Following the historic India-UK Free Trade Agreement signed on July 24, Indian consumers can expect reduced prices on UK products including scotch whiskey, chocolates, biscuits, and cars. Tariffs on scotch will fall from 150% to 40% over 10 years, making premium brands like Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal cheaper. The deal also covers aerospace parts, medical devices, and cosmetics. Indian professionals working in the UK will enjoy a 3-year exemption from social security payments. The pact, hailed as India’s most ambitious in a decade, is projected to boost bilateral trade by $34 billion annually and strengthen economic ties. (PC: X)

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to China for the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting marks his first in five years, signaling efforts to reset India-China ties. Beijing emphasized mutual trust, cooperation, and resumption of dialogue, describing the visit as a “fresh restart.” Chinese leaders advocated the “Dragon-Elephant Tango” to reshape the global order and urged India to look beyond U.S.-influenced misperceptions. Talks included restoring direct flights and enhancing multilateral cooperation via SCO and BRICS. The unresolved border dispute remains a key issue, but both sides aim to build a long-term, stable relationship through sustained diplomacy and trust-building mechanisms. (PC: X)

Yakten, a remote village in Sikkim's Pakyong district, has transformed into India’s first digital nomad village, offering high-speed internet in the Himalayan hills. Officially launched by the state, the initiative allows remote workers to blend work with breathtaking views, butter tea, and peaceful mountain life. Once a quiet hamlet with limited connectivity, Yakten now supports Zoom calls, emails, and digital work amid nature. With enhanced infrastructure and upgraded homestays, the project aims to boost tourism and rural development while promoting sustainable living. The Wi-Fi-powered retreat is a dream come true for professionals seeking a scenic, serene work-life balance. (PC: X)

During his UK visit, PM Narendra Modi met young players from Buckinghamshire Street Cricket Hubs alongside UK PM Keir Starmer. At Chequers, Modi gifted a bat signed by India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning team, highlighting cricket’s role in India-UK people-to-people ties. Modi used a cricket metaphor to describe bilateral ties: “There may be a swing and a miss at times, but we always play with a straight bat.” The leaders signed a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and endorsed India-UK Vision 2035, boosting market access, skilled migration, and business partnerships between the two democracies. (PC: X)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a cricketing metaphor to describe India-UK ties, telling British PM Keir Starmer, “There may be a swing and a miss at times, but we always play with a straight bat!” After signing a landmark Free Trade Agreement and launching Vision 2035, Modi emphasized building a “high-scoring, solid partnership” with the UK. Both leaders also interacted with youth at London’s Buckingham Street Cricket Hub. Modi’s remarks resonated as India’s national cricket team tours England. Cricket, he said, symbolizes shared passion and partnership between the two nations, blending diplomacy with a sport loved on both sides. (PC: X)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met King Charles III at Sandringham House during his UK visit and presented him with a sapling of the Davidia involucrata 'Sonoma', also known as the handkerchief tree. The gift was part of Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, encouraging people to plant trees in tribute to their mothers. The Royal Family confirmed the tree will be planted in autumn. Modi and King Charles also discussed bilateral ties, collaboration on Ayurveda, Yoga, and the Mission LIFE initiative to promote environmental sustainability. The sapling symbolized a gesture of friendship and environmental commitment between India and the UK. (PC: X)

Airbus and Rolls Royce will supply aircraft and engines to Indian airlines in a £5 billion deal. The agreement comes after India and the UK signed a major Free Trade Agreement. The deal will create jobs in the UK and boost India’s aviation sector. Other UK companies, like Occuity and Johnson Matthey, will also invest in India. Indian firms such as DCube AI and LTIMindtree will invest in the UK. The trade pact also helps Indian farmers and seafood exporters by cutting tariffs. PM Modi said the deal will lower business costs and build trust between the two growing economies. (PC: NDTV)

India and the UK have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to boost trade and jobs. It allows up to 1,800 Indian professionals—like chefs and yoga teachers—to work in the UK each year. IT, engineering, and design workers can also stay for 12 months. Indian companies won’t have to pay UK insurance for short-term workers for up to three years. Business visitors and skilled workers now get legal protection under the deal. Textile firms will benefit from lower UK tariffs. However, the FTA doesn’t change rules for permanent stay or settlement. The deal aims to grow ties and protect workers. (PC: X-@narendramodi)

The Karnataka High Court on 24 July 2025 temporarily stayed the deportation of two young girls (ages 6 and 4), daughters of Russian national Nina Kutina, found living with their mother in a cave near Gokarna. Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav invoked the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), prioritizing the “best interests of the child” over immediate deportation—especially since the children lack valid identity documents . Kutina, whose visa expired years ago, lived in a forest cave for months raising the children in nature. The court has asked the Centre to file objections within two weeks; the next hearing is set for 18 August.

On July 24, 2025, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer signed a long-awaited India–UK Free Trade Agreement, hailed as Britain’s most significant trade deal since Brexit . The pact provides zero duties on 99% of Indian exports, spanning textiles, spices, and pharmaceuticals, while UK tariffs on Scotch whisky, gin, automobiles, and cosmetics will be slashed—whisky down from 150% to 40%, car duties from 100% to 10% . The deal includes a £6 billion investment package, professional mobility, and public procurement access—set to boost bilateral trade by roughly £25.5 billion (~$34 billion) annually by 2040. It awaits ratification by both legislatures. (PC: The Hindu)