Crude oil prices surged over 3% in futures trade after US President Donald Trump expressed doubts about the Iran ceasefire, reigniting fears of supply disruptions from West Asia and pushing Brent crude above USD 107 per barrel.
Chinese President Xi Jinping described India and China as "good neighbours, friends and partners", saying that achieving "dragon and elephant dancing together" is the right choice for both countries.
US President Donald Trump will visit China from May 13 to 15 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. The visit occurs amidst global tensions, including the war in West Asia and trade disputes between the US and China. Discussions are expected to cover China-US relations, world peace, and economic issues.
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.
Delhi must now purge the delusional hopes of being a 'counterweight' to China in the US calculus, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
United States President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for his return home following diplomatic engagements in Beijing.
The US has seized an oil tanker, 'Skywave', linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean, as part of efforts to disrupt Iran's oil shipments and enforce sanctions. The vessel was part of a network transporting sanctioned Iranian crude oil, with the seizure occurring amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
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.
The United States has paused a proposed USD 14 billion arms sale to Taiwan due to concerns about maintaining sufficient munitions for potential conflicts, particularly in light of the ongoing situation with Iran.
If Xi Jinping is dethroned in the future, the instrument for that may well be embedded within the PLA, notes former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, saw gains in early trade, driven by strong performance in banking shares and positive sentiment from Asian markets, alongside optimism surrounding the ongoing US-China Summit.
Chinese leaders, including its generals, will have to weigh whether they can win a war if they ever attack Taiwan and if at all, can they sustain the subsequent devastation, notes Rup Narayan Das.
The Chinese Communist Party reaffirmed President Xi Jinping's leadership and backed a major purge of top military officials during a key meeting. The meeting also endorsed a new 5-year plan focused on domestic market resilience and self-reliance.
The Indian rupee plummeted to a new all-time closing low of 95.81 against the US dollar, driven by surging crude oil prices, persistent inflation concerns, and a strengthening dollar index.
For India, China's Indian Ocean power projection, maritime domain awareness, dual-use ports, underwater surveillance, antisubmarinewarfare, naval exercises with Pakistan, pose considerable pressure, depleted India's strategic depth and marginalises Indian role, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.
US President Donald Trump received a red carpet welcome in Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade, the Iran war, and other key issues. The visit underscores the importance both nations place on their relationship amid ongoing tensions.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that China has committed to halting weapon supplies to Iran, following his personal diplomatic interventions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun in Bishkek to discuss maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and broader regional security concerns.
US President Donald Trump will travel to China in May for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a postponement due to the war in Iran. The White House has announced the new dates and indicated a reciprocal visit to Washington DC is planned.
Ranbir Kapoor, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and acclaimed chef Vikas Khanna have been named among TIME magazine's 100 most influential people for 2026.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the report said Trump believes the conflict is in its final stages and has urged aides to adhere to the four-to-six-week timeline he has outlined publicly.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Beijing to discuss the West Asia conflict, the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and bilateral relations with Chinese leaders.
The popularity of US President Donald Trump is waning with approval ratings at its lowest, according to former diplomat Mahesh Sachdev, who notes that with two-thirds of Americans not approving of a continuation of the war on Iran, Trump faces the risk of being impeached.
'They use the word curry in derogatory terms but I use it with pride. It's something which our grandmothers fed us and our body and brain functions on that.'
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on India and China to view each other as partners rather than rivals, emphasising the importance of cooperation for regional stability and development.
Before they commanded nations, commanded armies... or commanded headlines, these world leaders once led lives that were unexpectedly ordinary.
'As the PLA higher command is almost dismantled and instability spreads, India needs to be prepared for any eventuality,' cautions China expert Srikanth Kondapalli.
'China continues to perceive its relations with India through the prism of India-US relations, with the US using India to counter balance against China in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.'
Silver and gold prices snapped a two-day rebound and declined sharply up to 10 per cent in the futures trade on Thursday amid weak trends in the international markets and a strong US dollar.
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.
China's latest defence budget surges to $275 billion, fueling its ambitious military modernisation program and intensifying geopolitical dynamics in the region.
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.
Trump's outburst comes amid escalating tensions between the US and its northern neighbour, following recent remarks by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
'After the Galwan clash, the rules of engagement changed with the army commanders allowed to use any means at their disposal as they deem fit for tactical operations.'
If Xi Jinping can establish control over the PLA Ground Force, relations between India and China will settle down to an even keel. The next few weeks will show whether Xi has finally succeeded in gaining control over the PLA Ground Force. That could bring about the substantive shift in India-China relations that both our leaders have been working for, observes Ambassador Prabhat Shukla.
Instead, Chinese Premier and Xi's confidant Li Qiang will take part in the summit to be held on July 6-7 in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to take part.
Senior officials from India and China's foreign ministries met in Beijing to discuss bilateral ties following a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi.
India and Canada are negotiating a long-term uranium supply agreement worth $2.8 billion. They are also exploring expanded civil nuclear cooperation after the passage of the SHANTI Bill.
The agreement was to disengage from remaining standoff sites along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), two days before a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
