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Op Sindoor spotlighted the Indian military’s potent synergy – tactical astuteness wed to advanced air defence systems comparable to Israel’s famed ‘Iron Dome’.

India’s defence budget may get a Rs 50,000 crore boost as a result of Operation Sindoor, government sources told NDTV Friday morning. The boost, which will likely be provided through the supplementary budget, will take overall defence allocation past Rs 7 lakh crore, source said.

A record Rs 6.81 lakh crore had been set aside for the armed forces in the 2025/26 budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. This year’s allocation was already a significant 9.2 per cent increase from the Rs 6.22 lakh crore in 2024/25.

The increased budget – approval for which will be sought in Parliament’s Winter Session – will likely be used for research and development, and the purchase of weapons, ammunition, and other necessary equipment, sources told NDTV.

Defence has been a focus of the Narendra Modi administration since 2014; the Defence Ministry had been given Rs 2.29 lakh crore in 2014/15, the first year of the BJP government.

current allocation is the highest of all ministries and is 13 per cent of the total budget.

India’s defence readiness and the (likely) increased budget allotment comes amid continuing tension with Pak, particularly after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s military response – Operation Sindoor – that targeted terror camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir.

Op Sindoor spotlighted the Indian military’s potent synergy – tactical astuteness wed to advanced air defence systems comparable to Israel’s famed ‘Iron Dome’. The spotlight has also been on homegrown elements in that network, including the Akash missile defence system.

Since then the armed forces have also tested Bhargavastra – a new, low-cost, counter-drone system in ‘hard kill’ mode. The micro-rockets used in this system underwent rigorous testing at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur in Odisha this week, and the test met all objectives.

meanwhile, spoke to Dr Prahlada Ramarao, a former Defence Research and Development Organisation scientist who developed the Akash system, which can intercept even highly manoeuvrable aircraft like the United States-made supersonic F-16 fighter jets, which are among those Pak pilots fly.

Dr Ramarao told his tagline for Akash is ‘sara akash hamara‘, or ‘the whole sky is ours’.

In the aftermath of the 100-hour India-Pak ‘war’, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pushed for greater domestic production of defence equipment, arguing it is the long-term solution.

“If we buy defence equipment from other countries, it means we are outsourcing it and leaving our security in the hands of someone else. This cannot be a long-term solution.”

The Pahalgam Attack And Op Sindoor

Terrorists from a proxy of the Pak-based Lashkar-e-Taiba killed 26 people, many civilians, in the Jammu and Kashmir tourist hotspot last month, triggering outrage.

After an initial raft of non-military measures, including suspending the critical Indus Waters Treaty, India launched Op Sindoor – precision air strikes at nine terror camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir.

The Pak Army, told their bases would not be hit and warned against retaliating, responded by firing a barrage of drones and missiles at Indian military facilities and civilian population centres. Most of these were either shot down or neutralised by India’s advanced air defence network, which includes the indigenously-developed Akash and the Russian-made S-400.

India then countered by launching further precision strikes, destroying Pak radar systems and damaging Pak Air Force bases, prompting Islamabad to reach out for a ceasefire.

On Monday, in his first speech since Op Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi put terrorists in Pak, which supports and funds terror activities, on notice, saying India would strike again to protect its territory and citizens, and that Delhi’s doctrine on terror had forever changed.

Mr Modi also said India would not talk to Pak on Kashmir except to disable terrorist infrastructure in that country and arrange for the return of illegally occupied Kashmir.

From 2026, a few of Europe’s low-cost airlines are planning to swap out some economy seats for standing seats.

Imagine buying a plane ticket for around Rs 500, or maybe even less. Sounds too good to be true? Air travel remains one of the most expensive ways to travel, but a new seating model could help airlines cut costs and offer cheaper tickets. The catch? You will have to fly standing. Yes, starting in 2026, some of Europe’s low-cost carriers are looking to replace parts of their economy seating with standing seats,  according to Euro Weekly News.

How Do Standing Seats Work On A Flight?

