US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor emphasizes the importance of the India-US relationship after meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on cooperation in defence, trade, and critical minerals.
India and the United States are committed to finalising an interim trade agreement, despite recent challenges including the US imposing a blanket 10 per cent surcharge and India's decision to wait for a new global tariff architecture. The US Trade Representative's annual report highlights India's maintained high import tariffs and various non-tariff barriers across several sectors.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's energy decisions are guided by national interest.
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.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that an interim trade agreement between India and the US is likely to be signed in March and operationalised in April, with chief negotiators meeting in Washington to finalize the details.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday proposed a G20 initiative aimed at enhancing clean energy transitions by boosting recycling, easing supply chain pressures and advancing joint research on critical minerals, and suggested forging a partnership to make satellite data more accessible and interoperable.
The US President had hosted Modi for an official working visit in Washington, DC, on February 13 last year.
India has categorically rejected allegations of its involvement in transnational violence or organised crime in Canada, following a media report linking Indian officials to the killing of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
'The US values its relationship with India and under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I am optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations.'
US President Donald Trump greeted India on its 77th Republic Day, highlighting the historic bond between the two democracies amid ongoing trade tensions.
US President Donald Trump is set to visit China for talks with President Xi Jinping on trade, global issues, and the Gulf war. The visit aims to address trade frictions and other key issues, with high expectations for progress.
The Morena administration in Madhya Pradesh has banned sand mining and transportation from the Chambal River, along with restricting fuel sales to unregistered vehicles, following criticism from the Supreme Court regarding illegal mining activities.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Jammu and Kashmir has intensified its efforts to combat illegal mining, conducting raids in Reasi and Udhampur districts and seizing critical evidence.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Tata Steel, Asian Paints, Trent, State Bank of India, Hindustan Unilever, UltraTech Cement, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel were among the gainers. On the other hand, Infosys, Bajaj Finance, Bharat Electronics, Larsen & Toubro and HDFC Bank were the laggards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the signing of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), saying it accounts for 25 per cent of global GDP and one-third of global trade.
Industry experts and the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) advocate for a unified framework to address the significant supply gap in domestic cell manufacturing, crucial for enhancing India's energy storage capabilities and reducing reliance on imports.
India may adopt a "calibrated" and a "step-by-step" approach to easing norms on investments originating from China, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. He was in a conversation with A K Bhattacharya on Day 1 of Business Standard's two-day annual event, Manthan 2026. The minister said foreign direct investment (FDI) from China was certainly not "banned", but it goes through an approval process. "The government's approach at the moment is to accelerate the approval process."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of being 'afraid' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing corruption allegations and a desire to protect his children.
Tamil superstar breaks silence, questions TVK leader's claim that DMK pressure forced him to quit politics.
The PM's overseas visits in 2025 picked up sharply after May, particularly following Operation Sindoor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Micron Technology's semiconductor plant in Sanand, Gujarat, highlighting India's growing presence in the hardware sector and its strong partnership with the United States in AI and chip technologies.
New investors should enter gradually and with a long horizon. 'Staggered investment through systematic purchase plans is advisable rather than lump-sum buying.'
'Both initiatives are welcome moves and we would commit ourselves with focused attention aligned with the national priorities, and pursue our exploration initiatives.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met United States Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor and said he was confident that India-US ties will further strengthen during his tenure.
To prevent companies from submitting unrealistic quotes to bag project contracts across industries, the government is planning to soon roll out a mechanism to curb irrational bidding.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of being 'afraid' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging corruption and a compromise of governance to protect his children.
16 days into the war, US forces were already running out of ground-attack missiles and Israel is about to expend its entire Arrow interceptor missiles by end March. To be sure, the Iranians are watching closely and that explains their defiant stance that 'Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its conditions are met', notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'Every day the meter is ticking. Like a time bomb.' Shipping giants are billing Indian exporters up to $3,000 per container in war surcharges -- on cargo that sailed before the war began -- as the Strait of Hormuz shuts down.
Gor also announced that India will be a member of the Pax Silica alliance.
In a bid to capitalise on its underwater resources, the Indian government has introduced new rules for auctioning offshore mineral assets, aiming to ensure a transparent and competitive process. While these rules feature stringent eligibility criteria, they also simplify the awarding process. This move comes in the wake of the less-than-expected interest in critical mineral auctions.
'If you go by the capital expenditure, this is a good defence budget. But we will have to see if the government can keep defence spending at 2 per cent or higher in 2027-2028.'
Critical mineral magnesium is important for muscle movement, sleep, blood sugar control, protein formation, production of energy, nerve communication & 600 plus body reactions, says Healthline. Your body doesn't produce magnesium. It must be obtained via your diet. Daily requirement: 400-420 mg males; 310-320 mg females.
In a step towards diversifying its resource base and securing green energy minerals, India is poised to launch its first-ever offshore mineral auction in the first quarter of 2024, announced Union Minister of Mines Pralhad Joshi during the launch event of the National Geoscience Data Repository portal. The government plans to hold auctions in March, offering 10-15 blocks for bidding. Meanwhile, the ministry of mines is currently developing rules and regulations for offshore mining.
The Bill is likely to pave the way for amending two existing legislations -- the Atomic Energy Act 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act 2010.
US President Donald Trump announced a new global levy on imported items, resulting in a lower tariff rate for India, following a Supreme Court verdict against his previous sweeping tariffs.
The fiscal tilt towards capex benefits companies in investment-related sectors like capital goods, defence equipment, engineering & construction and metal & mining. The planned cut in revenue expenditure will weigh on companies in consumption sectors like FMCG, consumer durables and retail.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a strong attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, accusing them of compromising India's interests on the world stage and selling out farmers and the poor during their time in power.
Reiterating Sitharaman's statement that this is a youth power budget, Modi emphasised that the provisions made in the budget will prepare leaders, innovators and creators across different sectors.
Rubio voiced "appreciation" for New Delhi's continued engagement on bilateral issues, including trade, defence and energy.
While both sides have announced the decision to restart talks for a trade deal, government officials said discussions are continuing virtually.
