🇮🇳 India: National & Politics
Census Operations Begin:
Census 202627 exercise has begun with door-to-door data collection in some states and Union Territories. The government has also released warning messages that people need to beware of fake verification.

🇮🇳 India Highlights
Political Bihar:
A significant political change has taken place in Bihar where Nitish Kumar resigned as the Chief Minister. The state will now have its first BJP-led government with Samrat Choudhary assuming power.

🇮🇳 India Highlights
High Voter Participation:
There has been high voter turn out in the current state elections in which Puducherry has achieved a high turnout of about 90 percent, Assam 85 percent and Kerala 78 percent showing high levels of democracy.
Geopolitics of energy:
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri have been talking to West Asian partners to ensure that the energy supply in India is safe due to weak regional stability and maritime security fears in Strait of Hormuz.

🌎 International Relations: Ceasefire Relief.
US–Iran Breakthrough:
The United States and Iran have agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire which is said to have been brokered by diplomacy. The agreement involves reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the major arteries of the world oil shipment.
Diverse Global Responses:
As India has rejoiced the de-escalation, Israel has mentioned that its military activities in Lebanon would carry on without the agreement.

🇮🇳 India Highlights
Monetary Policy Watch:

• The Reserve Bank of India, led by Governor Sanjay Malhotra is likely to keep the repo rate at 5.25% but take a neutral position. The central bank is walking an economic fine line with stability in domestic growth and inflationary pressures all over the world, and especially with regard to geopolitical tensions.