India, EU to sign trade deal on December 16 

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) will be signed on Decem-ber 16, two diplomatic sources have separately confirmed to The Hindu. This will be part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's back-to-back trips in December to Canada, the U.S., and Belgium, where three separate FTAS are currently either being negotiated or in the process of approval.

India and the plausible multilateralism of BRICS

BRICS gatherings always trigger heated debates in India. The primary reason is the importance that the strategic and policymaking community, comprising both optimists and sceptics, attaches to this platform, of which India is an integral pillar. While optimists argue that BRICS could function as an institution capable of multipolarising the global order, or expediting that transition, sceptics highlight the grouping's internal divisions and worry about its possible domination by Russia and China.

Quality control and India's manufacturing growth

India needs firms that can grow, integrate into global value chains and compete internationally. To make this happen, the Quality Control Order (QCO) reassessment exercise needs to move forward.

Concerns over India's QCOs and other non-tariff barriers also surfaced during the WTO'S eighth Trade Policy Review of India, held in July 2026, and were raised not only by major trading partners such as the European Union and the United States, but also by fellow BRICS members, including Brazil, China and Indonesia.

Trading smart

India-NZ FTA shows how smaller deals can complement big-bang trade pacts

The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), set to come into force on October 20, is a good example of why India is right in simultaneously pushing for trade deals with smaller trade partners along with the major global economies. On the face of it, it would be easy to dismiss the $1.1 billion of bilateral goods trade between the two countries as being less than 1% of India's total goods trade.

Differing views by members a part of decision-making: EC

Responding to reports of dissent within the Election Commission, the poll body on Wednesday said all its actions have been in accordance with the rele vant laws and instructions. Highlighting "certain specific" internal notes or observations spread over a 10-month period while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, and initiatives give only "one part of the picture".

Germany ready to sign submarine deal with India: envoy

Germany is ready to sign a "forward leaning" deal with India for six submarines worth $8 billion, said its new ambassador to In-dia Jasper Wieck. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Mr. Wieck described Russia as the "aggressor" because of its actions in Ukraine amid the war and said that India can play a role in bringing the crisis to an end as New Delhi enjoys positive relations with both Kyiv and Moscow.

Jaishankar takes up U.S. sanctions law in meeting with Rubio

In their first meeting since the United States enacted the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act (SRIA), External Affairs Minister S. Jaishan-kar raised concerns about the law with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Wednesday.

Super El Niño to add 15,800 heat deaths in India: report

India could see an estimated 15,800 addi-tional heat-related deaths, give or take 1,600, between September 2026 and February 2027, as the current Super El Niño drives unusually high tem-peratures, according to a report made public on Wednesday by the Climate Impact Lab. The estimate is relative to average condi-tions during the corres-ponding months from 1996-2025.

SC to examine BCI's power to regulate legal education

The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to examine the authority of the Bar Council of India (BCI) to control and regulate legal education imparted in law colleges and national universities.

MOD signs 811 cr. deal to buy 160 glide bombs for IAF

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a ₹810.79-crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) on Wednesday to procure 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) and associated equipment for the IAF. The weapon is expected to enhance stand-off precision strike capability.

OECD forecasts India growth at 7.1% in '26-27

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has become the latest global body to raise its growth forecast for India in the last week, predicting that India's economy will grow by 7.1% in 2026-27, up from 6.3% forecast in June.

BRICS must work in sync on transfer-pricing disputes: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged BRICS nations to share experienc-es on treaty interpretation and multilateral negotia-tions in international taxation, saying global transfer pricing disputes "dispro-portionately" burden developing countries.