THE HEADLINES
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says India has right to defend itself from terrorism; Asserts no one can dictate how New Delhi exercises its defence.
- Election Commission rejects post 2010 OBC certificates as valid ID for SIR in West Bengal.
- Centre approves 22 new projects under Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme worth over 41 thousand crore rupees; Projects include telecom, strategic electronics, automotive, and IT hardware.
- Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train achieves milestone with breakthrough of mountain tunnel five.
- IMD forecasts dense to very dense fog conditions over Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chandigarh today.
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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said that India will exercise the right to defend itself from terrorism and that no one can dictate how India exercises its defence. Speaking at the inauguration of Shaastra 2026- IIT Madras Techno-Entertainment fest at Chennai, he said that India will do whatever is required to defend itself. The External Affairs Minister outlined India’s neighbourhood policy, stressing that New Delhi has the right to defend itself against terrorism from hostile neighbours.
He said persistent cross-border terrorism undermines goodwill and nullifies benefits such as water-sharing arrangements, as cooperation cannot coexist with violence. Explaining India’s broader outlook, Jaishankar referred to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, saying Indian foreign policy views the world as a family and focuses on problem-solving through national strengths and partnerships. On regional developments, he spoke about Bangladesh, mentioning his recent visit to Dhaka for the funeral of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. He noted that India supports stable neighbours and believes India’s economic growth acts as a rising tide benefiting the region, including Bangladesh during its election period.
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The Election Commission has issued a directive stating that Other Backward Class certificates issued by the West Bengal government after 2010 will not be treated as a valid document supporting identity. The Commission stated this while, hearings on the claims and objections to the draft electoral roll in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The move comes in the wake of a Calcutta High Court order dated December 24, 2025, which cancelled OBC certificates issued between 2010 and 2024 to 113 communities. The court found procedural irregularities in the classification process, ruling that the certificates lacked legal validity. Following the court’s decision, the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal circulated instructions to all District Electoral Officers emphasizing that such certificates could not be used in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls. The Commission clarified that while individuals from OBC communities remained eligible voters, their post-2010 certificates could not serve as a proof of identity or community status in electoral matters.
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The Centre has approved 22 new proposals under the third tranche of the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, involving a projected investment of 41 thousand 863 crore rupees. These approvals cover the manufacturing of 11 target-segment products, including mobile manufacturing, telecom, consumer electronics, strategic electronics, automotive, and IT hardware. These projects are expected to generate production worth two lakh 58 thousand crore rupees and create around 34 thousand direct jobs. Speaking on the occasion, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, the implementation of major reforms and the acceleration of execution are key hallmarks of the Modi government.
Our ccorrespondent reports that the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme was launched to make India Atmanirbhar in electronics supply chain.
“Electronics is one of the highest-traded and fastest-growing industries globally and is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the global economy and advancing a country’s economic and technological development. The projects approved today, spread across eight states Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. This will significantly strengthen domestic supply chains, reduce import dependence for critical electronic components, and support the growth of high-value manufacturing capabilities in India. Earlier, the Ministry had approved 24 projects under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme. These approvals reflects a forward-looking step in electronics manufacturing journey, which is closely aligned with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a global hub for electronics manufacturing. With Dipendra Kumar, Vishnu PS, Akashvani News Delhi.”
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics related to Lord Buddha in New Delhi tomorrow. The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that the Piprahwa relics, discovered in 1898, hold a central place in the archaeological study of early Buddhism. More from our correspondent:
“The Exposition will be held at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi. It will bring together, for the first time, the Piprahwa relics repatriated after more than a century from Piprahwa that are preserved in the collections of the National Museum of New Delhi, and the Indian Museum of Kolkata. The Piprahwa relics, discovered in 1898 are among the earliest and most historically significant relic deposits directly connected to Lord Buddha. The exposition will highlight India’s deep and continuing civilizational link with the teachings of Bhagwan Buddha and reflects the Prime Minister’s commitment to preserve India’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage. With Rishu Jaiswal, Adarsh Kumar for Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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In Kerala, the Special Investigation Team, SIT, once again questioned Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold plating case. Unnikrishnan Potti had earlier served as a helper to a former assistant priest at the Sabarimala temple. Meanwhile, the SIT, appointed by the Kerala High Court, is trying to gather details about the gold allegedly misappropriated from the Sabarimala temple, including gold clad panels. However, former Kerala BJP state president K. Surendran has demanded a probe by central agencies into the case. He also alleged that the Congress has links to the issue and questioned how the individuals connected to the case were able to visit Sonia Gandhi.
