Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, second right, attends a virtual summit at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, on Thursday, April 2, 2026, with around 35 countries to discuss ways of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. AP/PTI
Live! Macron says military option to reopen Strait of Hormuz is 'unrealistic'
France is pushing for an international mission involving European and non-European nations to escort oil and gas tankers and reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the most intense phase of the conflict is over
Here is the top, trending news of Thursday, April 2, 2026, including Iran war, Indian politics, states' politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Scroll below for updates.
Live Updates
- 2 April 2026 8:52 PM IST
First Dy PM of Russia calls on PM Modi; briefs on trade, economic ties
The First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Denis Manturov, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and briefed him on the progress made in various areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, including trade and economic partnership.
During the meeting, Modi recalled the successful visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India in December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit, an official statement said.
The prime minister also extended warm greetings to Putin and said he looked forward to their continued exchanges.
Manturov briefed Modi on the progress made in various areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, including trade and economic partnership, fertilisers, connectivity and people-to-people ties, the statement said.
Modi expressed satisfaction at the sustained efforts being made by both sides to implement the outcomes of the annual summit, aimed at further strengthening the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
- 2 April 2026 8:43 PM IST
Indian students enrolment in US institutions drops by 6.9 pc: Govt in RS
More than 3.5 lakh Indian students are pursuing various educational programmes ranging from primary schooling to university courses in the US as of February 2026, which is a decline of around 6.9 per cent from the corresponding figure the previous year, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was asked whether Indian student enrolments in the US have dropped, and to what extent "scarce visa slots" and "high percentage of rejections of visas" are contributing to it.
In a written reply to the query, the Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh shared with the Rajya Sabha some data released by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Mapping Tool of the US Department of Homeland Security.
According to the data, the total number of Indian students pursuing various educational programs (primary, secondary, other vocational, high school, language training, flight school, associate, bachelor's, master’s, doctorate, and others) in the United States of America stands at February, 2025: 378,787 students and February 2026: 352,644 students, he said.
The figure indicates a decline of around 6.9 per cent in overall student enrolments in US academic institutions, he added.
The MEA was also asked whether the "increase in visa scrutiny" is contributing to this decline.
On June 18, 2025, the US Department of State issued a press release titled, 'Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants'.
It mentioned that the US uses all available information in its visa screening and vetting process to identify visa applicants who are "inadmissible" to the US, including those who "pose a threat to US national security," the minister of state said.
The current US Administration has also announced that "a US visa is a privilege, not a right".
Under the new guidance, the US would conduct a comprehensive vetting, including online presence of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J non-immigrant classifications.
Singh said that to facilitate this vetting, the US has required all applicants to adjust the privacy settings on their social media profiles to 'public'.
“The new US guidance mentions that every visa adjudication is a national security decision and calls on all applicants to credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission," he said.
In June 2025, the US Embassy in New Delhi also informed that the grant of a student visa does not guarantee the continued stay of the student in the United States, he added.
They confirmed that the visa monitoring continues post-approval, and rule-breaking can lead to the revocation of the visa and deportation.
He added that such violations may include discontinuing academic programmes without notification; minor legal infractions such as driving without a licence or traffic violations; driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI); overstaying visa validity; or engaging in activities inconsistent with visa conditions.
The above measures, including increased scrutiny and compliance requirements, have had "an impact on the number of US student visas issued to Indian nationals," Singh said.
While issuance of visa and the related policy and processes are the sovereign prerogative of the concerned state, the Centre has been regularly raising all issues being confronted by Indian students with the US authorities at various levels, he said.
The MEA continues to remain engaged with the relevant US authorities to promote mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks that allow for streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and professionals, the minister of state said.
In another query, the MEA was asked whether F-1 visas for Indian students have dropped during June-July 2025, compared to the corresponding months of 2024, as per the data released by the US Department of State.
According to the data on non-immigrant visas, the total number of F-1 visas issued to Indian students for the period June-July 2025 has seen a 69 per cent decline compared to the same period in 2024, Singh said.
The corresponding figures in this period for other years stood at 62,229 (in 2022), 72,027 (in 2023) and 41,336 (in 2024), according to data shared by the government in the response.
F-1 visas are required by international students to pursue education in the US.
Singh said increased scrutiny and compliance requirements have had an impact on the number of US F-1 visas issued to Indian nationals.
