Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India for a three-day trip to attend the 18th BRICS Summit and engage in bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The summit will focus on strengthening strategic partnerships and addressing international issues, with Putin also scheduled to meet other world leaders.
The challenge for India lies in navigating complex landscape to its best advantage. The BRICS Summit will test its navigation skills, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
The political confidence required to place high-end Japanese aircraft and personnel on Indian soil is itself a data point.
It indicates a level of trust that would have been difficult to imagine when India-Japan defence ties were largely symbolic, explains Varun Arya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned against the 'weaponisation' of technology and critical minerals at the BRICS summit, advocating for cooperation to foster shared prosperity. Concurrently, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans for an open-source AI ecosystem for BRICS nations, positioning Beijing as a key technology partner amid global AI competition.
Karen Khachanov has advanced to the U.S. Open semi-finals after his opponent, Alexander Blockx, retired due to injury. Blockx, who was already battling a rib injury, was visibly hampered by further physical issues during the match. Khachanov expressed his happiness at reaching the semi-finals and wished Blockx a speedy recovery. This marks Khachanov's first Grand Slam semi-final appearance since the 2023 Australian Open.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's impromptu rendition of Kishore Kumar's classic 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' has captivated audiences online, with a video of his performance garnering over a million views and widespread appreciation.
Karen Khachanov stunned third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime after losing the opening-set tiebreak, dominating the next three sets with powerful serving and relentless pressure to reach round three.
The Brics proposal for a Grain Exchange, aimed at challenging the dominance of Western trading firms, faces significant operational and implementation hurdles, including settlement currency, regulatory frameworks, and limited participation from key members like India, according to experts.
India's cement industry is on the brink of an oversupply situation as aggressive capacity expansion by major players is set to outpace demand growth over the next two financial years, potentially leading to pricing pressures and moderated utilisation rates.
Xi brought in asymmetrical power play by stating that India should have 'strategic cognition' and 'strategic judgement made on the basis of the stage of development the two countries are at'. This is a very nuanced way of asserting China's coercive diplomatic posture and reflects Beijing's penchant to unleash border instability at will, restrict rare earth metal exports, exert pressure on India at global and regional orders, asserts China expert Srikanth Kondapalli.
The BRICS New Delhi Declaration has endorsed India's proposals for a Working Group on Sports Technology and a Sports Goods Manufacturing Conclave, aiming to enhance cooperation and innovation among member nations in the sports sector.
New Delhi was told it had given something up; in reality it had stopped talking about it, notes Dr Abhishek Puri.
BRICS members have expressed 'serious concerns' over the unilateral imposition of trade and finance-related measures, including higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers, stating these actions distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. The grouping also highlighted elevated risks to the global economic outlook due to geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation, and protectionism.
Bangladesh has confirmed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not attend the upcoming BRICS Summit in India, clarifying that the invitation was extended to him as the BIMSTEC Chair, not as Bangladesh's Prime Minister. The nation is prioritising bilateral visits and discussions, while also addressing national interests like the expiring Ganges Water Sharing Treaty.
Coco Gauff celebrates the historic U.S. Open semi-final clash between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, marking the first time two Black American men will compete at this stage in a Grand Slam in the Open Era. Gauff, also in the women's semi-finals, expressed her pride and admiration for Tiafoe's inspiring presence on tour.
Coco Gauff staged a remarkable comeback at the US Open, saving two match points to defeat Mirra Andreeva 2-6 7-6(7) 6-2 and secure her spot in the semi-finals. The 2023 champion overcame a poor start and a challenging tiebreak to win, setting up a clash with second seed Elena Rybakina.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian concluded his visit to India for the 18th BRICS Summit, announcing that Iran and the UAE agreed to move past previous tensions. This diplomatic breakthrough occurred during talks with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince on the summit sidelines. Pezeshkian also met with PM Modi to discuss bilateral ties and West Asia developments, with Modi emphasising dialogue for regional peace. The BRICS summit adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, calling for global governance reforms and de-escalation in West Asia.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday described BRICS as an important global forum, highlighting the grouping's growing demographic and economic weight and noting that its members account for around half of the world's population and 40 percent of global GDP.
