THINGS TO RETURN TO TRACK BETWEEN INDIA AND THE US; SAUDI ARABIA AND PAKISTAN SIGN DEFENCE PACT

This week has proven to be as dynamic as the previous one, marked by unexpected announcements from various nations and leaders.

- ANSHU JOSHI

First and foremost, as an Indian, it was truly heartening to witness global leaders extending their birthday wishes to the Indian Prime Minister, commending him for his remarkable initiatives and contributions. However, it came as a surprise to learn that ‘Trump was the first to call and congratulate the Indian PM on his 75th birthday, praising him for doing a “tremendous job”. He also expressed gratitude to the Indian PM for his role in facilitating the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In a notable response, the PM referred to Trump as “my friend President Trump”. To me, this development suggests that ‘Trump may reconsider the tariffs he has imposed on India. Both experts and officials from the Indian government appear to be indicating a similar sentiment. Meanwhile, an emergency Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit took place in Qatar to denounce Israel's recent attack on Qatar: In the middle of these developments, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan formalized a historic defense agreement, which is likely to have significant implications for both regional and global security dynamics.