International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
India’s Russian oil imports set to hit all-time high this month, ahead of Iran crude comeback
India's Russian crude oil imports are on track to reach 2.25 million barrels per day (mbpd) in June 2026 — an all-time high — according to Kpler analytics da...
US-Iran talks in Switzerland postponed as Israel continues strikes on southern Lebanon
Formal signing talks between the United States and Iran, scheduled for June 19, 2026 in Switzerland, were postponed due to ongoing Israeli military strikes o...
Vivek Aggarwal appointed Financial Action Task Force vice-president
Vivek Aggarwal, a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre and currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, was elected FATF Vice-Pre...
India gets global anti-money laundering body FATF’s vice presidency
At the FATF Plenary held in Paris from June 17–19, 2026, India was elected to the vice presidency of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the term July...
EU passes law allowing offshore deportation centres
On June 17, 2026, the European Parliament approved the EU Return Regulation with 418 votes in favour, 218 against, and 30 abstentions — replacing the existin...
Tamil Nadu assembly passes resolution against Karnataka's Mekedatu dam project
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing Karnataka's Mekedatu dam project on the Cauvery River. The resolution urges the ...
India’s Russian oil imports at record high in June amid Hormuz closure
India's imports of Russian crude oil reached a record high in June 2026, driven by the disruption of traditional Middle Eastern supply routes through the Str...
‘Indus Water Treaty outdated’: India to Pakistan at UN
At the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, India's First Secretary at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Anupama Singh, ...
History of Iran’s nuclear program: Timeline
An interim accord signed on 17 June 2026 (the "Islamabad Memorandum") between the US and Iran aims to end the West Asia war that began on 28 February 2026 an...
U.S.-Iran war: Timeline of key events
On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes (Operation Epic Fury) against Iranian military and nuclear facilities, kill...
What is downblending, the process at the heart of Trump’s Iran agreement?
The US–Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 17 June 2026 (the "Islamabad Memorandum") placed downblending at the centre of a proposed resolution ...
Israel must stop hostilities in Lebanon, U.S. must pressure Israel, French Minister says
On 19 June 2026, Israeli forces conducted overnight strikes on targets throughout southern Lebanon, with Hezbollah reporting intense fighting — this came des...
Hormuz ship crossings spike after U.S.-Iran deal to end war, says marine tracker
Marine tracking firm AXSMarine recorded 25 verified commercial vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz on June 18, 2026 — the highest single-day count ...
India-UK FTA more than just about trade: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri
India's Foreign Secretary described the India-UK CETA as a transformational agreement that extends far beyond conventional trade — encompassing technology co...
RBI MPC member Nagesh Kumar flags import dependence, Gulf remittances, El Nino risks in minutes
An external member of the Monetary Policy Committee raised concerns in the June 2026 MPC meeting about India's structural import dependence — particularly on...
US-Iran MoU: An expert gives a point-by-point breakdown, from nuclear issue to Strait of Hormuz
The United States and Iran signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to extend their ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping,...
West Asia LIVE: Donald Trump defends Iran deal from critics
The US Vice-President publicly rebuked Israeli critics of the US-Iran MoU, warning that Israel risks alienating its "only powerful ally" — an unusually direc...
Fuel curbs rollback likely as Iran deal raises hope
The Union Government is considering a rollback of emergency fuel-supply restrictions imposed in response to the West Asia conflict after the US-Iran ceasefir...
Government: Significant progress already made on interim US FTA
India's Foreign Secretary confirmed that negotiations for an India-US interim bilateral trade agreement have entered their "final stages," with significant p...
Iran petroleum minister to visit next week
Iran's Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad is scheduled to visit India the following week (around June 23–25, 2026), signalling a significant revival in bilat...