The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has maintained its benchmark policy rate at 5.25 per cent for the fourth consecutive meeting, prioritising clarity on inflation trends, particularly concerning energy costs and geopolitical developments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned against the 'weaponisation' of technology and critical minerals at the BRICS summit, advocating for cooperation to foster shared prosperity. Concurrently, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans for an open-source AI ecosystem for BRICS nations, positioning Beijing as a key technology partner amid global AI competition.
Trump also brushed off criticism of his expletive-laden references to causing destruction in Iran if they failed to make a deal to end the war.
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
History is rarely decided by who has the biggest weapons, but by who has the better process. The same rule applies to investing, says Ramalingam Kalirajan.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has warned the United States that Iran is ready to confront American troops if the US launches a ground invasion, calling such a move a potential 'big disaster' for Washington.
Iran hosted a large send-off rally for its World Cup team in Tehran, despite ongoing concerns about visa issues for entry into the United States, where the team is scheduled to play its group matches.
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.
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.
Dabur India's stock has fallen over 17 per cent since the start of the Iran war, driven by concerns over a weak monsoon, the West Asian crisis, and rising input costs, which are expected to impact the company's revenues and margins, particularly affecting its significant rural sales and international markets.
A Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier, chartered by an Indian firm, safely transited through the Strait of Hormuz -- the first Indian LNG tanker to cross the war-hit narrow shipping lane since the war in West Asia broke out more than three and a half months back.
US President Donald Trump on Friday referred to the Strait of Hormuz as a potential "gusher" for the world and spoken about "opening it for the world."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP-RSS, labelling them a "bunch of jokers" with no understanding of India, and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy as merely "hugging leaders." He also claimed the RSS has become an instrument of large capital, serving Adani and Ambani, and vowed that the Congress would keep pressure on the government until Modi and Shah resign. The BJP hit back, calling Gandhi immature and out of depth.
As Iran heads into crucial peace talks with the United States of America, here are the six men who decide the Islamic Republic's course.
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
Far from it; the country's resistance to the US, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East are driven by a constant search for independence and security. Thus, Iran will never capitulate. Trump will learn this home truth ultimately, and it is going to be a humbling personal experience that may even destroy his presidency, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has indicated that further Iran-US negotiations are anticipated soon, following talks in Pakistan. Despite initial optimism, the previous round of negotiations did not result in a lasting peace agreement.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing to discuss a range of issues, including trade frictions and the war in Iran.
'You have to get private investment to somewhere between 35% to 36% of GDP. It is hovering about 30%-31%.'
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday said that the United States has not ruled out the option of sending troops on the ground in Iran and that military operations in the Persian Gulf nation would end once the objectives of Operation Epic Fury are achieved.
US Vice President J D Vance is expected to travel to Islamabad for peace talks with Iran to end the seven-week war, amid a fragile ceasefire and ongoing tensions.
The United States and Iran, with regional mediators, are reportedly discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire to prevent further escalation of conflict, including strikes on Iranian infrastructure and retaliation against Gulf states' facilities.
Donald Trump's inconsistent statements and actions regarding the conflict with Iran have drawn criticism and confusion, raising questions about American credibility and the direction of US foreign policy.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintained its key policy rates for the fourth consecutive time, keeping the repo rate at 5.25 per cent, while the benchmark BSE Sensex closed 152 points higher in a volatile session, recovering from an intraday dip.
The modern war is about quality over quantity, points out Mihir S Sharma.
After the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and expressed hope for lasting peace, Pakistan took much of the credit for playing mediator between the two countries. However, Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies and former US Treasury counterterrorism analyst, said Pakistan is deeply indebted to China.
In his resignation letter to US President Donald Trump, Kent called the conflict with Iran unjustified, contending that Washington, DC entered the war due primarily to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby rather than clear, direct threats to national security.
The Indian rupee plummeted to a new all-time closing low of 95.81 against the US dollar, driven by surging crude oil prices, persistent inflation concerns, and a strengthening dollar index.
Amid ongoing tensions with the US, Iran's IRGC Navy has issued new directives restricting maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing only civilian vessels on Iranian-designated routes and barring all military ships.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates both sounded missile alerts early Wednesday, despite Iran and the United States saying they had reached a two-week ceasefire in the war.
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.
Despite disagreements over nuclear ambitions, recent US-Iran peace talks led by Vice President JD Vance have fostered crucial goodwill and a deeper understanding between the two nations, potentially paving the way for future negotiations.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
'We caught General Pervez Musharraf talking over the phone with his Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Mohammad Aziz. Musharraf was visiting China; Aziz was in Rawalpindi.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged US President Donald Trump to prioritise the safety of Indian seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz during the implementation of Washington's proposed Iran peace deal, as both leaders focused on repairing strained bilateral relations at the G7 summit.
'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.
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if a deal is not reached before the ceasefire ends, while Pakistan urged both sides to extend the truce and pursue diplomacy.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, rallied significantly following a sharp decline in crude oil prices. This decline was triggered by US President Donald Trump's announcement of progress in negotiations with Iran towards a peace agreement, which led to renewed optimism in global markets.
Donald Trump has escalated rhetoric against Iran by posting AI-generated images and videos depicting US military strikes, warning Tehran that time is running out to secure a ceasefire agreement.
One of the most uncivilised characteristics of this war has been the total disregard for international law and the laws of armed conflict, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
