The Indian Air Force’s “bold and precise” attacks on enemy targets during Operation Sindoor restored the rightful place of offensive air action in the national consciousness, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Wednesday.

The Chief of Air Staff also said that his force has proved to the world how air power can be effectively used in shaping military outcomes in just a few days.

Air Chief Marshal Singh was addressing air warriors on the occasion of the Air Force Day at the Hindon air base.

“Our performance in Operation Sindoor fills us with professional pride. We proved to the world how air power can be effectively used in shaping military outcome in just a few days,” he said.

The Chief of Air Staff described Operation Sindoor as a shining example of what can be achieved through “meticulous planning, disciplined training and determined execution.” “India’s bold and precise attacks restored the rightful place of offensive air action in the national consciousness,” he said.

“Our robust air defence architecture and offensive employment of long-range surface to air missiles systems limited the adversary’s ability to operate and ensured safety of our vital assets,” he said.

“The outstanding performance of the indigenously developed and integrated weapons which delivered precise and devastating blows deep inside enemy territory, vindicates our faith in home-grown capabilities,” he said.

Air Chief Marshal Singh noted that the increasing pace of integration of new systems, weapons and equipment into the IAF’s operational plans has been a “significant success”.

“I can see that there is an increased culture of accountability, safety and security amongst the air warriors and this is directly reflected in our reduced incidents and accidents,” he said.

“At all levels, leaders are leading from the front, demonstrating exceptional vision and empathy. They are ensuring that every individual is empowered with the necessary training and is motivated,” he added. (Agencies)

Gold prices on Wednesday rallied Rs 1,109 to a new record high of Rs 1,22,220 per 10 grams in the domestic futures market as investors flocked to safe-haven assets amid escalating global economic uncertainties and a dovish outlook from the US Federal Reserve.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for December delivery surged Rs 1,109, or 0.91 per cent, to hit an all-time high of Rs 1,22,220 per 10 grams.

Extending gains for the ninth straight session, the February 2026 contract for gold futures also climbed Rs 1,085, or 0.88 per cent, to reach a lifetime high of Rs 1,23,469 per 10 grams.

Silver futures too witnessed strong buying interest on MCX. The white metal for December delivery jumped Rs 2,387, or 1.63 per cent, to hit a record high of Rs 1,48,179 per kilogram.

The March 2026 contract for silver futures surged by Rs 2,485, or 1.68 per cent, to touch an all-time high of Rs 1,50,000 per kg on the commodities bourse.

In the international market, Comex gold futures for December delivery rose over 1 per cent to hit a record high of USD 4,051.55 per ounce, while silver futures for December gained nearly 2 per cent to hit a high of USD 48.61 per ounce.

Analysts said the rally in bullion was underpinned by a mix of safe-haven buying, falling bond yields, and rising expectations of further US interest rate cuts.

“Gold surpassed USD 4,000 per ounce, reaching a fresh milestone as investors fled to safety amid global economic uncertainties and a dovish Federal Reserve (Fed) outlook,” Jigar Trivedi, Senior Research Analyst at Reliance Securities, said.

Jigar Trivedi said the ongoing US government shutdown, now in its second week, has delayed key economic data, complicating assessments of the country’s economic health. “Despite this uncertainty, traders are pricing in 25 basis point rate cuts in October and December by the Fed,” he added.

Manav Modi, Analyst – Precious Metal Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, said the ongoing political turmoil in France and a recent leadership change in Japan are adding further layers of uncertainty for global markets and boosting demand for the safe-haven bullion.

Meanwhile, a new report by the World Gold Council (WGC) released on Tuesday said global gold-backed ETFs recorded their largest quarterly inflows on record during the three-month period ending September.

“Inflows into gold exchange traded funds (ETFs) hit USD 64 billion year-to-date globally, with a record USD 17.3 billion in September,” the report said.

Inflows rose 23 per cent to USD 26 billion quarter-on-quarter, led by North American funds, followed by European and Asian investors.

“Ongoing trade, policy, and geopolitical risks continue to persist with no clear signs of abatement,” the WGC report said. (Agencies)

Senior Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar was found dead with a gunshot wound at his Chandigarh home on Tuesday, officials said, suspecting that he committed suicide.

The 2001 batch officer was the inspector general, Police Training Centre (PTC), in Sunaria, Rohtak.

