Sonia Gandhi Attacks Great Nicobar Project; Govt Planning Next Round Of Semiconductor Mission; And More

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Vice-Presidential Election On Tuesday, Parties Prepare MPs For Voting

Ahead of Tuesday's Vice-Presidential election, the ruling NDA and opposition INDIA bloc are training their MPs on voting procedures.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined BJP ministers and lawmakers at a two-day "Sansad Karyashala" workshop that began Sunday in New Delhi. Modi attended the full session, sitting in the back row as shown in released photographs. The session will resume today 3 pm onwards where NDA MPs will also participate.

The BJP workshop also passed a GST reforms resolution, crediting Modi's leadership for simplifying the tax system. The resolution highlighted reduced rates on food, medicines, and electronics, while noting streamlined procedures for small businesses and startups. 

The INDIA bloc will conduct mock polling Monday at Central Hall, Samvidhan Sadan.

Both parties cancelled planned MP dinners due to nationwide floods. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge cancelled his dinner honoring opposition candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, expressing "empathy with affected people." The BJP similarly cancelled its event, citing flood concerns.

The Vice-Presidential election sees Members of both the Houses, except the nominated members of the Rajya Sabha, participate in voting. 

‘Catastrophe’: Sonia Gandhi Opposes The Great Nicobar Island Project 

Writing for a popular English daily published from southern India, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi had strongly opposed the Great Nicobar Island Project. In an article titled, ‘The making of an ecological disaster in the Nicobar’, Gandhi said that “The Great Nicobar Island Project is a grave misadventure, trampling on tribal rights and making a mockery of legal and deliberative processes”. She goes on to add: “Ecologically, this project is nothing short of an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe.” 

The Great Nicobar Island Project is a collective title given to four inter-linked projects: an International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), a Greenfield International Airport, a power plant, and a township.

The idea behind the development of GNI is based on leveraging the locational advantage of being on the international sea route and develop GNI as a sustainable, green, global destination for business, trade, and leisure.

The project is to be implemented in phases over the next 30 years. The pre-feasibility report of the project indicated that the first phase would extend to 2036 (from 2021), and the second phase would stretch from 2037 to 2051, but the container terminal would become operational around 2027-28.

Other developments

Days After Trade Deal With US, Japanese PM Ishiba Resigns to Prevent Party Divisions

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation Sunday, citing the need to prevent divisions within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

"I have decided to resign from my position as president of the Liberal Democratic Party," Ishiba said at a press conference, adding he wanted to "give way to the next generation."

The resignation follows mounting pressure after the LDP's significant losses in July's parliamentary election, where his coalition lost majorities in both houses of parliament. Ishiba cited completion of US tariff negotiations as enabling his departure.

Secretary-General Moriyama has been instructed to initiate an extraordinary presidential election. The announcement came one day before the party was set to decide on an early leadership election, which would have effectively been a no-confidence vote in Ishiba's leadership.

Government Looks To Fast-Track Semiconductor Mission 2.0: Report

ISM 2.0 is expected to broaden support beyond fabrication to include compound semiconductor fabs, advanced packaging, display fabs, capital equipment manufacturing, specialized chemical suppliers, and fabless design companies, covering the entire semiconductor value chain.

Industry executives have requested doubling the financial outlay to $20 billion (₹1.76 lakh crore) from ISM 1.0's allocation. The final amount remains undecided pending stakeholder consultations.

Prime Minister Modi recently chaired discussions with global semiconductor executives at Semicon 2025, where industry leaders provided feedback on ongoing projects and inputs for the next iteration.

Officials said the new outlay will likely exceed ISM 1.0's $10 billion due to rupee depreciation. Incentives will vary by category, with highest subsidies for silicon wafer fabrication units and lower support for less capital-intensive compound semiconductor facilities.

ISM 1.0 approved 10 major projects, nearly exhausting its ₹65,000 crore budget with 50 per cent fiscal support for semiconductor manufacturing units.

Kharge Calls Modi "Enemy of Nation" Over Trump Tariffs

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relationship with US President Donald Trump, calling Modi "an enemy of the nation" for allegedly prioritizing personal diplomatic ties over India's interests.

Speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha questioned the sincerity of the Modi-Trump friendship, suggesting it was based on mutual electoral support rather than genuine diplomatic collaboration.

"Trump and Modi can be friends, but Modi has become an enemy of the nation. He spoiled the atmosphere," Kharge said, referring to trade tensions between the two. "Trump imposed a huge tariff. After a 50 percent tariff, he destroyed our people," he alleged. 

Kharge emphasized that national interests should supersede personal diplomatic relationships. "The nation comes first and your friendship is secondary," he stated.

The senior Congress leader also called on Modi to remember India's decades-old foreign policy tradition of neutrality, urging the Prime Minister to "continue on that path."

On domestic policy, Kharge addressed revised GST rates, saying Congress would welcome "any step that benefits the poor."

ABVP vs UP Govt: Outfit Suspends Protests After Yogi Assurance on University Irregularities

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) announced Sunday it would suspend protests over alleged irregularities at Shri Ram Swaroop Memorial University, Barabanki, following assurances from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The decision came after ABVP activists were subjected to lathicharge on September 1 during demonstrations against unrecognised courses being offered to students at the University. ABVP Media coordinator Abhinav Mishra said the CM promised comprehensive action, including administrative, police, and Education Department inquiries.

"The CM assured us all demands will be met. Action has been initiated and some officials suspended," Mishra stated.

The RSS student wing had issued a 48-hour ultimatum before launching social media campaigns demanding justice.

ABVP's demands included registering cases against responsible police personnel, high-level inquiry into illegal law courses, investigation of unauthorized fee collection, and action against alleged encroachment on six bighas of government land.

You’re all caught up—until next time.