India has expressed deep concern over a sharp escalation in Yemen &amp; condemned attacks on Saudi territory, including an attempted strike near the holy city of Makkah, saying the violence threatens regional stability and a vital shipping lane.Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday that New Delhi viewed the latest attacks as unacceptable. “We are deeply concerned at the escalation of the security situation in Yemen. We condemn the attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, especially the targeting of civilian and economic facilities, as well as the attempted attack on the holy city of Makkah,” he said.“Such attacks undermine regional security and stability and threaten freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb and are unacceptable to us. We hope for the early restoration of peace and stability in the region.”The remarks followed a week of intensified fighting between Yemen based Houthis &amp; Saudi-backed forces. Saudi authorities said Houthi missiles and drones struck cities in the south of the kingdom earlier this month, hitting energy and civilian infrastructure and injuring dozens of people, including women and children.Saudi air defences later intercepted a drone south of Makkah, according to the Saudi-led coalition. Riyadh called the security of Islam’s two holiest sites a “red line.” The Houthis denied targeting Makkah, saying their operations were aimed at oil facilities &amp; military bases.The Bab-el-Mandeb strait, at the southern end of the Red Sea, is one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints. It carries a large share of Europe-Asia trade and energy shipments. Attacks or threats in the area raise costs for shippers and can disrupt oil and cargo flows, a particular concern for India, which relies on Gulf energy supplies and has a large expatriate population in the region.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed escalating situation by Houthis with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the sidelines of the recent BRICS summit.The flare-up comes as fighting inside Yemen has intensified, and against the backdrop of a wider West Asian conflict that has already constrained shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the incident near Makkah.

India expressed deep concern over Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian sites, energy infrastructure, and Makkah, warning that the escalating Yemeni conflict threatens regional stability and vital Red Sea shipping lanes.



India has expressed deep concern over a sharp escalation in Yemen & condemned attacks on Saudi territory, including an attempted strike near the holy city of Makkah, saying the violence threatens regional stability and a vital shipping lane. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday that New Delhi viewed the latest attacks as unacceptable. “We are deeply concerned at the escalation of the security situation in Yemen. We condemn the attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, especially the targeting of civilian and economic facilities, as well as the attempted attack on the holy city of Makkah,” he said. “Such attacks undermine regional security and stability and threaten freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb and are unacceptable to us. We hope for the early restoration of peace and stability in the region.” The remarks followed a week of intensified fighting between Yemen based Houthis & Saudi-backed forces. Saudi authorities said Houthi missiles and drones struck cities in the south of the kingdom earlier this month, hitting energy and civilian infrastructure and injuring dozens of people, including women and children. Saudi air defences later intercepted a drone south of Makkah, according to the Saudi-led coalition. Riyadh called the security of Islam’s two holiest sites a “red line.” The Houthis denied targeting Makkah, saying their operations were aimed at oil facilities & military bases. The Bab-el-Mandeb strait, at the southern end of the Red Sea, is one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints. It carries a large share of Europe-Asia trade and energy shipments. Attacks or threats in the area raise costs for shippers and can disrupt oil and cargo flows, a particular concern for India, which relies on Gulf energy supplies and has a large expatriate population in the region. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed escalating situation by Houthis with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the sidelines of the recent BRICS summit. The flare-up comes as fighting inside Yemen has intensified, and against the backdrop of a wider West Asian conflict that has already constrained shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the incident near Makkah.

India expressed deep concern over Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian sites, energy infrastructure, and Makkah, warning that the escalating Yemeni conflict threatens regional stability and vital Red Sea shipping lanes.&nbsp;

India ‘deeply concerned’ as Houthi strikes hit Saudi civilian & energy sites

India has dismissed Pakistan’s explanation of a collision between an Indian Navy destroyer and a Pakistani patrol vessel in the Arabian Sea, calling Islamabad’s reply “the usual prevarication” and accusing the Pakistani ship of a dangerous, "unprofessional" manoeuvre.&nbsp;The incident took place on the evening of 15 September. New Delhi says INS Kolkata, a Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyer, was on a routine deployment in international waters when PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel, closed in and collided with it.&nbsp;India was quick to react to the development, summoning Pakistani top diplomat in Delhi. Islamabad reacted 9 hours later, claiming Indian side was in Pakistani EEZ. At a regular briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "we have seen Pakistan’s response to the protest we had lodged. It is the usual prevarication that we expected. We reject the allegations and insinuations contained therein".&nbsp;“Let me reiterate the facts of the matter. INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment in the western Arabian Sea when Pakistani Naval Ship Hunain conducted itself in an unacceptable and unprofessional manner at sea that resulted in a collision.”&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fuel-surge-forces-lockdown-measures-pakistan-orders-early-market-closures-to-save-energy-1789731657224">Fuel surge forces ‘lockdown’ measures: Pakistan orders early market closures to save energy</a>&nbsp;Jaiswal said the Pakistani vessel’s “dangerous overtaking manoeuvre” was “in gross violation of Article 10” of the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements. That clause requires naval units at sea not to come within three nautical miles of each other. He added that PNS Hunain also infringed the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.&nbsp;“The Pakistan side has once again been advised about the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents,” he said. “The incident did not cause any major damage to INS Kolkata and she remains at sea.” Pakistani vessel suffered "severe damage" after colliding with Indian vessel, WION learnt. The last comparable India–Pakistan naval brush, involving PNS Babur and INS Godavari, was in 2011.

The incident took place on the evening of 15 September. New Delhi says INS Kolkata, a Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyer, was on a routine deployment in international waters when PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel, closed in and collided with it.

India has dismissed Pakistan’s explanation of a collision between an Indian Navy destroyer and a Pakistani patrol vessel in the Arabian Sea, calling Islamabad’s reply “the usual prevarication” and accusing the Pakistani ship of a dangerous, "unprofessional" manoeuvre. The incident took place on the evening of 15 September. New Delhi says INS Kolkata, a Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyer, was on a routine deployment in international waters when PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel, closed in and collided with it. India was quick to react to the development, summoning Pakistani top diplomat in Delhi. Islamabad reacted 9 hours later, claiming Indian side was in Pakistani EEZ. At a regular briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "we have seen Pakistan’s response to the protest we had lodged. It is the usual prevarication that we expected. We reject the allegations and insinuations contained therein". “Let me reiterate the facts of the matter. INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment in the western Arabian Sea when Pakistani Naval Ship Hunain conducted itself in an unacceptable and unprofessional manner at sea that resulted in a collision.” Also read: Fuel surge forces ‘lockdown’ measures: Pakistan orders early market closures to save energy Jaiswal said the Pakistani vessel’s “dangerous overtaking manoeuvre” was “in gross violation of Article 10” of the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements. That clause requires naval units at sea not to come within three nautical miles of each other. He added that PNS Hunain also infringed the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. “The Pakistan side has once again been advised about the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents,” he said. “The incident did not cause any major damage to INS Kolkata and she remains at sea.” Pakistani vessel suffered "severe damage" after colliding with Indian vessel, WION learnt. The last comparable India–Pakistan naval brush, involving PNS Babur and INS Godavari, was in 2011.

