Author: Akancha Mishra

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker has arrived in India for an official visit aimed at advancing strategic cooperation across security, technology, and regional priorities. Her engagements include Foreign Office Consultations with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, where both sides are expected to review developments in the Indo-Pacific and assess progress in bilateral cooperation. The US Embassy in India said Hooker’s visit reflects Washington’s commitment to strengthening the partnership with New Delhi and supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific. The embassy noted that the discussions will help advance the administration’s priorities on national security, economic ties, and…

India’s growing prominence as a technological and strategic partner was a central theme this week in Washington, where top US lawmakers and experts warned that the global race for artificial intelligence is entering a decisive and highly contested phase. Their concerns focused on China’s accelerating push to embed AI across civilian, industrial, and military systems—an expansion they believe could reshape global power balances. During a Senate hearing on December 2, members of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy examined how China’s rapid AI progress intersects with geopolitics, defence innovation, and semiconductor access. While…

Indian-origin entrepreneurs made a commanding appearance on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2026, particularly in the newly introduced Artificial Intelligence category. As AI adoption accelerates worldwide, Forbes dedicated a separate segment to spotlight the young trailblazers shaping the next decade of machine intelligence. This year’s list features several rising founders of Indian origin whose companies are pushing the boundaries of automation, enterprise software, and data intelligence. Leading the group are Samir Dutta and Kunal Tangri, co-founders of Farsight, alongside their partner Noah Faro. The MIT-trained computer scientists are developing an AI platform capable of generating complex financial materials—such…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday presented a Russian edition of the Bhagavad Gita to visiting President Vladimir Putin, calling the sacred text a source of inspiration for millions across the world. Sharing a photograph on X, PM Modi wrote, “Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world.” The image shows both leaders holding the book as Modi hands it over during their meeting. The gesture highlights the cultural and spiritual resonance of the Gita, which has been translated into various global languages and continues…

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday stressed the need for India to significantly increase its exports to Russia in order to create a more balanced and diversified trade basket. Speaking at the India–Russia Business Forum in New Delhi, Goyal highlighted the growing economic potential between the two nations, even as bilateral trade edges toward the $70 billion mark. Goyal noted that despite the impressive growth in overall trade, the imbalance remains a concern, with Indian imports from Russia—driven largely by crude oil—far outweighing exports. “Bilateral trade between the two countries is reaching $70 billion, but we cannot rest.…

American fintech leader PayPal has entered into a strategic alliance with Kreative & Co, one of India’s top performance marketing agencies for D2C brands, under its Ecosystem Partnership Program. The collaboration aims to support Indian consumer brands in expanding internationally by leveraging PayPal’s global payment network, cross-border expertise, and trusted infrastructure. Through this partnership, Kreative & Co will guide high-potential D2C brands in accessing PayPal’s international transaction capabilities, ensuring market readiness, regulatory compliance, and frictionless acceptance of overseas payments. The initiative is designed to simplify and scale cross-border commerce for India’s rapidly growing brands. A PayPal representative expressed confidence in…

Elon Musk has opened up about the personal history of his partner, Shivon Zilis, revealing that she has Indian roots. The Tesla and SpaceX chief spoke about her background during a conversation with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, where he mentioned that Zilis is “half Indian” and was adopted as an infant before being raised in Canada. This rare insight into Zilis’ early life highlighted a part of her identity that has not often been discussed publicly. Musk and Zilis are parents to four children—twins Strider and Azure, daughter Arcadia, and son Seldon Lycurgus. While speaking on the podcast, Musk also…

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) continued its robust upward trajectory in November, reaffirming its position as the backbone of the country’s digital payments ecosystem. The platform processed a remarkable 20.47 billion transactions throughout the month, demonstrating sustained public trust and expanding digital financial activity. Although November saw a minor 1% dip compared to October, analysts attribute this soft decline to an unusually high transaction spike during the festival season rather than a decrease in consumer engagement. Despite the month-to-month variation, the average daily usage showcased strong stability. Both October and November recorded an impressive 682 million UPI transactions per day,…

India has formalized a significant set of defense agreements with the United States, valued at roughly $894 million, aimed at strengthening the long-term maintenance and operational support of the Indian Navy’s MH60R helicopter fleet. The Ministry of Defence announced the development on Friday, marking another step forward in the deepening military partnership between the two countries. The contracts cover a broad range of support services essential to ensuring the readiness and reliability of the multi-role MH60R helicopters, which play a key part in India’s maritime operations. These helicopters are used for surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and advanced naval missions, making sustained…

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to India on December 4–5 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday. The announcement ends months of anticipation and comes at a time when New Delhi and Moscow continue to strengthen their long-standing partnership despite shifting global alignments. According to the official statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formally invited President Putin for a state visit. The MEA noted that the two leaders will engage in high-level talks, while India’s President will host a ceremonial banquet in honor of the visiting head of state. The ministry emphasized…