The United States created the so-called “rules-based order,” but breaks it with impunity as those norms were always meant for “other people,” popular Indian journalist Palki Sharma has told RT.

Washington has always taken a capricious attitude towards complying with that system, Palki Sharma told RT India in the weekly ‘India, Russia and the world’ podcast.

“The US made the rules, but did the US follow those rules? I think it’s as mythical as the US Army fighting aliens in Hollywood films,” she said. “The US has always bent rules to suit itself.”

Sharma said the US remains the biggest military power in the world and its largest economy, and it is miles ahead of competitors in technological advancement.

“What has cracked is this veneer of invincibility. The world has begun to entertain ideas that there could be an alternative,” she said.

“The dollar will remain the big currency for the foreseeable future. But the very talk of de-dollarization unsettles Washington,” she noted.

Whether the US acknowledges it or not, the wars it has entered “have shown them the limits of their military power.”

“The Americans thought that Iran will be a Venezuela. Iran is not a Venezuela. You cannot go and abduct their president or kill their president and then have the rest of the system succumb,” Sharma, whose show ‘Vantage’ is popular in India, said.

Iran has prepared for this eventuality for more than two decades, she said of the US-Israeli attacks on the country. Tehran is definitely bruised and battered, “but in terms of the political outcomes of this war, Iran has emerged stronger.”

She pointed out that India’s ties with Russia have stood the test of time. “The relationship with Russia has endured because there is a [level of] maturity,” she said.

The rise of China as a dominant force can’t be wished away, she said. “There is no other manufacturer like China that can deliver on the scale at which China does,” Sharma said.

India has demanded that Washington take measures to protect the lives of civilians after repeated US attacks on merchant ships off the coast of Oman.

India’s concern was conveyed to US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks, who was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi for the second time this week.

New Delhi registered its “strong protest” over the continuing attacks with Meeks, the ministry said in a statement. Conveying its condemnation of the use of lethal force against civilian shipping, Meeks was told to “convey India’s strong concerns to his authorities and to ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary measures to prevent the loss of civilian life.”

Meeks, the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in New Delhi, was first summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday after three Indian crew members on board the MV Settebello were killed when US forces fired at it for allegedly trying to run the blockade around Iran.

Speaking earlier on Friday, a ministry spokesman demanded: “These attacks must cease” and called for dialogue and diplomacy for a return to peace.

❗45 Minutes Later! US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks Leaves MEA After Meeting

This marks the second time the US mission has been summoned in about 48 hours by the MEA. Three Indian seafarers, initially reported missing, have now been confirmed dead following one of the US… https://t.co/YTZDNNSmlb pic.twitter.com/NYDsqVJPBO

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 12, 2026

Diplomatic circles have called the US actions illegal, and domestic pressure has mounted on the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stand up to the United States after another ship, the MV Jalveer, was fired at on Thursday. It was the third such attack this week.

None of the ships involved were sailing under the Indian flag, but their crew were mostly from the South Asian nation, and US attacks are seen as disproportionate in the country. India has the world’s second-largest seafaring workforce, and the attacks endanger Indians working aboard merchant ships more than those from other nationalities.

Kanwal Sibal, a former foreign secretary, was unequivocal in his criticism of the US actions and India’s lack of a strongly-worded response. “These are illegal actions even if the ships are not Indian-flagged,” he posted on X.

“If India and the US cooperate on maritime security in the Indian Ocean, hold elaborate naval exercises, subscribe to the concept of the Indo-Pacific, the US can’t be indifferent to killing Indian seamen in the Indian Ocean whatever the circumstances.” he added.

Speaking to RT on Thursday, Rajesh Sharma, whose only son Aditya Sharma was killed in the US strike on the Settebello, said, “They hit it with a missile, and that was not a way to control the cargo ship.”

“You can send your navy person[nel] to the ship,” Sharma said. “You can arrest the crew members. There are a lot of ways, but hitting a cargo ship with a missile is foolishness and madness.”

European nations should stop moralizing about India’s foreign policy stances, considering the West’s own ambivalence on other issues, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has said.

The top Indian diplomat was responding to queries about New Delhi’s foreign policy vis-a-vis the Ukraine conflict and Russian oil purchases while in Finland, where he was on a state visit on Thursday.

“I buy oil based on cost and availability,” he said in response to a question on India increasing its oil purchases from Russia since 2022. “So at that point of time, much of the oil available in the market was Russian because Europeans were essentially buying oil from the Middle East, which was our traditional supplier.”

Jaishankar then went on to call out the West’s lack of moral clarity on other geopolitical questions.

“No European country has been attacked with Indian weapons. I wish I could say that for Europe weapons vis-à-vis India,” he said.

📹 'Europeans Sell Weapons Used to Attack India': EAM S. Jaishankar Rebuts Criticism of India's Russia Policy

Responding to a question on New Delhi's alleged "moral ambiguity" over 🇷🇺, Jaishankar argued that European countries have supplied weapons later used against India,… pic.twitter.com/3FDBbOqXtF

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 12, 2026

“Europe sells weapons, which are used to attack India. Not just now but for many years. We Indians have never done anything to endanger Europe. I think that’s a reasonable point,” Jaishankar elaborated.

He reiterated that New Delhi became a major buyer of Russian oil only after the US imposed sanctions on Moscow in 2022. New Delhi currently imports energy from 41 countries.

“At that time, the US specifically asked India to buy Russian oil to stabilize the oil market,” the minister said.

“Right now, if you see, after having first put tariffs on us for buying Russian oil, the US then again lifted its sanctions... Let’s not pretend there’s some great principle involved here. I don’t think making this about sanctimony is really warranted,” he said.

The US also extended sanctions waivers on Russian oil purchases three times after the US and Israel attacked Iran, in order to curb soaring global energy prices.

Jaishankar said earlier this week that “many Western countries are increasingly embracing the idea of “strategic autonomy,” a stance India has repeatedly advocated.

Relatives of the deceased Indian sailors killed in a US missile strike on a merchant ship off the coast of Oman on Wednesday are demanding to know why the civilian vessel was targeted.

The Palau-flagged MT Settebello had a crew of 28: 24 Indians, two Pakistanis, one Russian, and one Ukrainian. The US military fired at it with a precision munition for allegedly trying to run the blockade of Iran.

On Thursday, New Delhi confirmed that three sailors had lost their lives, the others were rescued. 

Rajesh Sharma, the father of Aditya Sharma, a deck cadet on the Settebello, was inconsolable when he spoke to RT India.

Sharma told RT that he had spoken with his son after hearing about the strike on another vessel, the MT Marivex, on Monday, and that the family was worried for Aditya’s safety. “In my family it was me, my wife, and my only son… our only son who has left us now,” his father said.

Sharma urged the government to direct all shipping companies “to not move [ships] toward the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf.”

RT India also spoke to Panna Lal Chaurasia, a relative of another deceased sailor. Speaking from Deoria in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, he said that his brother-in-law, Shivanand Chaurasia, who was killed in the strike, had two young children. Chaurasia added that the family is demanding that the authorities hand over his mortal remains “at the earliest.”

The Settebello was the second commercial vessel to be struck by US forces near the Strait of Hormuz in less than three days. Earlier, on Monday, US forces hit the MT Marivex, which had an all-Indian crew. All of the sailors were rescued following the attack.

A petrochemical tanker reported a fire off the coast of Oman on Thursday after US forces struck it, marking the third such incident this week.

A petrochemical tanker reported a fire off the Oman coast on Thursday after US forces fired at it, the third such incident this week around the Strait of Hormuz. 

India’s foreign ministry called the attacks deeply concerning and said all the 20 Indian crew members on board the ship are safe. 

The incident comes after New Delhi lodged a diplomatic protest with the US Charge d’Affairs on Wednesday following the death of three Indians when another tanker was struck.

The US Central Command said it acted against the Guinea-Bissau flagged MT Jalveer as it “attempted to transport oil from Iran through the Gulf of Oman.” 

It said an aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship’s engine room after the crew “repeatedly failed” to comply with directions from US forces.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the incident as a “maritime security incident” and said the all-Indian crew on the Jalveer were safe. “The continuing incidents affecting commercial shipping in the region are deeply concerning,” it added.

❗️All 20 Indian Crew Members Onboard MT Jalveer, Attacked Near Shinas Port In Oman, Are Safe - MEA

Authorities are working with Oman to coordinate their safe evacuation. pic.twitter.com/YKQyW0S53P

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 11, 2026

A shipping ministry spokesman said the crew were being evacuated to Shinas port, and that the ministry is monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Indian foreign ministry, diplomatic missions and the Indian Navy. The Omani Navy was helping with the evacuation, India’s embassy in Oman tweeted.

On Wednesday, three Indian crew members of the MV Settebello had died in an attack by US forces in the same area. And on Monday, the MT Marivex was hit but all its Indian crew were safely rescued. All three tankers were allegedly trying to run the US blockade around Iran.

The United States has been enforcing a naval and economic blockade of all Iranian ports since mid-April. Washington says it is in retaliation for Iranian restrictions on the movement of merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s energy passed before the conflict began. 

After the death of the crew members on the Settebello, New Delhi also raised its concern at the UN Security Council, pointing out that several Indian nationals had died or gone missing due to attacks in the region.

BrahMos Aerospace has said it is ready to take on orders for supersonic cruise missiles from either the Russian Navy or land forces.

A potential procurement by Moscow would see the system, partly produced in India, being supplied back to one of its original technology partners, underscoring New Delhi’s growing role in advanced defense manufacturing.

The BrahMos comes in land, air, and sea variants and India has already integrated it into its ground, air, and naval forces.

Such an order by Russia would also boost New Delhi’s push for domestic defense manufacturing under the ‘Make-in-India’ initiative.

Named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, the BrahMos is among the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in the world. It was used to deadly effect by India last year in its short military clash with Pakistan.

“We are ready to fulfill the order if there is an appeal from the Russian side. Either it will be missiles for the Navy, or for ground forces,” BrahMos Managing Director Alexander Maksichev told TASS on the sidelines of the International Naval Salon ‘Fleet-2026’.

“We have sufficient capacities, and we understand what the Russian side wants,” Maksichev said.

The missile was jointly developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya rocket design bureau, which produces the Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles. In 1995, a joint venture, BrahMos Aerospace, was established to produce the missile.

Originally capped at a range of 180 miles, the weapon has since been upgraded for greater reach.

All three missing crew members from a chemical tanker struck by the US military in the Gulf of Oman are confirmed dead, Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Thursday.

The Palau-flagged MT Settebello had on board a 28-member crew – 24 Indians, two Pakistanis, one Russian, and one Ukrainian – when the US military fired at it with a precision munition for allegedly trying to run the blockade of Iran. The incident occurred off the coast of Oman, where authorities rescued 25 crew members, while three were initially reported missing.

This was the second attack on commercial shipping by US forces near the Strait of Hormuz. The MT Marivex – also flying the Palau flag – was struck on Monday. The Marivex carried an all-Indian crew, who were rescued after the attack.

It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified.

This is a profound loss to our maritime family. The…

— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) June 11, 2026

New Delhi summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks and lodged a protest after the attack on the Settebello. “The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, calling for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions.”

The Indian Foreign Ministry has condemned an attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman and called for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions” in the Strait of Hormuz. 

New Delhi also summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks to protest the assault on the ship.

Three Indian crew members are missing following the attack on the vessel, which had 24 on board, New Delhi said.

The Palau-flagged products tanker MT Settebello issued a distress call on Wednesday, reporting a missile attack on its engine room, 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar in the Gulf of Oman.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X that  "U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces."

“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said. “Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and three Indians are reportedly missing.”

“The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region,” the ministry said.

The Indian Embassy in Oman said it is monitoring the situation and “proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation.” The ship tracking website Marine Traffic has listed the ship’s destination as Fujairah, UAE.

⚡️ 🇺🇸 CENTCOM Confirms Strike on Commercial Tanker Off Oman Coast – Claims ‘Disabled Non-Compliant Vessel’

Three Indian crew are reportedly missing following the strike, the 🇮🇳 MEA stated earlier.

📹: CENTCOM https://t.co/SJx3JKhj0Z pic.twitter.com/JYfYpeO6vn

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 10, 2026

This is the second attack on a commercial ship with Indian crew members in the past three days. On Monday, the oil tanker MT Marivex was attacked by US forces south of the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said that the Palau-flagged vessel was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran when it was targeted. The ship was “attempting to sail to an Iranian port,” it said.

The sea lanes in and around the Strait of Hormuz have become a dangerous environment for merchant ships following the US-Israeli attack on Iran earlier this year.

The US treatment of teams and officials arriving for the 2026 World Cup amounts to racism and seriously undermines the integrity of the tournament, while football governing body FIFA is guilty of double standards, Indian coach Ranjit Bajaj has told RT.

The 2026 World Cup – co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico – is set to get underway this week but has already been marred by controversy after a key Somali official was denied entry to the US and players from some countries were humiliated on arrival.

Iraq’s star striker, Ayman Hussain, was reportedly detained for hours at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, while the Senegal and Uzbekistan teams were subjected to intrusive screen checks upon arrival. Somalian referee Omar Abdul Qadir Artan will be unable to officiate at the championship after being denied entry to the US.

“What happened with Senegal, the way they were put on the tarmac... They have not come to be disrespected, they’ve come there to represent their country,” Bajaj, the founder of the Minerva Football Academy, who promotes grassroots development of football, told RT India.

Bajaj also slammed the detention of Ayman Hussain, saying, “It’s not a striker who’s just been born yesterday, who’s come to do espionage in your country.” “This is what racism is,” Bajaj said.

The Minerva Football Academy has emerged as a beacon of hope for football in India, with its under-14 and -15 squads scoring a series of victories across the world – the latest being a 6-0 win against English giants Liverpool in the under-15 category at the Mediterranean International Cup last month. In stark contrast to its cricketing prowess, the nation of 1.4 billion people has qualified for the World Cup only once, in 1950. This time round, the Indian team was eliminated in the second round of Asian Football Confederation qualifiers.

During the 2018 World Cup in Russia, FIFA was “censoring Russia and telling Russia that, listen, you better get your act (together),” Bajaj said. He added that Russia, South Africa, and Qatar had hosted “the most successful World Cups in history.”

Bajaj also blasted the US visa curbs on players, likening them to how teams lose strength when their star players are missing. “If you have a Haaland missing in (the) Norway team or a Harry Kane missing in England, you’ve made it 50% weaker.” He said the US tactics amount to undermining the merit of the tournament. “That means they can actually fix the World Cup. That’s what’s happening.”

Bajaj rued that the controversy is impacting the World Cup’s attractiveness, which has always been “its ability to bring together countries that agree on almost nothing except football.”

The European Union’s latest proposed sanctions package on Russia includes entities based in India, potentially clouding the ratification of a trade deal the bloc signed with the South Asian nation.

Focusing on energy, crypto, and financial services and trade, including fisheries, according to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, it would be the 21st such package targeting Russia.

The new listings cover drone manufacturing and also seek to enforce export control measures on 50 companies, “including entities based in China, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, UAE and India,” top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said in a post on X.

The nature and identities of the Indian entities in the sanctions list are not clear.

Any new sanctions will have to be agreed unanimously by all 27 EU member states before being finalized. This is expected to happen by July 15.

We are also targeting companies providing support to Russia military-industrial complex.

The new listings will cover more than 30 designations in the drones manufacturing as well as new export control measures on 50 companies, including entities based in China, Türkiye,…

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 9, 2026

A temporary freeze on the EU’s Russian oil cap and new curbs on the resale of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) tankers to Russia are also included in the package.

The inclusion of Indian entities in the EU sanctions package is not without precedent, although the development comes amid a push to finalize a trade deal agreed with New Delhi in January. Dubbed the “mother of all deals” by EU leaders, it was the result of tortuous negotiations which were first launched in 2007.

The sanctions proposal has elicited a sharp response from diplomatic circles, with former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal demanding that New Delhi retaliate by sanctioning EU companies doing business with Pakistan.

“These EU sanctions are illegal under international law,” Sibal said.

New Delhi has rejected unilateral sanctions that are not backed by the United Nations and questioned the legitimacy of such actions against the backdrop of EU nations’ purchase of Russian gas and LNG.

New restrictions imposed by the EU would be in addition to 81 current listings targeting what the bloc describes as Russia’s shadow fleet, military-industrial complex, human rights violators, and propagandists, ANI reported.

Last week, India reacted angrily to a statement Kallas made in Islamabad that mentioned Jammu and Kashmir. Those with “no locus standi in such matters should refrain from making any comments on them,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The EU’s attempt to punish countries that have relations with Russia comes as India has repeatedly advocated “strategic autonomy” in trade and security.

On Tuesday, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar noted that “many Western countries are increasingly embracing the idea of strategic autonomy,” a stance India has repeatedly advocated.

New Delhi has maintained that India’s purchases of Russian oil were based on national interests, despite Western pressure and a US imposition of 25% tariffs as punishment for such buys.

India has deployed nuclear warheads for the first time, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), indicating a shift in New Delhi’s military posture.

In its annual report, SIPRI Yearbook 2026, the think tank reported that India is estimated to have a growing stockpile of “about 190 nuclear weapons as of January 2026,” up from 180 last year.

The report suggested the development is a shift from the long-held assumption that India stores its nuclear warheads separate from its deployed launchers during peacetime.

SIPRI noted that these weapons were assigned to a maturing nuclear triad of aircraft, land-based missiles and nuclear-powered submarines (SSBNs).

SIPRI also noted that more warheads are thought to be in production for additional missiles. As of January, India may have started to deploy a small number of nuclear warheads on a single Ship, Submersible, Ballistic, Nuclear (SSBN) platform, according to SIPRI’s assessment.

It added that New Delhi is also developing hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs).

The SIPRI report said rival Pakistan’s nuclear warhead stockpile has remained stable at nearly 170 warheads as of January.

India’s nuclear planning has put a greater emphasis on investing more resources in longer-range weapon systems that appear to be focused on China, although New Delhi’s planning remains heavily influenced by its long-standing rivalry with Islamabad, it said.

China had 620 nuclear warheads as of January, 34 of which were in deployed state.

In May 2025, India and Pakistan were engaged in a brief military clash following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 dead.

New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for backing insurgent groups carrying out terror attacks. Pakistan has denied the accusation.

India has pitched collaborative efforts in quantum computing with Russia. Its objective is to achieve its $730 million National Quantum Mission (NQM) targets by 2030-31.

The initiative is aimed at creating a complete national quantum ecosystem, including intermediate-scale quantum computers, communication networks, and quantum materials and components, Indian Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar told the BRICS Quantum Technologies forum in Moscow on Monday.

The envoy cited the four technology hubs set up at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Madras, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi as well as in Bengaluru, which connect researchers and institutions as drivers of human resource development, training and international collaboration in the fledgling field.

“A key mandate of these four hubs is international cooperation. India is looking to collaborate in advanced computing technology,” he said.

New Delhi is committed to taking a leadership role in the field, with international collaboration including researcher mobility, startup partnerships and joint innovation efforts, he said.

The NQM, headed by the Department of Atomic Energy, aims to create a vibrant ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT); the Indian federal government approved the policy in 2023.

The NQM aims to build quantum computers with between 50 and 1,000 qubits – the basic units of information in such computers. The more qubits one has, the more powerful it is.

Russia unveiled its first 50-qubit quantum computer prototype developed by the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Russian Quantum Center in December, 2024.

New Delhi is also planning satellite-based secure quantum communications between ground stations over 1,200 miles away from each other within the country, and long-distance secure quantum communications with other countries.

Last week, a top minister from India’s southern state of Andhra Pradesh called for collaboration with Moscow on artificial intelligence and quantum computing during a visit to the recently concluded St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

India is exploring options to buy coking coal assets and import more nickel from Russia, Reuters reported, as New Delhi tries to secure supplies to boost steel production and speed up its energy transition.

An Indian delegation visited Russia in May for preliminary talks with government and industry executives, the report said, citing unnamed sources.

In January, India, the world’s second-largest producer of crude steel after China, designated coking coal a critical and strategic mineral because of import dependence.

“Both SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) and NMDC (India’s largest state-backed iron ore producer) are exploring sourcing of ⁠raw materials and are in talks with Russia,” the report cited a source as saying.

SAIL has set up an internal panel to study the issue, it said.

New Delhi sources more than half of its coking coal from Australia, while much of the rest is procured from Russia and the US.

Coking coal and nickel are used in the production of steel, which is essential in India’s renewable energy and EV push. Nickel is also a critical element used in the clean energy transition, especially battery production.

New Delhi has set a target: it hopes electric vehicles to account for 30% of cars and 80% of its two-wheeled vehicles by 2030, up from about 6% and 9% now.

India procures nickel mainly from China, Japan, Norway and the US, ‌and only a small amount from Russia.

India and Russia are reportedly also intensifying trade and investment cooperation in the Far East and the Arctic zone, with a program covering energy and mining.

In January, Reuters reported that New Delhi is exploring rare earth mining pacts with Russia, Australia, Argentina, Chile, as well as some African countries as part of its push to secure critical minerals.

The South Asian nation has committed to reaching 500 GW of non fossil electricity capacity by 2030; it was able to reach the 220 GW milestone by 2025, putting it broadly on track to meet this goal.

The Indian crew on board a merchant vessel that caught fire after it was struck by the US Navy for allegedly attempting to run the blockade of Iran has been safely evacuated, New Delhi has said. 

The tanker MT Marivex was carrying a crew of 24 Indians when it was reportedly targeted near Oman’s Masirah Island on Monday south of the Strait of Hormuz. SOS calls began at 1:30 local time, according to reports. 

The incident came amid a flare-up of tensions around the strait after Israel and Iran traded missile strikes early on Monday. 

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X that the Palau-flagged vessel was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran when it was targeted. The ship was “attempting to sail to an Iranian port,” it said. 

The United States has been enforcing a naval and economic blockade of all Iranian ports since mid-April. Washington says it is in retaliation for Iranian restrictions on the movement of merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s energy passed before the conflict began. 

An F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham ⁠Lincoln fired a precision munition at the Marivex after the crew failed to comply with directions from US forces, CENTCOM said. 

Swift response by #MRCC #Mumbai following missile attack on MT Marivex in #OmanSRR.

On receiving information, MRCC Mumbai immediately coordinated with OMSC Oman, ensuring the safe rescue of 24 #Indian crew by #Oman Navy helicopters.@IndiaCoastGuard remains steadfast in its… pic.twitter.com/ULDjzgEK4g

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 9, 2026

An External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi on Tuesday that the crew have been rescued and are safe. He also thanked the Omani government for its assistance.

“We understand there was some exchange of communication between the ship and the US navy before the incident,” he said, adding the Indian mission continues to be in touch with the rescued seafarers.

He said the Indian authorities were coordinating across government agencies to see to the welfare of the evacuees. The Forward Seamen’s Union of India has urged swift action to ensure the safety of the crew. 

The Indian Coast Guard said the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai coordinated with its counterpart in Oman, to ensure the safe rescue of the crew by Omani Navy helicopters. 

The ship was not carrying cargo when it was struck. 

The Indian-flagged cargo vessel MSV Haji Ali sank off the coast of Oman following a suspected drone or missile strike last month. 

In March, the US Navy sank an Iranian Navy vessel off the Sri Lankan coast, killing at least 87 sailors on board.  

An oil tanker is sinking off the coast of Oman after being hit by a projectile, according to reports. The merchant vessel MT Marivex was carrying a crew of 24 Indians when it was reportedly targeted near Oman’s Masirah Island.

SOS calls from the crew originated at 1:30 PM local time on Monday, India Today reported.

Some media reports, citing an SOS call by a crew member on board the stricken ship, said the vessel could have been fired upon by the US Navy. RT could not independently verify the reports.

India’s Shipping Ministry confirmed the incident and acknowledged the 24 crew on board were its citizens. The Indian Embassy in Oman said all crew members have been rescued.

“Based on the preliminary information received, all Indian seafarers are presently safe,” the Shipping Ministry said on Monday evening. “They were rescued by the Omani authorities.”

The ministry said it was coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad, the Indian Navy, and Ministry of Defense to ensure the crew’s safety.

Later on Monday, the US military said it had disabled the Marivex oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel “violated the ongoing blockade against Iran by attempting to sail to an Iranian port.”

“An F/A‑18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN‑72) fired a precision munition into the ship’s engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from US forces. Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The Palau-flagged vessel, which was heading to Oman’s Duqm from Karwar in India, was not carrying any cargo, NDTV reported. The report said the All India Seafarers Union had received a distress call from a Marivex crew member.

According to ship-tracking website Marine Traffic, the 135-foot vessel is an oil/chemical tanker. The website reported the ship’s latest status as “at anchor” in the Arabian Sea.

In March, the US Navy sank an Iranian Navy ship off Sri Lanka’s coast, killing at least 87 sailors on board.

India has denied that its energy policy has been influenced by external pressure, saying its oil buying decisions are based purely on national interests and pricing calculations.

India’s international agreements, made at the highest levels, have enabled it to diversify its energy sources and reduce risks spurred by global disruptions, especially the Middle East conflict, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told CNN News18.

“India was never told not to buy Russian oil,” Puri said.

The US and EU have actively pressured India to reduce its purchases of Russian oil. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused India and China of funding Russia’s war effort.

The US placed sweeping sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, the largest Russian oil companies. It imposed 25% tariffs on Indian imports specifically for the country’s purchases of Russian oil, last August.The punitive tariffs on oil were removed earlier this year after Washington struck a trade deal with India.

The Middle East conflict and the disruption of energy supplies from the region have brought the focus back on oil purchases by India, which depends on imports for most of its energy needs.

The US has issued sanctions waivers on purchases of Russian oil three times since the conflict began. Washington said the move was aimed at cooling oil prices, which spiked in the aftermath of the conflict.

New Delhi currently “imports energy from 41 countries,” he said, underscoring the country’s efforts to diversify its sources.

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) last week that India is one of the main drivers of global energy demand right now.

India occupies a special place in the oil market, Sechin said, adding that over the next ten years, the country “will account for around half of the increase in global oil demand.”

The uncertainty regarding the passage of energy through the Strait of Hormuz will have a negative impact on India, but also serve as an incentive to seek long-term energy solutions, he said.

Western capitals usually dominate geopolitics, but Russia made the Global South an equal partner at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), a prominent lawmaker from India’s ruling party has said. 

“This is a platform where you have far greater representation of the Global South, far greater participation... and their voice is heard,” Sujeet Kumar, a lawmaker from the upper house of the Indian Parliament, told RT on the sidelines of the forum, in which more than 130 countries attended.

Kumar thanked Russia for giving the Global South the opportunity to take part as an equal partner.

He noted that the Global South has almost no voice in global institutions such as the UN Security Council, IMF, and World Bank – and until India brought in the African Union as a member during its G20 presidency in 2023, Africa had no voice there either.

