India | Pakistan

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday jibed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while recounting a meeting between the two, where the Indian PM had asked to meet the US president. While addressing the House GOP (Grand Old Party) Members’ Retreat, Trump recounted a meeting with Modi, stating that Modi had ordered 68 Apache attack helicopters from the US and had waited five years. “Prime Minister Modi came to see me. [He said] ‘Sir, may I see you, please?’ Yes,” Trump recalled. “I have a very good relationship with him. He’s not that happy with me because, you know, they’re paying a lot of tariffs now, because they’re not doing the oil,” he added, referring to India halting imports of Russian oil. Trump also noted that the US is “getting rich because of tariffs”. Meanwhile, India’s opposition Congress party took to X and uploaded a caricature of the scene, showing a timid Modi. In a separate post in Hindi, Congress claimed that Modi went to the US uninvited to meet Trump after he took office last January, q...

Bangladesh Cricket Board refuses to send team to India over security concern

India’s Supreme Court denied bail on Monday for former student leader Umar Khalid, who has been detained for more than five years on charges of conspiracy to trigger deadly riots. Khalid, 38, was arrested in September 2020 under a sweeping anti-terrorism law and has remained in custody since, aside from brief releases to attend family weddings. His case has become a touchstone for critics who say India’s more than 200 million Muslims face discriminatory treatment in the Hindu-majority nation. Khalid was detained after the February 2020 sectarian riots in Delhi when 53 people were killed — mostly Muslims, but also several Hindus. The Supreme Court in New Delhi dismissed his appeal for bail, saying that “prolonged incarceration” was not grounds to grant him release. It also denied bail on the same grounds to another student activist, Sharjeel Imam. But it approved bail for five others in the same case. Khalid, a former student at Delhi’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, was charged with rioting with a d...

The United States could raise tariffs on India if New Delhi does not meet Washington’s demand to curb purchases of Russian oil, US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “Modi is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy,” Trump said on Sunday. “They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said in response to a question on India’s Russian oil purchases. India’s commerce ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The US doubled import tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent last year as punishment for its heavy buying of Russian oil. Despite the hefty tariffs, India’s exports to the US leapt in November. Encouraged by the improved trade data, Indian officials have maintained a firm stance against US trade demands, signalling limited flexibility in areas such as agricultural imports, while data shows India’s oil purchases from Russia have declined. India is asking refiners for weekly disclosures of Russian and US oi...

Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah on Sunday said India’s claim of placing the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in “abeyance” has no legal basis and that the treaty remains fully in force under international law. In April 2025, India held the IWT in abeyance following the attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”. In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration held that India cannot unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance. Speaking on Geo News‘ programme ‘Jirga’, Shah talked about the legality of India holding the IWT in abeyance and said: “As far as holding the treaty in abeyance is concerned, the word ‘abeyance’ is not recognised under international treaty law. It is a coined term, because we believe India understands that it cannot suspend, breach or terminate the treaty.” However, he cautioned that India’s continued non-cooperat...

Bangladesh will not play their T20 World Cup matches in India after its cricketer Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League (IPL) team amid growing tensions between the countries. Kolkata Knight Riders said on Saturday they had released the Bangladesh bowler after being told to do so by India’s cricket board (BCCI). Bangladesh are scheduled to play three T20 World Cup matches in Kolkata next month, with the February 7-March 8 tournament being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), after an emergency meeting on Sunday, said it had “formally requested” the International Cricket Council (ICC) shift its team’s games to Sri Lanka. “The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” a BCB statement read. It said its decision was made due to “growing concerns regarding the safety and security” of its players, and based on its government’s advice. “In light of this decision, the B...

ISLAMABAD: PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman on Saturday expressed grave concern over the continued silence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on violence carried out by Hindu radical groups against religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims. Just before December 25, mobs armed with wooden sticks vandalised Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in central India, while right-wing groups disrupted school celebrations and burned holiday merchandise in the northeast, according to Indian media. The incidents occurred in the states of Chhattisgarh, Assam, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the holiday. “What stops Prime Minister Modi from condemning the actions of Hindu radicals who attack Christians — as we all do in Pakistan — from clearly stating that such violence is unacceptable in a civilised country?” Senator Rehman asked. “I think we know the answer, he is okay with impunity.” She underscored that leadership is ultimately tested by its willingness to confront extremis...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and India on Thursday exchanged the lists of their respective nuclear installations and facilities.

Pakistan and India have exchanged lists of their nuclear installations and facilities, as well as details of prisoners held in each other’s custody, in accordance with long-standing bilateral agreements.

• Environment ministry okays ‘run-of-the-river’ Dulhasti Stage II, to be built in held Kashmir • Indian govt forging ahead with several hydel projects in Indus basin after unilaterally suspending treaty • Water weaponisation in climate change-prone region ‘neither sane nor acceptable’, warns Sherry Rehman NEW DELHI / ISLAMABAD: India’s Ministry of Environment has been pondering clearances for a slew of controversial hydroelectric projects on the Chenab River in the aftermath of the Pahalgam incident earlier this year. Yet, it does not seem to share serious apprehensions that leading environmentalists have expressed over their threat to a fragile Himalayan ecology. Last week, a panel under the ministry approved the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district of India-held Jammu and Kashmir, according to The Hindu. Earlier, in October, it was reported that environmental clearances were revived for the larger Sawalkote hydro-electric project on the same river. The c...

Pakistan has called on the international community to take notice of recent vandalism during Christmas and violence against Muslims in India, urging steps to protect the fundamental rights of vulnerable communities.

