India’s decision to allow overseas companies with up to 10% Chinese shareholding to invest through the automatic route has begun yielding results, with 29 FDI proposals totalling about Rs 4,895.65 crore reported so far. The Finance Ministry notified the changes under FEMA on May 1, 2026. Investments span information technology, artificial intelligence, information and communication, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, data centres and transport services. Investors are based in Mauritius, the US, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands. The revised framework removes prior government approval in eligible cases, reducing transaction time and providing greater certainty. However, the relaxed rules exclude entities registered in China, Hong Kong and other countries sharing land borders with India. (PC: The Economic Times)

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday dismissed Pakistan’s protest over US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s remark that Jammu and Kashmir is an “important part of India.” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and indivisible parts of India, adding, “They were, they are, and they will remain so.” Responding to Pakistan’s diplomatic protest, Jaiswal said he saw no reason to comment on Islamabad’s “frustration.” Gor, who is visiting Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, made the remarks during his visit to Srinagar. After meeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, he said J&K was an important part of India. Pakistan subsequently summoned the US Charge d’Affaires and protested Gor’s statement.

The Indian High Commission in Nairobi on Friday said it is monitoring the situation involving 22 Indian seafarers reportedly onboard two commercial vessels hijacked in separate incidents, and has taken up the matter with Somali authorities. The vessels are MT Sibu, an Eritrea-flagged vessel, and MV Lutuf, a Cameroon-flagged ship. The High Commission said it had raised the issue of the Indian crew members with the concerned Somali authorities. According to its post on X, 16 Indian seafarers are reportedly onboard MT Sibu and six on MV Lutuf. It said all 22 Indian seafarers are reportedly safe and stressed that India attaches the highest importance to the safety and welfare of its seafaring community.

India on Friday dismissed Pakistan’s protest over US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s remarks describing Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India”, calling Islamabad’s reaction an expression of “frustration”. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and indivisible parts of India and would remain so. Pakistan had summoned a senior US diplomat and objected to Gor’s remarks during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir. Gor also said the US could review its travel advisory for the region, praising its beauty and potential for tourism. (PC: NDTV)

Applications from Indian students to US colleges fell 14% in the 2025-26 admissions cycle, reflecting a broader decline in international demand. Data from the Common App showed 13,819 first-year applicants from India through March 1, down from around 16,000 a year earlier. India remained the second-largest international applicant market after China. Overall international applicants fell 9%, while domestic US applicants rose 3%. The decline was seen across different types of colleges, with institutions having higher admission rates recording the sharpest fall. The figures cover applications and do not represent final admissions or enrolment numbers. (PC: X)

Two commercial ships carrying 22 Indian sailors were hijacked by armed pirates in separate incidents near Yemen and Somalia. The first ship, M/V LUTUF, was seized off Somalia on August 17. It had six Indians among its 10 crew members. The second ship, M.T. Sibu 1, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on August 20. It carried 16 Indian sailors among 20 crew members. Armed men took control of both ships and moved them toward Somalia. Indian officials said all 22 sailors are safe. India is in contact with local authorities to handle the situation and ensure the crew’s safety.

Two commercial vessels carrying 22 Indian nationals have been hijacked in separate piracy incidents off Yemen and Somalia, raising fresh concerns over maritime security in the region. The Eritrea-flagged oil-products tanker MT Sibu 1, carrying 16 Indians among 20 crew members, was seized by armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden, about 30 nautical miles off Yemen. Separately, the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel M/V LUTUF, with six Indians among its 10-member crew, was hijacked off Somalia’s Puntland coast on August 17. Officials said the Indian crew aboard Sibu 1 were safe, while the latest status of the LUTUF crew remained unclear. (PC: AFP)

NASA astronaut Donald Pettit has shared a striking nighttime photograph of the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, captured from the International Space Station (ISS). The image shows the brightly illuminated festival grounds along the Ganga, highlighting the enormous scale of the religious gathering from orbit. Pettit described it as his “best shot” of the 2025 Prayag Maha Kumbh. The astronaut, known for his astrophotography, had previously shared images of the event during the festival in January 2025. The photograph provides a rare space-based perspective of one of the world’s largest religious gatherings. (PC: X)

India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation in New Delhi on August 20, strengthening their growing defence partnership. Defence Ministers Rajnath Singh and Shinjiro Koizumi agreed to enhance maritime information sharing, naval exercises, personnel exchanges and coordination to protect vital sea lanes. The pact also covers search-and-rescue operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Both countries will explore greater use of ports, maintenance facilities and reciprocal ship-repair arrangements, while considering cooperation in naval shipbuilding and design. The agreement reinforces their shared commitment to a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific amid evolving regional security challenges. (PC: X)

Weeks before RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s planned visit to the United States, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has called for sanctions against the RSS. The federal body, which monitors religious freedom worldwide, alleged that the organisation has been “perpetuating attacks on religious minorities”. The USCIRF is chaired by Asif Mahmood, a Pakistan-born American citizen. According to the report, Mahmood has maintained close ties with Pakistan’s political and diplomatic leadership and has previously testified before the US Congress on Kashmir. The development comes ahead of Bhagwat’s scheduled America visit, placing renewed focus on the USCIRF’s recommendation and its criticism of the RSS.