New Delhi [ : As India marks its 80th Independence Anniversary, Indian embassies, high commissions, and international partner nations across the globe have rolled out vibrant celebrations, cultural showcases, and high-profile diplomatic gestures.
From flag-hoisting ceremonies in East Asia to landmark illuminations in South America, missions worldwide have united in commemorating the historic milestone.
The Indian consulates across the United States reported wide-ranging recognition from American governors and state leaders.
The Embassy of India in the US extended greetings on the occasion and framed the celebration at a national level.
“Today, we celebrate 80 years of India’s journey–a tribute to our democratic values, diverse heritage, and the global spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.’ We join the Indian diaspora across the United States in marking this historic day with pride and joy. #IndependenceDay2026 #IndiaAt80,” the Embassy wrote on X.
In a post on X, the Consulate General of India in New York expressed gratitude to Governor of Connecticut Ned Lamont for designating India’s 80th Independence Day as “India Day.”
“Sincere gratitude to Hon’ble Governor of Connecticut, Mr. Ned Lamont @GovNedLamont, for officially designating August 15, 2026, as ‘India Day’ on the occasion of India’s Independence Day and for recognizing the contributions of the vibrant Indian-American community to Connecticut. We are also grateful for his leadership in establishing the Connecticut India Trade Commission and for recognizing the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal as an important initiative to further strengthen trade, investment and economic ties between India and the United States,” the post read.
The consulate also acknowledged Pennsylvania leadership.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble Governor Josh Shapiro @GovernorShapiro for his warm greetings on the occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day. The message warmly recognizes the significant contributions of the Indian-American community to Pennsylvania’s diversity, culture and prosperity, and its enduring role in the progress and success of the State,” the Consulate wrote.
Meanwhile, the Consulate General of India in Seattle also thanked the Governor of Washington State, Bob Ferguson, for wishing India its Independence Day and reaffirming the bilateral ties with Washington.
“Thank Hon’ble Bob Ferguson @GovBobFerguson, Governor of Washington State, for his warm greetings on India’s 80th Independence Day: reaffirming Washington State’s deep ties with India, and acknowledging the Indian American community’s contributions to the state’s culture and economy, and their commitment to innovation and learning,” the post read.
Emphasising grassroots participation across Central America, the Indian Embassy in Panama, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica wrote on X, “Colleagues from the Embassy enthusiastically joined the #HarGharTiranga campaign, running till 17 August. Let’s hoist the Tricolour at home and pay tribute to the spirit of Vande Mataram.”
At the Embassy of India in Japan, Ambassador Nagma Mallick hoisted the national flag and read out the President’s address to the nation. The ceremony featured special recognitions for winners of the “Bharat Ko Jaaniye” (Know India) Quiz held to commemorate Independence Day.
In a spectacular gesture of friendship, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires illuminated four iconic Argentine landmarks, the Floralis Generica, Puente de la Mujer (Women’s Bridge), Planetario Galileo Galilei, and Palacio Lezama, in the vibrant saffron, white, and green hues of the Indian Tricolour.
Ambassador Ajaneesh Kumar and the Indian mission expressed profound appreciation for the display, celebrating the enduring democratic partnership between India and Argentina.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India warmly extends its sincere congratulations and best wishes to the Government and the friendly people of India on the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of India. The longstanding and historic relations between Iran and India are rooted in the deep civilizational, cultural, and historical bonds between the two nations and have always been based on mutual respect and friendly cooperation. We hope that the relations and cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of India will continue to expand in all fields, and that the two countries will enjoy ever-greater peace, progress, prosperity, and development,” the Embassy wrote in a post on X.
“The Embassy of India, Oslo, extends warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day. As we commemorate this historic milestone, let us celebrate the spirit of freedom, unity, and progress that continues to inspire our nation. Together, we honour the sacrifices and achievements of our past while looking ahead with confidence and hope towards a brighter and more prosperous future,” the Embassy in Norway wrote.
As part of the global Har Ghar Tiranga movement, missions across Asia participated in a synchronised sunrise relay of the national flag.

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New Delhi : A military medical team arriving in earthquake-hit Venezuela, warships carrying relief to cyclone-ravaged Sri Lanka, and an Indian field hospital treating victims in Myanmar, India’s Armed Forces have increasingly found themselves deployed not only to defend the country, but to save lives far beyond its shores.
