LIVE news: PM Modi inaugurates Phase 1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport

Latest news updates today: Catch all the latest news developments from across the world here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi  today inaugurated Phase 1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a Greenfield project constructed at a cost of around Rs 19,650 crore.

  UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer landed in Mumbai on Wednesday, marking the start of his first visit to India since taking over the as British prime minister in 2024.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted Air Force personnel on the Air Force Day, and said they have played a vital role in safeguarding Indian skies during the most challenging situations.

  The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday raided premises linked to actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salman, Amit Chakkalackal and several others across Kerala as part of its probe into an alleged luxury car smuggling racket involving the import of high-end vehicles from Bhutan to India, official sources said.

 

The searches also covered certain vehicle owners, automobile workshops, and car dealers in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam and Coimbatore.

 

A total of 17 locations are being searched, the sources added.

Fema invoked in cross-border car smuggling case

 

The ED’s action is being undertaken under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in connection with a recent Customs investigation into the alleged smuggling of high-end cars and unauthorised foreign exchange transactions.

 

Officials said the searches stemmed from intelligence inputs that revealed a syndicate involved in the illegal import and registration of luxury cars such as Land Cruiser, Defender and Maserati via the India–Bhutan/Nepal routes.

Forged documents and fraudulent RTO registrations

 

Preliminary findings by the ED point to a Coimbatore-based network that allegedly used forged documents — purportedly issued by the Indian Army, US Embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) — to fraudulently register these vehicles with regional transport offices (RTOs) in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and other states. 

4:56 PM

Ex-Bihar minister Muraru Prasad Gautam resigns as MLA ahead of Assembly polls

Former Bihar Minister Murari Prasad Gautam on Wednesday resigned as legislator ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. It is rumored that he may join the BJP. "There is no specific reason behind my resignation from the membership of the Assembly. I just resigned," Gautam said.

4:36 PM

Sena (UBT) protests over 'inadequate' aid for rain-hit farmers

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday held protests in parts of Maharashtra over the state government's financial assistance to the raain-hit farmers, calling it as "inadequate", while party leader Sanjay Raut asked how the government that is reeling under a debt burden would raise the money.

2:19 PM

Infiltration down along LoC in J-K due to increased surveillance: BSF

Infiltration attempts by terrorists from Pakistan occupied Kashmir have not succeeded due to alertness of security forces and use of modern surveillance gadgets along the Line of Control in Kashmir, a senior BSF officer asserted on Wednesday. IG, Border Security Force (BSF), Kashmir Frontier, Ashok Yadav also said that there are intelligence inputs that terrorists are waiting at the launch pads on the other side of the LoC.

1:37 PM

We proved to world effectiveness of air power to shape military outcome in few days: IAF chief

The Indian Air Force's "bold and precise" attacks on enemy targets during Operation Sindoor restored the rightful place of offensive air action in the national consciousness, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Wednesday. The Chief of Air Staff also said that his force has proved to the world how air power can be effectively used in shaping military outcomes in just a few days.

1:35 PM

Punjabi singer Rajvir Jawanda dies 11 days after road accident

Punjabi actor-singer Rajvir Jawanda died here on Wednesday, 11 days after he was seriously injured in a road accident.The 35-year-old was declared dead at 10.55 am on Wednesday, hospital authorities said. Jawanda, a big, emerging name in the Punjabi showbiz industry, had been on life support ever since he was brought to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali in an extremely critical condition.

1:33 PM

News update: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Yash Raj Films' office in Mumbai

12:27 PM

Delhi HC summons Netflix, Red Chillies in Sameer Wankhede defamation case

The Delhi High Court today summoned representatives of Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, Google, X Corp and Meta in response to a defamation suit filed by Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede, Bar and Bench reported. He has sought an injunction and takedown of scenes portraying him in the Aryan Khan-directed Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood. However, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav did not grant any injunction at this stage.

12:18 PM

India has launched its Made in India 4G Stack, joining select five countries globally: PM Modi

"India which once struggled with 2G, now has 5G mobile connectivity in almost all districts," says PM  Modi at India Mobile Congress. 

12:14 PM

Indigenous 4G and 5G will not just ensure smooth connectivity but also fast, reliable internet, says PM Modi

Law has been strengthened to check cyber frauds, grievance redressal mechanism has improved, says PM Modi at IMC.

10:58 AM

Delhi weather update: Cloudy sky in city; air quality satisfactory

Delhiites woke up to a cloudy sky on Wednesday, with the city recording a minimum temperature of 20.3 degrees Celsius.The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 31 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

10:54 AM

Andhra CM congratulates PM Modi on completing 25 years in governance

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years in governance, calling his leadership visionary and inspiring. Naidu retweeted the prime minister's post marking the milestone and commended his commitment to public service, recalling his journey from Gujarat chief minister to leading the nation.

9:52 AM

ED raids prominent actors, agents in Kerala luxury cars smuggling case

The ED raided premises linked to actors Prithviraj, Dulquer Salman and Amit Chakkalackal and some others across Kerala as part of its investigation into a recent Customs case related to alleged smuggling of luxury vehicles from Bhutan to India, officials said. The searches by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also covered certain vehicle owners, auto workshops, and traders in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam and Coimbatore.