The incident took place on the evening of 15 September. New Delhi says INS Kolkata, a Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyer, was on a routine deployment in international waters when PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel, closed in and collided with it.

India warns Pakistan to prevent repeat of naval incident

Palestinian Ambassador to India Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh has hit out at Washington and accused it of practising “might create the right” after the United States again denied President Mahmoud Abbas a visa for the UN General Assembly. Abbas would address the Assembly by pre-recorded statement for the second consecutive year. &nbsp;The Trump administration has extended visa restrictions on Palestinian Authority and PLO officials, citing alleged failures to reform, payments to prisoners’ families etc.&nbsp;Speaking to WION, as world leaders prepare for the high-level week in New York, Abu Shawesh said the United States, as host under the UN Headquarters Agreement, had no legal right to bar a recognised official from the meeting. “This is the era which we are living in, where the might create the right,” he said. &nbsp;On India, the ambassador said relations remained “at the very highest level.” He pointed to a visit about a month ago by a senior Indian diplomat, during which New Delhi announced a hospital in the West Bank with an investment of about $28 million, plus a vocational training centre.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-three-killed-several-injured-in-philippines-school-shooting-1789718730184">At least three killed, several injured in Philippines school shooting</a>&nbsp;External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had earlier flagged the hospital and skills project; India has also discussed prosthetic care after the war in Gaza. Ground was broken in August on a 200-bed super-speciality hospital in Jenin, with a trauma centre, alongside medicines and other health assistance. “India has been with us since the very first day,” Abu Shawesh said. Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin visited India earlier this year.&nbsp;He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for convening the BRICS summit in New Delhi “in a very tipping and very significant time.” The joint declaration, he said, included Palestine, a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as capital. BRICS text also opposed forced displacement and backed a sovereign Palestinian state on 1967 lines.&nbsp;Separately, the ambassador criticised commemorations of the 1918 Battle of Haifa as a "false" narrative. Britain itself became the occupying power, and India was then a colony without an independent decision to “liberate” anyone, he argued. His mission had screened a short film on the issue. India has long backed a two-state solution and UN resolutions on Palestine while maintaining strong ties with Israel.

The Trump administration has extended visa restrictions on Palestinian Authority and PLO officials, citing alleged failures to reform, payments to prisoners’ families etc

Palestinian Ambassador to India Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh has hit out at Washington and accused it of practising “might create the right” after the United States again denied President Mahmoud Abbas a visa for the UN General Assembly. Abbas would address the Assembly by pre-recorded statement for the second consecutive year. The Trump administration has extended visa restrictions on Palestinian Authority and PLO officials, citing alleged failures to reform, payments to prisoners’ families etc. Speaking to WION, as world leaders prepare for the high-level week in New York, Abu Shawesh said the United States, as host under the UN Headquarters Agreement, had no legal right to bar a recognised official from the meeting. “This is the era which we are living in, where the might create the right,” he said. On India, the ambassador said relations remained “at the very highest level.” He pointed to a visit about a month ago by a senior Indian diplomat, during which New Delhi announced a hospital in the West Bank with an investment of about $28 million, plus a vocational training centre. Also Read: At least three killed, several injured in Philippines school shooting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had earlier flagged the hospital and skills project; India has also discussed prosthetic care after the war in Gaza. Ground was broken in August on a 200-bed super-speciality hospital in Jenin, with a trauma centre, alongside medicines and other health assistance. “India has been with us since the very first day,” Abu Shawesh said. Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin visited India earlier this year. He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for convening the BRICS summit in New Delhi “in a very tipping and very significant time.” The joint declaration, he said, included Palestine, a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as capital. BRICS text also opposed forced displacement and backed a sovereign Palestinian state on 1967 lines. Separately, the ambassador criticised commemorations of the 1918 Battle of Haifa as a "false" narrative. Britain itself became the occupying power, and India was then a colony without an independent decision to “liberate” anyone, he argued. His mission had screened a short film on the issue. India has long backed a two-state solution and UN resolutions on Palestine while maintaining strong ties with Israel.

The Trump administration has extended visa restrictions on Palestinian Authority and PLO officials, citing alleged failures to reform, payments to prisoners’ families etc

Palestinian Ambassador Shawesh criticises US for blocking Abbas' visa ahead of UNGA

New Delhi: India’s ambassador to the United Nations has warned that commercial shipping must not become a target of geopolitical rivalry, as attacks and disruptions in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten energy and food supplies worldwide.Speaking at a Bahrain-hosted UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on 17 September titled “Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment”, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said recent interruptions to major sea lanes had shown that maritime security was “vital to international peace, security and global prosperity”.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/people-first-india-s-envoy-explains-energy-priorities-as-us-congress-clears-bill-allowing-100-tariffs-1789665834482">‘People first’: Indian envoy outlines energy priorities amid US tariff move</a>“Commercial vessels must not become targets of geopolitical tensions,” he said. “Navigational rights must not be subject to coercion, threats, unlawful restrictions or arbitrary interference.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/IndiaAtUN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaAtUN</a> Statement by PR <a href="https://x.com/AmbHarishP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmbHarishP</a> at UNSC Arria-Formula meeting on “Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment”. Full statement: <a href="https://t.co/wFWm9bvxli">https://t.co/wFWm9bvxli</a> <a href="https://x.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> <a href="https://x.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a> <a href="https://x.com/PIB_India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PIB_India</a> <a href="https://x.com/IndianDiplomacy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndianDiplomacy</a> <a href="https://x.com/airnewsalerts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@airnewsalerts</a>… <a href="https://t.co/Q2A4TxPZgt">pic.twitter.com/Q2A4TxPZgt</a>&mdash; India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) <a href="https://x.com/IndiaUNNewYork/status/2100775020406436062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

