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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to New Delhi with a gesture of personal diplomacy that underscored the strength of India-UAE ties. Marking the visiting leader’s third official trip to India since assuming office, the two-hour visit was characterised by high symbolism, strategic continuity, and growing cultural affinity. Image Source: PM NaMo Modi personally received the UAE President at the airport, a rare protocol reserved for a handful of India’s closest international partners.  Referring to Sheikh Mohamed as “my brother” on social media, the Prime Minister said the visit reflected the importance the UAE attaches to its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with India.  Images of the two leaders travelling together from the airport, exchanging greetings and sharing a private conversation, further underlined the close personal rapport between them. Following their arrival, Modi hosted Sheikh Mohamed and his...

India formally launched its BRICS 2026 Chairship in New Delhi on January 13, with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar unveiling the official logo, theme, and website.  Framed around the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” India’s tenure marks the 20th anniversary of the BRICS grouping and comes at a moment of expanding membership and heightened geopolitical complexity. EAM Jaishankar launched preparations for BRICS India 2026 The logo, which incorporates the national colors of all BRICS members and centers around the traditional "Namaste" gesture, was described as a symbol of unity, inclusivity and collaborative intent.  According to the External Affairs Minister, the design reflects India’s approach to blend tradition with modernity, while projecting BRICS as a forum of diverse but convergent interests. Unveiled alongside the logo, the BRICS 2026 website — brics2026.gov.in — will function as a central platform for information...

India and Germany significantly upgraded their strategic partnership this week with a wide-ranging bilateral engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, resulting in 27 outcomes across defence, energy, technology, education and migration.  This marked Merz’s first official visit to India and Asia since taking office, and came as both nations confront an unstable global order that has prompted a recalibration of partnerships rooted in democratic resilience and technological sovereignty. Sabarmati Ashram stands as a powerful reminder of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals. Via: PM NaMo Chancellor Merz’s choice to begin his Asia diplomacy with India was framed by both governments as a signal of trust and alignment, with Modi describing the visit as “a strong testament” to the relationship.  The two leaders met in Ahmedabad on January 12, where they jointly participated in symbolic events such as a visit to Sabarmati Ashram and the International Kite ...

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni projected a careful balance between major powers during her New Year’s press conference on 9 January 2026, positioning Italy as a pragmatic actor navigating intensifying US-Russia tensions.  While the US military action in Venezuela drew strong condemnation from much of the international community—including sharp statements from India and UN leadership—Meloni refrained from aligning unequivocally with Washington. Instead, she focused on protecting Italian national interests and reaffirmed a preference for multilateral diplomacy. Image Source: GreenpeaceItalia Responding to questions about the continued detention of Italian nationals in Venezuela, Meloni confirmed that her government had worked “daily” over the past 400 days using “political, diplomatic and intelligence channels.”  She welcomed the unilateral decision by Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez to release Biagio Pilieri and expressed “confidence” about further releases....

✍️ Written by Saket Suman In a development likely to intensify global scrutiny over energy trade during wartime, a new dataset analyzed by German NGO Urgewald reveals that European Union member states funneled an estimated €7.2 billion to Russia in 2025 alone through imports from the Yamal LNG project.  The findings, backed by Kpler shipping data and released today, show that 76.1% of Yamal LNG exports, roughly one in every seven ships docking at European LNG terminals, were destined for the EU. File Photo; via FNNG Alliance This revelation carries sharp geopolitical consequences. With the EU having committed to a full ban on Russian LNG by 2027, the 2025 data illustrates a contradiction between stated policy and actual practice.  Despite a reduction in overall volumes, the EU’s proportional dependence on Yamal gas has deepened, and it casts doubts on Europe’s enforcement of sanctions amid Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In an exclusive interview to IndianRepublic.in , ...

India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s ongoing visit to France and Luxembourg from January 4–9, 2026, comes at a time of significant global upheaval. US military action in Venezuela has intensified global debate over sovereignty, legality, and great power behavior.  Jaishankar’s engagements across Europe are positioned to firmly underline India’s commitment to a multipolar world order, strategic autonomy, and a rules-based international system rooted in the UN Charter. EAM Jaishankar with Prime Minister Luc Frieden of Luxembourg. Via: MEA In Paris, Jaishankar participated in the first-ever India–Weimar Triangle format—bringing together France, Germany, Poland, and India—marking a notable shift in European geopolitical outreach beyond the Atlantic alliance. The French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, emphasizing the urgency for “bridges between centers of stability,” made it clear that India's inclusion was deliberate and timely: France holds the G7 presidency, ...

