Kiren Rijiju

The United States House of Representatives has passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, sending legislation to President Donald Trump that enables tariffs of up to 100 percent on major buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas, including India and China. In response, the Ministry of External Affairs affirmed India's commitment to securing energy supplies through diversified sources while communicating bilateral and market implications to US interlocutors. Amid geopolitical developments and Russian crude accounting for 51.1 percent of Indian oil imports in July 2026, Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Ananth Nageswaran and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju examined India's economic trajectory and governance roadmap toward Viksit Bharat by 2047. Discussion points included banking sector balance sheet reforms, capital expenditure expansion, the Production Linked Incentive scheme, trade agreements, and administrative strategies under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The US House of Representatives has passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, authorising tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian energy, including India and China.

In an interview, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju discussed his long-standing professional association with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rijiju reflected on first meeting Modi in 1999 when both were handling party organizational responsibilities, highlighting Modi's emphasis on disciplined, time-bound execution with perfection. Rijiju stated, 'Modi Ji has transformed my own working system, my own way of looking at things.' He shared insights into Modi's hands-on governance style since 2014, noting how closely the Prime Minister tracked ministerial performance and follow-ups. Rijiju explained that Modi's electoral success and enduring popularity stem from having a coherent long-term vision, connecting every policy step, and leading a cohesive coalition under the banner of inclusive development.

On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju reflected on Modi's leadership style, work ethic, and national security governance.

In an interview on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju shared insights into his long association with the leader. Reflecting on their early interactions as party general secretaries in the late 1990s, Rijiju highlighted how Modi instilled discipline and target-bound execution. Rijiju stated, 'Modi Ji's time you can't make a mistake.' He noted that Modi ended VIP culture, introduced a round-the-clock work ethic, and completely transformed national governance after 2014. Discussing national security during his tenure in the Home Ministry, Rijiju recounted firm decisions taken after attacks on security personnel and observed that major Indian cities have become safe from frequent terror attacks. Rijiju also emphasized Modi's long-term roadmap toward a developed nation by 2047, describing him as a compassionate listener, a decisive visionary leader, and a statesman representing India globally.

A political dispute has erupted between the Congress and the BJP over the menu served at the BRICS Summit gala dinner hosted by the Prime Minister. Rahul Gandhi questioned the decision to serve an entirely vegetarian spread, stating that eighty percent of Indians eat non-vegetarian food and arguing that the menu did not reflect the dietary diversity of India. In response, the BJP criticised the Congress for focusing on the food rather than the growing influence and success of India at the summit. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the opposition of politicising the menu, adding that visiting global leaders relished the traditional Indian vegetarian dishes served across regional cuisines.

This News Today primetime special report examines major news developments across India and internationally.

A Manipuri musician, C. Vikram Singh, was beaten to death in Delhi, triggering massive political reactions and concerns over safety. The Manipur Chief Minister has written to the Delhi Chief Minister seeking personal intervention and demanding an expedited high-level investigation into the incident. Rahul Gandhi raised questions over law and order in the national capital, asking what the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police are doing to stop lawlessness against people from the Northeast. Responding to the matter, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that all eight accused involved in the fight over music and noise have been arrested and police will file a chargesheet within two weeks.

In this edition of Unpolitics with Preeti Choudhry, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju opens up on the Government vs Opposition showdown, a possible special session of Parliament, pellet guns, patriarchy, Parliament and the Manusmriti.

In an exclusive interview on India Today, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju addressed key national political issues, parliamentary proceedings, and border security. Commenting on his viral video swimming in an Arunachal Pradesh river, Rijiju dismissed comparisons with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, stating he has swum in mountain waters since childhood. He responded to Rahul Gandhi's remarks on patriarchy, questioning Congress' stance on issues affecting Muslim women, including triple talaq and polygamy. Rijiju asserted that India is governed by the Constitution rather than religious texts and noted that Hinduism permits internal debate. Regarding the parliamentary monsoon session disruptions, he emphasized the need for constructive debate over repeated washouts. On national security, Rijiju detailed border infrastructure development in Arunachal Pradesh since 2014, addressing undemarcated frontier stretches, psychological naming tactics by neighboring nations, and force deployment along the border. He also commented on freedom of expression regarding Kangana Ranaut, government responses to Gen Z protests, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on governance over narrative creation.

