Author: News Desk
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, October 26, 2025, on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings. During the discussion, he conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings and best wishes for the success of the summit. In a post on social media, Jaishankar said he was “honoured to meet Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim” and valued the exchange of views on strengthening bilateral cooperation and people-to-people connections. Talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Jaishankar also met the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea, Cho Hyun, and reviewed…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s strong ties with ASEAN during the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit, held virtually from Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, October 26, 2025. Despite what he called an “era of uncertainties,” Modi said the India-ASEAN strategic partnership continues to thrive and is emerging as a foundation for global stability and development. Strengthening Maritime and Strategic Cooperation Addressing the summit virtually, Modi announced that 2026 will be observed as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, underscoring India’s commitment to deepen collaboration in ocean security and the blue economy. He highlighted India’s role in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts across Southeast…
Leading entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, and Reid Hoffman, emphasizing the importance of passion, continuous learning, and strategic thinking. They have shared more than business strategies, they’ve offered career-defining insights young professionals can use to navigate their journeys. Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, advises that careers are rarely linear and encourages young professionals to embrace learning opportunities and seek guidance. Gates also stressed the value of solving significant problems and nurturing strong friendships and networks, noting that collaborators can become future co-founders. Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, recommends starting with foundational work that instills discipline, responsibility, and…
India and Qatar have entered a new phase in their migration policy: Indian citizens can now apply for the much-anticipated Qatar Golden Visa, a long-term residency permit designed to attract global talent and increase bilateral movement. Instead of hefty property or business investments, the new route allows applicants from India to qualify through nomination, by virtue of their professional achievements, contributions to sectors such as science, trade, culture, or innovation. Eligibility also depends on clean background checks and alignment with Qatar’s development roadmap. The visa provides multiple benefits: stability of stay without frequent renewals, the ability to sponsor family members, and…
Usha Ray, at the age of 80, has become India’s senior-most MBA graduate. She enrolled for an MBA in Hospital and Healthcare Management at Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Centre for Online Learning in Pune when she was 77 and completed her final semester exams just weeks after turning 80. “I feel on top of the world. In the beginning, all the subjects were new to me. I had a background in zoology and had taught biology for decades. Learning economics and statistics was challenging, but I love challenges,” she said from Lucknow. A Life of Teaching and Leadership After…
Priyanka Kulkarni, aged 34, leveraged her nine-year personal visa journey and technical experience at Microsoft to found Casium, an AI-driven startup designed to simplify the employment-based US visa process. Casium’s technology allows employers and applicants to navigate H-1B, O-1 and EB-1A filing processes by inputting candidate data, after which the AI analyses qualifications, generates tailored visa strategies, and automates draft documentation, reducing timelines from typical three-to-six-month procedures to under ten business days in many cases. Kulkarni’s startup highlights a growing intersection of immigration and technology, addressing pain-points such as data drag, policy shifts, and high costs through automation, error-checking, and workflow integration. With…
Cricket superstar Virat Kohli and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma stand as one of India’s wealthiest celebrity couples, with a combined net worth exceeding ₹1,300 crore. Kohli’s wealth, estimated at around ₹1,050 crore, comes from his IPL contracts, match fees, endorsements, and expanding business ventures, including his apparel brand, restaurant chain, and startup investments. Sharma contributes approximately ₹255 crore through acting fees, brand endorsements, her production house Clean Slate Filmz, and a successful fashion label. Kohli’s income is supported by his BCCI Grade A+ contract, earning ₹7 crore annually, along with match fees of ₹15 lakh per Test, ₹6 lakh per…
India’s primary market is gearing up for a landmark phase with the next wave of IPOs poised to shake up capital markets. According to data compiled by The Financial Express, more than 80 public issues have already come to the market in 2025, raising over ₹80,000 crore thus far. As the year draws to a close, the IPO pipeline remains energetic. The next 10 weeks alone are expected to see another ₹41,000 crore raised, driven by high-visibility filings from fintech, consumer goods, and education tech companies. Firms like Groww, Lenskart, and PhysicsWallah are already in focus. Groww is planning an IPO around ₹6,500 crore, aiming to scale its brokerage and investment platform operations. Experts say that…
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has firmly denied a Washington Post report suggesting government influence over its investments in the Adani Group. In a statement issued on October 25, 2025, LIC clarified that every investment decision is made independently, following board-approved policies and detailed due diligence. The insurer emphasized that neither the Department of Financial Services nor any other body has any role in its investment choices. LIC highlighted its track record of disciplined fund management, noting that the value of its holdings in India’s top 500 companies has grown tenfold since 2014—from ₹1.56 lakh crore to ₹15.6 lakh crore. The…
India has seen the shutdown of 11,223 startups so far in 2025, a sharp 30% rise compared to 8,649 closures in 2024, according to Tracxn data shared with financialexpress.com. The year is not even over, highlighting the challenges facing the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The closures span multiple sectors. Healthcare booking platforms lost 762 startups, investment tech saw 579 shut down, internet-first brands lost 817, fashion tech recorded 840 closures, HR tech saw 846, and education IT lost 549. Prominent names that shut down this year include Hike, Beepkart, Astra, Ohm Mobility, Code Parrot, Blip, Subtl AI, Otipy, Log 9 Material, and…