The UN Security Council with its five permanent members with veto power was created 80 years ago in the immediate aftermath of World War II. Noting that the African continent and India, the world’s largest democracy and most populous nation, is not a permanent member of the council, Kumar called for “alternate platforms” such as BRICS and the G20.

Moscow has supported the expansion of the Security Council to reflect the realities of the multipolar world.

The Indian lawmaker added that America’s behavior has often been hegemonistic in the last 30-40 years, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

He also stated that India did not buckle to threats and pressure from the US, saying: “We are a self-respecting nation.”

India has resisted pressure from the US and Europe to stop buying oil from Russia and to scale back its ties with Moscow, saying its national interests will dictate its policies.

“The India of today is not a pushover... you can’t dictate terms to India... and the US has learned it the hard way,” Kumar said.

Kumar is the second politician from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP party in recent days to slam the West.

On Wednesday, spokesman Jaiveer Shergill told RT: “The West has a single power dominance hangover,” adding that “The era of global hegemony... is over.”

In January, US troops kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and the Trump administration took control of the country’s oil sales, with the funds going into US-supervised accounts. 

India is considering increasing its use of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) running through the Arctic ocean in the future because of disruptions to seaborne trade in the Hormuz strait, Alexey Chekunkov, the Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, has said.

Speaking to RT on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026) on Friday, Chekunkov said that the operational shipping line between Vladivostok and Chennai, called the Russia-India sea transport corridor, can be extended to link India to European markets via the NSR.

Russia wants the NSR – which runs through the Arctic Ocean off the country’s northern coastline and is the shortest shipping route between East Asia and Europe – to become a major shipping lane, and is investing heavily in its infrastructure.

It would provide India with alternative routes to ship commodities to markets in eastern and northern Europe, saving up to 40% in distance and about two weeks of travel time – compared to traditional routes through the Suez Canal.

The disruption of shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz following the conflict in Iran has made this route more appealing for India. 

“The Indian side is very interested in it,” Chekunkov said.“We have dramatic common capabilities, common opportunities to jointly develop ice-level fleet to jointly develop container shipping, which is happening.”

Indian shipyards are building four non-nuclear icebreaker ships to navigate the harsh waters of the Arctic route.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian business community are interested in developing trade ties with the Russian Far East, recognizing its major logistical and economic potential.

Venezuela is seeking India’s participation in its oil sector, as it looks for reliable markets for its oil and foreign investment to rebuild its energy industry.

The offer comes as India, the world’s largest oil importer, is diversifying its energy sources following disruptions in the Middle East caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran.

Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, who is on a visit to New Delhi, told Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri that she welcomes the participation of Indian companies in the country’s oil and gas sector.

She highlighted the complementarities that exist between India and Venezuela in the energy sector and invited an Indian delegation to visit the country to explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation, the Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry said in a press release.

Before 2019, India was a major buyer of the heavy, sulfur-rich Venezuelan crude oil until US sanctions restricted trade. Indian refineries are equipped to process heavy grade Venezuelan crude, making the country an ideal buyer.

Indian refiners resumed imports in February when Washington eased the sanctions.

Puri told Rodriguez that Indian companies are ready to deepen their presence in Venezuela and expand energy trade. Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, emerged as one of India’s top suppliers in April and May, Puri said.

Venezuela Urges Indian Firms To Participate In Its 'Reformed' Oil & Gas Sector - Ministry Of Petroleum pic.twitter.com/XjDwzBaw35

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 5, 2026

Indian public sector oil majors have had a presence in the South American country’s upstream oil sector since 2008, with a total investment of around $1 billion in the San Cristobal and Petrocarabobo-1 projects in Venezuela’s Orinoco Belt.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said US attempts to exert pressure on India over its ties with Moscow are “futile.”

“The US is trying to pressure India on certain issues, particularly on certain issues of cooperation with Russia,” Putin said. “Pressuring Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi, who leads a country with a population of 1.5 billion, is futile.” 

The Russian president made the remarks on Thursday during a Q&A session with the heads of leading global news agencies, including Indian outlet PTI, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Putin stated that coercion harms international and bilateral relations, “no matter from which side this pressure comes.” He added, however, that there are no serious adverse effects on India-Russia relations.

“To date, we have not observed any serious adverse effects. Russia and India continue to strengthen their partnership, and we regard India as a reliable partner.”

ICYMI: Putin Says 'The West Is Trying To Put Pressure On India - For Example When It Comes To Cooperation With Russia'

"Everyone understands that putting pressure on PM Modi is detrimental to international and bilateral relations...India is a very reliable partner," he added. pic.twitter.com/OAfmqOP8O2

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 5, 2026

Putin also lauded the Indian prime minister, saying, “India is currently demonstrating the highest economic growth rates among the world’s major economies. This doesn’t fall out of the sky; it is the result of consistent and purposeful efforts, above all by the government led by... Modi.”

New Delhi’s ties with Washington do not impact Russia’s relations with India, he said, praising the country’s independent foreign policy. “We are glad that India is developing relations with all countries. India is a major global power with a population of 1.5 billion people, a rapidly growing economy, and one of the world’s largest democracies. It is entirely natural for India to develop relations with a wide range of countries in accordance with its national interests.”

Pakistan signed a landmark defense deal with China last month to acquire 40 Shenyang J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter jets (export variant J-35AE) to modernize the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The agreement positions Pakistan as the first international operator of the advanced Chinese stealth aircraft. Pakistan is scheduled to receive its first batch of J-35s by late-2026, making it the first air force in South Asia to operate fifth-generation combat aircraft.

In April, Pakistan launched the first of eight Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines, expanding its undersea fleet in deepening cooperation with Beijing. The Hangor-class submarines are advanced, diesel-electric attack submarines being manufactured by China for the Pakistan Navy. They feature Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) and are equipped with modern sensors and heavyweight torpedoes.

Pakistan-China Strategic Partnership

Islamabad and Beijing maintain a deeply integrated “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership,” with China serving as Pakistan’s primary defense supplier. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China accounted for approximately 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports in 2020-2024. Imports included jets, submarines, and drones. This “threshold alliance” features extensive technology transfers, joint production (Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation are co-developing the fourth-generation, lightweight multirole combat aircraft JF-17), and deep interoperability to counter regional security challenges. 

The militaries conduct regular, high-level joint exercises across air, land, and sea, focusing on increasing operational interoperability. The cooperation is driven by a shared strategic goal of maintaining a regional balance of power against India. 

China is aiding the expansion of Pakistan’s naval power in the Arabian Sea, enhancing maritime surveillance and operational capabilities. During the 2025 India-Pakistan standoff, Islamabad deployed Chinese-origin aircraft, demonstrating the operational maturity of the systems. China also provided intelligence and satellite communication support, as well as live radar networking. Chinese aerospace engineers and state technicians provided on-site support to optimize Pakistani assets during the conflict. 

The recent commissioning of advanced Chinese-built submarines for the Pakistan Navy will be followed with local construction via technology transfer. The relationship is increasingly characterized as “brothers in arms,” focused on defending collective interests, including the security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Clearly Pakistan is beginning to pull ahead in some areas with Chinese support, thus creating an environment for a sub-continental arms race. 

Conventional Submarines and Advanced Jets 

Pakistan’s most significant naval acquisition from China is a $5 billion contract for eight Hangor-class (AIP) conventional submarines. The first four submarines will be constructed by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation in Wuhan, and next four at the Karachi Shipyard under a technology transfer agreement, greatly boosting Pakistan’s maritime strike capabilities.

This deal inked in 2015 is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s sea-based deterrence. It strengthens naval interoperability with the PLA Navy and ensures a strategic foothold for Beijing along the Arabian Sea. Some Chinese media outlets say the Beijing-Islamabad submarine deal will “shake” the Indian Ocean.

New Delhi has not commented, but its navy has previously said it is closely monitoring China’s supply of submarines to Pakistan, while stepping up efforts to expand its own undersea fleet, citing Beijing’s expanding naval presence in the Indian Ocean. India is also advancing its nuclear and conventional submarine programs in order to strengthen its maritime capabilities.

Pakistan has been increasingly relying on Chinese advanced Chengdu J-10C multirole fighter jets. The initial agreement was finalized in late 2021 for 25 aircraft with an option to take it to a total of 36. Deliveries were completed across multiple phases, with the latest following the May 2025 aerial clashes with Indian Air Force.

Procured as a direct counterbalance to India’s induction of French-made Rafale aircraft, the agreement with China for these jets established Pakistan as the platform’s first and largest foreign operator. Because of Pakistan’s economic constraints, defense ties with China are heavily subsidized, with much of the procurement financed through direct economic loans rolled over by Beijing. 

There fresh agreement for J-35 jets positions Pakistan as the first international operator of the advanced Chinese stealth aircraft. The aircraft are meant to replace the PAF’s aging fleet of American F-16s and French Mirage aircraft, countering regional aerial threats. Deliveries are being highly accelerated, with the first aircraft expected to arrive in Pakistan in late 2026 as part of a broader military modernization package. PAF pilots have undergone extensive training on the J-35 platform in China. The deal also includes the acquisition of KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and HQ-19 ballistic missile defense systems.

India’s Strategic Priorities 

New Delhi is closely watching these developments. The introduction of fifth-generation J-35 aircraft into the PAF could significantly alter the balance of air power in South Asia. It grants Pakistan a major technological edge, boasting advanced sensors, reduced radar cross-section, and network-centric combat, years before India expects to introduce its own indigenous fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). 

Last year, Russia offered a “golden deal” to India, including the supply of ready-made twin-engine stealth Su-57 multirole fighter aircraft, the production of it in India, and assistance with Indian’s own AMCA.  Russia further sweetened the deal by offering fully licensed production, 100% technology transfer, and a “potential two-seat variant.” 

The twin-seat variant of the Su-57 could have entered testing amid an intensified export pitch to India. Images of the two-seater variant appeared on social media in May, accompanied by claims that the Russian military had begun taxi trials of this aircraft.

India’s preference for a twin-seat jet was clear very clearly during the discontinued India-Russia joint-venture of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project, which was the predecessor to Russia’s Su-57 project. In 2023, the United Aircraft Corporation patented a “multifunctional two-seat low-observable tactical aircraft,” which was said to be a two-seat variant of the Su-57 at the time. It is pertinent to note that the new tail logo depicts the Su-57 alongside the S-70 Okhotnik drone, probably suggesting its intended role as a crewed fighter operating alongside loyal wingman drones in a manned-unmanned teaming configuration.

The IAF views the procurement of two to three squadrons of the Su-57 as a temporary bridge fleet to counter regional stealth programs. While the Su-57 has received significant attention and technological sharing offers, India is conscious of over-dependence on a single foreign country. Geo-strategically, currently India has no other choice. While India is trying to hasten its own AMCA, the reality is that it is likely to enter IAF service only around 2038. With Pakistan acquiring the J-35, there will be pressure on India’s security establishment to acquire an interim fifth-generation aircraft.

In the maritime defense domain, India’s first AIP-equipped submarine will be the INS Khanderi, a Kalvari-class (Scorpene) submarine, which is undergoing an upgrade with an indigenous fuel-cell system developed by the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). 

Beyond the existing Kalvari-class, India is slowly pushing Project 75 (India), a mega $8.4 billion submarine program, to build six next-generation diesel-electric submarines. These new boats will feature factory-fitted, advanced AIP systems to offer even greater stealth, range, and firepower.  For this project the Indian Navy and Ministry of Defense are partnering with the German defense conglomerate ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

Action Plan India

The deep tactical and strategic nexus between Islamabad and Beijing fundamentally alters India’s defense calculus and operational readiness. India’s military leadership has recognized that Pakistan is making use of advanced Chinese assets, treating engagements as a live combat laboratory for China to test its latest weaponry against Indian defenses. 

China needs Pakistan for access to the Arabian Sea. The debt-ridden CPEC was once a flagship program, but has since been put on the back burner due to severe financial constraints, low return on investment, and security reasons. Yet Pakistan is a great testing ground for Chinese weapons while also keeping Beijing’s adversary India engaged. 

Meanwhile, as part of its evolving counter-strategy and offensive-defense posture, India has lowered its threshold for retaliation, treating major terror incidents as acts of war, and has been responding with calibrated, targeted counter-strikes. India needs military power, and luckily its growing economy can support it. 

On the diplomatic front, New Delhi continues to drive strategic autonomy through greater engagement with BRICS while at the same time deepening interoperability through the Quad (albeit, this format has slowed down in the second Trump administration).

To counter the technological parity China ensures for Pakistan, India is prioritizing indigenous defense R&D and production. It is acquiring or negotiating for top defense systems from Russia (S-400, Su-57, R-37M), France (Rafale), Germany (submarines), and Israel (radars, air defense). India is also looking for a partner to co-develop jet engines (Safran/Rolls Royce/GE). 

India needs to accelerate decision making and contract signing on all of the above deals to maintain its superiority in the subcontinent. While India and China are also working to mend their relationship, India must learn to live with the close ties between Pakistan and China, and accordingly reassess and redraw its own security capabilities and architecture.

Western nations have not come to grips with the demise of old notions of global hegemony, a spokesperson for India’s ruling party has told RT India.

“The era of global hegemony, dominance is over,” Jaiveer Shergill said, adding, “That ship has sailed. I think the West needs to be woken up from a deep slumber.”

Appearing on the latest episode of the ‘India, Russia and the World’ weekly podcast, Shergill did not hold back in his criticism of the collective West. “The West has a single power dominance hangover,” he said.

“India is not in the business of giving sermons of governance to the world. And neither India is in the business of receiving certification, especially from the West,” said Shergill, who also practices law in India’s Supreme Court.

The US and EU have slapped sanctions on Russian oil. In August last year, the United States imposed 50% reciprocal tariffs on Indian imports, half of which was punishment for New Delhi’s oil purchases from Moscow. The levies were scaled down to 18% after a trade deal with the US was agreed upon in February.

Shergill slammed the double standards of the West. “The same people who were questioning [the] import of Russian oil were indirectly sourcing the same oil from India into their countries.”

India’s sole objective is to reduce dependence on any one energy source, he said, adding that New Delhi is now importing oil from 40 different sources.

India-US ties, he said, should be viewed through the lens of defense partnerships, technology exchange, geography, and human resources.

He underscored New Delhi’s sovereign choice of global alliances, saying, “If India is part of Quad, India is equally a partner in BRICS.”

A minister from India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state has cited “speed of doing business” as a unique factor in his pitch for increased investment from Russia. 

Andhra’s IT and human resources minister, Nara Lokesh, told the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Thursday that large industrial projects are being executed at a rapid pace. 

“What we are most proud of is not policy on paper, it is our prowess, it is our execution, it is our record of delivery on ground,” Lokesh, who is an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said. 

“We are known for moving with speed when an investor makes a commitment. That speed matters. We call it speed of doing business,” he said, declaring that he is “available to the investors of Russia.” 

Lokesh said Andhra, which is a $215 billion economy, is aspiring to become a $2.4 trillion economy by 2047. 

In April, Google held the groundbreaking ceremony for a $15 billion artificial intelligence hub in Andhra Pradesh. 

The project includes India’s first gigawatt-scale AI hub comprising three data center campuses. It will enable Google to deploy advanced AI capabilities and scale digital services across the South Asian nation. 

‘In a Value-Driven World, Trust Matters: Russia & India Ready to Build the Future Together’ - Minister for HR Development of Andhra Pradesh, @naralokesh at SPIEF

📹 Roscongress pic.twitter.com/gWrlUUfwvN

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 4, 2026

On Thursday, Lokesh held talks with Anton Zakharov, head of international commercial projects at Element Group, a leading Russian producer of semiconductor components; and Julia Suhoroslova, CEO of Nanotronica, on business opportunities in Andhra. 
 
He pointed to Russian aluminum giant Rusal’s intention to increase its stake in Pioneer Aluminium Industries, which operates a 1.5-million-ton alumina refinery in his state, as an example of the favorable investment climate there.  

There is a “special opportunity” for doing business between India and Russia, New Delhi’s ambassador to Moscow said at the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026).

Invoking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make-in-India initiative, Vinay Kumar suggested that the model can be a bellwether for expanding business ties between New Delhi and Moscow.

“There is a new and very special opportunity between our two countries, that is, making in Russia for India,” Kumar said.

He cited sectors including mineral resources, critical materials, and fertilizers as areas where these new opportunities could be explored and “in which Indian and Russian companies can set up joint ventures in Russia.”

Such an approach would facilitate “a captive export market for India,” he added.

Kumar also said natural resources, manpower and mobility should be tapped as the countries work toward achieving the $100 billion trade target set by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Modi at their New Delhi summit in December.

The envoy pointed out that over the last couple of years, the number of Indian workers in Russia has risen to 100,000.

He said companies need to develop new manufacturing sites and create new supply chains, which would enable them to meet “the demand scale, demand in India and also in third countries.”

The envoy also cited India’s transformation in the digital landscape, including the unified payment interface (UPI), which processes over 18 billion transactions monthly, making it one of the largest real-time payment systems on the planet.

The economic cooperation program initiated by Putin and Modi is a “shared commitment, a roadmap that spans energy, transport, technology, science, and people-to-people ties,” Kumar said.

Indian pharma major Hetero Labs has agreed with the city of Moscow to build a new plant and expand pharmaceutical collaboration in a special economic zone in the Russian capital. 

A memorandum of cooperation was signed by Anatoly Garbuzov, minister of the Moscow government, and Murali Krishna Reddy, director of Emerging Markets at Hetero Labs Limited, on the sidelines of the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026). 

“We believe that such a synergy between the city and foreign partners will help create the most promising, the most high-tech pharmaceutical drugs,” Garbuzov told RT. 

He added that Moscow is one of the largest centers of pharmaceuticals and medical instrumentation in the country and that more than 300 industry enterprises operate in the capital.

🇮🇳🇷🇺 A Dose Of Investment! One Of India's Largest Pharma Firms Signs Deal For Moscow Production

At SPIEF, Moscow authorities signed a memorandum of intent with Hetero Labs on the implementation of a new industrial investment project.

Under the agreement, the company will… pic.twitter.com/ax5bMakhe2

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 3, 2026

Garbuzov, who is also the head of investment and industrial policy in Moscow, said the pharma industry in Russia’s capital is looking for international expertise. “India is really the world leader in the production of various pharmaceuticals.”  

Sanjay Nayak, CEO of Makiz Pharma, a wholly owned unit of Hetero Labs, said his firm would set up a factory for producing oncological and other products.  

The Moscow government has provided the land for the facility and offered incentives such as tax rebates and assured buy-back of some pharma products, he said. 

Hetero Labs produces active pharmaceutical substances and ready-made dosage forms for the treatment of HIV, hepatitis, cancer, and tuberculosis. Makiz already has a manufacturing facility in Moscow. 

The Technopolis Moscow SEZ has 14 companies, ten of which have already started production of drugs for the treatment of oncological, autoimmune, cardiological, and other diseases.  

Garbuzov also said the city is open to investment from the Indian electric car industry, and that a delegation of 18 Russian companies had visited India to explore market opportunities.

India has expressed an interest in buying up to 200 Russian regional aircraft, the head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has said.

Airline companies in the country have expressed an interest in the Il-114-300 and SJ-100 planes, Vadim Badekha, the head of the UAC, told TASS in an interview ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2026).

Russia showcased the SJ-100 Superjet and the Il 114 300 turboprop plane at the Wings India 2026 airshow in Hyderabad earlier this year.

“We are talking about 100-200 aircraft,” Badekha said. He added that the first Superjet could be made in the South Asian country in 3 years.

The twin-engine Superjet can seat up to 100 passengers, while the Il-114-300 can carry 68. Both planes fall under the category of regional aircraft; they can be used to connect small towns to major airline hubs. For India, they are ideal for connecting its rapidly growing tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

India was the third-largest global air passenger market in 2025, with 160 airports operating scheduled flights, compared to 74 in 2014. New Delhi has allowed 100% foreign direct investment in most sectors of civil aviation.

India's regional aircraft market is also growing rapidly, with the demand for such aircraft projected at 300-400 over the next two decades. Currently the market is serviced by planes made by the Franco-Italian company ATR, Canada’s Bombardier and Brazil’s Embraer.

Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez will hold discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week, with energy security topping the agenda amid the war in Iran. 

Rodriguez, who will be in India on Wednesday on her first visit to New Delhi after taking over as acting president, is expected to hold discussions on the "full spectrum of India-Venezuela relations," the Indian Foreign Ministry said. Interestingly, her visit to India was announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New Delhi last week. 

Rubio had made an open push for the sale of both US and Venezuelan oil to India, saying Washington wanted "a bigger part" of India’s energy import portfolio and also pointed to “opportunities with Venezuelan oil.”  

India, which imports about 85% of the crude, has been looking to diversify its sources of oil following the supply disruptions in the Middle East.  

Rodriguez became Venezuela’s acting president following the capture and removal of President Nicolas Maduro by US forces in January. The Trump administration then took control of Venezuela’s oil sales, with the funds going into US-supervised accounts. “When you add Venezuela and the United States together, we have 55% of the oil in the world,” Trump said at the time.  

Ironically, India was once a major buyer of the heavy, sulfur-rich Venezuelan crude before US sanctions severely restricted trade in 2019. 

After the Ukraine conflict began, Russia became India’s single largest oil supplier. Imports amounted to around 40% of New Delhi’s crude basket, helped by discounted Urals that improved refinery margins and tempered the import bill. 

But the US imposed 25% punitive tariffs on India for the Russian oil purchases as it sought to wean New Delhi away from Moscow. But as supply constricted in the global markets, Washington has issued sanctions waivers for Russian oil purchases.

India has slammed the European Union (EU) for a joint statement it issued with Pakistan that mentioned Jammu and Kashmir, a deeply sensitive issue for New Delhi. 

The document issued by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Monday equated Jammu and Kashmir with the Ukraine conflict. It expressed support for the “peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.” 

Kallas was in Islamabad for the eighth round of strategic dialogue between the country and the EU. 

On Tuesday, the Indian Foreign Ministry said New Delhi categorically rejected “unwarranted references” to its internal affairs. 

“The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India. Those who have no locus standi in such matters should refrain from making any comments on them,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. 

VIDEO | Delhi: Responding to a media query regarding the EU-Pakistan joint statement referring to Jammu and Kashmir, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) says, "Regarding the reference to Jammu and Kashmir, we would like to state that we categorically reject such… pic.twitter.com/QLHZumaVPP

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 2, 2026

India has repeatedly emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and vehemently opposed any third-party involvement or mediation in its dispute with Pakistan. 

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three major wars over Kashmir, and India struck Pakistan last year following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. 

In January, India raised its concerns to Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski about his visit to Pakistan in October last year. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said New Delhi expects its partners to not help “fuel terrorism” in its neighborhood. 

Sikorski’s visit irked New Delhi as it came a few months after the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025. Citing the EU’s sanctions on India’s trade and oil imports from Russia, Jaishankar said that “selective targeting of India is unfair and unjustified.” 

India and the EU finalized a trade deal in New Delhi in January, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen describing it as “the mother of all deals.”

India today operates within one of the most demanding geopolitical environments of the post-Cold War era. Two simultaneous and interconnected pressures are reshaping its foreign policy calculus: the accelerating economic and technological rivalry between the United States and China, and the cascading humanitarian and economic consequences of conflicts across the Middle East.

Rather than being paralyzed by these pressures, India has responded with a doctrine of principled multi-alignment, engaging deeply with multiple power centers while preserving its sovereign decision-making. Understanding how and why India has done this strategic balancing requires each pressure to be examined in turn.

India as a preferred alternative 

The structural decoupling of Western supply chains from China has placed India in an unusually advantageous position. The ‘China Plus One’ strategy, the drive by multinational firms to diversify manufacturing away from China, has directed significant investment toward India. Apple’s decision to shift substantial iPhone production to Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, Micron’s semiconductor fabrication plant in Gujarat, and GE’s agreement for jet engine co-production are just some of the concrete expressions of this shift.

The India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), launched in 2023, formalized cooperation across semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space, a qualitative upgrade in bilateral technology ties.

India has actively shaped this opportunity through its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which offers structured financial incentives across sectors including electronics, pharmaceuticals, and solar energy deliberately targeting the supply chain gaps left by de-risking from China.

The China relationship: Complexity without capitulation

Despite the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes which killed Indian soldiers and severely damaged bilateral trust, China has remained India’s largest source of goods imports. Bilateral trade has exceeded $100 billion annually, reflecting a structural interdependence in electronics, industrial machinery, and pharmaceutical precursors that cannot be unwound rapidly. India has responded not by accepting this vulnerability but by investing heavily in domestic manufacturing to substitute Chinese imports over time, with PLI schemes being the primary instrument.

Strategic autonomy in practice

India’s participation in the Quad alongside the United States, Japan, and Australia represents a meaningful strategic signal, yet India has been consistent that the Quad is not a military alliance and that it will not subordinate its defense decisions to any external partner. This posture is not evasion; it reflects a considered judgement that India’s security interests are served by flexible engagement rather than rigid treaty obligations.

India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil during the Ukraine conflict drew criticism from Washington and Brussels. However, India has maintained that energy security is a sovereign concern, particularly for a developing economy managing high import bills, and that India’s diplomatic channel with Moscow provides a useful avenue for advocating restraint, a role that rigidly aligned nations cannot play.

This same logic governs India’s simultaneous membership of BRICS, the SCO, the Quad, and the G20. Far from being contradictory, this positioning gives India access and influence across competing blocs – a diplomatic asset of growing strategic value.

Technology sovereignty and the digital divide

India’s exclusion of Huawei and ZTE from its 5G rollout was a consequential choice, effectively aligning India with the Western technology ecosystem at a moment when the world is bifurcating into rival digital architectures. India made this decision based on its own security assessment rather than external pressure, a distinction that matters for its credibility as an autonomous actor.

As AI governance frameworks emerge with the EU, the US, and China each advancing rival standard-setting architectures, India’s democratic credentials, large technology workforce, and proven digital public infrastructure (UPI, Aadhaar, DigiLocker, collectively studied globally as the ‘India Stack’) position it as a credible participant in shaping international norms rather than merely adopting them.

Humanitarian stakes and diplomatic balance

The Israel-Gaza war, which erupted in October 2023, placed India in a position of genuine difficulty. India initially expressed solidarity with Israel’s right to self-defense, reflecting substantive defense, counterterrorism, and agricultural ties built over decades. As civilian casualties mounted, India shifted to calling for a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access, and abstained on several UN resolutions rather than explicitly condemning Israeli military operations.

This calibration was driven by real constraints: India’s Gulf Arab partners Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar – on whom India depends for energy and diaspora welfare – demanded a stronger humanitarian stance. Over 9 million Indian workers in GCC countries remit approximately $50 billion annually – India’s single largest remittance source. Alienating Gulf partners was not a diplomatic abstraction; it carried direct consequences for millions of Indian families.

