Maharashtra civic polls updates: 'Only Marathi a compulsory language in Maharashtra', says CM Fadnavis in Mumbai

Speaking at Mahayuti rally ahead of the BMC elections in Mumbai, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "Only Marathi is a compulsory language in Maharashtra." Mounting an attack on the Thackeray brothers (Uddhav and Raj) at the rally, he added, "This is not the last election for Mumbai and Marathi people; your own survival is at stake." He further said no one can dare to break Mumbai from Maharashtra.

Iran draws tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators to the streets in show of power after nationwide protests, reported AP. US President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said on Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Addressing a special briefing on visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "The Chancellor, for instance, remarked on the changing world order, the instability the global order is facing, and why, in this context, it is ever more important for India and Germany to take their relationship to a new level and to do more — to do much more, in fact, in his words."

"In this context, he laid particular emphasis on Germany’s very strong support for the early conclusion of the India–EU FTA. As you are all aware, in another fortnight, the EC President and the European Council President will both be visiting New Delhi, where we hope to take these discussions forward towards a favourable conclusion," he added. -- PTI

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee writes to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state. "Errors happened during digitisation of 2002 voters' list using AI, causing hardship for people. No proper acknowledgement being issued for documents submitted during SIR, procedure fundamentally flawed. EC ignoring its own 20 years of statutory corrections, forcing voters to re-establish identity," she wrote. -- PTI

PM Modi shares car ride with German Chancellor Merz, highlighting growing India-Germany ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is on a two-day official visit to India, on Monday shared a car ride following their engagements in Gujarat, reflecting the warm and friendly ties between the two leaders and the growing partnership between the two countries.

ISRO’s PSLV-C62 lifted off from Sriharikota on January 12 at 10:18 am IST in what initially appeared to be a flawless mission, with the launch vehicle performing as expected during the early phase of flight. However, the 62nd PSLV mission failed to place its satellites into orbit due to a technical glitch detected in the rocket’s third stage.

ISRO has said the anomaly emerged after the first eight minutes of flight, disrupting the mission sequence and preventing successful satellite deployment.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz today highlighted the importance of concluding a free trade agreement between India and the European Union to fully unlock the potential of bilateral economic relations. “To tap into the full potential of India-Germany economic relations, we need to conclude the negotiations on a free trade agreement between India and the European Union,” Merz said during his visit to Gandhinagar.

PM Modi said the Joint Declaration of Intent on the Global Skills Partnership signed during the visit reflects the trust and commitment between the two countries. “This will particularly facilitate the movement of healthcare professionals,” he added.

PM Modi also announced steps to expand collaboration in sports, calling it “an effective means of connecting young people” across India and Germany. He further noted the development of a comprehensive roadmap on higher education, which will provide new momentum to bilateral cooperation in the education sector.

PM Modi also highlighted the growing economic and technological ties between India and Germany, saying bilateral trade has reached a record $50 billion, the highest ever.

The Prime Minister noted that over 2,000 German companies have a long-standing presence in India, reflecting their “unwavering confidence” in the country and the vast opportunities available. He said this confidence was evident during the India-Germany CEO Forum held earlier in the day. “The cooperation in technology between India and Germany has strengthened year after year, and its impact is clearly visible on the ground today,” PM Modi said. He added that both countries share common priorities in renewable energy and announced the creation of an India-Germany Centre of Excellence, which will serve as a “shared platform for knowledge, technology, and innovation.”

PM Modi also said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first visit to India and Asia since assuming office reflected the “deep importance” he attached to relations with New Delhi. “As a Chancellor, this is Friedrich Merz’s first visit to India, and indeed to Asia. This is strong evidence of the deep importance he attaches to relations with India,” PM Modi said while addressing an event in Gandhinagar.

Speaking in Gandhinagar in the presence of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, PM Modi noted that India and Germany had completed 25 years of their strategic partnership last year and were celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2025. “These milestones are not merely achievements of time. They are symbols of our shared ambitions, mutual trust and ever-strengthening cooperation,” he said.

The Prime Minister underlined that expanding trade and investment ties had infused fresh momentum into the bilateral relationship, giving “new energy” to the India–Germany strategic partnership.

