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.

The United States has announced zero per cent tariffs on certain speciality medicines and their ingredients from India and 19 other countries and regions. The exemption covers drugs for rare diseases, fertility treatments, cell and gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, nuclear medicines and animal health products. The US Commerce Department’s notice said eligible products must meet specific conditions linked to trade and security agreements or urgent US healthcare needs. The move follows President Donald Trump’s April proclamation on pharmaceutical imports under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The exemption does not apply to all pharmaceutical products. (PC: HT)

US Vice President JD Vance has warned companies against hiring foreign workers through H-1B visas after laying off American employees. Speaking on the All-In podcast, Vance said the programme should bring skilled workers who contribute to the US economy, not replace local employees with lower-paid foreign workers. The warning follows a September 18 executive order by President Donald Trump directing US agencies to consider recent or planned layoffs when reviewing H-1B applications. The administration has also retained a $100,000 payment requirement for certain overseas applicants. The changes could affect Indian technology professionals, who account for a large share of H-1B beneficiaries. (PC: India Today)