PM Modi Meets Vladimir Putin In Bishkek; Focus On Trade, Defence, Energy & Security At SCO Summit

The India Today Group campaign 'Pollution ka Solution' highlights an innovation designed to combat vehicular pollution in Delhi. A city-based innovator has introduced 'Poll Red', a multipurpose air pollution and heat reduction device developed to be mounted on public transport buses. The system captures particulate matter, non-exhaust emissions, road dust, tyre wear debris, and greenhouse gases through multiple filtration layers without releasing captured pollutants back into the environment. Designed with an internal water mechanism and multi-stage layered filters, the unit traps solid particles while releasing filtered air to passengers. Operating continuously on public transit vehicles, the innovation aims to purify millions of litres of ambient air daily during routine bus journeys across the national capital.

In a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, India formally raised the critical issue of the safety and security of Indian seafarers navigating through the Strait of Hormuz. Multiple Indian sailors have borne the brunt of the ongoing conflict, with Indian crew members caught in crossfire, stranded on vessels, and suffering casualties despite India's neutral stance. With a large proportion of merchant ship crews being Indian nationals, New Delhi sought assurances from Iran regarding maritime security in the Persian Gulf region.

The latest India Today C-Voter Mood of the Nation survey has placed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay at number three in the national Prime Minister preference race, behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. The ranking has triggered friction between the TVK and its ally, the Congress. Two Congress ministers in Tamil Nadu have threatened to resign and withdraw support if TVK does not recognise Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate for 2029. While TVK leaders have projected Vijay as their PM face, MDMK chief Vaiko has supported Congress, even as DMK mocked the pitch.

Ties between India and Russia continue to expand across multiple sectors, yet key challenges persist on strategic and economic fronts. A major point of discussion is the growing bilateral trade deficit, which has widened to over 53 billion dollars despite overall trade crossing 100 billion dollars, primarily driven by India's heavy imports of discounted Russian oil. India seeks greater market access for its exports in Russia alongside ensuring uninterrupted fertilizer supplies for Indian farmers. Strategically, New Delhi navigates discomfort over the deepening alignment between Moscow and Beijing while diversifying its own defence procurement towards Western suppliers. Concurrently, Russia continues to serve as a diplomatic balancer in regional dialogues such as the Russia-India-China process and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar noted that economic cooperation has grown significantly ahead of key summit meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as India maintains its stance advocating dialogue and peace regarding the Ukraine conflict.