Modi, Shah Tear Into Congress In Lok Sabha Debate; India Exporting More Smartphones To US Than China; ISRO-NASA Satellite Launch Today; And More

Kick-start your morning with Swarajya’s Morning Brief – your news fix, curated for clarity and insight.

Modi Slams Congress in Lok Sabha: “World Stood with India, Congress Did Not”

During a heated Lok Sabha debate concluding on July 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fierce attack on the Congress party, asserting that “while the world stood with India, the Congress did not” in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. He insisted that no foreign leader asked India to halt its retaliation, reiterating that as a result of India's diplomacy, only three out of 190 UN nations sided with Pakistan when it came to Operation Sindoor.

Modi also stated that US Vice President J.D. Vance tried to reach him multiple times on May 9 amid critical meetings—alerting him to an impending Pakistani attack. "I told him that if Pakistan attacks India, our attack would be much bigger as we will respond to bullets with cannons", said the Prime Minister.

Congress has no right to question government over terror: Amit Shah

In his intervention on the debate over Operation Sindoor, on 29 July, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chose to highlight the Nehru-Gandhi family's response to events of Islamist terror and Pakistan. He especially referred to the incident in 2008 when, after two Indian Mujahideen terrorists had been killed in an encounter in Delhi, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid claimed that he saw Sonia Gandhi breaking down in tears upon hearing the news.

Home Minister Shah also confirmed that all three terrorists behind the April 22 Pahalgam attack—identified as Suleman alias Faizal, Afghani, and Jibran—were killed in a joint security force operation named Operation Mahadev near Srinagar. He established their identities citing intelligence and forensic evidence like Pakistani voter IDs, chocolates, and ballistic matches.

Trump Signals 20–25 Per Cent U.S. Tariffs on Indian Goods Ahead of August 1 Deadline

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that India could face tariffs of 20 to 25 per cent on its exports, though no final decision has been made, as talks near the August 1 reciprocal tariff deadline.

Trump emphasized that India, while a "good friend," has historically imposed high tariffs and "you just can’t do that".

India, on its part, is preparing for potential imposition of such duties on select exports and plans to resume broader trade negotiations in mid‑August, with the goal of finalizing a comprehensive deal by September or October.

Other developments

India’s Alarming Tech Dependence Exposed As Microsoft Cuts Off Nayara Energy

Nayara Energy, which handles 8 per cent of India’s oil refining, has taken Microsoft to the Delhi High Court after the U.S. giant abruptly suspended vital services like Outlook and Teams. The move, linked to the EU’s latest sanctions on Russian energy entities, has severely disrupted Nayara’s operations. This is despite the fact that the company is based in India and not in Russia.

Its Russia links comes through Rosneft, that holds a 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara. Nonetheless, the company is based out of India with Mumbai as its headquarters.

Several analysts and commentators flagged this incident is a wake-up call to check India's dangerous dependency on foreign tech.

India Overtakes China As Top Smartphone Exporter To US: Report

India has overtaken China as the top exporter of smartphones to the United States during Q2 2025, according to Canalys data. This marks the first time India has held a larger share than China, now accounting for about 44  per cent of U.S. smartphone imports, against China’s drop to roughly 25 per cent, down from over 60 per cent a year earlier.

The dramatic shift has been driven primarily by Apple, which has accelerated its transition to assemble iPhones in India to navigate looming tariffs on China and Vietnam.

Although U.S. smartphone market growth remains subdued—up just 1 per cent year-on-year—India’s exports surged nearly 240 per cent, highlighting a strategic relocation of production.

Although, analysts caution that the spike reflects front-loaded inventory stocking ahead of tariff action, and may not necessarily reflect long-term demand in the U.S. market.

India Enhances Strike Capability With ‘Pralay’ Missile

India is bolstering its tactical missile arsenal with Pralay, a surface-to-surface missile designed to hit high-value enemy targets, including Chinese bases in Tibet. Fresh tests of the missile were carried out on 28 and 29 July.

Developed by DRDO, Pralay has a range of 150 to 500 kilometres and is equipped with a manoeuvrable terminal phase, making it difficult to intercept. It can carry conventional warheads weighing between 350 to 1,000 kilograms and be deployed on road-mobile launchers. With quick launch capability and enhanced survivability, Pralay fills a crucial gap in India’s battlefield deterrence. The missile is expected to form a core part of India’s upcoming integrated Rocket Force.

India–US NISAR Satellite to Lift Off Today

ISRO, in collaboration with NASA, is set to launch the NASA‑ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite today, 30 July, at 5:40 PM IST from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, aboard a GSLV‑F16 rocket.

NISAR is a high-end Earth observation mission valued at USD 1.5 billion, designed to scan nearly all land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days with dual-frequency radars offering all-weather, day‑and‑night imaging. The satellite will deliver critical data on climate change, tectonic shifts, ecosystem dynamics, and natural disasters—such as floods, earthquakes, and glacier movements.

Lord Meghnad Desai Passes Away at 85

Lord  Meghnad Desai, Indian-born British economist and member of the UK House of Lords, passed away on 29 July 2025 at the age of 85.

Born in Vadodara, Gujarat, he taught at the London School of Economics from 1965 to 2003 and later became Emeritus Professor, founding the Centre for the Study of Global Governance. Elevated to the peerage in 1991 as Lord Desai of St Clement Danes, he championed India–UK relations and also authored numerous popular books.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led tributes, describing Desai as a “distinguished thinker, writer and economist”.

Flash Flood in Himachal Pradesh; IMD Alert for Uttarakhand

A sudden cloudburst-triggered flash flood struck Mandi town in Himachal Pradesh in the early hours of July 29, washing away vehicles, damaging homes, and sweeping debris across Jail Road, Saini Mohalla, and the zonal hospital area.

State rescue teams including the SDRF and NDRF were engaged in recovery and relief operations. The Chandigarh‑Manali and Mandi‑Pathankot highways were blocked by landslides, disrupting connectivity across the region.

Meanwhile, the IMD has warned of possible cloud bursts in Uttarakhand and Himachal over the next 24 hours.

You’re all caught up—until next time.