These seats, called the Skyrider 2.0, are designed by the Italian company Aviointeriors. The design resembles a padded bicycle saddle, secured to the floor and ceiling, and includes a seatbelt. Passengers rest at about a 45-degree angle, using their legs and core muscles to support themselves. Each unit weighs about half as much as a standard seat.

Aviointeriors says the Skyrider seats comply with aviation regulations and have passed all safety tests. So, passengers need not worry about emergencies or in-flight risks.

How Airlines Can Benefit From Standing Seats

Since each unit takes up less space, reports suggest airlines could accommodate up to 20 per cent more passengers on flights lasting two hours or less. This could help increase profitability.

The lighter seats and simpler design may also mean less cleaning and quicker maintenance. This can allow airlines to reduce turnaround time between flights.

Cheaper Ticket Costs For Flyers

Standing seats are expected to come with lower fares than traditional ones. While exact prices are unknown, in 2012, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary proposed fitting his Boeing 737-800s with 10 rows of standing seats and 15 rows of regular ones. At the time, he suggested standing tickets could cost as little as 1-5 pounds (Rs 115-575). Reports now say other airlines, from Spain to Eastern Europe, are also exploring the idea.

The government has a budget of Rs 700 crores to build drains, toilets, bathrooms and parks for children in slums, said Rekha Gupta.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday asserted that the BJP government is committed to the development of the slums in the national capital and assured that no slums in the city will be demolished.

Speaking to persons during her visit to a slum, CM Gupta said that the government is building all these facilities, including drains, toilets and parks for slum dwellers.

“I have just come to a slum area where we are laying sewer lines and I want to give a message to all the slum dwellers of Delhi that these people who are in shock that the government has not completed 100 days and so much work is going on continuously are circulating some lists in WhatsApp groups as part of a conspiracy that slums will be demolished. not even one slum settlement, not even one slum colony of Delhi, is going to be demolished. We have kept a budget of Rs 700 crores for different kinds of work to be done in the slums here to provide all these facilities like drains, toilets, bathrooms and parks for children, we are investing crores of rupees in every slum area,” CM Gupta said.

“The government is working in the interest of the people, in the interest of the slum dwellers. Yamuna ji should be cleaned, and we are working on this goal,” she added.

The Delhi CM further stated that the government has appointed responsible officers for every waterlogging point in the national capital, and strict actions will be taken in case they fail to fulfil their responsibility.

“…In the meeting held last month, we appointed responsible officers for every waterlogging point. This time, when there was waterlogging on Minto Bridge, the responsibility of the officer was fixed, and that officer was suspended for not fulfilling his responsibility,” CM Gupta added.

Highlighting her 100 days of work in her constituency, Shalimar Bagh, after assuming office, the Delhi Chief Minister said, “Today, it has been almost 100 days since I became the MLA of this assembly constituency (Shalimar Bagh). On the 30th, our government will complete 100 days. So today, I have a report card of 100 days in my hand.”

Game Changer reportedly had a budget of Rs 450 crore and earned Rs 186.25 crore worldwide.

Editor Shameer Muhammed calls working with Shankar on Game Changer a “terrible experience”. Game Changer, starring Ram Charan and marking Kiara Advani’s Telugu cinema debut, failed to impress at the box office and received largely negative reviews. 

Now, the film’s editor Shameer Muhammed has spoken out about his experience working on the project, describing it as unpleasant.

In an interview with Kaumudy Movies, Shameer revealed he spent a significant amount of time editing Game Changer. “I spent a year with that film. I went there for three years. It was in the last six months that I was told I would have to stay with them for another month. I had a sketch here, so I came at that time. When I was editing, the film was 7-7.5 hours long. I made it three and a half hours. After that, a new editor came in and shortened it to 2.5-3 hours,” he said.

According to Shameer, it was director Shankar’s working style that led him to step away from the project. “It was a terrible experience working with Shankar for me. I went there with great excitement, but things were happening in some other world there. He would fix one date for editing, but he would turn up only after ten days. The same pattern continued for several days, and I ended up staying in Chennai for 300-350 days,” he said.

