India News Updates: Thunderstorms, rain likely in Delhi on Wednesday, says IMD

India News Updates: Several areas in Imphal flooded following heavy rainfall in the region

Axiom Space’s mission to the International Space Station (ISS), carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla along with three others, has been postponed to June 10 at 5:52 pm IST. launch will be conducted on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Originally scheduled for May 29, the mission was first rescheduled to June 8 before being delayed again. Read more

Thunderstorms and rainfall are expected in Delhi on Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On Tuesday, the capital experienced cooler-than-usual weather, with a maximum temperature of 33.1°C—6.9 degrees below the seasonal average—and a minimum of 24.6°C, which was 2.3 degrees below normal.

Uttar Pradesh government has approved a 20% horizontal reservation for former Agniveers in direct recruitment to roles such as police constables, PAC, mounted police, and firemen. Additionally, eligible candidates will benefit from a three-year relaxation in the upper age limit. This makes UP the first state in India to implement such a policy, aiming to integrate well-trained and disciplined Agnipath recruits into the state’s security forces. The first batch is anticipated to join by 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a major environmental project aimed at restoring degraded land in the Aravalli mountain range. The large-scale initiative will span four states and is scheduled to begin on World Environment Day.

Ukraine on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a fresh attack on the Crimean Bridge, saying it had detonated an explosive device beneath the structure in a special underwater operation. According to Kyiv’s SBU security service, this marks the third strike on the bridge, which connects the annexed Crimean peninsula to mainland Russia and has been repeatedly targeted since the 2022 invasion. The agency released video footage of the underwater blast and images showing damage to the bridge.

The Election Commission has introduced a new technology-based system designed to deliver timely updates on approximate voter turnout figures. According to the EC, this streamlined approach significantly cuts down the delays associated with the previously manual methods of reporting turnout data.

Amid heavy rain warnings, the Mizoram government has urged officials to postpone any scheduled visits to the state until June 13 as a precautionary measure.

Following a Ukrainian strike on power infrastructure, the head of Russia’s nuclear agency stated that the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains under control, though it is highly complex. The statement was reported by Reuters amid rising tensions around critical energy and nuclear sites in the conflict.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan stated that an assessment is being carried out to determine how many enemy aircraft and radar systems were destroyed during Operation Sindoor. He assured that a rough estimate would be shared with the public soon.

When questioned about the losses suffered by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said, "When I was asked about losses on our side, I said these are not important. The results and how you act are important. It would not be very correct to talk about losses...Suppose you go in a cricket test match, and you win by an innings defeat, then there's no question of how many wickets, how many balls and how many players... Based on technical parameters, we will take out this particular data and share it with you. We will tell you how many aircraft we destroyed and how many radars did we destroy. We'll make a rough assessment of that and come out with that shortly."

Actor Kamal Haasan has reportedly declined to apologise for his controversial remarks about the Kannada language, in which he claimed that "Kannada was born out of Tamil." The Karnataka High Court had earlier suggested that the actor apologise for his comments and put a lid on the row, which erupted after Hassan claimed that "Kannada was born out of Tamil".

The actor had moved the court to ensure the release of his film Thug Life.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said that Operation Sindoor was not about retribution but about defining the boundaries of India's tolerance. He emphasized that Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism must end and that India cannot be held hostage to such activities. He also reaffirmed that India will not live under the shadow of terrorism or be intimidated by nuclear threats.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, speaking at an event in Pune, asserted that India will not bow to the threats of terrorism or nuclear intimidation, emphasizing the country's firm stance on national security.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has terminated the services of three government employees due to alleged connections with terrorist activities. The individuals dismissed are Malik Ishfaq Naseer, a police constable; Ajaz Ahmed, a teacher in the School Education Department; and Waseem Ahmad Khan, a Junior Assistant at the Government Medical College in Srinagar

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to provide 20 per cent reservation for Agniveers in direct recruitment to several positions in the state police force.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the move aims to provide meaningful post-service opportunities to Agniveers, who have completed their four-year term under the Agnipath scheme.

