The TOI correspondent from Washington: US president Trump is moving in on Greenland. After a brief lull that calmed European disquiet over his coveting the resource-rich territory in Denmark’s realm, the MAGA supremo on Monday appointed Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, reviving a long-standing and controversial effort to bring the Arctic territory under US control.The White House said Landry will serve in a voluntary capacity, tasked with advancing US interests in Greenland and engaging with stakeholders on the island’s future. While Landry has no formal diplomatic background in Arctic affairs and no known personal ties to Denmark, which administers Greenland, his selection reflects political loyalty and subject-matter alignment rather than conventional diplomatic credentials.

Landry has been one of the most outspoken US officials backing Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland, having publicly endorsed the idea on social media, writing that Trump was “absolutely right” and that Greenland should join the US. Following his appointment, he reiterated that his primary goal is “to make Greenland a part of the US,” signaling a clear ideological commitment to the project.

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Trump’s interest in Greenland is driven largely by its natural resources and strategic location. Greenland is believed to hold significant untapped reserves of oil, natural gas, and rare earth minerals, critical to advanced manufacturing and defence technologies. As governor of Louisiana, one of the largest energy-producing states in the US, Landry has overseen offshore drilling, pipeline development, and the petrochemical sector, exporting energy even to distant India. Ironically, Louisiana itself (and its surrounding areas) was purchased by the US from France (led by Napoleon Bonaparte) in 1803 for $ 15 million (about 3 cents an acre). The so-called Louisiana purchase of areas from the Mississippi river west to the Rocky mountains, and from the Gulf of Mexico north to present-day Canada, doubled the size of the United States.Acquiring Greenland, by coercion or cooperation, will add to the US a territory 25 per cent larger than Alaska – which also Washington bought from Russia in 1867 for $ 7.2 million. Disparaged as “Seward’s icebox,” after then secretary of state William Seward, who negotiated the deal, the Alaska purchase later proved extremely valuable due to gold, oil, and strategic importance. If Greenland is added to the US, it will become the world’s second largest country after Russia, pushing Canada, currently the second-largest, to third place.Also read: Greenland standoff: Trump appoints ‘special envoy’; is he edging closer to annexation?Landry holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, which allies say gives him a technical foundation to navigate the environmentally sensitive Arctic context. In addition, he is an Army veteran and former lawmaker who has framed offshore resources as a matter of national security. Trump echoed that in announcing the appointment, saying Landry “understands how essential Greenland is to our national security.”Denmark reacted swiftly, reiterating that Greenland is not for sale and that its future can only be decided by the people of Greenland themselves, while warning that unilateral US actions risk undermining cooperation in the Arctic.The Landry appointment fits a broader pattern in the MAGA supremo’s approach to allies and partners, which has often been marked by blunt rhetoric and unilateral actions. He has repeatedly criticized Nato allies for insufficient defence spending, at times suggesting the US might not honour collective defence commitments. He also withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement, the Iran nuclear deal, and the World Health Organisation, moves that drew sharp criticism from European capitals. He publicly clashed with German leaders over the Nord Stream gas pipeline, accused Canada of unfair trade practices while imposing tariffs, and threatened Mexico with economic penalties to secure cooperation on border enforcement. He has been particularly harsh on India and Brazil. Even as the president upped the ante on Greenland, his administration last week recalled nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts, mostly in Africa and Asia, as it moved to reshape the US diplomatic posture abroad with personnel deemed fully supportive of his “America first” priorities. Most of the envoys are from the so-called “Third world,” including 13 countries in Africa, a continent disdained by Trump. Diplomats were also recalled from Nepal and Sri Lanka in the Indian subcontinent.

