News for 'Indian Foreign Service'

Texas governor orders freeze on new H-1B visas; Indians likely to be hit

Texas governor orders freeze on new H-1B visas; Indians likely to be hit

Rediff.com28 Jan 2026

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies and public universities to suspend new H-1B visa petitions through May 2027, a move likely to affect Indian professionals. The order comes amid ongoing debate over skilled immigration and potential impacts on academic research and innovation.

Sensex Plunges 1069 Points on IT Selloff, Global Trade Worries

Sensex Plunges 1069 Points on IT Selloff, Global Trade Worries

Rediff.com24 Feb 2026

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant decline, primarily driven by a selloff in IT stocks due to concerns about AI disruption and renewed worries over global trade.

GIFT IFSC captures 65% of ECBs in FY26 on lower taxes, lighter rules

GIFT IFSC captures 65% of ECBs in FY26 on lower taxes, lighter rules

Rediff.com13 Feb 2026

Nearly two-thirds of external commercial borrowings (ECBs) raised so far in the ongoing financial year (2025-26/FY26) have been routed through Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), a sharp jump from the 36 per cent recorded in 2024-25.

Stock Market Crash: Investors Lose Rs 16.32 Lakh Crore in Two Days

Stock Market Crash: Investors Lose Rs 16.32 Lakh Crore in Two Days

Rediff.com4 Mar 2026

Indian equity investors experienced a significant loss of 16.32 lakh crore due to a two-day stock market decline fueled by escalating geopolitical tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

War Exposes Cracks in US-Israel Alliance

War Exposes Cracks in US-Israel Alliance

Rediff.com20 Mar 2026

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.

Gulf War: US, Israel Didn't Expect This To Happen

Gulf War: US, Israel Didn't Expect This To Happen

Rediff.com27 Mar 2026

The United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.

Trump Won't Decide What Happens Next In The War

Trump Won't Decide What Happens Next In The War

Rediff.com2 Apr 2026

'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'

Sensex gains 480 points as investors cheer US SC tariff verdict

Sensex gains 480 points as investors cheer US SC tariff verdict

Rediff.com23 Feb 2026

Indian equity markets closed higher, driven by gains in PSU bank, auto, and financial stocks, following the US Supreme Court's decision on tariffs. Sensex climbed 479.95 points to 83,294.66, and Nifty advanced 141.75 points to 25,713.

AI scare triggers worst FPI fortnightly exit from IT stocks since July 2025

AI scare triggers worst FPI fortnightly exit from IT stocks since July 2025

Rediff.com20 Feb 2026

Fears around artificial intelligence (AI) sparked a global selloff in information technology (IT) stocks, dragging down domestic software shares and prompting the heaviest foreign portfolio investor (FPI) outflows since the second half of July 2025.

India Opens Doors To Foreign Banks, But...

India Opens Doors To Foreign Banks, But...

Rediff.com12 Nov 2025

But selectively, with regulatory scrutiny and special approval, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

What Budget 2026 Says About Taxes

What Budget 2026 Says About Taxes

Rediff.com5 Feb 2026

This Budget positions India's taxation ideology as not merely a revenue source but as a strategic catalyst for growth, inclusion and long-term confidence.

Gulf War: Hormuz Is Becoming The Central Battlefield

Gulf War: Hormuz Is Becoming The Central Battlefield

Rediff.com23 Mar 2026

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.

Rs 14 Trillion Investor Wealth Wiped Out

Rs 14 Trillion Investor Wealth Wiped Out

Rediff.com7 Mar 2026

Sensex and Nifty post steepest weekly loss in over a year, falling nearly 3 per cent.

Budget 2026's tax proposals weave a strategic vision

Budget 2026's tax proposals weave a strategic vision

Rediff.com4 Feb 2026

The proposals outlined in Budget 2026-27 represent a carefully crafted, multi-year strategy designed to strengthen India's big bets on the path to Viksit Bharat 2047, says Sameer Gupta.

