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‘It’s Time For India to Get Real About The U.S. And China’
Dr Amit Gupta, Senior Adviser to the Forum of Federations, believes India must adopt a more realistic view of its relationship with the United States and China. In an interview on The Gist, he said New Delhi continues to behave like “a jilted lover” seeking Washington’s attention while ignoring the limits of the partnership.
Drawing a sharp analogy, Gupta said, “We all know guys who were dumped by their girlfriend. They start dating other women but keep one eye on the old girlfriend, hoping she’ll ask them back.” India, he argued, does the same with the U.S. — interpreting every gesture, like a birthday wish from President Trump, as a sign of renewed affection.
He warned that despite all the fanfare over a ten-year defence agreement, Washington has offered no guarantees it won’t impose sanctions in the future or block technology transfers. “Ask anyone in Washington for that assurance and they’ll tell you — we don’t do that,” he said, noting that India still lacks access to critical technologies such as the electromagnetic catapult for aircraft carriers.
On Trump’s erratic diplomacy, Gupta described his comments about mediating between India and Pakistan as “a stream of consciousness” and said the real friction in trade talks is not agriculture but U.S. pressure on India to declare it won’t buy Russian oil. “Trump wants a headline — ‘I brought about a ceasefire’ — but he’s unpredictable,” Gupta said.
He dismissed talk of U.S. companies seeking to mine in Pakistan as “overhyped chatter,” adding that China, despite deep involvement, hasn’t been able to fully exploit those regions either. “Good luck to Trump and Western companies,” he remarked.
Gupta argued that Beijing views Pakistan’s ties with Washington pragmatically, accepting that Islamabad can engage both powers. “China will do everything to ensure Pakistan’s survival,” he said, “but not its prosperity.”
On China’s rise, Gupta noted that the country’s investments in manufacturing, robotics, and infrastructure have made it a global powerhouse, far ahead of India. “They have more highways than the U.S., more high-speed rail than the rest of the world combined, and massive power generation capacity to fuel AI,” he said.
As for India’s path, Gupta advised patience and pragmatism: “Do what Deng Xiaoping told the Chinese — bide your time, build your capabilities.” Instead of seeking symbolic validation from Washington, he suggested India focus on tangible collaborations in technology, pharmaceuticals, and education, where “the sky’s the limit.”
Trump Signs Bill Ending Longest U.S. Government Shutdown
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, hours after the House of Representatives approved measures to restore food assistance, pay federal employees and restart the nation’s air-traffic control system.
The House, controlled by Republicans, passed the package by a vote of 222–209. Trump’s backing helped keep his party unified despite strong opposition from Democrats, who remain angered that a prolonged standoff initiated by their Senate colleagues failed to secure an extension of federal health insurance subsidies.
The bill, which cleared the Senate earlier in the week, will allow hundreds of thousands of federal workers idled by the 43-day shutdown to begin returning to their jobs as early as Thursday. It remains unclear how quickly full government operations will resume.
The agreement funds the government through January 30, keeping federal spending on a trajectory that adds about $1.8 trillion annually to the national debt, which stands at roughly $38 trillion.
The end of the shutdown is expected to aid recovery in air travel ahead of Thanksgiving and restore food assistance for millions during the holiday shopping season. It will also revive the release of key U.S. economic data, giving investors and policymakers clearer readings on employment, inflation and growth.
The White House, however, said that employment and Consumer Price Index reports for October may never be published, leaving some gaps in the economic record.
Economists estimate that the shutdown reduced gross domestic product by more than a tenth of a percentage point for each of its six weeks. Most of that lost output is expected to be recovered in the coming months.
The vote came eight days after Democrats won several high-profile elections that they believed strengthened their case for extending health insurance subsidies, which expire at the end of the year. While the deal allows for a December Senate vote on the issue, House Speaker Mike Johnson has offered no commitment on bringing the matter to a vote in the House.
