Digest for 14 August, 2025
EAM Jaishankar to Visit Russia Amid US Trade Tensions
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Moscow next week for talks with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov and other top leaders. The visit comes days after NSA Ajit Doval's trip and amid strained US-India ties over New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian crude oil, which recently prompted new US tariffs. The discussions are expected to cover the bilateral agenda, the Ukraine conflict, and finalise plans for President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to India.
US Treasury Secretary Describes India as 'Recalcitrant' in Trade Talks
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described India as a "bit recalcitrant" in ongoing trade negotiations, though he expressed hope for agreements by October. The comment comes as Washington imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods in response to India's Russian oil purchases, raising the total tariff to 50%. Indian officials have called the US action "unjustified," and analysts noted the term suggests a US perspective of India being an obstacle in the talks.
Supreme Court Seeks Centre's Response on Restoring J&K Statehood
The Supreme Court has asked the central government to respond within eight weeks to a plea seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. A bench led by CJI B R Gavai issued the notice while acknowledging the government's argument that "several considerations" influence the decision-making process. In a December 2023 ruling that upheld the revocation of Article 370, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to restore J&K's statehood "at the earliest".
Two Senior Maoist Commanders with ₹35-Lakh Bounty Killed in Chhattisgarh
Security forces killed two senior Maoist leaders, Vijay Reddy and Lokesh Salame, in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district. Reddy, a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, and Salame, a divisional committee member, carried a combined bounty of ₹35 lakh. The gunfight occurred in the Banda Pahad forest during an operation by a joint team of the District Reserve Guard and ITBP. With this operation, 229 Maoists have been killed in Chhattisgarh this year.
DRDO Guest House Manager Arrested for Spying for Pakistan
The guest house manager at a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan. The accused, Mahendra Prasad, was detained on August 4 and arrested after a joint interrogation. Police allege he used social media to share sensitive information with a Pakistani handler, including details about missile testing schedules and the movement of DRDO scientists and officers at the firing range. He has been remanded to two-day police custody.