For that to happen America does not have to lose. It only has to do the right thing, asserts Aakar Patel.
'Mojtaba Khamenei supervised the most recent repression in December 2025 and January 2026 which remains ongoing.'
'We are profoundly energy-dependent on the Gulf. That dependency must now be redirected towards the United States, because we require American permission to procure oil.' 'We additionally require Iranian permission to acquire oil from that source. So India now has to seek two separate permissions merely to secure its energy supply.' 'Should we be compelled to source from America, or from Venezuela -- which is, in effect, American-controlled supply -- that will inevitably carry a price premium, an elevated shipping cost, and a considerably extended delivery timeline, given the distances involved.'
'We need to give Pakistan something serious to think about on its eastern front -- that is the only way to actually help Afghanistan right now.'
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.
Indian security agencies have arrested seven foreign nationals, including a US security analyst and six Ukrainians, for allegedly entering India illegally from Myanmar and suspected of training insurgent groups. The arrests have raised concerns about security vulnerabilities along the India-Myanmar border and triggered diplomatic friction.
S&P Global Ratings warns that Indian oil marketing companies like IOC, BPCL, and HPCL may face reduced profit margins due to rising crude oil prices and government pressure to maintain stable retail prices.
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relationship with US President Donald Trump, alleging that Modi is acting as Trump's 'slave' and jeopardising India's interests on trade, oil and foreign policy.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's energy decisions are guided by national interest.
Greer said that India has taken down some digital services taxes and is moving tariffs down.
A Delhi court has granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) 11-day custody of several foreign nationals accused of training Myanmar-based Ethnic Armed Groups (EAGs) known to support insurgent groups in India.
Security agencies in India are investigating a potential conspiracy involving arrested foreigners, including a US mercenary, who allegedly aimed to exploit Indian ethnic groups to undermine national security. The investigation involves data extraction from mobile phones and scrutiny of social media accounts to uncover the full extent of the plot and identify all involved parties.
'To suddenly give the impression of taking a position that is hostile to Iran, or, at least, not friendly to Iran, is not a good thing.'
'Our diplomacy should have been focused on preventing war and avoiding the inevitable disruptions it would cause, posing a real risk to India's growth story,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
A bewildered world is at a loss to find bilateral and multilateral measures to stop President Trump from pursuing his vision of a world unabashedly dominated by the United States, points out T P Sreenivasan.
Amid escalating tensions with Iran, President Trump is urging nations dependent on Middle Eastern oil to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard critical global energy supplies.
Former Indian envoys to Venezuela R Viswanathan and Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha said the action was anticipated and even 'unsurprising' in nature, claiming that the US has always worked against Maduro's regime.
The United States has encouraged India to purchase Russian oil already at sea to mitigate supply shortages and price increases amid the West Asia conflict, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright. This move is described as a short-term effort to stabilise the market without altering Washington's policy towards Russia.
When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.
The US has temporarily permitted India to accept Russian oil already on ships to ensure energy supplies amid the conflict with Iran. This short-term measure is not expected to significantly benefit Russia financially.
Supporters of Venezuela's ousted President Nicolas Maduro took to the streets of Caracas on January 7, 2026, demanding his release following his capture by U.S. forces on January 3.
As Cuba announced that 32 of its citizens were killed during the United States military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, US President Donald Trump issued a warning, saying he believed the Cuban government was close to collapse.
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, Nicolas Maduro's son, attended the opening of Venezuela's 2026 national assembly in Caracas on Monday. The appearance came days after US special forces captured former president Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, leaving the country in a tense transition.
China has made serious inroads into Latin America, which the US may now be hinting is simply not ok: Stay in your lane, Xi! In simple terms, China will no longer have access to Venezuelan oil, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
The UK has called for a safe and peaceful transition of power in Venezuela following a US operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated support for international law and said the UK government will discuss the situation with US counterparts.
Trump indicated that he could instead work with Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, saying "she's essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again."
At least 40 people, including military personnel and civilians, were killed in the United States strike on Venezuela early Saturday, The New York Times reported, citing a senior Venezuelan official who spoke on condition of anonymity, amid claims by Cuba that 32 of its officers were also killed in the operation.
Amidst ongoing conflict, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signals a potential de-escalation by apologising to neighbouring countries while firmly rejecting US President Donald Trump's demand for unconditional surrender.
Long before he became Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro's life intersected with India in a profound personal way.
Hours after the United States carried out strikes in Venezuela that led to the capture of incumbent Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, US President Donald Trump told Fox News that it was a complex manoeuvre and hailed the professionalism of the armed forces.
The Venezuelan President and his wife Cilia Flores were earlier captured from Caracas after US President Donald Trump unilaterally sanctioned a military operation on Venezuelan soil.
Maduro raised questions over the legality of his arrest during his first appearance before a US federal court in New York, claiming he was detained at his residence in Caracas, Venezuela, CNN reported.
'Without ground troops the US will not be able to oust the Iranian Islamic regime. Political change does not happen just by using bombs or planes.'
United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Saturday announced that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism and would face US justice.
Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez led a solemn ceremony in Caracas honouring Venezuelan and Cuban military personnel who died during the US operation to capture ousted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
United States Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday claimed that Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra spoke to him last month about India buying less Russian oil and asked him to tell President Donald Trump to relieve the 25 per cent tariff.
According to a statement cited by TASS, the Russian foreign ministry said it is closely monitoring reports that the US military has boarded the tanker Mariner, originally Bella 1, on the high seas, noting that Russian citizens are among the crew.
Trump has repeatedly asserted that Greenland is important to safeguard the US from Russia and China's presence in the Arctic Ocean, and has demanded that the Kingdom of Denmark sell the self-governed territory.
Following the seizure, Moscow issued a strong condemnation asserting that no country has the right to use force against vessels lawfully registered under another state's jurisdiction, particularly on the high seas.
Trump called for immediate negotiations for the US to acquire Greenland from Denmark, describing the country as ungrateful, during his speech at Davos.
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