Author: Deepika chandrasekar

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday underscored India’s reliance on Germany to advance negotiations on a long-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union. His remarks came after a delegation-level meeting in New Delhi with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, marking Wadephul’s first official visit to India since Chancellor Friedrich Merz formed the new government. Jaishankar described the talks as “productive,” noting that discussions touched on regional and global issues alongside the central theme of trade. Stressing the importance of urgency, he said lowering tariffs and creating new avenues of economic cooperation would benefit both sides and contribute…

Hinduism, often described as the world’s oldest living faith, is more than a religion—it is a philosophy, a cultural framework, and a way of life. With its vast spectrum of traditions, myths, rituals, and spiritual practices, it can feel overwhelming to those trying to explore it. Thankfully, a range of timeless scriptures and modern works provide guidance. Here are eight books that offer meaningful entry points into Hinduism’s spiritual and cultural landscape. The Bhagavad Gita (translated by Eknath Easwaran / Swami Prabhavananda / others) This sacred dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna takes place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.…

As Washington imposes steep tariffs on Indian exports, Moscow is moving in the opposite direction—considering joint production of its advanced Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets in India. According to defence insiders, Russian officials are currently evaluating the scale of investment needed to manufacture these fifth-generation aircraft locally. The timing is striking. President Donald Trump’s administration recently announced a 25% tariff across multiple sectors and tacked on an additional 25% levy over India’s Russian crude imports, bringing duties to an effective 50%. Rather than discouraging cooperation, however, these moves appear to have accelerated defence discussions between New Delhi and Moscow. Hindustan Aeronautics…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, where he called on member nations to stand firm against terrorism. In his address, Modi highlighted the urgent need for coordinated global action and stressed that no country should maintain “double standards” when tackling terror. He thanked the member states for their solidarity after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 civilian lives. Modi further urged the SCO to ensure that nations supporting or enabling cross-border terrorism are held accountable. His stance was echoed in the joint declaration, as the bloc…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking at the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum in Tokyo, announced a major policy shift by opening India’s nuclear energy sector to private players. Describing this as a landmark decision, he said nuclear power will now follow defence and space in welcoming private participation. Highlighting India’s investment-friendly climate, Modi stressed that the country enjoys political stability, economic predictability, and policy transparency. “India is the fastest-growing major economy today, and soon it will become the world’s third-largest economy,” he said. He further underlined reforms such as simplified tax compliance, a unified digital approval system, and the rationalisation…

Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Mr. Shigeru Ishiba, has announced a plan to invest approximately US$ 68 billion in India over the next decade, aiming to strengthen economic and technological ties between the two nations. The proposal is expected to be highlighted during the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 29–30. This long-term investment will span eight priority sectors, including mobility, environmental technologies, healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductor manufacturing, while also supporting Indian startups and promoting collaborative technology initiatives. The move reflects Japan’s strategy to deepen its presence in India by leveraging its own…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Japan from August 29–30, 2025, marking his eighth trip to the country. During this visit, he will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to hold the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. “The summit will provide a platform to conduct a comprehensive review of bilateral relations, assess progress across multiple domains, and exchange perspectives on regional and global issues,” said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. He added that the leaders will also launch initiatives to enhance resilience in the partnership and seize emerging opportunities. The summit will focus on reviewing the Special Strategic and Global…

The recent visit of South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to India has given fresh momentum to bilateral cooperation as both nations celebrated 10 years of their Special Strategic Partnership. The discussions underscored collaboration in defense, technology, trade, and sustainability, with both sides eager to expand their engagement in a rapidly changing global environment. Foreign Minister Hyun met with India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, where both leaders highlighted the need for stable and secure trade routes across the region. The talks reflected shared concerns over growing trade barriers, fluctuating tariffs, and an overreliance on a limited number of…

The Surat Diamond Bourse, celebrated as the largest office complex in the world and even bigger than the Pentagon, was envisioned as a glittering symbol of India’s growing trade ambitions. Yet today, the sprawling complex lies mostly deserted, with only a handful of traders operating inside. The diamond industry, which exports around $28.5 billion worth of gems and jewellery annually, is grappling with one of its toughest periods in decades. Exports have fallen to a 20-year low due to weak demand from China, and higher tariffs under US President Donald Trump now threaten access to India’s biggest market, which accounts…

SpaceX, the aerospace firm led by billionaire Elon Musk, was forced to call off the much-anticipated 10th test flight of its massive Starship rocket late Sunday evening. The company cited a ground systems malfunction that emerged just minutes before liftoff. The launch was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas. But with just 17 minutes remaining in the countdown, the mission was postponed. “Standing down from today’s tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems,” the company confirmed in a post on X. Although no fresh launch date has…