Month: January 2026

United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said that India stands to benefit the most from the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union, citing greater market access, labour advantages, and potential mobility opportunities for Indian workers.

In an interview with Fox News, Greer said the agreement must be viewed in the context of shifting global trade dynamics under US President Donald Trump’s push to prioritise domestic production.

He noted that the European Union, being highly trade-dependent, is increasingly looking beyond the US for export markets.

“Strategically, it’s important to understand that because President Trump has prioritised domestic production and essentially started charging a fee for other countries to access our market, these countries are trying to find other outlets for their overproduction,” Greer said.

“And so the EU is turning to India to try to find a place. The EU is so trade-dependent they need other outlets if they can’t keep sending all their stuff to the United States. I’ve looked at some of the details of the deal so far. I think India comes out on top on this, frankly,” he added during his interview with Fox News.

According to Greer, India is set to gain enhanced access to European markets and may also benefit from expanded mobility provisions. He highlighted India’s competitive advantage, pointing to its low-cost labour and growing manufacturing base.

“They get more market access into Europe. It sounds like they have some additional immigration rights. I don’t know for sure, but President von der Leyen of the EU has talked about mobility for Indian workers into Europe. So, I think on net, India’s going to have a heyday with this,” he said.

“They have low-cost labour, and it looks like the EU is doubling down on globalisation when we’re trying to fix some of the problems of globalisation here in the US,” the US Trade Representative added.

When questioned about the Tariff structure on India in respect to purchasing Russian oil, the US Trade Representative said they expect India to wind down this purchase.

“They have made a lot of progress on this. I am in frequent contact with my counterpart in India. I have a great working relationship with him, but they still have a ways to go on this point. They like the discount that you get from Russian oil, so it’s hard for them. The Treasury Department has put into place, you know, a few weeks ago now, more significant sanctions, so we expect India to continue to wind that down, but we’re watching it closely,” he said.

Greer’s remarks come a day after India and the EU signed a “milestone” deal, dubbed the “Mother of All Deals”, by concluding their negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday.

The deal is one of India’s most strategic economic partnerships, designed as a modern, rules-based trade partnership, which responds to contemporary global challenges while enabling deeper market integration between the world’s fourth- and second-largest economies.

With a combined market estimated at over Rs 2091.6 Lakh Crore (USD 24 trillion), bringing unparalleled opportunities for the 2 billion people of India and the EU, the FTA unlocks significant potential for trade and innovation. (ANI)

An emotional Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Wednesday expressed grief at the news of the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who was killed in a charter plane crash in Bramati early today.

“It is very sad news,” Sawant said adding that the entire Pawar family is shattered by the news.

“I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Most of the MPs were in the national capital to attend the Budget Session of Parliament which begins today.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji, Sunetra ji, Parth and Jay. I also express sympathies to lakhs and crores of people in Baramati…Going away like this is very painful…”

The small charter aircraft, which took off from Mumbai around 8 am, crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt 45 minutes later. Visuals from the crash spot show fire and smoke spewing from the remains of the plane. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said all five passengers on board died in the crash.

Maharashtra Government said in a statement that PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah both contacted Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadanvis and received information and updates about the plane crash.

Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran said, “It is very unfortunate to hear that such an accident has taken place. We are not aware of the details, so let us wait for the report and see what has actually happened. It is really shocking and very unfortunate. Deputy CM and his team were travelling in the plane and this has happened. That has to be investigated, let us wait for the report.”

DMK MP T Siva said,” It is very sad. I have no words to express the grief. He was such a dynamic politician.”

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy condoled the demise and said,” It is very shocking and sad news. I express my condolences to his family.”

Union Minister Giriraj Singh said “This is a really unfortunate incident…Reports are coming in that Ajit Pawar was also onboard. If it is true, then this is a highly unfortunate day…This is a heart-rending incident. May God give strength to the affected families…He was not just the Deputy CM of Maharashtra but also a well-known politician in the country. This is an irreparable loss.”

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections when his plane crashed. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

Ajit Pawar was the longest serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.He is married to Sunetra Pawar, with whom he has two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. (ANI)

Himachal Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday called on Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in the national capital, according to a release.

The Himachal CM held detailed discussions on strengthening the state’s road infrastructure and demanded adequate financial support for road repair and maintenance.

The Union Minister approved Rs. 200 crore in principle under CRIF for Chaila-Neripul-Yashwant Nagar-Ochghat road, which would facilitate the apple growers immensely in the state.

The release stated that the Chief Minister apprised him of the progress on the Shimla-Mataur National Highway, which connects eight districts to the state capital and to adjoining states. He requested the introduction of the maximum number of tunnels for Packages between Shimla to Shalaghat and Bhager to Hamirpur, keeping in view the hilly terrain and geological sensitivity of the area.

