VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Not seen or heard for two months: Where is Iran’s Supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei? ‘Meta reached out to interview me the same week…’: US founder asks what happened to employee retention Kerala election wrap-up: How UDF ended LDF’s 10-year rule | India News Connor McDavid NHL trade rumor connects Edmonton Oilers captain with Minnesota Wild future roster discussions Sebi proposes IPO, re-listed stock pricing revamp; aims to improve price discovery and reduce distortions Sachin Tendulkar’s daughter Sara Tendulkar slams paparazzi page over offensive body-shaming remark: ‘You are disgusting’ MS Dhoni misses entire IPL 2026 league stage for CSK, a first in tournament history Only 30 people live in this Spanish village which offers cheap land and a peaceful life in the hills to attract new residents | World News Wipro founder Azim Premji’s son buys Rs 45.7 cr Bengaluru home Anupam Kher called Mahesh Bhatt ‘the biggest fraud’ when he was removed from ‘Saaransh’: ‘I was crying inconsolably’ Inside her life after divorce with Donald Trump Jr. East Bengal end 22-year wait, lift national title by winning ISL I am from India but none of my firm partners is Indian: Attorney Rahul Reddy counters hate on social media Punjab health scheme provides Rs 522 crore in cashless treatment | India News Years after being declared cancer-free, Sanjay Dutt heads to Los Angeles for annual health check-up: Report 5 real estate hotspots near newly-opened Navi Mumbai Airport seeing massive growth Jeff Bezos vs New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani: How Amazon founder’s comment that doubling taxes is not gonna help that teacher in Queens got Mamdani ‘angry’ Boo of Jobs: Real anger about Artificial Intelligence at US convocations NEET (Representational) NEW DELHI: NTA director general Abhishek Singh on Thursday told the parliamentary panel that the NEET-UG 2026 paper was not leaked “through their system” and said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the matter.Several MPs on Thursday grilled top National Testing Agency (NTA) officials over the alleged NEET paper leak during a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports.The parliamentary panel had summoned senior education ministry officials, including education secretary Vineet Joshi, along with NTA chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi and DG Abhishek Singh. The NTA officials reportedly gave a detailed presentation on the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee report on reforms in the examination agency.As per PTI, several MPs questioned the NTA on the steps being taken to strengthen the examination system and prevent future paper leaks. Sources told the agency that when MPs asked how the NEET paper was leaked if not through the NTA system, and why the exam had to be cancelled and re-conducted, Singh did not give a direct answer and instead said the matter was under CBI investigation.The report said some opposition MPs demanded that the CBI probe report be placed before the committee, while BJP MPs objected, arguing that the agency should be allowed to function independently.The NTA informed the panel that around 70 per cent of the short-term measures recommended in the Radhakrishnan Report have already been implemented. Officials also said the agency is considering conducting NEET through a computer-based testing (CBT) platform in the future.Members of the panel also raised concerns over staff shortages in the NTA. According to sources quoted by PTI, the agency informed MPs that it currently faces around a 25 per cent staff shortage and that efforts are underway to fill vacancies systematically.After the meeting, panel chairperson and Congress MP Digvijaya Singh declined to disclose details of the deliberations, saying parliamentary committee proceedings are confidential. However, he later said the meeting “went off very well” and that members expressed concerns over the NEET paper leak.The NTA also briefed the committee on measures being taken to curb examination malpractices, including detailed SOPs for breach management, coordination with state administrations, and monitoring of social media platforms for suspicious activity.The NTA informed the panel that NEET-UG 2026 was conducted on May 3 at 5,432 centres across 565 cities, including 14 international cities. More than 22.7 lakh candidates had registered for the examination, while over 22.05 lakh appeared.The NTA reportedly told the committee that it received inputs regarding alleged malpractice on May 7, four days after the examination, and escalated the matter to central agencies on May 8. Following investigative findings shared by law-enforcement agencies, the decision was taken to cancel NEET-UG 2026 and conduct a re-test on June 21.