US President Donald Trump (AP)

TOI correspondent from Washington: US President Donald Trump has certifiably changed his mind on regime change. On Tuesday, the MAGA supremo directly encouraged a public uprising in Iran after imposing a blanket 25 per cent tariff on any country that continues to do business with the Islamic Republic in an effort to topple the ruling Islamic government in Teheran.“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price….HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!” Trump posted on social media amid reports of a bloodbath in Iran following a crackdown on protests, unapologetically wading into Iran’s internal affairs. Trump’s open backing for the revolt came hours after he said Iranian leadership had reached out to him for talks and the U.S was weighing a choice between military action and negotiations, with some senior aides, including vice-president J.D.Vance, reportedly in favor of the latter course. “There seems to be some people killed who weren’t supposed to be killed. We’re looking at it very seriously; the military’s looking at it. And there’s a couple options,” Trump said on Monday as reports of a bloody crackdown flowed out of Iran. By Tuesday morning, the U.S President appeared to have set his mind on effecting a regime change in yet another country (after similar approach in Venezuela and Cuba), announcing he has “cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS,” and pledging “HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”While Trump campaigned in the past against regime-change wars, his administration is now openly exploring tools to bring about leadership change in Iran and Cuba, after effecting one in Venezuela. He has reportedly been briefed on options ranging from long-range missile strikes to cyber operations and psychological campaigns in Iran, and even though White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” the temptation to pull off a coup in Iran on the back of widespread protests appears irresistible for now for Washington hawks like Senator Lindsay Graham. Analysts point to several reasons behind Trump’s evolution from opposing regime change to actively pursuing it in countries such as Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba. The administration views these governments as economically weak and politically brittle, believes coercive leverage can work without large-scale U.S. troop deployments, and increasingly frames them as part of a broader anti-American axis aligned with China and Russia. A more conspiratorial explanation by critics, who have dubbed Trump the “Walt Disney of chaos” is such frenetic activity is designed to distract voters from everyday issues at home. Many MAGA principals remain skeptical of Washington getting into another fracas in the middle-east. Former Trump aide Steve Bannon among others are berating Fox News and Graham for encouraging the latest caper, reminding them of the quagmire the U.S got into in Iraq. While most Democrats have uniformly opposed U.S interference in Iran, even some Republican lawmakers, the “non-interventionist” wing of the party have cautioned about getting into another fracas.“The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to unilaterally commit an act of war against a sovereign nation that hasn’t attacked the United States,” Thomas Massie, an anti-Trump Kentucky Republican said while introducing a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to block unauthorized hostilities against Iran.

NEW DELHI: Another drones were sighted along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the Indian Army to activate counter-Unmanned Aircraft System measures, ANI sources said on Tuesday.The drones were sighted second time in last 48 hours alonf the international border and LoC. The development comes amid a sharp warning from Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi to Pakistan over active terror camps across the border.ANI sources said the drones were detected in forward areas and were engaged using counter-UAS protocols to prevent any potential threat. Further details are awaited.The sightings come a day after security forces detected suspected Pakistan-origin drones along both the International Border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Officials said the flying objects were seen entering from the Pakistan side, hovering briefly over Indian territory and then returning.Following the sightings, ground search operations were launched across the affected areas. In the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district, Army troops opened fire with medium and light machine guns after observing drone movement over Gania-Kalsian village around 6.35 pm, officials said.Another drone was spotted over Khabbar village in the Teryath area of Rajouri district around the same time. In Samba district, a drone-like object with a blinking light was seen hovering for several minutes over Chak Babral village in the Ramgarh sector around 7.15 pm. A similar object was also noticed moving from the direction of Tain towards Topa in the Mankote sector along the LoC in Poonch district.The heightened alert along the border comes as Army chief General Dwivedi said that Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, remains ongoing and warned Islamabad against any future misadventure.“At least 6 terror camps still active across the LoC & 2 across the International Border after Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. Will act, if any (nefarious) attempts are carried out,” the Army chief said while addressing the annual Army Day press conference.Reflecting on the operation, he said, “Operation Sindoor was conceptualised and executed with precision. Through 22 minutes of initiation on 7th May and an orchestration that lasted 88 hours up to 10th May, the operation reset strategic assumptions by striking deep, dismantling terror infrastructure, and puncturing the longstanding nuclear rhetoric.”General Dwivedi said Indian forces destroyed seven of the nine identified targets and later played a key role in ensuring a calibrated response to Pakistani actions. He also said about 100 Pakistan Army personnel were killed in firing along the LoC and International Border during the period of heightened tensions.“The entire country stands with the Army,” he said, adding that any future response would be resolute and coordinated across services.Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on the intervening nights of May 6 and May 7, destroying terror hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and mainland Pakistan, including facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke. India has said the strikes were aimed solely at terror infrastructure, while subsequent Pakistani missile and drone attempts were intercepted by Indian air defence systems.

