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Over the past few months, Nepal and India have stepped up engagement on multiple fronts, including long-overdue meetings of bilateral mechanisms. While the exact date of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to New Delhi is yet to be finalized, Indian officials confirm that preparations are underway, and the visit is likely to take place before Dashain. India has also been engaging with a wide cross-section of Nepali society in the lead-up.

Nepal-India relations faced significant turbulence, especially after 2015, which strained bilateral ties. However, in recent months, both sides appear to be moving toward a reset. Kathmandu and New Delhi have now prioritized economic and development partnerships over longstanding contentious issues.

Two key unresolved matters, the map row and the report prepared by the Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG), remain sensitive. While political parties such as the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre), and various Madhes-based parties have largely shelved the EPG issue, some CPN-UML leaders continue to raise it, albeit with less intensity.

India’s renewed outreach to Kathmandu comes amid a shifting regional context: Donald Trump’s inauguration and subsequent US aid cuts to Nepal, political developments in Bangladesh, and a brief but deadly India-Pakistan conflict. In late July, New Delhi hosted an all-party delegation of Nepali members of parliament. According to the Indian readout, the discussions centered on expanding the multifaceted bilateral partnership.

On July 28 and 29, the seventh meeting of the India-Nepal Boundary Working Group (BWG) was held in New Delhi. The BWG had been inactive since 2019 due to the map dispute. Although this meeting did not address contentious territorial issues, both sides adopted updated modalities for inspecting, repairing, and maintaining boundary pillars, and agreed to expedite work in these areas. They also finalized a three-year work plan and committed to using advanced technologies for boundary-related tasks.

In the third week of July, the home secretary-level meeting between the two countries covered the full spectrum of bilateral security cooperation and border management. The two sides finalized the text of an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. They also agreed to work toward the early conclusion of a revised extradition treaty, another longstanding and sensitive issue.

India also launched a collaborative initiative in partnership with the UN World Food Programme to support rice fortification and supply chain management in Nepal. The project aims to address gaps in Nepal’s fortified rice supply chain, particularly in procurement, data collection, and human resource capacity, through knowledge exchange with India’s successful public distribution system. It offers Nepali stakeholders the chance to learn from India’s experience in applying digital technologies to food logistics.

Speaking at a public event this week, foreign affairs expert Mohan Lohani, as quoted by the Press Trust of India, said that India is advancing rapidly in economic growth, development, and technological innovation. “Nepal should try to benefit from the progress made by our southern neighbor,” he said.

Another foreign policy expert, Nischal Nath Pandey, advised Prime Minister Oli to travel overland for his New Delhi visit, arguing that it would allow him to observe India’s significant progress in infrastructure, especially road transport.” During the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has made remarkable progress in development and road connectivity, and Nepal should learn from the experiences gained by India,” Pandey said.

As preparations for Prime Minister Oli’s India visit continue, both sides are working to finalize a major project or agreement to be announced during his meeting with Prime Minister Modi. Government officials suggest that resolving issues related to the long-pending Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project could be one such announcement. According to sources, the Indian side has conveyed that when the two prime ministers meet, a substantial breakthrough should be unveiled.

Donald Trump has threatened to "substantially" raise tariffs against India over its purchase of oil from Russia, BBC reported.

"They [India] don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," the US president wrote on his online platform, Truth Social, on Monday.

India is currently among the largest buyers of Russian oil. It has become an important export market for Moscow after several European countries cut trade when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump did not specify what the new tariff would be, but it comes just days after he unveiled a hefty 25% levy on India, according to BBC.

One of the top aides to US President Donald Trump has accused India of allegedly financing the Russian war against Ukraine by purchasing oil from Moscow. The development comes after the US president escalated pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil or face penalties, The Indian Express reported.

During an interview on Fox News‘ “Sunday Morning Futures”, Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House, said, “What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia."

Miller, who is seen as one of Trump’s most influential aides, criticised India for purchasing oil from Russia and effectively financing Moscow’s war against Kyiv. Miller’s criticism is being viewed as one of the strongest by the Trump administration yet about one of the US’ major partners in the Indo-Pacific, according to The Indian Express.

India and the Philippines staged joint sail and naval exercises in the disputed South China Sea for the first time, a high-profile military deployment that will likely antagonize China. Beijing has separate territorial disputes with the two Asian democracies and a long-running regional rivalrywith New Delhi, Associated Press reported.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner said Monday that the two-day joint naval sail and exercises which began Sunday have been successful so far and expressed hopes that Filipino forces could engage India’s military in more joint maneuvers in the future.

Asked if Chinese forces carried out any action in response, Brawner said without elaborating that “we did not experience any untoward incident but we were still shadowed. We expected that already.”

A new blood group was discovered in India on a 38-year-old woman during surgery. The blood group is named CRIB standing for Cromer i.e. CH India Bengaluru as it was found near Bengaluru. It is one of the 47 blood groups.

“The woman’s blood group did not match any other blood group. We mixed it with other blood groups and tested it but it reacted every time,” Dr Ankit Mathur, medical director of the Rotary-TTK Blood Centre in Bengaluru told the BBC. He was the main contact person for the doctors at the RL Jalappa Hospital in Kolar. The woman was advised to undergo surgery at this hospital due to a heart problem.

It was sent to the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBRGL) in Bristol, UK for study and after 10 months they approved the name ‘CRIB’. It was officially announced at the 35th ISBT conference held in Milan, Italy in June this year.

