Submit your Article

India fears a planned Chinese mega-dam in Tibet could cut Brahmaputra River flows by up to 85 percent in the dry season, a government analysis shows. Beijing’s $170bn project, the world’s largest hydropower dam, could divert over a third of annual flows before the river enters India, Reuters reported.

In response, New Delhi is fast-tracking the proposed Upper Siang Multipurpose Dam in Arunachal Pradesh, which would be India’s biggest. Officials say it could offset water losses, stabilize supplies, and absorb potential surges from Chinese releases.

China insists its project will not harm downstream nations, but Indian officials view it as a strategic risk. The Brahmaputra supports more than 100m people across China, India, and Bangladesh, according to Reuters.

In a modest-sized university lab in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, researchers are using a tiny drill to scrape away enamel from a 2,500-year-old tooth, BBC reported.

Researchers at Madurai Kamaraj University say the tooth belongs to one of two human skulls that they have used as models to digitally reconstruct faces to understand what the region's early inhabitants might have looked like.

The skulls, both belonging to men, were excavated from Kondagai, an ancient burial site about 4km (2.5 miles) from Keeladi - an archaeological site that has become a political flashpoint in India.

Tamil Nadu state department archaeologists say an urban civilisation dating back to 580BC existed in Keeladi, a claim that adds a new dimension to the story of the Indian subcontinent, according to BBC.

India's Supreme Court has modified its previous order asking authorities in Delhi and its suburbs to move all stray dogs into shelters amid widespread protests by animal welfare groups, BBC reported.

The three-judge bench said that strays should be released after being vaccinated and sterilised but added that dogs with rabies or aggressive behaviour should be immunised and kept in shelters.

The court also banned feeding of stray dogs in public spaces and ordered dedicated areas to be set up for the purpose.

On 11 August, a two-judge bench had expressed concern over the rising "menace of dog bites leading to rabies" in Delhi and its suburbs, according to BBC.

Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong has said that Beijing "firmly opposes" Washington's steep tariffs on Delhi and called for greater co-operation between India and China, BBC reported.

Xu likened the US to a "bully", saying that it had long benefitted from free trade but was now using tariffs as a "bargaining chip" to demand "exorbitant prices" from other nations.

"US has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India and even threatened for more. China firmly opposes it. Silence only emboldens the bully," Xu said on Thursday.

Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 25% penalty on India in addition to 25% tariffs for buying oil and weapons from Russia. The new rate will come into effect on 27 August, according to BBC.

As South Asia experiences a multifaceted regional rebalancing, the Indo-Nepal bilateral relationship keeps developing on the twin principles of economic interdependence, physical connectivity infrastructure, and strategic diplomacy. Trade and energy to border management and transit routes, the latest developments in 2025 represent a renewed vigour of engagement between the two neighbours—united not only geographically, but through history and people-to-people ties.

A deep trade partnership 

India continues to be Nepal's biggest trade partner by a wide margin, with more than 64% of Nepal's foreign trade volume. Based on the data of the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi, bilateral trade reached Rs 1.13 trillion during FY 2022–23. Nepal exported products worth Rs 106.69 billion and imported more than Rs 1.02 trillion from India.

Nepal's major exports to India are refined palm oil, soybean oil, cardamom, carpets, iron and steel, and polyester yarn. Such commodities—some of which are manufactured under inward processing arrangements—have duty-free entry into Indian markets under currently prevailing bilateral agreements, subject to meeting prescribed value-addition norms.

On the import front, Nepal is heavily reliant on Indian petroleum products, vehicles, machinery, medicines, and food grains. The trade deficit is appalling, but Nepal is making efforts to diversify its export basket, with more focus on electricity exports, herbal products, and processed agro-forestry products.

Infrastructure and connectivity as catalysts

Trade facilitation has also been boosted immensely by cross-border infrastructure. Two Integrated Check Posts—ICP Raxaul from the Indian side and ICP Birgunj in Nepal—collectively process more than 50% of total bilateral trade volume, as reported by Nepal's Customs Department.

Additionally, strategic road and rail connectivity continues to be expanded:

Jaynagar–Kurtha railway is in operation, with additional extension to Bardibas underway.

Raxaul–Kathmandu and Jogbani–Biratnagar railway projects are in advanced planning stages.

The Gorakhpur Link Expressway, which opened in June 2025, brings travel time from Lucknow to the Nepal border down to 3.5 hours, benefiting border trade and tourism straightaway.

A historic connectivity project—the Motihari–Amlekhganj petroleum pipeline—has already changed the petroleum product supply chain. In operation since 2019, it exports more than 2 million tons of fuel every year and minimizes transport costs and losses substantially.

Energy: From impirt dependence to regional exporter

One of the most notable developments this year is the coming out of Nepal as a power exporter. Nepal, in June 2025, started exporting 40 MW of power to Bangladesh via India's transmission network—South Asia's first tri-national energy transit project.

