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As China-India ties completed 75 years on Tuesday, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri spoke about the “lessons” for both nations to keep in mind as they work on new and promising beginnings at the end of seven-and-a-half decades.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Sirsa has accused Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP – in power before the BJP won the February election – of allowing more than 1.08 lakh vehicles to run on city roads despite each emitting carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) beyond permissible limits.

Mr Sirsa also accused Mr Kejriwal and his AAP of corruption related to tenders for purchase of public (CNG) buses and the installation of ‘anti-smog towers’, claiming a sum greater than Rs 87 lakh had been “wasted”. He also claimed Rs 22 crore had been spent on a ‘missing’ smog tower.

These, and other lapses in pollution control mechanisms, led to the annual deterioration of air quality in Delhi, Mr Sirsa declared, speaking after a Comptroller & Auditor-General report – that audited the AAP’s battle against air pollution – was tabled by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

The AAP has not yet responded to these charges.

The CAG report highlighted failures of the AAP government in controlling vehicular emission, such as not keeping data about the type and number of vehicles plying on Delhi roads and assessment of emission loads. It also flagged a shortage of buses and other options that would allow commuters to overcome last-mile connectivity issues and use public transport.

Mr Sirsa later told reporters the Delhi government at the time had been told of the need for 11,000 buses but, instead, fleet size was reduced by more than 20 per cent.

The CAG report also red-flagged irregularities in the issue of PUC (pollution under control) certificates for vehicles, unreliable air quality monitors, and poor enforcement of the law.

On the PUC issue, the report said in many cases, multiple vehicles were issued certificates from the same testing centre at the same time, sometimes within a minute of each other.

This should not be possible since each pollution test can take several minutes.

It was also pointed out that between 2015 and 2020, nearly 4,000 diesel vehicles were found to have exceeded emission norms but were still certified as ‘compliant’, allowing them to be used.

The Delhi government at the time, the CAG report further said, also lacked data about the number, type, and emission loads of vehicles on city roads, which meant it could not come up with source-specific plans to tackle what is an annual and dangerous air quality crisis.

Vehicular emissions are “major contributors” to the air pollution crisis, the CAG report said, noting also the lack of data about benzene levels, or means to reduce these, at fuel stations.

The report also pointed to a number of other concerns, including the failure of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to record data for as many as 16 hours a day, including of lead in the air and real-time information about sources of pollutants, leading to skewed final analysis.

There is “a pressing need” for the Delhi government to now take “comprehensive steps to address gaps in air quality monitoring and vehicular emission control measures”, the CAG said.

The CAG report is one of 14 the new BJP government has said will be tabled in the Delhi Assembly as part of an ‘audit’ of the previous administration. Eight, including a report on the liquor excise policy scam that roiled the AAP before the February election, have been tabled.

The BJP returned to power in Delhi in style, winning 48 of the city’s 70 Assembly seats in the election. The AAP, which had won over 60 in each of the past two polls, was left with 22.

Mr Kejriwal, the AAP’s supreme leader, and his right-hand man, Manish Sisodia, both of whom had been jailed in connection with the liquor policy scam, both lost their seats.

The remarks by Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladesh interim government’s chief advisor, on the Northeastern states have drawn sharp reactions in India. While Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has described the remarks as “offensive”, Congress’s Pawan Khera has said Dhaka’s approach is dangerous for the Northeast and questioned the Centre’s foreign policy.

A video of Mr Yunus’s remarks, apparently made during his four-day trip to China, is doing the rounds on social media. “The seven states of India, the eastern part of India, are called the seven sisters. They are a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean,” he is heard saying. He says Bangladesh is the “guardian of the ocean” for the region. “This opens up a huge possibility. This could be an extension for the Chinese economy,” he said.

The remarks came amid Dhaka’s outreach to Beijing in the aftermath of the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina regime. India, which has given refuge to the former Prime Minister, has been watching the interim government’s geopolitical moves. Dhaka and Delhi have exchanged stern remarks after India raised concerns over reports of attacks on minorities. In a friendly gesture on Bangladesh’s Liberation Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Mr Yunus, reiterating India’s commitment to advancing the partnership between the two countries.

The Bangladesh leader’s remarks have now stoked tensions again. Assam Chief Minister Sarma has hit out at Mr Yunus’s remarks and said it is imperative to develop more robust rail and road networks connecting the Northeast to the rest of the country.

“The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh so called interim Government referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable. This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor.” The Chicken’s Neck Corridor is a stretch of land in West Bengal’s Siliguri which connects the region to the rest of India. Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan surround this stretch.

“Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically. Therefore, it is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chicken’s Neck corridor. Additionally, exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to mainland India, effectively bypassing the Chicken’s Neck, should be prioritised,” Mr Sarma said.

“Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation. Such provocative statements by Md Younis must not be taken lightly, as they reflect deeper strategic considerations and longstanding agendas,” he added.

Mr Yunus’ remarks drew a sharp response from Pradyot Manikya, who leads the Tipra Motha party in Tripura. “Time for india to make a route to the ocean by supporting our indigenous people who once ruled Chittagong so we are no longer dependent on an ungrateful regime,” he said. “India’s biggest mistake was to let go of the port in 1947 despite the hill people living there wanting to be a part of the indian union. Mr Yunus may think he is the guardian of the ocean but the reality is he a stop-gap leader at the age of almost 85 . Let’s not forget Tripura is only a few miles away from the port he is speaking away,” he said.

Mr Manikya also responded to Mr Sarma’s infra push suggestion. “Rather than spending billions on innovative and challenging engineering ideas, we might as well break up Bangladesh and have our own access to the sea. The Chittagong hill tracts were always inhabited by indigenous tribes which always wanted to be part of india since 1947. There are lakhs and lakhs of Tripuri , Garo ,Khasi and Chakma people which reside in Bangladesh in terrible conditions in their traditional lands . This should be utilised for our national interest and for their well being,” he said.

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said Bangladesh was inviting China for a siege of India. “The Bangladesh government’s approach is very dangerous for the safety of our Northeast. The government is not watching Manipur and China has established a village in Arunachal Pradesh. Our foreign policy is in such a deplorable state that the country, for whose creation we played a major role, is now busy trying to surround us,” he said.

Interesting that Yunus is making a public appeal to the Chinese on the basis that 7 states in India are land-locked. China is welcome to invest in Bangladesh, but what exactly is the significance of 7 Indian states being landlocked? https://t.co/JHQAdIzI9s

— Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) March 31, 2025

Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Prime Minister Modi’s economy advisory council, questioned why Mr Yunus mentioned the Northeast. “Interesting that Yunus is making a public appeal to the Chinese on the basis that 7 states in India are land-locked. China is welcome to invest in Bangladesh, but what exactly is the significance of 7 Indian states being landlocked?” he said.

Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Veena Sikri, also condemned Mr Yunus’ statement. “Very shocking statement by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. He has absolutely no right to make a statement like that. He knows that the northeast is an integral part of India, and we have had very close discussions with the Government of Bangladesh on access by Northeast India to the Bay of Bengal, and there are formal agreements on this,” she told news agency ANI.

Bruised and struggling to speak, one of the labourers has narrated the moment he was hit by a speeding Lamborghini in Noida yesterday. It was speeding at 300 kmph, he claimed while another labourer said he had spotted the sports car before being hit, but they didn’t get enough time to move away.

The two labourers were sitting on the roadside when the red Lamborghini Huracan hit them and rammed a tree in Sector 94 last evening. They were thrown away in the impact. The labourers were taken to a nearby hospital and are now recovering.

The Puducherry-registered Lamborghini belongs to YouTuber Mridul Tiwari, who has over 18.7 million subscribers. Deepak, a car dealer, was at its wheels during the crash and has been taken into custody. Initial reports suggest the owner was selling the car and the dealer had come to inspect it before buying.

“The car was being driven at a speed of 300 kmph. We were thrown away into a drain,” one of the labourers told Republic TV from the hospital bed.

The police haven’t said anything about the car’s speed yet.

Speaking to news agency ANI, another said, “We two were sitting there. He (the driver) was driving like a crazy person. By the time we could move, it ran over my legs. I got injuries on my face also. We were not able to run.”

A video showed workers wearing safety helmets and orange jackets running towards the car after the crash. On being asked if the driver knew how many people had died in the accident, he stepped out and asked, “Koi mar gaya hai idhar (Did anyone die here)?”

Others in the background could be heard saying “Call the cops”.

“I gently pressed race (accelerator),” he was heard pleading with the crowd that had gathered.

The police have found he was not drunk during the incident, reports suggest.

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has praised the BJP-led central government for its “vaccine diplomacy” during the Covid pandemic years calling it a “powerful example of international leadership”.
In a column titled “Covid’s silver lining for India” written for the English magazine The Week, Tharoor said, “India’s vaccine diplomacy during the Covid pandemic stands out from amid the horrors of that time as a powerful example of international leadership rooted in responsibility and solidarity. By delivering made-in-India vaccines to over 100 nations, India demonstrated its capacity to extend a helping hand when it mattered most.”
This has added another positive remark to the list of praises by the veteran Congress leader for the central government. He had recently appreciated PM Modi’s anti-war stance on Russia-Ukraine conflict who had said that “peace cannot be found on the battlefield.”
The article comes amid reports of rift between the Congress and the veteran leader over Kerala leadership.