(With inputs from Reuters)
UK Backs North Wales Reactor Amid U.S. Tensions
Britain on Thursday announced that its first small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power plant will be built in North Wales, pushing ahead with its plans to expand nuclear energy infrastructure despite criticism from the United States.
Push for Nuclear Innovation
The government said in June it would spend 2.5 billion pounds ($3.36 billion) on SMRs, which are cheaper and quicker to build than large-scale nuclear power plants, aiming to increase energy security and helping to meet climate targets.
Britain’s decision to choose Wylfa on Anglesey, an island in North Wales, as the location for the first SMR was criticised by the U.S. ambassador in an unusually strongly-worded statement on the eve of the announcement.
The United States had been pushing for a large-scale project in Wylfa, which is the site of an old nuclear power station that closed down in 2015.
Nuclear Expansion
The UK government said its nuclear expansion could also include building a new large-scale plant, adding that it had tasked state-owned GB Energy-Nuclear with finding a suitable large-scale site by autumn 2026.
The government selected a Rolls-Royce RR.L design for the SMRs in June.
The new mini-reactors there will deliver power for the equivalent of 3 million homes, and will support up to 3,000 jobs in the local community during construction, with a plan to connect them to the grid in the 2030s.
There are two large-scale nuclear power plants currently under construction in Britain, one at Hinkley Point C in western England, and one at Sizewell C in eastern England.
(With inputs from Reuters)
South Korea: Truck Crashes Into Market, Kills Two
A truck crashed into a market in South Korea’s Bucheon on Thursday, killing two people.
The incident took place at a market in Bucheon, a place about 20 km west of South Korea’s capital, Seoul, at about 10.55 am local time
A Reuters report suggests that the truck appeared to reverse for 28 metres before accelerating towards the outdoor market, the official said.
The Chosun Daily has reported that two women from the 20 injured immediately went into cardiac arrest and later died.
At least eight others have sustained serious injuries. All the victims were taken to a nearby hospital.
Jin Mo, a 43-year-old merchant at the market, told The Chosun Daily, said, “I was eating inside the store when I heard screams outside, followed by a loud noise as a car passed by and stopped with a bang.”
Another merchant stated, “The sound during the accident was so loud that it felt like the building was collapsing.”
Driver Booked
Park Geum-cheon, an official at Bucheon’s fire station, told the Manila Times that witnesses told investigators that the vehicle initially reversed about 28 meters (92 feet) before driving forward 150 meters (492 feet), hitting pedestrians on the way. Fire authorities dispatched 20 pieces of equipment and 60 personnel to the scene, reported Xinhua news.
The driver, a man in his 60s, has blamed a sudden surge of acceleration and brake failure for the incident.
The Chosun Daily reported a police official confirming at a briefing that, on testing, it was clear that the driver was not intoxicated. He was rescued after being trapped in the door and was not in a critical condition.
The man has been booked under charges of negligent homicide and injury under the Traffic Accident Special Act.
Earlier this month, a Japanese tourist was killed in Seoul while another was injured after being hit by a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, said police.
(with inputs from Reuters)
NZ Halts $18 Mn Funding For Cook Islands Over China Ties
New Zealand announced on Thursday that it will strengthen its economic and diplomatic relationship with Niue, a self-governing island nation in “free association” with it, following a meeting between Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Niue’s Premier Dalton Tagelagi in Auckland.
Tensions With Cook Islands
The move follows a deterioration in relations with Cook Islands, with which New Zealand has similar ties. This week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand was extending until June 2026 its suspension of direct budget payments to the Cook Islands.
New Zealand suspended funding of NZ$18.2 million ($10.43 million) in June, over concerns about a lack of transparency in Cook Islands’ growing ties with China. The suspension amounts to NZ$30 million in two years of aid payments.
During the talks, Luxon and Tagelagi agreed to adhere to a “foundational political declaration”.
“By establishing the first enduring political declaration with Niue today, we are celebrating our relationship of free association and setting out our responsibilities to each other, as well as our shared goals,” Luxon said.