In the last five years, India has sealed seven significant trade pacts as part of its effort to expand its global economic footprint. (AI image)

India announced concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand on Monday paving the way for duty-free entry of Indian goods into New Zealand and a planned inflow of $20 billion in investments over the next 15 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon made the announcement through their social media handles. The two sides also expect the pact to support their goal of doubling bilateral trade within five years.However, New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister Winston Peters has voiced his opposition to the trade agreement, claiming the deal was ‘neither free nor fair’. Peters posted on social media platform X, “New Zealand First is regrettably opposed to the India Free Trade Agreement announced today. We consider the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to be neither free nor fair. Regrettably, this is a bad deal for New Zealand. It gives too much away, especially on immigration, and does not get enough in return for New Zealanders, including on dairy,” said Peters.India on its part has always maintained that agriculture and dairy sectors are a red line for any trade deal. This will be India’s third free trade agreement in a span of a year, after similar deals with the United Kingdom in July and Oman earlier this month. The agreement provides additional temporary employment visas for Indians and smoother market access for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The India-New Zealand FTA is expected to be formally signed within the next three months and is likely to come into effect next year.Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the trade deal is India’s seventh free trade agreement concluded under the Modi government. The deal assumes significance since it comes at a time when India is looking to diversify markets for its exports, especially given trade barriers that have been erected by the Donald Trump administration.Goyal’s message was clear: “In an increasingly protectionist world, India is trading more and concluding FTAs, resulting in a rise in exports, leading to prosperity for our farmers, traders, exporters & MSMEs.”

What is a Free Trade Agreement & why are FTAs important?

A free trade agreement is a trade deal where the economic arrangement between two or more countries helps eliminate or substantially reduce customs duties on a wide range of traded goods. These pacts also aim to lower non-trade barriers on a significant share of imports, while easing rules to encourage services exports and cross border investments.Such agreements offer multiple benefits. Zero duty access to partner markets helps exporters diversify and expand their reach. FTAs also tend to attract foreign investment, which can support domestic manufacturing, while improving access to raw materials, intermediate inputs and capital goods needed for higher value manufacturing.

Which are the 7 trade agreements India has concluded in the last 5 years?

In the last five years, India has sealed seven significant trade pacts as part of its effort to expand its global economic footprint. These are:India–New Zealand FTA (2025)All Indian exports to New Zealand will now face zero duty once the deal comes into place. Under the terms of the pact, tariffs will be eliminated or lowered on about 95% of New Zealand’s exports to India, covering products such as wool, coal, timber, wine, avocados and blueberries. However, India has retained protections for sensitive sectors and has not opened its market to imports of dairy products, onions, sugar, spices, edible oils and rubber in order to safeguard farmers and domestic industries.New Zealand’s investment commitment of $20 billion will be directed towards manufacturing, infrastructure, services, innovation and employment generation in India.

India-New Zealand FTA

For India, the agreement strengthens access to a high-income, rules-based Pacific market and supports its broader Indo-Pacific economic strategy. For New Zealand, it offers more secure entry into one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies at a time of rising global trade uncertainty, notes Global Trade Research Initiative in an analysis.India–Oman CEPA (2025)India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership provides almost complete duty-free entry for Indian exports, and creates wide-ranging prospects across labour-intensive industries, advanced services, and skilled workforce mobility.The agreement brings exceptional access to the Omani market, strong commitments on services and investment, improved pathways for Indian professionals, and targeted benefits for sectors such as pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, and regulatory standards, underscoring a key advance in India’s economic outreach to the Gulf region.India–UK CETA (2025)India and the United Kingdom’s Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement grants almost complete duty-free entry for Indian products and significantly expands export prospects, particularly for labour-intensive industries.Beyond goods trade, the agreement includes far-reaching commitments in services, simplified movement for Indian professionals, and a key social security arrangement that increases workers’ net earnings while reducing compliance expenses for Indian firms.Some of the other trade agreements are:

Why are free trade agreements important for India?

