# Today in India: 26 October 2026

2026-10-26T00:36:31+00:00 | Daily Digest | Indian Opinion Desk

26 October 2026 | 14 stories | Updated 08:07 IST

Cyclone Arnab barrels towards Andhra Pradesh for 28 October landfall, as a political firestorm erupts over Kharge's ‘Modi ka baap bhi jayega’ remark and the Assam government sets a 1 February date to fill 5,734 vacancies.

## Kharge says ‘Modi ka baap bhi jayega’, BJP files police complaint
Politics | 11 sources, 11 neutral
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge triggered a political storm on Sunday by saying ‘Modi ka baap bhi jayega’ at an event in Patna marking the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar's first chief minister, Shri Krishna Sinha. The remark came after a member of the audience shouted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not go anywhere. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief Nitin Nabin condemned the language as ‘indecent’ and ‘unparliamentary’. A police complaint has been filed.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/kharges-modi-ka-baap-bhi-jayega-remark-sparks-uproar-in-patna/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/kharges-modi-ka-baap-bhi-jayega-remark-sparks-uproar-in-patna.md)

## Karnataka CM warns IT firms on alleged anti-Kannadiga hiring bias
Politics | 8 sources, 8 neutral
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday warned private companies, including Bengaluru's IT firms, of government action if they are found deliberately denying jobs to Kannadigas. His statement followed a viral video in which a woman alleged language-based discrimination in hiring, claiming Kannada-speaking candidates were rejected while Telugu and Tamil speakers were favoured at lower salaries. In a post on X, Shivakumar said the government had taken the issue seriously.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/shivakumar-warns-it-firms-against-sidelining-kannadigas-in-jobs/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/shivakumar-warns-it-firms-against-sidelining-kannadigas-in-jobs.md)

## Operation Sindoor proved no target beyond IAF reach: Air Chief
India | 3 sources, 3 neutral
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Sunday that Operation Sindoor demonstrated no target was beyond the Indian Air Force's reach, with calibrated strikes across a 1,200 km front and 200 km depth. In an exclusive interview with PTI, Singh described the May 2025 counterterror operation as a validation of the IAF's capability-centric approach, reaffirming air power's role as the nation's primary responder and strategic deterrent. He cautioned against complacency, stressing the need to deepen and widen capabilities across the force.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/operation-sindoor-proved-no-target-beyond-iaf-reach-air-chief/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/operation-sindoor-proved-no-target-beyond-iaf-reach-air-chief.md)

## Jaishankar says UN must lead, not be spectator to global crises
World & Diplomacy | 9 sources, 9 neutral
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the United Nations must show leadership and ‘not be a spectator’ to global crises, calling for long-awaited reforms to the world body. Speaking at the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on UN Day, he argued that ‘the case for reformed multilateralism gets stronger by the day’ and that ‘large parts of the world cannot be left out from decision-making’.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/eam-jaishankar-warns-war-anywhere-threatens-peace-everywhere/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/eam-jaishankar-warns-war-anywhere-threatens-peace-everywhere.md)

## More from today

### New Zealand overhaul T20 squad for must-win third match against India
Sports | 10 sources, 10 neutral
New Zealand have made multiple changes to their T20I squad ahead of the must-win third match against India at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Tuesday, 27 October. Pacer Matt Henry is ruled out of the remaining three T20Is and will stay in Christchurch before joining the ODI squad in Auckland on 2 November. Lockie Ferguson will miss the Wellington match but rejoin the squad for the fourth and fifth T20Is in Auckland on 30 October and Hamilton on 1 November.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/matt-henry-out-of-remaining-t20is-vs-india-nz-rotate-pacers/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/matt-henry-out-of-remaining-t20is-vs-india-nz-rotate-pacers.md)

### LG Saxena declares Ladakh India’s first fully organic UT
India | 11 sources, 2 pro-government, 9 neutral
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Sunday declared Ladakh India’s first fully organic Union Territory, capping a phased transition that banned chemical fertilisers across Leh and Kargil. The administration had prohibited the procurement, sale and use of synthetic fertilisers in July 2026 and distributed organic fertiliser to farmers in March 2026. Saxena said the milestone protects Ladakh’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem, preserves traditional farming and improves farmers’ incomes. He linked the achievement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of chemical-free farming.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/ladakh-declared-indias-first-100-organic-union-territory/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/ladakh-declared-indias-first-100-organic-union-territory.md)

### 12 years on, Modi calls Mann Ki Baat a ‘pilgrimage’
Politics | 9 sources, 2 pro-government, 7 neutral
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday marked 12 years of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, describing it as a ‘pilgrimage’ that let him recognise ordinary citizens’ contributions. In the 139th episode, he urged festive shoppers to prioritise local artisans, saying consumer support would strengthen the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign and accelerate self-reliance. He highlighted Indian products reaching overseas, makhana from Bihar to Greece, arhar dal from Karnataka to the Maldives, and called for better packaging to help local products reach consumers.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/pm-modi-calls-mann-ki-baat-a-12-year-pilgrimage/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/pm-modi-calls-mann-ki-baat-a-12-year-pilgrimage.md)