He also requested expediting the process for the preparation of DPR for four laning of Package four, which covers the end of the Hamirpur bypass at Chilbahal to Bhangbar and the new northern Hamirpur bypass.

Himachal CM also informed that the Chil Bahal to Pucca Broh section has suffered severe damage during monsoons at various locations and has not been strengthened for the last five to six years. He said that the stretch was important as it serves as a key access route to major religious destinations.

CM Sukhu urged to issue necessary directions for handing over Chil Bahal to the Pucca Baroh section of NH 03 to the NH wing of HPPWD for carrying out development and maintenance activities. He also requested the early sanctioning of Rs 38.37 crore by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The Union Minister gave his nod to the amount and assured the State government of full support.

Chief Minister’s Principal Advisor Ram Subhag Singh was present in the meeting. (ANI)

Get ready for a laughter-filled ride as Welcome 3 arrives in cinema halls on June 26.

On Tuesday, the makers revealed the release date of Welcome to the Jungle, the third instalment in the popular franchise.

Directed by Ahmed Khan ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ boasts of a massive ensemble cast of over 30 actors including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Johnny lever, Aftab Shivdasani, Lara Dutta, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Daler Mehndi, Farida Jalal, Krishna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Kiran Kumar, Mukesh Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Vindu Dara Singh, Nawab Shah, Urvashi Rautela, Puneet Issar, Arjun Firoz Khan, Late Pankaj Dheer, Sudesh Berry, Hemant Pandey, Zakir Hussain, and Sayaji Shinde.

In November last year, Akshay took to Instagram and dropped a catchy video with co-star Disha Patani from the sets of ‘Welcome to the Jungle’.

He also added an audio of the new version to the post. In the clip, Akshay and Disha were seen grooving to the peppy beats of the song “Uncha Lamba Kad.”

It was his caption that grabbed most of the netizens’ attention, as he gave a special shout-out to his former Welcome co-star Katrina Kaif.

“From our hearts to yours!! What a throwback, 18 years & still an all-time favourite. With so much nostalgia, beautiful Disha & I bring you ‘Welcome to the Jungle’… Never forgetting our Queen Katrina (red heart emoji) #WelcomeToTheJungle #Welcome3,” he posted.

The first instalment starred Feroz Khan, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Paresh Rawal in the lead roles. It was released in 2007.

The second instalment, titled ‘Welcome Back’, was released in 2015. Actors John Abraham and Shruti Haasan replaced Akshay and Katrina in the second part. Both films were helmed by Anees Bazmee. (ANI)

Seems like actor Ananya Panday ain’t in the best of her health.

On Tuesday, she took to Instagram and shared a picture from her vanity. In the image, she is seen wearing an arm sling.

Ananya sports a cosy oversized grey hoodie with matching bottoms, standing casually in a vanity area. Her sling suggested she may have hurt her arm or shoulder.

Even in pain, her humour shines through, as she cheekily captioned the post, ‘2026 mein nazar lag gayi.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Ananya will soon be seen in the second season her hit show ‘Call Me Bae’. The first season, which was released in 2024, revolves around the life of Bella Chowdhary a.k.a Bae (Ananya Panday) and chronicles her journey as she goes from being a heiress to a hustler.

The series also features Vir Das, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samat, Muskkaan Jaferi, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Lisa Mishra, and Mini Mathur in pivotal roles. It is produced by Dharmatic Entertainment and Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra are Executive Producers. (ANI)

Ahead of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that workers have been advised not to be afraid while campaigning in sensitive areas and taking the ideology of the BJP to the people.

While attending a party event in Agartala to welcome new members in the party, CM Saha highlighted how he, along with various other leaders are going to sensitive areas, and spreading the “ideology to the people” by showing the work done by the government.

Speaking to ANI, CM Manik Saha said, “My leaders and I are going everywhere. Bir Chandra Kolsi is a sensitive area. It’s a place that’s not easy to reach. I want to tell my workers that they shouldn’t be afraid. You have to go to such places… We have the power, we have the strength, so why should we fear? The most important thing is that it’s our right to be free to go anywhere. We have to take our ideology to the people. The public is watching what work we are doing. Prime Minister Modi is working for the people. The health situation in Tripura has improved… Tripura has also improved in terms of law and order.”

He further said that the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) have been brought to the mainstream by the BJP government.

“The central government have given them a package of Rs 250 crores. We have rehabilitated Bru refugees. We gave them a package of Rs 500 crores. Now, PM Modi has made it to Rs 800 crores. The health sector has improved in Tripura. Now there are 350 seats in Medical colleges. Earlier, there was 1 seat in BDS, now it is 63 seats. Now there is the National Law University and the National Forensic University. In 20 years crime rate has reduced by 8.2 per cent,” he added.

