US President Donald Trump has said the United States and India are close to finalising a bilateral trade deal, describing it as “a much different kind of deal”. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said negotiations were nearing completion, with 99% of the work done and finalisation expected within weeks. However, differences over specific wording and terms remain unresolved. The deal has faced delays amid tensions over US tariffs on Indian goods and India’s purchases of Russian oil. Both countries are continuing negotiations to settle outstanding issues and strengthen economic ties. (PC: The Indian Express)

Pakistan’s cybercrime agency has exposed an alleged cross-border fraud racket involving 3 Pakistani men and 4 Indian nationals living in Canada. The suspects allegedly used AI-generated passports and photographs to create fake identities and open bank accounts remotely with Canadian banks. According to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the Canada-based suspects prepared the documents and sent them to their Pakistani accomplices, who allegedly opened the accounts. Credit cards were then used to exhaust their limits before being discarded. Pakistani authorities announced arrests in Lahore on October 19. The banks involved and total losses remain undisclosed. (PC: India Today)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said India and the United States are weeks away from finalising a trade deal, with 99% of the work completed. In an interview with The Indian Express during his second India visit in less than five months, Rubio described bilateral ties as positive and a feature of Washington’s foreign policy. He sought to reassure New Delhi that US relationships with Pakistan or China would never come at India’s expense. Rubio also said the Trump administration’s tariffs and tighter visa rules were not directed at India. He highlighted continued regular high-level diplomatic engagement, including Quad meetings and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States.

Kerala-born model Ravleen Varghese, 25, made her debut at the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles on October 18, walking the runway twice. Originally from Kodumon, she wore a pink lace lingerie set for her first appearance and a black-and-white outfit for her second. Ravleen moved to Delhi to study design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, where she was scouted by Anima Creative Management at 18. Her career includes international fashion labels, magazine covers, work with designer Sabyasachi and a 2022 New York Fashion Week debut. Diet Sabya celebrated her achievement, describing her as the first Malayali model to walk the Victoria’s Secret show. (PC: X)

Estonian Ambassador to India Kristi Karelsohn has welcomed New Delhi’s efforts to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying India has proposed concrete steps that could advance peace. In an exclusive interview with Times Now Digital, she warned that a Russian victory could encourage President Vladimir Putin to pursue further invasions. Karelsohn stressed that Russia must not benefit from its aggression and called for support to help Ukraine win. She also emphasised stronger defence capabilities and credible deterrence to prevent future attacks. Estonia, she said, is working to persuade European countries farther from Russia’s borders to strengthen their defence preparedness, underscoring concerns about Moscow’s future actions and wider European security.

Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has exposed an alleged cross-border fraud racket involving three Pakistani nationals and four Indians based in Canada, according to India Today. The group allegedly defrauded Canadian banks using artificial intelligence-generated passports, photographs and fabricated identities. Pakistani members reportedly opened bank accounts remotely using forged documents, while their Indian associates in Canada received the corresponding credit cards. The cards were allegedly used to exhaust their credit limits before being discarded. The racket came to light on October 19, when the NCCIA announced arrests in Lahore. Additional Director Atif Ameer outlined the suspected network at a press conference, as investigators pursued the case.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday dismissed criticism by UN human rights experts over India’s handling of anti-CEC protests, questioning their credibility by calling “UN experts” an “oxymoron”. More than 20 UN experts had urged an independent investigation into alleged excessive force, arbitrary detentions and restrictions on peaceful assemblies. The protests involve opposition parties and student groups demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revision. Rubio described demonstrations as part of democratic discourse and said Washington would not comment on India’s internal affairs. India has rejected the criticism as interference in domestic matters. (PC: India Today)

Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton, near Toronto, will host an Indian consular camp on November 15, 2 years after pro-Khalistan protesters stormed the temple and assaulted worshippers in November 2024.   India’s Consulate in Toronto has announced 15 consular camps across Canada from November 1 to 29. The camps will provide services, including life certificates for pensioners, and consular assistance to members of the Indian community.   Indian missions had cancelled several camps after the 2024 violence over security concerns. The return to the temple marks a renewed effort to provide services to Indians living far from diplomatic offices. The schedule also includes temples, a gurdwara and a church. (PC: HT)

The United States aims to more than double bilateral trade with India to over $500 billion within three years, up from a record $240 billion, US Ambassador Sergio Gor announced. The announcement came as President Donald Trump said Washington and New Delhi were “pretty close” to reaching a trade agreement, adding that the deal would differ significantly from previous agreements. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump expressed confidence that an agreement was within reach. Earlier, at the Freedom 250 reception in Mumbai, Gor highlighted the countries’ economic and strategic partnership, saying Trump had tasked him with delivering tangible results rather than merely discussing future cooperation.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ruled that a minor cannot lose Indian citizenship merely because his father acquired British citizenship. The court heard a petition filed by the child through his father, N.S. Gurudev Nagaiah Shanmugam of Madurai, seeking renewal of the minor’s passport. The petitioner asked the court to direct the Madurai Regional Passport Officer to process the application. The judge observed that the child acquired Indian citizenship by birth because both parents were Indian citizens at the relevant time. The court directed the Regional Passport Officer to consider and dispose of the passport renewal application within three months, according to The Hindu’s report published October 21, 2026. (PC: The Hindu )