- 2 April 2026 8:15 PM IST
PM Modi to address poll rally in Kerala on April 4
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala on April 4 as part of the NDA’s Assembly election campaign, BJP sources said on Thursday. The PM is scheduled to attend a public meeting in Thiruvalla and take part in a roadshow in Thiruvananthapuram, they added. Modi will arrive at the NSS College grounds in Changanassery, Kottayam district, at around 3 pm and travel by road to Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district. There, he will address a large gathering at the Public Stadium, with party leaders and NDA candidates from nearby constituencies expected to be present.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister will reach Thiruvananthapuram and participate in a roadshow covering about 1.5 kilometres from Killipalam Junction to Karamana, which is expected to draw a large number of party workers and supporters. Senior BJP leaders, including Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan, will also take part. Modi is expected to meet NDA candidates from the district before returning to Delhi in the evening.
Kerala will go to the polls on April 9. PTI
- 2 April 2026 7:53 PM IST
We need AIADMK at least in Opposition: Kanimozhi's jibe at Palaniswami
DMK leader Kanimozhi on Thursday took a swipe at the AIADMK over its alliance with the BJP, saying its leader Edappadi K Palaniswami would face the same fate as JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, and wanted the party "at least" in the opposition.
The Lok Sabha MP, addressing a public meeting Manamadurai for the April 23 polls, claimed it was not a mere Assembly election but a battle between "Keeladi and Nagpur, the headquarters of RSS."
She was referring to the Keeladi archaeological excavations in this district, and claimed the findings have proven the heritage value of Tamil, which the "BJP does not want to accept." She said Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin had asked the Centre to accept the report of the findings, which it has not.
"They (BJP-led Centre) didn't accept it since that would reveal the significance of Tamils and the Tamil race to the world. The BJP cannot accept it; (a government) which keeps imposing Hindi on Tamil Nadu, gives pittance as allocation for Tamil compared to Sanskrit," she said.
She lashed out at the AIADMK for aligning with the BJP. "As a Tamil, Palaniswami should have said that the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should accept the research report. Palaniswami thinks he will be made to sit in the (CM) seat. Just think what happened to Nitish Kumar. Someone who should have been CM is sitting in the Rajya Sabha," she said. Kanimozhi was referring to Kumar's decision to step down as Bihar CM and move to the Upper House of Parliament.
Further mocking the AIADMK chief, she said, "If you have a favourite place (state), let Amit Shah know about it. He will only send you as governor there." She further said it was "well-known" what has happened to the other allies of the BJP.
"I am concerned, Tamil Nadu needs an opposition party, no? We believe in democracy; you (AIADMK) should at least be in opposition, and I am saying this out of concern. Please take care," the Lok Sabha MP said.
The victory of the ruling DMK and CM Stalin is "decided". The upcoming fight was not merely confined to the hustings, Kanimozhi said.
- 2 April 2026 7:39 PM IST
Lok Sabha adjourned till April 16; women reservation law in focus
The Lok Sabha was adjourned on Thursday until April 16, with indications suggesting that the government may introduce a bill aimed at increasing the number of seats in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies to facilitate the implementation of the women's reservation law.
The House was adjourned soon after the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, was passed by voice vote.
In the morning, Speaker Om Birla announced that he had received a request from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to reconvene the House on April 16 for pressing government matters. He said there will be no Question Hour, Zero Hour, or private members' business when the House reconvenes. According to sources, the two Houses will reconvene for three days from April 16 to take up the proposed legislation.
This marked the latter part of the Budget Session, at the end of which the House typically adjourns sine die. The House usually convenes again for the Monsoon Session.
- 2 April 2026 7:15 PM IST
Macron says military option to reopen Strait of Hormuz is 'unrealistic'
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said France considers it “unrealistic” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz through a military operation.
“There are people who advocate the idea of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by force, through a military operation, a position that has at times been expressed by the United States,” Macron told reporters during a visit to South Korea. “That has never been the option we have chosen, and we consider it unrealistic.” Macron said a military operation “would take an infinite amount of time and would expose anyone passing through the strait to coastal threats from (Iran's) Revolutionary Guard, who has capabilities, ballistic missiles and many other risks.” The reopening of the Strait “can only be done in coordination with Iran,” through negotiations that would follow a potential ceasefire, Macron said.
France is pushing for an international mission involving European and non-European nations to escort oil and gas tankers and reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the most intense phase of the conflict is over.
