Vikram Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat, has been appointed as India's new ambassador to China, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Rawat. This decision comes as both countries attempt to improve bilateral relations following a period of strain.
'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 Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has reiterated its demand for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India to face trial in Bangladesh, emphasizing the need for equal and respectful relations with all neighboring countries.
He added that opposition parties were assured that their concerns regarding the impact of the West Asia situation on India and the safety of Indian citizens were addressed in detail.
In a region increasingly shaped by competition and coercion, such collaboration strengthens security without confrontation, builds capacity without dependency and promotes order without domination, points out Dr Kumar.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a heated debate between BJP and Congress members regarding the handling of Naxalism, with the BJP accusing the previous UPA government of failing to contain left-wing extremism and the Congress defending its efforts to curb the threat.
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that Iran is no longer capable of enriching uranium or producing ballistic missiles, following a joint military campaign with the US.
'We were in a heavily nuclearised environment. China had tested for Pakistan in the 1980s and helped their missile programme stay just one step behind us.'
European nations say their findings show that his death was not a natural result of ill health but the consequence of deliberate poisoning.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered to host talks between the US and Iran to help resolve the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, following reports of Pakistan's involvement in backchannel diplomacy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the Middle East crisis, with a focus on the Strait of Hormuz.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said China and other countries have no locus standi to comment on Jammu and Kashmir and they should note that India refrains from public judgment of their internal issues, in what is seen as a strong reaction and message to Beijing.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, special envoy, foreign ministry of Israel, has asserted that the situation has effectively been a "multi-front regional conflict" since its inception, while claiming significant military and strategic gains against adversarial forces.
India has amended its guidelines governing the signing of international agreements during official visits by the prime minister, and select pacts have been exempted from prior Cabinet approval.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation has appointed Australian Colin Batch as the new head coach of the national side ahead of this year's FIH men's World Cup.
'The entire US ecosystem built over decades at the bases in the Gulf region, especially the UAE, costing trillions of dollars have been decimated, dealing a mortal blow to the US Central Command's war capability,' points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Alliances fight wars effectively only when they share an endgame. If Israel acted without US knowledge, then the military alliance is operating without real coordination at the level of strategic targeting. Neither picture is reassuring in a war that is no longer regional in its consequences. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Amid rising tensions, Iran threatens retaliation after the United States confirms sinking its warship, IRIS Dena, in international waters, escalating conflict in the region.
The announcement was a surprise as the new administration to be headed by the new Premier is scheduled to take over during the annual Parliament session slated to be held from March 5 next year.
Eminent journalist HK Dua, who led editorial operations at three of India's leading newspapers, has died at the age of 88. He was also a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and served as media advisor to two prime ministers.
Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The Congress party has alleged that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein played a role in shaping the India-Israel relationship after 2014, citing email exchanges made public under the 'Epstein Files'.
Following an examination and discussions held in the aftermath of the United States' decision to withdraw from dozens of international organisations, Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa'ar, has decided that Jerusalem will immediately sever all contact with several United Nations agencies and international bodies, citing what the government described as persistent bias, politicisation and actions hostile to Israel.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has emphasised the need for India to develop a robust drone manufacturing ecosystem to enhance its defence capabilities, drawing lessons from recent global conflicts.
IndiGo has the lowest pilots-to-aircraft ratio among domestic airlines in India, according to data presented in Parliament. SpiceJet and Akasa Air have the highest ratios. Air India Express employs the most expat pilots.
The Indian government is actively promoting manufacturing in the rapidly expanding aerospace sector, with collaborations between Indian and foreign companies leading to the establishment of new facilities.
As days turn into weeks and America loses more planes, as the destruction of trillions of dollars worth military assets piles up, and dead bodies of soldiers return in ever greater numbers in coffins, Trump will have to answer some very difficult questions to save his presidency, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Sri Lanka is deliberating appropriate action after a second Iranian ship sought entry to its territorial waters, following an attack on an Iranian frigate near the island nation. The government is focused on safeguarding lives and regional peace.
Sri Lanka has allowed a second Iranian ship, IRINS Bushehr, to dock at Trincomalee port after it reported engine failure, following the sinking of an Iranian frigate. The move comes amidst heightened regional tensions and a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran.
'Pakistan's is the only military-controlled nuclear weapons programme in the world.' 'As people get radicalised, the risk of a brigadier or pilot taking matters into their own hands is a real concern.'
The Congress party has accused the government of scheduling a 'special session' to pass bills related to women's quota and delimitation with the intention of gaining political advantage in the upcoming West Bengal and Tamil Nadu elections, calling it a violation of the model code of conduct.
Tedros said that the war in the Middle East has reached a perilous stage with strikes reportedly hitting the Natanz Enrichment Complex in Iran, and the Israeli city of Dimona, where a nuclear facility is located.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's energy decisions are guided by national interest.
Prince Abdullah said Saudi players have become 'extras' since the number of foreign players per team on matchdays rose to eight, urging a cut to seven and more investment in youth development.
'We are considering this to ensure swift action on content for which the respective ministries have domain experts and can better determine the illegality of the content or the web site that needs to be taken down.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the 'Speaker of the Knesset Medal' in recognition of his contribution to strengthening strategic relations between India and Israel, making him the first leader to receive this honor.
Earlier in the day, the ministry of external affairs "strongly advised" Indians to avoid travel to Iran until further notice, amid rising tensions and protests in the Islamic Republic.
The Ministry of External Affairs informed a parliamentary committee that nearly 1,000 Indians remain in Iran amidst the West Asia conflict, and 23,000 students in the Gulf region missed CBSE exams due to the turmoil.
The Indian government has relaxed foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for countries sharing land borders with India, including China, a move that amends press note 3 of 2020.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances