Apr 13 – Apr 19
Gene drives and malaria: how altered mosquitoes could reshape disease control
Scientists are advancing gene drive technology as a potential tool to eliminate or reduce populations of malaria-carrying *Anopheles* mosqui...
From lab to market: IISc team, surgeon develop dissolving stent to cut 2nd surgeries
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in collaboration with a clinical surgeon, have developed a biodegradable (...
India moves closer to opening nuclear power sector to foreign investment as AEC cleared FDI policy: Official
The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has cleared a new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy for the nuclear power sector, marking a signific...
India extends OCI card eligibility in Sri Lanka to sixth generation
India has extended Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card eligibility to sixth-generation Indian-origin Tamils in Sri Lanka, a historic policy...
Deceptively benign: On retail inflation, oil-import-dependency
India's retail inflation (CPI) rose to 3.4% in March 2026, remaining below the Reserve Bank of India's medium-term target of 4%, but analyst...
Southern States’ combined representation will increase from 23.76% to 23.90% in LS after delimitation, says Anurag Thakur
Three interconnected Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha in April 2026: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Union Territories ...
Iran not planning to attend talks with U.S. in Pakistan
Iran indicated on 19 April 2026 that it has not decided whether to participate in a new round of diplomatic talks with the United States, fo...
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un oversees ballistic missile tests
North Korea's supreme leadership oversaw the testing of a specialised missile warhead system, with the tests described as proof that years o...
First South Korean state visit in 8 years as President Lee Jae-myung lands in Delhi
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on April 19, 2026, for a three-day state visit — the first state-level visit by a ...
Chaos Erupts in Hormuz After Trump Claimed Iran Deal is Imminent
Iran moved to restrict and charge tolls on commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response to a continued US naval blocka...
Export disruption hits ‘Bangalore Rose’ onion farmers; MP seeks urgent support
Farmers cultivating the 'Bangalore Rose' onion variety in Karnataka's Chickballapur district and surrounding areas of the Kolar cluster (Kar...
We know how to bring debt under control, improve finances of Tamil Nadu: Edappadi Palaniswami
The delimitation question — the redrawing of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituency boundaries based on population — has become a central...
Gig workers social security scheme may have multiple fund managers
The Ministry of Labour and Employment is actively designing the implementation architecture for a social security scheme covering gig and pl...
South Korea working with India to secure Hormuz, security of key maritime routes essential for survival of both nations: President Lee
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung undertook a three-day state visit to India, holding a bilateral summit with India's Prime Minister — t...
Finance ministry may review MOOWR benefits for battery storage imports
The Finance Ministry is convening discussions to review the application of the MOOWR (Manufacture and Other Operations in Warehouse Regulati...
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrives for three-day state visit; 'Special Strategic Partnership' in focus
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on April 19 for a three-day state visit (April 19–21, 2026), his first official vi...
How DMK’s resistance to Centre’s proposed delimitation evokes the language debates of 1950s and 60s
The Centre has introduced the Delimitation Bill, 2026 (along with the Constitution 131st Amendment Bill, 2026) to redraw parliamentary and a...
Expert Explains | India’s nuclear pivot: FBRs the future, PHWRs to anchor growth until technology matures
The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, achieved first criticality on 6 April 2026 at 8:25 PM IST — a landmark e...
From Gaza to southern Lebanon, how Israel’s ‘Yellow Line’ is redrawing the Levant’s security map
Israel has announced the establishment of a "Yellow Line" — a military buffer zone approximately 10 kilometres deep inside southern Lebanon ...
India’s March crude oil imports lowest in 5 years as West Asia conflict chokes key transit route
India's crude oil imports in March 2026 fell to 18.9 million tonnes, a 2.6% decline — the lowest monthly import volume in five years. The pr...
Attack on Indian-flagged ships heighten uncertainty over Hormuz passage and trade flows
Two Indian-flagged vessels — the VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) Sanmar Herald and the bulk carrier Jag Arnav — were fired upon by Iranian g...
India summons Iran’s Ambassador over shooting incident on Indian vessel in Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Fathali to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on April ...
India, US to resume trade talks in Washington from April 20: Here’s what has changed
India and the US resumed trade negotiations in Washington from April 20, 2026, with a three-day round of talks focused on finalizing the fir...
Vice President Radhakrishnan calls on Sri Lankan President Dissanayake, discusses energy sector cooperation
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan undertook a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka (April 19–20, 2026), meeting President Anura Kumara Dissana...
Ethanol glut spurs flex-fuel demand
India's ethanol industry has built production capacity of nearly 2,000 crore litres per year, with an additional 400 crore litres of capacit...
Pakistan tightens security in Islamabad ahead of U.S.-Iran talks
Security in Islamabad was tightened ahead of a second round of direct US-Iran diplomatic talks scheduled to resume on April 21, 2026, hosted...
Study assesses risks from hanging glaciers in Central Himalaya
A new study published in the journal *npj Natural Hazards* (2026) identifies 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin of Uttarakhand (Cen...
Modernizing the ledger: Inside the quest to solidify India’s economic data
On February 27, 2026, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released a new series of GDP estimates with base year ...
Blue Origin achieves first landing of reused New Glenn rocket booster
On April 19, 2026, a heavy-lift orbital rocket successfully reflew a previously used first-stage booster for the first time, landing it on a...
Govt. constitutes panel for implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026
The Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a state-level committee under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary to oversee the implem...
Govt says El Nino threat to agri sector manageable due to better irrigation and reserves
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its first long-range forecast for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon on 13 April 2026, predicting b...
Trump says U.S. negotiators will be in Pakistan on April 20 for talks with Iran
A fresh round of US–Iran negotiations is scheduled for April 20 in Islamabad, Pakistan, following the breakdown of earlier Islamabad Talks (...
Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool: Underwriting capacity to be created will be inadequate: Industry experts
The Union Cabinet approved the creation of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMI Pool), backed by a sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore. ...
West Bengal BJP leader Dinesh Trivedi expected to be new Indian envoy to Bangladesh
The Government of India appointed Dinesh Trivedi, a former Union Minister, as the new High Commissioner to Bangladesh, replacing career dipl...
Iran says final deal still far off as Hormuz Strait shuttered
Iran re-imposed a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, 2026, hours after having briefly reopened it following a ceasefire agree...
Rationalisation of voters in Lok Sabha constituencies: A look at seats with highest and lowest no. of voters
In Parliament's debate on the Delimitation Bill, 2026, the Union Home Minister argued that large and unequal electorates prevent Members of ...
CAFE 3: Car prices to rise up to ₹1.25 lakh; ₹1.48 lakh cr industry impact
India's Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency Phase III (CAFE III) norms are set to take effect from April 1, 2027, running through March 31, 20...
Indian tanker clears Hormuz as two vessels turn back after firing
The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker Desh Garima, carrying 31 Indian seafarers, successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, 2026...
Delimitation decoded: What the Centre tried to do, why opposition shot it down & what happens next
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, receiving 298 votes in favour against the 352...
'Factually Abused Quackery': Congress' dig at government FAQs on women's quota bill
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — which would have expanded Lok Sabha to 850 seats and enabled the delimitation required to ac...
Cong demands implementation of women's quota law on current LS strength, marches to BJP office
Following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha, multiple opposition parties staged protests demanding im...
Govt may hike FDI limit in pension sector; Bill likely in Monsoon Session
The central government is considering raising the FDI cap in the pension sector from 49% to 100%, mirroring the liberalization recently carr...
Opposition plans to move fresh notice seeking removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Opposition parties in Parliament have drafted a fresh notice seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, after t...
NMC draft norms proposes single-state licence for AFMS doctors to practice across country
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued draft amendments to the Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medic...
58 Jamaat-e-Islami-linked private schools taken over by J&K govt
The Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered the takeover of management committees of 58 functional private schools found to have direct or ...
Census portal shows Chinese name for Arunachal Pradesh town; issue fixed, say officials
A resident of Pasighat in East Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, flagged that the self-enumeration map on the official Census 2027 portal (...
Iran-Israel war LIVE: Strait of Hormuz to stay closed until port blockade lifts, Iran says
The Strait of Hormuz remained under Iranian military control on April 19, 2026, as Iran maintained its position that the waterway would stay...
In a first, migratory honey bees get ‘warm womb’ to stay back in winters in Kashmir
Scientists at CSIR-IIIM (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine), Pulwama, have developed ...
Cabinet clears Rs 12,980 crore maritime insurance pool to cut costs
The Union Cabinet approved the creation of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMI Pool), backed by a sovereign guarantee of Rs 12,980 crore...
PM Modi flays Opposition for women's quota bill defeat
The Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at fast-tracking women's reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies was defeated in the Lok Sabha o...
Tenth Indian-flagged ship crosses Hormuz, two others fired at by IRGC
The tenth Indian-flagged ship successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz even as the IRGC (Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) opened f...
10th Indian ship crosses Strait amid firing by Iranian gunboats
A tenth Indian-flagged vessel successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Arabian Sea, even as Iranian gunboats opened fire ...
Strait of Hormuz closure economic terrorism… is impacting India too: UAE minister
UAE's Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber — also the Managing Director and CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil...
Four cheetahs from South Africa arrive in Bengaluru, to be housed at Bannerghatta National Park
Four cheetahs (two male, two female) from South Africa arrived at Bengaluru's Bannerghatta Biological Park on April 18, 2026, under an Anima...
Why has Punjab introduced a new law on sacrilege?
The Punjab Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — an anti-sacrilege la...
India ‘calls in’ Iranian envoy, conveys ‘deep concern’ after two oil tankers prevented from crossing Strait of Hormuz
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called in Iranian Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Fathali for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Vikram Mis...
Eight India-bound ships return after attempting to cross Strait of Hormuz
Eight India-bound ships carrying energy cargo — crude oil, LPG, and LNG — were forced to return after attempting to cross the Strait of Horm...
Iran fully closes Strait of Hormuz over U.S. blockade
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared the Strait of Hormuz fully closed to commercial traffic, citing the continued U.S. ...
Opposition to move fresh motion seeking removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
The opposition is drafting a fresh motion to seek the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, citing new allegations aga...
Is India’s Maoist insurgency finally over?
India's decadeslong Maoist insurgency has reached a historic turning point, with the government declaring near-total victory by March 2026 f...
Iran envoy says US backtracked on agreed 10-point plan, stalling peace talks
Iran's Supreme Leader's representative in India stated that recent Iran-U.S. peace talks — held in Islamabad, Pakistan, in early April 2026 ...
India must remain ready for West Asia fallout, says Rajnath Singh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the fourth meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on the West Asia situation on April 18, ...
At Cabinet meeting, PM Modi tells ministers to expose opposition's 'anti-women' mindset before people: Sources
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was put to a vote in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026 and failed to secure the required two-thi...
Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu criticise Opposition after Constitution Bill defeat; warn of impact on South’s representation and women’s quota
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, marking the first time in 12 years that the g...
Priyanka Gandhi, Dimple Yadav back 2023 women's quota act, but reject 2011 census link; target BJP over delimitation row
Following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, opposition leaders including Congr...
Rupee depreciation forces Indian firms to adopt Yuan payments, boost local sourcing
A weakening Indian rupee is compelling Indian businesses to make payments for Chinese imports in Chinese yuan (renminbi/CNY) rather than US ...
Punjab’s border farmers caught between fence and Zero Line
The Central government has ordered a survey in six border districts of Punjab to assess relocation of the border fence closer to the actual ...
Justice is served in Sattankulam
On April 6, 2026, a Madurai sessions court sentenced all nine policemen convicted in the Sattankulam custodial deaths case to death — classi...
Centre sets up expert panel to steer AI governance framework
The Central Government has constituted a new expert panel to provide guidance on artificial intelligence governance, aimed at aligning polic...
'Resume process of facilitating India-bound ships at earliest': MEA to Iran envoy after Hormuz firing
India's MEA summoned Iranian Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Fathali and conveyed a "strong protest" over the firing on Indian-flagged vessels in th...
Iran closes Hormuz again, fires at two Indian carriers, Delhi summons Tehran envoy
Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz and IRGC naval units fired at two Indian-flagged carriers attempting transit, in what became a major dip...
SHANTI Act push: Atomic Energy Commission clears FDI policy, sends it for inter-ministerial consultation
The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has cleared the FDI policy framework under the SHANTI Act and forwarded it for inter-ministerial consulta...
Delimitation row not over with defeat of amended women’s quota Bill in Lok Sabha: Here’s why
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — which proposed expanding Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850 and linking this expansion to the i...
Cabinet extends rural roads scheme, increases outlay by Rs 3,727 crore
The Union Cabinet approved an increase in the outlay for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III by ₹3,727 crore, raising the total revised all...