This comes after India's endorsement of Nepal's export of more than 450 MW of power, mainly from hydropower projects, to Indian states like Bihar. A 2024 long-term energy deal obliges India to buy a maximum of 10,000 MW of power from Nepal within a decade—an ambitious but possible target considering Nepal's unreleased hydropower potential.

In February 2025, Indian Oil Corporation inked an agreement to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Nepal, a first in cross-border energy collaboration. The initial quantum will be small—240 tons a year—but the strategic value is significant.

Diplomacy and strategic engagement 

Diplomatic interaction between the two countries has picked up in recent months. India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri travelled to Kathmandu in August 2025 for top-level discussions with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, setting the stage for a state visit to India in September.

In parallel, home secretary-level talks during July concentrated on border safety, preventing trans-border crime, and coordinating responses to disaster—all high-priority areas for two nations with a penetrable and open 1,770 km shared border.

India has continued to prioritize its "Neighbourhood First" strategy, and Nepal has, in turn, reaffirmed greater cooperation across domains.

Historical foundations contemporary relevance 

India–Nepal relations are supported by official treaties—the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the Treaty of Trade, and the Treaty of Transit. These have ensured institutional continuity, but both sides realized that they need to update their framework to accommodate changing economic and geopolitical compulsions.

There are occasional political tensions, but the structural foundations are stable. The economic path is one of the increased integration, particularly in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Cultural ties, religious bonds, and the open border access continue to underpin rich people-to-people relationships, especially in border communities.

Conclusion

As the globe leans towards regionalism and economic blocs, India and Nepal are heading towards a more pragmatic and fruitful era of bilateral engagement. Diversification of trade, energy dependence, and high-level diplomacy indicate that 2025 could be a watershed year—one that converts geographic proximity into strategic partnership.

Whether or not potential is actualized will rest on sustained mutual respect, open coordination, and shared vision towards sustainable development.

Jagathkrishna Yadav, journalism student, Dr B.R Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad

India has reached its goal of blending 20 percent ethanol with petrol (E20) five years ahead of schedule, cutting nearly 70m tons of carbon dioxide emissions and saving $1.5bn in foreign exchange since 2014. The government calls it a key step in reducing emissions and oil imports, BBC reported.

However, many older vehicles are not E20-compatible, raising concerns over lower mileage and potential engine wear. Manufacturers offer kits or additives, but costs and insurance coverage remain issues for consumers.

According to BBC, the policy also affects food security. Ethanol relies on sugarcane and maize, and higher demand has led to maize imports and diversion of rice meant for subsidized distribution. Experts warn further expansion could strain agriculture unless yields improve or more land is cultivated.

India’s government is considering a ban on online games played for money, a move that could heavily impact the booming gaming industry. The proposed Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, reviewed by Reuters, cites potential psychological and financial harm from such games and prohibits offering or facilitating them.

The bill defines online money games as those where users deposit money with the expectation of winning cash or other rewards. Violations could carry up to three years in prison and fines.

The sector, valued at billions of dollars, has gained popularity through fantasy cricket apps like Dream11 and Mobile Premier League, which attract users with small entry fees and large prize pools. The government has long raised concerns over the addictive nature of these games, especially during major tournaments like the Indian Premier League, Reuters reported.

Five years after the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley that severely strained ties, India and China now appear to be moving toward normalization of relations.

While the US President Donald Trump’s tariff war may have nudged the two Asian powers closer, the current thaw stems largely from sustained confidence-building measures and dialogue. For Kathmandu, cordial relations between India and China create a more favorable environment to engage constructively with both New Delhi and Beijing.

On both the Doklam and the Galwan clashes, Nepal consistently maintained that disputes should be resolved peacefully. Following the Galwan incident, Nepal stated: “In the context of recent developments in the Galwan Valley area between our friendly neighbors India and China, Nepal is confident that both the neighboring countries will resolve, in the spirit of good neighborliness, their mutual differences through peaceful means in favor of bilateral, regional and world peace and stability.”

Over the past year, multiple rounds of dialogue helped rebuild trust. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India on Aug 18–19, where discussions included the sensitive border question. Earlier, in July, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar traveled to Beijing.

India has long maintained that relations cannot return to normal unless border issues are addressed. In delegation-level talks, Jaishankar remarked: “Having seen a difficult period in our relationship, our two nations seek to move ahead. This requires a candid and constructive approach from both sides. Overall, it is our expectation that our discussions would contribute to building a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship between India and China, one that serves both our interests and addresses our concerns.”

On the global context, he added: “We seek a fair, balanced and multi-polar world order, including a multi-polar Asia. Reformed multilateralism is also the call of the day. In the current environment, there is clearly the imperative of maintaining and enhancing stability in the global economy as well.”

