IPA Webdesk
US Must Stop Framing India and Pakistan as One Policy
Top former US officials Jake Sullivan and Kurt Campbell have urged the Trump administration to abandon treating India and Pakistan under a single policy framework, arguing that such an approach obscures critical strategic differences and risks undermining vital partnerships. The two, writing in Foreign Affairs yesterday, called for more...
Fadnavis Emerges as Strong Contender as BJP Chief
Speculation is intensifying that Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, is a leading candidate to succeed J. P. Nadda as national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The party’s internal electoral exercise, initiated on 1 August 2025, is expected to complete by December 2025, setting the stage for...
Markets Surge on GST Revamp and Festive Hopes
Markets opened in positive territory on Thursday, propelled by a sweeping overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax and optimism around the upcoming festival season. The equity rally was immediate and broad‑based. By 9:15 a. m. IST, the Sensex had risen by approximately 1.1 per cent to about 81,457, while the Nifty...
Chidambaram Flags GST Cuts as Welcome, Eight-Year Delay
A sharp statement from senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram has focused national attention on the government’s latest GST reforms. He acknowledged the rationalisation and reduction in GST rates as positive, but underscored that the decision comes “eight years too late.” His pointed criticism highlights both the reforms’...
Fadnavis Lauded as Key to Maratha Quota Breakthrough
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut offered an unexpected commendation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s discreet orchestration of the recent resolution to the Maratha quota agitation, bringing activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s hunger strike to an end. This rare accolade came amid sharp internal dissent, illustrating the complex political dynamics at play. Raut...
West at Risk of Losing the Influence Game
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb delivered a pointed warning to Western governments, particularly the United States, urging them to adopt a significantly more respectful and cooperative approach towards countries such as India in the Global South, or risk ceding influence to emerging power blocs. Stubb emphasised that if Western policy lacks...
Yamuna Swells to Historic High
Evacuation of thousands has begun across Delhi after monsoon downpours pushed the Yamuna River well beyond its danger threshold, with water levels soaring to historically high marks and inundating low‑lying neighbourhoods and makeshift relief camps. The Yamuna has surged past 207 metres—making it the third-highest level in six decades—forcing...
Putin Urges Respectful Tone in Reference to India, China
Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his four-day visit to China, called for equitable dialogue among partner nations, stressing that the era of dominance in international relations must yield to mutual respect. Speaking at a press briefing, he underscored that countries such as India and China are “powerful economies” governed by...
Modi’s SCO Gambit Signals Strategic Autonomy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin proved more than diplomatic courtesy—it underscored Delhi’s assertion of strategic autonomy amid escalating tensions with the United States. A global affairs expert observed that India, China and Russia are...
Court Affirms Impartiality in Governor-Power Reference
A five‑judge bench of the Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai, made it abundantly clear during hearing of the Presidential reference under Article 143 that its ruling on the powers of governors over state legislative bills would not be coloured by political affiliations. “We are...
Modi’s Underground Resolve: The Emergency Diaries Unveiled
Amit Shah has unveiled The Emergency Diaries – Years That Forged a Leader, offering a vivid portrayal of Narendra Modi’s clandestine activism during the 1975–77 Emergency. Shah described how the young RSS pracharak, aged 24–25, lived underground—adopting disguises ranging from a sadhu and a hippie to a Sardarji or...
Balanced Approach Under SCO Spotlight
Shehbaz Sharif emphasised that Pakistan respects Russia’s longstanding partnership with India and is seeking to broaden its own relations with Moscow. The comment came during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, where both leaders pledged to enhance bilateral cooperation. Sharif described the India–Russia relationship as “perfectly...
Tariff Fallout Deepens: Khanna Ties Trade to Nobel Snub
US Congressman Ro Khanna has launched a pointed critique of the Trump administration’s decision to impose up to 50 per cent tariffs on exports from India, warning the punitive levies threaten to unravel decades of carefully cultivated strategic alignment. He attributes the escalation not merely to trade tensions but to...
Russia Offers Even More Oil Discount for India
India’s refiners are poised to benefit from even steeper discounts on Russia’s Urals crude for cargoes loading in late September through October, a strategic move emerging amid intensified U. S. trade pressure. India remains on course to raise its Russian oil imports in September, despite the imposition of punitive...
Patna march throttled amidst ‘hydrogen bomb’ warning
Patna Police brought the ‘Gandhi se Ambedkar’ procession to a halt at Dak Bungalow Crossing, invoking the area’s restricted status, even as leaders of the INDIA bloc addressed gathered supporters from that spot. This foot march marked the culmination of the fortnight‑long ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, a campaign highlighting alleged...
Kashmiri Temple Revival Sparks Shared Dawn
A symbolic moment unfolded in Ichkoot village, Budgam: the Sharada Bhawani temple has been reopened by Kashmiri Pandit community members, marking their return to ancestral roots after 35 years, while the participation of local Muslim residents underscored a powerful gesture of communal solidarity and shared heritage. Crisp celebrations set...
Rupee Sinks to New Record Versus Dollar
A sharply weakening rupee ended Monday at 88.10 to the US dollar, slipping by one paisa to close at its lowest ever level amid intensifying trade tensions and mounting importer demand. Currency markets opened under pressure at 88.18, dragged lower by fears over additional US tariffs and sustained foreign...
Kharge Predicts Double-Engine Government’s Demise in Bihar
Mallikarjun Kharge, leading the culmination of the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Patna on 1 September 2025, asserted that the so‑called double‑engine government—referring to the alignment of Bihar’s state administration and the central government—will not remain in power beyond six months. He urged citizens to remain vigilant, warning that Prime Minister Narendra...