To decongest, Cabinet clears Rs 24K-cr multi-tracking projects in UP, Andhra
The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved two railway multi-tracking project...
In Manipur, the killing of two siblings threatens to turn back the clock
On April 7, 2026, a rocket-like projectile struck a house in Tronglaobi village near Moirang, Bishnupur district, Manipur, killing two young...
Day after Manipur CM’s visit, ex armyman among 2 killed in Ukhrul attack
Unidentified armed militants ambushed a convoy of four civilian vehicles travelling along the Imphal–Ukhrul road between Litan and TM Kasom ...
Govt nod for Rs 12,980-crore maritime insurance pool amid global shipping upheaval
The Union Cabinet approved the creation of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMI Pool) on April 18, 2026, backed by a sovereign guarantee ...
US makes a U-turn, extends sanctions waiver for Russian oil till May 16; India stands to benefit
In a reversal of its earlier position, the US Treasury Department extended a sanctions waiver permitting the purchase of Russian oil until M...
Explained: Odisha becomes first state to launch Marine Spatial Plan. Here is what to know
Odisha signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) on April 16, 2026, in the presence of Chief...
States’ rights, OBC inclusion: Before legislature, the debates over 33% women’s reservation in local bodies
Debates have intensified around extending the 33% women's reservation in local bodies to include OBC women, with state governments and polit...
Govt sets up ₹12,980-cr maritime insurance pool
The Union Cabinet established the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMI Pool) — India's first domestic sovereign-backed maritime insurance mec...
Iran's 'valiant navy' ready to inflict 'new bitter defeats' on its enemies: Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei
Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a defiant statement on April 18, 2026, declaring Iran's navy "ready ...
Iranian gunboats fire on tanker in Strait of Hormuz, British military says
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboats fired on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, 2026 — confirmed by the Uni...
Cabinet extends PMGSY-III till 2028; outlay raised to ₹83,977 crore
The Union Cabinet on April 18, 2026, approved the continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY-III) beyond its original deadl...
One Indian vessel crosses Hormuz, four others turn back as IRGC opens fire
Ship tracking data showed oil tanker Desh Garima successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, 2026, becoming one of the few Indian...
Iran war energy shock drives nuclear power plans in hard-hit Asia, Africa
The disruption to global energy supplies caused by the 2026 Iran conflict has accelerated nuclear power plans across Asia and Africa, as oil...
Two Indian ships reverse course in Hormuz strait, says vessel tracker
Two Indian-flagged vessels, including an Indian-registered super tanker carrying approximately 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil, reverse...
Iran reimposes restrictions on Strait of Hormuz, accusing U.S. of violating deal to reopen it
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again on April 18, 2026, one day after declaring it open, accusing the United States of violating a prior u...
No date set for next round of Iran-U.S. talks: Iran Deputy Foreign Minister
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh stated on April 18, 2026, that no date has been set for the next round of Iran-US peace and...
India approves ₹12,980 crore maritime insurance pool amid rising shipping risks
The Union Cabinet approved the creation of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMI Pool) with a sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore to ensu...
Australia, Japan sign contracts to start $7 billion warship deal
Australia and Japan signed formal contracts on April 18, 2026, launching a landmark A$10 billion (~$7 billion) deal for Japan to supply wars...
India adds 55,200 startups in FY26; job creation tops 23.36 lakh
The government recognised 55,200 startups in FY 2025-26, the highest number in any single financial year since the launch of the Startup Ind...
Recovery of energy flows will be ‘gradual rather than immediate’ as Hormuz re-opens post ceasefire
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz on April 17, 2026, as part of a two-week ceasefire arrangement with the US, prompting a sharp drop in oil...
Iran threatens to again close Strait of Hormuz, if U.S. blockade continues
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that no vessel should move from its...
Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz, but threatens to close it again as US maintains blockade
Iran announced it was reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic after the April 8, 2026 ceasefire, but threatened to close it aga...
India drops proposal to mandate national ID app Aadhaar on smartphones after pushback
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) have decided not...
MEA summons Iranian envoy after IRGC opens fire on Indian-flagged vessels in Hormuz
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Iranian Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Fathali after the IRGC Navy opened fire on Indian-flagge...
Government strengthens DGFT Norms Committees to speed up export authorisations, cut delays
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has undertaken reforms to strengthen Norms Committees (NCs) under the Directorate General of Foreign T...
Strait of Hormuz tension: India protests after ships forced to turn back
India formally protested to Iran after Indian-flagged vessels were fired upon by IRGC gunboats and several ships were forced to abandon thei...
Cabinet nod for continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III till March 2028
The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY-III) beyond March 2025, extending the timelin...
Top Ukrainian official in India, meets Doval & Jaishankar to discuss bilateral ties, war with Russia
Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council (RNBO) Secretary Rustem Umerov visited New Delhi on April 17, 2026, and held separate meetin...
Opposition unity, neither automatic nor obvious, sinks Constitutional Amendment Bill
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced on April 16, 2026, was defeated on April 17 — the first such defeat for the ruling...
Two killed in ambush on Manipur highway
Two Tangkhul Naga civilians — an ex-serviceman (SW Chinaoshang, former Naga Regiment) from Tashar village, and Yaruingam Vashum (42) from Kh...
Cabinet approves two rail multitracking projects in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, expanding network by 601 km
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister, approved two railway multitracking projects covering Uttar ...
Iran ‘reviewing new proposals’ put forward by U.S.; Trump says cannot ‘blackmail’ with Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Supreme National Security Council stated it was reviewing new proposals put forward by the US, delivered through Pakistan Army Chief ...
Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt hold third consultative meeting in Antalya
The Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt held their third consultative meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on April 17, 20...
Even if there are 543 or 850 seats, BJP will win: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Delimitation
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi defended the government's Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, stating th...
Trump says U.S. blockade of Iranian ports will ‘remain’ if no deal reached
The US administration stated that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports and shipping will remain in full force until Iran reaches a d...
Union Cabinet approves ₹24,815 crore multi-tracking projects across 15 districts in U.P., Andhra Pradesh
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister, approved two railway multi-tracking projects worth ₹24,815 ...
G20 satellite expected to be launched in 2027: ISRO chief Narayanan
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan announced that a satellite being developed collaboratively by G20 nations, under India's leadership, is expected ...
BJP, Opposition in war of words after Constitution Amendment Bill defeat
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — which sought to expand Lok Sabha seats to 850, enable delimitation on 2011 census data, and ...
Gunfire in Hormuz: Indian-flagged tanker among ships targeted as Iran closes strait again
Indian-flagged crude tankers, including VLCCs Sanmar Herald and Jag Arnav, were intercepted and fired upon by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Co...
Govt clears UP potato buy at Rs 6,500/ton, hikes gram cap in Andhra Pradesh
The government has approved procurement of 20 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh at ₹6,500 per tonne under the Price Support Sc...
Below-normal monsoon and West Asia conflict cloud India's agriculture outlook: BoB
The Bank of Baroda's (BoB) economic research unit flagged that India's agricultural outlook for 2026–27 is threatened by a dual shock: a bel...
'Give women their rights, right now': Priyanka Gandhi demands immediate implementation of 2023 Women's Reservation bill
Following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, senior opposition leaders demanded the immediate imp...
Another Indian oil tanker crosses Hormuz as Iran shuts Strait for US
The Indian oil tanker Desh Garima successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions as Iran tightened passage restrictions ...
PM Modi apologises to women after Lok Sabha rejects 33% quota bill, vows to ‘remove every obstacle’ to ensure representation
The Lok Sabha rejected the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to expand Parliament to 850 seats and link delimitation t...
Women reservation bill fails in Lok Sabha: Strategic move or poor planning?
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced in Lok Sabha on April 16, 2026, was defeated — the first constitutional amendment ...
Delimitation needed to preserve one vote, one value: Amit Shah in Lok Sabha
In the Lok Sabha debate on the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Home Minister argued that deli...
As Bill on women’s reservation in Houses is defeated, remembering the women who opposed it in Constituent Assembly
As the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 on women's reservation was defeated in the Lok Sabha, attention turned to a little-discusse...
Dr. Bharti nominated to WHO’s oversight committee for neglected tropical diseases
Dr. Bharti has been nominated as an independent expert on neglected zoonotic diseases to the 18-member Global Oversight Committee (GOC) unde...
Iran-Israel war LIVE: Strait of Hormuz to remain closed if U.S. doesnt remove blockade, says Iran's main negotiator
Iran's Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator MB Ghalibaf threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed unless the US removes its naval bl...
U.S. extends waiver allowing countries to buy Russian oil
The United States extended a temporary sanctions waiver allowing certain countries, including India, to purchase Russian crude oil, as globa...
'Insult meted out to Nari Shakti will never be forgiven': Jaishankar lambasts Oppn after Constitutional Amendment Bill defeat in LS
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by ...
Invoke preventive detention against sand mafia, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, taking suo motu cognizance of illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary region, directed state governments (p...
India, China hold 1st bilateral SCO talks after Ladakh thaw
India and China conducted their first bilateral consultations specifically on SCO matters in New Delhi, a significant first after the Ladakh...
Government: Sheikh Hasina extradition plea under review
The Indian government confirmed it is examining Bangladesh's formal extradition request for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has bee...
India joins Hormuz meet, welcomes Lebanon ceasefire
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri participated in a UK-convened virtual meeting exploring ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid the ...
Women's quota, delimitation: Opposition kills bill in Lok Sabha, it's NDA govt's first legislative defeat
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was put to a vote in Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, after a 21-hour debate spanning two days. Th...
Deservedly dead: On the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026
Editorial and analytical commentary on the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha (298 votes for, 230 against ...
India-flagged vessels start sailing out of Hormuz
India-flagged vessels began sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz following Iran's declaration that the waterway is now open for international...
Pope condemns use of AI to fuel 'polarisation, conflict, fear and violence'
Pope Leo XIV, speaking at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, Cameroon on April 17, 2026, condemned the use of artificial ...
H5N1 virus detected in Hesaraghatta poultry centre near Bengaluru; no need for panic, says Dinesh Gundu Rao
H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was confirmed at the state-run poultry centre in Hesaraghatta, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, ...
ET Graphics: India to become world's third-largest economy by 2031
According to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) April 2026 World Economic Outlook, India is projected to become the world's third-large...
BJP decides to hit streets against oppn parties
Following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha (298 votes for, 230 against — short of the 352 required),...
EWS can't seek age relaxation, enhanced attempts like SC,ST, OBC: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court dismissed a petition seeking age relaxation and enhanced attempt limits for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidate...
India attends France- and UK-led summit on Strait of Hormuz
India attended a summit co-hosted by France and the United Kingdom to deliberate on securing the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring unimpeded int...
US Section 301 probe: India textile body TEXPROCIL pushes back on USTR excess capacity allegations
TEXPROCIL (The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council) formally responded to USTR (United States Trade Representative) investigations laun...
TDP, YSRCP, JDU back Constitution (Amendment) Bill; Akali Dal opposes
BJP's key NDA allies — Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from Andhra Pradesh and Janata Dal (United) from Bihar — announced support for the Constitut...
Kanimozhi, Shashi Tharoor & Kalyan Banerjee reject women’s quota bill as a cover for delimitation push
Opposition leaders including DMK's Kanimozhi, Congress's Shashi Tharoor, and Trinamool's Kalyan Banerjee rejected the Constitution (131st Am...
Singapore emerges as top FDI source in Apr-Dec FY26, high inflows from tax havens
Singapore emerged as the largest source of FDI equity inflows into India during April–December FY26, contributing USD 17.65 billion — signif...
Strait of Hormuz crisis spotlights ship 'flagging' rules as India-flagged vessels face higher compliance burden
The ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis has brought the issue of ship "flagging" rules into sharp focus, with India-flagged vessels facing highe...
'Anti-national act': Rahul Gandhi alleges quota bill a covert bid to redraw India's electoral map
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi opposed the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha, framing his objection around the absence of...
India-China SCO talks focus on trade security, connectivity under first bilateral consultations
India and China held their first-ever bilateral consultations specifically on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) matters in New Delhi o...
‘Black day’, says Uttarakhand speaker on Constitution amendment bill’s LS defeat
Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan called the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 a "black day" for wome...
Govt revisits plan to raise wage cap for PF coverage
The central government is actively considering raising the wage ceiling for mandatory Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) coverage from the curr...
Ukraine’s top security official holds talks with Jaishankar, Doval on peace prospects
Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umerov visited New Delhi and held separate high-level meetings with ...
Supreme Court says constitutional authority must rise above personal beliefs
A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, hearing the Sabarimala review case along with a batch of connected matters on religiou...
Harivansh gets 3rd term as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, 1st nominated MP to occupy post
Harivansh Narayan Singh was re-elected as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha for a third consecutive term on April 17, 2026, in an unopposed...