### Congress posters demand 200 seats in UP, Akhilesh blames BJP
Politics | 9 sources, 9 neutral
Posters and hoardings with the slogan ‘200 seat haq hai hamara, UP ko hai Rahul Gandhi par bharosa’ appeared outside the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters in Lucknow and other districts on Sunday, as seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for the 2027 Assembly polls continued. The posters feature Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others. The state Congress denied involvement, while the BJP termed the posters ‘proof’ of ‘fighting’ between the allies.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/india-bloc-finalises-up-seat-sharing-formula-says-sp-mp/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/india-bloc-finalises-up-seat-sharing-formula-says-sp-mp.md)

### IAF opposes permanent split of fighter assets in theaterisation plan
India | 2 sources, 2 neutral
Chief of Air Staff AP Singh said on Sunday that the Indian Air Force is not in favour of permanently dividing fighter assets geographically under the proposed theaterisation plan, calling for a phased implementation that preserves operational readiness. In an exclusive interview to PTI, he advocated a structure built around India's specific security requirements rather than replicating foreign models. Singh also said the IAF is closely monitoring the Indo-Pacific and building capabilities including extended-range operations, persistent surveillance and networked command and control to safeguard national interests.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/iaf-opposes-permanent-split-of-fighter-assets-in-theaterisation-plan/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/iaf-opposes-permanent-split-of-fighter-assets-in-theaterisation-plan.md)

### UPI processes nearly 80 crore daily transactions: Sitharaman
Business & Economy | 2 sources, 2 neutral
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said UPI now handles nearly 80 crore transactions daily, or over 2,400 crore a month, making it the world's largest real-time payment system. She noted that annual transaction volume has grown roughly 13,000 times since 2016-17. Speaking at the inauguration of the Reserve Bank of India's Greenfield Data Centre and Training Institute in Khordha, Odisha, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sitharaman described data centres as the 'vault of the digital age'.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/upi-processes-nearly-80-crore-daily-transactions-sitharaman/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/upi-processes-nearly-80-crore-daily-transactions-sitharaman.md)

## Useful today

### Cyclone Arnab to hit Andhra coast on 28 October, IMD says
Health & Science | 3 sources, 3 neutral
A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into Cyclone Arnab, expected to make landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam on the Andhra Pradesh coast around 28 October afternoon, the India Meteorological Department said. Wind speeds during landfall could reach 115 to 125 km/h, with gusts of up to 140 km/h. The storm is forecast to become a very severe cyclonic cyclone by 27 October.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/bay-of-bengal-low-pressure-to-intensify-into-cyclone-by-26-october/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/bay-of-bengal-low-pressure-to-intensify-into-cyclone-by-26-october.md)

### Assam to fill 5,734 posts across six departments from February 1
Governance | 4 sources, 4 neutral
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on 24 October that recruitment exams for 5,734 posts across six departments will begin on 1 February 2027. More than 10 lakh candidates have already applied for the advertised positions. Sarma told candidates via a social media session that they have three months to prepare.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/assam-announces-5734-govt-jobs-across-six-departments-for-2027/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/assam-announces-5734-govt-jobs-across-six-departments-for-2027.md)

### Rain and hailstorm bring Delhi lowest temperature of October
India | 3 sources, 3 neutral
Overnight rain and a hailstorm early on Sunday, 25 October, brought Delhi its lowest minimum temperature of the season at 17 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said. The IMD attributed the event to a feeble western disturbance combined with moisture from the Arabian Sea. Safdarjung logged 5.4 mm of rainfall, while isolated hailstorms hit central and south Delhi.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-ncr-rain-and-hailstorm-bring-relief-aqi-drops-to-191/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/delhi-ncr-rain-and-hailstorm-bring-relief-aqi-drops-to-191.md)

### Gold prices steady across Indian cities on 25 October
Business & Economy | 7 sources, 7 neutral
Gold prices in major Indian cities remained steady on Sunday, 25 October, with 24-carat gold quoted at Rs 1,42,580 per 10 grams in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, according to Kalinga TV. In Delhi, Kalinga TV listed 24-carat at Rs 1,42,730. Silver was uniform across all listed cities at Rs 2,20,000 per kilogram.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/24k-gold-at-rs-142730-in-delhi-silver-at-rs-2-20-lakh/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/24k-gold-at-rs-142730-in-delhi-silver-at-rs-2-20-lakh.md)

## The closing thought

The day's news offered a wide arc from a political slugfest over Kharge's remark to a detailed defence briefing by the IAF chief that underlined both operational reach and institutional caution on theaterisation. The Congress-SP poster war in Uttar Pradesh adds a layer of pre-poll jostling that will sharpen as 2027 approaches. For the reader, the practical headline is the cyclone threat to Andhra Pradesh and the Assam recruitment timeline. The UPI transaction number and Ladakh's organic tag are concrete milestones worth watching for follow-up coverage on implementation.

## Earlier digests

- [26 October 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-26-october-2026.md)
- [25 October 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-25-october-2026.md)
- [24 October 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-24-october-2026.md)
- [23 October 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-23-october-2026.md)
- [22 October 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-22-october-2026.md)
- [21 October 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-21-october-2026.md)
- [20 October 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-20-october-2026.md)

The live edition, refreshed through the day: https://indianopinion.org/today/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/today.md)
Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-26-october-2026/
License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources.
Cite: https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-26-october-2026/

This digest was compiled and written by AI from the day's Indian Opinion coverage.

AI disclosure: Every summary and comment here is written by AI and published automatically, without a person reviewing each article. We do no original reporting. How this works: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/