India, he added, supported a “free, open, secure and rules-based maritime domain” in which rights of navigation and overflight were fully respected under international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.The envoy argued that insecurity at one chokepoint quickly raised freight and insurance costs, diverted traffic to longer routes and hit developing countries hardest. The international community, he said, needed practical arrangements to keep essential commercial and humanitarian cargo moving during crises, rather than responding only after incidents.He highlighted India’s own naval effort. As of 14 September, operations in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea had escorted more than 449 merchant vessels carrying nearly 20.3 million metric tonnes of cargo and oil worth more than $8.4bn. After security deteriorated in West Asia, the Indian Navy launched Operation Urja Suraksha; by mid-March, 11 Indian Navy units were deployed in the western Arabian Sea to protect trade.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-at-semicon-india-2026-india-s-semiconductor-ecosystem-expanding-rapidly-vishwakarma-jayanti-1789625427107">PM Modi spells out India's big semiconductor vision at SEMICON India</a>Parvathaneni also pressed for better coordination of existing mechanisms, with respect for coastal states’ sovereignty. India’s Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) was now listed as a reporting centre in IMO Best Management Practices on maritime security, he said, and New Delhi wanted it added to IMO Maritime Safety Committee Resolution 324(89).Seafarers, he stressed, “must remain at the centre of our collective efforts”. Their evacuation, medical care, crew changes and repatriation required clearer international contingency planning. He also flagged emerging risks from unmanned systems, cyberattacks and interference with navigation and communications.“The objective should not merely be to restore navigation after a crisis, but to build a maritime system capable of withstanding shocks before they cascade into wider economic and humanitarian crises,” he said.

India has told the UN that commercial vessels must not become targets of geopolitical tensions as disruptions hit key sea lanes. New Delhi has also highlighted its own naval operations to keep vital energy and trade routes moving.

New Delhi: India’s ambassador to the United Nations has warned that commercial shipping must not become a target of geopolitical rivalry, as attacks and disruptions in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten energy and food supplies worldwide. Speaking at a Bahrain-hosted UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on 17 September titled “Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment”, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said recent interruptions to major sea lanes had shown that maritime security was “vital to international peace, security and global prosperity”. Also read | ‘People first’: Indian envoy outlines energy priorities amid US tariff move “Commercial vessels must not become targets of geopolitical tensions,” he said. “Navigational rights must not be subject to coercion, threats, unlawful restrictions or arbitrary interference.”

India has told the UN that commercial vessels must not become targets of geopolitical tensions as disruptions hit key sea lanes. New Delhi has also highlighted its own naval operations to keep vital energy and trade routes moving.

Commercial ships must not be targeted, India tells UN amid West Asia conflict

Finland’s environment minister has said India’s large market can turn proven circular-economy solutions into large-scale business, as the World Circular Economy Forum is held in South Asia for the first time. Sari Multala, Finland’s minister of the environment and climate change, is in Gujarat for the 10th World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), taking place from 15 to 18 September at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. Finland originated the WCEF series and is co-organiser of this year’s edition.&nbsp;Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Multala said circularity cannot begin at the waste dump. “It can’t be only taken into account when you already have the waste in your hands. You have to start from planning the products, product design, planning construction areas and so forth,” she said. Only then, she added, can reuse and recycling work later in a product’s life.&nbsp;She described the Gujarat meetings as “very practical”, with businesses talking to one another and to policymakers about how rules can support circular models. Finland was among the first countries to adopt a national circular-economy roadmap and uses voluntary “green deals” that align government policy with business.&nbsp;“What we’ve learned is that if you want to do this, you really have to talk to each other,” Multala said. “Our market is quite small, but in India the market is big, and so you can scale these solutions that you have found already workable, for example at home in Finland.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europe-and-canada-stronger-together-carney-welcomes-eu-s-associate-membership-pitch-amid-strain-in-us-ties-1789640681791">'Europe and Canada stronger together': Carney ‘welcomes’ EU’s associate membership pitch amid strain in US ties</a>&nbsp;That is why Finnish companies are “looking for their place in the Indian markets”, she explained. Resource efficiency is becoming more urgent as economies electrify and demand for critical minerals grows. “There is only a limited number of rare earths. We have to make sure that the ones that we are using are being circulated as long as they can.”&nbsp;Asked about India’s long-standing call for common but differentiated responsibilities when it comes to climate change, and for technology and finance from developed countries to the Global South, Multala framed climate action as an investment opportunity rather than a burden.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Climate mitigation is more and more business as usual, or should be more business as usual,” she said. Predictable policies give “long-term predictability for investments into India”, creating clean-technology jobs and reducing the risk that climate duties overburden the economy.&nbsp;She also pointed to a forthcoming EU-India trade agreement. It would “help a lot in this, making better business and making also climate-mitigating climate change a business opportunity”.&nbsp;The forum’s theme is “Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity”. Organisers say it has drawn thousands of delegates from more than 60 countries, with accelerator sessions continuing after the main programme. India has promoted circularity through extended producer responsibility rules, waste-to-resource policies and the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) campaign. Finland and India renewed an environmental cooperation memorandum earlier in 2026, with circular economy as a priority.

Minister of Climate and the Environment of Finland, Sari Multala said India could scale up Finland’s circular economy solutions through greater cooperation and the adoption of sustainable technologies.

Finland’s environment minister has said India’s large market can turn proven circular-economy solutions into large-scale business, as the World Circular Economy Forum is held in South Asia for the first time. Sari Multala, Finland’s minister of the environment and climate change, is in Gujarat for the 10th World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), taking place from 15 to 18 September at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. Finland originated the WCEF series and is co-organiser of this year’s edition. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Multala said circularity cannot begin at the waste dump. “It can’t be only taken into account when you already have the waste in your hands. You have to start from planning the products, product design, planning construction areas and so forth,” she said. Only then, she added, can reuse and recycling work later in a product’s life. She described the Gujarat meetings as “very practical”, with businesses talking to one another and to policymakers about how rules can support circular models. Finland was among the first countries to adopt a national circular-economy roadmap and uses voluntary “green deals” that align government policy with business. “What we’ve learned is that if you want to do this, you really have to talk to each other,” Multala said. “Our market is quite small, but in India the market is big, and so you can scale these solutions that you have found already workable, for example at home in Finland.” Also Read: 'Europe and Canada stronger together': Carney ‘welcomes’ EU’s associate membership pitch amid strain in US ties That is why Finnish companies are “looking for their place in the Indian markets”, she explained. Resource efficiency is becoming more urgent as economies electrify and demand for critical minerals grows. “There is only a limited number of rare earths. We have to make sure that the ones that we are using are being circulated as long as they can.” Asked about India’s long-standing call for common but differentiated responsibilities when it comes to climate change, and for technology and finance from developed countries to the Global South, Multala framed climate action as an investment opportunity rather than a burden. “Climate mitigation is more and more business as usual, or should be more business as usual,” she said. Predictable policies give “long-term predictability for investments into India”, creating clean-technology jobs and reducing the risk that climate duties overburden the economy. She also pointed to a forthcoming EU-India trade agreement. It would “help a lot in this, making better business and making also climate-mitigating climate change a business opportunity”. The forum’s theme is “Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity”. Organisers say it has drawn thousands of delegates from more than 60 countries, with accelerator sessions continuing after the main programme. India has promoted circularity through extended producer responsibility rules, waste-to-resource policies and the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) campaign. Finland and India renewed an environmental cooperation memorandum earlier in 2026, with circular economy as a priority.

