🇮🇳Week of September 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the BRICS summit that India is focused on four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. He warned against the weaponisation of critical minerals, speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the room.123

The summit produced a New Delhi Declaration that foreign journalists covering the event described as a breakthrough and a good move. The declaration found consensus on the Iran war but left the United States, Israel and Iran unnamed.45

Attributed claim: The Wire reported that the BRICS consensus on the Iran war omitted naming the United States, Israel and Iran, while ThePrint reported that several foreign journalists welcomed the New Delhi Declaration as a breakthrough and a good move. The two accounts differ in emphasis: one highlights the omission of names, the other the positive reception.45

President Donald Trump said he does not regret starting the war with Iran, even as the conflict weighs on the midterm elections. He also said the war will end after the U.S. midterm elections and threatened to attack Pickaxe Mountain. The U.S. is simultaneously dialing up economic pressure on Iran.123

Trump's top advisers have confronted the possibility that the Iran war lasts through the end of his term. The war has created a midterm election problem for Trump, according to Al Jazeera. The economic pressure campaign includes Operation Economic Outcast, which the U.S. Treasury said strikes Iran's global terrorist proxy network.456

Trump called off talks with Iran as Tehran doubled down on its leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. The move signals a hardening of positions on both sides.7

The Trump administration has proposed scrapping the 60-day grace period that currently allows laid-off H-1B workers in the United States to remain in the country while seeking new employment or changing status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) put forward the proposal, which would affect foreign workers after job loss. The change would apply to H-1B and other work visa holders.1234

Under the current rule, workers on H-1B visas who lose their jobs are given a 60-day grace period to find a new sponsor, change to another visa category, or prepare to leave the US. The proposal would eliminate that window, potentially forcing laid-off workers to leave the country immediately. Indian tech workers, who make up a large share of H-1B holders, would be significantly affected.15

The proposal is part of a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration that has targeted Indian tech workers. The move is seen as a double blow to Indian professionals in the US, alongside other recent immigration restrictions. The administration has not yet finalized the rule, and it would likely face legal challenges if implemented.5

The Allahabad High Court reprimanded Noida District Magistrate Medha Roopam over the detention of a student under the National Security Act (NSA), calling the situation an "Orwellian Dystopia" and her conduct "worthy of derision." The court ordered the release of the detained activist, a Delhi University graduate held in connection with a Noida workers' protest.1234

Noida District Magistrate Medha Roopam has moved the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court order that reprimanded her for the student's NSA detention. The appeal challenges the High Court's findings and its criticism of her conduct in the case.567

The High Court's order described the detention as an example of arbitrary arrest and warned that despotic officers would turn Uttar Pradesh into an Orwellian state. The court's remarks were framed as a timely rap on the misuse of preventive detention laws.834

The Times of India reported that the Noida DM is paying a price for NSA misuse, detailing how the activist's detention fell apart in court. The report highlighted the legal scrutiny that led to the student's release.9

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit to seek a reset in India-China relations. The meeting took place as both leaders attended the summit's first day events.1234

Modi told Xi that peace on the border is key to India-China ties, saying differences should not become disputes. Xi skipped a gala dinner hosted by Modi on the first day of the BRICS summit.526

Xi used the summit to pitch his vision for artificial intelligence as China competes with the United States on the technology. The BRICS summit serves as a venue for China to advance its AI agenda amid its rivalry with the US.7

The meeting between Modi and Xi aimed to reset ties and keep disputes at bay, with both sides seeking to manage differences. The interaction was part of broader diplomatic efforts on the BRICS sidelines.89