International Relations
Economics
5 min
Travel chaos worsens as Iran conflict shuts key Middle-East airports
The Iran-US-Israel conflict that erupted in late February 2026 triggered precautionary airspace closures across a vast region — Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Qa...
Economics
International Relations
4 min
India’s oil imports from Russia fell to 44-month low in January 2026, Gulf countries saw rising share
India's crude oil imports from Russia fell to a 44-month low in January 2026, with Russian oil accounting for only 21.2% of India's total crude imports — the...
Economics
International Relations
4 min
Iran strikes disrupt thousands of flights; Dubai airport damaged
Iran launched 137 missiles and 209 drones across the UAE on or around February 28, 2026, in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Dubai Inte...
Gulf tensions may push India’s fertilizer subsidy bill higher
The escalating West Asia conflict — following US-Israel strikes on Iran — threatens to significantly increase India's fertiliser subsidy bill by raising natu...
Manufacturing activity surges at fastest pace in four months in February: PMI survey shows
India's manufacturing sector expanded at its fastest pace in four months in February 2026, according to the S&P Global/HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Ma...
Economics
International Relations
5 min
CMA CGM imposes up to $4,000 emergency surcharge amid US-Iran conflict
French shipping giant CMA CGM — the world's third-largest container shipping line — imposed an Emergency Conflict Surcharge (ECS) effective March 2, 2026, in...
EPFO retains interest rate at 8.25% for 2025-26
The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) approved an interest rate of 8.25% per annum on EPF deposits for 202...
Economics
International Relations
Geography
5 min
Vessel traffic through Strait of Hormuz drops amid West Asia tensions
Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell by approximately 81% in the first days of March 2026 compared to normal levels, following the dramatic escal...
Economics
International Relations
5 min
Airlines suspend flights to Middle East; IndiGo, Akasa, Qatar Airways, Emirates announce travel waivers and refunds
Multiple airlines — including Indian carriers IndiGo and Akasa Air, and international carriers Emirates, Qatar Airways, as well as Lufthansa and Air France —...
Economics
International Relations
5 min
Nirmala Sitharaman meets AIIB President Zou Jiayi, calls for expanded investment in low-income countries
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Zou Jiayi in New Delhi on March 2, 2026, to discuss stren...
Polity & Governance
Economics
4 min
Smart meters: govt. offices all set to shift to prepaid billing, says KSEB
The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) approved a new framework for switching government consumers to prepaid smart meter billing, effect...
Economics
Environment & Ecology
6 min
NITI Aayog Conducts National Workshop on Natural Farming under State Support Mission
NITI Aayog organized a two-day National Workshop on Natural Farming under its State Support Mission, bringing together farmers, policymakers, scientists, sta...
Economics
International Relations
4 min
Rice exporters to meet Apeda as Gulf tensions threaten $6 billion basmati trade
Indian basmati rice exporters have sought an emergency consultation with APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) as Gul...
Economics
International Relations
5 min
Explained: How US-Israel war with Iran could hit India’s oil, trade and energy security
A detailed analysis of the US-Israel conflict with Iran outlines three inter-linked channels through which the war could damage India's economy: energy price...
With new GDP series, experts see stronger data credibility and stable FY26 outlook
On February 27, 2026, the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released India's new GDP est...
EPFO: Provident Fund interest rate stays at 8.25% for 2025-26
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) retained the interest rate on employees' provident fund (EPF) deposits at 8.25% per annum for 2025-26, the ...
India's cumulative exports rise to $720.76 billion in Apr-Jan 2025-26, up 6.15%
India's cumulative merchandise and services exports for April–January 2025-26 reached $720.76 billion, up 6.15% from $679.02 billion in the same period of 20...
Economics
International Relations
Environment & Ecology
4 min
From crude to basmati: Iran war threatens India’s energy and trade stability
The escalating US-Israel military conflict with Iran in late February–early March 2026 has triggered multi-dimensional economic risks for India beyond just o...
India's current account deficit widens in third quarter
India's current account deficit (CAD) widened to $13.2 billion, or 1.3% of GDP, in Q3 FY26 (October-December 2025), up from $11.3 billion (1.1% of GDP) in Q3...
Economics
International Relations
5 min
Hyderabad bears brunt of West Asia conflict as key transit routes shut
Hyderabad, which has one of India's largest Gulf diaspora communities — with over 10 lakh residents from the city and Telangana working in Gulf Cooperation C...