External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the world is adjusting to a changing global order shaped by US-China ties. He said Washington and Beijing remain competitors despite areas of agreement. “There are limits to what the two of them can agree upon,” Jaishankar said. He said countries are seeking new partners and ways to reduce risks. Jaishankar also said the world is moving towards greater multipolarity. On India-China ties, he said relations are “better” than in 2025 and 2024. He linked the improvement to reduced border tensions. He said the border situation remains important for normal bilateral relations.

Direct flights between New Delhi and Ulaanbaatar have started, cutting travel time between India and Mongolia to around five hours. The first flight arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday morning. The route will operate once a week, every Monday, and will be run by Mongolia’s Hunnu Air. Earlier, travellers needed to take connecting flights through cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing or Incheon. The new service is expected to support tourism, medical travel and business. It could also boost trade by allowing faster cargo movement. Both countries offer free visas and e-visas to their citizens.  

Indian applicants faced an average wait of 346 days for US non-immigrant visa interviews in 2025, according to a US Government Accountability Office report. India received 1.45 million applications, handled by only 68 consular officers. The high demand and limited staff have caused long delays. B1/B2 visa applicants face the longest waits. Current estimates range from about 6.5 months in Kolkata to 12 months in Hyderabad. Mumbai has a wait of around 11.5 months, while New Delhi has about 10 months. The standard visitor visa fee is $185. A new $250 Visa Integrity Fee may also apply.  

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India-US relations have faced “bumps” over trade talks, tariffs and differences on terrorism. Speaking in New York, Jaishankar said India’s concerns about terrorism must be better understood by its partners, including the US. He said a lack of “understanding or appreciation” could affect bilateral ties. Jaishankar also said trade talks were complicated by India’s large number of small producers and changes in US tariff rules. He stressed India’s policy of maintaining ties with several countries. His comments came days after he criticised Pakistan at the United Nations, calling it a “serial practitioner of terrorism.”  

Wildlife SOS, whose two functionaries are in custody in a Madhya Pradesh leopard-poaching case, is also allegedly linked to the purchase of an elephant from Nepal, according to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau records cited by The Indian Express. The Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force arrested the two employees last month over their alleged involvement in poaching 10 leopards in the Shivpuri-Morena landscape. The investigation concerns an alleged elephant trade from four years ago, based on records reviewed by authorities. The Indian Express reported that authorities are examining the elephant’s origins and movement as part of the probe. Wildlife SOS CEO Kartick Satyanarayan is also due to join the leopard-poaching investigation. (PC: The Indian Express)

Iran has completed the Chabahar-Zahedan railway, a 730-kilometre link expected to improve India’s access to Afghanistan, Central Asia and eastern Russia, The Economic Times reported. The line connects the Iranian port of Chabahar with Zahedan and is expected to become fully operational within three to four months after final safety checks. It includes 33 stations, 39 tunnels and 201 bridges. The railway could strengthen Chabahar’s role as a maritime-to-land gateway for Indian cargo while providing routes that avoid Pakistan. India and Iran are also discussing arrangements concerning Chabahar Port operations. The project is expected to support regional connectivity and trade through Iran, including links associated with the International North-South Transport Corridor framework.

The United States has exempted India and 19 other jurisdictions from tariffs on certain specialty pharmaceuticals and associated ingredients, according to the US Commerce Department. The zero per cent rate covers drugs for rare diseases, infertility treatments, cell and gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates and animal pharmaceuticals, along with their qualifying components. The exemption comes as Washington prepares to impose a 100 per cent tariff on specified patented pharmaceutical imports and ingredients from September 29 under Section 232. The eligible jurisdictions qualify based on current or forthcoming trade and security framework agreements with the US. Generic pharmaceutical products and associated ingredients remain outside the Section 232 tariffs, under the new rules announced. (PC: The Economic Times)

Air India will resume direct flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv from December 1, 2026, restoring a key air link between India and Israel, according to the Israel Ministry of Tourism. The airline will operate five weekly non-stop flights from Sunday through Thursday using Boeing 777 aircraft, making it the only carrier offering direct connectivity between the two countries. The resumption is expected to strengthen tourism ties and improve access to Israel for Indian travellers. The ministry said the restored service could also help attract new segments of Indian visitors beyond existing travel patterns. The move marks a renewed effort to expand connectivity and support tourism exchanges between India and Israel. (PC: X)

The FBI has added fugitive gangster Satinderjeet Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his capture. The FBI alleges Singh is the North American leader of the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which authorities accuse of targeted killings, shootings, kidnappings, extortion, assaults, and narcotics and weapons trafficking across the US and Canada. Singh faces charges in Los Angeles involving racketeering conspiracy, extortion and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The FBI said he is currently believed to be based in California and Canada, and warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous.

President Donald Trump has unveiled plans for a $15 billion steel complex in Iowa to be developed by Mesabi Metallics, owned by India’s Essar Group. Trump announced the project at the White House alongside company executives, describing it as a major boost for US manufacturing. The White House says the facility will become the largest steel plant in US history. Essar’s wider US investment is expected to total about $18 billion, including its Minnesota iron ore operations. The Iowa plant is designed as a fully integrated operation using ore from Mesabi Metallics’ Minnesota mine. Production is expected to begin in 2030, with capacity eventually reaching 10 million tons of steel annually.