India will continue purchasing oil from Russia despite threats of US penalties, government sources told Reuters. President Trump recently warned of additional sanctions and claimed India might halt Russian imports, but officials say there’s no change in policy.

“These are long-term contracts,” one source said, adding that Russian oil helps stabilize global prices. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s strong ties with Russia and said energy decisions depend on market conditions, Reuters reported.

In a tragic accident in India, eleven people lost their lives on Sunday after a Bolero carrying 15 passengers plunged into a canal in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district. The passengers were returning from a temple visit when the vehicle lost control, according to Firstpost.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the grieving families and announced ₹5 lakh in compensation for each victim’s next of kin. He also directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India’s ties with Russia a “point of irritation,” following President Trump’s threat of tariffs over Delhi’s continued oil and arms purchases from Moscow, BBC reported.

Rubio said India’s energy needs are valid but warned that buying Russian crude helps fund the Ukraine war.

Though Russian oil once made up 40 percent of India’s imports, recent reports suggest a decline due to reduced discounts.

India denies ordering a halt in purchases but says it can diversify if needed, according to BBC.

Trump’s remarks drew a sharp response from Russia’s Former President Dmitry Medvedev. India has not responded.

President Donald Trump has imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, along with an unspecified penalty, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian oil and weapons, according to BBC.

Experts warn the move could dent India’s economic growth. Icra cut its GDP forecast from 6.5 percent to 6.2 percent, while Nomura estimates a 0.2 percent hit. Markets reacted negatively to the news.

The tariffs come despite recent efforts by India to ease trade tensions. Analysts say the move could hurt India’s competitiveness and weaken its chances of attracting global manufacturing investment, BBC reported.

A court in India has acquitted all seven accused in a deadly bombing that struck a Muslim-majority town in Maharashtra state nearly 17 years ago, BBC reported.

At least six people were killed and nearly a hundred injured in the blasts that hit Malegaon in September 2008. 

Among the seven acquitted are Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a former MP of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and a serviceman, Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit. 

According to legal portal Live Law, the judge noted that the prosecution failed to prove the motorbike that allegedly triggered the blasts belonged to Thakur, according to BBC.

India Champions have opted out of the World Championship of Legends semi-final against Pakistan, scheduled for Thursday, reaffirming their firm stance against participating in competitive matches against their arch-rivals, according to a report from PTI, The Times of India reported.

The decision comes despite India Champions securing their place in the semifinals after a dominant win over West Indies Champions, chasing down the target in just 13.2 overs in their final group-stage match on Tuesday.

Earlier in the tournament, the league-stage clash between India and Pakistan was officially called off following strong objections from Indian players and a key tournament sponsor. This was followed by public statements from former India cricketers, including Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, declaring they would not take part in the match, according to The Times of India.

U.S. President Donald Trump said a trade deal with India has yet to be finalised and warned of possible higher tariffs ahead of an August 1 deadline to seal an agreement, Reuters reported.

His comments followed a Reuters report that India was preparing to accept higher tariffs of 20%-25% on its exports to the U.S. in the absence of a trade deal, as it holds off on offering fresh concessions ahead of Friday's deadline.

"India has been a good friend, but India has charged basically more tariffs, almost more than any other country," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, adding that would come to an end, according to Reuters.

Asked about the Reuters report, Trump said a trade deal had not been finalised and India could face steeper tariffs

US President Trump said India may face tariffs of 20 to 25 percent, though no final decision has been made as trade talks continue ahead of the August 1 deadline, Firstpost reported.

Calling India a “good friend,” Trump criticised its high tariffs and trade barriers, saying, “You just can’t do that.” He previously imposed a 26 percent tariff in April, later pausing it during negotiations.

US officials say more talks are needed, citing concerns over India’s digital taxes and strict import rules. With a $129bn trade relationship at stake, both sides are pushing for a deal, according to Firstpost.

India has said its security forces killed three militants who shot dead 26 civilians near a tourist town in Indian-administered Kashmir in April, triggering a brief military conflict with Pakistan, BBC reported.

Home Minister Amit Shah told parliament the men had been killed by Indian forces near the disputed region's main city Srinagar on Monday. 

He claimed the attackers were Pakistani nationals, a charge Islamabad denies. The men's identity was confirmed through forensic and ballistic tests, Shah told MPs. 

Pakistan has not commented on the claims, which have not been independently confirmed and come amid mounting criticism of India's government for alleged security lapses in Kashmir, according to BBC.

At least 18 Kanwariyas lost their lives and several others were injured in a tragic road accident early Tuesday morning on the Godda-Deoghar road in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, India.

The incident occurred around 5:30 am near Jamunia More in the Mohanpur area, when a bus carrying pilgrims collided with a truck. The devotees were on their way to offer holy water during the Kanwar Yatra in the month of Shravan, according to Firstpost.

Emergency teams reached the site promptly and took the injured to a nearby hospital. The deceased have been sent for post-mortem.

India's showpiece software industry is facing a moment of reckoning.

The country's biggest private sector employer Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) - also its largest IT services company - has announced it will cut more than 12,000 jobs at middle and senior management levels. This will reduce the firm's workforce by 2%, BBC reported.

The Mumbai-headquartered software behemoth employs over half-a-million IT workers and is considered a bellwether for business sentiment across India's $283bn software industry. It forms the backbone of formal, white-collar employment in the country.

The decision, TCS says, was taken to make the company "future ready" as it invests in new areas and deploys artificial intelligence at scale amid seismic disruptions in its traditional business model, according to BBC.