News for 'External'

'Pakistan Can Only Disintegrate If Any External Power Intervenes'

'Pakistan Can Only Disintegrate If Any External Power Intervenes'

Rediff.com2 Mar 2026

'If this region destabilises, then we are not far away. This region should not destabilise.'

Three habitual offenders banished from Beed, Latur, and Dharashiv to curb rising crime.

Three habitual offenders banished from Beed, Latur, and Dharashiv to curb rising crime.

Rediff.com1 days ago

Three individuals with a history of burglaries and thefts have been banned from entering Beed, Latur, and Dharashiv districts in Maharashtra for three years.

Trump's Pause Gives Iran NOTHING!

Trump's Pause Gives Iran NOTHING!

Rediff.com1 days ago

The pause gives the US time to breathe, to regroup, to move its expeditionary force into position without risk of interception along the way. It gives Iran nothing -- on the ground, attacks against its infrastructure continue apace. Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.

Will Trump's 5 Day Pause End The War On Friday?

Will Trump's 5 Day Pause End The War On Friday?

Rediff.com2 days ago

'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.

Will Trump Send Troops To Iran By The Weekend?

Will Trump Send Troops To Iran By The Weekend?

Rediff.com10 hours ago

Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.

Jaishankar, Rubio discuss West Asia conflict's impact on energy security

Jaishankar, Rubio discuss West Asia conflict's impact on energy security

Rediff.com3 days ago

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the West Asia conflict's impact on the global economy, particularly energy security, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He also engaged with GCC ambassadors and his Sri Lankan and German counterparts on the same issue.

HDFC Bank initiates independent review after chairman's ethics-based resignation

HDFC Bank initiates independent review after chairman's ethics-based resignation

Rediff.com2 days ago

HDFC Bank has launched an independent review by external law firms following the abrupt resignation of Chairman Atanu Chakraborty, who cited 'ethical concerns and practices within the bank' as the reason for his departure.

Gulf War: Hormuz Is Becoming The Central Battlefield

Gulf War: Hormuz Is Becoming The Central Battlefield

Rediff.com3 days ago

The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.

MEA reveals how India is responding to West Asia crisis

MEA reveals how India is responding to West Asia crisis

Rediff.com2 days ago

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are actively engaged with world leaders to promote dialogue and diplomacy for peace in West Asia, while also ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community in the region.

Drug Addict Found Dead in Delhi Park: Police Investigate

Drug Addict Found Dead in Delhi Park: Police Investigate

Rediff.com1 days ago

The body of a 26-year-old man, believed to be a drug addict, was discovered in a park in Uttam Nagar, southwest Delhi. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

UP Man Killed in Riyadh: Family Appeals for Support

UP Man Killed in Riyadh: Family Appeals for Support

Rediff.com9 hours ago

The family of Ravi Gopal, a 26-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh killed in Riyadh, is seeking compensation and a government job for his widow to support their livelihood.

Why Did Israel Kill Ali Larijani?

Why Did Israel Kill Ali Larijani?

Rediff.com18 Mar 2026

Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.

Iran Rewrites Rules of War

Iran Rewrites Rules of War

Rediff.com17 Mar 2026

Iran is fighting a different war: Older, slower, and in some ways more dangerous. Iran doesn't need to shoot down an F/A-18. It only needs to make the Strait of Hormuz feel dangerous long enough for insurance markets, shipping companies, and oil futures traders to do the rest. Prem Panicker continues his must-read daily blog on the war in the Middle East.

Indian National Stranded in Russia Amid Gulf Tensions Seeks Repatriation

Indian National Stranded in Russia Amid Gulf Tensions Seeks Repatriation

Rediff.com3 days ago

The Indian government has addressed Parliament regarding a case of an Indian national seeking repatriation from Russia due to the situation in West Asia and the Gulf region. The government also responded to queries about Indian nationals denied entry to South Korea and seafarers detained in foreign countries.

War Exposes Cracks in US-Israel Alliance

War Exposes Cracks in US-Israel Alliance

Rediff.com6 days ago

Alliances fight wars effectively only when they share an endgame. If Israel acted without US knowledge, then the military alliance is operating without real coordination at the level of strategic targeting. Neither picture is reassuring in a war that is no longer regional in its consequences. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.

Middle East Crisis: The New Fog of War

Middle East Crisis: The New Fog of War

Rediff.com13 Mar 2026

When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.

Iran war: Centre announces Rs 497 crore export relief package

Iran war: Centre announces Rs 497 crore export relief package

Rediff.com6 days ago

In view of the disruptive situations, the Central government has also announced a financial relief package of Rs 497 crores aimed at helping exporters affected by disruptions in West Asia.

Body of UP man killed in Riyadh missile attack brought to native village

Body of UP man killed in Riyadh missile attack brought to native village

Rediff.com1 days ago

The mortal remains of a 26-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, who was killed in a suspected missile attack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have been returned to his family in Sitapur. Ravi Gopal, who worked as a driver, died on March 18. The Ministry of External Affairs has expressed condolences and facilitated the repatriation of his body.

Iran War Exposes Washington's Strategic Chaos

Iran War Exposes Washington's Strategic Chaos

Rediff.com12 Mar 2026

What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.

Pakistan hits back at India over comments on Afghan military action

Pakistan hits back at India over comments on Afghan military action

Rediff.com18 Mar 2026

Pakistan has rejected India's criticism of its military campaign in Afghanistan, calling India's statement 'baseless' and 'misleading'.

