Modi has been chairing regular meetings with the top government functionaries involved in the country's military and diplomatic response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22.
The Union Home Ministry has asked several states to conduct mock drills on May 7 amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The drills will include operationalising air raid warning sirens, training civilians on civil defence, and rehearsing evacuation plans. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been holding high-level meetings as India considers countermeasures against the April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians.
The meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been convened at 11 am on Wednesday.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it "very clear" that any talks with Pakistan will be only on terror.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday condemned Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah's controversial remarks about Colonel Sofia Qureshi, a senior Army officer who briefed the media along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh during Operation Sindoor.
A court in Mumbai has issued a non-bailable warrant against diamantaire Mehul Choksi in the Canara Bank-led consortium loan fraud case involving about Rs 55 crore. Choksi, a prime accused in the multi-million dollar Punjab National Bank (PNB) 'fraud', was arrested in Belgium on April 12 following an extradition request by Indian probe agencies.
'It is important India to stay focussed on its primary national objectives: Combating terrorism; not losing sight of other security and strategic concerns (on the Sino-Indian front for instance); ensuring a strong economy and registering growth which includes improving the lot of common people; and finally making certain that the social fabric remains intact and harmony among people is not jeopardised, at least any further,' asserts Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that indigenously developed BrahMos missiles destroyed Pakistani air bases while its air defence system, borrowed from China, remained unused, during Operation Sindoor, which exposed its lies on terrorism to the world.
Under Operation Sindoor, Indian armed forces not only struck Pakistani military bases near the border but their might was even felt in Rawalpindi where the headquarters of the Pakistani Army is located, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted that India has zero tolerance for terrorism and will never give in to nuclear blackmail, emphasizing that New Delhi will deal with Pakistan purely bilaterally. He made these remarks during a joint press conference with his German counterpart in Berlin, where he also highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between India and Germany, emphasizing the need for a free trade agreement between the two nations.
The SP MP said when the mentality is bad, then instead of telling about the achievements of the army, people start talking about their own achievements.
The family of Navy officer Vinay Narwal, killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam, expressed gratitude for "Operation Sindoor", the Indian military's retaliatory strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK. Vinay's wife, Himanshi, who was widowed during their honeymoon, called the operation a testament to her late husband's spirit and a strong message against terrorism. Vinay's father, Rajesh, said the strikes would make terrorists think twice before carrying out such attacks. The operation was lauded for its decisive response to the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
India will conduct nationwide civil defense mock drills on Wednesday, including air-raid warning sirens and training civilians to protect themselves in the event of a "hostile attack." The drills come amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed all states and union territories to participate in the exercise, which will be conducted up to the village level.
The Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan firmed up the arrangement on stopping military actions on May 10 after four days of fierce offensives between the two sides that triggered fears of a wider conflict.
The government will send seven all-party delegations to key partner countries, including members of the United Nations Security Council, later this month to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday questioned the safety of nuclear weapons in the hands of Pakistan, and said they should be taken under monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with top defence officials, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the chiefs of three services, amid India weighing its countermeasures following the Pahalgam terror attack which left at least 26 civilians, mostly tourists, dead. Modi has vowed to pursue the terrorists behind the attack and their patrons, a clear reference to Pakistan, to the "ends of earth" and inflict harshest punishment on them.
'There's a lot of sense in what Prime Minister Modi did, but the Indian government has to be really prepared for a really sharp escalation spiral.'
The Centre is planning to undertake a study to look into ways to maximise the use of the quantum of water from the three rivers that Pakistan had earlier used under the Indus Water Treaty, now that the agreement has been suspended, officials said.
The government has to specify what it intends to do with caste census data. It will be closely tracked if the government would simultaneously move towards removing the present 50% bar on reservations using means which are permitted in law. If this is not done, the entire exercise will become meaningless and could boomerang on the BJP, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
US Vice President JD Vance described the evolving US-India relationship as a family-like bond that transcends diplomacy, highlighting how his children have become fond of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their trip to India. Vance shared a heartfelt account of his family's experience, revealing the significance of personal connections in strengthening bilateral ties. He said his three kids have developed rapport with both President Donald Trump and Modi, with Modi's warm reception and gestures impressing the family. Vance also spoke about the hospitality he received from Modi, including a dinner at his residence, and his wife Usha Vance's surprising celebrity status in India.