The Red Sea disruption and naval assertiveness

The Houthi campaign against Red Sea shipping from late 2023 onward directly struck Indian economic interests. India is a major maritime trading nation, and rerouting shipments around the Cape of Good Hope added weeks to transit times and significantly increased freight costs; a damaging blow at a moment when India is positioning itself as a global manufacturing export hub.

India’s response was notable: the Indian Navy deployed warships in the Arabian Sea to escort merchant vessels, marking a shift toward proactive protection of sea lanes. This was not merely a tactical decision but a strategic signal; India is prepared to bear the costs of securing its maritime lifelines unilaterally, whenever necessary.

The Iran-Chabahar tension and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor 

Iran presents India with a particularly layered challenge. The Chabahar port project in southeastern Iran is central to India’s overland connectivity strategy toward Afghanistan and Central Asia, a route that bypasses Pakistan entirely.

One of the most consequential developments in this period is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), unveiled at India’s G20 presidency summit in New Delhi in September 2023. Backed by the US, EU, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and India, IMEC proposes rail and shipping links connecting South Asia, the Gulf, and Europe, an explicit alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The ongoing Middle East conflict has complicated IMEC’s near-term prospects, particularly given the critical role Saudi Arabia plays in the corridor. Nonetheless, the project represents India’s most ambitious connectivity vision and demonstrates its capacity to anchor major multilateral infrastructure frameworks.

The costs and rewards of strategic autonomy

India’s foreign policy response to these multiple geo-political and geo-economic pressures has been neither passive nor purely reactive. It has pursued technology partnerships with the West while managing economic interdependence with China; it has built naval capacity to protect Red Sea interests while balancing Arab and Israeli relationships; it has led the Global South through the G20 while maintaining ties with Russia.

Each of these choices carries costs such as strained relations with Western partners on Russia, trade vulnerability with China, and complexity in the Middle East. But collectively they reflect a strategy of building maximum leverage and minimum dependency, befitting a nation whose weight in global affairs is only set to grow. Strategic autonomy and multi-alignment are the doctrines of this new India.

The author will be speaking at the Valdai Club session, ’Shared Future, Universal Good: How to Manage Competition for Resources and Spaces’, at SPIEF 2026 on June 4, 2026.

India and the US have begun another round of talks aimed at finalizing a trade deal, amid New Delhi’s concerns about tariff actions that could arise from an unfair-practices probe in Washington.

After months of negotiations, New Delhi and Washington are in the final stages of concluding a tranche of a trade agreement, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.

A US delegation led by Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch is in New Delhi for discussions that will continue until June 4.

New Delhi’s reservations to the deal would be about “opening up agriculture without any constraints, without any limits,” Ajay Dua, a former commerce and industries secretary in India, told RT India. He also cited the issue of digital data protection, that is data gathered by foreign companies about India should be stored locally, which Western companies are resisting.

India is expected to seek shielding from Washington’s investigations of countries under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a law that grants the US broad authority to probe trade practices and impose retaliatory measures.

There is a sense of urgency to get the talks over the line as tariffs under Section 301 are expected to come into effect on July 24 – in place of the reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump last year, The Indian Express reported.

Deal Breakers For Delhi: India Seeks Shield & Access In US Trade Talks

Negotiators are expected to push for preferential access to the US market and protection from potential penalties linked to Washington's Section 301 investigations during bilateral trade talks, according to… pic.twitter.com/f0KMdsKmme

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 2, 2026

Underscoring India’s concerns, the US on Tuesday slapped a 25% tariff on Brazil over trade practices it decided were unfair under Section 301. New Delhi is seeking to avoid the same playbook being used against it after a trade deal is signed.

Early last year, Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a goal to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. They outlined plans to negotiate the first tranche of a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement by the fall of 2025.

However, Trump’s tariffs were deemed illegal by the US Supreme Court in February this year, effectively scuppering the agreement.

Amid the talks over an India-US trade deal, reports say New Delhi may review the broad contours of its trade pact with the UK. India is reportedly looking at reducing the tariff concessions on Scotch whisky and some other items over steel quotas and duties in the UK, the Times of India reported.

Nepalese Prime Minister Balen Shah reignited a long-running border dispute between his country and its large southern neighbor India, adding fuel to the fire by saying the United Kingdom and China have to be at the talks.

Shah, who was elected last year following the massive ‘Gen Z’ protests against corruption that swept the country, said on Sunday, “Not only has India encroached on Nepal’s land, but Nepal has also encroached on India’s land in multiple places.”

He said that the disputes over Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kala Pani would be resolved through diplomatic dialogue.

While he sounded reconciliatory in calling for talks, he added that Kathmandu has spoken with not only India and China – whose Tibet region borders the disputed zone – about the issue but also with the UK government.

“Our view is that the UK should also take an interest, as the issue dates back to the period when the British left the region,” Shah said. Britain ruled India for nearly 200 years, until its independence in 1947, and is still bitterly remembered for its brutality and exploitation, particularly the partitioning of the territories under the Raj into India and Pakistan.

He said Shah’s statement should be seen as more positive than negative as it shows a shift in Nepal’s approach to the issue.

India had said earlier last month that it remains open to constructive interaction with Nepal on all issues in the bilateral relationship, including on resolving agreed-upon outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy.

Meanwhile, media reports said that Rabi Lamichhane, the president of Shah’s Rashtriya Swatantra Party, will make a five-day official visit to India starting Monday at the invitation of its ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Myanmar has vowed not to allow its territory to be used against neighboring India’s security interests.

President Min Aung Hlaing, who is in New Delhi on his first foreign tour, held comprehensive discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

President Hlaing’s statement is important in light of India’s March arrest of a group of seven foreigners, including six Ukrainian mercenaries, who were allegedly training and supplying weapons to insurgents in Myanmar.

The insurgents had crossed into Myanmar and back through India’s eastern border in India’s northeastern state of Mizoram. The region around this border is a hotbed of insurgent activity, according to Indian military experts. These groups were reportedly in touch with insurgent groups in India too.

Modi told Hlaing that New Delhi remains Myanmar’s “trusted neighbor, a reliable partner, and steadfast first responder in times of crisis” in line with India’s Neighbourhood-First policy. He reaffirmed India’s readiness to support peace and dialogue with Myanmar, India’s foreign ministry said in a post on X.

PM @narendramodi held wide-ranging discussions with President U Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on further deepening India-Myanmar bilateral ties.

Anchored in the enduring historical and people-to-people relationship, both sides agreed to advance 🇮🇳-🇲🇲 partnership for peace,… pic.twitter.com/kYt5cPl7NE

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 1, 2026

The two leaders held talks on issues such as trade, defense, security, and border management and agreed to enhance cooperation.

Both sides stressed the need to prevent activities detrimental to each other’s security interests within their respective territories. India shares a 1,020-mile border with Myanmar and a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.

Cross-border immigration and the consequent demographic changes have increased socio-political tension in much of eastern and northeastern India.

With regard to concerns raised by rights groups about Myanmar’s military-backed government, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “History has shown that disengagement doesn’t give us any results that are better than engagement.”

Hlaing’s previous visit to India was in 2019, when he served as Myanmar’s military chief.

India has signed an agreement to supply BrahMos cruise missiles to Vietnam, Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has confirmed.

A similar deal with Indonesia is in the final stages, Singh said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore over the weekend.

“My understanding is that with both Indonesia and with Vietnam, the deal is in the final stages… in fact, for Vietnam, I understand that it has already been signed, probably not publicly announced, but it’s already been signed,” Singh said.

Vietnamese President To Lam was in India on an official visit early last month.

Vietnam has become the second Southeast Asian nation to induct the supersonic cruise missiles into its arsenal. Last year, the Philippines became the first third-party customer for the BrahMos system, taking delivery of an initial batch in April under a $375 million agreement signed in 2023.

The BrahMos, named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, is among the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in the world. It was jointly developed by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya rocket design bureau, which produces the Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles.

Originally capped at a range of 180 miles, the BrahMos has since been upgraded for greater reach, increasing its strategic value and drawing heightened interest from Southeast Asian countries amid shifting regional security dynamics.

The missile, which can be launched from ships, submarines, land, and air-based systems, was first unveiled at the MAKS-2001 airshow in Moscow.

Backed by the Indian and Russian governments, BrahMos is reportedly in advanced talks with Indonesia for a deal valued at $200 million to $350 million.

The next phase of the BrahMos project could involve the joint development of a missile system based on Russia’s Zircon hypersonic missile.

BrahMos Aerospace posted record revenue in the last fiscal year, the DRDO has said.

Indian scientists may have discovered new evidence of subsurface ice on the Moon, potentially paving the way for more lunar landings.

Scientists from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Physical Research Laboratory have analyzed data from the Chandrayaan-2 mission and found radar signatures consistent with buried ice inside four “doubly shadowed craters” in the moon’s south polar region, the Indian Express reported.

These are extremely cold regions of the lunar surface, as they never receive direct sunlight, making them ideal for preserving water ice. Temperatures in these spots could drop to around 25 Kelvin, or -248.15C.

The data is from an imaging instrument on the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter that studies the lunar surface. The findings, which were made using advanced radar polarimetric analysis, were published in the journal npj Space Exploration on May 6.

Water ice on the Moon is considered one of the most valuable resources by lunar missions, as scientists see scope for converting it to drinking water, breathable oxygen, and rocket fuel, according to the Indian Express report.

The probable presence of the subsurface ice may result in more expeditions to the Moon’s south pole.

ISRO has received approvals to develop its Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV), which can be used in its future lunar missions.

Merely two weeks after India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proclaimed a historic electoral victory in the state of West Bengal, the Indian political establishment found itself facing a curveball. 

On May 16, Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old graduate of the public relations program at Boston University, launched a website of the satiric Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a parody on BJP, with a cockroach as a symbol. 

The reason? An off-the-cuff remark by the chief justice of India, Surya Kant, in an open court, who compared young people to cockroaches. 

“There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment or have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI (Right to Information) activists and other activists, and they start attacking everyone,” he said.

Kant later had to clarify that he wasn’t talking of India’s youth in general, but specifically those individuals entering the legal profession through “fake and bogus degrees.” 

The careless remark was a part of specific conversation that was clearly taken out of context.

But the damage had been done.

The satire gained national and international media attention. Reports highlighted the fact that the number of followers of the parody party on social media exceeded the following of Modi's party.

The CJP’s Instagram account racked up 11.1 million followers in three days and is now at 22.5 million. By contrast, the BJP’s account has 9.4 million, despite being the dominant party in the country for about 12 years. The main opposition Congress party has 13.6 million followers. (Modi himself is in a different league, with 101 million.)

The CJP’s website lists more than a million followers as of this writing.

But a week later, on May 27, several key international outlets practically simultaneously published detailed reports on the “cockroach party” and its founder – specifically highlighting how it is a challenge to the Modi government. The timing was a coincidence hard to miss in the world of information warfare.

World’s largest party they said🤭 pic.twitter.com/Yogr9Ig0GM

— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) May 20, 2026

What did Western media say?

The Reuters report called the party “the largest online expression of dissent against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12-year rule.”

“The lid on the discourse of discontent has been prised open, and the scuttling cockroaches may be hard to contain,” warned France24. 

The Washington Post followed the narrative: “The movement’s growth reflects the depth of frustration of a generation that feels unseen and unheard.”

The reason this coverage came all in one day, a week after the party made headlines and with no clear news development, can only be guessed. 

Furthermore, this coverage doesn’t come out of nowhere. In the past two years, a wave of GenZ protests has hit states in India's neighborhood. While they succeeded in toppling the governments, the problems that triggered them, including corruption and unemployment, remain. 

FT, in a report titled “India’s viral ‘cockroach party’ challenges Narendra Modi,” notes: “Economists say that despite relatively high economic growth, India faces a serious challenge from rising youth unemployment, with even graduates struggling to find decently paid jobs. India has also not experienced youth protest movements such as those in Nepal, Indonesia and Bangladesh in recent years. But the rapid march of the cockroach party has caused alarm.”

The idea is not new. In October, a BBC feature bluntly asked ”Why young Indians aren’t taking to the streets.”

Western media coverage appears to be following a familiar, well‑worn script, much like the “cockroach party” itself: a catchy name, a mascot, and a young “revolution leader” who instantly becomes a foreign media “darling.” 

Who is Abhijeet Dipke?

The founder of the satiric platform, according to his social media profiles, earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in Pune and later moved to the US for higher education. 

Dipke recently graduated with a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University and remained in the US. 

Dipke was reportedly associated with India’s opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a rival of the BJP,  from 2020 to 2023. He volunteered with the party’s social media team and reportedly worked on meme-based digital campaigning during the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, which the APP won. 

The APP is led by Arvind Kejriwal, an activist who rose to national prominence as an anti-corruption crusader. Kejriwal was briefly jailed in 2024 in connection with a liquor policy which authorities alleged gave undue advantages to private retailers. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in September 2024 and was formally cleared by a court in February 2026, which closed the corruption case against him. 

Like Dipke now, Kejriwal was then branded by Western outlets as “Modi’s biggest critics” and “India’s Assange.” 

His arrest even triggered a diplomatic row between New Delhi and western capitals. After US State Department commented on the arrest of Kejriwal, New Delhi quickly summoned an American diplomat to “strongly object” to the remarks.

What CJP stands for 

The Cockroach Janta Party describes itself as a “satirical political movement that emerged in May 2026, in response to the public use of “cockroach” as a slur against young, unemployed and politically active Indians.”

The CJP’s manifesto has five “non-negotiable” demands. This includes a ban on post-retirement seats in the Parliament for chief justices, action against the chief election commissioner for supposedly deleting legitimate votes, 50% of the makeup of Parliament to be women without increasing the size of the house, and a 20-year ban on legislators who “defect from one party to another.” 

Interestingly, the movement demands the cancellation of licenses of media houses owned by Indian tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani “to make way for truly independent media.” It also calls for a ban on accounts of ‘Godi media’ (a popular reference to news outlets that are uncritical towards the ruling BJP). 

For now the party remains a satire and online movement. While an Indian lawyer reportedly petitioned the Election Commission for formal recognition, it remains just a meme-driven online protest. 

How did the government respond? 

The Modi government quickly ordered social media platforms and internet service providers to block the CJP’s X account and website. The accounts were blocked after the Intelligence Bureau (IB) flagged them as a national security threat. Dipke created a second handle, “Cockroach is Back,” which remains active.

Dipke’s attempt to get back his initial X account received a further setback on Friday when the Delhi High Court refused his plea, saying it wants to hear the government’s argument first. It also said the content posted on the account was “slightly offensive.” 

The court, however, directed the deferral to the government to file a comprehensive response within four weeks and scheduled a hearing on the matter for July 6. It also ordered a review of the blocking order by the review committee constituted under the relevant rules governing online content blocking.

Kiren Rijiju, India’s minister for parliamentary affairs, posted on social media without mentioning Dipke, that he pitied those who “seek their followers in social media from Pakistan & George Soros gang.”

Dipke countered by sharing a screen recording of his Instagram audience analytics. The data claimed over 94% of his followers were based in India. 

Does CPJ have any reasoning? 

Justice Kant's remarks were like a spark to gunpowder. It is easy to see why. Almost two-thirds of India’s 1.4 billion population is under 35. However, what is termed by economists and strategic exerts as “India’s demographic dividend,” faces a hard reality check if ones looks at the data. 

With India, one of largest energy importers globally, feeling the impact of the Middle East crisis, headlines about rising inflationary pressures, job losses, and a slowing economy are contributing to the growing anger among youths. 

Why the timing is important? 

The appearance of the CPJ came barely two weeks after the BJP swept to power in West Bengal, an eastern state that had long resisted its politics, and improved its electoral performance in a couple of other states. The BJP’s flag is now flying in most major state capitals and the party looked almost invincible. Indian voters seemed to have spurned the opposition in favor of Modi’s message of a strong India. 

The "cockroach" movement also spread right in the wave of the NEET paper leak, a massive scandal in India’s medical entrance system, where confidential question papers were illicitly accessed and sold to candidates before an exam. The breach compromised the integrity of the test, voiding results for over 2 million medical aspirants and forcing the government to order nationwide re-examinations. 

The US has targeted an Indian firm over its links to the Iranian oil trade, as part of the State Department’s latest list of entities and individuals to be hit with unilateral sanctions.

The move comes as the US tries to further squeeze the already heavily sanctioned Islamic Republic amid Washington’s inability to end the conflict in the Middle East.

In its statement, the State Department identified the sanctioned Indian petrochemical trading firm as Rishabh Triexim, which it said imported $54.6 million worth of Iranian-origin petrochemical products from multiple companies between February and August 2024. Swaroop Jayantilal Bagrecha, its partner, has also been sanctioned.

Indian businesses are more vulnerable to possible secondary sanctions, as unlike Australia, China, and the EU, New Delhi has not adopted any “blocking statute” that prohibits local entities from complying with foreign sanctions.

As the world’s third-largest oil buyer, India relies on imports for around 85% of its oil needs, leaving it vulnerable to rising energy prices and disruptions in the supply chain through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump administration likely sees this as an opportunity to sell more energy resources, mainly oil and LNG, to India.

India, which was Iran’s third largest oil buyer, halted its crude oil imports from the Islamic Republic in May 2019 to comply with US sanctions.

Western pressure on India over its purchases of oil is “neocolonial,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier this month.

Since 2022, New Delhi has ramped up imports of Russian oil significantly and continues to rely on Russian crude to meet its ⁠demand, despite continuous pressure from Western countries over the Ukraine conflict.

The US had earlier imposed a 25% additional levy, now lifted, on Indian imports as a punitive measure for purchases of Russian oil. New Delhi has always maintained that its energy purchases are dictated by national interests.

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has been given a guided tour of Russia’s National Space Center while on a visit to Moscow for the International Security Forum.

Doval and Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov visited the Roscosmos Joint Industry Information Center – established to monitor and analyze the massive data related to the rocket and space industry.

The center will also manage the proposed Russian Space Station (ROS). Ahead of the tour, Doval and Manturov were given a briefing on space technology.

The highlight of the visit was a live call the two senior officials held with the Russian crew of the International Space Station – Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Andrey Fedyaev, and Sergey Mikaev. The cosmonauts told the officials about their spacewalk on May 27.

The senior officials were also shown the world’s most powerful four-chamber liquid rocket engine, the ROS base module, and other exhibits at the center.
Russia and India plan to boost space cooperation significantly, Dmitry Bakanov, the head of the Russian space agency (Roscosmos), said ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s trip to India in December 2025.

Last month, Russia celebrated the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first human flight in space.

At the inauguration of the Russian Space Forum, government officials, scientists, and investors from over 40 countries, including Russia, China and India, took part.

India and Russia are collaborating to develop technologies for making rare-earth magnets, which are key for industries ranging from electric vehicles to renewable energy.

Last week, JSC Giredmet, a unit of Rosatom’s scientific division, signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Nexon Geochem Pvt Ltd, for research and development of technologies for processing raw materials of rare-earth magnets.

JSC Giredmet also signed a letter of intent with Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation (TEXMiN) for research and development of technologies for producing permanent magnets.

Rare-earth magnets are described as the unseen foundation of the green economy, being key components in computer hard drives, wind turbines, electric motors, biomedical devices, and other industrial applications.

India’s consumption of rare-earth permanent magnets is expected to double by 2030. New Delhi imports most of what it needs.

New Delhi has been looking to expand its rare-earth supply chains. During US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s India visit earlier this week, New Delhi and Washington formalized a framework for the supply, mining, processing, recycling, and investment in critical minerals and rare earths.

In February, India said it aims to start producing rare-earth permanent magnets by the end of the year in partnership with the private sector. It allocated $802 million for a program to manufacture rare-earth permanent magnets last November.

The South Asian nation is home to the world’s third-largest reserves of rare earths, at 6.9 million tons, though it mines only a tiny part of it.

There should be no double standards in tackling threats to international security, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has said at the first International Security Forum in Moscow on Thursday.

Terrorism remains one of the most serious threats to international security, Doval said, citing the April 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attacks in Kashmir, India that killed 26 civilians.

“Responsible nations must evaluate their choice and decide whether they support sponsors of terrorism or counter them,” he said.

In response to the attacks, India launched a series of strikes against suspected terrorist-linked sites in Pakistan, in a three-day military operation dubbed Operation Sindoor.

❗️🇮🇳 NSA Doval Praises ‘Multifaceted’ India-Russia Partnership, Highlights ‘Further Broader Cooperation’ in Bilateral Meet with 🇷🇺 Security Council Secretary Shoigu pic.twitter.com/X4dOV8tna6

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) May 28, 2026

The national security adviser also used his address to the forum, which is held under the auspices of the Russian Security Council, to draw attention to security and economic issues that face the global community as it transitions to a multipolar world.

“Power is no longer concentrated in a few hands, although a few may think it to be,” he said.

The current geopolitical and economic instability – in part due to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East – has posed challenges to trade and technology, Doval said. “Risks to maritime traffic and disruption to energy infrastructure show how fragile the... situation is.”

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of the global energy supplies once passed, has remained largely blocked following the US-Israeli strikes against Iran. This has sent oil prices soaring, forcing energy companies in India to raise prices for the fourth time in two weeks.

“India stands ready to continue to constructively support all efforts to reduce tensions and help restore stability,” Doval added.

He also drew attention to the need for equitable access to critical minerals, rare earths, and energy supplies for the Global South, as supply chains and “access to tech are being weaponized.”

Doval went on to say that the UN has become incapable of addressing global security challenges. “There is an urgent need for reform in the UN,” he said, adding that the voice of the majority of the world’s population must be factored into global decision-making.

All BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states are taking part in the forum, in which key global security challenges are being discussed.

India is planning a major upgrade of its Sukhoi 30MKI fleet, The Times of India has reported.

The program aims to give the fighter jets, the backbone of the Indian Air Force, an improved ability to survive in a modern electronic warfare environment, according to the outlet.

The Indian Defense Ministry has issued a request for proposal to equip the fighters with state-of-the-art anti-jamming and anti-spoofing global positioning system (GPS) antennas, the report said.

Jamming and spoofing are vital elements of electronic warfare, which aim to disrupt the radio and GPS signals that allow pilots to navigate and fire munitions accurately. Jamming stops the signals, while spoofing sends false signals to the enemy’s navigation system.

The Indian Air Force currently operates about 258 Su-30MKI fighter aircraft. The proposed upgrade is part of the IAF’s Super Sukhoi modernization program. The Defense Ministry aims to acquire 300 antenna systems.

The move comes amid plans to procure a fifth-generation stealth fighter. In February, The New Indian Express reported that Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 has emerged as the top contender.

Moscow had announced an offer of full licensed production of the Su-57 in India at the Dubai Airshow in November, 2025.

New Delhi has initiated a Make in India program to boost domestic production capabilities. Nearly 60% of the defense hardware of the Indian Armed Forces is of Soviet/Russian origin, while the Sukhoi SU-30MKI air superiority fighter currently accounts for 45% of the IAF’s fighter fleet.

India has formed a high-level committee to study the demographic changes driven by illegal immigration and to suggest measures to address the challenges it poses, fulfilling a pledge made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.

Modi had, in his Independence Day speech last year, said a “high-powered demography mission” would be set up as he warned of a “premeditated conspiracy” that was altering India’s demography and threatening national security.

Announcing the constitution of the panel on Tuesday, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah called “unnatural demographic change” a “very big challenge.” The 5-member High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC) will be headed by a former judge of India’s Supreme Court.

No reliable figures exist on the number of illegal immigrants to India, but cross-border immigration and resultant demographic changes have increased socio-political tensions in much of eastern and north-eastern India.

‘Beyond the Census’: Think Tank 'ORF' Development Studies Head @DrNilanjanG on Why Authorities Say Border Action ‘Can’t Wait’

Officials argue urgency stems from impacts on 'sovereignty, welfare delivery, electoral integrity, local social balance, and national security,’ he tells… pic.twitter.com/rEa6nkc7To

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) May 27, 2026

Most such illegal immigrants are from Bangladesh, seeking jobs to escape the grinding poverty in their home country. Political instability in Myanmar has also increased immigration across the border to India.

Tensions between India and Bangladesh has risen recently following a crackdown on illegal immigration by the government of the West Bengal state in eastern India. Prime Minister Modi’s BJP came to power in West Bengal following the recent elections, and the state government has vowed to deport thousands of illegal immigrants back to Bangladesh.

Shah said the committee will analyze the “abnormal population changes at the level of religious and social communities” and offer a time-bound solution to the issue within a year.

Shah had said last year that the decadal growth of the Muslim population in Assam state, which shares a border with Bangladesh, was 29%, reported The Hindu.

The HLCDC is also tasked with suggesting a clear and permanent system for identifying, detaining, and deporting illegal immigrants. Strengthening border control, population monitoring, and policy formation to improve coordination between the federal and state governments on illegal immigration and demographic imbalance are also in its purview.

No cases of the deadly Ebola virus have been confirmed so far in India, the Health Ministry has said. India is continuing to conduct screening, surveillance, and precautionary measures, while monitoring the disease’s rapid spread in Central Africa, the government-backed-DD News said in a Facebook post.

A Ugandan national who was quarantined in the southern city of Bengaluru on suspicion of having contracted the disease has tested negative, the authorities said on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old woman, with a recent history of travel in the East African nation, had developed mild symptoms of Ebola and was moved from a hotel to the state-backed Epidemic Diseases Hospital on May 26.

“The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, has communicated orally that the woman’s blood report has come back negative,” said a top health official in the southern state of Karnataka, the Hindu reported.

India is implementing public health protocols in line with WHO guidelines for the outbreak. The WHO on May 17 declared the Ebola outbreak in Africa a “global public health emergency.”

The woman will be tested again in 48 hours, in line with the protocols. “The individual is otherwise in a healthy condition now,” officials said.

Also on Wednesday, a 47-year-old man who returned from Uganda was placed under home isolation in Nagpur, western India. The individual has not shown any symptoms of Ebola so far and has said that he did not come into contact with any Ebola patient in Uganda.

On May 23, New Delhi issued a travel advisory for citizens, saying all non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan should be avoided.

The WHO website says the average fatality rate for Ebola disease is around 50%. The US Center for Disease Prevention and Control has said more than 100 deaths have been reported so far.

The Bundibugyo virus is a relatively rare strain of Ebola first identified in Uganda in 2007. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no approved vaccine available against Bundibugyo Ebola. The virus spreads through close contact with infected bodily fluids.

Russia and India are in talks concerning the sale of an additional batch of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, authorities said in Moscow.

India has expressed interest in these advanced missile systems, the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) told Interfax.

“Russia is ready for this. Negotiations are underway,” the FSMTC stated on the sidelines of the International Security Forum, which began in Moscow on Tuesday.

The FSMTC noted that the S-400 had “proven itself” during India-Pakistan military conflict in May last year.

Dmitry Shugaev, head of the FSMTC, said last week that the current contract for supplying India with S-400 systems is being fulfilled on schedule.

