Five people were killed when an Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while attempting to land at the Jorhat Air Force base in Assam on Saturday morning. The co-pilot survived the crash. The aircraft caught fire immediately after the accident, prompting an emergency response.

A quick response team was deployed to control the fire and assess the situation. Authorities have ordered the formation of an investigation committee to determine the cause of the crash. The incident occurred during a routine operation at the base, according to initial reports.

The Antonov AN-32 is a twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft widely used by the Indian Air Force. Originally built in the former Soviet Union, around 100 such aircraft remain in active service with the Indian fleet.

India has introduced strict restrictions on the use of all types of fuel, including diesel and petrol, as the country faces a severe economic crisis triggered by soaring global oil prices and rising import costs. According to a Bloomberg report, the government’s move aims to stabilize the situation as both trade and budget deficits have reached record levels.

Bloomberg noted that India, the world’s third-largest oil importer and consumer, relies on foreign sources for about 85 percent of its oil needs. Recent geopolitical tensions and disruptions in global energy supply have sharply increased India’s import expenses, prompting the government to impose new domestic fuel usage controls. Economists have warned that these restrictions could negatively affect transportation, industrial production, and agriculture, potentially slowing overall economic growth.

The report added that India’s growing import burden has significantly expanded its current account and fiscal deficits, putting pressure on the rupee. Policymakers are now urgently reassessing fiscal and monetary strategies to contain inflation and revive economic stability.

An Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft crashed on Saturday morning while attempting to land at the Jorhat airbase in Assam. The aircraft caught fire immediately after the crash within the air force station premises. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether there were any casualties. The cause of the accident remains unknown, and a quick response team was deployed to control the fire and assess the situation.

The Indian Air Force confirmed the incident and stated that further details will be shared after a full assessment. The AN-32 is a twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft originally built in the former Soviet Union and is considered a key workhorse of the Indian Air Force’s transport fleet. Around 100 such aircraft are currently in service.

An official investigation is expected following the initial assessment to determine the cause of the crash and evaluate the extent of damage.

Nineteen members of the Trinamool Congress have reportedly decided to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance following the party’s poor performance in the recent assembly elections. According to a report by Anandabazar, the MPs have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate bloc. Pages of the letter bearing the signatures of the 19 MPs have surfaced publicly.

The authenticity of the letter and whether it was actually submitted to the Speaker remain unclear. The first signatures on the published pages belong to Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Birbhum MP Shatabdi Roy, followed by several others including Deepak Adhikari (Dev), June Malia, and Mala Roy. Two additional signatures, from Hooghly MP Rachna Banerjee and Jadavpur MP Sayani Ghosh, appear separately.

The report indicates that the MPs requested recognition of their group under Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar’s leadership, but there is no confirmation yet on whether the Speaker has received or acted on the letter.

Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing visited India from May 30 to June 3, 2026, marking his first official foreign trip as the country’s self-declared president. Despite his role in the 2021 coup and ongoing civil conflict, New Delhi received him as a legitimate head of state. For Min Aung Hlaing, the visit offered a rare opportunity to seek international legitimacy after years of bloodshed and isolation, while for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was a strategic engagement with a volatile neighbor sharing a 1,643-kilometer border.

The visit highlighted India’s growing reliance on Myanmar’s junta for border security and infrastructure projects such as the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the Trilateral Highway. However, much of the planned route lies in rebel-controlled areas beyond the junta’s authority. Analysts argue that Modi’s government risks repeating China’s mistake of treating the junta as Myanmar’s sole sovereign power, ignoring ethnic armed groups and the opposition National Unity Government.

The report concludes that India should balance its engagement by pressing the junta to halt airstrikes near the border and by opening dialogue with ethnic forces controlling key transit zones, as current strategies may undermine both stability and democratic credibility.

Three Indian sailors were killed when US forces struck an oil tanker off the coast of Oman, according to India’s Minister of Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal. The minister described the incident as unfortunate and confirmed that the bodies of the three previously missing sailors had been recovered. The attack occurred on Tuesday evening on a vessel named 'Settebello', which the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said was carrying Iranian oil and had failed to comply with US instructions.

The tanker, flying the flag of Palau, had 28 crew members on board, including 24 Indians, two Pakistanis, one Ukrainian, and one Russian. Earlier reports indicated that 21 Indian sailors had been rescued, while three were missing. Following the incident, the Indian government summoned a senior US diplomat in New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Jason Meeks, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, was called in for discussions.

The event has drawn attention to tensions in the region’s maritime routes, with India seeking clarification from the United States regarding the strike and the loss of its citizens.

Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has turned to the Congress party as her organization faces severe internal turmoil. Following a wave of defections after the state assembly elections, twenty Trinamool MPs in the Lok Sabha have declared support for the ruling NDA alliance. In the Rajya Sabha, senior leaders such as Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev have resigned, with Dev also quitting the party and meeting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, fueling speculation of her joining the BJP. In the state assembly, 64 legislators led by Ritabrata have rebelled, leaving the party’s parliamentary and legislative strength in crisis.

Amid this upheaval, Mamata Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday and again on Tuesday for a private discussion. The next day, Trinamool’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi for a one-and-a-half-hour meeting described as positive. Sources indicate discussions focused on uniting against the BJP and addressing the party’s internal collapse. Sonia Gandhi reportedly offered Mamata a vice-president role in Congress and Abhishek a general secretary post.

Analysts suggest these developments could reshape India’s political landscape ahead of the 2029 general election.

India has summoned a senior US diplomat in New Delhi following an attack on a commercial tanker near the coast of Oman that left three Indian nationals missing. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks was called in on Wednesday to receive a formal protest. The incident has triggered diplomatic tension between the two countries.

The tanker, named Settébello, carried 24 Indian crew members. Twenty-one were rescued after the attack, while three remain unaccounted for. UK-based maritime security firm Ambrey reported that the strike may have resulted from a US military operation aimed at blocking Iranian ports. The US Central Command stated that the vessel was attempting to breach sanctions by heading toward Iran and was disabled by precision fire targeting its engine room.

India expressed deep concern over the attack, emphasizing the need to ensure the safety of civilian ships and sailors in international waters. Coordination with Omani authorities is ongoing to locate the missing crew members.

In Karnataka, demands for appointing at least five Muslim ministers in the state cabinet have intensified, sparking protests across several regions. The issue has become a new political challenge for the ruling Congress, as Muslim community leaders argue that nearly 87 percent of Muslim voters supported the party in the last assembly election and that this support should be reflected in cabinet representation.

The demand follows earlier tensions between sections of the Muslim community and Congress leadership after the Davanagere by-election, when the party chose a candidate from the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s family instead of a Muslim nominee. Since then, Muslim leaders have sought greater influence in party decisions and protested disciplinary actions against Muslim politicians, viewing them as attempts to marginalize their leadership.

Fresh demonstrations began on Friday, with protesters insisting that five cabinet positions be reserved for Muslim representatives, including one for B.Z. Zameer Ahmed. Congress leaders acknowledged the community’s sentiments but said final decisions on cabinet expansion rest with the party high command.

India’s fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level for the first time, according to official statistics cited in a report by Al Jazeera. The Sample Registration System (SRS) data show that the total fertility rate (TFR), which was about 3.3 in the early 2000s, has steadily declined over the past two decades. Experts warn that this trend could slow population growth and affect the country’s long-term economic structure.

Analysts attribute the decline to multiple social and economic factors, including increased female education and workforce participation, greater access to contraception, and rising child-rearing costs, especially in urban areas. Regional disparities are significant, with Bihar’s TFR at 2.9 and Delhi’s at 1.2. Economists caution that a shrinking working-age population could lead to labor shortages, reduced productivity, and pressure on social security systems as the elderly population grows.

The demographic shift may also influence India’s internal politics, particularly in the upcoming delimitation process that reallocates parliamentary seats based on population. Experts suggest India must prepare for an aging society through stronger health, pension, and social protection systems.

The West Bengal–based human rights organization Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) has accused India’s Border Security Force (BSF) of coercing people suspected of being Bangladeshis toward the border and attempting to push them into Bangladesh. In a statement released on Sunday, APDR announced a protest march in Malda on June 11 to oppose these alleged actions. The group linked the situation to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s earlier “Detect, Deport, Delete” policy promise, which it claims has led to the establishment of detention centers and land transfers to BSF.