The Indian National Congress, India's main Opposition party, has issued a sharp rebuke of the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela by calling it a violation of international norms and a threat to global stability.  In an official statement posted by the party’s Foreign Affairs Department, the Congress expressed "grave concern" over what it described as “unilateral actions” undertaken by the United States in the Latin American nation over the past 48 hours.  Image Source: Kharge on X The party emphasized that such actions “transgress the settled principles of international law” as established in the United Nations Charter and other international treaties. The statement stressed the importance of respecting national sovereignty and peaceful coexistence, warning that bypassing these principles without explicit United Nations sanction risked returning the world to “primordial rules of statecraft.”  It underscored that the will of the Venezuelan people must remain...

New Delhi has joined a growing international chorus urging restraint and diplomacy following the dramatic U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas this weekend.  In official statements issued over two consecutive days, India expressed "deep concern" over the developments and reaffirmed its support for the safety and well-being of the Venezuelan people, while advising Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to the country. Foreign Minister Jaishankar's file photo via MFA Russia The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued an official travel advisory on January 3 , urging Indians already in Venezuela to exercise extreme caution, limit movements, and remain in close contact with the Indian Embassy in Caracas. Emergency contact details, including a WhatsApp-enabled phone line, were provided for consular assistance. A follow-up press release on January 4 further underlined India’s call for al...

Australia has joined the growing list of nations responding to the United States’ military operation in Venezuela , in which President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured and flown out of the country.  In a measured statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the need for restraint, dialogue, and a commitment to democratic principles as the region grapples with the fallout of the sudden and unprecedented removal of Venezuela’s long-standing leader. Image Source: Anthony Albanese “The Australian Government is monitoring developments in Venezuela,” Albanese said via his official social media account. He called on all parties to avoid escalation and to support regional stability through diplomacy.  While not directly addressing the U.S. operation , the Prime Minister made clear that Australia maintains serious concerns about the situation in Venezuela, particularly the need to uphold human rights and democratic freedoms. Australia has not formall...

China has issued a strong condemnation of the United States following its large-scale military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture and removal of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.  Representational Image: MFA China Press deck In an official response released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing on January 3, a spokesperson called the U.S. action a blatant use of force against a sovereign nation and a serious breach of international law. The statement came in response to a direct question posed at a press briefing, referencing public claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump on the social platform Truth Social, where he described the operation as a “successful” mission involving a military strike and the extraction of Venezuela’s head of state. Beijing expressed “deep shock” over the development and described the actions of the U.S. as hegemonic, saying they not only violated Venezuela’s sovereignty but also posed a significant threat to pea...

The Russian Federation has issued a series of formal statements condemning the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela , in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were captured and transported to the United States.  Describing the action as “armed aggression,” Moscow demanded their immediate release and called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Sergey Lavrov’s telephone conversation with Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez. Via: MFA Russia In its first response, issued shortly after reports of Maduro’s capture on January 3 , the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the justifications provided by the United States for the raid lacked any factual basis. It characterized the action as a case of ideological hostility supplanting diplomacy and respect for sovereignty.  Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable. That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change...

A series of coordinated signals from global leaders offer a telling glimpse into the shifting diplomatic, ideological, and geopolitical tectonics shaping our world at the dawn of the new year. At the center of it all are themes that intersect national destiny with global anxieties—sovereignty, unity, history, and the contested promise of peace. Represntational: Old Persian carpet from Iran depicting the geopolitics of Europe; Via: VintageMapStore In China, President Xi Jinping’s New Year address struck a note of national confidence . Framing 2025 as the closing chapter of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi emphasized milestones in economic modernization , scientific breakthroughs, and technological innovation. From asteroid missions and AI advancements to the commissioning of a new aircraft carrier, his tone mirrored an assertive vision of self-reliance.  But this technological momentum was not detached from cultural revitalization. Xi wove in references to the popularity of Chin...