World Economic Forum 2026

US President Donald Trump will attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos later this month, accompanied by at least five Cabinet members, as global leaders gather against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. The five-day summit will begin on January 18 in the Swiss ski resort town, organisers announced on Tuesday.As per news agency PTI, at least 64 heads of state or government are expected to attend the annual meeting, with six of the seven G7 nations represented by their top leadership. China and Pakistan will also send large delegations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is among the leaders expected to be present, with the forum set to focus closely on the situation in Ukraine, the war in Gaza and developments in Latin America, including Venezuela.WEF President and CEO Borge Brende said the meeting comes at a time of extraordinary global strain, describing the current geopolitical situation as the most complex since 1945. Dialogue is not a luxury in times of uncertainty, but an urgent necessity today, he said, underlining the forum’s theme of fostering a spirit of dialogue.“At a critical juncture for international cooperation – marked by profound geoeconomic and technological transformation – this year’s Annual Meeting will be one of our most consequential. With historic levels of participation, it will provide a space for an unparalleled mix of global leaders and innovators to work through and look beyond divisions, gain insight into a fast-shifting global landscape, and advance solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s biggest and most pressing challenges,” he added.Trump is expected to lead the largest-ever US delegation to Davos. According to PTI, those accompanying him include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. As per news agency AFP, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East and Ukraine, will also attend. Trump had addressed Davos via video last year, but his in-person participation this time follows a year marked by aggressive tariff measures that reshaped global trade dynamics.India will also feature prominently at the summit with a strong political and corporate presence. As per PTI, at least four Union ministers — Ashwini Vaishnaw, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Pralhad Joshi and K Ram Mohan Naidu — are expected, along with six chief ministers, including Maharashtra’s Devendra Fadnavis, Andhra Pradesh’s N Chandrababu Naidu, Assam’s Himanta Biswa Sarma, Madhya Pradesh’s Mohan Yadav, Telangana’s A Revanth Reddy and Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren. Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar is also likely to attend.More than 100 Indian CEOs are expected in Davos, including Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, Bajaj Group’s Sanjiv Bajaj, Bharti Group’s Sunil Bharti Mittal and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, according to PTI. Indian leaders will take part in panel discussions, including one examining whether India can become the world’s third-largest economy, besides holding bilateral meetings and attending India-focused events on the sidelines.Overall, the WEF expects more than 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including over 1,700 business leaders and a record number of political leaders, along with representatives from civil society, global financial institutions and technology companies, reinforcing Davos’s role as a key platform for global dialogue.

