Transactional Model Of Relationship

NEW DELHI: The India-US trade deal allows both sides to get the relationship back on to an even keel, but whether it can lead to long-term stability in ties remains open to question.The importance of the agreement, even if conditional, cannot be overstated as it allows India and the US to avert an immediate crisis. India just managed to rid itself of an albatross around its neck that was threatening to smother cooperation with its most important strategic partner even in other areas. However, the estrangement with the US since Donald Trump’s return to the White House has not been about trade alone. There are several other friction points.The first is the India-Pakistan re-hyphenation Trump has brought upon India through his courting of Rawalpindi. It is here US ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who seems to have found a way out of the trade impasse within weeks of arrival, may have an important role to play. Suspense still looms over his dual role as Trump’s special envoy for south Asia and any false move bracketing India with Pakistan, let alone playing sheriff, will be met with resistance.Bilateralism has been the leitmotif of India’s Pakistan policy and, as far as India is concerned, there’s no Nobel Peace Prize for any third party to win.The second concern is related to the US commitment to the Indo-Pacific under Trump, who wants to engage his counterpart Xi Jinping for a “stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations”. Trade differences between India and the US were seen as blocking any forward movement by Quad and a US-India reset must surely clear the ground for a summit meeting. While the US 2026 National Defence Strategy underlines the goal of a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific , it makes no mention of Quad or India.Thirdly, India’s strategic autonomy will likely continue to act as a limiting factor. India will continue to use the same to navigate geopolitical complexities, especially in its relations with the US, Russia and China. India may have, according to Trump, promised to stop buying Russian oil but it will continue to work closely with Moscow in defence and in forums like the SCO and BRICS. India would like Russia to see its energy pivot as a blip caused by market conditions, not as an ebbing of its strategic autonomy.For India, the structural shift in how the US handles the H-1B visa programme remains a major irritant that it hopes Washington will address.Finally, India will also be concerned about the transactional relationship that the US under Trump seeks with India. Many claims made by Trump in his announcement India saying no to Russian oil, agreeing to buy energy and other products worth $500 billion from the US, zero tariff on US products have not yet been confirmed by Indian govt, suggesting there might be a devil in the details. India will hope that some of Trump’s claims are just political signalling, not an ultimatum.

Kayla Nicole makes a controversial comment allegedly shading Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s relationship ahead of their wedding.(Image via Getty Images, Taylor Swift/Instagram)

Travis Kelce’s ex girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, has been in the news ever since the Kansas City Chiefs’ star player went public with his high profile romance with Taylor Swift.While both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce stay private about their romance now, Kayla Nicole’s recent comment might just be another subtle dig at the couple.

Kayla Nicole drops a comment after making a dig at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

A few hours ago, the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end, Travis Kelce’s ex girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, took to her social media to make a post about her dancing to Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough”.

While many feel her dance was a dig towards Travis Kelce, Kayla Nicole posted a picture alongside other dancers as she wrote, “Still processing this…Best day ever…”As Kayla Nicole danced to Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough”, a clip of the singer yelling, “Kayla, is he man enough?” has sparked outrage.To make matters worse, a few months ago, Kayla Nicole made a controversial post as she danced to the same song, dressed as Toni Braxton for Halloween 2025. This sparked theories that it was a direct dig at Taylor Swift’s recently released hit track, Opalite.Though Kayla Nicole got heavily trolled for her actions, both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have remained silent about the situation.

What happened between Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole?

Over the last few years, Travis Kelce’s ex girlfriend and popular social media influencer, Kayla Nicole, has often spoken about the relationship she had with the star player. This has led to Kayla Nicole being called “obsessed” about him and his relationship with Taylor Swift.The last time Travis Kelce spoke about Kayla Nicole in public was back in 2022 when their five year old on off relationship came to an end.While the reason behind their break up remains unknown, Travis Kelce confirmed it had nothing to do with money.Travis Kelce had made an appearance on an episode of The Pivot where he said, “I would never say that I was supporting her…She had a very financially stable life and what she was doing in her career.” Soon after, Travis Kelce met Taylor Swift and fell deeply in love with her.

