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India has dismissed Nepal’s renewed claims over the Lipulekh Pass, reiterating that the Himalayan trade route lies within Indian territory and stressing that it remains open to dialogue with Kathmandu on agreed boundary issues. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday that Nepal’s assertions were “neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence.”  Image Source: Exploring Unseen on X The statement followed Kathmandu’s objection to India and China’s recent decision to reopen border trade through the high-altitude Lipulekh corridor during Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi. “Border trade between India and China through Lipulekh Pass commenced in 1954 and has been going on for decades.  This trade had been disrupted in recent years due to Covid and other developments, and both sides have now agreed to resume it,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters. “As regards territorial claims, our position remains that such claims ...

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Moscow this week for high-level engagements aimed at recalibrating India-Russia economic ties, as both nations navigate a shifting global order marked by Western sanctions, U.S. tariff pressures, and deepening energy interdependence. Image Source: MEA/FM on X At the heart of the talks was a growing imbalance in bilateral trade. India’s increased imports of discounted Russian crude -- which now account for around 44% of its oil supply -- have widened the trade deficit to an estimated $58.9 billion.  Addressing the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) alongside Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Jaishankar described the gap as a “serious concern” requiring urgent solutions. “We need to address this imbalance by diversifying trade, removing bottlenecks, and finalising the India–Eurasian Economic Union free trade agreeme...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday received a telephone call from Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the resilience of India–Russia ties at a time of shifting geopolitical alignments and heightened economic pressure from Washington. According to an official statement, Putin briefed Modi on his recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, where the two leaders held what Moscow described as “frank and useful” exchanges. Image Source: MFA_Russia Modi, in response, reiterated India’s long-standing position that conflicts must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue, a formulation New Delhi has consistently used in reference to both the war in Ukraine and wider tensions between Russia and the West. “Prime Minister underlined India’s consistent position for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue. He reiterated that India supports all efforts in this regard,” the Ministry of External Affairs said. The conversation also t...

India and China sought to steady their fraught relationship on Monday as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi, in a meeting that both sides pitched as an attempt to turn the page from confrontation to cautious cooperation. At the outset, Jaishankar underscored the principle that “differences must not become disputes,” pointedly noting that peace along the border remained the foundation for any forward movement in ties.  Image Source: FM/MEA “This is very important because the basis for any positive momentum in our ties is the ability to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” he said, referring to the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC), where the two militaries clashed in June 2020 in the Galwan Valley. The minister stressed that the process of disengagement and de-escalation “must move forward,” linking stability at the frontier with broader bilateral cooperation.  He also flagged counterterror...

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said tourism connects nations more than diplomacy; urged industry leaders to see their work as part of India’s global outreach; highlighted heritage and wellness initiatives as drivers of international interest; and pointed to infrastructure growth, government schemes, and India’s G20 Presidency as catalysts for the sector’s expansion. Image Source: FM on X Addressing the FAITH Conclave 2025, Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had placed “Tourism, Trade and Technology” at the heart of assessing foreign relations, and that promoting tourism was an ongoing priority in the government’s engagement with the diaspora and international partners. He cited the inclusion of the Maratha military landscapes and Moidams of Assam on the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with earlier recognitions such as Shantiniketan, Jaipur City and Dholavira, and intangible cultural heritage listings including Garba, Durga Puja and Kumbh Mela. These, h...

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on August 21 , according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, as reported by Reuters and cited by trusted Indian news and media platforms.  The meeting adds to a series of high-level diplomatic exchanges between New Delhi and Moscow amid increasing U.S. trade pressure. Image Source: MFA Russia The two nations have stated their strategic partnership in recent weeks, following an escalation in trade tensions with Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports earlier this month, increasing the total rate to 50% , citing India’s continued import of Russian crude oil. On August 7, India's  National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow , a day after the latest U.S. tariff announcement. The Kremlin released footage of the meeting, showing a formal handshake, though no details of their discuss...

"Now Israel is parking genocidal psychopaths in India also."  That is how one social media user reacted to Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar’s direct comment on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s statement on Gaza.  Image Source: INC India Gandhi, in a post on X, had accused Israel of committing genocide, citing figures of more than 60,000 killed, including over 18,000 children, and alleging starvation tactics against civilians. She criticised the Indian government’s silence on the issue.  Ambassador Azar quote-posted her remarks, calling them “deceit” and “shameful.” He asserted that Israel had killed “25,000 Hamas terrorists,” accused Hamas of using civilians as shields, and dismissed the casualty figures she cited. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, to which both India and Israel are signatories, states that diplomats have a duty “not to interfere in the internal affairs” of the host state.  While the treaty does not define interferen...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held an extended phone conversation on Monday, reviewing bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to an official release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB). The call, described by Zelenskyy as a “lengthy conversation,” touched on recent developments in the conflict, with the Ukrainian leader briefing PM Modi on Russian military strikes, including the shelling of a bus station in Zaporizhzhia a day earlier that left dozens injured.  Image Source: Depin Bhatt on X “A deliberate strike by Russian bombs on ordinary urban buildings,” Zelenskyy said on social media, calling it further evidence that Moscow seeks to prolong “occupation and killings” despite emerging diplomatic openings. PIB’s statement said President Zelenskyy “shared his views on the recent developments related to Ukraine” and that PM Modi “reaffirmed India’s steadfast and consistent position f...

