China on Wednesday reacted strongly to the Quad Ministerial meeting that voiced serious concerns over the situation in the East and South China Sea, saying they should stop meddling in maritime affairs in its neighbourhood.
Typhoon Bavi made landfall in eastern China, leading to the evacuation of nearly 2 million people. Authorities issued red alerts for rainstorms and orange alerts for the typhoon, causing widespread cancellations of flights and ferry services, and the closure of tourist attractions.
The Indian Consul General in Shanghai inaugurated the annual East China Indian Diaspora Cricket Tournament and a curtain-raiser event for the International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2026, highlighting the community's strong cultural presence and global outreach.
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
India's dual pursuit of a robust strategic partnership with Washington and a pragmatic, tension-management policy with Beijing represents the essence of modern multi-alignment. By embracing economic pragmatism, learning to compartmentalize political differences, and engaging in continuous dialogue, India can secure its borders, grow its economy, and contribute to a stable, multipolar Asian century, points out Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Beijing clearly intends to extend the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor to Bangladesh as part of its larger Maritime Belt and Road Initiative to boost its Indian Ocean presence.
China on Tuesday listed out the four-point proposal given by President Xi Jinping for lasting peace in the Middle East.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the country believes that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solutions to resolving disputes and that the continued escalation of the conflict serves no one's interests.
In response to the Quad ministers' joint statement, China on Tuesday said it opposes the creation of exclusive 'small cliques' and 'bloc confrontation'.
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.
A new report suggests China's maritime vulnerability lies in the Strait of Hormuz, not Malacca, creating strategic competition in the Indian Ocean.
China has criticised the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a dangerous and irresponsible move, and urged Washington and Tehran to honour the ceasefire. Beijing also denied aiding Iran militarily and threatened countermeasures if the US imposes tariffs.
It seems odd to criticise a country for delivering growth rates in standards of living and consumption that have been perhaps the fastest, longest, and most broad-based (affecting hundreds of millions of people) in history, points out Arvind Subramanian.
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.
India and China held constructive talks on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, emphasising that maintaining border peace and tranquillity enabled progress in normalising overall relations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indonesian parliament, emphasising India's commitment to development over expansionism and advocating for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the strong historical ties between India and Indonesia, calling for enhanced cooperation in various sectors, including defence, technology, and counter-terrorism, amidst growing concerns over regional security.
Notwithstanding the economic complementarities and the host of agreements for deepening economic relation on a host of areas, both sides share common viewpoints on the foreign policy domain and seek common grounds to serve as a counterweight to China, notes Dr Rajaram Panda.
China's Foreign Ministry has refuted allegations of providing military support to Iran, warning the US against imposing tariffs based on these accusations. The statement follows reports of Iran acquiring a Chinese satellite for targeting US military bases. Meanwhile, a rescheduled meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping is set for May.
A 42-year-old man, identified as Lobga Rangzen, died after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan. The act was an apparent protest, with a Tibetan flag and a 'CHINA OUT OF TIBET' slogan found at the scene, linking it to the ongoing Tibetan Independence Movement.
Investigators have revealed that the pilot of a small plane that crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the CITIC Tower, suffered from long-term anxiety and had expressed suicidal thoughts in his diaries. The incident, which killed the pilot and injured 13 others, has raised significant security concerns in the highly sensitive Chinese capital, especially given strict airspace regulations.
Investigators have revealed that the pilot of a small plane that crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the CITIC Tower, suffered from long-term anxiety and had expressed suicidal thoughts in his diaries. The incident, which killed the pilot and injured 13 others, has raised significant security concerns in the highly sensitive Chinese capital, especially given strict airspace regulations.
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.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced India's growth forecast for FY27 to 6.4 per cent, citing the potential impact of higher energy prices offsetting the country's economic resilience. Despite this, India remains among the fastest-growing major economies.
The boundary mess between India and Nepal needs a solution in a manner as mentioned by Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal: 'On evidence not emotions', counsels Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung (retd).
Donald Trump says several issues were settled during the final day of talks with Xi Jinping covering trade, tariffs, and diplomacy.
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.
'After that the burdens of an ageing population will be upon us, and the share of working age population will shrink.'
Much will depend on how the protagonists use the current interlude to work proactively for the beginning of a durable settlement or, on the contrary, prepare for a new round of escalation, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
US President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing to discuss trade, technology, Taiwan, and the Iran war. Xi Jinping said that 2026 will be a 'historic, landmark year' for China-US relations.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will inaugurate the underground tunnel-boring work from Vikhroli to the Bandra Kurla Complex station in Mumbai on Sunday, marking the maiden use of a tunnel boring machine for the country's first bullet train project, between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
China has called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and expressed appreciation for Tehran's commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, a key demand of the US to end the conflict.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto have significantly advanced the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, securing crucial agreements on defence, critical minerals, and maritime security, including BrahMos missile supply and Sabang port development.
India is navigating a complex diplomatic landscape, attempting to balance its 'forever honeymoon' with the Israel-UAE-Bahrain axis against its historical ties with Iran, as evidenced by recent high-level visits and evolving geopolitical realignments in the Middle East, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
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.
India is increasingly focusing on long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China.
Beijing has been wary of Sanae Takaichi's efforts to boost Japan's military profile since taking office six months ago, points out Dr Rajaram Panda.
Successful interceptor, anti-ship, MIRV and hypersonic technology tests have strengthened India's position among a select group of advanced missile powers.
'The flip side of this is that he won't hesitate to call out India if he thinks its policies are hurting US economic interests or border US foreign policy goals.'
India has strongly criticised China's practice of assigning 'fictitious names' to areas within Indian territory, stating that such actions are futile attempts to alter reality and negatively impact efforts to normalise bilateral relations.
China has established a new county in Xinjiang province near Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Afghanistan border, a move seen as strengthening security along the Wakhan Corridor and addressing concerns about Uyghur separatist militants.