Yuzvendra Chahal opted for Sanju Samson over Kishan, even though Samson has been struggling for runs. (Image credit: Agencies)

NEW DELHI: Despite enjoying a stellar run in the recently concluded T20I series against New Zealand, in-form left-hander Ishan Kishan failed to make it into spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s preferred playing XI for India’s T20 World Cup opener against the United States on Saturday.Chahal opted for Sanju Samson over Kishan, even though Samson has been struggling for runs. Samson was picked to open alongside Abhishek Sharma, replacing Kishan at the top of the order.

The New Zealand T20I series had presented Samson with a chance to cement his spot after returning to the opening role following a three-month gap. However, he managed just 46 runs at an average of 9.20. Kishan, in contrast, amassed 215 runs at an impressive average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 231.18, highlighted by a century in the fifth T20I.Reigning champions India will head into the T20 World Cup as strong favourites on home soil.Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India open their campaign against the United States at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.On paper, India look well placed to defend their title. Since lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup after defeating South Africa in the final, they have won 33 of their 41 T20Is, losing just six.Their recent 4–1 home series victory over New Zealand further showcased the team’s depth and adaptability in familiar conditions.Chahal’s preferred playing 11: Abhisehk Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

India squad for 2026 T20 World Cup 2026

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh

India vs Pakistan (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Even as the row over Pakistan’s decision to boycott its men’s T20 World Cup group-stage clash against India continues to escalate, there is no indication that the fallout has spilled over into the women’s game. The Pakistan Women’s A team is set to play India Women’s A at the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Bangkok, with no instructions received so far to boycott the fixture, reported ESPNcricinfo on Monday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!According to the report, preparations for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, which begins on February 13, are progressing as scheduled. Pakistan Women’s A and India Women’s A are due to meet on February 15 — the same day the Pakistan men’s team is slated to face India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, a match the Pakistan government has said its team “shall not take the field” for, citing no reasons in a post on X.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a press release on Sunday announcing the Women’s A squad for the tournament, hours after the boycott of the men’s World Cup clash was made public. Pakistan Women’s A are placed in Group A alongside India A, UAE and Nepal, underlining that, at least for now, the women’s fixture remains unaffected.ESPNcricinfo further reported that while speculation is rife over potential sanctions against the PCB, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to decide whether a Board meeting is required to discuss the issue. Any such deliberations would involve the 12 Full Member boards, three Associate representatives and the ICC chair, but no emergency meeting has been called so far.The ICC has already made its stance clear, warning that “selective participation” is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of global tournaments built on integrity, fairness and consistency. While the men’s India-Pakistan clash hangs in uncertainty, the absence of any boycott directive for the women’s team suggests a sharp contrast between the two situations.

AHMEDABAD: A student’s suicide, the emotional note he left behind and the alleged circumstances leading up to the incident have rocked Nadiad. Jay Vijaykumar Patil, 21, a first-year nursing student of Dinsha Patel Nursing College in Nadiad, was found hanging at his residence in the town’s Manjipura area on Monday. In his suicide note addressed to his mother, Jay wrote he had never body-shamed any female professor as alleged and that he was being wrongly framed.Jay had enrolled for the nursing course just three months ago, in Oct. In the note, now in police custody as part of the investigations, he expressed deep distress over being misunderstood and humiliated, writing that he was being blamed without proof and that he was not the kind who would not accept punishment for any mistake. His father, Vijay Patil, has levelled serious allegations against the college administration, claiming that his son was deliberately isolated and placed under pressure. He told police that he was called to the college a few days before the incident and warned that his son’s conduct was “under watch”, and that authorities threatened to issue a leaving certificate if there was no “improvement”“The teachers isolated my son. He was under extreme pressure for the last three days and had slipped into depression,” Vijay said, demanding strict legal action against those responsible for pushing his son to take the extreme step.College authorities denied any wrongdoing, saying there had been complaints about Jay and teachers intervened when “boundaries were crossed.” Virendra Jain, principal of the nursing college, said the college management has constituted a high-level internal inquiry committee after the suicide and has recorded statements of all teaching staff, including those of three female professors who regularly handled the class. The college claimed that had been complaints regarding Jay’s discipline and that he submitted written apologies on three occasions for alleged misconduct. “Two days before the incident, the college held a meeting with the student’s mother. We tried to counsel the student and resolve the issue amicably,” Jain said, adding, “When boundaries are crossed in student-teacher interactions, teachers intervene. Whether this amounted to corrective action or mental harassment will be determined by the inquiry committee.” Nadiad town police are investigating the case as an accidental death. Mobile phone records are being examined, and statements of family members and college staff are being recorded.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama earned a Grammy in the best audiobook narration category on Sunday. He is 90.American singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright received the award on his behalf. Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan is among those who composed music for the work titled, “Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”.“I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don’t see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility. I truly believe that peace, compassion, care for our environment, and an understanding of oneness of humanity are essential for collective well-being of all eight billion human beings. I’m grateful that this recognition can help spread these messages more widely,” the Dalai Lama posted on X.