As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day on August 15, this expanding humanitarian footprint offers another measure of the country’s growing global role: the ability to move troops, doctors, aircraft, warships, and relief supplies at short notice when disaster strikes abroad.
The latest chapter in this expanding global humanitarian footprint came in June-July 2026 with Operation Amistad in Venezuela, where India deployed an Indian Army medical contingent following twin earthquakes that struck the South American country on June 24.
Under Operation Amistad, two Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft were deployed with an Indian Army field hospital unit and humanitarian assistance. The mission involved a 41-member medical contingent and the deployment of advanced medical capabilities, including BHISHM Cube. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on July 1, praised the doctors and medical personnel who worked in Venezuela under the operation, calling their service during challenging circumstances an example of how medical professionals rise to the occasion in times of adversity.
The Venezuela mission marked a significant geographic expansion of India’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) outreach, taking the Armed Forces’ rapid-response capability beyond the traditional Indian Ocean Region.
The mission followed two major responses in 2025. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched after Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka, Indian Navy ships, Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters and aircraft, Army engineers, and medical teams moved into affected areas for search-and-rescue and relief operations. By December 9, India had delivered around 1,058 tonnes of relief material, evacuated more than 2,500 stranded Indians, and rescued 264 survivors, including foreign nationals. An Indian Army para-field hospital treated more than 2,200 patients.
Months earlier, Operation Brahma demonstrated the speed of India’s earthquake response. After the March 2025 earthquake in Myanmar, an Indian Army medical task force was sent to establish a 60-bed treatment centre, while Navy ships sailed with emergency supplies. The operation brought together the Army, Navy, Air Force, Integrated Defence Staff, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a coordinated response.
But 2025 was significant for another reason; India was not only responding to disasters; it was rehearsing how to respond together. Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025, the fourth India-US tri-service HADR exercise, brought India and US naval, Army, and Air Force elements together to practice large-scale disaster response, including amphibious operations, air support, medical assistance, and the establishment of a Combined Coordination Centre.
In 2024, Operation Sadbhav saw India send relief supplies to Myanmar after Typhoon Yagi, while the Navy also responded to Cyclone Hidaya in Tanzania. Operation Indravati, meanwhile, evacuated Indians from crisis-hit Haiti.
That year also saw Exercise Sanyukt Vimochan, which brought together the Armed Forces, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other agencies to demonstrate rescue, casualty evacuation, logistics, and rehabilitation capabilities. The exercise reflected a shift towards building an integrated disaster-response architecture rather than relying only on individual services.
The year 2023 produced another cluster of high-profile missions. Operation Dost sent Indian medical teams and relief material to earthquake-hit Turkiye and Syria. Operation Karuna sent four Indian Navy ships carrying humanitarian supplies to Myanmar following Cyclone Mocha. Operation Ajay subsequently brought Indian citizens home from Israel.
At the same time, Exercise Chakravat 2023 brought the humanitarian dimension into the regional arena. Hosted by the Indian Navy in Goa, the exercise involved the Armed Forces, NDMA, NDRF, and other agencies, along with participants from eight Indian Ocean countries, i.e., Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. It was designed around coordinated disaster response and interoperability.
In 2022, Operation Ganga brought 18,282 Indians home from Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Alongside the evacuation, India was building a wider preparedness mechanism through Exercise Samanvay. Held at Agra, the exercise brought together Indian disaster-management stakeholders and representatives from ASEAN countries, combining a seminar, multi-agency capability demonstration and tabletop exercise.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh summed up the philosophy behind such exercises during Samanvay 2022, when he said India’s approach was shifting from “relief-centric” to a “multi-pronged” approach covering prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, relief, and rehabilitation.
In 2021, Operation Devi Shakti evacuated Indians and other eligible people from Afghanistan while also facilitating humanitarian medical assistance.
The COVID-19 crisis in 2020 demonstrated another dimension of India’s military reach. Under Mission Sagar, Indian Navy ships became floating humanitarian lifelines, delivering food, medicines, oxygen and other assistance to countries across the Indian Ocean Region. Successive deployments provided more than 3000 tonnes of food aid, 300 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen and hundreds of oxygen concentrators to countries including the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Sudan and Mozambique. Operation Samudra Setu separately brought 3,992 Indians home by sea.
