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The British High Commission in India has confirmed that repair work has commenced on the Royal Navy F-35B Aircraft which has remained grounded following an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala for over three weeks.

The aircraft, a state-of-the-art short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter jet, has now been moved into a secure hangar facility following its prolonged exposure to Kerala monsoon rains. A specialist team of UK engineers has arrived on the site.

In a formal statement, the British High Commission in India said, “A team of UK engineers has arrived in India to commence repairs on the UK F-35B aircraft. Repairs are underway on the aircraft, which has now been moved to the maintenance hangar. We are grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities.”

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Ship Itsukushima, commanded by Captain Naoki Mizoguchi, arrived at Chennai Port on July 07, 2025, as part of its Global Ocean Voyage Training, reinforcing the strategic partnership between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and JCG in the Indo-Pacific. The week-long port call includes high-level bilateral meetings, joint professional & cultural exchanges, and a sea exercise aimed at boosting interoperability between the two forces.

During the port call, crew members will engage in courtesy calls, reciprocal ship visits, joint training sessions, yoga, and sporting events, culminating in a joint sea exercise ‘Jaa Mata’ (see you later) on July 12, 2025.

As a symbol of growing cooperation, four ICG officers will sail onboard Itsukushima to Singapore as Sea Riders, continuing the tradition of professional exchange. This engagement builds on the 2006 Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan, aligned with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

The ABC Pro Basketball League Season 4 was inaugurated yesterday, July 6, 2025, at the Rajaram Bhiku Pathare Stadium in Kharadi, Pune. The ceremony was graced by the presence of Smt Raksha Khadse, Honourable Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports. The event marked the official start of the league’s exciting lineup and aligns directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ driven by empowered youth and a vibrant sports culture and the objectives of the ‘Khelo Bharat Niti 2025’. The league aims at fostering grassroots basketball talent, providing a professional platform for young athletes, and promoting a robust sports ecosystem across the nation.

The day’s events commenced with the First Match starting at 4:00 pm, setting an energetic tone for the season. This was followed by the much-anticipated Inauguration Ceremony at 5:15 pm, during which Smt. Raksha Khadse delivered a compelling Speech, conducted the Trophy Unveiling, and was seen addressing the players and the enthusiastic audience. The ceremony also featured the National Anthem and a March Pass by the participating teams, culminating in an exhilarating Exhibition Match. Smt. Raksha Khadse actively engaged with the participating teams and organizers, emphasizing the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to making sports an integral part of every child’s lifestyle and nurturing sporting excellence from a young age. She lauded the efforts of ABC Fitness Firm, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), and all associated partners for their dedicated work in bringing this vision to fruition.

Addressing the gathering, Smt. Raksha Khadse stated, “The ABC Pro Basketball League embodies the spirit of our nation’s youth and our collective aspiration for a sporting superpower. It is truly inspiring to witness the passion and talent here today, which perfectly resonates with our government’s ‘Khelo India’ initiative.” She added, “Investing in grassroots sports like this is paramount. Every point scored, every strategic pass, is a step towards building a healthier, more competitive, and more unified India, propelling u closer to Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a developed nation where every talent finds its rightful stage.”

According to the organisers, the league witnessed an impressive turnout of over 5,000 young aspirants participating in trials from across Maharashtra. Following a rigorous selection process, 1,000 elite players were shortlisted through a competitive auction process, and 310 players were ultimately selected to join the league’s 19 teams across Under 14 and Under 17 categories for both boys and girls. This rigorous process underscores the league’s commitment to identifying and nurturing genuine talent. With Season 4, the league continues to grow, providing opportunities for young athletes to develop their skills and pursue their passion for the sport. This season promises fierce competition and dramatic showdowns, all conducted indoors at a world-class facility, ensuring high standards of play and player development.

