India on Friday said it is "closely following the development" after Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a trilateral defence agreement aimed at strengthening collective security. According to Pakistan's foreign ministry, the pact treats an armed attack on any one member as an attack on all three and expands defence cooperation through joint military exercises, training, technology transfers and intelligence sharing. The agreement was signed during a meeting of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The MEA noted it was monitoring the development, while Saudi Arabia continues diversifying defence partnerships amid regional security challenges and tensions with Iran.  

India has dismissed criticism by US Congressman Riley Moore over the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, with the Ministry of External Affairs describing the legislation as an internal matter. Responding to Moore's claim that the Bill targets Christians and could affect India-US ties, the MEA said many countries, including the United States, regulate foreign funding through domestic laws. The government maintained that the proposed amendments are intended to strengthen oversight of foreign contributions while preserving the religious character of places of worship. The Bill also proposes empowering a government-designated authority to manage the assets and foreign contributions of NGOs whose FCRA registration has been cancelled.

Lucky Rawat, a Class 10 student from Chakrata in Uttarakhand, has been selected as India's sole representative for the prestigious Icebreaker of Knowledge international expedition to the North Pole. Chosen through a rigorous three-stage selection process, he will join students aged 14–16 from 22 countries on a 10-day scientific and educational voyage aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy, departing from Murmansk, Russia. The programme promotes Arctic research, environmental awareness, cultural exchange, and global collaboration. Lucky's achievement is a proud moment for India, highlighting how talent and determination can earn international recognition. (PC: ANI)

Indian-origin PhD student Vikram Mubayi, studying Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), was found dead after going missing during a solo hiking trip in California's Big Pine Lakes area. Mubayi last contacted his family on August 1, sharing his GPS coordinates before communication stopped. A multi-agency search led by Inyo County Search and Rescue and the California Highway Patrol recovered his body in Inyo National Forest on August 3. Authorities have not disclosed the cause of death, but said there is currently no indication of foul play. Investigations into the circumstances continue. (PC: NDTV)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the evolving security situation in West Asia amid ongoing regional tensions. The leaders exchanged views on recent developments, including escalating conflicts and their implications for regional stability. PM Modi reiterated India's support for peace, dialogue, and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions while emphasizing the need to protect civilians and ensure stability. The discussion also covered bilateral cooperation and shared concerns over regional security. The call reflects continued high-level engagement between India and Israel as both nations closely monitor the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. (PC: PTI)

Indian students recorded the sharpest decline in US student visa approvals during the 2025 admissions cycle, with F-1 visas dropping 62% year-on-year, nearly double the decline among Chinese applicants. According to the Centre for Immigration Studies (CIS), US consulates issued 22,149 F-1 visas to Indians between May and August 2025, compared with 58,694 during the same period in 2024. Chinese student visas fell 34%, from 61,075 to 40,034. The report links the decline to tighter Trump-era immigration rules that have created uncertainty around admissions and post-study work opportunities. The May-August period is the busiest season for F-1 visa processing ahead of the US academic year. (PC: India Today)

Indian-origin UCSB doctoral student Vikram Mubayi was found dead after going missing during a solo hiking trip in California's Big Pine Lakes area. Mubayi, a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering, had travelled to the eastern Sierra Nevada over the weekend. Authorities launched a search after he failed to return as planned and stopped communicating with his family. According to the Daily Nexus, search teams later recovered his body. Officials said the case remains under investigation, but there are currently no signs of foul play. Mubayi's death has shocked the university community, with the incident drawing attention to the risks associated with solo hiking in remote mountainous terrain. (PC: r/SierraNevada)

The government told Parliament that nearly ₹550 crore has been spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits since 2021, with ₹74.58 crore incurred so far in 2026. Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said expenditure stood at over ₹180 crore in 2025, ₹109 crore in 2024, ₹93 crore in 2023, ₹55 crore in 2022, and ₹36 crore in 2021. The highest spending this year was ₹17.46 crore for the Norway leg of Modi's five-nation May tour. The ministry added that several 2026 figures remain provisional and highlighted that India received USD 381.8 billion in FDI between April 2021 and December 2025. (PC: Wallpapers Den)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over phone to discuss the ongoing West Asia conflict, regional developments and the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership. The two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across defence, trade, investment, space, energy, cybersecurity and critical technologies. They also discussed strengthening collaboration in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, agriculture, water management, fintech and biotechnology. Both leaders supported deeper people-to-people ties and called for an early conclusion of the proposed India-Israel Free Trade Agreement, while agreeing to remain in regular contact on regional security and strategic issues.

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon successfully completed his first 6.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS), marking a major milestone in his space career. Working alongside veteran astronaut Jessica Meir, Menon helped upgrade the station's power infrastructure in preparation for installing next-generation International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSA). The mission was the first of three planned NASA spacewalks this month aimed at improving the ISS's long-term operational capabilities. Throughout the extravehicular activity, astronauts followed strict safety procedures while carrying out critical maintenance tasks that will support future scientific research and space exploration missions. (PC: Reuters)