Author: Mohit Gupta
North Korea fired around 10 ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Saturday, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. Officials in Seoul said the launches were detected early in the afternoon and reported that around ten unidentified ballistic missiles were fired from the Sunan area, located near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. The projectiles were launched at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time (0420 GMT) and traveled eastward toward waters that South Korea refers to as the East Sea. Earlier in the day, South Korean authorities had already indicated that North Korea had fired at least one unidentified…
A Thai flagged cargo ship bound for India caught fire today after what authorities say was an armed attack near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most sensitive shipping routes. The vessel, the Mayuree Naree, had left a port in the United Arab Emirates earlier in the day and was heading toward Kandla on India’s western coast. On board were 23 crew members when the ship was struck shortly after entering waters of Oman. According to naval officials, the attack took place at around 11:10 local time. Two impacts hit the vessel above the waterline, triggering explosions near…
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin moved quickly this week to signal support for Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, offering what the Kremlin described as “unwavering support” just hours after Tehran confirmed the leadership transition.The announcement followed the death of Ali Khamenei, who had led Iran for more than three decades. His passing comes at a tense moment for the region, with Iran locked in confrontation with Israel and the United States.Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that the message had been sent personally by Putin. Speaking to reporters, Peskov said Russia considers its relationship with Iran a key strategic partnership.…
The United States has issued a 30 day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian crude oil currently stranded at sea, as the ongoing Iran war throws global energy markets into turmoil. The move, announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, comes at a time when the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway carrying nearly 20 percent of the world’s daily oil supply, has been brought to a virtual standstill. Bessent confirmed that the measure was intended to keep oil flowing into global markets. He stressed that the waiver would not significantly benefit Russia because it only covers shipments that…
Nepal woke up on March 7 to an election result few had seriously predicted. Balendra Shah, the outspoken former mayor of Kathmandu and a rising face of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, defeated former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in Jhapa Constituency 5 by a huge margin. Official results from the March 5 general election show Shah receiving 68,348 votes, while Oli managed 18,734. The difference, more than 49,000 votes, has sent shockwaves through Nepal’s political circles. It is not only a defeat for one of the country’s most powerful political figures, but Shah’s vote tally is also being described as…
The sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka has quickly evolved from a naval tragedy into a diplomatic challenge for India, placing External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the center of a growing debate over New Delhi’s regional role. On March 4, an American submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian warship in international waters close to Sri Lanka. The strike reportedly killed more than 80 sailors, with several others still missing. What has made the incident particularly sensitive for India is that the frigate had recently participated in naval exercises hosted by the Indian Navy before beginning…
India on Thursday formally conveyed its condolences to Iran following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visiting the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi to sign the condolence book and meet Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali. The visit marks New Delhi’s first official gesture after the killing of Ali Khamenei in reported joint air strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on February 28. The development had triggered strong reactions across West Asia and placed several countries, including India, in a delicate diplomatic position. According to officials familiar with the…
The conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran is beginning to reshape global oil flows, and India may once again be turning to Russian crude to keep its energy supply steady. The immediate concern is the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which a large portion of India’s oil imports normally travels. Following Iranian attacks on shipping after strikes on its territory, traffic through the route has slowed sharply, creating uncertainty for countries dependent on Gulf oil. For India, the stakes are high. The country imports nearly 85 percent of its crude oil, which means…
For years, experts have warned that the Strait of Hormuz could become the flashpoint that shakes global oil markets. This week, that fear suddenly feels real. After joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, tensions escalated sharply. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a warning that vessels should not attempt to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. By March 1, shipping traffic had almost collapsed. Only three tankers reportedly crossed the strait that day, an extraordinary fall from the usual daily movement. More than 700 vessels are now waiting, many of…
When Iran announced on March 1, 2026 that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, had been killed in targeted strikes by the United States and Israel, it immediately raised fears of a major international crisis. Around the world, governments reacted with concern. India, however, remained noticeably quiet. That silence has since become a subject of debate within the country. Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, addressed the issue in a sharply written article in The Indian Express. She described the assassination as a serious and troubling development, especially since it reportedly took place while diplomatic negotiations…