Morning Brief: Talks For 'Rafale-Like' Deal For F-35s To Begin Soon: Report; India To Double High-Speed Roads, Cut Two- and Four-Lane Highways; Shallow 4.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Delhi

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

Negotiations For 'Rafale-Like' Deal For F-35s To Begin Soon: Report

Negotiations with the US for the procurement of F-35 fighter jets, mentioned by President Donald Trump following his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are expected to begin soon, The Economic Times has reported. The procurement process could resemble India’s acquisition of Rafale jets from France, likely involving a government-to-government deal. This arrangement may be viewed as a temporary solution until India develops its own indigenous jets under the Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft programme.

The deal, however, could be complicated by the US's strict safeguards to protect the advanced technology onboard the jets. India may opt for a limited number of F-35s, similar to the two squadrons (36 aircraft) of Rafales currently in service. Unlike the Rafales, the F-35s would require a stringent end-user monitoring protocol, likely involving US oversight to prevent other nations, such as Russia, from gaining access to the aircraft.

India To Double High-Speed Roads, Cut Two- and Four-Lane Highways

India is set to prioritise the construction of high-speed roads in the coming fiscal year, with plans to focus less on building two- and four-lane highways, a report in Mint says. The government aims to complete 3,300 km of access-controlled highways by FY26, increasing the cumulative length to 5,800 km, up from 2,474 km. This shift in focus comes as part of an effort to provide faster connectivity between key economic centres across the country. However, overall highway construction is expected to dip to 10,000 km in FY26, down from the previously targeted 12,000 km in the past two years. The government also plans to attract up to Rs 35,000 crore in private investment through the build-operate-transfer (BoT) model for multi-lane highways and expressways.

Shallow 4.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Delhi

A 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck Delhi at 5:36 am today (17 February), sending strong tremors across the national capital and surrounding areas. The National Centre for Seismology reported the epicenter was near Dhaula Kuan, specifically near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education, with a depth of just 5 km.

The region, which has experienced small, low-magnitude quakes in the past, recorded a 3.3-magnitude earthquake in 2015. A loud sound was heard when the quake hit, according to officials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged residents to stay calm, follow safety measures, and remain alert for potential aftershocks.

Other Developments

India, US To Finalise Trade Deal By End Of 2025

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured an agreement to pursue a trade deal with the US by this fall. Last week, Modi and US President Donald Trump agreed to work toward a trade pact while aiming to boost bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. A mini-trade deal was previously discussed during Trump’s first term but was abandoned under the Biden administration. The renewed negotiations come as Trump has announced reciprocal tariffs against countries with higher duties on American goods, including India. India plans to seek lower import duties on labour-intensive products like textiles and leather while increasing imports of American energy supplies and defense equipment to reduce the trade deficit.

Made-In-India Long-Range Swarming Drone Tested

The Sheshnaag-150, developed by Newspace Research Technologies (NRT), has been flight tested to validate both its design and the homegrown software enabling massed precision strikes. During the Aero India 2025 show, still images of the first flight of the platform were shared by NRT. Livefist has now posted a video of the test.

The drone has been designed for coordinated attacks and is capable of overwhelming enemy defenses with precision strikes. With a range of over 1000 km and endurance of more than five hours, it can autonomously identify, track, and engage targets with minimal human intervention, while also supporting ISR and electronic warfare missions. It comes with a payload capacity of 25-40 kg, which will allow it to inflict serious damage to enemy infrastructure, vehicles, and personnel.

Bima Vistaar Set for April 2025 Launch 

Bima Vistaar, India’s first-ever composite insurance product covering death, personal accidents, property, and surgical hospitalisation, is set to launch in April 2025. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and industry leaders have finalised the product model, ensuring it is simple, comprehensive, and customer-friendly. Bima Vistaar is a key component of the IRDAI's Bima Trinity, which includes Bima Sugam, Bima Vahak, and Bima Vistaar, and is aimed at making insurance affordable for all sectors of society. The product's pricing is expected to range between Rs 1500 and Rs 2000 for a Rs 2 lakh sum assured, though the final pricing is yet to be announced. The IRDAI has also upgraded the project’s technology platform to ensure efficient digital management of the product.

US Asks Europe What It Needs For Ukraine Security Guarantees

The United States has asked its European allies "what they would need from Washington to participate in Ukraine security arrangements", according to Reuters. The document, sent last week, includes six questions about which countries can contribute to security guarantees, who would be willing to send troops to Ukraine for a peace deal, and the size of a potential European-led force. This request came after U.S. President Donald Trump surprised European allies by calling Russian President Vladimir Putin, without consulting them or Kyiv, and pushing for immediate peace talks. Reports also revealed that the US is seeking input on what support Europe needs from Washington to contribute effectively. The document suggests that the US is working on a collaborative approach with European nations to address Ukraine’s security concerns.

From The States

Maha Kumbh Becomes Platform For BJP's Dalit, Tribal Outreach

The Maha Kumbh has become a platform for the BJP and RSS to engage with Dalit and Tribal communities through events attended by ministers from Uttar Pradesh and the BJP-led Central government. In February, the Kumbh saw the participation of 600 Buddhists, including both monks and devotees, who took part in the Baudh Maha Kumbh Yatra organised with the RSS-linked Dharma Sanskriti Sangam. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the Buddhist delegation, stating, “Yadi yeh ek hi manch par aa jayen to duniya mein sabse shaktishali vatvriksha banege (If the two religions get together on the same platform, we can have the most powerful tree in the world).” Additionally, a Jan Jati Maha Kumbh for tribals and a Yuva Kumbh for tribal youth were organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, with over 10,000 tribal members participating.

BJP Meet Over Delhi CM Likely Today

The newly elected BJP MLAs in Delhi are expected to meet today (17 February) to elect the Chief Minister, with two central observers overseeing the process. The meeting, initially scheduled for Sunday, was postponed due to the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. The names of the central observers for the election are yet to be announced, but discussions are ongoing to finalise the CM candidate. Reports suggest the oath-taking ceremony could be held as early as tomorrow (18 February). The BJP has returned to power in Delhi after a 27-year gap, with the last BJP Chief Minister being the late Sushma Swaraj in 1998. Given the small size of the 70-member Delhi Assembly and the absence of coalition pressures, the party is unlikely to appoint a deputy CM.

BJP Dominates Chhattisgarh Civic Polls, Except In CM's Turf

The BJP continued its winning streak in Chhattisgarh by sweeping the urban local body polls, winning all 10 mayoral seats and securing a majority in the nagar palikas and nagar panchayats. This victory marks a significant turnaround for the BJP, which failed to win any mayoral seat in the 2019 polls. While Congress lost most of its previous seats, it managed to win the nagar panchayat chairman's seat in Kunkuri, the Assembly constituency of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Overall, the BJP secured 35 chairman posts in the nagar palikas and 81 in the nagar panchayats, while Congress won only eight and 22, respectively.

Follow along for more updates throughout the day.