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West Asia troubles to hold India’s FTA talks with GCC countries and Israel
The ongoing struggle successful West Asia is going to make delays successful India’s negotiations connected escaped commercialized agreements (FTA) with some the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, arsenic good arsenic with Israel, a elder authoritative successful the Ministry of Commerce said. The FTA with the U.K., however, could beryllium implemented by May 1 and the commercialized statement with the European Union could beryllium ratified by the European Parliament by the extremity of November this year, they added. Negotiations for a escaped commercialized statement betwixt India and the GCC countries— Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)— were formally launched connected February 24 with the signing of a associated connection by the 2 sides.
Netanyahu claims Iran nary longer has uranium enrichment capacity
Iran nary longer has the capableness to enrich uranium oregon make ballistic missiles aft 20 days of U.S.-Israeli aerial attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a quality conference. “We are winning, and Iran is being decimated,” Mr. Netanyahu said, noting that Iran’s rocket and drone arsenal is being massively degraded and volition beryllium destroyed.
Attacks connected Qatar’s LNG facilities could interaction India but we person diversified sources arsenic well: Officials
Any attacks connected Qatar’s vigor facilities oregon thing which affects vigor supplies from the Middle East would impact India, but the state has diversified its sources to woody with the paradigm, Sujata Sharma, Joint-Secretary astatine the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) told reporters addressing concerns astir the interaction connected India’s earthy state supplies going guardant arsenic Iran attacked Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City.
PM Modi speaks to Sultan of Oman, Malaysian PM; discusses West Asia situation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, and discussed with them the West Asia situation, favouring de-escalation of the struggle successful the portion and consequent restoration of bid and stability. In his abstracted telephonic conversations with the 2 leaders, Mr. Modi besides stressed the request for harmless and escaped navigation done the Strait of Hormuz.
Government announces ₹497 crore RELIEF strategy for exporters impacted by West Asian crisis
The authorities launched the ₹497 crore Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation (RELIEF) strategy to supply recognition security screen for exporters whose goods are stranded owed to the West Asia crisis, oregon who are readying to export to the Gulf implicit the adjacent fewer months. The security premia nether this strategy would beryllium astatine pre-conflict rates and the absorption would beryllium MSME beneficiaries. While announcing the scheme, the officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry acknowledged the hardship being faced by Indian exporters owed to the constraints created by the warfare successful West Asia, and said that the RELIEF strategy was aimed astatine alleviating this and providing them with surety astir their exports.
Anti-establishment X accounts ‘withheld’ successful India arsenic takedowns spread
A fig of radical who station contented captious of the authorities connected their X accounts were greeted precocious evening with an email from the societal media platform, telling them that their accounts were present withheld successful India. The reason: a takedown bid issued by the Union authorities nether Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The accounts, galore of which are tally pseudonymously, posted memes and different contented criticising the authorities successful the weeks and months starring up to their handles being censored. The accounts and posts stay disposable to X users extracurricular India.
1,000 Indians inactive successful Iran; 23,000 students successful Gulf could not look successful CBSE exams: External Affairs Ministry
Nearly 1,000 Indians are inactive successful Iran amidst the ongoing struggle successful West Asia portion 23,000 schoolhouse students based successful Gulf portion could not look successful the CBSE last examinations owed to the turmoil. This was conveyed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the Parliamentary Standing Committee connected External Affairs astatine a gathering held successful New Delhi.
India, Pakistan ties ‘remain a risk’ for atomic conflict: U.S. Intelligence
India and Pakistan relations stay astatine hazard for atomic conflict, according to the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community presented to the U.S. Senate. According to the 34-page report, though India and Pakistan bash not question to unfastened conflict, conditions beryllium for violent actors to proceed to make catalysts for crises.
India appoints Vikram Doraiswami arsenic adjacent Ambassador to China
India has appointed Vikram K. Doraiswami arsenic the adjacent Ambassador to China, the Ministry of External Affairs announced. Mr. Doraiswami is presently the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. Currently, Pradeep Kumar Rawat is serving arsenic India’s Ambassador to China.
Defectors from Congress successful BJP’s archetypal database of 88 candidates for Assam election
Four of 5 caller defectors from Congress, including an MP and 3 MLAs, have recovered their mode into the Bharatiya Janata Party’s database of 88 candidates for the April 9 Assembly predetermination in Assam. Missing from the archetypal list, released by the BJP’s cardinal bureau successful New Delhi, are 19 MLAs, including Deputy Assembly Speaker Numal Momin (Bokajan constituency), Minister Nandita Garlosa (Haflong), and Phanidhar Talukdar, who defected aft winning the 2021 polls from Bhabanipur connected an All India United Democratic Front ticket.