Minister of Climate and the Environment of Finland, Sari Multala said India could scale up Finland’s circular economy solutions through greater cooperation and the adoption of sustainable technologies.

India can scale up Finland’s circular solutions, minister Multala says

India is pushing for recognition of its verification agencies and carbon-pricing system under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, commerce ministry officials have said. Officials said both sides have agreed that each will recognise the other’s verification processes, removal procedures and competent agencies.Work has already begun and has not waited for a free-trade agreement. Three meetings have been held with the EU. The bloc has opened applications from third-country verification bodies; Indian applications have been filed and New Delhi is pressing for faster approval.“We have identified competent authorities and are working with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency on India’s carbon-credit trading system,” an official said. “The aim is that Indian exporters can have their facilities verified at home so that verified data can be submitted to Europe.” Officials reported a positive response from the EU side. Separate talks on recognition of India’s carbon price and related instruments took place as recently as yesterday.The package also includes capacity-building, technical help and financial assistance. Officials described three pillars: recognition of carbon prices, recognition of verification bodies, and financial assistance, plus most-favoured-nation treatment of any future concessions.They said Indian industry is not lagging in reporting or in cutting emissions; emissions “are not that high” and firms are working both to lower them and to ensure imported goods are verified. On steel, officials confirmed that a conservative estimate of 25 million tonnes of exports already factors in CBAM costs. Parallel discussions are under way with the United Kingdom, whose carbon tax takes effect on 1 January; recognition of Indian verifiers and certified bodies has been agreed.On ship recycling, officials said India is the world’s largest ship-breaking nation, with more than 30 per cent of the market. The EU had not previously recognised yards outside Europe. “In their draft regulation they have now listed two Indian establishments,” an official said. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Department of Commerce have jointly pursued the issue.The development comes as the India-EU FTA is expected to be signed in December. Dubbed the "mother of all trade agreements", the trade deal was announced in January and will interlink India-EU markets, with the lowering of tariffs and other concessions at a time of trade wars.

On ship recycling, officials said India is the world’s largest ship-breaking nation, with more than 30 per cent of the market. The EU had not previously recognised yards outside Europe.

India is pushing for recognition of its verification agencies and carbon-pricing system under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, commerce ministry officials have said. Officials said both sides have agreed that each will recognise the other’s verification processes, removal procedures and competent agencies. Work has already begun and has not waited for a free-trade agreement. Three meetings have been held with the EU. The bloc has opened applications from third-country verification bodies; Indian applications have been filed and New Delhi is pressing for faster approval. “We have identified competent authorities and are working with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency on India’s carbon-credit trading system,” an official said. “The aim is that Indian exporters can have their facilities verified at home so that verified data can be submitted to Europe.” Officials reported a positive response from the EU side. Separate talks on recognition of India’s carbon price and related instruments took place as recently as yesterday. The package also includes capacity-building, technical help and financial assistance. Officials described three pillars: recognition of carbon prices, recognition of verification bodies, and financial assistance, plus most-favoured-nation treatment of any future concessions. They said Indian industry is not lagging in reporting or in cutting emissions; emissions “are not that high” and firms are working both to lower them and to ensure imported goods are verified. On steel, officials confirmed that a conservative estimate of 25 million tonnes of exports already factors in CBAM costs. Parallel discussions are under way with the United Kingdom, whose carbon tax takes effect on 1 January; recognition of Indian verifiers and certified bodies has been agreed. On ship recycling, officials said India is the world’s largest ship-breaking nation, with more than 30 per cent of the market. The EU had not previously recognised yards outside Europe. “In their draft regulation they have now listed two Indian establishments,” an official said. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Department of Commerce have jointly pursued the issue. The development comes as the India-EU FTA is expected to be signed in December. Dubbed the "mother of all trade agreements", the trade deal was announced in January and will interlink India-EU markets, with the lowering of tariffs and other concessions at a time of trade wars.

On ship recycling, officials said India is the world’s largest ship-breaking nation, with more than 30 per cent of the market. The EU had not previously recognised yards outside Europe.

India files EU applications for CBAM verification bodies, officials say; two Indian shipyards listed in draft EU recycling rules

India’s protest after Tuesday's collision in the North Arabian Sea is built around a single clause in a 35-year-old treaty. Article 10 of the April 1991 Agreement on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements says naval ships and submarines of India and Pakistan “are not to come closer than three nautical miles from each other so as to avoid any accident while operating in international waters.” Three nautical miles is about 5.6km. The rule is a buffer, not a gesture.&nbsp;On the high seas, there is no visible border. Distance is meant to give both sides time to identify the other ship, use the radio and change course before a close encounter becomes a crisis.&nbsp;New Delhi says that buffer was ignored again on 15 September. According to the Indian side, PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel, shadowed an Indian warship on a routine surveillance mission about 220km east of Oman, did not heed repeated calls on Channel 16, increased speed and cut across the Indian ship’s bow from starboard. The vessels made contact.&nbsp;India says its ship was not damaged by PNS Hunain returned to harbour with "severe damage". Pakistan has not issued a detailed public statement. India has called the manoeuvre “unacceptable and unprofessional” and a “direct contravention” of Article 10.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-10-convicts-get-death-sentence-in-2013-jhiram-ghati-maoist-attack-that-killed-27-including-senior-congress-leaders-1789575777968">10 convicts get death sentence in 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack that killed 27, including senior Congress leaders</a>&nbsp;A similar incident happened in June 2011. INS Godavari and PNS Babur came into contact in the Gulf of Aden while both were near MV Suez, a merchant ship recently released by Somali pirates. Then defence minister A.K. Antony told parliament that Babur closed Godavari at high speed from astern and carried out a manoeuvre “in gross violation” of navigational safety rules, lightly damaging a helicopter-deck safety net.&nbsp;India protested under both the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and Article 10. A video later circulated of the two ships brushing. Pakistan rejected that account at the time.&nbsp;Two collisions, 15 years apart, do not by themselves prove a standing doctrine. What they do show is a recurring argument over the same measurable rule. Pakistani ship chose the geometry- from astern in 2011, across the bow in 2026, after the Indian vessel was already in the area- and contact followed. What followed was a collision &amp; a conduct unbecoming of the Navy, in this case, the Pakistan Navy.

India has cited Article 10 of the 1991 India-Pakistan agreement after a collision involving PNS Hunain in the North Arabian Sea, saying the Pakistani vessel violated the treaty’s three-nautical-mile safety rule.

