India: Modi inaugurates new international airport in Noida

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a rally ahead of Kerala assembly elections, which are slated for April 9.

While visiting Kerala, he held a roadshow in Thrissur and held a public rally in Palakkad, where he accused regional political parties Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) of "looting" the state for decades.

He also addressed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its impact on the people of Kerala — which sees a large number of people immigrating to the Gulf countries.

Two more Indian-flagged tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz this weekend carrying a combined cargo of about 94,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), India's Shipping Ministry said on Sunday.

The two LPG carriers, BW TYR and BW ELM, are now proceeding toward India's western coast, the former headed for Mumbai and the latter for Mangaluru.

In retaliation for US-Israeli air strikes, Iran has all but halted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global crude oil and LPG.

The closure of the strait has put pressure on the global economy – including in India, the world's fourth-largest buyer of liquified natural gas (LNG) and second-largest buyer of LPG, which is used for cooking and predominantly sourced from the Middle East.

India maintains strong relations with Iran, which is currently only allowing certain ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Four other Indian LPG tankers had earlier transited the strait, but 18 Indian-flagged vessels – with 485 Indian sailors onboard – remain in the Gulf region.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has also steadily expanded cooperation with Israel in defense, agriculture, technology and cybersecurity, creating a diplomatic balancing act in the context of the current conflict.

Speaking during the 132nd episode of his radio show 'Mann Ki Baat,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned about the developing petrol and diesel crisis worldwide.

He referred to the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, saying that "a fierce war has been going on for the past month in our neighborhood."

"The region where the war is underway is a major hub of our energy needs. Due to this, a diesel and petrol crisis is developing worldwide," he added.

He assured his listeners that India is in a strong position to deal with the crisis. "India is resolutely facing these challenges because of its global relations, assistance from different countries, and the capability that India has built over the past decade," he said.

Calling it a difficult time, Modi urged the public to stay united.

Discussions in Cameroon to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO) entered a third day on Sunday with no consensus yet in sight, diplomats said.

Trade ministers are working to extend the e-commerce moratorium barring members from imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions, such as digital downloads.

India and the USare debating over extending the e-commerce moratorium due to expire this month, three diplomats told Reuters news agency.

India is interested in accepting ​an extension of two years, three diplomats said. 

However, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said ​Washington was ‌not interested in a temporary extension to the ban, only a permanent one.

Extension of the e-commerce moratorium is being seen as a critical challenge for the WTO following a year of tariff-fuelled trade wars and market disruptions due to the Middle East conflict.

There are suggestions the US could accept a "pathway to permanence" ‌with a 10-year extension, a Western diplomat said. A second said a five- to 10-year ‌extension ​was being explored, while a third indicated it was unlikely all WTO members would agree to go beyond two years.

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India will reportedly not block a key a World Trade Organization policy on e-commerce, according to reports on Saturday.

Since 1998, the WTO has banned customs duties on all e-commerce, including book and music downloads, software, cloud computing, online courses and more.

The ban came in the form of a moratorium that was renewed every two years. It is up for review once again at this year's WTO meeting in Yaounde, Cameroon.

However, earlier this week, India's Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said this current arrangement warranted "careful reconsideration" — signalling a potential veto.

The WTO requires consensus among all members to create new rules. This means a veto by India would be enough to stop the policy, opening the door to new taxes for e-commerce.

On Saturday, news agencies Reuters and AFP both reported that India had since come around on the issue and would likely not stop the policy from being renewed for another two years. 

Even this concession, however, might put New Delhi on a collision course with its WTO partners, as the US, along with Japan, Mexico, Australia, Norway, Switzerland and others, wants to go beyond a two-year moratorium and make ban permanent.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about the Iran war with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday.

"We agreed on the need to ensure freedom of navigation and keeping shipping lines open and secure," Modi posted online after the phone call with the de-facto ruler of Saudi Arabia.

The US-Israeli war against Iran has halted most oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to energy scarcity in India and around the globe. Earlier on Saturday, it was reported that two Indian LPG tankers had crossed the strait while many others remain blocked.

Modi also said he thanked the crown prince "for his continued support for the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia."

India's Foreign Ministry has denied reports that billionaire Elon Musk joined a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump earlier in the week.

The New York Times earlier reported that Musk participated the call, citing two anonymous US officials. The newspaper said it was "rare" for a private citizen to be on a call between two heads of states.

"We have seen the story," the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement to India's ANI news agency on Saturday.

"The telephone conversation on 24 March was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only. As has been stated earlier, it provided the opportunity for exchange of views on the situation in West Asia," the statement added.

When asked by ANI about the report, White House spokesperson Katherine Leavitt did not directly address the claim but said the phone call had been "productive."

Two ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to India were crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, according to tracking data from LSEG and Kpler.

The US-Israeli war against Iran stopped most traffic through the passage — which is the main thoroughfare for the Gulf region's oil and gas exports — but Iran said this week that it would allow some ships from "non-hostile" nations to pass through.

Two Indian-flagged vessels, BW Elm and BW Tyr, had crossed into the eastern part of the strait, data showed.

India is the world's second-largest importer of LPG. As of Friday, five Indian LPG tankers were still stranded in the Gulf, according to India's Shipping Ministry.

Indian cricket star MS Dhoni will likely miss the first two weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a calf strain, according to his team, the Chennai Super Kings.

"MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of TATA IPL 2026," the team said in a statement.

Dhoni, who is 44, led Chennai to five IPL titles and has only played in the T20 tournament since retiring from international cricket in 2020. Last year, he played in all 14 matches, scoring 196 runs. However, Chennai finished at the bottom of the 10-team table.

Chennai, which last won the IPL in 2023, will play its opening match on Monday against the Rajasthan Royals. The 19th edition of the IPL begins on Saturday, with the final scheduled for May 31.

India has approved defense procurements worth about $25 billion (€21.65 billion), including additional Russian-made S-400 long-range air defense systems, authorities said.

The approvals were cleared by a council led by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, according to the defense ministry.

The ministry said it has cleared 55 proposals worth $71 billion in the 2025-26 financial year so far, with capital procurement contracts worth $25 billion this fiscal year, the highest on record, being signed.

The acquisitions planned include transport aircraft, drones and upgrades to Su-30 fighter jets for the air force, as well as artillery, surveillance systems and ammunition for the army.

The new S-400 orders and jet upgrades underscore Russia's continued role as a key defense supplier to India despite increased purchases from Western countries.

It turns out the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party can agree on some things — namely, that lawmakers should receive free Indian Premier League (IPL) tickets for the season opener in Bengaluru.

The saga started with BJP leader and leader of opposition R Ashoka calling for free tickets for legislators in the Karnataka state assembly.

There was support for the proposal across the board, with Congress legislator Vijayanand Kashappanavar telling the media, "We are VIPs. We can't go in the queue and stand there."

Eventually, after a meeting with officials from the Karnataka cricket association, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said on Friday two tickets will be provided to each state lawmaker.

However, BJP's member of parliament Tejasvi Surya condemned the episode on X saying, "Why should elected representatives expect privileges denied to ordinary citizens?"

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a "‌productive conversation" US President Donald Trump on Tuesday on the escalating Middle East crisis, White House spokesperson Karoline ​Leavitt said.

"President Trump has a ⁠great ​relationship with ​Prime Minister Modi, and this ​was a ‌productive conversation," Leavitt ⁠said.

According to The New York Times, Elon Musk also joined the phone call between Modi and Trump although it was unclear why Musk was included in the call or whether he spoke, the report said.