India’s Nuclear Triad Operational, Still Lags Far Behind China
India quietly commissioned the INS Aridhaman on April 3, completing a three‑submarine fleet needed for a continuous at‑sea nuclear deterrent. The new SSBN joins INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, enabling India’s declared second‑strike capability under its no‑first‑use doctrine. However, the submarines currently carry the K‑4 missile with a 3,500‑km range, far short of intercontinental reach. By contrast, China fields a much larger nuclear‑submarine fleet, highlighting a persistent capability gap.
MOSCOW BLOG: EU Unblocks Ukrainian Loan, Twentieth Sanctions Package, as Kyiv Builds a Robot Army
The European Union approved a €90 bn ($97 bn) loan for Ukraine, allocating roughly €45 bn ($48.6 bn) to defence this year and covering the first three quarters of 2025. At the same time the EU adopted its twentieth sanctions package against Russia, though...
Qatar Airways Resumes Daily Services to UAE and Syria as Summer Programme Expands
Qatar Airways has resumed daily flights to the United Arab Emirates and Syria, adding to its expanded summer programme that will cover more than 150 destinations from June 16 through September 15. The carrier cautioned that schedules remain subject to...
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Iran to Rebuild Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan Following Israeli Strikes
Iran's Ministry of Industry announced that the Mobarakeh Steel complex in Isfahan will be rebuilt on its original site after roughly 30% of the plant was destroyed in Israeli‑US air strikes that began on Feb. 28. Planning for design, financing and...
Iran Says First Hormuz Toll Revenue Deposited at Central Bank
Iran announced that the first revenue from its newly imposed Strait of Hormuz tolls has been deposited into the Central Bank of Iran. The tolls charge up to $2 million per tanker and roughly $1 per barrel of oil, with two...
BSP Tightens Policy in the Philippines as Inflation Surge Overrides Growth Concerns
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 4.5% on April 23, responding to a sharp jump in inflation. Headline inflation accelerated to 4.1% year‑over‑year in March, pushing core inflation to 3.2% and breaching the...
US Rejects Media Reports Claiming that Hormuz Blockade Was Breached
U.S. Central Command refuted media reports that Iranian‑linked tankers breached the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM clarified that no vessels have entered or left Iranian ports since the blockade began, and only 31 ships were ordered...
India-South Korea Summit Puts Shipbuilding, Tech at the Forefront
South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung arrived in New Delhi for a three‑day summit, bringing a large industry delegation focused on shipbuilding, semiconductors, AI and defence. Bilateral merchandise trade hit $25.1 bn in 2024 and both governments aim to double it to...
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Iran MP Plans for Strategic Management of Strait of Hormuz Using the Rial
Iran's parliamentary infrastructure commission chair announced a proposal to control transit through the Strait of Hormuz by banning Israeli‑linked and "hostile" vessels and requiring all permitted ships to pay guidance and security fees in Iranian rials. The plan also allows...
Russia’s Inflation Fight Faces Push-Me-Pull-You Pressures
Russia’s inflation remained at 5.9% year‑over‑year in March, signalling that the early‑year demand dip was likely temporary. The Central Bank of Russia warns that real wages are rising faster than labour productivity, a dynamic that could keep price pressures sticky....
Western Japan Lenders Strike Capital, Business Alliance
Japan’s Shiga Bank and Senshu Ikeda Holdings have announced a capital and business alliance, each taking a 0.5‑1% stake in the other. The partnership stops short of full integration, preserving operational independence while targeting synergies in business succession support and...
India to Benefit From US Extension of Russian Oil Waiver
The United States has extended a limited waiver for Russian oil transactions until May 16, 2026, covering cargoes already in transit or contracted before the cut‑off date. The extension, granted despite political opposition, does not signal a broader easing of sanctions...
Could It Be Goodbye Dubai, Hello Istanbul?
Turkey is courting Gulf and Asian investors with a new incentive package for its Istanbul Financial Center, positioning the city as a potential alternative to Dubai amid regional instability. The government, led by Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, promises tax breaks...
Iraq Moves to Restart Oil Exports as It Seeks Stability and Revenue
Iraq announced it will restart oil exports from all fields within days, aiming to boost state revenue and stabilize domestic fuel supplies. The Ministry of Oil is also opening a new black‑oil outlet through Syria’s Baniyas port to diversify export...
Iran Hardliners Attack Araghchi's Hormuz Tweet as 'Incomplete and Misleading'
Hardline Iranian voices slammed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s April 17 tweet announcing the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during the Lebanon cease‑fire as incomplete and misleading. The brief message omitted key conditions, including IRGC supervision of ship movements and...