Broad Areas of Cooperation
The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including Pacific regionalism, security and defence cooperation, climate change, governance, and economic development.
Niue, known informally as the “Rock of Polynesia,” maintains a relationship with New Zealand, which provides economic assistance and handles foreign affairs and defence assistance if sought.
Although the United States recognised Niue as a sovereign, independent state in 2023, it remains part of the Realm of New Zealand within the British Commonwealth.
In a joint statement, both governments pledged to uphold open communication and mutual respect in resolving any disputes that might arise with other realm members. They also agreed to refrain from entering into any agreements or partnerships with third parties that could undermine the commitments set out in their new declaration.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Afghanistan Closes Trade Routes With Pakistan
Afghanistan has closed all trade routes with Pakistan, in a move that underscores the deepening rift between the two neighbours. The decision was announced by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban government’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, during a meeting with industrialists and traders in Kabul.
Baradar urged Afghan traders to “immediately look for alternative trade routes” and warned that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would not provide any assistance to those who continue to import or export goods through Pakistan and face problems as a result.
His comments, reported by TOLOnews, come amid a period of heightened tensions between the two countries, following a series of deadly cross-border clashes and diplomatic breakdowns.
Baradar also criticised the poor quality of Pakistani medicines and announced a three-month deadline for Afghan importers to close their accounts and end business dealings with Pakistani suppliers. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is continuously working to establish new alternative routes for regional and global connectivity and to make existing routes more standard and efficient from technical and infrastructural perspectives,” he said.
According to a report in The Sunday Guardian, Baradar’s remarks signal a deliberate attempt by Kabul to reduce economic dependence on Pakistan and strengthen ties with regional partners. Afghan officials have described the country’s geography—linking South, Central, and West Asia—as a strategic advantage rather than a vulnerability.
New investments are reportedly being directed toward developing trade routes through Iran’s Chabahar and Bandar Abbas ports, as well as overland connections with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The shift reflects Kabul’s intent to integrate more closely with Central Asia and diversify its access to global markets.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated sharply over the past month. The tensions flared after Pakistan launched cross-border airstrikes on October 9, targeting alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps inside Afghan territory. Islamabad has long accused the Taliban of sheltering TTP militants responsible for attacks that have killed hundreds of Pakistani soldiers since 2021.
Efforts to resolve the crisis through dialogue have so far failed. Rahmatullah Najib, Afghanistan’s Deputy Interior Minister and head of the second round of talks with Islamabad, told The Sunday Guardian that negotiations broke down when Pakistan demanded a religious decree, or fatwa, from Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada against the TTP.
Najib called the demand “impossible and inappropriate.” “Pakistan wanted a fatwa, not a resolution,” he said. “They ask us to host those they themselves label as terrorists. That is not diplomacy — that is confusion.”
India Steps Up Latin America Outreach
India has expanded its diplomatic and economic engagement with Latin America through a series of official visits aimed at strengthening partnerships in trade, technology, culture, and development cooperation. Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles Pabitra Margherita concluded a visit to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Cuba from November 4 to 10, underscoring New Delhi’s commitment to South–South cooperation and broader outreach to the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region.
In Ecuador, Margherita inaugurated the Indian Embassy in Quito, marking a new phase in India–Ecuador relations and reflecting India’s intent to enhance its presence in the region. During meetings with President Daniel Noboa Azin and Foreign Minister Maria Gabriela Sommerfeld Rosero, both sides discussed opportunities for collaboration in trade, agriculture, technology, and digital innovation. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between diplomatic training institutes to strengthen capacity building under India’s ITEC programme, including in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital governance.
In Bolivia, Margherita represented India at the swearing-in ceremony of President Rodrigo Paz, reaffirming India’s support for Bolivia’s development goals. He also inaugurated the new premises of the Indian Embassy in La Paz, underscoring India’s growing engagement with the Andean region.
