Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday. EXPRESS PHOTO BY PRAVEEN KHANNA 21 02 2026.Delhi News LIVE Updates: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrived in India with the largest-ever Brazilian delegation, including 11 cabinet ministers and 50 CEOs, marking a historic moment in bilateral ties. At a joint press conference at Hyderabad House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Brazil India’s largest trade partner in Latin America and pledged to take bilateral trade beyond $20 billion in five years. Brazil’s Ambassador Kenneth da Nobrega praised the strong friendship between the two leaders. President Lula said, “The meeting between India and Brazil is a meeting of superlatives…we both defend multilateralism and peace.” The leaders also witnessed the exchange of MoUs, boosting strategic and economic cooperation.
President Lula was accorded a grand ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday by President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi. He received a Guard of Honour and met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Later, PM Modi and President Lula held bilateral talks at Hyderabad House, focusing on expanding strategic ties in trade, defence, energy, critical minerals, digital technology, supply chains, and clean energy transitions.
Delhi Weather Update: New Delhi began the day under clear, sunny skies with the temperature at 26.4°C and low humidity at 29%, making for a relatively dry morning. With zero cloud cover, the sun is expected to dominate through the day. By afternoon, the temperature is set to rise to around 28°C, with a UV index of 5.9 indicating moderate to high exposure levels. Light west-northwesterly winds at 7.2 km/h may offer limited relief, though it could feel slightly warmer in direct sunlight.
Pandit Pant Marg between GRG Circle and PM Circle will remain closed for general traffic movement for around 12 months February 23 onwards in view of the construction of the underground Yuge Yugeen Bharat Metro Station, Delhi Traffic Police said in an advisory issued Saturday.
According to the advisory, the stretch will be shut to facilitate Delhi Metro construction work, and commuters should plan their journeys accordingly to avoid inconvenience. — PTI
Around two weeks after a 25-year-old biker fell to his death in a pit dug up by the Delhi Jal Board at Janakpuri to lay a sewer line, the Public Works Department (PWD) on Saturday issued fresh instructions that its staff should follow while carrying out excavation and construction works across the city.
Read full report here
Holding talks on issues ranging from trade to critical minerals to defence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Saturday called for strengthening the Global South “so that”, as Lula underlined, “we never, ever again are faced with a Cold War between two big superpowers.”
Read full report here
The Delhi government is likely to notify rules for the inclusion of transgender persons under the SMILE scheme, Garima Greh shelter homes and Ayushman Bharat TG Plus health coverage within the next 15 days.
An official said that the rules will provide legal recognition, access to livelihood support, healthcare, education, rehabilitation and protection against discrimination for transgender persons.
These rules will be in line with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity, he said.
The draft rules have completed the consultation process, and the gazette notification file has been sent for the final signature of the lieutenant governor, after which the rules will be formally notified and implemented across Delhi, he told PTI. — PTI
Two more persons, including a sub-inspector and a fire personnel, succumbed to burn injuries in a factory fire in the Mujesar area here, police said on Saturday.
With this, the death toll in the fire that broke out on February 16 has risen to four, they said.
Bhavichand (48), a fire brigade employee of Faridabad, died on Friday night, and Ravi Kumar (30), a probationer sub-inspector of Kaithal district, died on Saturday morning while undergoing treatment in Delhi's Safdarjung hospital. Ravi was posted at the Mujesar police station. — PTI
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has been awarded the 50th Matri Shree Award in recognition of her contributions to public service and social welfare, an official statement said on Saturday.
The award was presented to her on Wednesday at a function attended by BJP leader Chetan Sharma and other members of the award committee, it added.
The chief minister was presented with a photograph of Bharat Mata and a ceremonial shawl. — PTI
Modi said the relations between India and Brazil have long benefitted from President Lula's visionary outlook and inspiring leadership.
He also noted that Brazil is India's largest trade partner in Latin America.
"We are committed to taking the India-Brazil trade beyond USD 20 billion in the next five years," the prime minister said in his media statement after the talks. — PTI
India and Brazil on Saturday set a bilateral trade target of more than USD 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.
Modi said the relations between India and Brazil have long benefitted from President Lula's visionary outlook and inspiring leadership.
