Modi Surpasses Indira As PM With Second-Longest Unbroken Stint; India’s Manufacturing Activity At 17-Year High; Rahul Gandhi Now Finds '100 Per Cent Proof' Of Election Fraud

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Modi Surpasses Indira As PM With Second-Longest Unbroken Stint

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (24 July) overtook late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s record to become the second longest-serving Indian PM in an unbroken tenure. With 4,078 days in office as of July 25, he now trails only Jawaharlal Nehru, who held the top post for over 16 years straight.

Modi has also completed 24 years in power across the state and Centre, the longest combined run for any Indian PM. He is the first post-Independence born PM, the longest serving from a non-Hindi state, and the only non-Congress leader to win six consecutive elections as party head, three in Gujarat, and three nationally.

India’s Manufacturing Activity At 17-Year High

India’s manufacturing sector recorded its fastest growth in 17 years this July, with the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising to 59.2. A surge in both domestic and international orders, especially from Asia, Europe, and the US, drove the expansion. Manufacturing outpaced services in output, sales, and exports. The overall composite PMI, which tracks private sector activity across both sectors, remained strong at 60.7.

However, job creation slowed to its weakest pace in over a year, particularly in the services sector. Price pressures also increased, with firms reporting higher costs for key inputs like aluminium, rubber, food, and fuel. Businesses passed some of the burden to consumers, leading to a rise in selling prices across sectors.

Rahul Gandhi Now Finds '100 Per Cent Proof' Of Election Fraud In Karnataka

After discovering “proof” of EVM tampering in Maharashtra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has now uncovered a new conspiracy, this time in a single Karnataka constituency where he claims thousands of voter names were mysteriously added or deleted. The party, Gandhi says, found this after conducting its own deep investigation into electoral rolls, apparently now a core Congress function.

Gandhi also warned the Election Commission that it would not be let off the hook, though he declined to share any of the said 100 per cent proof. “Not 90 per cent, when we decide to show it to you, it is a 100 per cent proof,” he said. With each constituency he inspects, fresh revelations emerge, if not in court filings, then at least in press conferences.

The BJP mocked the claim, saying the Congress under Rahul Gandhi might stand a better chance at winning elections if it spent as much time strategising and fixing its internal chaos as it does chasing imaginary conspiracies.

Other Developments

Tariffs Eliminated On 99 Per Cent Of Indian Exports To UK

India and the UK have signed a long-pending free trade agreement that removes tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian exports and slashes duties on key UK goods like cars, Scotch whisky, silver, and medical devices. The deal, three years in the making, aims to more than double bilateral trade from $56 billion to over $100 billion by 2030.

Sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, seafood and engineering are expected to benefit, while sensitive agricultural items like dairy and apples remain protected. Visa processes for professionals will also be eased. For the UK, this is the biggest trade agreement since Brexit and is expected to boost exports of high-value goods to India.

Indian Bank Q1 Profit Rises 24 Per Cent

Indian Bank reported a strong 24 per cent jump in profit, earning Rs 2,973 crore in the April–June quarter of the current financial year. The growth was driven by higher lending in the retail, agriculture, and small business segments, along with increased income from forex operations and loan recoveries. The bank also saw a significant improvement in asset quality, with bad loans declining and fresh defaults dropping 31 per cent compared to the same period last year.

ISI Threat Looms As Dhaka, Rawalpindi Ease Travel

Pakistan and Bangladesh have reached a deal to allow visa-free entry for each other’s diplomats and officials, raising concerns in New Delhi about potential security implications along India’s eastern and northeastern borders. The agreement was announced after a meeting in Dhaka between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. While no launch date has been set, Pakistan’s interior ministry described it as a “significant breakthrough.”

Indian officials fear that visa-free access could make it easier for Pakistani intelligence operatives to expand their footprint in Bangladesh, potentially aiding anti-India groups. Bilateral ties have warmed since the interim regime took charge in Dhaka, giving Islamist elements, previously kept in check under Sheikh Hasina, a freer hand.

France To Recognise State of Palestine, Macron Announces

French President Emmanuel Macron has said France will officially recognise the State of Palestine, with the formal announcement expected at the UN General Assembly in September. The move comes amid mounting global outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and stalled ceasefire talks. Macron said the decision reflects France’s longstanding support for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

France becomes the most influential European nation to take this step. Over 140 countries already recognise Palestine, including several in Europe. Macron, who had earlier backed Israel after the Hamas attacks in October 2023, has recently criticised Israel’s military actions and restrictions on aid to Gaza.

From The States

Slogans Calling Kashmir ‘Illegally Occupied’ Attract UAPA: J&K HC

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ruled that slogans asserting Kashmir is "illegally occupied" and should separate from India fall under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A Division Bench said such remarks amount to advocating secession and unlawful activity, even if they don't incite direct violence.

The ruling overturned a trial court’s earlier decision to discharge the accused, who had been booked in a 2015 FIR. The High Court called the lower court’s view "perverse" and said the charge sheet stands restored. It directed the trial court to proceed with framing charges under UAPA and conduct the trial accordingly.

Over 61 Lakh Voters May Be Off Bihar’s Draft Rolls, Says ECI

The Election Commission has flagged that over 61 lakh names may be excluded from Bihar’s draft voter list, set to be published on 1 August. These include 21.6 lakh deceased voters, 31.5 lakh who moved out of the state, one lakh untraceable, and seven lakh duplicate entries.

Another seven lakh voters haven’t yet submitted forms under the Special Intensive Revision process, whose deadline ends 25 July. Opposition parties have accused the ECI of disenfranchising voters, but the poll body insists it’s a constitutional duty to remove ineligible names. Claims and objections can still be filed until 1 September, before the final list is issued.

President’s Rule In Manipur To Be Extended For Six More Months

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will move a resolution in the Rajya Sabha to extend President’s Rule in Manipur by another six months. The northeastern state has been under central rule since February, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh amid internal BJP dissent. The extension comes despite pressure from Meitei and Naga NDA MLAs demanding the return of a popular government.

While violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has largely subsided since November, talks remain stalled. Security forces have made multiple arms recoveries, and the government plans to rehabilitate displaced people by year-end. However, no significant political breakthrough has been achieved more than two years into the crisis.

You’re all caught up—until next time.