In Cuba, Margherita held discussions with President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and senior ministers on cooperation in health, traditional medicine, science, and renewable energy. Two agreements were signed during the visit — a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty on Criminal Matters and a Protocol on Cultural Exchange Programme — expanding collaboration in governance and cultural diplomacy. India also handed over 20 tonnes of disaster relief assistance to Cuba following Hurricane Melissa, including medical equipment, medicines, and modular “Aarogya Maitri BHISHM Cubes,” portable field hospitals developed under India’s humanitarian initiative.
Meanwhile, Secretary (East) P. Kumaran co-chaired the 9th India–Chile Foreign Office Consultations in Santiago on November 10 with Ambassador Rodrigo Olsen, Secretary General of Chile’s Foreign Ministry. The discussions reviewed progress since the April 2025 state visit of Chilean President Gabriel Boric to India, focusing on the early conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Both sides also explored cooperation in critical minerals, green energy, education, space, traditional medicine, and innovation. Easing visa procedures for business professionals and creating new arrangements for social security and the recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia were also discussed.
Kumaran’s onward visit to Paraguay further strengthened India’s outreach to smaller but strategically located countries in Latin America. Engagements with such nations reflect India’s approach of inclusive diplomacy and mutual development.
The upcoming visit of former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to India later this month to receive the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is expected to further highlight the growing strength of India–Latin America relations.
Xi Offers Spain Partnership Amid EU Trade Tensions
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday offered Spain’s King Felipe VI a vision of partnership with “significant global influence,” as Beijing looks to gain Madrid’s backing within the EU in return for enhanced economic cooperation.
Meeting In Beijing
Felipe is the first Spanish monarch to make a state visit to China in 18 years, as Madrid leads the European Union in courting Beijing for fresh investment after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to make Spain “pay twice as much” unless it increases its NATO contributions.
For its part, China is eager to move past trade frictions with the 27-member bloc over its heavily subsidised electric vehicle industry. In addition, tensions with the White House are weighing on its export-driven economy, prompting Chinese firms to seek new commercial hubs in regions like Latin America and North Africa – where Spain has longstanding ties.
Xi also raised the prospect of Chinese and Spanish firms “jointly exploring third markets such as Latin America,” state media reported.
Madrid has recently expanded its EU diplomacy, unveiling a program to boost supply chain cooperation with Japan and South Korea and strengthen trade with China.
Madrid Steps Up Economic Engagement
As Europe’s top pork exporter, Spain was hit when China imposed 62.4% tariffs on EU pork in September, retaliating against the bloc’s duties on Chinese EVs.
Spain abstained from a vote on the matter in October 2024.
Since then, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has lobbied for the tariffs to be removed and promoted the EU’s fourth-largest economy as an investment destination for China.
Spain sells China about $1.2 billion worth of meat and byproducts each year, accounting for roughly a fifth of China’s pork imports.
Last week, China proposed resuming investment talks with Spain. They had been frozen since 2021.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Turkish Military Aircraft Crashes in Georgia, 20 Soldiers Killed
Turkey on Wednesday said 20 of its soldiers were killed when its military transport plane suffered a crash in Georgia a day earlier, marking the NATO member’s deadliest military incident since 2020.
The C-130 cargo aircraft left Azerbaijan for Turkey and crashed in Georgia on Tuesday, leaving chunks of twisted metal strewn across a grassy knoll.
Ankara has not provided a reason for the plane crash, but said Turkey and Georgia ‘s authorities started inspections at the site, located in the Sighnaghi municipality of Georgia’s Kakheti district, at 0330 GMT on Wednesday.
Footage from the site near the border with Azerbaijan showed ambulances, firetrucks and army vehicles in the area around the burned fuselage, with search-and-rescue teams scanning the grounds.
Unverified social media videos on Tuesday showed the plane breaking apart in the air and then corkscrewing toward the earth in a blaze.
On Wednesday, the Turkish Defence Ministry released a list of the 20 soldiers who were killed.