ISRO Chief V Narayanan confirmed today that the PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission encountered an anomaly during flight. “Today we have attempted the PSLV C62 / EOS-N1 Mission. The PSLV vehicle is a four-stage vehicle with two solid stages and two liquid stages,” he said.

He added that the vehicle performed as expected until the end of the third stage, where “we are seeing more disturbance in the vehicle.” This disturbance led to a deviation in the flight path. “Subsequently, there is a deviation observed in the vehicle flight path. We are analysing the data,” Narayanan said.

The ISRO chief noted that the mission could not proceed as planned and assured that data from all ground stations is being reviewed. Further updates on the outcome of the mission are expected once the analysis is complete.

ISRO reports a disturbance at the end of the PSLV-C62’s PS3 stage, with detailed data analysis currently underway.

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said a disturbance was observed in the launch vehicle towards the end of the PS3 burn during the PSLV-C62 mission. He noted that a deviation in the flight path was detected following the anomaly. “More disturbance was observed in the launch vehicle at the end of the PS3 phase,” Narayanan said, adding that ISRO is currently analysing the data and will share further details shortly.

ISRO successfully launched the PSLV-C62 mission from Sriharikota on January 12, deploying the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite along with 14 co-passenger payloads into sun-synchronous orbit. The mission also includes a key in-orbit re-entry demonstration involving the PS4 stage and Spain’s KID capsule, marking a significant technology milestone.

Friedrich Merz at Sabarmati Ashram on Sunday, as the two leaders paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. Later, PM Modi and Chancellor Merz arrived at the Sabarmati Riverfront to participate in the International Kite Festival 2026, according to visuals from the event.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), widely regarded as ISRO’s most dependable launch system, is set to undertake its 64th flight. Often described as India’s space “workhorse,” the PSLV has built a reputation for precision and consistency over decades of missions.

The four-stage rocket follows a distinctive propulsion sequence, alternating between solid and liquid fuel stages. This solid–liquid–solid–liquid configuration enables the vehicle to deliver satellites accurately into targeted orbits. Its proven reliability has made the PSLV a cornerstone of India’s space programme and a preferred choice for commercial and scientific launches alike.

Excitement is running high at Sriharikota as the countdown for ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission enters its final hours. More than a routine launch, the mission marks a significant shift in India’s space strategy, carrying 16 satellites into orbit, led by the EOS-N1 satellite, also known as Anvesha.

The launch signals a change in focus for 2026, with greater emphasis on building space infrastructure alongside Earth observation. Several of the satellites aboard PSLV-C62 are designed to test advanced technologies that could support longer satellite lifespans, faster data processing, and future in-orbit services.

With a mix of domestic and international payloads, the mission underlines ISRO’s expanding role in commercial and technology-driven space operations, setting the tone for India’s space ambitions in the year ahead.

The primary payload, EOS-N1, also known as Anvesha, is a hyperspectral Earth observation satellite developed by DRDO. It can capture highly detailed data useful for agriculture, mineral mapping, environmental studies, and urban planning. The mission also features AayulSAT, which will test India’s first in-orbit satellite refuelling technology, and MOI-1, hosting India’s first AI image-processing lab in space. A Spanish-built Kestrel capsule will demonstrate re-entry technology.

The PSLV-C62 lifted off from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at 10:17 am IST on January 12. The countdown began on Sunday afternoon and ran for over 22 hours. Within 17 minutes of launch, ISRO planned the sequential deployment of EOS-N1 followed by the remaining satellites. More than two hours later, the rocket’s fourth stage will be restarted to demonstrate a controlled de-boost and re-entry experiment.

ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission marks the space agency’s first launch of 2026 and the 64th flight of its trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. The 260-tonne rocket is tasked with placing EOS-N1, an advanced Earth observation satellite, along with 16 co-passenger satellites into a sun-synchronous polar orbit. The mission highlights India’s growing presence in the global small-satellite market. Payloads include satellites from Indian startups and international partners, reflecting ISRO’s growing commercial footprint through NewSpace India Ltd.