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTMC Protests Against BJP Government Over Alleged Forced Eviction Of Hawkers In BengalTamil Nadu Cabinet Expansion: Congress MLAs Get Portfolios, Governor Stops Oath Praise Of LeadersNibe Successfully Tests Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition In Maiden TrialsCJP X Account Withheld In India After Crossing 200K Followers In Just Four Days | WatchFIR Sought Against Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Traitors’ Remark On PM Modi, Amit ShahAir India Flight AI2651 Hits Tail During Landing, Aircraft Grounded For Inspection At BengaluruViral Cockroach Janta Party Overtakes Congress And BJP In Instagram Followers Race | WatchPulwama Mastermind Hamza Burhan Killed By Unknown Gunmen In Pakistan-Occupied Jammu And KashmirAbhishek Banerjee Gets Interim Relief From Arrest Over Alleged Amit Shah Remarks’Thin Line Between Defamation & Criticism’: Delhi HC On Raghav Chadha’s Personality Rights Plea123Photostories5 real estate hotspots near newly-opened Navi Mumbai Airport seeing massive growthOptical illusion personality test: Fish, face or stars? 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Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan become first opening pair in IPL history to … Saif Ali Khan says Sharmila Tagore would be exasperated as Tiger Pataudi didn’t speak about his achievements: ‘Different brand of confidence’ Not an essential part of Eid: Calcutta HC refuses to stay cattle slaughter restrictions ahead of festival | India News The tiny piece of amber that proves Antarctica was once a green rainforest ‘Forced to convert and marry’: 23-year-old woman accuses man she met online abuse over years | India News ‘Never write them off’: Former cricketer backs Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to push for 2027 ODI World Cup Legal trouble or technical glitch, What led to the ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’ trailer launch being called off? 7 summer-perfect national parks in India promising an unforgettable escape; best time to visit and more Umar Khalid moves Delhi HC seeking 15-day interim bail after trial court rejected ‘unreasonable’ plea In 2021, a 4-year-old girl walking on a beach spotted a mark in a rock that turned out to be a dinosaur footprint Forced out by Taliban, Afghanistan refugee women’s cricket team to tour England next month | Cricket News IPL 2026 | Shubman Gill-Sai Sudharsan script history, equal Virat Kohli-Chris Gayle’s massive T20 feat Middle East crisis: 58,500 LPG connections surrendered for PNG, 96% deliveries now authenticated SSC CGL 2026 notification out for 12,256 vacancies; registration begins at for Group B and C posts Rashmika Mandanna designed her own Mangalsutra and chose unconventional orange saree for marriage with Vijay Deverakonda; reveals wedding planner Bill Gates loves this Indian food and it’s one of the world’s most popular dishes | Hello Mr Robinson: Why Great Britain is singing former football hooligan Tommy Robinson’s tune Older than we ever thought? 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BENGALURU: German auto technology supplier Bosch is increasingly looking at partnerships and joint ventures to accelerate development and market entry in newer mobility technologies, marking a shift from its traditionally in-house approach, its India managing director told TOI.The comments come a day after Bosch announced a joint venture with Wheels India and Brakes India, both part of the TSF Group, to develop electronically controlled and software-driven air systems for commercial vehicles.“Historically, Bosch has always done everything ourselves,” Bosch India MD Guruprasad Mudlapur told TOI. But he said the company is now seeing greater value in combining complementary strengths through partnerships, particularly in emerging automotive technologies.