West Bengal is on edge as it awaits the results of its recent election, with the TMC and BJP vying for control. The counting process will be conducted under tight security, with the Election Commission implementing stringent measures to ensure a fair and transparent process.
The BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi concluded without a joint statement due to disagreements over the West Asia conflict, with Iran blaming the UAE for the lack of consensus. India, as the host, issued a chair's statement highlighting the differing views.
Security agencies in India are investigating a potential conspiracy involving arrested foreigners, including a US mercenary, who allegedly aimed to exploit Indian ethnic groups to undermine national security. The investigation involves data extraction from mobile phones and scrutiny of social media accounts to uncover the full extent of the plot and identify all involved parties.
'India's security challenges are no longer confined to the Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control.'
'They also span cyber networks, economic systems, information warfare, technology ecosystems, maritime routes, and internal social cohesion.'
'General Subramani's appointment as military adviser in the NSCS has given him insight into decision-making at the apex level prior to formally taking over as CDS.'
Frankly, was it really necessary in the middle of a fratricidal war for External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to travel to Abu Dhabi for a one-on-one with the sheikh on April 12?Or, for National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to follow up on April 26? Or, for PM Narendra Modi to follow through today? There are no easy answers, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India has expressed serious concerns about the West Asia crisis and its potential impact on energy supplies and maritime stability, urging BRICS nations to find practical solutions to geopolitical challenges and unilateral sanctions.
In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for austerity, political leaders are reducing convoys and promoting public transport to conserve fuel.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticised the West Bengal government over law and order and accused the TMC of sheltering infiltrators and manipulating demographics.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that Israel and Lebanon have reached an agreement to initiate a 10-day ceasefire, following intensified diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities in the region.
The CBI arrested two middlemen and another person in a Rs 13-lakh bribery case involving senior officers of the Punjab Vigilance department, following a late-night raid and chase.
At least five people were killed and seven injured in separate incidents allegedly stemming from a property dispute and longstanding enmity in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police said.
Sacred spots and soaring peaks: Bucket-listing across the heartland. Roopa Unnikrishnan and her father journey through the heart of India.
The electorate did not vote for the BJP as much as they voted against the TMC. This is an important distinction that the new government will ignore at its own peril, points out Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Security forces have established a new camp in the Karregutta Hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, a former Naxal stronghold, following a major anti-Naxal operation.
Two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district for entering India without valid travel documents. A local driver was also apprehended for allegedly facilitating their illegal entry.
Security forces have intensified their search operation in Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, following reports of terrorist activity. The operation involves extending the cordon and deploying additional forces to track down and neutralize the terrorists.
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal, marking the end of the Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully secured the return of Mohammad Salim Dola, a known international drug trafficker and associate of Dawood Ibrahim, from Turkiye.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the BJP of orchestrating recent blasts in the state, alleging it's part of their strategy for the upcoming assembly elections. The BJP has strongly refuted these claims, demanding proof or Mann's resignation, while the state DGP suggests Pakistani ISI involvement.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his trip to Islamabad was "very productive" and involved "good consultations" with Pakistan's top leadership amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
The Narcotics Control Bureau, in coordination with Assam Rifles and Manipur Police, seized drugs worth Rs 8.5 crore from Manipur's Churachandpur district and arrested two individuals involved in the trafficking.
A BJP government in Bengal inherits more problems than it might care to admit at its moment of triumph, points out Ramesh Menon
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The European Union (EU) expressed solidarity with the people of India in commemoration of the first anniversary of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people on April 22 last year.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched an investigation into the smuggling of arms and ammunition via drones across the India-Pakistan border, suspecting a larger conspiracy to carry out terror attacks in India.
A memorial has been erected in Pahalgam to honour the victims of a terror attack last year. Security has been increased across Kashmir ahead of the anniversary.
The US is reviewing the suggestion that the border security bill, that significantly increases visa fees of H1-B and L1 categories, was not WTO compliant, days after President Barack Obama signed it into law.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising jobs for youths and an 'infiltrator-free' state if the BJP wins the assembly elections. He also pledged to restore industrial glory, end syndicate raj, and ensure women's safety.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor remembered the lives lost in the Pahalgam attack and reaffirmed US support to India in its fight against terrorism. Israel and Australia also paid tribute to the victims.
Odisha's Director General of Police (DGP) YB Khurania announced that 77 Maoists have surrendered to police in the state between January 2025 and March 2025. He also noted that 23 Maoists from Odisha surrendered in Chhattisgarh during the same period, and 27 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces.
Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani (retd) has been appointed as India's next Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding Gen Anil Chauhan. Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been named the next Chief of the Naval Staff, succeeding Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi. Lt Gen Subramani's primary mandate will be to implement the military theaterisation plan and bolster tri-services synergy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'chargesheet' against the West Bengal government, accusing the BJP of attempting to polarise voters and evade accountability on issues such as women's safety and infiltration.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has criticised the TMC government in West Bengal, alleging that its policies have led to increased infiltration and threaten national security. He framed the upcoming elections as a battle against these issues, promising change if the BJP comes to power.
Pakistan's Information Minister claims nearly 800 Afghan Taliban terrorists have been killed in Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched in response to cross-border firing.
If West Bengal does not begin to reclaim its lost pride, the state would have lost -- perhaps irreversibly, this time, notes Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Lack of complete fencing in the 340km long Indo-Pak border along Gujarat is another reason why people move across the two neighbouring countries despite tight vigil in the highly sensitive zone.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the TMC's governance in West Bengal is nearing its end, citing corruption and unfulfilled promises. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to development and security, particularly for the fisherfolk and against infiltration.
As India's deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave the country passed, chaotic scenes unfolded at the Attari-Wagah land crossing in Punjab.
