THE HEADLINES::
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chair fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi today.
- Home Minister Amit Shah calls for establishing a common Anti-Terrorism Squad structure across the country; Directs state DGPs to implement it at the earliest.
- India expresses grave concern over unremitting hostilities against minorities in Bangladesh.
- CBI moves Supreme Court challenging Delhi High court order suspending life sentence of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar
- In Women’s Cricket; India beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in third T20 International in Thiruvananthapuram; Take unassailable 3-nil lead in five-match series.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi today and tomorrow. The three-day Conference which began yesterday, is aimed at strengthening Centre-State partnership through structured and sustained dialogue on national development priorities. Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States and Union Territories and domain experts among others are taking part in the Conference.
Anchored in the Prime Minister’s vision of cooperative federalism, this Conference serves as the forum where Centre and States collaborate, designing a unified roadmap to maximise country’s Human Capital potential and accelerate inclusive and future-ready growth. The conference focuses on the theme ‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’ covering best practices and strategies for states and Union Territories to follow. Under this theme, special emphasis for detailed discussion, is being placed on five key areas including Early Childhood Education, Schooling, Skilling, Higher Education, Sports and Extracurricular activities. The conference features six special sessions focusing on Deregulation in States; Technology in Governance-Opportunities, Risks, and Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chains and Market Linkages; One State, One World-Class Tourist Destination; Atmanirbhar Bharat and Swadeshi; and Strategies for a Post-Left Wing Extremism Future. With Pallavi Parmar, SWATI RAKHEJA, Akashvani News, Delhi.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that India has now resolved to free itself from the colonial mindset, declaring that the memories of Indian sacrifices and valor will no longer be suppressed and the nation’s heroes and heroines will no longer be sidelined. The Prime Minister said this while addressing the national programme marking ‘Veer Baal Diwas’ in New Delhi yesterday. Mr Modi said that India will demonstrate complete liberation from the colonial mindset by 2035. He stressed that once the nation is free from this mindset, it will take greater pride in indigenous traditions and advance further on the path of self-reliance.
The Prime Minister further said that a glimpse of the campaign to free the nation from the colonial mindset was recently visible in Parliament, where during the winter session, Members of Parliament delivered nearly 160 speeches in Indian languages apart from Hindi and English.
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Home Minister Amit Shah has called for establishing a common Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) structure across the country and directed state Directors General of Police to implement it at the earliest. He said, common ATS structure for the police across the entire country, provides an opportunity for uniform preparation to counter terror attacks at every level. Mr Shah was speaking yesterday after inaugurating the two-day ‘Anti-Terrorism Conference-2025’ organized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi. He noted that the NIA has worked extensively to develop a common ATS framework and has already shared it with state police forces. He said, a uniform structure, will ensure standardised preparedness and response mechanisms at every level across the country.
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India has said the unremitting hostilities against minorities in Bangladesh is a matter of grave concern. Briefing media in New Delhi yesterday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, India condemns the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh city of Bangladesh and the perpetrators of the crime must be brought to justice. He added that over 2 thousand 900 incidents of violence against minorities including cases of killings, arson, and land grabbing have been documented by independent sources during the tenure of the interim government in Bangladesh. He added that these incidents cannot be brushed aside as mere media exaggeration or dismissed as political violence.
Replying to another query on upcoming polls in Bangladesh, Mr Jaiswal said, India supports free, fair,inclusive and participatory elections in Bangladesh. The parliamentary elections in the neighboring country are scheduled to take place on 12th of February.
On H-1B visa issue, the External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson said, India remains actively engaged with the US to address and minimise the disruptions caused to Indian nationals holding H-1B visas. The spokesperson also stressed that India remains fully committed to bringing back people who are fugitive and wanted in India. He said India is currently engaged with several governments.
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In Bangladesh, concert by rock legend James, popularly known as Nagar Baul, was cancelled last night after violence erupted at Faridpur Zila School during celebrations marking the institution’s 185th anniversary. 25 people were injured in the incident, most of them were students. The concert, scheduled to begin on the school grounds as the concluding event of the two-day anniversary programme, was called off after a group of outsiders allegedly attempted to forcefully enter the venue after being denied access, hurling bricks and stones which triggering a confrontation with students of Faridpur Zila School.
