Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, met Narendra Modi in Mumbai during his three-day visit to India. The talks focused on artificial intelligence cooperation and a possible major Dassault Rafale fighter jet deal. Officials said both sides reviewed progress in the India–France strategic partnership. They discussed expanding ties in new and future technology sectors. Macron is visiting at Modi’s invitation to attend the AI Impact Summit. The Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders will also exchange views on regional and global issues. A proposal to buy 114 more Rafale jets is expected to be discussed. (PC: NDTV)

India’s chief negotiator will visit the United States next week to finalise the legal framework of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA). Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said a delegation led by Joint Secretary Darpan Jain will hold talks. India and the US had announced an interim trade deal on February 7. Under the deal, the US will cut tariffs on Indian exports to 18%. In return, India may reduce or remove tariffs on selected US imports. Agrawal said exports from April 2025 to January 2026 rose to $720.76 billion, marking a 6.15% increase over last year. (PC: PTI)

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested an Indian “illegal alien” accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl. The agency identified the man as Vodela Yashaswi Kottapalli. ICE said he faces charges of sexual assault and larceny in New Jersey. He is also accused of shoplifting and public disorder. The agency stated that he will remain in custody during removal proceedings under US immigration law. ICE did not share details about the date of arrest. The case comes during a wider immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump’s administration in the United States.

India has detained three oil tankers sanctioned by the United States and linked to Iran near the Mumbai coast, according to a Reuters report citing a source. The vessels were stopped about 100 nautical miles offshore and taken to Mumbai for checks. Officials suspect attempts to hide the origin of oil through ship-to-ship transfers. The source said the ships often changed identity details to avoid tracking. Iran’s state media said the tankers have no link to its national oil company. After the action, authorities increased sea monitoring. Around 55 ships and 10–12 aircraft are now on round-the-clock patrol, the source said. (PC: India Today)

Newly released documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case show that an Indian girl was listed among victims and US officials tried to trace her for compensation support. An internal email dated January 13, 2020 mentioned efforts to locate her in India. Officials wrote that they would work with the US embassy if her address and contact details were found. The email subject read “Epstein Victims” and several parts were blacked out. The message also explained steps for victim compensation claims. It mentioned paperwork to be sent to the FBI and therapy support under emergency victim assistance programs. (PC: NDTV)

A 22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, was found dead near Lake Anza in California on February 14. He had gone missing on February 9. His roommate said Saketh showed signs of distress in recent weeks. “I’ve stopped caring, man. I’m cold and don’t care what anyone thinks,” he had said.   Saketh was studying Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. His backpack was found near Tilden Regional Park.   The Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed his death and offered support to his family. Authorities are continuing their investigation.

22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, was found dead in Lake Anza in California on February 14. He was a postgraduate student at UC Berkeley. He had been missing since February 9. His roommate said Saketh had shown signs of distress. He was “surviving on chips and cookies” and eating less. He once said, “I’ve stopped caring, man.” His backpack was found earlier in a nearby area. Police are yet to confirm the cause of death. The Indian Consulate in San Francisco expressed condolences and is helping his family with formalities and travel arrangements. (PC: LinkedIn)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India now negotiates trade deals from a “position of strength”. In an interview with PTI, he said, “Political stability and predictability have restored investor confidence.” He added that growth in manufacturing, services and MSMEs has strengthened India’s global standing. India has signed free trade agreements with 38 countries. These deals aim to help sectors like textiles, leather and gems. Modi also criticised the previous UPA government, saying talks would “begin and then breakdown”. Recently, India signed trade pacts with the US, EU and UK to boost trade and market access. (PC: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said political stability has helped increase investor trust after India signed new trade deals, including one with the United States. In an interview with PTI, he said India negotiated from a position of strength. He added that strong manufacturing, services and MSMEs supported these agreements. Modi said free trade deals with 38 countries will help sectors like textiles, leather and handicrafts. He listed three reform goals for the next decade: structural reforms, deeper innovation and simpler governance. He also highlighted growth in digital payments, AI development and defence modernisation under his government. (PC: DPR PMO/ ANI)

Indian student Saketh Sreenivasaiah, found dead in a California lake, had recalled a late IIT Madras batchmate in his final LinkedIn graduation post. Sharing a convocation photo in July 2025, he wrote, “This milestone would've been much better alongside my dearest friend and batchmate Kedar.” He was referring to Kedar Suresh Chougule, a student from the same 2021–25 BTech batch who died by suicide at IIT-M in April 2023. Both were Chemical Engineering students. In the same post, Saketh dedicated his degree to his late grandfather. US police have not released final findings and are continuing their investigation into the case. (PC: HT)