Get the latest India news today, 21 February 2026. AI Impact Summit concludes with global backing, plus state-level updates from Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi, MP, Bihar. Politics, economy, transport, weather, and cultural highlights included.

India’s opposition demands a pause on the Indo-US trade deal after U.S. Supreme Court ruling creates tariff uncertainty. Congress urges Modi government to renegotiate terms to protect farmers and exporters.

Raj Kundra granted bail in PMLA case days after Shilpa Shetty’s high-profile meeting with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat; no evidence links the two events.

In a significant ruling that could reshape American trade policy, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down sweeping global tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, holding in a 6–3 decision that the president exceeded his authority under an emergency powers law. The judgment affects multiple trading partners, including India, but both sides say their broader trade agreement remains intact.

India joins the inaugural Gaza Peace Board meeting in Washington as an observer, signaling cautious engagement in the U.S.-led peace initiative amid global debate over legitimacy and multilateralism.

India has significantly increased its crude oil imports from Russia amid ongoing global energy disruptions, a move that is reshaping international oil trade flows and drawing attention from Western nations.

After the visit of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to India, both countries announced steps to expand trade, strengthen strategic cooperation, and fast-track agreements in key sectors including energy, technology, and rare earth minerals.

India has joined a major supply chain initiative led by the United States, aiming to strengthen global technology networks and reduce dependence on China for critical goods. The decision is expected to influence international trade patterns and reshape global economic partnerships.

British NHS doctor Dr Sangram Patil has been unable to leave India after a police case linked to a Facebook post about a BJP leader led to a lookout circular. His legal fight and UK support continue.

Gold prices declined across Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and other cities, falling by up to ₹600 per 10 grams. Check latest city-wise gold rates and market impact.

India Approves Major Defence Modernisation Plan to Strengthen Border Security India on February 20, 2026 approved a comprehensive defence modernisation plan aimed at enhancing border security, upgrading military technology and strengthening national preparedness amid evolving regional and global security challenges.

India on Thursday reaffirmed its focus on economic stability, infrastructure expansion and stronger global trade ties, as the government reviewed growth indicators and ongoing international negotiations. Officials said the country remains on track for steady expansion despite global uncertainties.

India’s Parliament on February 20, 2026 passed a landmark economic reform bill aimed at accelerating job creation, boosting manufacturing and attracting both domestic and foreign investment, marking one of the most significant policy moves of the year to strengthen long-term economic growth.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat targets Western nations for spreading fundamentalism in Lucknow speech, while remaining silent on escalating domestic communal tensions and caste-based violence in India.

Key legal developments, labour-related announcements, and social justice concerns dominated national discourse on Wednesday, with the Supreme Court intervening in matters involving the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board, Assam signalling a possible wage hike for tea garden workers, and residents of an Odisha village alleging caste-based discrimination in access to basic amenities.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has called on both the Centre and state governments to immediately constitute a high‑level scientific investigation committee to study the rising incidence of sudden heart attacks and unexplained deaths among youths and children.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sharply criticised the recently released trailer of The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, urging people to reject what he described as a systematic hate campaign and false propaganda against the state’s secular fabric and communal harmony.

Electricity and piped water supplies to a Dalit settlement in a village of Balangir district in Odisha were abruptly cut off, igniting sharp allegations of caste‑based discrimination from residents who say they are being unfairly deprived of basic services that others in the area continue to receive.

India’s English-learning landscape got a fresh boost on February 19, 2026, with the launch of Aurator, an AI-powered spoken English coach aimed at helping learners overcome hesitation and speak more confidently in everyday situations.

A case has been registered against five men for allegedly gang-raping a 15-year-old girl in Ballia district, police said on Thursday.

From the top court’s tough questions on ED action to a life imprisonment sentence for raping a minor, and from acquittals in a communal violence murder case to political and AI-related controversies, the day underscored how law, governance, and public accountability continue to shape India’s public discourse.

In a significant development arising from the April 2023 communal unrest in Biranpur village of Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district, a district court on Tuesday acquitted all 17 accused charged with murdering a father‑son duo during the episode of violence.

A Kerala Vigilance Court on Wednesday granted bail to Kandararu Rajeevaru, the tantri (chief priest) of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, in connection with two cases linked to the alleged loss of temple gold, officials said.

Maharashtra BJP leader and state minister Nitesh Rane has stirred a fresh political controversy by declaring that public places named after Tipu Sultan are “unacceptable” in the state and should be removed.

The Government of Maharashtra has formally annulled the 5 per cent reservation earlier earmarked for the Muslim community in government jobs and educational institutions, ending a decade-long period of uncertainty over the policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday jointly inaugurated the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, underlining a deepening strategic partnership between the two democracies and signalling a fresh drive for cooperation in technology, defence, clean energy and people-to-people ties.

From Meghalaya’s intensified action against illegal coal mining to the Supreme Court’s renewed scrutiny of hate speech and fraternity in public life, the day’s developments reflect a mix of governance, law, education, elections and technology diplomacy shaping India’s current political and policy landscape.

Fears that artificial intelligence (AI) could replace doctors and clinicians are “largely misplaced,” Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said on Tuesday, emphasising that AI is meant to augment human care, not substitute it.

In the fallout of a devastating explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills earlier this month, authorities in Meghalaya have impounded more than 15,224 tonnes of illegally mined coal as part of a sweeping enforcement drive, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told the state legislature on Monday.

The Supreme Court of India sharply questioned the Centre’s handling of video transcripts used to justify the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, noting that errors in translation are unacceptable in today’s era of advanced technology.