Among the prominent personalities present at the event were Mr. Surendra Pathare from the Surendra Pathare Foundation, alongside a host of team owners including Mr. Suresh Mishra and Mr. Edward Kacherikar representing Kolhapur Jaguars, Mr. Vijay Sule and Mr. Sadanand Sule of Mumbai Snipers and Mr. Anshul Jain and Mr. Kevin Francis from Hi 5 RS. Also in attendance were Mr. Indraneel Chitale of Pune Chitale Warriors, Mr. Rahul Chinta and Mr. Onkar Sable from Supernova Thane Tigers, Ms. Amruta and Mr. Harshal Birati of Nashik Court Crusaders, and Mr. Jitendra Chouksey from Pune Fittr Warriors. Further strengthening the lineup were Mr. Rohit Pawar of Ahilyanagar Storms, Ms. Mayara and Ms. Deepti Sharma representing Multifit Nagpur Warriors, Mr. Abhishek Sinha from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Trinita Heats, and Ms. Smita Patil of SSPL Nanded Jaguars. The PCMC Stallions were represented by Mr. Aakash, Mr. Vishal, and Mr. Sagar, while Shashank Goenka attended for the Mumbai Bears. Ms. Leena Khade and Mr. Tushar Barve were present for Satara Champs, and Mr. Ankush Chaudhari for Khandesh Heats. Their presence, along with other senior officials from relevant sports organizations and local administration, underscored the collaborative effort and the widespread importance of promoting basketball and youth development.




The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, addressed faculty, students, and dignitaries at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) in Kochi today.

The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said that, “Proceeding with the Constitutional mechanism of dealing with the judge in terms of constitutional provision is one way out, but that is not a solution because we claim to be a democracy which we are.  The world looks at us as a mature democracy where there has to be rule of law,  equality before law which means every crime must be investigated.  If the money is so huge in volume, we have to find out. Is it tainted money?  What is the source of this money?  How was it stocked in the  official residence of a judge?  It belonged to whom? Several penal provisions are violated in the process. I do hope  an FIR will be registered. We must go to the root of the matter because for democracy it matters,  that our judiciary  in whom the faith  is unshakable, it’s very foundations have been shaken. The citadel is tottering because of this incident.

Interacting with the students and faculty members at the National University of Advance Legal Studies (NUALS) today, Referring to Shakespeare's famous play "Julius Caesar", Shri Dhankhar stated, “ My young friends, if you have heard of the Ides of March. Those of you who have read Julius Caesar. where the soothsayer cautioned Caesar, beware of the ideas of March. And when Caesar was going from the palace to the courtroom he spotted the soothsayer and he said- Ides of March has come. And  the soothsayer said, yes,  but not gone, and before the day was over, Caesar was assassinated. Ides of March is associated with misfortune and doom. Our judiciary had ides of March  on the night intervening 14th and 15th March,  a terrible time ! There was cash all  at the residence of a Judge in large quantum.  I say so because it is now in public domain,  officially put up by the Supreme Court that the official residence  of  a judge of the High Court,  cash in large amount was found.  Now the point is,  if that cash was found, system should have moved immediately  and the first process would have been to deal with it  as a criminal act.  Find out those who are culpable.  Bring them to justice. But so far, there has been no FIR. The government at the central level is handicapped because an FIR cannot be registered in view of a judgment of the Supreme Court rendered in early 90s.”

"We had turbulent times in the judiciary recently. But the good thing — and soothing — is that a big change has taken place. We are seeing good times now for the judiciary. The present Chief Justice and his immediate predecessor gave us a new era of accountability and transparency. They are getting things back on the rails. But the earlier two years were very disturbing, very challenging. The normal system was not normal. Thoughtlessly, several steps were taken — it will take a while to undo them. Because it is very fundamental that institutions function with optimal performance”, he added

“The judiciary in our country commands immense trust, immense respect of the people. People believe in the judiciary like no other institution. If their faith is eroded — shaken in the institution — we will be faced with a grim situation. A nation of 1.4 billion will suffer”, he further added.

