Welfare Schemes, National Security Push And Economic Growth Highlight 25-Year Governance Milestone

Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid out plans for the Sewa Sankalp programme to mark the Prime Minister's birthday and celebrate his 25 years of public service. The Home Minister detailed the governance and development milestones achieved under the Prime Minister over the past 12 years. In his address, he also took potshots at previous regimes, particularly the Congress and the opposition, pointing to rampant corruption during their tenure and highlighting the transition to effective governance and national development.

Unidentified assailants opened fire at lyricist Gulap Sidhu's residence in Barnala, Punjab, between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM. Three motorcycle-borne men fired seven to eight rounds, with bullets hitting the main gate of the house. No family members were injured during the shootout. The artist was touring Australia and New Zealand while his parents, wife, and children were inside the residence. Punjab Police launched an extensive investigation, analyzing CCTV footage and phone dumps from nearby mobile towers to track down the shooters. Social media posts indicate the Dhoni Bal gang may be behind the incident, though official confirmation is awaited amid concerns over extortion rackets targeting Punjabi artists.

An Air India flight, AI 1886, en route from Bhopal to Delhi, was diverted to Jaipur following a mid-flight technical snag. The aircraft landed safely at Jaipur airport, where it is currently undergoing mandatory safety checks in line with established standards. Air India issued an official statement regretting the inconvenience caused to passengers and emphasising that the safety of passengers and crew remains of paramount importance. The airline's ground team at Jaipur is providing immediate assistance and arranging alternative connections for travellers to reach Delhi at the earliest. The incident once again brings passenger safety and recurring technical issues across the aviation sector into focus.

Following the conclusion of the BRICS summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Bharat Mandapam. The discussion focused on boosting the India-Kazakhstan partnership across multiple key sectors, including transport, connectivity, critical minerals, energy, trade, and investment. Kazakhstan remains an important dialogue partner from the Central Asian region, with talks centering on building supply chain resilience, alternative connectivity models, and expanding bilateral trade, which currently stands at around 924 million dollars.