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India on March 25 continued to mount a coordinated political, diplomatic and administrative response to the escalating West Asia war, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stating he was “ pleased to meet US Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby ” and that they “exchanged views on the current geopolitical scenario,” even as the 18th India–US Defence Policy Group meeting in New Delhi saw both sides “review ongoing initiatives,” identify “priority areas for co-development & co-production of defence equipment,” and “reaffirm commitment to enhancing military-to-military cooperation through joint exercises, training visits & strategic exchanges,” signalling that defence coordination with Washington is also being sharpened alongside the unfolding conflict. A snapshot from U.S.-India Defense Policy Group; Via: USAmbIndia on X The engagement was reinforced at multiple levels, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri meeting Colby to discuss “advancing bilateral defenc...

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is engaged in active negotiations with Iran and has paused planned strikes on key Iranian energy infrastructure, even as he claimed American military operations have “decimated” Tehran’s capabilities, marking a sharp dual-track approach of coercion and diplomacy in the ongoing war.  Image Via: @WhiteHouse on X Speaking during a swearing-in ceremony for the new Homeland Security Secretary and later at a Memphis security roundtable, Trump said Washington had held “very good discussions” with Iran over the past two days and was delaying attacks on “major energy and electricity targets” to test the possibility of a broader agreement. In running remarks that underscored both escalation and restraint, Trump said the U.S. had been “going to have the privilege of shooting down a very big electric generation plant… and we held off based on the fact that we’re negotiating,” adding that “they want to make a deal so badly… we’re actuall...

India has moved to fortify its energy security architecture in the middle of a widening West Asia war, with the government notifying a sweeping new legal framework to accelerate natural gas infrastructure, streamline approvals and expand access to cleaner fuel across the country.  Representational Image Via: @Stat_Cult on X The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry issued the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act, bringing into immediate effect a time-bound, uniform system to lay, build and expand pipeline networks nationwide, while removing longstanding regulatory bottlenecks and access barriers that have slowed infrastructure rollout. The order introduces “time-bound approvals with deemed clearance provisions,” standardised charges, and a single harmonised framework to ensure “seamless access for authorised entities” to build pipelines across jurisdictions, explicitly targeting delays caused by land access disputes, fr...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 received a call from U.S. President Donald Trump as the West Asia war entered a critical phase, with both leaders holding what the government described as a “useful exchange of views” on the evolving conflict and its widening global impact, including energy disruptions and maritime insecurity.  Image of PM NaMo; Via: Sansad TV Screengrab Modi reiterated that “India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest,” while underlining that “ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world,” positioning New Delhi firmly on the side of stabilising global trade routes and energy flows even as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate and diverge over claims of negotiations and military posturing . Both sides agreed to remain in touch as diplomatic efforts continue, reflecting India’s active engagement at the highest level with key stakeholders in the...

United States  President Donald Trump has said that he would postpone threatened strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. He claimed “very good and productive conversations” were underway toward “a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East” but Iranian officials have publicly denied any negotiations and described the move as a retreat under pressure. File Photo Via: StandUpForTrmp In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said that “based on the tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, which will continue throughout the week,” he had “instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”  He later told reporters that Iran wants “to make a deal,” and claimed U.S. envoys, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had ...

Iran’s leadership signalled defiance on Sunday as tensions escalated across diplomatic, military and economic fronts, with President Masoud Pezeshkian declaring in a brief message that “we will bring the enemy to its knees,” while Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi pushed back against Western pressure over maritime security, stating that “the Strait of Hormuz is not closed” and that “ships hesitate because insurers fear the war of choice you initiated—not Iran,” adding that “freedom of navigation cannot exist without freedom of trade. Respect both—or expect neither.”  Netan y ah u  at at the arenas in Arad and Dimona; Via: Avi Ohayon, GPO, Official Channel The remarks come as the United States has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the Strait, warning of strikes on Iranian infrastructure, sharply raising the risk of further escalation. The statements have now triggered immediate international reactions , with Emmanuel Macron calling for restraint after speaki...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review the escalating impact of the West Asia conflict, directing a coordinated “whole-of-government” response to safeguard critical supplies, economic stability and citizen welfare.  A snap from the meeting of the CCS to review; Via: PM NaMo According to the official statement , the government conducted a comprehensive assessment across sectors including food, energy, fertilisers, shipping, trade and supply chains, with both immediate and long-term countermeasures discussed.  The Prime Minister ordered the creation of dedicated groups of ministers and secretaries, alongside sectoral task forces, to ensure continuity of essential supplies, prevent black-marketing and hoarding, and minimise disruption to citizens as the conflict continues to affect global markets. The meeting focused on ensuring availability of critical resources such as fuel, electricity...

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a direct warning to Iran , saying that if Tehran does not “fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours,” the United States “will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first.” The statement, posted publicly, marks one of the most explicit escalation threats yet tied directly to the security of the world’s most critical energy chokepoint . File Photo Via: BRICS Info The warning comes amid an intensifying war in West Asia , where maritime security, energy infrastructure and civilian supply chains have all come under strain. The Strait of Hormuz handles a significant share of global oil and LNG flows, and any disruption has immediate consequences for global energy markets, shipping routes and downstream economies, including major importers such as India. Trump’s latest threat follows a series of seemingly contradictory moves by Washington. Even as U.S. forces have carried out strikes targeti...

✍️ Written by Saket Suman Iran on Saturday allegedly launched missiles toward Diego Garcia, a remote island in the Indian Ocean that hosts a major U.K.–U.S. military base, in what Britain described as “reckless attacks,” though the strike was unsuccessful and it remains unclear how the missiles came close to the base located roughly 4,000 kilometers from Iran. Later an unnamed Iranian Official denied that Iran had fired those missiles bt this has opened the pandora's box for India, let's understand how. File Photo of Diego Garcia, a U.S.-UK base in the Indian Ocean; Via: E u ropa on X The incident came just as the United Kingdom has expanded permissions for the United States to use its bases, including Diego Garcia, for “ specific and limited defensive operations ” targeting Iranian missile capabilities linked to attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, even as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that British Prime Minist...