The trajectory continued with Operation Sahayata-19 in Mozambique in 2019, Operation Samudra Maitri in earthquake-and tsunami-hit Indonesia in 2018, Sri Lanka disaster assistance and Operation Sankat Mochan in 2016, Operation Maitri in Nepal and Operation Rahat in Yemen in 2015, Operation Neer in the Maldives in 2014, and India’s response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013.
The roots, however, go back to the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. India’s response, including Operation Castor to the Maldives and Operation Rainbow to Sri Lanka, establishes an early template for using the Army, Navy and Air Force together in an international humanitarian crisis.
Two decades later, the template has become a system.
India’s HADR exercises, overseas deployments and institutional mechanisms increasingly connect military capability with humanitarian diplomacy. Exercises such as Tiger Triumph, Chakravat and Samanvay allow India and its partners to practise before a crisis occurs, while actual operations demonstrate the ability to convert that preparedness into action.
From Venezuela to Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and from Ukraine and Afghanistan to the tsunami-hit Indian Ocean, the message has remained consistent: when a crisis strikes, India’s Armed Forces can move beyond the battlefield.
As India marks its 80th Independence Day, that ability to arrive with ships, aircraft, field hospitals, engineers, doctors and relief supplies has become an increasingly visible part of India’s role in the world.

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Washington, DC : US Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended greetings to the people of India on the 80th Independence Day, saying the US-India relationship continues to grow and is “stronger than ever”.
In a statement issued on Friday (local time), Rubio said the relationship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had contributed to the growing ties between the two countries.
“On behalf of the United States of America, I extend warm congratulations to the people of India on their Independence Day. Thanks to the personal relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, the U.S.-India relationship continues to grow and is stronger than ever,” Rubio said in a statement.
The US Secretary of State highlighted cooperation between the two countries across several areas, including defence, energy security, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, space cooperation and commerce. He said the collaboration was making both nations, as well as the broader Indian Ocean region, “safer, stronger, and more prosperous”.
“From defence and energy security to critical minerals, artificial intelligence, space cooperation, and commerce, our collaboration is making both of our nations, and the broader Indian Ocean region, safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” Rubip said.
“The deep ties of friendship and family between our two peoples form the foundation of a partnership that is innovative, resilient, and forward-looking. The United States looks forward to the future our two countries will build together,” he added.
Earlier, the national flag was hoisted at the Indian High Commission in Canberra on Saturday (local time) as part of the ‘Suryapath Tiranga’ initiative to mark India’s 80th Independence Day, which seeks to carry the Tricolour across the globe from one sunrise to the next.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in Delhi on Saturday, with this year’s event marking 150 years of the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ and highlighting the role of ‘Yuva Shakti’ in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
For the first time, ‘Vande Mataram’ will be rendered during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
According to a press release, the Prime Minister will be received at the Red Fort by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. He will then receive the Guard of Honour comprising personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police.
Prime Minister Modi will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort, where he will hoist the National Flag. Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan will assist him in hoisting the Tricolour.
The flag hoisting will be synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial), using indigenous 105 mm Light Field Guns, the press release stated.
The Prime Minister will subsequently address the nation. This will mark PM Modi’s 13th consecutive address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. At the conclusion of his speech, NCC cadets and ‘My Bharat’ volunteers will sing ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by the National Anthem.
A total of 2,500 boy and girl cadets from the Army, Navy and Air Force, along with ‘My Bharat’ volunteers, will participate in the celebrations. They will be seated on Gyanpath and form the words ‘Vande Mataram’.

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Washington Dc : US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz “a territory of the United States” after the war with Iran, The New York Post reported.
Addressing a Republican rally in Long Island, Trump said, “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”
The development comes amid ongoing tensions between the US and Iran as both countries continue to stake claims of control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump had earlier claimed that the United States exercised “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz and that he “will keep it” amid stalled negotiations with Iran regarding the reopening of the strategic conduit. Trump asserted, “The USA has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, ‘A WALL OF STEEL,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it.”
Trump further maintained that Tehran’s military infrastructure had been severely degraded, concluding his message with, “Praise be to Allah!”
“All they have is FAKE NEWS and 300 per cent INFLATION, and it’s getting worse! Iran is all talk and no action, and is the Bully of the Middle East No Longer. Praise be to Allah!” he added in the social media post.
