THE HEADLINES:
- India and US issue joint statement announcing framework for an Interim Trade Agreement.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to embark on a two-day visit to Malaysia today; Two sides to focus on trade and economy, emerging technologies, energy, and education.
- India condemns bombing at an Islamabad Mosque; Says, Pakistan is choosing to delude itself by blaming others.
- President Droupadi Murmu to inaugurate grand tribal cultural festival ‘Bastar Pandum-2026’ in Jagdalpur today.
- India clinch Under19 Cricket World Cup title for record sixth time; President, Vice President and Prime Minister hail Team India.
- ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, to begin today.
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India and US today announced that they have reached a framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. Commerce and Industry Ministry shared the India-US Joint Statement which said that the framework reaffirms the countries’ commitment to the broader U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on 13th February last year, which will include additional market access commitments and support more resilient supply chains. According to the Joint Statement, United States will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 percent on goods of India, including textile and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber, organic chemicals, home décor, artisanal products, and certain machinery. The US will also remove tariffs on certain aircraft and aircraft parts of India imposed to eliminate threats to national security. India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Kuala Lumpur for his third visit to Malaysia. The visit comes at a crucial time as both countries continue to deepen their engagement under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, elevated in 2024. During the visit, the two sides will review the entire gamut of bilateral ties, with a focus on assessing the implementation of decisions taken after the elevation of ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, B.N. Reddy, has said that discussions will centre on strengthening cooperation in trade and economy, emerging technologies, energy, education, and new-age sectors such as startups, Artificial Intelligence, and fintech, as both sides look to expand collaboration beyond traditional areas.
Today, Prime Minister Modi will attend a major event by Indian diaspora. More in this report:
The major highlight of today’s schedule will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with the Indian diaspora. Selamat Datang Modi Ji, an event expected to draw around 15,000 people, is all set to welcome the Prime Minister with great pomp and enthusiasm. From dance performances to singing programmes, the event will serve as a major cultural showcase at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre. Tomorrow, the focus will shift to the official engagements, including the welcome ceremony, bilateral meetings, delegation-level talks, and the exchange of key Memoranda of Understanding, as India and Malaysia look to further strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership. DURGESH BADHURIA,AKASHVANI NEWS, KUALA LUMPUR.
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President Droupadi Murmu will arrive today on a one-day visit to Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of Bastar in Chhattisgarh. On this occasion, she will inaugurate the Bastar Pandum Festival. The President will also address a programme organised at Lalbagh Ground in Jagdalpur. Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will also be present at the inaugural ceremony of the Bastar Pandum Festival. More from our correspondent:
Under the Bastar Pandum Festival, divisional-level competitions will be organised from the 7th to the 9th of February. During this period, more than 700 artists from 84 teams will present performances across 12 cultural disciplines. These include tribal dances, handicrafts, traditional tribal cuisine and indigenous musical instruments. Bastar Pandum is a festival centred on tribal traditions, folk arts and the indigenous way of life. While providing a platform to local folk artists, it also plays a significant role in connecting the younger generation with their cultural roots. The popularity of Bastar Pandum is steadily increasing. This year, more than 54,000 participants from various districts of Bastar registered to take part in the festival. Bastar Pandum is not merely a cultural event, but a living symbol of the soul of Bastar and its rich tribal identity. Vikalp Shukla, Akashvani News, Raipur.
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Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Raipur this evening on a three-day visit to Chhattisgarh. During his visit, Mr Shah will review the internal security situation and Left-Wing Extremism in the state, and will also participate in various programmes in Raipur and Jagdalpur.
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In Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise. Voters can now submit Forms 6, 7 and 8 till March 6th, 2026 to add their names, seek corrections or request deletions from the electoral rolls. The earlier deadline was February 6.
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India’s central bank yesterday raised its real GDP growth projection for 2025-26 to 7.4 percent, signalling confidence in the durability of domestic demand even as global trade uncertainties and financial market volatility cloud the external outlook, as it held interest rates steady. The RBI also revised upward its early outlook for 2026-27, projecting real GDP growth of 6.9 percent in the first quarter and 7 percent in the second.
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V O Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority becomes the first port in India to initiate the implementation of an advanced Anti-Drone System. The system enables real-time detection, tracking, classification, and neutralisation of unauthorised drones, thereby safeguarding strategic assets, personnel, and port operations. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said that this is a significant milestone towards strengthening maritime and coastal security.
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India has condemned the bombing at an Islamabad Mosque and condoled the loss of life it has caused. In a statement, External Affairs Ministry termed it unfortunate that Pakistan is choosing to delude itself by blaming others for its home-grown ills, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric. The Ministry said India rejects any such baseless and pointless allegations. Earlier, 31 people were killed and 170 injured in a suicide attack at a Shia religious center in the capital, Islamabad, yesterday.
