'Can we turn over a new leaf?': Vance, Ghalibaf lead talks

US Vice President JD Vance said Sunday there was an opportunity to "turn over a new leaf" with Iran as the sides held talks aimed at building out the interim deal to end the war in Iran reached by the two sides last week.

Vance and US negotiators met with Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign 

Minister Abbas Araghchi at a Swiss mountainside resort near Lake Lucerne.

Govt prepares to notify Western Ghats eco sensitive areas in at least three states

Twelve years after it issued the first draft notification, the Centre is finally ready to finalise and notify the demarcation of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats region, at least in the three states in which contentious issues have more or less been resolved, The Indian Express has learnt.

Over 56,000 square km of land in six states are proposed to be demarcated as ESA, based on the 2013 recommendations of a high-level working group led by former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan.

PM Modi inducts three new vessels into Indian Navy at Kolkata port

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted three new indigenously built naval vessels into the Indian Navy during his visit to Kolkata on Sunday, while remarking that India is no longer just a buyer but also a manufacturer and seller of modern weapons to many countries.

Rakhigarhi skeletons to undergo DNA tests, facial reconstruction

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sent nearly 5,000-year-old skeletons unearthed at Haryana's Rakhigarhi, the largest known site of the Harappan civilisation, for scientific examination and facial reconstruction.

Guardrails in Al growth to protect developing nations

The Transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly evident, and its impacts are already being felt, touching everything from daily life to broader industries. Consequently, efforts have begun to create global institutions and frameworks to regulate the development and deployment of Al systems.

Some preliminary institutional structures have already been set up. Last year, the United Nations General Assembly established a Global Dialogue on Al in which every country has been invited to participate. An Independent International Scientific Panel on Al is tasked with making periodic scientific assessments to enrich the Global Dialogue discussions.

Three distinct strategic roles of the three ships inducted into Navy

What are these three ships?

Ins Dunagiri: The largest and most

heavily armed of the three is INS Dunagiri. It is a frigate, smaller than a destroyer but large enough to operate far from the coast.

Ins Sanshodhak: This is a Survey Vessel-Large (SVL). Its job is to measure and map the sea: the depth of waters, seabed features, approach channels to ports, navigational routes, and oceanographic data. 

Ins Agray: The smallest vessel of the three, it has a highly specialised role. Agray belongs to the Arnala-class of smaller warships built specifically to detect and attack submarines in shallow waters near the coast, ports, naval bases and important sea approaches. Agray carries lightweight torpedoes, indigenous anti-submarine rocket launchers and sonar systems.

India has spelt red lines to US. Now seal trade deal

The Last year-and-a-half has seen strains in the India-US relationship over trade, Russian oil, and claims of American mediation during Operation Sindoor. Despite high-level engagement, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent visit to India, restoring trust between the two sides remains a work in progress. India is not the only country whose diplomacy has been challenged dealing with the mercurial US President, Donald Trump.

Road to energy security passes through our farms

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pushtowards renewable energy is commendable. As of March 2026, renewable energy capacity stood at about 274 GW, with solar alone crossing 150 GW. But the model so far adopted in solar energy is mainly large solar parks and PM Surya Ghar. The PM-KUSUM scheme is basically for solar pump sets. This is not sufficient for agricultural transformation. We lay out below a case for agriphotovoltaicson farmers' fields that has potential not only to generate clean energy in rural areas but also to halve the government's power subsidy, while also increasing farmers' incomes manifold.

When doctors can move, healthcare benefits

In a first-of-its-kind reform, Andhra Pradesh has thrown open its doors to doctors from across India by removing state registration hurdles. An MBBS graduate holding a recognised medical qualification and valid registration with any state or UT medical council in the country will now be allowed to practise in the state, without a separate Andhra Pradesh Medical Council registration or a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the council where they are registered.

In time of distrust, Constitution's promise of fraternity matters more than ever

No court can manufacture mutual respect. No statute can create a sense of common belonging. Yet it would be wrong to conclude that fraternity lies entirely beyond the reach of law.

Ease of justice has brought legal system closer to people

Justice has always been a vital and integral pillar of human civilisation. Judicial institutions have served as the bridge that enables every stakeholder to develop a sense of trust, belonging, and association with the larger pursuit of justice and collective good. This necessitates the creation of a robust justice ecosystem - one that not only ensures access to justice but also facilitates ease of living for every citizen.

A 10 per cent rule for sustainable development

How much ecological cost is too much?

For decades, India has relied on regulatory instruments such as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), forest clearances and compensatory afforestation to manage this balance. More recently, the idea of Green GDP-adjusting economic output to reflect environmental loss-has gained attention.

Yet these approaches are often difficult to translate into clear decision thresholds. Policymakers need not merely more data but a simple, credible benchmark to recognise when economic activity begins to undermine its own ecological foundation.

Global nuclear players turn to NTPC for N-tech partnerships

NTPC Ltd, the country's largest integrated power generator, is emerging as a key pivot in India's nuclear landscape after the sector was opened up through an overarching legislation late last year.

For decades, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has been the vanguard of India's traditional nuclear establishment. With the passage of the SHANTI Act, 2005, which eased the liability framework and paved the way for greater private and foreign participation, NTPC is emerging as a second pillar of sorts and a partner of choice for global nuclear technology providers seeking a foothold in the Indian market.

Over 2,000 cough syrup brands: Can regulators ensure they're safe?

Cough Syrups are among the most widely manufactured and consumed medicines in India, making robust regulation of the market essential. In May alone, sales touched at least 8.47 lakh units worth Rs 6,670 crore, according to pharma retail tracker Pharmarack. Yet the sector has repeatedly come under scrutiny after contaminated cough syrups were linked to the deaths of children in India and abroad. The Health Ministry has since tightened rules, restricting sales to licenced chemists and making doctors' prescription mandatory.