International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
Farm groups and civil societies urge govt not to agree imports of GM farm products amid fresh round of India-US trade talks
A coalition of farm groups and civil society organisations formally urged the central government not to agree to imports of genetically modified (GM) agricul...
India, South Korea set $50 bn trade target; PM Modi, Lee Jae-Myung agree on 'futuristic partnership'
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi for a three-day state visit — the first by a South Korean head of state in eight years — and held s...
Chips to ships: PM Modi and President Lee Unveil vision to double trade, launch ‘digital bridge’ between India and South Korea
During South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's state visit to India (April 20–22, 2026), both countries launched the "India–Korea Digital Bridge" — a structur...
Expert Explains: What plagues India-Turkey relations, and why a reset may be of common interest
India and Turkey held their 12th round of Foreign Office Consultations on April 8, 2026 in New Delhi — the first such meeting in four years — signalling a ca...
West Asia war: Impact of disruptions on global fuel supply, with potential for coal and n-power switch
The Strait of Hormuz, epicentre of the ongoing US-Iran standoff, is disrupting approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day — roughly 20% of global petrol...
India, South Korea decide to start negotiations to upgrade economic pact
India and South Korea formally decided to resume and expedite negotiations to upgrade their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), originally s...
Pharma exports rose 2% to over $31 billion in FY26 despite sharp decline in March
India's pharmaceutical exports crossed $31.1 billion in FY2025–26, registering approximately 2% growth over the previous year's record of $30.47 billion — ma...
India tells South Korea to consider negotiating fresh free trade pact
At a ministerial-level meeting in April 2026, India proposed negotiating a fresh Free Trade Agreement with South Korea, seeking to replace or substantially r...
As Strait of Hormuz shuts again, uncertainty grips global trade & energy markets
The Strait of Hormuz has again been closed to shipping amid an escalating US-Iran standoff, with the US military establishing a maritime exclusion zone aroun...
Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties seek sustained Indian push to realise spirit of Indo-Lanka Accord
Sri Lanka's Tamil political parties met India's Vice-President during his visit to Colombo in April 2026 and urged India to maintain sustained diplomatic pre...
South Korea President Lee says India summit could mark turning point in ties
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on April 20, 2026, for a state visit — the first by a South Korean president in eight years — and h...
India looks to South Korea for missile systems, defence tech as PM Modi meets President Lee
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung visited India on April 20–22, 2026 — the first presidential visit from South Korea in eight years — marking a significan...
India, South Korea working to double bilateral trade by 2030: Piyush Goyal
India and South Korea have announced a shared goal of doubling bilateral trade from approximately USD 27 billion to over USD 50 billion by 2030. Both sides h...
Maldives requests 3rd extension of $400 million loan, India in a fix
The Maldives has formally requested a third extension of the $400 million currency swap arrangement signed with India under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework...
War fears push UAE to discuss currency swap line, hint at yuan oil sales if dollars dry up: WSJ report
Senior UAE officials have quietly raised with trade partners — including the US Treasury and Federal Reserve — the possibility of shifting some oil sales to ...
US Opens Record Drills With Philippines as Iran War Rattles Allies
The 41st edition of Exercise Balikatan — the annual joint military exercise between the United States and the Philippines — commenced on April 20, 2026, as t...
U.K. calls for 'toll-free' Strait of Hormuz
The British Foreign Secretary held diplomatic talks with Iran's Foreign Minister, urging Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for global trade without impo...
India seeks preferential market access in US for domestic goods: Piyush Goyal
India's Commerce and Industry Ministry stated that the first tranche of the proposed India–US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) is "almost finalised," with neg...
West Asia crisis poses risks to India’s trade and macroeconomic stability: NITI Aayog report
A quarterly trade report by a government policy body has flagged that geopolitical tensions in West Asia pose multiple simultaneous risks to India's macroeco...
'From chips to ships': PM Modi hails India-South Korea ties; signs several MoUs
India and South Korea concluded a bilateral summit at Hyderabad House, New Delhi, formalising agreements across semiconductors, shipbuilding, defence manufac...