He had said earlier that Russia is not ruling out new deliveries of S-400 systems to India.

There had been reports earlier that India might be in the market for the even more advanced S-500 systems, which are capable of taking out targets in low-earth orbit.

In March, India’s Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) approved proposals to buy defense equipment worth $25 billion, including S-400 air defense missile systems, various types of aircraft, and artillery systems, as part of a rapid military modernization drive.

A statement from India’s Defense Ministry said those approvals cover five S-400 units in addition to the five it ordered in 2017. New Delhi went ahead with the earlier purchase despite heavy pressure from the United States.

Three of the missile systems contracted in 2017 have already been delivered to India. A fourth is expected to reach India before the end of this month, and the last before the end of this year.

The procurement of transport aircraft to replace the country’s Soviet-era An-32 and Il-76 planes, as well as various artillery systems, was also approved by the DAC.

New Delhi is the world’s fifth largest military spender and the second largest arms importer after Ukraine, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Over 60% of Indian weaponry is of Soviet or Russian origin. New Delhi has recently been positioning itself as a defense manufacturer under its Make in India program.

India’s state owned oil marketing companies raised prices at the pump for the fourth time in two weeks on Monday, fueling concerns about the impact of the Middle East conflict on the country’s economy.

The first fuel price hike took place in mid-May, when refiners, including Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum, increased retail prices by over 3% – the first hike in four years. According to Reuters, the cumulative increase since the beginning of the month now stands at 8.6% for diesel and 7.8% for gasoline.

The latest hike comes despite global crude oil prices slipping below the psychological $100 per barrel mark amid easing concerns around disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts say Indian state-run firms remain under pressure because retail fuel prices were frozen for four years even as global crude soared.

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said earlier this month that while India has sufficient energy reserves to manage short term disruptions, state run refiners were incurring daily losses, and further hikes would be likely if disruptions linked to the Iran war continue.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was put on the defensive during his first official visit to India when confronted about racist remarks Americans have made about Indians.

During a joint press conference with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Sunday, a local journalist asked Rubio about “a lot of racist comments” targeting Indians and Indian Americans in the US.

When Rubio asked him to clarify whose comments he was referring to, the reporter replied that the remarks were “pretty well known” and “endorsed,” without initially specifying further.

The journalist later posted on X that he was referring to US President Donald Trump’s recent post endorsing an American podcaster’s description of India as a “hellhole.” New Delhi had officially responded to the post, calling it “in poor taste.”

"Who said that...", US Secretary of State Rubio in response to my question on racism agaisnt Indians in US.

US President Donald Trump had endorsed a post terming India "Hellhole" pic.twitter.com/UC37RYIcHK

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 24, 2026

Rubio offered a general answer, saying there were “stupid people” everywhere, including in the US, who make “dumb comments all the time.” He then added that the US has been “enriched by people who have come to our country from all over the world, become Americans, assimilated into our way of life, and contributed greatly.”

The US State Department shared a clip of Rubio’s response on social media, but as the post went viral, it took it down, drawing even more attention to the controversy.

On Monday, Rubio was asked by an American journalist about the previous day’s exchange. He said he was not clear about the question, while repeating his comments about “people posting stuff online.” When told by the journalist that the question was linked to Trump’s earlier posts, Rubio countered back: “The president loves India. The president is a big fan of India, a big fan of PM Modi,” he added.

🙈 🇺🇸 State Sec SQUIRMS In Cringe Moment Where He Tries To Downplay Racist Remarks Against Indian Americans

"The President loves India. The President is a big fan of India, a big fan of PM Modi."

This comes after Trump previously described India as a "hellhole" with a "dead… pic.twitter.com/fyt75Wssn9

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) May 25, 2026

Rubio’s visit has been seen by foreign policy commentators as an attempt to mend ties strained by Trump’s tariff policy targeting India over its connection with Moscow. The trip also comes amid Washington’s growing closeness with India’s neighbor and rival, Pakistan, which is involved in mediating between the US and Iran.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, including as punishment for buying discounted Russian oil. Multiple reports suggested the move was indirectly linked to India’s refusal to acknowledge Trump’s role in brokering a ceasefire to end the four-day India–Pakistan military conflict in May 2025. While New Delhi maintains that the ceasefire was achieved bilaterally, Pakistan openly hailed Trump’s involvement and even advocated for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi focused on expanding an energy “partnership” amid the global crisis caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran.

During a meeting on Saturday, part of Rubio’s four-day visit to India, the US secretary of state said the two sides had discussed “the situation in the Middle East and US-India partnership in energy, securing critical supply chains, and collaboration on emerging technologies.”

Modi described the discussions as focused on “sustained progress” in the India-US strategic partnership, as well as regional and global security issues. “India and the United States will continue to work closely for the global good,” he wrote on X after the meeting.

India, the world’s third-largest crude importer, relies on foreign suppliers for more than 80% of its energy needs and has been heavily affected by the crisis, even though Tehran has allowed Indian vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which it closed off to “hostile” nations.

Ahead of the trip, Rubio said the US wanted to become “a bigger part” of India’s import portfolio and “sell them as much energy as they’ll buy,” while also pointing to “opportunities with Venezuelan oil.”

He said that interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed power after the US military raid on her country in January, would travel to India next week to discuss oil sales being conducted under Washington’s full control.

Shortly after meeting Modi, Rubio claimed that India had “committed” to purchasing $500 billion worth of US goods over the next five years, focused on energy, technology, and agriculture. New Delhi, however, has yet to officially confirm any new commitments.

New Delhi has refused to halt Russian oil imports, insisting it will continue to source energy from all available suppliers to protect its economy and national interests. Earlier this year, the Trump administration imposed punitive tariffs on Indian goods linked to trade with Russia, but later eased the measures under a preliminary deal with Modi.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up a five‑nation European tour this week with upgraded Nordic partnerships and new trade, security and research agreements. Yet a single incident in Oslo once again raised uncomfortable questions about how the West sees India.

Modi embarked on a six-day European tour, signaling India is keen on diversifying its partnerships amid global disruptions caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

After a brief stop in Abu Dhabi, where he signed a massive infrastructure and energy deal, Modi proceeded to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy, with an itinerary running from May 15 to 20. The mission was to deepen India’s partnership with Europe following the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement which, according to Ursula von der Leyen, will be formally signed and operationalized by the end of the year.

Why did Modi go to Europe?

The culmination of Modi’s six-day tour was supposed to be the top-level Nordic summit in Oslo, where India and the five Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark) would discuss ways to expand strategic and trade ties.

According to a statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the summit would “impart a more strategic dimension to India’s relationship with the Nordic countries, especially in technology and innovation, green transition and renewable energy, sustainability, blue economy, defense, space and the Arctic.”

In The Hague, Modi met Dutch King Willem-Alexander, along with his wife, Queen Maxima, discussing defense issues, semiconductors, green hydrogen, and water management. In Stockholm, Modi met the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen.

In Norway, the third edition of the India-Nordic summit took place. In 2024, India signed a trade and economic partnership agreement which eliminates the majority of customs duties on industrial products with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The pact also has a commitment to invest $100 billion in India, which is expected to lead to 1 million new jobs over the next 15 years.

This time around, energy was one of the top issues on the agenda as India, one of the major global importers of oil and gas, is facing an increasing impact from the Middle East crisis on its energy supplies.

Modi pointed out that bilateral trade between India and the Nordic nations had increased fourfold in the past ten years, and that investment from the Nordic nations into India had gone up by an impressive 200%.

PM @narendramodi participated in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo. It reflected the expanding scope and growing strength of India’s partnership with the Nordic region. The leaders discussed cooperation in sustainability, innovation, clean energy, emerging technologies and… pic.twitter.com/xXUO1YsgZF

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 19, 2026

The Norwegian king, Harald V, awarded Modi his country’s highest civilian award, the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit Grand Cross, making it the 32nd such international recognition bestowed upon him and the second on this particular tour, after the Swedish Royal Order of the Polar Star.

But those were not the issues that made headlines during Modi’s stay in Oslo.

What Happened in Oslo?

It all started on Tuesday, when a video of Svendsen Helle Lyng, a journalist for the Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen, started doing the rounds on social media. In the video, Lyng was seen throwing a question to Modi just as he finished his joint press statement with his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Store. “Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?” she shouted across the room. Lyng then seemed to have followed Modi to the elevator.

Primeminister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to.

Norway has the number one spot on the World Press Freedom Index, India is at 157th, competing with Palestine, Emirates & Cuba.

It is our job to question the powers we cooperate… pic.twitter.com/vZHYZnAvev

— Helle Lyng (@HelleLyngSvends) May 18, 2026

In another video, Lyng could be heard asking the Norwegian PM to answer questions from the Indian press: “Why don’t you take questions from Indian journalists? Show them how we do this in Norway.”

The Indian mission in Norway shared Lyng’s post on X and invited her to a press briefing, saying she was “most welcome” to ask her questions there. At the briefing, she pressed the Indian foreign ministry’s secretary, Sibi George, on why should Norway have trust in India.

“Why should we trust you (India)? Can you try to stop the human rights violations that goes on in your country?” she asked.

George delivered a longish response, delving into India’s ancient traditions and history, highlighting the country’s vastness and complexity, which is often misunderstood by foreign observers. He argued that critics lack an understanding of the country’s actual scale, noting that the capital city alone has at least 200 television channels operating in English, Hindi, and various other languages. He also dismissed criticisms of India’s democratic record, pointing out such opinions often rely on selective reports from “godforsaken, ignorant NGOs.”

Journalist: Why should Norway trust India? Will you stop human rights violations in your country?

Amb. Sibi George: *starts to answer*

Journalist: *interrupts*

Amb. George: No, you asked me a question. Let me answer it pic.twitter.com/hjT4dC75tW

— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) May 19, 2026

Lyng’s posts on X set off a storm in India. Social media erupted, Western outlets praised her, and Indian TV channels hauled her on air for tough questioning.

#TheBuckStopsHere with @GaurieD #NDTVExclusive | Is racism & stereotyping what masquerades as journalism in Norway?

Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng (@HelleLyngSvends) responds to questions on press freedom and racism in media narratives in Norway. pic.twitter.com/utCojsylf1

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 20, 2026

But then the matter got even worse.

Why Indians called out a ‘racist’ cartoon

Aftenposten, Norway’s largest newspaper, published an opinion piece by journalist Frank Rossavik. The article includes a cartoon of Modi as a snake charmer. The headline says, “A clever and slightly annoying man.” The cartoon has set social media on fire.

The cartoon was originally published on May 16 but came to light only after Modi’s visit to Oslo. Numerous social media comments call the cartoon and the opinion piece “derogatory,” “racist” and “utterly disgraceful.”

“[The] West has completely run out of structural arguments. When they cannot beat India on GDP growth rates, cannot match India’s digital public infrastructure, and cannot stop India from anchoring global supply chains, their only remaining tool is to pull out a racist drawing of a snake charmer,” wrote one X user.

Shocking. Racist. Derogatory.

Norway’s largest broadsheet newspaper Aftenposten brazens it out with a shocking cartoon depicting Indian PM @narendramodi as a Snake Charmer with the headline: “A sneaky and slightly annoying man”.

They can’t digest India’s rise and success. Pity! pic.twitter.com/g905xHNIWm

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 19, 2026

Commentators in India also pointed out that the image chosen for the cartoon is particularly offensive because it reflects on Modi’s famous 2014 statement that India is no longer a nation of “snake charmers” but a modern nation of “mouse charmers,” driven by technology and innovation. The snake charmer is one of the oldest racist colonial clichés used against India, and it not only mocks the leader but the nation, many commenters pointed out.

“How many more decades will the West continue to look at India through the exhausted lens of snake charmers, cows, fakirs and colonial fantasy before somebody in its supposedly enlightened liberal establishment realizes the joke stopped being funny a century ago?” Stela Dey wrote in her column for The Print.

Why is the West obsessed with India’s democracy?

Developed countries have long commented on the state of democracy in India, the world’s most populous democracy, highlighting issues related to press freedom and the treatment of minorities. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the US State Department consistently call out India in their reports for alleged “ongoing and egregious religious freedom violations.”

New Delhi has repeatedly rejected such reports, calling them “biased.”

When EU chief von der Leyen traveled to New Delhi in February this year and pressed India to agree in general on a deal with the bloc – which she calls “the mother of all deals” – European commentators could not refrain from raising the question of India’s “democratic backsliding” as a stumbling block to expanding this potential cooperation.

“Europe is very Eurocentric in its vision. They view everything from the European lens of how it helps their national interest. So they were not very supportive of issues of the Global South, of strategic autonomy, of the path of development. They have a kind of method of intervening in other countries, which India and countries of the Global South do not,” Professor Anuradha Chenoy told RT India, commenting on the Norwegian episode during Modi’s European tour.

'EU Has A Trust Deficit With Everyone Apart From Themselves' - Professor Anuradha Chenoy

Europe is very euro-centric in its vision and they seem everything through a European lens of how it helps their national interest, she tells RT India Presenter @osamashaab. pic.twitter.com/TEx8LZ1Iju

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) May 19, 2026

Meanwhile, back in Norway, some commentators, too, questioned why local media chose to mock the leader of a nation of 1.4 billion people and the world’s fourth largest economy.

“Unless you believe democracy only fits a handful of small, homogenous, ultra-rich Western nations, India is the miracle of democracy. The large, complex, linguistically and religiously diverse nation with many poor people – which has established a vibrant democracy and is much less violent than Europe or America,” wrote former Norwegian minister Erik Solheim.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is looking to sell more energy resources, mainly oil and LNG, to India, which has been hit by the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. US Ambassador Sergio Gor told Bloomberg that India “has been receptive to diversification” of its sources of energy imports, which means “buying more American energy.”

“People have been very receptive to buying from the United States, and we’ve been very happy with that,” Gor said, according to Bloomberg.

Gor’s comments come days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to visit New Delhi next week. The US has long tried to pressure India to stop oil imports from Russia, which has been the nation’s largest energy supplier since 2022.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration imposed punitive tariffs on Indian goods, linking them to trade with Russia. The tariffs were later removed as part of a deal announced by Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under a preliminary trade agreement, the US cut tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% in exchange for India halting purchases of Russian oil.

The Indian government has been under pressure to secure energy imports amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran. New Delhi is considering a series of measures, including a fuel price hike and restrictions on non-essential spending, to shield its foreign exchange reserves from soaring oil prices linked to the conflict.

Responding to a question about pressure on India as a result of the war, Gor blamed Iran for closing the strait. “The blame is not on the United States,” he told Bloomberg, adding that the US Treasury Department has allowed India to buy Russian oil, which would otherwise be subject to sanctions.

India, the world’s third-largest oil buyer, relies on imports for around 85% of its oil needs, making it vulnerable to rising energy prices and disruptions to supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

Russia-India relations, underpinned by their status as a privileged strategic partnership, are emerging as a benchmark for bilateral cooperation between major powers. The rapid growth in mutual trade and the ambitious goal of reaching a total volume of $100 billion by 2030 indicate a significant new phase.

However, the sustainability and depth of such growth in the long term will be determined not only by trade flows or joint infrastructure projects but also by the ability to create a shared educational and scientific-technological space.

The development strategy for the Russian Far East holds particular significance, representing a point of mutual interest for both Moscow and New Delhi. Russia sees this region as a strategic priority due to its enormous natural resources, its role as the main logistics hub in the Asia-Pacific region, and the importance of strengthening its eastern borders.

India, in turn, views the Far East as a promising direction for investment and expanding its economic influence in Asia. However, despite mutual interest, many promising intergovernmental agreements, including the Program of Russian-Indian Cooperation in Trade, Economic, and Investment Spheres in the Far East of the Russian Federation for 2024-2029, and the agreement on cooperation principles in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation, signed by ministers from both countries, lack notable successful implementation examples. 

Attracting foreign workers represents the main solution to this workforce shortage. The existing influx of labor migration of Indian citizens to Russia, which has grown from 8,000 to 36,200 work permits in recent years, is predominantly low-skilled and does not solve the problem of personnel shortages for high-tech segments. Solving this requires moving beyond targeted labor migration toward a comprehensive system of training and subsequent retention of specialists whose competencies meet the specific demands of the Far Eastern economy.

Academic exchange between Russia and India needs fundamental restructuring. Despite an impressive 58.9% growth in the number of Indian students in Russia from 2022 to 2024, there is a serious structural imbalance. More than 95% of students are majoring exclusively in medicine. After completing their education, the majority of graduates return to India without integrating into Russian society and the economy, which minimizes the long-term effect of this educational export.

Paradoxically, entire fields that are hugely popular among Indian applicants in the US, EU, and Australia are virtually unrepresented in Russia. These include critically important areas for technological development such as new materials production, transport engineering, medical chemistry and instrumentation, and information technology. This imbalance is exacerbated by a poorly developed network of inter-university agreements. Compared to the well-established partnerships with Chinese universities, including numerous joint programs and even institutes, interaction with Indian universities appears less intensive. This highlights a strategic weakness in how Russian education is positioned in the Indian market and the absence of targeted, industry-oriented offerings.

This information gap slows practical cooperation in agriculture, logistics, and other areas despite existing political will and framework agreements.

Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) has been contributing to the process of bridging this gap. It emerged as a unique platform that combines academic traditions of the Oriental Institute, founded in 1899, with the demands of modern economic diplomacy and technological development. As the largest university in the macro-region and a recognized leader in Asian studies in Russia, FEFU serves as a strategic operator for implementing state policies in these fields. 

A pilot model for diversifying scientific and educational cooperation between Russia and India could be the integration of science, education, and production in the agro-industrial complex, which can serve as a benchmark for other sectors. The Far East’s potential in agriculture is enormous: beyond crop production, it includes the development of greenhouse farms and the fishing industry, which saw a 7% increase in transportation in 2025. However, realizing this potential is impossible without modern biotechnologies and specialists skilled in deep processing methods, bioengineering, and aquaculture. FEFU has developed a unique model in partnership with industry leaders, where real manufacturing cases are incorporated into curricula and students can take up internships and participate in joint R&D.

Thus, the strategic priority for the Russian-Indian partnership today is moving beyond trade and isolated projects toward sustainable collaborative ecosystems, with education at their heart. The development of a network of specialized joint educational programs, especially in priority areas for the Far East (agriculture, IT, construction, logistics, tourism), is a direct path to solving the personnel deficit, diversifying the flow of Indian students and, most importantly, forming a common generation of professionals. These specialists will not only possess modern competencies but also serve as living bridges connecting the economies and societies of the two countries.

India has responded to remarks by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten on press freedom and minority rights, saying that the comments stem from a “lack of understanding” of the country’s democratic and civilizational nature.

Jetten said the Netherlands has concerns “not just about press freedom” in India, but also about “the rights of minorities, which are under severe pressure there,” adding that these issues are “regularly raised” with New Delhi, Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported.

Sibi George, a senior diplomat in the Indian Foreign Ministry, said such criticism of India often stems from inadequate knowledge about its social and democratic fabric. “We face these kinds of questions basically because of the lack of understanding of the person who asks the question,” he added.

George noted that India, the world’s most populous country with 1.4 billion people, has a civilization dating back 5,000 years, saying: “It’s a diverse country – diversity in terms of culture, diversity in terms of languages, diversity in terms of food, diversity in terms of religion.”

“There is no other country in the world where four religions have originated,” George said. Four major religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism – originated in India and continue to flourish there.

The Jewish community has lived in the country for over 2,500 years without persecution, he said, adding that Christianity and Islam have also prospered in the South Asian nation for centuries.

At the time of independence, minorities constituted 11% of the total population, a figure that has risen to more than 20%.

After meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the weekend, Jetten posted on social media that both countries attach “great importance to democracy, good governance and a world order based on rules and justice.”

Jetten’s remarks are not the first time Western nations and organizations have made accusations against India.

In March, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom called for sanctions on India’s external intelligence agency and a social service organization for allegedly violating religious freedom.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has vowed to sign an India-EU trade deal by the end of the year.

The pact, which would create a free trade zone of 2 billion people, and which has been stalled for nearly 20 years, was finally agreed upon in January. At the time, von der Leyen claimed the agreement would be the “mother of all deals.”

Meeting on Monday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerssonat at the European Round Table for Industry in Gothenburg, the EU chief also promised to make the deal fully operational “at record speed.”

“The trade agreement opened the door; an investment agreement walks us through this door,” she said.

Bilateral trade between India and the EU reached approximately $136 billion in 2024-25, making the bloc India’s largest goods trading partner.

India’s Commerce Ministry said the pact, further deepening economic and strategic ties, will result in export growth to the tune of $76 billion from Indian states to the EU.

Previously, India raised objections to what it sees as non-tariff barriers imposed by the EU and affecting steel, aluminium, and cement exports. The trade deal will enable India to have flexibility on carbon tax, according to reports.

A similar upgrade to the India-Netherlands relationship was reached during Modi’s meeting with the Dutch prime minister, Rob Jetten. As of 2025, bilateral trade between India and Sweden was estimated at $7.75 billion.

New Delhi and Stockholm also held discussions on widening collaboration in trade and investment, technology and innovation, green transition, space, emerging technologies, and defense and security, apart from people-to-people ties.

Modi pitched India as an investment destination to an array of leading European chief executives, including the leaders of Vodafone, Ericsson, Nokia, TotalEnergies, Nestle, and Unilever.

He urged them to make investment pledges to India over the next five years by invoking the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade agreement.

The Indian prime minister also invited Swedish companies to enhance their presence under the Make in India initiative and held talks with Maersk chairman Robert Maersk Uggla to discuss investment opportunities in ports and logistics.

China maintained the upper hand during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this week. He visibly tried to ingratiate himself with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but his counterpart made no attempt to reciprocate.

Trump has been heaping praise on Xi personally as a great leader and has vaunted his personal ties with him. He laid it thick at the start of formal delegation-level talks in Beijing, eliciting a smile from the normally impassive Xi who, in turn, did not feel the need to play to audience.

Trump is not particularly popular in China and Xi would have not have wanted, in any case, to unnecessarily rehabilitate him in the public eye in China.

Earlier, during the welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, Trump made several overtly warm physical gestures toward Xi, but the Chinese leader remained formal and impassive. By acting as a suitor, Trump effectively handed Xi the political and psychological upper hand.

Trump effectively cast himself as someone who had come to seek favors from China. His boast that only the number ones, not number twos of top American corporations were accompanying him hardly projected strength, coming after years of Washington’s (and Trump’s own) tirades against China’s business practices, alleged “rip‑offs” of US consumers, and technology theft. This, despite the fact that Trump had imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods and moved to restrict the flow of advanced technology, especially chips, to China.

From the media coverage of the visit, it does not seem that the Chinese side felt overwhelmed by the composition of Trump’s delegation. The emphasis in the reporting was on Trump’s praise for Xi, China’s rising stature, the US engaging China as an equal global power, setting a new framework of cooperation, and Trump visiting China when he was relatively weak domestically and needing trade deals before the mid-term elections.

Normally, before a visit of this importance, which has been under preparation for many months, the two sides begin working on a joint statement that would list the agreed-upon outcomes. In this case, no joint statement has been issued, which means that on many contentious points, the differences between the two sides could not be bridged.

The Taiwan issue is especially divisive; an agreed formulation on Iran, with the US being the initiator of the war and also militarily blockading the Strait of Hormuz, would have been difficult (China has been vetoing one-sided resolutions in the UN Security Council, prompted by the US). The same goes for the South China Sea and many other issues, including sanctions, tariffs and trade disbalance. All this signifies that the visit did not produce definable concrete results.

Ways to enhance bilateral economic cooperation  were discussed, including by expanding American businesses’ access to Chinese markets and increasing Chinese investment in US industries. Higher Chinese purchases of American agricultural products was discussed, but no figures for corn, soya beans, sorghum, beef etc. are mentioned, though in his public remarks Trump said China had agreed to buy 200 Boeing jets and US oil as well.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has told the American media that the US and China have also discussed forming a “Board of Trade” and “Board of Investment” to oversee commerce between the two countries.

Some understandings seem to have been reached but not anything major, as Xi speaks of the economic and trade teams having reached a generally balanced and positive outcome, which is a low-key formulation, contrary to Trump’s claim to have “achieved a fantastic trade agreement.” Xi has said that China will only continue to open up. 

That China expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the Strait in the future is not only not a commitment it is ironical too, as the US has sanctioned China’s “tinpot refineries” buying Iranian oil and has ended the flourishing oil ties between Venezuela and China.

It is hard to believe that both countries genuinely agreed Iran can “never” have a nuclear weapon, given that this is the central justification for the US‑Israeli war on Iran. China, as a former JCPOA party, would in any case be reluctant to see Iran go nuclear because of the regional fallout. Trump’s claim that Xi said during their summit that Beijing would not provide military equipment to Iran sounds rather more like what Washington would like to hear – as also is the case with China’s purported military-tech support for Russia.

In response to Trump’s claim that Xi Jinping had offered China’s help in reaching a settlement with Iran, the Chinese Foreign Ministry set out Beijing’s position at some length. It said that China recognizes that the conflict has put a heavy strain on global economic growth, supply chains, international trade order and the stability of the global energy supply. It added that there is no point in continuing this conflict, which should not have happened in the first place, and that dialogue and negotiation are the right way forward while the use force is a dead end. It called for a settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues that accommodate the concerns of all parties, a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire as soon as possible, and laying the foundation for building a sustainable security architecture for the region.

The US didn’t mention Taiwan in its readout of the meeting. Trump acknowledged to the US media that Xi had raised the issue forcefully, including that of US arms supplies to Taiwan, but he listened and did not respond. Trump has since also equivocated on defending Taiwan and executive approval of $14 billion of arms aid to Taiwan cleared by the US Congress. He has also called on Taiwan and China to “cool it”, meaning avoiding provocations. 

The Chinese readout of the Xi-Trump summit has a hard, realistic and demanding edge to it. The emphasis is on a relationship based on equality. Centrality is given to US handling of the Taiwan issue, with Xi warning that it must be treated with utmost caution. If handled well, bilateral relations can maintain overall stability, but if handled poorly it can lead to confrontation and even conflict, pushing the entire relationship into a very dangerous situation. This has implications for Trump’s decision on the $14 billion arms package for Taiwan approved by the US Congress.

When Xi speaks about an agreement to establish a “constructive and stable relationship between China and the US,” it implies that the provocations have come from the US and that China is a victim. This is the usual Chinese tactic of placing the responsibility for handling ties on the shoulders of others and not accepting its own responsibility in creating tensions.

Xi says that faced with differences and frictions, equal consultation is the only correct choice, which is another formula that places the onus of making the “correct choice” on the other party and not China.

