Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar met with Comoros Foreign Minister Mbae Mohamed in New Delhi today. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, “A pleasure to meet Foreign Minister Mbae Mohamed of Comoros today. We discussed cooperation in health, sports, infrastructure, and capacity building, and agreed on the importance of more frequent engagements between our countries.”
Mohamed had arrived in New Delhi just a day earlier to attend the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (IAFMM) scheduled for Saturday. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that the visit would further strengthen the friendly relations between India and the Union of Comoros. Through X, Jaishankar welcomed him, saying his visit would enhance bilateral ties.
India and Comoros established diplomatic relations in June 1976. The Embassy of India in Antananarivo is concurrently accredited to Comoros. The two countries share close and friendly ties, with similar positions on several regional and multilateral issues. Comoros has been a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) since 2012 and the International Solar Alliance since 2017. The Indian diaspora in Comoros numbers around 250 people, mainly involved in trade, business, and other professions, contributing significantly to the local economy.
The 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, co-chaired by India and the UAE, will include Foreign Ministers from Arab League member states and the Arab League Secretary-General. The meeting comes after a 10-year gap, the first having been held in Bahrain in 2016, which identified five priority areas: economy, energy, education, media, and culture. The upcoming meeting aims to expand and deepen cooperation under this framework.
The India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is the highest institutional mechanism for the partnership, formalized in 2002 through an MoU between India and the League of Arab States. The Arab-India Cooperation Forum was established via a Memorandum of Cooperation in 2008 and revised in 2013. India is an Observer to the League of Arab States, which represents 22 Arab countries. This is the first time India is hosting the IAFMM in New Delhi, with participation from all 22 Arab nations at various ministerial and senior official levels. The meeting will be preceded by the 4th India-Arab Senior Officials’ Meeting on Friday.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from X/@DrSJaishankar
Sudan's Foreign Minister, Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, is on an official visit to India to attend the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM), starting Saturday. The meeting will be co-chaired by India and the UAE, with participation from other Arab League member states and the Arab League Secretary General, according to a Ministry of External Affairs press release.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Ibrahim said Sudan will brief participants on the country’s situation and investment opportunities, particularly in the post-war reconstruction phase. “The reconstruction of Sudan requires significant effort. We will also hold a business forum with investors and ministers in India,” he added.
Ibrahim addressed the India & Arab Countries Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture, highlighting Sudan-India’s long-standing ties and the potential for stronger cooperation during Sudan’s recovery. “Sudan and India enjoy enduring relations that have stood the test of time,” he said, stressing the impact of years of instability on Sudan’s economy, infrastructure, and trade.
He noted that the two nations share similar perspectives, as English-oriented countries, providing a strong foundation for deeper engagement in trade, investment, and development partnerships. Concluding, he emphasized that “reconstruction is about building better,” reaffirming Sudan’s commitment to economic and diplomatic collaboration with India for stability, recovery, and sustainable growth. Sudanese Ambassador to India, Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, expressed gratitude for India’s humanitarian aid during the conflict, including a shipment of 25 tons of medicines delivered to Port Sudan by a special Air Force flight immediately after the war began.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
China has granted its leading AI startup, DeepSeek, conditional approval to purchase Nvidia’s H200 AI chips, with regulatory terms still being finalized, according to two sources cited by Reuters. Reuters also reported that Chinese tech giants ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent have received clearance to buy a combined total of over 400,000 H200 chips.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told reporters in Taipei that his company had not been officially informed and believed that China was still finalizing the license. Nvidia has not commented specifically on DeepSeek’s approval. According to sources, China’s industry and commerce ministries have approved the purchases for all four companies but will impose conditions determined by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), which are still under discussion. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Commerce, and NDRC did not respond to requests for comment.
DeepSeek, known for launching AI models last year at a fraction of the cost of U.S. competitors like OpenAI, did not respond to requests for comment. The H200, Nvidia’s second most powerful AI chip, has become a key point in U.S.-China tech relations. Despite strong Chinese demand and U.S. export approval, Beijing’s hesitancy has delayed shipments. Earlier this month, the U.S. formally approved Nvidia to sell H200 chips to China, but Chinese authorities retain the final decision on imports.