American tennis star Jessica Pegula defeated Sorana Cirstea in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) to advance to the U.S. Open quarter-finals. This victory keeps Pegula's hopes alive for her first major title, while Cirstea made her final Grand Slam appearance before retirement. Pegula will now compete for a spot in her third consecutive U.S. Open semi-final.
A Kanpur-based engineer, Chandan Gupta, alleges he was abused, threatened, and tortured during a 48-hour detention by Russian police in Moscow. He denies charges of public intoxication and property damage, claiming police provided no evidence and denied him contact with family or a translator. Gupta also criticises the Indian Embassy's handling of the situation, stating they relied solely on the Russian police's version of events. Traumatised, he has returned to India and vows never to work abroad again.
The United States has announced a new round of trade measures against Canada, including bans on Canadian dairy, alcoholic beverages, and motorcycles, and reshuffled existing tariffs. This escalation comes after Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on American goods. The US administration cited Canada's retaliatory actions as the trigger, contrasting it with other nations that chose negotiation over retaliation.
'If crude remains above $100 per barrel, with restricted retail-price increases, OMCs could face negative petrol and diesel marketing margins, higher LPG under-recoveries, higher crude-landing, freight and insurance costs, working capital and debt accumulation and inventory losses if crude subsequently corrects sharply.'
India's current account deficit could widen to 1.7 per cent of GDP, or about $71 billion, if crude oil prices stay above $90 a barrel for a significant part of the second half of FY27.
American Frances Tiafoe defeated former champion Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling three-set match at the U.S. Open, reaching the quarter-finals. Tiafoe, who had a poor head-to-head record against Medvedev, showcased his best form, employing strategic net play and powerful groundstrokes to secure a significant victory.
BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors have called for increased representation of emerging-market and developing economies in the IMF and World Bank, while also criticising unilateral tariffs and trade measures, as the expanded bloc aims to bolster financial cooperation amidst global fragmentation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the BRICS summit, called for a fundamental shift in global governance, advocating for the replacement of the current 'pyramid of privilege' with a 'platform of partnership' where the Global South becomes a 'rule shaper' rather than a 'rule follower'.
'The Chinese military cannot advance much in Ladakh, even if they want to.' 'Similarly, in Arunachal Pradesh, they can rename a village or two, intrude here or there, but cannot do much more realistically.'
Of the 37,448 candidates registered for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in June, 36,288 appeared and 4,635 qualified.
For Ukrainian shuttlers Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr, competing at the ongoing World Championships in New Delhi is a way to showcase the resilience of a country battling the invasion by Russia.
Daniil Medvedev defeated Arthur Rinderknech 6-4 6-4 6-4 to reach the fourth round of the US Open. The former champion overcame an early break in the first set to secure a dominant victory, extending his strong form and avenging a previous loss to Rinderknech. He now looks to make a deep run in the tournament.
An American Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military transport aircraft reportedly landed in Moscow on Monday morning, according to online air traffic monitoring systems, Russian news agency TASS reported.
Daniil Medvedev overcame a bizarre bird interruption and a brief umpire spat to defeat Sebastian Gorzny 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 and reach the US Open third round.
India secured two gold, two silver, and one bronze medal on the penultimate day of the World Archery Para Series (Stage III) in Ahmedabad. The men's compound and recurve teams clinched gold, while Swati Chaudhary earned two medals, a silver and a bronze.
Naomi Osaka's US Open campaign, though ending in defeat, was marked by her bold fashion choices and a profound reflection on her life as a mother, redefining her approach to Grand Slam success.
'Uranium supply is going to come under increasing pressure.'
French Open champion Mirra Andreeva secured a comfortable 6-2 6-2 victory over Janice Tjen in her U.S. Open first-round match, demonstrating her prowess on hard courts and advancing to the second round.
The Kremlin on Tuesday said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could travel to Moscow for talks if he is prepared for "responsible and serious" discussions aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict, while noting that no official communication channels currently exist between the two sides.
Madison Keys overcame early nerves and Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4 at the US Open, avenging last year's first-round exit after improving her serving and composure.
'India is trying to project that it can engage with the world in a different way too.'
The claycourts of Roland Garros were transformed into a complex geopolitical chessboard on Tuesday as they produced a French Open semi-final lineup featuring a number of emotionally charged matches in the shadow of Russia's war in Ukraine.
