US Submarine Sinks Iranian Frigate IRIS Dena Near Sri Lanka, 87 Killed — India's Naval Relationship With Tehran Under Global Scrutiny
A US Navy submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena approximately 40 nautical miles off the Sri Lankan coast on March 4, killing at least 87 sailors with 32 rescued, in the first submarine attack on a surface warship since World War II. The vessel had been participating in India's MILAN 2026 multinational naval exercise at Visakhapatnam and the International Fleet Review just days earlier, prompting Iran's Foreign Minister to describe it as 'India's guest.' India has not issued an official statement, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties who accused the government of a 'timid' response as the conflict enters its sixth day following the killing of Supreme Leader Khamenei. The sinking deepens India's diplomatic bind — balancing its strategic partnership with the US, oil dependence on Gulf routes, and longstanding ties with Tehran — while the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi showcases India as a global diplomatic leader.
Nitish Kumar Files Rajya Sabha Nomination, Ends 20-Year Bihar CM Tenure — BJP Set for State's First-Ever Chief Minister
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election on Thursday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and both Deputy CMs, effectively ending his two-decade reign as the state's most dominant politician. Kumar, who has been CM since 2005 and is serving his record 10th term — sworn in just four months ago in November 2025 — announced the move on X, saying he had always desired membership of both Houses of Parliament. BJP's Samrat Choudhary is considered the frontrunner to become Bihar's first-ever BJP Chief Minister, ending the saffron party's longest wait in the Hindi heartland. Kumar's son Nishant is expected to take an active political role, potentially as Deputy CM, though opposition parties, led by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, called the development a 'betrayal of the people's mandate' given the NDA campaigned under the '2025 se 30 phir se Nitish' slogan.
India AI Impact Summit: $50 Billion Data Centre Commitments Secured, ₹9,200 Crore State VC Fund Launched
The India AI Impact Summit, held in February 2026, catalysed over $50 billion in data centre investment commitments from global hyperscalers and domestic players, the Ministry of Electronics and IT confirmed Thursday. A ₹9,200 crore state-backed AI venture capital fund has been operationalised to support frontier AI research and deployment. However, independent analysts cautioned that India's R&D intensity of 0.64% of GDP — versus the US at 3.5% and China at 2.4% — remains a structural constraint on translating infrastructure investment into indigenous AI capability.
Raisina Dialogue 2026: PM Modi Opens India's Premier Geopolitical Forum, 100+ Nations Convene in New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi on Thursday, with Finnish President Alexander Stubb as chief guest and delegations from over 100 nations. Themed 'Samskara: Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement,' the three-day forum addresses AI governance, technopolar competition, and the fragmented world order, with India positioning its Digital Public Infrastructure model as a template for global AI governance. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau attended, signalling continued Washington-New Delhi strategic alignment despite the ongoing Iran conflict.
Opposition Demands India Statement on IRIS Dena Sinking; Congress Calls Modi Government 'Timid and Fearful'
Congress and opposition parties escalated pressure on the Modi government Thursday over its silence following the US sinking of Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, which had participated in India's MILAN 2026 naval exercise days earlier. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded a Parliament statement, calling the government's non-response 'an abdication of strategic responsibility.' The opposition argues India's failure to respond undermines its claim to be a global balancing power and sends dangerous signals about its resolve to protect the sanctity of multilateral engagements.
Rajya Sabha Biennial Polls: 37 Seats Across 10 States on March 16 — BJP Eyes Majority Push
The Election Commission confirmed biennial Rajya Sabha elections for 37 seats across 10 states on March 16, 2026, with nomination deadlines closing Thursday. Bihar accounts for five seats, all expected to go uncontested to NDA candidates. BJP currently holds 103 of 245 Rajya Sabha seats — 20 short of majority — and is expected to significantly narrow that gap through these elections, with implications for the passage of key legislative agenda items including the proposed Uniform Civil Code legislation.
AgniKul Cosmos Advances 'AI Sovereignty Requires Space' Argument at Raisina Dialogue 2026
Indian space startup AgniKul Cosmos made the case at Raisina Dialogue 2026 that true AI data sovereignty demands orbital infrastructure — arguing terrestrial data localisation norms are insufficient without independent satellite systems to store and process sensitive national data. The startup, which successfully launched its semi-cryo Agnibaan SOrTeD rocket in 2024, is now targeting a commercial orbital launch by Q4 2026. The argument gained traction among policymakers as India's AI ambitions collide with dependence on foreign cloud infrastructure.
