India moved swiftly to establish diplomatic ground in Dhaka as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a courtesy meeting with Bangladesh's Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman. On the other hand Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, attending as PM Modi's special envoy, personally handed Tarique Rahman a letter from the Indian PM conveying warm wishes and extending a formal invitation for an official visit to India. Vikram Misri's decision to personally engage with Jamaat-e-Islami chief, head of a party that secured 68 parliamentary seats signals that New Delhi is carefully mapping every significant power centre in Dhaka's new political order leaving no important relationship unattended as Bangladesh begins a fresh chapter. (PC: X)

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw issued a public apology on Tuesday after the opening day of India's AI Impact Summit 2026 billed as the "world's largest artificial intelligence summit" descended into operational chaos at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam. Over 70,000 attendees faced crushing overcrowding, long queues, unclear instructions, stolen exhibitor equipment, and near-dead mobile connectivity. Most disturbingly, startup CEO Dhananjay Yadav reported his AI wearables were stolen from inside a high-security zone cleared ahead of PM Modi's visit with security personnel having  sole access. Entrepreneurs publicly called out "optics over execution," with exhibitors locked out of their own stalls. Vaishnaw promised a war room, smoother coordination, and a better experience for remaining days.

Five days after Bangladesh's parliamentary elections, Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was officially sworn in as the country's new Prime Minister on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in Dhaka. Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Rahman alongside a formidable 49-member cabinet, comprising twenty-five cabinet ministers and twenty-four ministers of state, all sworn in during the same ceremony. Rahman's ascension to power marks a defining political turning point for Bangladesh, ending a prolonged period of political uncertainty that followed the fall of the previous government. As BNP chairman, his leadership will be closely watched both domestically and regionally, particularly regarding Bangladesh's foreign policy direction with India, China, and Western partners.

As US-Iran indirect nuclear talks opened in Geneva on Tuesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a direct challenge to President Donald Trump warning that even "the strongest military force in the world" could be struck so hard it "cannot get up again." Khamenei openly dared Washington to eliminate the Islamic Republic, calling 47 years of failed attempts "a good confession." Meanwhile, Trump signalled indirect involvement in negotiations mediated by Oman, deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region as military pressure. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Geneva seeking a "fair deal" firmly ruling out zero enrichment, missile programme discussions, or any submission under threat. Parts of the Strait of Hormuz were simultaneously closed for IRGC military drills.

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed Mumbai's India-France Innovation Forum with a resounding "Jai Ho," reaffirming France as India's most committed innovation partner. Macron boldly declared the question is no longer whether India innovates but who innovates alongside it, positioning France as the unequivocal answer. Highlighting India's global leadership, he noted Indian-origin CEOs helm Alphabet, Microsoft, IBM, Adobe, and Palo Alto Networks. Defence cooperation covering next-generation engines, submarines, multirole helicopters, and advanced combat aircraft was celebrated as a cornerstone of the Special Global Strategic Partnership. Space collaboration through the TRISHNA satellite and civilian nuclear initiatives further cement bilateral ties. PM Modi and Macron shared a car ride, visibly symbolising their personal rapport.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has credited Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the "actual hero" behind Pakistan's dramatic U-turn on boycotting the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match in Colombo. Naqvi revealed that a personal phone call from Dissanayake to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif proved decisive, with Sharif immediately instructing Naqvi: "There is no more issue... we have to play the match." Earlier, Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Aminul Islam Bulbul had also appealed to Pakistan to participate. Despite the diplomatic intervention, India emphatically won the high-voltage clash by 61 runs, with Ishan Kishan starring with a superb 77-run knock marking India's third consecutive tournament victory. (PC: NDTV)

BBC Verify has confirmed a significant overnight US military deployment as two E-3 Sentry AWACS surveillance aircraft flew from Alaska to RAF Mildenhall in the UK overnight ahead of a potential US strike on Iran. Analysts describe the moves as the final "puzzle piece" ahead of a potential US strike on Iran. Satellite images have also tracked the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of Oman, while the USS Gerald R Ford is reported to be sailing from the Caribbean towards the Gulf. Meanwhile, an Iranian IRGC Shahid Soleimani-class warship has been spotted near Kish Island amid ongoing Gulf military exercises. Domestically, protests have broken out in Abdanan, western Iran, 40 days after a government-led operation in which activists claim more than 6,000 people have been killed, with crowds chanting "Death to Khamenei". (PC: BBC)

India and France elevated bilateral ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership as PM Modi and President Macron met in Mumbai, projecting the alliance as a cornerstone of global stability amid worldwide turbulence. Key outcomes included renewal of a defence cooperation agreement, inauguration of the H125 helicopter assembly line in Karnataka by Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus, and a Bharat Electronics Limited-Safran joint venture to produce Hammer missiles. Both leaders championed a multipolar world, opposing hegemony. Additional highlights included the India-France Year of Innovation, Indo-French Centres for AI in Health and Digital Sciences, cooperation in critical minerals, and Macron's invitation to Modi for France's upcoming G7 Summit cementing 21 wide-ranging agreements overall. (PC: X)

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla represented India as special envoy at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh's new Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka, delivering a personal letter from PM Narendra Modi inviting Rahman for an official visit to India at the earliest convenience. Birla conveyed Modi's warm greetings, reaffirming India's commitment to supporting Bangladesh's journey toward a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation. He emphasised the deep historical, cultural and people-to-people bonds shared between both neighbouring countries. On the sidelines, Birla also held productive meetings with the President of Maldives and Prime Minister of Bhutan, discussing regional cooperation and matters of mutual interest, signalling India's active diplomatic engagement across South Asia. (PC: X)

Iran conducted live-fire missile drills in the Strait of Hormuz temporarily closing parts of the strategic waterway as indirect nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran concluded in Geneva after nearly three hours. Mediated by Oman, the talks yielded limited progress, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirming both sides agreed on broad "guiding principles" but cautioning no deal was imminent. Supreme Leader Khamenei simultaneously reaffirmed Iran's nuclear enrichment as an undeniable national right, warning against coercive US pressure. Washington insists on curbing Iran's nuclear programme and missile stockpile, while Tehran firmly rejects expanding negotiations beyond nuclear limits and sanctions relief. US President Trump confirmed indirect involvement, expressing cautious optimism.