Beijing has been wary of Sanae Takaichi's efforts to boost Japan's military profile since taking office six months ago, points out Dr Rajaram Panda.
China has denied any links to the Iranian cargo ship seized by the US in the Gulf, which allegedly contained chemical materials for manufacturing missiles. The denial follows allegations by former US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley, who claimed the ship was headed from China to Iran.
India concluded the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships in 11th place with 11 medals, while the women's team secured third position in the rankings. China dominated the event, leading both the overall medal tally and the women's team rankings.
Sanjana secured a bronze medal in the women's 77kg category at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar, adding to India's medal tally. She lifted a total of 220kg. China and North Korea secured gold and silver respectively.
The escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on the global energy supply chain are expected to dominate deliberations at a two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers to be hosted by India.
China and Bhutan held the 15th Expert Group Meeting to discuss boundary alignment, focusing on areas where there are no disputes, and agreed to maintain the momentum of negotiations.
Komal Kohar won a bronze medal in the women's 48kg weight class at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar. She lifted a combined 177kg. Huang Yi Chen of Chinese Taipei won gold.
Komal Kohar secured a bronze medal for India in the women's 48kg weight class at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar. She lifted a combined 177kg. Chinese Taipei dominated the event with a gold and silver finish.
The 2026 Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships, featuring athletes from 30 countries, will be held in Gandhinagar from May 11 to 17. The event serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The 2026 Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships, featuring participants from approximately 30 nations, commenced in Gandhinagar, highlighting India's growing role in international sports.
Indian weightlifters are set to compete in the Asian Championships, aiming to leverage home advantage and gain momentum for the upcoming Commonwealth and Asian Games.
Tata Motors' MD and CEO, Girish Wagh, has identified rising diesel prices as the most significant threat to India's commercial vehicle (CV) industry recovery, despite the sector recently surpassing its pre-FY19 wholesale peak. Diesel costs account for 25-50% of a truck operator's total cost of ownership, making any increase a critical concern for fleet economics.
Former CIA Analyst, Larry Johnson, said on Friday that US President Donald Trump asked US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Dan Caine, if they could use the nuclear weapons, but the latter denied.
Revenue intelligence and customs officers are set to intensify surveillance and increase vigilance on international borders to combat potential gold smuggling following a significant increase in customs duty on gold.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in India for a BRICS foreign ministers' meeting, where discussions will focus on the escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on global energy supply chains.
Phunchuk Stobdan's forte was candour and strong views on India's defence. Naturally, India's adversaries were in awe of him, fearing his views and unyielding stand on boundary issues, remembers Tarun Vijay.
The United States' historical strategic alignment with Pakistan, dating back to the Cold War, has consistently aimed to create a political and military parity with India, despite India's significantly larger size and resources. This long-standing relationship continues to influence regional dynamics, particularly in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
'The BNP's election manifesto lists grievances against India, mirroring the attitude of past BNP governments.' 'Political parties have been careful not to say bad things about China.'
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has urged India to take the lead in bringing peace to West Asia, highlighting the UAE's role in stalling BRICS consensus on the conflict. Gharibabadi also discussed a new framework with Oman for merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
A new study suggests that airborne micro- and nanoplastic particles may contribute to global warming, potentially accounting for over 16 per cent of the impact of black carbon.
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.
UltraTech Cement, an Aditya Birla group company, has become the world's largest cement producer outside China, surpassing 200 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of installed capacity in India. The company plans to invest Rs 16,000 crore to reach a target capacity of 240 mtpa by the financial year 2027-28.
In a testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, also said that the threats to the US were set to expand collectively from more than 3,000 missiles at present to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035.
'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
The highlight of our eight-day trip to stunning Bhutan was getting to understand their cultural heritage through their traditional dances.
Indian security agencies have continued efforts to reinforce the Siliguri Corridor through improved infrastructure, faster mobilisation capability and diversified connectivity routes to the north east.
Iran was the chance to arrange a concert of nations, to actually be a Vishwaguru. Instead, we are watching from the sidelines as Pakistan, the same country that is apparently still at war with Afghanistan, hosts talks between US-Israel and Iran. The irony is hard to miss, points out Amberish K Diwanji.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee engaged in a war of words during election rallies, with Modi accusing the TMC of supporting divisive forces and Banerjee alleging the BJP plans to divide the state.
China executed Bai Tianhui, a former top official of a state-owned financial firm, for accepting bribes totaling CNY 1.108 billion (about USD 157 million).
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar advances to the final of the Asian Boxing Championships, while Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain are eliminated in the semi-finals.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army's eastern theatre command continued its military drills around Taiwan for a second consecutive day on December 30, involving naval, air and ground forces in what it described as a demonstration of joint operational and blockade capabilities.
Indian boxers, including world champions Jaismine Lamboria and Meenakshi Hooda, have secured eight spots in the finals of the Asian Boxing Championships, showcasing India's strength in the sport.
Sri Lanka's response to the Easter attacks has been slow and politically contested, unlike India's swift institutional reforms after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, observes Colonel R Hariharan (retd).
The intriguing bit is that Trump is likely to attend the talks in Islamabad this weekend -- if he does, it will be the clearest signal yet that the US is ready to exit the war with some sort of win to show, since he cannot afford to go for the talks and return empty-handed, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War
Which are the world's most vital straits, important to shipping?
By ensuring Myanmar remains dependent on Chinese economic and military assistance, Beijing indirectly exerts pressure on India's North Eastern states, making New Delhi's regional security strategy even more complex.
SKYTRAX's annual airport rankings for 2026, based on a global passenger poll, placed four Indian gateways within the top 100. Delhi moved up to 28th and led the India-South Asia region, while Hyderabad climbed to 43rd and earned praise for staff service. Goa and Mumbai improved to 64th and 66th respectively.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
Today's situation in the Shaksgam Valley is the consequence of what happened in Gilgit in 1947. But is India ready to militarily get back its territories? asks Claude Arpi.
West Asia conflict triggers sharp sell-off in Indian markets, with realty, banking and auto stocks leading losses amid energy shock fears.
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