Sharp differences between Iran and the UAE over the West Asia conflict were on full display during the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi, signalling the challenges the bloc faces in reaching a consensus position on the crisis.
Dr Bhairavi Joshi, a member of the Cycling Federation of India's Development Committee, has been awarded the United Nations World Bicycle Day Founder Leszek Sibilski's Certificate of Excellence for her significant efforts in promoting cycling across India through various community initiatives.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has urged India to take the lead in bringing peace to West Asia, highlighting the UAE's role in stalling BRICS consensus on the conflict. Gharibabadi also discussed a new framework with Oman for merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on the global energy supply chain are expected to dominate deliberations at a two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers to be hosted by India.
'Xi is conveying that China is a pre-eminent power, and India should modulate its actions or approaches accordingly.'
Former CDS Anil Chauhan stated that China poses a long-term and comprehensive challenge to India, with the boundary issue remaining unresolved due to differing perceptions of the Line of Actual Control. However, he emphasised that India's ties with Beijing cannot be solely defined by border disputes, advocating for engagement through platforms like SCO and BRICS. He also highlighted the broader global geopolitical flux and instability in India's neighbourhood as significant security concerns, stressing the need for self-reliance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil work by poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Bangladesh has requested India to create a "conducive environment" for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's potential visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit, linking it to their demand for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. This comes amidst strained relations following Hasina's media interaction in New Delhi, which Bangladesh deemed offensive, and her subsequent death sentence in absentia for "crimes against humanity." India maintains that the extradition request is under examination and that it had no role in Hasina's media event.
India is currently examining Bangladesh's request for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in India since her government's collapse in August 2024, with New Delhi confirming the issue is being processed according to established procedures.
'My biggest fear about AI is that humans are going to rush to deploy it before AI is ready.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday was marked by a flurry of greetings from global leaders, including Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, all underscoring strengthening bilateral ties and India's increasing stature on the world stage.
'Therefore, Beijing comes to wrong conclusions.'
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is in Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary issue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. These crucial discussions precede Chinese President Xi Jinping's anticipated visit to India for the BRICS summit, offering a potential opportunity for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The talks aim to address the long-standing border dispute and recurring tensions, with both sides emphasising the importance of peace and tranquillity for bilateral relations amidst recent reports of aggressive Chinese posturing in Arunachal Pradesh.
India has significantly increased its diplomatic engagements with Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and the Maldives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the SCO summit, advocating for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the West Asia conflict and expressing India's desire to expand and diversify trade with Iran. Pezeshkian, in turn, urged India to leverage its contacts to promote peace.
China has strongly rejected a US bill that would impose tariffs on countries, including India, for purchasing Russian oil and gas. Beijing views the "Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act 2026" as an act of "long-arm jurisdiction" and interference in its sovereign trade relations, asserting that its economic cooperation with other nations is based on equality and mutual benefit.
The Supreme Court has declined to issue orders prohibiting a protest march called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) for September 5. The court stated its expectation that all parties would act peacefully and lawfully, directing the petitioner to a High Powered Enquiry Committee. The CJP's march aims to protest the Centre's alleged failure to honour promises made regarding examination irregularities and police violence during previous agitations.
National security advisor Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday for a two-day visit to take part in the Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary question with his Chinese counterpart and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Bangladesh has not yet decided on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India for the upcoming BRICS summit, with his office stating that Dhaka is awaiting New Delhi's response to its request for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other 'fugitive criminals' currently residing in India.
Bangladesh-China and Bangladesh-US relations have evolved from reluctant engagement to increasingly consequential strategic partnerships.
India's exports saw a significant increase of 26.12 per cent to USD 43.81 billion in August, leading to a narrowed trade deficit of USD 26.86 billion, driven by strong demand from key global markets and diverse sectors.
Ahead of President Vladimir Putin's visit to India for the BRICS summit, Russia has expressed support for New Delhi's peace initiatives to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Discussions between Putin and PM Modi will cover defence, energy, technology, and the repatriation of Indian nationals from the Russian military, alongside addressing trade and investment ties.
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has strongly criticised the newly introduced Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select UPI transactions, labelling it a "UPI tax" and demanding its immediate rollback. He drew parallels with demonetisation, arguing that the new framework would negatively impact small shopkeepers, MSMEs, and ordinary citizens by increasing prices.
India on Tuesday conveyed to China the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for overall bilateral ties as national security advisor Ajit Doval held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi focusing on delimitation of the frontier and sustaining work on trans-boundary cooperation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to move from 'endless war to the end of war' in Ukraine, emphasising that a peaceful resolution is humanity's shared priority.
Pakistan's army chief held a series of engagements with Iranian leaders in Tehran as regional diplomacy remained in focus.
'The large number of tariff lines in the 90-99 per cent band highlights how deeply embedded Chinese sourcing has become in India's electronics imports.'
In July, tension emerged in Taksing, a remote village in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh after locals sighted PLA soldiers.
The ministry of external affairs on Monday said that a joint statement could not be issued following the BRICS deputy foreign ministers and special envoys on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) meeting, which took place on April 24 in the national capital, as member countries were unable to reach a general consensus concerning the conflict in West Asia.
One of the important topics of discussion between the two leaders is expected to be the Northern Sea Route and the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.
'India is trying to project that it can engage with the world in a different way too.'
US President Donald Trump is expected to sign the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 later on Friday (local time). A White House official confirmed the development to ANI without revealing further details.
Russia on Monday assured India of uninterrupted supply of energy and fertilisers amid disruption caused by the West Asia crisis, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and held talks with his key interlocutors.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, highlighted the importance of dialogue in resolving bilateral issues between India and Bangladesh, expressing optimism for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India. His remarks come amidst diplomatic strains over Bangladesh's demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose virtual media interaction from New Delhi caused outrage in Dhaka.
Who is running the show in Dhaka? This kind of flip-flop, culminating in a last-minute decision to skip a maiden visit, can happen only when the remote is in the hands of one of the competing lobbies within the BNP -- one that appears determined to play a game of chess with India.
India has removed a key regulatory hurdle, allowing exporters to receive payments in Indian currency while retaining incentives under the country's foreign trade policy, a move aimed at promoting wider use of the rupee in international trade.
Russia remains India's biggest fertiliser supplier, with imports rising nearly 40 per cent in 2025.
India and China have agreed to advance discussions on an "Early and Substantial Harvest" of boundary delimitation and border management during the 25th round of Special Representatives talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Both sides reached an eight-point consensus, committing to the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement. Key outcomes include enhancing border management, improving understanding of the Line of Actual Control, establishing new meeting points and hotlines, and continuing cooperation on trans-border rivers and pilgrimage.
'China wants to control and divert rivers.'
'I know China will implode. It is scientifically impossible for China to control a nation through the barrel of a gun.'