Expressing his concern over post retirement assignments for judges, he emphasised, “Certain constitutional authorities are not permitted to hold  assignments after their office like a Public Service Commission member cannot take any assignment under the government. CAG can't take that assignment.  Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners can't take that assignment because they must be free, not to be subjected to allurements and temptations. This was not for judges.  Why?  Because  judges were expected to be totally away from it.  And now we are post-retirement, post for judges.  Am I right? And not all can be accommodated, only some can be accommodated.  So when you can't accommodate all, you accommodate some, there is pick and choose. When there is pick and choose, there is patronage. It is seriously impairing our judiciary.”

Underscoring the significance of the nature of oath taken by the President of India and Governors, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ The President and the Governor are the only two constitutional offices who have an oath different than the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, Members of Parliament, Members of Assembly, and other functionaries like judges. Because all of us — the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, and others — we take oath to abide by the Constitution, but the Hon’ble President and the Hon’ble Governor — they take oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. Am I clear? So, their oath is not only very distinct, their oath is obligating them with the onerous task of preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution. I hope there is realization all around about this constitutional ordainment for the post of the Governor…..Second, what stands out the President or the Governor, apart from the rest of us, like the Vice-President, Prime Minister and Chief Ministers and Ministers, is only these two designations have immunity from prosecution. No one else has. While they hold office, they are immune to any prosecution, pending or contemplated. And I am so happy and delighted that Shri Rajendra V. Arlekar is setting very high standards as Governor because a Governor is easy punching bag”.

Speaking about the amendments to the preamble of Indian Constitution he stated, “There has been lot of issue about preamble to the Constitution. Well first let me tell you, preamble of Indian constitution is something like parenthood to children. Howsoever you may try,  you can't change your parenthood. Am I right?  That's not possible. That is preamble. Secondly, historically no country's preamble has ever been changed. Thirdly, preamble of our Constitution was changed during a time when hundreds and thousands of people were behind the bars. The darkest period of our democracy, the emergency era.  Then it was changed where the life of the Lok Sabha was also increased beyond 5 years.  It was changed at a time when people had no access to the justice system. Fundamental rights were totally suspended. You need to examine it. We may do anything,  we surely can't change our parents.”

 “You will have to think aloud what happened in 42nd Constitutional Amendment  Act. What happened in 44th and what was left over? Why lakhs were jailed without access to judiciary?  How come 9 High Courts decided in favour of the citizen but  the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land failed us in  ADM's Jabalpur case. And reversed,  indicating two things----It is absolute prerogative of the executive to impose emergency  and to impose emergency for as much time it takes. In 1975, it was 20 plus months, and during the proclamation of emergency period,  there will be no access to Judiciary.  So we forfeited at that point of time our total claim  to be a democratic nation”, he added.

Underscoring the significance of doctrine of separation of powers, he said, “ Constitutional essence and spirit is optimally nurtured and sustained  and it blossoms with each of the pillars of constitution working in tandem to get the nation in harmony but if the legislature, the executive and judiciary are not on the same page,  if they are not in sync with each other, If there is no harmony amongst them,  then the situation gets little worrisome. And that is why as law students you will be  focusing on doctrine of separation of powers.  The issue is not which is supreme.  Each institution of the Constitution is supreme in its own area”

“If one institution — the judiciary, the executive, or the legislature — makes an incursion into the domain of the other, it has the potential to upset the apple cart. It can create unmanageable problems that can be potentially very dangerous for our democracy. For example, let me give it to you in layman's language: Adjudication has to take place within the judiciary. Judgments are to be scripted by the judiciary — not by the legislature, not by the executive. And similarly, executive functions are performed by whom? By the executive. And why? Because you elect the executive — the political executive — through elections. They are accountable to you. They have to perform. They have to face elections. But if executive functions are done by, let's say, the legislature or the judiciary — that will be antithetical to the  essence and of the doctrine of separation of powers……I am aghast  that a functionary of the executive like the CBI director  is appointed  with the participation of Chief Justice of India.  Why?  And just think,  and steer your minds.  CBI director is not the senior most person in the hierarchy. He  has above him several layers,  CVC,  Cabinet Secretary, all Secretaries.  After all, he's heading a department.  You must  use your pen.  Is it happening elsewhere in the world?  Can it happen under our constitutional scheme?  Why should an appointment of the executive be made by anyone else other than the executive.  I strongly say so.”, he added.



