In a significant development for regional diplomacy, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed it is formally examining a request from Bangladesh for the extradition of former PM Sheikh Hasina. While the legal review continues, New Delhi is signaling a "business-as-usual" approach toward the new BNP-led administration in Dhaka, insisting that the strategic partnership will not be "held hostage" by the fate of a single individual.
The brief window of maritime relief in the Persian Gulf has slammed shut as Iran’s IRGC returned the Strait of Hormuz to strict military supervision. Accusing the U.S. of "maritime theft" through its ongoing port blockade, Tehran warned that the waterway's status now depends entirely on Washington’s "future behavior."
In a major escalation of regional hostilities, Tehran has fully shut down the Strait of Hormuz, warning that unauthorized vessels will be treated as military targets. The move follows the collapse of a brief "safe passage" arrangement and reports of gunboat attacks, threatening to paralyze nearly 20% of the world’s oil and gas trade.
As Washington tightens the noose on Russian and Iranian oil waivers, the United States is moving to position itself as India’s primary energy partner. However, refinery mismatches and high logistics costs mean the shift may be led by LNG and LPG rather than crude oil, even as domestic fuel shortages begin to hit India's commercial sector.
A harrowing report from the UNHCR reveals that 2025 saw a record number of Rohingya fatalities at sea. With nearly 15% of those attempting the journey either missing or dead, and over 2,800 more taking to the sea in early 2026, humanitarian agencies are warning of a total system collapse without urgent funding.