Any DeepSeek purchase could attract U.S. scrutiny. Reuters reported that a senior U.S. lawmaker alleged in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that Nvidia helped DeepSeek develop AI models later used by the Chinese military. DeepSeek is expected to release its next-generation AI model, V4, with advanced coding capabilities, in mid-February, according to The Information.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.
The Supreme Court of India has stayed the implementation of fresh University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines designed to combat caste-based discrimination in higher education, voicing strong concerns over vague language that could foster segregation on campuses. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued notices to the Centre and UGC while hearing petitions linked to past student suicides, directing a high-level panel to refine the rules for true inclusivity. The January 13 regulations mandated "equity committees" in every institution to handle grievances from OBC, SC, ST, disabled students, and women—but notably excluded general-category peers.
"We hope we don't segregate schools like the US, where blacks and whites went to different schools," CJI Kant remarked, drawing a stark parallel to America's pre-1954 segregation era. He questioned the drift toward division: "Are we becoming a regressive society after 75 years of Independence? Can't go further backwards."
The bench highlighted risky provisions for "transparent" arrangements in hostels and mess halls, warning of misuse by "mischievous elements." "For god's sake! There are inter-caste marriages now," the CJI added, urging a push for a casteless society that safeguards everyone, including North-East or Southern students facing cultural bias or ragging.
The stay stems from pleas citing deaths like Rohith Vemula (2016) and Payal Tadvi (2019), where alleged caste discrimination in hostels played a role. Critics called the rules lopsided and prone to abuse, echoing broader affirmative action debates—some states already subdivide SC quotas due to uneven benefits within groups.
Institutions must now pause forming these committees, buying time for revisions. This ruling underscores a delicate balance: rooting out bias without new fault lines. As one observer noted, diverse shared spaces like hostels can forge unity if handled thoughtfully—history's lessons from divided US schools make the stakes clear.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Deccan Herald.
An IndiGo flight from Kuwait to Delhi was diverted to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Friday morning (January 30, 2026) following a reported bomb threat, airport officials said. Authorities confirmed that nothing suspicious has been found so far. The plane, carrying 180 passengers, landed safely at around 6:40 a.m. According to officials, the diversion was a precaution after a passenger discovered a handwritten note suggesting the presence of a bomb on board. The pilot informed air traffic control, leading to the decision to land in Ahmedabad. All passengers were safely evacuated, and security personnel conducted a thorough search of the aircraft. An airport official added, “No suspicious object has been found so far. The flight may depart once it receives final clearance.”
Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.
2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for the AI-driven economy. According to Saxo Bank’s latest analysis, the upcoming IPO pipeline is dominated by tech giants poised to move from private backing to public scrutiny. While OpenAI and Anthropic represent high-risk, high-reward bets on generative AI, companies like Canva and Stripe showcase more established models in SaaS and Fintech at scale. Andrea Heng and Susan Ng highlight the key factors investors should monitor — including governance, computing costs, and revenue sustainability — as these “private unicorns” prepare for their public market debut, with insights from Chan Yew Kiang, ASEAN IPO Leader at EY.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
In ‘Culture Club’, Melanie Oliveiro chats with Leo Varadkar, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland. Varadkar, author of the autobiography “Speaking My Mind”, shares insights from a remarkable life in public service—how politics fascinated him as a child, his journey from a junior politician to Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, and ultimately becoming Ireland’s youngest prime minister. He also reflects on key lessons learned along the way and his experiences interacting with global leaders, including Donald Trump.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
President Donald Trump has proposed a US-led “Board of Peace” aimed at resolving international conflicts, with himself as chair and backed by billion-dollar funding. The idea raises questions about whether a leader known for a confrontational foreign policy can credibly recast himself as a global peacemaker. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman examine the initiative’s underlying motives, its international legitimacy, and its future beyond Trump’s presidency, with insights from Dr Jessica Genauer, Associate Professor of International Relations at Flinders University.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
During the daily markets segment on Open For Business, hosts Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman engage in an in-depth discussion with Rachana Mehta, who serves as the Head of Regional Fixed Income at Maybank Asset Management, exploring the latest trends, insights, and developments in the financial markets and their potential impact on investors and the broader economy.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
