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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know US-India News India Times (February 28, 2026 - March 6, 2026) March 6, 2026 5 U.S. Trade Action Deals Blow To Indian Solar Makers I ndia’s plans to strengthen its position in the U.S. solar market face a setback afterWashington moved to impose steep countervailing duties on solar cells and panels shipped from some Asian hubs, analysts and industry representatives said. The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday (Feb, 24,2026) determined that manufacturers operating in India, Indonesia and Laos benefited from wide-ranging state support that skewed competition in the world’s most attractive clean-energy markets. Indian exporters to the U.S. face duties of 126% just as New Delhi courts investment from solar companies and positions itself as an alternative to China. Shares of India’s top solar panel maker, Waaree Ener- gies, tanked 10%, while Premier Energies and Vikram Solar fell 5% and 4%, respectively as of 0449 GMT on Wednesday. “The preliminary U.S. countervailing duties are a major setback for Indian solar manufacturers that relied heavily on exports to the U.S. market,” said Rajan Kalso- tra, Senior Consultant at EUPD Research. Analysts warn that the lack of viable export markets could drive Indian module makers to push their stocks into the domestic market, leading to oversupply. India has expanded module manufacturing capac- ity beyond 160 gigawatt (GW) as of January 2026, with additional capacity planned, while near-term domestic demand is expected to remain around 40 to 45 GW annu- ally, according to EUPD. “With the U.S. accounting for the overwhelming share of exports, producers now face a dual dilemma of excess capacity and restricted market access,” Kalsotra said. The ruling is only the first step in a broader trade action initiated last year by a group of American solar manufacturers. A separate decision, due next month, will determine whether exporters in the three countries also slashed prices below production cost – a finding that could lead to another round of anti-dumping penalties. -Reuters By Sethuraman N R PHOTO:REUTERS/FRANCIS MASCARENHAS./ FILE PHOTO A drone view of solar panels and the NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) power plant in Solapur, India, March 2, 2025. Modi Visits Israel As US-Iran Tensions Mount I ndia’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel onWednesday (Feb.25, 2026) for a two-day visit that both countries have cast as a chance to deepen rela- tions, as regional concerns mount over the risk of military conflict between the United States and Iran. In an address to the Israeli parliament, Modi told law- makers that India stood with Israel “with full conviction” as he shared his nation’s condolences over the October 2023 Hamas attack. “Like you, we have a consistent and uncompromis- ing policy of zero tolerance for terrorism, with no double standards,” he said. Both Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- tanyahu, who also addressed the parliament, spoke of terrorist attacks that their nations had faced, with Netan- yahu saying India and Israel both faced the challenge of confronting “radical Islam”. Some opposition lawmakers briefly walked out of the special session, protesting at the speaker’s decision not to invite the head of the Supreme Court, but returned for Modi’s remarks. Netanyahu’s right-wing government, which the speaker belongs to, has had a confronta- tional relationship with the court. Modi became the first prime minister in India’s history to visit Israel in 2017, during which he and Netanyahu took a barefoot stroll on a beach in the northern port city of Haifa. Both still in power nearly nine years later, the two leaders, who describe one another as friends, are expected to hold talks on arti- ficial intelligence as well as defense at a time when Israel is seeking to increase its military exports. An Israeli government official said Modi’s visit would “pave the way for new partner- ships and collaborations across many fields.” Bilateral ties were on the cusp of a significant upgrade, an Israeli foreign ministry official said. US MILITARY BUILDUP NEAR IRAN Modi is visiting as the United States de- ploys a vast naval force near Iran’s coast ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic, with the two countries at an impasse in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. The Pentagon has also deployed an aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, bound for Israel’s coast. A U.S. attack on Iran could draw Iranian retalia- tion against Israel as well as U.S. military facilities in Gulf Arab countries, where millions of Indians live and work and send home billions of dollars of remit- tances each year. In his speech to lawmakers, Modi spoke about the challenges facing stability in the region, acknowl- edging that the landscape had become more chal- lenging in recent years, but made no mention of the U.S. military build-up, or of Iran. He backed the U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza, telling the parliament that it could lead to peace “for all people of the region, including by addressing the Palestinian issue.” “The road to peace is not always easy. But India joins you and the world for dialogue, peace and stability in this region,” Modi said. -Reuters By Alexander Cornwell PHOTO:REUTERS/SHIRTOREM PHOTO:REUTERS/SHIRTOREM PHOTO:REUTERS/ILAN ROSENBERG India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend a welcome ceremony upon Modi’s arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel February 25, 2026. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Netanyahu’s wife Sara Netanyahu attend a welcome ceremony upon Modi’s arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel February 25, 2026. A drone photo of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, is illuminated in the colours of the Indian flag to mark the two-day visit by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Jerusalem, February 25, 2026.