India is not part of the initial grouping. Some see this as a snub. Others say it doesn’t matter. Both reactions miss the point. The issue is not optics. It’s whether India is moving fast enough to be treated as a partner rather than a customer.

Alam Sheikh’s elder brother, Nabi Sheikh — also a local leader of the Trinamool Congress — said the family had apprehensions after Panna Sheikh returned to the village.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced a three-nation tour in Jordan, marking 75 years of diplomatic ties. He will then visit Ethiopia, a key African Union hub, to bolster bilateral relations and address Parliament. The tour concludes in Oman, aiming to deepen their strategic partnership and economic ties, with engagements including diaspora meetings.