India’s protest after Tuesday's collision in the North Arabian Sea is built around a single clause in a 35-year-old treaty. Article 10 of the April 1991 Agreement on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements says naval ships and submarines of India and Pakistan “are not to come closer than three nautical miles from each other so as to avoid any accident while operating in international waters.” Three nautical miles is about 5.6km. The rule is a buffer, not a gesture. On the high seas, there is no visible border. Distance is meant to give both sides time to identify the other ship, use the radio and change course before a close encounter becomes a crisis. New Delhi says that buffer was ignored again on 15 September. According to the Indian side, PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel, shadowed an Indian warship on a routine surveillance mission about 220km east of Oman, did not heed repeated calls on Channel 16, increased speed and cut across the Indian ship’s bow from starboard. The vessels made contact. India says its ship was not damaged by PNS Hunain returned to harbour with "severe damage". Pakistan has not issued a detailed public statement. India has called the manoeuvre “unacceptable and unprofessional” and a “direct contravention” of Article 10. Also Read: 10 convicts get death sentence in 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack that killed 27, including senior Congress leaders A similar incident happened in June 2011. INS Godavari and PNS Babur came into contact in the Gulf of Aden while both were near MV Suez, a merchant ship recently released by Somali pirates. Then defence minister A.K. Antony told parliament that Babur closed Godavari at high speed from astern and carried out a manoeuvre “in gross violation” of navigational safety rules, lightly damaging a helicopter-deck safety net. India protested under both the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and Article 10. A video later circulated of the two ships brushing. Pakistan rejected that account at the time. Two collisions, 15 years apart, do not by themselves prove a standing doctrine. What they do show is a recurring argument over the same measurable rule. Pakistani ship chose the geometry- from astern in 2011, across the bow in 2026, after the Indian vessel was already in the area- and contact followed. What followed was a collision & a conduct unbecoming of the Navy, in this case, the Pakistan Navy.

India has cited Article 10 of the 1991 India-Pakistan agreement after a collision involving PNS Hunain in the North Arabian Sea, saying the Pakistani vessel violated the treaty’s three-nautical-mile safety rule.

What is Article 10 of the 1991 treaty at the centre of Pakistan Navy's 'unprofessional conduct'

Taiwan’s representative in India has said direct air links with New Delhi will resume on 1 December and that two semiconductor projects involving Taiwanese firms should begin operating within one to two years, as Taipei looks to expand trade and people-to-people contact.Dr Mumin Chen, who heads the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center, said the Delhi–Taipei route would be operated by EVA Air five times a week. “The first priority is that we’ve resumed the direct flight and encourage more Indian friends to visit Taiwan,” he said, adding that Taiwan would “certainly consider” new procedures to make visa applications easier for Indian travellers.Bilateral trade reached a record $12.5bn in 2025. Chen said it was expected to rise further this year, “probably $16 billion”. Taiwan’s exports, he noted, were concentrated in machinery and computer components, reflecting India’s push to expand manufacturing in information and communications technology and industrial goods.“Taiwan could play a more important role in contributing to India’s economic development and also industrialisation,” he said.On semiconductors, Chen pointed to two projects, one in Gujarat and one in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, that he said were “going very well”. “I believe that in the next one or two years we will see both projects complete and start operating.”About 40 Mandarin teachers from Taiwan already work in Indian universities. Chen said numbers would rise only gradually. India was “a very huge country”, he said, so Taipei would first identify strong universities and colleges, sign memorandums of understanding, and then recruit teachers.Labour mobility has moved more slowly. Taiwan faces shortages and India has surplus workers, but Chen acknowledged there had not been “much progress”. With flights restarting and exchanges increasing, he said, “I believe that the labour mobility issue will be solved very soon.”Chen also restated Taipei’s political position after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met. “China in recent years has tried hard to pressure Taiwan and also to pressure other countries to assert the so-called One China principle, which we strongly object…”.China’s official account of the PM Modi-President Xi meeting in Delhi said India had restated its position on Taiwan. New Delhi readout did not repeat that language, saying both sides need to show sensitivity to each other's own "core concerns".With the UN General Assembly approaching, a Taiwanese representative repeated Taiwan’s long-standing demand for a voice at the United Nations. Taiwan has had no representation since 1971. “When we talk about the world community, you cannot exclude Taiwan,” he said. “Taiwan deserves representation in the United Nations.”

On semiconductors, Chen pointed to two projects, one in Gujarat and one in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, that he said were “going very well”. “I believe that in the next one or two years we will see both projects complete and start operating.”

Taiwan’s representative in India has said direct air links with New Delhi will resume on 1 December and that two semiconductor projects involving Taiwanese firms should begin operating within one to two years, as Taipei looks to expand trade and people-to-people contact. Dr Mumin Chen, who heads the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center, said the Delhi–Taipei route would be operated by EVA Air five times a week. “The first priority is that we’ve resumed the direct flight and encourage more Indian friends to visit Taiwan,” he said, adding that Taiwan would “certainly consider” new procedures to make visa applications easier for Indian travellers. Bilateral trade reached a record $12.5bn in 2025. Chen said it was expected to rise further this year, “probably $16 billion”. Taiwan’s exports, he noted, were concentrated in machinery and computer components, reflecting India’s push to expand manufacturing in information and communications technology and industrial goods. “Taiwan could play a more important role in contributing to India’s economic development and also industrialisation,” he said. On semiconductors, Chen pointed to two projects, one in Gujarat and one in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, that he said were “going very well”. “I believe that in the next one or two years we will see both projects complete and start operating.” About 40 Mandarin teachers from Taiwan already work in Indian universities. Chen said numbers would rise only gradually. India was “a very huge country”, he said, so Taipei would first identify strong universities and colleges, sign memorandums of understanding, and then recruit teachers. Labour mobility has moved more slowly. Taiwan faces shortages and India has surplus workers, but Chen acknowledged there had not been “much progress”. With flights restarting and exchanges increasing, he said, “I believe that the labour mobility issue will be solved very soon.” Chen also restated Taipei’s political position after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met. “China in recent years has tried hard to pressure Taiwan and also to pressure other countries to assert the so-called One China principle, which we strongly object…”. China’s official account of the PM Modi-President Xi meeting in Delhi said India had restated its position on Taiwan. New Delhi readout did not repeat that language, saying both sides need to show sensitivity to each other's own "core concerns". With the UN General Assembly approaching, a Taiwanese representative repeated Taiwan’s long-standing demand for a voice at the United Nations. Taiwan has had no representation since 1971. “When we talk about the world community, you cannot exclude Taiwan,” he said. “Taiwan deserves representation in the United Nations.”

