Daily Briefing: India-US trade talks today; Baby Ariha case back in spotlight

We have more on Merz’s visit in today’s edition, but first, an update on the India-US trade deal.

🚨 Big Story

India and the United States are set to discuss trade talks today, amid anticipation that the two countries are close to signing the first phase of the agreement. The newly appointed US Ambassador Sergio Gor stated on Monday that both sides “continue to actively engage” and are “determined” to reach a resolution.

Moreover, Gor also invited India to the Pax Silica initiative, a month after New Delhi was left out of it. The strategic initiative, seen as a counter to China’s grip on the global manufacturing supply chain, is focused on securing supply chains for AI infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. Ravi Dutta Mishra explains the importance of Pax Silica for India.

Second wind: Evidently, Gor struck a more conciliatory note than the US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who had recently blamed India for delays in concluding the deal. This signals that Gor’s appointment may mark a reset in India-US ties when mutual trust has taken a hit.

Pushing forward: Meanwhile, as India enhances its ties with Europe, it signed 19 pacts with Germany, which included roadmaps on defence industrial cooperation and a joint declaration on critical minerals and the semiconductor ecosystem. The two countries also agreed to a visa-free entry regime for Indians transiting through Germany. Besides, the two leaders also backed the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement as a key outcome of the upcoming EU-India summit on January 27.

⚡Only in Express

A Centre-appointed panel has proposed a major overhaul of India’s high school education system that would reduce students’ dependency on coaching classes. The proposal calls for limiting coaching classes to 2-3 hours a day and redesigning school curricula to prepare students for post-school competitive entrance exams such as JEE and NEET. Vidheesha Kuntamalla has more details.

📰 From the Front Page

Police records: Crime was at its peak in Bihar during the early 2000s and mid-2010s, contributing to its ‘Jungle Raj’ image. But the latest figures shared by the Bihar Director General of Police show that violent crimes, like murder and dacoity, fell to their lowest rates in 2025. However, cases of theft, burgalry and cybercrime saw an uptick.

Hit a snag: The PSLV rocket is largely billed as ISRO’s most successful launch vehicle. But two successive failures have raised doubts over its reliability. On Monday, the PSLV-C62 rocket, carrying an earth observation satellite and 15 other payloads, failed to reach its intended orbit.

What went wrong? The rocket appears to encounter problems in the third stage, i.e. when it moves in a sub-orbital trajectory around the Earth. Amitabh Sinha explains.

📌 Must Read

Heated: In 2023, a routine lunch break at the University of Colorado Boulder spiralled into something far bigger. When PhD student Aditya Prakash reheated his palak paneer in a shared microwave, a staff member complained about the “pungent” smell. Prakash stood his ground, but the matter was far from over. He and his partner were refused their Master’s degrees, prompting a civil lawsuit, alleging discrimination, which ended in a six-figure settlement with the university.

Stranger things: After the local body elections in Maharashtra, two bizarre cases captured national attention. In Ambernath and Akot, usual foes turned into unlikely allies — the BJP and Congress, and the BJP and AIMIM. National Opinion Editor Vandita Mishra writes that these local realities reveal India’s multi-layered polity. “Despite the political-ideological polarisation at the top, there is a fuzziness down below.” Read on.

⏳ And Finally…

‘Delhi Nights’: In New York, an abandoned railway line was transformed into a linear park, a green space amid the bustling city. Similarly, a decommissioned coal-fired power plant is now a neighbourhood favourite in London, hosting a blend of shops, bars, entertainment venues and parks. Now, Delhi has similar plans. The power department has proposed to redevelop the defunct Rajghat Thermal Power Plant into a nightlife hub with cafes, concerts and Sufi nights. Gayathri Mani brings you exclusive details.

🎧 I leave you with today’s ‘3 Things’ podcast episode, where we discuss the POCSO case against a shooting coach, gang violence in kabbadi and the row over a government-funded cancer research project in Madhya Pradesh.

That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta

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