Despite Centre’s delay, States, U.T.s, acceptable speech funds for agrarian jobs programme
With the Centre yet to notify the look for determining State‑wise normative allocations nether the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, astatine slightest 24 States and Union Territories person nevertheless earmarked funds for the caller agrarian employment programme. Under the Act, States indispensable carnivore 40% of the scheme’s expenditure, but successful the northeastern and hilly States and UTs specified arsenic Jammu & Kashmir, which person a relaxation.
Stock markets clang implicit 3% arsenic lipid spikes to $114 a barrel
Indian banal markets experienced a meltdown, crashing implicit 3%, arsenic lipid spiked to $114 a tube and U.S. Fed reserve signalled higher inflation. This was the worst time since June 2024, erstwhile markets crashed implicit 5% successful a session. This is besides the 5th lawsuit since 2021, erstwhile benchmark indices dipped little than 3%. The abrupt slump towards the last trading hours was owed to soaring Brent crude futures terms hitting a caller precocious of $114 a tube and the rupee depreciating to a caller debased of ₹92.89 a dollar.
FBI investigating whether departed U.S. counterterrorism authoritative Joe Kent leaked classified info
The FBI is investigating whether Joe Kent, who resigned his presumption arsenic a apical U.S. counterterrorism official this week successful protestation of the Iran war, improperly shared classified information, a idiosyncratic acquainted with the substance said. The probe precedes Mr. Kent’s resignation connected Tuesday from his relation arsenic manager of the U.S. government’s National Counterterrorism Centre, said the person, who spoke connected information of anonymity to sermon an ongoing FBI inquiry.
Nine-judge Supreme Court Bench reserves verdict connected ambit of ‘industry’
A nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court reserved judgement connected whether acquisition institutions, hospitals, and sovereign functions of the authorities and its instrumentalities would autumn within the explanation of ‘industrial activity’ nether the Industrial Disputes Act.
No ‘definitive clip frame’ for ending Iran war, accidental Pentagon; seeks $200 cardinal successful further funds
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said determination is nary “time frame” for ending the U.S.-Israeli warfare against Iran, which was launched 3 weeks ago. “We wouldn’t privation to acceptable a definitive clip frame,” Mr. Hegseth told a quality conference, adding that “we’re precise overmuch connected track” and that President Donald Trump volition beryllium the 1 to determine erstwhile to stop. Mr. Hegseth besides addressed a study that the Pentagon has requested much than $200 cardinal successful further backing from Congress to wage for the conflict. “As acold arsenic $200 billion, I deliberation that fig could move. Obviously it takes wealth to termination atrocious guys,” Mr. Hegseth said.
Civil nine radical writes to Amit Shah implicit ‘open threats’ of unit successful Uttam Nagar
A civilian nine radical comprising eminent Muslims wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah implicit “open threats” to the Muslim assemblage successful Uttam Nagar successful Delhi, and urged him to walk peculiar instructions to the constabulary to instrumentality strict action. The missive by Citizens for Fraternity (CFF) was signed by erstwhile Delhi lieutenant politician Najeeb Jung, ex-AMU vice chancellor Zamir Uddin Shah, erstwhile MP Shahid Siddiqui, industrialist Saeed Shervani, erstwhile customs commissioner Syed Mahmood Akhter.
More than 150,000 uncounted COVID-19 deaths occurred aboriginal successful the pandemic, a survey finds
The COVID-19 pandemic’s aboriginal decease toll was overmuch higher than the authoritative U.S. count, according to a caller survey that spotlights melodramatic disparities successful the uncounted deaths. About 840,000 COVID-19 deaths were reported connected decease certificates successful 2020 and 2021. But a radical of researchers — utilizing a signifier of artificial quality — estimation that arsenic galore arsenic 155,000 unrecognized further deaths apt occurred successful that clip extracurricular of hospitals. That would mean astir 16% of COVID-19 deaths went uncounted successful those years.
RBI approves modulation program aft HDFC Bank chairman’s resignation
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it has taken enactment of the caller developments successful HDFC Bank, where its part-time president Atanu Chakrabort had resigned. It said a modulation statement arsenic requested by the Bank has been approved arsenic regards the presumption of part-time president of the Bank.
World Happiness Report 2026: Finland happiest state for ninth time, India ranks 116th
Heavy societal media usage is harming young people’s well-being successful galore countries, according to a U.N.-backed World Happiness report released, which besides ranked Finland arsenic the world’s happiest state for the ninth consecutive year. This year’s World Happiness Report highlighted the interaction of societal media arsenic galore countries enforce oregon mull legislative restrictions connected societal media usage for young people.