As the elections to the TTAADC is drawing closer, the trend of tribal voters leaving various parties and joining the BJP is gaining momentum across the state. On Tuesday, a major defection was witnessed in the Bir Chandra Kolsi ADC constituency of South Tripura district.

A total of 352 voters from 110 families quit the Tipra Motha and the CPI(M) and joined the BJP. The new entrants were formally welcomed into the party by CM Manik Saha.

BJP Janajati Morcha General Secretary Bipin Debbarma, along with other party leaders, was present at the programme.

During the event, the Chief Minister issued a stern message to ally Tipra Motha. He stated in clear terms that if BJP workers are attacked while remaining in an alliance with the BJP, the BJP-led government will not tolerate it under any circumstances.

In another joining program at Sabroom, Shanshing HS school, Sabroom in South Tripura, around 640 voters from 300 families joined the BJP.

Tripura CM Manik Saha said to ANI that this is a big indication that people have full trust in the BJP, and so they are all joining the BJP almost every day at different places in Tripura.

“I am confident that in the coming ADC election, BJP will win all 28 seats out of 28,” he added. (ANI)

Reacting to the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations to deal with caste-based discrimination, Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai on Tuesday alleged that the Central government was trying to “divide people through the UGC.”

Speaking to ANI, Ajay Rai said, “The way they did Hindu-Muslim to hide their failure, now through the UGC, they are trying to divide people. I believe they are about to go now; they are in their final stages. Gujarat’s industrialists are running all the big businesses. They want to somehow stay in power. In Hindus they want to create divisions. The Congress party will not let this happen, for the Congress, everyone is united. The system that was in place during our time should now be implemented more firmly.”

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday sought to allay concerns over the new UGC regulations, assuring that the law would not be misused and that there would be no discrimination in its implementation.

Speaking to the reporters, Pradhan said,” I assure everyone there will be no discrimination and no one can misuse the law.”

Pradhan’s remarks came after new rules notified by the UGC on January 13, which update its 2012 regulations on the same subject, have sparked widespread criticism from general category students, who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them.

The new regulations, introduced to curb caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, require institutions to establish special committees and helplines to address complaints, especially from SC, ST, and OBC students.

Meanwhile, in Lucknow, students staged a protest in front of Lucknow University, raising slogans against the UGC policies.

Earlier, Shyam Sundar Tripathi, Vice President of the BJP Kisan Morcha from the Salon constituency in Rae Bareli, had resigned from his post, citing dissatisfaction over new UGC policies. Tripathi announced his resignation in a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Due to the black law, like the reservation bill brought against the children of the upper caste, I am resigning from my post. This law is extremely dangerous for society and also divisive. I am completely dissatisfied with the bill. There is great resentment. I do not support this reservation bill. Supporting such an unethical bill is completely against my self-respect and ideology,” read the letter written in Hindi.

Suspended City Magistrate of Bareilly, Alankar Agnihotri, urged the central government to intervene, alleging constitutional failure in Uttar Pradesh.

Escalating his protest against the Uttar Pradesh administration, Agnihotri claimed growing support from Brahmin organisations against the Uttar Pradesh administration, claiming that such support has come from across multiple states and alleged failure of the constitutional machinery in the state.

Speaking to the media during his ongoing protest in Bareilly, Agnihotri said that several organisations and members of the Brahmin community from six states were in touch with him. He said, “Various organisations and Brahmin communities from our six states are in contact. Many people, including elected representatives, have expressed concern that the UGC regulations published in the Government of India Gazette on January 13, 2026, will be highly detrimental to the country.” (ANI)

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday that the central government remains open to suggestions from all political parties ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament.

Rijiju’s remarks come after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired an all-party meeting today ahead of the Budget session, which will begin on January 28 and run until April 2.

Rijiju also said that discussions must adhere strictly to established parliamentary rules.

Speaking to reporters after an all-party meeting, Rijiju said, “As per the rules, the discussions should revolve around the Budget only. The President will address the joint session of the Parliament at the beginning of the Budget session. After that motion on vote of thanks on the President’s speech will held where all parties will participate. The government will always be happy to hear any suggestions.”

“The government is always ready to listen, but if everytime the Opposition parties do hungama and not let the house function, then problem arises,” Kiren Rijiju told reporters.

Further, TDP Parliamentary Party leader Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said the party raised three national issues and five Andhra Pradesh-related issues after the all-party meeting.

The issues include India’s FTAs, social media rules for under-16s, and the Amaravati capital bill.

Speaking to the reporters, Devarayalu said, “We wanted to take up three national issues and five issues related to Andhra Pradesh. The first national issue concerned FTAs signed by India, including the India-EU FTA…We wanted a discussion on this. Another issue we want to discuss is the social media ban for those under 16. If Australia can do it, why can’t India? The major state issue we want to take up is the Amaravati capital bill issue. We want Andhra Pradesh’s capital to have legislative backing.”

