The Ministry of External Affairs in India summoned Bangladesh's Acting High Commissioner to express concerns over statements from Bangladesh authorities portraying India negatively. Recent comments by former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, now in exile, have added to the tensions, prompting a formal protest from Bangladesh.
Kshama Sawant, an Indian-origin American politician, led a demonstration after being denied an emergency visa to visit her ailing mother in Bengaluru. The Indian consulate in Seattle described the demonstration as 'unauthorised entry,' while Sawant alleged physical assault by officials. She has faced previous visa rejections and attributes them to anti-India advocacy efforts.
Türkiye is seeking increased flying rights to India to accommodate the growing number of Indian tourists and boost trade. The current bilaterals allow limited flights between the two countries. Enhanced connectivity is deemed essential due to rising travel demand and increased trade volume, which reached $12.5 billion in 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will co-chair the AI summit in France with President Emmanuel Macron during his visit from February 10-12. He will also address the India-France CEOs forum in Marseille. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri highlighted India's focus on safe and responsible AI development. PM Modi will honor Indian soldiers of World War I and visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor site.
The high-stakes Delhi Assembly election sees Congress aiming to regain its position, facing off against AAP, which took the lead in 2015. The decisive factor could be the consolidation or division of Muslim and Dalit votes. With Dalit and Muslim-majority constituencies showing high turnout, the final results will be crucial in determining AAP or BJP dominance.
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have alleged discrepancies in Maharashtra's voter list, citing a sudden addition of 39 lakh voters. They accused the Election Commission of ignoring repeated requests to investigate, claiming voter irregularities mostly affected Dalit, tribal, and minority communities.
Exit polls indicate a BJP comeback in Delhi after 27 years, potentially ending AAP’s decade-long governance. AAP dismisses these predictions, citing past instances where its success was underestimated. Historical data from 2013, 2015, and 2020 elections show consistent underestimation of AAP’s performance by pollsters.
A debate erupted on social media when Dr Sylvia Karpagam questioned the classification of milk and paneer as vegetarian foods. Her comments sparked a divided response, with some defending dairy as vegetarian due to the non-lethal procurement process, while others disagreed, aligning with Western dietary classifications.
Delhi's lieutenant governor ordered an anti-corruption probe into AAP's claims that BJP attempted to poach its candidates by offering Rs 15 crore and ministerial positions. BJP refuted the allegations and requested investigation into the claims, stating that they are creating panic amidst elections without substantial proof. AAP leaders met with Kejriwal ahead of assembly election results to discuss strategies.
Swami Ishatmananda highlights India's inclusive and secular nature, rooted in the concept of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. He cautions against narrow nationalist ideologies and emphasizes that India's strength lies in unity and diversity, urging a focus on economic development and religious harmony.
A troubling video from Manipur shows football players, some possibly underage, holding assault rifles during a match at Nohjang Kipgen Memorial Playground. The footage also featured cultural performances attended by over 300 people. The Meitei Heritage Society has expressed concern and urged authorities to investigate the open display of weapons by these participants.
Delhi has become a key transit hub for illegal immigration to the US due to its air connectivity and presence of numerous travel agents. In 2024, arrests of agents facilitating illegal immigration surged. Police busted 'visa labs' producing counterfeit visas, and shifted focus to dismantling syndicates and raising public awareness to prevent immigration fraud.
Harpreet Laliya, lured by the promise of earning Rs 4 lakh a month driving a taxi in Canada, sold his valuables and undertook a perilous journey to the US-Mexico border. After enduring harrowing conditions and mafia threats, he was deported and returned to India. Laliya's ordeal highlights the dangers of illegal immigration and human trafficking.
Haryana minister Anil Vij defended US President Donald Trump's decision to deport illegal immigrants, stating every country has the right to expel those who enter illegally. His comments followed the deportation of 104 Indian immigrants to Amritsar. Vij suggested India should also address its own illegal immigration issue. Punjab's NRI affairs minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal urged PM Modi to discuss the matter with Trump to address the deportation concerns.
India condemned the vandalism of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman's residence in Dhaka, regrettable as it symbolizes Bangladesh's resistance against oppression. Demonstrators damaged the residence and nearby Awami League offices, set ablaze Wajed Mian's house, and destroyed properties of Sheikh Hasina’s relatives. Hasina urged for justice, emphasizing history's resilience despite the vandalism.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar briefed Parliament about the deportation of 104 illegal Indian immigrants from the US, clarifying that this process has been ongoing since 2009 with a total of 15,668 deportations. He addressed opposition concerns about the use of restraints, stating it’s standard ICE procedure and clarified that women and children weren't restrained.
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda claimed in the Rajya Sabha that Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu wanted to be NDA vice-chairman but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not consent. BJP leader J P Nadda denied this, stating no such leadership discussions occurred within NDA, with all allies unanimously supporting PM Modi.
