Trade, corridor, defence: Rome, Delhi upgrade ties

Elevating Their bilateral ties to a "special strategic partnership", India and Italy Wednesday set a trade target of 20 billion euros by 2029, agreed on a defence industrial roadmap, and concluded pacts on critical minerals, countering money laundering and terror financing. 

Govt pitch to US nuclear mission: Scale up capacity, small modular reactors key

Alongside a stepped-up role for the private sector in nuclear plant operations, India is doubling down on its domestic civil nuclear programme based on its mainstay, pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs), and remains open to collaborating with external players to scale up projects built on this technology.

Not in favour of clearing new hydel projects in Upper Ganga region: Centre to SC

Citing the "incomparable position" of the Alaknanda-Bhagirathi river basins due to hydrological, ecological and cultural significance, the Centre on Wednesday submitted to the Supreme Court that it is "not in favour" of permitting any new hydroelectric projects in the upper reaches of the Ganga river.

India-Italy joint statement: Focus on terror, tech & unblocking of Hormuz

From Common position on terrorism to creation of INNOVIT India, an innovation hub; launch of a dialogue on maritime security to 'Italy Calls India: A University-Enterprise Talent Bridge' - these are among the key outcomes in the joint statement of India and Italy after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Italian PM Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday.

Rubio to arrive on May 23 for 4-day visit; trade, energy, defence on agenda

Indicating an incremental progress in bilateral ties with India, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit India from May 23 to 26, in what will be his first visit to the country as the US Secretary of State and NSA.

Boost to India-South Korea defence cooperation as Rajnath visits Seoul

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu Back in Seoul, where both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of defence cooperation and discussed ways to further expand collaboration in areas such as industry, production, maritime security, emerging technologies, military exchanges, logistics and regional security.

Europe's shift to centre of Delhi's frame is welcome

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy underscores how far India's perception of, and engagement with, Europe has evolved. Throughout the Cold War, India's approach to Europe was shaped largely by its close economic and defence ties with the Soviet Union and its rivalry with the West. A prolonged neglect is now giving way to expanding cooperation. Buoyed by the India-EU FTA signed in January this year, following the 2024 India-EFTA agreement, Europe has been increasingly entering India's strategic imagination despite the friction around Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Xi, Putin unite to criticise US, but fail to clinch big gas pact

China and Russia condemned US President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defence shield plans and Washington's "irresponsible" nuclear policy at a summit on Wednesday, a week after President Xi Jinping hosted Trump in Beijing.

War is top political violence risk for firms: Allianz report

War has become the political violence risk that businesses fear the most, overtaking civil unrest, as conflicts in Europe and West Asia disrupt global trade and increase risks for companies' operations and assets, according to annual Allianz Risk Barometer 2026.

In the "gray zone" between peace and open warfare, threat actors are leveraging technology, criminal networks and disinformation to attack critical infrastructure, high-profile companies and individuals, blurring the lines between state and non-state actors while undermining detection efforts, Munich-based Allianz said in its 'Political violence and civil unrest trends 2026' report.

Apr core sector growth rises to 1.7%

Production growth in eight core infrastructure sectors rose to a two-month high of 1.7% in April, driven by higher output of steel, cement and electricity, according to government data released on Wednesday.

These eight sectors expanded by 1% in the same month last year. The pace of expansion was 1.2% in March. Coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, and fertiliser output recorded negative growth during the month under review. Steel, cement and electricity production rose by 6.2%, 9.4% and 4.1%, respectively, in April.

UN cuts India's 2026 GDP forecast

The United Nations has revised downward India's economic growth forecast for 2026 to 6.4% from its earlier projection of 6.6%, citing global uncertainties and economic shocks arising from the ongoing West Asia crisis. As per the report released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) on Tuesday, India, however, remains one of the fastest-growing major economies.

How thorium as nuclear fuel can help India meet its long-term energy needs

IT is heartening to see indigenously developed pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) getting into the mainstream of India's energy push towards a net-zero compliant Viksit Bharat. The 100 GWe (gigawatt electric) nuclear energy mission launched by the government is to be realised by 2047.

The high rate of capacity addition necessary for such deployment would need a credible implementation framework and standardised mature, commercially competitive technologies. PHWRs are a fit case.