Senior leaders, including Rajnath Singh, Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pramod Tiwari, AITC leader Shatabdi Roy, MNM founder Kamal Haasan, Tamil Manila Congress leader GK Vasan, and SP leader Ramgopal Yadav and many other senior leaders attended the meeting.

The meeting, held in the main Committee Room of Parliament, outlined the agenda for the upcoming Budget session.

The Budget Session will commence on January 28 and continue till April 2, with one break. The first phase is scheduled from January 28 to February 13, while the second phase will run from March 9 to April 2.

The Budget Session will feature 30 sittings, with the Union Budget 2026-27 being presented on February 1. President Droupadi Murmu will formally open the session, addressing members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

In the last two sessions, including the monsoon and winter sessions in 2025, the Opposition parties have sought to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, which is underway across the country. (ANI)

Bihar government minister Dilip Jaiswal on Tuesday commented on the recent allegations by former Congressman Dr Shakeel Ahmad, saying that the law is foremost in the state and the culprit would not go free if any incident occurred.

Jaiswal spoke to ANI regarding Ahmad’s claims of an orchestrated attack by Congress’s top leadership on his residences in Patna and Madhubani, saying, “In a situation where a question mark has arisen on the Congress leadership, such incidents no longer hold any meaning.”

“The rule of law prevails. If any such incident occurs in this regard, the culprit will not be able to escape.”, he added.

This comes after Shakeel Ahmad levelled several allegations against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

He claimed he was “secretly informed” by Congress colleagues that an attack on his residences in Patna and Madhubani was planned for January 27. He later shared screenshots of WhatsApp messages as evidence of the alleged plans.

Ahmad also spoke to ANI about the situation on Tuesday and directed his accusations towards the Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the top leadership in Congress is limited to Rahul Gandhi, implying that he wields absolute control.

Following this, the security around his residence in Patna was heightened. He claimed that the alleged attack plan stemmed from his statement about the latter.

He charged Gandhi with holding double standards, stating that many Bharatiya Janata Party leaders make regular statements about him. “Amit Shah ji gives statements about Rahul Gandhi every day. Why don’t you react against them? I am not even in the Congress”, he said.

The controversy was triggered after Shakeel Ahmad, who has parted ways with the Congress, launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi on January 24, accusing him of sidelining senior leaders and undermining internal democracy within the party.

Speaking with ANI, Ahmad said that Gandhi has kept the youth Congress and NSUI together to achieve the same.”Rahul Gandhi has kept the youth Congress and NSUI together as he wants to throw the senior established leaders out of the Congress party and replace them with leaders of the youth Congress and those who speak well of Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

Shakeel Ahmed also claimed Rahul Gandhi is “uncomfortable” about collaborating with popular, veteran leaders. He also alleged that Rahul Gandhi has a sense of superiority because of his Nehru-Gandhi lineage. (ANI)

Actor Sunny Deol has sent hearfelt wishes and love to his younger brother and fellow actor Bobby Deol, celebrating his birthday with much warmth.

Taking to his Instagram handle, Sunny Deol shared pictures of himself with Bobby, showing the brothers posing together. As fans fondly refer to the actor as “Lord Bobby”, the ‘Border 2’ star wrote, “Happy Birthday My Little Brother LORD BOBBY.”

Notably, this marks the first time that Sunny Deol has shared a post with Bobby since the passing of their father, the legendary Dharmendra in December 2025.

The brothers, who shared a very strong bond with their father, have been paying heartfelt tributes to the late legend, reflecting their respect and a commitment to honouring his legacy.

Meanwhile, birthday wishes have been pouring in for Bobby Deol from his fans and celebrities alike. Actors Kajol, Shilpa Shetty, Suniel Shetty, and others dropped their greetings across social media platforms.

With a career spanning over three decades, Bobby Deol began his journey as a romantic hero in the 90s, further emerging as a powerful performance. With a debut in ‘Barsaat’, he went on to deliver hits like ‘Gupt: The Hidden Truth,’ ‘Soldier,’ ‘Kareeb,’ ‘Badal,’ ‘Bichhoo,’ ‘Ajnabee,’ and ‘Humraaz’. Though he faced a career slump for some years, he found his footing again with films like ‘Apne,’ ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana,’ and ‘Housefull 4.’

In 2023, he made a remarkable comeback with ‘Animal’ alongside Ranbir Kapoor. Soon after, the actor was seen giving back-to-back powerful performances in ‘Aashram,’ ‘Animal,’ and ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood, which hit Netflix recently.

For next, Bobby Deol will be soon in Thalapathy Vijay’s upcoming film ‘Jana Nayagan’. As per the trailer, Bobby appears as the main antagonist and vows to finish Vijay within 30 days.

Amid the ongoing controversies surrounding its certification, ‘Jana Nayagan’ is yet to receive an official release date. (ANI)