India’s biggest export destination continues to be the US and with the Donald Trump administration imposing 50% punitive tariffs, exports to one of the main trading partners have been hit. Discussions between India and the United States are ongoing, but a final agreement has yet to be reached. A visiting US delegation held talks in New Delhi last week, though the meetings did not result in a breakthrough, even as Prime Minister Modi and President Donald Trump continue to describe their periodic phone conversations as “great”.The US is seeking to narrow its trade deficit by increasing exports of energy and agricultural products. While India has indicated a willingness to partly raise energy imports, it has made it clear that opening up the farm sector is not negotiable. Indian officials now believe the agreement could be signed by March.In the meantime, India has stepped up efforts to widen its export base and reduce reliance on any single market. As part of this push, stalled negotiations with the European Union have been revived. The India-EU trade agreement is in the works and discussions are ongoing with Chile.

7 Trade Deals in 5 Years

Gulzar Didwania, Partner at Deloitte India tells TOI that India’s CEPA with Oman and the newly concluded Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand represent watershed moments in India’s export-led growth strategy. “The India-Oman CEPA delivers zero-duty access for goods in Oman on nearly 98% of its tariff lines, covering key sectors such as textiles, engineering goods, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and automobiles. Similarly, the India-New Zealand FTA would reduce tariffs on 100% on India’s exports to New Zealand, opening NZ’s market more broadly to Indian goods and services. This is expected to double bilateral trade over the next five years.,” he explains.Didwania is of the view that trade deals and FTAs not only deepen market access but also help diversify India’s export destinations by lowering barriers, facilitating regulatory alignment, and enhancing services mobility.Agneshwar Sen, Trade Policy Leader at EY India notes that India’s recent pivot toward ‘new-age’ Free Trade Agreements signify a fundamental shift in trade architecture.“These are not just tariff-reduction exercises; they are strategic gateways into high-value developed markets. By securing zero-duty access for over 90% of our tariff lines, India is leveling the playing field for labor-intensive exports like textiles, engineering, and jewelry against global competitors,” Sen tells TOI.“These pacts move beyond merchandise trade by embedding binding investment commitments and professional mobility for our services export. These agreements integrate our MSMEs into the heart of global value chains, ensuring that ‘Make in India’ is backed by ‘Market Access for India.’ This proactive trade diplomacy is exactly what is needed to address the growing protectionist tendencies, globally. India is effectively insulating itself from global trading uncertainties, particularly in our traditional markets,” he concludes.India has so far signed trade agreements with Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Australia, the UAE and Mauritius. It is also a member of the ASEAN trade pact covering ten Southeast Asian nations and has an agreement with the four country EFTA bloc comprising Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Under the India New Zealand FTA, all Indian goods will receive zero duty access into New Zealand, including products from labour intensive sectors such as textiles, plastics, leather and engineering goods. New Zealand has also committed to facilitate foreign direct investment of USD 20 billion into India over a 15 year period.The agreement includes commitments covering a broad range of high value services, including IT and IT enabled services, professional services, education, financial services, tourism, construction and other business segments. It also opens new skilled employment avenues through a Temporary Employment Entry Visa pathway for Indian professionals in skilled occupations, with a quota of 5,000 visas available at any given time and a maximum stay of up to three years.

England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum during an England nets session at Perth Stadium (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Former England cricket chief Andrew Strauss has spoken out after England’s latest Ashes defeat in Australia. He believes that simply removing head coach Brendon McCullum or captain Ben Stokes will not fix England’s long-standing problems in Australian conditions.Strauss knows what it takes to win in Australia. He was the last England captain to win an Ashes series there, leading his team to a 3-1 victory in 2010/11. Since then, England’s record has been very poor. They have lost 16 Test matches and managed only two draws in Australia.