‘Govt taking away their power’ vs ‘Why Rajiv Gandhi opposed’: Rahul–Rijiju clash over OBCs during women’s quota–delimitation debate
During a special Parliamentary session on April 17, 2026, heated exchanges occurred between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister ...
'Opposing increase in SC, ST seats': Amit Shah on INDIA bloc objecting to delimitation bill - top quotes
Union Home Minister Amit Shah strongly defended the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha, accusing the INDIA bloc oppositi...
Fall of constitutional amendment bill a defeat for delimitation, not women’s reservation: Opposition
Opposition parties after the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha were careful to clarify their position: th...
40 Years of Sensex: What It Means to India and Its People
The BSE Sensex — India's benchmark stock market index — completed 40 years of existence in January 2026, having been launched on January 2, ...
After delay, DGFT authorises 17 banks to import bullion for 3 years
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a fresh notification authorising nominated banks to import gold and silver under a re...
Government braces for defeat in women’s quota vote, looks to pin blame on Opposition: ‘They have to answer to people’
Before the vote on April 17, 2026, strategic analysis pointed to an almost certain defeat for the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026,...
Rahul Gandhi on quota Bills: ‘Govt redrawing electoral map while hiding behind women’
During the Lok Sabha debate on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a...
Opposition fumes as Centre notifies 2023 Women’s Reservation Act mid-debate
The Central Government notified the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 — the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — into force with effect fro...
Women’s reservation Bill defeated in Lok Sabha, fails to get 2/3rd majority
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 came to a vote in Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026 after 21 hours of debate. Final vote count: 298 ...
Tripura ADC elections: High hopes for tribal solidarity in Northeast as Tipra Motha sweeps 24 of 28 seats
Results for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections were declared on April 17, 2026 — Tipra Motha Party won ...
‘Hail the Constitution’: Opposition rejoices as Bill to tweak women’s quota law is defeated in LS
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was defeated in Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, with 298 votes in favour and 230 against, out of ...
How Indian economy slid to 6th-largest in the world, with Japan, UK overtaking
According to the IMF's April 2026 World Economic Outlook, India's nominal GDP in 2025 is estimated at $3.92 trillion, placing it sixth globa...
What does the Supreme Court’s latest order mean for Bengal’s deleted voters
Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections (April 23 and April 29, 2026), the Supreme Court intervened in a controversy over large-scale de...
Women’s representation in Parliament and state assemblies, explained in 4 charts
As debate on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 unfolded in Lok Sabha, data on women's political representation provided stark co...
India gets invite to join UK-France initiative to secure Strait of Hormuz transit
India received an invitation to join the UK-France led Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative ahead of the Paris summit ...
Maize prices crash below MSP in Telangana; farmers want State Govt to procure produce
Maize prices in Telangana have crashed to ₹1,600–1,700 per quintal, well below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹2,400 per quintal for the...
Parliament special sitting highlights: Constitution Amendment Bill, part of delimitation package, defeated
A special session of Parliament on April 16-17, 2026 witnessed the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — a centrepiece o...
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026
SEBI has notified the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 by publishing them in the Offici...
India’s share of global GDP projected to hit 7% by 2050: McKinsey
A McKinsey & Company report released April 17, 2026, projects India's share of global GDP will nearly double from 3.7% in 2025 to 7.0% by 20...
Industries urge GST Council to allow inverted duty refunds on input services
Industry bodies and tax experts have urged the GST Council to extend refund eligibility for accumulated Input Tax Credit (ITC) to input serv...
Storage in India’s major reservoirs down to 42.5% of capacity
India's 166 major reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) held only 42.5% of their total live storage capacity as of mid-...
White House to give U.S. agencies Anthropic Mythos access: Report
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) moved to provide major US federal agencies — including the Treasury, intelligence comm...
OpenAI launches AI model GPT-Rosalind for life sciences research
OpenAI launched GPT-Rosalind, a specialised artificial intelligence model designed to support research in biochemistry, drug discovery, geno...
Gerrymandering: Meaning, history, and usage in politics
With the debate over India's proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 and associated delimitation legislation intensifying, the co...
India’s wheat procurement plummets 40% due to delayed start in Madhya Pradesh
India's official wheat procurement for the Rabi Marketing Year (RMY) 2026-27 stood at only 51.34 lakh tonnes as of April 16, 2026 — approxim...
OpenAI to spend more than $20 billion on Cerebras chips, receive equity stake: Report
OpenAI has agreed to spend more than $20 billion over three years on servers powered by Cerebras Systems chips, with total potential spendin...
Tipra Motha scores massive win in TTAADC polls; BJP suffers defeat
Tipra Motha Party (TMP), founded by royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarman, won 24 out of 28 seats in the 2026 Tripura Tribal Areas A...
Venezuela, IMF, World Bank restore relations, paving way for investment
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group announced the resumption of formal relations with Venezuela, recognising the ...
Macron, Starmer hold international summit on reopening Strait of Hormuz
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened an international summit in Paris on April 17, 2026, bringi...
Chirag Paswan flags spice export quality issues, says rejections are “disheartening and embarrassing”
Union Minister Chirag Paswan (Minister of Food Processing Industries) flagged persistent quality issues in India's spice exports, calling ov...
Tea bodies urge PM Modi to allow producers freedom to choose mode of sale
Four leading tea producer associations from Assam and West Bengal — Assam Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers Association, North Eastern Tea Assoc...
Falling prices leave Kashmir apple growers, traders distressed
Wholesale prices of Kashmir apples in markets outside Jammu and Kashmir fell by 30–40%, driven by rising temperatures causing early and rapi...
UK PM tells social media bosses to step up child online safety
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer summoned senior executives from Meta, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Snap, and YouTube to Downing Street on Ap...
Sri Lanka's Energy Minister resigns on coal import issue days after surviving no trust motion
Sri Lanka's Minister of Power Kumara Jayakody and the Ministry's Secretary resigned on April 17, 2026 — just days after surviving a no-confi...
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz open after Lebanon truce; Trump says blockade to continue
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz "completely open" for commercial shipping on April 17, 2026, for the duration of the ongoing U.S.-Iran tr...
India not to host COP 33 in 2028, Government confirms
India has formally withdrawn its offer to host the 33rd Conference of the Parties (COP 33) to the UNFCCC in 2028, as confirmed by the Union ...
India, Austria launch Fast-Track Investment Mechanism; flag India-EU FTA as key trade driver
India and Austria jointly announced the establishment of a Fast-Track Investment Mechanism (FTIM) during the official visit of Austrian Chan...
Indian refiners pay for Iran oil in yuan via ICICI Bank, sources say
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Reliance Industries — both of whom purchased Iranian crude under a temporary US general licence — are settl...
‘Cruelly hot’: Japan devises new term for heatwave days
Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced the creation of a new temperature classification term — "kokusho-bi" (酷暑日), meaning "cruelly h...
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary launches self-enumeration phase of Census 2027
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary launched the self-enumeration phase of Census 2027 in Bihar, urging citizens to participate in this fi...
West Asia conflict hits India’s seafood exports to Gulf nations
Ongoing conflict in West Asia has caused significant disruption to India's seafood exports to Gulf nations, with industry sources estimating...
U.S. cloud dominance a risk to European security: Report
A report published by the Brussels-based Future of Technology Institute (FOTI) on April 17, 2026 found that national security systems in 23 ...
House extends surveillance powers until April 30 after late-night revolt sinks GOP plan
The US House of Representatives, in a late-night vote, passed a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance...
Inside Andhra’s millet push that is turning women into entrepreneurs
Across Andhra Pradesh, a state government initiative is building a network of women-led millet enterprises that connect farms, processing un...
Govt forms high-level inter-ministerial body to steer AI governance strategy
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has constituted the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), a high-level in...
China suspends import licences of 3 Indian rice export firms
China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) suspended import licences of three Indian rice export firms, citing alleged presence of gen...
A Modi govt constitutional amendment Bill falls for the 1st time in 12 yrs. How it happened
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to expand the Lok Sabha to 850 seats and enable delimitation based on the 2011 C...
EU spells out how Google must share data with rivals
The European Commission issued preliminary findings on April 16, 2026, specifying the precise data-sharing obligations Google must fulfil un...
Israel says military operation against Hezbollah ‘still not complete’
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon/Hezbollah came into effect on April 16–17, 2026, brokered by the United States. Israel's Defen...
Pakistan starts preparing for next round of U.S.-Iran talks: officials
Pakistan has begun preparations to host the second round of direct U.S.-Iran negotiations, aimed at ending the ongoing West Asian conflict a...
Constitution Amendment Bill, part of delimitation package, defeated
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the enabling constitutional amendment for India's delimitation and women's reservation packag...
Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon’s growing reliance on SpaceX
During a global Starlink outage in 2025, more than two dozen US Navy unmanned surface vessels (USVs) lost contact and drifted for nearly an ...
Banking FDI for nuclear power projects in the pipeline, says official
Seema Jain, Member (Finance) at the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), stated that banking finance and FDI for nuclear power projects are in...
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz open after Lebanon-Israel ceasefire. Then Trump puts in a caveat
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz "completely open" for commercial shipping on April 17, 2026, linking the announcement to the commencement...
Oil plunges, stocks jumps as Iran declares Hormuz open
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on April 17, 2026 that the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" for all commercial vessels...
First loaded Iranian oil tankers exit Gulf since U.S. blockade: Kpler
Three Iranian crude oil tankers — the Deep Sea, Sonia I, and Diona — became the first loaded Iranian vessels to pass through the Strait of H...
US ends oil waivers but Russian crude flows to India ‘likely to remain steady’ amid Hormuz disruption
The United States has ended waivers that had allowed India to continue purchasing Russian crude oil without attracting secondary sanctions. ...
FSSAI asks States to crack down on fruit ripening agents
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a directive to Commissioners of Food Safety in all States and Union Territor...
Coal Ministry launches 15th round of commercial auctions
The Ministry of Coal launched the 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions on April 17, 2026, in Mumbai, with Coal Secretary Vikram Dev D...
Nearly 900 Rohingya refugees dead, missing in shipwrecks in 2025: UN
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on April 17, 2026 that nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were dead or missing in the Andaman S...
EU in talks with Anthropic over risks of AI model Mythos
The European Union entered into talks with Anthropic over the risks posed by its Mythos AI model — an advanced AI system capable of identify...
Principle of one person, one vote, one value violated, says Shah in Lok Sabha
The Home Minister told Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026, that the principle of "one person, one vote, one value" — the bedrock of democratic repr...
India's economy slipping to 6th rank, IMF data shows, prospects bright
India has slipped to the 6th position in IMF's global nominal GDP rankings for 2025, behind the United States, China, Germany, Japan, and th...
Pakistan-based LeT's co-founder injured in attack in Lahore
Amir Hamza, a co-founder and senior leader of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was shot by unidentified motorcycle-bor...
China calls passage of Japanese warship through Taiwan Strait a 'provocation'
Japan's destroyer JS Ikazuchi transited the Taiwan Strait, and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and Air Force tracked and monitor...
Modi Govt's amendment move defeated in Lok Sabha: What next for women’s reservation in Parliament? – Explained
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — the centrepiece of a three-bill package to enable women's reservation and delimitation — was...
India's forex reserves up $3.83 billion to reclaim $700 bln mark
India's foreign exchange reserves rose by $3.83 billion to $700.946 billion in the week ending April 10, 2026, reclaiming the $700 billion m...
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan to visit Sri Lanka on April 19 and 20
Vice President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on April 19–20, 2026, in what the Ministry of External Affairs de...
India seen as stable global capital hub with $4.4 trillion market cap: SEBI chief
SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey, speaking at a CII–US-India Business Council event on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, ...
Women's reservation bill fails floor test in Lok Sabha as NDA falls short of two-thirds majority
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — the constitutional backbone of the government's women's reservation and delimitation package...
Improving cleft care in the age of AI
An estimated 30,000 children are born annually in India with cleft lip and/or cleft palate — one of the most common congenital craniofacial ...
Tipra Motha sweeps Tripura tribal council elections, wins 20 of 28 seats
Tipra Motha Party (TMP), led by Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarman, won 24 out of 28 seats in the 2026 Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous Distri...
Tipra Motha Party romps back to power for second consecutive term in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council
The Tipra Motha Party (TMP) won a decisive second consecutive term in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) election...
Forex kitty jumps USD 3.8 bn to reclaim USD 700-bn mark
India's foreign exchange reserves surged by $3.825 billion to reach $700.946 billion during the week ended April 10, 2026, crossing the psyc...
India's first maritime-focused lender eyes $1 bln FY27 fundraise
Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL), India's first maritime-focused Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), plans to raise approxima...
