A child looks out from an autorickshaw as it rains rains in New Delhi.

A horse of the French Republican Guard falls during the annual Bastille Day military ceremony on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France.

An official holds a swan during the annual swan census, known as Swan Upping, along the River Thames near Windsor, Britain.

People take part in a candlelight procession during the commemoration (Orma Perunnal) of Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, founder of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, in Thiruvananthapuram.

Members of LGBTQ+ community perform during ‘Kinnar Mahotsav’, in Patna.

Published 14 July 2025, 22:39 IST

For the 21st time in 59 days, US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that he personally stopped a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. 

During Monday’s meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte, Trump stated the conflict “would have been a nuclear war within another week”. 

Trump asserted he ended it by threatening to halt trade deals: “I said, ‘we’re not going to talk trade unless you settle this’”. Trump praised PM Modi and Pakistani leaders as “great” for complying. His claim traces back to May 10, when he announced a ceasefire after a “long night” of US-mediated talks.

India has consistently denied Trump’s version, maintaining the ceasefire resulted from direct military talks and not US pressure. 

In a 35-minute call last month, PM Modi told Trump India “does not and will never accept” third-party mediation. 

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified Pakistan requested the truce after India’s Operation Sindoor, retaliatory strikes for a terror attack killing 26 in Kashmir. No trade discussions occurred during the crisis, India insists, contradicting Trump’s narrative of economic threats forcing de-escalation. 

Tensions erupted on April 22, 2025, when militants attacked civilians in Pahalgam, Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan-based terrorists and launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir with missiles and drones. 

Pakistan retaliated, triggering four days of cross-border strikes. On May 10, Pakistan’s military called India’s DGMO seeking a truce, leading to a direct ceasefire agreement. 

Trump immediately tweeted about his role, though India’s government noted that the military resolved it without external help.

India’s opposition Congress party criticized PM Modi’s silence on Trump’s repeated claims. Spokesperson Jairam Ramesh noted Trump made the assertion “21 times in 59 days,” asking when Modi would “break his silence”. 

Meanwhile, Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief, a move analysts warned could strain US-India ties. The White House meeting marked unprecedented recognition of Pakistan’s military influence.

India and New Zealand on Monday started the second round of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that will go on till July 25. 

The first round of talks were held in early May. India and New Zealand decided in March to re-launch negotiations on FTA during New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to New Delhi. 

It is the  second attempt by both countries to strike a trade deal. Through the deal they are aiming to grow their trade 10-fold in the next 10 years. In 2024-25 the bilateral trade stood at $ 1.29 billion with India’s exports at $ 711.08 million and imports at $ 587.15 million..

The first attempt for FTA lasted from 2010 to 2015. During that period 10 rounds of negotiations were held before. One of the key sticking points in the FTA is New Zealand’s demand for access to Indian dairy markets. Dairy along with agriculture is the most sensitive area to negotiate. In no FTA that India has signed so far has it agreed to open the dairy sector. Even in the India-UK FTA, which was finalised earlier this week, dairy has been kept out.

Currently, India’s dairy imports from New Zealand are minimal (around $0.57 million), and while India may consider limited imports of value-added dairy products, it remains firm against allowing raw dairy imports.

It is also reluctant to lower tariffs on New Zealand’s meat, and wine exports. Another key issue was India’s demand for easier movement of its skilled professionals and better access for its IT and services sector. India wanted New Zealand to grant work opportunities similar to those given to Australia and China, but New Zealand did not agree.

India’s key goods exports to New Zealand include clothing, fabrics, and home textiles; medicines and medical supplies; refined petrol; agricultural equipment and machinery such as tractors and irrigation tools; auto; iron and steel; paper products; electronics; shrimps; diamonds; and basmati rice.

The main imports are agricultural goods, minerals, apples, kiwifruit, meat products such as lamb, mutton, milk albumin, lactose syrup, coking coal, logs and sawn timber, wool, and scrap metals. In FY24, India’s services exports to New Zealand stood at $ 214.1 million, while imports were $ 456.5 million.

India’s key services exports include IT and software services, provided by companies such as Infosys and HCL, along with telecommunications services to support New Zealand’s digital infrastructure. India also exports healthcare services, including medical tourism, pharmaceutical research, and telemedicine. Financial services are another important area, with Indian banks and fintech companies offering digital payment solutions.

New Zealand’s services exports to India are led by education services, with thousands of Indian students pursuing higher education in New Zealand. Tourism services are also significant.

India vs England Highlights, 3rd Test Day 5 (India National Cricket Team vs England National Cricket Team):

Ravindra Jadeja’s valiant effort was in vain as England narrowly defeated India by 22 runs on the fifth and final day of an intensely fluctuating third Test, with skipper Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer playing crucial roles here on Monday.

With this win, England takes a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

The day began with India needing 135 runs and England required to take six wickets after setting a target of 193 runs for the visitors. The hosts dismissed four Indian batsmen before lunch but had to toil hard to claim the remaining two wickets in the last two sessions.

India was eventually all out for 170.