England are once again under pressure after going 3-0 down in the current Ashes series, with two matches still to play. Many fans and experts are questioning the leadership of McCullum and Stokes. However, Strauss has warned against quick and emotional decisions.In a long post on LinkedIn, Strauss reflected on England’s latest failure. He wrote, “So there it is, another ambitious set of England cricketers made the journey to Australia, full of hope and optimism, only for their dreams to come crashing down around them after only 11 days of cricket.”Strauss said McCullum and Stokes will face heavy criticism, just like previous England coaches and leaders did after past Ashes defeats. “McCullum and Stokes will come under extreme scrutiny for the decisions they took in preparation for this tour in the same way that (Ashley) Giles and (Chris) Silverwood did after the last tour. And Andy Flower after 2013/14 and Duncan Fletcher after 2006/07,” he further added.Strauss stressed that the blame should not fall on a few individuals. He noted, “While they will know that this goes with the territory, none of the above are responsible for England losing so incredibly consistently in Australia since 1986/87. We have been badly mauled time after time over there because Australia are a better team, served by a better high-performance system.”He ended by calling for real change, saying, “If we are genuinely serious about changing this depressingly one-sided story, then we need to look beyond sacking England coaches and captains and ask whether we are genuinely willing to make the changes necessary to break the trend.”

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav (ANI photo)

NEW DELHI: Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday again addressed a press conference amid outrage over the “new definition” of the Aravali range, saying that “no new mining leases will be permitted, especially in core, protected and ecologically sensitive areas, including the NCR”.Speaking on the Supreme Court’s acceptance of the “new definition” of Aravalli, the minister said: “The ruling recognises and endorses the Government of India’s sustained efforts to protect the Aravalli range through scientific assessment, strict safeguards and initiatives such as the Aravalli Green Wall Project.”

He futher highlighted the expansion of Ramsar sites, afforestation drives and international recognition of India’s forest cover, saying that under the BJP-led NDA government remains “firmly committed to balancing ecology and economy, while countering misinformation with facts and science”.Addressing concerns in some quarters over a possible expansion of mining activities in the Aravalli Hills and Ranges following the adoption of a uniform definition, Bhupender Yadav on Sunday said it was incorrect to conclude that mining would be permitted on all landforms below 100 metres in the Aravallis.“Only 0.19% of the total 1.44 lakh sq km area of Aravalli can be eligible for mining. The rest of the Aravalli is protected and secure,” he posted on X.Yadav explained that the Aravali range comprises all landforms located within 500 metres of two adjoining hills with a height of 100 metres or more. All landforms falling within this 500-metre zone, regardless of their height or slope, are excluded from the grant of mining leases, he said.The minister also elaborated on the issue while responding to a media query on the sidelines of a meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority at the Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The query related to the Supreme Court of India’s recent acceptance of a uniform, policy-level definition of the Aravali Hills and Ranges, particularly with respect to regulating mining.Following the apex court’s acceptance that any landform located in the Aravali districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more from the local relief would be classified as Aravali Hills, some stakeholders expressed apprehension that the move could open more than 90% of the Aravalis to mining, as most landforms lie below the 100-metre mark.

Rohit Sharma (Pic credit: BCCI)

Former India captain Rohit Sharma being a behemoth in limited-overs cricket is a well-established fact in the world. His ODI and T20I records are second to none, and his penchant for big scores is unmatched. Rohit is still the only batter to smash three double hundreds in ODIs, and is the joint-most century-maker in the shortest format of the game.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Rohit’s mammoth innings in T20Is are backed by his ability to hit sixes at will. He is the only batter in the world to smash more than 200 jaw-dropping sixes in the format. He retired from T20Is after leading India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024, with 205 sixes in 151 innings.

Rohit and his long-time teammate and fellow run-machine Virat Kohli bid adieu to the format after the T20 World Cup triumph last year, finishing off their shortest-format careers with Rohit scoring 4231 runs from 159 matches, which included a record five hundreds and 32 fifties.On this day in 2017, eight years ago, Rohit stamped his dominance by smashing the then joint-fastest T20I century off just 35 balls, equalling South African David Miller’s less-than-two-months-old record. Rohit set the record against Sri Lanka in Indore, while Miller had achieved the feat against Bangladesh at Potchefstroom on October 29, 2017.

