Top 5 news of the day: India beats England in nail-biter to level Oval series; PM Modi pays tribue to Shibu Soren; & more
Here are the top 5 stories that made headlines today:
India beat England in thrilling final test, clinch series
India defeated England by just 6 runs in a tense final Test match at The Oval, winning the series in dramatic style. England looked set to win after big hundreds from Joe Root and Harry Brook, but India's fast bowlers turned the game around. Mohammed Siraj took key wickets on the final morning, helping India grab a thrilling victory in one of the most exciting matches in recent times.
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PM Modi pays tribute to former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi to pay respects to veteran leader Shibu Soren, who passed away after a long illness. Soren, 81, was a respected figure and former Jharkhand chief minister. PM Modi called him a grassroots leader who worked for the poor and tribal communities. He also met Soren's family and expressed his condolences both in person and on social media.
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Supreme Court's criticism of Rahul Gandhi sparks political clash
The Supreme Court's remarks against Rahul Gandhi over his China comments led to a heated exchange between the BJP and Congress. The court questioned his claims about Chinese occupation, saying such statements shouldn't be made outside Parliament. The BJP called Gandhi 'anti-national,' while Congress hit back, accusing the government of hiding facts and using the term "DDLJ"—Deny, Distract, Lie, Justify, to describe the Centre's handling of the China issue.
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India continues to buy Russian oil despite western pressure
India continues to import large volumes of Russian crude oil, even as pressure builds from the US and EU. Over 2 million barrels were delivered to Indian refineries over the weekend, with more shipments expected. The government has not issued any orders to stop these purchases. Officials say India's foreign relations are based on national interest, not international pressure, stressing its longstanding ties with Russia.
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SpiceJet Staffer with spinal fractures speaks out on assault
A SpiceJet ground staff member, Mudasir Ahmed Khan, who suffered two spinal fractures after being attacked by an Army officer at Srinagar airport, said he was just doing his job. Khan recalled how he was punched and hit with a trolley bag after asking the officer to follow baggage rules. 'Never thought something like this would happen,' he said, as doctors advised him complete bed rest.
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Mint
2 minutes ago
- Mint
For Indian defence firms, a special US deal is on the way
India and the US are working on a landmark deal that would open up each country's defence purchase market to the other, marking a significant step forward in their strategic relationship, two people aware of the development said. The Reciprocal Defence Procurement Agreement (RDPA), if finalized, would give Indian companies direct access to the world's largest defence market worth $850 billion, and enable their American counterparts to tap into India's manufacturing and technology sector. This would also make India the 29th signatory to the US framework, and the only Asian signatory after Japan. An official announcement is likely within a year, but it would also depend on factors including the ongoing trade negotiations with the US, the people cited above said on the condition of anonymity. 'In light of the current geopolitical environment, especially after Operation Sindoor, India sped up talks with the US for a full-fledged RDPA. The rationale has been that while there have been many interim agreements opening up the two markets for strategic technologies, most of them still require approvals from the US Department of Defence, as well as other paperwork under foreign affairs, export and import controls, and so on. Both nations recognize the need for an RDPA, and talks are now closing in at the final stage," one of the two people said. Smoother process An RDPA will enable Indian makers of defence components and technologies such as spy satellites to sell directly to the US. Companies can choose to partner closely with US entities, without needing express approvals of the two governments, currently a cumbersome affair. Talks for an RDPA happen in the backdrop of recent American tariffs on Indian goods, and ongoing talks for a bilateral trade agreement. Experts said that with the RDPA in place, India's defence firms, which exported a record ₹23,622 crore of goods in FY25, are likely to see a major fillip. 'For India, even with the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) signed in August last year, the current agreements and bureaucratic deals have kept multiple roadblocks in place. For the US, India has so far been a Soviet-heavy defence market—getting access to it will be key as in the current geopolitics, India is a crucial ally for the US in the East," said Vivek Mishra, deputy director for strategic studies at global think-tank, Observer Research Foundation. 'Think of this as a deal that would give India a massive defence manufacturing market from the US to cater to, via partnerships signed under the ambit of the RDPA. Doing so is crucial for both countries right now, and has for long been the logical step forward for the ties of the two nations," Mishra added. Queries sent to the holding companies of Kalyani Strategic Systems and Alpha Design Technologies, as well as the Mahindra Group and Indian-American space-tech startup Pixxel remained unanswered. An email sent to the Ministry of Defence also did not receive responses. Explaining how the deal would work, the second official cited above said, 'The current International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) rules are a Department of State affair in the US, which seeks to control access of US technology in foreign nations. The Strategic Trade Authorization, meanwhile, comes under the Department of Commerce—and establishes export control to prevent access of technology outside of the US. RDPA, under the US Department of Defence, will primarily establish the ability for Indian defence entities to view and apply for US defence tenders, and vice-versa." Building on ITAR The deal will build on existing Indo-US agreements in defence and technology, such as the joint initiatives announced by prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump, during the former's US visit in February. These include a review of the existing ITAR, which industry experts said is still a bureaucratic and restrictive process. 'The leaders announced plans to sign this year a new ten-year Framework for the US-India major defence partnership in the 21st century… (and) determined that the US would expand defence sales and co-production with India to strengthen interoperability and defence industrial cooperation," a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said on 13 February. Bharat Forge's Kalyani Strategic Systems, the Adani group's Alpha Design Technologies, Centum Electronics and others currently rely on ITAR clearances to supply defence technologies to US entities. Some examples include Kalyani's artillery cannons deal with AM Design, and Mahindra Group's partnership with Anduril for autonomous marine systems, both announced in February this year. "This would be a massive push for the Indian defence market, which is currently worth around $80 billion. The US, meanwhile, has an $850-billion defence market. India's aspiration is to scale up its defence exports to $6 billion by 2030. Even if Indian private firms can capture 1% of the US market, this represents a massive business opportunity for them," the second official added. ORF's Mishra also said that for India, the US is the biggest target market. "We do have a bilateral defence agreement with France, but not with the UK. This means that the US is a one-of-a-kind target for Indian private firms, and an RDPA will majorly boost the domestic market," he added. Streamlining The lack of a streamlined process has pushed startups, such as Bengaluru-born Pixxel and Digantara, to set up independent US entities to pursue defence contracts with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) in the US. The process, however, has meant that defence supply deals remain far and few in nature. 'The RDP Agreement would assist the Indian companies to develop internationally acceptable standards and certifications in order to access the massive US defence market, which will in turn also increase their competitiveness and acceptability in other defence markets," said Shailender Arya, senior advisor, defence and national security at global policy advocacy firm, The Asia Group.