BENGALURU: Orbital Paradigm, the firm whose re-entry capsule Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator or KID was among the payloads on the failed PSLV-C62 mission, Tuesday said it has begun analysing data the capsule sent after separating from the launch vehicle.“Our KID capsule, against all odds, separated from PSLV-C62, switched on, and transmitted data over 3+ minutes. We’re reconstructing [the] trajectory. We survived peak heat and peak g-load (~28g recorded)…Full report will come,” the firm said.Isro, would have also begun analysing data it had obtained up to the time the third stage (PS3) of the launch vehicle suffered a glitch. Aside from KID and India’s own strategic satellite Anvesha or EOS-N1 by DRDO, the mission carried a satellite (Munal) for Nepal through the ministry of external affairs (MEA), a technology demonstrator (AyulSat) from startup OrbitAID aimed at cracking on-orbit refuelling, along with 12 other payloads.On Monday, the 44.4-metre-tall PSLV, flying its fifth mission in the DL (dual strap-on) configuration, lifted off from SDSC’s first launch pad at 10.18am, about 1.30 minutes after scheduled time. About 8.40 minutes later, after the third-stage shutoff and fourth-stage (PS4) ignition was announced — command was initiated but there was no confirmation if PS4 ignited — the atmosphere in mission control turned tense. Narayanan eventually announced that the mission had failed. The failure came only nine months after a glitch in PSLV-C61’s PS3 prevented EOS-09, another strategic satellite, from reaching orbit on May 18, 2025, marking a second consecutive failure of PSLV. Not only has PSLV never failed back-to-back in the past, it has also not seen the same rocket stage falter more than once — until now.“…Close to the end of the third stage [PS3] we saw little more disturbance in the vehicle roll rates and subsequently there was a deviation in the flight path. We are analysing the data and we shall come back at the earliest,” Isro chairman V Narayanan said on Monday.

AI image (Picture credit: Google Gemini)

India is unlikely to face any major impact from the 25 per cent tariff announced by the US President Donald Trump on countries doing business with Iran, as per government sources cited by news agency ANI, who pointed to India’s limited trade exposure with Tehran.Newly announced US tariffs are ‘likely to have minimal impact on India’ as Iran does not feature among the nation’s top 50 trading partners, the government sources said. India’s total trade with Iran stood at around $1.6 billion last year, accounting for just 0.15 per cent of India’s overall trade. This figure is expected to decline further in the current financial year due to broader external economic factors. Of Iran’s total imports of about $68 billion in 2024, the UAE, China, Turkiye and the European Union together accounted for the bulk, while India’s share was only $1.2 billion, or 2.3 per cent.Exporters have also downplayed concerns. Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), said Indian companies and banks remain fully compliant with US Office of Foreign Assets Control norms and engage only in permitted humanitarian trade, mainly food items and pharmaceuticals, reported news agency PTI.“There is, therefore, no basis to anticipate any adverse impact on India,” Sahai said.He noted that India’s trade with Iran largely falls outside the scope of sanctions due to its humanitarian nature. In 2024-25, India’s total trade with Iran was $1.68 billion, including $1.24 billion in exports, primarily from the farm and pharmaceutical sectors, as per PTI.Industry representatives, however, flagged other challenges. Sahai said the sharp depreciation of the Iranian currency is a bigger concern for exporters, as it weakens consumer purchasing power and raises risks of cancelled contracts. Rice exporters also said their current exposure to Iran is limited and increasingly routed through the UAE to manage risks, reported ANI.Overall, exporters remain cautious but believe the proposed US tariff will have little direct effect on India, given the small trade volumes and the humanitarian nature of most shipments.

Fundamentally, the government wants to move towards an income tax return regime with minimal deductions and exemptions. (AI image)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 on February 1, 2026 and like every year common man and taxpayers, especially salaried are watching out for possible changes on the income tax front. One big factor when it comes to income tax is the regime under which you choose to file your income tax return.Ever since the new income tax regime was introduced a few years ago, one question that has played in the minds of taxpayers is: will the old income tax regime cease to be an option soon?In a pre-Budget 2026 survey, most tax experts who spoke to Times of India Online said that the government may look to eventually do away with the old income tax regime, though the transition is likely to happen in a phased manner.

New vs Old Regime: The Fundamental Differences

The new and old income tax regimes differ on one basic fundamental: the former has lower tax rates at higher levels of income compared to the old tax regime and fewer deductions and exemptions.For example; the basic exemption limit under the new tax regime is higher. With the Section 87A rebate, the level of tax free income for salaried taxpayers goes to Rs 12.75 lakh (including standard deduction)! Simply put; an individual earning Rs 1 lakh a month needs to pay ZERO tax!

New Regime Tax Slabs

On the other hand, the option to avail deductions and exemptions under the old income tax regime work in its favour, though over the last few years the government has increasingly made the new income tax regime more lucrative.Some of the common income tax exemptions and deductions available under the old income tax regime are: Section 80C benefits (up to Rs 1.5 lakh for popular investments such as Provident Fund, PPF), Section 80D for medical insurance, NPS contributions, House Rent Allowance (HRA), Leave Travel Allowance (LTA), Section 80 TTA (interest on bank deposits etc.), home loan benefits.

