Indian tourists may soon enjoy visa-free travel to Russia, with the new arrangement expected by spring 2025. Since August 2023, Indian travelers have already been eligible for e-visas, which are processed within four days. The upcoming visa-free travel agreement will further strengthen tourism ties between India and Russia. In 2023, Russia granted 9,500 e-visas to Indian visitors, placing India among the top five countries for easy travel access to Russia. Consultations between Mosc

Congress has criticized National Conference leader and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his changing approach to EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) allegations. This criticism came after Abdullah dismissed claims raised by Congress and other opposition parties about EVM manipulation following the Maharashtra election results. Senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore pointed out that while opposition parties like the NCP, Shiv Sena, and Samajwadi Party have questioned the integrit

In a heated debate in the Rajya Sabha marking the 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a scathing attack on Congress, accusing the party of repeatedly undermining the Constitution through amendments during its rule. Sitharaman specifically targeted India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, referring to the first Constitutional amendment in 1951 that aimed to curb freedom of speech, despite Nehru's public support for press fr

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday honored the soldiers who played a pivotal role in India's victory during the 1971 war, known as Vijay Diwas. The day commemorates the surrender of Pakistani forces to the Indian Army, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. In a post shared on X, PM Modi paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifices of the soldiers who contributed to this historic victory. Modi emphasized the selfless dedication and determination of the Indian soldiers, notin

The Indian rupee opened at 84.83 against the US dollar on Monday, a depreciation of 4 paise compared to the previous close of 84.79. The decline in the rupee is largely attributed to the uncertainty following the announcement of a leadership transition at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Shaktikanta Das will be succeeded by Sanjay Malhotra, sparking initial concerns in the market. However, markets quickly adjusted to the news, with experts noting that the RBI is closely monitoring banking sys

Switzerland has decided to suspend the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) status granted to India, which could result in higher taxes for Indian companies operating in the country. Starting January 1, 2025, Indian companies will face increased withholding tax rates on income such as dividends and royalties generated in Switzerland. The new tax rules will impose a 10% tax on dividends earned by Indian entities. This move follows a ruling by the Indian Supreme Court in October 2023, which sta

A special two-day debate will begin on Friday in the Lok Sabha to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution. Newly elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is expected to make her maiden speech during this significant discussion. The debate will kick off with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and more than 12 BJP leaders, including prominent figures such as HD Kumaraswamy, Srikant Shinde, and Jiten Ram Manjhi, are anticipated to take part. Prime Minis

The Lok Sabha will hold a two-day debate starting today to mark 75 years of the Indian Constitution, though tensions are high between the BJP and Congress, which are embroiled in a bitter political war. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will kick off the debate for the BJP, with several MPs from the ruling party and allies, including Karnataka's former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, expected to speak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will respond to the debate and opposition attacks on Saturday

The aftermath of the YSR Congress' landslide defeat in the 2024 general election has left the party in turmoil, with many senior leaders defecting. Prominent figures like Alla Nani, Breda Mastan, Avanti Srinivas, and Grandhi Srinivas have already parted ways with Jagan Mohan Reddy’s leadership, signaling the party’s deepening crisis. Adding to the woes, seasoned Andhra Pradesh politician and former Congress MLA Gone Prakash Rao has claimed that 4-5 more MLAs are likely to leav

Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, continues to impress with his unparalleled work ethic, even at the age of 74. Despite expectations that age would slow him down, Naidu chaired a marathon 13-hour conference, which started at 9:30 AM and concluded around 10:40 PM. The conference covered a broad range of crucial topics, such as sand and liquor policies, pension program disparities, and other key governance issues. One of the notable moments during the conference

Efforts are underway to secure the early release and repatriation of 14 Indian fishermen, including seven from Tamil Nadu, who have been detained in a Pakistani jail since January. Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin about the ongoing diplomatic efforts. This followed a letter from Stalin, dated November 20, urging swift action for the fishermen’s release. Jaishankar stated that the Indian government had raised the matte

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been thrown into turmoil following a crushing defeat in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections, where the party secured only 11 out of 175 seats. This electoral setback, at the hands of the NDA coalition led by Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan, has escalated into an existential crisis for the party, compounded by a series of defections. Two prominent former MLAs, Avanthi Srinivas and Grandhi Srinivas, resigned from the party

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s 50-year regime has ushered in a new chapter for Syria, marked by jubilation and uncertainty. In Damascus, crowds celebrated the regime's collapse, while other groups, including rebel factions, engaged in efforts to stabilize the country and fill the power vacuum left behind. Syrian journalist Abdo Fayyad attributes this shift to the 2016 opposition victories in Idlib, which laid the groundwork for today’s rebel advances. While the future

Coffee prices have reached record highs, driven by a significant reduction in Brazil’s coffee crop. As the world’s largest coffee producer, Brazil's struggles with adverse weather conditions have created a global supply shortage, pushing Arabica coffee futures up by 73% over the past year and 31% in the last month. Additionally, Robusta prices have also surged due to similar global supply constraints, with prices for Q2 rising 82% year-on-year. This price surge is im

In a significant development, at least 75 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-torn Syria, where rebel forces have overthrown President Bashar al-Assad’s government. The evacuees, including 44 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir stranded at Saida Zainab, have safely crossed into Lebanon and will return to India by commercial flights, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The evacuation follows multiple requests from Indian nationals and an assessment of the evolv

Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on military targets in Syria after Israeli troops seized a buffer zone, previously established after the 1973 Middle East war. The military said it would deploy forces in additional locations essential for Israel’s defense, though it denied advancing toward Damascus. On the same day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified in his long-running corruption trial, denying charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Netanyahu called the charge

In a remarkable use of AI technology for wildlife conservation, a small herd of elephants, including two adults and a calf, was saved from a potential train collision in Odisha's Rourkela district. As the elephants approached the railway tracks, an AI-powered camera system, installed by the forest department, detected their movement and sent an immediate alert to the control room. The quick response from the control room led to the timely stopping of the oncoming train, preventi

Lalu Prasad Yadav, the RJD founder, voiced strong support for Mamata Banerjee to lead the INDIA bloc, stating that Congress's objections to this leadership "mean nothing." His remarks came after Mamata Banerjee's comments earlier this month, where she hinted at taking charge of the Opposition alliance, if given the opportunity, while still operating from Bengal. This leadership dispute within the opposition has surfaced against the backdrop of the ongoing Winter Se

In November, the median perception of current inflation among households increased to 8.4%, up by 30 basis points from the previous survey round in September, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Households’ Inflation Expectations Survey. Meanwhile, expectations for inflation over the next three months moderated slightly by 10 basis points, reaching 9.1%. However, households' expectations for inflation a year ahead inched up by 10 basis points to 10.1%. The survey

The Indian rupee ended the trading session stronger after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep the benchmark interest rates unchanged, while unveiling measures aimed at improving liquidity in the banking system. The domestic currency gained 3 paise, closing at 84.70 against the US dollar, compared to 84.73 in the previous session. As part of the monetary policy changes, the RBI raised the interest rate ceiling on one-year Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) deposits by 200 basis p