On semiconductors, Chen pointed to two projects, one in Gujarat and one in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, that he said were “going very well”. “I believe that in the next one or two years we will see both projects complete and start operating.”

Taiwan seeks deeper India ties as direct flights restart soon, and chip projects advance

A Pakistan Navy ship involved in a collision with an Indian warship in international waters has returned to harbour after sustaining "severe damage", according to sources familiar with the incident.&nbsp;The incident took place on the evening of 15 September in the North Arabian Sea, where a Pakistani naval vessel approached a frontline Indian Navy warship at high speed while the Indian ship was on a routine surveillance mission. Indian side has described the Pakistani ship's manoeuvring as “unprofessional and unsafe manner,” resulting in a collision.&nbsp;India has summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest. The Ministry of External Affairs said the Pakistani ship’s conduct was “unacceptable and unprofessional” and in “direct contravention” of a 1991 bilateral agreement.&nbsp;Article 10 of that pact, the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements, states: “The Naval ships and submarines belonging to the other country are not to come closer than three Nautical Miles (NMs) from each other so as to avoid any accident while operating in international waters.”&nbsp;Indian sources said New Delhi’s warship suffered no major damage, no injuries and no loss of operational capability, and continued its mission. They added that the Indian Navy captain showed restraint. “Even under extreme provocation, the Indian Navy captain exercised extreme restraint by taking actions to prevent a severe accident from taking place which could have caused serious loss of life and damage,” sources said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-s-name-cannot-return-to-kennedy-center-us-judge-rules-1789493053928">Trump's name cannot return to Kennedy Center, US judge rules</a>&nbsp;Pakistan has not issued an official statement on the collision or the condition of its vessel. India instructed its envoy in Islamabad to deliver a matching protest. The chargé d’affaires in New Delhi was told to convey that military units on both sides must exercise due care and respect existing agreements to prevent a repeat.&nbsp;The incident is the first publicly acknowledged close-quarters naval encounter between the two countries since a brief but intense conflict last year. The 1991 agreement was designed as a confidence-building measure to reduce the risk of accidental clashes at sea between the nuclear-armed neighbours, whose navies routinely operate in the Arabian Sea.&nbsp;Officials in New Delhi described the collision as a breach of established safety distances rather than a deliberate attack, but warned against any recurrence. &nbsp;The latest episode has revived memories of earlier near-misses, including a 2011 standoff involving Indian and Pakistani frigates.

A Pakistani Navy ship returned to harbour with severe damage after colliding with an Indian warship in the North Arabian Sea, prompting a strong protest from New Delhi.

A Pakistan Navy ship involved in a collision with an Indian warship in international waters has returned to harbour after sustaining "severe damage", according to sources familiar with the incident. The incident took place on the evening of 15 September in the North Arabian Sea, where a Pakistani naval vessel approached a frontline Indian Navy warship at high speed while the Indian ship was on a routine surveillance mission. Indian side has described the Pakistani ship's manoeuvring as “unprofessional and unsafe manner,” resulting in a collision. India has summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest. The Ministry of External Affairs said the Pakistani ship’s conduct was “unacceptable and unprofessional” and in “direct contravention” of a 1991 bilateral agreement. Article 10 of that pact, the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements, states: “The Naval ships and submarines belonging to the other country are not to come closer than three Nautical Miles (NMs) from each other so as to avoid any accident while operating in international waters.” Indian sources said New Delhi’s warship suffered no major damage, no injuries and no loss of operational capability, and continued its mission. They added that the Indian Navy captain showed restraint. “Even under extreme provocation, the Indian Navy captain exercised extreme restraint by taking actions to prevent a severe accident from taking place which could have caused serious loss of life and damage,” sources said. Also Read: Trump's name cannot return to Kennedy Center, US judge rules Pakistan has not issued an official statement on the collision or the condition of its vessel. India instructed its envoy in Islamabad to deliver a matching protest. The chargé d’affaires in New Delhi was told to convey that military units on both sides must exercise due care and respect existing agreements to prevent a repeat. The incident is the first publicly acknowledged close-quarters naval encounter between the two countries since a brief but intense conflict last year. The 1991 agreement was designed as a confidence-building measure to reduce the risk of accidental clashes at sea between the nuclear-armed neighbours, whose navies routinely operate in the Arabian Sea. Officials in New Delhi described the collision as a breach of established safety distances rather than a deliberate attack, but warned against any recurrence. The latest episode has revived memories of earlier near-misses, including a 2011 standoff involving Indian and Pakistani frigates.

A Pakistani Navy ship returned to harbour with severe damage after colliding with an Indian warship in the North Arabian Sea, prompting a strong protest from New Delhi.

Pakistan naval vessel returns to harbour with 'severe damage' after collision with Indian warship in Arabian Sea

New Delhi: India’s imports from Russia jumped 57% in the first five months of the financial year, official data show, deepening an energy import-driven relationship even as New Delhi presses Moscow and Beijing for greater market access.Commerce ministry figures released on Tuesday put merchandise imports from Russia at $41.44bn from April-August 2026-2027, up from $26.45bn a year (Apr-Aug 2025-26) ago. Officials said the rise was led by the import of petroleum, fertilisers and vegetable oils.&nbsp;Bilateral trade is now approaching $70bn a year, with India's import of Russian energy that has significantly increased since the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine in 2022. The surge has left India with a large deficit. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the imbalance and sought better access for Indian goods during recent inter-governmental talks in Moscow.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imran-khan-s-sons-accuse-asim-munir-of-holding-personal-grudge-against-imprisoned-father-1789484359759">Imran Khan’s sons accuse Asim Munir of holding ‘personal grudge’ against imprisoned father</a>&nbsp;China remained India’s biggest source of imports over the same period, at $65.49bn against $51.56bn a year earlier. The United States followed at $28.09bn, then the United Arab Emirates at $24.36bn and South Korea at $12.10bn. On the export side, the US was the largest market at $42.79bn, ahead of the UAE ($13.59bn), China ($9.61bn), Singapore ($9.50bn) and the Netherlands ($6.95bn). In South Asia, Bangladesh was the top destination, taking $4.72bn of Indian goods.&nbsp;The China figures sit at the centre of a cautious diplomatic thaw. Over the weekend Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping held their third bilateral meeting since 2024, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Delhi. An Indian readout said the two leaders “underlined the need to address each other’s concerns, including structural trade imbalance and supply chain issues, and facilitation of meaningful and predictable market access.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/j-k-cm-omar-abdullah-praises-centre-over-pahalgam-attack-condemnation-at-brics-in-presence-of-pakistan-s-allies-1789478311956">J&amp;K CM Omar Abdullah praises Centre over Pahalgam attack condemnation at BRICS in presence of Pakistan’s allies</a>&nbsp;Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal then met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao. Indian commerce officials described the meeting as an “initial first trading meeting” after a period of “gradual confidence building.” “We are open to engaging with them to find solutions to trade imbalances,” one official said. Both sides, they added, wanted to work on structural concerns. India’s deficit with China exceeded $112bn last financial year.&nbsp;BRICS itself featured in the trade numbers. Exports to all members rose 13% to $34.53bn in April–August; shipments to the original four partners, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, grew 34%. At the weekend BRICS summit in the Indian national capital, member countries focused on more intra-BRICS trade.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ai-has-the-potential-to-kill-us-all-ex-deepmind-researcher-sounds-alarm-on-superintelligence-threat-1789475011718">‘AI has the potential to kill us all’: Ex-DeepMind researcher sounds alarm on superintelligence threat</a>&nbsp;New Delhi is also advancing several other talks for free trade agreements and larger trade pacts. Forty-eight Canadian officials are in Delhi for talks on a Comprehensive economic partnership agreement. 2 chapters of a potential agreement are complete and both sides hope to finish by year-end. An India–EU free-trade deal is “moving as per plan” and is also expected to be signed by December.&nbsp;&nbsp;A pact with New Zealand is due to take effect in the second half of October. Indian Trade Minister Goyal will travel to the United States for a G20 trade ministers’ meeting, where he is expected to meet his counterpart to discuss bilateral issues, including the interim trade arrangement that was announced in February.

