A fresh political controversy has gripped the country after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the Manusmriti drew sharp criticism from several quarters. The issue escalated when BJP leader and Supreme Court advocate Nazia Khan filed a formal police complaint in Ghaziabad, alleging that Gandhi deliberately misrepresented the ancient Hindu scripture and hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus. The episode has once again brought the Manusmriti into the centre

The government plans to add 100 new vessels to India’s merchant fleet over the next five years as part of efforts to reduce the country’s annual freight payments of around 75 billion US dollars to foreign shipping lines and strengthen domestic shipping capacity. Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced the initiative on Tuesday following the Sagar Samvad event organised by the National Shipping Board. India currently operates a merchant fleet of approximately 1,600 seag

The Narendra Modi government is advancing one of the most significant electoral reform proposals in recent decades through the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) initiative. The proposal aims to synchronize elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, enabling citizens to vote for both levels of government during a single nationwide electoral cycle. Recent developments indicate that the government is exploring the possibility of implementing the reform as early a

India is set to introduce a major reform in its telecom security system by making real-time identity verification mandatory before the activation of every new SIM card. The proposed framework, being developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), is designed to prevent fraudsters from obtaining mobile connections using fake or stolen identities and to reduce the growing number of cybercrimes linked to anonymous SIM cards. The initiative comes as digital frauds, inclu

Former Union minister Smriti Irani has returned to a senior position in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s national organisation. On Monday, party president Nitin Nabin appointed her as one of the national general secretaries while announcing a new team of office-bearers. The decision brings her back into the party’s central leadership more than two years after she lost the Amethi Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general election. The appointment comes as the BJP prepares for a series of

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday issued a clarification on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s use of the term “Dimagi Naxals” during the Independence Day address. Rijiju stated that the phrase was not directed at opposition leaders and outlined the specific groups to which he said the term applied. The remarks have sparked a political exchange between the government and the opposition following the Prime Minister’s speech from the Red Fort. Rijiju’s cla

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has operationalised the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers–Disclosure Scheme (FAST-DS), 2026, giving eligible taxpayers a one-time opportunity to disclose certain foreign assets and income that were not properly reported earlier. The scheme came into force on August 16, 2026, and the disclosure window will remain open until December 31, 2026. The initiative was announced as part of the Union Budget 2026-27 and has now been given a forma

India’s 80th Independence Day is more than a milestone marking eight decades since the country broke free from British rule. It is also an opportunity to reflect on how India’s institutions have evolved and what must change as the nation looks towards its ambition of becoming a developed country by 2047. India has transformed dramatically since 1947. From building democratic institutions and expanding its industrial base to becoming a major global economy and a leader in digi

The Union Cabinet has approved a major national programme to accelerate the production of compressed biogas across India. Known as the GOBARdhan scheme, or the National Circular Bioenergy Scheme, the initiative carries an outlay of ₹23,731 crore and will be implemented from the financial year 2026-27 to 2035-36. Administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the scheme seeks to convert agricultural residue, cattle dung, press mud, municipal organic waste and other

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a breakfast meeting with newly elected and first-term Rajya Sabha members of the National Democratic Alliance on August 5, 2026, at his residence in New Delhi. The interaction, attended by around 36 to 37 lawmakers, continued the Prime Minister’s practice of meeting groups of MPs during Parliament sessions to offer guidance and share perspectives drawn from public life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal and othe

A fresh controversy has erupted in Karnataka after Home Minister Priyank Kharge's remarks on protesting Civil Police Constable recruitment aspirants drew widespread criticism. The comments came amid growing demands from candidates seeking a fair investigation into alleged irregularities during the recently conducted recruitment examination. The issue has since evolved into a political flashpoint, with opposition leaders questioning the government's handling of the matter and

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’, a nationwide campaign aimed at creating a drug-free India by mobilising the country's youth and encouraging community participation. The initiative is envisioned as a 100-week public movement that seeks to spread awareness about the dangers of substance abuse while promoting healthy lifestyles among young Indians. The campaign forms part of the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 20

The Indian Parliament has passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, introducing stricter measures to combat paper leaks and organised examination fraud across the country. Shortly after the legislation received parliamentary approval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video message on Instagram, describing the Bill as a landmark step towards restoring faith in India's examination system and assuring students that those involved in p

India has outlined an ambitious roadmap to further strengthen its digital infrastructure, announcing a target of connecting 100 crore (1 billion) users to 5G services by 2030. Alongside this goal, the government has also revealed plans to establish the country's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, marking a significant step toward expanding India's telecommunications manufacturing capabilities. The announcements were made by Union Communications

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday stepped up its criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over allegations of examination paper leaks in Punjab by organising a major protest outside the AAP headquarters in New Delhi. The demonstration marked a fresh escalation in the ongoing political confrontation between the two parties, with BJP leaders accusing the Punjab government of failing to ensure transparency and fairness in the conduct of recruitment examinations. The pro

India's merchandise exports have recorded strong growth in the first four months of the financial year 2026-27 despite continued uncertainty in the global economy. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that merchandise exports have grown by nearly 15 percent, highlighting the resilience of India's export sector amid geopolitical tensions, disruptions in international shipping routes, and fluctuations in global trade. The minister stated that despite the diffic

In a significant move aimed at safeguarding the integrity of India's public examination system, the Lok Sabha has passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The legislation seeks to strengthen the legal framework against paper leaks, organised cheating, impersonation, and other forms of examination fraud that have affected recruitment and entrance examinations across the country in recent years. The Bill was passed through a voice vote a

The Lok Sabha has passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote, further strengthening India's legal framework to tackle paper leaks and organised examination fraud. The Bill was passed during the Monsoon Session of Parliament amid disruptions in the House, with some Opposition members staging a walkout before the voting took place. The amendment builds upon the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which

The Monsoon Session of Parliament witnessed an extensive discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, a proposed legislation aimed at strengthening India's fight against examination fraud. The Bill seeks to reinforce the existing legal framework by introducing stricter punishments, time-bound investigations, and faster judicial proceedings for offences related to paper leaks and organized cheating. The proposed amendments come at a

The Bombay High Court has permitted Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to initiate a civil suit against Meta, X (formerly Twitter), Google LLC, and several unidentified individuals over the circulation of allegedly defamatory AI-generated deepfake videos and social media posts related to India's E20 ethanol-blended petrol programme. The case is being closely watched as it raises important questions about the misuse of artificial intelligence, the spr