Narendra Damodardas Modi is the 14th Prime Minister of India. Narendra Modi assumed the office of the prime minister on May 26, 2014, after his Bharatiya Janata Party swept the Lok Sabha elections held that year. Before becoming prime minister, Narendra Modi served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for over a decade.
Narendra Modi was born to Hiraba and Damodardas Modi in Vadnagar in Gujarat’s Mehsana district on September 17, 1950. In the 1970s, Narendra Modi joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh before going on to join the Bharatiya Janata Party in the late ’80s. In 2001, he took over as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, a post he occupied until 2014. In 2019, Narendra Modi won a second term as the Prime Minister of India.
During an address at the high-level 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar addressed pressing global concerns, including the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, maritime security, cross-border terrorism, and artificial intelligence. Emphasising that durable peace in the Middle East requires a two-state solution, he highlighted India's ongoing humanitarian relief for the Palestinian people. Stressing that endless war must yield to peace, he expressed grave concern over attacks on commercial shipping across waterways from the Red Sea to the Black Sea, which endanger Indian and global seafarers and disrupt food and energy supplies. Calling out state-sponsored terrorism, he asserted that friendship cannot coexist with terror and reiterated India's commitment to defending itself. Furthermore, he outlined India's vision of artificial intelligence as a transformational driver for human empowerment and partnership with the Global South.
At the United Nations General Assembly, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised serious concerns over attacks targeting commercial shipping and seafarers across conflict zones, extending from the Red Sea to the Black Sea and the Gulf. Emphasising that the loss of life among Indian and international seafarers is completely unacceptable, it was highlighted that India has partnered with Liberia and 23 other nations to rally global public opinion for maritime security and adherence to international law. The address underscored disruptions to critical sea lanes, international trade, and global energy supplies resulting from conflicts in West Asia and between Russia and Ukraine. Reaffirming India's consistent position on cross-border terrorism, the forum emphasised that state-sponsored terrorism cannot be treated as state policy or foreign diplomacy, stating firmly that goodwill and terror cannot coexist.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the speaker raised grave concerns over ongoing global conflicts, highlighting the severe repercussions suffered by uninvolved nations. The speech condemned the targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers in international waterways while calling for immediate de-escalation, restraint, and an uninterrupted flow of commerce and energy. Referring to ongoing hostilities in Ukraine and West Asia, the speaker underscored the need for lasting peace, advocating for a two-state solution alongside ongoing humanitarian relief for the Palestinian people. The address cautioned against the weaponisation of finance, supply chains, and technology, warning that extreme competition threatens global stability and undermines the development agenda of the Global South, which currently faces severe crises in food, fuel, fertilizer, and finance. Furthermore, the speaker delivered a stern rebuff against state-sponsored cross-border terrorism, affirming zero tolerance and defending the right to self-defence against entities attempting to normalise terror or evade accountability.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi ahead of the UP Assembly elections. Meetings were lined up with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the party leadership to review UP poll preparations. The Bharatiya Janata Party is reviewing multiple internal surveys to identify key areas requiring extra focus and working on strategies to strengthen ground-level workers while effectively countering aggressive opposition campaigns.
The News Today reports on the political controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision exercise.
In an interview with India Today, Congress leader Pawan Khera launched a sharp attack against the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged anomalies in voter lists and the electoral process. Defending his party's stance against BJP criticism, Khera claimed that evidence of wrongdoing had emerged across multiple states and within recent investigative reports. He asserted that the poll body had lost its sanctity, alleging systemic deletions of voters from electoral rolls. Calling for accountability, Khera declared that Gyanesh Kumar was merely a pawn representing higher authorities in the government, demanding his immediate resignation from office and stating that he should apologize to the nation.
The Delhi High Court has agreed to hear an urgent criminal writ plea seeking the takedown of sexually explicit, AI-manipulated deepfake images of a woman morphed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The petitioner alleged that the morphed photographs were circulated on social media and displayed on physical banners during a protest in Delhi. Despite an FIR registered by the Delhi Police Cyber Cell, the plea states that authorities and social media platforms failed to remove the content. The petitioner cited targeted harassment, constant mental trauma, and severe threats, moving the court for immediate removal of the manipulated images.
A major political row has erupted following allegations of vote theft against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah. Opposition parties, led by the Congress, are staging nationwide demonstrations outside state election offices, while the RJD announced plans to burn effigies of the Chief Election Commissioner across Bihar. Sources indicate the opposition bloc plans to pursue impeachment proceedings against the Chief Election Commissioner in Parliament. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party rejected the accusations, asserting that the opposition is unnerved by anti-incumbency and administrative electoral revision exercises. The Election Commission clarified that its internal digital platform is decentralized with restricted access for designated election officials and protected by cybersecurity measures. In Goa, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Koyal faced scrutiny over the reported omission of ninety-seven verified voters from the electoral rolls. The broadcast outlined the constitutional procedure required for the removal of a Chief Election Commissioner.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual interaction with Seva Yatris who are undertaking an extensive bike rally covering over 35,000 kilometres in ten groups. The rally connects the Prime Minister's birthplace in Vadnagar, Gujarat, to his parliamentary constituency in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. During the interaction, participants traveling through districts including Lalitpur, Sagar, and Jhansi shared their field experiences, noting local public sentiment around development initiatives like the Ken-Betwa river linking project in Bundelkhand, women empowerment schemes, and rural transformation. The participants recounted their interactions with citizens, school students, and beneficiaries across various states. Prime Minister Modi encouraged the volunteers to actively document their observations, maintain service commitments, promote national awareness among communities along their route, and contribute towards the vision of building a developed nation.
