For the foreseeable future, the most likely outcome remains continuation of the status quo. Taiwan will remain self-governing without formally declaring independence, while China continues to apply sustained pressure short of war, predict Krishnan Srinivasan and Manoj Mohanka.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted additional strikes against multiple targets in Iran, on Saturday (local time), at the commander in chief, US President Donald Trump's direction.
The question nobody seems to ask is why a democracy should be silent when many of its citizens are concerned about the way the US is deviating from its traditional ways of consultation, cooperation and collaboration and moving away from traditional allies, asks Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
On April 7, hundreds of activists gathered outside the White House in Washington, DC, to oppose American military involvement in Iran.
A source familiar with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's thinking revealed on Saturday that the department "intends to utilise all available authorities to make Iranian assets accessible for rebuilding and repair efforts related to any future damage inflicted by Iran."
Indian equity markets, including the Sensex and Nifty, experienced a significant downturn for the second consecutive day, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia and persistent foreign fund outflows.
India and Australia have signed significant agreements covering civil nuclear energy, maritime security, and critical minerals, reinforcing their partnership's role in ensuring a peaceful Indo-Pacific. The pacts facilitate uranium supply from Australia to India and enhance cooperation in defence, cyber, and critical technologies.
The United States conducted retaliatory strikes against Iran, targeting over 80 sites, after accusing Tehran of attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran condemned the US decision to revoke a temporary suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales.
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.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated that Israel is prepared to escalate military action against Iran, pending approval from the United States. This comes as US President Donald Trump says he would not use nuclear weapons in any conflict with Iran, while also claiming the US has 'total control' over the Strait of Hormuz.
"The US President's statements are within the framework of efforts to reduce energy prices and gain time to implement his military plans," the ministry stated.
Hours after warning that the United States could strike Iran "very hard tonight", President Donald Trump announced to halt planned military action, despite earlier threats to target Kharg Island and other key Iranian oil facilities.
The US military is considering a new wave of military operations in Iran, including potential strikes on infrastructure and securing Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, amid a fragile ceasefire and stalled nuclear talks.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed sharply higher, with the Sensex climbing 1,695.40 points and the Nifty surging nearly 2 per cent, driven by a global market rally and a decline in crude oil prices following US President Donald Trump's declaration that his country has ended the war with Iran.
Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced declines in early trade due to escalating tensions between the US and Iran, which led to a surge in crude oil prices and weak global equity trends.
Indian benchmark equity indices, the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty, experienced a significant drop in early trade due to elevated oil prices, weak global market trends, and renewed fears of military operations in the Middle East following US President Donald Trump's statements regarding Iran. Track Sensex, Nifty on May 20.
US President Donald Trump has cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel risks international isolation if it resumes extensive military operations against Iran, following a volatile 24-hour period of escalating cross-border hostilities.
The population is gripped by anxiety against arbitrariness and the cruelty of a state that sells its actions as minimum government, asserts Aakar Patel.
June-July 1999 saw some of the most bitterly fought battles in the Kargil War. Colonel Gaurav Chaturvedi looks back on those days -- and the extraordinary saga of the men he fought alongside.
The official statement highlighted that these "blatant Iranian attacks" have also targeted members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and several other Arab and Islamic nations.
Donald Trump claims a senior defence official urged military action against Iran, revealing escalating tensions and ongoing negotiations in the Middle East.
'I was fortunate enough to be associated with two of the most important battles fought by the Indian Army, the Battle of Tololing and Battle of Tiger Hill.' 'Sometimes, I think how I survived those battles on Tololing and on Tiger Hill.'
The strikes targeted the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, the 12th Brigade base in Quetta, Balochistan, and the Khoizai camp in the Mohmand Agency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with other military sites housing key facilities and centres.
Trump emphasised that diplomatic discussions remain ongoing. At the same time, he issued a stark warning, saying that failure to reach an agreement could trigger military action.
US President Donald Trump said the United States faces a stark choice in its approach to Iran, either to pursue a negotiated settlement or escalate militarily, as tensions continue to rise in the West Asia region.
Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, stated that Israel is willing to cease hostilities if Iran changes its course, emphasising that Tel Aviv has consulted diplomatic channels, including the US and regional partners.
Poland's Secretary of State, Wladyslaw T Bartoszewski, has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with preventing Russian President Vladimir Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine in late 2022, highlighting Modi's significant influence on the Russian leader.
Iran has criticised recent US attacks on merchant ships off the Oman coast, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian nationals, calling them a threat to global peace. India has also strongly condemned the 'lethal and deadly' strikes and summoned the US charge d'affaires to express its concerns.
On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, the Indian military issued a stern warning to Pakistan, stating that no terror sanctuary across the border is safe and that India will continue to dismantle terrorist infrastructure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are set to hold comprehensive talks focusing on a bilateral trade deal, defence cooperation, and energy and critical minerals sectors during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.
The United States military and Kuwaiti air defence forces successfully intercepted multiple Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting Kuwait and Bahrain, with Iran's state broadcaster claiming American military installations in Kuwait were deliberately targeted.
The US-China rapprochement, however tenuous, is not without implications for India. Both China and Pakistan have become closer to the US, notes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday claimed it had destroyed eight US military infrastructures in Kuwait and Bahrain in a joint missile and drone operation, describing the strikes as retaliation for a second wave of US military attacks on Iranian targets.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump exchanged pleasantries and held a brief conversation at the G7 summit, their first in-person encounter in 16 months, setting the stage for high-stakes bilateral talks amidst continuing strain in India-US relations.
Iranian military spokesperson said that stability in the region would be ensured only by the strength of Iran's armed forces and warned that energy and oil markets would not return to previous levels unless this reality was acknowledged.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that China has committed to halting weapon supplies to Iran, following his personal diplomatic interventions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Iranian authorities have announced the arrest of 35 individuals on charges ranging from espionage to illegal trafficking, including alleged Mossad-linked suspects and affiliates of separatist organisations.
The body of Shivanand Chaurasia, an Indian seafarer killed in a US military attack on a commercial vessel near the Oman coast, has reached his native village in Deoria. His family is demanding significant ex gratia compensation, a government job, and martyr status, refusing to perform last rites until their demands are addressed.
The US has warned India that any violation of its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, a statement made amidst a diplomatic row over the deaths of Indian seafarers in US attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lodged a strong protest with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over US Navy attacks in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. India also summoned the US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi regarding the incident.