- 2 April 2026 4:34 PM IST
'Godman' Kharat sent to 7-day police custody by Nashik court in second rape case
A court in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Thursday (April 2) remanded self-styled godman Ashok Kharat to seven-day police custody in a second rape case, where he is accused of sexually exploiting a woman on multiple occasions since 2020, under the guise of religious rituals.
Kharat, arrested by a Special Investigation Team on Wednesday in the second rape case, was produced via video conferencing from jail before Chief Judicial Magistrate B N Ichpurani, who sent him to SIT custody till April 8. The 'godman', a former merchant navy officer, was in 14-day judicial custody in the first rape case and lodged in the Nashik Road Central Jail from where he was taken into custody by the SIT.
Kharat was arrested on March 17 after a 35-year-old woman lodged a rape complaint against him at the Sarkarwada police station in Nashik district in north Maharashtra. Accordingly, a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, was registered against him.
The victim in the second case was in contact with Kharat since 2013 when she first met him on advice of a relative to fix her marriage. Even after marriage, he was in contact with the woman under the pretext of providing solutions to her family problems and exploited her sexually, according to the complaint. The woman, who has two children from the marriage, later separated from her husband due to marital differences. When she again contacted Kharat to discuss her future and remarriage prospects, he started exploiting her sexually, the woman alleged in the complaint. He called her to his office and raped her under the pretext of religious rituals. When she became pregnant, he gave her pills and forced her to abort her pregnancy, as per the complaint.
Kharat sexually exploited the woman since February 2020 and threatened to destroy her and her children's lives if she resisted his moves, it said. After Kharat's misdeeds came to light following the registration of the first rape case, the woman mustered courage and lodged a police complaint on March 21. At least 10 FIRs -- eight for alleged sexual assault or exploitation of women and two for cheating -- have been registered against Kharat, while the SIT probing allegations against him has received more than 100 complaints over the phone against him.
The 'godman' heads a temple trust at Sinnar in Nashik district and had met several political leaders over the years. Last week, the SIT visited Kharat's office in Nashik along with a forensic science team, from where they recovered several documents, files and other evidence. Notably, a 20-feet remote-controlled mechanised snake was also seized from his office. Kharat allegedly used the snake to make his visitors believe that he could control a live snake and thus possessed supernatural powers.
- 2 April 2026 3:45 PM IST
India’s manufacturing growth hits 4-year low amid West Asia conflict
India's manufacturing sector experienced a slowdown in growth, reaching a four-year low in March. This decline was attributed to cost pressures, intense competition, increased market uncertainty, and the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which resulted in more modest rises in new orders and production, according to a monthly report released on Thursday.
The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell from 56.9 in February to 53.9 in March, indicating the weakest improvement in overall business conditions in close to four years.
In the PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below 50 denotes contraction.
"India's manufacturing PMI eased to 53.9 in March from 56.9 in February, marking its lowest level since June 2022. Disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East are reverberating through the global economy and weighing on Indian manufacturers," said Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC.
- 2 April 2026 3:31 PM IST
Iran vows lethal response to ground attacks: 'Not a single one should be alive'
Hours after US President Donald Trump issued fresh threats to Iran, the latter's army asked its operational headquarters to keep a precise vigilance on enemy movements and prepare to retaliate against any attack, particularly on the ground, the country's state media said on Thursday.
Video footage also came to the fore showing Iranian Army Chief Amir Hatami holding a video conference with the operational headquarters. He warned that not a single member of the enemy side should be alive if there is a ground operation.
“If the enemy launches a ground operation, not a single one of them should come out alive,” Hatami was quoted as saying.
The US and Iran have been exchanging warnings over the past weeks. Tehran's latest warning of inflicting "crushing" attacks on the US and Israel came soon after Trump said the US will hit Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks.
Also read: If US plans Iran ground war, where does it launch it from?
- 2 April 2026 3:23 PM IST
Putin to host Egyptian foreign minister amid West Asia crisis; focus on war
In a significant development in the midst of the conflict in West Asia, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Moscow on Thursday for discussions that would focus on the crisis and the wider region, which has faced threats as well as damage in Iranian retaliation against the Israeli-American strikes.
The two leaders would also discuss bilateral relations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the development.
The Egyptian minister's visit comes a day after Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told Putin that Moscow’s international role could facilitate efforts to bring the conflict to an end, according to sources in the Egyptian presidency. Egypt has been among the countries, along with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, that are trying to de-escalate the tensions.