However, soon after Trump’s remarks, Iran rejected his claims, stating that the strategic waterway remains blocked and will not be reopened until Tehran’s conditions are accepted.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority said Trump’s claims and repeated statements by US officials that the Strait of Hormuz was no longer blocked did not change the situation.
“Claims and repeated posts by US officials that the Strait of Hormuz is no longer blocked do not change the reality: the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted,” the PGSA said.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical chokepoints, where past military standoffs have routinely triggered spikes in international crude prices and fears of broader conflict. The current escalation has already prompted expanded naval patrols, adjustments to shipping routes by commercial carriers, and renewed international calls for diplomatic restraint.
Commercial shipping through the vital corridor currently continues under tight security oversight, though the environment remains highly volatile.

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Sydney : Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lauded the leadership skills of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “quite unapologetic” about maintaining his freedom of manoeuvre.
Speaking virtually during the Indo-Mediterranean Dialogues, the former Australian PM emphasised that India under PM Modi’s leadership prioritises advancing its national interest.
“He’ll pick up the phone, and he’ll talk to whoever he wants to. He’ll go to whichever country he needs to–to advance India’s national interest,” said Morrison.
He also praised External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as an “able lieutenant” who had been “incredibly industrious” in implementing that approach.
Morrison, who served as the Australian Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, had previously met PM Modi in Melbourne in July this year.
Morrison also asserted that India will be indispensable to the future strategic balance of the Indo-Pacific, stating that New Delhi’s engagement is what gives the Quad its distinct character and fundamentally sets it apart from other regional groupings.
The former Australian Prime Minister discussed the rapidly changing security architecture stretching from West Asia and the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, highlighting the growing strategic importance of India alongside the emergence of the new Mecca Defence Pact, China’s expanding regional influence, and the future of the Quad and AUKUS.
Morrison emphasised that the international order is becoming increasingly distributed, creating space for new powers and new minilateral groupings where India will be one of the principal beneficiaries.
“India in particular,” Morrison said, is taking on “a much more important role within geopolitics and certainly within the Indo-Pacific.”

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Tokyo: Four people have died, and another remains unresponsive after torrential rain severely battered eastern Japan from Thursday into early Friday, triggering widespread flooding and high-level emergency alerts across the region, Kyodo News reported.
According to reports by Kyodo News, the Japan Meteorological Agency briefly issued a Level 5 warning, the highest disaster alert level on its scale, covering more than one-third of the municipalities in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo. All emergency warnings were downgraded Friday morning.
Severe road flooding inundated communities across Chiba Prefecture, prompting municipal authorities in cities including Chiba and Ichikawa to urge residents to take immediate safety measures. The meteorological agency also placed several municipalities, including Chiba and neighbouring Ichihara, under Level 5 landslide warnings.
Data from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency showed that evacuation orders were issued for more than 400,000 residents across Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures at the peak of the deluge. As of 7 AM Friday, around 126,000 people remained under evacuation orders across both prefectures. The Cabinet Office reported that over 200 evacuation shelters were opened across Chiba, Ibaraki, Saitama, and Gunma prefectures, according to Kyodo News.
Around 1,800 stranded commuters gathered overnight at the Chiba prefectural government building, which was made available as a temporary shelter.
Power outages also cut electricity to approximately 45,000 homes across Chiba Prefecture at one point, according to a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc, Kyodo News reported.
Casualties mounted as floodwaters submerged streets and vehicles. In Ichikawa, a man spotted in floodwaters on an inundated road was later confirmed dead. In Sakura, a 66-year-old woman died after becoming trapped inside her car, while prefectural officials separately confirmed that another man found collapsed in the city had died, Kyodo News reported.

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New Delhi : Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan on Thursday held a meeting with Moses M. Wetang’ula, Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, who is leading a Parliamentary Delegation to India.
During the meeting, the Vice-President highlighted the close parliamentary ties between India and Kenya and expressed India’s readiness to share its experience in technology solutions and digital technology, including the use of digital technology leading towards a paperless Parliament, a press release from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat stated.
He noted the presence of an Indian-origin Member of Parliament in Kenya’s Parliamentary Friendship Group and recalled with appreciation the proposal to install a bust of Mahatma Gandhi within the premises of the National Assembly of Kenya. The Vice-President recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Kenya in 2016, followed by the visit of President Ruto to India in 2023.