India turns the tables on China: The great supply chain flip begins
India has recorded USD 2.5 billion in electronics component exports to China in FY26, marking a historic reversal — for decades India was pu...
'We will not allow north-south divide': Amit Shah counters opposition on delimitation
Parliament resumed debate on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Ame...
Rajya Sabha elects Harivansh Deputy Chairman for third consecutive term
Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha on April 17, 2026, for an unprecedented third consecutive term, runni...
No state will lose out in delimitation, says Amit Shah; offers 50% seat hike amendment if Opposition backs bill
During the Lok Sabha debate on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a floor offer to increase L...
India’s current account deficit may rise to 2% of GDP in FY27 if oil stays at $82–87: CRISIL
A CRISIL report warns that India's current account deficit (CAD) could widen to 2% of GDP in FY27 if crude oil prices average USD 82–87 per ...
Delimitation Bill 2026 shelved after women’s reservation amendment fails in Lok Sabha
Following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, the government shelved the linked Delimitation Bill,...
Govt plans to rationalise filing framework under companies law
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has released a draft proposal to rationalise the filing framework under the Companies Act, 2013, aim...
West Asia crisis: Govt expands export insurance scheme
The central government expanded coverage of the RELIEF scheme (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) to include Jorda...
Amit Shah says Opposition against women’s reservation, not its implementation; claims delimitation critics oppose SC/ST seat hike
Parliament continued debate on April 17, 2026, on the package of three bills — the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bil...
India explores FTA full use with Norway, sets up fast-track investment system with Austria
India and Norway are actively exploring mechanisms to fully utilise the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which en...
After rejig, seats for South will increase from 129 to 195: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that after delimitation and expansion of the Lok Sabha, seats for southern states will increase from 12...
1.5 lakh collision alerts for Indian satellites in 2025
India's Indian Space Situational Awareness Report (ISSAR) 2025 revealed that ISRO's Earth-orbiting satellites received over 1.5 lakh (150,00...
Explained: Below normal monsoon, but no cause for alarm
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its first long-range forecast on April 13, 2026, predicting that India's southwest monsoon ...
Delimitation: In data and numbers
A data analysis examining how a 2011 Census-based delimitation would impact India's parliamentary representation shows significant variation...
From protests to paychecks: How state unrest triggered a wage rethink
Labour protests in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, triggered a national conversation about India's fragmented minimum wage regime, with thousands of w...
India to continue buying Russian crude, LPG despite end of US sanctions waiver
The US did not renew the 30-day sanctions waiver it had granted India in early March 2026 to purchase Russian crude oil and LPG; the waiver ...
“No state will lose Lok Sabha share”: Narendra Modi defends delimitation, women’s reservation push
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Parliament during the Budget Session 2026, assuring all states — particularly southern states — that ...
Faster insolvency process proposed with creditor-led resolution framework
A new mechanism called the Creditor-Initiated Insolvency Resolution Process (CIIRP) has been proposed as an amendment to the Insolvency and ...
Mining push meets tribal resistance
Intense conflict has erupted in the Sijimali hills, straddling Rayagada and Kalahandi districts in southern Odisha, over proposed bauxite mi...
US expands crackdown on Iran-linked ships, warns of seizures worldwide
The United States has significantly expanded its crackdown on Iran-linked shipping, warning of vessel seizures across global maritime routes...
33% women quota law notified, rollout awaits census and delimitation
The Union Law Ministry issued a gazette notification on April 16, 2026, bringing the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 202...
Establishing a vaccine injury compensation mechanism for India
A recent opinion piece argues that when the State strongly promotes mass vaccination as a civic duty — as it did during the COVID-19 immunis...
Census will list caste, says Amit Shah, rules out Muslim women's quota
The Union Home Minister announced in the Lok Sabha that the ongoing national Census exercise will include caste enumeration, reversing a pos...
SC: UCC not linked to religion, its enactment constitutional ambition
The Supreme Court of India has reiterated that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is not linked to any religion and represents a constitutional as...
Discharge stands above acquittal: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India ruled that the legal position of a discharged accused is on a "higher pedestal" than that of an accused who is ac...
India, Austria ink 12+ pacts on defence, counterterrorism & tech
Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker's official visit to India (April 2026) — the first by an Austrian Chancellor in 40 years — pro...
2023 women’s quota law comes into force as NDA lacks numbers: What are the options before govt?
The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 — commonly called the Women's Reservation Act or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — was notified in...
Delimitation Bill fundamental attack on federal structure: Opposition
Opposition parties in Parliament described the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2026 as a "fundamental attack on the federal structure" o...
Have ratified ILO treaties on forced labour: India on USTR probe charges
The US Trade Representative (USTR) initiated Section 301 investigations against 60 trading partners — including India — over alleged failure...
Counting matters: On delimitation, federalism, the Census
India's long-pending post-census delimitation exercise — frozen since 1976 — is approaching a constitutional deadline, with three Bills intr...
India’s rural models are shaping development diplomacy
A growing number of African governments are exploring India's Self-Help Group (SHG)-based livelihoods framework as a development model. Indi...
Finally, Rohit Vemula Bill to safeguard SC/ST students gets Cabinet nod
The Karnataka Cabinet approved the draft of the Rohith Vemula (Protection of SC/ST and OBC Students from Caste Discrimination in Higher Educ...
Women’s Reservation Act 2023 comes into force: Gazette notification
The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 — popularly known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — was brought into force through an offic...
Trump says Iran deal 'very close,' may go to Pakistan to sign
US President Trump stated that a deal with Iran is "very close," with Iran reportedly agreeing to hand over its stockpile of enriched uraniu...
Representation of southern States will not go down, a misconception is being spread: Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that concerns about southern states losing parliamentary representation under the proposed delimitation...
West Bengal SIR: Voters cleared by tribunals by April 21 or 27 will be able to vote in Assembly polls, says Supreme Court
A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi ordered that voters excluded from the West Bengal elect...
J&K Police file charge sheet against 10 accused part of ‘doctors’ terror module’
The State Investigation Agency (SIA), Kashmir, filed a chargesheet on April 16, 2026, against 10 accused persons in connection with the "Doc...
EU planning to include 180 more products under CBAM
The European Commission proposed expanding its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover approximately 180 additional downstream pr...
Delimitation won’t bring down south’s share of seats, Modi, Shah tell Lok Sabha
Both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister intervened in Lok Sabha on April 16, 2026, to directly address fears that the proposed delimit...
Women Reservation Act 2023 comes into force: Notification
The Union Law Ministry issued a notification on April 16, 2026, specifying it as the date on which the provisions of the Constitution (One H...
Delimitation bill makes Tamils refugees in their own land: Stalin
Southern state leaders — most prominently Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin — have opposed the delimitation exercise, arguing that popul...
Call all-party meeting to evolve consensus on women’s reservation: K.C. Venugopal
Opposition parties collectively wrote to the Prime Minister demanding an all-party meeting to evolve national consensus before any Women's R...
South's LS seats, political weight to rise: Govt
The Union government assured Parliament on April 16, 2026, that southern states' Lok Sabha representation and political weight will increase...
‘If respected… wouldn’t use women politically,’ Priyanka Gandhi targets PM over Women’s Quota Bill
Parliament's special session saw sharp exchanges over the Women's Reservation Act, with opposition leaders questioning whether the governmen...
From torn Bills, ‘parkati mahila’ jibe to 454 ayes: The long, turbulent road to women’s reservation
The Women's Reservation Act 2023 (106th Constitutional Amendment) represents the culmination of a 27-year legislative struggle that saw mult...
Women’s reservation: How numbers stack up in Parliament
As Parliament debates the 131st Amendment and Delimitation Bill to operationalise women's reservation, data on current and projected women's...
Muslim quota demand sets off clash in Lok Sabha as women’s reservation, delimitation Bills are introduced
During the special parliamentary session introducing the Women's Reservation and Delimitation Bills, members from several parties demanded t...
Pass the Bill, or women of India won’t forgive: PM to Parliament
The Prime Minister made an appeal to Parliament urging the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill, declaring that the women of India would ...
Black flags, burning ‘Bills’: Why Stalin casts delimitation protest as reigniting ‘flames of resistance’ in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin led a dramatic statewide protest on April 16, 2026, hours before the Centre tabled the Delimitation Bi...
Why SP demanded quota for Muslim women despite Constitution hurdle
The Samajwadi Party (SP) demanded, during parliamentary debate on the Women's Reservation Act, that Muslim women be included in a dedicated ...
‘Delimitation won’t reduce South’s share in Lok Sabha’: Amit Shah breaks down the numbers
The Home Minister used a detailed numerical breakdown in Parliament to argue that the 816-seat Lok Sabha proposal would not reduce the South...
Parliament special sitting LIVE updates: Representation of southern states will go up, says Amit Shah as he rebuts Priyanka Gandhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed Parliament during the special sitting to rebut the opposition's "south losing seats" narrative on de...
Delimitation Bill violates federalism, denies states with low population fair share: Owaisi
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, speaking in Lok Sabha on April 16, 2026, alleged that the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 violates ...
Meghwal introduces 3 Bills to advance women’s quota to 2029, says states’ share in expanded Lok Sabha won’t change
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced three major Bills in the Lok Sabha during the special parliamentary session: (i) the Constit...
As Lok Sabha discusses women’s quota, two Rajya Sabha women MPs weigh in: ‘There is a hidden intent’, ‘No question of seats being reduced’
During the Lok Sabha's consideration of the Women's Reservation Bill in 2023, women members of the Rajya Sabha offered perspectives on what ...
Modi calls for ‘lasting peace’ in West Asia
Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker visited New Delhi on April 16, 2026 — the first visit by an Austrian Chancellor to India in fo...
South Korean President’s maiden India visit: trade, semiconductors on agenda
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is scheduled to make a State Visit to India from April 19–21, 2026, accompanied by a 200-member busines...
Priyanka, Akhilesh lead Opposition onslaught: Govt using women quota to push delimitation, change electoral map
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led a coordinated Opposition challenge in the Lok Sabha, arguing that the gove...
Meghalaya approves Khasi, Garo as official state languages alongside English
On April 16, 2026, the Meghalaya Cabinet approved the Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026, declaring Khasi and Garo as official sta...
Explained: Bank nationalisation of 1969 as the defining economic decision in Independent India
On July 19, 1969, the Government issued the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Property) Ordinance of 1969, nationalising 14 com...
US Russian crude waiver expires: What it could mean for India’s oil imports from Russia
A temporary 30-day sanctions waiver granted by the US Treasury to India on March 5, 2026 — permitting purchases of Russian crude despite exi...
Will delaying the Census affect its implementation?
India's 16th decennial Census — originally due in 2021 — was repeatedly postponed, first due to COVID-19, then administrative factors, makin...
Is the delimitation question settled?
As Parliament took up the three delimitation-related bills in a special session, a fundamental analytical question emerged: Is the constitut...
Column | Lost in rhetoric
A recent opinion column examined the widening gap between political rhetoric and substantive policy action in Indian governance, noting that...
Why is the Strait of Hormuz critical to global energy flows? | Explained
The 2026 blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — first by Iran (since February 28, 2026) and then compounded by a US naval blockade targeting Ira...
No military solution to conflicts, say PM Modi and Austrian Chancellor Stocker
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in New Delhi on April 16, 2026 — the first visit by an Au...
Delimitation: Perspectives and viewpoints
As India's 16th Census gets underway in 2026, the question of delimitation — the redrawing of parliamentary and assembly constituency bounda...
Any further delay in Census taking is perilous
A recent editorial argued that any further delay in conducting India's long-overdue population census carries perilous consequences for gove...
Women’s quota — rhetoric and reality
The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 — officially titled the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — passed in a Special Session of Parliamen...
CAFE III norms near industry-wide consensus
A high-level government meeting on April 16, 2026, convened Secretaries from the Ministries of Power, Heavy Industries, and Road Transport &...
Govt on “wait and watch” mode as U.S. denies extending waivers on Russian, Iranian crude purchases
The United States announced it will not extend either of the two temporary sanctions waivers it had granted India for crude oil purchases Th...
Safeguard for States with stable populations is being removed with immediate effect
A key concern raised during the special parliamentary session is that the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposes to remove with ...
GE, HAL clinch tech deal on joint jet engine plan
GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) concluded technical negotiations on April 12–13, 2026, agreeing on the scope and terms ...
Women’s quota, panchayats to Parliament
With the Women's Reservation Act (106th Amendment) formally notified in April 2026, attention has turned to lessons from three decades of wo...
India-Zambia talks on critical minerals stall over mining rights: sources
India's discussions with Zambia over access to critical mineral deposits — specifically cobalt and copper — have stalled because Zambia has ...