For Xi, stabilizing bilateral relations and strengthening communication were important. In his view, “we have established a new status called the ‘China-US Constructive Strategic Stable Relationship’" with the US. He added that the two sides had “achieved important agreements on stabilizing economic and trade relations, expanding practical cooperation in various fields, and properly handling mutual concerns.” The reference is to properly handling figures in statements that China makes on border issues with India. The sub-text is that it is not China but the other side that fails to properly address differences.

In his opening remarks to Trump at the formal talks, Xi called on the US to be “partners, not rivals,” and made a reference to overcoming the Thucydides trap. He has done so in the past, but that he chose to do so when the debate over this concept is no longer current internationally, suggests that Xi wanted to revive the debate and convey that China was now the risen power that was in a position to potentially clash with the US as the established power.

Trump seems to have understood the message belatedly and later in his Truth Social post called this an elegant way by Xi to refer to the US as a declining power. The subtle message here by Xi is also that China and the US are the principal powers today and bear the shared responsibility for global peace and prosperity – a possible hint of a G2. 

Three Indian nationals have been wounded and one was killed in a drone strike in Moscow Region, New Delhi’s embassy in Russia has said.

The incident occurred overnight amid a large-scale Ukrainian kamikaze drone raid on the Russian capital and its surroundings. The attack appears to have been the largest to affect the area in over a year.

The Indian Embassy described the victims as “workers” but did not disclose where the attack occurred. The diplomats are now “closely cooperating with the company's management and local authorities” and providing assistance to the victims. 

“Today in the Moscow region, as a result of a drone attack, one citizen of India was killed and three others were injured. Embassy staff traveled to the scene of the incident and visited the victims in the hospital,” the mission said in a statement.

Kiev has intensified long-range drone attacks on Russia since mid-March, sending fixed-wing UAVs in the hundreds on an almost daily basis. Moscow has condemned the strikes as “terrorist” attacks, alleging that they indiscriminately target civilian sites and infrastructure. 

Russia has been retaliating with a long-range strike campaign of its own, targeting Ukraine’s dual-use infrastructure, including military manufacturing installations and energy facilities. Russia maintains it carefully selects the targets and never attacks purely civilian sites.

A political drama unfolded in the past week in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state known for its ancient temple, booming manufacturing, and political duopoly. For six decades, the state has seen power alternate between two powerful regions parties – the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

Last week, however, this era came to end with popular actor-turned-politician Vijay and his newly formed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party winning the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.

Vijay was sworn in as chief minister of the state on Sunday. The ceremony brought to a close a week of political uncertainty. The TVK won 108 seats in the April election (the results of which were announced on May 5).

Although it was an extraordinary debut, the party was still ten seats short of the majority mark of 118 (the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly has 234 members).

When Vijay called on the governor last week to stake his claim, he could demonstrate the backing of only 113 legislators – the TVK’s own seats plus five won by Indian National Congress party, a key opposition party at the federal level (the Congress severed ties with its traditional partner, the DMK, to support the TVK).

Later, the left parties – the Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India-Marxist, and two other smaller parties, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and Indian Union Muslim League – backed Vijay, providing the needed support.

On Wednesday, Vijay passed the confidence motion in the assembly, securing the support of 144 lawmakers – well above the majority mark of 118. The vote took place amid high political drama, with DMK and DMDK legislators walking out of the house.

A power shift thanks to Gen Zs

The election results came as a surprise both to the previously dominant parties and outsiders, giving a setback to the old paradigm that has governed politics in the state for decades. Now-former Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, who leads the DMK, lost his own seat. Political commenters say it is the Gen Z voters who want to see a change in governance.

A veteran with over three decades of experience in films, Vijay is more than just an actor for the state of Tamil Nadu. He performs electrifying dances. Vijay’s entry into politics was awaited. He expressed gratitude towards his voters, especially Gen Z voters, after the results came in.

“We said this election would be a remarkable one that would shake Indian politics, and it has proven to be so in many ways,” Vijay said. 

“Among the many factors, one of the deeper reasons behind this extraordinary election has been the children who guided their families with their sense of conviction,” he added, referring to Gen Z voters.

Vijay said the “TVK has emerged as a major driving force of change.” He called his social media followers “his virtual warriors” for fighting online hate against the party.

Vijay’s promises

Vijay established his fame by playing an underdog hero in films who challenges the system, which eventually prepared him for a career in politics. In 2024, he officially entered politics through the TVK. For a party barely two years old, winning 108 seats was historic.

According to experts, unlike most celebrities who enter politics by joining established parties, Vijay stepped in on his own and presented himself as a third option against the two giants that have dominated Tamil Nadu politics since 1967.

The TVK leader announced four important steps in his party’s Youth Agenda. Under the Education Guarantee Scheme, a loan amounting to 2 million rupees ($21,000) without any guarantee will be provided to those pursuing education from Class 12 onwards until the PhD level. Participants will receive a monthly stipend of 18,000 rupees ($190). Vijay also promised to establish a Tamil Nadu Youth Advisory Council, pitching it as a platform for youth to communicate with the chief minister and government officials.

The contestants chosen by Vijay came from citizens of all 234 constituencies and were considered ‘members of the family’ of the voters rather than professional politicians. He accused the incumbent DMK government of corruption, theft, and targeting journalists.

Why Gen Z believes in Vijay’s party

This election saw the emergence of young people and new voters. For Gen Z, whose lives have been dominated by the politics of the AIADMK’s ‘Two Leaves’ and the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’, Vijay offered the prospect of breaking the cycle of 60 years.

“Youth everywhere wants change, and that is what happened here,” Rupa Vardarajan, 23, a computer science engineer from Chennai, said.

“We needed a new political wave, a change in our state. Someone who will understand the problems of youth, unemployment, and the drug problem. The problems of educated women. We hope all these things will change now,” she added.

Vijay’s campaign leaned heavily on visual storytelling – short videos, cinematic references, and a personalized, almost influencer‑style connection with followers online. 

“On campuses and in small‑town tea shops, the 2026 election felt like a youth rebellion,” Allen Jospeh, a resident, said. “Tamil Nadu has a large youth population; millions of first‑time and second‑time voters grew up with Vijay’s movies.”

He said the new party became a vehicle for frustration with unemployment, exam leaks, corruption scandals, and a sense that both the DMK and AIADMK had become too disconnected from reality.

Fall of the Dravidian fortress

Tamil Nadu is located in South-East India and ranks second in economic terms in India, with a population of around 77 million, equivalent to that of Germany. For decades, the state has taken pride in upholding Dravidian Identity, a sociopolitical ideology emphasizing social justice, secularism, and regional autonomy.

Since 1967, power has alternated between the DMK and AIADMK, both offshoots of that Dravidian tradition.

The DMK, headed by M. K. Stalin, ruled the state from 2011 to 2016 (in alliance roles) and then returned in 2021. By 2026, it had been in office for five consecutive years when it sought another term. Although the state had numerous welfare schemes, it was hit hard by an unprecedented wave of anti-incumbency. Corruption and ‘family rule’ are some of the factors voters pointed to.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, the former chief minister’s son, won his seat in Chepauk, while M. K. Stalin himself faced a humiliating defeat in his constituency of Kolathur. 

Political pundits say the election was the biggest change in South Indian politics in the last 50 years.

In April 2026, assembly elections were held in four states – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Assam, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry, which dramatically altered the political landscape in these regions. The southern states witnessed a clear mandate against the ruling parties, and in West Bengal, the ruling BJP, headed by Prime Minster Narendra Modi, recorded an unprecedented landslide victory with 207 seats. This win came as an even bigger surprise.

‘Gen Z in Tamil Nadu wants dignity in public life’ 

Political scientist and commentator Professor S. Narayan, who is based in Tamil Nadu, argued that in the case of Tamil Nadu, Vijay tapped into “a new moral imagination among young voters.” 

Mukund Padmanabhan, a senior political expert and editor, described the results as a “structural rupture.” 

“The 2026 election is the first time in 50 years that the ‘Dravidian Duopoly’ has been physically challenged not just by a person, but by a new demographic reality. Vijay didn’t just win seats; he won the first-time voter who sees the legacy parties as relics of their parents’ era.”

For now, Tamil Nadu’s Gen Z voters say they have made their choice clear: They are tired of watching the same political movie on repeat. 

“We grew up cheering for him in the dark of the cinema, and now we expect Vijay’s party to deliver in governance,” Saad Shaikh, 26, who works in his family’s leather business in Madurai, said.

India can mediate in the Middle East conflict given its vast diplomatic expertise, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

New Delhi can mediate between Iran and Arab countries as a first step, Lavrov said in a media briefing after the conclusion of the BRICS foreign ministers’ summit hosted by India.

While BRICS as a group would not be the right mediator, Lavrov noted, individual members could help resolve the deadlock.

“For example, India, the BRICS president, they are directly interested and receiving oil from this region. Why won’t they offer their services, including as a country that is currently presiding over BRICS, so they could invite Iran, UAE to start with,” he said.

Lavrov said every flashpoint in the globe has originated from the “flagrant interference of Western countries in the domestic affairs of a country.” The real reason for the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, he asserted, is because powers are trying to drive a wedge between Iran and the Arab nations. “I believe that this hostility, this aggression against Iran was motivated, among other things, to antagonize Iran and its Arab neighbors to instill more hostility in their relations,” he said.

Lavrov said a mediator role would be in sync with New Delhi’s profile. “Well, this role could be played by India, considering its vast diplomatic experience and authority and clout.”

In the chair’s statement following the meeting, New Delhi noted that BRICS nations had underscored the grave impact of the conflict on the global economy and called for “an early resolution of the current crisis” and affirmed “the value of dialogue and diplomacy.” 

At the same time, the statement noted “differing views among some members.” Indian media reports suggest that, just as the April meeting of BRICS deputy foreign ministers and special envoys ended without a joint statement after Iran and the UAE clashed over how to address the US–Israel war on Iran, those divisions had only deepened by the time ministers met.

India and the United Arab Emirates have inked energy and defense pacts during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the Gulf nation on Friday.

Modi started his five-nation tour with a brief visit to the UAE, after which he will head to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy.

The UAE also pledged investments in India worth $5 billion, including the investment of $4 billion by Emirati financial entities in Indian banks and $1 billion pledge by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) with the National Infrastructure & Investment Fund of India (NIIF) in priority infrastructure projects in India. 

Pacts on a defense partnership framework, strategic petroleum reserves, and an agreement for the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were also signed, according to the statement by Modi’s office. The energy pact includes potential collaboration in liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas storage facilities in India. 

❗️ 🇮🇳🇦🇪 PM Modi Shares Remarks to HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan: ‘India Has Always Prioritised Dialogue & Diplomacy to Solve Problems of Such Scale’

‘India stands shoulder to shoulder with the UAE in every circumstance and will continue to do so in the future,’ he added. https://t.co/6eh6oGXGdp pic.twitter.com/YK9y3G6WvJ

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) May 15, 2026

A memorandum of understanding to build a ship repair cluster at Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat was also signed. An understanding has also been reached to establish a supercomputer cluster.

During the meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Modi also condemned the attacks on the UAE amid the Middle East conflict. “We strongly condemn the attacks on the UAE and denounce the way the UAE has been targeted. This is unacceptable in any form,” he said. 

“India has always vouched for dialogue and diplomacy,” he said, adding, “our priority is to keep Hormuz free and safe. We have to follow international laws.” 

He also lauded “the restraint and maturity” shown by the UAE in these difficult circumstances.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed that he will visit Moscow later this year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

Modi and Lavrov met a day earlier and discussed a broad bilateral agenda. Russia’s top diplomat is on a two‑day visit to New Delhi to attend the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed that this year it is his turn to pay a visit to the Russian Federation. We will be preparing for this meeting,” Lavrov said. He also noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to visit New Delhi for the BRICS leaders’ summit later this year.

During his bilateral interactions in New Delhi, the Russian foreign minister discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in trade, economy and investment “in such a way that we don’t depend on the negative, unfriendly pressure from third party countries,” Lavrov stated.

Nuclear energy, including plans to build new nuclear power reactors in India in addition to the ongoing Kudankulam project, cooperation in defense manufacturing and space exploration also figured in the talks.

Though the US had put pressure on New Delhi to stop Russian oil purchases, imposing even a 25% punitive tariff in August 2025, India has maintained that its energy procurement is based on national interests. The tariff was later withdrawn.

The pressure exerted on India by Western nations over its purchases of Russian oil is “neocolonial,” Lavrov said in an exclusive interview with RT India earlier this week.

New Delhi has termed the recent attack on an Indian-flagged ship off Oman’s coast on Wednesday as “unacceptable.”

The incident occurred around 3:30 AM as the ship was passing near Limah, off Oman’s northern coast, according to reports.

“We deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,” India’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

All Indian sailors on board have been rescued, the ministry stated.

New Delhi reiterated that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, and “impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided.”

The cargo vessel, Haji Ali, registered at Salaya Port in Devbhoomi Dwarka district in Gujarat, was reportedly heading to Sharjah from Somalia, and had 14 Indian crew members, India Today reported.

British maritime risk management group ⁠Vanguard has hinted about an explosion caused by a drone or missile strike on the vessel, which was ferrying livestock, Reuters reported. Indian officials have not confirmed any of these details about the attack.

Two India-bound ships carrying LPG crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, the Times of India reported on Thursday, adding that 13 India-flagged ships are awaiting transit through the Strait.

The development has also brought the Middle East conflict and maritime security concerns into focus amid the ongoing summit of BRICS foreign ministers in New Delhi.

Iran and the UAE are among the countries attending the New Delhi summit. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas ‌Aragchi has urged BRICS member states to condemn the US and Israel’s “unlawful aggression” against Tehran.

India is chairing the foreign ministers’ meeting that is seen as setting the agenda for the BRICS leaders’ summit in September. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is also attending the meeting, has said BRICS can play a significant role in ending the hostilities in the Middle East.

India has banned exports of sugar for the next five months to keep prices in check amid a global rally in the commodity.

New Delhi said in an announcement late on Wednesday that the measure will remain in force until September 30.

Limited exceptions, including for existing consignments and exports under government deals for food security, will be allowed.

The decision comes amid concerns over lower production. The sugarcane harvest in India, the world’s largest sugar producer, which begins around October, could be affected by a lower-than-average monsoon because of the El Nino weather pattern, AFP reported.

New Delhi needs roughly 26-28 million tons of sugar annually for domestic use. Output was about 31.5 million tonnes in 2023-24 and is estimated to be around 25.8 million tonnes in 2024-25 after a weak season.

India exported a record 11 million tonnes of sugar in 2021-22. The figure fell sharply to 6.3 million tonnes in 2022-23 and slid further the following year. A modest recovery in exports – to 900,000 tons – was recorded in 2024-25.

The dip was policy-driven, with India prioritizing domestic needs by curbing exports and routing some stocks for ethanol blending.

African nations, mainly Sudan, Libya, and Somalia, were India’s top sugar-exporting destinations in 2024-25, according to data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.

Rating agency Moody’s has said it sees a spillover impact on India’s food inflation due to New Delhi’s reliance on imported fertilizers. 

India has acknowledged disruption to fertilizer supplies due to the re-routing of shipments, which has increased the time for deliveries.

The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have also escalated the prices of fertilizers globally. 

The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting kicked off on Thursday, with host country India stressing that the group should work toward “effective and coordinated responses” to geopolitical and economic uncertainty caused by the Middle East conflicts.

The US-Israeli war against Iran and disruptions caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will take center stage in today’s discussions.

“We meet at a time of considerable flux in international relations. Ongoing conflicts, economic uncertainties, and challenges in trade, technology, and climate are shaping the global landscape. There is a growing expectation, particularly from emerging markets and developing countries, that BRICS will play a constructive and stabilizing role,” Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said ahead of a closed-door meeting.

Addressing his BRICS counterparts, Jaishankar stated that the conflict in the Middle East requires particular attention.

“Continuing tensions, risks to maritime traffic, and disruptions to energy infrastructure highlight the fragility of the situation,” he said, while also expressing concern over the situation in the wider region, noting the “humanitarian implications” of the war in Gaza and the “continuing challenges” faced by Lebanon and Syria.

My welcome remarks to #BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, 2026. #BRICSIndia2026 https://t.co/IvtYBkeQZZ

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 14, 2026

Jaishankar stressed that BRICS members should address “the increasing resort to unilateral coercive measures and sanctions,” adding that they “disproportionately affect developing countries.” 

“These unjustifiable measures cannot substitute dialogue, nor can pressure replace diplomacy,” he said.

The meeting is being held ahead of the 18th BRICS summit, which India will host in September. The stated goal of the group of major emerging economies is a more just and democratic world order in which the Global South’s demands on the economy, security, and other issues are amplified. The acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined the group in 2024; Indonesia joined in 2025.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held discussions with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Lavrov is in India to take part in the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, held under India’s chairmanship.

“This is also an occasion to review our special and privileged partnership and exchange views on global developments,” Jaishankar said ahead of a closed-door meeting with Lavrov.

Lauding the steady and sustained growth in the bilateral ties between India and Russia, Jaishankar stated that the “economic and energy dimensions have become more pronounced.” He added that the political cooperation between India and Russia is “even more valuable in an uncertain and volatile global environment.”

The two sides will also discuss regional and global issues, including the conflict in the Middle East and related uncertainties over global supply chains, the Russian Foreign Ministry said ahead of the talks.

New Delhi and Moscow have a shared interest in strengthening multipolarity, Jaishankar said, adding that the two nations will also “benefit from derisking and diversification,” referring to energy cooperation in the aftermath of the Middle East crisis.

Regarding Russian-Indian ties in defense, Lavrov noted that Russia supported India’s domestic manufacturing of weapons before it became part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Lavrov said that until February 28, the Strait of Hormuz was open to traffic, and the whole world used this waterway, which accounted for around one-fifth of all oil brought to the global markets. “Now the Americans are demanding that the Strait of Hormuz be reopened. But it was never closed. It is always important to look at what lies beneath.”

The Middle East conflict “is a direct consequence of the unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran,” Russia has said, calling for an unconditional ceasefire.

India has doubled its import tariffs on gold and silver to cushion the impact of the Middle East conflict on its foreign exchange reserves.

New Delhi has imposed a 10% basic customs duty and a 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess on gold and silver imports, raising the effective import tax from 6% to 15%.

The move is aimed at curtailing overseas purchases and easing the pressure on its foreign exchange reserves.

This comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated steps including refraining from gold purchases and reducing the use of fuel as part of an effort to minimize the economic shocks arising from the Middle East conflict.

The government is reportedly considering a host of measures including a fuel price hike and restrictions on non-essential spending to shield its foreign exchange reserves.

Foreign exchange reserves as of May 1 stood at $690 billion, a significant decline from $728 billion in February. The dollar outflows have also impacted the rupee, Asia’s worst-performing major currency, which is down 5.6% this year.

Gold demand in India, the world’s second-largest buyer, has risen amid a recent rally in prices and as returns from equities plunged over the past year.

The nation’s imports of gold totaled $72 billion in the 2026 fiscal year ending March 31, a 24% surge from a year ago. Higher imports of gold widen India’s current account deficit because India pays in foreign currency for gold.

The move reflects growing concern among policymakers over the rising import bill and shrinking forex reserves, driven mainly by energy supply disruptions as hopes for an end to the Middle East conflict fade.

India’s overall trade deficit widened to $119 billion in 2025-26, compared to $94 billion in 2024-25, mostly as a result of higher energy and fertilizer prices and rising bullion imports.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described Russia-India ties as “impossible to destroy.” In a wide-ranging interview with RT India’s Runjhun Sharma as part of the India, Russia and the World show, Lavrov said the complementary nature of the two countries’ economies and the decades of cooperation in the areas of defense, technology, space, culture, and now energy and manufacturing make the ties strong.

“Those who are trying to worry about the future of Russian-Indian friendship, I think they should not be worried,” Lavrov said, adding that some global powers are trying to “undermine” relations between Russia and India, but “these attempts do not achieve results.”

Lavrov was speaking to RT ahead of his trip to New Delhi for the meeting of BRICS foreign ministers which begins on Wednesday.

Regarding Russia-India ties in the energy and defense sectors, the foreign minister said that “for a long time after India gained independence, no Western country wanted to help India to develop its military,” while Russia sold India weaponry and shared technology for many kinds of weaponry to be manufactured in India.

“We started with Brahmos missiles, then Kalashnikov machine guns, and now it is also T-90 tanks being produced in India,” he said, adding that during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India last year, the countries agreed to a long-term plan for economic cooperation which includes military technical cooperation.

“Prime Minister Modi is one of the most vibrant leaders the world has ever seen. He not only has vibrant energy, he focuses it on very important goals and achievements – achieving absolute sovereignty in all spheres, be it the economy, military defense, culture, and naturally, maintaining the civilizational heritage that India has like no other,” Lavrov said.

India will host the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on May 14-15. The gathering, to be chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, is expected to focus on key geopolitical issues, including the conflict in the Middle East.

The meeting will also help lay the groundwork for the BRICS leaders’ summit scheduled for September. The ministers will outline key elements of final documents for the September summit, which India will host under its 2026 BRICS presidency.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will travel to New Delhi for the talks, Moscow confirmed earlier. In addition to the BRICS gathering, he will hold bilateral talks with Jaishankar and other Indian officials. Preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India for the September summit are also likely to be discussed.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will not attend the meeting in New Delhi due to scheduling conflicts, Beijing said earlier this week. The meeting coincides with US President Donald Trump’s expected state visit to China May 13 to 15 – his first in nearly nine years.

Iran’s Abbas Araghchi is expected to attend the New Delhi meeting, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has confirmed.

After the US and Israel launched the war against Iran in late February, Tehran has repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure and oil facilities in the UAE, accusing Abu Dhabi of acting as a “hostile base” over its ties with the US and Israel. The situation in Palestine is also expected to be on the agenda, with the HT reporting that most BRICS members are against toning down the bloc’s language on Gaza.

The previous BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting was held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025. India chaired it as the incoming BRICS chair for 2026.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov compared Western pressure on countries of the Global South, including India – the world’s second largest oil importer – over their trade with Russia to “neocolonial methods.”

Speaking exclusively to Runjhun Sharma, host of the show India, Russia and the World, Lavrov said on Tuesday that the ongoing Middle East crisis highlights Washington’s desire to control global energy trade flows.

“They put pressure on everyone, demanding that they should not purchase Russian oil, and this is unfair play. These are colonial, or neocolonial, methods. ‘You shouldn’t purchase cheap Russian oil. You should purchase my expensive oil, and buy expensive LNG from the US. We will rule the world by controlling global energy,” the Russian foreign minister said. He added that not all countries “cave in to such pressure.”

Lavrov noted that Moscow respects New Delhi’s position, repeatedly outlined by Indian officials – that its energy imports are dictated by national interests as well as market terms, and that New Delhi will decide from whom to buy energy and at what price.

India is the third largest producer and consumer of electricity globally, after China and the US. New Delhi imports over 85% of its crude oil requirements to meet rising domestic demand and refinery consumption. Since 2022, New Delhi has ramped up imports of Russian oil significantly and continues relying on Russian crude to meet its ⁠demand, despite continuous pressure from its Western partners.

The Indian government has stressed that it will do everything it can to ensure uninterrupted energy supply to 1.4 billion people and industries.  At the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on Indians to rethink their energy use, including cutting fuel consumption by using more public transport and working from home, amid continuing uncertainty over a ceasefire in the US–Israeli campaign against Iran.

The full interview will be aired on RT on Wednesday.

India is considering a series of measures, including a fuel price hike and restrictions on non-essential spending, to shield its foreign exchange reserves from soaring oil prices linked to the Iran war, Bloomberg reports.

Top officials in the Prime Minister’s Office and Finance Ministry held discussions with the Reserve Bank of India on steps to cushion the damage from soaring oil prices, unnamed officials told the agency.

A fuel price hike, one of the options reportedly being considered, would be the first to be implemented since the US-Israeli war against Iran began.

The suggested measures could also include curbs on the import of gold and consumer electronics, seen as non-essential items. The authorities are also mulling temporary restrictions on non-essential overseas spending, and other steps to support the rupee.

A final decision on the measures to be adopted has not been made, according to the agency’s sources.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested steps including work-from-home and carpooling to save fuel, and urged Indians to shun foreign travel and gold purchases.

India is facing growing strain from rising oil import costs linked to the protracted war against Iran, with a mounting import bill weakening the rupee as dollar outflows intensify. The rupee is the worst performer among major Asian currencies, down 5.6% against the dollar this year.

In a big boost for the country’s Upstream Sector, rationalization of royalty under the ORD Act marks a new era for our Oil & Gas regimes by eliminating inconsistencies and driving growth in the upstream sector under the leadership of PM Sh @narendramodi Ji.

This landmark… pic.twitter.com/xb60UNyalH

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 11, 2026

India has revised its oil and gas regime by slashing the royalty burden on producers and offering new incentives for offshore and difficult-field exploration, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

India, the world’s third-largest oil buyer, relies on imports for around 85% of its oil needs, making it vulnerable to rising energy prices and disruptions to supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

Puri dismissed concerns on Tuesday about a shortage of fuel, but did not rule out a hike.

Speaking at a public event on Monday, Puri stated that India has sufficient energy reserves to manage short-term disruptions, with 60 days of oil, 60 days of LNG, and 45 days of LPG. He cautioned people not to misread the government’s message regarding energy conservation – however, he did not rule out a price hike if the disruptions related to the Iran war continue.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged his countrymen to adopt austerity measures in the wake of the Middle East conflict.

Apart from utilizing public transport, work-from-home, and carpooling in an apparent bid to save fuel, he has suggested that Indians put one of their most treasured fascinations on hold: their overwhelming fixation on gold.
Not buying the precious metal, he hinted, could cut India’s dollar outflows substantially.

Curbing gold purchases is seen as one of the key steps that would invariably have an impact on the economy of the nation of 1.4 billion people. The bet on slashing gold purchases has a sounder rationale than other steps outlined by Indian prime minister, as it is seen as a step that individuals can control directly.

The economics

India’s foreign exchange reserves as of May 1, 2026, totaled $690.7 billion, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India. The forex reserve position has seen a steady decline recently from the $728 billion recorded in February.

The CAD is the gap that occurs when a country spends more foreign currency on imports, income payments, and transfers than it earns from exports and overseas receipts. Higher imports of gold widen India’s current account deficit because India pays in foreign currency for the precious metal, raising the import bill without directly boosting export earnings.

The South Asian nation’s imports of gold totaled $72 billion in FY26, a 24% surge from a year ago. A widening current account deficit will put pressure on the rupee, raise external borrowing needs, and make the economy more vulnerable to global capital outflows.

Ballooning import bill

India is the world’s second-largest gold buyer. For every ounce of imported gold, the payment is made in dollars. Of the total import bill of $775 billion, four commodities stand out for their weight. Crude, gold, vegetable oils, and fertilizers together accounted for more than a third of the country’s massive import bill.

Crude oil is the obvious leader, accounting for $134.7 billion.