Countdown to homecoming: Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 mission crew to return to earth; Dragon spacecraft undocks from ISS

The Centre told the Supreme Court that the only recourse in Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya’s death sentence in Yemen is a “blood money settlement” as diplomatic options remain limited. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson addressed the preliminary crash probe into AI-171, stating there were no mechanical issues with the aircraft. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla undocked from the ISS aboard the Axiom-4 mission, with splashdown set for July 15. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court urged self-regulation on social media, stressing the public must value free speech amid rising divisive content. In Maharashtra, MNS chief Raj Thackeray faces a complaint over hate speech that allegedly incited violence and social unrest. Here are today’s top developments at a glance. ‘Only option is blood money settlement’: Centre tells SC on Kerala nurse’s execution in YemenThe Center informed the Supreme Court on Monday that it has little authority to interfere in the case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala who faces execution in Yemen for murder, calling it a “very complex issue” with few diplomatic levers at its disposal. “There’s no way we can know what’s happening [in Yemen],” the Attorney General of India (AGI) stated while appearing before a bench led by Justice Sandeep Mehta. He went on to say that the administration is attempting to postpone Priya’s execution while talks are ongoing and is in communication with Yemeni officials, particularly the public prosecutor. Read more‘No mechanical issues’: Air India CEO reacts to AAIB crash probe reportAir India MD & CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the preliminary investigation into the June 12 AI 171 incident has “provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions” in a memo to staff on Monday. According to the preliminary report, all required maintenance activities had been finished, and there were no mechanical or maintenance problems with the aircraft or engines. The takeoff roll was regular, and there was no problem with the fuel quality. It states that there were no observations regarding the pilots’ medical condition and that they had passed their required pre-flight breathalyzer. Read moreShubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 crew undocks from ISS; splashdown scheduled for July 15Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts were on board the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission when it undocked from the ISS on July 14 at approximately 4:45 pm IST. Their return trip to Earth on SpaceX’s Dragon spaceship “Grace” began with the undocking. The Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) trained Shubhanshu Shukla, who became the first Indian to fly privately to the International Space Station (ISS). As part of the mission, the Ax-4 crew carried out a number of outreach and research activities during their 18-day stay aboard the orbital outpost. On July 15, the crew is scheduled to splash down on Earth at around 3:00 p.m. IST, with an hour’s leeway. Read more‘Citizens must know value of free speech’: SC flags divisive social media content; urges self-regulationThe Supreme Court said Monday that citizens need to value freedom of speech and expression and advocate for self-regulation as it pondered rules to control offensive posts on social media. The case of Wazahat Khan, who is facing numerous FIRs in various states, including West Bengal, for his controversial posts on X that target a Hindu deity, was being heard by a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan. Read more‘Don’t record video while beating’: Complaint against Raj Thackeray for hate speechRaj Thackeray, the leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), has been the target of a complaint due to a controversial statement he made in a recent public speech. The lawsuit alleges that the MNS chief’s divisive remarks encouraged vigilantism and societal unrest and calls for action against him under the National Security Act (NSA). Raj Thackeray stated in his address that while everyone residing in Maharashtra, including Gujaratis, should know Marathi, there was no justification for assaulting those who didn’t speak the language. Read more

Last Updated:July 14, 2025, 16:29 IST

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, emphasizing India’s zero-tolerance approach against terrorism.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, where he highlighted India’s zero-tolerance approach against terrorism.

Jaishankar, who is visiting China to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Chinese city of Tianjin, said “stable and constructive” ties between the two nations would benefit the world.

“Our meeting today will also include an exchange of views on global and regional issues. Tomorrow, we will be meeting in the format of the SCO, whose primary mandate is to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism. This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,” he said in his opening remarks during the meeting with Wang.

It is Jaishankar’s first visit to China after the ties between the two countries came under severe strain following the 2020 military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Jaishankar also pointed out the good progress made in the past nine months for the normalisation of the bilateral relations.

“It is a result of the resolution of friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquility there. This is the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent on us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation… We have also earlier agreed that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever become conflict. On this foundation, we can now continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory,” he said.

Jaishankar’s China Visit Significance

Jaishankar’s visit is taking place less than three weeks after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh travelled to the Chinese port city of Qingdao to participate in the SCO defence ministers’ conference.

China is the current chair of the SCO and it is hosting the meetings of the grouping in that capacity.

India-China Military Face-off

The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020, and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe strain in ties between the two neighbours.

The face-off effectively ended following completion of the disengagement process from the last two friction points of Demchok and Depsang under an agreement finalised on October 21 last year.

The decision to revive various dialogue mechanisms was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on October 23, 2024.

The Modi-Xi meeting came two days after India and China firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok.

(With inputs from PTI)

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India has a significant opportunity to increase its chemical exports to the United States if it manages to negotiate for less than 25 per cent tariffs, according to a recent report by the State Bank of India (SBI). The report noted that by capturing a part of the market share currently held by China and Singapore, India can increase its share in chemical exports to US.

The report highlighted that if India is able to capture just 2 per cent of the chemical export share from these two countries, it can potentially add 0.2 per cent to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

SBI stated “India can capture China and Singapore’s share in chemical exports to US”.

The report pointed out that among the top five imports by the USA, India has a revealed comparative advantage (RCA) only in the chemicals sector.

However, its share in this category remains lower compared to other Asian countries like China and Singapore. At present, China and Singapore have a larger share of chemical exports to the US than India.

With China now facing higher tariffs on exports to the US, the report notes that this could open a window of opportunity for India to step in and increase its exports in chemicals, including pharmaceutical products.

The report further stated that if India is able to bring down the applicable tariff on its chemical exports to below 25 per cent, the level currently applicable to Singapore, it can become more competitive and seize some of the existing market share held by Singapore and China.

Additionally, the SBI report noted that India can also gain from other countries such as Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea, which now face higher tariffs than India.

If India captures even a 1 per cent share of the US chemical import market from these three countries, it could result in an additional 0.1 per cent increase in India’s GDP.

In total, the report suggested that India has the potential to add 0.3 per cent to its GDP if it strategically captures a 2 per cent share from China and Singapore and 1 per cent from Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea in the US chemicals import market.

Pilots passed mandatory pre-flight breath analyser; no observations pertaining to their medical status, he added.

AAIB initial report identified no cause nor made any recommendations; urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions, Wilson said.

AI CEO also said, “Out of abundance of caution, every Boeing 787 operating in fleet checked within days of the crash and found fit for service.”