The unusual winners

Dalai Lama using Grammy award for political manipulation: ChinaThe Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), which is headquartered at McLeod Ganj in Dharamshala, said the award is a profound honour for Tibetan society. Although the Grammy spread cheer in this hill town, celebrations are on hold as the Dalai Lama is in Karnataka.Predictably, China is incensed. According to Associated Press, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “It is well known that the 14th Dalai Lama is not merely a religious figure but a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the guise of religion.” “We oppose the relevant party using the award as a tool for anti-China political manipulation,” he added.The audio book, with gentle background music, is divided into sections named: “Heart”, “Oneness”, “Harmony”, “Kindness”, “Water”, “Mind”, “Health”, “Peace”, “Essence” and “Journey”. They represent the Dalai Lama’s philosophical view in his own voice. “Heart” starts with the words, “Warm heartedness really brings inner peace.” Kabir Sehgal, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash are the other musicians involved with the project.

JAMMU: J&K’s governing National Conference (NC) on Monday urged BJP to move beyond demands for a National Law University (NLU) in Jammu and instead press the Centre to restore statehood to the Union territory.Surinder Choudhary, deputy chief minister in the Omar Abdullah-led govt, accused BJP of raising the NLU issue as part of its claims about discrimination against Jammu while remaining silent on larger concerns.“They (BJP) wake up every morning and start shouting that the Omar govt is discriminating against Jammu,” NC’s Choudhary said on the opening day of the J&K assembly’s 27-day budget session in Jammu.J&K has no NLU at present but the demand for it to be located in Jammu gained traction after CM Omar said last year that it would come up in Kashmir’s Budgam. Omar has rejected the recent BJP demands, calling the controversy “politically motivated” and pointing out that there were no protests in the Valley when Jammu was given both an IIT and an IIM.Deputy CM Choudhary stressed that J&K faced far more pressing issues than NLU and accused BJP of abandoning its promise of restoring statehood. “Why is he not asking the Centre to fulfil the promise of statehood,” Choudhary said. He was referring to Sunil Sharma, BJP leader of opposition who joined students’ protests at Jammu University over the NLU.A legislator from Jammu’s Nowshera, Choudhary rejected allegations of discrimination, arguing the NC govt would not have revived the “Darbar Move” after four years if that was the case.In June 2021, LG Sinha’s administration ended the Darbar Move, a 149-year-old practice of shifting the seat of govt between Srinagar and Jammu every six months. Sinha described the system as “a big racket”. Before its abolition, over 10,000 state employees shuttled between the two cities twice a year, boosting trade and commerce in Jammu. The Omar-led govt resumed it this year after demands from Jammu’s traders, who said its suspension had hurt business.Referring to the NLU demand, deputy CM Choudhary flagged “lack of statehood” as the biggest issue, leading to local jobs being taken away by “outsiders”. “BJP has a habit of sitting on roads and accusing the govt of discrimination. But they don’t look at Jammu University, where not a single vice-chancellor has been from Jammu. Are our professors from Jammu not capable of leading the university? But BJP will not talk about it,” Choudhary said.

India and the US have announced a trade deal, with the Trump administration lowering the tariffs on Indian exports to 18%. (AI image for representative purpose)

US President Donald Trump has reportedly agreed to remove the 25% tariff America imposed on India for its crude oil imports from Russia. A New Delhi–based source quoted in a Bloomberg report said that the US has agreed to withdraw the 25% penal tariff for India’s Russian oil procurement. In the meantime, India and the US have announced a trade deal, with the Trump administration lowering the tariffs on Indian exports to 18%. Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to announce the trade deal, which was later confirmed by PM Narendra Modi confirming it via X (Twitter). However, India is yet to confirm the details of the trade deal shared by Trump in his post.