Old Tax Regime Slabs

Why Was The New Income Tax Regime Introduced?

To get a better understanding of the future of the old income tax regime, let’s understand why the new income tax regime was introduced. Fundamentally, the government wants to move towards an income tax return regime with minimal deductions and exemptions to simplify the filing process and reduce the need for maintaining records and paperwork.In her Budget 2020 speech FM Nirmala Sitharaman had introduced the new income tax regime saying, “Currently the Income Tax Act is riddled with various exemptions and deductions which make compliance by the taxpayer and administration of the Income Tax Act by the tax authorities a burdensome process. It is almost impossible for a taxpayer to comply with the Income-tax law without taking help from professionals. In order to provide significant relief to the individual taxpayers and to simplify the Income-tax law, I propose to bring a new and simplified personal income tax regime wherein income tax rates will be significantly reduced for the individual taxpayers who forgo certain deductions and exemptions.”As Parizad Sirwalla, Partner and Head, Global Mobility Services, Tax at KPMG in India explains: When the new tax regime was introduced for the first time from FY 2020-21 it was then indicated by the government that there was a long-term intent to phase out the plethora of exemptions/deductions. Over the years, the government has in fact made the new tax regime – which disallows many widely claimed exemptions/ deductions under the old tax regime – increasingly more lucrative for individual taxpayers over the years.

New Tax Regime & Its Growing Popularity

Surabhi Marwah, Tax Partner at EY India points out: recent data shows that for Assessment Year 2024‑25, around 72% of filers opted for the new tax regime, indicating broad acceptance of the simplified framework.“Given this trajectory, any move to retire the old regime, if considered, would likely be phased, allowing a cooling‑off period to support a smooth transition for taxpayers,” she tells TOI.The past two Budgets have reinforced the trends of trying to make the new income tax regime more popular, through more favourable new personal tax regime changes, including higher basic exemption and rebate limits in 2025, and increased standard deduction and NPS employer-contribution benefits in 2024. What’s interesting to note is that if 72% of taxpayers had opted for the new income tax regime by FY2025, the number will likely go up for FY 2025-26 after FM Nirmala Sitharaman tweaked tax slabs under the new income tax regime in last year’s Union Budget, and also made income up to Rs 12 lakh tax free.

Will The Old Tax Regime Be Phased Out?

Some experts are of the view that exemptions and deductions are important especially when it comes to encouraging savings and providing home loan related tax benefits. However, a gradual phasing out of the old tax regime, with stagnation is seen.Preeti Sharma, Partner – Tax and Regulatory Services at BDO India told TOI, “The government has clearly shown its preference for the new income tax regime and has made it the default tax regime. However, an immediate abolition of the old tax regime is unlikely.”

