New Delhi, Jan 29: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a recent University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation after various pleas were filed contending that the Commission adopted a non-inclusionary definition of caste-based discrimination and excluded certain categories from institutional protection.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Centre and the UGC on the pleas challenging the regulation.

The new regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form “equity committees” to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity were notified on January 13.

The University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, mandated that these committees must include members of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the Scheduled Castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST), persons with disabilities, and women.

The new regulations replaces the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, which was largely advisory in nature.

The pleas assailed the regulation on the grounds that caste-based discrimination is defined strictly as discrimination against members of the SCs, STs and OBCs.

It said that by limiting the scope of “caste-based discrimination” only to SC, ST and OBC categories, the UGC has effectively denied institutional protection and grievance redressal to individuals belonging to the “general” or non-reserved categories who may also face harassment or bias based on their caste identity.

Protests were held at various places against the regulations, with student groups and organisations demanding its immediate rollback.

New Delhi, Jan 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the beginning of the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement reflects the spirit of an “ambitious, confident and Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.

Addressing media persons at the start of the Budget Session, the Prime Minister said that during this quarter of the 21st century, India has emerged as a “beacon of hope” and also as a “centre of attraction” for the world. He added that global attention towards India reflects growing confidence in the country’s economic and democratic strength.

“At the start of this quarter, the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement offers a glimpse of how bright the future is for India and its youth. This is free trade for ambitious Bharat, confident youth and Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.

PM Modi further said that he is confident Indian manufacturers will seize the opportunity created by the agreement to expand and strengthen their presence globally. He stressed the need to focus on quality as markets open up further.

“When the mother of all deals is signed between India and Europe, our industrialists and manufacturers should not just think that ‘our items will now be traded with less tax’. This is an opportunity to emphasise quality. Now that the market is open, we should enter it with the best quality. If we go with superior quality, we will win the hearts of the 27 member states of the EU. This will have a long-term impact,” he said.

He added that the agreement with 27 countries would open up significant opportunities for India’s farmers, youth and professionals in the services sector who are keen to explore global markets. “I firmly believe this is a major step towards a confident, competitive and productive India,” he said.

PM Modi further mentioned that the Budget Session of Parliament marks an important step towards achieving the resolve of Viksit Bharat 2047, and the Centre is focused on ‘Reform Express’ and moving towards long-term solutions for pending issues.

The Prime Minister also referred to the President’s address to Parliament and said, “The President’s address yesterday reflected the confidence of 140 crore Indians and their aspirations. She also expressed her expectations from parliamentarians in very simple words, sharing her feelings as the head of the nation. I am confident that all MPs will take these seriously.”

Highlighting that one-fourth of the 21st century has already passed, PM Modi said the country has now embarked on a crucial 25-year journey to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He said this period will define India’s future direction and its role in the global order.

Speaking about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Prime Minister said, “She is the first Finance Minister of the country to present the Budget in Parliament for the ninth consecutive time. This itself is being recorded in India’s parliamentary history as a proud moment.”

Referring to the broader functioning of the government, the Prime Minister said that while the nation’s attention is naturally focused on the Budget, the core ethos of the government remains “reform, performance and transformation”.

“We have swiftly boarded the ‘Reform Express’. I thank all MPs for their constructive contributions in accelerating this ‘Reform Express’. As a result, the Reform Express is now gathering speed,” he said.

PM Modi said the government is moving away from long-pending issues towards implementing long-term solutions, adding that such solutions bring predictability and strengthen international trust. He said every decision taken by the government is aimed at progress and development, while remaining human-centric.

“We will adopt technology, absorb it and use its potential, but we will not compromise on a human-centric approach. While recognising the importance of constitutional values, we will move ahead with thoughtful integration of technology,” he said.

He added that criticism and differing views are natural in a democracy, but said there is widespread recognition that the government has prioritised last-mile delivery.

“It is not just about files moving, but about reaching lives. This tradition will continue as we take next-generation reforms forward through the Reform Express,” he said.

Stressing the global relevance of India, PM Modi said India’s democracy and demography today offer great hope to the world.

“In this temple of democracy, we have an opportunity to convey to the global community our capabilities, our commitment to democratic values and the credibility of decisions taken through democratic processes. The world recognises and welcomes this,” he said.

“Today, the nation is moving forward not with delays, but with timely action. This is not the moment to sit back and lament challenges. Today is the era for bold, solution-oriented decisions. I urge all respected Members of Parliament to come forward so that we can accelerate the process of delivering necessary solutions for the nation, empower decision-making, and advance efficiently in last-mile delivery,” the Prime Minister concluded.

