The contraction in total reserves was driven by a fall in gold reserves, which dropped $13.49 billion to $117.19 billion during the reported week.
Sonia Gandhi criticises the government's proposed delimitation, claiming it's a politically motivated move to delay the caste census and gain an unfair advantage, rather than genuinely promoting women's reservation.
India's foreign exchange reserves saw a substantial increase of USD 9.063 billion, reaching USD 697.121 billion for the week ended April 3, 2026, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This surge follows a previous week's decline and brings the reserves closer to their all-time high.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Parliament is on the verge of creating 'new history' by amending the Women's Reservation Act this week, ensuring its implementation by 2029. He highlighted the unanimous passage of the law in 2023 and the collective demand for its early enforcement.
The Lok Sabha is set to expand to 815 seats, with 272 seats reserved for women, according to Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The move aims to implement the women's quota without disadvantaging men or any state. The proposed legislations also include provisions for reservation for women from SC and ST categories within the women's quota.
A group of suspected poachers allegedly opened fire at a forest department patrolling team in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) before fleeing. The forest department recovered a motorcycle and a wild boar carcass from the scene.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is advocating for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections, urging all members of Parliament to support amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam during a special session.
India's foreign exchange reserves decreased by USD 10.288 billion to USD 688.058 billion during the week ending March 27, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This decline follows a previous decrease and comes after the reserves reached an all-time high in February.
India's foreign exchange reserves decreased by USD 11.413 billion to USD 698.346 billion during the week ending March 20, primarily due to a significant reduction in gold reserves, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The Rajasthan High Court has banned night safaris and drone use in the Jawai Leopard Reserve to protect wildlife from disturbance due to unregulated tourism.
India's foreign exchange reserves decreased by USD 7.052 billion to USD 709.759 billion in the week ending March 13, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This decline follows a previous drop and comes after reserves reached an all-time high in February.
A radio-collared tiger was allegedly poisoned to death near the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, leading to the arrest of five individuals suspected of lacing the tiger's kill with poison after it preyed on their cattle; the suspects are also allegedly involved in illegal opium cultivation.
The BJP has released its election manifesto for West Bengal, promising a hardline stance on infiltration, financial assistance for women and unemployed youth, and the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for state employees.
A 48-year-old man was killed by a tiger in the buffer zone of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, while collecting firewood.
IPL captains have voiced concerns about the Impact Player rule, which has been extended until 2027, during a meeting in Mumbai. The rule, which allows teams to substitute a player during a match, has sparked debate among players and fans, with some arguing it hampers the development of all-rounders.
India's forex reserves dropped by $11.683 billion to $716.810 billion during the week ended March 6, the RBI said on Friday.
A female rhinoceros was killed in a tiger attack at the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. Forest officials found the rhino's carcass with visible injury marks caused by the tiger. The incident occurred in the Rhino Rehabilitation Area-1 of the reserve.
An attempt to secure a bank loan using forged signatures and documents related to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve has been uncovered, prompting a police investigation.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court is considering a plea regarding incarcerated MP Amritpal Singh's absence from Parliament, which has reached 59 sittings. The court has been informed that Singh can apply for condoning his absence, as continuous absence for 60 sittings could lead to his seat being declared vacant.
India's foreign exchange reserves have surged to an all-time high, reaching USD 728.494 billion, according to the Reserve Bank of India. This increase is attributed to a rise in foreign currency assets and gold reserves.
India's forex reserves decreased by $2.119 billion to $723.608 billion during the week ended February 20, according to the RBI.
A forest department patrol team in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve was allegedly attacked by suspected timber smugglers and villagers, resulting in injuries to five forest officials. Villagers have accused the forest department team of assault.
Shah has firmly stated that providing reservation to Muslims based on religion is unconstitutional, while also confirming that a caste census will proceed alongside the population enumeration.
NDA leaders have defended proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Act and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, arguing women have waited long enough for reservation, while opposition parties allege the process could undermine India's federal and democratic structure, particularly impacting southern states.
A bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by increasing the lower house's strength to 850 is slated for introduction in Parliament. The bill seeks to amend Article 81 of the Constitution and utilise 2011 Census data for redrawing constituencies.
Several opposition parties on Wednesday decided to jointly oppose the delimitation provisions in the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament, even as they reiterated support for women's reservation, with Mallikarjun Kharge alleging the move is politically motivated.
The Congress party has accused the government of using women's reservation as a pretext to push through delimitation, arguing that the women's quota law should be implemented immediately based on the current Lok Sabha strength.
Pakistan's skewed foreign reserves got a major boost after Saudi Arabia pledged an additional $3 billion in deposits while extending its existing $5 billion facility for a further three years.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced a significant increase in Lok Sabha seats for the five southern states following delimitation, countering misinformation and clarifying the timeline for women's reservation implementation.
With the three-day special sitting of Parliament on the constitution amendment bill related to the implementation of 33 percent reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls set to begin on Thursday, a meeting of opposition parties is slated to be held on Wednesday at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
India's forex reserves dropped by $6.71 billion to $717 billion during the week ended February 6, the RBI said on Friday.
India possesses approximately 100 million barrels of commercial crude oil stocks, capable of covering 40-45 days of its requirements if flows through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, according to Kpler.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to the opposition to support the government's bills for implementing the women's reservation law, cautioning against politicisation and assuring that delimitation will be fair to all states.
India's banking system is grappling with a persistent liquidity surplus exceeding Rs 5 trillion, driven by significant government spending and bond redemptions, leading market participants to anticipate the Reserve Bank of India will step up Variable Rate Reserve Repo operations to manage the excess funds.
According to a bulletin issued on Wednesday, 'The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026', 'The Delimitation Bill, 2026' and 'The Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2026' will be introduced and debated for passage in the Lower House.
The BJP has issued a three-line whip to its MPs, requiring their presence during the extended Budget session of Parliament, where amendments to the Women's Reservation Act are expected to be considered.
The Indian government and opposition parties are set for a showdown in Parliament over a Constitution amendment bill concerning the implementation of the women's quota law and the delimitation exercise. The Opposition is concerned about the potential impact of delimitation on the political representation of southern states.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that voting on three crucial bills, including amendments to the women's quota law and the establishment of a delimitation commission, will take place at 4 PM on Friday, following an anticipated 15-18 hour debate.
The ruling NDA coalition in India faces a significant challenge in passing the women's reservation bill in Parliament due to insufficient numbers. The bill requires a two-thirds majority in both houses, and the NDA needs to secure additional support or abstentions from other parties to achieve this.
While the total number of assembly seats remains unchanged at 126, the redrawing of boundaries has reshaped voter composition across constituencies -- a shift that is likely to influence electoral outcomes in the years ahead.
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