International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
India’s Russian crude imports approach pre-Trump sanction levels amid Hormuz disruptions & US ‘waiver’
India's Russian crude oil imports have surged sharply in March 2026, approaching and potentially exceeding volumes seen before the Trump administration impos...
Germany, Japan to unblock oil reserves as G-7 stands ‘ready’ to act
Germany and Japan announced they would release oil from their strategic petroleum reserves as part of a coordinated G7 and International Energy Agency (IEA) ...
Govt says crude supply stable as 70% coming from routes outside Hormuz, helpline up for Indians in Gulf
Following the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz (in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Iran), the Indian government convened an inter-ministerial b...
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba hurt in strike that killed his father: report
Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader since 1989, was killed on February 28, 2026, in a joint US-Israeli airstrike in Tehran, triggering Iran's first leadershi...
India fast-tracks Chinese investment approvals in key sectors
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved significant changes to India's FDI policy on March 10, 2026, amending the framework established un...
‘No need to panic’, Oil Ministry says government measures led to 25% rise in LPG production
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued an LPG Control Order on March 8, 2026, directing all Indian refineries to maximize LPG yields by channelling...
Energy shock widens: Sugar, food markets feel strain; IEA weighs record reserve release
The escalating conflict around the Strait of Hormuz has triggered an energy shock that has spread beyond oil and gas to affect global sugar, food, and agricu...
Fitch: Indian OMCs, GAIL may face cash-flow pressure amid Iran tensions and oil price rise
Fitch Ratings warned that Indian oil marketing companies (OMCs) — HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation), IOC (Indian Oil Corporation), and BPCL (Bharat Petr...
China is set to unveil its 15th Five-Year Plan — what’s in it for climate?
China is preparing to unveil its 15th Five-Year Plan (FYP) covering 2026–2030, with significant implications for global climate policy and the energy transit...
28 Indian vessels with 778 seafarers onboard stuck in Persian Gulf: Official
As many as 28 Indian-flagged vessels carrying 778 Indian seafarers were stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the escalating West Asia conflict. Of these, 24 v...
No need for panic booking, enough LPG supplies to meet household needs: Govt
The government issued a formal assurance that India has adequate LPG stocks to meet all household cooking gas requirements following a surge in panic booking...
India will stem the flood of Chinese imports with China's own money
India's revised Press Note 3 (PN3) FDI policy has been described as a strategic attempt to convert Chinese capital from a source of import competition into a...
No need for panic, normal delivery cycle of 2.5 days maintained: Oil Ministry on LPG bookings
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that there is no need for panic booking of LPG cylinders, with the normal delivery cycle of two-and-a-half d...
Iran-Israel war: Every 10% rise in oil prices could shave 20–25 bps off India’s GDP growth, says HDFC Bank
HDFC Bank's economic research has estimated that every 10% rise in crude oil prices reduces India's GDP growth rate by approximately 20–25 basis points (0.20...
Indian students in Iran begin arranging exit amid safety concerns; first batch set to depart for Armenia border
Indian students studying at Iranian universities have begun evacuating following escalating conflict fears, with the first batch departing via the Armenia la...
India to ease curbs, fast-track Chinese investment in more sectors
India is set to introduce a fast-track approval mechanism for FDI proposals from land-border countries (primarily China) in specific manufacturing sectors: e...
India’s GDP, inflation at risk amid West Asia tensions, oil price surge: Economists
Economists warn that India's GDP growth for FY2026-27 faces a meaningful downside risk from the West Asia conflict, with oil prices spiking sharply following...
FDI easing not for Chinese firms; to benefit entities with minority Chinese holding
The government clarified that the March 2026 relaxation of Press Note 3 (PN3) FDI rules is not an opening for Chinese companies to directly invest in India —...
Implementation of Section 51A of UAPA, 1967: Updates to UNSC’s 1988 (2011) Taliban Sanctions List: Amendment of 22 Entries: UAPA Update 02 of 2026
The Reserve Bank of India issued circular RBI/2025-26/242 on March 11, 2026, directing all regulated entities (commercial banks, finance companies, NBFCs) to...
Under ‘Xiaokang’ project, Chinese border settlements, villages coming up ‘rapidly’ along LAC in North East, a challenge, says Lt Gen Ghai
Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, a senior Indian Army commander, has flagged that China's 'Xiaokang' (小康) border settlement project is progressing rapidly along the Line o...