That leaves Indians’ famous appetite for gold as the most obvious target for restraint. With a gold import bill of about $72 billion – nearly double the combined value of vegetable oil and fertilizer imports – curbing demand offers a clear way to bring some discipline to India’s external accounts.

It is also one of the most debated options, because gold in India is as much an emotional purchase as a financial one, with weddings driving a large share of domestic buying. Gold as an investment option has not yet sunk in for a majority of Indians.

Would curbs really matter?

Assuming a dip in gold purchases happens, how would that affect the country’s economy? If the country curtails its importing of gold by 30% to 40%, that can lead to savings of $25 billion, according to NDTV projections.

If the figure can be raised to 50%, the savings would further jump to $36 billion. In a scenario where the CAD is projected to be $84.5 billion, it would be nearly cut that figure in half. The savings can be routed to energy purchases, which in turn are essential for vital activity, including farming.

How war shapes outcomes

When a conflict like the present one in the Middle East happens, oil prices soar. This is a direct result of transit hazards to shipping, which block the oil trade. A fifth of the world’s energy commodities pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is mostly controlled by Iran.

Many refining and production facilities across the Gulf have already suffered extensive damage. The world’s oil inventories are shrinking at the fastest pace on record, Bloomberg reported. Even if the current predicament ends, a return to the $70 per barrel price range is unlikely.

For India, that means paying more for oil imports for a much longer period, implying higher dollar outflows. Stronger demand for dollars would weaken the rupee, and a weaker rupee would, in turn, make all imports more expensive, creating a cascading effect across the economy.

Glitter of gold

A pause in gold buying seems like a sensible option for a nation which, as a whole, can adapt while it curbs the demand for dollars. A dip in dollar demand would mean less pressure on the rupee and on the cost of imports.

India’s domestic gold consumption remains large but increasingly price-sensitive. According to the World Gold Council, India’s total gold demand rose 10% year-on-year to 151 tons in Q1 2026. But in value terms, the surge is 99%, as record prices have lifted spending.

Last year’s figure has some solace on offer for policy planners. For the full year 2025, India’s overall gold purchases fell 11% to 710.9 tons, and jewelry consumption dropped 24% to 430.5 tons. This means that while Indian households have a strong affinity for buying gold, they tend to cut back when prices rise.

After crying wolf over Iran’s non-existent nuclear weapons program for decades, Washington has finally pushed the Islamic Republic over the brink, with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei proclaiming last month that Tehran will protect its nuclear and missile technology “as national assets.”  

Tehran had long maintained that its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes only, a fact endorsed by inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Decades of crippling sanctions and a punitive war, however, have compelled it to change track.

In a message on the occasion of National Persian Gulf Day (when Persia liberated the waterway from 115 years of Portuguese control in 1622), Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei asserted that Washington has suffered a “humiliating defeat,” which opens a “new chapter” in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

He said Iran shares a “common destiny” with its neighbors in the region, which will not be dominated by “outsiders who come from thousands of kilometers away.” He promised that new legal regulations and management systems in the Strait will benefit all of the nations of the region while yielding economic dividends for Iran.

This significant announcement was accompanied by an invitation to the Gulf States to accept Iranian protection for their safety as the era of American protectionism is over. The same day, a spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces warned that if the US attacks again, the region’s oil and gas infrastructure will be destroyed.  

Last week, after US President Donald Trump made a U-turn on ‘Project Freedom,’ Iran reportedly launched a new mechanism for overseeing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.  There has been a constant churn in the regional chessboard since the US-Israel attack on Iran and decapitation of its top spiritual and military leadership on February 28. Most notable is the United Arab Emirates’ decision to exit the Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that decides the oil extraction quotas of member states, and the price at which oil will be sold in the international market. 

In the short term, Abu Dhabi’s defection from the oil cartel could lead to its expulsion from the Arab League, with consequences for its identity as a safe luxury destination with unique architecture (Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame), high-end leisure (Palm Jumeirah, indoor skiing), and as a magnet for affluent professionals in its tax-free, centrally located business hub (Dubai). 

However, the UAE’s exit could provoke other members to weigh the value of remaining in OPEC, given the current political instability, inability to trust the US, and the grim reality of falling oil revenues. More countries could decide upon their own production, adding to volatility in the oil markets. Increased supplies could soften prices over time and benefit oil refining and marketing companies in countries such as India. Some introspection has already begun with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud asserting that, “the era of relying on the United States has ended. If Trump could not protect his own country, how can he protect ours?” 

Araghchi told the media that the US was responsible for the failure of the first round of negotiations in Pakistan in mid-April with its “excessive demands,” adding that “safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is an important global issue.” As a mark of respect to the negotiators, Araghchi met Pakistani military and civilian leader as well as Omani leaders before travelling to Russia. Both Pakistan and Oman continue to be involved in backchannel efforts to prevent a return to an open US-Israel war on Iran.

The key role, however, will be played by Moscow, as evidenced by the 90-minute telephone call between Presidents Putin and Trump, which covered a range of events, including the Iran war, the Ukraine conflict and the attempted attack on Trump during a high-profile dinner in Washington. 

The latest reports suggest that the exchange or proposals to end the war between Tehran and Washington, conducted through Pakistani mediators, is not yielding results. According to AP, Iran’s response to Washington’s counter-proposal submitted last week calls for a wider end to hostilities on multiple fronts, including Lebanon, before reopening the Strait of Hormuz and moving ahead with further nuclear talks. Iran’s earlier demands included guarantees against military aggression, the withdrawal of US military forces from near Iran, a lifting of the naval blockade, the release of Iran’s frozen assets, compensation payments, a lifting of sanctions, and end to the war on all fronts including Lebanon, and the recognition a new mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz.  

Trump, however, on Sunday called Iran’s response “totally unacceptable.”  Trump has repeatedly extended the ceasefire, arguing that Iran’s leadership is divided and unable to formulate a unified position. Iranian officials, for their part, have publicly rejected Washington’s terms as an ultimatum, accusing the US of trying to turn negotiations into a surrender process after failing to achieve its stated goals on the battlefield. With diplomacy currently at a deadlock, the US finds itself isolated from many of its traditional allies on the matter. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the public to cut their fuel usage by returning to public transport and remote office work amid the energy supply disruptions caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.

International conflicts, especially the current Middle East conflict, have put pressure on oil prices and depleted India’s foreign exchange reserves, Modi said on Sunday.

“During the Corona period, we developed many systems of work from home, online meetings and video conferences, and we even became accustomed to them,” he said, adding, “If we restart these systems, it will be in the national interest.”

ICYMI: PM Modi Calls for ‘Collective National Effort’ to Ease Global Economic Pressures Brought on by West Asia War

PM Modi advocated for Indian citizens to use public transport and EVs where possible and called for a revival of ‘Covid-era’ efficiency measures, such as WFH and… pic.twitter.com/6L7PXweWUl

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) May 11, 2026

The prime minister urged citizens and institutions to prioritize remote work and digital interactions as steps to slash fuel consumption and ease pressure on the economy.

“We must prioritize work from home, online conferences, and virtual meetings again. We must also place a strong emphasis on saving foreign exchange, as petrol and diesel have become so expensive globally,” Modi said.

He also advocated for the wider use of public transport, including metro and railways, as well as electric vehicles for the movement of goods to reduce dependence on fuel imports.

Modi positioned the appeal as a broader national effort to minimize the shocks of oil supply disruptions triggered by the Middle East conflict. Modi’s statement came on the day when US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to a proposal for ending the war.

India’s central bank has said a 10% rise in crude prices cuts economic growth by 15 basis points and lifts inflation by 30 basis points. Though the federal government has forecast economic growth for the current fiscal year at 6.8%-7.2%, economic agencies, including Goldman Sachs, have put forth estimates in the 5.9%-6.2% range.

As Russia marks the 81st anniversary of its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, the ensuing global conflicts are a grim reminder of the lessons learned (or lost) over the last century. While the Indian Republic joins its strategic partner in celebrating the defeat of fascism, it is worth retracing the common thread of civilizational history that the two giants share.

During the World War II, both Soviet and Indian troops (under British command) contributed decisively towards the defeat of the Axis forces. During the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, Indian and Soviet divisions coordinated their operations to secure the Persian corridor linking the Allies to the USSR. Elsewhere, while the Soviet forces fought the bulk of the German armies in the Eastern European theater, Indian contingents fought the Axis in the South-East Asian, North African, West Asian theaters, as well as playing a critical, often under-recognized role in the Allied invasion of Italy.

Simultaneously, Indian leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose sought to secure external support in their fight for independence. In his efforts to secure cooperation, his first port of call in 1941 was to the Soviet Union. Being unsuccessful he made his appeal to the Germans and the Japanese. Nevertheless, he was appalled at the German invasion of the USSR and in June 1941, declared that Indians had come to regard the ‘Third Reich’ as an aggressor. He believed that the USSR would ultimately become Britain’s adversary in the future and died in 1945 in pursuit of greater collaboration with Moscow.

Subhas Chandra Bose was not the only leader aspiring to closer ties with the USSR. Russia had long been part of a utopian hope, and when Indians thought about progress and development, they looked to Russia for inspiration.

During that period myriad factors contributed to the Indian and Soviet lack of understanding of each other’s positions. Post-October Revolution, the British Raj took comprehensive measures to prevent the entry of Soviet personnel and citizens into British India. After the Revolution, the Bolsheviks abandoned the extensive Tsarist intelligence networks deployed within the sub-continent and relied on information communicated by the Communist Party of India (CPI) who themselves were at odds with the dominant Indian National Congress (INC).

After attaining independence, these relations transformed into a peculiar multi-bilateral process where the Soviet government engaged with both the newly independent Indian government and the CPI. During the formative years the preference was given to the latter with support being provided in collaboration with the Communist Party of Yugoslavia for the CPI to undertake an armed proletarian struggle in 1948. However, Indian refusal to acquiesce to all Western positions in the international arena and its efforts in securing a settlement towards the Korean conflict led to changes in perceptions within the Soviet leadership. Stalin in conversation with Indian Ambassador to the USSR K. P. S. Menon expressed his view of a world divided into black and white with a lonely grey India occupying the middle ground. 

A decisive change in relations ushered in with the ascendancy of Nikita Khrushchev and the subsequent process of destalinization. Simultaneously, two trends came into being: firstly, the acceleration of the rivalry between the US and the USSR and subsequently the systems of capitalism and communism, and secondly, the trend of decolonization. Indian foreign policy under the leadership of its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, gravitated towards the concepts of non-alignment and ‘Panchsheel’ (or Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence).

The USSR itself shifted from a policy of ‘those who are not with us, are against us’ to ‘those who are not with the West, are possibly with us’. Under this new policy, encapsulated within the concept of Peaceful Coexistence propounded at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), Moscow essentially saw the non-aligned movement with its anti-colonial stance as an ally.

Until the 1960s, the Indian armed forces had been largely equipped with British-origin weaponry. Post-1962, India embarked on a military modernization spree aided by the Soviets. The primary driver was the deterioration of both Indian and Soviet relations with China. Soviet economic aid to India was forthcoming, establishing steel plants such as the Bhilai Steel Plant, which to date remains a flagship unit of the country. The ushering in of détente brought American embargoes on weapons supplies to both Pakistan and India during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War. Taking an alternative approach, the Soviets sought reconciliation and succeeded with the 1966 Tashkent Agreement.

The integrity test of the Indian-Soviet relations occurred during the 1971 Bangladesh crisis. Having achieved rapprochement towards China with Islamabad’s assistance, the US did not want to constrain continued Pakistani atrocities in East Pakistan. New Delhi and Moscow finalized the 1971 Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation, thus setting the stage against a Pakistan-US-China grouping.

The Indian economy took a distinctly socialist turn during Indira Gandhi’s tenure, noticeably due to internal crisis of leadership rather than external factors. However, the slowdown in Western economies, the 1973 US-USSR Grain Deal, and the combined Oil Shocks due to the Arab-Israel war and the Iranian Revolution gravely affected Indian economic indices. The Soviet Union, itself facing a stagnating economy, wasn’t able to extend economic aid. New Delhi had to instead rely on US supplies while resisting American attempts to arm-twist changes to the Indian domestic economy. However, in terms of arms supplies, the USSR remained the dominant partner for India for the entirety of the Cold War.

During the Unipolar Moment, India sought to turn around its relationship with the US, the sole hegemon. With the ascendancy of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2000, relations with India were upgraded to a Strategic Partnership the same year. India was at that time under sanctions from the US for its 1998 nuclear tests, and the relationship would not be reset until the 2006 Indo-US Nuclear Agreement. Two trends dominated during this time period: firstly the September 9/11 attacks and the subsequent Global War on Terror, and secondly the normative principle of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) arising out of the 1993 Rwandan Genocide. Moscow’s disillusionment with Western promises to accommodate Russian interests – epitomized in the 2007 Munich Speech – coincided with New Delhi’s rapprochement with the US.

However, Moscow and New Delhi soon found themselves advocating similar positions when the R2P reached its crescendo during the 2011 Libyan intervention. India, Russia, and China abstained and later opposed the increasingly blurred distinction between protecting civilians and regime change operations. The RIC grouping evolved into BRICS as a major non-Western institution with the joining of South Africa in 2010. At the same time, Indian-Russian relations were further upgraded to a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.

The issue of a common European security architecture has disintegrated into a proxy conflict involving Ukraine, and the Israeli-US assault on Iran has effectively ended the liberal-international order. In these times, Indian-Russian relations have shown adaptability and resilience by concluding the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS). The agreement allows the stationing of foreign troops on Indian soil (a first in the state’s history), which the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed with the US does not cover. While debates for and against it are far from being settled, it allows a near permanent Russian naval presence in the Indian Ocean (where the US operates the Diego Garcia base) and conversely Indian presence in the Arctic and the Pacific. In effect, the RELOS exemplifies deeper military integration between the two states than the 1971 Treaty ever envisioned.

Ultimately, for most of their existing histories, the trajectories of the two civilizational giants have been in harmony. Similar to the World War II, the RELOS signals commitment from both states’ leadership to proactively respond to international challenges by building on each other’s strengths.

In times beleaguered by strife and paralysis of institutional organs of intervention, bilateralism is rarely a better response to a polycentric disordered world. But when on rare occasions it does show adaptability and strength – as in Indian-Russian relations – it has the capacity to propel both states to unimaginable heights.

India has confirmed the dispatch of a fourth set of S-400 missiles from Russia as part of a $5.43 billion deal.

The deputy chief of air staff, Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, said on Thursday the next set of S-400 Triumf air defense systems meant for the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been sent, and that “we should be having [it] with us within a month,” Bharti said.

The fifth and final units are due by the end of 2026, he added.

🚨🇷🇺🇮🇳 BREAKING: Russia to deliver next S-400 batch to India next month

Final units due by end of 2026, says Indian Air Marshal.

India procured five S-400 squadrons in total as part of 2018 deal.pic.twitter.com/uzX8QDojKR

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) May 7, 2026

India signed a pact in 2018 to procure five S-400 systems, one of Russia’s most advanced anti-aircraft weapons.

IAF officials completed the pre-dispatch inspection of the inbound S-400 system by April 18, Hindustan Times (HT) reported.

The agreement to purchase the advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile systems was reached despite the threat of sanctions from the US.

New Delhi has already approved the purchase of five more S-400 systems, which have a target range of 400 km.

The S-400 played a major role during Operation Sindoor, a military standoff with Pakistan in May year, according to Indian officials. The system was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he traveled to one of the military bases following the ceasefire.

Pakistan reportedly moved all its functioning fighters and aerial platforms to its Quetta and Peshawar bases to avoid Indian missiles during Operation Sindoor, Hindustan Times reported.

The inbound units will be deployed along the South Asian country’s Western border with Pakistan, The Print reported in April.

The fifth S-400 system is likely to be deployed in the middle-sector with China, the HT report said.

The Indian military on Thursday released a documentary showcasing rare footage and images of Operation Sindoor – including war-room planning, precision strikes, and fighter jet deployments.

Defense expert Air Marshal Anil Chopra in his column for RT argued that the S-400 served as India’s “shield” in Operation Sindoor, while BrahMos missiles – developed as part of an India-Russia joint venture – were its “most feared sword.”

Approximately 60% of India’s current military inventory traces its lineage to Russian or Soviet-origin design.

Peace does not seem to be on the horizon in the Middle East, though genuine de-escalation and a credible movement towards peace is sorely needed in the interest of all the parties to the conflict, and the rest of the world, which is suffering from the consequences of this war.

Donald Trump’s war decisions announced off the cuff in press conferences and in his nocturnal Truth Social posts are a highly disconcerting way to deal with a major regional war with grave global consequences. This also suggests the absence of any serious institutional process in decision making in the administration.

The vocabulary used by Trump himself and even more so by his senior cabinet appointees such as the treasury secretary have reached a level of coarseness that is bewildering. These statements may be meant to appeal to the Republican political base, but they have a global echo through social media and seriously tarnish the reputation of the US as a responsible democracy.

The Trump administration does not seem to care how it is seen by the rest of the world – including its allies and partners. It seems to believe that the opinion of others does not matter for an America that is all-powerful and one that holds all the cards. The sense of impunity is staggering.

Washington’s rhetoric – often laced with contempt, insults, and humiliations – will not be easily forgotten by policymakers and publics on the receiving end. These affronts will inevitably be factored into how foreign capitals assess their bilateral ties with the US and the degree of caution with which they approach them.

It is in Trump’s hands to wind down the war. If Iran’s nuclear sites have been obliterated, its navy sunk, its missile capacities depleted, its infrastructure heavily destroyed by bombing thousands of targets, why not find a way to seriously negotiate peace through a realistic give-and-take? If Trump wants 100% satisfaction on his demands, it is no longer negotiation, it is imposing his will. To achieve this Iran has to accept defeat and effectively surrender.

The reality seems to be that Iran will not yield on issues it considers fundamental to its national interest and Trump cannot yield on his key demands. Iran’s 14-point proposal, which apparently includes reparations, lifting of sanctions, and control over the Strait of Hormuz, would not only be unacceptable to the US, it would require prolonged negotiations and phased steps, which means sustained levels of trust, which today is absent. Iran’s proposal seems to have prioritized the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and left the nuclear issue to be negotiated later.

For Trump, the nuclear issue is central to any negotiated solution, as denying Iran a nuclear capability is the reason for his going to war in the first place. Trump has to show that he has won the war decisively.

This conflict has become a test of US power in a world which has already seen shifts in power away from the West. Make America Great Again is incompatible with an inability to win the war in the Middle East, as it detracts from America’s greatness ambitions, even if the MAGA base was originally against US military interventions abroad.

The lack of a clear war strategy in Washington is obvious. The US masses aircraft carriers and marines regionally, but it hesitates to put troops on the ground. It bombs Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, but hesitates to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure for fear that Tehran may retaliate against the energy infrastructure of the Gulf states. The US claims that it doesn’t need the Strait of Hormuz and then advises the affected countries to prize it open. Trump thereafter seeks the cooperation of NATO countries to support his intervention, and subsequently says that he does not need NATO. He then chides the bloc for lack of support. He protests against Iran’s blockade of the strait as illegal and unacceptable, but then he himself orders a US blockade of the strait.

The US claims that its blockade of Hormuz does not violate any ceasefire, but the blockade is itself an act of war. Trump threatened to use force to open the strait, but then reversed his decision reportedly after Saudi Arabia refused to let the US use its bases on its soil and its airspace to carry out the operation.

All this suggests that the US is aware that it has no good options available. Threatening to wipe Iran off the face of the earth indicates frustration, not a viable strategy.

Meanwhile, the price of oil continues to rise. It is not only doing damage to energy-dependent countries: the secondary and tertiary effects are damaging the global economy as a whole, be it manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, aviation, travel, tourism, etc.

India is deeply affected by this war, but has few cards to play to stop it. In theory, New Delhi has friendly relations with all countries involved: the US, Israel, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. The Indian prime minister and external affairs minister have been in contact with the leaders of these countries. Our national security adviser has traveled very recently to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The problem is that when you have friendly ties with all the protagonists and have interests in all of them, it becomes very difficult to take sides. India can only appeal but not get directly involved in the conflict by offering good offices, etc. unless the warring sides request an active Indian role to that effect.

It is easy to advocate, as some observers do, that India must be more pro-active diplomatically on the ground. But even as the current BRICS chair – with both Iran and the UAE in the grouping, alongside heavyweights like Russia and China – India is unable to forge a consensus because Tehran and Abu Dhabi hold to unyielding positions.

It is understood that both Russia and China could not help to build some common ground between the two antagonists. If one puts Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into the mix, one can imagine how difficult it would be for a country such as India to help forge a consensus and effectively move towards de-escalation and an end to the conflict.

India has conducted the maiden flight of its locally developed glide weapon system.

The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force successfully conducted the maiden flight-trial off the coast of Odisha on Thursday.

The Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) extension kit is equipped to convert unguided warheads into high-precision guided weapons, an official release said.

Maiden flight-trial of Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon was successfully conducted off the coast of Odisha on May 07, 2026.

TARA, the modular range extension kit, is India’s first indigenous glide weapon system to convert unguided warheads into precision guided… pic.twitter.com/Ofx8mrGGgY

— DRDO (@DRDO_India) May 8, 2026

The TARA kit, developed by Research Center Imarat in Hyderabad, along with other DRDO laboratories, is equipped to enhance the lethality and accuracy of a low-cost weapon to strike ground-based targets.

The DRDO said the production of the kits for the Indian Armed Forces has already started.

Such kits are attached to a standard unguided bomb to direct the weapon to its target. The kits enable strikes from afar, minimizing the risk for aircraft carriers.

The Israeli Air Force has been actively using SPICE (smart, precise-impact, and cost-effective) kits, which convert an air-dropped unguided warhead into a precision-guided bomb, AP reported.

In December, India’s Defense Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved a procurement of defense equipment worth $8.7 billion, which includes a deal for SPICE kits, Indian media reported.

RT reported earlier that Russian forces may have tested an upgraded glide bomb capable of striking targets up to 150 km away in May last year. Russia has reportedly been developing an advanced glide bomb kit known as the UMPB D-30SN.

The Indian Sports Ministry has fromalized policy for cricketing events with Pakistan, a year after New Delhi imposed curbs on sporting activity with its neighbor following the military standoff between the two countries.

According to the policy published on Tuesday, Pakistani players and teams will be allowed to participate in multilateral events hosted by India. However, the ban on bilateral sporting events will remain in force.

”With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the ⁠practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons,” the Sports Ministry said.

It added that the visa process for athletes, officials, and representatives of international sports federations from the neighboring country would be simplified.

“In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be ⁠participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India,” the ministry added.

Cricket, the most popular sport in both India and Pakistan, has long been a victim of political tensions between the two countries. The hostility deepened after the four‑day standoff in May 2025 – one of the most serious military confrontations between the nuclear‑armed neighbors in recent years.

Pakistani players are not taking part in the lucrative Indian Premier League, although it is not clear if this scenario will also change.

India is slated to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, and it has also bid for the 2036 Olympics and the 2038 Asian Games ⁠in Ahmedabad.

India has vowed to keep up its fight against terrorism, a year after a tense military stand-off with Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the “unparalleled courage, precision, and resolve” of the armed forces in Operation Sindoor.

The three-day military operation was launched on May 7 in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, that killed 26 civilians on April 22. New Delhi said it targeted military facilities and terrorist bases in Pakistan. 

Islamabad has denied having any involvement in the Pahalgam attack.

“They [armed forces] gave a fitting response to those who dared to attack innocent Indians at Pahalgam,” Modi said in a post on X. “Today, a year later, we remain as steadfast as ever in our resolve to defeat terrorism and destroy its enabling ecosystem.”

Modi also stressed the importance of India’s quest for self-reliance through the ‘Make In India’ program in the defense sector.

A year ago, our armed forces displayed unparalleled courage, precision and resolve during #OperationSindoor. They gave a fitting response to those who dared to attack innocent Indians at Pahalgam. The entire nation salutes our forces for their valour.

Operation Sindoor reflected…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 7, 2026

Interior Minister Amit Shah lauded the operation as “an epochal mission of India.” 

The Pakistani leadership also commented on the anniversary of the military escalation with India, which Islamabad refers to as Marka-i-Haq (battle of truth).

Pakistan reinforced its position on bilateral and global platforms, he said, citing its “lawful and restrained response.”

The two nuclear-armed nations reached a ceasefire on May 10. Shortly before New Delhi and Islamabad officially announced the truce, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the two nations had agreed to immediately cease the hostilities “after a long night of talks mediated by the United States.”

Trump and other US officials repeated the claim on a number of occasions, though New Delhi has dismissed it, maintaining that the ceasefire “was agreed between the military commanders of both sides through direct contact.”

Both India and Pakistan embarked on a diplomatic outreach to the global community after the military standoff.

In April 2025, terrorists struck Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in southern Kashmir, killing 26 innocent tourists in an act of calculated barbarity orchestrated from across the border.

India’s response, codenamed Operation Sindoor, was swift, precise, and strategically transformative. In the 88 hours that followed, from May 7 to May 10, India demonstrated a war-fighting capability that surprised its adversaries and reassured its partners.

At the heart of that demonstration was a pluralistic arsenal: French Rafale jets, Israeli loitering munitions, Indian‑made Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), and Akash air defense systems. But the formidable core of this arsenal was Russian‑origin platforms that have formed the bedrock of Indian military power for more than six decades.

One year on, it is worth examining what Russia’s contribution to that arsenal actually meant in combat, and why the India-Russia defense partnership remains one of the most consequential strategic relationships in the Indo-Pacific. And how it continues to grow.

Strategic trust that matters

The India-Russia defense relationship is not a transaction. It is a partnership built on a foundation of consistent support through India’s most difficult strategic moments – when Western suppliers walked away after the 1998 nuclear tests, when sanctions threatened to choke India’s modernization program, and when the country needed technology transfers rather than merely hardware deliveries.

Over the past six decades, the two countries have built a defense relationship of extraordinary depth, one that now encompasses co-development, co-production, technology transfer, and joint ventures that have made India not merely a buyer of Russian equipment but a genuine partner in its manufacture and evolution.

The numbers tell part of the story. Approximately 60% of India’s current military inventory traces its lineage to Russian or Soviet-origin design. The Indian Air Force (IAF) flies the Su-30 MKI, arguably the most capable variant of the Flanker family anywhere in the world, built under license at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Nashik with a progressively increasing indigenous content. The Indian Army fields the T-90 Bhishma main battle tank, again built domestically under license.

The Indian Navy operates Kilo-class submarines and has long operated Russian carrier aviation. This is not dependence – it is integration, and Operation Sindoor demonstrated exactly what that integration looks like when tested under fire.

The S-400 Sudarshan Chakra: Combat debut

Of all the Russian systems that performed during Operation Sindoor, none attracted more global attention than the S-400 Triumf, which India has named the Sudarshan Chakra.

