The week witnessed crucial political and economic developments that influenced market movements across the world. In India, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced its third-quarter earnings, with a net profit rise of 4.1%, while the Union government predicted India's economy would grow at its slowest pace in four years, with a projected GDP growth rate of 6.4% for fiscal year 2024-25. Meanwhile, India's merchandise trade deficit remained elevated despite a reduction in go

Afghanistan has expressed its desire to enhance diplomatic relations with India, assuring that it does not pose a threat to any nation. In a statement after the first publicly acknowledged engagement between Kabul and New Delhi since the Taliban came to power, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry highlighted its intent to strengthen ties, particularly in political and economic spheres. The meeting, held in Dubai, involved Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan M

The Henley Passport Index 2025 reveals that India’s passport has dropped five places, now ranking 85th globally. Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to 57 destinations, sharing the position with Equatorial Guinea and Niger. Singapore continues to top the rankings with visa-free access to 195 destinations. The top 10 list is largely dominated by European countries, with Japan, South Korea, and Finland making notable appearances. A significant change in this year’

India has extended invitations to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other neighboring countries to participate in a unique seminar marking 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This initiative aims to set aside political differences and highlight the shared history of the Indian subcontinent. The seminar is being hailed as a first-of-its-kind effort by the Indian government to foster regional cooperation. Invitations have been sent to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanis

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the genome sequencing data of 10,000 Indian nationals, a significant step in advancing biotechnology research in India. This data, known as Genome India Data, encapsulates the vast genetic diversity of the Indian population and will be available to researchers through the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) with "managed access." PM Modi highlighted that the national database would be crucial in the treatment of genetic and infecti

Manoj Tiwary, former Indian cricketer, has criticized the selection of Gautam Gambhir as the head coach of the Indian national cricket team, stating that Gambhir is more suited for mentoring IPL teams rather than leading the national side. Tiwary cited several poor performances, including India's recent losses in Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, to support his argument that Gambhir’s appointment was a mistake. He believes that Gambhir lacks the necessary coach

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed doubts about the future of the INDIA alliance, calling for its dissolution if it was created solely for the 2024 Parliament elections. Abdullah highlighted the lack of clarity regarding the alliance's leadership, agenda, and overall direction, noting that no meetings of the INDIA bloc have been organized. He also mentioned that the Congress should not take its leadership position in the alliance for granted, pointing out that so

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan's remarks about employees needing to work 90 hours a week to stay competitive have sparked outrage on Reddit. In a video from an internal interaction, Subrahmanyan expressed his belief that working on Sundays would help employees achieve success, citing China's 90-hour work week as a model to follow. The comments were met with significant backlash, with many questioning the toll such work expectations take on employee well-being

A significant high-level meeting took place in Dubai between senior Indian officials and the Afghan Taliban leadership. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri represented India, while Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi attended on behalf of the Taliban government. The meeting, which is vital for fostering stronger bilateral relations, aimed to improve cooperation across various sectors, including humanitarian aid, development, trade, and security. One of the

In a heartbreaking incident at Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupathi, four people lost their lives in a stampede, and over 25 others were injured. The tragedy occurred when a large crowd of devotees had gathered to receive tokens for the Vaikuntha Dwara Sarva Darshan. The situation escalated quickly, leading to the unfortunate deaths and several injuries. The injured devotees are currently receiving treatment at Ruya Hospital. Viral visuals from the scene show police and locals coming togethe

​​ HMPV Surge in China and India: China is experiencing a surge in Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases, leading to overcrowded hospitals and public health concerns. India has reported three new cases of HMPV, with two case

During his two-day visit to India, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced that the United States is taking steps to remove long-standing regulatory barriers preventing effective civil nuclear cooperation between India and the US. This move is expected to breathe new life into a landmark deal that has been in the works for over a decade. Sullivan revealed that the US is finalizing steps to enable cooperation between India’s nuclear agencies and US companies. The c

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who recently suffered from back spasms, is likely to be rested for most of India’s home white-ball series against England. The move is part of a strategy to ensure Bumrah’s fitness ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19. Bumrah, who had an outstanding performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, claiming 32 wickets, was unable to bowl in the final innings due to the injury. His back spasms are believed to be linked to his heavy

Bahadur Singh Sagoo, a former shot put champion and Asian Games gold medallist, is set to be elected unopposed as the new president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) during the organization's Annual General Meeting (AGM). He will replace Adille Sumariwalla, who has served as AFI president since 2012. Sagoo, a member of the outgoing AFI executive council and senior selection committee, is the lone candidate for the presidency after Anju Bobby George, the current senior vice presid

India strongly condemned the Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan civilians, which resulted in at least 51 deaths, including women and children, in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on December 24. In a statement on Monday, Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the attack, describing it as part of Pakistan's longstanding practice of blaming its neighbors for its internal problems. The airstrikes targeted areas in Paktika, particularly affecting the village of Laman,

On Monday, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna recused himself from hearing two significant pleas regarding the finalisation of the constitutions for the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF). These constitutions were drafted by former Supreme Court judge Justice L. Nageswara Rao. CJI Khanna informed the bench, which included Justice Sanjay Kumar, that he would not participate in the proceedings because of his prior involvement with the case in t

The Supreme Court of India on Friday emphasized the need for an effective mechanism to combat caste-based discrimination in educational institutions across the country. The bench, consisting of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, addressed the sensitive issue and directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to notify draft regulations to ensure that caste-based discrimination is prevented in central, state, private, and deemed universities. The Court specifically asked the UGC

India has strongly rejected two reports published by The Washington Post, accusing the country of involvement in two significant issues. The first report linked India to a failed plot in the Maldives to impeach President Mohamed Muizzu through bribery attempts targeting members of Parliament. The second report alleged that India’s intelligence agency, RAW, had been running covert operations in Pakistan since 2021 to eliminate specific individuals. In response to the r

India's government is investigating rising steel imports, particularly in two categories of flat-rolled steel products (HS 7208 and 7210), which account for over 75% of the surge in imports. Instead of implementing global safeguards, experts suggest that India should focus on Free Trade Agreement (FTA)-specific safeguards and measures targeting China. Many imports come duty-free under FTAs with coun

India has officially declared 2025 as the "Year of Defence Reforms" with the goal of modernizing its military and enhancing synergy between the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh outlined a nine-point reform plan that includes the creation of integrated theatre commands to improve collaboration and resource utilization among the three services. These reforms will ensure a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of operating across multiple domains