top news of the day February 21, 2026

Bangladesh moving towards restoring visa for Indians, say Diplomatic sources

Days after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led (BNP) government took charge after scoring a major electoral in, Bangladesh is moving towards normalising visa facilities for Indian visitors, a diplomatic source has confirmed to The Hindu. However, a formal notification in this regard is yet to be issued by Bangladesh. Bangladesh had halted issuing of visas in December 2025 when Indian missions faced protest and several incidents of stone pelting targeting Indian missions and visa centres were reported in Bangladesh. Subsequently, protests were held in India targeting Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi as well as visa centres in West Bengal. Against this backdrop, the High Commission of Bangladesh had paused visa issuance and issued a public notice in this regard.

Government studying implications of U.S. tariff, says Commerce Ministry

The Indian government is studying the developments on the U.S. tariff and their implications, the Commerce Ministry said on Saturday (February 21, 2026). India now faces a lower tariff rate of 10%, down from 18%, after U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday (February 20, 2026) announced a new global levy in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict against his tariffs. The proclamation said a “temporary import surcharge of 10% ad valorem” on articles imported into the U.S. is effective for a period of 150 days starting February 24.

Shirtless protest: Court sends arrested Youth Congress workers to five-day police custody

A Delhi court on Saturday (February 21, 2026) sent the four Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers, who were arrested for protesting at the AI Impact Summit venue a day ago, to five-day police custody. Judicial Magistrate Ravi allowed the Delhi Police’s plea seeking five days of custodial interrogation of the accused persons. A detailed order is awaited. The arrested protesters were Krishna Hari, national secretary of Youth Congress from Bihar; Kundan Yadav, IYC state secretary, Bihar; Ajay Kumar, IYC state president, Uttar Pradesh; and Narasimha Yadav from Telangana.

BJP workers show black flags to Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai over Youth Congress AI summit protest

BJP workers staged a black-flag protest against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai on Saturday (February 21, 2026), calling it a response to the Youth Congress’s protest at the AI Summit. Mr. Gandhi landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in the morning and travelled by road to Bhiwandi in neighbouring Thane district to appear before a court in the 2014 defamation case. A group of BJP supporters staged a protest at Mulund toll naka and raised slogans against him. Speaking to reporters, protesters alleged that Mr. Gandhi consistently opposes the initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of tarnishing the country’s image.

It would be ‘fine’ if Israel took over entire West Asia region, says U.S. Envoy Mike Huckabee

Israel has “historical and biblical rights” to West Asia and “it would be fine if they took it all”, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said in a newly released interview with podcaster Tucker Carlson. He later appeared to walk back on the remark, describing it as a “hyperbolic statement”. Mr. Huckabee, a former Republican Governor of Arkansas appointed Ambassador to Israel by the Trump administration, discussed with Mr. Carlson Israel’s “biblical rights” to the land and interpretations of the Old Testament.“This is a small population of people. They have a connection to this land, historically, biblically,” said Mr. Huckabee about the Jews. “This particular area we are talking about now, Israel, is a land that God gave through Abraham to a people that he chose. It was a people, a place, and a purpose We can look at it that way,” he said.

RSS defamation case: Rahul Gandhi appears in Bhiwandi court, names Sapkal as new guarantor

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (February 21, 2026) appeared before the Bhiwandi magistrate’s court to furnish a fresh surety in a 2014 defamation case filed by an RSS activist, naming the party’s Maharashtra chief Harshwardhan Sapkal as his new guarantor. While Mr. Gandhi is on his way to Bhiwandi from Mumbai, BJP workers show black flags to him in Mumbai. The BJP workers call it response to Youth Congress protest at AI Summit on February 20. The Bhiwandi magistrate’s court had asked Mr. Gandhi to present a fresh surety in the case, as former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who had stood as his surety or guarantor, passed away in December last year.

Maoism to be eliminated from India by March 31: Home Minister Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday (February 21, 2026) asserted that the forces responsible for internal security would eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) from the country by March 31. Addressing the 87th Raising Day parade of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at a multi-sports complex in Guwahati, Mr. Shah praised the force for successfully containing the Maoist issue in three years. “My confidence in the CRPF makes me reiterate that we will rid the country of the Maoist problem by March 31,” he said. “When the red terror ends in the country, I will say without hesitation that the CRPF and its CoBRA battalions had a big role in it. The nation should always remember this,” Mr Shah said.

