Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025 and set a 10-year target to remove India’s “colonial mindset”. He said India must overcome the “mentality of slavery” before 2035, marking 200 years of Macaulay’s education policy. Modi said India is growing with “high growth and low inflation” and has become a “pillar of trust” for the world. He praised reforms like zero tax on incomes up to ₹12 lakh and said earlier systems did not trust citizens. Modi also highlighted women’s progress, rising technology in small towns, and India’s new confidence and aspirations. (PC: HT)

The Centre is considering the removal of IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers after three days of major flight disruptions, government sources said. Officials told CNN-News18 that a heavy penalty may also be imposed on the airline. IndiGo may face cuts in its flight operations, with the government saying the carrier should only run flights that have full crew. The airline has been accused of stretching its schedule and causing massive delays and cancellations. IndiGo officials have been called to the Civil Aviation Ministry again. The ministry will also brief top officials at the PMO as the crisis continues nationwide. (PC: PTI)

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said the city’s pollution is a “legacy problem” and warned there is “no magic wand” to fix it quickly. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025, she said, “We cannot do something like a lockdown in a city like Delhi.” Gupta added that her government is “doing everything” and taking steps each day to fight smog. She said past governments failed to act and claimed, “In 10 months, we have worked at high speed.” She listed measures like giving heaters to prevent open burning and using sprinklers. She said Yamuna cleaning is “ongoing.” (PC: HT)

The Centre has imposed strict fare caps on all domestic flights after ticket prices soared during the IndiGo crisis. Economy fares are now limited to Rs 7,500 for routes up to 500 km and up to Rs 18,000 for distances above 1,500 km. These limits apply across all booking platforms. The government said the order aims to prevent “opportunistic pricing” as IndiGo cancelled over 1,000 flights in recent days due to crew shortages and new duty rules. Many routes saw fares jump up to four times the normal rate. Airlines have been told to add capacity and keep all fare buckets open. (PC: India Today)

IndiGo’s ongoing flight cancellations left passengers stranded and emotional, especially at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, where 7 arrivals and 12 departures were axed between midnight and 6 a.m. Among the affected was a team heading to the Smart India Hackathon 2025, whose 6-month hard work went in vain. Others, like Ikhlaq Hussain, said they’ve been stuck for two days with no clear communication from IndiGo. Meanwhile, the DGCA has suspended certain flight duty time rules to help stabilise the airline’s operations. (PC: NDTV)

The Centre has issued a directive to all airlines to strictly comply with newly imposed fare caps after airfares soared in the wake of widespread IndiGo flight cancellations. The Civil Aviation Ministry warned that any airline charging above the cap would face immediate corrective action for “opportunistic pricing.” These fare restrictions will remain in effect until flight operations stabilise. The move is aimed especially at protecting vulnerable travellers, including senior citizens, patients, and students. (PC: India Today)

India’s civil-aviation ministry has issued a directive mandating strict adherence to fare caps across all airlines amid a major crisis at IndiGo, where more than 400 flights were cancelled on Friday, disrupting travel for thousands. The caps aim to prevent opportunistic price hikes during the unsettled period of airline operations. The cancellations stem from IndiGo’s failure to fully adjust to new pilot duty and rest regulations, causing widespread roster and scheduling breakdowns. (PC: The Hindu)

Simone Tata passed away at 95 on Friday at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital after a brief illness. Born in Geneva in 1930, she moved to India in 1955 and soon joined Lakmé’s board. As chairperson from the early 1980s, she transformed Lakmé into a leading Indian cosmetics brand. After selling Lakmé to Hindustan Unilever, she founded the Trent company, launching the now-famed Westside retail chain. She was also active in philanthropy, guiding institutions like the Sir Ratan Tata Institute. (PC: ITG)

At Mumbai Airport, a foreign passenger lost her temper over IndiGo’s flight cancellations and climbed barefoot atop a counter, demanding answers. With all her belongings packed and no extra clothes, she also requested food, visibly frustrated at being stranded along with thousands of other passengers across India. Similar scenes played out nationwide, with travellers missing work, events, and personal commitments due to abrupt cancellations. Over 100 flights were cancelled at Delhi and Mumbai airports, caused by pilot and crew shortages under new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. The government has put FDTL on hold and ordered a high-level inquiry to restore normal operations.

At HTLS 2025, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized that for a country like India, it is crucial to maintain major international relationships in good standing. Speaking during Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, he stressed India’s need to preserve “freedom of choice” in foreign policy, ensuring it can cooperate with multiple global players without external vetoes. Jaishankar highlighted the importance of balancing strategic partnerships while protecting national interests, underlining India’s growing role on the world stage and the need for stable, mutually beneficial diplomatic ties. (PC: X)