India News in Minutes | Oil prices are falling
Your daily essential | 21 September 2025 | 117th Edition
Good morning. It's Sunday. Here are today's essential stories.
Absolutely Essential to Know 🚨:
India and Canada Attempt to Rebuild Trust with NSA Talks
Japanese Agency Upgrades India's Sovereign Rating
Pneumonia Vaccine Recommendations Updated for Adults
And many more, read on…
Btw, here’s some music to accompany your read today. Hope you enjoy.
Our structure is simple:
The blocks are quick factual summaries as reported by news agencies.
Click "🔗" for a randomly selected source article from the many sources we referred.
Also, all our images are not original works of our journalists, but are sourced from elsewhere.
🇮🇳 Modi's Answer to Trump: "Our Real Enemy Is Dependence"
Speaking in Gujarat, PM Modi pushes for total 'Atmanirbharta' (self-reliance).
Declares foreign dependence is India's "biggest enemy," not any single country.
Stresses India must build its own "chips and ships" to be powerful.
Widely seen as a direct, defiant response to the H-1B fee hike.
Why It Matters: A classic political pivot. An external economic shock is instantly reframed as a domestic rallying cry for nationalism. It turns a diplomatic setback into a powerful justification for the 'Make in India' agenda.
💰 Bihar CM Transfers ₹2,920 Crore to Students' Accounts
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar transferred ₹2,920 crore via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The funds are for over 49 lakh students under various welfare schemes.
Schemes include those for bicycles, uniforms, and scholarships.
CM also launched education infrastructure projects worth nearly ₹959 crore.
The Bottom Line: A massive welfare payout just ahead of state assembly polls. While boosting education, the timing and scale of this DBT blitz is also a powerful piece of pre-election political messaging. When will we learn?!
🇨🇦 India and Canada Attempt to Rebuild Trust with NSA Talks
Indian NSA Ajit Doval met his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin in New Delhi.
Talks focused on counter-terrorism, organised crime, and intelligence sharing.
Both sides acknowledged a "clear momentum for rebuilding trust" after a period of strained relations.
Agreed to strengthen security cooperation and existing mechanisms of engagement.
The Context: This is another step after re-appointing high commissioners a few weeks ago. This is diplomatic code for "let's try not to publicly accuse each other of assassinations for a while." A necessary, if awkward, step towards normalising a relationship that went spectacularly off the rails.
📈 Japanese Agency Upgrades India's Sovereign Rating
Japanese credit rating agency 'Rating and Investment Information (R&I)' has upgraded India's sovereign rating.
The new rating is 'BBB+', indicating a stable outlook.
This upgrade reflects confidence in India's economic fundamentals and growth prospects.
A positive rating can attract more foreign investment by lowering the perceived risk.
Why It Matters: While the world frets about trade wars and instability, at least one major ratings agency is betting on India's long-term economic story. It's a small but significant vote of confidence.
🏏 Australia Clinches ODI Series Despite Smriti Mandhana's Heroics
Australia defeated India by 43 runs in the final Women's ODI in New Delhi, winning the series 2-1.
Australia posted a mammoth total of 412, powered by Beth Mooney's 75-ball 138.
India's Smriti Mandhana scored a spectacular century off just 50 balls in the chase.
Despite a brave fight from Deepti Sharma (72), the target proved too daunting.
The Takeaway: A heartbreaking loss for India, but a phenomenal showcase for cricket. Mandhana's innings was world-class, proving the Indian team has the firepower, even if the consistency isn't quite there yet.
🗳️ DUSU Elections Marked by Court Verdicts and Malpractice Claims
Voting for the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections took place on Thursday amid heavy security.
The election day was shadowed by a recent court verdict and allegations of malpractice from rival student groups.
The Delhi High Court had earlier pulled up several candidates for violating orders on victory processions.
DUSU elections are often seen as a bellwether for national youth political sentiment.
Aryan Maan claimed the President seat.
The Bottom Line: DUSU elections are a microcosm of Indian politics: loud, contentious, and full of accusations. It's the training ground for the next generation of political operatives, and they're learning the ropes early.
🪔 Dasara Poets' Conference to be Held in Mysuru
The annual Dasara poets' conference is scheduled to be held in Mysuru.
