Author: Shradhanjali Mukherjee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on January 23 to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for a series of major development initiatives. During his visit, the Prime Minister will also address a public gathering, highlighting the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, technological progress, and improved citizen services. A key focus of the visit is enhancing rail connectivity in the region. PM Modi will flag off four new train services, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting Nagercoil-Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram, and Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli, alongside a passenger service between Thrissur and Guruvayur. These routes are expected to improve connectivity with…

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Wednesday to discuss enhancing bilateral ties across trade, investment, defence, technology, and education, along with strengthening people-to-people connections. Jaishankar expressed appreciation for Spain’s support in deepening India-EU relations and welcomed Spain’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. In a statement on X, EAM Jaishankar highlighted that discussions covered “wide-ranging topics, including trade, investments, defence, technology, education, and people-to-people ties” while reaffirming the “strong political dialogue” between the two countries. He also noted Spain’s backing for broader India-EU cooperation across multiple sectors. Jaishankar underscored the importance of…

Governor Gavin Newsom has named Manjusha P. Kulkarni to the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, according to an official announcement on January 16. The position is honorary, carrying no compensation and not requiring Senate confirmation. Kulkarni, a prominent civil rights advocate, currently serves as Executive Director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, a coalition representing over 1.6 million Asian American and Pacific Islander residents in Los Angeles County. She is also a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, established in 2020, which has grown into the nation’s leading reporting center for anti-AAPI discrimination and incidents. Her advocacy has…

The European Union’s top leadership will visit India as chief guests for the 77th Republic Day, coinciding with the much-anticipated India-EU summit. The visit comes as both Delhi and Brussels confirm that negotiations on a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) are nearing completion, with most chapters finalized and only a few remaining areas of discussion. Originally launched in 2007 and relaunched in 2022, EU-India trade talks were accelerated in February 2025 during European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit. The planned agreement aims to strengthen trade while also elevating the long-standing strategic partnership first formalized in 2004. The summit will…

India has become the world’s second-largest 5G market, now serving over 400 million subscribers, trailing only China, Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed. Since the nationwide launch of 5G networks in 2022, coverage has expanded to nearly 99.6% of districts, reaching approximately 85% of the population. This achievement has been supported by the installation of around 469,000 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), making India one of the fastest-growing 5G markets globally. Minister Scindia highlighted that roughly 250 million people have already adopted 5G services, reflecting a rapid transformation of India’s mobile ecosystem. The widespread adoption is not limited to…

On January 15, Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar introduced the Abolish ICE Act in the U.S. Congress, advocating for the complete elimination of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Thanedar, who is of Indian origin, criticized ICE for prioritizing aggressive enforcement over due process since its inception in 2003. “Since its creation, ICE has emphasized enforcement and intimidation rather than protecting citizens’ rights,” Thanedar remarked, highlighting what he described as ongoing terrorization of Americans. The lawmaker explained that this bill builds on his previous initiatives to hold ICE officers accountable, including last year’s legislation aimed at ending qualified immunity for ICE personnel.…

Sergio Gor, the newly appointed US Ambassador to India, visited the US Consulate in Mumbai on Friday, marking his first official trip to the city. Gor shared his excitement on X, highlighting the efforts of his team to enhance the US-India partnership. His arrival comes shortly after presenting his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 14. In his remarks, Gor expressed gratitude to former President Donald Trump for his trust and emphasized his commitment to advancing the US-India partnership across security, trade, energy, and technology sectors. He underscored the importance of India as a strategic partner,…

India and the League of Arab States reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral engagement during a high-level meeting held in Cairo. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh met Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit to review cooperation across political, economic, and cultural sectors. The discussions highlighted the broad scope of India’s engagement with the Arab League and emphasized shared interests in expanding collaboration. Both sides welcomed the upcoming second India–Arab Foreign Ministerial Meeting, scheduled to take place in New Delhi later this month, viewing it as an important platform to advance dialogue and partnership. Following the…

Global spending on artificial intelligence is projected to reach $2.52 trillion in 2026, marking a sharp 44 per cent year-on-year increase, according to a new report released on Thursday. The report highlights that AI adoption is increasingly being shaped by organisational readiness and human capital maturity, rather than investment size alone. According to Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst John-David Lovelock, enterprises with greater experiential maturity are now prioritising proven business outcomes over speculative AI potential. A significant portion of the projected growth will be driven by foundational AI investments. Spending on AI-optimised servers alone is expected to rise by 49 per…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the Pongal festival in New Delhi by joining a vibrant celebration hosted at the residence of Union Minister L Murugan. The gathering brought together members of the Tamil community, senior government officials, and well-known personalities from the cultural and film fraternity. During the event, the prime minister described Pongal as more than a regional harvest festival, calling it a global celebration that reflects the values of one of the world’s oldest living civilizations. In his address, Modi underlined that Pongal is deeply connected to agriculture and honours the dedication of farmers whose labour sustains society.…