Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases, starting with Houselisting and Housing Census from April to September 2026, followed by Population Enumeration in February 2027. This digital exercise will involve house-to-house visits and an option for online self-enumeration to ensure comprehensive data collection.

Indian students in Iran are arranging to leave due to escalating conflict fears. Evacuation routes via Armenia and Azerbaijan are being offered, with some opting for commercial flights back home. Concerns are high across multiple universities, prompting student associations and political representatives to coordinate safe passage efforts for departing batches.

Despite increased forest cover in the Aravallis, built-up areas have surged 53%, leading to a 13.8% rise in annual soil loss. Researchers found that massive land conversion, particularly of rangelands and croplands, overwhelms local conservation efforts like afforestation. This trend, linked to human activity and climate change, threatens the delicate balance of this ancient mountain range.

External affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke with Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. They discussed regional developments and shipping security. Concerns were raised about maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran detailed recent attacks by the US and Israel. Both ministers emphasized strengthening bilateral ties and regional stability.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has permitted the withdrawal of medical treatment for Harish Rana, a 31-year-old man in a vegetative state. The apex court has instructed Delhi's AIIMS to facilitate the discontinuation of life support for Rana, who has been in this condition for a considerable period.

The Union Cabinet has approved declaring Madurai airport an international airport, a move aimed at boosting global connectivity to the temple city. This decision is expected to enhance air connectivity, strengthen Madurai's role as an educational and healthcare hub, and attract international pilgrims and businesses, supporting regional trade and economic activity.

Indian Army troops thwarted an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Jhangar sector on Tuesday. Acting on intelligence, alert soldiers engaged two terrorists, successfully eliminating one Pakistan-sponsored infiltrator and preventing any breach of the LoC. A search operation is underway for the second terrorist.

The BJP has criticized Rahul Gandhi for backing the Youth Congress' «shirtless» protest at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. Party leaders accused Gandhi of orchestrating the disruption, which they claim embarrassed India globally. Meanwhile, a court reserved its order on the bail pleas of three Youth Congress workers involved in the protest.

Lok Sabha witnessed a heated debate as the opposition moved a resolution to remove Speaker Om Birla. Congress MPs questioned the authority of Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding, citing a constitutional vacuum due to the absence of a Deputy Speaker. The government defended Pal's position, leading to sharp exchanges.

Two IndiGo flights were diverted to Bhopal due to loose bitumen on Indore's runway during recarpeting work. The issue was resolved within 20 minutes, and operations resumed. Separately, a fire in dry grass at the non-operational area of Indore Airport caused no casualties or flight disruptions.