Hindustan Times
2 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
FIR against party leader over ‘A for Akhilesh, B for Babasaheb', Samajwadi Party chief hits back
After an FIR was filed against Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Farhad Alam Gada in Saharanpur district for allegedly teaching children a 'politicised' version of the English alphabet, SP national president Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being 'anti-education.' Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP of bein g 'anti-education'. (HT FILE PHOTO) The complaint, filed by Main Singh of Kallarpur Gurjar village at Kotwali Dehat police station, alleged that Farhad Gada had been conducting informal lessons at a so-called 'PDA Pathshala' set up at his home in Ramnagar. The controversy erupted after a video of one such class surfaced on social media. In the footage, schoolchildren—wearing uniforms and reportedly from a private school—were seen being taught alternative alphabet associations such as: A for Akhilesh, B for Babasaheb (Ambedkar), D for Dimple (Yadav) and M for Mulayam Singh Yadav. The complaint also mentioned that comparing Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar to Akhilesh and Dimple was an insult to the Dalit icon. According to police officials, the content raised concerns of political indoctrination of minors, prompting the registration of a case under relevant sections, including Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) and section 3(2)(V) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Farhad Gada, who runs the PDA Pathshala—named after the SP's social justice plank 'Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak' (Backward Classes, Dalits, Minorities) plank—defended the lessons. He claimed the goal was not merely to teach ABCs but to 'educate children about the great men of Samajwadi ideology' and foster political awareness from a young age. Gada also revealed his ambition to expand such schools throughout the district. Taking to the social media platform X, Akhilesh Yadav wrote, 'Even the British did not file an FIR for studying. The anti-education face of the BJP has now been exposed to the public.'
Indian Express
2 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Opposition loves anti-national forces, sees reflection in them': Delhi CM amid praise for Op Sindoor, PM Modi
Even as Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday lashed out at the Opposition parties and hailed Operation Sindoor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for protecting the dignity 'of our sisters', Leader of Opposition Atishi questioned the imposition of ceasefire during the military operation. The political war of words happened on Monday in the Assembly as the Monsoon session began. 'Operation Sindoor was a response to the silent suffering of India's daughters and sisters. By acting as a courageous father, a compassionate brother, and a resolute national leader, the Prime Minister has upheld the dignity and empowered the spirit of Indian women,' the CM remarked. The operation by the tri-services was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. Her remarks came as she addressed the House during a debate on Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, in which the perpetrators of the terror attack were killed recently. Calling the Operation Sindoor a 'befitting reply' to Pakistan, the CM stepped up the attack on the Opposition. 'These people (Opposition) do not love Bharat, but they love anti-national forces because they see their own reflection in them. They are not inspired by India's progress — they would rather see the nation held back,' she claimed. Hitting out at the Congress-led INDIA bloc, she said, 'The Opposition parties came together to form an alliance. Only its name has INDIA in it but if you listen to them, they sound as if they are the spokesperson of Pakistan…they even raised numerous questions on Operation Sindoor in Parliament recently…They don't trust their own military and refuse to believe their own Prime Minister, and instead place their faith in foreign powers.' She stressed that the Indian armed forces continue to defend the nation with the same courage and commitment they displayed during the wars of 1965 and 1971. 'Why did our governments return captured territories under pressure after the 1965 war? Why did we accept mediation from the United Nations and the United States? And in 1971, after capturing 93,000 Pakistani soldiers, why were they released unconditionally?' she asked, attacking the previous Congress-led governments. On the other hand, former CM and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi questioned the imposition of the ceasefire. 'Our army could have decisively wiped out Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, but that didn't happen because of BJP's cowardice. PM Narendra Modi got scared of US President Trump's threats. Trump has publicly said over 25 times that he threatened to shut down trade — that is why India backed out,' she alleged. AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha also questioned the declaration of ceasefire and used words that the Speaker directed to be expunged from the records after he allegedly made a derogatory statement against the PM. Meanwhile, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood tabled the Bill to regulate fee hike by private schools in the Capital. He also claimed that they got 'threats' from education mafias against the BIll.
