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India survived a brilliant hundred from Jacob Bethell and moved within one win of becoming the first ​nation to claim back-to-back men's Twenty20 World Cup titles after beating England by seven runs in a nail-biting semi-final on ‌Thursday, Reuters reported. 

India will also be chasing a record third T20 title when they take on New Zealand in Sunday's final in Ahmedabad.

Put in to bat in front of a packed Wankhede Stadium awash in blue, the hosts racked up an imposing 253-7 as Sanju Samson struck a commanding 89, supported by fluent contributions from Shivam Dube ​and Ishan Kishan, according to Reuters. 

India has welcomed the successful conduct of elections and the exercise of their democratic mandate by the citizens of Nepal, which have seen enthusiastic participation.

We congratulate Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the Government and the people of Nepal, as well as various stakeholders, for successfully holding these polls, which took place against the backdrop of exceptional circumstances last year, India said in a press statement.

India has consistently supported peace, progress, and stability in Nepal and, in keeping with our commitment, provided logistical supplies as per the request from the Government of Nepal for these elections, the statement says. We look forward to working with the new Government of Nepal to further build on the robust multifaceted ties between our two countries and peoples for mutual benefit. 

India and Canada have announced a host of agreements, including a 10-year nuclear energy deal, after their prime ministers met in Delhi to reset ties that plummeted due to diplomatic tensions, BBC reported. 

Narendra Modi and Mark Carney also struck agreement in areas such as technology, critical minerals, space, defence and education.

Carney said they agreed to conclude a free trade deal, years in the making, by the end of 2026. Both countries want to reduce exposure to punitive US trade tariffs, according to BBC. 

India reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup with a five-wicket win over West Indies in Sunday's decisive Super Eights match, as Sanju Samson's unbeaten knock of 97 helped them chase down a target of 196 with four balls to spare, Reuters reported. 

Defending champions India, who will play in the semis for the third straight time, will face England in Mumbai on Thursday, a day after South Africa take on New Zealand in the first semi-final.

"It means the whole world to me. Right from the day I started playing, started dreaming to play for the country, I think this is the day I was waiting for," said player-of-the-match Samson, whose 50-ball knock included four sixes and 12 boundaries, according to Reuters. 

A rampant India piled up a record total and handed Zimbabwe a 72‑run shellacking in a Super Eight contest on Thursday to revive their Twenty20 World Cup title defence, Reuters reported. 

Sent in, the hosts blasted 256‑4, the tournament's highest score this year, after Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya smoked blistering half‑centuries.

It rained 17 sixes and as many fours at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium as India's top order feasted on a modest Zimbabwean attack made even blunter by their sloppy catching, according to Reuters. 

Nepal and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on biodiversity conservation. 

The MoU to this effect was signed in the presence of Minister for Forests and Environment of Nepal, Madhav Prasad Chaualgain, and Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, Bhupendra Yadav, in New Delhi on Wednesday. 

The MoU was signed by Nepal's Ambassador to India Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma, on behalf of Nepal, and by Tanmay Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, on behalf of India.

Dr Maheshwor Dhakal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Forests said that senior officials from the governments of Nepal and India were present on the occasion. 

Both Nepal and India are signatories to various international treaties on environmental conservation, including biodiversity, under the United Nations.

There are protected areas and biological corridors in the bordering areas of both nations, providing habitat to many wild animals, including elephants, rhinos, and tigers. These wild animals cross the borders freely without hindrances. 

The MoU, therefore, is expected to play a role in enabling both countries to coordinate and cooperate in the protected areas, biodiversity, and wildlife crime control, adopt a shared strategy related to biodiversity, and develop the capacities of personnel working in the field.

Additionally, Minister Chaulagain said that the MoU will support controlling and regulating poaching and illegal trade of wildlife in cross-border areas, conducting research, studies, and monitoring of wildlife, and raising awareness and building capacity at the local level.