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Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today said that the Mumbai – Ahmedabad bullet train project has achieved a major milestone with the breakthrough of around 1.5 kilometres of tunnel connecting Virar and Boisar in Palghar. Addressing the High-Speed Tunnel Breakthrough Programme at Palghar, Maharashtra, through video conferencing, Mr Vaishnaw said there are a total seven mountain tunnels and one sea tunnel in the project. He said, this is the second mountain tunnel breakthrough in Maharashtra. The Minister said that the bullet train will serve as an affordable and convenient mode of transport for the middle class.
The Minister said that India’s first bullet train will be ready by 15th August next year. He said, the bullet train corridor will be commissioned in a phased manner and the first high-speed train will operate on the Surat-Bilimora stretch. Mr Vaishnaw said, the construction work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project began in April 2021 and will be commissioned next year. He added that the 508-kilometre-long high-speed rail corridor will have a total of 12 stations. Mr Vaishnaw informed that the corridor will connect major cities, including Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Bilimora, Vapi, Boisar, Virar, Thane, and Mumbai.
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India expressed grief over the tragic fire explosion in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. In a social media post, the Indian Embassy in Switzerland said that India stands in solidarity with the Swizz Government and its people during this difficult time.
At least 40 people were killed and many others injured after an explosion and fire tore through the ‘Le Constellation’ bar at the Crans-Montana ski resort in Switzerland’s Valais Canton on New Year’s Eve.
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Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has said the island is determined to defend its sovereignty and boost its defence in the face of China’s increasing expansion. This comes after Beijing fired rockets towards the island as part of its military drills. The President said the international community is watching to see whether the Taiwanese people possess the resolve to defend themselves. He added that the year 2026 will be a crucial one for Taiwan and that Taiwan must make plans for the worst, but hope for the best. The U.S. State Department said later yesterday, China’s military activities near Taiwan and others in the region increase tensions unnecessarily. It urged Beijing to halt military pressure against the democratically governed island.
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Several people have been killed during overnight unrest in Iran as the country faces its most significant wave of protests in three years, triggered by soaring inflation and mounting economic hardship. Iranian media and rights groups confirmed deaths in multiple locations, including the western city of Lordegan and the central province of Isfahan, as clashes between demonstrators and security forces intensified yesterday. The violence marks a sharp escalation of protests that began on Sunday, when shopkeepers took to the streets over the government’s handling of a currency crisis and rapidly rising consumer prices.
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Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has declared a new 60-day state of emergency in nine provinces and three municipalities. This comes due to an increase in criminal violence which has caused serious internal commotion. The President said the 60-day validity of the decree aims to contain and reduce high-intensity violence, neutralize ongoing or imminent threats, and dismantle criminal structures.
The decree which was signed on Wednesday by the president, has been in force since Thursday.
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The India Meteorological Department, IMD has forecast dense to very dense fog conditions over Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Rajasthan and Chandigarh today. The weather agency has also predicted dense fog conditions over Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad for the next three days. Similar conditions will prevail over Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and North-eastern states till the 6th of this month. Meanwhile, thunderstorms and lightning has been predicted over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal for the day. Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi-NCR has been registered in the poor category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the National Capital was recorded at 270 as of 1 PM today.
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Sjoerd Marijne has been appointed as the chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team. This announcement was made by Hockey India today. The dutchman had led Indian women to a historic fourth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was their second appearance at the quadrennial event in more than 36 years.
Coach Marijne’s first big challenge as the chief coach will be the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, in Telangana which will take place from 8th to 14th March.
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Benchmark domestic equity indices, the Sensex and the Nifty, were trading more than half a per cent higher in afternoon trade today. The Sensex climbed 498 points to 85 thousand and 687, while the Nifty rose 159 points to 26 thousand and 306, around 20 points shy of its all-time high, when reports last came in. Barring FMCG, all other sectoral indices were trading in the positive zone, with Utilities, Power, Realty, and Auto leading the gains. The broader market at the Bombay Stock Exchange was also trading up.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says India has right to defend itself from terrorism; Asserts no one can dictate how New Delhi exercises its defence.
- Election Commission rejects post 2010 OBC certificates as valid ID for SIR in West Bengal.
- Centre approves 22 new projects under Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme worth over 41 thousand crore rupees; Projects include telecom, strategic electronics, automotive, and IT hardware.
- Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train achieves milestone with breakthrough of mountain tunnel five.
- IMD forecasts dense to very dense fog conditions over Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chandigarh today.