Author: Senjuti Bhattacharya

India’s landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) — comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein — will officially come into force on October 1, 2025, Switzerland confirmed on Wednesday. This marks the first Indian trade pact to feature binding provisions on both trade and sustainable development. The agreement, formally signed on March 10, 2024, is structured to strengthen economic ties, expand market access, and provide stronger legal safeguards for businesses. Known as the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), it represents a significant step in India’s trade diplomacy. Under the terms of the deal, EFTA…

UC Santa Barbara computer scientist Arpit Gupta has been recognized by Google with two distinguished awards for his groundbreaking research on low-cost AI network models. His work seeks to make artificial intelligence infrastructure more affordable, scalable, and efficient, with the long-term goal of transforming how global networks are built and managed. Gupta received the Google Research Scholar Award, which supports promising early-career faculty, and the inaugural Google ML and Systems Junior Faculty Award, given to rising researchers who are redefining the intersection of machine learning and systems engineering. Together, these honors place him among the most innovative voices shaping the…

Indian astronaut and IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has offered an engaging look at life aboard the International Space Station (ISS) through a video he recorded himself. In the clip, Shukla highlighted the unusual process of eating and drinking in microgravity, stressing the need for careful handling of food to prevent floating spills. The video demonstrated how sipping coffee in space differs drastically from Earth, as liquids float in suspended blobs instead of pouring naturally. He emphasized patience while dining, sharing his motto, “Slow is Fast,” to remind viewers that rushing meals in space can easily cause accidents. One key…

India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue climbed to $21.1 billion in August 2025, reflecting a 6.5% year-on-year increase, according to official data released by the government. The surge is largely attributed to strong consumer spending ahead of the festive season, underscoring the economy’s resilience. Net GST revenue stood at $18.9 billion, recording a 10.7% growth compared to the same period last year. Both Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST) registered double-digit gains, supported by healthy collections in gross domestic revenue, which rose 9.6% to $15.5 billion. This performance has been seen as consistent with India’s recently reported Gross…

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have taken another significant step toward strengthening their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). On August 29, 2025, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, met with UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, to review progress under the agreement and chart out new areas of cooperation. Both leaders reaffirmed their ambitious goal of achieving $100 billion in non-oil, non-precious metals trade by 2030. Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in renewable energy, healthcare, digital infrastructure, and supply chain resilience, with emphasis on improving real-time data sharing to support bilateral trade…

American Systems, a well-known provider of mission-critical engineering and IT solutions for federal clients, has elevated Srinivas Rautwar to the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective August 25. Rautwar takes over from Brian Neely, who retired after an impressive tenure of more than 20 years shaping the company’s technological vision. In his new role, Rautwar will oversee the organization’s overall technology strategy, information security, and enterprise-wide IT management. As an employee-owned company, American Systems relies heavily on its leadership to drive innovation and maintain compliance with evolving federal requirements. Expressing his gratitude, Rautwar acknowledged the contributions of his predecessor…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday was seen sharing lighthearted and warm exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin. The three leaders exchanged handshakes, hugs, and laughter, creating a rare display of camaraderie among Asia’s top powers. Posting photographs of the moments on X, Modi wrote, “Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit.” In another post featuring his bilateral meeting with Putin, he remarked, “Always a delight to meet President Putin!” A video from…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed with full ceremonial honors in Tokyo on August 29, 2025, as Japan accorded him a Guard of Honour at the Prime Minister’s Office (Kantei). The reception, hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, signaled the start of Modi’s two-day visit for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. The ceremony reflected the deep-rooted respect and friendship the two nations have nurtured over decades, anchored in civilizational bonds and shared strategic interests. The leaders held extensive delegation-level discussions, reviewing the impressive progress made over the past decade in their Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Talks ranged across…

Clemson University has named Ramesh Jeganathan as the new chair of its Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences (FNPS), ushering in a fresh phase of leadership for one of the university’s most interdisciplinary and high-impact departments. Jeganathan joins Clemson from Auburn University, bringing over 25 years of academic and administrative experience. His prior roles include serving as the Bruno Endowed Professor of Nutrition, graduate program director, interim co-associate dean for research and graduate studies, and Southeastern Conference provost fellow. “I am honored to lead FNPS at Clemson,” Jeganathan said. “Clemson’s mission as a land-grant institution—merging education, research, and community…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled for a bilateral meeting on August 31 in Tianjin, China, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. This will mark the first in-person encounter between the two leaders in nearly a year, following a period of strained relations. The summit is being viewed as a crucial step toward restoring normalcy after tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which escalated following a fatal border clash in 2020. Their last summit in October of the previous year had seen India and China agree on initial de-escalation measures, paving the…