Following the historic India-UK Free Trade Agreement signed on July 24, Indian consumers can expect reduced prices on UK products including scotch whiskey, chocolates, biscuits, and cars. Tariffs on scotch will fall from 150% to 40% over 10 years, making premium brands like Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal cheaper. The deal also covers aerospace parts, medical devices, and cosmetics. Indian professionals working in the UK will enjoy a 3-year exemption from social security payments. The pact, hailed as India’s most ambitious in a decade, is projected to boost bilateral trade by $34 billion annually and strengthen economic ties. (PC: X)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer marked the signing of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement with a symbolic ‘Chai Pe Charcha’ at Chequers. The leaders shared masala chai, reflecting growing people-to-people ties. The deal, signed by ministers Piyush Goyal and Jonathan Reynolds, is hailed as the most significant post-Brexit trade agreement by the UK. Modi also gifted a signed T20 World Cup bat to Buckinghamshire street cricketers and admired a Premier League trophy. He called the deal a “blueprint for shared prosperity,” while Starmer highlighted the historic and cultural bonds uniting India and the UK. (PC: X)

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to China for the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting marks his first in five years, signaling efforts to reset India-China ties. Beijing emphasized mutual trust, cooperation, and resumption of dialogue, describing the visit as a “fresh restart.” Chinese leaders advocated the “Dragon-Elephant Tango” to reshape the global order and urged India to look beyond U.S.-influenced misperceptions. Talks included restoring direct flights and enhancing multilateral cooperation via SCO and BRICS. The unresolved border dispute remains a key issue, but both sides aim to build a long-term, stable relationship through sustained diplomacy and trust-building mechanisms. (PC: X)

Yakten, a remote village in Sikkim's Pakyong district, has transformed into India’s first digital nomad village, offering high-speed internet in the Himalayan hills. Officially launched by the state, the initiative allows remote workers to blend work with breathtaking views, butter tea, and peaceful mountain life. Once a quiet hamlet with limited connectivity, Yakten now supports Zoom calls, emails, and digital work amid nature. With enhanced infrastructure and upgraded homestays, the project aims to boost tourism and rural development while promoting sustainable living. The Wi-Fi-powered retreat is a dream come true for professionals seeking a scenic, serene work-life balance. (PC: X)

India’s Rishabh Pant returned injured but delivered a brave 54-run knock on Day 2 of the 4th Test at Old Trafford. Limping visibly, he struck quick runs before Jofra Archer bowled him out. Ben Stokes led England’s bowling with 5/72 as India posted a respectable first-innings total. In reply, England dominated with openers Ben Duckett (94) and Zak Crawley (84) adding 166 runs. Ravindra Jadeja and debutant Anshul Kamboj picked up one wicket each, but England ended strongly at 225/2, trailing by just 133 runs. The momentum firmly shifted to the hosts going into Day 3. (PC: NDTV)

During his UK visit, PM Narendra Modi met young players from Buckinghamshire Street Cricket Hubs alongside UK PM Keir Starmer. At Chequers, Modi gifted a bat signed by India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning team, highlighting cricket’s role in India-UK people-to-people ties. Modi used a cricket metaphor to describe bilateral ties: “There may be a swing and a miss at times, but we always play with a straight bat.” The leaders signed a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and endorsed India-UK Vision 2035, boosting market access, skilled migration, and business partnerships between the two democracies. (PC: X)

Melbourne’s Swaminarayan Temple and two Asian-run restaurants were defaced with hate graffiti just a day after Indian student Charanpreet Singh was brutally attacked in Adelaide. The temple bore the slur “Go home brown c***” in red paint. “To have it targeted in this way feels like an attack on our identity,” said Makrand Bhagwat of the Hindu Council. Premier Jacinta Allan called it a “deliberate act of hate… designed to intimidate.” Singh, 23, was left unconscious and hospitalised with brain trauma after being punched repeatedly. Irish police are also probing a suspected hate crime against an Indian man in Dublin. (PC: HT)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a cricketing metaphor to describe India-UK ties, telling British PM Keir Starmer, “There may be a swing and a miss at times, but we always play with a straight bat!” After signing a landmark Free Trade Agreement and launching Vision 2035, Modi emphasized building a “high-scoring, solid partnership” with the UK. Both leaders also interacted with youth at London’s Buckingham Street Cricket Hub. Modi’s remarks resonated as India’s national cricket team tours England. Cricket, he said, symbolizes shared passion and partnership between the two nations, blending diplomacy with a sport loved on both sides. (PC: X)

A 1,000-year-old Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva has become the epicentre of a violent conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. Clashes erupted after a Cambodian drone was spotted near the Ta Muen Temple Complex, triggering airstrikes and diplomatic fallout. The Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple, located on the Dangrek border ridge, features a natural rock Shivling, Sanskrit inscriptions, and iconography tracing to India’s Gupta and Pallava dynasties. Originally Shaivite Hindu, the temple later became a Buddhist centre under Khmer rule. The border dispute, fuelled by colonial-era maps, has turned this forgotten heritage site into a modern-day flashpoint. (PC: India Today)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met King Charles III at Sandringham House during his UK visit and presented him with a sapling of the Davidia involucrata 'Sonoma', also known as the handkerchief tree. The gift was part of Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, encouraging people to plant trees in tribute to their mothers. The Royal Family confirmed the tree will be planted in autumn. Modi and King Charles also discussed bilateral ties, collaboration on Ayurveda, Yoga, and the Mission LIFE initiative to promote environmental sustainability. The sapling symbolized a gesture of friendship and environmental commitment between India and the UK. (PC: X)