India’s decision to procure the S-400 in a $5.43 billion deal signed in 2018 was made under considerable pressure. The US threatened to impose CAATSA sanctions, Western partners expressed discomfort. India held its ground, and one year ago that decision was validated in the most definitive way possible – in actual combat.

With its ability to simultaneously track and engage multiple targets at ranges up to 400 km and altitudes spanning the full spectrum from low-flying drones to high-altitude missiles, the S-400 provided the strategic canopy under which the rest of India’s air defense architecture operated. Pakistan had been warned. The warnings went unheeded. The S-400 performed.

When Pakistani information operations subsequently claimed that an S-400 battery at Adampur had been destroyed, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to the airbase and stood beside the intact system.

The image spoke louder than any official denial. The S-400’s combat debut in Indian service was not merely a vindication of the procurement decision – it was a message to every adversary who had hoped that Western diplomatic pressure might yet deny India this capability. The message was received.

BrahMos: The strike weapon that changed the equation

If the S-400 was the shield of Operation Sindoor, the BrahMos was its most feared sword. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed through the joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, has grown from a promising concept into one of the most operationally significant weapons systems in Asia.

The BrahMos travels at Mach 3, carries a 200 to 300 kg warhead, and achieves a circular error probable of under 1 meter – a degree of accuracy that makes it as much a surgical instrument as a strike weapon. Land-launched, ship-launched, and air-launched variants are all operational with the Indian armed forces. The air-launched variant, designated BrahMos-A, is integrated with the Su-30 MKI, giving India a standoff precision-strike capability that few air forces in the world can match. The Block III land-attack variant adds terrain-hugging flight profiles that allow the missile to navigate complex geography and approach targets from unexpected angles. During Operation Sindoor, BrahMos missiles were reportedly used extensively against hardened high-value targets, with results that the battle damage assessment imagery made plain to the world.

The partnership is not standing still. The BrahMos-NG, a lighter next-generation variant, will allow the Su-30 MKI to carry three missiles rather than one, and will also be integrated with the Indian-made Tejas and the French Rafale.

BrahMos II, a hypersonic variant targeting speeds above Mach 5, is under joint development. When it enters service, it will place India in an exclusive group of nations capable of fielding hypersonic precision-strike weapons. The missile that began as a joint venture has become an Indian strategic asset – and it could not have been built without the Russian partnership.

India officially began exporting the BrahMos, with the first batch delivered to the Philippines in April 2024 as part of a $375 million deal. The joint venture with Russia is seeing high demand, with significant interest from Southeast Asian nations and other regions. The project achieved over $500 million in revenue for 2025-26.

The Su-30 MKI: India’s premier strike platform

The Su-30 MKI is the backbone of Indian Air Force combat power. India operates 260 of them, a fleet large enough to provide both mass and versatility across multiple simultaneous missions. Built at HAL’s Nashik facility under a license that has progressively transferred technology to India, the Su-30 MKI is a uniquely Indian variant of the Flanker family – fitted with Israeli avionics, French navigation systems, and Indian mission computers alongside its Russian airframe and engines. It is, in effect, a symbol of India’s pluralistic approach to defense procurement: taking the best from every partner and integrating it into a platform optimized for Indian requirements.

The upgraded MiG-29s in IAF service carry the same weapon. Complementing the R-77 is India’s indigenous Astra Mk1, with a range of 110 km, and the Astra Mk2 currently entering service with a range extending to 160 km. A third variant, the Astra Mk3, under development with a projected range of 350 km, will eventually give the Su-30 MKI an engagement envelope that exceeds anything currently in the Pakistani or Chinese inventory.

For the strike mission, the Su-30 MKI carries the Kh-35 air-launched cruise missile, with a range of 260 km, providing a standoff land-attack and anti-ship capability. The aircraft also carries the Kh-29 and Kh-59 air-to-surface missiles for shorter-range precision engagement.

During Operation Sindoor, Su-30 MKI crews flew alongside Rafale in coordinated strike packages, demonstrating the seamless integration of Russian and French platforms within a single operational concept.

Legacy systems that still deliver

Beyond the S-400 and BrahMos, a range of older Russian-origin systems continued to demonstrate their relevance during Operation Sindoor. The Pechora low-to-medium altitude surface-to-air missile system, the OSA-AK short-range system, and the S-125 Neva all contributed to the layered air defense architecture that denied Pakistan’s drones and missiles their intended targets. These are not new systems – some have been in Indian service for decades – but their integration into the Akashteer and IACCS command network gave them a new operational dimension, allowing them to receive targeting data from modern sensors and engage threats far more efficiently than their original designs envisioned.

The MiG-29 has been upgraded with modern avionics and extended range with Russian help and continues to serve as an effective air defense interceptor. Sixty upgraded MiG-29s in IAF service provide a capable mid-tier complement to the Su-30 MKI and Rafale, particularly in the air superiority role.

Russia’s willingness to support deep upgrades of platforms sold decades ago – providing access to newer avionics, weapons integration, and structural life extensions – is one of the distinctive features of the partnership. India has not been left to manage ageing Russian platforms without support. The relationship has ensured continuity of capability even as the platforms themselves have evolved.

The partnership looking forward

Operation Sindoor demonstrated the maturity of the India-Russia defense relationship, but it also highlighted the road ahead.

The two countries are exploring the possibility of co-developing an advanced version of the BrahMos with a range exceeding 1,500 km. Discussions on the potential acquisition or co-production of the S-500 Prometheus, with its capability against hypersonic threats and ballistic missiles at ranges far exceeding the S-400, are ongoing.

Russia has also expressed interest in purchasing BrahMos missiles for its own inventory – a remarkable inversion of the traditional buyer-seller dynamic that speaks to how far the partnership has evolved.

The Indian Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement of 288 additional anti-aircraft missiles for its S-400 systems in a roughly $1.2 billion deal.

India is actively evaluating a renewed Russian proposal for the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter, with HAL reviewing a potential co-manufacturing deal for 100-plus units. Driven by the need to counter China’s J-20 and bridge the gap until its indigenous AMCA is ready in 2038, India is considering the Su-57, potentially featuring a twin-seat variant with advanced drone-teaming capabilities.

There are challenges too, and they deserve honest acknowledgement. The war with Ukraine has strained Russia’s defense industrial capacity, creating delays in spare parts supplies and new deliveries that have affected IAF operational readiness. There are also balance of payments issues, as India has been purchasing large quantities of petroleum products from Russia.

India has responded by accelerating its indigenous alternatives and diversifying its procurement portfolio – the very Atmanirbhar Bharat strategy that Operation Sindoor validated so publicly. This is a sign of strategic maturity, not estrangement. A self-reliant India that also maintains deep partnerships is a stronger India than one that is wholly dependent on any single supplier.

A year after Pahalgam, the verdict on Russian systems in Indian service is clear. The S-400 held India’s skies during Operation Sindoor, against every drone and missile Pakistan could throw at it. The BrahMos struck hardened targets with a precision that left no room for denial. The Indian Air Force achieved the world’s longest-range surface-to-air missile kill using the S-400 Triumf system, which intercepted a high-value Pakistan Air Force AEW&C aircraft at a distance of 314 km.

The Su-30 MKI, armed with Russian and indigenous air-to-air missiles alongside the most lethal supersonic cruise missile in its class, carried India’s offensive reach to distances and accuracies that forced a nuclear-armed adversary to seek a ceasefire within four days.

These outcomes were not accidental. They were the product of six decades of partnership, thousands of Indian engineers trained in Russian design bureaux, hundreds of joint exercises, and a shared strategic understanding that no amount of external pressure has been able to dissolve. The Western world may have preferred India to choose differently. India chose what worked. Operation Sindoor did not merely test India’s military capability. It tested a relationship. That relationship held.

India and Vietnam have decided to ramp up bilateral trade between the countries.

A decision has been made to boost trade from $16 billion at present to $25 billion by 2030, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after a meeting with Vietnamese President To Lam.

Lam, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation, is on a three-day trip to India, his first state visit after being elected president in April.

“Through new initiatives in critical minerals, rare earths, and energy cooperation, we will ensure the economic security and supply chain resilience of both countries,” Modi said.

The two countries have also upgraded their relationship to an ‘enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership’.

Trade between India and Vietnam crossed $16 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March 2026.

Addressing the joint press meet with President of Vietnam, Mr. To Lam.
https://t.co/ILXwDMIxkl

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 6, 2026

“Vietnam is a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy and Vision Ocean. In the Indo-Pacific region as well, we share a common outlook,” Modi said.

The Indian prime minister also said New Delhi hopes to broaden its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Vietnam’s cooperation.

India’s unified payments interface (UPI) and Vietnam’s fast payment system are also going to be linked soon, Modi informed.

The countries also have exchanged 13 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) across key sectors, including rare earth minerals, culture, cross-border digital payments, health, tourism, and education.

In 2025, India and Vietnam signed an agreement to set up a framework for submarine search, rescue, and support mechanisms. They also signed a letter of intent to strengthen bilateral defense industry collaboration. 

The countries are also reportedly holding parleys for a deal related to the purchase of Brahmos missiles, developed by the Indo-Russian joint venture Brahmos Aerospace.

India has rolled out a credit guarantee initiative to support businesses affected by the Middle East conflict.

The federal government announced the $2 billion capital allocation plan, the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0, on Tuesday. The ECLGS facility was first introduced in May 2020 to support businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The plan is expected to enable additional credit flow of $3.5 billion. The borrowing cap for passenger airline companies has been set at $160 million.

“The scheme has been brought to address the stress in MSME and airline sectors due to the West Asia conflict,” Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 approved by the Cabinet reflects our commitment to supporting India’s businesses, especially the MSME sector in challenging global times. By enabling additional credit flow with strong guarantee coverage, this initiative will…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 5, 2026

The initiative will be applicable for loans sanctioned under the plan until March 31 next year.

The loans for the airline sector, battling high jet fuel prices and stress, will have a seven-year tenor, including a two-year moratorium. For businesses, the loans will be for five years, including a one-year moratorium.

The aim is to help maintain operations and supply chains, in addition to protecting jobs amid the crisis spurred by the Middle East conflict.

The guarantees will be routed through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd.

In April, Indian airline companies sought government help to cushion surging jet fuel prices due to the conflict in the Middle East, which accounts for nearly 55% of crude oil imports.

More than 15,400 flights operated by Indian carriers were canceled from February 28 to April 24. 

An industry body that represents the top carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, has urged “urgent support” from the government on ATF pricing to continue airline operations.

Rating agency Moody’s has cut India’s GDP projection for the 2026-27 fiscal year to 6% from 6.8%, citing subdued private consumption, softer industrial activity, and higher input costs.

The West is crumbling into barbarism, signaling the end of the old order, former envoy Talmiz Ahmad told RT India’s In Conversation with Salman Khurshid.

The US has lost credibility and the Western alliance is in disarray, Ahmad, the former Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE, said.

He added that China and Russia will be seen as playing a larger political and diplomatic role in global affairs after the Iran war is over, noting that Russia and China are “strong supporters” of Iran.

He also suggested that the Russia-India-China (RIC) troika should be at the heart of Indian diplomacy and foreign policy. A trilateral entity in which Moscow is close to both Beijing and New Delhi ensures balance in ties, he said, and if there are issues that agitate India and China, Russia’s presence will have a positive impact.

“Both BRICS and the SCO should [receive India’s] undivided attention. The Quad is now history, and sorry to say, even the G20 is… history,” Ahmad said, adding that “RIC is at the heart of BRICS.”

Watch the full episode of In Conversation with Salman Khurshid below.

When Brent crude briefly crossed $120 a barrel last week amid renewed Hormuz tensions and the UAE’s exit from OPEC, market reactions suggested something beyond just another cyclical oil shock. Markets are recognizing the erosion of the framework that governed global crude flows for decades.

The UAE’s move has triggered familiar debates over quotas, spare capacity, and Gulf rivalries. But focusing on cartel mechanics overlooks a deeper shift. OPEC’s fracture reveals the premise that producers could manage supply while others guaranteed stable sea lanes was always conditional. That era has ended.

For much of its history, OPEC operated within a relatively predictable system. Oil moved through a handful of critical chokepoints, the Strait of Hormuz foremost among them, and the cartel adjusted production to influence prices. Markets now price geopolitical risk alongside supply and demand. They are factoring in war-risk insurance, sanctions-driven rerouting, and the possibility that key transit routes may face prolonged disruption.

Asian refiners are already recalculating freight exposure as rerouting via Red Sea extends voyage times and pushes up insurance costs. Producers, meanwhile, are adapting to a market where route stability can no longer be taken for granted.

This broader context helps explain the strategic logic behind the UAE’s decision. Abu Dhabi has invested heavily in expanding production capacity toward 5 million barrels per day (mbpd) by 2027 from the current 4.85 mbpd, even as OPEC+ agreements constrained actual output significantly below that threshold.

There is also a parallel demand-side shift shaping producer calculations. Major Asian importers, particularly India, are actively seeking more flexible supplier relationships that operate outside traditional cartel structures. Indian officials have already signaled interest in negotiating long-term oil trade agreements with the UAE now that Abu Dhabi is no longer constrained by OPEC production quotas.

The benefits are straightforward. Proximity means lower freight costs, bilateral deals allow flexible pricing, and direct arrangements avoid possible constraints associated with cartel.

For the UAE, this represents more than a break with OPEC. It signals repositioning toward an energy landscape where securing long term Asian demand through flexible export arrangements may matter more than maintaining the appearance of collective discipline.

OPEC attempts coordinated cuts to support prices while the routes moving that oil grow increasingly unreliable. Production quotas mean nothing if tankers cannot move freely.

From OPEC quotas to naval blockades

The older OPEC framework was built for an era when oversupply and price crashes were the main worry. The threats oil markets are facing now are entirely different. Geopolitics has changed how oil moves. The Strait of Hormuz, which carried roughly 20 million barrels per day before Iran effectively closed it in March, represents what the International Energy Agency has called the largest oil supply disruption in history.

Within this context, divergence inside OPEC+ makes more sense. The UAE’s exit exposes a widening gap between collective discipline and national strategy. Saudi Arabia still anchors the group, often taking deeper cuts to prop up prices. But not every producer operates on the same timeline. For Abu Dhabi, securing future market share in Asia matters more than defending a coordination system designed for different circumstances.

Iran reads the situation through a different lens. Tehran has long viewed energy security as a contest over access, pressure, and control of routes. Rising militarization and sanctions have already turned the oil trade into a geopolitical struggle. The UAE’s departure confirms that producers are going their own way in a fragmented system.

OPEC isn’t collapsing. It retains influence, largely through Saudi Arabia’s spare capacity. But the assumptions that held it together – predictable shipping, aligned incentives, centralized management – are eroding.

The rise of parallel energy networks

Russian crude has been redirected toward Asian markets following Western sanctions. This has reshaped tanker routes and altered margins and payment mechanisms. Sanctions did not crunch the supply from those producers they were aimed at, but rather accelerated the diversification of trade channels.

For Asian importers, this shift has been enabling and destabilizing in equal measure. Flexible LNG cargoes diversified crude sourcing, and new trading routes have reduced dependence on any single supplier. But they have also tied energy security more tightly to geopolitics, logistics, and financial infrastructure.

For Asian importers, this shift has been both enabling and destabilizing. While they have been able to diversify crude sourcing, their energy security is increasingly tied to geopolitics, logistics and financial infrastructure.

Market participants recognize this transition. Industry observers note the system may absorb shocks like the UAE’s exit without immediate disruption. But that calm reflects adaptation, not the old stability. Recent analysis shows how overlapping supply and security networks are now shaped as much by political alignment as by market efficiency. The global oil system no longer revolves around a single center; it is fragmenting into multiple interconnected but distinct circuits.

Asia’s rise and the new competition for energy relevance

Demand is shifting decisively eastward. India is expected to add 1 mbpd by 2030, the largest increase of any country globally, and account for nearly half of all incremental global oil demand through 2035. This shift is reshaping producer strategies. Gulf exporters are no longer just defending price levels. They’re competing for long-term relevance in Asian markets where Gulf-Asia trade reached $516 billion in 2024, double the $256 billion Gulf-West trade volume.

For Asian economies, the implications are more complex. Diversification across the Gulf, Russia, the US, and Africa improves bargaining power but embeds them in a more fragmented and politically sensitive system. Energy security now means more than securing supply it requires safer shipping routes, insurance frameworks, refining systems, and strategic reserves. When any of these elements fail, the economic fallout extends far beyond energy costs alone.

India’s experience illustrates this. As prices surged amid Hormuz tensions, the rupee weakened sharply while inflation pressures intensified and current account deficits widened. Maritime disruptions now carry immediate macroeconomic consequences.

Policy responses are evolving accordingly. Strategic reserves, refinery expansion, growing  renewable capacity and nuclear energy generation are increasingly viewed as parts of a broader resilience framework. Maritime security has gained prominence, with Hormuz identified as a key strategic focus.

India has deepened US engagement on LNG and technology, maintained Gulf ties, and continued Russian crude imports despite narrowing discounts. The goal is not alignment with any single bloc but flexibility in a fragmented market. It’s no longer who controls production, but who can ensure oil and the infrastructure moving it function reliably in an increasingly uncertain world.

India has reacted to an Iranian drone strike on a petroleum industrial site in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X on Tuesday that New Delhi “strongly condemns” the attacks on the UAE that injured three Indian nationals.
“Targeting civilians and infrastructure is unacceptable,” he said in a strongly worded post, which did not name Iran.

The strike targeted the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone and caused a “major fire” at the site, the emirate’s media office said in a statement on Facebook on Monday. According to the authorities, the Indians hurt in the attack sustained slight injuries and were taken to the hospital.

Modi said India stands “in firm solidarity” with the UAE, and reiterated its support for the peaceful resolution of all issues “through dialogue and diplomacy.”

Strongly condemn the attacks on the UAE that resulted in injuries to three Indian nationals. Targeting civilians and infrastructure is unacceptable.

India stands in firm solidarity with the UAE and reiterates its support for the peaceful resolution of all issues through…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 5, 2026

Ensuring safe and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is vital for enduring regional peace, stability, and global energy security, he added.

The UAE had said the attack was the first since a ceasefire was announced on April 8. The UAE Defense Ministry said earlier on Monday that three Iranian cruise missiles were successfully shot down over the Arab nation’s territorial waters. Iranian officials cited by state-run IRIB news agency, however, stated that Tehran has no plan to target the UAE.

A ceasefire between Iran and the US is seen as increasingly shaky as the two countries continue exchanging words over the Strait of Hormuz after the US announced an operation to escort trapped vessels through the strategic choke point. US President Donald Trump has decided to maintain a naval blockade of Iranian ports to pressure Tehran to agree to a peace settlement. Iranian officials term the blockade an “act of war” that violates the ceasefire.

Millions of football fans in India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, are facing the prospect of a blackout of the 2026 football World Cup. A broadcast deal with India is yet to be finalized, Reuters reported on Tuesday. There has also been no deal announcement for China.

The world’s leading sports spectator event starts in the US, Mexico, and Canada on June 11.

“Discussions in China and India regarding the sale ⁠of media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage,” the sport’s governing body told Reuters.   

With just five weeks before the start of the tournament, that is an unusual scenario. FIFA said it has concluded deals with “175 territories globally.”

In India, a joined venture between Reliance Group, led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and Disney has offered $20 million for broadcast rights. This is only a fraction of what FIFA is seeking, the report said. FIFA initially sought $100 million for broadcast rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups together, according to Reuters.

Sony has also held talks for India broadcast rights, but has reportedly decided to skip making an offer.

104 matches. Locked in.

The #FIFAWorldCup 2026™ match schedule ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ZYofjO8z41

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 6, 2025

India and China together accounted for 22.6% of the global digital streaming reach for the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar. That time, Reliance’s standalone media arm secured the rights for a reported $60 million in India. 

This year, FIFA has reportedly lowered the asking price but is wary of the $20 million offer put forth. An unnamed source told Reuters that FIFA is looking for a similar amount as in 2022.

The Reliance-Disney venture doesn’t expect a huge Indian viewership for most matches, which will air past midnight local time, the report noted. More than 87% of the 104 World Cup matches are expected to air after 10pm Indian Standard Time. Football also provides a limited scope for advertising compared with cricket, which is the most popular sport in India.

Around 5 billion people engaged with the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022, with the final between Argentina and France reaching 1.5 billion viewers globally.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made unprecedented gains in regional elections, according to the results announced by the Election Commission on Monday.

Votes for the election, which was held in April, were counted throughout the day on Monday across four states – Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala – and the union territory of Puducherry.

The BJP swept to victory in the northeastern state of West Bengal, a major battleground, for the first time in the state’s history, taking power from the opposition Trinamool Congress led by popular politician Mamata Banerjee. Modi’s party also retained its position in the neighboring state of Assam for the third consecutive term.

The BJP also made surprise gains in the southern state of Kerala, winning three seats for the first time. In Kerala, the main opposition party, Indian National Congress, returned to power, defeating a coalition led by the Left parties. However, the Congress failed to make gains in other states.

The election results are viewed by political commentators in India as a significant boost for Modi and the BJP, which has governed at the federal level for three consecutive terms since 2014 but is now facing strong resistance to its plans to increase parliamentary seats ahead of the 2029 general elections.

Addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Modi called the win in West Bengal “historic and unprecedented.”

Aftershocks of these results will be felt for a long time, probably all the way up to 2029, Omar Abdullah, a prominent opposition politician from India’s Jammu and Kashmir, said.

Elections in India have always meant @PrannoyRoy7749 for sane, sensible interpretation of the trends & results and that’s why today the screens in my office have been tuned to @DeKoderAI to watch the unfolding political earthquake in West Bengal & Tamil Nadu. The aftershocks of…

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 4, 2026

Elections in Tamil Nadu brought another surprising victory – that of recently formed party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor-turned-politician Vijay. The party won 107 seats in its electoral debut, thus becoming the largest single party. It also shattered the decades-long domination of the two key regional parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

In this southern state, over 12 million voters aged between 18 and 29 made up 21.2% of the electorate, local media reported, noting that the scale of participation of the so-called Gen-Z likely influenced the outcome.

Nepal has raised objections with neighbors India and China over their plans to conduct an annual pilgrimage that passes through high‑altitude Himalayan territory administered by New Delhi but claimed by Kathmandu.

On Sunday, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry sent diplomatic notes to India and China regarding the proposed Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. The journey, a sacred route to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, passes through Lipulekh, which Nepal claims as its territory.

The ministry said Nepal has consistently urged India to refrain from activities in the region, including road construction, expansion, border trade and pilgrimages. It added that China has also been officially informed that Lipulekh lies within Nepali territory.

The move came in response to India’s announcement that the 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will be conducted between June and August in coordination with Beijing. India and China agreed to restart the popular pilgrimage last year as part of a general warming in diplomatic and economic ties that had been strained after the 2020 border clash. The pilgrimage, initially stopped due to the Covid pandemic, was resumed in 2025.

India on Monday issued a statement reiterating its position. “Lipulekh Pass has been a long‑standing route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra since 1954. The yatra through this route has been going on for decades. This is not a new development,” the Ministry of External Affairs said. It added that India remains “open to a constructive interaction” with Nepal to resolve the territorial issue.

Our response to media queries regarding comments made by Foreign Ministry of Nepal on border issue in the context of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra ⬇️

🔗 https://t.co/ouqMCjhwlb pic.twitter.com/hM7lJgh5Uc

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) May 3, 2026

Nepal has long protested Indian efforts to build connectivity and conduct land trade with China through the pass, while New Delhi has repeatedly rejected Kathmandu’s claim over the territory.

In August 2025, Nepal reiterated its claim to the pass after India and China announced the resumption of trade through it. New Delhi maintains that trade with Beijing via Lipulekh began in 1954 and continued until 1962, when the two nations fought a war, and that it resumed in 1992 after an almost three‑decade pause.

Indo-Russian BrahMos Aerospace posts record 2025-26 revenue with 48.6% growth. Vietnam eyes $611.5 mn deal for supersonic missiles as India expands global defense exports

BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture by Indian and Russian defense manufacturers, posted record revenue in the last fiscal year, India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has said.

The earnings for the 2025-26 financial year (ending March 31) stood at $548.24 million, the DRDO stated on Thursday. It is a 48.6% surge from $368.9 million recorded a year ago.

Brahmos Aerospace is also steadily growing its footprint in the global defense market with two export orders worth $420 million signed in 2025-26, DRDO said.

A big leap towards #AatmanirbharDefence

BrahMos Aerospace revenue has crossed ₹5200 crores for the year 2025-2026

The new Lucknow facility has started rolling out the first batch of missiles within a year of commencing operations.

Brahmos Aerospace is also steadily growing…

— DRDO (@DRDO_India) April 30, 2026

A deal with Vietnam is currently in the works and could be signed when its President To Lam visits New Delhi next week, India Today reported.

The deal includes shore-based BrahMos batteries for coastal defence, along with training, logistics, and an initial batch of missiles, and is reportedly estimated at $611.5 million. Moscow has cleared the transfer, the report said,  signalling the continued defense cooperation between India, Russia, and Vietnam.

If the deal materializes, Vietnam would become the third Southeast Asian nation to induct the supersonic cruise missiles into its arsenal. Last year, the Philippines became the first third-party customer for the BrahMos system, taking delivery of an initial batch in April under a $375 million agreement signed in 2023.

Earlier this month, India inducted a warship capable of carrying BrahMos supersonic missiles into its naval fleet.

The strategic importance of Greater Nicobar, the southernmost and largest of the Nicobar islands of India that dominate the Malacca Strait – a critical maritime chokepoint through which 60% of global trade passes – have once again come into focus due to the turmoil in the Gulf of Hormuz amid the ongoing Iran War.

Against that backdrop, the Indian government earlier this month submitted a draft master plan for developing Greater Nicobar island.

The group of Andaman and Nicobar islands (ANI), governed as a single union territory by the central government of India, covers an area of 8,249 square kilometers. The entire island chain consists of 836 islands, including islets and rocky outcrops, of which about 31 are permanently inhabited. 

Located 1300 kilometers southeast of the Indian mainland, these territories are India’s premier maritime and air outpost, offering immense strategic leverage in the Indian Ocean. They act as a crucial bridge between South and Southeast Asia and as a strategic gateway for India into the Malacca Strait, which is a crucial shipping route connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

The Nicobar islands are instrumental for India in monitoring shipping lanes and help to extend its military reach. They serve as a key bulwark of India’s Act East Policy against the growing influence of China in the region. The islands act as a permanent air and naval base, facilitating power projection and rapid military deployment in the eastern and northern Indian Ocean. They support comprehensive maritime domain awareness, and also provide a first line of defense against both traditional and non-conventional threats such as illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and piracy. 

The islands provide 300,000 sq. km of additional Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), rich with underwater mineral and hydrocarbon resources. Sustainable power projects are designed to enhance both economic growth and strategic defense capability.

