India and Canada have appointed new high commissioners to each other’s countries, signaling a thaw in bilateral relations. Christopher Cutter will serve as Canada’s High Commissioner to India, while Dinesh K. Patnaik will take charge as India’s High Commissioner to Canada. The appointments come after a 2023 diplomatic row over the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which led to the expulsion of top diplomats. The move reflects both nations’ intent to rebuild trust and strengthen ties.

A recent Mood of the Nation survey shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains India’s top choice despite a slight decline in popularity. Satisfaction with his performance dropped from 62% in February to 58% in August, with 34.2% rating it as “excellent.” Amit Shah leads as the preferred BJP successor at 28%. Public opinion on the NDA government is mixed, with neutral responses rising to 15.3%. Analysts warn the government must address economic and social challenges to maintain its edge.

A BBC investigation reveals that India deported Rohingya refugees to Myanmar by flying them from Delhi to the Andamans, placing them on a naval ship, and abandoning them at sea with life jackets. Survivors swam ashore and now face an uncertain future under a resistance group in Myanmar. Refugees allege abuse, religious humiliation, and forced detention before deportation. The UN says credible evidence supports the claims, while India’s Supreme Court will soon rule on the Rohingya’s refugee status.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi, currently a Supreme Court judge, will assume the role of Chief Justice of India in May 2031, serving until his retirement in October the same year. His elevation marks the return of a Bengali jurist to the top post nearly 18 years after Justice Altamas Kabir in 2013. Known for his balanced and impartial rulings, Bagchi’s appointment is seen as both symbolic and historic, restoring prestige to the Calcutta High Court and inspiring future generations.

A sudden cloudburst late Thursday night unleashed massive landslides in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts, sweeping away houses and flooding villages. The Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers are flowing above danger levels, inundating temples and homes. Several people are missing, while rescue efforts by NDRF, SDRF, and the army face challenges due to collapsed mountain roads. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured ongoing relief measures. Authorities issued an orange alert in multiple districts, warning of more heavy rain and worsening conditions.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the Election Commission is being used as a tool by the ruling BJP during elections.
“I respect the Election Commission, but it cannot become BJP’s lollipop,” Mamata said. She also criticized discrimination against Bengali speakers in India, claiming they face obstacles in jobs, education, and even basic hospitality.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she asked: “Why does he say money is stopped because Bengalis are thieves? If theft is the issue, look at Uttar Pradesh or Maharashtra. Why target Bengal?”
Mamata accused the central government of financially depriving West Bengal through discriminatory policies.

Heavy monsoon rains in Himachal Pradesh have left at least 310 people dead, with 158 killed in rain-triggered disasters such as landslides, flash floods, and lightning, while 152 died in road accidents. Mandi, Kangra, and Chamba districts were worst affected. Infrastructure losses exceed ₹2,450 crore, including major damage to roads, power, and water supply. Over 324 houses collapsed, 1,800 cattle and 26,000 poultry perished, and hundreds of villages remain cut off as roads, transformers, and supply schemes remain disrupted.

Starting today, the United States has imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports, bringing the total tariff rate to 50%. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued the order through Customs and Border Protection.
The Trump administration said the move was a penalty for India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, which helps fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The new tariff adds to the 25% already in effect since August 1. India’s exports worth nearly $87 billion—about 2.5% of its GDP—are expected to be directly affected.

At least 31 people were killed and 23 injured in landslides triggered by heavy rains in India’s Jammu and Kashmir. The deadliest incident occurred on the route to the Vaishno Devi temple, where torrential rain caused a hillside to collapse.
Rescue operations by the army and disaster response teams have been hampered by continuous rainfall. Authorities fear more people may still be trapped.
Three days of relentless downpour have washed away bridges, cut off roads, and left thousands without electricity and mobile connectivity. More than 3,500 residents have already been evacuated to safer areas. The weather office has warned of further heavy rainfall in the coming days.

Actor-turned-politician Thalapathy Vijay drew a massive crowd of nearly 400,000 at a rally in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, on Friday, declaring the BJP his party’s “ideological enemy.”

Invoking a jungle metaphor, Vijay said: “In the wild, there may be foxes and leopards, but there is only one lion. Even if the lion stands alone, it remains a lion. Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam fears no one. All of Tamil Nadu is with us.”

Vijay’s party, which grew out of his fan club, won 115 of 169 seats it contested in the 2021 local elections. In 2024, he formally launched the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam, positioning himself against the BJP and DMK. From protesting fuel price hikes on a bicycle to joining Iftar meals during Ramadan, Vijay has actively courted the masses. Analysts believe he could pose a serious challenge to the DMK in the 2026 state elections.

South Indian superstar Thalapathy Vijay has openly labeled India’s ruling BJP as “fascist,” declaring that the battle against the party is no longer just political, but ideological.

Speaking at his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s conference in Madurai, Vijay said: “The BJP is using religion as a tool for division while weakening democracy. They are my biggest ideological enemy.”

He clarified that while his competition with DMK is political, the conflict with BJP lies on fundamental ideological grounds. His party’s principles—equality, free thought, secularism, and social justice—stand in stark contrast to BJP’s philosophy.

“We cannot remain silent spectators. We must rise against the fascist BJP now,” he proclaimed to thunderous applause.

Founded in 2024, Vijay’s party has rapidly gained millions of supporters, becoming one of the fastest-growing political movements in Tamil Nadu.

Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has criticized attempts to disenfranchise citizens in the name of revising India’s national voter list. Speaking at an event, Sen asserted: “The right to vote cannot be taken away under the pretext of voter list correction. This is non-negotiable.”

Referring to reports that Bengali speakers could be sent to Bangladesh, he said wryly: “If I knew French, would I be sent to France? It’s absurd.”

He further added: “Many citizens lack proper documents. That doesn’t mean they can be stripped of their voting rights. Somewhat improving a process should not come at the cost of causing enormous damage.”

Jokingly, Sen remarked that he would not object to being sent to Bangladesh, as his family roots were there and they once had a house in Dhaka. The event also marked the reprint of his grandfather Kshitimohan Sen’s book “Joint Endeavors of Hindus and Muslims in India.”

At the India-Russia Business Forum in Moscow, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the urgent need to finalize the long-discussed India-Russia Free Trade Agreement. Calling for greater Russian participation in India’s expanding economy, Jaishankar said, “India is moving rapidly towards urbanization and modernization, creating new demand across sectors. This presents a significant opportunity for Russian companies in our market.”

Highlighting areas of collaboration, he noted that Russian firms could play a pivotal role in supplying essential industrial and agricultural goods such as fertilizers and chemicals. He expressed optimism that the free trade deal would help remove existing trade barriers.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to maintaining oil supplies to India and expanding cooperation in natural gas.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a blistering attack on the Indian government, saying if it is serious about deporting illegal Bangladeshis, it should “start with Sheikh Hasina.”

Owaisi urged New Delhi to recognize Bangladesh’s recent popular uprising and build ties with the new government.

He criticized the treatment of poor Bengali-speaking citizens in West Bengal, who are being picked up from Pune, flown to Kolkata, and dumped in no man’s land without verification of nationality.
“Anyone speaking Bengali is branded a Bangladeshi. This paranoia is unacceptable,” Owaisi said, condemning the exclusion of Muslims from voter rolls.

India has successfully tested its indigenously developed Agni-5 missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha.

The medium-range ballistic missile can strike targets up to 5,000 kilometers away and is the most advanced in India’s Agni series. Weighing 1.5 tons, it is equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, allowing it to deliver multiple warheads to different targets with a single launch.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the test met all operational and technical standards, marking a major boost to the country’s strategic defense capabilities.