, notes Rup Narayan Das.
For India, China's Indian Ocean power projection, maritime domain awareness, dual-use ports, underwater surveillance, antisubmarinewarfare, naval exercises with Pakistan, pose considerable pressure, depleted India's strategic depth and marginalises Indian role, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.
A readout by the US said the agreement marked a milestone in the strategic partnership between the two nations to ensure that the foundational elements required for advanced technology and energy are available within trusted networks.
Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Donald Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could trigger conflicts between the two countries during wide-ranging talks on trade, Iran, and energy security.
Poland's Secretary of State, Wladyslaw T Bartoszewski, has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with preventing Russian President Vladimir Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine in late 2022, highlighting Modi's significant influence on the Russian leader.
Dinesh Trivedi's success or failure in this fragile diplomatic equilibrium will have consequences extending well beyond the Indian high commission in Dhaka. It will shape India's eastern strategic environment for years to come.
India is the only significant power that all parties trust, or at least do not distrust, notes former defence secretary Ajay Kumar.
A parliamentary panel has strongly recommended that the Indian government appoint a dedicated 'polar ambassador' to enhance its strategic engagement and diplomatic influence in the critical Arctic and Antarctic regions, aligning with global trends and India's growing focus on polar affairs.
Despite decades of efforts towards energy transition, oil will remain the critical energy source for all nations for some decades. We can hope for peace opening the Strait of Hormuz, but must prepare for war closing it, points out former foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.
It is plain to see that the US senate bill's real objective is to derail India's time-tested strategic partnership with Russia, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
If we really want to curb the further depreciation of the rupee and make the rupee appreciate, we want to come out of the mindset that the exchange rate is merely a number, bring policy corrections to help reduce the outflow of foreign exchange by imposing suitable tariffs to discourage imports and bring self reliance, discipline FPIs, and correcting rules governing royalty outflows, suggests Dr Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-Convenor, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
US President Donald Trump concluded his Beijing summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing it as 'incredible' and highlighting 'fantastic trade deals' and a 'very strong' relationship between the two leaders.
Donald Trump says several issues were settled during the final day of talks with Xi Jinping covering trade, tariffs, and diplomacy.
'After announcing that she will return to Bangladesh, if she does not, her credibility will suffer.'
India would confront a more entrenched China, a less dependable United States, and a regional order increasingly shaped by great-power bargaining over which it exercises limited influence, notes Amberish K Diwanji.
India too can rise to the top if the 1.4 billion Indians back home are given better opportunities to use their innate talent and capacity to work hard, with right incentives in a more meritocratic rules-based system, asserts Ajay Chhibber.
Formerly Iran's second-largest oil customer, Indian financial institutions were forced to withhold crude oil payments following the 2018 US sanctions.
Global investment firm KKR remains optimistic about India's long-term growth, citing rising incomes, premiumisation, financial deepening, and demand for quality services as key drivers for its consumption story, even as higher energy prices and AI disruption pose near-term challenges.
Is Bhutan merely experimenting with digital finance -- or is the Himalayan kingdom punching far above its weight, quietly playing one of the most sophisticated strategic games in Asia today? asks Varun Arya.
Suspected insurgents have abducted four policemen and their official vehicle in Gwadar, Balochistan, a sensitive region vital to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. A search operation is underway, with initial investigations suggesting the police were involved in illegal detentions. The incident occurs amidst ongoing anti-terror operations and recent attacks in the province.
Hyderabad-based Nexon Geochem has partnered with Russia's Giredmet to establish integrated rare-earth processing and downstream facilities in India. This collaboration aims to bridge critical gaps in India's rare earth value chain, focusing on producing NdFeB permanent magnets essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence systems, reducing reliance on imports.
'It's very important for India to retain its sovereignty. India should not sign any agreement which compromises its sovereignty.'
Analysts predict that developments in US-Iran negotiations, fluctuations in crude oil prices, and key global economic data will be the primary drivers of gold and silver prices in the coming week, with a strong focus on talks in Switzerland.
Indian companies' overseas expansion plans are holding strong despite geopolitical tensions in West Asia, driven by structural factors like supply-chain diversification, free trade agreements, and market expansion, according to Ajay Sharma, managing director and head of banking at HSBC India.
