International News
India-Taliban talks set off alarm bells in Pakistan, calls for review of Afghan strategy
Islamabad, Jan 11: The Indian Foreign Secretary’s meeting with the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister in Dubai earlier this week has been giving sleepless nights to Pakistan’s political and military leadership with several top analysts suggesting that Islamabad should urgently reassess its aggressive approach towards Kabul.
On Wednesday, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai where both discussed various issues pertaining to bilateral relations, as well as “regional developments”.
The meeting took place only two days after New Delhi had severely condemned the recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan that resulted in the death of 46 people, including several women and children.
Calls for a thorough review of Afghan strategy have grown in Pakistan after the Afghan side termed India as a “significant regional and economic partner”.
Sources told Media that closed-door meetings are being held in Islamabad as top officials delve deeper on the country’s future approach towards its much-volatile neighbour.
There’s plenty on their plate considering the worsening situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and the growing mistrust between the two countries, coupled with Taliban leaders reaching out to other regional states for collaborations, especially India.
“For Pakistan, this should be a wake-up call. We should not forget that India was a major player in Afghanistan before the Taliban takeover. New Delhi had invested about $3 billion in Afghanistan for reconstruction projects and even the northern alliance members have good relations with New Delhi,” said Amir Rana, a strategic analyst.
“Even though the Indians are acting cautiously with the Taliban, things are actually moving forward. This is happening at a time when Pakistan is on the offensive against Afghanistan and our bilateral relations have nosedived tremendously,” he added.
Pakistan has called the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) a “red line” for the country and repeatedly urged the Taliban-led Afghan interim government to take decisive action against the group.
“Pakistan cannot afford a hostile neighbour to its West. One view is that instead of communicating with the people in Kabul, Islamabad can raise the TTP issue with the Taliban leadership in Kandahar as that’s where the real power originates from,” said Rana.
“A reference can be taken from a fatwa that the Taliban issued in 2023, stopping its cadres from waging a jihad inside Pakistan. The same can be used to convince the Taliban to move and relocate TTP and other anti-Pakistan groups away from its borders,” suggests the strategic expert.
It is also important to note that Pakistan’s current policy towards Afghanistan, focusing on fewer talks and a more aggressive approach, has certainly not yielded any positive result, so far.
In the past, Pakistan has had serious reservations against what it termed as India’s influence and presence inside Afghanistan. And the same concerns can quickly re-emerge if Islamabad continues with its current strategy.
“The doors of negotiations are not closed. Pakistan can work through regional states to put pressure on the Taliban to act swiftly on their counter terrorism measures. If relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan sour further, it would add to the already volatile security situation and give more maneuvering room to other countries,” said Rana.
International News
US intelligence blackout hurt Ukraine: Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the United States temporarily suspended crucial intelligence sharing with Ukraine for three days, leaving its forces without American warnings of Russian ballistic missile attacks during that period.
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Zelensky also said restrictions on satellite communications used by Ukrainian forces had not been fully lifted, raising fresh questions about Washington’s military and intelligence support for Kyiv.
The Ukrainian leader said the intelligence interruption affected information that only the United States could provide, particularly advance warnings of ballistic missile strikes.
“We didn’t see attacks of Russia using ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said.
He said Ukraine continued receiving intelligence from European governments and other international partners, but their capabilities could not fully replace American systems.
“We have dozens of countries who help. But only United States has this unique intelligence to say, to tell us, to tell our side when Russia uses ballistic missiles,” he said.
“And we didn’t get it during ballistic attacks during three days.”
Zelensky said the intelligence-sharing arrangement had since been restored.
“It was blocked for some period of time. And then it was deblocked by American side. We are very thankful for this. Now it works,” he said.
The disclosure came amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over President Donald Trump’s handling of the war with Russia.
Zelensky also raised concerns about restrictions affecting Starlink, the satellite internet network operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and its military-related services.
Asked whether the interruption had been deliberate, Zelensky said Ukrainian military officials believed the restrictions originated with the American government.
“Of course the message came from government. I don’t know from whom, what cabinet, and etc,” he said.
He added that Ukrainian officials believed SpaceX had technically implemented the restrictions following instructions from Washington.
Zelensky acknowledged that he did not know which American official might have authorised the move.
