Author: Senjuti Bhattacharya

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Mahishini Colonne, on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and lauded India’s extensive support to Sri Lanka during the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Describing PM Modi as “an important voice of the Global South” and a “highly respected leader,” Colonne highlighted India’s swift and multidimensional assistance during the crisis. Speaking to IANS, she said PM Modi is regarded in Sri Lanka as a dear friend who has consistently stood by the island nation during difficult times. Recalling India’s past support, the High Commissioner noted that PM Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka within…

India is steadily building a commercially grounded relationship with Africa that is large enough to matter while respecting the sovereignty and agency of African nations, according to a recent report. India–Africa trade currently ranges between $80 billion and $100 billion annually, with cumulative Indian investments approaching $75 billion, placing Africa among India’s most important economic partners. Rather than pursuing influence through scale or coercion, India’s engagement focuses on capacity-building and mutually beneficial economic cooperation. A key pillar of this partnership is development finance. India has extended nearly 200 concessional lines of credit across more than 40 African countries, supporting projects…

India and New Zealand have taken a significant step toward enhancing their economic partnership through a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), aimed at fostering employment, increasing incomes, and expanding trade opportunities for both nations. New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, highlighted the vast potential for his country to access India’s massive market of 1.4 billion consumers, which would simultaneously benefit Indian buyers through improved product variety, competitive pricing, and more efficient supply chains. The agreement is expected to reduce trade barriers across multiple sectors, including agriculture, dairy, food processing, education, and professional services. From India’s standpoint, the FTA aligns with broader…

When discussions turn to wealthy Indian-origin leaders in global technology, figures like Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai often dominate the conversation. However, recent rankings show that neither currently holds the top spot among Indian professional managers. According to the latest Hurun wealth rankings, that distinction now belongs to Jayshree Ullal, the CEO and chairperson of Arista Networks. Ullal’s estimated personal wealth stands at over $6 billion, placing her significantly ahead of other high-profile Indian-American executives. By comparison, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s net worth is estimated at around $1.2 billion, while Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s wealth is close to $700 million.…

India’s Ambassador-designate to Japan, Nagma Mallick, on Friday called on Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru in Tokyo, holding discussions on further advancing bilateral relations between the two countries. Sharing details of the meeting on X, the Indian Embassy in Japan said the discussions focused on strengthening India-Japan ties as a follow-up to the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi in Johannesburg. Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Takaichi met on November 23 on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, where they discussed ways to add momentum to bilateral cooperation in areas such…

California is set to recognize Diwali as an official state holiday in 2026, marking a historic move that will grant residents a day off to celebrate the Indian and South Asian Festival of Lights. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill in October, ensuring public schools, community colleges, and state employees can observe the holiday. The festival, which honors the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, will fall on Sunday, November 8, next year. Since it coincides with a weekend, the holiday will be observed on Monday, November 9. This development is especially significant for California, which is…

Indian Railways is set to achieve a major milestone with the development of its first High-Speed Test Track, expected to be completed by March 2026. The project, managed by the Research, Designs, and Standards Organisation (RDSO) under the North Western Railway (NWR), will be built between Gudha and Thathana Mithri in the Jodhpur division of Rajasthan. The initiative, estimated at around US$ 117 million (Rs. 967 crore), spans 64 km and is designed to accommodate train speeds of up to 220 kmph for rigorous testing. Once operational, the track will strengthen Indian Railways’ capabilities in evaluating safety, stability, and performance…

 India has inaugurated a new Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) in Los Angeles, operated by VFS Global, to improve access to essential services such as passports, visas, and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) for the local Indian diaspora. This facility, which became operational on December 15, 2025, increases the total number of VFS-operated Indian centres in the US to 17. The Los Angeles centre provides a wide range of consular services including passport and visa applications, renunciation of Indian citizenship, police clearance certificates, Global Entry Programme services, and document attestations. According to Amit Kumar Sharma, Head – Americas, VFS Global,…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor in January 2026, marking a major step in Assam’s effort to balance ecological preservation with infrastructure expansion. The project represents a long-term solution to protect wildlife while addressing increasing traffic movement through one of India’s most environmentally sensitive regions. State Agriculture Minister Atul Bora confirmed that the initiative gained strong momentum after the Prime Minister’s visit to Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage site, last year. During that visit, the region’s biodiversity reportedly left a strong impression, helping elevate the project’s priority at the national…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed two-time Olympic medallist and javelin champion Neeraj Chopra, along with his wife, Himani Mor, at his residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg on Tuesday. Sharing highlights of the meeting on social media, PM Modi mentioned that they discussed various topics, including sports, and described the interaction as “great.” Neeraj Chopra, a trailblazer in Indian athletics, became the first Indian to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field during the Tokyo 2020 Games. He maintained his top form by claiming gold at the World Athletics Championships in 2023 and a silver medal at the…