Overview
- Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India alone will determine its growth trajectory, pushing back against recent U.S. cautions about enabling a future economic rival.
- He cast India’s expanding role in the Indian Ocean as a "lifting tide" for neighboring states and said partners that work with India will see greater benefits.
- Jaishankar confirmed India approved urgent entry for the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Lavan to dock at Kochi on humanitarian grounds, with 183 crew members accommodated in India.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian crude, describing it as a limited step to ease supply pressures.
- India maintained that its energy procurement is driven by market and security considerations and did not confirm any pledge to halt Russian oil, as opposition parties criticized the government for yielding to U.S. influence.