Sagar Rath

PSLV-C62 Setback: Financial and Strategic Fallout from ISRO’s Latest Launch Failure

ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission, launched on January 12, 2026, from Sriharikota at 10:18 a.m. IST, was expected to reaffirm the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’s reputation as India’s most dependable launcher. Instead, a malfunction in the third stage abruptly ended the flight, resulting in the loss of 16 satellites, including key payloads such as EOS-N1 and DRDO’s…

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India–EU Trade at a Turning Point: How a Free Trade Deal Could Reshape Export Growth

A Strong Partnership in Numbers India’s commercial engagement with the European Union has entered a decisive phase. In FY 2024–25, bilateral goods trade touched an all-time high of USD 136.53 billion, with Indian exports alone climbing to USD 75.85 billion. This performance delivered a healthy trade surplus of USD 15.17 billion for New Delhi and reinforced the…

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Trump’s Joke, Rubio’s Shadow, and the Hemisphere’s Unease

A Provocative Post with Strategic Undertones President Donald Trump once again ignited geopolitical debate by amplifying a viral social media quip claiming Secretary of State Marco Rubio would become the “President of Cuba.” Trump reposted the remark and added his own endorsement: “Sounds good to me.” While framed humorously, the post landed amid heightened U.S. pressure…

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Mass Surrender: 63 Maoists Carrying ₹1.19 Crore Bounties Lay Down Arms in Dantewada

The mass surrender of Maoist cadres in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district in January 2026 has emerged as a powerful indicator of the shrinking space for Left-Wing Extremism in India. Sixty-three insurgents, including several high-value operatives carrying cumulative rewards exceeding ₹1.19 crore, voluntarily renounced violence before security forces. Their decision, driven by ideological fatigue, internal exploitation, and the attraction…

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Reliance–US Talks on Venezuelan Oil Signal Strategic Recalibration

Reliance Industries has indicated it is open to resuming purchases of Venezuelan crude oil, provided Washington permits sales to non-US buyers through a fresh licensing framework. The move follows months of suspended trade after exemptions lapsed in mid-2025. As India’s largest refiner, Reliance’s interest reflects both commercial logic and geopolitical calculation, particularly as global energy flows…

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India’s Scramjet Breakthrough Signals a Hypersonic Power Shift

A Test that Redefines India’s Hypersonic Trajectory India’s hypersonic ambitions crossed a critical threshold when the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a long-duration scramjet combustor test in early January 2026. The 12-minute ground run, achieved under sustained Mach 5+ conditions, marks more than a technical success—it signals India’s transition from experimental hypersonics to…

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Raids, Resistance, and the Rule of Law: Inside the ED’s Action Against I-PAC

ED Raids I-PAC’s Kolkata Office On January 8, 2026, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out search operations at the Kolkata office of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), along with premises linked to its senior functionaries. The raids, conducted in Salt Lake’s Sector V and at a central Kolkata residence associated with I-PAC director Pratik Jain, immediately…

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A Missed Call and a Trade War: How Trump’s Ego Hit India–US Ties

When Trade Turned Personal India–US trade negotiations took an unexpected turn in late 2025 when US President Donald Trump reportedly escalated pressure on New Delhi after Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not place a confirmatory phone call at a critical stage of talks. According to disclosures made in early January 2026, the absence of that leader-level…

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Sensex Slides Over 600 Points as US Tariff Threats Trigger Market Selloff

A Jarring Drop on Dalal Street On January 9, 2026, Indian equity markets witnessed a significant downturn, with the BSE Sensex tumbling more than 600 points in early trade and the NSE Nifty50 also under pressure. This continued a multi-day slide that has erased substantial market capitalization and reflected rising apprehension among investors on Dalal Street….

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India Paves the Way: Indigenous Bio-Bitumen Signals a Green Turning Point for Highways

India Becomes the First to Produce Indigenous Bio-Bitumen India has entered a new chapter in sustainable infrastructure by becoming the world’s first country to commercially produce indigenous bio-bitumen for highway construction. Announced in early January 2026, this breakthrough replaces a portion of conventional petroleum-based bitumen with a bio-derived alternative made from agricultural residue. Beyond technological novelty, the development…

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