Natioanal

New Delhi, February 21, 2026: In a significant step to curb the misuse of AI, the Indian government has made it mandatory to label all AI-generated photos, videos, and audio. Social media platforms are now required to remove any objectionable content within three hours of receiving a complaint. The new rules came into effect on Friday. Notification and Implementation The official notification was issued on February 10, 2026. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said several countries have praised India’s decision to enforce clear labeling of AI-generated content and are considering similar measures. PM Modi’s Suggestion A day before the rules were implemented, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested at the AI Summit that digital content should carry labels similar to “nutrition labe...

New Delhi, February 21, 2026: While the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) received international acclaim, Congress leader Pawan Kheda attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the foundation of UPI was laid during the UPA government, but the current administration is taking credit. Congress Criticism Kheda shared a video of French President Emmanuel Macron and wrote on X, “We all remember that one classmate in a group project who does nothing but takes all the credit. Narendra Modi is no different.” He explained that the UPI concept was initiated in 2012–2013 under the leadership of Nandan Nilekani, then Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). In December 2013, a UPA-appointed committee recommended a mobile-based digital payments infrastructure....

New Delhi, February 21, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at Hyderabad House on Saturday, marking a significant boost to India-Brazil strategic and economic ties. The discussion was attended by senior ministers and officials from both sides, including Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, along with a large delegation of Brazilian ministers and top business leaders. AI Summit Gains Prestige with Lula’s Visit At a joint press conference following the meeting, PM Modi said, “It gives me great pleasure to welcome President Lula and his delegation to India. Just as I was warmly received in Brazil last year, we extend the ...

New Delhi, February 21, 2026: The Congress party has demanded that the interim trade agreement between India and the United States be suspended following a ruling by the US Supreme Court. Party leaders have called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make it clear that no import liberalization will take place until clarifications are received from the US side. Congress Raises Concerns Congress General Secretary ** Jairam Ramesh** questioned why the Modi government was in such a hurry to have the US announce the India–US trade deal on the night of February 2, 2026. He emphasized that the government must renegotiate the agreement to ensure that the livelihoods of millions of Indian farmers are not adversely affected. Ramesh said, “Had the Prime Minister waited just 18 more days instea...

The Meteorological Department has once again issued a warning of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across 10 states, from north to south India. The rainfall over the next three days is expected to bring a drop in temperatures, while dense fog in northern India could disrupt morning travel. Eastern India has also been placed under weather alert. Nationwide Weather Outlook – February 22, 2026 As February enters its final phase, the country is experiencing the tail end of winter chill. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall alert for 10 states, accompanied by the possibility of storms with wind speeds reaching up to 55 km/h. The gusty winds may cause a significant drop in temperature. Additionally, lightning and thunder are expected in affected areas. Citiz...

New Delhi: The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling invalidating former President Donald Trump’s tariffs has provided some immediate relief to the global economy. However, experts caution that the decision may not change the overall scenario and that India, China, and other countries affected by the tariffs could still face significant challenges. Supreme Court Ruling and Its Immediate Effect The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s tariffs, which had been used as an economic weapon under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The decision affects tariffs applied under national emergency powers, which had generated over $175 billion to date. Experts say the ruling offers short-term relief but does not fundamentally alter the tariff regime. Trump Imposes 10% Global Tar...

New Delhi: India has asked France to increase the “Make in India” component in its deal for 114 Rafale fighter jets and to include domestic production of key missiles—Meteor, SCALP, and MICA—within the weapons package. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized this demand during discussions with his French counterpart. Expanding Indigenous Weapons Manufacturing India has already approved an additional deal worth ₹3,200 crore for SCALP air-to-ground missiles, which were previously used in Operation Sindhur. Sources say that considering the missile requirements for the next three decades, India wants production of these missiles to take place within the country. The Rafale aircraft manufactured in India will be capable of integrating indigenous weapons, though a significant number o...

Mumbai: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized three oil tankers linked to Iran, suspected of oil smuggling, around 100 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast. Investigations revealed that the vessels had deliberately turned off their sensors to conceal movements and carried out unauthorized ship-to-ship transfers. Following the seizure, two crew members, including the tanker master, were arrested in Mumbai. Tankers Operated with Sensors Turned Off According to the FIR registered on February 15 at Yellow Gate Police Station in Mumbai, one of the tankers, Asphalt Star, sailed near the Pakistan Maritime Boundary between January 20 and 28 without identification. The ships had switched off their Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and other sensors to hide their activities. The FIR, ...

New Delhi: At the AI India Summit 2026, experts emphasized that India needs to strengthen its IT sector by developing indigenous AI applications. While AI solutions can be built on existing platforms from the US or China, India requires a secure and tamper-proof AI framework for strategic and national security purposes. In other words, India must develop its own AI models. Small Models vs. Large Global Models The Economic Survey 2025–26 highlights the importance of small AI models for specialized applications. Indian startups like Sarvam have created models for Indian languages with around 2 billion parameters, whereas global giants like Google and OpenAI operate models with trillions of parameters, trained on vast datasets worldwide. Smaller models can be trained without massive ...