“The market outlooks and the strengths of companies on how we can complementarily put things together, be quick in the market, how we develop things can be a lot more dynamic and different in today’s environment when we partner,” he said.Mudlapur added that “this is a thought process which is now gaining widespread attention in the group.”While JVs are relatively new for Bosch India, they are not new to the German group globally. Bosch has long operated through partnerships in China across automotive electronics and mobility systems, including through United Automotive Electronic Systems, a long-running JV in the country’s automotive electronics market.Mudlapur also pointed to Bosch’s existing JV structures in China, saying the company has partnered with several large automotive players there over the years.The newly announced India JV will focus on electronically controlled systems for air compression, suspension and braking in commercial vehicles. Bosch will contribute electronics, software and controls capabilities, while the TSF Group brings expertise in hydraulics and pneumatics systems.Mudlapur said the partnership is primarily aimed at improving “speed to market”, while localisation may emerge as a “byproduct.” He also clarified that the JV was “not” a China-plus-one strategy.The venture will initially focus largely on exports, he said, as advanced electronically controlled braking and suspension systems are already more widely adopted in Western markets than in India.“It starts off largely with exports,” Mudlapur said, adding that the systems are currently more relevant in overseas commercial vehicle markets.Separately, Bosch said it remains cautious about geopolitical risks and crude oil volatility linked to the West Asia crisis, warning that higher fuel-price pass-throughs could eventually affect the broader economy and demand environment.Bosch India on Wednesday reported a 37.6% rise in net profit for the financial year 2025-26 at Rs 2,770 crore, while revenue from operations rose 10.8% to Rs 20,034 crore. For the March quarter, net profit rose 2.7% year-on-year to Rs 568 crore, while revenue increased 13.3% to Rs 5,566 crore.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP X Account Withheld In India After Crossing 200K Followers In Just Four Days | WatchFIR Sought Against Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Traitors’ Remark On PM Modi, Amit ShahAir India Flight AI2651 Hits Tail During Landing, Aircraft Grounded For Inspection At BengaluruViral Cockroach Janta Party Overtakes Congress And BJP In Instagram Followers Race | WatchPulwama Mastermind Hamza Burhan Killed By Unknown Gunmen In Pakistan-Occupied Jammu And KashmirAbhishek Banerjee Gets Interim Relief From Arrest Over Alleged Amit Shah Remarks’Thin Line Between Defamation & Criticism’: Delhi HC On Raghav Chadha’s Personality Rights PleaPrashant Kishor Shifts To Patna Ashram, Targets Nitish Kumar For Son’s Bihar Cabinet PositionIndia At UN Accuses Pakistan Of ‘Barbaric’ Kabul Hospital Airstrike During RamadanIndia Pushes Nuclear Expansion And SMR Manufacturing In Major Talks With US Delegation123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: Fish, face or stars? What you see first reveals if you are easy-going, deep connector or big-picture visionaryCoconut water vs coconut milk: Which works better for summer hair growth?5 enchanting villages in England that are straight out of a fantasy landTamannaah Bhatia’s red silk midi dress and emerald choker are a total fashion winHow to grow spinach at home faster than you think: Simple step-by-step guide for beginnersPapaya or Papaya Chaat: Which gives lower sugar spike and how to eat the fruit right7 coolest small towns in India to escape the summer heat in 2026The best flowers, herbs, and vegetables to plant in June in AustraliaSuccess quote of the day by Bill Gates: “I choose a lazy person to do a hard job, because…”5 beautiful and popular aquarium fish for beginners123Hot PicksBandra demolition driveIPL Schedule 2026Indian rupeeFalta VotingUK NET MigrationElon MuskTN Ministers ListTop TrendingTN Finance Minister Marie WilsonIPL Match TodayPappu SanaPM ModiHardik PandyaJEE Advanced Response SheetIPL Orange Cap 2026Conor McGregor Net WorthNEET UG Paper LeakWest Bengal Annapurna Yojana US stock markets today (May 21, 2026): Wall Street extends losses as oil prices rebound, Nvidia earnings fail to lift sentiment When Jaya Bachchan joked that Amitabh Bachchan might call their marriage the biggest mistake of his life, said she didn’t want granddaughter Navya to never get married 6 easy home remedies to remove termites from wooden furniture | Injury scare for CSK! Sanju Samson leaves field mid-match vs Gujarat Titans | Cricket News Oxford AI expert Michael Wooldridge says robot takeover fears miss Big Tech’s real danger ANI file photo The world India built its partnerships on is shifting and shifting fast.Washington is increasingly transactional, with tariffs and trade threats making America a partner India values but can no longer rely on exclusively. China remains India’s largest trading partner, but unresolved border tensions and a deepening strategic rivalry make dependence on China a risk New Delhi is actively working to reduce. And Russia, a friendship built over decades, is quietly fraying, the war in Ukraine has isolated Russia and made deep engagement with the Kremlin a diplomatic liability