No population Census — in the dark without vital data
An analytical opinion piece examines India's unprecedented census delay — the first gap in the country's 150-year census history — and its w...
Time for a Census, come what may
An analytical piece argues that the delay in conducting Census 2021 (now pushed to 2026–27) is not merely a logistical consequence of COVID-...
Revanth’s hybrid model for delimitation enters national discourse
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's proposal for a "hybrid model" for delimitation — combining population-based and GDP-based seat allo...
U.S. forces ready to restart combat if Iran doesn’t agree a deal, says Hegseth
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Taking India back to the drawing board
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Priyanka Gandhi warns move towards delimitation is an ‘open attack on democracy’
Congress leader and Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, speaking in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Constitution (131st Amend...
Support Delimitation Bill if Odisha’s interests are protected, Naveen urges MPs from State
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Special Parliament session Highlights: ‘…lambe samay tak keemat chukani padegi' - Modi says for those who oppose Bill
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Delimitation bill: Congress opposes govt's proposal, calls it 'deleterious, detrimental'
Congress opposed the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2026 in the Lok Sabha, with senior leader P. Chidambaram calling it "mischievous, d...
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Opposition leaders convened a meeting ahead of a special session of Parliament to align their floor strategy on the government's legislative...
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah made two significant statements in the Lok Sabha during the special session on April 16, 2026. First: Religion...
‘Take the credit’: PM Modi offers ‘blank cheque’ to Opposition on women’s reservation bill
PM Modi addressed the Lok Sabha during the special session, urging the opposition to accept the government's proposal and even "take the cre...
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The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) assessed that the EU's proposed CBAM expansion to 180 downstream steel- and aluminium-intensive ...
Amit Shah tables Delimitation Bill in Lok Sabha amidst nationwide protests by Opposition, southern states
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Special session of Parliament begins today. PM Modi to speak on Women's Reservation Bill – what to expect?
A special sitting of Parliament convened on April 16, 2026 to introduce and debate three landmark bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) ...
'Smells of politics': Priyanka Gandhi targets PM Modi over women's quota bill, says delimitation plan 'attack on democracy'
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led the Opposition's floor arguments in Lok Sabha against the government's Constitution (131st Amendment) ...
'Our country all set to take historic step towards women's empowerment': PM Modi ahead of special Parliament sitting
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Lok Sabha seats in five southern states to increase to 195 from 129, clarifies Amit Shah
The Home Minister formally clarified in the special Parliament session that the five southern states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra...
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its first Long Range Forecast on April 13, 2026, predicting below-normal Southwest Monsoon ...
'False narrative': Amit Shah rejects claims delimitation will weaken southern states
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Watch: Delimitation row erupts in Parliament: What happened? | Above the Fold | 16.04.2026
A special three-day Parliament session (April 16–18, 2026) was convened specifically to introduce and deliberate on three linked bills: the ...
Patnaik writes to Odisha MPs, seeks decoupling of women quota bill from delimitation process
BJD chief Naveen Patnaik wrote to all Odisha MPs — across party lines — urging them to jointly oppose the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bil...
New Delimitation Bill 2026: What it means and its key proposals
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'Political demonetisation': Tharoor slams Centre for linking women’s reservation with delimitation
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor argued strongly for delinking women's reservation from the delimitation process, urging the government to impleme...
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Women's Reservation Rollout by 2029: Arunachal CM Pema Khandu flags April 16–18 special session
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu endorsed the special Parliament session (April 16–18, 2026), calling the women's reservation bi...
'My guarantee': PM Modi says no state to face injustice due to delimitation
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The South after delimitation: What the maths shows from Tamil Nadu to Andhra
Parliament debated proposed legislation to expand the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 elected seats (ceiling of 850), alongside a Women's Reservat...
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Delimitation provisions in women's reservation amendment bill 'attack on democracy': Kerala Oppn
Opposition leaders from Kerala, including Congress leaders and CPI representatives, strongly criticised the decision to link women's reserva...
DMK flags delimitation concerns as Kanimozhi moves motion against three bills amid delimitation row
DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi moved a formal motion in the Lok Sabha opposing the introduction of three government bi...
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Delimitation: What’s different this time and why it’s kicking up a row
The Union government's proposed 2026 delimitation exercise is qualitatively different from all previous exercises: it proposes to simultaneo...
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Opposition: Will oppose delimitation, it cuts share of south, NE
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All States will have their number of Lok Sabha seats increase by 50% after delimitation: Official
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BRS, YSRCP punch a hole in Centre's delimitation move
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) strongly opposed the Delimitation Bill 2026, warning that a population-ba...
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CM Stalin leads mega procession, says issue is delimitation not women’s quota
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Naveen Patnaik opposes delimitation exercise
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Opposition against 131st Amendment, says delimitation formula motivated
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Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu declared "100% support" for the Centre's proposed delimitation formula and the linked women's reserva...
US Sec 301 probe: India rejects allegations, requests for terminations of both investigations
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Watch: Delimitation controversy & Bihar’s first BJP CM | Above the Fold | 15.04.2026
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge announced after an INDIA bloc meeting that the opposition alliance has "unitedly" decided to oppose the De...
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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated that "they are playing tricks with delimitation" and that all INDIA bloc parties had unanimousl...
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Parliament convened for a special session on April 16–17, 2026 to consider three interlocking bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill...
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Stalin interview: ‘Vajpayee froze delimitation to preserve balance until the country evolved more evenly. Why abandon that wisdom now?’
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, in an interview ahead of the special Parliament session, cited the Vajpayee government's 84th Amendme...
Delimitation row escalates: Stalin calls urgent meeting of DMK district heads, black flag protest planned across Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin convened an emergency meeting of DMK district heads as the delimitation row intensified ahead of the sp...
‘Age tokens’ via DigiLocker to regulate kids’ social media use in Andhra Pradesh
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Opposition favours women’s quota but will oppose delimitation Bill: Congress
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India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar participated in the AZEC-Plus (Asia Zero Emissions Community Plus) meeting convened by Japan...
Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik opposes delimitation bill, says it ‘hits spirit of cooperative federalism’
Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik came out in strong opposition to the delimitation bill, stating it "hits direc...
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Critics and opposition leaders have flagged a structural linkage built into the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023: women's reservatio...
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its first Long Range Forecast for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon on April 13, 2026, predicting ...
Explained: Impact of proposed women’s reservation Bills on delimitation process
The Union government introduced a three-bill legislative package in a special Parliament session (April 16–17, 2026) that ties the implement...
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India's crude oil imports from Venezuela are estimated to reach approximately 12.51 million barrels in April 2026 — the highest monthly impo...
Sharmila urges CM to oppose Delimitation Bill citing risks to A.P. political representation
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Y.S. Sharmila urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to join the opposi...
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Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming held direct talks with newly elected Nepal Home Minister Sudan Gurung, warning against any governm...
India’s wholesale inflation at multi-year high of 3.88% in March; up from 2.13% in February
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation surged to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest level in 38 months (since January 2023), up s...
Indian negotiating team headed to US next week for another round of trade agreement talks
An Indian negotiating team, led by chief negotiator Darpan Jain, will travel to Washington DC from April 20–22 for the next round of bilater...
India’s exports rise 4.22% to USD 860.09 bn in FY26; imports grow 6.47%, trade deficit widens
India's combined merchandise and services exports reached a record USD 860.09 billion in FY2025-26, a 4.22% increase over USD 825.26 billion...
US blockade to choke Iran’s economic lifelines—its ports. From Kharg to Chabahar
The US naval blockade imposed on April 13, 2026, after failed Islamabad peace talks threatens all 11 of Iran's ports located in the Persian ...
Iranian, Emirati FMs & Saudis likely to come face-to-face at BRICS foreign ministers’ meet in Delhi
India, as the 2026 BRICS Chair, is set to host a BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi on May 14–15, 2026. The meeting will be chair...
Oil falls for second day on expectations US-Iran talks may resume
Global crude oil prices declined for a second consecutive day on April 15, 2026, as markets priced in expectations that US-Iran ceasefire ta...
Gold loans emerge as second largest retail credit product after home loans
Gold loans have emerged as India's second-largest retail credit product after home loans, according to data from TransUnion CIBIL, with outs...
Jeh Aerospace inks pact with Liebherr-Aerospace to supply high-precision components
Jeh Aerospace, a Hyderabad-based precision aerospace and defence manufacturing company, has signed a long-term agreement (LTA) with Liebherr...
Rupee settles 9 paise lower at 93.44 against U.S. dollar
The Indian rupee settled approximately 9 paise lower at ₹93.44 against the US dollar in mid-April 2026, continuing a period of elevated exch...
Wholesale inflation rises to a 3-year high of 3.88% in March
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest level in three years, up sharply from 2.13% in ...
Sri Lanka repatriates 238 stranded Iranian sailors: Minister
Sri Lanka repatriated 238 Iranian sailors who had been stranded on the island following naval incidents linked to the 2026 Iran-US conflict....
Russia raking in a windfall from Hormuz blockade. Export revenues doubled to $19 bn in March, says IEA
Russia's crude oil and petroleum product export revenues nearly doubled to $19 billion in March 2026, up from $9.7 billion in February, acco...
Trump doubles down in criticising Pope Leo over Iran
US President Donald Trump publicly and repeatedly criticised Pope Leo XIV over the latter's statements calling for restraint and dialogue re...
Jaishankar speaks to Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar over ‘different aspects’ of West Asia crisis
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on April 14, 2026, coverin...
Hopes rise for renewed talks as U.S. military says Iran blockade is in force
Regional officials confirmed that the US and Iran gave an "in principle agreement" to extend the two-week ceasefire, due to expire April 22,...
Climate-hit Kashmir saffron farmers battle rising porcupine menace
Saffron farmers in Kashmir's Pampore region — the world's primary source of Kashmiri saffron — are facing mounting losses from the Indian cr...
Saudi Arabia to lend another $3 bn to Pakistan to boost forex reserves, days after $5 bn pledge
Saudi Arabia announced an additional $3 billion deposit/loan to Pakistan on April 15, 2026, days after pledging a separate $5 billion — brin...
Flagging Centre’s ‘deceit’ over delimitation, Congress says move is to avoid caste census
The Congress party accused the Centre of "deliberate deceit" over the delimitation bills, claiming the government had earlier assured Parlia...
India’s unemployment rate edges up to 5.1% in March as urban joblessness rises
India's overall unemployment rate edged up to 5.1% in March 2026 from 4.9% in February 2026, the highest level since October 2025, according...
Indian agricultural sector under threat by trifecta of below-Normal Monsoon, El Nino, and West Asia war: ICRA
The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) first long-range forecast (LRF) for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon pegs seasonal rainfall at 92% of ...
Karnataka High Court directs State government to ‘strictly and faithfully’ implement menstrual leave policy
The Karnataka High Court directed the Karnataka state government to "strictly and faithfully" follow the National Education Policy (NEP) 202...
Xi Jinping calls China-Russia ties 'precious' in current international context
Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 15, 2026. Lavrov...
North Korea is boosting nuclear weapons capacity: IAEA chief
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi warned at a press conference that North Korea is "sharply boosting" its nuclear weapons production capac...
India’s March trade deficit narrows to $20.67 billion on year
India's merchandise (goods) trade deficit narrowed to USD 20.67 billion in March 2026, down from USD 21.70 billion in March 2025, as both ex...
Iran ups threats over naval blockade, but still talking to U.S.
Iran's military threatened to shut down Red Sea trade unless the United States lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports, escalating the 20...
Gems and jewellery exports fall to five-year low on U.S. tariffs
India's gems and jewellery exports fell to a five-year low as shipments to the United States plunged 45% year-on-year to USD 5.09 billion, a...
Activists seek delinking of women’s reservation from Census, delimitation
Women's rights activists, civil society organisations, and feminist legal scholars publicly demanded that the government delink women's parl...
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin convenes emergency meeting of DMK MPs over delimitation consequences
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin convened an emergency virtual meeting of DMK MPs and district secretaries on April 15, 2026 — one day ...
Kerala Congress (M) chairperson Jose K. Mani suggests multi-factor matrix for ‘a fair delimitation formula’
Kerala Congress (M) chairperson Jose K. Mani proposed a multi-factor matrix for determining parliamentary seat allocation in the upcoming de...
China moves to block entrance to disputed South China Sea shoal, images show
China deployed a 352-meter (approximately 1,150-foot) floating barrier at the entrance to Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on April ...
Delimitation: Stalin announces state-wide black flag protest, says Centre will pay 'heavy price'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a state-wide black-flag protest on April 16, 2026 — the day Parliament's special session beg...
Indian official team to visit Washington next week for trade talks
An Indian negotiating delegation is travelling to Washington for three-day trade talks from April 20-22, 2026, to resume discussions on an i...
