India's Supreme Court halts the execution of a 2008 blast convict as Putin lauds Modi's plan to end the Russia‑Ukraine war, signaling new diplomatic ties.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposals for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as India's Supreme Court stayed an execution in the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts and issued directives on public safety.

Diplomatic and economic engagements

Putin commended the Indian prime minister for constructive ideas regarding the conflict that began in February 2022. The statement follows repeated calls from New Delhi for direct dialogue and diplomatic resolution between Moscow and Kyiv.

Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu announced a target to expand bilateral trade with India to $70 billion within five years. Sidhu said Canada remains the largest collective institutional investor in India, with current investments exceeding $100 billion across multiple economic sectors.

Supreme Court rulings and legal proceedings

The Supreme Court stayed the execution of a convicted terror operative involved in the 2008 Ahmedabad coordinated bombings. The original attack included explosions at medical facilities treating wounded victims.

The top court separately condemned physical and verbal attacks on medical professionals by political figures. The bench ruled that healthcare staff require strict protection while delivering essential medical services to citizens.

A Delhi court upheld administrative rules allowing senior citizens to evict adult children from their residential properties. The court ruled that the enforcement provisions derive authority from Sections 22 and 32 of the relevant legislation to protect elderly citizens' assets and personal security.

State security orders and police enforcement

The Assam government issued an explicit directive prohibiting official VIP convoys from stopping emergency ambulances. The directive followed public debate surrounding a patient death at Silchar Medical College and Hospital, though hospital officials and family members confirmed the patient died from chronic liver cirrhosis rather than traffic delays.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust mandated complete police verification for all temple personnel in Ayodhya. Police character certificates and family background details will be required for every employee working on the premises.

Police in Srinagar dismantled an inter-state pharmaceutical drug syndicate, seizing over 219,000 tablets and capsules alongside cash, gold, and a firearm. In Gujarat, border police uprooted an illegal cannabis plantation in a rural village, confiscating 967 plants weighing 345.6 kilograms with an estimated value of Rs 1.72 crore.

Climate data and regional news

Official weather statistics revealed India's 2026 monsoon recorded its lowest overall rainfall in a decade. Meteorologists attributed the precipitation deficit to the formation and strengthening of an El Nino climate pattern in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

In neighboring Nepal, the death toll from an avalanche at the Himlung Himal base camp rose to 15. The disaster buried tents housing mountaineers and local support staff at an altitude of 7,126 meters in the Manang district.

Saudi Arabian authorities extradited an Omani co-pilot to the United Arab Emirates following an inflight stabbing incident aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073, where Captain Smit Machchhar sustained injuries during the flight.