Great Nicobar Development Plan

The mega plan envisages a $9.9 billion mega-infrastructure project with proposed focus on tourism as the “primary economic driver” of growth. It is being envisioned as a “seaside destination to relax, enjoy theme parks, and wellness tourism in a pristine, unspoilt and protected environment.”

Maritime and port development will enhance connectivity through new jetties and expanding port facilities to accommodate large cargo vessels. It will give boost to tourism, entertainment, and processing clusters along the eastern coast of the island from Galathea Bay in the south to Campbell Bay in the north. Situated near the Malacca Strait, these projects aim to reduce dependence on foreign ports (like Singapore or Colombo) for container handling.

The project is expected to span 166 sq km. Of this, around 40% has been set aside as “urbanizable,” with the rest allocated to “special projects” including an airport, container port, freight and passenger terminals, defense area, and a green development area where no tree-felling will be allowed. About 129 sq. km of land is expected to come from diverted forest areas.

The project also intends to get the “population to settle here,” through both permanent and temporary jobs that will be created.  The plan has been drafted for a projected population of 336,000 by 2055. Of this, the local Nicobarese population is expected to grow to about 11,500 from the current 7,500. The annual inflow of tourists to the island by that time is expected to achieve more than a million people. The development will be in phases and will finish by 2047 in line with the targets of the Narendra Modi-led government’s vision ’Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).

Hydro Carbons Potential

The ANI Basin is a highly promising, under-explored frontier. India’s Directorate General of Hydrocarbons estimates hydrocarbon potential at 371 MMTOE (Million Metric Tons of Oil Equivalent).

In 2025, Oil India conducted a three-well drilling campaign that proved commercial gas potential in the Andaman shallow/deep-water, including at a depth of 295 meters.

To speed up exploring and identifying crude oil and hydrocarbon reserves in the Andaman-Nicobar basin, the Indian government has opened up previously restricted areas and is encouraging investments via the Open Acreage Licensing Program. The discovery is crucial for India’s energy transition toward cleaner fuel (methane over coal) and holds the potential to significantly enhance India’s offshore energy assets.

The Strategic Focus

The Great Nicobar project fits well into India’s Act East Policy, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. It is a strategic, proactive, and dynamic shift from the 1991 Look East Policy, focusing on enhancing economic, cultural, and strategic ties with Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. The policy prioritizes regional stability and the development of India’s northeastern states bordering China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

New Delhi’s transition to ‘Act East’ emphasizes rapid implementation, with a focus on maritime security and a rules-based order, particularly in partnership with Indo-Pacific powers. The policy has facilitated deeper cooperation, including the sale of BrahMos missiles to the Philippines and maritime exercises.

The Nicobar Islands therefore hold critical strategic importance for India, acting as a “geostrategic pivot” in the Indian Ocean and a vital maritime watchdog. Indira Point adjacent to the Galathea Bay, India’s southernmost point, is just 145 km north of Indonesia’s northernmost Rondo Island and 160 km from the Western Entrance of Malacca strait.

The 800-kilometer strait is crucial for global supply chains, but its narrowest point, less than three kilometers wide, makes it a risk point for piracy and maritime security, often referred to as the “Malacca Dilemma” by nations reliant on it.

The Nicobar Islands secure trade routes, enable power projection, and facilitate regional cooperation against security threats, effectively acting as India’s first line of defense against Eastern maritime threats. The islands enable the Indian Navy to monitor the crucial maritime route.

Expanding Military Assets

As the home to India’s only joint services Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), the islands enable enhanced, integrated surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and rapid deployment capabilities. ANI control the “arc of power” in the Bay of Bengal, anchored by the ANC. Key assets include major naval and air bases, and missile batteries, designed to monitor maritime traffic. INS Utkrosh (Port Blair) is the primary air station for aerial operations. INS Kohassa (Diglipur) is the northern air base for surveillance. INS Baaz (Campbell Bay) is the southernmost air station overlooking the Malacca Strait. INS Jarawa (Port Blair) houses the floating dock FDN-1. INS Kardip is a strategic naval facility in the Nicobar group.

The ANC oversees Army infantry brigades with armored columns, Navy missile corvettes, amphibious warships, and patrol vehicles. Rutland Island is frequently used for joint amphibious assault exercises.

The existing military areas of the Indian Navy and Air Force (IAF) are being expanded to house more permanent assets. The runways at Diglipur and at Air Force Station Car Nicobar are being lengthened, and airfield assets including hardened shelters will allow sustained operations. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has cleared the mega-infrastructure project, citing it as of ‘strategic importance’.

The Way Ahead for Mega Plan

The Great Nicobar project faced scrutiny due to significant environmental impact, large-scale forest land diversion, and potential effects on local biodiversity and tribal communities. But the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a clear development strategy have allowed work to progress.

The military airstrips in the ANC including Car Nicobar, Campbell Bay, and Diglipur have been designated for dual‑use activation to expand civilian air services across the archipelago, thus reflecting a model of symbiotic civil‑military growth. A phased transformation of the ANC into a strategic outpost would strengthen India’s image as a preferred security partner among Indian Ocean littorals. A Su-30 MKI with single air refueling will be able to reach the South China Sea when operating from Car Nicobar. Land based BrahMos missiles will also be positioned.

New Delhi’s engagement with its neighbors through the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), an international organization of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, alongside provision of operational turnaround facilities to friendly navies and the undertaking of coordinated patrols (CORPATs), can further promote regional order and cooperation.

India’s development of the ANI have progressively emerged as a pillar of its maritime diplomacy in the eastern Indian Ocean Region. The strategic advantages are phenomenal. Surveillance of extra-regional warships, deep-sea fishing fleets, ‘dark shipping’, illegal activities, and research vessels along key chokepoints is essential and the ANI offer distinct advantages in facilitating this task. Similarly, the emerging hydrocarbon potential has to be exploited and secured.

ANI could become a multifunctional node for container trade, cold‑chain exports, maritime services, and digital commerce, creating steady demand for feeder services, warehousing, and skilled local employment, while deepening India’s integration with Bay of Bengal littorals and ASEAN supply chains.

The completion of the Chennai-ANI submarine cable (CANI), a 2,300 km high-speed fiber-optic link, has laid a strong foundation for sustained digital connectivity and future growth. In all this, the interests of the several tribal groups that the Andaman Islands are famous for has been looked into.

With increasing Chinese Navy presence in the Indian Ocean Region, India requires enhanced and sustained naval and air presence and stringent access monitoring at the Malacca Strait, staged through the ANI, to enable timely responses to potential military build-ups. The new infrastructure will allow it to integrate the islands more deeply into the national security architecture, and reinforce the country’s maritime posture in the Indo-Pacific.

The ANI are the most strategically located islands anywhere in the world. With focused development and military empowerment, these islands could emerge as India’s strategic fulcrum against misadventures by India’s northern neighbor. Land-based air power has its own operational advantages and lesser risks. Major infrastructure development of the ANI will tilt the strategic balance further towards India.

Air India will cut about 100 flights across international routes starting from June, the Economic Times reported on Friday.

India’s second-largest carrier, which was privatized and bought by Tata Group in 2022, operates roughly 1,100 daily flights. The steepest reductions are expected on long-haul international routes to Europe, North America, Australia, and Singapore, where fuel consumption is highest.

An unidentified Air India official told the outlet that the airline is currently unable to recover operating costs on a large number of flights. The carrier has already accumulated losses of about $2.1 billion, the report noted, with its finances hit hard since the closure of Pakistan’s airspace following the military standoff in May 2025.

The closure has forced Indian carriers to take longer routes, significantly increasing operating costs.

The report comes amid an industry-wide plea by Indian airline companies for the federal government to intervene, as surging ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) prices threaten their commercial viability.

On Friday, India announced hikes for jet fuel prices for international airlines. However, it maintained that there was no change in ATF prices for domestic airlines.

Earlier in April, India raised fuel prices for international flights while only slightly increasing rates for domestic routes. The hike for domestic carriers was capped due to a government intervention, which directed state‑run oil marketing companies to limit the increase to 25%.

The retail prices of petrol, diesel, and domestic LPG (14.2 kg cylinders) have remained unchanged, fully insulating domestic consumers from the recent increase in international fuel prices. No change in prices of domestic LPG (14.2 kg) for 33 crore domestic LPG consumers. No…

— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2026

Fuel accounts for up to 40% of an airline’s operating costs and seemingly minor price hikes impact profitability, making tickets more expensive.

Jet fuel prices in India have soared past the $2,140 per kiloliter mark amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, well above the previous high of $1,180 per kiloliter recorded in 2022 after the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis.

Globally, jet fuel prices averaged $179 per barrel, an over-80% increase from the $99 per barrel level observed in late February 2026.

More than 15,400 flights operated by Indian carriers were canceled from February 28 to April 24. Airlines are now operating just 50-55 flights per day to the Middle East, compared to nearly 200 daily services earlier. 

India is the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. The sector provides more than 369,000 jobs directly and 7.7 million indirectly, according to official figures.

The NATO states would have joined the US and Israel in their war on Iran “like vultures” if Washington had succeeded in the initial days, an Indian strategic affairs expert has said.

The European nations did not want to “get caught in the crossfire,” Zorawar Daulet Singh told RT India in the latest episode of the podcast India, Russia, and the World.

“They’re seeing the US has really played a hand, which has backfired very badly,” Singh said, adding this does not mean a breakdown in the “US-European unity.”

Pakistan tried to play a mediating role by urging “the Iranians to accept the American kind of framework,” Singh said. “I think the Iranians have kind of reached a dead end with that.”

Singh spoke of the importance of Moscow for Tehran. “Iran knows that it needs bigger partners, it needs a stable long-term partnership,” he said, citing the recent Moscow visit of its foreign minister as a step in this direction. “Russia sees Iran as, in a sense, a second front of its struggle with the West.”

Russia, India, China, and Iran are emerging as “the stabilizing players for the next 100 years,” Singh added.

There is an impression in Iran and elsewhere “that the Americans are not prepared for a second round,” he said, adding that the US knows it will also get battered in such a scenario.

The US mainstream media and former administration officials, who are part of the American establishment, now admit “that Iran holds strong cards and they can’t be wished away,” Singh said.

“Whether it’s your trade, tariffs, energy security, geopolitics, Pakistan…on every aspect, the facts and the empirical evidence suggests that the US approach to India is not what it was, let’s say, 20, 25 years ago,” Singh said.

“We have a misplaced sense that these are transient trends, that ultimately America will go back to what it was after Trump,” he added, terming it as “a completely naive and a delusional perspective.”

The US-India relationship simply cannot go back to what it was, Singh noted.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit India in May for the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, Moscow has confirmed.

India is the current chair of the group.

“A substantive and in-depth discussion of current international issues and prospects for improving the global governance system” is expected during Lavrov’s visit, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

Preparations for the 18th BRICS Summit, to be held in New Delhi in September, which Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to attend, will also be on the agenda.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also slated to visit Moscow later this year.

Lavrov will also engage in bilateral talks with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. “We plan to discuss the full range of bilateral relations, including the schedule of upcoming contacts at the highest, high and working levels,” Zakharova said.

In October 2018, India signed a $5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the missile systems, of which three have already been delivered. New Delhi also reportedly plans to place new orders.

Negotiations for the supply and production of the Su-57 fighter jet in the South Asian nation are at a “deep technical stage,” Vadim Badekha, CEO of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), said in January.

Russia is keen to receive “an unlimited number” of skilled workers from India as part of a labor mobility pact signed during Putin’s visit to India last December.

The United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is a natural move, a top Russian policy expert has said.

Membership in any organization is relevant when it corresponds to national interests, Russian International Affairs Council General Director Ivan Timofeev said on an RT India panel. “When the perception of the national interest changes, it’s reasonable to expect that a state or member changes its stance.”

Timofeev added that given the current tensions in the Middle East, it is natural to expect a major player like the UAE to “strive to keep more free hands in terms of supplies... extraction [and] other factors which determine its national income.”

Though the Iran war significantly triggered the decision, the origins of this move emerged beforehand, he said. “But what is clear is that the attack against Iran stimulated and galvanized this way of thinking.”

Russia has welcomed the UAE’s move as a “sovereign decision.”

Also speaking on the panel, the host of RT’s New Order, Afshin Rattansi, noted that the UAE is already preparing for the post-war scenario. “There will be conversations in Delhi at the BRICS summit exactly about what a multipolar world means for energy resources,” he said.

Indian airline companies have sought government help as surging jet fuel prices threaten commercial viability.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) – an industry body that represents the top carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet – said in a letter that “urgent support is required for ATF pricing to continue” airline operations. “The airline industry in India is under extreme stress and on the verge of closing down or of stopping its operations.”

The FIA said the aviation turbine fuel (ATF) pricing has become “increasingly unpredictable,” impacting domestic and international operations. “ATF adhoc pricing is creating severe imbalance in domestic and international operations and rendering airline networks unviable and unsustainable.”

Earlier this month, India hiked fuel prices for international flights and marginally increased energy prices for domestic routes.

The surge in ATF costs has increased airline operation costs from 30%-40% to 55%-60%, the FIA said.

The FIA’s move comes amid mounting speculation that the government will raise fuel prices once voting in state elections ends on April 29, Bloomberg reported.

On Tuesday, officials denied plans to raise gasoline prices but declined to answer a similar question on ATF.

More than 15,400 flights operated by Indian carriers were canceled from February 28 to April 24, CNBC TV18 reported on Monday. It said Indian carriers are now operating just 50-55 flights a day to the Middle East, compared to nearly 200 daily services earlier.

This is the first time ATF prices in India have surpassed the $2,145.36 per kiloliter mark. The previous high was recorded in 2022, when rates climbed to around $1,180 per kiloliter following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict.

In India, state-backed fuel retailers normally revise ATF prices on the first day of every month based on international benchmarks and exchange rates. The prices were deregulated in 2001.

An incident in India in which a man carried the skeleton of his sister to a bank as proof of death to withdraw her money has sparked outrage in the South Asian country.

Images of the incident on Monday in the eastern Indian state of Odisha have gone viral.

The state-owned parent bank of the lender has clarified that it had only sought valid documents to withdraw the money of the deceased, denying reports that the bank demanded the physical presence of the deceased.

The bank said it has settled the claim amount of $204 in the name of three legal heirs and has handed over the money to them.

Odisha Minister Suresh Pujari said there was a “lack of humanitarian approach,” adding that the government will ensure strict action against the officials involved.

Opposition parties slammed the incident as insensitive. An opposition lawmaker of the Upper House of Parliament, Manas Ranjan, has urged federal Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s urgent intervention in simplifying banking procedures, PTI reported.

Social media users were also quick to express outrage over the incident.

A heartbreaking story from Keonjhar has shaken Odisha.

Jeetu Munda, a poor villager from Mallipashi, lost his sister two months ago. ₹19,300 remained in her bank account. He reportedly made repeated visits to withdraw the money for urgent needs, but was told the account holder… pic.twitter.com/vDfCpBfKQg

— Satya Prakash Nayak (@SatyaPrNayak) April 27, 2026

A man in Odisha dug up his deceased sister’s grave and brought her skeleton to the bank Just to prove she had died.

He had been trying to withdraw ₹20,000 from her account, but bank officials kept insisting he bring the account holder in person. Despite repeatedly telling them… pic.twitter.com/hICEqwvPFu

— Woke Eminent (@WokePandemic) April 28, 2026

“When rules are bent for corruption, files move fast. But when the poor need dignity, compassion and common sense, the system becomes rigid,” a user posted on X.

“This is not just one man’s tragedy. It is a mirror to governance, banking accountability,” it said.

Another user pointed out that the incident took place in the home district of the top minister in the state. “This incident shows not just a lack of awareness, but also a failure of basic human understanding in the system,” another user posted.

New Delhi is engaged in talks with Washington and Tehran on the development of a key port in Iran, the Indian Foreign Ministry has said.

The statement comes after a temporary sanctions waiver by the US on the port of Chabahar in Iran ended on April 26.

“As to where we are, this issue [Chabahar development] is under discussion with both Iran and the United States,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a query on the situation in the Middle East on Monday.

“The current conflict is also a complicating factor,” Jaiswal added.

India’s Chabahar investment “can proceed in accordance with existing agreements,” a top Iranian diplomat told RT India earlier in April.

In May 2016, India and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding for developing the Chabahar facility.

The project has been facing US restrictions since 2012, although New Delhi secured a waiver in 2018 to be part of the development, which is viewed as vital for expanding its trade with Russia, Central Asia, and Afghanistan.

The US revoked the sanctions exception last year, but later extended a conditional waiver, which ended on Sunday.

In January, President Donald Trump hardened the US stance on Iran and said any country doing business with the Islamic Republic will face a 25% tariff, further complicating New Delhi’s involvement in the port’s development.

Chabahar, situated on the Gulf of Oman in southeastern Iran, is strategically located and is part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, a shipping route developed by India, Iran, and Russia, as an alternative to the Suez Canal.

The port is also central to India’s strategy to counterbalance China’s influence in the region, particularly through the development of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.

India and Russia are planning to set up a urea production facility at a cost of $2 billion, the Financial Express reports.

The facility – a joint venture between Russia’s Uralchem and Indian Potash, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, and National Fertilizers – is expected to be located at Togliatti, Russia, according to the report.

“The urea plant should be ready within the next two years,” Indian Potash Managing Director PS Gahlaut told the Financial Express.

The proposed facility is expected to have an annual manufacturing capacity of 2 million tons of urea.

Gahlaut said the state-owned Projects & Development India, the consultant for the proposed urea joint venture, submitted a pre-feasibility report last week.

Indian Potash, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, and National Fertilizers “are expected to take a call on the pre-feasibility report soon,” he told the newspaper.

The urea manufacturing facility will act as an assured supply source for India, Gahlaut added.

On April 23, Reuters reported that New Delhi has agreed to import urea at double the price it paid earlier this year, amid the supply disruption caused by the Middle East conflict.

Indian Potash agreed to buy 2.5 million tons of urea, or nearly a quarter of its annual imports of around 10 million tons in 2025.

India is the world’s biggest urea importer. The nation’s urea production depends heavily on natural gas, which is mainly imported from the Middle East.

Rating agency ICRA projects that India’s reliance on urea imports will increase to around 30% of total consumption by 2030.

India is looking to boost fertilizer imports from Russia, Belarus, and Morocco as a supply crunch looms due to the Middle East conflict and as China announced export curbs ahead of the summer planting season.

India and New Zealand will ink a trade deal agreement on Monday, the island nation’s prime minister, Christopher Luxon, has said.

In a social media post on Sunday, Luxon said the proposed pact was initiated a year ago when he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

He described the pact as a “once-in-a-generation” deal that will significantly expand access for New Zealand exporters to India’s 1.4 billion-strong market.

“It means more jobs on farms and orchards, it means more money coming into local communities, and it means more opportunities for your family to get ahead,” Luxon said.

We’ll sign our Free Trade Agreement with India on Monday. pic.twitter.com/PSB5YkwRon

— Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) April 24, 2026

On April 23, the island nation’s prime minister shared a video highlighting the expected benefits of the free trade agreement.

The FTA between India and New Zealand will provide huge opportunities for domestic firms, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said.

Goyal, who also held discussions with visiting New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay, said the pact aims to double bilateral trade and facilitate duty-free access to the island nation’s markets for Indian companies.

New Zealand has committed to invest $20 billion in India over the next 15 years to boost manufacturing, infrastructure, services, innovation, and employment.

Trade between India and New Zealand stood at $2.4 billion in 2024, with services alone accounting for $1.24 billion, led by travel, IT, and business services.

India signed trade deals with the UK and Oman in 2025 and with the European Union in January.

New Delhi now has free trade agreements with 38 countries, and discussions are in progress to finalize a pact with the US.

Earlier in April, China said it had become India’s largest trading partner in the 2025-26 financial year, overtaking the US. Washington was New Delhi’s largest trading partner for four years in a row until 2024-25.

New Delhi “never stopped buying Russian crude” despite US sanctions on two of Russia’s biggest oil firms, Deepak Bhojwani, India’s former ambassador to several Latin American countries, including Colombia, Venezuela, and Cuba, told RT on Friday.

Washington imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil in October, which were temporarily lifted last month after the US war on Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz wreaked havoc on global fuel supplies. The US Treasury extended the sanctions waiver last week.

This allowed India to import more than $5 billion in oil in April, Bhojwani said.

“No matter what [US President] Donald Trump does, even if he levies sanctions and threatens, we will buy oil from Russia,” he said, stating that New Delhi has “called Trump’s bluff.”

“India isn’t powerless. India doesn’t have zero recourse,” the career diplomat stressed. “It has agreements with other countries, the EU most recently, and Trump realizes that he could lose more than he could gain by sanctioning India.”

“It’s a horrendous proposition to think that this could go on for a few weeks more,” he said. “[Trump] has spent blood, American blood and American treasure on a wasted war, which he has lost already.”

The US president’s allies in Europe “are beginning to realize that he’s a losing proposition,” Bhojwani said, adding that he suspects New Delhi is “waiting his term out.”

Watch the full interview below.

The Middle East crisis has been caused by the aggression of the US and Israel, Russia’s deputy foreign minister has said.

Georgy Borisenko told RT India in an exclusive chat on the sidelines of the BRICS Middle East and North Africa (MENA) consultations that the bloc’s members discussed the situation in Iran.

“It was a very good and fruitful discussion,” Borisenko told RT India on Friday. “Many of our friends supported this [Russia’s] position and we hope that with joint efforts we will be able to overcome current problems in the region.” 

The conflict is causing hardship on a global scale due to the disruption of transportation routes and the rising prices of oil and gas, Borisenko added.

❗️BRICS MENA Meeting Kicks Off In New Delhi Brings Iran, UAE, India, & Russia Representatives Together

India is represented by MEA Secretary (South), Dr Neena Malhotra, while the Russian delegation is led by Deputy FM Georgy Borisenko.

The meeting has brought together… pic.twitter.com/tradrncTdr

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) April 24, 2026

Russia believes it is a necessity for the international community, “including all BRICS members” to make their best efforts to overcome the situation, he said.

Russia remains ready to assist in finding a solution, provided Iran’s right to develop a peaceful nuclear program is upheld, Lavrov said.

The BRICS MENA meet was convened to discuss regional security, specifically focusing on stability in the Gulf.

Iran’s special envoy for the Middle East, Mahdi Shoushtari, is also taking part in the conference.

India’s central bank has warned of rising inflation risks as part of the fallout from the Middle East conflict.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cautioned in its latest assessment that “upside risks have increased” on the inflation front.

“Though inflation remains contained within the tolerance band, upside risks have increased, driven by supply-side disruptions, including weather-related uncertainties,” the bank said in a bulletin on Thursday.

The RBI is taking a cautious approach but does not rule out the risk of inflation if the war persists, a top aide told the Economic Times.

Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta told the newspaper that the ⁠central bank’s assumption ​is that the conflict will be resolved in ​a few months, with “supply chains being restored subsequently and demand-supply normalizing thereafter.”

There is no evidence now of “second-round effects on inflation expectations,” she said, citing this as the reason the central bank “decided to watch and wait.”

The exact impact on the energy price would depend on the “duration of the West Asia conflict and how quickly normalcy returns to energy markets post conflict,” Gupta added.

Efficient coordination between monetary and fiscal policies has resulted in better management of inflation, she said.

The probability of El-Nino is unlikely ​to have a significant impact ​on ⁠agriculture, which has become more resilient to shocks, she noted.

Her comments come amid concerns that the Indian economy is expected to face inflationary pressure from rising petroleum product prices, following state elections.

On Thursday, HSBC downgraded India to underweight from neutral, a month after downgrading it from overweight.

The projections are in sync with the estimates of the Indian government and various multilateral agencies, the Mint newspaper reported.

The World Bank has projected India’s FY27 growth at 6.6% amid higher energy prices and supply chain disruptions. Despite this, New Delhi remains among the fastest-growing major economies, it said.

New Delhi has hit back at US President Donald Trump’s controversial social media repost of a commentary that called India and China “hellholes.”

The US president on Thursday reposted a letter from American conservative political commentator and radio host Michael Savage describing immigrants from India as “gangsters with laptops.”

In a response posted on X, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal called the remarks “uninformed, inappropriate, and in poor taste.” 

“They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests,” Jaiswal said.

Our response to media queries regarding a social media post ⬇️

🔗 https://t.co/m9qhUcH9XP pic.twitter.com/bJJHid8g3i

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 23, 2026

The US Embassy in New Delhi reacted to Trump’s controversial post by praising US-India ties.

“[Trump] has said India is a great country with a very good friend of mine [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] at the top,” an embassy spokesperson said.

Podcaster Savage’s message criticizing the US birthright citizenship laws also claimed that immigrants have done more damage to US than “all the mafia families put together.” It also alleged bias in internal hiring mechanisms, claiming they are “run by Indians and Chinese.”

US Congressman Ami Bera, a Democrat and son of Indian immigrants, called Trump’s post “offensive, ignorant, and beneath the dignity of the office he holds.” 

“They reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of who we are as a nation. America has always been strengthened by generations of immigrants who come here, work hard, and contribute to our country,” he wrote.

The diplomatic row comes ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s scheduled visit to New Delhi later this month, in what is seen by foreign policy commenters as an attempt to ease tensions amid ongoing turmoil in the Middle East as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Trump earlier courted controversy by claiming he was instrumental in preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan during a military standoff last year. New Delhi has denied that Washington brokered a ceasefire.

India has agreed to import urea at double the prices it paid earlier this year, amid the supply disruption caused by the Middle East conflict, Reuters has reported.

New Delhi is set to import a record 2.5 million metric tons of the nitrogen-based fertilizer in a single tender, the news outlet reported on Wednesday, citing government sources.

Indian Potash Ltd. has agreed to buy 1.5 million tons of urea at $935 per ton for delivery on the west coast, and an additional ⁠1 million tons at $959 per ton for delivery on the east coast, according to the report.

Before the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in late February, India’s Rashtriya ⁠Chemicals and Fertilizers received bids at $508 per ton for west coast delivery and $512 per ton for east coast delivery, Reuters reported.

The latest imports would account for nearly a quarter of its annual imports of about 10 million tons in 2025.

India is the world’s biggest urea importer, and its urea production depends heavily on natural gas, mainly imported from the Middle East. The development also comes amid a shortage of liquefied natural gas, a key feedstock for urea production.

Supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have resulted in many domestic fertilizer facilities being forced to halt production.

Urea prices have risen globally since the Middle East war began on February 28, as about 45% of the supplies move through the Persian Gulf.

Higher import costs are likely to push up India’s fertilizer subsidy bill, as the federal government compensates fertilizer ⁠companies for selling crop nutrients to farmers at lower prices.

Indian companies import fertilizers individually but negotiate collectively with suppliers.

As New Delhi secures supplies, other nations are also expected to scramble for fertilizers, pushing up prices further and straining supplies globally.