In this special report, Gaurav Sawant examines the finalisation of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a landmark pact announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The agreement creates a market of 2 billion people, offering India preferential access to a $75 billion export market and eliminating tariffs on over 9,000 export lines.
Beyond commerce, the deal establishes a strategic security and defence partnership focused on maritime security and counter-terrorism.
Panellists, including Ambassador Yash Sinha and Professor Scott Lucas, discuss how this partnership serves as a democratic counterweight to China's manufacturing dominance and protectionist shifts in US trade policy.
The program further analyses internal instability within China, specifically President Xi Jinping’s purge of top generals like Zhang Youxia. Experts Lieutenant General SL Narasimhan and Sandeep Unnithan evaluate the combat readiness of the People's Liberation Army amidst corruption and leadership insecurity.
The report highlights India's strategic diversification and independent foreign policy during this period of global economic realignment.
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.
