Belgium has given India assurances after New Delhi raised concerns over arms supplies to Pakistan, even as India-Belgium strategic ties enter a new phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in New Delhi, with defence, trade, technology, clean energy and critical minerals emerging as key areas of cooperation. The two sides are also pushing deeper defence-industrial cooperation, including collaboration linked to the Zorawar light tank, while India and Belgium aim to significantly expand bilateral trade.

The United States' FIFA World Cup campaign has come to a crushing end after Belgium stormed to a 4-1 victory, but the fallout has quickly expanded beyond football into politics, diplomacy and social media. The defeat has triggered a fresh wave of controversy after Iran appeared to take a veiled swipe at US President Donald Trump. An Iranian Football Federation spokesperson reacted to the American exit by declaring that the world was celebrating "politics' humiliating defeat by football," remarks widely interpreted as criticism of both political influence and the tournament's controversies. Adding to the drama, Belgium's players celebrated with a viral dance before the country's football federation posted the message "Overturn This" on social media, an apparent reference to FIFA's decision to overturn Folarin Balogun's automatic one-match suspension ahead of the knockout clash. WATCH