Indian tourists may enjoy visa-free travel to Russia starting spring 2025, following discussions between the two nations. The proposed bilateral agreement aims to ease travel for group tourism. Since August 2023, Indian travelers have accessed e-visas, processed within four days, contributing to India being among the top five e-visa recipients. In 2023, over 60,000 Indians visited Moscow, a 26% increase from 2022. Currently, Russia offers visa-free entry to Chinese and Iranian citizens. Indian passport holders already have visa-free access to 62 countries. The initiative reflects growing ties between India and Russia in tourism and trade.

Indian-origin CEO Aravind Srinivas, founder of Perplexity AI, sparked a viral conversation on X by asking his followers if he should apply for a green card after waiting three years for US citizenship. Musk responded with a simple "Yes," offering support to Srinivas, who has expressed frustration with the US immigration system. Srinivas, an IIT Madras graduate and former OpenAI researcher, has built a successful AI company backed by investors like Jeff Bezos. His post prompted many reactions, with Musk previously criticizing the US system's difficulty for talented professionals to secure legal entry, contrasting it with easier access for criminals.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stressed the need for a fresh foreign policy to align with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat. Speaking at the launch of India’s World magazine in New Delhi, he explained that India must adapt its foreign policy to the evolving global landscape. He linked past policies to the "Nehru development model" and highlighted changes in international relations, technology, and globalisation. Jaishankar urged a practical and realistic approach to meet current challenges. He emphasised that foreign policy reforms are essential for India to achieve its goal of becoming a leading power and a developed nation.

An Indian student, 26-year-old Naga Sri Vandana Parimala, was killed in a car accident in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, early Friday morning. Parimala, who was pursuing a Master of Science (MS) at the University of Memphis, was traveling with two fellow students when their car collided with another vehicle. She was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries. Parimala, originally from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India, moved to the US in 2022. The other students, Pavan and Nikith, were also hospitalized, with Pavan in critical condition. Authorities believe one vehicle failed to stop, causing the crash.

Suchir Balaji, an Indian-American former OpenAI researcher, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26. His death has been ruled a suicide, with no foul play suspected. Balaji, 26, had left OpenAI in August after criticizing the company’s data collection and use of copyrighted materials to train AI models like ChatGPT. He raised concerns about the ethical implications of generative AI, stating that such models could infringe on copyright laws. His death has intensified discussions about the legal and ethical challenges surrounding AI technologies.

As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, stricter immigration policies are set to be enforced, with 18,000 undocumented Indians facing deportation. A list compiled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveals that 1.45 million people are slated for deportation, including many from Punjab, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. Over 90,000 Indians have been apprehended crossing the border illegally in recent years. India, classified as "uncooperative" in deportation efforts, may face diplomatic challenges as Trump aims to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26, reportedly by suicide. Balaji, a University of California, Berkeley graduate, accused OpenAI in October of copyright violations, claiming the company scraped copyrighted content to train its models. A prominent programmer, he placed 31st in the ACM ICPC 2018 World Finals and won major contests. He worked at Scale AI, Helia, and Quora before OpenAI, where he contributed to ChatGPT development. Balaji’s critique focused on generative AI's adverse effects on the internet and reliance on "fair use" for justification. Investigations found no foul play.

Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher and whistleblower, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26. Police discovered his body after friends raised concerns about his well-being. Authorities suspect suicide, with no evidence of foul play. Balaji had accused OpenAI of copyright violations, claiming its AI models, including ChatGPT, harmed the internet ecosystem by using copyrighted material without authorization. His statements fueled lawsuits against OpenAI by authors and journalists. In his last social media post, Balaji criticized generative AI's reliance on “fair use” claims. Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to the news with a cryptic "hmm."

Switzerland has revoked India's 'Most Favoured Nation' (MFN) status following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling in the Nestle case. The court decided that the MFN clause in the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) does not apply automatically when a country joins the OECD. As a result, Switzerland will raise the tax on dividends from 5% to 10% for Indian entities starting January 1, 2025. Experts warn this will increase tax liabilities for Indian companies in Switzerland and may affect Swiss investments in India.

The High Commission of India in London hosted a joyous Christmas reception on December 12, 2024, welcoming the Apostolic Nuncio to the UK, H.E. Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, along with members of the UK Parliament, Lords, Councillors, business leaders, media personalities, and the Indian Diaspora. High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and Archbishop Buendía lit the Christmas tree and cut the Christmas cake, marking the festive occasion. The evening was enhanced by a "Jazz and Carols" concert featuring renowned Indian tenor Anand Mukherjee and Bernardi Music, filling the celebration with soul-stirring melodies.