New Vs Old Income Tax Regime

Why is the old income tax regime still relevant for many? The old tax regime continues to be beneficial for a certain group of taxpayers, particularly those who claim deductions such as House Rent Allowance (HRA), home-loan interest and benefits under Sections 80C and 80D, and especially for salaried taxpayers who claim deductions under Chapter VI-A. “As a result, the government is expected to follow a gradual approach, continuing with both tax regimes while nudging taxpayers towards the new tax regime,” she said.As Parizad Sirwalla of KPMG points out: many of the deductions (allowed under old regime) are basis long term commitment (e.g., renting a house/ buying a house, PPF, Life Insurance premium etc.) and hence complete deletion of old tax regime may have an impact on these long-term savings/ investment/ expenditure by the common man.“Additionally, prior to the New Income Tax Act being published there was expectation that the new Act may be a signal to do away with the old regime – however the final Act that has been passed continues the old tax regime as optional,” she says.Chander Talreja, Partner at Vialto Partners says that the government has given flexibility to the taxpayers to choose the best regime applicable for their case depending upon their personal situation and individual circumstances. “Few may find the old regime beneficial as a lot of deductions and exemptions help them to save tax and also ensure that they don’t hit the income ceiling where the surcharge becomes applicable,” he tells TOI.“Moreover, the government would also factor that there is a huge market for housing loans, various investments etc. which qualify for section 80C benefit and not allowing tax benefits for these may hamper their market demand. Hence, the flexibility to opt between the regimes would continue for some time,” he adds.On the other hand, Tanu Gupta, Partner at Mainstay Tax Advisors LLP finds merit in ending the old income tax regime to avoid confusion.She notes that while the government may not completely eliminate the old tax regime from the law, it is already moving toward making the new regime so attractive that the old regime could automatically become redundant. “Although the old regime still finds a place in the newly enacted Income Tax Act 2025, the changes introduced in last year’s budget—such as tweaking the slabs, raising the Section 87A rebate to Rs 12 lakh, and capping the surcharge at 25% for incomes above Rs 5 crore, while leaving the old regime unchanged—represent a significant step toward making the new tax regime beneficial for most taxpayers,” she told TOI.“For FY 2023–24, 72% of taxpayers opted for the new regime, and this percentage is expected to be significantly higher for FY 2025–26,” she adds.Tanu Gupta is of the view that two income tax regimes cause confusion, beating the purpose of simplification of tax filing. “Evaluating options by comparing the old and new regimes, and for business income taxpayers being allowed to switch only once in a lifetime, only adds to the confusion, contrary to the tax policy objective of simplification,” she says.“There have even been instances where tax officers, while processing returns under Section 143, inadvertently applied the old regime despite the taxpayer choosing the new regime, causing inconvenience and additional administrative burden. Therefore, there is merit in putting a final end to the old tax regime rather than letting it fade naturally by becoming redundant,” she explains.Radhika Viswanathan, Executive Director, Deloitte India sees a gradual stagnation of the old income tax regime. This is evident from the fact that one has to not only explicitly opt for the old income tax regime, it has not seen periodic updates to its slab rates and standard deduction.“The introduction of the Income Tax Act 2025 aims for simplicity. Keeping two parallel systems forever contradicts the goal of simplification. Hence, we may expect the old regime to remain for another 2-3 years to allow long-term investors (with 15-year PPF accounts or longer period home loans) to transition smoothly. However, it is increasingly becoming a legacy option unattractive for most taxpayers,” she tells TOI.Akhil Chandna, Partner and Global People Solutions Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat anticipates a gradual phase-out of the old regime over time. “Recent budget announcements have consistently enhanced the attractiveness of the new regime—through higher rebate limits and inclusion of standard deductions—while leaving the old regime unchanged. Consequently, the old tax regime is expected to become redundant in the coming years,” he says.

India fell to third place among buyers of Russian fossil fuels in December 2025 after sharp cuts in crude oil imports by Reliance Industries and state-owned refiners, a European think tank said on Tuesday.According to data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), India’s total imports of Russian hydrocarbons stood at 2.3 billion euros in December, down from 3.3 billion euros in November.

Turkiye overtook India to become the second-largest importer, buying Russian hydrocarbons worth 2.6 billion euros during the month. China retained its position as the largest buyer, accounting for 48 per cent, or about 6 billion euros, of Russia’s export revenues from the top five importers.CREA said crude oil made up 78 per cent of India’s Russian imports in December, valued at 1.8 billion euros. Coal imports were worth 424 million euros, while oil products accounted for 82 million euros. India’s Russian crude imports fell 29 per cent month-on-month to their lowest level since the price cap policy was introduced, despite a marginal rise in the country’s overall crude imports.The reduction was led mainly by Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery, which halved its Russian crude intake in December. “The entirety of their imports were supplied by Rosneft, albeit from cargoes purchased before the US Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions came into effect,” CREA said, as per news agency PTI. State-owned refiners also reduced Russian imports by around 15 per cent during the month.The cutbacks followed fresh US sanctions on major Russian oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil, aimed at restricting funding for the Ukraine war. As a result, companies such as Reliance Industries, HPCL, HPCL-Mittal Energy and Mangalore Refinery have halted or reduced Russian oil purchases, while Indian Oil Corporation continues buying from non-sanctioned Russian entities.Russia supplied about 25 per cent of India’s crude oil imports in December, down from 35 per cent in November. India had emerged as a major buyer of discounted Russian oil after Western countries imposed sanctions following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, sharply raising Moscow’s share in India’s crude basket.

