If the Iranian regime needs to be punished for promoting quasi-terrorist outfits like Hezbollah and Hamas, then what about Pakistan which has spent decades exporting terror around the world, killing thousands, particularly in Afghanistan and India? asks M R Narayan Swamy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his three-day visit to the US, stating that his discussions with President Donald Trump had injected "new substance" into the China-US relationship. Both leaders expressed optimism for future cooperation, with agreements reached on certain trade goods and discussions held on AI capabilities.
The US Department of Homeland Security removed a controversial X post featuring a Transformers-themed cartoon targeting an Indian Sikh man, Harjinder Singh, with racially charged language. The post, which linked Singh to vehicular homicide charges and used phrases like "Self deport or find out," drew fierce condemnation from Indian American organisations and Democratic lawmakers for its discriminatory nature. DHS initially dismissed the outcry but later removed the post without explanation, while continuing its campaign against "illegal aliens" involved in fatal traffic accidents.
Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that the US will take a tougher stance if a diplomatic resolution regarding its nuclear programme is not reached soon.
The challenge for India lies in navigating complex landscape to its best advantage. The BRICS Summit will test its navigation skills, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
The opposition has intensified its criticism of the government's decision to impose a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, effective October 15. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Jairam Ramesh allege the move is a result of US pressure, particularly from American card companies, and demand an immediate rollback, warning of increased costs for consumers.
The Congress party has accused the Indian government of imposing new charges on UPI transactions due to pressure from the United States, specifically to benefit American card companies. The opposition party demanded the withdrawal of the decision, calling it "anti-national" and alleging it fills the coffers of US firms while burdening Indian citizens. The government, however, clarified that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges apply only to commercial transactions above Rs 2,000 and are not levied on consumers, a stance supported by the BJP which accused Congress of spreading "fake news".
Donald Trump's tariffs, meant as political punishment, have avoided the predicted chaos, lifting US growth, weakening rivals, and letting him claim victory in a resilient global economy, observes T T Ram Mohan.
When Human rights campaigner and LGBTQ activist Peter Tatchell shared a tweet praising Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, he got a reply from none other than American President Donald J Trump!
Trump is confident the US will eventually emerge the winner from whatever turmoil his policies cause, notes T T Ram Mohan.
'It beggars belief that Saudi Arabia would deploy military force against India, a top partner and market.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged US President Donald Trump to prioritise the safety of Indian seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz during the implementation of Washington's proposed Iran peace deal, as both leaders focused on repairing strained bilateral relations at the G7 summit.
Not only is Samay Raina going the Kapil Sharma route by bringing celebrities as special guests on his show -- which also means he has to be careful that his jokes don't land them in trouble as well -- but he also has to promote sponsors blatantly, observes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
'No respite from economic pain is worth the loss of dignity and self-respect,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
US President Donald Trump in an exclusive interview to Axios on Wednesday, said that he would continue to keep the naval blockade until Iran agrees to deal with the United States by addressing America's concerns about the nuclear programme.
The deal shifts the US posture towards India from hostile to neutral, and that matters for growth, points out T T Ram Mohan.
New Delhi must look for formal, institutional statements issued directly from Washington rather than rely on casual pronouncements meant for local audiences, notes Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed various aspects of India-US bilateral ties, focusing on defence, trade, energy, and technology. Rubio extended an invitation from President Donald Trump for PM Modi to visit the US.
A US federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal securities-fraud case against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar, closing nearly two years of prosecution without a trial. Gautam Adani stated, "Truth has prevailed," in response to the ruling.
Unless something changes, Mr Trump is a huge threat right now, which is perhaps not being recognised fully, cautions Debashis Basu.
Mr Trump's actions, because of their extreme nature and the dangerous rhetoric that accompanies them, receive the most attention, points out Mihir S Sharma.
The Congress party has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi following repeated claims by former US President Donald Trump that he brokered peace between India and Pakistan.
Despite outward displays of cordiality, a formal visit by King Charles III to the US revealed underlying tensions between the leaders, highlighted by subtle rebukes and contrasting views on key issues.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor disputes Donald Trump's claims of using trade to stop the India-Pakistan military conflict in May, citing conversations with government officials.
Amid trade tensions between Delhi and Washington, the NYT article gives an account of how relations between Trump and Modi "unraveled" after Trump's repeated claims of solving the four-day conflict in May between India and Pakistan, an assertion denied by India.
If Trump doesn't like India, that is his choice. But to use such distasteful language on a public platform is deeply offensive and needs to be called out, points out Amberish K Diwanji.
'We caught General Pervez Musharraf talking over the phone with his Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Mohammad Aziz. Musharraf was visiting China; Aziz was in Rawalpindi.'
'We should watch -- in the near term -- for signs that the two have totally fallen out at a personal, political level.' 'Trump and Modi know how to be dealmakers, but they also know how to hold a grudge.'
The new US national security strategy signals a retreat from global dominance while reaffirming continuity in India's role in Indo-Pacific security and Quad cooperation, points out former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Amidst rising tensions, Iran threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz to those not adhering to its new regulations, signaling a potential escalation in the region's geopolitical landscape and raising concerns about global oil supply routes.
For India, the challenge is to strike a balance between tactical necessity and economic priorities, point out Pravin Krishna and Monil Sharma.
India and the US have entered a new phase in their relationship, marked by greater parity, point out Harsh V Pant and Vivek Mishra.
India should not stay on the margins of this initiative. There should be a serious debate about what would be in India's best interests asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
We must bring a laser focus on our own interests, and define our friends and foes more clearly instead of trying to live by somebody else's rules. We must grow up, think for ourselves, think India First, asserts R Jagannathan.
A media report indicates the White House was directly involved in crafting a social media post by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requesting then-US President Donald Trump to extend the deadline on Iran.
'The position of Karachi depicted at that time and the intense rivalry among the factional overlords in Lyari is very close to reality.'
Iran on Tuesday said that the Islamic Republic has "no plans" to hold any meetings with the United States in the coming days at any level, even as diplomatic engagements continue separately in Doha on the related implementation of the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the hostilities in West Asia.
No experts, clearly, were involved in the design of these new tariffs, which have been the subject of bemused wonderment across the world in how completely they ignore logic, rationality, fairness, and economic theory, observes Mihir S Sharma.
World leaders often have simple tastes when it comes to food.
