Morning Digest: 290 Indian students from Iran arrive in Delhi; PM Modi in Vizag for International Day of Yoga event, and more

290 Indian students return from Iran, land in Delhi in Operation Sindhu

A flight from Mashhad, Iran, carrying 290 Indian students, mostly from Jammu and Kashmir, landed at the Delhi Airport late on Friday (June 20, 2025). The Indian Government has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its nationals from the Middle Eastern country as hostilities escalate between Israel and Iran.

Pakistan nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

Pakistan has said in a post on social media platform X that U.S. President Donald Trump should get Nobel Peace Prize in 2026 “in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis”.

U.S. judge orders release of pro-Palestinian activist Khalil

A U.S. judge ordered on Friday (June 20, 2025) that Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil be released from immigration custody, a major victory for rights groups that challenged what they called the Trump administration’s unlawful targeting of a pro-Palestinian activist. 

Murmu moved to tears as visually impaired children wish her on birthday

President Droupadi Murmu, who is on a three-day visit to Uttarakhand, was moved to tears on Friday (June 20, 2025) as a group of visually impaired children sang a song to wish her on her 67th birthday. Ms. Murmu visited the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD) here. Addressing the children, the President said she got emotional as they sang beautifully. “I could not hold back my tears. They were singing so beautifully. They were singing from their heart,” she said.

PM Modi in Vizag for International Day of Yoga event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Visakhapatnam on Friday (June 20, 2025) night to take part in the International Day of Yoga event scheduled to be held on June 21 (Saturday). He landed at INS Dega, where he was warmly received by Governor S. Abdul Naseer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, Union Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, and State IT Minister Nara Lokesh. Mr. Modi later proceeded to INS Chola, where he would stay for the night. Mr. Modi would take part in the yoga session near Kali Matha Temple at RK Beach.

IAEA warns of nuclear disaster if Israel attacks Iran’s Bushehr

West Asia risks a nuclear catastrophe if Israel strikes Iran’s southern nuclear plant of Bushehr, the head of the UN atomic watchdog warned on Friday (June 20, 2025). Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told the U.N. Security Council that he has not yet detected radiation resulting from Israel’s week-long military campaign against Iran, including attacks on nuclear sites.

Bangladesh, Pakistan, China hold inaugural trilateral foreign office discussion

Bangladesh, Pakistan and China held an inaugural trilateral foreign office-level discussion this week in Kunming, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan has announced. The trilateral consultation was led by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh’s Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique and Additional Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Imran Ahmed Siddiqui.

ECI has taken 23 initiatives to strengthen electoral system, says its Deputy Director

Election Commission of India (ECI) Deputy Director (Media Division) P. Pavan said the ECI took 23 initiatives aimed at strengthening the electoral system, with a focus on improving facilities to voters, political parties, and election staff, between February 19 and June 10, 2025. They also included some procedural reforms, legal measures and innovations, he said, while stressing the significant role played by the media in increasing voter turnout in elections.

ACB questions former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in ‘₹2,000-crore’ Delhi classroom graft case

The Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Friday (June 20, 2025) questioned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia for close to four hours in a graft case related to the construction of classrooms in government schools. He had skipped the earlier summons for June 9 due to some “pre-planned” engagements.

New India is assertive, resolute and will no longer be a victim of terrorism, says Rajnath in J&K

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday (June 20, 2025) asserted that Operation Sindoor was proof that the new India was assertive, resolute and would no longer be a victim of terrorism. He was addressing jawans at the Barakhana organised on the eve of International Day of Yoga 2025 at the Army’s Northern Command in Udhampur.

Global economic situation fragile and fluid, monetary policy left with limited space to support growth: Malhotra

Given the uncertainties and after having reduced the policy rates by 100 bps in quick succession since February, in the prevailing growth-inflation scenario and the outlook, monetary policy would be left with very limited space to support growth, Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra observed in his MPC statement.