National

India’s decision to freeze consular operations in Dhaka and Pakistan’s continued closure of its airspace to Indian carriers point to a shared reality: New Delhi’s immediate neighborhood is becoming more brittle, more politicized, and increasingly hostile to Indian interests. Together, these developments underline how security anxieties, political churn, and unresolved rivalries are converging to shrink India’s…

A Symbolic Arrival That Set the Tone Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Ethiopia marked a moment of rare diplomatic symbolism and strategic intent. Beginning on December 17, 2025, the visit opened with an extraordinary personal gesture by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who himself drove Modi from Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport to his…

UNSC Flashpoint: Kashmir and Indus Waters At a United Nations Security Council open debate on “Leadership for Peace,” Pakistan once again raised the Kashmir dispute and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). India responded forcefully. Its Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, categorically rejected Pakistan’s claims, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are…

Another Name Change in a Long Political Line India’s rural employment guarantee framework is poised for its most dramatic transformation in two decades. The Union government has introduced the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025—shortened to VB-G RAM G—seeking to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Presented in…

Over 58 Lakh Forms Declared Uncollectable, Voters Face Provisional Removal West Bengal’s electoral landscape is undergoing one of its most consequential churns in recent years. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has identified more than 58 lakh enumeration forms as “uncollectable,” triggering provisional deletions ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. While the Election Commission of…

India’s Export Recalibration Towards Russia India has identified close to 300 high-potential products to significantly expand exports to Russia, signalling a decisive shift in its trade strategy. The move is aimed at correcting a widening bilateral trade imbalance—currently estimated at USD 59–68 billion—while advancing the shared ambition of achieving USD 100 billion in two-way trade by…

Mexico Approves Steep Tariffs, India Scrambles to Respond Mexico’s Senate has approved sweeping tariff increases of up to 50 percent on 1,463 product categories, a move set to take effect from January 1, 2026. The decision targets imports from countries that do not have a free trade agreement with Mexico, placing India squarely in the firing…

Hopes Fade for a 2025 Agreement Optimism surrounding a landmark EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) has dimmed, with negotiators now signaling that finalization by December 2025 is unlikely. Bloomberg reported on December 12 that talks have hit roadblocks over steel tariffs, automobile quotas, and carbon taxes. Earlier in 2025, high-level meetings—including Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s engagement with…

Lionel Messi’s much-hyped GOAT India Tour 2025 was meant to be a celebratory moment for Indian football fans. Instead, the opening event in Kolkata on December 13 descended into disorder, leaving behind damaged property, angry crowds, and uncomfortable questions about India’s preparedness to host global sporting icons. What should have been a landmark spectacle quickly…