Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Thursday praised Operation Sindoor as the year’s most significant military engagement, highlighting India’s long-range air defence capabilities likely powered by the S-400 system that achieved a kill over 300 km inside enemy territory. Calling it the most decisive operation since 1971, he credited the Army, Navy and Air Force for jointly executing precision strikes that forced the adversary “to their knees in one night,” while also praising the media’s role in countering misinformation and maintaining public morale.A political face-off has erupted over the Karur stampede, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin accusing the BJP of using the incident to threaten the DMK government. Stalin questioned why no NDA delegation was sent to other tragedies like the Kumbh Mela stampede, incidents in Gujarat, or the Manipur riots. He alleged a conspiracy, noting the Finance Minister, who was absent during three recent disasters in Tamil Nadu, visited Karur immediately after the stampede. The Chief Minister claims this is being done to see if the "Karur incident could be used to threaten somebody." The BJP countered, with spokesperson Narayanan Tirupati defending the NDA delegation's visit as a duty. He questioned Stalin's absence during the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy and accused the DMK of politicising the stampede, asserting the state government failed to maintain law and order.Congress leader Udit Raj has sparked a controversy by comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ravan. The comment was made around the time of the Dussehra festival, with Udit Raj saying, "Modi ji is a symbol of modern Ravan. And the way he is building his golden palace, in which he is going to go, that golden palace will burn." The remark has drawn sharp criticism, with political observers noting its potential to become an emotive issue, especially with the Bihar assembly elections approaching. Responding on behalf of the BJP, Tom Barrakan said that the "real Ravans are in the Congress party" and that Udit Raj has been "hallucinating". The BJP is expected to use the statement to attack the Congress on the Hindutva front, as the ruling party has done with similar comments in the past.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has delivered a significant message amid a global tariff war and intensifying geopolitical conflicts. Speaking at the fourth edition of the Kautilya Economic Conclave, she stated that while sanctions and tariffs are creating global trouble and reshaping supply chains, India's capacity to absorb shocks is strong. "Our capacity to absorb shocks is strong, while our economic leverage is evolving. Our choices will determine whether resilience becomes a foundation for leadership or merely a buffer against terrorism," she said. The minister's statement underscores the importance of domestic resilience and capabilities in the face of international trade shocks and uncertainty. To achieve its 2047 'Viksit Bharat' target, India needs to maintain a GDP growth of around 8 percent.A three-member Election Commission team will arrive in Patna for a crucial two-day meeting on October 4th and 5th. The meeting's purpose is to review the preparedness for the upcoming Bihar state elections. The commission is scheduled to hold marathon meetings with political parties, security agencies, and administrative officials like DMs, SPs, and commissioners. These sessions will provide a holistic view of the election arrangements. Following the review, the Election Commission team will return to Delhi, and there is an expectation that the poll dates for the state could be announced shortly after. One speaker mentioned the poll dates could be announced around "7th or 8th of October."
Op Sindoor brought enemy to knees, most decisive since 1971: Air Force chief
