Courtesy: X/ @NationPress
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Mumbai and Jamnagar from October 20 to 22 reflected a new dimension to the India-U.S. bilateral: economic diplomacy. Referring to India as “a refining superpower” showed how global energy trends have impacted the U.S., whose national interest dictates a deeper energy cooperation with India. The two sides still remain apart on Pakistan, China, Iran, tariffs, and BRICS.
Courtesy: Reuters / Ueslei Marcelino
Brazil’s October 25, 2026, elections witnessed President Lula win a fourth term, at a crucial time when Brasília is navigating a fragmenting global trade order. In this chapter of the KEMP Report 2026, Foreign Trade Secretary Tatiana Prazeres explores Brazil’s dual-track approach: expanding bilateral and plurilateral trade agreements while supporting multilateral trade reform. Brazil demonstrates how middle powers can strengthen resilience and preserve strategic flexibility.
Courtesy: @IsraeliPM / X
Israel's national elections took place on October 27, 2026. Among the tasks for the new government is a $29 million programme to resettle India's 6,000 remaining Bnei Menashe Jews in Israel. These Jews from Mizoram and Manipur trace their descent to the Lost Tribes of the ancient Biblical Kingdom of Israel. They will join Israel's 85,000-strong Indian-origin Jewish community, strengthening the 'living bridge' connecting the two nations.
Courtesy: Gateway House
As Prime Minister Modi heads to the ASEAN and East Asia Summits in Manila, India-ASEAN cooperation has gained fresh momentum in 2026, the Year of Maritime Cooperation. Joint naval exercises, new subsea cables linking India to Southeast Asian hubs, and growing information-sharing are turning geography into a practical partnership. The real test, however, is trade, where the review of the India-ASEAN FTA remains unfinished.
Courtesy: Tarushi Aswani / Al Jazeera
Ladakh is getting new districts, even a new High Court bench, but not the statehood it was promised by the Indian government when Article 370 and 35A were abrogated in August 2019. Seven years later, locals are restless and New Delhi has yet to find a permanent solution by way of a Constitutional guarantee.
Courtesy: TATA
The tussle between the directors on the Tata Sons’ board has drawn attention to the company’s largest shareholder: the Tata Trusts. The Trusts hold a 66% stake in Tata Sons and have pushed back against diluting it through a public listing. A look at the vision for and establishment of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bombay, supported by the Trusts, underscores the pioneering philanthropy the Tatas always practised.
Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov visited New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026. Belarus, an official BRICS partner country, wants full membership and counts on India’s support. In an interview with Gateway House’s Ajay Kamalakaran, Minsk’s envoy to India Ambassador Mikhail Kasko, outlines how Belarus hopes to deepen bilateral ties with India, from pharma to technology transfer, assembly plants, student exchanges and tourism.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The visit of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to three African countries – Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia – from October 6 to 10 was an important step in imparting fresh momentum to bilateral relations with these countries. It also drew public attention to the imperative of continuing the multi-dimensional partnership between India and Africa.
Courtesy: BSS News
Beijing has agreed to fund a port in Bangladesh, the third port funded by foreign governments. This shouldn’t be a concern for India, because unlike Pakistan and Sri Lanka, it has a diversified lender base. Japan and Russia are the large infrastructure funders, with China in the third place, while the U.S. and the EU are key export markets. India lags as an investor.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The Tata group faces one of the biggest challenges in its history: the preservation or dismantling of the mandate of the Tata Trusts in favour of investors whose primary objective is financial returns. On the second anniversary of Ratan Tata’s death, it is worth remembering that those who carried the name of Tata in their Trusts, believed foremost in “giving India what it needs.”
