International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
DGS issues direct pass-through of port concessions to exporters amid West Asia crisis
The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), Government of India, issued a circular (dated April 8, 2026) directing major ports, private terminals, and shippin...
Pakistan’s return: Mediator or West Asia asset?
Pakistan emerged as a key diplomatic mediator between the United States and Iran during the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war, brokering a two-week ceasefire by con...
Worried by hits on Iran nuclear sites, must never happen again: IAEA chief Rafael Grossi
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed deep concern over a series of military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, including damage confirmed at the ...
Emperor penguins listed as endangered species: IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) upgraded the emperor penguin (*Aptenodytes forsteri*) from Near Threatened to Endangered on its Red...
Congress to hold CWC meet on April 10 to discuss women's quota law amendments, delimitation, West Asia crisis
The Indian National Congress held a meeting of its Congress Working Committee (CWC) on April 10, 2026, to deliberate on three issues: the government's propos...
West Asia conflict: Early signs of stress visible across sectors, says FICCI report
FICCI released a report titled "West Asia Conflict: Implications for India and Imperatives for Industry and Government," documenting early signs of economic ...
Indian team to visit U.S. this month to discuss trade deal currently stuck in limbo
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal indicated that the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) can proceed only if India receives preferential market access as a...
Hyrox, the global fitness race, draws 8,000 athletes to Bengaluru
Hyrox — a global fitness racing series that combines 8 x 1 km runs with 8 functional workout stations — drew approximately 8,000 participants to Bengaluru fo...
PFRDA ropes in private partners to push NPS Swasthya that provides healthcare funding along with retirement planning
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has launched the second proof of concept (PoC) of NPS Swasthya, roping in multiple private sect...
Congress withdraws candidate from Baramati bypoll; says move meant to maintain decorum
On the last date for withdrawal of nominations, the Maharashtra Congress withdrew its candidate, Amar More, from the Baramati assembly seat bypoll, citing po...
How will 20% ethanol-blended petrol affect your vehicle? Anumita explains E20 petrol policy
From April 1, 2026, all oil marketing companies (OMCs) across India are mandated to sell E20 petrol — a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol — with a minimum ...
Reflects govt's true commitment to Paris Agreement: Congress on India withdrawing bid to host COP33
India's withdrawal of its candidacy to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028 has triggered a political debate over the country's commitment to international ...
'Not good for Hinduism': Supreme Court flags risks of sect-based temple restrictions during Sabarimala hearing
A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court began hearing (from April 7, 2026) the reference arising from review petitions against the landmark 2018...
India has ample buffers to weather headwinds from Middle East conflict: World Bank
The World Bank assessed that India is well-positioned to handle the global energy shock triggered by the West Asia conflict, citing strong macro-economic buf...
Manohar Lal arrives in Bhutan on 4-day visit; focus on energy security, sustainable development
Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar arrived in Bhutan for a four-day visit, focused on energy security, hydropower cooper...
Guidelines to facilitate faster cross-border inward payments
The Reserve Bank of India issued notification RBI/2026-27/08 on April 9, 2026, establishing guidelines to accelerate the processing of cross-border inward pa...
Bangladesh Foreign Minister meets Jaishankar, seeks return of ex-PM Sheikh Hasina
Bangladesh's newly elected Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman visited India on April 8–9, 2026, marking the highest-level bilateral engagement since the BNP-le...
Foreign Secretary Misri reviews defence, trade ties, West Asia with senior U.S. officials
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri undertook a three-day visit to Washington from April 8–10, 2026, for high-level meetings with senior US officials on defence, ...
India urges Iran to speed up oil cargo shipments amid ceasefire window
India formally urged Iran to accelerate the movement of India-bound oil and gas cargo ships following the fragile two-week US-Iran ceasefire announced on Apr...
W Asia conflict: Rajnath-led GoM reviews LPG availability, says facilitating supply of essentials
The Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held its third meeting to assess India's readiness in view of the ongoing We...