On the export side, the US was the largest market at $42.79bn, ahead of the UAE ($13.59bn), China ($9.61bn), Singapore ($9.50bn) and the Netherlands ($6.95bn). In South Asia, Bangladesh was the top destination, taking $4.72bn of Indian goods.

New Delhi: India’s imports from Russia jumped 57% in the first five months of the financial year, official data show, deepening an energy import-driven relationship even as New Delhi presses Moscow and Beijing for greater market access. Commerce ministry figures released on Tuesday put merchandise imports from Russia at $41.44bn from April-August 2026-2027, up from $26.45bn a year (Apr-Aug 2025-26) ago. Officials said the rise was led by the import of petroleum, fertilisers and vegetable oils. Bilateral trade is now approaching $70bn a year, with India's import of Russian energy that has significantly increased since the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine in 2022. The surge has left India with a large deficit. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the imbalance and sought better access for Indian goods during recent inter-governmental talks in Moscow. Also Read: Imran Khan’s sons accuse Asim Munir of holding ‘personal grudge’ against imprisoned father China remained India’s biggest source of imports over the same period, at $65.49bn against $51.56bn a year earlier. The United States followed at $28.09bn, then the United Arab Emirates at $24.36bn and South Korea at $12.10bn. On the export side, the US was the largest market at $42.79bn, ahead of the UAE ($13.59bn), China ($9.61bn), Singapore ($9.50bn) and the Netherlands ($6.95bn). In South Asia, Bangladesh was the top destination, taking $4.72bn of Indian goods. The China figures sit at the centre of a cautious diplomatic thaw. Over the weekend Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping held their third bilateral meeting since 2024, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Delhi. An Indian readout said the two leaders “underlined the need to address each other’s concerns, including structural trade imbalance and supply chain issues, and facilitation of meaningful and predictable market access.” Also Read: J&K CM Omar Abdullah praises Centre over Pahalgam attack condemnation at BRICS in presence of Pakistan’s allies Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal then met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao. Indian commerce officials described the meeting as an “initial first trading meeting” after a period of “gradual confidence building.” “We are open to engaging with them to find solutions to trade imbalances,” one official said. Both sides, they added, wanted to work on structural concerns. India’s deficit with China exceeded $112bn last financial year. BRICS itself featured in the trade numbers. Exports to all members rose 13% to $34.53bn in April–August; shipments to the original four partners, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, grew 34%. At the weekend BRICS summit in the Indian national capital, member countries focused on more intra-BRICS trade. Also Read: ‘AI has the potential to kill us all’: Ex-DeepMind researcher sounds alarm on superintelligence threat New Delhi is also advancing several other talks for free trade agreements and larger trade pacts. Forty-eight Canadian officials are in Delhi for talks on a Comprehensive economic partnership agreement. 2 chapters of a potential agreement are complete and both sides hope to finish by year-end. An India–EU free-trade deal is “moving as per plan” and is also expected to be signed by December. A pact with New Zealand is due to take effect in the second half of October. Indian Trade Minister Goyal will travel to the United States for a G20 trade ministers’ meeting, where he is expected to meet his counterpart to discuss bilateral issues, including the interim trade arrangement that was announced in February.

On the export side, the US was the largest market at $42.79bn, ahead of the UAE ($13.59bn), China ($9.61bn), Singapore ($9.50bn) and the Netherlands ($6.95bn). In South Asia, Bangladesh was the top destination, taking $4.72bn of Indian goods.

India’s imports from Russia jump 57% in five months; China remains top import source

Indian and US troops have begun their largest annual land exercise in more than two decades, splitting 1,200 soldiers between the high Himalayas of Uttarakhand and the firing ranges of Rajasthan to practise mountain warfare, drones and long-range fires. The 22nd edition of Yudh Abhyas opened on Tuesday at Auli Foreign Training Node, where Major General Amaresh Gunjan, General Officer Commanding of the Indian Army’s 14 Infantry Division, and Colonel Benjamin Jackman of the US 11th Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team addressed contingents of about 600 personnel from each side. Training is running in parallel at Mahajan Field Firing Range. The US force includes soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division, known as the “Arctic Angels”. Officials said the two-week drill will move from academic exchanges on space, cyber and multi-domain operations to a brigade-level command post exercise, field lanes, counter-drone training at Auli, and live-fire serials at Mahajan involving HIMARS, Stinger missiles and the Mobile Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System, or M-LIDS.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-dismisses-pakistan-bounty-on-masood-azhar-as-phony-1789473976877">India dismisses Pakistan bounty on Masood Azhar as 'phony'</a>&nbsp;“Yudh Abhyas 2026 provides our soldiers an opportunity to enhance bilateral readiness, cooperation and interoperability,” Jackman said. “By training alongside the Indian Army, we are strengthening our mutual trust and building combat credibility.” The Indian side framed the exercise as a full-spectrum test. “Exercise Yudh Abhyas gives us a platform to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures across the full spectrum of multidomain operations, from precision fires at Mahajan to mountain warfare here in Auli,” he said. “It strengthens the bond between our armies and prepares us to prevail together in any environment.” India’s defence ministry said the aim is to improve the two armies’ ability to employ Integrated Battle Groups in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, with an emphasis on infantry-led operations. Technology is a central theme as drones and autonomous systems will be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, contemporary weapons will be demonstrated at Mahajan, and subject-matter experts will compare notes on emerging multi-domain warfare. Jackman said the test would be whether headquarters and small units can “seamlessly integrate our capabilities”. “When we conclude this training, our Soldiers will stand side by side as a more lethal, coordinated and ready force.” Held annually since 2004 and sponsored on the US side by US Army Pacific, Yudh Abhyas is designed to deepen interoperability under the US-India Major Defence Partnership. This year’s edition is scheduled to close on 28 September.

