External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed the Rajya Sabha on India's position regarding the escalating conflict in West Asia, emphasising the need for peace, dialogue, and the safety of civilians, while also prioritising India's energy security and trade interests.
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.
Iran was the chance to arrange a concert of nations, to actually be a Vishwaguru. Instead, we are watching from the sidelines as Pakistan, the same country that is apparently still at war with Afghanistan, hosts talks between US-Israel and Iran. The irony is hard to miss, points out Amberish K Diwanji.
A stabbing incident near a synagogue in north-west London, which left two Jewish men injured, has been declared a terrorist incident by UK counter-terror police. A 45-year-old man is in custody as authorities investigate whether the Jewish community was deliberately targeted.
Pakistan has increased security measures in Islamabad and surrounding areas as the US and Iran prepare for another round of peace talks. The move follows an announcement by former US President Donald Trump that American negotiators would be in Pakistan for discussions aimed at resolving the conflict between the two nations.
The Punjab government has announced cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of 28 proclaimed offenders, including foreign-based gangsters, prompting criticism from the BJP regarding the state's law and order situation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Asha Bhosle, honouring her as an unparalleled versatile artist whose passing marks a significant loss for Indian and global music.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's strategic pivot, from initial rejections to local partnerships and leveraging government policies like PLI, transformed India into a major iPhone manufacturing and export hub, now accounting for one in every four iPhones assembled globally.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced that public sector oil marketing companies will implement a partial and staggered increase in jet fuel prices for domestic airlines, aiming to protect passengers from steep fare hikes.
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.
Italy has denied the United States the use of the Sigonella military base for flights heading to West Asia, citing a lack of consultation and concerns over the nature of the flights. This decision reflects Italy's stance on avoiding escalation in the region, as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government emphasises its desire to stay out of war.
Lavrov said that the US has set itself the objective of 'achieving economic domination', adding further to it that Americans want to control the routes to leading countries to provide its energy sources to them.
The logic of war plus the gathering storms in US politics as the midterms loom large leave him with no real alternative but to negotiate, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Uncertainty surrounds the US-Iran talks as a two-week ceasefire approaches its end. Pakistan is attempting to mediate, but tensions remain high after a recent naval incident.
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die, concluding a Budget session marked by the passage of key legislations and the defeat of a Constitution amendment bill on women's reservation. The session saw frequent opposition protests and discussions on various issues, including the West Asia conflict.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini commemorated B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary, highlighting his contributions to women's empowerment and social justice. Saini and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal criticised the Congress party for allegedly disrespecting Ambedkar, while praising the current government's efforts to honour his legacy.
An Assam Police team is questioning Congress leader Pawan Khera in Delhi regarding allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family.
Brokerage Bernstein has warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India risks squandering recent economic gains unless it accelerates structural reforms, particularly in jobs, manufacturing and innovation.
Pakistan launched a retaliatory operation, 'Ghazab lil Haq,' against the Afghan Taliban following alleged border attacks, resulting in reported casualties and destruction of Taliban infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that a high-level American negotiating team, including Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, is en route to Pakistan to initiate critical negotiations with the Iranian leadership.
The Telangana High Court has granted transit anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in a case filed against him by Assam police over allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.
The intriguing bit is that Trump is likely to attend the talks in Islamabad this weekend -- if he does, it will be the clearest signal yet that the US is ready to exit the war with some sort of win to show, since he cannot afford to go for the talks and return empty-handed, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War
The threat has raised concerns about possible asymmetric attacks outside the region. Iran has also stepped up attacks on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries.
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.
Trump has said he would be present at the signing ceremony in Islamabad. Don't be surprised if the Pakistani hosts make it a grand event in the geopolitics of the region. Trump would love that, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deleting over 9 million names from voter lists in an attempt to win the upcoming Assembly elections. She vowed to fight the alleged manipulation legally and politically.
Police have booked a foreign-based gangster and an accomplice in connection with the murder of AAP leader Lucky Oberoi in Jalandhar, suspecting personal enmity as the motive.
The Telangana High Court has adjourned the hearing on Congress leader Pawan Khera's anticipatory bail petition related to a case filed by the Assam government over allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife. The court will resume hearing on April 10.
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.
The conflict may disrupt Budget 2026-2027 projections, squeezing revenues and raising subsidies, prompting fiscal adjustments and potential reforms, echoing lessons from the Covid-era shock, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Russia and China vetoed a Bahrain-backed UN resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. A resolution that was already diluted to secure their abstentions.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserts the BJP will form a government in West Bengal and address the issue of infiltration, accusing Mamata Banerjee of allowing it for vote-bank politics.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
Global brokerage Bernstein has issued a cautionary note, stating that India risks 'under-delivering on its potential' unless it addresses key policy bottlenecks and structural risks, including employment challenges from AI, limited manufacturing gains, and rising welfare spending.
The LPG squeeze on India's restaurant sector is the quotidian face of a deeper crisis.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will travel to India to attend the meeting of G20 foreign ministers on March 2, during which he is expected to hold his first bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
It is for the first time that a senior minister has said that Iran requested permission for docking three of its ships in Indian ports.
For weeks, the war skirted the edge of catastrophe without tipping over. Missiles flew, there was much destruction, commanders were assassinated, cities across the Gulf and even in Israel struggled to absorb the shock. But one line held: Energy infrastructure, the arteries of the global economy, remained largely untouched. That is no longer true. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