Canada-India Space Cooperation Deepens: CSA-ISRO MOU Signed, HCL Tech Expanding Canada Headcount 75% by 2030
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and ISRO signed a new memorandum of understanding on joint Earth observation and communication satellite development at the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2026, building on the two nations' renewed bilateral relationship. Separately, HCL Technologies announced it will expand its Canadian workforce by 75% before 2030, adding over 5,000 technology jobs in Ontario and British Columbia, signalling continued India-Canada normalisation after diplomatic tensions in 2023–24.
ChatGPT Mass Cancellations Reported in India as Users Cite 'Overmoderation'; Claude and Gemini See Surge
User reports across social media indicate a wave of ChatGPT subscription cancellations in India and globally, with users citing increased content refusals and perceived 'overmoderation' of queries. Indian developer forums and X threads show a migration trend toward Anthropic's Claude and Google's Gemini, with Claude API usage in India reportedly doubling month-over-month in February 2026. The trend underscores intensifying competition in the consumer AI market and growing sensitivity to model behaviour among professional users.
Sensex Surges 900 Points to 80,015 as Iran Nuclear Diplomacy Reports Trigger Relief Rally
The BSE Sensex closed at 80,015.90 on Thursday, gaining 899.71 points (+1.14%), snapping a four-session losing streak that had pushed the index to its lowest level since April 2015. The Nifty 50 closed at 24,765.90 (+1.17%). The rally was triggered by reports that Iran had conditionally offered to abandon its nuclear programme in exchange for a ceasefire, easing fears of a prolonged Middle East conflict. Metals, consumer durables, realty, and auto sectors led gains while IT stocks dipped on rupee appreciation. Domestic institutional investors bought ₹12,068.17 crore, partially offsetting foreign outflows of ₹8,752.65 crore recorded in the prior session.
S&P 500 Slides 0.33% as Iran War Uncertainty Persists; Defense ETF Up 80% Since April 2025
The S&P 500 closed at 6,847 on Thursday, slipping 0.33% as investors weighed geopolitical risk against easing oil fears. The Dow Jones gained 0.49% and the Nasdaq rose 1.29% in Wednesday's session on tech sector strength, but Thursday's trade was volatile. The iShares US Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has surged over 80% since April 2025, reflecting the militarised geopolitical backdrop. Gold touched $5,400 per troy ounce before paring gains, while Brent crude settled around $78 per barrel. Wall Street's median year-end S&P target remains 7,650, implying 10–12% upside if the conflict is contained.
SEBI Approves BSE's Sensex Next 30 Derivatives; New Contracts to Launch Q2 2026
The Securities and Exchange Board of India approved BSE's proposal to launch futures and options contracts on the Sensex Next 30 index, expanding derivative market coverage to the second tier of India's blue-chip universe. The contracts are expected to begin trading in April–May 2026, providing institutional investors with new hedging instruments and deepening India's capital market infrastructure. The approval comes as India's equity derivatives market has surpassed the US by notional turnover for the third consecutive year.
India vs England T20 World Cup Semifinal LIVE: Sanju Samson Blazes 89 Off 42, India Eye Big Total at Wankhede
India are batting first against England in the second T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, with the match underway as of this edition. Sanju Samson entertained a packed 33,000-capacity crowd with a blistering 89 off 42 balls before falling just short of a century. India were placed strongly at 67/1 after the powerplay with Virat Kohli in command at the crease. England won the toss and chose to field. This is the third consecutive T20 World Cup semifinal between the two teams — England won in 2022, India in 2024 — making it a high-stakes series decider. The winner faces New Zealand in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on March 8.
Finn Allen Smashes Fastest T20 World Cup Century in History as New Zealand Reach Final With Win Over South Africa
New Zealand opener Finn Allen scored 100* off just 33 balls — the fastest century in T20 World Cup history — as the Black Caps crushed South Africa by 9 wickets in Semifinal 1 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday to qualify for the final. Allen's innings eclipsed the previous record of 55 balls by South Africa's Quinton de Kock in 2022. New Zealand, playing in their second consecutive T20 WC final, await the India-England winner at Ahmedabad on March 8 in what promises to be a marquee encounter.
IMD Issues Heatwave Warning for Northwest India — Delhi at 36°C, Temperatures 4–6°C Above Normal Across Region
Maximum temperatures expected to exceed 40°C in Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Saurashtra regions. IMD advises against outdoor activity between 11 AM–4 PM. Light rain expected in Northeast India.