The implementation of the MoU is expected to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity in both countries by conducting regular patrols and meetings in the border areas, exchanging experiences and knowledge, developing and expanding good practices, and sharing immediate information related to wildlife and illegal trade.

The MoU states that both countries can exchange wildlife crime-related information with the South Asia Wildlife Law Enforcement Network (SAWEN) to control and regulate international wildlife crimes.

The Ministry and its subordinate Department of Forests and Soil Conservation and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation at the central level, and the relevant provincial Ministry of Forests and Environment, protected areas, and divisional forest offices will coordinate and collaborate at the local level, to implement the said understanding on behalf of Nepal.

The MoU  stipulates that the agreement will be automatically renewed every five years unless a nation provides written information through diplomatic means, and it will be reviewed every three years.

The MoU states that any problems arising during the implementation will be resolved through mutual understanding.

South Africa bulldozed defending champions India by 76 runs on Sunday in their Super Eight Group One clash in the Twenty20 World Cup, underlining their title credentials and sending a strong signal to their rivals, Reuters reported. 

Choosing to bat in a rematch of the 2024 World Cup final, South Africa surged to a commanding 187‑7 following a remarkable recovery from a precarious 20-3.

In reply, tournament co-hosts India's timid top-order faltered swiftly, and their innings never quite escaped the grip of scoreboard pressure. They were bundled out for 111 in 18.5 overs, slipping to their first defeat of the World Cup, according to Reuters. 

India beat the Netherlands by 17 runs in their final Twenty20 World Cup Group A match on Wednesday in Ahmedabad as the co-hosts and defending champions maintained their perfect record heading into the Super Eight stage, Reuters reported. 

After winning the toss and opting to bat, India posted 193-6 on a slow pitch on the back of Shivam Dube's 66 off 31 balls in the middle order while Logan van Beek finished with figures of 3-56.

In response, the already-eliminated Dutch side managed only 176-7 after Varun Chakravarthy picked up three wickets for just 14 runs while Dube also took two wickets to win the player of the match award, according to Reuters. 

In a spectacle dripping with dominance and drama, India delivered a crushing 61-run triumph, bowling Pakistan out for 114 in a second innings that showcased relentless intensity, tactical brilliance and breathtaking athleticism, The Economic Times reported. 

Defending 176, India exploded out of the blocks like a storm, snatching four wickets inside the first five overs to seize total control and silence the chase before it could even gather momentum.

The early destruction was scripted by Hardik Pandya, who opened with a sizzling wicket maiden that instantly tilted the contest. At the other end, Jasprit Bumrah unleashed a masterclass in hostile precision — searing pace, late movement and pinpoint lines that left batters groping and guessing. Pakistan never found rhythm as India’s bowlers circled like hunters sensing victory, according to The Economic Times. 

Indian captain Suryakumar ⁠Yadav said his players ⁠are not concerned about the threat of rain for Sunday’s Twenty20 World Cup clash with Pakistan, adding that the defending champions are focused on preparing for the showdown between ⁠bitter rivals, Aljazeera reported. 

Pakistan had initially boycotted the Group A fixture in Colombo over Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament for refusing to play in India over security concerns, but reversed their decision on Monday.

But weather forecasts have warned ⁠of heavy rain between Sunday afternoon and evening, casting new doubts over the match, according to Aljazeera ​​​​​​. 

Defending champions India continued their march towards the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup with a 93-run plastering of Namibia in a group A contest at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, Reuters reported. 

Put into bat, India racked up 209-9 after opener Ishan Kishan (61) and middle-order batter Hardik Pandya (52) struck rapid half-centuries.

They returned to bundle out Namibia for 116 in 18.2 overs to register their second successive victory and top the group because of their net run-rate, which is superior to Pakistan, who also have four points from two games, according to Reuters. 

India on Thursday handed over the third tranche of election-related assistance to Nepal. 

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava presented the assistance  to Minister for Home Affairs of Nepal Om Prakash Aryal at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu. 

