India

India: the 6th largest economy in the world by Nominal GDP

As of April 2026, India is the 6th largest economy in the world by Nominal GDP.

While India briefly held the 4th and 5th spots in recent years, recent shifts in exchange rates and statistical updates have adjusted its current standing. However, it remains the fastest-growing major economy globally.

Global Rankings (Nominal GDP, 2026)

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) April 2026 World Economic Outlook ranks the top economies as follows:

1    United States    $32.38 Trillion   Holding steady
2    China    $20.85 Trillion   Slowing growth
3    Germany    $5.45 Trillion   High energy costs
4    Japan    $4.38 Trillion   Reclaimed rank from India
5    United Kingdom    $4.26   Trillion Reclaimed rank from India
6    India    $4.15 Trillion   Fastest major growth (6.5%)

Why did India slip to 6th?

It is important to note that this isn't due to a domestic slowdown. Economists point to two technical reasons:

    Currency Depreciation: The Indian Rupee (INR) has depreciated against the US Dollar (reaching around ₹92–₹94/$). Since global rankings are measured in USD, a weaker rupee "shrinks" the dollar value of the economy, even as the country grows in real terms.

    Base Year Revision: India recently updated its GDP base year calculations. This refined methodology resulted in a slightly lower nominal GDP figure in dollar terms compared to previous older-model projections.

The PPP Advantage

When looking at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)—which adjusts for the cost of living and local buying power—India is much higher. In this category, India is the 3rd largest economy in the world, trailing only China and the United States.

Future Outlook

Despite the current "speed bump" in nominal rankings, India’s trajectory remains strong:

    Growth Rate: Projected at 6.5% for 2026, significantly higher than the UK (0.8%) or Japan (0.7%).

    Goal: Economists expect India to regain the 4th spot by 2027 and reach the 3rd spot by 2030–2031.

While India is a massive economy in aggregate, its GDP per capita remains lower at approximately $2,813, reflecting the challenge of distributing that wealth across a population of 1.4 billion.

Amaravati becomes the permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh, what did CM Naidu say?

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Amaravati has been officially designated as the permanent capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The Government of India issued a gazette notification to this effect on Monday. This decision was taken after the approval of President of India Draupadi Murmu.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also announced this on their official Twitter handles.

Chandrababu Naidu wrote on Twitter, "On behalf of the people of Andhra Pradesh, I heartily thank President Draupadi Murmu for approving the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2026."

"This has fulfilled our long-cherished dream of having a capital. I also express my gratitude to the Central Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for keeping their promise and providing guidance to our state."

Why did the Grand Alliance suffer a crushing defeat in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections?: Analysis

The Grand Alliance suffered a crushing defeat in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The NDA, on the other hand, achieved a landslide victory. While the NDA secured 202 seats, the Grand Alliance secured only 35 seats, while other parties secured six seats.

In the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is part of the NDA, won 89 seats, the Janata Dal (United) 85 seats, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 19 seats, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) 5 seats, and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha 4 seats.

Whereas in the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which was part of the Grand Alliance, won 25 seats, the Indian National Congress won 6 seats, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) won 2 seats, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) won 1 seat, and the Indian Inclusive Party won 1 seat.

Furthermore, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen won 5 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 1 seat in the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections.

Why did the Grand Alliance suffer a crushing defeat in the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections?

Perwez Anwer is a senior political analyst and the news director and editor-in-chief of the IBTN Group.

Perwez Anwer says that there are several reasons for the Grand Alliance's crushing defeat. First, the biggest reason is the internal conflict within the Lalu family, which sent a wrong message in Bihar. Lalu Yadav expelled his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the party and family for six years. As a result, Tej Pratap Yadav formed his own party, the Janshakti Janata Dal, and contested the elections. Although Tej Pratap Yadav lost the election, it harmed the RJD.

Second, Asaduddin Owaisi's party, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, had demanded six seats from the Grand Alliance, which the Grand Alliance refused to provide. Owaisi's party won five seats and lost one by a narrow margin. However, contesting more than 20 seats harmed the Grand Alliance.

Third, declaring Mukesh Sahni as the Grand Alliance's Deputy Chief Ministerial face proved suicidal for the Grand Alliance. This led to considerable opposition. The question was raised: if Mukesh Sahni, who belongs to the Mallah caste, which constitutes approximately 2% of Bihar's population, could be declared the Deputy Chief Ministerial face, why was not a Muslim, who constitutes 18% of the population, declared the Deputy Chief Ministerial face?

Mukesh Sahni's party suffered a crushing defeat in the elections. None of its candidates won.

Fourth, Prashant Kishore Pandey's Jan Suraj Party may have suffered a crushing defeat, but it caused a significant loss to the Grand Alliance.

Fifth, just before the elections, the Bihar government gave ₹10,000 to each of approximately 13.5 million women, ensuring a landslide victory for the NDA.

LIVE: India, Pakistan launch probes after blasts in New Delhi, Islamabad

Wednesday, 12 November 2025

Pakistan has blamed "Indian proxies" for being behind the attack in Islamabad that killed at least 12 people on Tuesday, 11 November 2025. 
    
