India clarified it did not participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s June 14 statement strongly denouncing Israel’s June 13 airstrikes on Iran, which targeted military and civilian infrastructure with civilian casualties . New Delhi maintained its long-standing position, expressed June 13, urging both Iran and Israel to pursue dialogue and diplomacy to de‑escalate tensions . External Affairs Minister Jaishankar spoke with his Iranian counterpart to convey global concern and pressed for restraint and a return to diplomacy . India emphasized its independent foreign policy within multilateral platforms like SCO. (PC: Reuters)

Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London, crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, slamming into a BJ Medical College hostel and canteen. Of 242 onboard, 241 died; at least 33 more perished on the ground. Only one passenger survived. The black box was recovered, though the voice recorder remains missing. India’s aviation regulator mandated fleet‑wide Boeing 787 inspections, including engine and thrust checks. The DGCA‑ordered safety reviews are ongoing. Air India is providing an interim ₹25 lakh, plus medical care and relief flights, and deploying support teams on site. (PC: ABC & AP News)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on his first foreign trip since Operation Sindoor, traveling to Cyprus (June 15–16), Canada for the G7 Summit in Kananaskis (June 16–17), and Croatia (June 18), marking India’s first PM visits in decades (Cyprus) or ever (Croatia). In Cyprus, Modi will hold talks with President Christodoulides and engage business leaders to deepen India‑EU ties, diplomacy, and security cooperation . At the G7, he’ll attend his sixth consecutive Summit to discuss global issues like energy, AI‑energy nexus and quantum, and reset bilateral ties with Canada’s PM Carney. In Croatia, bilateral dialogues will further India‑EU engagement. (PC: Hindustan Times)

India and China have agreed to accelerate the resumption of direct flights and bolster diplomatic engagement, the foreign ministries announced on Friday. This decision follows a Thursday meeting in New Delhi between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, currently visiting India. In October, both nations reached a patrol agreement along the Himalayan frontier, easing long-standing tensions that began in 2020. Earlier this January, they initiated discussions to resolve trade and economic issues, a move expected to revitalise aviation and bilateral ties. (PC: News18 & Getty Images)

India has clarified that it did not participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) June 14 statement condemning Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India’s consistent call, first articulated on June 13 for diplomacy and dialogue to de‑escalate the conflict. While the SCO, led by China and including Russia and Pakistan, issued a strong rebuke of Israeli actions, India maintained its neutrality, expressing concern over the escalation but deliberately distancing itself from the group’s collective stance. This move underscores India’s diplomatic balancing act, avoiding alignment with any escalatory condemnations while urging restraint and peaceful resolution. (PC: AP News & The New York Times)

Two seemingly unrelated plane crashes, nearly 30 years apart, share a chilling connection: seat 11A. In June 1998, Thai singer James Ruangsak Loychusak survived a Thai Airways Airbus A310 crash that killed 101 people while seated in 11A. Fast‑forward to June 12, 2025: Air India Flight AI‑171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 onboard and dozens on the ground. The sole survivor was 40‑year‑old British‑Indian businessman Viswash Kumar Ramesh also seated in 11A, adjacent to an emergency exit. (PC: Mint & Instagram)

Indian‑American OB‑GYN Dr. Mona Ghosh, 52, of Inverness, Illinois, was sentenced on June 9, 2025, to ten years’ federal prison and ordered to pay ≈ $1.5 million restitution for defrauding Medicaid, TRICARE and private insurers of about $2.4 million. From 2018–2022, she submitted claims for unnecessary or non‑existent procedures including endometrial ablations, biopsies, ultrasounds, vaccinations, blood and STD tests often performed without consent. Ghosh also exaggerated consultation lengths via improper billing codes, fabricated medical records, and directed staff to submit false claims. Prosecutors said her actions “endangered patients’ health and fertility,” prompting strong condemnation from federal authorities. (PC: Mona Ghosh/LinkedIn)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a graphic on X illustrating Iran’s missile range—including India—but inadvertently showed Jammu & Kashmir (and Ladakh) as part of Pakistan, and mislocated northeastern states with Nepal . The error sparked significant backlash from Indian users, with many tagging leaders and demanding correction . About 90 minutes later, the IDF issued a public apology: “This map fails to precisely depict borders. We apologise for any offence caused” . Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar called the graphic “bad, unintended” and sought its immediate removal. The incident highlights how cartographic inaccuracies in official messaging can strain diplomatic ties. (PC: News 18)  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a European tour from June 15–17, making historic stops in both Cyprus and Croatia en route to and from the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. The Cyprus visit—only the third by an Indian premier—aims to deepen ties amid Turkey–Pakistan solidarity and Cyprus’s upcoming EU Council presidency . Following the summit, his journey continues to Croatia, marking the first-ever Indian prime ministerial visit, reinforcing bilateral defence and economic cooperation . Modi’s attendance at the G7 also offers an opportunity to reset strained Canada ties, highlighted by diplomatic tensions over Sikh separatist issues. (PC: ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a call from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, during which he was briefed on Israel’s military strikes on Iran. Modi expressed India’s deep concern and stressed the need for early restoration of peace and regional stability. Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility and missile sites, killing 78 in Tehran, according to Iranian media. Netanyahu also contacted other global leaders including Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron. The U.S. warned Iran to make a deal, with Trump asserting, “We make the most lethal weapons.” India continues to monitor the situation closely. (PC: India Today)