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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (Oct 07) reaffirmed his commitment to building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 as he marked 25 years as head of government. “We will do it,” he declared as he reflected on 25 years of continuous service. Addressing the ‘Seva Jyoti’ programme at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, Modi expressed gratitude to the people, experiences and circumstances that he said had shaped his journey in public life. “Today, when I look back, only a feeling of gratitude emerges. I am grateful to every person and every incident that has taught me something or the other,” Modi said.

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The United States is seeking more information from Russia on the reported plague death of a laboratory technician, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday.

"We have officially requested additional information from the Russian government," the spokesperson said, adding that Washington was “in official communication with other countries around the world to share information.”

Asian markets broadly declined on Wednesday as investors reacted to renewed concerns over shipping and energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Wellington and Taipei were in the red.
The market retreat came after the Nasdaq and S&P 500 hit records in the US, helped by renewed enthusiasm for artificial intelligence stocks and gains in Nvidia.

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho paid tribute to Messi following his final Argentina appearance, praising his career, World Cup triumph and dedication to the national team.
“A pleasure and what joy to have been part of your story from the very first day, brother!” Ronaldinho wrote, adding that Messi's name was “etched in the history of your country, of the whole world”.

Lionel Messi described his retirement from international football as the “saddest day of my career” after playing his final game for Argentina in a 3-0 victory over Benin.
Messi scored one goal and provided two assists in the match. Reflecting on more than two decades with Argentina, he said representing the national team had been a huge source of pride and that leaving was deeply painful. 

Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Wednesday raised the country's real GDP growth projection for the current financial year 2026-27 by 40 basis points to 7.1 per cent, citing the strength of economic activity despite global headwinds.

Announcing the outcome of the RBI Monetary Policy Committee meeting, Malhotra said geopolitical tensions, elevated international commodity prices, additional frictions in global trade and tightening global financial conditions could weigh on India's growth outlook.

"Taking all these factors into consideration, real GDP growth for this year is projected at 7.1 percent, with Q2 at 7.2 percent, Q3 at 6.9, and Q4 at 6.8 percent," Malhotra said. He said the 40 basis points upward revision reflected the strength of economic activity despite the significant global challenges.

The RBI Governor said India's real GDP growth stood at 7.8 per cent in Q1, supported by resilient private consumption and strong investment activity, which recorded almost a 12 per cent increase. The contribution of net exports also remained positive.

"We exhibited resilience amidst global headwinds, as evident from real GDP growth of 7.8 per cent in Q1," Malhotra said.
 

Delhi Police have arrested a 24-year-old man for allegedly creating and circulating AI-generated content that falsely portrayed ACP Vivek Bhagat sexually assaulting a woman during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar. The accused, identified as Nadeem Ahmed of Palwal, Haryana, allegedly presented the manipulated material as genuine CCTV footage from the protest site. 

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Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the Ashok Chakra for FlyDubai pilot Captain Smit Machchar, citing his alleged bravery during the September 30 cockpit attack aboard flight FZ1073.
Machchar was critically injured after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him with an axe and attempted to hijack the aircraft. Despite his injuries, the pilot managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to restrain the attacker. The aircraft was later diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 180 occupants disembarking safely.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years as head of government, recalling his journey from Gujarat Chief Minister to Prime Minister.
Shah highlighted what he described as Modi's governance and development initiatives, including welfare schemes, manufacturing, digital payments, startups, semiconductor production, defence and renewable energy.   

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday marked 25 years since he first took the oath as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001. Modi offered prayers at the Shri Vinayaka Mandir in New Delhi's Sarojini Nagar and renewed his commitment to serving the country.
The Union Cabinet passed a resolution congratulating Modi on completing 25 years of continuous leadership as head of government. Several ministers and Chief Ministers also extended greetings.

Oil prices rose as concerns about Middle East supplies resurfaced following reports of increased attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose above $101 a barrel in early Asian trade.

US President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran will come to an end but warned that the outcome could depend on whether Tehran chooses what he described as the "nice way" or the "not-so-nice way". 

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Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that the Strait of Hormuz "belongs to the United States Navy and the United States", describing the US naval presence as an effective blockade against Iran. He also said the US was doing extremely well in Iran and claimed the country's military had been severely weakened.

Delhi Police registered an FIR in connection with the alleged unauthorised entry of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc MPs into the Akashvani Bhavan premises during Tuesday's protest against the Election Commission. Police said around 260 people, including 10 MPs, were detained and later released.