Dialogue and diplomacy only solution, Hormuz blockage unacceptable: PM

Leading with a strong diplomatic pitch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told the Lok Sabha that India is "consistently working" to bring down tensions in West Asia, stressing that "dialogue and diplomacy is the only solution" to the ongoing conflict that has now entered its fourth week.

For women's quota, Govt looks at higher LS strength based on Census 2011

The Government has suggested an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats, while maintaining the existing proportion among states, and Vidhan Sabha constituencies as a first step towards implementing the women's reservation Act. In talks with Opposition parties to evolve a consensus on this, the government has suggested the increase on the basis of Census 2011 - thus delinking it from the ongoing Census.

Iran Speaker denies talks; Trump says 'major points of agreement', Hormuz may be 'jointly controlled'

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he had given orders to postpone for five days the attacks he had threatened against Iranian power plants, and said the US was in talks with Tehran about ending the US-Israeli war on Iran.

However, Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, mooted to be the leader representing Iran in contacts with the US, posted on social media that no talks had been held with the US.

Five takeaways: From economic concerns to diplomatic tightrope

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in Lok Sabha on the war in West Asia, which marks its fourth week, contained five important diplomatic takeaways from highlighting the - economic fallout to indicating a calibrated approach aimed at safe-guarding India's interests.

Garo Hills Council amends rules, ST certificate essential for membership

The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) Monday passed an amendment to the existing rules on qualifications necessary for membership to the council to make it necessary for candidates to have a Scheduled Tribe certificate, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced.

War in Gulf raises concern over helium supplies, critical for MRI machines

The Disruption in the global supply of helium because of the severe restrictions on trade through the Strait of Hormuz has triggered concern over the cost of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and the installation of MRI machines in India.

Helium is critical for operating MRI machines. Liquid helium is used to cool the intensely powerful superconducting magnets that are at the heart of MRI machines. The superconducting coils work at cryogenic temperatures, and helium, which is chemically inert and has the lowest boiling point of any element (minus 269 degrees Celsius), is the only practical coolant for these machines.

Govt refers companies laws amendment Bill to House panel after Opp objections

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 and the Companies Act, 2013, in the Lok Sabha. The Bill has been referred to a 31-member Joint Committee of Parliament for a detailed analysis.

Jaishankar speaks to Rubio on 'energy security concerns'

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, hours after US President Donald Trump paused strikes on Iran's power plants for five days. This came a day before US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby was visiting India.

Scientists investigate how TB bacteria hide, adapt and survive

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB) is still a major global health problem which is made worse by the rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strain. World TB Day is observed on March 24 and the theme 'We can end TB' focusses on efforts to eliminate the disease.

A war lesson: The road to energy security runs on electricity

The War on Iran and the disruption in oil and gas supplies have starkly shown India's energy dependence and vulnerability. India imports over 85 per cent of the crude oil it needs and nearly 40 per cent of its natural gas. Being the third-largest importer of crude oil in the world, we are one of the world's most energy import-dependent economies. Over 40 per cent of India's oil supply travels through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime choke point.

Surplus heat is new climate challenge

The World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) latest State of Climate Report confirms the agency's findings over the last 10 years. The decade that ended last year was the hottest on record. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is about 50 per cent higher than preindustrial levels. In 2025, even as renewable energy edged out coal as the leading source of electricity, global emissions reached record levels. Even though clean power has registered an appreciable increase, it's nowhere close to keeping pace with the world's appetite for energy.

Broken UGC needs reform. But the new higher education bill is not the answer

Though it is presented as a new piece of legislature, the VBSA bill is actually a reincarnation of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) bill that was introduced in Parliament in 2018.

For TB-free India, we need science, and the power of jan bhagidari

Today, as India launches another TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan-100 days' campaign-Ilook back at our journey towards eliminating tuberculosis (TB) with pride and optimism. In recent years, India's TB response has been unique - anchored in jan bhagidari, the spirit of collective responsibility inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. This whole-of-society approach has proven its strength across sectors, driving the success of initiatives such as Mission Indradhanush and reinforcing the message of Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar at the community level.

Large private cos see no growth in FY27 capex: Govt survey

India's Large private sector companies don't intend to invest more in FY27 compared to the current financial year, according to a new survey by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI). This raises doubts over the status of the private capex cycle at a time of heightened global uncertainty due to the tariffs imposed by the US as well as the war in West Asia.

6th month in a row: India sees net FDI outflow again in Jan

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) saw an outflow from India on a net basis for the sixth month in a row in January, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday, nearly tripling from their December 2025 levels as gross FDI fell by a third.

Of India's 5.33 mn tonne of strategic oil reserve capacity, 36% is empty

India's Strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs), which have acapacity to store 5.33 million tonnes (mt) of crude oil, are currently holding 3.37 mt of oil, or just about two-thirds of their total storage capacity, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday (March 23).

Why India must step on the gas with ethanol

In November 1975, two years after the first global oil shock courtesy of the Arab-Israeli 'Yom Kippur' War, Brazil launched a Proálcool programme, aimed at reducing its dependence on imported fuels.

US-Iran pause is a relief for Gulf desalination plants, water supply

What are desalination plants?

Desalination plants convert saltwater into drinkable water and are a preferred method in coastal regions without natural perennial sources of potable water. It involves separating salt molecules from water molecules either through membrane-based methods, such as reverse osmosis (RO), or heat-based methods.