India can ill afford. Furthermore, Ongoing Middle East conflicts threaten India’s economic stability by disrupting energy, shipping, and expatriate welfare.So the question sitting at the heart of India’s foreign policy today is simple if not them, then who?The answer, with growing conviction in New Delhi, is Europe. And at the centre of India’s European bet is a partnership that in a telling sign of the times the internet noticed before the diplomats did.Clips of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of multilateral summits have generated millions of views across India and Europe. The warmth is visible and unscripted, two leaders who appear to genuinely enjoy each other’s company. And in the transactional world of modern diplomacy, that is rarer than it sounds.But here’s what most people scrolling past those clips don’t realise.While the world was watching the chemistry, India was building the architecture, a corridor anchoring Italy to India’s supply chain ambitions, and a free trade agreement with Europe that could be the most consequential economic deal India signs this decade.This is that story. Meloni, since taking office in 2022, has approached India not through the tired lens of old European paternalism but as what India actually is, a civilisational power, a manufacturing giant in the making, and a geopolitical force that Europe can no longer afford to treat as a developing-world afterthought. In Modi, she found a counterpart who prizes directness, responds to genuine respect, and brings his own extraordinary public reach to every room he enters.Their political instincts rhyme. Their audiences overlap more than either capital’s foreign ministry would formally acknowledge. And in an era where public sentiment shapes diplomatic momentum, two leaders who can generate popular interest in a bilateral relationship are a strategic asset to each other. People are watching. That matters!But behind the rapport lies something more durable than chemistry.India and Italy have not always been natural allies. For years, the relationship carried the weight of real damage. The AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam poisoned defence cooperation for nearly a decade. Italian firm Finmeccanica was blacklisted, contracts were cancelled, and the very mention of India-Italy defence ties conjured images of courtrooms rather than collaboration. Then came the Italian marines case, two soldiers accused of killing Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012, a legal battle that ground through international tribunals and strained diplomatic tempers on both sides.Trust, once bruised, is slow to heal. But it does heal.The Joint Strategic Plan of Action 2025–2029, agreed between the two governments, is not a declaration of goodwill. It is an operational roadmap covering defence, technology, energy, connectivity and trade. New frameworks for defence industrial cooperation are being built. Italy brings aerospace, naval and cybersecurity sophistication, India brings scale, ambition and a modernisation programme of historic proportions.On trade, bilateral exchange has crossed 16.77 billion US dollars, with a joint target of 20 billion euros by 2029. Italy is already India’s fourth largest trading partner within the European Union. Tata Motors’ 3.8 billion euro acquisition of the Iveco Group, the single largest Indian investment ever made on Italian soil, signals that this is no longer a relationship of pleasantries. India is planting flags in European manufacturing.Then there is IMEEC the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, perhaps the most geopolitically significant infrastructure initiative India has backed in recent years.IMEEC is an alternative to chokepoints. A hedge against disruption. A new artery connecting India through the Gulf and the Middle East all the way into Europe, building resilience into supply chains that the pandemic and geopolitical shocks have exposed as dangerously fragile.Italy is not merely a signatory to this corridor. It is its western anchor. The Sparkle-Airtel Blue-Raman submarine cable now live connects India digitally to the port of Genoa. That is not a metaphor. That is fibre optic infrastructure binding two economies in real time, with more to follow.For India, IMEEC is about energy security and supply chain sovereignty. For Italy, it is a generational opportunity to position itself as Europe’s gateway to the Indo-Pacific. Both sides need this to work. Both sides are invested in ways that go beyond formal commitment.And then there is the biggest prize of all.Speaking at the European Round Table for Industry in Gothenburg, Sweden attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and