Referring to India’s development partnership with Kenya, the Vice-President noted that several projects had been executed in the form of grant-in-aid, including the refurbishment of the Mahatma Gandhi Graduate Library of the University of Nairobi and the CT scan infrastructure at the Kenyan Navy Base, Mtongwe. He also recalled India’s assistance during the Ebola Virus Outbreak, when India delivered the first tranche of 4.5 tonnes of medical supplies.
The Vice-President highlighted India’s continued support for capacity building in Kenya. He stated that the Government of India offers around 400 scholarships, including training courses for various Government Ministries. He further noted that 20 diplomats from Kenya are undergoing capacity development in India. He informed that ICCR scholarships for long-term courses have been increased from 80 to 100 annually.
Radhakrishnan also highlighted the Agreement on the Digi-Locker pilot project in Kenya, which was signed during the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. He further noted that Indian and Kenyan teams are working on the GATI Shakti project for Kenya.
He thanked Kenya for supporting India’s candidature for the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the term 2028-29. He sought Kenya’s support for India’s permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council.
Emphasising the historical ties between the two countries, the Vice-President noted that India and the Swahili coast had well-established trading routes for the benefit of each other. He also expressed India’s hope that Kenya would join the International Solar Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance.
As per the press release, he also highlighted the centuries-old people-to-people ties between India and Kenya and said that he was delighted to note that the Indian diaspora had been recognised as the 44th tribe of Kenya.
Concluding the meeting, the Vice President thanked the Kenyan Parliamentary Delegation for visiting India and conveyed his best wishes for a pleasant and productive stay. He expressed confidence that the visit would further deepen parliamentary engagement and contribute to strengthening the comprehensive partnership between India and Kenya.

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Islamabad : Pakistan has once again dipped into its familiar playbook of indulging in empty and hollow rhetoric against India, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif threatening a “direct response” over water even as Islamabad grapples with a mounting share of crises at home — from worsening militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to unrest and human-rights abuses in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), alongside the continued imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Yet, rather than confronting these failures, Sharif has once again chosen India as the target of his rhetoric.
Sharif, speaking at an event on the eve of Pakistan’s Independence Day on Thursday, sought to portray India as an “enemy of peace” over New Delhi’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which led to the death of 26 innocent individuals and ranting about the treaty as a national “red line”.
Following the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India kept the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance after a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on April 23, 2025 and asserted that the conditions under which the treaty was negotiated have fundamentally changed.
India has stated that the treaty can no longer function in its present form and will remain in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends its support for cross-border terrorism.
“The Prime Minister said that India has proven itself an enemy of peace by unilaterally and illegally suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. He announced that every drop of Pakistan’s water is our red line. There will be no compromise on the water issue. If India does not come to the right path, we will give it a direct response,” the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on X.
The irony is difficult to miss.
A government presiding over deepening instability across multiple regions of the country is once again attempting to project toughness by threatening India, even as its own citizens continue to face violence, political repression and insecurity amid growing economic pressure and instability.
Pakistan’s carefully cultivated image of national unity is facing one of its sharpest challenges in Balochistan, where nationalist voices have called for August 14, Pakistan’s Indepence Day to be observed as a “Black Day”.
Baloch leader and activist Mir Yar Baloch has urged Baloch people across the world to reject Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations, calling for black flags and armbands as a symbol of opposition to Islamabad’s rule.
His remarks came amid an alleged Pakistani military strikes in the Surab region that caused civilian casualties.
“The Pakistani military is attempting to celebrate 14 August under the shadow of guns, but it also knows that the people of Balochistan regard Pakistan as an occupying country and its military as the killers of the Baloch,” he said in a post on X.
Human rights activist Dr Mahrang Baloch, who is currently in confinement with Pakistani forces, has also slammed Islamabad for carrying out airstrikes in populated areas and causing civilian deaths.
“Last night in Sorab, as a result of bombing by Pakistani warplanes, 27 people were killed and injured, including children,” she said.
She further argued that treating the deaths of civilians in populated areas as a routine military operation would amount to something far more serious.

According to Human Rights Defender and Baloch Activist Zara Baloch, more than 20 civilians, including innocent children, were killed in a strike by Pakistani forces.
“Bombing civilian populations and taking the lives of innocent children is a blatant violation of international humanitarian laws. If the international community does not respond immediately, the humanitarian crisis in Balochistan will intensify further,” she said in a post on X.
The continuing reports have underlined the depth of distrust between Islamabad and large sections of Baloch society.