Asked whether satellite services had been fully restored, he replied: “No, not of course. We have limitation.”
The Ukrainian President’s account was challenged by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who appeared separately on the same programme.
Bessent said Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had denied that anyone in the administration ordered restrictions on Starlink.
“President Trump and Secretary Rubio have categorically said that no one in the Trump administration did that,” Bessent said.
He called Zelensky’s allegation reckless and said he had no information about the reported intelligence interruption.
“Again, I don’t know anything about that, but we’ve been very clear,” Bessent said.
The conflicting accounts left unresolved who was responsible for the communications disruption and why American intelligence sharing had been temporarily interrupted.
Zelensky said Ukraine remained dependent on American military assistance despite its growing network of European partners.
“If it’s without United States’ support, it’s very difficult,” he said.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, American intelligence, weapons and satellite communications have played an important role in Ukraine’s defence against Russian military operations, including missile and drone attacks.
Business
India-EFTA trade pact opens new opportunities for Norwegian investment across key sectors

India’s strong economic growth trajectory and the implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) are creating significant opportunities for Norwegian investors, particularly in manufacturing, renewable energy, infrastructure, financial services and the digital economy, according to industry insights.
With GDP growth projected to remain around 6.5 per cent annually through 2030, India is widely expected to become the world’s third-largest economy by the end of the decade, according to EY India report.
Analysts attribute this outlook to strong domestic consumption, rising investments, ongoing infrastructure development and reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business.
The India-EFTA TEPA, which came into effect in October 2025, is being viewed as a major milestone in India-Norway economic relations.
The agreement seeks to promote trade liberalisation, facilitate investment flows and deepen cooperation in areas such as innovation, sustainability and advanced technologies.
The pact includes investment commitments of $100 billion over 15 years and is expected to support the creation of one million direct jobs in India, aligning with the country’s broader goals of expanding manufacturing capacity and strengthening its position in global value chains.
Industry experts believe the agreement creates a strong framework for Norwegian companies to expand their presence in India by combining Norway’s expertise in technology, sustainability and capital-intensive industries with India’s large market and growth ambitions.
Several sectors have been identified as priority areas for collaboration, including manufacturing, renewable energy, oil and gas, maritime services, seafood processing, information and communication technology (ICT), fintech and financial services. These industries are expected to benefit from increasing bilateral cooperation under the TEPA framework.
The rapid expansion of India’s digital economy and digital payments ecosystem is also creating opportunities for Norwegian companies seeking exposure to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing consumer markets.
At the same time, India’s policy measures aimed at attracting foreign investment are expected to provide a supportive environment for long-term investors, as per the report.
International News
Tanker attacked northeast of Saudi Arabia: UKMTO

London, Oct 17: A tanker has reportedly been attacked 78 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday.
The master of the tanker reported being attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade from a small boat, resulting in damage to the aft port quarter, according to the UKMTO.
Crew are accounted for and reported safe, and a complete damage assessment and environmental impact are unknown, said the UKMTO.
Earlier this week, Yemen’s Houthi group said that it had launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting an airport and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. It also vowed to continue strikes against Saudi targets in the coming days.
In a statement broadcast by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group targeted Saudi energy giant Aramco in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, as well as King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh.
According to Sarea, the operation involved “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” which accurately hit their targets, causing damage and fires.
The Houthi spokesperson said the operation was carried out in retaliation for Saudi Arabia-led strikes on the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa and other areas under the group’s control. He said Saudi-led forces had carried out 2,281 air and missile strikes since the latest escalation began, Xinhua news agency reported.
Sarea vowed that the group’s attacks “deep inside Saudi Arabia” would continue in the coming days, targeting airports and oil facilities. He also renewed a warning to international airlines, civilians and employees to stay away from airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia that the group had designated as targets.
The Houthi claim came after the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted six Houthi missiles and three drones heading towards Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. An Aramco administrative building in Dhahran was targeted Tuesday evening, sparking a limited fire, while debris from two cruise missiles intercepted over Riyadh injured four people and damaged 15 homes, Saudi authorities said Wednesday.
-
Crime4 years agoClass 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra2 years agoFalse photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News2 years agoMinistry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMaharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News2 years agoJ&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface
-
Crime2 years agoBaba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