1,000 Indians still in Iran: MEA to Parl panel

1,000 Indians still in Iran: MEA to Parl panel

Rediff.com18 Mar 2026

The Ministry of External Affairs informed a parliamentary committee that nearly 1,000 Indians remain in Iran amidst the West Asia conflict, and 23,000 students in the Gulf region missed CBSE exams due to the turmoil.

Iran Plays Hardball With India's Hormuz Requests

Iran Plays Hardball With India's Hormuz Requests

Rediff.com13 Mar 2026

'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'

Trump Is Caught Between Two Bad Options

Trump Is Caught Between Two Bad Options

Rediff.com16 Mar 2026

Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.

Chairman's Resignation: HDFC Bank Faces Legal Debate

Chairman's Resignation: HDFC Bank Faces Legal Debate

Rediff.com1 days ago

HDFC Bank is engaging external legal firms, both domestic and international, to investigate the circumstances surrounding former part-time chairman Atanu Chakraborty's resignation.

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

Rediff.com12 Mar 2026

When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.

UP family seeks aid after man dies in suspected Riyadh missile attack

UP family seeks aid after man dies in suspected Riyadh missile attack

Rediff.com13 hours ago

The family of a 26-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, who was killed in a suspected missile attack in Riyadh, has demanded compensation and a government job for his widow from the local administration.

Has US Repeated Its Iraq Mistake?

Has US Repeated Its Iraq Mistake?

Rediff.com11 Mar 2026

Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.

Jaishankar dials Iranian FM, seeks safe passage for through Strait of Hormuz

Jaishankar dials Iranian FM, seeks safe passage for through Strait of Hormuz

Rediff.com13 Mar 2026

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has engaged in multiple conversations with his Iranian counterpart to secure safe passage for Indian merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amidst escalating tensions in West Asia.

Modi speaks to UAE President over 'securing' Hormuz Strait

Modi speaks to UAE President over 'securing' Hormuz Strait

Rediff.com18 Mar 2026

The two leaders also emphasised the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

India Slams Pakistan Over Air Strikes in Afghanistan, Cites Sovereignty Concerns

India Slams Pakistan Over Air Strikes in Afghanistan, Cites Sovereignty Concerns

Rediff.com14 Mar 2026

India has strongly condemned Pakistan's air strikes within Afghan territory, emphasising the need to respect Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity following civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.

No deal with Iran to release seized oil tankers: India

No deal with Iran to release seized oil tankers: India

Rediff.com17 Mar 2026

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refuted reports suggesting a deal with Iran involving the release of seized vessels in exchange for safe passage of Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

How Many Indians Live In The Middle East?

How Many Indians Live In The Middle East?

Rediff.com13 Mar 2026

Based on figures currently listed on the ministry of external affairs web site, a large number of Indians reside across West Asia.

Testing time, not just for us, but for world: India on Iran war

Testing time, not just for us, but for world: India on Iran war

Rediff.com7 days ago

Amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia, India is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to protect its energy security interests and ensure the safety of its diaspora in the region.

How did India secure Hormuz passage for ships? Jaishankar reveals

How did India secure Hormuz passage for ships? Jaishankar reveals

Rediff.com16 Mar 2026

Amidst rising Middle East tensions, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlights India's strategic dialogue with Iran to safeguard maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring India's energy security and continued oil trade.

No Cabinet Nod Needed For Some PM Visit Pacts

No Cabinet Nod Needed For Some PM Visit Pacts

Rediff.com10 Mar 2026

India has amended its guidelines governing the signing of international agreements during official visits by the prime minister, and select pacts have been exempted from prior Cabinet approval.

Ukraine accuses Russia of 'disinformation operation' in India

Ukraine accuses Russia of 'disinformation operation' in India

Rediff.com10 hours ago

In an official statement, the embassy criticised remarks by the Russian foreign ministry, alleging that Moscow was attempting to manipulate information and interfere in India's internal processes.

Jaishankar speaks to Russia, EU on West Asia crisis amid oil concerns

Jaishankar speaks to Russia, EU on West Asia crisis amid oil concerns

Rediff.com11 Mar 2026

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the West Asia conflict and its impact on energy supplies with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and EU's Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas.

Indian Man Dies in Suspected Missile Strike in Riyadh, Family Appeals for Help

Indian Man Dies in Suspected Missile Strike in Riyadh, Family Appeals for Help

Rediff.com5 days ago

A 26-year-old Indian man working in Riyadh has reportedly been killed in a suspected missile attack, according to his family. They are seeking official confirmation and assistance from the Indian government to repatriate his body.

Is US-Israel-Iran War Entering Endgame?

Is US-Israel-Iran War Entering Endgame?

Rediff.com18 Mar 2026

To be sure, Trump is furious, as the trajectory of the war is in a state of Zugzwang, as chess players call it. Trump and Netanyahu stare at two choices -- retreat in humiliation and concede Tehran's demands -- recognition of its rights, reparations, and binding security guarantees -- or perish in a quagmire, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

Modi speaks to France, Oman, Malaysia leaders amid Gulf energy hub strikes

Modi speaks to France, Oman, Malaysia leaders amid Gulf energy hub strikes

Rediff.com7 days ago

Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, India strongly condemns the recent attacks on energy infrastructure, warning of further destabilisation to the already uncertain global energy market.