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, for his part, urged both sides to draw lessons from the past, cultivate a correct strategic outlook, and view each other as partners and opportunities rather than rivals or threats. He emphasized confidence-building, expanded cooperation and consolidating positive momentum. Pointing to the US, Wang warned that “unilateral bullying practices are on the rise, while free trade and the international order face severe challenges.”

This thaw in India-China ties comes at a time when New Delhi’s relations with Washington have soured after Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, citing India’s continued imports of Russian oil. Meanwhile, China and the US have been locked in a trade and technology war since 2018.

According to Kathmandu-based geopolitical analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta, shifting global geopolitics has compelled both India and China to temporarily set aside differences. “Both countries now recognize each other as competing powers, not necessarily the binary rivals often portrayed in Western media,” he said. “The backdrop to these developments is important for countries like Nepal. For instance, the Trump administration’s tariff measures against India for its Russian oil imports came despite the fact that most major countries were doing the same, something that actually helped stabilize the global oil market, benefiting even Nepal.”

Bhatta added that India and China have long learned from each other, and countries in between stand to benefit if ties continue to improve. Closer relations could generate alternative ideas for development and global governance.

Still, he cautioned that states prioritize their own interests, especially in times of heightened geopolitics. “We too must focus on our own interests and prepare to navigate accordingly,” he said. “There’s an old saying: whether elephants fight or make love, it’s the grass that suffers. It may be old, but it remains relevant when external factors increasingly shape regional relations.”

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with China’s top diplomat on Tuesday in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after a yearslong standoff between the Asian powers, Associated Press reported.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border, and resuming some trade there, is expected to be on the agenda.

The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China’s influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliancewith the U.S. along with Australia and Japan, according to Associated Press.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi started a three-day visit to India on Monday, meeting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He and Doval will hold the 24th round of boundary talks, though no breakthrough is expected, Firstpost reported.

Recent steps like resuming the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra, visas, and flights have signaled easing, but experts caution these are tactical gestures, not a strategic thaw. Core issues—boundary disputes, trade gaps, and mistrust—persist, keeping ties far from normal despite speculation of closer alignment.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a red alert for Mumbai, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ordered all schools closed, including afternoon shifts, as waterlogging disrupted traffic and daily activities across several areas, Firstpost reported.

The red alert—the highest in IMD’s warning system—covered Borivali, Thane, Kalyan, Mulund, Powai, Santa Cruz, Chembur, Worli, Navi Mumbai, and Colaba. Authorities urged residents to stay indoors unless necessary and follow official safety guidelines.

The IMD also warned of a flash flood risk in Mumbai and its suburbs until early August 19, while other parts of Maharashtra remain under yellow and orange alerts, according to Firstpost.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has called on India to stop purchasing Russian crude, warning that these imports are funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine and weakening global sanctions. In an opinion piece in the Financial Times, he accused India of acting as a “clearinghouse” for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports that provide dollars to the Kremlin.

India, the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian oil after China, gets over 30 percent of its fuel from Moscow. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods over the issue. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Independence Day to protect Indian farmers and stand firm against US trade pressure, Al Jazeera reported.

India aims to slash taxes on small cars and insurance premiums as part of a sweeping reform of its goods and services tax (GST), a government source said on Monday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan sparked a rally in stock markets, Reuters reported.

Modi's administration revealed plans of the biggest tax overhaul since 2017 over the weekend, and consumer, auto and insurance companies are likely to emerge as the biggest winners when product prices drop from October, once the reform is approved.

The federal government has suggested lowering GST on small petrol and diesel cars to 18% from the current 28%, said the source who is directly involved in the matter. The GST on health and life insurance premiums may also be lowered to 5% or even zero from 18% currently, the same source said.

Indian markets climbed on Monday, with the benchmark Nifty index trading 1.3% higher, on course for its best day in three months. Auto stocks also rallied, according to Reuters.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated C.P. Radhakrishnan, the current governor of Maharashtra, as its candidate for vice president. The election is scheduled for September 9, Xinhua reported.

If elected, Radhakrishnan would become India’s 15th vice president. The BJP leads the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

A long-planned visit by a US team to New Delhi for trade negotiations has likely been cancelled, according to an official. The delegation, led by Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch, was due to arrive on 25 August for the sixth round of discussions on a proposed bilateral trade agreement. “No new date is decided yet,” said the official, The Economic Times reported.

Five rounds of talks have been completed so far. The sixth was expected to be crucial, coming just as additional US tariffs were set to come into force.

The negotiations were scheduled from August 25-29. "This visit is likely to be rescheduled," the official, who did not wish to be named, said, according to Economic Times.

India on Saturday welcomed the Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the world’s hope for an early end to the Ukraine conflict, Firstpost reported.

The Ministry of External Affairs praised the leaders’ efforts, calling progress through dialogue and diplomacy “highly commendable.”

While the summit did not yield a ceasefire, Trump plans to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington to pursue a full peace agreement, with European leaders backing further talks and potential sanctions against Russia, according to Firstpost.