The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Tuesday with more than 5.35 lakh people affected in over 20 districts even as the meteorological department predicted more rain in several parts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took stock of the flood situation in Assam from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, assuring him of full support from the central government.

Sarma will be visiting Cachar district, which is among the worst-hit areas of the state in the current floods, during the day.

A team of 23 NDRF personnel were rushed to Chhaten in North Sikkim from here on Tuesday for rescue and search operations for six soldiers missing after a landslide hit an army camp, officials said.

The NDRF team is equipped with satellite phones and essential emergency equipment, the official said.

A helicopter carrying the NDRF team left for Chhaten on Tuesday from Pakyong Airport here.

Over 56,000 people have been affected by flash floods triggered by overflowing rivers and embankment breaches in Manipur, an official statement said on Tuesday.

It said that 10,477 houses have been damaged and 56,516 174 people affected by the floods.

One person went missing after being swept away by a river in Imphal East district on Monday, it said, adding that 2,913 people have been evacuated from the affected areas.

A fresh breach of embankment was reported at Bashikhong in Imphal East district after the Kongba river breached its embankments on Monday, officials said.

At least 57 relief camps have been opened for affected people mostly in Imphal East district, which is the worst flood-affected district in the state.

The Mumbai civic body has scrapped its plan to procure Turkey-made robotic lifebuoys for deployment across half-a-dozen beaches, officials said, a move coming in the backdrop of Ankara facing backlash in India for supporting Pakistan.

The remotely-operated rescue machines, designed to assist lifeguards in saving people from drowning, were to be deployed at Girgaum Chowpatty, Shivaji Park Dadar, Juhu, Versova, Aksa and Gorai beaches, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Monday.

Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani replied in the affirmative when asked if the civic body has scrapped the plan to procure robotic lifebuoys manufactured in Turkey.

An all-party delegation, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, has departed for India after concluding their visit to Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain. Kanimozhi will arrive in Chennai, while the other delegation members will reach Delhi today.

The all-party delegation, led by Kanimozhi, includes Rajeev Rai (Samajwadi Party), Brijesh Chowta (BJP), Prem Chand Gupta (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Ashok Kumar Mittal (Aam Aadmi Party), and Former envoys Manjeev S Puri and Jawed Ashraf.

The Uttarakhand government has increased the ex-gratia amount given to the family of martyred soldiers from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, according to an official order.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued the order in accordance with the announcement made in this regard earlier.

This order will be effective from July 26, 2024.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Faridabad arrested a female GST inspector of the office of the Palwal district excise and taxation commissioner on Monday while she was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 in lieu of issuing a GST number to a complainant, an official said.

According to a statement issued by the ACB, accused Sumitra was also arrested in Panipat in 2022 while accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh, along with co-accused ETO Roshan Lal. A senior ACB officer said in the Panipat case, a chargesheet was filed against both the accused in July 2022 and the matter is still sub-judice.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday spoke to his counterparts in Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh over the phone and inquired about the flood situation in their states.

Dhami extended his support to the northeastern states.

He spoke to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sharma, Tripura CM Manik Saha and Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu and inquired about the heavy rains and flood situation in their states.

The Congress in Bihar took out a march here on Monday to protest against the rape and murder of a girl in Muzaffarpur district, police said.

Seven Congress workers were detained during the demonstration in Patna, as part of a preventive measure, a senior officer said.

According to a police official in Patna, the Congress workers were detained at Rajapul in Sri Krishnapuri area, a few hundred metres from Sadaqat Ashram, the party's state unit headquarters, as the protesters wanted to march to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence.

Eight BJP members of the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district defected to the state's ruling party Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), an official said on Monday.

The development has threatened to unseat from power a four-month-old BJP-led executive committee.

Seven members, including sitting council chairman Lakkhan Chakma, resigned from the BJP and joined the ZPM on Sunday, the CADC official told PTI.