Addressing concerns over reported Chinese transgressions in Arunachal Pradesh, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju clarified that the entire border stretch remains undemarcated. He explained that overlap in claims occurs because no formal demarcation was conducted following the establishment of the McMahon Line in 1914. Highlighting historical gaps in border road construction, Rijiju emphasized that significant infrastructure development commenced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration from 2014 onwards. He dismissed claims of deep Chinese intrusions, describing reports of 50 to 60 kilometer encroachments as damaging and inaccurate, noting that disputed areas span only two to four kilometers. Regarding China's recent attempt to rename places and passes in Arunachal Pradesh, Rijiju characterized it as a psychological tactic with no practical impact, reiterating that the region is an integral Indian territory. He affirmed that enhanced road connectivity, border infrastructure, and troop deployment have made India's borders safer and better prepared to defend national sovereignty against external challenges.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju addressed the disruption of the Monsoon Session in Parliament, blaming opposition parties for making it a washout. Rijiju stated that the Congress party and Samajwadi Party took a firm stand not to allow Parliament to function despite efforts to reach out to them. Discussing his conversation with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Rijiju revealed that Rahul Gandhi demanded the Home Minister give a statement and resign, which Rijiju characterized by saying, "Democracy doesn't function like that." He noted that the Home Minister is a responsible official who acts responsibly and criticised Congress MPs for believing their primary duty is to raise slogans and make accusations. Rijiju emphasized that the government allocated proper time for discussions on each bill in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Addressing questions about a potential special session of Parliament, Rijiju stated he remains open to scrutiny and will inform the public when the time comes.

A political debate unfolded over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's event titled 'Smash Patriarchy' held in Pune. The discussion centered on allegations that the critique selectively targeted Hindu culture and texts like the Manusmriti, while omitting issues like triple talaq, Sharia law, and polygamy in other religions. Addressing these charges, the Minority Affairs Minister emphasized that social reforms must adopt a universal approach across all faiths rather than singling out one community. The Minister highlighted historical social reforms within Hinduism, including prohibitions on child marriage and polygamy, arguing that the faith encourages discourse and debate. Clarifying the governance framework, the Minister asserted that India is governed strictly by the Constitution and its core values, rather than ancient texts. Furthermore, the discussion emphasized that individual rights and freedom of expression permit differing views on religious texts without being labeled illegal, provided national security and integrity remain uncompromised.

In an episode of Politics in India Today, a senior cabinet minister addressed the social media discussion surrounding a video of swimming in a surging river in Arunachal Pradesh. The minister explained that swimming in rough river waters since childhood requires a specific upright technique to navigate strong currents, rejecting comparisons made by opposition party supporters regarding swimming styles. Addressing perceptions about youth leadership within the ruling party, the minister highlighted that cabinet members interact freely and share opinions during internal meetings. Furthermore, the minister dismissed media-created perceptions regarding the prime minister, asserting that the head of government is an attentive listener who permits extensive discussion among colleagues before offering final remarks. The conversation also touched upon public interactions with students, athletes, and political figures, as well as perceptions regarding formal press conferences.

A political controversy erupted following an exclusive interview on a news channel, where a Union Minister responded to criticism from opposition leaders regarding a video of him swimming in a river in Arunachal Pradesh. The minister condemned the opposition party for politicizing the incident, asserting that swimming in local rivers is a natural part of growing up in the region rather than a performative act. He rejected jibes made by an opposition parliamentarian and criticized the political party for trolling him over the video. The interview addressed multiple key flashpoints between the central government and the opposition.

In an interview with India Today's Preeti Choudhary, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju addressed his viral river swimming video from Arunachal Pradesh, stating that Rahul Gandhi did not exist in his mind when he uploaded it and rejecting comparisons made by opposition leaders.

This edition of News Today examines public order and protest rights following a Supreme Court hearing on the July 20 student demonstrations.

On To The Point, anchor Preeti Chaudhry reports on major political developments in Jharkhand and national party politics. Following a 24-day student protest, the Hemant Soren government cancelled the JSSC CGL examination and exams conducted by TDPL while ordering a CID probe into state examinations held since 2014.

On 5Live hosted by Sonali Mehrotra Kapoor, the Bihar government has moved quickly to address growing anger among competitive exam aspirants by announcing the recruitment of 32,388 school teachers under the fourth phase of the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4.0).

In an exclusive chat with India Today, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju blamed the Opposition for the disruption of the Monsoon Session, saying it failed to engage in adequate debate on key issues and instead contributed to repeated deadlocks that affected the functioning of Parliament.