India now faces lower tariff rate of 10% with Trump’s proclamation on new levies after U.S. Supreme Court verdict

India now faces a lower tariff rate of 10%, down from 18%, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new global levy on items imported into America in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict against his sweeping tariffs. In a proclamation titled ‘Imposing a Temporary Import Surcharge to Address Fundamental International Payments Problems’, Mr. Trump said he is imposing, for a period of 150 days, a “temporary import surcharge of 10% ad valorem” on articles imported into the United States, effective February 24. Given this new tariff rate of 10%, which will be applicable on countries around the world, Indian goods being imported into the U.S. would no longer be subject to the 18% tariff rate that had been decided on following the announcement of a framework for an Interim Agreement on trade between India and the U.S.

NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar writes to PM Modi seeking ouster of Civil Aviation Minister

NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar on Saturday (February 21, 2026) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the ouster of Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and demanding an independent probe into the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Mr. Rohit Pawar, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, alleged that Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash at Baramati last month was caused as part of a conspiracy involving the air charter company VSR.

India, Brazil set bilateral trade target of over $20 billion in five years

India and Brazil on Saturday (February 21, 2026) set a bilateral trade target of more than $20 billion in the next five years, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, focussing in the areas of critical minerals and security. Mr. Modi said the relations between India and Brazil have long benefitted from President Lula’s visionary outlook and inspiring leadership.

Shantmanu takes oath as Jammu and Kashmir SEC, hints at holding local body elections

Former bureaucrat Shantmanu, who was on Saturday (February 21, 2026) sworn in as the State Election Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) for a five-year term, underscored the importance of holding the long-pending panchayat and urban local body elections in the Union Territory. Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office to the retired IAS officer at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Jammu.

Monks criticise Sri Lankan Govt over ‘organised campaign to sully Buddhism’

A section of the powerful Buddhist clergy in Sri Lanka has criticised the government over what they termed an “organised campaign being run by vested interests to sully Buddhism”, the majority religion, and monks. Issuing a 10-point ultimatum, the monks said the stature of Buddhism and monks was being “politically undermined” and called for urgent government attention. Addressing a gathering, leading monk Muruththettuwe Ananda said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had called him to persuade him from going ahead with the meeting, attended by monks from all provinces. “He asked me to come to have talks with him and to stop this,” Ananda said. Article 9 of the country’s constitution warrants the head of state and the government to foster Buddhism, the religion of 74% of the population, while preserving the rights of other religions.

MNS Chief Raj Thackeray stresses need for constructive Opposition, reaches out to ruling dispensation

Asserting that the “politics of suspicion” was detrimental to democracy, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Friday (February 20, 2026) emphasised the need for a constructive Opposition that engages with the government on matters of public interest. “Maharashtra used to have a healthy political culture. After the elections, everyone used to meet each other and talk. That has stopped. Now, everything is looked at with contempt. This will not work,” Mr. Thackeray told, while defending his recent meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Aus. Women vs Ind. Women third T20I: India beat Australia by 17 runs, seal series 2-1

Smriti Mandhana’s blazing fifty was complemented by a superlative bowling display as India defeated Australia by 17 runs in the deciding third and final Women’s T20I to seal the three-match series 2-1 in Adelaide on Saturday (February 21, 2026). Opting to bat, India rode on a half centuries from vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (82) and charismatic batter Jemimah Rodrigues (59) to score a huge 176 for 6. Mandhana and Rodrigues stitched together a 121-run stand to guide India to an imposing total.

Tilak Varma has been delivering for India, confident he will do better: Suryakumar Yadav

In an age of instant judgment, an opener failing to open his account thrice may seem like a catastrophe, but Suryakumar Yadav strongly backed Abhishek Sharma. Addressing the media at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday (February 21, 2026), the Indian skipper effusively supported Abhishek. “I worry for the people who are worried about Abhishek’s form. When he scores a run, you have seen what happens. The team has a requirement that the boy should play with his identity. If it happens, then it’s fine, if it doesn’t, then we are there to cover. Last year he covered for us, now we will cover for him,” Suryakumar said ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup clash against South Africa.

Published – February 21, 2026 06:04 pm IST