A major political row has erupted over a reported rift within the Election Commission of India. The Bharatiya Janata Party attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks, sharing an older video of Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala acknowledging the benefits of the Special Summary Revision exercise in Kerala. The BJP accused the Congress of raising selective allegations only in states where it loses elections. Meanwhile, opposition parties intensified protests, with the Congress planning nationwide demonstrations and marches to election offices, while the INDIA bloc reportedly considers an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Rahul Gandhi accused the government of vote theft, targeting top leadership. Amid the escalating controversy and concerns over voter data integrity, the Election Commission issued a clarification regarding its ECI Net platform, maintaining that it is a decentralised system accessible only to authorised officials like booth-level officers and district election officers through unique login credentials, backed by cybersecurity safeguards.
A massive political conflict has erupted following reported internal divisions within the Election Commission of India. Opposition parties led by Rahul Gandhi have demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of electoral manipulation and functioning under the protection of the central government. The INDIA bloc is drafting a notice for an impeachment motion against the CEC, alongside police complaints and ultimatums from political outfits. In response, the BJP has dismissed allegations of vote theft, attributing election outcomes to strong anti-incumbency against the Congress and defending the centralisation of electoral roll data under data protection frameworks. Panelists on the debate scrutinised media reports alleging that two election commissioners registered fourteen objections across ten months regarding the Special Intensive Revision exercise, voter deletions, and Form 6 procedures. While former CEC O.P. Rawat highlighted that commissioners possess majority decision-making powers and internal differences remain routine, analysts emphasised the need for the commission to address public concerns directly.
The INDIA bloc is set to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Parliament amid reported internal rifts and objections by two Election Commissioners regarding the SIR exercise.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned visit to the United States in December to attend the G20 summit in Florida, where a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Donald Trump is scheduled. Both nations remain focused on addressing key issues, including trade negotiations. Dr Jaishankar is also expected to address the UNGA in the coming days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to the United States in December to attend the G20 Leaders Summit hosted by US President Donald Trump at Florida. PM Modi is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the summit. Following the US visit, the Prime Minister will undertake a bilateral visit to Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the upcoming visit, calling diplomatic and economic ties with India exceptionally important as both democracies explore deeper cooperation in energy resources, trade, and strategic partnerships.
India and Canada are moving towards finalising a landmark bilateral trade deal by December, aiming to achieve a 70 billion dollar push in trade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Canada around the middle of December, coinciding with the G20 Summit timeline to conclude the negotiations. The proposed agreement marks a reset in bilateral ties, shifting focus towards energy cooperation, defence, talent mobility, and market diversification. The two nations are seeking to move past previous diplomatic friction over the Nijjar issue to build a stronger economic partnership. Discussions highlight Canada's interest in supplying energy resources like oil and uranium to India's expanding market of 1.5 billion people. However, key challenges remain, including internal resource extraction regulations in Canada and bureaucratic hurdles in India. The potential pact follows several major trade agreements signed by India since 2021, presenting a new chapter of economic collaboration between both democracies.
A political controversy erupted following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' student outreach event after comedian Pulkit Mani performed a satirical mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The act satirised the Prime Minister's mannerisms, his interactions with foreign leaders, and an incident where he offered a chair to an elderly woman whom he addressed as mother. The Bharatiya Janata Party attacked the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other leaders accusing the party of insulting women and misleading youth, while demanding Rahul Gandhi quit politics. Defending the event, Congress leaders stated that the performance was political satire and mimicry rather than a serious statement, pointing out the presence of women in the audience who enjoyed the act. The opposition also questioned why similar outrage was absent when Sonia Gandhi faced political insults, as both sides traded fierce charges over political propriety.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following a mimicry controversy during a student outreach event in Indore and the DUSU election results. Bhandari stated that Rahul Gandhi's pre-planned script reflected an inherent hatred towards the poor and aged women of the country, remarking, "Rahul Gandhi is not mentally fit to be the LOP. He can mentally be fit to be a comedian or a troller, but not as an LOP." Bhandari further claimed the youth have repeatedly rejected Congress's negative politics in student body elections across Delhi and Chandigarh, accusing the party of acting like a disgruntled child by inventing alibis whenever it faces an electoral defeat.
A major political controversy erupted following Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatro Ki Goonj' event in Indore, where stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani performed a satirical mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The act mocked an incident where the Prime Minister asked for a chair for an elderly woman. The BJP strongly criticized the Congress, calling the performance shameful, disgusting, and an insult to mothers, alleging Rahul Gandhi has stooped to a new low. The BJP also highlighted earlier instances where Congress targeted Prime Minister Modi. Meanwhile, the Congress defended its leader and the comedy act amid the escalating political war of words.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad registered a decisive victory in the Delhi University Students' Union elections, winning three out of the four central panel positions. The BJP student wing bagged the posts of president, secretary, and joint secretary, while the vice president post went to an independent candidate. The Congress-backed National Students' Union of India suffered a complete rout, failing to secure a single seat on the central panel despite early counting leads. The election outcome reflects the resonance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's youth-centric outreach and engagement with Gen Z voters following recent student protests across the national capital.
A special broadcast reviews Prime Minister Narendra Modi's journey as he turns 76, marking 25 years in public life and his tenure as India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister. The report highlights India's economic ascent from the tenth to the fifth largest economy, structural reforms including the Goods and Services Tax, digital public infrastructure under the JAM trinity, and expansion in manufacturing through Production Linked Incentive schemes. Key welfare programs, such as the PM Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism, are detailed alongside rapid infrastructural growth spanning Vande Bharat trains, national highways, and aviation under the UDAN scheme. The bulletin examines India's foreign policy approach, space milestones including Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan, and traditional service-oriented birthday initiatives, culminating in the launch of healthcare programs in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. Global leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, extended birthday greetings commending India's rising international profile.
