Category: International

NATO has announced the launch of a new mission, Arctic Sentry, aimed at bolstering security in the Arctic and High North regions. The move comes amid increasing strategic focus on the Arctic and follows recent discussions between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The mission was initiated on February 11 by NATO’s Allied Command Operations (ACO), which is responsible for planning and executing all NATO Read More …

India has been designated as the ‘Country of the Year’ at BIOFACH 2026, the world’s leading trade fair for organic products, held from February 10 to 13 in Nuremberg, Germany. The recognition highlights India’s growing global footprint in the organic agriculture sector. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) spearheaded India’s participation at the prestigious event, showcasing a prominent and high-impact presence. The India Pavilion featured exhibitors Read More …

Transparency International on 10 February 2026 released its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), revealing persistent challenges in public sector integrity worldwide, with weak institutions and democratic backsliding particularly affecting Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The annual CPI ranks 182 countries and territories by perceived levels of public sector corruption on a 0–100 scale (0 = highly corrupt, 100 = very clean). Key Global Findings Top and Bottom Performers Regional Spotlight: Read More …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 8, 2026 returned home after concluding a two-day visit to Malaysia, during which he held wide-ranging talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with a focus on strengthening defence and security cooperation. The visit saw the exchange of several key bilateral documents, covering areas such as security cooperation, United Nations peacekeeping, semiconductors, health and medicine, disaster management, combating corruption, audio-visual co-production, vocational education, and Read More …

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led her ruling coalition to a historic landslide victory in the February 8 general election, paving the way for proposed tax cuts and an expansion of military spending aimed at countering China—moves that have already unsettled financial markets. Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 316 of the 465 seats in the powerful lower house of parliament, marking the best-ever electoral performance in the party’s history. Read More …

India and Seychelles on February 9 adopted a Joint Vision for Sustainability, Economic Growth and Security through Enhanced Linkages (SESEL), reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation across development partnership, maritime security, climate action, digital transformation and people-to-people ties. The Joint Vision was adopted during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Seychelles President Patrick Herminie, who is on a State Visit to India at the invitation of the Prime Minister. Read More …

India has improved its global standing in digital preparedness, climbing four places to rank 45th in the Network Readiness Index 2025 (NRI 2025), according to a report released on February 4 by the Portulans Institute, a Washington DC-based independent, non-profit research and educational organisation. The Network Readiness Index evaluates the readiness of 127 economies to leverage information and communication technologies (ICTs) for economic growth, innovation and social development. The assessment Read More …

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday said that India supports structured international cooperation to reduce risks in global critical mineral supply chains, amid a renewed push by the United States for coordinated action among partner countries.  Address at Critical Minerals Ministerial Speaking at the 2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, Jaishankar highlighted the risks arising from excessive concentration in global supply chains and stressed the need for coordinated efforts Read More …

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between Russia and the United States has reached its expiration, adding that the two countries are no longer operating under the framework of the agreement. About the New START Treaty Signed in 2010, the New START treaty was designed to limit the number of deployed nuclear warheads and their delivery systems—including intercontinental ballistic missiles Read More …

India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Tuesday signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) for negotiations on a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking a major step towards deepening economic engagement between the two sides. The signing of the ToR formally commences negotiations aimed at concluding a comprehensive and mutually beneficial trade pact.  Framework for Negotiations According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the ToR will guide the Read More …

India and Bhutan have agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the power sector, with a renewed emphasis on hydropower development and cross-border transmission planning, according to an official statement. A high-level delegation from Bhutan met Union Power Minister Manohar Lal in New Delhi, where both sides reviewed ongoing projects and discussed future collaboration. A key focus of the talks was the early commissioning of the Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project, one of Read More …

India reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and rights-based social development at the 64th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD64) held at the UN Headquarters in New York. Delivering India’s national statement, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said that the country’s approach to social justice and social protection is firmly rooted in constitutional guarantees and aligned with the long-term national vision of Read More …