Finance Minister presented a good defence budget, says AK Antony

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address Union ministers and NDA Chief Ministers on Wednesday evening as the BJP-led alliance marks 12 years in office.

The Union Cabinet passed a resolution and gave a standing ovation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for becoming the longest-serving elected head of the government over three consecutive terms. The Prime Minister completed 4,399 consecutive days in office, surpassing the previous record of 4,398 uninterrupted days held by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, since the first general elections in 1952.

An India Today report details a political development as a Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament resigns from the Rajya Sabha and the party. Sources indicate the parliamentarian is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party after meeting the Assam Chief Minister in New Delhi. This marks the second such resignation from the Trinamool Congress within a week, pointing to defections across both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Rebel parliamentarians have reportedly held meetings in the national capital, affecting the party's parliamentary strength. The shrinking opposition numbers in the upper house could assist the ruling party at the centre in passing legislation, including delimitation and the women's reservation bill. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress is seeking legal assistance from the Congress party to navigate the crisis and challenge the defections. The situation remains developing as more parliamentarians are reportedly considering switching allegiances in the coming days.

Israel is preparing to erect a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Jewish country, and bringing to spotlight an overlooked historical connection between Jews and India.