An Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a postgraduate at UC Berkeley and originally from Karnataka, has been reported missing in the United States. The Consulate General of India in San Francisco has expressed serious concern and is actively coordinating with local authorities as well as the student’s family to help locate him. The Consulate stated that it remains in close contact with both the parents and officials to support the search efforts.

This incident is not isolated, as Indian students abroad have previously reported facing discrimination, racist attacks, and lack of adequate support from authorities. Responding to a question raised in the Lok Sabha by Asaduddin Owaisi regarding student safety overseas, the Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that the government treats the safety of Indian students abroad as a top priority.

The Ministry stated that Indian missions abroad closely monitor incidents involving students and promptly raise concerns with host country authorities to ensure proper investigation and accountability. Missions also maintain regular contact with students, conduct orientation sessions, and provide guidance on safety precautions. Students are encouraged to stay connected with Indian missions through platforms such as support portals, student groups, consular services, and emergency helplines.

Indian missions remain alert in countries facing instability or higher risks and provide assistance such as medical aid, temporary accommodation, and emergency support when required. The government also uses welfare funds and has carried out major evacuation operations in crisis situations, reaffirming its commitment to protecting Indian students and ensuring their safety worldwide.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative has deleted a social media post that included a map of India depicting the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan occupied Kashmir, as well as Aksai Chin, as part of Indian territory. The post was shared last week on X after India and the United States announced details of a bilateral interim trade agreement framework. Along with information about the deal, the USTR account had posted a map of India. In that map, the whole of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan occupied Kashmir, was shown as Indian territory. The Aksai Chin region, which is claimed by China, was also marked as part of India.

The post featuring the map has since been removed from the USTR handle. In earlier instances, maps of India have typically displayed Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Aksai Chin with boundary markings or demarcation lines. However, the map shared by the USTR portrayed the entire Jammu and Kashmir region, including those disputed areas, as fully integrated into India.

New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has always been, remains, and will continue to be an integral and inseparable part of India. India also asserts that Aksai Chin forms an integral part of its territory based on historical claims and earlier agreements.

China’s previously released standard map has asserted claims over Arunachal Pradesh, the Aksai Chin region, Taiwan, and parts of the South China Sea. Meanwhile, India and the United States announced on Friday night that they have finalized a framework for the first phase of their bilateral trade agreement. Under this arrangement, both countries will lower import duties on several goods in an effort to enhance two way trade.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Business Standard.

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth met Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari, Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, on the sidelines of the World Defence Show 2026 in Riyadh. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh shared the development on X, stating that the meeting aimed at strengthening the India–Saudi strategic partnership. Discussions centred on expanding defence cooperation and enhancing engagement across services.

The meeting followed the 8th Abu Dhabi Dialogue, during which India engaged with the UAE on issues related to migrant welfare and skills development. The Indian delegation to the dialogue, held in Dubai from January 31 to February 1, was led by Prashant Pise, Additional Secretary (Emigration Policy and Welfare), according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

Established in 2008, the Abu Dhabi Dialogue is a voluntary and non-binding regional consultative forum comprising 11 Asian labour-sending countries and seven destination countries. It facilitates cooperation on contractual labour mobility, exchange of best practices, and sharing of experiences. India’s active participation reflects its commitment to ensuring safe, orderly, and legal migration while protecting the rights and welfare of Indian migrant workers.

India and the UAE established diplomatic relations in 1972, with embassies opening in the early 1970s. Bilateral ties gained renewed momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE in 2015, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years, marking the start of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This was followed by several subsequent visits, including the most recent in February 2024, when Prime Minister Modi addressed the Indian community in Abu Dhabi and inaugurated the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the first Hindu temple in the Middle East.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from X/@IndianEmbRiyadh.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday described the expiration of the New START Treaty as a serious threat to global peace and security, calling on Russia and the United States to quickly begin talks on a new nuclear arms control agreement. The treaty, which expired at midnight, had placed limits on the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems—such as land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers—that both countries could deploy.

Guterres warned that, for the first time in over 50 years, there are no legally binding restrictions on the nuclear arsenals of the two nations that hold most of the world’s nuclear weapons. He stressed that the collapse of decades of arms control efforts comes at an especially dangerous time, with the risk of nuclear weapon use at its highest in decades.

Despite the risks, he said the moment also offers a chance to rebuild and design a modern arms control system suited to today’s rapidly changing global environment. Guterres welcomed signals from both Moscow and Washington acknowledging the need to avoid unchecked nuclear proliferation. Emphasizing the need for action, he urged both countries to move beyond statements and immediately resume negotiations to establish a successor framework that reinstates verifiable limits, lowers risks, and enhances shared global security.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.

When Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, he pledged to eliminate what he called “woke” culture in America. From the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to the Smithsonian Institution and the Stonewall National Monument, his administration has sought to reshape American cultural institutions and historical narratives to reflect its own priorities. Jonathan Freedland and the Guardian’s Washington bureau chief, David Smith, examine how Trump’s efforts to recast history and culture in his own image could affect millions of Americans.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

The expiration of the New START treaty has lifted the final restrictions on the nuclear stockpiles of the United States and Russia. As global arms control frameworks weaken, Russia is simultaneously strengthening military partnerships abroad, notably through a new five-year defense agreement with Myanmar’s ruling junta. This raises questions about whether Moscow now has greater freedom to act militarily and what these moves mean for global nuclear security.
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.