Defence National

India France Renew Defence Pact For 10 Years

By BPN News Desk February 18, 2026

India and France have renewed their long-standing defence partnership with a new agreement extending cooperation for another decade, reinforcing military collaboration, technology sharing and joint production efforts between the two countries. India France Defence Cooperation Agreement The renewed framework updates an earlier defence roadmap and sets the direction for

National

PM Modi Urges IT Firms To Build AI Products

By BPN News Desk February 18, 2026

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has urged India’s technology companies to move beyond traditional outsourcing work and start building artificial intelligence (AI) products for global markets, signalling a shift in the country’s digital growth strategy. India IT Sector AI Products Push Speaking to industry leaders, Narendra Modi said India’s IT sector has powered global

Op-Eds Opinion

Imran Khan Controversy and Pakistan’s Civil Military Equation

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

The incarceration of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and recurring concerns about his health have placed Pakistan under an intense political spotlight. What might ordinarily remain a domestic legal matter has expanded into a national power question. The issue is no longer only whether a politician committed violations, but how and why the state responds […]

National

Ashwini Vaishnaw Apologises After AI Summit Issues

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw apologised for logistical issues faced by participants at the AI Impact Summit and announced the creation of a coordination “war room” to address complaints and streamline event management. Ashwini Vaishnaw Apology At AI Impact Summit The minister acknowledged inconvenience caused to attendees due to crowd management and access delays during

National

PM Modi Says India Must Become AI Superpower

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India should aim to become one of the world’s top three artificial intelligence powers, emphasising investment, innovation and skill development as key pillars of the country’s technology strategy. Modi On India AI Superpower Goal Addressing a gathering focused on technology and innovation, the Prime Minister stated that artificial

Op-Eds Opinion

$100 Billion AI Bet of Adani: India Is Trying to Run the World’s AI Operations

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

The announcement that the Adani Group intends to invest roughly $100 billion into AI-ready data centre infrastructure by 2035 should not be read as another infrastructure expansion story. It is a signal about how India is choosing to participate in the global artificial intelligence race. The United States is trying to build the most powerful […]

Op-Eds Opinion

UPI Everywhere But Cash Rising: What India’s Election Cycles Reveal About Political Cash Networks

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

Stand at almost any shop counter in India today and you will see the same sign: scan and pay. From metropolitan supermarkets to roadside tea stalls, retailers increasingly prefer digital settlement. They avoid the hassle of change, accounting becomes easier, and payments leave a clean record. Yet at the same time, official currency data shows […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Mohsin Naqvi Showed Up For Drama And Ran From Defeat

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

Mohsin Naqvi did not walk into the Pakistan team environment before the India match as a cricket administrator. He walked in as a spectacle. And like most spectacles, it worked perfectly until reality began. The build-up to the match had already been inflated far beyond sport. There was talk of boycott threats, political signalling and […]

International

Israel Restarts West Bank Land Registration

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

Israel has announced plans to restart land registration procedures in parts of the occupied West Bank, a move authorities say is intended to formalise property records while Palestinian groups warn it could reshape land ownership patterns. West Bank Land Registration Plan Israeli officials said the renewed process will map and officially document land parcels that […]

International

China Extends Visa Free Entry To UK Canada

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

China has expanded its visa-free entry programme to include Canada and the United Kingdom (UK), increasing the total number of eligible countries to 79 as part of efforts to boost travel, business activity and international exchanges. China Visa Free Entry Expansion to UK and Canada Authorities announced that citizens from the newly added countries will […]