International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
Ceasefire threatened as Israel expands Lebanon strikes, Iran closes strait again
The fragile US-Iran-Israel ceasefire announced in early April 2026 came under immediate threat as Israel expanded its military operations into Lebanon, targe...
NTPC inks MoU with Électricité de France for cooperation in nuclear power generation
NTPC Limited signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Électricité de France (EDF) on April 8, 2026, to explore cooperation in developing n...
Shippers seek clarity as Iran still controls Strait of Hormuz
Iran retained effective control over the Strait of Hormuz as of early April 2026, following the outbreak of conflict between the US-Israel coalition and Iran...
India withdraws bid to host COP33 climate summit in 2028
India has withdrawn its offer to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028, with an official communication sent to other parties on April 2, 2026, citing "a revi...
Trump weighs punishing certain NATO countries over lack of Iran war support, reports say
The Trump administration considered plans to penalise certain NATO allies viewed as insufficiently supportive of the US-Israel military campaign against Iran...
India-Turkiye talks hint at a thaw in bilateral relations
India and Turkiye held the 12th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FoC) in New Delhi on April 8, 2026 — the first such consultations since 2022, when the...
West Asia conflict deals a double whammy to India’s farm sector: pre-harvest cost pressures, post-harvest shipping delays
The ongoing West Asia conflict (US-Israel military action against Iran) is creating a "double whammy" for India's agricultural sector: pre-harvest cost press...
India to engage new government of Bangladesh constructively, to deepen ties, says Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi on April 8, 2026, marking the first foreign minister-lev...
IGoM reviews preparedness amid West Asia developments, ensures energy, food security
The Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, convened its third meeting on April 8, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Del...
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri launches India-US trade Facilitation Portal
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri launched the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal, a new digital platform designed to connect Indian exporters with US importers...
India withdraws its offer to host the UN climate summit (COP33) in 2028
India has withdrawn its candidature to host the 33rd Conference of the Parties (COP33) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),...
RBI Governor cautions: West Asia conflict likely to impede growth, increase imported inflation
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, presenting the April 2026 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decisions, cautioned that the West Asia conflict posed significant do...
Tanker with Iranian crude heading towards India’s east coast, shipping data shows; could mark first import of Tehran’s oil in 7 years
A Curacao-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) named Jaya, loaded with Iranian crude oil, is heading towards India's east coast — the first Iranian crude ...
India no longer inclined to host COP33 climate event in 2028
India has confirmed it is "no longer inclined" to host COP33 — the United Nations Climate Change Conference — in 2028, following its informal communication o...
‘West Asia conflict effect kept in mind’: Cabinet clears 12% hike in P&K fertiliser subsidy
The Union Cabinet approved a 12% hike in the import tariff on urea, citing the impact of the West Asia conflict on global fertiliser supply chains. The tarif...
Pause welcome but path ahead forbidding: Five key minefields amid US-Iran chasm
Analysts and diplomatic observers identified five principal obstacles that could derail the US-Iran ceasefire from becoming a durable agreement: (1) uranium ...
Iran-US ceasefire: What each side was fighting for, and what they have won or lost
A two-week ceasefire between the United States (and Israel) and Iran was agreed on April 7–8, 2026, following 40 days of intense military conflict that began...
Disquiet in Delhi as Pakistan emerges as key mediator between US and Iran
Pakistan emerged as the pivotal mediator between the United States and Iran in brokering the two-week ceasefire agreement (April 7–8, 2026), earning signific...
315 successful space launches in 2025, finds Indian Space Situational Assessment Report
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2025, revealing 315 successful space launch...
Shipping far from normalcy after Hormuz truce
Global shipping remained far from normal following the US-Iran ceasefire, with multiple structural and legal hurdles preventing rapid restoration of Hormuz t...