India

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Centre’s decision to impose MDR on select UPI merchant transactions above Rs 2,000. The petitioner alleged the framework lacks transparency, statutory safeguards and may burden merchants and consumers

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will participate in the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan in Varanasi on Thursday to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public service. He will attend the flag-off ceremony of the Varanasi-Vadnagar Seva Yatra

Opposition parties intensified criticism of the government’s decision to introduce MDR on select UPI merchant transactions above Rs 2,000. Rahul Gandhi and other leaders demanded withdrawal of the fee, alleging it could affect digital payments and benefit foreign card companies

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange halted his Mumbai march in Beed after his health deteriorated during a hunger strike. Doctors said his condition was under monitoring, while Maharashtra ministers urged him to withdraw the protest and hold talks with the government

The BCCI has announced India’s squads for the white-ball home series against the West Indies, with Hyderabad set to host the fourth T20I. The selection committee also named Rest of India’s squad for the Irani Cup against Jammu & Kashmir

West Bengal’s classrooms were built by reformers who trained people to question. A generation taught to see questioning as disloyalty by teachers afraid of transfer will not argue with orthodoxy. It will kneel to it

The achievement of the latest summit is not that it resolved the world’s conflicts; it is that it prevented those conflicts from destroying BRICS’ ability to talk to one another

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said India presents a “huge opportunity” as the company rebuilds its enterprise systems with an AI-first approach. He highlighted the role of Indian technology professionals and partners in developing new AI-driven interfaces and applications

Top Meta India executives, including chief Arun Srinivas, appeared before the NCPCR for the second time in a week over alleged CSEAM-related advertisements. The child rights panel is examining claims involving Instagram and Meta's handling of child safety

India summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires and lodged a strong protest over the collision between a Pakistani naval vessel and an Indian Navy ship in the Arabian Sea. The MEA said the incident violated provisions of a 1991 agreement

India retained 131st position in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2026, with its gender parity score improving slightly. Iceland topped the 145-country index, followed by Finland and Norway, while the global gender gap reached 69.2 per cent

Opposition parties have criticised the new UPI merchant discount rate framework, alleging it was introduced under US pressure. Congress, RJD, TMC and CPI leaders questioned the move, while the government maintained that MDR charges would not be imposed on consumers

A woman was injured after allegedly being struck by a car in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar area early Wednesday, police said. A video showed her clinging to the bonnet before the driver allegedly accelerated into her. The accused has been detained

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Parliament has approved the country's free trade agreement with India. The pact provides duty-free access for India's exports to New Zealand and includes tariff concessions, services commitments, investment and mobility provisions

The Centre has declared Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network a terrorist organisation under the UAPA. Home Minister Amit Shah said the group was involved in smuggling arms, explosives and narcotics, radicalising youth and criminals, and spreading provocative digital content

Security agencies have reported increased drone activity along the Line of Control, with officials saying Pakistan is using drones to gather information about Indian troop movements and support infiltration attempts. Drones are also being used to smuggle arms and narcotics

India on Wednesday condemned the drone attack near Mecca and expressed concern over the incident's proximity to the holy city. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India's opposition to attacks on Saudi territory and hoped for early restoration of regional peace and stability

The Finance Ministry rejected claims that changes in UPI merchant discount rates were driven by foreign influence, saying India's digital payment policies are independently decided. It said UPI remains free for customers, while certain high-value merchant transactions attract charges

The Union Cabinet approved raising the EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory coverage from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 a month. The move is expected to bring more than 51 lakh additional employees under statutory provident fund, pension and insurance protection

Academic freedom in India is “severely restricted”, according to Scholars at Risk’s ‘Free to Think 2026’ report. It cited growing government influence over higher education, restrictions on student expression, protests and cases involving faculty members, while India’s academic freedom score declined sharply

Gurugram hit-and-run victim Sia has sought strict punishment for all four occupants of the car that hit her motorbike on Golf Course Road, saying arrest alone would not be enough to send a strong message on women's safety

The DGFT has approved applications from seven companies to import 642 cars from Britain under the India-UK free trade agreement's tariff rate quota. The move follows applications for 2026 quotas covering about 5,000 fully built vehicles

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with a Jharkhand High Court order dismissing former minister Alamgir Alam's discharge plea in a money laundering case linked to an alleged tender scam. The ED has alleged commission collection from contractors