India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council after Islamabad raised Jammu and Kashmir during a debate on civilian protection in armed conflict. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, accused Pakistan of hypocrisy, saying a country with a “long-tainted record of genocidal acts” had no standing to comment on India’s internal matters. He cited Pakistan’s alleged airstrike on Kabul’s Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital during Ramadan, referencing UNAMA figures claiming hundreds of civilian casualties and mass displacement. Parvathaneni also referred to allegations linked to Operation Searchlight in 1971, accusing Pakistan of systematic atrocities. India rejected Pakistan’s Kashmir remarks and called them an attempt to internationalise domestic issues.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit India from May 23-26 for his first official trip to the country, focusing on strengthening cooperation in trade, defence, energy and regional security. According to the US State Department, Rubio’s itinerary includes Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, where he will hold high-level meetings with senior Indian officials. The visit will also coincide with the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled in New Delhi on May 26. Rubio is expected to join Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for discussions on major geopolitical developments, including the ongoing West Asia crisis and broader Indo-Pacific security challenges. (PC: X)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome sparked online attention after Modi offered her a packet of Parle Melody chocolates, turning the interaction into a viral moment of “toffee diplomacy.” The video, shared by Meloni on X, highlighted a lighter side of Indo-Italian engagement and drew widespread reactions across social media. Parle Products thanked Modi for “taking Parle Melody to the global stage” and called it a proud moment for the company and Indian confectionery. Melody, long considered a nostalgic favourite in India, gained unexpected international visibility through the exchange, with many users celebrating the cultural symbolism and warmth reflected in the gesture between leaders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the Food and Agriculture Organization’s highest honour, the Agricola Medal, during a ceremony at FAO Headquarters in Rome. Accepting the recognition, Modi dedicated the honour to India’s farmers, fishermen and 140 crore citizens, calling agriculture the “main stream” of India’s identity. FAO Director-General Dr. Qu Dongyu praised Modi’s leadership in transforming India’s agricultural landscape through farmer-centric reforms, food security programmes and welfare initiatives. The FAO highlighted India’s support for over 800 million people through food schemes, direct income support to 110 million farmers, promotion of natural farming and millets, and India’s push for digital public infrastructure during its G20 Presidency aimed at empowering developing nations.

Thousands of Indian tech workers in the US are facing mounting uncertainty after fresh layoffs at companies including Meta, Amazon and Oracle. Under H-1B visa rules, laid-off employees get only 60 days to secure a new sponsoring employer or leave the country. Many are now attempting to switch temporarily to B-2 visitor visas to extend their stay, but immigration lawyers say approvals and status-change requests are facing tighter scrutiny, more paperwork and rising denial rates. The crisis comes amid over 110,000 tech layoffs in 2026. Indians, who received nearly 284,000 approved H-1B petitions in FY25, are among the worst affected due to long green card backlogs, prompting many to explore Canada and Europe as alternative destinations. (PC: X)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that India and Italy are now “closer than ever” after high-level talks in Rome. Both leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a “Special Strategic Partnership,” focusing on defence cooperation, innovation, trade, maritime connectivity, and counter-terror financing. They also launched a joint initiative against terror financing and discussed collaboration in artificial intelligence, critical minerals, space, and clean energy. Modi highlighted the importance of Indo-Pacific security and invited Meloni to visit India, while both leaders stressed diplomacy and stronger global cooperation amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. (PC: AP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a light-hearted moment with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit to Rome by gifting her a packet of Parle’s popular Melody toffee. Meloni posted a video of the exchange on social media, where she smiled while showing the candy and called it a “very, very good toffee”. Modi then jokingly replied, “Melody”, triggering laughter and instantly reviving the viral “Melodi” meme online. The hashtag has long been used by internet users to describe the warm and friendly chemistry between the two leaders, and the latest moment quickly drew reactions across social media.

India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed to attend and Chinese President Xi Jinping likely to participate. Xi’s visit, if confirmed, will be his first trip to India since 2019 following years of strained ties after the Galwan Valley clashes and border tensions. India, which assumed the BRICS presidency in January 2026, will host leaders from the expanded 11-member bloc under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The summit is expected to focus on economic cooperation, global governance reforms and trade. (PC: India Today)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump may meet during the G7 Summit in France next month, with a possible pull-aside interaction expected to attract global attention amid ongoing India-US trade tensions. French President Emmanuel Macron has invited Modi to attend the June 15-17 summit in Evian-les-Bains as a special invitee. The potential meeting would mark the first in-person interaction between Modi and Trump since their White House talks in February 2025, where both leaders pledged to expand bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Observers are expected to closely watch any discussions on trade, strategic cooperation and geopolitical developments. (PC: India Today)

Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten faced widespread criticism after publishing a cartoon depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a snake charmer during his Norway visit. The illustration, accompanying an opinion article, showed Modi holding a snake-like fuel pipe and triggered accusations of racism, xenophobia and colonial stereotyping online. Critics argued the imagery revived outdated portrayals of India associated with “snake charmers” and undermined the country’s global image. The controversy emerged alongside another diplomatic row involving Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng and Indian diplomat Sibi George during media interactions in Norway. The debate has further intensified discussions surrounding media portrayal, cultural sensitivity and India-Norway relations.