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.

Bengaluru police's Central Crime Branch narcotics wing, alongside multiple city units, arrested 15 individuals including three foreign nationals for drug trafficking across six police station jurisdictions: Amruthahalli, Hebbagodi, JB Nagar, Sheshadripuram, Mahalakshmi Layout, and Govindapura. Acting on specific intelligence, officers registered cases under the NDPS Act and conducted coordinated raids on multiple dates. Seized contraband included 9.46 kg hydro ganja, 34 kg ganja, 5.67 kg MDMA, 131 g cocaine, 29 LSD pills, 27 g LSD strips, and 462 ml hashish oil. Additional items confiscated included a car, two-wheeler, four mobile phones, and ₹24,500 cash. The estimated contraband value stands at ₹10.59 crore, with potential street value reaching ₹21.5 crore. (PC: The Indian Express)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared India's bold ambition to become one of the top three AI superpowers globally at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi marking the first global AI convening hosted in the Global South. Themed "Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhaye" (Welfare for All, Happiness for All), the summit unites world leaders and tech stakeholders around inclusive, human-centric AI. Modi highlighted AI's transformative role across healthcare, education, agriculture, and heritage preservation, linking it directly to India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. He also announced robust safety frameworks including AI watermarking rules and the IndiaAI Safety Institute, stressing that human oversight must always govern AI decision-making.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron elevated India-France ties to a "Special Global Strategic Partnership" during Macron's three-day India visit. In Mumbai, the two leaders jointly inaugurated the H-125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly Line at Tata Airbus's facility in Vemagal, Karnataka,  a helicopter capable of flying at the altitude of Mount Everest. Modi declared the partnership has "no boundaries," spanning deep oceans to the tallest mountains, calling France a "special partner" and a pillar of global stability. Macron is also scheduled to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on February 18–19, further cementing India-France strategic and technological collaboration. 

Australia national cricket team are out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup after the Ireland vs Zimbabwe group match in Pallekele was abandoned due to rain. The washout gave Zimbabwe national cricket team one point, which secured their place in the Super 8 stage with Sri Lanka from Group B. Australia had lost two of their first three matches and were depending on other results. The shared points made it impossible for them to qualify. Officials called off the game after long rain delays and pitch inspections. Australia’s final group match against Oman will not affect qualification. (PC: India Today)