It is an unusual choice to depute a retired general for the funeral of a revered religious figure but a thoughtful one in an attempt to inject verve into the bilateral relationship and restore the equilibrium in India's West Asian policies, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
A top Iranian official has blamed the US and Israel for the disruption of global supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, stating that Tehran is not happy about the consequences faced by countries like India.
Iran has extended an invitation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other party leaders, including Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera, to attend the burial ceremonies of its late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The ceremonies are scheduled from July 5 to 9 across various Iranian cities. India will also be represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Ata Hasnain.
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.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is urging the Indian government to take a more proactive role in mediating the escalating conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran, emphasising the impact on India's energy security and regional stability.
'We thought everything will be back to normal within one month. Now it's four months and still a final solution is miles away.'
'It will take a long time to recover from the impact of this war.'
India on Friday launched a highly coordinated, priority operation to safely guide 13 Indian-flagged commercial vessels out of the volatile Strait of Hormuz, the ministry of ports, shipping, and waterways announced on Friday.
'If the war continue for a longer period of time, it is just a matter of time before the government will pass on some of the price increases.'
Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, expressed doubts about the United States' intentions regarding negotiations, citing conflicting actions and a desire to force Iran into accepting US demands.
The representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India expressed gratitude towards Indians, calling India a land of 'loyalty and humanity'.
A US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil is heading to India, marking the resumption of oil imports from Iran after seven years.
Amid rising tensions, Iran reportedly launched ballistic missiles toward a US-UK military base, prompting concerns about regional stability and the potential for escalating conflict in the Middle East.
India has refuted claims of payment issues hindering crude oil imports from Iran, clarifying that refiners have the flexibility to source oil from various global suppliers. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas addressed reports of a tanker rerouting to China, emphasising standard industry practices and secured oil requirements.
Russia has expressed strong concern over a US-Israeli strike on the Iranian port of Bandar Anzali, a key transit hub on the INSTC, warning of the risk of drawing Caspian states into the ongoing conflict.
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India-based Iranian actresses Mandana Karimi and Elnaz Norouzi share their deep concerns and anxieties about the escalating crisis in Iran, and reveal the personal toll on their lives and the Iranian diaspora.
Amid escalating tensions, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh declares Iran's unwavering commitment to a 'heroic nationalist defence' against perceived American and Israeli aggression, vowing to resist what he calls an 'invasion' to the very end.
'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.'
Donald Trump is claiming he prevented a war between India and Pakistan, a statement that has been repeatedly made by the former US President despite denials from India.
'Despite the large number of missiles and drones we have already launched, we still possess reserves and missile cities whose doors have not yet been opened,' says Iran's Consul-General Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh.
Trump said that the decision would be "immediately" in effect and that the "order is final and conclusive."
'We need to give Pakistan something serious to think about on its eastern front -- that is the only way to actually help Afghanistan right now.'
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.
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.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed cooperation in trade, critical minerals, nuclear energy, and defence, reaffirming commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
India is evaluating its involvement in the Chabahar port project in Iran due to potential US tariffs. The US had granted India a waiver for the project, but it expires soon. India is exploring options to continue supporting the port's development while minimizing exposure to US sanctions.
India and Russia have solidified a five-year plan to enhance their economic and trade partnership, while also addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the threat of terrorism.
India and Iran on Monday signed a 10-year contract for the operation of a terminal at the strategically important Chabahar port in Iran, a move that will boost regional connectivity as well as trade ties. This is the first time India will take over the management of an overseas port that will also have a multiplier effect on trade among India, Iran and Afghanistan as efforts continue to directly tap the potential in Central Asia, bypassing neighbouring Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Tianjin on Sunday, their first in about 10 months, for wide-ranging talks aimed at improving relations.
India has said it will take all steps to protect its national interests and ensure comprehensive national security in all domains after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic defence pact.
'Pakistan has found itself in a favourable position after Operation Sindoor by appreciating the mediation as claimed by Trump and recommending him for the Nobel Peace Prize.'
China on Friday said the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held in Tianjin later this month will be the largest in the bloc's history, with 20 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attending it.
Twenty-six foreign leaders, including Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, will attend China's V-Day commemorations on September 3. Japan has expressed concerns about the event's anti-Japanese overtones.
India has no intention to escalate tensions with Pakistan, but any military attacks on its soil will be met with a "very" firm response, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday. Jaishankar made the remarks at a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, emphasizing that the "barbaric" Pahalgam terror attack compelled India to carry out strikes on "cross-border" terror infrastructure on Wednesday. He reiterated that India's response was targeted and measured, but stressed that any further military attacks would be met with a firm response. The Iranian foreign minister, who landed in New Delhi amidst escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, called for de-escalation of the situation and stressed the need for regional cooperation to eradicate terrorism. The meeting also focused on boosting ties in areas of trade and investment, including the Chabahar port project.
Jaishankar said the UN Security Council condemned the attack and underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of the reprehensible act and bring them to justice.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India. The visit is currently being prepared, though the dates have not yet been revealed. This visit follows Prime Minister Modi's trip to Russia in July 2024, his first since 2019. The two leaders have maintained regular contact and have emphasized the strength of the Russian-Indian strategic partnership.
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will travel to Beijing for a two-day trip beginning Sunday, marking the second high-profile visit from India to China in less than one-and-a-half months. The visit comes amidst ongoing border tensions and follows a recent disengagement pact between the two countries in eastern Ladakh. The Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism meeting will focus on the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains. The decision to revive this bilateral mechanism was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October.
Colonel Billie Sodhi's life and family heritage reflect an unwavering commitment to excellence in polo, equestrian sports, and a rare, enduring athletic legacy.
The inking of the commercial contract to build and run the strategic port will help India win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe
