International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
Refiners in India, elsewhere in Asia look to buy Iranian oil after U.S. waives sanctions
Indian refining companies confirmed they will purchase Iranian crude oil following the US Treasury's 30-day sanctions waiver, with three major Indian refinin...
South Korea coordinates with Iran to normalise shipping route through Strait of Hormuz
South Korea entered active diplomatic consultations with Iran and other relevant nations to secure normalisation of shipping lanes through the Strait of Horm...
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli 'aggression' against Syria
Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian army camps in the southern Sweida province on March 20, 2026, targeting military infrastructure including headquarters a...
US eases sanctions on sale of Iranian oil in transit, as Iran conflict upends global energy markets
The US Treasury, led by Secretary Scott Bessent, issued a 30-day sanctions waiver on March 20, 2026, authorising the purchase of Iranian crude oil currently ...
Trump says US considering ‘winding down’ Iran ops, as US moves to ease global energy disruptions
US President Donald Trump stated on March 20, 2026 — Day 21 of the Iran war — that he was considering "winding down" military operations, citing proximity to...
The week in charts: Iran war impact, US Fed decision, HDFC Bank crisis
The US Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted 11-1 on March 18, 2026, to hold the benchmark federal funds rate steady at 3.5%–3.75%, ma...
Iran fired missiles at joint U.S.-U.K. base in Indian Ocean: report
Iran fired two ballistic missiles at the joint US-UK Naval Support Facility at Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), marking the first k...
How Trump's stated reasons, goals and timeline for Iran war have shifted
Throughout the 21 days of the US-Israel war on Iran (beginning February 28, 2026), the Trump administration's stated objectives, justifications, and expected...
Buying property in South Mumbai? Middle East conflict could make it costlier — here's how
The ongoing conflict involving US-Israel-Iran has triggered a cascade of cost increases in India's real estate sector, driven primarily by spiking oil prices...
India-China border trade via Lipulekh Pass to resume after six years
Border trade between India and China via Lipulekh Pass in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, is set to resume in 2026 after a six-year suspension. Trade was ...
India sends medical supplies to Afghanistan
India delivered a 2.5-ton consignment of emergency medicines, medical disposables, kits, and equipment to Afghanistan on March 20, 2026. The aid responds to ...
West Asia War Fallout: Premium petrol price raised Rs 2 a litre, bulk diesel up Rs 22
Oil marketing companies (OMCs) raised the price of premium petrol by approximately ₹2 per litre effective March 20, 2026, citing surging global crude oil pri...
Iran’s strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan could impact some of QatarEnergy’s LNG supplies to India
Iranian missile strikes caused extensive damage to Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar — the world's largest LNG export hub — cutting Qatar's LNG output capa...
Explained: US approves sanctions relief for Iranian oil amidst its war with Tehran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the administration may unsanction Iranian oil already at sea — approximately 140 million barrels (equivale...
Why US is weighing Kharg Island takeover — and why it is a major risk
The United States is weighing a ground invasion and occupation of Kharg Island — Iran's primary oil export terminal, which handles approximately 90% of Iran'...
Russia, China and the US – the global winners and losers of the Iran war
The Iran conflict that began February 28, 2026, has triggered a major realignment of global energy flows, with Russia emerging as the primary economic benefi...
As Iran war prolongs, Indian PMO asks Agriculture Ministry for measures to combat fertilizer, chemicals shortage
India's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has asked the Ministry of Agriculture to draw up contingency measures to address a potential fertilizer and agricultura...
Trump calls NATO ‘cowards’ over lack of support in Iran war
US President Donald Trump publicly denounced NATO as "COWARDS" and "A PAPER TIGER" without the US military, after NATO member states refused to heed his call...
WTO market access panel adopts outcome-tracking mechanism for trade concerns
The WTO's Committee on Market Access (CMA) adopted a new outcome-tracking mechanism on March 16–17, 2026, to record the resolution of specific trade concerns...
Sri Lanka president confirms IRIS Dena was denied permission to dock, US bid to land warplanes refused
Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake confirmed that his government denied docking permission to the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena and simultaneously re...