Kumar’s wife Amneet P Kumar, an IAS officer and commissioner and secretary of the Department of Foreign Cooperation, Haryana government, is in Japan as part of a delegation led by Chief Minister Nayab Saini.

Police rushed to the Kumars’ home in upscale Sector 11 after receiving information about the incident around 1.30 pm. “The SHO, Sector 11, and his team inspected the scene. A reported suicide had taken place… The body was identified as that of Y Puran Kumar, IPS officer,” Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur told reporters.

Asked if there was any suicide note, she said, “A team of the CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory) is inspecting the spot and investigations are on.” Those present in the house at the time are being questioned, the SSP said.

Kumar was earlier posted as Rohtak Range IG and had recently been transferred as IG, PTC, Sunaria. (Agencies)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved four multi-tracking railway projects covering 18 districts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh with a cost of approximately Rs 24,634 crore.

The projects will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 894 km and help in providing seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services, an official statement said.

These projects are 3rd and 4th line between Wardha and Bhusawal covering 314 km in Maharashtra; an 84 km 4th line between Gondia and Dongargarh in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh; 259 km 3rd and 4th line between Vadodara – Ratlam in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh; and 4th line covering 84 km distance of Itarsi-Bhopal- Bina in Madhya Pradesh.

“The approved multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 3,633 villages, which have a population of about 85.84 lakh and two Aspirational Districts (Vidisha and Rajnandgaon),” the statement said.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while briefing the media persons, said that the increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways.

He said that these multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion.

“The projects are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision of a New India which will make the people of the region ‘Aatmanirbhar’ by way of comprehensive development in the area that will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities,” the statement said.

“The projects are planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services,” it said.

Highlighting their benefits for the tourism sector, Vaishnaw said that these upcoming projects will provide connectivity to prominent destinations such as Sanchi, Satpura Tiger Reserve, Rock shelter of Bhimbetka, Hazara falls and Nawegaon National Park, attracting tourists from across the country.

The Railway Minister also outlined the benefits to freight traffic and said, “This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, containers, cement, fly ash, food grain, steel, etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 78 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).” “The Railways, being an environmentally friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (28 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (139 crore kg) which is equivalent to plantation of six crore trees,” he added. (Agencies)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced that Bihar will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote Counting on November 14 setting the stage for a high-stakes battle between the ruling NDA government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the opposition alliance comprising the RJD, Congress, and other parties.

With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect across the state.

Key Election Dates

• Phase 1: November 6 — polling in 121 constituencies
• Phase 2: November 11 — polling in 122 constituencies
• Counting on November 14

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the ruling NDA currently holds 138 seats, while the opposition alliance controls 103.

A New Political Force Emerges

This election introduces a third front — Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party — which is expected to make the contest more dynamic.
Adding to the pre-election buzz, the Election Commission has recently concluded a Special Intensive Review (SIR) of voter lists, which Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar described as a “shuddhikaran” (purification) process.

Voter Statistics

According to the CEC, 7.42 crore voters will be eligible to vote across 90,712 polling stations, all of which will be webcast-enabled to ensure transparent polling.
The state has 3.92 crore male and 3.5 crore female voters. Nearly 14,000 voters are aged 100 years or above, and around 14 lakh will be first-time voters.https://himalayanexpress.in/

Voter List Purification and Deletions

Kumar revealed that approximately 69 lakh names have been deleted during the SIR of electoral rolls. However, he declined to specify how many deletions were due to non-citizenship issues.

“A breakup cannot be given in a decentralised set-up. The Electoral Registration Officer prepares the voter lists, which can be appealed before the District Magistrate or Chief Electoral Officer,” Kumar explained.

He added that most deletions were due to deaths, migration, or unproven citizenship, and that this data had already been shared with political parties.

Election Reforms and Transparency Measures

In response to political demands, the CEC announced that counting of postal ballots will now be completed before the last two rounds of vote counting.
Calling the upcoming Bihar elections the “mother of all elections”, Kumar said the Commission will implement 17 new initiatives, which may later be replicated nationwide.

“Thanks to the SIR, the upcoming Bihar elections could be the most transparent in India’s electoral history. Bihar will show the way to the rest of the country on voter list purification,” Kumar stated confidently.

Clarification on Voter Identification

When asked about the identification of women voters wearing burqa or ghunghat (veil), Kumar affirmed that the Election Commission’s verification guidelines would be strictly followed inside polling booths to ensure transparency and respect for privacy.https://himalayanexpress.in/