President Putin hails India-Russia ties, US shutdown enters Day 3, more

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Valdai Security Forum, hailed his country's ties with New Delhi and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Putin criticised US tariffs on India over its oil imports from Russia, stating, "I know Prime Minister Modi. He himself would never take any steps of this kind." The programme's 'Statecraft' segment investigates why multinationals like Procter & Gamble are exiting Pakistan, contrasting the corporate exodus with the nation selling its mineral rights in Balochistan to a US firm. The show also covers a significant diplomatic development: Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Aamir Khan Muttaki has chosen to visit India for his first official trip since the Taliban takeover. Other reports include the ongoing US government shutdown and Taylor Swift’s new album crashing Spotify.