Political Developments
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 Intensifies
Tej Pratap Yadav's Rebellion: Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, declared he would "choose death over returning to the RJD," signaling deep family divisions within Bihar's opposition Mahagathbandhan coalition just weeks before voting begins.
PM Modi's Campaign Push: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched intensive rally campaigns across Bihar, expressing confidence that the NDA will "break all records" in the November 6-11 elections, with the government already preparing for victory celebrations.
Nitish Kumar's Resolute Stance: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar firmly rejected any reconciliation with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD, positioning the BJP-led NDA as the stable governing force amid Bihar's political churn.
AIMIM's Muslim Vote Challenge: Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has fielded 32 candidates in Muslim-majority regions of Seemanchal and Mithilanchal, potentially fracturing the opposition's vote base.
West Bengal Electoral Preparations
Special Intensive Revision Begins: Sources in the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer's office announced that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will commence after November 1, 2025, and continue until February 2026 — a critical pre-election exercise ahead of state assembly polls.
BLO Safety Concerns: Officials face significant challenges recruiting Booth Level Officers due to safety concerns, with at least 600 BLOs summoned for their reluctance to participate in the revision process.
Delhi and National Governance
Yamuna Water Quality Dispute: Delhi's BJP-led government defended its efforts to clean the Yamuna ahead of Chhath Puja, despite DPCC reports showing the river remains largely unsafe for bathing; the government claims "seven months of hard work" has shown clear improvement.
AI Content Guidelines: The Election Commission issued fresh directives requiring political parties to label all AI-generated and synthetic campaign content to prevent misinformation during the Bihar and West Bengal elections.
OCI e-Arrival Card Simplification: Overseas Citizens of India can now submit e-Arrival cards online within 72 hours before arrival through multiple platforms, eliminating the need for physical form submission on flights.
Economic and Fiscal Highlights
India Outpaces China with 6.6% Growth Forecast
IMF Upgrade: The International Monetary Fund upwardly revised India's FY2025-26 growth projection to 6.6%, surpassing China's forecast of just 4.8%, driven by strong Q1 growth of 7.8% and resilient domestic demand.
Tariff Resilience: Despite U.S. tariff threats on Indian exports, the IMF noted that tariff effects have been "less severe than anticipated" thanks to India's diversified economy and trade strategies.
Government's Confidence: The Indian government maintained its official GDP forecast at 6.3-6.8% for FY2025-26, backed by solid consumption and investment momentum.
Moderate 2026 Outlook: The IMF trimmed its 2026 forecast to 6.2%, cautioning that early-year momentum may ease.
Trade and Foreign Investment
Mongolia Strategic Partnership: India inked a new Strategic Partnership Agreement with Mongolia this month to secure critical minerals supply, marking a decade-long commitment to resource security.
UK Trade Deal Benefits: During India-UK talks, both nations agreed to expand investments in AI, fintech, and clean energy, with youth empowerment embedded at the core of India's foreign policy and free trade agreements.
Print Media Rate Hike: The government announced a 27% hike in print advertisement rates effective after the Bihar elections, signaling government spending increases in media.
Emerging Concerns
Adani Group Investment Steering Controversy
Internal government documents reveal that Indian officials oversaw a plan to steer approximately $3.9 billion in investments toward Gautam Adani's businesses through the state-run Life Insurance Corporation, raising corporate governance questions.
Climate and Disaster Management
Cyclone Montha Approaches
A severe cyclone is set to make landfall along Andhra Pradesh's coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada on October 28, bringing extreme rainfall to Rayalaseema and neighboring regions. Bihar Elections Heat Up as Tej Pratap Rebels, India Defies Tariffs at 6.6% Growth, West Bengal SIR Set for November
October 25, 2025: The Bihar assembly election race intensifies as Tej Pratap Yadav rules out RJD return amid family friction, the IMF upgrades India's growth forecast to 6.6% outpacing China, West Bengal prepares for Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and the Election Commission bars AI-generated campaign content.
India's political economy dominates headlines on October 25, 2025, with crucial developments in upcoming elections, impressive economic resilience, and governance initiatives reshaping the nation's trajectory.
Political Developments
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 Intensifies
Tej Pratap Yadav's Rebellion: Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, declared he would "choose death over returning to the RJD," signaling deep family divisions within Bihar's opposition Mahagathbandhan coalition just weeks before voting begins.
PM Modi's Campaign Push: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched intensive rally campaigns across Bihar, expressing confidence that the NDA will "break all records" in the November 6-11 elections, with the government already preparing for victory celebrations.
Nitish Kumar's Resolute Stance: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar firmly rejected any reconciliation with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD, positioning the BJP-led NDA as the stable governing force amid Bihar's political churn.
AIMIM's Muslim Vote Challenge: Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has fielded 32 candidates in Muslim-majority regions of Seemanchal and Mithilanchal, potentially fracturing the opposition's vote base.
West Bengal Electoral Preparations
Special Intensive Revision Begins: Sources in the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer's office announced that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will commence after November 1, 2025, and continue until February 2026 — a critical pre-election exercise ahead of state assembly polls.
BLO Safety Concerns: Officials face significant challenges recruiting Booth Level Officers due to safety concerns, with at least 600 BLOs summoned for their reluctance to participate in the revision process.
Delhi and National Governance
Yamuna Water Quality Dispute: Delhi's BJP-led government defended its efforts to clean the Yamuna ahead of Chhath Puja, despite DPCC reports showing the river remains largely unsafe for bathing; the government claims "seven months of hard work" has shown clear improvement.