For a country celebrating its independence, the spectacle of a region within its claimed territory calling the national day a “Black Day” exposes a profound crisis of legitimacy that threats against India cannot conceal.
While Sharif speaks of responding to India, Pakistan continues to struggle with violence from militant groups operating within its own borders.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a suicide bombing near the Kabal Police Station in Swat killed 17 people, including seven policemen, while 27 others were injured, according to local authorities cited in reports.
The attack occurred as people were protesting deteriorating law and order in the area.
The episode serves as another reminder that Islamabad’s claims of having brought militancy under control remain sharply at odds with the security reality faced by ordinary Pakistanis.
Instead of explaining why its citizens continue to die in terrorist attacks, the Pakistani leadership repeatedly finds political mileage in escalating rhetoric against India.
Pakistan’s troubles do not end in Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PoJK has witnessed prolonged protests, clashes, use of excessive force and serious questions surrounding the conduct of their “so-called” 2026 legislative elections. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has led protests over political representation and other grievances, while allegations have emerged of manipulation, restrictions, internet shutdowns and the use of force against demonstrators.
On Thursday, JAAC stated that in PoJK’s Rawalakot, two people have been injured following firing by security forces in the region.
In a post on X, JAAC said, “The use of force against civilians is deeply alarming. We call for an immediate end to violence and urge international human rights organisations and the media to closely monitor the situation on the ground.”
India has called on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its human rights violations in the region.
“We believe that the international community should hold Pakistan accountable for the deaths of so many people in the recent violence,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
He said public discontent had been met with “bullets and blackouts and repression and oppression” and stated that more than 90 people had been killed in recent months.
Whatever Islamabad’s preferred narrative may be, the persistence of unrest in PoJK demonstrates that Pakistan’s governance problems are not confined to its western frontier.
Pakistan’s political crisis is equally stark. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan remains behind bars, while his sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, have raised concerns about their father’s access to family, lawyers and doctors.
“We have no updates because his family, doctors and lawyers haven’t been allowed to see him for seven months,” they told CNN earlier this month.
Khan has remained imprisoned since 2023 following convictions in multiple cases. He and his supporters have repeatedly alleged that the cases against him are politically motivated and designed to prevent his political comeback.
The continued imprisonment of Pakistan’s most prominent opposition figure, coupled with the crackdown on his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has further damaged Islamabad’s claims to democratic credibility.
Sharif’s latest warning over India’s water is therefore less a demonstration of Pakistan’s strength than another reminder of the country’s tendency to look outward when confronted with uncomfortable realities at home.
Islamabad wants to portray itself as a regional power capable of issuing warnings to India. But the picture inside Pakistan is far less reassuring: terrorist attacks continue, Balochistan remains deeply alienated, PoJK is witnessing political unrest, allegations of human rights abuses persist, and the country’s principal opposition leader remains in prison.
Against that backdrop, Sharif’s declaration that “every drop” of water is a “red line” risks sounding like yet another piece of hollow sabre-rattling.
Pakistan’s concerns over water might be genuine, but Islamabad’s increasingly confrontational rhetoric cannot be viewed separately from the wider crisis confronting the country.
From Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to PoJK, and from militant attacks to political repression, Pakistan faces a series of problems that cannot be resolved through rhetoric directed at New Delhi.
For a government struggling with insecurity, political polarisation and allegations of rights violations at home, repeatedly turning to threats against India risks looking less like a coherent strategy and more like a familiar political distraction from Pakistan’s deepening internal fault lines.

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Washington DC : US intelligence officials had low confidence in an Iranian threat against US President Donald Trump before he was secretly moved to an alternate aircraft while departing Turkey after the NATO Summit last month, according to a report by The Washington Post. The alleged assassination threat was reportedly relayed to the CIA by Israel, but agency analysts did not consider the intelligence compelling and communicated their reservations to officials in the Trump administration, The Washington Post reported.
One US official described the reports as “Israeli-derived, not US-generated, and viewed as low confidence,” according to The Washington Post.
Despite the doubts over the credibility of the intelligence, the US Secret Service proceeded with an elaborate security operation during Trump’s departure from the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8.
According to The Washington Post report, Trump initially boarded a legacy Air Force One aircraft before secretly being moved to an Air Force C-32A.
He was transported to the third aircraft in an airport catering truck and then flown with a small group of aides to Britain.
