Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and handed over a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting him to visit India. The letter congratulated Rahman on his party’s election win and his swearing-in as prime minister. Modi wrote, “I extend my warmest congratulations to you” and said he hopes Bangladesh will move ahead with “peace, stability and prosperity.” The letter also invited Rahman and his family to visit India at a mutually convenient time, adding that “a warm welcome awaits you.” Modi could not attend the swearing-in ceremony due to prior commitments and deputed Birla to represent India. (PC: NDTV)

India is set to deal Pakistan a significant blow this summer. The Shahpur Kandi barrage on the Ravi River, 46 years in the making will be completed by March 31. It will permanently cut off surplus water that has flowed into Pakistan for decades due to India's incomplete infrastructure. J&K Minister Javed Ahmed Rana confirmed the move bluntly: "Excess water to Pakistan will be stopped. It has to be stopped." With nearly 80% of Pakistan's agricultural land dependent on the Indus system and agriculture contributing 25% of its GDP, the consequences are severe. Combined with the already suspended Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan's water crisis is no longer looming but, it has already arrived. (PC: India Today)

In a significant diplomatic gesture, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended Bangladesh's new Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's swearing-in ceremony in Dhaka on Tuesday as India's official representative personally delivering a letter from PM Narendra Modi extending a warm invitation for Rahman to visit India at his "earliest convenience." Birla conveyed Modi's congratulations to Rahman, who returned to Dhaka after 17 years of London exile to lead BNP to a two-thirds parliamentary majority on February 12. Modi was among the first world leaders to reach out after Rahman's election victory, a deliberate signal of diplomatic thaw after two strained years under Bangladesh's interim government. Rahman, however, made his position clear: Bangladesh's foreign policy will be guided strictly by a "Bangladesh First" agenda.

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)

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.

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)

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 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. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a Special Global Strategic Partnership during Macron’s visit to Mumbai on Tuesday. The visit marks the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, which aims to highlight growing cooperation in strategy and technology. Both leaders also inaugurated the year of innovation and are holding talks to strengthen ties in defence, trade, climate and new technologies. The visit includes meetings with business leaders, researchers and start-ups to expand collaboration. Macron’s three-day visit will also cover the AI Impact Summit and further bilateral talks in New Delhi. (PC: NDTV)