He also noted that Brazil is India's largest trade partner in Latin America. — PTI
India and Brazil agree that terrorism, its supporters enemies of all humanity: PM Narendra Modi after talks with Brazilian President.
Addressing the joint press conference, PM Modi said that today's discussion was about advancing in every sector with a shared purpose and shared aspirations. Brazil is India’s largest trade partner in Latin America. "We are committed to taking our bilateral trade beyond $20 billion in the next five years. Our trade is not merely a number; it is a reflection of trust," PM Modi said.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | Delhi: Addressing joint press meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) says, “President Lula’s visit has added distinction to the historic AI Impact Summit and infused new energy into our strategic partnership. I express my… pic.twitter.com/sL4di527vC
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2026
Brazilian President Lula said that the invitation by PM Modi for this state visit, and also to attend the AI Impact Summit, shows the synchrony and mutual trust that bind India and Brazil together. "My dear friend Modi, it is a reason for happiness for me to return to this country for the sixth time. The meeting between India and Brazil"We are not just the two biggest democracies of the Global South. This is a meeting of the world's pharmacy with the world's barn, and a digital superpower with a renewable energy superpower. We are both mega-diverse countries and hubs of the cultural industry, and we both defend multilateralism and peace."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | Delhi: Addressing a joint press meet with PM Modi, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says, "My dear friend Modi, it is a reason for happiness for me to return to this country for the sixth time. The meeting between India and Brazil is a meeting of superlatives.… pic.twitter.com/2sTsybZ60I
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2026
At the joint press conference, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spole about hosting PM Modi in Brasília. He said that his visit a milestone. "On that occasion, we restructured the bilateral cooperation agenda in five areas: defence and security; food and nutritional security; energy transition and climate change; digital transformation and emerging technologies; and industrial partnerships in strategic areas."
Addressing joint press meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, PM Narendra Modi said, "It gives me great pleasure to welcome President Lula and his delegation to India. The warmth and enthusiasm with which you welcomed me in Brazil last year is deeply appreciated, and today I extend the same spirit of welcome to you in India." He further said that the India–Brazil relations have long benefited from President Lula’s vision and leadership.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | Delhi: Addressing joint press meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) says, “It gives me great pleasure to welcome President Lula and his delegation to India. The warmth and enthusiasm with which you welcomed me in Brazil… pic.twitter.com/BJ8GzOYh4m
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2026
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday as he began his official engagements in New Delhi.
He is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day. The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening strategic ties, with cooperation likely in trade, critical minerals, defence, energy, digital technology, supply chains and clean energy transition.
On Friday, the maximum temperature in Delhi was marked at 28.4 degrees Celsius, which is 2.9 degrees above average. The air quality was still classified as "poor" at 209.
(PTI)
President Droupadi Murmu meets UN Secretary-General António Guterres at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
VIDEO | Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu meets UN Secretary-General António Guterres at Rashtrapati Bhawan.#presidentofindia #antonioguterres #un pic.twitter.com/HfZD0xavPV
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2026
PM Modi met with OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, in New Delhi.
A 17-year-old boy died after allegedly jumping in front of a train at the Delhi Metro’s Uttam Nagar East station.
DMRC AI-driven initiatives were on display at the AI summit. Operational efficiency, passenger safety and security and service quality are a few areas where DMRC uses AI for.
DELHI METRO RAIL CORPORATION ACTIVELY USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TO BOOST EFFICIENCY IN OPERATIONS
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) February 20, 2026
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is actively using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance its operational efficiency, passenger safety, security, and overall…
Following the Youth Congress 'shirtless' protest at the AI summit, BJP Yuva Morcha stages a protest outside Rahul Gandhi's residence.
VIDEO | Delhi: BJP Yuva Morcha (BJYM) stages a protest outside the residence of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over the Youth Congress 'shirtless' demonstration at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2026
(Full video available on https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/UYnfsZ401E
“It’s enormous and very impressive, with so much activity and many interesting one-on-one interactions and forums," Yann LeCun, former Chief AI Scientist at Meta.
"India should invest more in research, incentivise more students to pursue advanced degrees and PhDs, and encourage them to stay in India," he added.