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.

Realty to get indirect push from Budget proposals

Realty to get indirect push from Budget proposals

Rediff.com3 Feb 2026

The government's Budget announcements providing tax holiday for data centres, setting up of city economic regions (CERs) and funding to improve infrastructure in Tier-II and -III cities may give an indirect boost to India's realty sector, said industry executives.

8 To 1 Trump Won't Start A Gulf War

8 To 1 Trump Won't Start A Gulf War

Rediff.com12 Feb 2026

The threat of wars hovers over the negotiations in Oman, but the good part is that Trump called the talks to be 'very good' and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that they 'constitute a step forward', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

'El Mencho', Mexico's most wanted drug lord killed in military raid

'El Mencho', Mexico's most wanted drug lord killed in military raid

Rediff.com23 Feb 2026

Mexico is facing widespread violence and travel advisories after the death of drug lord 'El Mencho,' the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, during a military operation.

Sensex closed 283 points higher on buying in bank, metal shares

Sensex closed 283 points higher on buying in bank, metal shares

Rediff.com18 Feb 2026

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty extended their gains for the third straight session on Wednesday, driven by last-hour buying in bank, metal, and FMCG shares.

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.

Equity Markets' Challenges: Weak Demand, High Valuation

Equity Markets' Challenges: Weak Demand, High Valuation

Rediff.com17 Feb 2026

Trade deals ease risks for Indian equities, but weak demand and stretched valuations raise questions over whether optimism -- especially in smallcaps -- can turn into a sustained bull run, points out Debashis Basu.

India clarifies stance on proposed interim trade pact with US

India clarifies stance on proposed interim trade pact with US

Rediff.com13 Feb 2026

India has clarified its position on the proposed interim trade agreement with the US, stating that the joint statement remains the basis for mutual understanding. Amendments to a White House fact sheet reflect shared understandings, with both sides working towards finalizing the agreement.

PM pressured to hand over people's data as part of US deal, alleges Rahul

PM pressured to hand over people's data as part of US deal, alleges Rahul

Rediff.com11 Feb 2026

Rahul Gandhi claims the Indo-US trade deal will compromise the data security of 1.5 billion Indians, alleging Prime Minister Modi is surrendering India's data resources to the US. He warns of potential job losses in the IT sector due to AI and the importance of controlling India's data pool.

Why India-US Trade Deal Is Key For Growth

Why India-US Trade Deal Is Key For Growth

Rediff.com23 Feb 2026

The deal shifts the US posture towards India from hostile to neutral, and that matters for growth, points out T T Ram Mohan.

Sensex up 174 points on gains in bank, IT stocks

Sensex up 174 points on gains in bank, IT stocks

Rediff.com17 Feb 2026

Stock markets closed higher for the second straight session on Tuesday, driven by gains in bank, IT and capital goods shares.

Sensex crashes over 1K points on selling in metal, IT stocks

Sensex crashes over 1K points on selling in metal, IT stocks

Rediff.com13 Feb 2026

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled more than 1 per cent on Friday due to across-the-board selloff, especially in metal, IT and commodity stocks, tracking sluggish global markets.

Which Sectors Bore FPI Brunt In 2025?

Which Sectors Bore FPI Brunt In 2025?

Rediff.com23 Jan 2026

FPIs net sold equities worth Rs 1.7 trillion in 2025 -- the highest annual net sale on record.

India to buy 114 Rafale jets in largest-ever arms push

India to buy 114 Rafale jets in largest-ever arms push

Rediff.com12 Feb 2026

The Indian Defence Ministry has approved the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets from France, a significant step towards bolstering the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities. The decision comes ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to India.

Norms on investments from China can be eased in calibrated way: Goyal

Norms on investments from China can be eased in calibrated way: Goyal

Rediff.com25 Feb 2026

India may adopt a "calibrated" and a "step-by-step" approach to easing norms on investments originating from China, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. He was in a conversation with A K Bhattacharya on Day 1 of Business Standard's two-day annual event, Manthan 2026. The minister said foreign direct investment (FDI) from China was certainly not "banned", but it goes through an approval process. "The government's approach at the moment is to accelerate the approval process."