The operation was prompted by concerns over Trump’s security as he left Turkey, including questions over whether the newer Boeing 747-8 aircraft gifted to the US by Qatar had sufficient security measures for the mission.
“As the President has said, he has faced numerous threats on his life, including ones from Iran, and every measure is taken to ensure his safety,” a US official said in a statement cited by the Post.
“The United States Secret Service’s core mission is protecting the President, which they achieved,” it added.
Despite the intelligence concerns, one US official said the Secret Service opted to take no chances, citing previous security incidents involving Trump.
“The Secret Service has had three near misses with this president, so they’re not taking any chances,” the official said, as quoted by The Washington Post.
“They did what they had to do,” it added.
Concerns over possible Iranian attempts to target Trump and other senior US officials have persisted since the 2020 US killing of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force. The concerns reportedly intensified after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials at the beginning of the Iran war in February.
Trump has survived three known assassination plots since his 2024 presidential campaign, although there is no known link between those suspects and Iran, according to The Post.
The aircraft carrying Trump from Ankara to Britain’s Mildenhall air base was escorted by F-16 fighter jets, according to US officials and material reviewed by The Post.
Trump later said the decision to use a different aircraft was made by the Secret Service.
“It’s really just up to Secret Service. I just follow what they like to do,” Trump told reporters.
“They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane, equal safety. … I do what they say,” he added.
According to the Post, some US intelligence officials believed Israel’s sharing of the warning may have been intended not only to alert Washington but also to influence Trump’s decision-making and US policy in the region.
A former US official familiar with the matter said the intelligence “fits a broader pattern of Israeli intelligence reporting that some officials see as designed as much to shape presidential decision-making as to inform it,” Thxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe Washington Post stated.
It also reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was briefed on the Israeli intelligence and the Secret Service’s planned operation.

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New Delhi : With New Delhi at the helm of the BRICS grouping this year, Chinese and Russian envoys to India reaffirmed their support for India’s BRICS presidency at an event here in the national capital on Wednesday.
The leaders attended the BRICS Ambassadors’ Roundtable Discussion hosted by Vivekananda International Foundation.
In a post on X, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said, “Shared my views on the characteristic and development direction of BRICS cooperation with the five letters of MAGIC: Multilateralism, Action, Global Governance, Inclusiveness and Cooperation.” He further underlined that China stands ready to work in tandem with all partner countries to deepen the cooperation between BRICS members.
“China extends full support to India for its BRICS presidency, and we stand ready to work hand in hand with all member countries to strengthen constructive cooperation and lead a durable and fruitful greater BRICS cooperation!”
Russia’s Charge d’Affaires, Roman Babushkin also addressed the event. The Russian Embassy in India noted in a post on Telegram that Roman Babushkin reaffirmed Russia’s support for India’s BRICS Chairship priorities in 2026, noting that over the past two decades the grouping has evolved into an effective mechanism for multifaceted practical cooperation and an influential platform for advancing the interests of the global majority amid the emergence of a multipolar world order.
The Vivekananda International Foundation hosted a discussion on “BRICS Role and Priorities in Building a Resilient and Sustainable Global Order” on Wednesday.
In a post on X it noted that the discussions explored BRICS’ evolving role in a changing global order, with emphasis on resilience, sustainability, inclusivity, multilateralism and South-South cooperation.
At the event, speakers highlighted cooperation in climate, trade, finance, digital governance, food and energy security, technology and connectivity. The discussions also highlighted the importance of BRICS as a platform for practical, people-centric cooperation, guided by the spirit of “Humanity First”.
Significantly, discussions on greater AI and civilisational dialogue, connectivity and sharing of capabilities among BRICS countries were also emphasised.
India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026 is its fourth, having previously held the position in 2012, 2016 and 2021. The Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflecting a people-centric and humanity-first approach articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2025 Rio Summit.
BRICS currently brings together eleven major emerging economies: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
The grouping serves as a platform for consultation and cooperation on issues of global and regional significance, as well as on global political and economic governance.
The BRICS 2026 website highlights how the grouping’s agenda has expanded significantly from its original focus on economic issues to three core pillars — political and security cooperation, economic and financial cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
It further notes that BRICS cooperation now covers a wide range of issues, including counter-terrorism, climate change, food and energy security, international financial architecture, telecommunications, agriculture, labour and employment, trade, and WTO-related matters.

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