Rohit Sharma had a mind-boggling white-ball series against Sri Lanka at home that year. He smashed his third ODI double hundred against the visitors before the T20Is kicked off. His 208 not out in Mohali ensured he finished the three-match ODI series as the top run-getter.He started the T20I series with 17 off 13 balls in Cuttack before coming to Indore.When Sri Lanka skipper Thisara Perera won the toss and put India in to bat, little did he know what was in store.Captain Rohit Sharma and his opening partner KL Rahul punished the visitors’ bowlers ruthlessly from the start. India raced to 59 for no loss after the Powerplay and did not look back.Rohit reached his half-century off 23 balls, with the help of three sixes and seven fours, and brought up a 100-run opening partnership in just 52 balls with Rahul.

Rohit Sharma

After that, Rohit changed gears and left Sri Lankan players chasing leather like never before. The India skipper smoked five more sixes and four more boundaries in the next 12 balls to zoom to his record hundred in just 35 balls — joint-fastest in the world at that time.With the feat, Rohit overtook his partner Rahul’s India record of a 46-ball hundred, set against the West Indies at Lauderhill on August 27, 2016.Rahul also raced to his fifty off 35 balls, hitting three sixes and four fours, as the duo added 165 runs in just 12.4 overs. Rohit was the first to fall in the India innings after a majestic 118 off 43 balls, which included 10 sixes, 12 fours, and a mouth-watering strike rate of 274.4.India went on to post 260 for 5 in their 20 overs, with Rahul contributing 89 off 49 balls with the help of eight sixes and five fours.Under the pressure of chasing a mammoth 261, Sri Lanka lost the early wicket of opener Niroshan Dickwella (25) in the fifth over. But a 109-run second-wicket stand between Upul Tharanga (47 off 29 balls) and Kusal Perera (77 off 37 balls) kept Sri Lanka in the chase.Then India’s spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav worked their magic in the middle overs. Chahal started the collapse with the caught-and-bowled dismissal of Tharanga in the 14th over. Kuldeep then removed Perera and captain Thisara Perera in consecutive deliveries in the next over, before making it a three-wicket over by dismissing Asela Gunaratne as well.From 145/1, Sri Lanka crumbled to 161/5 in just 10 balls, and there was no fightback after that.Chahal finished with figures of 4 for 52, while Kuldeep returned 3 for 52. Both were expensive after the initial onslaught from Sri Lankan batters, but they derailed the chase with quick wickets in the middle overs as the visitors were bundled out for 172 in 17.2 overs.

Rohit Sharma’s storied T20I careerThe 35-ball hundred was Rohit’s second T20I century, and he followed that up with three more hundreds in his career, including a career-best 121 not out against Afghanistan in Bengaluru (January 2024). His other two T20I hundreds were 100 vs England in Bristol (July 2018) and 111 vs West Indies in Lucknow (November 2018).Rohit signed off from the format with the then most runs in a career — 4231 runs from 159 T20Is at an average of 32.05 and a strike rate of 140.89. Meanwhile, Kohli ended his career with 4188 runs from 125 T20Is at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04, which included one century and 38 fifties.Recently, in 2025, Pakistan batter Babar Azam surpassed Rohit as the leading run-scorer in the format.

Pakistan’s chief of defence forces field marshal Syed Asim Munir, was on Monday conferred with Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour, the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellence, during his official visit to the Kingdom.The award was granted under a Royal Decree issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Announcing the honour, the Pakistan Army said the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s highest national decoration.“Under a Royal Decree issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s highest national honour was also conferred upon the Field Marshal,” the army said, as reported by news agency PTI. According to the army, the Saudi leadership conveyed its appreciation for Field Marshal Munir’s professionalism and strategic outlook, and acknowledged his role in strengthening the longstanding and close ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.Field marshal Munir expressed gratitude to King Salman and the Saudi leadership for the honour, describing it as a reflection of the enduring bonds between the two countries. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the security, stability and prosperity of the Kingdom.During his visit, Munir also met Saudi Arabia’s minister of defence, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, including regional security, defence and military cooperation, strategic collaboration and evolving geopolitical challenges.In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Sash, the Kingdom’s highest civilian honour, by King Salman bin Abdulaziz during his official visit.