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…
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…
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…
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….
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…
Anti-PM Slogans Thrust JNU Back into the National Spotlight Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has once again found itself at the heart of a national political debate. On January 5, 2026, slogans raised during a student gathering on campus quickly travelled beyond university walls, dominating television studios, social media platforms, and political statements. As in earlier moments of…
Relations between Washington and Caracas have long been defined by sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and mutual distrust. That uneasy history escalated sharply in early January 2026, when the United States took the extraordinary step of detaining Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The move transformed years of pressure into a direct confrontation, pushing Venezuela–U.S. tensions from rhetorical hostility…
Venezuela–U.S. Tensions: A Relationship Long on Friction Relations between Washington and Caracas have been fraught for decades, shaped by ideological hostility, sanctions, accusations of authoritarianism, and U.S. allegations that Venezuela’s leadership is entangled in transnational narcotics networks. These tensions intensified after U.S. prosecutors indicted senior Venezuelan officials on drug trafficking and terrorism-related charges, framing the…
A Long History of Strain Between Caracas and Washington Tensions between Venezuela and the United States did not emerge overnight. They are the product of decades of ideological divergence, resource nationalism, sanctions, and geopolitical rivalry. While official narratives often emphasize democracy, drugs, or governance, critics argue that the deeper conflict lies in economics—specifically, control over energy markets…
Venezuela–US Tensions: A Dramatic Turning Point Relations between Venezuela and the United States have long been adversarial, shaped by sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and mutual accusations of illegitimacy. That rivalry entered an unprecedented phase on January 3, 2026, when US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores during a coordinated military operation in…