India and the US have begun the 22nd edition of Yudh Abhyas, deploying around 1,200 troops across Uttarakhand and Rajasthan to train in mountain warfare, drone operations, precision fires and multi-domain combat.

Indian and US troops have begun their largest annual land exercise in more than two decades, splitting 1,200 soldiers between the high Himalayas of Uttarakhand and the firing ranges of Rajasthan to practise mountain warfare, drones and long-range fires. The 22nd edition of Yudh Abhyas opened on Tuesday at Auli Foreign Training Node, where Major General Amaresh Gunjan, General Officer Commanding of the Indian Army’s 14 Infantry Division, and Colonel Benjamin Jackman of the US 11th Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team addressed contingents of about 600 personnel from each side. Training is running in parallel at Mahajan Field Firing Range. The US force includes soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division, known as the “Arctic Angels”. Officials said the two-week drill will move from academic exchanges on space, cyber and multi-domain operations to a brigade-level command post exercise, field lanes, counter-drone training at Auli, and live-fire serials at Mahajan involving HIMARS, Stinger missiles and the Mobile Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System, or M-LIDS. Also Read: India dismisses Pakistan bounty on Masood Azhar as 'phony' “Yudh Abhyas 2026 provides our soldiers an opportunity to enhance bilateral readiness, cooperation and interoperability,” Jackman said. “By training alongside the Indian Army, we are strengthening our mutual trust and building combat credibility.” The Indian side framed the exercise as a full-spectrum test. “Exercise Yudh Abhyas gives us a platform to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures across the full spectrum of multidomain operations, from precision fires at Mahajan to mountain warfare here in Auli,” he said. “It strengthens the bond between our armies and prepares us to prevail together in any environment.” India’s defence ministry said the aim is to improve the two armies’ ability to employ Integrated Battle Groups in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, with an emphasis on infantry-led operations. Technology is a central theme as drones and autonomous systems will be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, contemporary weapons will be demonstrated at Mahajan, and subject-matter experts will compare notes on emerging multi-domain warfare. Jackman said the test would be whether headquarters and small units can “seamlessly integrate our capabilities”. “When we conclude this training, our Soldiers will stand side by side as a more lethal, coordinated and ready force.” Held annually since 2004 and sponsored on the US side by US Army Pacific, Yudh Abhyas is designed to deepen interoperability under the US-India Major Defence Partnership. This year’s edition is scheduled to close on 28 September.

India and the US have begun the 22nd edition of Yudh Abhyas, deploying around 1,200 troops across Uttarakhand and Rajasthan to train in mountain warfare, drone operations, precision fires and multi-domain combat.

1,200 Indian and US troops begin high-altitude and desert drills

India has dismissed Pakistan’s decision to raise a reward on Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar as a hollow publicity exercise timed for international scrutiny.&nbsp;At the weekly briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday (Sept 15), Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to WION's Sidhant Sibal's question, said that Islamabad’s announcement was familiar theatre.&nbsp;“Such gimmicks and hoodwinking by Pakistan are nothing new,” he said. “For a state sponsor of terror to make a phoney announcement, we all know how hollow it is. They should take action, not make phony announcements that are of no consequence.”&nbsp;Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency listed Azhar in its 2026 “Red Book” of most-wanted suspects and advertised a reward of 7 million Pakistani rupees, about $25,000, for information leading to his arrest or conviction. The entry gives a Bahawalpur address, describes him as armed and extremely dangerous, and cites Pakistani cases from 2020 and 2021. A similar bounty of 5 million rupees was advertised in 2021. Islamabad has long said Azhar left for Afghanistan; Kabul has rejected that claim.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-tightens-child-safety-rules-meta-agrees-to-report-child-sexual-abuse-cases-1789471351365">India tightens child safety rules: Meta agrees to report child sexual abuse cases</a>&nbsp;The timing has drawn scepticism in New Delhi. An October plenary of the Financial Action Task Force is expected to examine Pakistan’s record on terror financing. According to Indian intelligence assessments, Azhar remains inside Pakistan, not Afghanistan.&nbsp;Azhar, designated by the UN Security Council in 2019, is wanted in India over the 2001 Parliament terror attack, later plots and the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.&nbsp;The same Red Book again names 19 men linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 166 people. Photographs, Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliations and operational details have been stripped from two entries that were fuller in 2021: those of Muhammad Khan of Turbat and Abdul Rehman of Bahawalnagar.

India has dismissed Pakistan’s reward for information on Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar as a hollow publicity exercise, with MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal slamming Islamabad over its failure to take action on terrorists.

India has dismissed Pakistan’s decision to raise a reward on Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar as a hollow publicity exercise timed for international scrutiny. At the weekly briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday (Sept 15), Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to WION's Sidhant Sibal's question, said that Islamabad’s announcement was familiar theatre. “Such gimmicks and hoodwinking by Pakistan are nothing new,” he said. “For a state sponsor of terror to make a phoney announcement, we all know how hollow it is. They should take action, not make phony announcements that are of no consequence.” Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency listed Azhar in its 2026 “Red Book” of most-wanted suspects and advertised a reward of 7 million Pakistani rupees, about $25,000, for information leading to his arrest or conviction. The entry gives a Bahawalpur address, describes him as armed and extremely dangerous, and cites Pakistani cases from 2020 and 2021. A similar bounty of 5 million rupees was advertised in 2021. Islamabad has long said Azhar left for Afghanistan; Kabul has rejected that claim. Also Read: India tightens child safety rules: Meta agrees to report child sexual abuse cases The timing has drawn scepticism in New Delhi. An October plenary of the Financial Action Task Force is expected to examine Pakistan’s record on terror financing. According to Indian intelligence assessments, Azhar remains inside Pakistan, not Afghanistan. Azhar, designated by the UN Security Council in 2019, is wanted in India over the 2001 Parliament terror attack, later plots and the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. The same Red Book again names 19 men linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 166 people. Photographs, Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliations and operational details have been stripped from two entries that were fuller in 2021: those of Muhammad Khan of Turbat and Abdul Rehman of Bahawalnagar.

India has dismissed Pakistan’s reward for information on Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar as a hollow publicity exercise, with MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal slamming Islamabad over its failure to take action on terrorists.

India dismisses Pakistan bounty on Masood Azhar as 'phony'

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