India to sign U.S. deal only after clarity on tariff rates

India will sign a trade deal with the U.S. only after the country settles its "tariff architecture" and clarifies country-wise tariff rate, sources in the government have said.

ASI allows T.N. Archaeology Dept. to conduct excavations at Keeladi, seven other sites

After a delay of several months, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has granted permission to the

Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) for conducting excavations at eight historical

sites, including the 11^th phase of excavations at Keeladi. 

Crab in Silent Valley found displaying both male and female biological traits

A tiny crab displaying both male and female biological traits on the same body has been discovered in the Western Ghats. Discovered from the forests of the Silent Valley National Park, this freshwater crab belongs to the species Vela carli and is both male and female at the same time.

The dual-sex condition was observed in three crabs found in tree holes in Silent Valley.

Vela carli is an endemic freshwater crab found only in the forests and streams of the Central Western Ghats.

Neighbourhood diplomacy and its West Asia challenge

Economic, regional and maritime security

Going forward, India must reassure its neighbours - other than Pakistan, which it has no relationship with at present - that it remains cognisant of their concerns. As energy shortages deepened, New Delhi received requests for petrol and diesel from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives; landlocked Nepal and Bhutan may follow suit if the situation worsens. 

Belém as a test of a new model of forest finance

The climate summit that was held in Belém, Brazil in November 2025, refocused renewed global attention to a difficult but unavoidable truth: protecting tropical forests requires more than ambitious pledges - it requires a fundamental shift in who holds power over those forests. As world leaders gathered in the Amazon city, the signature initiative was Brazil's Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), or a finance mechanism presented as a paradigm shift in global conservation. 

Naval warships escort Indian vessels from the Gulf of Oman

The Indian Navy has deployed warships to escort Indian-flagged merchant vessels transiting through the Persian Gulf region, according to official sources.

Three Indian Navy ships have escorted the Indian-flagged merchant ships Shivalik, Nanda Devi, and Jag Laadki from the Gulf of Oman after they crossed the Strait of Hormuz. The warships ensured the safe transit of vessels through vulnerable waters. 

Sahitya Akademi announces literary awards for 2025

The Sahitya Akademi on Monday announced its awards for 2025 in the 24 languages recognised by it, nearly three months after the process was abruptly put on hold following directives from the Union Culture Ministry. Among the winners are former diplomat Navtej Sarna, awarded in the English language category for his novel Crimson Spring; Hindi writer Mamta Kalia for her memoir Jeete Jee Allahabad; and Tamil author Sa Tamilselvan for his work Thamizh Sirukathaiyin Thadangal in the literary criticism genre. 

'EU, UN discussing initiative for Hormuz Strait'

The EU is in discussion with the UN on a Black Sea Grain initiative type arrangement to open up the Strait of Hormuz, according to its top diplomat Kaja Kallas. The strait, a waterway for a fifth of the world's oil supply, has been virtually closed by Iran following a conflict in the region which began after Israel and the U.S. struck Iran on February 28, sending oil prices soaring to above $100 per barrel.