The event will take place from 23 to 27 September.
It is a key cultural component of the famous Mysuru Dasara festivities.
The conference brings together poets from across the region to celebrate literature and tradition.
The Cultural Beat: A reminder that amidst the political noise and economic anxieties, the deep-rooted cultural traditions that define regions like Mysuru continue to thrive, providing a sense of continuity and celebration.
💉 Pneumonia Vaccine Recommendations Updated for Adults
New medical guidelines now recommend pneumonia vaccines for adults starting at age 50.
This is a change from previous recommendations which typically targeted older age groups.
The shift reflects a preventative approach to public health, aiming to protect adults earlier.
Why It Matters: Public health guidelines aren't static. This change reflects an evolving understanding of risk and prevention, and it's a nudge for those entering their 50s to add another item to their health checklist.
📉 Oil Prices Dip Amid Oversupply Concerns
Global oil prices declined on Friday, 20 September.
The fall was attributed to concerns over large supplies and weakening global demand.
This happened despite a recent interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, which was expected to boost consumption.
The market sentiment suggests fears of a slowing economy are outweighing monetary policy stimuli.
The Economic Indicator: Oil prices are a fever chart for the global economy. This dip suggests that traders are more worried about a potential global slowdown than they are optimistic about the impact of cheaper borrowing.
The Brighter Side of the Subcontinent
🏸 Satwik-Chirag Storm into China Masters Final
Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty reached the men's doubles final of the China Masters 2025.
They defeated Malaysian former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in a straight-game semifinal victory.
The scoreline was a commanding 21-17, 21-14.
This marks their second consecutive final on the BWF World Tour.
The Winning Streak: After a period of mixed results, India's top men's doubles pair is back to their dominant best. They are consistently beating the world's elite pairs and playing with formidable confidence.
⚛️ Jamia Researchers Win Top UK Award for Black Hole Papers
Prof. Sushant Ghosh and Dr. Misbah Afreen from Jamia Millia Islamia have won a "Highly Cited Paper Award" from IOP Publishing, UK.
Their two papers on black holes and gravity were among the most cited globally in their field.
Jamia researchers bagged two of the three awards given in this category across India.
The award recognises research that has had a significant impact on the global scientific community.
The Big Deal: This is a major accolade in the world of theoretical physics. It confirms that research being done in an Indian university is not just participating in, but actively shaping, the global conversation on fundamental science.
♟️ Marium Fatima Becomes Bihar's First Woman FIDE Master
Chess player Marium Fatima from Muzaffarpur has achieved the title of Woman FIDE Master (WFM).
She is the first woman from the state of Bihar to earn this prestigious chess title.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for the sport in the state.
The Director General of the Bihar State Sports Authority lauded her accomplishment.
The Trailblazer: A fantastic achievement that breaks new ground. It not only brings personal glory but also creates a new role model for aspiring chess players, especially girls, in a region not traditionally seen as a chess powerhouse.
Around The World in 600 Words
⚔️ Russia Unleashes Massive Attack on Ukraine, Poland Scrambles Jets
Russia launched one of its largest recent aerial attacks, with missiles and drones hitting nine Ukrainian regions.
At least three people were killed and dozens wounded in the barrage.
Poland, a NATO member, scrambled its own and allied aircraft in response to attacks near its border.
Ukraine hit back, with a drone attack causing large fires at Russia's Saratov oil refinery, deep inside Russian territory.
The Escalation: This is a dangerous tit-for-tat. Russia terrorises Ukrainian cities, and in response, Ukraine demonstrates its growing ability to strike strategic economic targets far behind enemy lines. Meanwhile, NATO is on high alert.
🇵🇹 Portugal to Formally Recognise Palestinian State
Portugal announced it will officially recognise the State of Palestine on 21 September.
The move comes ahead of a UN General Assembly conference on Palestinian statehood.
It joins a growing list of European countries, including France and the UK, that plan to recognise Palestine.
The decision concludes a nearly 15-year political debate within Portugal.
Connect the Dots: This is part of a coordinated diplomatic wave, primarily from European nations, to push for a two-state solution through recognition. It's a strategic move to create new political realities on the ground via international consensus.
Stay sharp,
The OneRead Team
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