Author: Deepika chandrasekar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India and Belgium are entering a new phase of strategic cooperation, with defense and security emerging as major pillars of the growing relationship between the two countries. Speaking alongside Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever after their discussions in New Delhi on Thursday, Modi announced that India and Belgium had agreed to increase military exchanges and expand cooperation in defense training. The two nations also expect agreements involving governments and defense industries to create fresh opportunities for jointly developing and producing defense equipment. Modi said intelligence cooperation and coordination between agencies to combat crime would…

India and the United States are seeking to expand cooperation on critical minerals and strengthen supply chains as both countries work to broaden their economic and financial partnership. The issue was discussed during a meeting between Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. The two officials examined ways to improve cooperation on strategically important minerals while also discussing the wider economic relationship between New Delhi and Washington. According to India’s Finance Ministry, both sides acknowledged the long-standing partnership between…

The Indian American Public Affairs Council brought together community members, civic leaders, professionals, and public officials in Houston for an evening dedicated to celebrating women whose leadership, perseverance, and service have made a meaningful difference. The WE@IAPAC Women Who Inspire gathering attracted a full audience at Raindrop Turkish House and focused on the personal stories behind remarkable professional achievements. Led by IAPAC Board Members Ruchi Gupta and Jagruti Sarkar, the event recognized women whose contributions have helped strengthen communities and inspire future generations. The program also highlighted IAPAC’s broader commitment to civic participation and leadership, particularly as the United States…

New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has selected Etsy Chief Executive Officer Kruti Patel Goyal to serve on a newly established Business Advisory Council that will provide guidance to City Hall on the city’s economic priorities and future growth. Goyal is among 15 prominent business leaders chosen for the council, which brings together executives from a wide range of industries, including finance, technology, real estate, sports, entertainment, retail, food and health care. The initiative is designed to give New York City’s business community a stronger role in discussions surrounding the city’s economic direction and opportunities for long-term growth. The…

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Japan has given fresh momentum to efforts to strengthen trade, investment, technology and industrial cooperation between India and Japan. Goyal concluded his official visit after a series of high-level engagements in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, where he met senior Japanese government officials, financial institutions and business leaders to accelerate Japanese investment in India and expand bilateral economic cooperation. The minister held discussions with executives and leadership from more than 30 major Japanese companies and financial institutions with significant or growing interests in India. The engagements focused on expanding investment, strengthening resilient supply…

Career diplomat Satish Kumar Sivan has assumed charge as the new Consul General of India in San Francisco, succeeding Dr. K. Srikar Reddy, who has taken up a new assignment as India’s Ambassador to Qatar. Sivan brings nearly two decades of diplomatic experience to the position, having served in several important assignments within the Ministry of External Affairs and at Indian diplomatic missions abroad. Before his appointment in San Francisco, Sivan served as Consul General of India in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, where he worked closely with the Indian diaspora and the UAE government on matters related to business,…

Sikh American leader Jasdip Singh Jassee has welcomed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s visit to the United States, describing it as a potential opportunity for direct communication on concerns affecting Sikh and other minority communities. Jassee said Bhagwat’s current US engagements have attracted significant attention because of their scale and visibility. He noted that the RSS chief’s planned interactions with members of the Indian American community represent an unusually prominent appearance in the country and could provide an important platform for broader discussions. According to Jassee, Bhagwat’s visit also highlights the importance of freedom of expression in the United States. He…

Singer Sonu Nigam has recalled how his early career recording advertising jingles helped him become familiar with several Indian languages and shaped his multilingual singing journey. Before moving to Mumbai, Sonu Nigam was based in Delhi, where he worked extensively as a jingle singer. He recalled recording as many as 16 to 17 jingles a day, often in different voices and languages. The experience gave him an opportunity to become familiar with India’s diverse linguistic landscape at a very young age. His early work exposed him to languages including Kashmiri, Haryanavi, Rajasthani, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Manipuri and Assamese. Over the…

India and Morocco are looking to give their economic partnership fresh momentum after concluding the seventh session of their Joint Commission Meeting. The two countries have agreed to pursue practical measures aimed at opening up greater market opportunities, broadening the range of products traded between them, and encouraging stronger investment flows. The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada and Morocco’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Omar Hejira. The two officials signed the agreed minutes following discussions covering a wide range of economic and commercial priorities. Prasada described the meeting as an…

India’s next phase of digital growth could increasingly come from small businesses, farmers and workers outside the country’s largest urban centers, according to Google India Managing Director Preeti Lobana. Speaking at the ET World Leaders Forum 2026, Lobana highlighted the importance of ensuring that artificial intelligence becomes accessible to a much broader section of India’s economy. As India works toward its goal of building a $1 trillion digital economy, Lobana emphasized that growth cannot remain concentrated among large corporations or a relatively small number of technology users. Businesses and communities in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, as well as rural regions,…