International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
Bangladesh voters backed a key reforms charter. Its implementation will be a challenge
Bangladesh held its national elections in February 2026, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) winning a landslide — approximately 209 of 297 declared ...
India seeks to join IEA: Why its request for membership is not a straightforward process
India sent a formal request for full membership in the International Energy Agency (IEA) in October 2023, and the issue received renewed attention at the IEA...
Netanyahu calls India’s Modi ‘personal friend’ ahead of Israel visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel on February 25-26, 2026 — his second visit to Israel — meeting with PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. The two c...
India, U.S. to reschedule chief negotiators meet on interim trade deal: Sources
In late February 2026, India and the US rescheduled chief negotiator-level talks originally planned for February 23, on the sidelines of diplomatic developme...
India rebalances crude slate as Saudi gains, Russian flows ease under sanctions pressure
India has begun rebalancing its crude oil import mix in early 2026, with Russian crude volumes easing below 25% of total imports for the first time in two ye...
Pakistan strikes 7 terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, Kabul warns of necessary and measured response’
Pakistan's military conducted air strikes early on February 22, 2026, targeting seven camps and hideouts belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and aff...
Tripura Minister hails Agartala-Dhaka bus trial run
A trial run of the Agartala-Dhaka direct bus service was completed on February 21-22, 2026, with a luxury bus travelling through the Akhaura Integrated Check...
India and Brazil aim for $30 billion trade partnership by 2030
During Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's state visit to India (February 18-23, 2026), the two countries set an ambitious bilateral trade target...
India pauses its trade team visit to evaluate US Supreme Court tariff ruling
India's chief trade negotiator has postponed a scheduled visit to Washington D.C. to finalise the legal text of an interim trade deal with the United States....
Yunus returns to think tank after 18 months as chief adviser amid speculations of Presidential role
Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of Grameen Bank, formally returned to his think tank, the Yunus Centre, on February 22, 2026, ending a...
Arab, Muslim countries slam U.S. Ambassador's remarks on Israel’s right to West Asian land
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, stated it would be "fine" if Israel "took it all" — refe...
Modi's visit getting entangled in Israel's domestic politics
PM Modi's scheduled February 25-26, 2026 visit to Israel — including a planned address to the Knesset — became entangled in Israeli domestic politics when Op...
Dwindling Russian barrels to push India’s overall crude oil cost by $2-3/BBL
Global real-time data and analytics provider Kpler has assessed that India is not positioned to fully replace Russian barrels without incurring higher costs ...
Indian envoy calls on Bangladesh FM, discusses strengthening multifaceted bilateral relations
India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh called on Bangladesh's Foreign Minister to discuss strengthening multifaceted bilateral relations, reiterating India'...
Comparing separation of powers jurisprudence between India and U.S. based on recent SCOTUS ruling
On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) struck down tariffs imposed by the executive branch under the International Emergency Economic Powers A...
Time for countries facing U.S. tariffs to unionise, negotiate together: Lula Da Silva
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made a five-day state visit to India, meeting PM Modi and reaffirming commitment to UN Security Council reform,...
SCOTUS ruling on Trump tariffs won't impact individual trade agreements, claims US Trade Rep Jamieson Greer
US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer stated that the Supreme Court's February 20, 2026 ruling striking down IEEPA-based tariffs does not affect indi...
Australian warship transits Taiwan Strait, tracked by China's Navy
HMAS Toowoomba, an Anzac-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy, transited the Taiwan Strait on February 21-22, 2026, as part of a Regional Presence Depl...
Section 122 surprise: Trump’s new 15% global tax offers crucial 5-month safety net for Indian exports
After the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA-based tariffs on February 20, 2026, President Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a 15% un...
Trump raises U.S. global tariff rate from 10% to 15%
On February 20, 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in the case *Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump* that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IE...