Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s partnership with ASEAN is a strong base for global peace and development. Speaking at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, he said India and ASEAN together represent one-fourth of the world’s population and can shape a stable and secure future. Modi announced 2026 as the “ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation,” focusing on safety, trade, and sustainability in regional waters. His remarks came as ASEAN nations face pressure from US-China tensions. Modi said India stands ready to work with ASEAN to solve common regional and global challenges. (PC: The Indian Express)

President Donald Trump claimed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that India would halt Russian oil imports, calling it a "big step." However, India's foreign ministry spokesperson stated he was "not aware of any conversation" between Trump and Modi, or any assurance about stopping Russian oil purchases. Trump had received assurances that India would halt purchases "within a short period of time," as Washington seeks to pressure Russia by cutting Kremlin's energy revenues. Following new U.S. sanctions, India's major refiners are preparing to sharply cut Russian crude purchases, though analysts suggest any cuts would likely be symbolic rather than structural, as Russian oil remains vital for India's economy.

Vice President JD Vance criticized New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani after he spoke about his Muslim aunt feeling unsafe wearing on the subway following the September 11 attacks. Vance wrote on X that "the real victim of 9/11 was his auntie who got some (allegedly) bad looks." Guy km Mamdani made the remarks during a press conference outside a Bronx mosque, stating he wanted to "speak to the memory of my aunt, who stopped taking the subway after September 11 because she did not feel safe in her hijab." The comments came amid controversy after Andrew Cuomo questioned Mamdani's crisis leadership abilities and made hypothetical remarks about another 9/11-style attack, which Mamdani called Islamophobic. (PC: Newsweek & NBC News)

U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that India is “cutting back completely” on Russian oil imports as Washington tightens sanctions on Moscow. He also voiced optimism about achieving a “complete deal” with China covering trade, technology, and raw materials. However, Indian officials clarified there has been no such move, emphasizing that energy purchases from Russia align with national interests. Trump’s remarks come amid efforts to balance U.S. foreign policy between Moscow, Beijing, and New Delhi, signaling renewed geopolitical maneuvering over global energy supply chains and trade relationships. (PC: AP)  

Pakistan's Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited disputed Creek Areas along India's maritime boundary, vowing to defend "every inch from Sir Creek to Jiwani." He inducted three state-of-the-art 2400 TD Hovercraft into Pak Marines, designed for navigating shallow waters, sand dunes, and marshy littoral zones where conventional craft fail. Admiral Ashraf emphasized maritime security as "cornerstone of sovereignty" and vital for economic prosperity. Top Indian intelligence sources condemned the visit as "deliberate military assertiveness in disputed maritime zones," timed provocatively before Indian Tri-Forces exercises. Intelligence assessment views the hovercraft induction as defensive upgrade but notes Pakistan uses military posturing to justify deeper Chinese strategic alliances under CPEC framework, particularly concerning Gwadar-Jiwani maritime infrastructure.

A Gurgaon couple's Instagram post listing 11 reasons why Indian life surpasses living abroad has gone viral. The '@harsheenexplores' account contrasts India's conveniences with overseas challenges: Swiggy delivers instantly versus 5-7 business day parcels abroad; ₹100 buys haircuts, chai, and samosa versus £10 for one coffee overseas; immediate customer service versus slow email responses; affordable street food versus expensive sandwiches; frequent public transport versus sparse connections; vibrant festivals versus muted celebrations; spontaneous friendships versus scheduled socializing; affordable healthcare with doctors calling you "beta" versus week-long appointment waits; and festive holidays versus working through Diwali. They conclude India offers "chaotic perfection", noisy, unpredictable, yet rich with warmth and community that makes "no place like home."

A viral video showing an Indian worker in Saudi Arabia pleading for rescue was staged for social media attention, Saudi Eastern Province Police confirmed. The Uttar Pradesh man, speaking tearfully in Bhojpuri with a camel backdrop, claimed his sponsor withheld his passport and threatened to kill him, appealing to PM Modi for help. After summoning the expatriate for questioning, police found "he documented and published the content to increase views on his social media account." Authorities stated no dispute existed with his employer, and legal action was taken. The Indian embassy in Riyadh attempted tracing him but faced difficulties due to missing location details. The controversy follows Saudi Arabia's recent abolition of the Kafala sponsorship system.

A Swedish court rejected the deportation of Eritrean refugee Yazied Mohamed, 18, convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl, ruling the act "did not last long enough" to qualify as an "exceptionally serious crime." The September 2024 incident occurred when Mohamed grabbed the victim's phone, dragged her into a Skellefteå tunnel, and sexually assaulted her while she walked home from McDonald's. Initially acquitted for "lack of evidence," Mohamed received three years imprisonment and ordered to pay 240,000 kronor (£17,500) damages. The Alto Norrland Court of Appeals stated that while rape often justifies refugee deportation, each case requires individual evaluation based on nature and duration. Swedish law permits deportation only for exceptionally serious crimes threatening public safety.

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who led counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan for 15 years, advised Islamabad that it would gain nothing from war with India, warning Pakistan would lose any conventional conflict. Recalling the 2001 Parliament attacks, Kiriakou stated the CIA believed the nuclear-armed nations would go to war. He emphasized no benefit exists in constantly provoking India. In a shocking revelation, Kiriakou disclosed that during his 2002 Pakistan deployment, he learned unofficially that the Pentagon controlled Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. He doubts this information was shared with India due to Pakistan's public stance on controlling its own nuclear weapons. The State Department reportedly urged both nations to avoid nuclear escalation.

China has welcomed the resumption of direct commercial flights with India, viewing it as a positive move in restoring bilateral ties. IndiGo will begin flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou on October 26, and Delhi to Guangzhou on November 10. China Eastern Airlines will resume its Shanghai-Delhi route from November 9. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the renewed connectivity supports friendly exchanges among the more than 2.8 billion people of both nations and signals China’s intent to work with India for stable, long-term relations. The flights had been halted since 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and border tensions in eastern Ladakh. (PC: India Today)