Author: Bhakti Narayanan

Global family offices are increasingly turning their attention to India as a long-term investment destination, driven by diaspora-led entrepreneurship, rapid technological innovation, and the country’s expanding role in the global economy, according to insights shared at a leading global wealth summit. India has emerged as a key focus area for wealthy investors seeking opportunities beyond traditional markets, particularly as Indian-origin entrepreneurs who built companies abroad begin channeling capital, expertise, and experience back into the country. Speaking after a recent global family office investment summit, the founder of the platform noted that what began in 2016 as a small gathering has…

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka to represent India at the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, conveying condolences on behalf of the Government and people of India. Soon after his arrival, Jaishankar met BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and handed over a personal condolence letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The External Affairs Minister expressed deep sorrow over Khaleda Zia’s passing and acknowledged her contributions to Bangladesh’s democratic journey and India-Bangladesh relations. In a message shared on social media, Jaishankar said he conveyed heartfelt condolences and expressed confidence that Khaleda Zia’s…

 India has approved the lease of two additional US General Atomics MQ-9 unmanned aircraft for the Indian Navy, marking a key enhancement of its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, sanctioned the move, which will strengthen monitoring along India’s borders and across the Indian Ocean region. This decision comes five years after India first leased two MQ-9 aircraft in 2020, which have proven critical for persistent surveillance and real-time intelligence support for maritime and border security operations. The new aircraft are expected to further enhance maritime domain awareness in…

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, led by Indian-American County Commissioner Neil Makhija, has unanimously approved its 2026 budget, marking the first bipartisan agreement in nearly a decade. The $1.2 billion spending plan targets key local priorities, including housing, public health, infrastructure, and workforce development, at a time when federal and state politics remain highly polarized. As Pennsylvania’s third-largest county, Montgomery is home to roughly 865,000 residents and plays a pivotal role in national elections as a swing region. The unanimous approval of the budget reflects rare cross-party collaboration and emphasizes data-driven planning tailored to the community’s pressing needs. Housing and homelessness initiatives have…

India’s merchandise exports have shown remarkable resilience in 2025 despite facing steep 50% tariffs imposed by the United States. Exporters have adapted by diversifying markets and products, ensuring that growth momentum is likely to continue into 2026. Experts highlight that India’s trade strategy has successfully navigated multiple global disruptions over recent years, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, shipping crises, and semiconductor shortages. From USD 276.5 billion in 2020, outbound shipments surged to USD 395.5 billion in 2021 and USD 453.3 billion in 2022. Although exports dipped to USD 389.5 billion in 2023, they recovered to USD…

 Virat Kohli continued his stellar form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as Delhi faced Gujarat in Round 2 of the tournament. Coming off a match-winning century against Andhra Pradesh in his first game, Kohli delivered another impressive innings, scoring 77 runs off 61 balls, featuring 13 fours and a six, before being dismissed by Vishal Jayswal. This innings propelled Kohli past a historic milestone, bringing his career List A total to 16,207 runs at an extraordinary average of 57.87. This achievement makes him the highest batting average holder in the history of List A cricket, narrowly surpassing Australian great Michael…

Recently declassified US diplomatic documents reveal that India played a pivotal role in shaping the structure and flexibility of the Paris climate agreement. Released by the National Security Archive on the agreement’s tenth anniversary, the records include internal US cables and negotiation notes from 2014 and 2015. Together, they show that American officials viewed India as essential to the success of any global climate deal, while also considering it one of the most challenging negotiating partners. According to the documents, US policymakers believed a credible climate framework could not exist without India’s participation. At the same time, Washington was intent…

A sweeping change to the US H-1B visa selection process has triggered fresh anxiety among Indian technology professionals and Indian American families, after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that future H-1B cap selections will be weighted based on wage levels rather than a random lottery alone. The final rule, published in the Federal Register, amends existing regulations to allow the selection of unique beneficiaries under the H-1B annual cap and advanced degree exemption in a weighted manner based on the wage level listed in each registration. For Indian nationals — who account for a significant share of H-1B…

Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday’s highly anticipated romantic drama Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri hit theaters on December 25, 2025, marking the final major Bollywood release of the year. Promoted as a vibrant and light-hearted rom-com, the film quickly became a topic of discussion online, with audiences sharing diverse opinions about the story and performances. While some viewers praised the film for its charm and entertainment value, describing it as “fresh, youthful, and wholesome,” others found it lacking, calling it “a romantic drama that never takes off” due to routine storytelling and awkward dialogues. Positive reactions highlighted…

 Indian-origin researchers Subhasish Mitra from Stanford University and Tathagata Srimani of Carnegie Mellon University have played a central role in creating the first monolithic 3D artificial intelligence chip fabricated in a US commercial foundry. Collaborating with teams from Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT, the duo demonstrated a design that significantly enhances AI system performance while reducing energy consumption. This achievement was recently presented at a major semiconductor conference and represents a milestone in AI hardware development. Subhasish Mitra, the William E. Ayer Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Stanford, has long been a leader…