China, Russia, Iran in Delhi next week for huddle of BRICS NSAS

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian NSA Sergei Shoigu and Iranian Supreme National Security Council Deputy Secretary Nezamipour will be in New Delhi for the meeting of the BRICS NSAS on June 22-23, which will set the stage for the summit of BRICS leaders in India in September.

India holds the rotating presidency of the BRICS bloc this year. Its members include Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

Deal ending war gives Iran critical economic lifeline

The Interim deal reached by the US and Iran to end their war will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and bring the two adversaries back to the negotiating table over Tehran's nuclear programme, according to details released by both countries.

It will also give Iran an immediate benefit, allowing it to sell its oil freely again.

In era of disruption, technology must deliver for all: Modi in Paris

Unveiling the country's technology vision for the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday that India believes that "in this era of disruption, technology must deliver for all".

Addressing the Paris Viva-Tech event which he attended with French President Emmanuel Macron, Modi said, "Our approach is clear. Our government will enable and industry will innovate. Startups will disrupt and global partners will scale with us. Together, we will move faster than ever. I call upon everyone in this room to take the lead. Work with India and deliver for all."

Bharat is now a trusted global partner for world, PM tells diaspora

Underlining the uncertainty and disruptions that defined prevailing geopolitical conditions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sought to stress on the trust between nations and equal partnership with the Global South for the larger benefit of mankind - adding that Bharat had emerged as a trusted global partner.

Shah meets US envoy; terrorism, narcotics & security discussed

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held talks with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, with both sides focusing on strengthening security cooperation between the two countries.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the discussions covered a range of issues of mutual interest, including counter-terrorism, narcotics control, border security and law-enforcement cooperation.

Andhra Pradesh opens doors to doctors nationwide, scraps state registration requirement

In a first in the country, doc-tors from across India will be allowed to practice in Andhra Pradesh without them registering independently with Andhra Pradesh Medical Council. Doctors from other states will also be exempted from taking a No Objection Certificate from the state or union territory they are registered with before practicing in Andhra Pradesh.

With this, Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state to remove registration barriers for doctors from across India.

Washington-Tehran MoU is a relief, but flashpoints remain

According to the MoU, a final agreement is to be negotiated within 60 days, extendable by mutual consent. The MoU includes a commitment by Iran that it will never produce nuclear weapons. It also says the US will lift its naval blockade of Iran fully within 30 days (which it has already done), that the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz will be restored to full capacity within 30 days, and that the US will issue waivers for exports of Iranian crude oil and other products and services.

A decade of empowerment, from reform to Rozgar

By putting money directly into workers' pockets, PMVBRY makes jobs more attractive. Financial incentives for employers can generate positive cyclical impacts on industrial growth.

75 years on, the First Amendment still casts a long shadow

June 18, 2026 will mark 75 years since Rajendra Prasad gave his reluctant assent to the First Amendment -a "seismic shift" in India's constitutional architecture, the aftermath of which the country's preeminent legal scholar Upendra Baxi labelled the "Second Constitution". Few seem to have recalled the grim events of 1951, but it was a moment that continues to course through the nation's body politic, and one that has had profound and deleterious effects on its democracy and constitutional order.

Iran gets 'understanding', world gets Hormuz, Trump gets his exit

The US and Iran signed a 14-clause Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to begin 60 days of negotiations for a final deal on June 17 and 18, respectively.

Unlike the 2015 Barack Obama-era nuclear agreement, the 2026 MoU indicates that the final agreement would both address the Iranian nuclear programme and set the terms of the US-Iran political relationship. These terms potentially make the Islamic Republic stronger than it has ever been since 1979, allowing it greater economic relief and the necessary geopolitical consent to build-up conventional military capabilities that can reshape West Asia's balance of power.

Ukraine brings war to Moscow as huge blasts shatter refinery

The blast was so powerful that the huge disc-shaped lid of an oil storage tank was launched into the sky over Moscow like a frisbee.

Evading Russian air defences, Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in southeast Moscow on Thursday for the second time in three days, igniting a fierce blaze that spewed out clouds of black smoke. The attacks are part of a wider Ukrainian campaign to cripple the oil industry whose revenues finance Russia's war effort.

Finance ministry ratifies EPF rate of 8.25% for FY26

The finance ministry has ratified 8.25% interest rate for 2025-26 for over 7.8 crore contributing subscribers of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPF), maintaining it at the same level as recommended by the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) in March, a government official said on Thursday.

CBT, the top decision-making body of EPFO, typically recommends the rates annually around February-March, after which the recommendations are sent to the finance ministry for approval.

Uzbekistan courts global investors with Al tax breaks, duty-free zones

The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev Wednesday, while announcing the launch of tax free zones for artificial intelligence projects and data centres, said that the doors of 'New Uzbekistan' will always remain open to foreign investors who come to "our country with trust and ideas."

Addressing the Opening ceremony of the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, Mirziyoyev also announced that his country will create an open digital geological database of all minerals including rare minerals and increase by four times the number of deposits put up for auction and will "extensively" attract foreign investment into the 'Metals of the Future' technoparks, which are being established in Tashkent and Samarkand regions.