International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
Iran vows to protect its nuclear capabilities, signals ‘new rules’ for Strait of Hormuz
Iran's supreme leader publicly declared that Iran will not surrender its nuclear and missile capabilities, characterising them as non-negotiable national ass...
NASA's Artemis II moonship returns home to its launch site after historic voyage
NASA's Artemis II mission (1–11 April 2026) completed the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in December 1972 — humanity's first return of a crew to lu...
Vietnam President To Lam to visit India next week on Modi’s invite
Vietnamese President To Lam will undertake a state visit to India from May 5–7, 2026, at India's invitation — his first state visit to India since assuming t...
Pakistan is ‘epicentre of terrorism’: Rajnath Singh
Indian defence establishment formally characterised Pakistan as the "epicentre of terrorism" at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers...
U.S. seeks international help to reopen Strait of Hormuz as crude prices surge
The United States sought international partners to join a coalition — formally named the "Maritime Freedom Construct" — to restore freedom of navigation thro...
India plans ₹51,000 crore push to procure 62 ships amid West Asia crisis
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways announced plans to procure 62 new vessels at a cost of ₹51,383 crore, significantly scaling up India's commerci...
Why the UAE is leaving OPEC
The United Arab Emirates formally announced its withdrawal from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), ending a membership that began ...
FDI easing for foreign cos with up to 10 pc Chinese stake to be notified soon under FEMA soon
The Union Cabinet's March 2026 approval of amendments to Press Note 3 (2020) will be given legal effect through a formal notification under the Foreign Excha...
RBI accelerates gold repatriation as global trust wanes
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has accelerated repatriation of gold held in overseas vaults, with nearly 77% of its total gold reserves now held domesticall...
IMEC momentum to boost Karnataka exports amid global trade disruptions
As geopolitical disruptions continue to strain traditional maritime trade routes — particularly the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal — the India-Middle Ea...
How OPEC dictated oil prices for decades, and why UAE is exiting it
The United Arab Emirates formally announced its departure from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and the broader OPEC+ grouping, effec...
West Asia war, rain deficit can hike inflation, drag India's growth: Finmin
The Finance Ministry's Monthly Economic Review (MER) for April 2026 identified the ongoing West Asia conflict and a predicted below-normal monsoon as the two...
Army set to hold first-ever multilateral military drill involving 11 countries from May 18 to 31
The Indian Army is set to host the inaugural edition of Exercise PRAGATI — a first-ever multilateral military exercise — at the Foreign Training Node in Umro...
Compounding gains: On the India-New Zealand FTA
The India–New Zealand FTA, signed April 27, 2026, is being seen as the latest in a series of seven recent FTAs that collectively represent a step-change in I...
India–Sri Lanka maritime ties strengthened through IN–SLN DIVEX 2026
The fourth edition of the India-Sri Lanka bilateral diving exercise, IN-SLN DIVEX 2026, was conducted in Colombo from 21 to 28 April 2026, with the Indian Na...
India invokes WTO peace clause for FY25 rice subsidies for farmers
India has invoked the WTO peace clause for the seventh consecutive time, this time to cover rice subsidies provided to farmers during FY25 (2024–25). The ric...
How accurate were 2021 exit polls in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam?
A recent analysis examined how exit poll predictions compared with actual results in four major state assembly elections held in 2021 — West Bengal, Tamil Na...
Expert Explains | Why the UAE left OPEC, and what it means for Saudi Arabia’s Gulf leadership
The UAE formally announced its withdrawal from OPEC effective May 1, 2026, after nearly 58 years of membership. The decision reflects deep structural tension...
Adjudication Order in the matter of inspection of Ortem Securities Limited
SEBI's Adjudicating Officer issued an enforcement order on 29 April 2026 against a registered stockbroker (Ortem Securities Limited) following findings from ...
India to gain from UAE’s OPEC exit in long term
The UAE's departure from OPEC, effective May 1, 2026, has been assessed by energy analysts as offering India significant medium-to-long-term benefits, primar...