China accounts for about 70 per cent of global rare earth mining and nearly 90 per cent of rare earth magnet production, making it a dominant player and giving it significant leverage in global supply chains.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Indian-American billionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in Washington, D.C., discussing India-US relations, innovation, biotechnology, and the role of entrepreneurship. Modi also met with US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard during his visit.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked Indian students in the US to comply with American laws following the detention of a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University and the self-deportation of another student to Canada. The MEA spokesperson said that the two Indians did not reach out to Indian missions in the US for assistance. Badar Khan Suri, the postdoctoral fellow, was detained on charges of "actively spreading Hamas propaganda." Ranjani Srinivasan, a student at Columbia University, self-deported to Canada after her visa was revoked for allegedly "advocating for violence and terrorism" and involvement in activities supporting Hamas. The MEA spokesperson also said that India is keen to bolster educational ties with the US.
It will be for the first time in nearly nine years India's external affairs minister will travel to Pakistan even as the ties between the two neighbours remained frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
JD-U MP Sanjay Kumar Jha heads a diplomatic mission to Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Singapore, to seek international cooperation after the Pahalgam attack while highlighting Pakistan's role in cross-border terrorism.
Rubio mentioned the recent conflict between India and Pakistan that President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed he solved.
Trade, defence cooperation and regional strategy had long formed the backbone of India-US ties, but the latest rift shows how quickly those pillars can be shaken by personal grievances and political optics.
Pakistan has urged India to fully adhere to the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), expressing concerns about the level of detail in flood information shared through diplomatic channels.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticized the BJP for its allegations that elements in the American "deep state" were behind attempts to destabilize India, saying this "attack-dog" behavior is an embarrassment to India. Tharoor's comments come after the US rejected the BJP's allegations, describing them as "disappointing" and asserting that the US government is a champion of media freedom. The BJP had alleged that the US deep state colluded with the media portal OCCRP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to "damage" India's image.
'India has intentionally taken advantage of the war in Ukraine to dramatically increase its purchases of Russian crude, when there are roughly 40 major crude providers that could satisfy Indian demand.'
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.
The Finance Ministry's annual report has revealed that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funded seven projects worth USD 750 million in India during the 2023-24 fiscal year. The projects, implemented in partnership with the Indian government, cover areas like agriculture and food security, water and sanitation, renewable energy, disaster management, health, sustainable forests, and climate adaptation. This disclosure comes amidst controversy over USAID's alleged role in influencing Indian elections, with claims that the agency allocated USD 21 million to India for 'voter turnout'. However, the report clarifies that no funds were dedicated to enhancing voter turnout.
India on Monday evacuated 290 Indian nationals and one Sri Lankan citizen from Iran amid an escalation in hostilities between the Persian Gulf nation and Israel following the United States bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites.
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, describing it as "a big step" in efforts to increase global pressure on Moscow.
Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka discussed US tariffs on Indian goods with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that "somebody is not very happy with you." The discussion occurred during Rabuka's visit to India to strengthen ties.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna passed away at his residence in Bengaluru early Tuesday morning, his family said.
The entry of other Arab countries in the mutual defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is not ruled out, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said, adding that 'doors are not closed' for such developments.
It is the first time in nearly nine years that India's foreign minister travelled to Pakistan even as the ties between the two neighbours remained tense over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the passport issued to former Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi, citing his attempt to avoid extradition. Modi had applied to surrender his Indian passport to the Indian High Commission in London, but the Vanuatu government stated that Interpol twice rejected India's request for an alert notice due to lack of evidence. The statement emphasized that holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons, which does not include evading extradition.
'Big Week For #USIndia Law Enforcement Collaboration'
The Indian government has released data detailing the expenses incurred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits from 2021 to 2025, including trips to the US, France, and other countries.
The era where nations thrived through rigid alignments is giving way to an age where the connective State defines power. For India, that era has arrived, points out Dr Nishakant Ojha.
Kuwait has executed 25 Indian nationals in the past five years.
The gravity of charges against Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been sentenced to death by a Yemeni court after being convicted of murdering a citizen of the country, has made it difficult for the efforts to seek relief for her to succeed, sources said.
Neelam Shinde from Maharashtra's Satara was critically injured in the accident on February 14 and has been in a coma at a hospital since then.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and underscored India's support for an early and durable resolution of the Israel-Palestine issue through dialogue and diplomacy.
Vance also hinted that the US may drop additional tariffs on countries if the US make a deal with Russia, and also apply more tariffs on the countries to bring this war to a close.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement early Saturday.
The Quad grouping has called for bringing the perpetrators, organisers and financiers of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice without any delay and urged UN member nations to extend cooperation for it.
India and Pakistan exchanged lists of their nuclear installations on Wednesday, fulfilling a decades-old agreement that prohibits attacks on each other's atomic facilities. The exchange took place amid strained relations between the two countries over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism. The agreement, signed in 1988, mandates the annual exchange of such lists, which has occurred for the 34th consecutive year.
Hours after United States President Donald Trump's claims of an Iran-Israel ceasefire, India on Tuesday said it stands ready to play its part to resolve the situation and insisted on 'dialogue and diplomacy' as the way forward.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday spoke separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, emphasising the need for de-escalation and reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.
The brief exchange and handshake between Jaishankar and Sharif took place at a banquet dinner hosted by the Pakistani prime minister at his residence in honour of the delegates attending a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
China has defended its plan to build the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, assuring that the project will not affect riparian states and safety issues have been addressed through decades of studies. The dam, estimated to cost USD 137 billion, has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh, but Chinese authorities maintain that the project has been thoroughly studied and safeguards are in place. The dam is part of China's efforts to develop clean energy and respond to climate change.
'But at least the stepping stone has started.'
Shah briefed the prime minister on the attack and discussed the measures to be taken in its aftermath.
"The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada," the statement added.
The formulations in the declaration in reference to terrorism is going to be to our "satisfaction", Dammu Ravi, secretary (economic relations) in the external affairs ministry said on Monday.
What was the aim of Operation Sindoor? Why was the operation halted so soon? asks Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (retd).
Jaishankar said that India is a democratic society and gives nutrition support to 800 million people. He noted that there are parts where democracy is working well and there could be parts where it is not. However, he underscored that it is should not considered a universal phenomenon.
