Author: Akancha Mishra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday drew a powerful civilisational parallel between India and Ethiopia, noting that both nations revere their land as a mother, as reflected in India’s national song Vande Mataram and Ethiopia’s national anthem, March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia. Addressing a Joint Session of Ethiopia’s Parliament in Addis Ababa, the Prime Minister said that this shared symbolism highlights the deep emotional and cultural connection both societies have with their motherland. He linked this sentiment to India’s guiding philosophy of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas,” emphasising collective growth, trust and shared responsibility. PM Modi said…

Murali Haran, a distinguished statistics professor at Penn State’s Eberly College of Science, has been appointed editor-in-chief of the Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics (JABES) for a three-year term starting in 2026. JABES is jointly published by the American Statistical Association—the world’s largest professional organization for statisticians—and the International Biometric Society, which promotes statistical and mathematical research in the biosciences. JABES focuses on introducing innovative statistical approaches to tackle complex challenges in agriculture, biology, and environmental science. The journal maintains a truly global reach, both in authorship and readership, with past editors-in-chief representing five continents. Haran expressed his…

India witnessed its fastest export growth in over three years in November, with shipments rising 19.4% year-on-year to $38.1 billion, powered by strong demand from the US and China. At the same time, imports declined 2% to $62.7 billion, narrowing the trade deficit to $24.6 billion—the lowest since June. Exports to the US surged 22.6% to $7 billion despite the imposition of 50% additional tariffs, while exports to China skyrocketed 90% to $2.2 billion, making China India’s third-largest export destination for the month, surpassing the Netherlands in November, though the European nation retained a marginal lead over April–November. Commerce Secretary…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jordan has given fresh momentum to India-Jordan relations with the signing of five key Memoranda of Understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors. The agreements cover renewable energy, water resource management, cultural exchange, digital solutions and heritage cooperation through twinning between Petra and Ellora. During high-level talks with King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Modi reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral engagement, including trade and investment, defence and security, renewable energy, fertilisers and agriculture, digital technologies, critical minerals, healthcare, education, tourism and people-to-people ties. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in areas…

 Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi called on Indian Americans to actively confront growing prejudice and bigotry by speaking up, building coalitions, and deepening political engagement. Speaking at the India Abroad® Dialogue in Chicago, he warned that silence could leave the community vulnerable as anti-Indian sentiment rises and political violence escalates. Krishnamoorthi shared personal experiences with hate speech, including a Florida official’s call for his deportation, which he countered with composure and defiance. He outlined three key strategies for the community: first, to speak up against bigotry and prejudice; second, to show solidarity by defending others facing discrimination; and third, to ensure active…

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to co-chair the 16th India-UAE Joint Commission and the 5th India-UAE Strategic Dialogue in Abu Dhabi alongside UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The high-level engagement follows Jaishankar’s participation in the Sir Bani Yas Forum, reflecting the growing strategic depth of ties between the two nations. Following his engagements in the United Arab Emirates, Jaishankar will travel to Israel for bilateral consultations with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The visit underscores India’s sustained diplomatic engagement in West Asia amid evolving regional dynamics. Ahead of his visit,…

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has signaled optimism over the ongoing India-US trade discussions, stating that a deal is meaningful only when both nations benefit. His comments come after a U.S. Trade Representative official described India’s proposals as the “best ever” during recent negotiations. While Goyal did not provide a timeline for the finalization of the bilateral trade agreement, he noted that if the United States is satisfied with India’s offerings, the agreement should be formalized without delay. Goyal was responding to remarks by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who praised India’s proposals as unprecedented. “Their satisfaction is very…

India and the United States have made substantial progress in settling long-standing trade disagreements, and officials now believe a long-awaited bilateral trade pact could finally be sealed by March. Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran said the overall outlook for FY27 remains positive and noted that the Indian rupee continues to trade below its true value when compared with economic fundamentals. Speaking with Bloomberg Television’s Haslinda Amin, Nageswaran said he would be genuinely surprised if the long-pursued agreement with Washington does not come together by the close of the financial year. He admitted he initially expected the deal to be…

India and Brazil have intensified their defence partnership as Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi held high-level meetings in Brasília with Chief Advisor to the Brazilian President Celso Amorim and Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro to explore deeper collaboration across the defence industry and capacity-building sectors. The discussions provided a comprehensive review of the expanding bilateral defence engagement, with both sides focusing on strengthening operational cooperation, enhancing training exchanges, improving maritime security mechanisms, and advancing joint efforts in maritime domain awareness. The two countries also examined opportunities for long-term interoperability and co-development initiatives within the defence industry. The…

Karnataka cadre IAS officer Darpan Jain has been selected as India’s new chief negotiator for the upcoming trade discussions with the United States. A member of the 2001 batch, Jain currently serves as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and has been deeply involved in India’s trade engagements with several countries over the years. He will represent India during the talks scheduled for December 10 and 11, where both sides aim to accelerate work on the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). The negotiations will cover a broad range of trade issues, with tariffs expected to be one of…