A Germany-based Sindhi political organisation, the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), has strongly objected to the participation of Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, in the ongoing Munich Security Conference (MSC), calling the invitation "deeply regrettable" and urging international stakeholders to take note. Members of the JSMM protested outside the venue, highlighting the human rights violations in Pakistan. In a formal statement addressed to the United Nations, the European Union, the German government, and international human rights bodies, JSMM Chairman Shafi Burfat expressed what he described as "deep shock and regret" over Munir's presence at the high-level global forum. The Munich Security Conference, widely regarded as a key platform for dialogue and conflict resolution, annually brings together world leaders, diplomats, and security experts to address international peace and security challenges. In its statement, JSMM alleged that Pakistan's military establishment has a historical record of human rights violations and political interference. The group referred to the 1971 events in former East Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh, describing them as genocide. It also accused Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies of supporting extremist elements in the region -- allegations that Islamabad has consistently denied. The organisation further claimed that Pakistan's military wields disproportionate influence over the country's political and judicial institutions. It cited the assassinations of former leaders, including Liaquat Ali Khan and Benazir Bhutto, as well as the execution of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, as examples of alleged instability linked to military dominance. It also referenced the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, attributing it to tensions with the current military leadership. Additionally, JSMM alleged ongoing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The group has urged the Munich Security Conference organisers to reconsider hosting the Pakistani Army chief, arguing that his participation lends legitimacy to what it describes as a regime accused of repression and regional destabilisation. It also reiterated its demand for Sindh's self-determination. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 12:18 PM IST | Munich (Germany) | ANIAbout 2,50,000 people demonstrated against Iran's government on the sidelines of a gathering of world leaders in Germany, police said, answering a call from Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for cranked up international pressure on Tehran. Banging drums and chanting for regime change, the giant and boisterous rally in Munichon on Saturday was part of what Pahlavi described as a "global day of action" to support Iranians in the wake of deadly nationwide protests. He also called for demonstrations in Los Angeles and Toronto. Police said in a post on X that the number of protesters reached some 2,50,000, more than the organisers had expected. "Change, change, regime change" the huge crowd chanted, waving green-white-and-red flags with lion and sun emblems. Iran used that flag before its 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the Pahlavi dynasty. At a news conference, Pahlavi warned of more deaths in Iran if "democracies stand by and watch" following Iran's deadly crackdown on protesters last month. "We gather at an hour of profound peril to ask: Will the world stand with the people of Iran?" he asked. He added that the survival of Iran's government "sends a clear signal to every bully: kill enough people and you stay in power". At the Munich rally, demonstrators sported "Make Iran Great Again" red caps, mimicking the MAGA caps worn by US President Donald Trump's supporters. Among those sporting the caps was US Senator Lindsey Graham, who gave a speech to the crowd during which he was photographed holding up the headwear. Many at the rally waved placards showing Pahlavi, some that called him a king. The son of Iran's deposed shah has been in exile for nearly 50 years but is trying to position himself as a player in Iran's future. The crowd chanted "Pahlavi for Iran", and "democracy for Iran" as drums and cymbals sounded. "We have huge hopes and (are) looking forward that the regime is going to change hopefully," said Daniyal Mohtashamian, a demonstrator who traveled from Zurich, in Switzerland, to speak for protesters inside Iran who faced repression. "There is an internet blackout and their voices are not going outside of Iran," he said. About 500 protesters also rallied outside the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, with many holding up banners with slogans against Iran's government and in favor of Pahlavi. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says at least 7,005 people were killed in last month's protests, including 214 government forces. It has been accurate in counting deaths during previous rounds of unrest in Iran and relies on a network of activists inside Iran to verify deaths. Iran's government offered its only death toll on January 21, saying 3,117 people were killed. Iran's theocracy in the past has undercounted or not reported fatalities from past unrest. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll, given authorities have disrupted internet access and international calls in Iran. Iranian leaders are facing renewed pressure from Trump, who has threatened US military action. Trump wants Iran to further scale back its nuclear program. He suggested Friday that regime change in Iran "would be the best thing that could happen." Iran was also the focus of protests in Munich on Friday, the opening day of an annual security conference in the city gathering European leaders and global security figures. Supporters of the Iranian opposition group People's Mujahedeen Organisation of Iran, also known as the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, demonstrated. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 12:08 PM IST | Munich | AP | PTIA couple of earthquakes of magnitude 3.2 occurred in Myanmar on Sunday, according to a statement from the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The first earthquake hit Myanmar at a depth of 80 kilometres at 12:26 am IST, followed by one at 12:52 am IST, at a shallow depth of 25 kilometres. NCS said on X, "EQ of M: 3.2, On: 15/02/2026 00:26:53 IST, Lat: 23.53 N, Long: 94.59 E, Depth: 80 km, Location: Myanmar." EQ of M: 3.2, On: 15/02/2026 00:26:53 IST, Lat: 23.53 N, Long: 94.59 E, Depth: 80 Km, Location: Myanmar. For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @Ravi_MoES @Dr_Mishra1966 @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/4aKoKTxpKq — National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 14, 2026 "EQ of M: 3.2, On: 15/02/2026 00:52:42 IST, Lat: 23.44 N, Long: 93.49 E, Depth: 25 Km, Location: Myanmar," NCS added in a separate post. EQ of M: 3.2, On: 15/02/2026 00:52:42 IST, Lat: 23.44 N, Long: 93.49 E, Depth: 25 Km, Location: Myanmar. For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @Ravi_MoES @Dr_Mishra1966 @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/qWLB5t4SWu — National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 14, 2026 Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes because their seismic waves travel shorter distances to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking, greater structural damage, and higher casualties. Earlier on Friday, an earthquake of magnitude 2.8 occurred in Myanmar at a depth of 35 kilometres. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 2.8, On: 13/02/2026 04:44:40 IST, Lat: 23.91 N, Long: 93.85 E, Depth: 35 Km, Location: Myanmar." Myanmar is vulnerable to hazards from moderate and large magnitude earthquakes and tsunamis along its long coastline. It is wedged between four tectonic plates (the Indian, Eurasian, Sunda, and Burma plates) that interact in active geological processes. A 1,400-kilometre transform fault runs through Myanmar and connects the Andaman spreading centre to a collision zone in the north called the Sagaing Fault. The Sagaing Fault increases the seismic hazard for Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, and Yangon, which together represent 46 per cent of Myanmar's population. Although Yangon is relatively far from the fault trace, it still suffers from significant risk due to its dense population. For instance, in 1903, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Bago also struck Yangon. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 12:06 PM IST | Naypyidaw (Myanmar) | ANIThe United States and Iran are expected to hold the next round of talks over the nuclear deal on Tuesday (local time) in Geneva, Switzerland, CNN reported. According to CNN, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to attend the meetings. This comes in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump emphasising the need for a deal with Iran, and warning that failure to reach an agreement could be "traumatic." Speaking to reporters on Thursday (local time), Trump described his recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "very good" and said, "We have to make a deal, otherwise it is going to be very traumatic (for Iran) and I don't want it to happen... If they don't make a deal, it is going to be a different story. We had a very good meeting yesterday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu." Iran and the United States held the previous rounds of nuclear talks in April 2025 in Muscat, Oman, and Rome, Italy. However, on June 21-22, 2025, under 'Operation Midnight Hammer', the United States conducted strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, targeting three key sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran strongly condemned the operations, denouncing them as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. The Iranian nuclear deal dates back to July 2015, when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between Iran and several world powers, including the United States, which capped Tehran's enrichment level at 3.67 per cent and reduced its uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms. The deal collapsed in 2018 with Trump's unilateral withdrawal of the US from the accord. Meanwhile, according to the Russian news agency TASS, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the trilateral meetings between Ukraine, Russia, and the US would be held in Geneva on February 17-18. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 12:03 PM IST | Washington DC | ANIFederal authorities announced an investigation on Saturday into two immigration officers who appeared to have made untruthful statements under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis last month. It is among at least five shootings in which initial descriptions by the immigration officials were later contradicted by video evidence. Those included the fatal Minneapolis shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, where bystander video quickly raised questions about how they were initially described. The probe Friday came hours after a federal judge dismissed felony assault charges against two Venezuelan men accused of attacking an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on January 14. Five shootings with contradicting ICE accounts 1) Silverio Villegas González fatal shooting Date and location: September 12, 2025, in suburban Chicago 2) Marimar Martinez non-fatal shooting Date and location: October 14, 2025, in Chicago 3) Renee Good fatal shooting Date and location: January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis 4) Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis non-fatal shooting Date and location: January 14, 2026, in Minneapolis 5) Alex Pretti fatal shooting Date and location: January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 11:58 AM IST | Minneapolis | AgenciesIt’s not just people — in China, the robots are also getting ready to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Saturday was dress rehearsal day for four cute humanoid robots, each about three feet tall at a mall in western Beijing. Curious onlookers stopped to watch. Each robot got a colourful lion costume and within minutes the moves started: Bend the knees, up, to the left, to the right, shake the mask, and do it all again! Ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrated next week on February 17, and as part of different ‘fairs’ and activities around Beijing, some venues have been busy setting up their stages and props. For a second year in a row, one of the fairs will be devoted to technology and — yes, again — robots will take center stage. “This year, the number of our robots has increased a lot,” said Qiu Feng, a member of the organising committee. “They will perform dance, martial arts, Peking Opera, poetry and soccer.” 3 ftHeight of robots to be presented This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 11:51 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesPresident Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would seek to impose voter identification requirements for the November midterm elections, whether Congress approves them or not, raising the prospect of executive action on an issue traditionally overseen by states. Trump said he plans to issue an executive order mandating voter identification, but did not detail the legal basis for such a move. “The Democrats refuse to vote for Voter ID, or Citizenship. The reason is simple — They want to continue to cheat in Elections. This was not what our Founders desired. I have searched the depths of Legal Arguments not yet articulated or vetted on this subject, and will be presenting an irrefutable one in the very near future!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump’s comments came days after the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of US citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 11:49 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesTiktok creator Gray Davis from Florida, US, has gone viral online after posting videos on cooking green iguanas which have fallen from trees. This occurs when the state experiences cold weather making the iguanas, which are cold-blooded reptiles, wind down their systems to conserve energy, and practically freezing up in the process. As they stiffen, the iguanas topple from their perch onto the ground, when people can pick them up easily. Davis seized this opportunity to make a quick meal. In cold weather, these reptiles freeze up and fall from trees, making them easy to collect. PIC/NYPOST While this may seem excessively cruel, green iguanas are considered an invasive species in South Florida, and authorities have temporarily allowed residents to remove these frozen iguanas without a permit, which people like Davis seem to have taken seriously. Iguanas are nicknamed ‘chicken of the trees’ and, according to Gray Davis, taste delicious. PIC/NYPOST In a video which has 3.5 million views, he collected an iguana and said, “They do have the nickname ‘chicken of the trees’ because they’re absolutely delicious. So rather than let this one go to waste, we’re going to make tacos.” He also found 20 eggs inside the lizard which he used, leading to comments like “21 souls in one meal is crazy.” Responding to the stunned viewers, Davis said “Rather than let the one that I found go to waste, I decided to make tacos, and I would argue that it’s the most ethical taco you could possibly have.” What a treat! A nightmare at the daycare! American teacher Yizel J Juarez confesses to giving students laxatives to send them home Several parents called the cops after noticing that their children were sick after daycare. PIC/ISTOCK Yizel J Juarez, a 23-year-old daycare teacher in St Charles, Illinois, US, has been charged with attempted aggravated battery and endangering the health of children after allegedly administering laxatives to several students to make her job easier. Multiple parents called the local police after noticing that their children were sick, alleging that their child had been given a laxative at their daycare. The accused later turned herself in, and released from custody after being given a court date. Half a heart PIC/TEEN VOGUE Singer Zayn Malik, 33, has admitted that he doesn’t think he was ever “in love” with his ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid, but insisted he will “always” care for her because of the “connection” they share through their daughter. The couple was together on and off for six years and also had their daughter Khai in 2020. They broke up the following year, in 2021. The interview has prompted wide criticism online. Short king PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL The Newby-McMahon Building built in 1919 in Wichita Falls, Texas, is supposedly the smallest skyscraper in history. Investors were tricked into thinking that it would be 480 feet long, only to learn the dimensions were in inches! Spooky prophecies PIC/FOX Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, was in the Epstein files, recalling an episode called “The Computer Wore Menace Shoes”, where Homer Simpson is kidnapped to a mysterious island. After he escapes and goes home, he writes on his blog that “some creeps on an island somewhere are secretly running the world.” Pahadi padhai PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL For years, the Ershui Junior High School in Changhua County, Taiwan, has been requiring students to become great climbers to get their graduation certificates signed. The school grounds host the highest climbing wall in Taiwan, and students here take six climbing lessons every week. Students have to be able to scale the 15-meter-high rock wall in order to get their graduation certificates. Very, very vague PIC/ISTOCK Vagueposting is another trend of 2026, where people post things that are intentionally confusing. On X, it is an open-ended post that gives no explanation as to what the referrer is actually speaking about, such as “Halsey was right.” leaving the reader questioning, who is Halsey, and what was she right about? It is called the “new ragebait”. International roaming A United Airlines passenger, headed from Los Angeles to Managua, Nicaragua, with a layover in Houston, ended up in Tokyo after boarding the wrong flight. They stayed at a hotel in Tokyo for two nights while the airlines sorted out a travel itinerary to the original destination, and were later offered Rs 90,563 in travel credits. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 08:16 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesDrone strikes killed one person in Ukraine and another in Russia, officials said Saturday, ahead of fresh talks next week aimed at ending the war. An elderly woman died when a Russian drone hit a residential building in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said. In Russia, a civilian was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a car in the border region of Bryansk, regional Gov. Alexander Bogomaz said. Russia-installed authorities said a Ukrainian airstrike on a village Saturday wounded 15 people in Ukraine's partially occupied Luhansk region. The attacks came a day after a Ukrainian missile strike on the Russian border city of Belgorod killed two people and wounded five, according to regional Gov Vyacheslav Gladkov. Meanwhile, another round of US-brokered talks between envoys from Russia and Ukraine will take place next week in Geneva, days ahead of the fourth anniversary of the all-out Russian invasion of its neighbour, officials in Moscow and Kyiv said on Friday. The discussions will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, confirmed the new round of negotiations. The talks take place against a backdrop of continued fighting along the roughly 1,250-kilometre front line, relentless Russian bombardment of civilian areas of Ukraine and the country's power grid, and Kyiv's almost daily long-range drone attacks on war-related assets on Russian soil. Previous US-led efforts to find consensus on ending the war, most recently two rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, have failed to resolve difficult issues, such as the future of Ukraine's Donbas industrial heartland that is largely occupied by Russian forces. Speaking at the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Zelenskyy repeatedly thanked American and European allies for helping Ukraine by providing air defence systems that protect infrastructure like power plants and "save lives." "Russian attacks happen almost every night in Ukraine and at least once a week, massive strikes," he said, speaking in English. "Without you Americans, Europeans, and everyone who stands with us, it would have been very, very difficult to hold on." He reiterated his belief that security guarantees for Ukraine must come before any peace agreement with Russia. Zelenskyy said last week that the United States has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach a deal. Previous deadlines given by US President Donald Trump have passed largely without consequence. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 February,2026 10:55 PM IST | Kyiv | APUnion Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that the first phase of the India–US bilateral trade agreement is ready. A joint statement from both countries is expected within the next four to five days, while the formal legal agreement is likely to be signed by mid-March. Once the joint statement is released, the United States (US) is expected to issue an executive order reducing tariffs to 18 per cent, Goyal said. President Donald Trump announced that New Delhi and Washington have reached a trade deal under which the US will reduce its reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25 percent to 18 percent. The move comes after the US had imposed a steep 50 percent tariff on Indian goods entering its markets from August 27, 2025. India-US trade deal: Tariff cuts to follow legal agreement Explaining the technical process, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said the two countries follow different tariff systems. While US tariffs can be changed through executive orders, India’s tariffs follow the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) system and can