Makar Sankranti is one of the biggest and most auspicious festivals celebrated in India. Unlike many festivals that follow the lunar calendar, Makar Sankranti is based on the solar calendar and is celebrated as the Sun moves into the Capricorn or Makara zodiac. This cosmic movement ushers in Uttarayan-the northward journey of the Sun, associated traditionally with lengthening days, growing warmth, plenty, and spiritual development. Celebrated across the country by different names like Pongal, Lohri, Magh Bihu, and Uttarayan, Makar Sankranti binds people in joy, thanksgiving, and hope.One of the most charming traditions connected with this festival is exchanging warm wishes, messages, and blessings. Whether one does it in person, over the telephone, or through social media, such words are full of warmth and positivism. To inspire you to word your emotions and to spread celebrations, here is a carefully collated list of Top 50 Happy Makar Sankranti 2026 wishes, messages, and quotes, apt for sharing with family, friends, colleagues, and near-dear ones.

Image Credit: Canva

The occasion of Makar Sankranti represents change, from darkness to light, from cold to warmth, and from stagnation to growth. The act of exchanging greetings and wishes during this occasion is a sign of change and gratitude. The practice of using deseeded sesame and jaggery in preparations during this occasion is a sign that one should be sweet and warm towards each other despite the hardships faced in life. A genuine message can make relationships stronger and take a positive start into a new year.Here are some top Makar Sankranti wishes you can share with your loved ones:

Traditional Makar Sankranti wishes

May the holy Sun bless your life with warmth, happiness, and prosperity. Happy Makar Sankranti 2026.As the Sun begins its northward journey, may your life move toward success and peace.Wishing you a harvest of joy, health, and abundance this Makar Sankranti.May this auspicious festival bring positivity and new opportunities into your life.Let the sweetness of til and jaggery fill your days with love and harmony, Happy Makar Sankranti.May your home be blessed with prosperity and your heart with contentment.On this sacred day, may all negativity melt away and hope rise anew.Sending warm wishes for a joyful and blessed Makar Sankranti 2026.May the divine light of the Sun guide you toward a brighter future.Wishing you peace, happiness, and success on this festival of new beginnings.

Image Credit: Canva

Heartfelt wishes for family

This Makar Sankranti, I pray for our family’s health, happiness, and togetherness.May this festival strengthen our bonds and fill our home with joy.Grateful to celebrate another Sankranti with you, may our love always grow.As the seasons change, may our family continue to prosper and thrive.Wishing you warmth, comfort, and endless blessings this Sankranti.May the harvest season bring fulfillment and harmony to our lives.Thankful for the love and support we share – Happy Makar Sankranti 2026.Let us welcome this festival with gratitude and hope in our hearts.May our family moments be as sweet as tilgul this Sankranti.Sending my love and best wishes to you on this beautiful occasion.

Makar Sankranti messages for friends

May this Makar Sankranti inspire you to rise higher and dream bigger.Wishing you success, confidence, and clarity as the new season begins.May your hard work be rewarded with happiness and prosperity.Let this festival fill your life with fresh energy and optimism.Happy Sankranti, may brighter days and better opportunities lie ahead.May positivity surround you and guide you toward your goals.Wishing you balance, growth, and peace this Makar Sankranti 2026.As the Sun changes its path, may your life take a positive turn.May this festival bring motivation and renewed determination.Sending best wishes for a joyful and successful year ahead.

Image Credit: Canva

Professional wishes for Makar Sankranti

Wishing you progress, prosperity, and success this Makar Sankranti.May this festival bring new ideas and opportunities to your professional journey.Let the spirit of Sankranti inspire teamwork and positive growth.May your efforts lead to rewarding outcomes in the coming year.Wishing you clarity, focus and achievement this festive season.Happy Makar Sankranti, may your work and aspirations shine bright.May this new phase bring success and satisfaction in your career.Sending warm wishes for growth and excellence ahead.May this festival mark the beginning of productive and fulfilling days.Best wishes for a prosperous and harmonious Sankranti.