Also Read | India-US trade deal announced by US President Donald Trump; check detailsUS Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also told a TV channel that the final figure of tariff on India will be 18%, indicating that the 25% penal tariff linked to Russian crude has also been removed.He also said that the 18% tariff rate is effective immediately, and that India would buy $500 billion worth of US energy, coal, technology and agricultural products.Russia has been the largest supplier of crude for India since the start of the former’s war with Ukraine. The share in India’s oil import basket has gone up to almost 40%. But recently, after US sanctions on Russian oil firms, Indian refiners had been forced to reduce Russian crude oil purchases.

India-US Trade Deal: What PM Modi, Trump said

PM Modi posted on X, “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement. When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights.”Before Trump had posted on social media, “It was an Honor to speak with Prime Minister Modi, of India, this morning. He is one of my greatest friends and, a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country. We spoke about many things, including Trade, and ending the War with Russia and Ukraine. He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week! Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%. They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO. The Prime Minister also committed to “BUY AMERICAN,” at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of U.S. Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products. Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The TOI correspondent from Washington: In a political shock that has rattled Washington, Democrats in deep red Texas flipped a state senate seat in a district that voted +17 for Donald Trump, amid claims from some Indian-Americans that they triggered the turnaround because of toxic MAGA attacks on the community.Taylor Rehmet, a US Air Force veteran and union machinist, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss by a decisive 57 % to 43 %, representing roughly a 30-point swing from 2024 and marking the first time a Democrat will hold the District 9 seat in decades.The election, triggered by the resignation of a GOP stalwart, has stunned Republicans and comes at a time Democrats are scoring unexpected wins in special contests (by-elections) nationwide — raising questions inside GOP ranks about Trump-era strategy of demonising immigrants. The unexpected Democratic victory reflects broader trends of Democratic overperformance in off-cycle elections since Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. The shock District 9 result has also sparked debate over whether controversial Republican messaging toward Indian American communities contributed to the GOP defeat. Claims that Republican “rage-baiting” against Indians fueled the turnaround have circulated widely on social media and in post-election analysis. Critics point to Wambsganss’ campaign rhetoric, which echoed MAGA attacks on H-1B visas and immigration, labeling Indian migrants an “invasion” and “unassimilable.” Posts on X amplified this, with some users decrying Indians as “scammy” and accusing them of electoral fraud. Tarrant County, a large part of District 9, boasts a growing Indian American population—over 50,000 strong according to some estimates, many in tech and professional sectors. Voter turnout data shows heightened participation in precincts with high Asian American density, suggesting mobilization against perceived ethnic scapegoating. Some analysts have suggested that such rhetoric energized backlash among recent foreign-origin voters in diverse suburbs.“What happened yesterday in Texas is a reminder: Don’t mess with Indians. We are a moderate people and a key swing vote. Brown people are fed up with the GOP. Keep on attacking us and you will lose,” one Indian-American handle claimed on X. The result is also a setback for Abraham George, an Indian-American who chairs the Texas GOP, and who is under attack from MAGA for his Indian background despite being a MAGA figure himself.However, there is no direct polling or exit data tying the District 9 flip solely to anti-Indian rhetoric, and campaign messaging can cut multiple ways. Analysts caution that while backlash to inflammatory language could have contributed to mobilizing some voters, attributing the entire outcome to that factor oversimplifies a complex local political ecosystem.Nationally, the Texas flip is part of a broader, more ominous trend for the Republican Party. Since Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, Democrats have consistently overperformed. According to The Downballot, Dems are outperforming their 2024 presidential benchmarks by an average of 15.7% in special elections. Across the country in 2025, they have flipped state legislative seats once only held by Republicans, including a Pennsylvania state senate seat Trump carried, and competitive wins in Iowa and Kentucky. In Georgia, Democrats made gains in public service commission special elections, turning two seats previously held by Republicans to Democratic control.At the municipal level, Democratic strength also appeared in the November 2025 New York City mayoral election, where Zohran Mamdani captured the mayor’s office with more than 50% of the vote in a high-turnout contest.Republican leaders in Texas have acknowledged the surprise. Lt Gov Dan Patrick described the outcome as a “wake-up call,” noting that special election dynamics can defy expectations but that Republicans must regroup ahead of November. Trump, who endorsed Wambsganss and urged turnout in the final days, distanced himself from the loss, calling it a “local” contest he was unaware of.