India, US set to advance bilateral trade pact during Piyush Goyal visit

IANS | September 29, 2026 2:18 PM

New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) As India and the US aim to advance negotiations on a balanced and mutually beneficial Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's engagement with the US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer is being seen as key to achieve the trade deal faster.

India-New Zealand trade set to surge as FTA kicks in on Oct 20

IANS | September 29, 2026 1:38 PM

New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is set to come into force on October 20, aimed at doubling bilateral trade by 2030. Indian exporters are set to receive duty-free access to New Zealand across all tariff lines.

Global civil society outfits demand immediate release of human rights lawyers from Pakistan jails

IANS | September 29, 2026 1:05 PM

Islamabad, Sep 29 (IANS) A total of 15 international civil society organisations, including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), have voiced grave concern over the continued arbitrary detention of Pakistani human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, since January, despite the Supreme Court suspending their sentences and granting them bail.

Human rights abuses in PoK, PoGB by Pakistani authorities raised at UNHRC

IANS | September 29, 2026 12:38 PM

Geneva, Sep 29 (IANS) The United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) drew international attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) during the ongoing 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.