Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said India buys Russian crude to meet its own energy needs and support national development, not to help Moscow fund the Ukraine war. “India does not buy Russian oil for the sake of helping Russia. It is buying oil for itself and its own national development,” Alipov told DD News. He said Russia remained ready to supply as much oil as India required despite Western sanctions and tariffs. India has consistently maintained that its oil purchases are guided by national interest, energy security and affordability. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict. (PC: X)

Singapore has launched an investigation into racist and xenophobic online remarks targeting people of Indian origin, including comments linked to the Nepal-Tibet flash floods and Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India. Senior Minister K Shanmugam called the posts “shameful” and “totally unacceptable”, while Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned that prejudice against any community must not become normalised. Authorities highlighted around 20 racist comments, including slurs targeting Indians and references to the Singapore-India trade agreement. Shanmugam also condemned cyberbullying of Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara over his Indian heritage and alleged bias towards Air India, calling the attacks vile and libellous. (PC: NDTV)

The United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution on September 4 encouraging a shift from the Mercator projection to the 2018 Equal Earth map. Sponsored by Togo and spearheaded by the African Union, the resolution passed 164-1, with six abstentions; India voted in favour while the United States opposed it. The initiative seeks to represent Africa and Global South regions accurately and challenge Eurocentric cartographic conventions. Mercator preserves angles and directions for navigation but enlarges areas near the poles, making Africa appear comparable to Greenland despite being 15 times larger. Supporters argue such distortions can reinforce perceptions of Western cultural, economic and geopolitical dominance, making cartography a tool of power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India-France relations have reached new heights, with both nations building a Special Global Strategic Partnership with President Emmanuel Macron. Speaking virtually at the inauguration of the Swaminarayan temple in Paris, Modi said the partnership rests on long-standing cultural and political ties. He expressed hope that the grand BAPS temple would stand for centuries as a symbol of cooperation and opportunity between India and France. Modi said the temple would strengthen cultural ties, reflect shared craftsmanship and serve as a centre for service. He added that when BAPS consecrates temples in different countries, India’s ancient thoughts and human values travel alongside them as they reach people worldwide.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in London, said Hindu civilisational identity is rooted in the coexistence of diversity and unity. He said differences should be seen as varied expressions of an underlying oneness and urged people to move away from viewing others as enemies to address conflicts effectively. Bhagwat described ‘Hindu’ as a cultural and civilisational identity, rather than merely a religion or geographical category. He rejected the idea that unity requires uniformity, saying Hindu thought accommodates different traditions and paths and does not seek to convert others. His remarks came during the RSS centenary year, as he visits London until September 7 for overseas programmes marking the organisation’s 100 years.

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said New Delhi buys Russian oil for its own energy security and national development, not to help Moscow fund the Ukraine war. His comments come amid intensifying Western sanctions and possible secondary tariffs targeting countries importing Russian oil. The US is considering legislation allowing tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports from major Russian crude or gas buyers. Alipov accused sanctioning countries of choosing “pressure tactics” over cooperation and said Russia is willing to supply India with as much oil as required. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said cutting Russian oil purchases would not end the Ukraine conflict, which, he stressed, requires dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will undertake an official three-day visit to Sri Lanka from September 8 to 10, marking the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to the island nation in 38 years. During the visit, Mr. Singh is expected to meet Sri Lanka’s top leadership and hold consultations on bilateral, regional and defence-related issues. Discussions are likely to include defence cooperation, including possible collaboration in air-defence systems, and a review of ongoing security engagements between the two countries. The visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to the growing India-Sri Lanka defence partnership. Mr. Singh will also interact with members of the Indian diaspora during his stay in Colombo. (PC: ANI)

Singapore police are investigating a wave of racist and xenophobic online comments targeting people of Indian origin, Senior Minister K Shanmugam said. The abuse followed Nepal’s August 26 flash floods, which left nine Singaporeans missing, and reports that Air India sought about $1.5 billion from shareholders, including Singapore Airlines. Shanmugam called the remarks “shameful, nasty and totally unacceptable”, citing stereotypes involving snakes, curry, pratam and black magic. He said perpetrators should be unmasked and dealt with, while Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information will ask platforms to remove comments breaching guidelines. Authorities circulated 20 examples, including “CECA faces”. Shanmugam also condemned attacks on Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara over his ethnicity and alleged Air India preference.

India and China are holding their first-ever Corps Commander-level talks in Arunachal Pradesh at Wacha BMP along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The engagement comes ahead of the BRICS Summit and follows boundary talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. During their meeting, both sides agreed to strengthen mechanisms aimed at preventing border tensions from escalating. The latest military-level engagement signals continued efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to maintain communication and manage differences along the disputed frontier. The talks in Arunachal Pradesh come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilise India-China relations and ensure that disagreements along the LAC do not develop into larger confrontations. (PC: X)

India and China held Corps Commander-level talks in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday to address recent tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), particularly in the Taksing area of Upper Subansiri district. The meeting took place at the Wacha-Damai border meeting point in the Kibithoo sector, marking a significant military dialogue in the eastern sector. India was represented by Lt General Girish Kalia, commander of the Army’s III Corps (Spear Corps). The talks followed recent diplomatic discussions between Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and focused on reducing tensions, managing border differences and maintaining peace along the disputed frontier.