Results of 37 Rajya Sabha seats declared

Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates have been elected unopposed, while voting for the remaining 11 seats were held. Among the 26 MPs elected unopposed, 14 are of NDA (including 7 from BJP), and 12 candidates are from Opposition. Elections were held for 5 Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, and all 5 of them are going to the BJP alliance. In Odisha, BJP grabbed all 4 seats witnessing cross-voting. In Haryana, BJP and Congress each get one seat. The NDA has gained nine seats.

Ranjan Gogoi’s term ends

Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi’s term as Rajya Sabha MP  has ended on March 16.

Trump-Xi Summit Unlikely Amid Hormuz Tensions

In a fresh twist to escalating global tensions, US President Donald Trump has hinted that he may delay his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping unless Beijing helps ease the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported. Trump’s remarks, suggesting China should demonstrate greater expeditionary naval power to ensure maritime stability, mark an unusual linkage between Indo-Pacific strategy and Gulf security. However, diplomatic sources indicate that in the current atmosphere, an on-schedule meeting between the two leaders appears highly unlikely. Both Washington and Beijing remain preoccupied with regional pressures — the US with Iran and Middle Eastern instability, and China with economic concerns and military recalibration. The uncertainty underscores deepening strains in US-China engagement, with global markets and strategic watchers closely monitoring whether dialogue gives way to yet another phase of geopolitical brinkmanship.

India to Draft New Safe-Passage Policy for Gulf Energy Shipping as MEA Churns for Crisis Management?

India is drafting a new framework to secure safe passage for ships carrying critical energy cargo from the Persian Gulf, against the backdrop of the Hormuz crisis and West Asia conflict. This comes as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), already running 24x7 crisis management structures for Gulf contingencies, faces intense internal churn over how far India should go in hardening its maritime security posture while preserving ties with Iran and key Gulf suppliers. The proposed approach under discussion goes beyond ad hoc vessel-by-vessel clearances and aims to institutionalise a lighter version of “escort plus diplomacy” — coordinated naval presence, sharper risk advisories, and standing protocols with Iran, Gulf states, and major shippers. With a large share of India’s crude and LPG still routed through the Strait of Hormuz, the policy push is being driven from the top political level, even as divisions within MEA over risk, bandwidth and signalling slow finalisation.