IndianRepublic.in

As the 80th United Nations General Assembly opened in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a warning to world leaders: global peace and progress are under siege, and the world is teetering between cooperation and collapse.  In his annual address, Guterres urged nations to choose law over lawlessness and solidarity over self-interest, declaring that the “pillars of peace and progress are buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality, and indifference.” Secretary-General António Guterres Against this backdrop of rising wars, deepening poverty, and intensifying climate disasters, Guterres issued one of his sharpest criticisms yet of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.  Without naming Israel directly, he described the devastation there as the worst he has witnessed in nearly nine years at the helm of the UN, stating bluntly that “nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”  He called for immediate implementation of the Int...

US President Donald Trump’s return to the United Nations General Assembly in New York was marked by a volatile mix of confrontation and contradiction, with the U.S. leader using the global platform to deride the institution’s role in international peacekeeping, issue warnings to Europe over immigration and climate policy, and tout what he called second-term foreign policy successes.  But in a private meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Trump reversed course and pledged full U.S. support to the same organization he had branded ineffective. Trump’s UN address was steeped in nationalist rhetoric and criticism of multilateralism. He accused the UN of issuing “empty words” in the face of global conflicts and warned that its failure to act was a key reason for continuing wars.  He particularly targeted European countries for what he called a “double-tailed monster” of immigration and green energy policies, predicting these would “destroy their heritage.” Among a st...

India and France convened the second meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy in New Delhi on September 22, 2025, reaffirming their strategic intent to advance cooperation in nuclear technology and related emerging sectors.  The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Both sides reviewed developments over the past year, assessing progress made through multiple consultations and technical engagements.  A key focus of the discussions was the continued collaboration on Small and Advanced Modular Reactors, in line with the Declaration of Intent signed between the two countries in February 2025.  The officials reiterated the importance of these technologies in supporting clean energy goals and agreed to maintain close coordination on technical and regulatory frameworks. In addition to civil nuclear cooperation, the Foreign Secretary and the Secr...

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York this morning on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly.  Jaishankar meets Rubio The two officials discussed a broad range of bilateral and global issues, with both sides underscoring the importance of sustained engagement to advance shared priorities. This makes Jaishankar’s crucial, publicly disclosed meeting with Rubio since his appointment earlier this year under the Trump administration.  While details of the conversation were not made public, the meeting comes amid shifting geopolitical alignments, growing Indo-Pacific coordination, and renewed urgency around multilateral reform.  In a post on social media, Jaishankar confirmed the engagement and said both sides would remain in touch. The interaction follows a series of high-level diplomatic engagements between India and the United States in recent months, as both governments work to consolidate cooperation ac...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States and its allies of dismantling the post–Cold War arms control framework, warning that the global system of strategic stability is in active deterioration.  File Photo: Russia in India Speaking at a high-level meeting of Russia’s Security Council in the Kremlin, Putin confirmed Moscow will conditionally maintain compliance with the central limits of the New START Treaty for one year beyond its expiration in February 2026 -- but only if the U.S. reciprocates. “Russia is prepared to continue adhering to the central quantitative limitations of the New START Treaty for one year after February 5, 2026,” Putin said. “This is a voluntary measure -- and it will only hold if the United States refrains from steps that undermine the current balance of deterrence.” The New START Treaty, signed in 2010, is the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.  Its scheduled expiry in ...

In a move aimed at deepening strategic ties in North Africa, India has opened a dedicated Defence Wing in Rabat and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Morocco to formalize and expand military cooperation. Image Source: Defence Minister Singh The agreement, signed by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Moroccan counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi, lays the foundation for a broad-based security partnership covering counter-terrorism, defence industry collaboration, joint training, cyber defence, peacekeeping, and maritime security. Key Strategic Shift The decision to establish a permanent defence presence in Morocco signals a calibrated shift in India’s West Africa and Mediterranean outreach.  It is the first such defence wing India has opened in the Maghreb region, reflecting New Delhi’s intent to forge long-term military and industrial linkages with Rabat. Focus Areas Under the MoU: Joint military exercises and officer training Defence industry collaborati...

India has sent sacred relics of Lord Buddha to Russia’s Kalmykia Republic for a landmark international exposition, in what officials call a historic gesture of cultural diplomacy and spiritual solidarity. This marks the first time the holy relics will be publicly enshrined in the only Buddhist-majority region in Europe. Image Source: Sputink India The sacred relics — bone fragments believed to belong to the Buddha, housed at the National Museum in New Delhi — were flown by special Indian Air Force aircraft and escorted by senior monks from India and abroad.  They will be displayed at the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery in Elista, Kalmykia’s capital, as the central attraction of the 3rd International Buddhist Forum , held from September 24 to 28 . The forum’s theme, “Buddhism in the New Millennium” , is expected to draw delegates from over 35 countries , making it one of the largest global Buddhist gatherings this year. The Indian delegation is led by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Ch...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched and inaugurated development projects worth over ₹5,100 crore in Arunachal Pradesh’s capital, Itanagar, calling the state a symbol of India’s rising frontier and a centre of patriotism long neglected by previous governments. Addressing a massive gathering, Modi invoked the Himalayas and local deity Donyi Polo, hailing Arunachal as a land of “valour and simplicity” that reflects the spirit of the nation. Image Source: PM NaMo He framed the visit as significant on three counts -- the inauguration of new development works, the rollout of GST rate reforms, and the occasion of Navratri. Among the key announcements were two major hydropower projects -- the Heo Hydro Electric Project (240 MW) and Tato-I Hydro Electric Project (186 MW) -- with a combined outlay of over ₹3,700 crore.  The PM also laid the foundation stone of a new Convention Centre in Tawang, situated at over 9,800 feet, and flagged off multiple connectivity and s...

Conflicting battlefield claims over Kupyansk have escalated into a war of narratives, as Russia asserted that its forces had broken into the eastern Ukrainian city, while Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that tough fighting continues within the city limits, with Ukrainian forces actively engaged in clearing operations. Image Source: GeromanAT on X Russian military channels claimed on Saturday that its troops had reached central Kupyansk, a city in Kharkiv Oblast less than 100 kilometres from the regional capital. Russian units reportedly advanced from the south, opening direct routes toward Volchansk and Chuhuiv.  Ukrainian authorities, however, categorically denied the reports. President Zelensky confirmed that combat was underway inside the city and described the operation as a controlled effort to eliminate Russian sabotage groups. “There are tough actions inside Kupyansk. Our forces are conducting a cleanup. We believe the Russians will be destroyed there,” Zele...