Short quotes for Makar Sankranti

“Makar Sankranti teaches us to move toward light and positivity.”“A festival that celebrates change, hope, and gratitude.”“Let your life rise as the Sun begins its northward journey.”“Harvest joy, spread kindness, and welcome new beginnings.”“Makar Sankranti reminds us that every season brings renewal.”“Sweetness shared is happiness multiplied.”“From longer days come brighter hopes.”“Let warmth fill your heart and peace guide your path.”“Celebrate the Sun, celebrate life.”“New season, new light, new possibilities – Happy Sankranti 2026”Makar Sankranti is an occasion that effortlessly merges traditions, nature, and hopes. It is an occasion that reminds us that change is always an ongoing process and always has something new to offer. When wishes, messages, and quotes are shared on this occasion, it only has a positive impact and further helps in developing a strong bond between loved ones. No matter what it is, be it a prayer, a message, or a quote, your words will surely spread love and joy in another person’s life. Wishing this Makar Sankranti brings light, prosperity, and joy in your life. Happy Makar Sankranti!

It looked like just another harmless plane in the Caribbean sky — white paint, clean lines, no visible weapons until and unless it attacked. The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to resemble a civilian plane in its first attack on a boat that the Trump administration said was smuggling drugs, killing 11 people last September, according to officials briefed on the matter. The aircraft also carried its munitions inside the fuselage, rather than visibly under its wings, the officials said.

The nonmilitary appearance was significant, according to legal specialists, because the administration argued its lethal boat attacks were lawful, not murders, because President Donald Trump “determined” the United States was in an armed conflict with drug cartels, New York Times reported.Did Trump administration committed war crime?The laws of armed conflict prohibited combatants from feigning civilian status to fool adversaries into dropping their guard, then attacking and killing them, a war crime called “perfidy.”Retired Maj Gen Steven J Lepper, a former deputy judge advocate general for the United States Air Force, said that if the aircraft was painted in a way that disguised its military nature and got close enough for the people on the boat to see it, tricking them into failing to realise they should take evasive action or surrender to survive, that was a war crime under armed-conflict standards.“Shielding your identity is an element of perfidy,” he said. “If the aircraft flying above is not identifiable as a combatant aircraft, it should not be engaged in combatant activity.”The aircraft swooped in low enough for the people aboard the boat to see it, according to officials who saw or were briefed on surveillance video from the attack. The boat turned back towards Venezuela, apparently after seeing the plane, before the first strike.Two survivors of the initial attack later appeared to wave at the aircraft after clambering aboard an overturned piece of the hull, before the military killed them in a follow-up strike that also sank the wreckage. It was not clear whether the initial survivors knew that the explosion on their vessel was caused by a missile attack.The military later switched to using recognisably military aircraft for boat strikes, including MQ-9 Reaper drones, although it was not clear whether those aircraft got low enough to be seen. In a boat attack in October, two survivors of an initial strike swam away from the wreckage and avoided being killed by a follow-up strike on the remnants of their vessel. The military rescued them and returned them to their home countries, Colombia and Ecuador.US military manuals about the law of war discussed perfidy at length, saying it included when a combatant feigned civilian status so the adversary “neglects to take precautions which are otherwise necessary.” A US Navy handbook said lawful combatants at sea used offensive force “within the bounds of military honor, particularly without resort to perfidy,” and stressed that commanders had a “duty” to “distinguish their own forces from the civilian population.”The Pentagon said in a statement that its arsenal underwent legal review for compliance with the laws of armed conflict.“The U.S. military utilizes a wide array of standard and nonstandard aircraft depending on mission requirements,” Kingsley Wilson, the Pentagon press secretary, said in response to questions from The New York Times. “Prior to the fielding and employment of each aircraft, they go through a rigorous procurement process to ensure compliance with domestic law, department policies and regulations, and applicable international standards, including the law of armed conflict.“It was not clear what the aircraft was. While multiple officials confirmed that it was not painted in a classic military style, they declined to specify exactly what it looked like.Amateur plane-spotting enthusiasts posted pictures on Reddit in early September of what appeared to be one of the military’s modified 737s, painted white with a blue stripe and with no military markings, at the St. Croix airport in the US Virgin Islands.The administration argued that the strikes were lawful and the people on the boats were “combatants” because Trump decided the situation was a so-called noninternational armed conflict, meaning a war against a nonstate actor, between the United States and a secret list of 24 criminal gangs and drug cartels he deemed terrorists.