What does the op-ed say?

Tharoor’s article was centered around India’s strength as a soft power during those years rooted in the field of technology and training.
“Our efforts were not limited merely to the provision of vaccines but extended to the sending of Indian military doctors to Nepal, the Maldives, and Kuwait, and to organising online training for health care workers across South Asian nations. Additionally, through its engagement with global platforms like GAVI, the Quad, and the Pan Africa E-Network, India addressed immediate health concerns while laying the groundwork for long-term international cooperation,” he wrote.
“India’s vaccine diplomacy served as a counterbalance to China’s influence in South Asia and Africa, where both nations were vying for goodwill through vaccine supplies,” he added.
Tharoor lauded the Vaccine Maitri initiative launched by the central government in 2021 which exported vaccines to over 100 countries including nations across West Asia, Africa, Latin America, and our immediate neighbourhood.
“Leveraging its position as the world’s vaccine manufacturing hub, India launched the Vaccine Maitri (Vaccine Friendship) initiative in January 2021. This programme aimed to supply Covid-19 vaccines to countries in need, particularly to developing nations. India’s exports of vaccines—both as aid and commercial shipments—reached nations across West Asia, Africa, Latin America, and our immediate neighbourhood,” he wrote.
He, however, did not shy away from calling the lockdown “stringent”.
“No one in India is commemorating the fifth anniversary of the stringent lockdown prompted by Covid-19, which the government imposed on March 24, 2020. We, the survivors, all think of Covid as a bad dream, one marked by suffering, tragedy and loss,” he said.

Rift or rumour?

Tharoor recently made headlines after there were a series of events — a podcast, selfie, and a cryptic post — pointing towards his rift with Congress.
Last month, in a Malayalam podcast interview, Tharoor had warned that Congress risked staying in opposition in Kerala for a third term if it failed to expand its appeal. He pointed to a leadership vacuum within the state party and suggested he had “other options” if Congress no longer needed his services.
In an unrelated event, he had posted on X a quote by Thomas Gray– “Where ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise” — as the thought of the day.
Adding to the buzz, he had shared a selfie with Union minister Piyush Goyal, praising the revival of India-UK FTA negotiations, further intensifying speculation about his political future.
However, he later played down the reports of rift saying, “You all heard the podcast, what was the controversy about?…I still haven’t understood the controversy…now that you have heard the whole podcast, can you tell me what your question is, I am happy to respond…it is a podcast, a 45-minute conversation about life and pursuits of Happiness, nothing there much about any political controversy”

A South Korean couple traveling in India was left speechless when local auto-rickshaw drivers at a bus stand in Rajasthan greeted them in fluent Korean.

The couple, who are travel vloggers, had just stepped off a bus in Jaisalmer and were marvelling at the sight of numerous tuk-tuks (battery-operated autos) lined up at the stand. “These are all tuk-tuks,” the man remarked in his language as they prepared to explore the city.

As they took in their surroundings, they were greeted with enthusiastic ‘hellos’ – not in Hindi or English, but in impeccable Korean. One driver even asked in fluent Korean, “Not as many Koreans come here as they used to. Why?”

Taken aback, the vlogger responded, “Yeah, why not?” to which the drivers replied, “Yeah, not since long. It’s been a long time since we saw one.”

The couple was impressed by their language skills. “We’ll really recommend this place,” they said.

As they began their walk towards Jaisalmer’s famed ‘Golden City’, another tuk-tuk driver approached them and asked in Korean if they needed a ride. The couple declined in Korean, “No, it’s okay, we are walking,” which the driver perfectly understood.

A video of the interaction has gone viral on social media.

An Instagram user wrote, “Being an Indian I am shocked as well.”

Another wrote, “They use duolingo and watch K dramas in their free time.”

“Jaisalmer people can speak all the languages,” a comment read.

Someone shared, “When I visited Rajasthan, many locals knew many foreign languages like French, Spanish, German, Korean etc and they were teaching me French. When I asked them how do you speak so fluently they said as many foreigners visit Rajasthan, they have heard it from childhood and interacted with them because of business.”

Earlier, an Indian woman’s hilarious conversation with a South Korean taxi driver went viral after he refused to believe India existed.