Author: News Desk
S Jaishankar sat down with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday during a gathering of SCO delegation heads. The timing is no accident: Putin is expected in India in early December for the next India-Russia Summit, and both sides are clearly warming up for it. Jaishankar later posted on X that he’d conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, updated Putin on summit prep, and walked through the wider regional and global landscape. He added that he values Putin’s take on how to push the partnership forward. Kremlin footage showed Putin greeting Jaishankar, who was accompanied by Ambassador Vinay Kumar…
The Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society, Kerala’s century-old workers’ collective known for reshaping community development, has been named a Global Cooperative Cultural Heritage Site by the International Co-operative Alliance. The announcement was made at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasília, the landmark home of Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs designed by Oscar Niemeyer. This recognition places ULCCS among 31 sites around the world that capture the evolution and spirit of the cooperative movement. India now holds two spots on the inaugural list, with ULCCS joining the Dr Verghese Kurien Museum of Amul in Anand. A Place on the World Map The…
The process of Comprehensive Electoral Roll Revision (SIR) is underway in Kerala. According to Chief Election Officer Rattan U. Kelkar, over 26.3 million enumeration forms have been distributed to voters in the state so far, covering 94.52% of the total electorate. The CEO added that the actual number may be higher, as not all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have uploaded complete data yet. The second phase of SIR was launched by the Election Commission of India on the 4th of this month, covering nine states and three union territories. SIR is a meticulous effort to verify the eligibility of every…
L’Oréal, the French cosmetics company, is planning to establish one of its largest Global Capability Centres in Hyderabad, according to reports. This new hub, separate from the company’s existing research facilities in Mumbai and Bengaluru, will handle global technology, innovation, and research initiatives. L’Oréal has begun searching for senior leadership for the centre, including candidates from its Paris headquarters. The Hyderabad project was a key topic during a recent visit by the company’s global board to India, led by CEO Nicolas Hieronimus. The expansion highlights L’Oréal’s growing focus on the Indian market. The company, which owns brands such as Garnier…
Starting 22 November 2025, Indian citizens will no longer be eligible for visa-free entry to Iran. The Iranian government suspended the facility following a rise in cases of trafficking, according to an ANI report. In response, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued an advisory warning Indian nationals to remain cautious and avoid scams offering fraudulent jobs or assured onward travel to third countries. The MEA highlighted that several Indians had been lured to Iran with false employment promises or guarantees of further transit abroad, only to face kidnapping and ransom demands upon arrival. “These individuals were tricked into travelling…
Indian travellers are driving a sharp jump in tourist arrivals across several overseas destinations this year. Moscow, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea and Georgia are all seeing strong double digit growth. At the same time, interest in Azerbaijan and Turkey has dipped because of their support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Moscow is one of the biggest winners. In the first half of 2025, the city welcomed about forty thousand eight hundred visitors from India, which is a rise of about forty percent compared to last year. This makes India the second largest source of travellers to the Russian capital outside…
The Pre-Summit Conference on Safe and Trusted AI for fintech, healthcare, and citizen safety is set to bring policymakers, technologists, researchers, and cybersecurity leaders together in Thiruvananthapuram. Organized by STPI Thiruvananthapuram in collaboration with the ISACA Trivandrum Chapter, the event acts as the curtain-raiser to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and focuses on how India can build an AI ecosystem that is secure, transparent, and aligned with national goals. The conference will be held on 20 November 2025 at Hycinth Hotels, starting at 10 AM. The inauguration will be led by Dr A. Jayathilak, IAS, Chief Secretary of Kerala,…
US President Donald Trump said he plans to move forward with selling advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, calling the kingdom a strong ally and confirming that Riyadh wants the aircraft. Speaking in the Oval Office, he told reporters that the US is prepared to supply the jets, and discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman include a possible order of 48 F-35s along with talks about a wider defence partnership. The F-35, built by Lockheed Martin, is already used or on order by more than 20 countries. Depending on the model, each jet costs between 80 and 110…
India has shipped jet fuel to the US West Coast for the first time, sending a 60,000-metric-ton cargo from Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery to Chevron. The opportunity opened up after a disruption at Chevron’s El Segundo refinery in southern California, which cut supply at the 285,000-barrel-a-day facility in October. The jet fuel cargo left Jamnagar between October 28 and 29, according to Kpler, LSEG data and industry sources cited by Reuters. The shipment is being carried by the Panamax tanker Hafnia Kallang, chartered by Castleton Commodities, and is expected to reach Los Angeles in early December. Chevron has said repairs…
A few weeks before Vladimir Putin arrives in India for the 23rd India–Russia Summit, S Jaishankar travelled to Moscow for talks with Sergey Lavrov. This was already their sixth meeting this year, and the focus was to firm up plans for Putin’s visit and wrap up key agreements, especially around defence and mobility. While Jaishankar was in Moscow, Putin’s long-time adviser Nikolay Patrushev met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in New Delhi. Their discussion also revolved around strengthening ties. Jaishankar said his regular conversations with Lavrov have helped both sides stay aligned on major regional and global issues. He noted…