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The year 2025 stands as a defining chapter in India’s development journey. It saw policies translate into progress and intent into impact. In the Special Series, ‘Year of Reforms’, today our correspondent brings a report on India’s progress in the Taxation Sector in 2025.
India’s tax history reflects the evolving relationship between the state and its citizens. From the oppressive Salt Tax challenged by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930, to income tax rates touching an extreme 97.5 per cent during the 1970s, excessive taxation fostered distrust, fear-driven compliance and widespread evasion.
The tax reforms initiated by the Narendra Modi government over the past eight years, and decisively carried forward in 2025, mark a clear departure from that legacy. The key pillar of this transition is the next-generation GST reforms. While GST’s introduction in 2017 unified India into a single market, multiple slabs, classification disputes and compliance complexities persisted. This year, the system was rationalised into two main slabs of 5 and 18 per cent, with clearer classifications, easier registration and simplified compliance.
The impact has been visible in consumption and revenue trends. India recorded its highest-ever Diwali sales at over six trillion rupees, strong Navratri demand, and record automobile sales in October. Households are expected to save about two-and-a-half lakh crore rupees annually due to GST cuts and income tax relief. Insurance premiums now attract zero GST, while daily essentials and consumer goods have become more affordable. Income tax reforms have delivered major middle-class relief, with the exemption limit rising from two lakh rupees in 2014 to twelve lakh rupees this year.
This year, tax reforms represent not just fiscal restructuring, but a philosophical shift where trust, simplicity and transparency are driving growth and compliance. With Ishani Yadav, Pallavi Parmar, Akashvani News, Delhi.
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President Droupadi Murmu will be on a four-day visit to Goa, Karnataka, and Jharkhand beginning today. The President will leave for Goa this evening. Tomorrow, President Murmu will take a sea sortie in a submarine from Karwar Harbour in Karnataka. On Monday, the President will grace the centenary celebrations of Ol Chiki Lipi, at Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. The Ol Chiki script was created in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu for the Santali language. On the same day, she will also address the 15th convocation ceremony of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Jamshedpur. The President will address the Antarrajyiy Jansanskritik Samagam Samaroh-Kartik Jatra at Gumla in Jharkhand on 30th of this month.
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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Supreme Court challenging the order of the Delhi High Court suspending the life sentence and granting bail to former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. The CBI yesterday filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Apex court against the High Court’s decision. Earlier this week, the High Court ordered the suspension of former legislator’s sentence during the pendency of his appeal against conviction and life imprisonment and also granted him conditional bail.
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Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has highlighted that electronics has emerged as India’s third-largest export category, climbing from seventh place. In a social media post, the Minister said, India is the second largest mobile manufacturing country in the world. He said that India’s growth story in electronics manufacturing is driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of developing a comprehensive ecosystem.
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In Women’s Cricket, India defated Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the third T20 International in Thiruvananthapuram last night to take an unassailable 3-Nil lead in five-match series. Chasing a target of 113 runs, India overhauled the score, posting 115 runs for the loss of two wickets in just 13.2 overs, riding on Shafali Verma’s unbeaten 79 off 42 balls.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- “‘Can’t be brushed aside’: India on Bangladesh attacks,” reads the top headline in Hindustan Times. Quoting the MEA spokesperson, The Statesman writes that India is closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh.
- The Central government has told the High Court that a “Pandora’s box” situation may ensue if the court were to order the GST Council to slash GST rates on air purifiers without following the proper procedure, writes The Asian Age.
- The Times of India quotes the Ministry of External Affiars to reveal that over 24,600 Indians were deported from 81 countries in 2025, with Saudi Arabia recording the highest deportations.
- Invasive mosquito species threatens India’s 2030 malaria elimination goal, reports The Hindu.
- And finally, India, the world’s largest producer and exporter of incense sticks, has prohibited the use of certain insecticidal chemicals and synthetic fragrance substances that may pose a risk to human health, reports The Pioneer.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN,
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chair fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi today.
- Home Minister Amit Shah calls for establishing a common Anti-Terrorism Squad structure across the country; Directs state DGPs to implement it at the earliest.
- India expresses grave concern over unremitting hostilities against minorities in Bangladesh.
- CBI moves Supreme Court challenging Delhi High court order suspending life sentence of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar.
- In Women’s Cricket; India beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in third T20 International in Thiruvananthapuram; Take unassailable 3-nil lead in five-match series.
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