China Eastern Airlines will resume round-trip flights between Shanghai and New Delhi from November 9, operating every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. The outbound flight from Shanghai's Pudong Airport departs at 12:50 PM, arriving at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at 5:45 PM local time. The return flight departs Delhi at 7:55 PM, arriving Shanghai Pudong at 4:10 AM the next day. Ticket sales have commenced for the route launching next month. The resumption follows PM Modi and President Xi Jinping's August meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, where they announced resuming direct flights after a five-year hiatus. IndiGo earlier announced daily Kolkata-Guangzhou flights from October 26.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issued a stern warning to Pakistan Saturday, declaring "every inch of Pakistani territory is within BrahMos' reach" while flagging off the first batch of missiles from Lucknow's new BrahMos Aerospace facility. Singh called Operation Sindoor "just a trailer," emphasizing victory has become India's habit. He stated BrahMos has become the backbone of Indian armed forces, strengthening belief in turning dreams into reality. The Lucknow facility, inaugurated May 11, will produce 80-100 missiles annually. Singh confirmed BrahMos team signed contracts worth approximately Rs 4,000 crore with two countries within one month. Operation Sindoor targeted Pakistan's terror infrastructure following April's Pahalgam attack killing 26 people.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif demanded all Afghans in Pakistan return home, declaring the old relationship era over amid escalating Kabul-Islamabad hostilities. Asif stated Pakistan's land and resources belong to its 250 million citizens, not Afghans. His remarks followed a 48-hour ceasefire expiration, with Taliban accusing Pakistan of Paktika province airstrikes. Asif claimed Pakistan sent 836 protest notes over cross-border terror incidents, warning against further appeals or delegations. He accused Taliban of acting as "India's proxy," conspiring with New Delhi and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. Asif cited 10,347 terror attacks since Taliban's 2021 takeover, killing 3,844 people, concluding "self-respecting nations don't thrive on foreign land." (PC: X)

An Indian engineer's viral Reddit post detailed his journey from tier-3 college struggles to a company-paid US trip. After performing poorly in high school and repeating years, despite friends suggesting he quit engineering, he persisted due to genuine tech interest. Later diagnosed with ADHD, he struggled academically but loved learning. Post-graduation, he landed his first job and gradually built confidence. His dedication earned recognition when his boss's boss personally recruited him for a core technical team without requesting while others had to apply. Lacking even a passport initially, he received visa sponsorship and traveled to America within a month. His inspirational message: college tier and grades don't determine real-world success.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the recently publicised Operation Sindoor—while a small‐scale strike—is only a “trailer” to much larger potential actions, and that not a single inch of Pakistani territory lies beyond the missile capabilities of the BrahMos cruise‐missile system. The remarks were made during the flagging off of the first batch of BrahMos missiles from the new manufacturing unit in Lucknow’s BrahMos Aerospace facility. Singh emphasised India’s growing defence‐industrial base, indicating the unit alone will generate ₹3,000 crore turnover and ₹5,000 crore GST annually. 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has proposed a new digital ID system called the ‘Brit Card,’ modeled on India’s Aadhaar program, during his visit to Mumbai. The initiative aims to streamline access to public services and tackle illegal employment by providing a secure, government-backed identification method. Unlike Aadhaar, it will not initially use biometric data. However, the proposal has drawn criticism over privacy risks, potential government overreach, and data security concerns. Opposition parties and public surveys indicate declining support for digital IDs, raising questions about the initiative’s implementation and costs.   

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that India would halt purchases of Russian oil, calling it a “big step” toward ending the Ukraine war. (news18.com) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) promptly denied the assertion, stating no such conversation occurred. India emphasized that its energy import decisions are made to protect domestic interests amid a volatile energy market. The MEA also noted that the current U.S. administration is exploring avenues to deepen energy cooperation with India. (PC: AP)

A court in Antwerp, Belgium, has rejected Mehul Choksi’s appeal against extradition, upholding India’s request and deeming his prior arrest valid. Choksi, accused in a ₹13,000 crore bank fraud tied to Punjab National Bank, had claimed Antiguan citizenship and renunciation of Indian nationality. Indian authorities had given assurances to Belgium about his detention conditions. Though this is a major legal victory for India, Choksi still may appeal in higher courts, delaying his return. (PC: AP)  

Three Bangladeshi nationals were killed in Tripura after they attacked villagers during an attempted cattle theft, India said on Friday. The clash took place three kilometres inside Indian territory in Bidyabil village. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the attackers used sharp weapons and killed one Indian villager before locals fought back in self-defence. Bangladesh called the killings a “grave human rights violation” and demanded a transparent investigation. India rejected the charge, saying the men were illegal immigrants. Delhi also urged Dhaka to cooperate on building a border fence to stop cross-border smuggling. (PC: India Today)

A Belgian court has approved the extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to India. The court in Antwerp said his arrest by Belgian police, based on India’s request, was valid. Choksi, accused of a ₹13,000 crore bank fraud, has been in a Belgian jail since April. He can still appeal the decision, so his return may take time. India assured Belgium that Choksi will be kept in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail under international human rights standards. Choksi claims he is an Antiguan citizen, but Indian officials say he remains an Indian wanted for major financial crimes. (PC: HT)