AI Content Guidelines: The Election Commission issued fresh directives requiring political parties to label all AI-generated and synthetic campaign content to prevent misinformation during the Bihar and West Bengal elections.
OCI e-Arrival Card Simplification: Overseas Citizens of India can now submit e-Arrival cards online within 72 hours before arrival through multiple platforms, eliminating the need for physical form submission on flights.
Economic and Fiscal Highlights
India Outpaces China with 6.6% Growth Forecast
IMF Upgrade: The International Monetary Fund upwardly revised India's FY2025-26 growth projection to 6.6%, surpassing China's forecast of just 4.8%, driven by strong Q1 growth of 7.8% and resilient domestic demand.
Tariff Resilience: Despite U.S. tariff threats on Indian exports, the IMF noted that tariff effects have been "less severe than anticipated" thanks to India's diversified economy and trade strategies.
Government's Confidence: The Indian government maintained its official GDP forecast at 6.3-6.8% for FY2025-26, backed by solid consumption and investment momentum.
Moderate 2026 Outlook: The IMF trimmed its 2026 forecast to 6.2%, cautioning that early-year momentum may ease.
Trade and Foreign Investment
Mongolia Strategic Partnership: India inked a new Strategic Partnership Agreement with Mongolia this month to secure critical minerals supply, marking a decade-long commitment to resource security.
UK Trade Deal Benefits: During India-UK talks, both nations agreed to expand investments in AI, fintech, and clean energy, with youth empowerment embedded at the core of India's foreign policy and free trade agreements.
Print Media Rate Hike: The government announced a 27% hike in print advertisement rates effective after the Bihar elections, signaling government spending increases in media.
Emerging Concerns
Adani Group Investment Steering Controversy
Internal government documents reveal that Indian officials oversaw a plan to steer approximately $3.9 billion in investments toward Gautam Adani's businesses through the state-run Life Insurance Corporation, raising corporate governance questions.
Climate and Disaster Management
Cyclone Montha Approaches
A severe cyclone is set to make landfall along Andhra Pradesh's coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada on October 28, bringing extreme rainfall to Rayalaseema and neighboring regions.
Political Developments
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 Intensifies
Tej Pratap Yadav's Rebellion: Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, declared he would "choose death over returning to the RJD," signaling deep family divisions within Bihar's opposition Mahagathbandhan coalition just weeks before voting begins.
PM Modi's Campaign Push: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched intensive rally campaigns across Bihar, expressing confidence that the NDA will "break all records" in the November 6-11 elections, with the government already preparing for victory celebrations.
Nitish Kumar's Resolute Stance: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar firmly rejected any reconciliation with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD, positioning the BJP-led NDA as the stable governing force amid Bihar's political churn.
AIMIM's Muslim Vote Challenge: Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has fielded 32 candidates in Muslim-majority regions of Seemanchal and Mithilanchal, potentially fracturing the opposition's vote base.
West Bengal Electoral Preparations
Special Intensive Revision Begins: Sources in the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer's office announced that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will commence after November 1, 2025, and continue until February 2026 — a critical pre-election exercise ahead of state assembly polls.
BLO Safety Concerns: Officials face significant challenges recruiting Booth Level Officers due to safety concerns, with at least 600 BLOs summoned for their reluctance to participate in the revision process.
Delhi and National Governance
Yamuna Water Quality Dispute: Delhi's BJP-led government defended its efforts to clean the Yamuna ahead of Chhath Puja, despite DPCC reports showing the river remains largely unsafe for bathing; the government claims "seven months of hard work" has shown clear improvement.
AI Content Guidelines: The Election Commission issued fresh directives requiring political parties to label all AI-generated and synthetic campaign content to prevent misinformation during the Bihar and West Bengal elections.
OCI e-Arrival Card Simplification: Overseas Citizens of India can now submit e-Arrival cards online within 72 hours before arrival through multiple platforms, eliminating the need for physical form submission on flights.
Economic and Fiscal Highlights
India Outpaces China with 6.6% Growth Forecast
IMF Upgrade: The International Monetary Fund upwardly revised India's FY2025-26 growth projection to 6.6%, surpassing China's forecast of just 4.8%, driven by strong Q1 growth of 7.8% and resilient domestic demand.
Tariff Resilience: Despite U.S. tariff threats on Indian exports, the IMF noted that tariff effects have been "less severe than anticipated" thanks to India's diversified economy and trade strategies.
Government's Confidence: The Indian government maintained its official GDP forecast at 6.3-6.8% for FY2025-26, backed by solid consumption and investment momentum.
Moderate 2026 Outlook: The IMF trimmed its 2026 forecast to 6.2%, cautioning that early-year momentum may ease.
Trade and Foreign Investment
Mongolia Strategic Partnership: India inked a new Strategic Partnership Agreement with Mongolia this month to secure critical minerals supply, marking a decade-long commitment to resource security.
UK Trade Deal Benefits: During India-UK talks, both nations agreed to expand investments in AI, fintech, and clean energy, with youth empowerment embedded at the core of India's foreign policy and free trade agreements.
Print Media Rate Hike: The government announced a 27% hike in print advertisement rates effective after the Bihar elections, signaling government spending increases in media.
Emerging Concerns
Adani Group Investment Steering Controversy
Internal government documents reveal that Indian officials oversaw a plan to steer approximately $3.9 billion in investments toward Gautam Adani's businesses through the state-run Life Insurance Corporation, raising corporate governance questions.
Climate and Disaster Management
Cyclone Montha Approaches
A severe cyclone is set to make landfall along Andhra Pradesh's coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada on October 28, bringing extreme rainfall to Rayalaseema and neighboring regions.