'Nehru Believed India And China Should Be Brothers'

'Nehru Believed India And China Should Be Brothers'

Rediff.com25 Feb 2026

'Nehru was an idealist, he was certainly a visionary in one way, but Mao Zedong was not. Mao Zedong was a very down-to-earth strategist. He wanted to take Tibet, to take the plateau, to take the rivers, to take the minerals.'

Goldilocks phase, reforms glide path to spur Indian economy in 2026

Goldilocks phase, reforms glide path to spur Indian economy in 2026

Rediff.com31 Dec 2025

India, the world's fourth largest economy, is set to maintain the 'goldilocks' phase with tailwinds of good growth, low inflation and robust banking performance as well as reform initiatives poised to sustain the economic pace witnessed during 2025.

Pan-India LeT module busted, 7 Bangladeshis among 8 held

Pan-India LeT module busted, 7 Bangladeshis among 8 held

Rediff.com22 Feb 2026

In a major counter-terror operation spanning three states, the Delhi Police has dismantled a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) module comprising eight operatives, including seven Bangladeshi nationals who had illegally entered India and procured forged identity documents, an official said on Sunday.

India poised to be global hub for digital infra, AI: Modi

India poised to be global hub for digital infra, AI: Modi

Rediff.com15 Feb 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting India as a global hub for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, highlighting the government's incentives for data center investments and inviting the world's data to reside in India.

How India-US Trade Deal Finally Shaped Up

How India-US Trade Deal Finally Shaped Up

Rediff.com12 Feb 2026

The turning point came with the appointment of Sergio Gor as the US ambassador to India.

Budget themes paint it as a reformative exercise

Budget themes paint it as a reformative exercise

Rediff.com11 Feb 2026

The 2026-27 Budget, seeking to harmonise the government's imperative to grant certainty while ensuring a rational tax policy, had several notable announcements to usher in halcyon days, says Mukesh Butani.

Rupee sees worst single-day fall in 2 months on importer dollar demand

Rupee sees worst single-day fall in 2 months on importer dollar demand

Rediff.com17 Jan 2026

The rupee witnessed its worst single-day decline in around two months since November 21, 2025, due to demand for dollars among importers, said dealers. The maturing short positions in the non-deliverable forwards market further weighed on the local currency.

Heavy sell-off in IT counters; Sensex ends up 79 points

Heavy sell-off in IT counters; Sensex ends up 79 points

Rediff.com4 Feb 2026

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended marginally higher on Wednesday as a sharp decline in IT blue-chip stocks restricted the rally in the markets.

Bulls prowl D-Street: Benchmarks see best day in over 8 months

Bulls prowl D-Street: Benchmarks see best day in over 8 months

Rediff.com4 Feb 2026

Domestic equities surged on Tuesday, posting their best single-day gains in more than eight months after a long-awaited trade deal between India and the US. The deal, which lowered tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent, significantly improved investor sentiment and lifted a key overhang for the market.

Economic Survey 2026: Rupee valuation does not accurately reflect India's stellar economic fundamentals

Economic Survey 2026: Rupee valuation does not accurately reflect India's stellar economic fundamentals

Rediff.com29 Jan 2026

The value of the rupee, which has slipped to the 92 per dollar mark, does not accurately reflect India's stellar economic fundamentals, the Economic Survey said on Thursday.

AI and trade deals are driving India's services exports

AI and trade deals are driving India's services exports

Rediff.com6 Oct 2025

India's computer services exports have risen 30 per cent since the advent of ChatGPT in November 2022, even as overall services exports have plateaued, World Bank's South Asia Chief Economist Franziska Ohnsorge said, terming Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the conclusion of more trade agreements that can trigger a "manufacturing renaissance", as the two big investment opportunities for India in coming years.