Nation

The recently concluded India-US trade deal has delivered a major blow to China, tipping the balance decisively in India’s favor. With the agreement now in effect, several sectors in China face heightened challenges, while India stands to gain a significant competitive edge. Trade Deal Shifts Advantage to IndiaWhile U.S. President Donald Trump had kept India entangled in tariff and ceasefire negotiations for nearly ten months, the final trade agreement caught China by surprise. The deal provides India with a clear path to outperform China in trade with the United States. The benefits extend beyond the reduction of tariffs from 50% to 18%—China now faces doubled challenges in sectors where it had previously enjoyed advantages. Earlier, despite high tariffs, China maintained a relativel...

India’s highly anticipated fifth-generation fighter jet program, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), has entered a crucial phase—but Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been left out of the race. Three private companies have been shortlisted to develop and manufacture the next-generation jets, with the final selection expected within the next three months. Next-Gen Fighter FeaturesThe new AMCA jets will feature cutting-edge military technologies, including advanced stealth capabilities, integration of artificial intelligence (AI), long-range targeting systems, and the ability to operate alongside unmanned systems. Key specifications are expected to include: Advanced stealth technology to evade enemy radar Superior aerial maneuverability and surface-strike capability ...

India and the United States have successfully concluded a major trade deal, and a key figure behind this achievement is Sergio Gor, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to India. Sergio Gor: The Crucial Link in DelhiSince his appointment in January, Ambassador Gor has played a pivotal role in strengthening U.S.-India engagement beyond traditional diplomatic channels. Even before the deal was officially announced by President Donald Trump, Gor hinted at a major development through a social media post. Following the announcement, he emphasized that President Trump has always regarded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a close friend. Gor functioned almost as Trump’s special envoy in Delhi. Visits Before Official AppointmentAlthough Gor formally assumed office on January 14 after presenting...

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha witnessed chaos once again on Tuesday during the budget session, as opposition MPs clashed with the ruling benches over the Ladakh border dispute. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi raised the issue, urging the government to provide clarity, while the Chair repeatedly requested MPs to rely on “authentic sources.” Tensions escalated when opposition members accused the government of misleading the House on India-China border matters. They protested the Chair’s decisions and demanded that the opposition leader be allowed to speak on the issue. In the midst of the uproar, several opposition MPs approached the podium near the Chair, and papers were reportedly thrown toward the Chair. Reprimand Over ‘Yaar’ RemarkChairperson Krishna Prasad Tennati, presiding over the pr...

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has begun inspecting an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that recently reported a fuel control switch (FCS) anomaly. The aircraft, which flew from London Heathrow to Bengaluru, was grounded for safety checks. Following the incident, Air India has ordered thorough inspections of all its Dreamliner aircraft. The aircraft in question, Boeing 787-8 VT-ANX, was delivered to Air India in 2017. On February 1, the aircraft commander recorded in the logbook that one of the fuel control switches behaved abnormally: “…when lightly pressed, the left control switch moved from the ‘Run’ position to the ‘Off’ position and failed to lock properly. No other defects were observed.” Age of the Fuel Control SwitchAccording to sources familiar with the matt...

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Tuesday highlighted in Parliament that several private pharmaceutical companies are earning profit margins ranging from 600% to 1000% on branded medicines. She stressed that this is not an allegation but a documented finding in a parliamentary committee report. Maliwal pointed out that the same medicines are available in generic form at 80–90% lower prices, yet patients are charged multiple times more simply for the brand name. “A sick person has no bargaining power,” she said, emphasizing that the compulsory need for medicines is being exploited by these companies. Health Should Be a Right, Not a Business“Health is not a commodity; it is a right. The hard-earned income of the poor and middle class should not be diverted to fuel exorbitant p...

Delhi-NCR continues to experience biting cold, and the chill is expected to intensify in the coming days across northern India. Recent snowfall in the hilly regions has contributed to the drop in temperatures. According to the Meteorological Department, February 4 is likely to witness dense fog and severe cold in Delhi. A cold wave will sweep across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and other northern states. Upper regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand may also experience snowfall. Jammu & Kashmir:Temperatures in Jammu & Kashmir have slightly improved. Srinagar recorded a minimum of 2.8°C at night, while Gulmarg Ski Resort experienced -5.3°C. Meteorologists noted that a weak western disturbance is active over the Union Territory, bringing cloud cover, rain, and...

New Delhi: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convened a parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday to discuss the Union Budget 2026 and the government’s long-term vision for a developed India by 2047. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally shared updates from the meeting on X (formerly Twitter), posting photos along with the caption: “Participated in the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting where we discussed several important issues. Here are some glimpses…” The meeting was held at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi. On arrival, PM Modi was felicitated for India’s recent trade deal with the United States, following a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Monday. This marked India’s second trade agreement in the past ten days. Responding to the greetings, PM Modi s...

In a dramatic turn of events during the Budget Session of Parliament, eight opposition MPs, including seven from the Congress party, were suspended from the Lok Sabha for allegedly throwing papers towards the Speaker’s chair. The suspension followed repeated disruptions in the House, prompting a strong response from the Chair. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon around 3 PM when proceedings resumed after multiple adjournments. Opposition MPs reportedly tossed pieces of paper near the Speaker’s seat during discussions on the motion of thanks to the President’s address. The Speaker identified the MPs for defying the Chair and disrupting parliamentary decorum. The suspended MPs are: Gurdeep Singh Aujla (Congress) Manickam Tagore (Congress) Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (...

The Supreme Court of India has issued strong criticism against Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp over their privacy policies, emphasizing that citizens’ right to privacy cannot be compromised. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Suryakant warned Meta that it cannot “play” with the nation’s privacy rights. The bench, led by the CJI, was hearing appeals filed by Meta and WhatsApp challenging the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s (NCLAT) decision, which had upheld the ₹213.14 crore penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on WhatsApp in relation to its 2021 privacy policy. The CCI had alleged that WhatsApp’s policy allowed the misuse of user data for advertising purposes, which was an abuse of its dominant position in India’s OTT messaging market. During the hearing,...