02 May 2026
With the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remaining tense across all sectors, India raised a new aviation brigade in the eastern sector this year. The brigade is mandated with the task of increasing surveillance along the LAC in the eastern sector.
The new brigade was raised in March at Missamari in Assam, close to Tezpur, and has capabilities such as Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Cheetah helicopters and Heron drones, said sources.
Scientific advice, global trends and international journals — the Narendra Modi government is exercising extraordinary caution before it finally kickstarts the Covid-19 vaccination drive for children in India.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has told senior officials in the Health Ministry that there should be no rush in clearing the vaccines or starting the drive, top sources told media. The top panel of experts — the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) — has also been asked to take a holistic view before submitting the final plan to start the drive, the sources said.
Mandaviya has also asked the officials to take ‘baby steps’ and keep an eye on international trends, the sources said, adding that the Health Minister has asked officers to study reasons behind the slow pace of rollout of vaccines for children in developed nations.
India's recently launched Rs 100-lakh-crore infrastructure master plan, digitisation and the 'Make in India' initiative were among the main topics discussed as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman connected with the world's leading business officers at the Big Apple here on Saturday.
Sitharaman arrived here late Friday after her visit to Washington DC where she participated in the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
She met Mastercard Executive Chairman Ajay Banga and Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach here on Saturday.
India’s power crisis on account of coal supply shortages seems to be easing thanks to the lower demand due to onset of winter in northern India and increased coal supply.
According to media reports, several states in India have rolled back orders to limit power supply as the situation eased.
The report said that Coal India Limited, the world's biggest miner, is expected withdraw its order to suspend coal supply to non-power utilities.
Coal stocks are likely to get replenished with increased supply with two major Indian festivals—Navratri and Durga Pooja—ending, an official said.
In a strongly worded rebuttal, the Centre questioned the methodology followed by Global Hunger Report 2021 where India has moved down to 101st position in the Index (GHI) of 116 countries, from its 2020 rank of 94, pointing out that the data was based on a “telephonic estimate” from Gallup calls.
India slammed the findings that found it lagging its neighbours Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, saying the “four question” survey did not include a query on whether respondents had received support from government schemes during the pandemic. It also pointed out the report’s incongruous conclusion that countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal improved their nutritional status, suggesting that the pandemic had no impact on them at all.