Tactical Aircraft
Azerbaijan, Georgia, NATO’s Secretary General, Germany, the U.S., Russia and others sent condolences and expressed solidarity with Turkey after the crash. Ankara said it was closely coordinating with Azerbaijan and Georgia on the probe.
U.S. defence firm Lockheed Martin LMT.N, which makes the C-130 Hercules, said it was committed to helping the investigation.
The C-130 Hercules, which is used widely by air forces around the world, is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft capable of operating from unprepared runways.
Its versatile airframe allows for cargo, troop and equipment transport, airborne assault and reconnaissance missions, making it a mainstay tactical airlifter for many militaries.
Initial Evidence
Some analysts have said footage and images indicate the plane broke apart mid-flight, adding that Turkey’s fleet of C-130s is old and in need of renewal, despite the aircraft’s reliability.
“The footage appears to show the tail section separating in-flight and fuel streaming from the wingtip valves, suggesting the crew may have been dumping fuel for an emergency landing,” said Jarrod Phillips, a former U.S. Air Force C-130 specialist.
FlightRadar24 and two Turkish defence analysts said the plane that crashed was 57 years old and had entered the Turkish Air Force in 2010.
Last month, the Turkish Defence Ministry unveiled an agreement with Britain to procure 12 C-130J aircraft. The planes will undergo maintenance and modernisation in Britain and later begin their service for Turkey, it said.
In an accident in 2017, a U.S. KC-130T Hercules plane crashed in Mississippi, killing all 16 people on board. Witness accounts at the time said the aircraft fell while on fire in a flat spin; the incident report said the cause was improper repairs on a corroded propeller blade, leading to a failure.
Tuesday’s crash was Turkey’s deadliest military incident since February 2020, when Russian-backed Syrian forces killed 33 Turkish troops in Idlib, northwest Syria, where Turkey was supporting rebels looking to oust the Syrian government.
Tuesday’s accident was the worst non-combat incident in over a decade.
(with inputs from Reuters)
Japan PM Takaichi Hints At Revising Stand On Nuclear Weapons
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi this week hinted at a possible shift in the country’s decades-old non-nuclear principles, raising speculation that she might seek to revise a ban on the entry of such weapons into its territory.
Takaichi, on Monday in parliament, said she could not say whether those three principles, not to possess, produce, or introduce nuclear weapons into its territory, would be maintained in an upcoming revision of Japan’s security strategy.
“I cannot make a definitive statement or say that it will be written in such a manner,” she said, responding to an opposition lawmaker’s question. She added that, for now, the government still adheres to them as a policy guideline.
Revising The Third Principle
Her past comments and refusal to commit to the pledge upheld by Japanese administrations since 1967 have raised the possibility she may seek to revise the third principle, which prohibits nuclear weapons from entering Japan’s territory.
In a 2024 book, before she took office, she described that principle as not realistic, as the United States may need to bring nuclear weapons into Japan to deter rivals. Japan, like neighbouring South Korea, is protected under Washington’s so-called nuclear umbrella.
There is a growing political and public willingness in Japan to loosen that pledge, even though it remains a taboo subject in the only nation to have suffered an atomic bomb attack, a Reuters investigation published in August found.
Some lawmakers within Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party have said the U.S. should be allowed to bring nuclear weapons into Japan, on submarines or other platforms, to strengthen deterrence as China expands its nuclear arsenal.
Her new coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party or Ishin, has also previously advocated for Japan to reconsider the three principles.
Openness To Alternatives
Anti-nuclear groups in Japan fiercely oppose such moves, saying Tokyo is morally bound to oppose nuclear weapons, including their presence on Japanese soil, due to the horrors of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War Two.
But as those memories fade and regional threats mount, public opinion polls show growing openness to discussing alternative nuclear options.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara declined to clarify Takaichi’s position when asked at a regular news conference on Wednesday, saying that the government “refrains from making any assumptions at this stage.”
(with inputs from Reuters)