Wildlife trade is driving disease outbreaks globally — raising risk of pathogens reaching humans by 50%, finds study
A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Science (April 2026) found that wild mammals involved in trade have a 50% higher probability ...
India‘s textile and apparel exports degrow by -2.22% in FY 26: Govt Data
India's total textile and apparel exports for FY2025-26 stood at USD 35.16 billion, a degrowth of 2.22% compared to USD 35.96 billion in FY2...
India-UK trade agreement may come into force next month: Commerce Secy
India's Commerce Secretary confirmed that the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is expected to come into operation ...
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (April 14, 2026)
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) addressed three major environmental enforcement cases on April 14, 2026, spanning industrial pollution, so...
Mayawati bats for sub-quota for SC, ST, OBC women within 33% reservation
BSP chief Mayawati backed the Women's Reservation Bill and the government's proposal to implement 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and...
Women's Reservation Bill, a historic step towards Women's empowerment: CM Rekha Gupta
As the Union government introduced its three-bill package in a special Parliament session (April 16–18, 2026), the Women's Reservation Act w...
India’s trade deficit narrows to $20.67 billion in March on West Asia risks
India's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $20.67 billion in March 2026, compared to $27.1 billion in March 2025 — a significant contract...
Crude unlikely to return to pre-war levels soon; India's import bill may rise $70bn annually: Report
Brokerage Prabhudas Lilladher estimates India's annual oil import bill could surge by more than $70 billion due to persistently elevated cru...
WPI inflation rises to 38-month high of 3.88 pc in March on higher fuel prices amid West Asia crisis
Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose sharply to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest reading in 38 months (over 3 years), up from 2....
Guidelines for Urban Challenge Fund released; Rs 5,000 cr-credit repayment guarantee scheme launched
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar released the operational guidelines for the Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fun...
Wholesale price inflation rises 3.88 pc in March on surge in crude rates
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest level in 38 months, driven primarily by surging...
Geopolitical tensions cripple India-Middle East trade in March
India's exports to Middle East fell over 50% in March 2026, with gems and jewellery exports to UAE down approximately 80%, following the tem...
'Women’s reservation bill already passed': Congress accuses Centre of 'hissa chori' using delimitation
The Congress party accused the Centre of using delimitation as a tool for a political "power grab" — characterised as "hissa chori" (share t...
India’s exports drop 7.44 pc to USD 38.92 billion in Mar amid disruptions due to West Asia crisis
India's merchandise exports contracted 7.44% year-on-year to USD 38.92 billion in March 2026, down from USD 42.05 billion in March 2025, as ...
India’s unemployment hits five-month high of 5.1% in March: PLFS
India's unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in March 2026, up from 4.9% in February, marking the highest level since October 2025, according to t...
India achieves record exports of USD 860 billion in 2025-26: Piyush Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that India achieved a record $860 billion in total exports (merchandise + services) in...
Government likely to roll out mobile PLI 2.0 with outlay of over $5 billion by May
The government is expected to roll out a new Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for mobile phone manufacturing — Mobile PLI 2.0 — by M...
‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ will provide women leadership role in policy-making: Haryana CM
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini stated that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will provide women a leadership role in the country's ...
Mallikarjun Kharge convenes meeting of Congress brass to discuss women quota, delimitation
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge convened a high-level meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in Delhi to discuss strategy on ...
China surpasses US as India's largest trading partner in FY26; trade gap swells to USD 112.16 bn
China has surpassed the United States to become India's largest trading partner in FY2025-26, with bilateral trade reaching USD 151.1 billio...
Telangana govt puts 2024 caste survey data in public domain
The Telangana government released the data of its 2024–25 caste survey — officially titled the Telangana Socio, Economic, Educational, Emplo...
Stalin vs Centre: Why is Tamil Nadu protesting the delimitation bill
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a state-wide black flag protest against the Centre's proposed delimitation exercise, calling...
Southern CMs oppose delimitation push, seek wider consultations; Vijayan calls for bill to be dropped
Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana — Siddaramaiah, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Revanth Reddy — met and issued a joint statement o...
‘Project Caracal’ aims to strengthen efforts for conservation of rare wild cat across Rajasthan
The Rajasthan forest department launched 'Project Caracal' at the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve during a 'Caracal Conservation Workshop' on Apri...
India unveils a power-packed FTA calendar: UK, Oman, New Zealand deals next
India is set to operationalise multiple major free trade agreements in 2026, marking one of the most active periods in the country's trade d...
Implementation of Section 51A of UAPA, 1967: Updates to UNSC’s 1988 (2011) Taliban Sanctions List: Amendment of 04 Entries
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a notification (RBI/2026-27/12) on April 15, 2026, directing all regulated financial entities to impl...
Chandrayaan-3: Vikram’s hop offers fresh insights on the moon’s surface
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander performed a controlled "hop" experiment during the final phase of its mission on the lunar surface, reigniting...
Aatmanirbhar 2.0 in works to cushion India against supply chain, energy Pain
The government is working on a second phase of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative — informally called Aatmanirbhar 2.0 ...
Trump’s tariff rates could be restored by July, says US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the tariff rates introduced by the Trump administration could be restored to their earlier l...
What is the Hubble tension?
The "Hubble tension" refers to a persistent, statistically significant disagreement between two independent ways of measuring the Hubble con...
Delimitation bill has provision for EC to conduct exercise in Pak-occupied J&K
The Union Government circulated The Delimitation Bill, 2026 among Members of Parliament, proposing to replace the Delimitation Act, 2002, as...
For FDI, E-comm exports must be in separate cart
The government is evaluating a proposal to permit Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the inventory-based e-commerce model, but exclusively f...
PM inaugurates Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the six-lane Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor on April 14, 2026, in the presence of Union Minister ...
Women’s quota: Govt for House at 850, delimitation on 2011 Census
The government circulated three Bills in Parliament on April 14, 2026, to enable fresh delimitation, expand the Lok Sabha, and operationalis...
Delimitation is the BJP’s tool to divide Bengal and India, says Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee condemned the government's Delimitation Bills, calling t...
Women’s reservation Bill rushed by govt. to sidestep caste count, says Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav accused the Union government of rushing the Women's Reservation Bill implementation without includi...
Stalin warns of massive protests against delimitation; Revanth calls for united southern front
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin issued a "final warning" to the Prime Minister, threatening massive protests that would bring the stat...
China terms U.S. blockade of Strait of Hormuz 'dangerous and irresponsible' move
China's foreign ministry termed a potential US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz a "dangerous and irresponsible" move, signalling Beiji...
India to host Foreign Minister-level meetings of BRICS and Quad in May
India will host Foreign Minister-level meetings of both BRICS and the Quad in May 2026, an unprecedented diplomatic double in a single month...
Cabinet Secretary calls for sovereign AI, resilient supply chains at Army Commanders’ Conference
Cabinet Secretary Dr. T.V. Somanathan addressed senior Indian Army leadership at the ongoing Army Commanders' Conference in New Delhi on Apr...
GE Aerospace, HAL near final deal on co-production of F414 jet engines
GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) concluded technical negotiations for the co-production of the F414-GE-INS6 fighter jet ...
PM inaugurates Delhi-Dehradun expressway
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the six-lane Delhi-Dehradun Expressway on April 14, 2026 The 213-km access-controlled corridor redu...
Centre moots inter-State redistribution of Lok Sabha seats based on 2011 Census
The Union government circulated draft texts of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill and a new Delimitation Bill, proposing to increase Lo...
Rajnath Singh to visit Germany from April 21; submarine deal likely high on the agenda
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Germany from April 21, 2026, with the Project-75I submarine deal expected to be the cen...
Lebanese and Israeli envoys to meet as Israel presses war on Hezbollah
Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors held direct talks in Washington D.C. on April 14, 2026 — the first direct bilateral diplomatic engagement b...
Assets monetisation in focus to bridge potential selloff gap
The government plans to accelerate its asset monetisation programme in 2026-27 to compensate for potential shortfalls in disinvestment proce...
PM Modi invokes Ambedkar to pitch for women's quota
On the occasion of B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary (April 14), PM Modi linked the proposed amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam w...
Trump updates Modi on West Asia, focus on securing Hormuz; US envoy says incredible India-US deals in offing
US President Donald Trump telephoned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief him on developments in West Asia, including the fragile ce...
Mizoram signs peace pact with HPC-D (LF), charts development plan for Sinlung Hills
The Mizoram government signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Lalhmingthanga Sanate-led faction of the Hmar People's Convention-De...
Infra spend up six-fold since 2014, crosses Rs 12 lakh crore: PM Modi
PM Modi inaugurated the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor on April 14, 2026, a 213 km six-lane access-controlled expressway built at a cost o...
Cong: Bill deeply flawed bid for unconstitutional delimitation
Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal termed the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, "extremely ill-timed," alleging the governme...
Lok Sabha seats to be increased to maximum of 850 to accommodate Women's Reservation Bill
The Union Government circulated the draft Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha...
Trump dials PM Modi for 40-minute call; PM says ‘stressed importance of keeping Hormuz open’
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump held a 40-minute phone call during which PM Modi stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of...
Bills on delimitation, expanded Lok Sabha, women’s quota rollout revealed: What they say
The government revealed a three-Bill package ahead of the Special Parliament Session on April 16–17, 2026: (1) Constitution (131st Amendment...
Decoding delimitation: What the new Bills propose to change, and why it matters
The government introduced a package of three Bills in April 2026 to restructure parliamentary representation, trigger delimitation using 201...
‘Daughters can’t wait endlessly’: PM Modi issues open letter urging immediate passage of women’s quota
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote an open letter to the women of India and to parliamentary floor leaders of all parties, calling for unity...
Jaishankar discusses Iran, Hormuz, Lebanon with Israel’s Sa’ar
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held discussions with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar covering the Iran conflict, the Strait o...
Delhi-Dehradun Expressway opens today: Key features, 11 km wildlife corridor explained
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway on April 14, 2026, opening the full 210 km access-controlled corridor...
US announces Iran port blockade: The laws governing passage through the Strait of Hormuz
The United States announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as part of its military operations against Iran following US-Israeli ai...
As UCC debate resurfaces in poll-bound states, remembering what Ambedkar said in Constituent Assembly
As West Bengal and Assam head into state elections, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has re-emerged as a major campaign issue, with the BJP prom...
Delimitation, women’s reservation, balancing North-South divide: Key takeaways from govt’s proposed Bills
The Union Government introduced three Bills in the Special Parliament Session (April 16–17, 2026): Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill; Deli...
Modi, Trump discuss Strait of Hormuz security amid West Asia tensions
US President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Modi held a phone conversation focused on the security situation in West Asia, including the sa...
West Asia conflict threatens to push 2.5 million people in India into poverty: UNDP report
A UNDP report titled "Military Escalation in the Middle East: Human Development Impacts Across Asia and the Pacific" warns that the ongoing ...
63 Moons’ cybersecurity arm pilots GPS-spoofing solution at Indian airports
The cybersecurity arm of 63 Moons Technologies has begun piloting a GPS-spoofing detection and mitigation solution at major Indian airports ...
IMF ups India’s growth forecast to 6.5% for FY27
The IMF's April 2026 World Economic Outlook raised India's FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.5%, up from 6.4% projected in January 2026. Global ...
Opposition support crucial to pass women’s reservation and delimitation Bills
Opposition parties and some NDA allies flagged serious concerns about ambiguity in the proposed delimitation exercise and its implications f...
US blockade of Iran ports in Hormuz may hit China hardest, but India could feel price pain too
Following failed peace talks on April 12, 2026, the US declared a naval blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Strait of Hormuz,...
Meghalaya yields new burrowing reed snake
Scientists from multiple institutions have discovered a new species of burrowing reed snake in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, na...
GE Aerospace, HAL inching closer to seal jet engine deal
GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are on the verge of finalising a co-production agreement for the F-414 fighter jet engi...
India set to emerge as world’s 2nd largest solar market in 2026: NSEFI
India has crossed the 150 GW solar capacity milestone, achieving the fastest-ever addition of 50 GW of solar capacity in just 14 months (up ...
PM Modi, Trump discuss bilateral co-operation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a telephone discussion covering bilateral cooperation, ongoing trade negotia...
GE Aerospace–HAL move closer to F414-INS6 engine co-production deal
GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have moved closer to finalising the co-production deal for the F414-INS6 fighter jet en...
Lok Sabha expansion to 850 seats: Bill adopts ‘delimitation-first’ model, triggers federal concerns
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 adopts a "delimitation-first" approach, allowing constituency redrawing to proceed using avail...
US-Indonesia sign key defence pact, Washington eyes Strait of Malacca
The United States and Indonesia signed a Major Defence Cooperation Partnership on April 14, 2026, during Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie...
