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Full Vande Mataram mandated at official events
Government directives issued on Wednesday require that all six stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram be rendered at schools and official functions, expanding the practice that had limited public performance to the first two stanzas. The revised guidelines state that the complete composition must be played before the...
Publisher rebuts claims over Naravane memoir quote
Penguin Random House India has issued a clarification distancing itself from excerpts cited by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Parliament, saying it alone holds the publishing rights to former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s memoir and that the book has not yet been released. The statement has sharpened...
Opposition targets Speaker over floor access dispute
Opposition parties are preparing to move a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, escalating a confrontation over the conduct of proceedings after claims that the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was denied an opportunity to speak during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the...
Farm groups plan nationwide protests over trade deal
Farmers’ organisations have announced a series of protests across the country next week, criticising the proposed interim trade agreement framework between New Delhi and Washington and accusing the government of exposing agriculture to undue foreign corporate influence. A joint statement issued on Saturday by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, its...
Trump lifts extra India tariff under trade pact
Washington moved to roll back an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods from India on Friday, formalising a trade understanding announced earlier this week and tying the relief to New Delhi’s commitment to halt purchases of Russian oil and expand energy and defence cooperation with the United States....
India–US trade talks ring-fence farm and food staples
Government officials have moved to allay anxieties around the contours of the proposed India–United States trade arrangement, stating that agriculture and mass-consumption food items are excluded from negotiations. The clarification comes amid speculation over market access, tariff concessions and regulatory alignment, with farm groups and consumer advocates seeking assurances...
Moscow rebuffs Trump claim on New Delhi oil stance
Russia has rejected a claim by United States President Donald Trump that New Delhi agreed to halt purchases of Russian crude as part of a trade arrangement signed with Washington earlier this week, saying India remains free to buy energy from any supplier and that diversification has long been...
Rahul alleges PM compromised amid China row
Parliamentary proceedings were overshadowed on Tuesday after Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been “compromised,” triggering fresh political confrontation as repeated disruptions stalled debate over China and references to former Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane’s memoir. Speaking to reporters...
Congress targets Centre after Trump trade disclosure
Congress intensified its attack on the Narendra Modi government after United States President Donald Trump publicly outlined elements of an India–US trade understanding, including commitments on oil purchases and indications of tariff reductions, before New Delhi had made any formal announcement. The disclosure triggered political pushback, with the opposition...
States tax share frozen as Centre holds line
New Delhi signalled a firm stance on fiscal devolution as the Union Budget for 2026–27 retained states’ share of central taxes at 41%, setting aside calls from several state governments for a higher transfer to ease budgetary stress. Presenting the Budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman confirmed an allocation...
Budget fine print offers muted hope for salaried households
Union Budget 2026 landed without the headline tax relief many salaried households had anticipated, leaving the structure of personal income tax slabs unchanged and offering no broad-based reduction in rates. That initial disappointment, however, sits alongside a set of policy measures that signal incremental gains for middle-income earners and...
UGC caste rules put BJP in bind
The Union government’s newly notified caste equity framework for universities has placed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in a political and ideological dilemma, as it attempts to balance its stated commitment to social justice with the anxieties of its traditional support base within upper-caste communities. The regulations, issued by...
Top court flags risks in UGC equality rules
The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed unease over provisions in the University Grants Commission’s new Equality Regulations, warning that parts of the framework could legitimise segregation on campuses and undermine constitutional guarantees. The concern was raised while hearing a petition that challenges the legality and intent of the regulations,...
Top court halts UGC equity rules
Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold the University Grants Commission’s Equity Regulations aimed at preventing caste-based discrimination on university campuses, saying the framework appeared prima facie vague and open to misuse, and warning that unchecked operation could carry far-reaching social consequences. A bench led by Chief Justice D...
US criticism targets Europe’s India trade choice
Comments by Scott Bessent criticising Europe’s decision to finalise a sweeping trade agreement with India have sharpened an already tense debate over how Western economies balance commercial priorities with geopolitical commitments linked to the war in Ukraine. Bessent, a prominent investor and economic commentator who has advised US policymakers...
maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar killed in plane crash
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning after the chartered Learjet 45 business jet carrying him and four others crashed while attempting to land at Baramati Airport in Pune district. The aircraft, operated by VSR Aviation and registered VT-SSK, went down near the runway threshold and...
US voices unease as EU–India trade pact nears announcement
Washington has signalled growing unease over the European Union’s decision to move towards finalising a sweeping trade agreement with India, even as negotiations between India and the United States remain unresolved. The remarks, delivered by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a televised interview, underscore rising transatlantic tensions over...
Karti Chidambaram questions Padma honours amid poll calendar
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has criticised the Union government over the announcement of the Padma Awards 2026, alleging that the selection of awardees reflects electoral considerations rather than an objective assessment of merit. His remarks, posted on social media on Monday, have added a political edge to what is...