'Diplomatic and economic responses are first announced and then implemented. A military response is announced only after it is done.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, inviting her to visit India after her return from a nine-month stay at the International Space Station. In his letter, Modi expressed pride in Williams' achievements and said that India is looking forward to hosting "one of its most illustrious daughters." The letter was shared on X by Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.
'India has resolved to hold the 2036 Olympic Games in these 10 complexes.'
The Haryana Cabinet has decided to offer wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat benefits equivalent to those of an Olympic silver medallist under the state's sports policy.
'If they aim to remain aligned with the public sentiment, as any democratic government should, then they must respond. Why else would the prime minister have cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia? And why would he have instructed the home minister himself to travel to Srinagar to assess the situation firsthand? This suggests that something is indeed being planned. I am quite certain of that, although the exact form it will take remains to be seen.'
The prolonged delay over electing J P Nadda's successor possibly stems from the RSS leadership wanting a person who is at least equidistant from the Sangh as well as the Modi/BJP edifice, observes BJP-RSS watcher Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Among the cities that have fully implemented their projects are Agra, Varanasi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Udaipur, Pune, Surat, and Vadodara
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized dialogue over discord in India's relationship with China, acknowledging natural differences between the two countries but stressing that stronger cooperation is essential for their mutual interests and global stability. In a podcast with Lex Fridman, Modi highlighted the ongoing efforts to restore normalcy along the border following the 2020 clashes, emphasizing the importance of a stable and cooperative relationship.
'While I would never wish for anyone to go through what we are, it has brought out the best in us by making each one of us a better version of ourselves.' 'Being courageous, fighting for freedom, taking the burden of responsibility to help each other...' 'I know hundreds and hundreds of examples where Ukrainians are risking their lives for complete strangers and it is only in moments like this that we truly understand what it means to be human.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised US President Donald Trump in a podcast, describing him as a "man of courage" and saying they share a "mutual trust" based on their "America First" and "India First" philosophies. Modi recalled Trump's resilience after being shot at during the US election campaign and his willingness to engage with the public at a community event in Houston. He also highlighted the shared nationalistic approach they both embrace.
Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the passport issued to former Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi, citing his attempt to avoid extradition. Modi had applied to surrender his Indian passport to the Indian High Commission in London, but the Vanuatu government stated that Interpol twice rejected India's request for an alert notice due to lack of evidence. The statement emphasized that holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons, which does not include evading extradition.
At the Bharatiya Janata Party election rally in Ghonda on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Narendra Modi startled the gathering when he touched the feet of a candidate not once, but three times.
'Unsurprisingly, Trump shared Modi's podcast with Fridman on his Truth account.' 'The intentions of Trump, a transactional president, are never easy to tell.' 'We will know in the next fortnight if and when he unfolds reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, whether Modi's flattering words made any significant difference to Trump's compass,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday accused him of lowering the dignity of public discourse and the gravity of the office of the PM by giving "hateful speeches" during the poll campaign.
Banerjee said the prime minister will now have to move around the country and also abroad with two crutches.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his visit to the United States after holding high-level bilateral talks with President Donald Trump on a wide range of subjects, including trade and technology, defence and security, energy and people-to-people ties. The two leaders decided to take a significant step in deepening their strategic ties, particularly in the areas of defence, energy, and critical technology. Modi also met with key American officials, including National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and prominent business leaders like SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Congress leader KC Venugopal said the opposition meeting is going to be a game changer for Indian political scenario
'Trump administration wanted a positive tone at this summit, but there was still some anxiety that there could be some awkward moments -- and there were not.'
With this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also sent a strong message to ally, Janata Dal-United President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, that their partnership remains intact and that they will be formidable partners at the hustings.
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