In this news bulletin, Gaurav Sawant leads a discussion on the historic India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and its implications for global trade dynamics. The panel, featuring Professor Scott Lucas, Professor Brahma Chellaney, Ambassador Yash Sinha and Siddharth Zarabi, analyses the deal as a strategic response to the 'weaponisation of trade' by the Donald Trump administration.
Siddharth Zarabi noted, "This deal is a nail in the coffin of President Donald Trump's trade strategy vis-a-vis India," highlighting how it undermines US attempts to sanction India over Russian oil imports. The experts discuss how the FTA, alongside a new security and defence partnership, serves as a 'democratic counterweight' to both China and US trade coercion.
The programme explores India's 'strategic diversification' and its 'Goldilocks moment' in the global economy, while also addressing potential ratification risks within the European Parliament and the broader realignment of middle-power economic blocs, including Canada.
Speaking to India Today Global, EU Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas stressed the need to “build partnerships with those countries who believe in free trade,” underscoring the strategic message behind the newly concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement.
This news report focuses on the massive winter storm currently sweeping across much of the United States of America. The severe weather conditions have led to significant disruptions in power supplies and air travel, prompting several states to declare emergencies. According to the report, 'Washington, D.C. was blanketed with over 20 centimeters of snow in nearly 20 hours of snowfall' as the region grapples with the intense winter system. The capital is expected to remain snowbound for an extended period as temperatures are projected to plunge to minus 10 degrees Celsius. The visuals highlight the scale of the snowfall and the resulting impact on infrastructure and daily life across the country. The bulletin emphasizes the severity of the plummeting temperatures and the ongoing challenges faced by residents in the affected regions as the storm continues to impact the United States.
In this special report on Newstrack, Marya Shakil moderates a fiery debate over the University Grants Commission’s proposed 2026 equity regulations. The guidelines, intended to address and reduce discrimination on campuses, have triggered protests in several parts of the country.
This edition of The News Today with Rajdeep Sardesai focuses on the landmark free trade agreement between India and the European Union. Finalised after nearly two decades of negotiations, the pact seeks to open up a combined market of two billion people by cutting import duties on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and textiles.