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday that the persecution of minorities in India was a matter of “deep concern” following incidents of vandalism reported in the neighbouring country ahead of Christmas. Last week, mobs armed with wooden sticks vandalised Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in central India, while right-wing groups disrupted school celebrations and burned holiday merchandise in the northeast, according to Indian media. The incidents occurred in the states of Chhattisgarh, Assam, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the holiday. In a statement released on Monday, the FO said, “The persecution of minorities in India is a matter of deep concern. “Recent condemnable incidents of vandalism during Christmas, as well as state-sponsored campaigns targeting Muslims — including the demolition of their homes and repeated lynchings, notably the case of Muhammad Akhlaq, in which the state worked to shield the perpetrators from accountability — have deepened fear and alienation among Muslims,” it said. A...

Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday strongly criticised India’s approval of the Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), warning that the weaponisation of water is neither sane nor acceptable in the region.

Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday said that the “weaponisation of water was neither sane nor acceptable” after Indian media reported that New Delhi had approved a hydel power project on the Chenab River. In a post on the social media platform X, the PPP leader said, “In flagrant violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), India has just given approval to the Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). “As per the IWT, which cannot be unilaterally revoked, as recent UN rapporteurs have confirmed, Pakistan has control over the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers fall under India’s control,” she said. “Following the illegal suspension of the treaty, India has decided to fast-track several disputed hydroelectric projects in the Indus Basin. These projects include Sawalkot, Ratle, Bursar, Pakal Dul, Kwar, Kiru, and Kirthai-1 and 2. Dulhasti Stage-II is considered part of this strategy,” she said. ...

Bangladesh police on Sunday said the alleged killers of popular student leader Sharif Osman Hadi had fled to India, in comments likely to further strain relations with its neighbour. Hadi, a vocal India critic who took part in last year’s mass uprising, was shot by masked assailants in Dhaka earlier this month and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Singapore. His death set off violent protests with angry mobs torching several buildings, including two major newspapers deemed to favour India, as well as a prominent cultural institution. With protests being held across the country almost daily, pressure has been growing on Bangladesh’s interim government to arrest the killers of Hadi, who was set to contest the general elections in February next year. “The killing was premeditated. Those behind it have been identified,” Nazrul Islam, a senior Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer, said at a news conference. He added that the suspects left Bangladesh through the Haluaghat border with India shortly after...

India has approved the Dulhasti Stage II hydropower project on the Chenab River in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a move being described as a clear violation of the Indus Waters Treaty and one that has raised serious concerns in Pakistan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday hailed Pakistan’s success over India during the military escalation between the two countries earlier this year. “A strong message was sent to the world,” he said while speaking to the media in Islamabad, where he gave an overview of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in 2025. “Our international standing has […] improved due to principled, proactive and result-oriented diplomacy,” Dar said, reflecting on the past year. He said Pakistan was “known to be a diplomatically isolated country” at the time PM Shehbaz Sharif took oath last year. Speaking on the May conflict, Dar said India’s claim of regional hegemony and being the net security provider was tested during the four-day escalation. “We did not ask anyone to mediate between us,” the deputy premier asserted. He recalled that Pakistan shot down seven jets of India during the May 7 air battle, which was followed by “incorrect” statements by New Delhi that Pakistan had attacked 15 Indian military ins...

There have been multiple incidents of mobs vandalising Christmas decorations in India ahead of the festival, according to local media. The Indian Express has reported that a mob, armed with wooden sticks, vandalised Christmas decorations and installations at a mall in the Raipur city of India’s Chhattisgarh state. View this post on Instagram The report also mentioned that the incident took place on the same day when a Hindu organisation, Sarva Hindu Samaj, had called a Chhattisgarh bandh — a form of protest — against alleged religious conversions. According to The Hindu, the protest was also called following clashes over the “burial of a person from a converted family” in the Kanker district. The Indian Express carried an account of the incident as narrated by an employee of the mall, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Around 80-90 people barged in […] we were supporting the protest. For the last 16 years, since we began operations here, we have always supported bandh calls. But I have never seen such beha...

India’s space agency launched its heaviest ever payload on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the deployment “a significant stride” for the space sector. The LVM3-M6 rocket launched the US-built AST SpaceMobile communications satellite into low-Earth orbit. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it was the “heaviest payload to be launched from Indian soil”. The launch is a boost for India’s ambitious low-cost space programme, with plans for an uncrewed orbital mission and human spaceflight in the coming years. The satellite, weighing 6,100 kilogrammes (13,448 pounds), was launched on a modified version of a rocket that India plans to use for its future space missions. India is vying for a larger slice of the booming commercial satellite business as phone, internet and other companies seek expanded and more high-end communications. Modi said the launch marked “a proud milestone in India’s space journey”. “It strengthens India’s heavy-lift launch capability and reinforces our growi...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday rejected the comparison between Islamabad‘s actions against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and New Delhi’s unprovoked action against the country in May as “wrong and inappropriate”. The defence minister‘s remarks come a day after Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned Pakistan’s objection to Indian attacks when the country also allegedly conducted cross-border strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan. Pakistan has either denied or not commented on striking targets inside Afghanistan. In a post on X, Asif also said that India, to date, has “not been able to provide evidence” of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack, despite Pakistan’s offer of “neutral investigations”. “The report issued by the United Nations also clarifies that the Indian aggression was illegal and unsubstantiated, and Pakistan’s response was fully justified,“ said the defence minister. He elaborated that the international community and the...