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday issued a sharp rebuttal to inflammatory remarks reportedly made by Pakistan’s de facto military ruler, General Asim Munir, during his ongoing visit to the United States. The statement, released on August 11, called nuclear sabre-rattling “Pakistan’s stock-in-trade” and said the comments reinforced “well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.” Image Source: MEA/FM on X The MEA said:  “It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country. India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security.” Munir’s Threats in Florida As reported by The Times of India ’s Washington correspondent Chidanand Rajghatta, Munir, speaking at an event in Tampa, Florida, warned:  “We will wait for I...

The Indian Ministry of Defence on Friday rejected a Reuters report claiming that New Delhi had paused talks on major defence purchases from the United States, calling the report “false and fabricated.” In a statement, ministry officials said procurement cases “are being progressed as per the extant procedures.” An earlier version of this story cited the Reuters report; the reference was inadvertent and is deeply regretted. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a detailed phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, reaffirming the India–Russia “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” just days after U.S. President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50% over New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases. The call came as tariff tensions between Washington and New Delhi intensified, with the Trump administration accusing India of “undermining U.S. foreign policy” by continuing energy imports from Russia.  Image Source: Russia News on X According to ...

The world is watching with bated breath the turmoil that U.S. President Donald Tump has unleashed in the name of "Make America Great Again", the geopolitical realignments are shifting every day.  The three capital cities, Washington, Moscow, and New Delhi, are currently scripting what might be the most significant geopolitical realignment since the end of the Cold War.  Representational Image Source: Alex Jewel on X With Trump’s tariff war escalating, Putin tightening BRICS ties, and India holding the middle ground with strategic resolve, we are witnessing the dawn of a new multipolar world. Real Talks or Tactical Delay? Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent three-hour meeting with Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, has stirred speculation of a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin, possibly followed by a trilateral summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Putin has cast doubt over any such three-way sit-down. “I have nothing against it... but t...

In a direct response to rising economic pressure from the United States, India and Brazil today once again stated their strategic alignment through a high-level phone call between their leaders, discussing the next phase of BRICS coordination, bilateral trade expansion, and multilateral economic stability.  The conversation follows a dramatic escalation in Washington’s tariff regime, with both India and Brazil now facing steep U.S. duties and political pressure over their respective engagements with Russia. Image Source: PM NaMo on X The leaders, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,  reviewed outcomes from the Indian prime minister’s state visit to Brazil last month and confirmed a reciprocal visit by the Brazilian president to India in early 2026.  Ahead of that, Brazil’s vice president will lead a senior delegation to India in October for a Trade Monitoring Mechanism dialogue, expected to focus on defense, energy, d...

India has officially responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports, taking the total tariff burden to 50%, in retaliation for India's continued import of Russian crude oil.  The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, condemning the U.S. move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.” Image Source: PM NaMo on X The U.S. action came through an Executive Order signed by President Trump on August 6, which explicitly named India as a direct or indirect importer of Russian Federation oil.  The White House order cited India's crude procurement as contributing to what Trump called an “extraordinary threat to U.S. national security,” linking New Delhi’s energy strategy to Russia’s war in Ukraine. In its rebuttal, India dismissed the rationale behind the tariffs. “Our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy securi...

A wave of hardening rhetoric and punitive economic measures from Washington has triggered growing resistance across BRICS nations, as Brazil, India, and Russia face what officials describe as “targeted pressure” from the United States under President Donald Trump . On Tuesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated flatly that he would not be calling Trump to discuss escalating trade tensions. “I will not call Trump because he does not want to talk,” Lula told reporters, amid a fresh 50% tariff hike on Brazilian imports by the US . Image Source: PM NaMo on X The standoff follows Washington’s controversial decision to sanction Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes under the Global Magnitsky Act.  The U.S. Treasury accuses de Moraes of leading “politicised prosecutions” against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces coup-related charges. Brazil rejected the move as “foreign interference” and reaffirmed the independence of its judiciary. In pa...

Amid rising geopolitical and trade tensions, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday dismissed viral social media posts suggesting that India is considering a suspension or review of bilateral agreements with the United States.  Terming them "disinformation", the MEA posted a formal fact-check tagging handles that had circulated the claims and categorically stated: “Disinformation being spread on X.” Image Source: MEA/FM on X The clarification comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump declared a new 25% tariff on Indian goods and threatened further penalties over India’s continued purchase of Russian crude and arms.  These remarks added another layer to what is already a simmering trade rift between New Delhi and Washington.  POTUS Trump, who previously referred to India as a "tariff king," has now gone further, describing the Indian economy as "dead" and criticising New Delhi’s BRICS involvement. Notably, Trump’s return to office...

In what is being viewed by experts and analysts as a significant push to deepen South-South cooperation and fast-track Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Government of India launched the first tranche of projects under the India UN Global Capacity Building Initiative on August 1, 2025.  Image Source: India at UN Spearheaded by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the initiative was formally unveiled in New Delhi by Secretary (West), Shri Tanmaya Lal, in the presence of the UN Resident Coordinator in India, Mr. Shombi Sharp, Heads of Missions of participating countries, senior UN agency representatives, and key MEA officials. The initiative represents a strategic convergence between India’s decades-long development training legacy and multilateral cooperation frameworks.  It builds upon India’s globally acclaimed Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, which has supported capacity building in over 160 countries since its inception.  As of 20...