International Relations
Bilateral ties, multilateral forums, treaties and India's foreign policy
Global oil prices up 3% as Iran war escalates, Yemen's Houthis launch attacks on Israel
Global crude oil prices rose over 3% after Yemen's Houthi forces launched missile and drone strikes against Israel on March 28–29, 2026, marking the Houthis'...
From farm to software, how fresh WTO talks expose deep faultlines between rich and developing nations
The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) took place from March 26–29, 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroon — the first Ministerial Conference ever held on the African...
WTO talks stalled going into final day amid US-India e-commerce deadlock
WTO MC14 in Yaounde, Cameroon entered its final day (March 29, 2026) with talks stalled primarily over the US-India deadlock on the e-commerce customs duty m...
U.S., Israeli strikes hit Iran port city near Strait of Hormuz: state media
Joint US-Israeli strikes hit a quay at Bandar Khamir, an Iranian port city near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, on 29 March 2026, killing five people and inj...
Voice of Global South: India bats strongly to shield WTO’s core mandates at MC14
At the conclusion of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaounde, Cameroon, India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal described India's role as ensuri...
Pakistan will be honoured to facilitate talks between U.S. and Iran: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar (also Deputy Prime Minister) announced that Pakistan is ready and "honoured" to facilitate direct peace talks ...
2 Indian, 1 Pakistani ships cross Strait of Hormuz
Two Indian LPG carriers belonging to the state-owned Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — crossed the Strait of Hormuz and dischar...
India blocks China-backed investment pact at WTO MC14 in solo push-back
At the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaounde, India became the sole vocal opponent to block the incorporation of the China-backed Investment Facilitatio...
Two more India-bound LPG tankers pass Hormuz as Iran allows ‘non-hostile’ ships
Two LPG tankers — BW Tyr and BW Elm — carrying approximately 94,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, heading to...
One month of Israel-U.S. war on Iran: A timeline
The US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, 2026, with joint strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure, air defences, missile systems, and politi...
Sri Lankan President thanks India for sending 38,000MT fuel amid West Asia crisis
Sri Lanka's President publicly thanked India for supplying 38,000 metric tonnes of fuel — comprising 20,000 MT of diesel and 18,000 MT of petrol — delivered ...
Sustained rise in crude oil prices may hit remittances, stoke inflation: Finmin report
The Finance Ministry's Monthly Economic Review warned that a sustained rise in crude oil prices could moderate India's remittance inflows, given that GCC (Gu...
India Backs Russian Weapons as Part of $25 Billion Purchase
India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cleared procurement proposals worth ₹2.38 lakh crore (approximately $25...
China Urges Philippines to Stabilize Ties Amid Maritime Row
China and the Philippines held two days of formal diplomatic consultations at Quanzhou in Fujian province, China on 28–29 March 2026 — the first such formal ...
Govt eases kerosene rules for quick household distribution amid LPG supply crunch due to West Asia war
The central government relaxed petroleum safety and licensing rules to enable faster kerosene distribution to households across 21 states and Union Territori...
WTO’s fisheries pact: India for 25 year transition period, stronger disciplines on distant-water industrial fishing
At the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaounde, Cameroon (March 26–29, 2026), fisheries subsidies were one of the key agenda items, building on the...
How will India’s new Nationally Determined Contribution accelerate climate action?
The Union Cabinet approved India's new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the period 2031–2035, to be submitted to the United Nations Framework Con...
West Asia conflict may take pace off India's growth; CEA Nageswaran flags impact on inflation, fiscal deficit
Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran, in the government's monthly economic review for March 2026, warned that the ongoing West Asia conflict poses a r...
India sends 38,000 MT petroleum to Sri Lanka amid global energy crisis
India dispatched an emergency shipment of 38,000 metric tonnes (MT) of petroleum products to Sri Lanka — comprising approximately 20,000 MT of diesel and 18,...
Govt ramps up measures to ensure fuel, LPG supplies amid Hormuz disruption
The Central Government announced a comprehensive set of measures to secure fuel and cooking gas supplies for India following the closure of the Strait of Hor...