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Senior officials from the United States and Iran held indirect talks in Oman yesterday, marking the first formal discussions between the two adversaries since US military strikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities last year. The negotiations, mediated by Oman’s foreign minister Badr Albusaidi, took place in the Omani capital of Muscat.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi described the session as “a good start” and “a very good beginning,” noting a mutual willingness to continue the dialogue. While no major breakthroughs were announced, both sides expressed openness to further rounds, with the Omani foreign ministry confirming the discussions were serious. A report;
The talks focused primarily on Iran’s nuclear program, though deep divisions emerged over the agenda. Iran insisted on limiting discussions to nuclear issues and potential sanctions relief, while the US pushed for a broader scope that would include Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities, its support for regional proxy groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis, and concerns over domestic human rights issues, including Tehran’s recent crackdown on nationwide protests.
The White House has demanded “zero nuclear capability” from Iran, amid US naval buildup in the region and prior warnings from Trump that failure to reach an agreement could lead to further military action, echoing last June’s strikes that damaged key Iranian enrichment sites.
Oman, a longtime neutral mediator in US-Iran relations, played a pivotal role in facilitating the encounter after earlier uncertainty over location and format. The meeting was initially planned for Istanbul but shifted at Iran’s insistence to keep the scope narrower.VINOD KUMAR, AKASHVANI NEWS, DUBAI.
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News just in Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed the framework for an Interim Trade Agreement between India and US as great news, and thanked US President Donald Trump for his personal commitment to robust ties between the countries. In a social media post, Mr Modi said this framework reflects the growing depth, trust and dynamism of India-US partnership. He said it strengthens ‘Make in India’ by opening new opportunities for India’s hardworking farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, StartUp innovators, fishermen and more. He added that this framework will also strengthen resilient and trusted supply chains and contribute to global growth.
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India have clinched the Under 19 Cricket World Cup title for a record sixth time, beating England by 100 runs in the final of the Under -19 World Cup 2026 in Harare, Zimbabwe, last evening. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, India were propelled by a stunning, record-breaking masterclass from Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who scored 175 off just 80 balls. A report;
Chasing the huge target of 412 set by India, England were all out for 311 runs in 40.2 overs. Opting to bat first, India posted 411 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 50 overs. The 14-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi laid the foundation for India’s victory, smashing a breathtaking 175 runs off 80 balls. While Skipper Ayush Mhatre contributed 53 off 51 balls. India’s bowlers then sealed the victory, with R.S. Ambrish claiming three wickets, while Deepesh Devendran and Kanishk Chouhan picked up two wickets each. Shagun Chopra for Akashvani News.
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President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi have congratulated Indian Cricket Team for winning the Under-19 ICC Men’s World Cup 2026.
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The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, kickstarts today. The month-long tournament will run until March 8th, featuring 20 international teams competing across 55 matches at venues spread across both countries.
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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES
- The Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India maintaining status quo on interest rates and policy stance, in its first meeting of the year, is front page news in dailies. “RBI keeps key rate unchanged at 5.25%, loan EMIs to remain same,” reads The Tribune headline. “RBI back in the crease,” headlines Financial Express.
- RBI plans compensaiton up to 25,000 rupees in digital fraud cases, even if the victim has shared OTP, reports The Indian Express.
- India and Malaysia to set up multi-layer chip collaboration during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Malaysia, writes The Economic Times.
- In its editorial piece titled, “Anthropic sends a message to Bengaluru,” The Indian Express argues that AI is rapidly shifting from a supportive tool to an autonomous agent capable of replacing large swathes of software-led work. The editorial warns that entry-level tech jobs are especially vulnerable, and concludes that policymakers, universities, and industry must rethink skilling strategies.
- Finally, with the only link road covered in 3-feet snow, young men in a remote village in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, carry a 75-year-old patient for 7 kilometers in a makeshift chair to the nearest hospital for treatment, writes The Indian Express.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- India and US issue joint statement announcing framework for an Interim Trade Agreement.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to embark on a two-day visit to Malaysia today; Two sides to focus on trade and economy, emerging technologies, energy, and education.
- India condemns bombing at an Islamabad Mosque; Says, Pakistan is choosing to delude itself by blaming others.
- President Droupadi Murmu to inaugurate grand tribal cultural festival ‘Bastar Pandum-2026’ in Jagdalpur today.
- India clinch Under19 Cricket World Cup title for record sixth time; President, Vice President and Prime Minister hail Team India.
- And ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, to begin today.
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