According to APDR, many people, including women and children, are stranded in the no man’s land between India and Bangladesh as BSF denies responsibility for them while Bangladesh’s Border Guard (BGB) refuses entry. The organization said the stranded individuals face severe hardship due to lack of food, water, and shelter, creating a humanitarian crisis.

APDR’s vice president Ranjit Sur demanded the immediate repeal of the “Three D” policy, the return of stranded people to safety, and the suspension of pushback operations. He also urged the UN Human Rights Council to intervene, warning that the situation risks crimes against humanity.

Thousands of young Indians marched peacefully in Delhi on Saturday in the first public protest organized by the satirical 'Cockroach Janata Party' (CJP). The movement, founded by Abhijit Deepke, began as an online parody but quickly evolved into a youth-driven challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Deepke, who flew from the United States to lead the rally, said the country’s youth would no longer live in fear. The protest demanded accountability and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam scandals.

The CJP emerged after India’s Chief Justice compared unemployed youth to 'parasites' and 'cockroaches', sparking outrage. Deepke’s sarcastic social media call for 'all cockroaches to unite' went viral, leading to the creation of the CJP’s website and manifesto. Within two weeks, its Instagram following surpassed 22 million before the government attempted to block its account. Many Gen Z and millennial supporters see the CJP as a voice against unemployment and the failing education system.

Analysts note that the movement’s rise coincides with growing frustration over exam corruption and job scarcity. Whether the 'cockroach movement' can evolve from online satire to a lasting political force remains uncertain.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee made politically sensitive remarks in Kolkata’s Dharmatala, claiming she knew who was behind the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of Bangladesh’s Inquilab Manch. She said the killers entered India through the Meghalaya border and were arrested by the West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force (STF). Banerjee alleged that India’s Home Minister Amit Shah personally called her, asking that the arrests not be made public for national interest.

Banerjee further stated that she knew who ordered the killing but would not reveal names to avoid unrest in Bangladesh. The report interprets her comments as directly implicating Amit Shah. The two main suspects, Faisal Karim Masud alias Rahul and Alamgir Hossain, are currently in custody of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) after being interrogated by the STF.

The article connects this case to previous allegations of Indian intelligence-linked assassinations abroad, including incidents in Canada, the United States, and Pakistan, suggesting a broader pattern of covert operations. It concludes that Banerjee’s statements could expose another major controversy involving India’s intelligence network.

A report from Kolkata claims that a new and controversial development has emerged in West Bengal’s border politics less than a month after the BJP-led government took power. According to an unnamed senior police official, authorities allegedly released prisoners from jails and gathered them near the border to secretly push them into Bangladesh, after failing to locate enough undocumented migrants or Rohingyas. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) reportedly resisted these attempts, leading to heightened tension between the BSF and BGB. Some of those prisoners were said to have been released back into local areas when push-in efforts failed.

The report further mentions that former intelligence sources have linked these incidents to deeper geopolitical maneuvers involving India and Bangladesh. It alleges that while Sheikh Hasina and her close associates are staying in India, trained agents are being sent into Bangladesh, raising security concerns. Another claim suggests a covert plan to separate Chittagong as an independent state, allegedly backed by Western interests.

Residents of the border areas described living in fear and uncertainty as increased patrols and unfamiliar movements disrupted daily life and agriculture.

Over the past decade, India’s political landscape has undergone a profound shift, with accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s government has placed religious polarization at the center of its political strategy. A writer from Kerala, reflecting on historical realities, recalls a time when caste-based discrimination was deeply entrenched but religious coexistence remained largely intact.

Kerala’s cultural history offers several examples of pluralism, including shared religious spaces and mutual respect among communities. However, observers note that in recent years, deliberate communal polarization has been used as a political tool, with the Muslim community being singled out and socially segregated to form a targeted vote bank.

Analysts warn that this trend is affecting not only electoral politics but also India’s long-standing social harmony and constitutional values. The tension between pluralist traditions and religion-based polarization raises pressing questions about the future of Indian democracy.