Whether Trump will actually press ahead with the oil sanctions remains unclear, since keeping Russian oil out of the world market risks high oil prices which could boomerang on the US economy and be damaging politically for Trump, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The delegation will now head to Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia, where they are expected to arrive on Sunday. Member of the delegation, Brijesh Chowta left earlier for Ljubljana.
Actor and model Urvashi Rautela was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to the online betting platform 1xbet. The investigation involves several celebrities and sportspersons who allegedly used endorsement fees to acquire assets.
'There are times when India should stand up without hesitation and voice its indignation over the US' pressure tactic. This is one such moment,' asserts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Maldives government has set a target of attracting 300,000 Indian tourists in 2025, aiming to regain its position as a top destination for Indian travelers. The country's tourism sector has been impacted by strained relations between Male and New Delhi, which led to a decline in Indian tourist arrivals in 2024. To revive the Indian tourist market, the Maldives is planning a major campaign, including a brand ambassador, cricket summer camps, and expanded flight routes from more Indian cities.
If India caves in to US pressure as Trump hopes it will, he will further try to blackmail it into submission, points out Ramesh Menon.
Since June, India's ministry of external affairs has intensified its diplomatic calendar, hosting several heads of state and government, foreign ministers, and key trade delegations.
'Geopolitically and diplomatically it's a very difficult situation for India.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday claimed that people were not voting for the Rashtriya Janata Dal-helmed opposition in Bihar as they fear that if voted to power, its regime will 'put katta to their heads and order them to hold their hands up'.
India strongly rejected Pakistan's 'unwarranted aspersions' over United Nations processes and attempts to deflect attention from atrocities committed against children in the country and rampant cross-border terrorism, asserting that the world has not forgotten the Pahalgam attacks.
Trump, who has repeatedly said that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan through trade, last Friday said for the first time that "five jets were shot down" during the fighting.
India on Tuesday evacuated over 1,100 citizens from Iran and Israel amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, taking the number of evacuees under Operation Sindhu to 3,170.
India and the US have collaborated through the past one month on launching a powerful satellite; are commencing joint production of GE Aerospace's F414 jet engines in India; India is participating in a massive three week-long military exercise in the Western Pacific, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'We need to be very vigilant as we are passing through some fraught times.'
"I was born in this city and graduated from here. Constantly we were told that this city was freed by the British till somebody from the Historical Society knocked at my door one day and said that they have done a thorough research and found that it wasn't the British but the Indians who freed this city (from the Ottomans)," said the mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav.
'If the Trump administration could gain access to the nuclear weapons, they would be satisfied -- at least they could control them.'
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, calling it a "heinous crime" and expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
The probe pertains to alleged illegal betting apps that are stated to have duped numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees or have evaded a huge amount of taxes.
India-Turkiye ties are strained over Ankara's Islamabad tilt, its arms links with Pakistan, and fallout from the Pahalgam terror attack.
Sachin Tendulkar was at his witty best as he fielded questions from fans during an 'Ask Me Anything' (AMA) session on Reddit on Monday, August 25.
PM Modi congratulated Karki on her historic appointment as the first female Prime Minister of Nepal.
Women's cricket team gets rousing welcome at India House in London
'While the President has been critical of India, he has gone out of his way to compliment PM Modi. They have an incredible relationship.'
'The world does not know that the families of these journalists were threatened and one by one they too have been killed.'
Afridi, who was the player of the tournament in 2007 when his team lost to India in the final, said he was looking forward to Pakistan's match against India on June 8 in New York.
England's Test skipper Ben Stokes has said it is a shame to miss the chance to play against someone like Virat Kohli in a blockbuster Test series and opined that India would sorely miss the maestro's fighting spirit.
"Intermittent pauses in hostilities are not enough to address the scale of humanitarian challenges confronting the people, who grapple daily with acute shortages of food and fuel, inadequate medical services and lack of access to education," Harish said at the open debate on the 'Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question'.
The Kanimozhi Karunanidhi-led delegation is visiting five European nations to garner support for India's campaign against cross-border terrorism.
On March 8, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to advance former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti's nomination as US ambassador to India.
India has accused Pakistan of being a "rogue state" fueling global terrorism, following a confession by Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitting to his country's history of supporting and funding terrorist organisations. India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel, delivered a strong Right of Reply at a UN event, highlighting Asif's admission and condemning Pakistan's actions. Patel asserted that the world can no longer turn a blind eye to Pakistan's role in supporting terrorism.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state government has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore to secure full cooperation from authorities in the case of singer Zubeen Garg's death.
India has reached out to key global powers, including members of the UN Security Council, and apprised them about the reasons behind its military strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. New Delhi also conveyed to the countries that it will retaliate if Islamabad escalates the already tense situation.
Pakistan's ambassador to Russia, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, has warned that Pakistan will respond with "full spectrum of force", including nuclear, if it is attacked or its vital water flow is disrupted. The warning comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Jamali also reiterated Pakistan's stance on the Indus Water Treaty, saying any attempt to stop or divert water flow would be considered an act of war. He urged de-escalation, emphasizing the potential danger given both countries possess nuclear weapons. Jamali further called for a neutral investigation into the Kashmir attack, suggesting the involvement of China and Russia. He also highlighted the need to address the root causes of the conflict, pointing to the unresolved Kashmir issue and its potential for resentment.
Chandragupta Maurya was the first king to establish an empire in India. He died a monk.
Kangana Ranaut named brand ambassador of World Para Athletics Championships
'Stage five of this catastrophe has begun: Starvation.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked the Congress to tell the nation who prevented India's military response after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks linked to Pakistan, and accused the party of weakening the fight against terrorism when in power.
'Within minutes, my mobile began ringing. It was National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, asking why the Iranians were complaining.' 'I explained that we had only restated our position in the light of the conclusion reached by the IAEA, but will remain helpful to Iran to reach a consensus.' 'Then came a call from Foreign Secretary Kamal Sibal, repeating what Mishra said about the Iranian complaint.' 'I was very impressed that Iran was able to reach two top officials in India to intervene at short notice,' recalls Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
India briefed envoys of around 45 nations on the Pahalgam terror attack and its link to cross-border terrorism. The envoys were briefed in two batches by senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). India also announced punitive measures against Pakistan, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post. Pakistan responded by shutting its airspace to all Indian airlines and suspending trade with New Delhi.
Srivastava conveyed best wishes to the cricketers for their training programme in the presence of the President of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), Chatur Bahadur Chanda.