After he exited the film, editor Ruben took over the project. Shameer shared that he had already turned down other offers while working on Game Changer and did not want to miss out on more. “Then I left the film. It would have been a terrible mistake if I had left AR and Marco for Game Changer,” he added.

Game Changer reportedly had a budget of Rs 450 crore and earned Rs 186.25 crore worldwide.

By April 2025, American political news publication Politico cited sources close to Trump and said Musk would step back from his DOGE role “in the coming weeks”

The “bulls**t artist” and the man who “doesn’t seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States” are no longer friends, or at least they don’t work together anymore.

For, you see, billionaire Elon Musk, who bankrolled President Donald Trump – to the tune of nearly US$300 million – to a second term in the White House, has walked away from his ‘job’ at the Department of Government Efficiency.

The ‘bromance for the ages’ – that cheeky description offered by British publication Independent in December last year – seemed to unravel after Musk’s public criticism of Trump’s ‘one, big beautiful’ bill.

He said “my time has come to an end” and that he was “disappointed” at the President championing a bill “… which increases the budget deficit… and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing”.

twenty-four hours passed.

Then, on Wednesday night, White House sources told the BBC they had begun “offboarding” Musk as a ‘special government employee’. Accompanying that was a Musk post on X that said, “… my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end…”

The break-up had been coming.

Tracking backwards, by mid-May there were various reports pointing out Musk and Trump were not talking each other up on social media (he on X and he on Truth Social) as much.

American news website The Daily Beast noted Trump had gone “awfully quiet” about Musk, scaling back mentions of him online and not including him in public White House programmes.

This was in stark contrast to February and March; Musk was “everywhere” and Trump’s callouts on Truth Social were averaging four times a week. The record was 11 from February 17-23.

But why? The ‘big, beautiful bill‘ wasn’t really a factor yet.

The looming split was over a poll defeat.

Musk, like he had for Trump, funded the campaign of Wisconsin Supreme Court judge nominee.

US$21 million was placed behind Brad Schimel in a contest Musk claimed could “determine the fate of Western civilization“. But Schimel lost and Susan Crawford won, and cracks began to appear.

By April 2025, American political news publication Politico cited sources close to Trump and said Musk would step back from his DOGE role “in the coming weeks

The same sources said Musk would not leave completely; rather, he was expected to take up an “informal advisory role” after his ‘special employee’ stint, which is limited by law to 130 days.

Trump uncharacteristically offered a face-saving way out for Musk, saying the Tesla boss would need to return to company matters after seeing Europe sales plunge by 40 per cent in April.

By this time the two had clashed, though (relatively) discreetly, over the H1B visa programme and snide remarks about ‘President Musk’, suggesting the Tesla and SpaceX boss was the real power. Trump even had to field questions about Musk ‘taking over’ the presidency.

In December Mediarite, another American publication, cited unnamed Trump aides as saying, “100 percent Trump is annoyed… There is a Chinese proverb – ‘two tigers cannot live on one mountaintop’.”

In the run-up to Trump 2.0 though, before Musk’s DOGE (and yes, the acronym is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the cryptocurrency) posting, the ‘two tigers’ co-existed quite happily.

In October 2024 there was that now-iconic photo of Trump in Pennsylvania with Musk behind him, arms raised, jumping in delight, and chanting ‘MAGA, or ‘Make America Great Again’ with the crowd. In August an X conversation led to Musk’s DOGE avatar being crystallised.

From early 2024 back to 2016, there was a lot of see-sawing in the Musk-Trump ‘bromance’, which included the latter’s “another bulls**t artist” jab in July 2022. That was after tension over Musk’s purchase of X and a possible face-off with Trump’s newly launched Truth Social.

But then, by September 2023, as it became clear Trump would bid to return as President, Musk began to back the Republican’s policies, including the infamous ‘border wall’ with Mexico.

The flip was the attempted assassination at Butler, Pennsylvania. Seconds after Trump was rushed to a medical centre, Musk committed US$45 million monthly to his campaign.

And now they’re walking away from each other, again, or so it seems.

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