Morning Brief: IAF Modernisation Panel Submits Report; National Power Grid At Risk As Solar Generation Dips; Trump Turns Up Heat On China With 20 Per Cent Tariff; And More

Catch up on the day’s must-read stories with Swarajya's roundup of the morning's headlines.

IAF Modernisation Panel Submits Report

A special committee has submitted its report on enhancing the Indian Air Force’s capabilities, emphasising greater private sector involvement alongside DPSUs and DRDO to achieve self-reliance. The recommendations outline key focus areas for short, medium, and long-term implementation to modernise the IAF, which currently has just 31 fighter squadrons—the lowest since 1965—down from a peak of 41 in 1996. The committee reviewed future requirements and ongoing procurement cases to address the steady decline in squadron strength. Rajnath Singh has directed that the recommendations be implemented in a time-bound manner.

The committee was formed before US President Donald Trump announced plans to facilitate India’s access to F-35 stealth fighters in the future.

National Power Grid At Risk As Solar Generation Dips

Cloud cover across North India has led to sudden drops in solar power generation, raising concerns about the stability of the national power grid. In February, the grid operator instructed electricity companies to stay on high alert and ensure a steady power supply to maintain stability. One source revealed that the grid frequency dropped to 49.5 Hz in mid-February, below the required range, stressing the need for a balance between renewable and coal-based energy. Grid frequency, which must stay between 49.9-50.2 Hz for stable operations, was disrupted multiple times last month. Sharp fluctuations in power supply or demand can destabilize the grid and, in severe cases, lead to large-scale outages.

Trump Turns Up Heat On China With 20 Per Cent Tariff

US President Donald Trump has raised tariffs on Chinese imports from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, blaming Beijing’s failure to curb illicit fentanyl trade. China had previously responded to the original 10 per cent tariffs and has now vowed to retaliate against the new US measures. Trump also announced that 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday, sparking fears of a trade war in North America. His comments sent US stocks tumbling, while the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar also fell. In response, Canada’s foreign minister confirmed that the country has prepared counter-tariffs on US imports, although experts said a trade-war is unlikely.

Other Developments

India’s Zoho To Unveil Two AI Models By Year-End

Zoho Corp plans to release two internal AI foundational models to the public by the end of the year, according to group CEO Shailesh Davey. The company is also developing foundational models for Indian languages but has not set a launch timeline. The upcoming models, based on 7 billion and 13 billion parameters, are being integrated into Zoho’s products as part of its AI expansion. Davey, who became group CEO in January after Sridhar Vembu stepped down, described the release as a technology demonstrator and a sign of confidence. Zoho is focused on optimizing these models to improve power efficiency while addressing the challenges of computational demand and data quality.

US President Donald Trump has temporarily suspended aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into peace talks with Russia. This comes after a heated Oval Office exchange between the two leaders, during which they clashed over the terms of a potential peace deal. The dispute derailed plans to sign a key minerals partnership agreement, leaving it unsigned and raising uncertainty about US-Ukraine relations. A White House official, speaking anonymously to AP, said the aid pause is meant to ensure US assistance aligns with efforts to end the ongoing war. The confrontation quickly went viral, sparking concerns in Europe about Trump’s shifting foreign policy and his commitment to regional security.

China's Thorium Reserves Could Power It For 60,000 Years

China may have discovered a vast thorium reserve capable of powering the country for 60,000 years. A newly declassified geological survey suggests that China's thorium deposits are far more abundant than previously estimated. Just five years of mining waste from an iron ore site in Inner Mongolia contains enough thorium to meet US household energy demands for over 1,000 years, according to a report in *Geological Review*. Scientists estimate that the Bayan Obo mining complex alone could yield 1 million tonnes of thorium. A Beijing-based geologist noted that while nations have fought over fossil fuels for a century, an endless energy source has been lying beneath them all along.

From The States

In Last Budget Before Polls, Nitish Balances Priorities And Politics

The Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar has presented a Rs 3.17-lakh crore Budget for 2025-26, its last before the Assembly elections later this year. The outlay has increased by 13 per cent from last year’s Rs 2.79-lakh crore, with education receiving the highest allocation of Rs 60,964 crore. The government plans to establish degree colleges in 358 blocks that currently lack them, while Rs 20,035.80 crore has been set aside for healthcare, particularly for medical centers in urban slums. Welfare schemes for SCs, STs, minorities, OBCs, and MBCs have been allocated Rs 13,368 crore, with Rs 19,648 crore specifically for SC and ST communities, which form over 20 per cent of Bihar’s population. The Budget reflects the NDA’s outreach to its core support base, including EBCs and OBCs, who make up around 63 per cent of the state’s population.

Congress Treads Cautiously On TN-Centre Language Dispute

The Congress is caught in a dilemma over Tamil Nadu’s language row with the Centre, as its ally DMK accuses the BJP of imposing Hindi through the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. The controversy began after Tamil Nadu alleged that the Centre withheld Samagra Shiksha scheme funds because the state refused to implement the NEP. With Parliament’s Budget session resuming on March 10, it remains unclear whether all INDIA bloc parties will align on the issue. Congress is treading carefully, fearing that siding with the DMK could allow the BJP to paint it as "anti-Hindi," potentially hurting its prospects in Hindi-speaking states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Leaders within the party acknowledge the risks of giving the BJP a narrative advantage.

TMC Mocked After Giving EC 24-Hour Ultimatum

The Trinamool Congress faced ridicule online after accusing the Election Commission of “fraud” and demanding it accept an alleged “duplication of voter card numbers” within 24 hours. TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Kirti Azad, and Sagarika Ghose claimed the electoral rolls contained identical EPIC numbers and threatened to release more documents if corrections were not made within 100 days. The issue, first raised by Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, was amplified as TMC sought support from INDIA bloc allies to raise it in Parliament on March 10. However, critics online mocked the party’s ultimatum, questioning its claims and motives. Meanwhile, the EC acknowledged reports of duplicate voter IDs and assured it would rectify any discrepancies.

Follow along for more updates throughout the day.