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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
IPL–KKR Controversy: When Sport Collides with Sentiment The Indian Premier League has often reflected India’s social and political undercurrents, but the controversy surrounding Kolkata Knight Riders’ signing of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has pushed that dynamic into sharper focus. What began as a high-value auction pick at the IPL 2026 auction quickly escalated into…
India and Bangladesh have reopened negotiations on the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty at a moment of consequence, as the landmark agreement signed in 1996 approaches its December 2026 expiry. Talks formally commenced on January 1, 2026, with joint hydrological measurements on the Ganga–Padma system at Farakka—an early technical step that signals intent, but also underscores the political…
