Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories.
1. Trump Flexes Muscle in Middle East

The Iran-Israel conflict has entered a dangerous sixth day, and the U.S. is rapidly reinforcing its military posture. President Donald Trump warned Iran that America’s “patience is wearing thin,” claiming full control of the skies over Iran—signaling potential U.S. strikes on Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear site.

B-2 stealth bombers carrying GBU-57 bunker-busters remain on standby, while destroyers and carrier groups are repositioned across the Red Sea, Mediterranean, and Arabian Sea. Fighter jets and refueling tankers are active across the Middle East and Europe.

U.S. forces intercepted multiple Iranian missile strikes targeting Israel, while Israel pounded oil depots near Tehran. Death tolls are rising—224 civilians in Iran and 24 in Israel. Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” but stopped short of targeting the Iranian leader “for now.”

After years of tension, PM Modi and newly elected Canadian PM Mark Carney hit the reset button in Kananaskis, Canada, during the G7 Summit.

This was their first meeting since Carney took office and follows the diplomatic fallout over the 2023 killing of separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Both leaders emphasized shared values of democracy and cooperation on AI, energy, and counterterrorism.

They also agreed to restore full diplomatic representation, signaling a thaw in bilateral ties. Modi called Canada an important partner and highlighted growing investments on both sides.

MakeMyTrip is raising up to $3 billion to buy back shares from Chinese backer Trip.com, aiming to slash its voting power from 45.34% to below 20%.

The Indian travel platform will raise funds via equity and convertible senior notes—14 million shares are on offer, possibly rising to 16.1 million.

In a world increasingly wary of Chinese stakes in Indian tech, MMT’s move is both strategic and symbolic—asserting independence while positioning itself as an investor-diversified digital travel leader.

Israeli data analytics startup Coralogix is doubling down on India, deploying most of its $115M Series E funding to scale R&D, cybersecurity, and AI operations in the country.

India now ranks among Coralogix’s top three global markets. The company is expanding its Gurgaon HQ, planning a new Bengaluru office, and staffing aggressively in BFSI, edtech, and fintech sectors.

Its cybersecurity unit, SnowBit, already has its global HQ in India. With a projected $3.3B cybersecurity market in 2025, Coralogix is betting on India as both a tech talent hub and a revenue engine.

Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) is investing ₹12,000 crore to add 250 ktpa of zinc production in the first phase of its plan to double output to 2 million tonnes.

The expansion includes a new smelter in Debari, mine upgrades, and a sharp focus on cutting production costs to below $950/tonne in three years.

Beyond zinc, HZL is eyeing India’s rare earth opportunity, seeking permission to tap monazite reserves. With global supply chains shifting, HZL is positioning itself at the heart of India’s critical mineral strategy.

2. India, Canada Reset Ties at G7
3. MakeMyTrip Cuts Chinese Stake
4. Coralogix Goes All-In on India
5. Hindustan Zinc’s Mega Expansion

G7 Fractures Over Israel-Iran Conflict As missiles fly between Israel and Iran, G7 leaders are pushing for calm—but unity is cracking. A draft joint statement calls for deescalation and backs Israel’s right to defend itself, while vowing to safeguard energy market stability. But former U.S. President Donald Trump is yet to sign off. “They should talk and they should talk immediately,” Trump said, urging dialogue. UK PM Keir Starmer warned of global consequences if tensions spiral. Germany is drafting a communique demanding Iran be barred from acquiring nuclear weapons-capable materials. Trump, meanwhile, reignited debate over Russia’s expulsion from the G7, blaming it for today’s wars and even floated adding China to the bloc. “Putin speaks to me,” Trump said. “He doesn’t want to talk to anybody else.”

Netanyahu: Kill Khamenei to End War Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu made his boldest claim yet: assassinating Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would end the war—not escalate it. “The regime is very weak,” he said, calling Iran the architect of a “forever war.” Meanwhile, the battlefield widened. Israeli airstrikes hit Iran’s state-run TV building in Tehran during a live broadcast, disrupting coverage. Israel says it has destroyed nearly a third of Iran’s missile launchers and gained “full aerial superiority” over Tehran. Iran responded with another barrage of 100 missiles. The death tolls are climbing—224 in Iran, 24 in Israel—and hundreds more injured. With diplomacy frozen, fears of a wider regional war are intensifying.

Boeing Faces the Heat After Air India Tragedy Four days after the deadliest air crash in India in over a decade, Boeing’s leadership flew into crisis mode. Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, met with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran in Gurugram. Executives from GE Aerospace, maker of the aircraft’s engines, also joined. The London-bound Dreamliner crashed seconds after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing 241 of 242 people onboard. “This is the most heartbreaking crisis of my career,” Chandrasekaran told Air India staff, vowing to build a safer airline.With 33 Dreamliners already in its fleet and over 200 Boeing aircraft on order, Air India is at the epicenter of a global aviation reckoning.

Insurance Shock: ₹39,400 Cr Claim Rocks Industry India’s biggest aviation disaster is also one of its costliest insurance events. A $475 million (₹39,400 crore) claim is expected—$125 million for aircraft damage and $350 million in liability. “This could be one of the biggest aviation claims India has ever seen,” said Ramaswamy Narayanan of GIC Re, which insured Air India. Most of the financial burden, however, will fall on global reinsurers—since Indian firms offload 95% of aviation risk. Analysts warn the reinsurance market will harden, pushing premiums up across the industry.

IFC Backs India’s Mid-Market Rise India’s mid-cap dreams just got a $60 million boost. The World Bank’s investment arm, IFC, is investing in Motilal Oswal Alternates’ fifth fund—its largest bet yet on the PE firm—with an equal amount set aside for co-investments. The India Business Excellence Fund V G aims to raise $750 million and focus on growth-stage companies in financial services, consumer, manufacturing, and life sciences—including in tier-2 and tier-3 towns. “This is a strong signal to institutional investors,” said MO Alternates CEO Vishal Tulsyan. MO Alternates has delivered a 26.8% IRR on its first fund and backed notable names like Kreditbee, SK Finance, and Niva Bupa. IFC’s backing could supercharge both credibility and capital.

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