'Once the currency goes out of the hand, then possibly your major challenge is that it will not come back.'
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Global oil prices fell on Thursday to their lowest levels since before the outbreak of the Iran conflict, offering a significant economic tailwind for India, the world's third-largest crude importer, by easing inflation risks, reducing the import bill and improving the government's fiscal position.
The Lebanese army has begun evacuating some of its forward positions along the border with Israel and redeploying troops to other posts, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Tuesday, amid intensified Israeli military activity in the area.
The Indian government is considering additional relief packages for vulnerable sectors like MSMEs to mitigate the impact of the ongoing West Asia crisis on the economy and inflation.
Trump's phone calls with Netanyahu came after Iran threatened to end the negotiations with the US over Israel's attacks on Lebanon. Netanyahu had said Israel would hit "terror targets" in Beirut if Hezbollah did not stop attacking Israel.
The Maharashtra government has launched an emergency WhatsApp helpline for state residents stranded in the Middle East due to airspace closures amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is monitoring the situation and coordinating with central agencies.
Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.
The US President clarified that these negotiations do not involve the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
'The flip side of this is that he won't hesitate to call out India if he thinks its policies are hurting US economic interests or border US foreign policy goals.'
The BSE benchmark traded 44.43 points up at 76,521.93, and the Nifty quoted 17.20 points higher at 24,048.85. Track Stock markets on May 26.
The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the Central Board of Secondary Examination has come up with a new policy for the evaluation of private students, who were affected by the cancellation of Class XII board examination in Gulf countries due to the recent Iran-US war.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed lower due to investor caution over rising bond yields, a weaker rupee, and fresh fuel price hikes, which have revived inflation concerns.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
India significantly increased its crude oil imports from Russia and the United Arab Emirates in June, securing supplies as the Strait of Hormuz began to reopen, with Russian barrels remaining attractive due to discounts and UAE supplies offsetting earlier uncertainties.
Pope Leo XIV on Monday underscored his commitment to spiritual advocacy over political friction, stating that he has no desire to engage in a confrontation with the US administration.
Petrol and diesel prices in India have been increased for the second time in a week, following a long freeze on revisions. The increase comes as global crude prices surge and state-run oil firms look to recoup losses.
The Indian government has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel to mitigate the impact of rising global crude prices, triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This move aims to provide relief to consumers and oil companies amidst volatile international oil markets.
'With the US having entered the war, raising the risks of a wider conflict, those impacts could be even more damaging.'
An art exhibition in New Delhi showcased drawings by children killed in a school bombing in Iran, offering a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict.
Government officials are reportedly apprehensive that the 30,000 to 40,000 US troops currently deployed within the region could serve as the primary target of the Islamic Republic in the event of an all-out war.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first hike in over four years, as state-run fuel retailers pass on some of the impact from surging global crude prices, which have been exacerbated by the Iran war.
The rupee has been among the The RBI uses the Iran-US peace deal to bolster its forex reserves.
The cost of the war is being counted not in the corridors of power in Washington or Tehran, but in Firozabad's darkened furnace rooms, Howrah's idle casting sheds, and a barbershop in Kochi where the wait is suddenly, inexplicably, an hour long, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran's Supreme Leader, is reportedly recovering from injuries sustained in an attack. Reports indicate he is participating in meetings and decision-making despite his condition.
Indian equity benchmark indices experienced a significant drop in early trade, with the BSE Sensex falling over 525 points and the NSE Nifty down more than 164 points, primarily due to rising crude oil prices and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran conflict.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for citizens to make economic sacrifices in response to the West Asia conflict, calling it 'evidence of failure'. Gandhi accused Modi of shifting responsibility onto the public and being incapable of running the country.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been stranded in Qatar for over a week due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, impacting flights and travel across the region.
India's trade with West Asia saw a significant decline of over 28% in April, marking the second consecutive month of contraction. This downturn is attributed to severe shipping disruptions stemming from the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, particularly impacting the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway.
'Much later when I came to Afghanistan, I realised that there were songs in Bollywood films.'
Indian cement manufacturers, despite a stable Q4FY26, are bracing for significant profitability pressures from Q1FY27 onwards due to escalating input costs, primarily driven by the West Asia conflict's impact on coal and petcoke prices.
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are travelling to Pakistan for direct talks with an Iranian delegation as part of efforts to end the seven-week war, the White House announced.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad, including six uncapped players, for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.
"The world might face a food crisis if the war continued till the end of April, as it could have a dramatic impact on planting in Europe and North America," said Matt Simpson, CEO of Brazil Potash.
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.
Iranian officials allege a US airstrike on Mashhad airport damaged a Mahan Air plane set to collect vital medical aid from India.
Iran is set to witness more brutality as the administration has decided to execute its first protester on Wednesday amid mass arrests of anti-regime protesters, New York Post reported, citing human rights groups.
'The White House lunch that Trump hosted for Munir last year came just after Munir returned from a visit to Iran, at a moment when Israel and Iran were at war.' 'Trump said after that lunch that the Pakistanis know Iran very well. He likely views Munir as a useful interlocutor that can give helpful insights on Iran.'