New Delhi, Jan 29: India will host the 2nd India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (IAFMM) on January 31, 2026, marking a significant step in strengthening its engagement with the Arab world, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The meeting will be co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates, and will be attended by foreign ministers from member states of the League of Arab States (LAS), along with the Secretary General of the Arab League. The foreign ministers’ meeting will be preceded by the 4th India–Arab Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on January 30.

The upcoming meeting comes after a gap of nearly a decade, with the inaugural India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting having been held in 2016 in Bahrain. During the first meeting, the two sides identified five priority areas of cooperation — economy, energy, education, media and culture — and outlined initiatives across these sectors. The second meeting is expected to build on that framework by further expanding and deepening cooperation.

The India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is the highest institutional mechanism guiding India’s partnership with the Arab world. The framework was formalised in March 2002 through a memorandum of understanding between India and the League of Arab States to institutionalise dialogue. A Memorandum of Cooperation establishing the Arab–India Cooperation Forum was later signed during the visit of the then Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa to India in December 2008 and revised in 2013 to strengthen its organisational structure.

India currently holds observer status in the Arab League, a pan-Arab body comprising 22 member states across North Africa and the Middle East.

This will be the first time India is hosting the India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, with all 22 Arab countries expected to be represented by foreign ministers, other ministers, ministers of state and senior officials, along with representatives of the Arab League.

Meanwhile, foreign ministers and senior officials from 20 Arab countries have already confirmed their participation, and dignitaries have begun arriving in the capital.

Welcoming the visiting Palestinian foreign minister, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X, “Warm welcome to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine H.E. @VarsenAghShahin, as she arrives in India to participate in the 2nd India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The visit reaffirms India’s partnership with the people of Palestine and the Arab world.”

In another post, Jaiswal welcomed Sudan’s foreign minister, saying, “Delighted to welcome H.E. Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Republic of Sudan, for the second India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The visit will further strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Sudan.”

According to the MEA, participants include representatives from Palestine, Sudan, Egypt, Djibouti, Algeria, Comoros, Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Somalia, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, Libya, Mauritania, Iraq and Oman, along with officials from the Arab League.

India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly relations with the Arab League, with ties dating back centuries through trade, cultural exchanges and diplomatic engagement across the Arabian Sea and overland routes linking India with West Asia. Formed in Cairo in March 1945, the Arab League today comprises 22 member states.

Highlighting the economic dimension, the MEA said India–Arab trade exceeds USD 240 billion, with Arab nations supplying around 60 per cent of India’s crude oil imports and more than half of its fertiliser requirements. Cooperation spans sectors including energy, food security, finance, health, education, information technology, renewable energy and infrastructure. More than nine million Indians live and work across Arab League countries, playing a vital role in strengthening people-to-people ties and economic engagement, the ministry added.

in March 2002 through a memorandum of understanding between India and the League of Arab States to institutionalise dialogue. A Memorandum of Cooperation establishing the Arab–India Cooperation Forum was later signed during the visit of then Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa to India in December 2008, and revised in 2013 to strengthen its organisational structure.
India currently holds observer status in the Arab League, a pan-Arab body comprising 22 member states across North Africa and the Middle East.

New Delhi, Jan 29: The government is all set to table the Economic Survey 2026 in Parliament on Thursday — ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27 on February 1 — which will set the official tone on how the economy of the country is faring amid global uncertainties.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey at around 12 noon. All eyes will be on India’s projected GDP growth estimates for the current fiscal (FY26) as well as the upcoming financial year (FY27).

The key pre-budget document summarises the annual economic development of India and charts out short and medium-term prospects of the economy.

Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran also touched upon various themes such as rupee depreciation, geopolitical volatility and more, in a media column that appeared on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Budget Session of Parliament opened with President Droupadi Murmu delivering her address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the President’s Address was comprehensive and insightful, adding that it effectively captured the vision of building a Viksit Bharat and reflected the nation’s shared aspiration for a strong and self-reliant India.

PM Modi further said that the address highlighted India’s significant development progress in recent years while providing a clear road map for the future.

Looking ahead, the President portrayed 2026 as a pivotal foundation year in the nation’s ambitious path towards becoming a developed India. She observed that the closing of the first quarter-century of the new millennium had brought numerous triumphs, moments of national pride, and profound experiences.

Over the past decade or so, she noted, India has fortified its base across every major sector, laying a robust groundwork for future growth.

The ceremonial address marked the beginning of a crucial period in the Parliamentary calendar, during which Finance Minister Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Economic Survey on Thursday (January 29). followed by the Union Budget on Sunday (February 1).