Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have begun high-level bilateral talks in New Delhi, with trade, defence, economic cooperation and strategic ties at the centre of the India-Russia agenda. A major highlight of the meeting was Modi's presentation of a Russian translation of the Thirukkural to Putin, bringing Tamil classical literature and India's cultural heritage into the diplomatic engagement. The Thirukkural, comprising 1,330 couplets, added a significant cultural dimension to the leaders' discussions. The talks also focus on an ambitious $100 billion India-Russia bilateral trade target by 2030, with New Delhi seeking greater access to Russian markets and expanded industrial cooperation across sectors including railways and tunnelling. WATCH

Russia has launched one of its largest overnight attacks on Ukraine, firing more than 70 missiles—including a significant number of ballistic missiles—and over 280 attack drones across multiple regions. Ukrainian officials say at least eight people were killed, including two parents and three children in the Dnipropetrovsk region, while dozens of others were injured. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 260 drones were intercepted but warned that Ukraine urgently needs additional anti-ballistic missile systems from its allies.