the continent’s most senior business leaders, Modi made India’s most direct and public pitch yet for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, stating that it will open new opportunities in trade, technology, manufacturing and resilient supply chains, while cementing India’s place as Europe’s most trusted economic partner. The pitch was comprehensive and deliberately forward-looking. PM Modi called for collaboration in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, electronics, clean energy, telecom infrastructure, mobility, healthcare and deep-tech manufacturing, framing the FTA not as a tariff negotiation but as the foundation for building diversified, resilient supply chains together. He also pointed to India’s young workforce as a structural advantage for Europe at a time when the continent is ageing and labour shortages are biting across key industries.The EU is the world’s largest single market. An FTA would give Indian exporters, manufacturers and services firms access to nearly 450 million high-income consumers, with Italy, as one of Europe’s largest economies and India’s most enthusiastic advocate within the bloc, positioning itself to be the agreement’s first mover.Italy isn’t just a friend inside Europe. It is, increasingly, India’s most effective voice inside the room where European trade policy is made.India and Italy have had their years of drift, their diplomatic bruises, their courtroom dramas. That history is real. In some quarters, the trust deficit lingers.But what the Modi-Meloni relationship represents today is something more durable than a summit or a viral clip. It is the consolidation of a recalibrated partnership built on interests that are no longer peripheral but strategic, and powered by two leaders who understand each other in ways that make officials in both foreign ministries move faster than they otherwise would.IMEEC provides the corridor. The FTA will provide the framework. The Modi-Meloni bond provides the political will to make both move.In a world where Washington is unpredictable, Beijing is complicated and Moscow is constrained, Europe is no longer India’s backup plan.Europe is the plan.About the AuthorDivya KocharEight years in the newsroom and still asking uncomfortable questions politely. She has interviewed politicians, defence experts, celebrities and international affairs specialists (100+ and counting), and somehow made all of them interesting. Believes great news shouldn’t need a dictionary. Travels a lot, reads too much, loves animals unconditionally and thinks peace is always the answer.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP X Account Withheld In India After Crossing 200K Followers In Just Four Days | WatchFIR Sought Against Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Traitors’ Remark On PM Modi, Amit ShahAir India Flight AI2651 Hits Tail During Landing, Aircraft Grounded For Inspection At BengaluruViral Cockroach Janta Party Overtakes Congress And BJP In Instagram Followers Race | WatchPulwama Mastermind Hamza Burhan Killed By Unknown Gunmen In Pakistan-Occupied Jammu And KashmirAbhishek Banerjee Gets Interim Relief From Arrest Over Alleged Amit Shah Remarks’Thin Line Between Defamation & Criticism’: Delhi HC On Raghav Chadha’s Personality Rights PleaPrashant Kishor Shifts To Patna Ashram, Targets Nitish Kumar For Son’s Bihar Cabinet PositionIndia At UN Accuses Pakistan Of ‘Barbaric’ Kabul Hospital Airstrike During RamadanIndia Pushes Nuclear Expansion And SMR Manufacturing In Major Talks With US Delegation123PhotostoriesOptical illusion personality test: Fish, face or stars? What you see first reveals if you are easy-going, deep connector or big-picture visionaryCoconut water vs coconut milk: Which works better for summer hair growth?5 enchanting villages in England that are straight out of a fantasy landTamannaah Bhatia’s red silk midi dress and emerald choker are a total fashion winHow to grow spinach at home faster than you think: Simple step-by-step guide for beginnersPapaya or Papaya Chaat: Which gives lower sugar spike and how to eat the fruit right7 coolest small towns in India to escape the summer heat in 2026The best flowers, herbs, and vegetables to plant in June in AustraliaSuccess quote of the day by Bill Gates: “I choose a lazy person to do a hard job, because…”5 beautiful and popular aquarium fish for beginners123Hot PicksBandra demolition driveIPL Schedule 2026Indian rupeeFalta VotingUK NET MigrationElon MuskTN Ministers ListTop TrendingTN Finance Minister Marie WilsonIPL Match TodayPappu SanaPM ModiHardik PandyaJEE Advanced Response SheetIPL Orange Cap 2026Conor McGregor Net WorthNEET UG Paper LeakWest Bengal Annapurna Yojana