only be reduced after the legal agreement is formally signed. He clarified that India’s tariff reductions will come into effect only after the final legal framework of the trade deal is completed. Speaking at the signing ceremony of the Terms of Reference for a Free Trade Agreement between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Goyal highlighted the scale of India’s growing economic engagement with the US. He said India’s orders for US aircraft, engines and related equipment alone are expected to cross USD 100 billion. Goyal also reiterated that India and the US are complementary economies and that the trade agreement will benefit both sides. The bilateral trade agreement aims to more than double trade between India and the US—from the current USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030. According to Goyal, several areas of the agreement have already been finalised after extensive negotiations. Negotiations for the bilateral trade agreement gained momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in February 2025. The deal was formally announced following a phone call between PM Modi and President Trump on February 2. Addressing concerns raised in the Lok Sabha, Goyal said negotiators from both countries have been working at multiple levels for nearly a year. He stressed that sensitive sectors on both sides were protected during talks. In India’s case, agriculture and dairy were among the key sectors safeguarded. The signing ceremony also saw participation from senior officials, including Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, India’s chief negotiator Ajay Bhadoo, GCC chief negotiator Raja Al Marzouki, and senior representatives from the GCC and India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Reflecting on the long-standing trade ties between India and the Gulf region, Goyal said the two sides have been trading partners for thousands of years. He added that the proposed agreement would allow smoother movement of goods and services and strengthen bilateral relations. Goyal said India is actively pursuing trade agreements with developed nations to expand its global economic presence. He added that the deal would create opportunities for MSMEs, farmers, fishermen, youth, and the manufacturing sector, with food processing, infrastructure, and petrochemicals expected to benefit the most. (With ANI Inputs)
14 February,2026 08:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentUS Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor on Thursday welcomed recent engagement between the leadership of two nations and expressed Washington's readiness to further elevate ties with New Delhi. Gor shared pictures of External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar's interactions in Washington with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent. "Engagement at the highest levels is currently happening. The United States is ready to elevate this relationship even further. Limitless Potential!", he stated in a post on social media. EAM Jaishankar attends Critical Minerals Ministerial in US EAM Jaishankar, currently on a visit to the US, attended the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by Marco Rubio on Wednesday and expressed India's support for structured international cooperation to reduce risks in critical mineral supply chains. During his visit, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Rubio and Bessent, holding wide-ranging discussions on the India-US strategic and economic partnership. “Delighted to meet US Secretary Macro Rubio this afternoon,” Jaishankar stated in a post on X after the meeting. “A wide-ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues,” his post added. He also said the discussions with Rubio covered multiple pillars of the India-US relationship. “Facets of India - US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology,” the minister said. Both sides agreed to move quickly on follow-up engagements, he added. “Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” said EAM. According to a State Department readout, the two leaders discussed formalising bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing — an area that has emerged as a central pillar of the India–US economic and strategic relationship. The meeting came at a time when two nations announced a trade deal aimed at lowering barriers and expanding market access between the world’s two largest democracies. Secretary Rubio and EAM Jaishankar welcomed the agreement, underscoring the importance of the two democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance shared energy security goals, the readout said. The discussions also focused on the regional and multilateral dimensions of the partnership. Rubio and EAM Jaishankar concluded their meeting by reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing shared interests. EAM Jaishankar also met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. “Pleased to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington DC today,” he said in a separate post. EAM Jaishankar described the talks as productive. “Had a useful discussion on advancement of India-US economic partnership and strategic cooperation,” he said. (Inputs from IANS)
14 February,2026 08:01 PM IST | New Delhi [India] | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1771089556010_d.png "Local residents inspect damaged cars at the site of a Russian attack in Odesa. Pic/AFP")
-1770283629419_d.png "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaks at the Critical Minerals Ministerial, in Washington DC. Pic/PTI")