A car explosion in India's capital New Delhi on Monday, 10 November 2025 killed 13 people.
    
India said it "unequivocally" rejects the "baseless and unfounded allegations being made by an obviously delirious Pakistani leadership".
    
Indian police invoked a "terror" law after the Delhi blast as India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged a "conspiracy".

India’s prime minister has visited the LNJP Hospital in New Delhi to meet those injured in the deadly explosion near the Red Fort metro station, reiterating his earlier comments, promising to bring those behind the "conspiracy" to justice.

Delhi Red Fort blast live: Terrorism law invoked in India after 13 killed

Tuesday, 11 November 2025

At least 13  people have been killed and 20 injured in a car blast that took place on Monday, 10 November 2025 night close to the Red Fort in India’s capital, New Delhi.
    
No cause for the explosion has been given, but police in the Indian capital territory have invoked an “anti-terror” law.
    
India Home Minister Amit Shah says the explosion occurred just before 7pm (13:30 GMT) and is believed to have originated from a Hyundai i20 car that had stopped at a traffic signal.
    
The blast left mangled bodies and wrecked cars scattered near the site as police and investigators cordoned off the area and pushed back crowds.

An investigation into the cause of the explosion is under way, with investigators focusing on security camera footage, local media reported.
    
Delhi police are investigating the incident under a stringent "anti-terror" law, while federal Home Minister Amit Shah has said "all angles" are being investigated.
    
Police have detained the owner of the car from the neighbouring city of Gurugram.
    
Authorities placed major railway stations across India, including Mumbai in Maharashtra state and the adjoining state of Uttar Pradesh, on security alert following the explosion, and intensified security checks across New Delhi, particularly in train stations.

Authorities have closed the Red Fort for the next three days, according to The Indian Express newspaper.

The Red Fort, known locally as Lal Qila, is a Mughal-era fortress in Old Delhi that once served as the main residence of the Mughal emperors. It is one of India’s most significant landmarks and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

The area around the Red Fort has been cordoned off as authorities continue their investigation.

The initial police investigation suggests that the blast may have been a suicide attack, India’s ANI news agency is reporting citing government sources.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has vowed that “those responsible for this tragedy will be brought to justice”.

While authorities have not yet identified the cause of the explosion, police in the Indian capital territory have invoked an antiterror law as part of their investigation.

Singh said the government’s top agencies were “conducting a swift and thorough inquiry” into the incident.

“The findings of the investigation will soon be made public,” he added.

At least four dead, dozens missing as flash floods hit north India village 

Aug 5, 2025  
Flash floods have swept through a mountain village in northern India's Uttarakhand state, leaving at least four people dead and dozens missing. The disaster struck near Harsil, where torrential waters crashed down the mountainside, prompting an immediate response from army troops and disaster management teams. The State Disaster Response Force is coordinating rescue efforts with the military in what has become a large-scale operation.

Uttarakhand, situated in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, has become increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events linked to climate change. The region witnessed a similar tragedy four years ago when flash floods killed 200 people and destroyed hydroelectric projects. With approximately 10,000 glaciers in the Indian Himalayas, many of which are retreating due to rising global temperatures, the area faces ongoing environmental challenges and the risk of future disasters.

Al Jazeera's Caley Callahan reports.

Air India flight crashes in Ahmedabad with more than 240 people on board

Jun 12, 2025 
An Air India plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board has crashed in India's western city of Ahmedabad. 

The plane went down minutes after taking off from the airport.

It struggled to take flight and then crash landed directly into a medical college hostel close to the airport, killing many medical students.  

Al Jazeera’s Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff reports.

Indian-Administered Kashmir devastated after deadly cross-border strikes, residents call for help

May 15, 2025
Border villages in Indian-administered Kashmir are reeling from the aftermath of the worst cross-border violence in decades. More than 60 people were killed in recent clashes between Indian and Pakistani forces, triggered by an attack on tourists in the region. New Delhi blames Pakistan-based groups, an accusation Islamabad strongly denies.

Al Jazeera’s Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff reports from Jammu, in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Thousands of Kashmiris remain displaced despite India-Pakistan ceasefire
 
May 11, 2025
A ceasefire between India and Pakistan has brought relief, but civilians who fled cross-border fighting in Indian-administered Kashmir are still wary of returning to their homes.

Calm returns to cities in Indian-administered Kashmir as ceasefire holds

May 11, 2025  
There's been a unsettled start to a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

Just a few hours after a truce was announced on Saturday both sides accused each other of violations.

In the last few hours there's been relative calm in both Indian and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Since Wednesday more than 60 people have been killed.

Al Jazeera’s Umar Mehraj is in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, seeing how people are reacting to the truce and Kamal Hyder is in Islamabad, Pakistan with political reaction from there.

Michael Shoebridge, director of think tank Strategic Analysis Australia, says India and Pakistan were ready for a truce, because both sides “feel like they claim victory”.