Minister of Defence of India, Shri Rajnath Singh, addressed the Controllers’ Conference of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) in New Delhi on July 07, 2025, emphasising the department’s critical role in strengthening the operational readiness and financial agility of the Armed Forces. Referring to the success of Operation Sindoor, he stated that the valour displayed and demonstration of the capability of domestic equipment has further increased the global demand for the indigenous products. “The world is looking at our defence sector with new respect. A single delay or error in financial processes can directly affect operational preparedness,” he said.  He also called on the DAD to evolve from a ‘controller’ to a ‘facilitator’ in sync with increasing participation of the private sector in defence.

Shri Rajnath Singh credited the ongoing transformation in the defence sector to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, under whose guidance the country has moved towards Aatmanirbharta and structural reform in defence planning, finance, and innovation. “Most of the equipment we once imported is now being made in India. Our reforms are succeeding because of the clarity of vision and commitment at the highest level,” he added.

Addressing the larger geopolitical context, Raksha Mantri mentioned the rising global military expenditure reaching $2.7 trillion in 2024, as per Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and stated that this opens up tremendous opportunities for India’s indigenous defence industries. He stressed that with the Prime Minister's focus on ‘Aatmanirbharta in Defence’, India’s industries must be prepared for the global demand shift and play a larger role in exports and innovation. “Our effort is to ensure that decisions are taken swiftly so that we can begin manufacturing larger engines right here in India and that this journey begins with the hands of Indians,” he added, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building advanced indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.

Highlighting the increasing strategic and economic significance of the defence sector, the Shri Rajnath Singh called for a shift in perception from defence spending as mere expenditure to an economic investment with multiplier impact. “Until recently, defence budgets were not seen as part of the national economy. Today, they are growth drivers,” he added. He mentioned that India, along with the rest of the world, is entering a new phase of re-armament, marked by capital-intensive investments in the defence sector. He urged the department to incorporate Defence Economics in their planning and assessments, including social impact analysis of R&D projects and dual-use technologies.

The key highlights of the event were the release of the Vision Document, Mission Statement, New Motto, second edition of the Market Intelligence Report 2025 and Revised Defence Accounts Code.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr. Samir V Kamat, Financial Adviser (Defence Services) Shri S G Dastidar, and Controller General of Defence Accounts Dr Mayank Sharma were also present on the occasion.


Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met today with the President of Cuba, H.E. Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Prime Minister had earlier met President Diaz-Canel at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in 2023, where Cuba was a special invitee.

The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties in the areas of economic cooperation, development partnership, fintech, capacity building, science and technology, disaster management and healthcare. Acknowledging India’s expertise in the digital domain, President Diaz-Canel expressed interest in India’s Digital Public Infrastructure and UPI. Prime Minister conveyed appreciation for Cuba’s recognition of Ayurveda and extended support for integrating Ayurveda into Cuba’s public health system. Prime Minister proposed Cuba’s recognition of Indian pharmacopoeia, which will lead to access to Indian generic medicines.

The two leaders agreed to work on issues of concern to the global South, including in the areas of health, pandemics and climate change. They appreciated the cooperation between the two countries in the multilateral arena.


Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met today with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, H.E. Anwar bin Ibrahim, on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The leaders reviewed progress in bilateral relations between India and Malaysia, since the State Visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia to India in August 2024, including in the areas of trade and investment, defence, education, healthcare, tourism and people-to-people contacts.

Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Ibrahim for his strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in the multilateral arena and regional security.

Prime Minister congratulated Malaysia for its successful stewardship of ASEAN and welcomed its continued support for a strengthened ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including the early and successful completion of the review of the ASEAN-India FTA.