International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
MEA condemns attack on India-bound Thai ship, says innocent lives lost in conflict 'unacceptable'
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on March 11, 2026, condemned the attack on the Thai-flagged cargo vessel MV Mayuree Naree, which was transiting th...
Amid Strait of Hormuz closure, India’s Russian oil imports surge by 50%; could rise further if crisis persists
India's Russian crude oil imports surged to approximately 1.5 million barrels per day (mb/d) in March 2026, up roughly 50% from 1.04 mb/d in February, as Ind...
Two Indians killed, one missing in merchant vessels attack amid Israel-US Iran war: MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on March 11, 2026, that two Indian nationals were killed and one is missing following attacks on merchant ve...
Black rain in Tehran explained: How Israeli strikes triggered a toxic fallout
Israeli airstrikes targeted four major fuel storage depots and a distribution centre in Tehran, including facilities at Aghdasieh, Shahran, Karaj, and the Te...
Oil well explosion impact: What the 1991 Gulf War can teach us about today’s Iran crisis
Following Israeli strikes on Iranian oil depots and refineries, environmental scientists have drawn direct comparisons to the 1991 Gulf War, when Iraqi force...
Low strategic stockpiles pose risk to economy, says S&P Global
S&P Global warned that India's current strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) provide only approximately 9.5 days of import coverage — significantly below intern...
Iran says it will target U.S.-Israeli economic, banking interests in region
Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters — the unified combat command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — declared on March 11, 2026, that US and I...
West Asia crisis: Two drones fall in vicinity of Dubai airport
Two drones fell in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport, with at least one Indian national sustaining moderate injuries in the attack. The attack is p...
Iran's Hormuz control gives country leverage despite military struggles
Despite suffering significant military losses from US–Israel strikes since February 28, 2026 — including the killing of its Supreme Leader — Iran has retaine...
Jaishankar speaks with Iran, Russia, France, EU on West Asia crisis
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held telephonic conversations with the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, France, and the European Union's High Repre...
Prioritising LPG production in refineries helps boost output by 25%
Following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the West Asia conflict, India rerouted approximately 70% of its crude imports through alternat...
India to host global meet on women in agri-food systems from 12-14 March
India hosted the three-day Global Conference on Women in Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS–2026) from March 12–14, 2026, at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Hall, ICAR...
India displaces China as largest exporter of cotton products to US in 2025
India has displaced China to become the largest exporter of cotton products — including apparel, yarn, and home textiles — to the United States in 2025, acco...
India’s crude oil supply is secure, assures government
The Indian government assured Parliament that crude oil and petroleum product supplies remain secure despite the ongoing West Asia conflict, which has disrup...
FDI in rare earth magnets, advanced battery components from land border countries part of fast-track approval list
The Union Cabinet's March 10, 2026 amendment to Press Note 3 of 2020 specifically includes FDI proposals in rare earth permanent magnets, rare earth processi...
India-bound Thai-flagged cargo ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz
On March 11, 2026, a Thai-flagged bulk carrier, the MV Mayuree Naree (178 metres long, 30,000 tonne displacement), was attacked while transiting the Strait o...
India ready for ‘unprecedented demand for coal,’ says Coal ministry
Escalating conflict in West Asia — triggered by US and Israeli military strikes on Iran from February 28, 2026 — effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to c...
Iran war ‘stark reminder’ for conflict resolution framework anchored in South Asia—NSAB chairperson
With the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran military conflict in February 2026 — the largest energy supply disruption since the 1970s — analysts and policymakers have...
Indian OMCs, GAIL face narrower buffers from prolonged Iran shock: Fitch
Credit rating agency Fitch issued a warning that Indian oil marketing companies (OMCs) — IOC, BPCL, and HPCL — and gas transmission company GAIL face "narrow...
A supermajority for RSP leaves Nepal’s Parliament with weakest Opposition
Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP — National Independent Party) secured approximately 182 of 275 seats in the 2026 Nepalese general election, coming with...