Piyush Goyal holds talks with EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on India-EU FTA negotiations (ANI image)

India and the European Union are in the final stages of negotiating a long-pending free trade agreement (FTA). The deal could significantly boost India’s exports to the 27-nation bloc and deepen economic ties amid global trade disruptions.If signed, the India-EU FTA will become India’s 19th trade agreement and one of its most consequential, given the EU’s position as India’s largest trading partner for goods. The agreement is expected to help Indian exporters diversify markets at a time when high US tariffs and geopolitical tensions are reshaping global supply chains.

Why India-EU FTA matters?

The push for the agreement has gained urgency as steep US tariffs, reaching as high as 50%, have disrupted global trade flows. For India, the FTA offers a strategic opportunity to reduce dependence on China, expand exports to Europe and cushion the impact of protectionist policies elsewhere.Tariffs or import duties are either reduced or eliminated under FTAs, allowing easier market access and regulatory alignment. The India-EU deal is expected to benefit sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles, steel, petroleum products and electrical machinery, according to PTI. Labour-intensive sectors like garments, leather and pharmaceuticals could see improved competitiveness in the EU market, while Indian services exports, particularly telecommunications, transport, and business services, are also expected to grow.According to think tank GTRI, the EU stands to gain from higher exports of aircraft and parts, electrical machinery, diamonds and chemicals to India. European services such as intellectual property, IT, telecommunications and business services may also see expanded access.

Trade ties at a glance

India’s bilateral trade in goods with the EU stood at USD 136.53 billion in 2024–25, comprising USD 75.85 billion in exports and USD 60.68 billion in imports, making the EU India’s largest goods trading partner.The EU accounts for around 17% of India’s total exports, while India represents about 9% of the bloc’s overseas shipments. In 2023–24, India exported USD 76 billion in goods and USD 30 billion in services to the EU, while EU exports to India included USD 61.5 billion in goods and USD 23 billion in services.Spain, Germany, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands are among the top EU destinations for Indian exports.With a GDP of about USD 19.5 trillion and a population exceeding 450 million, the EU remains a major global trade player. India, meanwhile, exported USD 437 billion in goods and USD 387.5 billion in services in 2024–25, while importing goods worth USD 720 billion and services worth USD 195 billion.

Key exports, imports and tariff challenges

India’s major exports to the EU include petroleum products, electronics (including smartphones), textiles, machinery, organic chemicals, iron and steel, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals and auto parts.However, Indian textile exports currently face tariffs of 12–16% in the EU, making them less competitive than products from countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, which enjoy preferential access under EU trade agreements.India’s main imports from the EU include machinery, aircraft and parts, electronics, medical devices, scientific instruments, rough diamonds, chemicals, plastics, cars and auto components. In services, India exports business, IT, telecom and transport services, while importing intellectual property and IT-related services.

Alcohol trade and investment flows

Alcohol is another significant component of bilateral trade. In 2023–24, India exported wines worth USD 1.5 million and spirits worth USD 64.9 million to the EU, while importing wines worth USD 412.4 million and spirits worth USD 22.3 million.On the investment front, cumulative FDI inflows from the EU into India between April 2000 and September 2024 stood at USD 117.4 billion, accounting for 16.6% of India’s total FDI equity inflows. Around 6,000 EU companies operate in India.India’s outward FDI to the EU was valued at about USD 40.04 billion between April 2000 and March 2024. The Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain and Belgium are among the largest EU investors in India.

A long road to the final stage

India-EU FTA talks began in 2007, with multiple negotiation rounds held until 2013. However, differences over tariffs on automobiles, wine and spirits, data security for Indian IT firms, intellectual property rights, labour standards and public procurement led to a deadlock.While efforts to revive talks between 2016 and 2020 made limited progress, momentum returned after 2020. In June 2022, India and the EU formally re-launched negotiations covering a Free Trade Agreement, an Investment Protection Agreement and an Agreement on Geographical Indications.