HT Evening Brief Sept 17: Tata Sons' U-turn on Chandrasekaran; Pakistan's hockey venue row

India said it will take all necessary steps to protect its trade and economic interests after the US House passed a Russia sanctions bill that could impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil. Meanwhile, the Kremlin warned that the sanctions could complicate Ukraine peace talks, while developments surrounding Tata Sons, Shehzad Poonawalla, Travis Kelce and the Asian Champions Trophy also made headlines. Here’s a quick catch-up on today’s top stories in our news brief.

India vows to protect trade interests

India said on Thursday it will take all necessary steps to protect its trade and economic interests after the US House of Representatives passed a sweeping sanctions bill on Russia, allowing the Trump administration to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five purchasers of Russian oil

The US House of Representatives voted 262-159 to pass the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which will likely target India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan.

“The Indian side has also made clear its determination to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests,” the ministry said in a statement without giving details of the proposed steps. “Government will work closely with Indian trade and industry bodies to deal with the implications of these developments.” Read full story.

Russia warns of tougher Ukraine talks

After the United States passed a fresh bill to sanction the purchase of Russian crude, the Kremlin warned on Thursday that the bill would have an impact on the negotiations to end the Ukraine war.

Speaking to reporters during a press briefing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the new sanctions imposed by the US will make reaching a deal for Ukraine “harder.”

New trilateral talks between Kyiv, Washington and Moscow are expected to be held in October. This meeting also comes after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Kyiv and Moscow in September as part of an attempt to revive peace talks. Read full story.

Tata Sons reappoints Chandrasekaran: Report

The board of India's Tata Sons has reportedly approved a fresh five-year term for N Chandrasekaran as executive chairman, reversing his decision last month not to seek reappointment.

The reasons for the change were not immediately clear, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter on Thursday. HT could not independently verify the report.

An official statement from the company is awaited. Chandrasekaran's current term is ending on February 20 next year. Read full story.

Shehzad Poonawalla joins ‘Rise and Fall’ Season 2

Former BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla is set to join reality TV show ‘Rise and Fall.’ The politician's participation in the Prime Video show was confirmed after a trailer for the second season aired online on social media.

Poonawalla's participation in the reality TV show also comes after his exit from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The political commentator quit the BJP earlier this year in August. Speaking to reporters, the spokesperson said he submitted his resignation after “long and hard contemplation." Read full story.

Travis Kelce named in $35-million Ponzi scheme case

Taylor Swift's husband and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was among the victims allegedly duped in a $35 million Ponzi scheme run by Indian-origin man Siddharth Jawahar, who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Jawahar had pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud in January in the US District Court in St. Louis, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, according to a Reuters report.

According to court documents, Jawahar is from India and had been living in the US without legal status since 2005, The Associated Press reported. Read full story.

Hockey India rejects Pakistan's venue request

Pakistan on Wednesday requested that the Asian Hockey Federation move the Asian Champions Trophy to a neutral venue to ensure the team's "uninterrupted" participation in the tournament after refusing to travel to India, citing "a sensitive bilateral situation". However, Hockey India refused to entertain any requests on the matter.

Speaking to the news agency PTI, Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, who is also an Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) vice-president, said there will be no change in venue. Read full story.