Proportional freeze, ‘latest Census’ & 850 seats in LS—what’s in new delimitation, women’s quota Bills
The Union Government circulated copies of three Bills to MPs ahead of the Special Parliament Session on April 16–17, 2026: (1) Constitution ...
Oil supply fell by 10 million barrels per day in March. IEA raises alarm over largest disruption ever
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has characterised the ongoing oil supply disruption as the largest in history, with approximately 10.1...
Modi, Trump discuss need to keep Strait of Hormuz open & secure after Iran hints at ‘new mechanism’
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump held a phone call to discuss the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and secure, amid an effec...
Reducing fertiliser import dependence vital: Jat, Secretary DARE
M.L. Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of ICAR, flagged that India consume...
Saudi Arabia invokes defence pact with Pakistan amid West Asia conflict. What it entails
Saudi Arabia invoked the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed with Pakistan in September 2025, deploying Pakistani fighter jets to Saud...
China says military conflict is ‘root cause’ of disruption in Strait of Hormuz, calls for de-escalation
China officially stated that military conflict is the "root cause" of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and called for de-escalation Beijin...
Made lot of progress, ball in Iran’s court: Vance
A 21-hour marathon round of US-Iran direct peace negotiations held in Islamabad over the weekend collapsed without an agreement US Vice Pres...
India–US eye 'big-ticket energy deals' soon as PM Modi, Donald Trump discuss West Asia crisis
India and the United States are expected to finalise major bilateral deals in the coming weeks, with energy as the centrepiece, even as PM M...
NAAS calls for developing smart alternate fertilisers to achieve self sufficiency
The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) has called for developing "smart alternate fertilisers" to reduce India's dependence on...
China says policy to improve relations with India remains unchanged
China stated that its policy to improve relations with India remains unchanged, even as fresh controversy arose over China's practice of ass...
IMF revises India’s FY27 GDP growth a notch up to 6.5%
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised India's GDP growth forecast for FY2026-27 upward by 0.1 percentage points to 6.5%, up from the...
Implementing women's reservation in 2029 elections is collective sentiment of nation: PM Modi
The Prime Minister stated that implementing women's reservation for the 2029 elections is the "collective sentiment of the nation" The state...
Constitution Amendment Bill proposes fresh delimitation, possible change in size of State Assemblies
The proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 will not only affect Lok Sabha seat numbers but also alter the total number of seats ...
Mint Explainer: Why govt wants stricter gold hallmarking and what will change for buyers
The government is mandating that jewellers link photographs and physical dimensions to every hallmarked gold jewellery piece, creating a com...
IMF raises India FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.5% even as the world stumbles through conflict
The IMF's April 2026 World Economic Outlook (WEO) raised India's GDP growth forecast for FY27 (2026-27) to 6.5%, up 0.1 percentage point fro...
Inside India’s deportation policy: timelines to speed up deportation of illegal migrants, holding centres with 10-ft.-high barbed wire boundary
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a new deportation policy directing all states and Union Territories to set up a Special Task F...
IMF raises India's growth forecast to 6.5% for FY27
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised India's GDP growth forecast to 6.5% for FY2026-27 (FY27), maintaining India's position as t...
'Tamil Nadu will fight': CM Stalin warns PM Modi over north gain in delimitation
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin issued a stern warning to the central government against pushing a constitutional amendment on delimit...
Southern states to benefit in enhanced Lok Sabha: Kiren Rijiju
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that southern states will gain seats — not lose them — when the Lok Sabha is expand...
Weak grid infrastructure, land access, financial barriers for developers slowed PM-KUSUM's progress: Study
A study has identified weak grid infrastructure, land access constraints, and financial barriers for developers as the key reasons PM-KUSUM'...
Kharge to host key opposition huddle before Parliament sitting on women’s quota law, delimitation
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced an opposition coordination meeting for April 15 — the day before the special Parliament sess...
Kharif season faces "double whammy" from El Nino risk and Gulf tensions: Experts
Experts have flagged a "double whammy" threatening India's 2026 Kharif agricultural season: a likely below-normal monsoon linked to El Niño,...
Delimitation: Revanth asks southern CMs to join forces, seeks PM to convene all-party meet
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy proposed a "hybrid model" for the upcoming delimitation exercise, suggesting that of the 307 addit...
'We all love you', Trump tells PM Modi during 40-min call on Iran war, Hormuz
US President Trump and Prime Minister Modi held a 40-minute phone call — their third bilateral conversation in 2026 — to discuss the ongoing...
48 hours to session, no bill in sight: Derek O'Brien on bills on women reservation, delimitation
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien criticised the central government for not sharing the draft bills with Members of Parliament e...
India must cut fertiliser import dependence, leverage AI and precision tech: ICAR chief
The chief of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has called for a multi-pronged strategy to reduce India's dependence on fert...
Justice Badar panel report on SC sub-classification should be made public: Prakash Ambedkar
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar demanded that the Justice Badar committee's report on sub-classification within Sche...
El Nino threat looms large as data shows strong link to weak monsoons
Global climate agencies have issued warnings about a likely El Niño event developing in summer 2026, with the potential for it to be stronge...
For 33% quota for women before next parliamentary polls, Lok Sabha seats to be increased to up to 850
The Union Government introduced the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing to expand the Lok Sabha from 543 to a maximum of 85...
Parliament on verge of history, says PM Modi, as it readies to take up women's bills
A special session of Parliament was announced from April 16–18, 2026, to take up legislation related to the implementation of women's reserv...
Why Opposition may not back women’s quota changes: Delimitation, caste census concerns
With the government proposing to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment, 2023) to delink the commencement of...
On nuclear energy, an Indian milestone
The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, attained its first criticality on 6 April 2026 — the moment a su...
Israel-Iran war LIVE: Trump vows U.S. will sink any Iran boats that challenge blockade
US President Trump declared that any Iranian boats challenging the US naval blockade of Iranian ports will be "eliminated," escalating the m...
Fuel, fertiliser prices may remain high for prolonged period: IMF, World Bank, IEA
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and International Energy Agency (IEA) jointly warned that fuel and fertiliser prices are ...
Israel-Iran war highlights: Trump vows to destroy Iranian warships that get near U.S. blockade
The US military formally began enforcing its naval blockade of Iranian ports on April 13, 2026, with President Trump vowing to destroy Irani...
Person born in India has right to remain on electoral roll, vote: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition related to the deletion of voter names from West Bengal's electoral rolls under the Special Inte...
India received highest number of regressive tax recommendations from IMF: Oxfam
Oxfam International released a report analysing 1,049 tax-related recommendations issued by the IMF to 125 countries between 2022 and 2024 T...
Rise in middle class vulnerability
A World Bank policy paper argues that India's welfare analysis must shift from simply counting people below a poverty line to measuring how ...
Panel examining SC status for Dalits post-conversion gets a third extension
The Commission of Inquiry chaired by former Chief Justice of India Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, set up to examine whether Scheduled Caste (SC)...
Iran, India in touch on passage of ships through Strait of Hormuz: Envoy Mohammad Fathali
Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, stated that India and Iran are in active diplomatic contact regarding the safe passage of ship...
Amid a looming spectre of El Nino, IMD says monsoon likely to be 'below normal'
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the 2026 southwest monsoon will be "below normal," with rainfall forecast at 92% of ...
Monsoon poor in every 7 out of 10 El Nino years
Historical analysis of El Niño years since 1980 shows that approximately 70% of El Niño years coincided with deficient or below-normal India...
Norwegian co to supply 18 big waterjet systems for Indian Navy's next-gen missile vessel project
Norwegian company Kongsberg Maritime has been awarded a contract to supply 18 large Kamewa waterjet propulsion systems for the Indian Navy's...
Vikram's 'hop' unravels surficial 'layers' near lunar south pole region
A new study using data from Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander hop experiment has revealed information about the near-surface layered structure (...
A strategic ethanol shift amid West Asia tensions
With elevated oil prices triggered by the West Asia conflict and growing uncertainty over Strait of Hormuz transit, India's ethanol blending...
IMF, World Bank, IEA urge countries to stop hoarding energy supplies, imposing export controls
The International Energy Agency (IEA), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank Group jointly formed a coordination group to manage...
Punjab Assembly passes Bill with strict provisions against acts of sacrilege
The Punjab State Assembly passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, providing life imprisonment and a fine ...
Russia offers to take in Iran's enriched uranium
The Kremlin publicly repeated Russia's offer to take custody of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of any future peace sett...
Opposition slams delimitation formula in women's quota bill
Opposition leaders across parties united to challenge the Modi government's approach to implementing the Women's Reservation Act (Nari Shakt...
Resisting delimitation can be more harmful for southern States
Analysis of the government's proposed delimitation formula suggests that southern states may actually gain more from participating construct...
Food, fuel prices push up March retail inflation to 3.4%
India's retail (CPI) inflation rose to 3.4% in March 2026 from 3.21% in February, driven by food and fuel price pressures Food inflation cli...
SC wants govt response to PIL seeking hike in MSP for grains
The Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and states on a PIL demanding MSP for farmers that at minimum covers C2 (comprehensive co...
India and France conduct comprehensive review of defence and nuclear cooperation
India and France conducted comprehensive Foreign Office Consultations in Paris, co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and France's Se...
India's global Ammonia tender likely ahead to secure fertilizer production
India is planning a global tender for ammonia, a critical feedstock for urea and other nitrogen-based fertilisers, to secure supplies for do...
Delimitation must be preceded by census: Sonia Gandhi
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi articulated the Congress party's formal position ahead of the April 16–18, 2026 specia...
Big boost for India as GE signs contract with IAF to set up engine repair facility in country for Tejas fleet
GE Aerospace formally signed a contract with the Indian Air Force on April 13, 2026 to establish an in-country depot-level repair and overha...
IMD predicts ‘below normal’ monsoon rainfall over the country amid growing risk of El Niño
IMD's official forecast warns of below-normal rainfall at 92% of the Long Period Average (LPA) for the 2026 South West Monsoon (June–Septemb...
Japan’s JARTS trains 1,000 engineers for Bullet Train; second TBM assembly starts in Mumbai
Japan's JARTS (Japan Railway Technical Service) has trained 1,000 Indian engineers for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project ...
Two tankers with Iranian oil anchor off Indian ports; Iran-flagged Felicity off Sikka, Curacao-flagged Jaya near Paradip
Two crude oil tankers carrying Iranian crude anchored off key Indian port locations, marking India's first Iranian oil imports in seven year...
Consumer prices rose 3.4% in March, early signs of West Asia war’s impact
India's consumer price inflation rose to 3.4% in March 2026 from 3.21% in February — marking an inflection after months of moderation, with ...
US blockade: India says monitoring developments, calls for ‘unimpeded freedom of navigation’ through Hormuz
India's government stated it was "monitoring developments" relating to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and called for "unimpeded free...
‘Parliament making history’: PM Modi says special session to end decades of wait for women’s reservation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a special three-day session of Parliament beginning April 16, 2026, to introduce amendments enabling i...
Railways expedites 827 km line projects to improve border connectivity in Rajasthan
Indian Railways is expediting three strategic rail corridors totalling 827 km in Rajasthan's border districts, aimed at improving connectivi...
IMD forecasts ‘below-normal’ monsoon rainfall
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the 2026 southwest monsoon (June–September) is likely to be "below normal," with...
What’s Keytruda, why is it a big deal in India’s cancer fight
Pembrolizumab (brand name Keytruda), a first-in-class cancer immunotherapy drug made by US pharmaceutical company MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme),...
US to blockade Iran’s ports from Monday, Iran threatens ‘severe’ response: Why the strategy reversal
The United States announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports starting April 13, 2026, after peace talks between the two countries collapsed...
What the US-Iran talks collapse says about their approach to negotiations
After 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, brokered by Pakistan, the US and Iran failed to reach a ceasefire or peace agreement — the latest and ...
As Centre seeks tighter control over online content, why it may lead to pre-censorship
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) circulated a draft amendment to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guid...
Why farmers in Haryana are protesting against biometric verification in mandis
Haryana farmers staged protests — including sit-ins under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha banner — against new state government rules requiring Aad...
US begins blockade on Iranian ports: What it means, its implications
The United States military commenced a naval blockade targeting vessels entering or departing Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz and the ...
Racing to build a quantum computer in Hyderabad
Researchers and institutions in Hyderabad are actively competing to build India's first functional quantum computer, part of a broader natio...
South West Monsoon rainfall to be below normal or deficient in 2026
IMD's April 2026 forecast classifies the upcoming southwest monsoon as "below normal or deficient," with projected rainfall at 92% of the Lo...
