The purge in Washington does not pause the war. Strikes continue, Hormuz remains closed, and Brent crude is still dancing around $109 a barrel. For India, the command chaos in the Pentagon is another layer of uncertainty piled on five weeks of conflict that was already straining every buffer Delhi has.
India and the US have entered a new phase in their relationship, marked by greater parity, point out Harsh V Pant and Vivek Mishra.
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.
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that India will significantly reduce Russian oil imports by year-end, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance.
The US on Monday decided to delay imposing its "Liberation Day" reciprocal tariffs until August 1, allowing more time to iron out issues between New Delhi and Washington before finalising an interim trade deal. On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs against a number of countries including India (26 per cent), but paused the implementation of these duties for 90 days, giving all trading partners the deadline till July 9 to reach a deal.
The White House has said India imposes a 100% tariff on American agricultural products and the high levies charged by other countries make it "virtually impossible" for US products to be exported to those nations. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised the high tariffs charged by India and other countries on American goods. He plans to roll out a set of reciprocal tariffs on April 2, which he says will be "Liberation Day" for the US.
'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'
Trump and Netanyahu said on Monday that they have agreed on a plan to end the war in Gaza, but it is unclear whether Hamas will accept the terms.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claims a trade deal with India failed because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call then-President Donald Trump, despite requests.
US President Donald Trump warned India about potential tariffs for continuing to purchase oil from Russia, claiming he received assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India would halt such purchases.
Trump described the his Israel visit as "a very special time," calling it a moment filled with excitement and unity.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The pause gives the US time to breathe, to regroup, to move its expeditionary force into position without risk of interception along the way. It gives Iran nothing -- on the ground, attacks against its infrastructure continue apace. Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
'I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks.'
Trump reiterated that he is not negotiating on behalf of Ukraine, but rather aiming to bring the parties to the negotiating table.
Trump said if 'you don't have dialogue (with Russia), you have to be fools'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address the UN General Assembly in September. The session will address global conflicts and trade negotiations between the US and India.
Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is withdrawing from the race to the White House, a media report said on Wednesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone call this past week with United States President Donald Trump, demanded that Kyiv surrender full control of Donetsk, a strategically vital region in eastern Ukraine, as a condition for ending the war, said two senior officials familiar with the conversation, the Washington Post reported.
The Indian nationals sanctioned include Varun Pula, who owns Marshall Islands-based Bertha Shipping Inc., which owns and operates Comoros-flagged vessel PAMIR.
Modi's comments came hours after Trump said he feels certain that there will be "no difficulty" for the two countries to come to a successful conclusion in trade talks and he looks forward to speaking with his "very good friend" Modi in the coming weeks.
He said both sides agreed to hold a meeting of senior advisers next week, led on the US side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before a proposed leaders' meeting in Budapest, Hungary.
The United Nations Security Council has adopted a draft resolution endorsing United States President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan and authorising the establishment of an international stabilisation force in the enclave, with the American leader describing it as a 'moment of true historic proportion'.
Trump announced that India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will charge a reduced reciprocal tariff on Delhi, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.
'Non-compatible with Western Civilization' is about as vague and jingoistic as it gets and Trump saying this gives full license to his acolytes to go full throttle on making life as difficult and scary as possible for as many non-white people as possible,' notes Sree Sreenivasan.
Donald Trump virtually sealed his Republican nomination for the United States presidential polls on Tuesday night after he scored a major win at the Indiana primary and his nearest rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz bowed out of the race.
'There are times when India should stand up without hesitation and voice its indignation over the US' pressure tactic. This is one such moment,' asserts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
United States President Donald Trump welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the West Wing lobby in the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen's comments came amid a major downturn between New Delhi and Washington after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 percent, including a 25 percent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
Using an expletive in his post on X, Navarro said, "Fact: India didn't buy Russian oil in large quantities before Russia invaded Ukraine. It's blood money and people are dying."
"Anybody unhappy with Elon? If you are, then we'll throw them out of here," Trump said
The agreement addresses non-tariff barriers and promotes increased trade in technology products and cooperation between the two countries.
Oh, what a strange 'tangled web' these two men and one woman have been caught up in for the last nine years. Or allegedly 'weaved'.
New Delhi 'will have to take a call which supply source suits us the best,' the finance minister said, pointing out that crude oil accounts for the bulk of India's foreign exchange spend.
President-elect Donald Trump ruled out two of his previous Cabinet members -- former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley -- to be part of his upcoming administration.
President Trump claims American tariffs imposed on India for purchasing Russian oil have negatively impacted Russia's economy, referring to India as Russia's major oil buyer. He also mentioned plans to meet with Putin and Zelenskyy, and claimed to have solved several wars, including the conflict between India and Pakistan.
'What I will say is on the US and India relationship, we believe that it stands on an extremely strong foundation anchored in ties between our people and cooperation across a full range of global issues.'
The White House on Monday strongly refuted allegations that the United States interfered in the internal affairs of Bangladesh, leading to the resignation and fleeing of the country's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will address the session on September 27
