Supreme Court’s Freebie Rebuke Puts Tamil Nadu’s Finances Under the Microscope

Top Court Questions Pre-Election Handouts The Supreme Court of India came down sharply on Thursday morning against the practice of pre-election giveaways by state governments, warning that indiscriminate “freebies” risk draining public finances and undermining long-term development. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant questioned the fiscal logic behind universal schemes such as free electricity,…

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AI Giants Enter India’s Classrooms: A New EdTech Arms Race Begins

OpenAI and Google Target India’s Student Powerhouse Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering India’s classrooms as OpenAI partners with leading universities while Google rolls out Gemini tools for competitive exam preparation. The twin moves signal an escalating battle for influence in one of the world’s largest education markets. OpenAI’s campus collaborations with institutions such as IIT Delhi, IIM…

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Mumbai’s Water Metro Sets Sail: A Maritime Fix for the City’s Gridlock

A New Chapter in Urban Mobility Mumbai is preparing to launch its much-anticipated Water Metro, a network of electric ferries designed to ease road congestion and offer faster coastal connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Maharashtra Ports Minister Nitesh Rane has confirmed a phased rollout beginning December 2026, with a detailed project report due by February-end…

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India Sets Global Benchmark with Record-Breaking Responsible AI Pledge

Nation Logs Guinness Record for AI Ethics Participation India has entered the Guinness World Records books after collecting 250,946 valid pledges for responsible artificial intelligence use within just 24 hours, between February 16 and 17, 2026. The milestone was announced at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where officials described the campaign as a…

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India Considers Social Media Age Limits to Shield Children

Government in Talks with Platforms on Age Restrictions The Union government has opened discussions with major social media intermediaries on imposing age-based curbs for children, with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirming consultations on a potential “blanket, age-based” restriction framework. The move, tied to the Digital Personal Data Protection regime and broader online-safety concerns, signals India’s intent to align…

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Lights, Camera, Diplomacy: Macron’s Bollywood Outreach Signals a New Indo-French Soft-Power Axis

French President Emmanuel Macron’s Mumbai stop turned into a cultural moment as he met Bollywood figures including Anil Kapoor, Zoya Akhtar and Manoj Bajpayee—highlighting cinema’s growing role in global diplomacy. A Cultural Interlude in a Strategic Visit During his February 2026 visit to India, Emmanuel Macron met a cross-section of Indian film personalities—among them Anil Kapoor, Zoya…

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India’s Edge AI Moment: Sarvam AI’s Hardware Alliances Signal a Sovereign Tech Push

Sarvam AI has forged high-impact partnerships with Qualcomm, Bosch, and Nokia HMD, marking a decisive shift toward on-device AI across India’s consumer and industrial ecosystem. A New Hardware–AI Convergence At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Sarvam AI announced collaborations with Qualcomm, Bosch, and HMD Global to embed advanced conversational AI directly into…

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India’s AI Diplomacy Drive: Modi’s Summit Blitz Signals Strategic Tech and Trade Pivot

New Delhi sets the stage for an ambitious diplomatic push as Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets global leaders to cement India’s role in the emerging AI order. A Diplomatic Sprint at the AI Impact Summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a high-intensity diplomatic outreach at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, holding…

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Modi’s Israel Visit Signals Strategic Reset: New Delhi and Tel Aviv Deepen Security, Tech and Investment Ties

A High-Profile Visit Announced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel on February 25–26, marking a significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries. The visit, Modi’s second to Israel after his landmark 2017 trip, comes at a time of evolving geopolitical dynamics in West Asia and growing…

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