India strengthens Sri Lanka maritime push, counters China with strategic bets
India is strengthening its maritime and logistics presence in Sri Lanka, with an emphasis on countering China's expanding footprint in the I...
GE Aerospace, IAF to set up engine repair facility for Tejas fleet in India
The Indian Air Force and GE Aerospace signed a formal agreement on April 13, 2026 to establish an in-country depot-level overhaul facility f...
Congress issues three-line whip to LS MPs; unlikely to back delimitation proposal
Congress issued a three-line whip requiring all its Lok Sabha members to be present during the special three-day parliamentary session (Apri...
FTAs to aid India’s export growth despite global turmoil: Piyush Goyal
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India's portfolio of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with developed economies will help sustain expo...
Kerala University researchers develop high-efficiency, lead-free solar cell
Researchers at Kerala University have developed a high-efficiency perovskite solar cell that replaces toxic lead with a combination of tin a...
IMD forecast of below-normal Indian monsoon poses risk to agriculture, economy
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) released its first long-range forecast for the 2026 South West Monsoon (SWM), predicting below-nor...
'Stop hiring humans'? Silicon Valley confronts AI job panic
More and more companies in Silicon Valley and beyond are explicitly citing AI and automation as the reason for job cuts, with approximately ...
Can the apex court’s high-powered panel file a report that prioritises conservation and protection of the Aravallis?
The Supreme Court constituted a 10-member High Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) in March 2026 to redefine the Aravalli hills — a decision tha...
Food, fuel push up retail inflation to 3.4% in March; pressure likely to persist
India's retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose to 3.40% in March 2026 from 3.21% in February, according to data ...
Bird flu outbreak confirmed in Kottayam district
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been confirmed in Ward 16 of Udayanapuram grama panchayat in Vaikom taluk, Kottayam distri...
West Asia Conflict: Govt hints at 21% ethanol blending
With West Asia tensions disrupting global oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the Indian government has signalled it is considering r...
US naval blockade on Iran begins; UKMTO confirms maritime restrictions
The United States naval blockade of Iranian ports officially commenced on April 13, 2026, with UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operatio...
IMF chief warns global monetary system not ready for AI cyber threats
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva issued a stark warning that the global monetary system lacks adequate defences against rapidly es...
India retail inflation hits 13-month high at 3.4% in March on LPG, food prices
India's headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rose to 3.40% year-on-year in March 2026, up from 3.21% in February — a 13-month high ...
Iranian crude returns to India after seven years as tankers dock at key ports
Two supertankers carrying Iranian crude oil arrived at Indian ports, marking the first such deliveries in nearly seven years — since May 201...
US’ Hormuz blockade: Indian exporters brace for double trouble
Indian exporters expressed acute concern about a "double trouble" scenario as the US naval blockade of Iranian ports disrupted both the key ...
EU weighing tighter regulation for OpenAI under Digital Services Act
The European Commission is assessing whether to designate OpenAI's ChatGPT as a "Very Large Online Search Engine" (VLOSE) under the EU's Dig...
GE Aerospace-IAF tie up for depo-level maintenance iof F404 -IN20 engines
GE Aerospace signed a contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF) on April 13, 2026 to establish an in-country depot-level maintenance facility...
India to see ‘below normal’ monsoon, says India Meteorological Department
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the 2026 southwest monsoon (June–September) to be "below normal," with seasonal rainf...
South Korea, Poland to upgrade ties as Donald Tusk calls Seoul key ally after U.S.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk elevated bilateral ties to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership...
Rial hits 1.58 mn per USD: Iran economy on brink ahead of Trump’s blockade bid to squeeze oil exports
Iran's rial has collapsed to approximately 1.58 million per US dollar — a record low — as the US blockade of Iranian ports takes effect Tehr...
Govt extends EV subsidies, nudges auto-makers to adopt cleaner fuel amid energy supply crisis
Amid the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis — the most severe disruption to global energy flows since the 1970s — the Indian government extended E...
India, Iran share ‘common fate’ in West Asia region, says Iranian envoy Mohammad Fathali
Iranian Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, stated that India and Iran share a "common fate" in the West Asia region On the status of the...
Kirloskar Brothers boosts naval capability with contribution to INS Taragiri
Kirloskar Brothers Limited, a major Indian engineering conglomerate, contributed key pumping systems to INS Taragiri (F41), India's fourth P...
GE Aerospace to set up engine maintenance facility for IAF’s Tejas jets
GE Aerospace has signed a contract with the Indian Air Force to help establish an engine maintenance facility within India for the F404-IN20...
PM calls for dialogue, cooperation to amend women’s quota law
The Prime Minister called for cross-party dialogue and cooperation to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act) to en...
Harivansh likely to return as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
The government reached out to opposition parties to build consensus for the return of Harivansh Narayan Singh as Deputy Chairman of the Rajy...
PM E‑DRIVE e‑truck push for 5600 electric trucks stalls despite ₹500 cr outlay
A Parliamentary Standing Committee (332nd Report, March 2026) flagged "nil physical achievement and no expenditure" under the PM E-DRIVE sch...
Oil tankers steer clear of Strait of Hormuz ahead of US blockade
Shipping industry sources reported that oil tankers were actively rerouting away from the Strait of Hormuz after the US announced a naval bl...
IMF flags global slowdown risk from Middle East war shock: Georgieva
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva described the Middle East war's economic impact as a "classic negative supply shock," warning of ...
Indian Railways clears 100 major projects worth ₹1.53 lakh crore for FY 2025-26
Indian Railways has sanctioned 100 major projects in FY 2025-26 with a total investment of ₹1.53 lakh crore, covering over 6,000 km of new a...
Oil rises 7% to above $100 ahead of US blockade on Iran
Global crude oil prices surged more than 7% to cross $100 per barrel after the US announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports following the ...
India received highest number of regressive tax recommendations from IMF: Oxfam
A new report by Oxfam International, drawing on analysis of IMF tax advice to 125 countries between 2022 and 2024, found that India received...
IAF ties up with GE to build own facility for repair, overhaul of Tejas engines with quicker turnaround
GE Aerospace signed a contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to help establish an in-country depot-level maintenance, repair, and overhaul...
Activists slam ‘opaque’ manner of bringing in women’s Bill amendments
A group of prominent academics, activists, and retired civil servants issued a statement criticising the government's secretive and non-cons...
SC notice to Centre, others on plea concerning MSP
A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Union Government and other respo...
'All-party meeting' on April 15 to dicuss women's reservation: Kharge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that opposition parties will convene their own all-party meeting on April 15, 2026, to discu...
Philippines accuses China of poisoning disputed waters
The Philippines' National Security Council (NSC) accused Chinese fishermen of pouring cyanide into waters around Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungi...
U.K. will not back blockade of Strait of Hormuz, says PM Starmer
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain will not support the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stating "we are not supporti...
India unveils new security standards for its digital payments system to drive global adoption
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced comprehensive new security norms for India's digital payments ecosystem, covering biomet...
No immediate impact of US blocking Iranian vessels on India’s crude cargoes
India has cut its dependence on crude oil transiting the Strait of Hormuz to just 30% of total imports, down from over 50% earlier in 2026 I...
Centre vs Tamil Nadu: Sitharaman hits back at Stalin on paddy, wheat bonus row
The Centre's Department of Expenditure sent a January 9, 2026 letter to all Chief Secretaries, advising states to "review" their bonus polic...
France, UK to lead multinational mission to restore navigation in Strait of Hormuz: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and the United Kingdom would jointly lead a "peaceful, multinational mission" to rest...
Rainfall below normal? How accurate are predictions by Skymet, IMD?
Both the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and private forecaster Skymet have independently predicted a below-normal monsoon for 2026, w...
PM Modi says Parliament set to amend Women’s Reservation Act for 2029 rollout
Addressing a women's conference, the Prime Minister confirmed that Parliament will amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to enable its impl...
India's March palm oil imports fall 19% to three-month low
India's palm oil imports declined nearly 19% month-on-month in March 2026 to approximately 689,462 tonnes — the lowest in three months — as ...
Rupee weakens by 56 paise to settle at 93.39 against U.S. dollar
The Indian rupee depreciated 56 paise to settle at 93.39 against the US dollar on April 13, 2026 Forex analysts attributed the fall to uncer...
World Bank chief sounds alarm about looming jobs crisis even after war ends
World Bank President Ajay Banga warned that developing economies will face a deficit of 800 million jobs in the next 10–15 years At current ...
Manickam Tagore questions 'sudden rush' in delimitation, targets Centre over Women's Reservation Bill timeline
A Congress MP questioned the government's plan for the Women's Reservation Bill, arguing that the constitutionally correct sequence must be:...
Supreme Court seeks government response on plea to pay farmers weighted average cost of production of crops
The Supreme Court issued notice to the Union Government and states on a PIL seeking directions to fix the Minimum Support Price (MSP) at no ...
Donald Trump vows U.S. will sink any Iran boats that challenge blockade
US President Donald Trump announced that the US Navy would immediately eliminate any Iranian fast-attack vessels approaching the naval block...
Rajasthan highway modernisation project gets $225 million World Bank boost, to benefit 3 million people
The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved a $225 million loan on April 10, 2026 for the Rajasthan Highway Modernization Project...
'Assault on Constitution': Sonia Gandhi criticises delimitation exercise, says govt turned down all-party meet
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi described the proposed delimitation exercise to increase Lok Sabha seats as an "assaul...
Atlantic current shows steady decline, with scientists warning collapse could amplify global warming and disrupt climate systems
A new study published in *Science Advances* (2026) reveals that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) has been weakening co...
Adding 8% more green cover can cool Delhi neighbourhoods by 1°C, but benefits remain uneven, finds study
A study by Artha Global surveyed 2,368 households across all 70 of Delhi's assembly constituencies, combining primary survey data with high-...
Dual risks of monsoon deficit and rising input costs threaten India's rural economy in 2026: Report
A recent economic report has flagged a dual threat to India's rural economy in 2026: the southwest monsoon is projected at 94% of the Long P...
Retail inflation inches up to 3.4 pc in March, shows govt data
India's Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based retail inflation edged up to 3.4% in March 2026, from 3.21% in February, according to official data...
India’s March retail inflation quickens to 3.4% as US war on Iran disrupts global trade flows
India's retail inflation (CPI-based) ticked up to 3.4% in March 2026, from 3.21% in February — still below the RBI's 4% medium-term target C...
Sitharaman accuses Stalin of creating false narrative over Centre’s advisory on paddy bonus
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of creating "false narratives" over a January 9, 202...
Only women leaders to represent BJP in TV debates for a week ahead of Women's Reservation Act discussion
Ahead of the special Parliament session (April 16–18, 2026) to discuss amendments to the Women's Reservation Act, the BJP announced it would...
Rajya Sabha to elect its deputy chairman on Apr 17; NDA likely to renominate Harivansh
The Rajya Sabha was scheduled to elect its Deputy Chairman on April 17, 2026, after the post fell vacant when Harivansh Narayan Singh's tenu...
'Ab kya hoga, ye rab jane': Tharoor takes dig at failed US-Iran talks in Pakistan
Marathon peace talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, concluded without a deal on April 12, 2026 US Vice President...
Southwest monsoon to be 8% below Long Period Average: IMD
IMD's April 2026 long-range forecast places the southwest monsoon at 92% of the Long Period Average — 8 percentage points below the normal t...
On this day: 10 minutes that changed India forever - 107 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre
April 13, 1919 marks the 107th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, Punjab, when British Brigadier-General Reginald Dye...
Those hit by SIR deletions may see their other rights diluted: Prashant Bhushan
Approximately 91 lakh voters were removed from West Bengal's electoral rolls following the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision ...
SC seeks Centre’s response on plea over MSP linked to cost of cultivation
The Supreme Court issued notice to the Union Government and other respondents, including the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (C...
IMD flags below-normal monsoon for 2026; rainfall seen at 92% of long-term average
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) released its first long-range forecast on April 13, 2026, predicting below-normal southwest monsoo...
Why energy shock from Iran war has not spread to food
Despite Brent crude oil crossing $100 per barrel following the 2026 Iran war and US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, global food prices hav...
Israel-Iran war LIVE updates: U.S. announces to block Hormuz today
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on April 13, 2026, that it would begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz while still allowing ships tra...
As the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is opened tomorrow, new study documents 18 wildlife species using key underpass near Haridwar
A joint study by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), titled "Landscapes Reconnected,"...
Oil jumps 8% to above $100 ahead of U.S. blockade on Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump announced on April 12, 2026 that the US Navy would begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz following the failure of mar...
US-Iran peace talk failure to hit market recovery; rupee; oil may see setback
The failure of US-Iran peace negotiations has sent shockwaves through financial markets, with stocks, currency, and energy markets all expec...