The latest tranche includes more than 270 vehicles and other logistical supplies, among them 50 trucks designated for the Nepal Army, in line with Kathmandu’s request to support election preparedness.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashok Raj Sigdel formally received the trucks on behalf of the Nepal Army.

Speaking at the program, Home Minister Aryal thanked the Indian side for the timely and significant nature of assistance provided to Nepal. He also conveyed his appreciation for the mutually beneficial and comprehensive nature of cooperation between the two countries, which is marked by mutual trust, friendship, and a shared adherence to democratic values.

The first two tranches of such election-related assistance, comprising over 310 vehicles and other supplies from the Government of India, have already been handed over to Nepal on January 20 and 29  respectively. Some additional deliveries are expected to take place in batches in the coming days, according to the statement. 

India’s government said on Tuesday social media companies would have to take down unlawful content within three hours of being notified about it, tightening an earlier 36-hour timeline in what could be a compliance challenge for Meta, YouTube and X, Reuters reported. 

The changes amend India’s 2021 IT rules, which have already been a flashpoint between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and global technology companies.

The amended rules also relaxed an earlier proposal that would have required platforms to visibly label AI-generated content across 10 per cent of its surface area or duration, instead mandating that such content be “prominently labelled”.

The Nepal Institute of International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) hosted the Nepal-India Think Tank Forum on Regional Resilience: Strengthening Nepal-India Security Cooperation with the senior experts from major think tanks of India and Nepal. 

Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh (Retd.), the Director General of the United Service Institution of India, oldest think tank of the Indian military shared that “Nepalis courage and valour have been at the forefront of Indian military strength and national security."

He also shared that “Agniveer scheme is open to Nepali citizens at par with Indians, and is akin to the earlier pre-1970s non-pensionable colour service. The scheme offers an opportunity to invest in human capital, with disciplined, motivated, empowered youth that strengthens and enriches society," reads a statement issued by NIICE. 

Ambassador Pankaj Saran, former National Security Advisor of India, praised Nepalis youth and urged youth from both countries to shape the future of Nepal–India relations.

Alok Bansal, Executive Vice President of India Foundation shared that India is a major victim of cross-border terrorism and it has a huge impact on Nepal as well.  

Similarly Professor Sangeeta Thapliyal of Jawaharlal Nehru University said that think tanks should strengthen India–Nepal ties and urged both governments to promote research.

Dr Gaurav Saini, co-founder of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research, noted that while India–Nepal ties are strong, human trafficking, narcotics smuggling, and counterfeit currency are the transnational threats affecting both countries. 

Maj. Gen. Binoj Basnyat, Political and Security Analyst, said that elections alone may not ensure Nepal’s stability and called for inclusive dialogue, according to the statement. 

Anurag Acharya, Director PEI discussed three major avenues including Physical connectivity, highlighted tech integration, religious and cultural tourism and sports as emerging opportunities.

Bibek Dhoj Thapa, Program Coordinator at NIICE emphasized that India–Nepal relations should focus on partnership with the rising youth population, seeing India not as a post-colonial power but as a strategic partner. 

Sumitra Karki, the Director of NIICE emphasized the need to engage academically and policy-wise in enhancing bilateral relationships. 

Pakistan will take part in this month's men's T20 World Cup - but will not play their scheduled match against tournament co-hosts India, BBC reported. 

The country had been considering boycotting the competition after Bangladesh withdrew citing safety fears over travelling to India.

Political tensions have meant Pakistan and India have not faced each other outside men's major tournaments since 2013, while India have not played in Pakistan since 2008, according to BBC. 

The trade deal between India and the European Union is as much about geopolitics as it's about intercontinental business relations, BBC reported. 

The EU is already India's largest partner with trade in goods reaching $142.3bn (£104.07bn) in 2024, amounting to 11.5% of the South Asian nation's total trade. India is the EU's ninth largest trading partner.

These are impressive numbers and reflect strong relations. And yet, trade talks were stuck for two decades, according to BBC.