International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
UAE briefly closes airspace as West Asia conflict escalates
The UAE briefly closed its airspace on March 17, 2026 as an "exceptional precautionary measure" after Iran intensified missile and drone strikes across Gulf ...
Oil prices up 2% amid escalating war in West Asia, closure of Strait of Hormuz
Crude oil prices surged over 2% on March 17, 2026, as fears grew over a prolonged disruption to the Strait of Hormuz — the world's most critical oil transit ...
India condemns Pakistan airstrikes on Kabul hospital
Pakistan's military conducted an airstrike on the night of March 16, 2026 targeting the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul — a 2,000-bed civilian fac...
FDI from China: From Thailand to Brazil, global lessons for India’s cautious playbook
India's Union Cabinet (March 10, 2026) approved amendments to the FDI policy for land-bordering countries — effectively liberalising aspects of Press Note 3 ...
India underreported rice, wheat price support: US, others to WTO
The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) filed its fourth counter-notification against India at the WTO Committee on Agriculture, co-sponsored by Aus...
India-US trade deal to be signed after new US tariff framework is finalised
India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal confirmed on March 16, 2026, that India will sign the bilateral trade deal with the United States only after Washin...
Trade deficit nearly 2x in Feb; exports face battlefield ahead
India's merchandise trade deficit widened to $27.1 billion in February 2026, up sharply from $14 billion in February 2025 — nearly double year-on-year. Total...
Migrant workers bear brunt of Iran attacks in Gulf
Since Iran launched wave after wave of missile and drone attacks against Gulf states from February 28, 2026, approximately 9 million Indian migrant workers l...
Trump asks China to delay Xi summit as Iran war rages
US President Donald Trump announced he has asked China to delay the planned summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing by "a month or so," originally schedu...
India backs talks with Iran as US seeks naval coalition to secure Hormuz
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India's direct diplomatic engagement with Iran on ship passage had yielded concrete results, signalling I...
India to sign U.S. deal only after clarity on tariff rates
India confirmed it will not sign its interim trade agreement with the United States until Washington clarifies its new tariff architecture — a position harde...
Naval warships escort Indian vessels from the Gulf of Oman
Three Indian Navy warships escorted three Indian merchant vessels — Shivalik, Nanda Devi, and Jag Laadki — through the Gulf of Oman as the West Asia conflict...
Easier FDI norms notified for border country investors
India's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) issued Press Note 2 (2026) on March 15, 2026, partially relaxing the stringent FDI re...
US-Israel-Iran War|India evacuates over 600 nationals from Iran via Armenia, Azerbaijan; MEA shares key update
India evacuated over 600 nationals from Iran via overland routes through Armenia and Azerbaijan amid the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict in the region. Th...
‘It is better that we coordinate and get a solution’: Jaishankar hopeful Iran talks will ease Hormuz route for Indian ships
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that "it is better that we coordinate and get a solution" regarding the Strait of Hormuz shipping crisis, indi...
India hopeful Iran talks will ease Hormuz route for its ships
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed to the Financial Times that India's direct diplomatic engagement with Iran has yielded results in securing ...
India eases FDI rules, allows firms with up to 10% Chinese shareholding under automatic route
India has amended its FDI policy to permit companies incorporated outside land-bordering countries (LBCs) — but having up to 10% passive LBC (including Chine...
India to wait for new US tariff architecture before trade deal, says official
India has formally decided to wait for the US to finalise its new global tariff framework before signing any bilateral trade deal, according to government of...
India’s goods exports slip 0.8% to $36.61 billion in Feb amid continued global turmoil
India's merchandise exports declined marginally by 0.8% year-on-year to $36.61 billion in February 2026, compared to $36.91 billion in February 2025, as the ...
Saudi crude rerouted via Red Sea to India as Hormuz tensions rise; Russian imports surge
Saudi Arabia is routing approximately 6 million barrels of crude oil to Indian ports via its west coast port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, utilising the East-West...