VIDEO | Delhi: Yann LeCun (@ylecun), AI pioneer and former Chief AI Scientist at Meta, says, “It’s enormous and very impressive, with so much activity and many interesting one-on-one interactions and forums. I think many countries should come together to build frontier models… pic.twitter.com/9zENp7Y52X
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2026
Four Congress workers detained after allegedly breaching security at Bharat Mandapam and staging a protest during the ongoing AI Impact Summit in Delhi.
At the AI summit, BSES showcased a power network called Digital Twin, resembling the 'Google Map' of the electricity distribution network.
The power network allows you to monitor real-time outages, forecast potential equipment failures and automatically restore faults with an interactive dashboard.
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav announced the state's "AI Mission" during the India AI summit in New Delhi.
The initiative aims to leverage artificial intelligence in agriculture, education, and healthcare.
"The government's focus area is also using AI to improve agricultural processes and crop diversification and enhance farmers' income and facilities, as Madhya Pradesh is an agrarian state and its food grain production ranks among the top in the country," said Yadav.
(PTI)
CM N Chandrababu Naidu announced Andhra Pradesh's partnership with IBM to train one lakh youth in AI, cybersecurity, and quantum computing.
"The initiative will provide industry-ready skills to learners, bolstering Andhra Pradesh's emerging tech workforce," said Naidu.
A letter of intent was signed at the AI Impact Summit with Ana Paula, Chair of IBM, and other officials.
(PTI)
As the BJP-led Delhi government completes one year in office, its environment and civic governance agenda has been dominated by three flagship priorities — cleaning the Yamuna, clearing Delhi’s landfills, and tackling air pollution, alongside commitments on drainage, solid waste management and public transport electrification.
While the party boasts of project approvals, tenders and initial implementation in the past year, for most major promises, timelines are stretching into 2026 and beyond.
Soon after assuming charge, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh had set a three-year timeline to restore the Yamuna’s health, backed by a multi-agency 43-point rejuvenation plan.
Traffic restrictions and route diversions will be in place across several key roads in the national capital on Friday afternoon due to "official exigencies", Delhi Traffic Police said in an advisory.
Delhi is hosting the India AI Impact Summit, which is being attended by more than 500 global AI leaders and over 100 government representatives, including more than 20 heads of state and government.
Traffic movement is likely to be affected between 1 pm and 5.30 pm on multiple arterial stretches, particularly in central and north Delhi areas, the advisory said.
Some of these areas include W-Point, ITO Chowk, BSZ Marg, JLN Marg, Rajghat crossing, Shanti Van crossing, Hanuman Mandir, ISBT Kashmere Gate, Monastery Market, Chandgi Ram Akhara, Delhi Vidhan Sabha, Vishwavidyalaya metro station and North Campus of Delhi University, it said.
(PTI)
The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Jaideep Sengar, brother of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Sengar, to surrender before jail authorities in connection with his conviction in the custodial death case of the survivor's father.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja was hearing a plea by the convict for further extension of interim bail upon suspension of the 10-year sentence.
It observed that the interim bail granted to Jaideep Sengar in July 2024 was last extended in April 2025 and since then, in spite of five dates, no order of any further extension or suspension of his sentence has been passed by the court.
As the senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar urged the bench to extend the period of his release on account of his health, the bench said, "You surrender and then we will see." "Although there is no extension of interim suspension of sentence granted, we find he has still not surrendered. Before we proceed to consider his application for further extension of suspension of sentence, we require the appellant to first surrender," the bench ordered.
(PTI)
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said her government’s one-year report card reflects 'hard work and change', emphasising results over promises.
She said the administration prioritised action over announcements, reduced paperwork, improved work culture, and delivered solutions across sectors instead of 'poster or tweet politics.'
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta says, "...Today's report card reflects the facts of our one year of hard work and change. This government is not a government of promises, but of results. This government is not a government of announcements, but of action. In one year, we have tried… https://t.co/c5SEKhpT25 pic.twitter.com/pRfvkeMNIB
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2026
(ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of Delhi Police on a bail plea by Olympian Sushil Kumar in the murder case of former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar.
Justice Anup J Bhambhani issued notice to Delhi Police and the kin of the deceased, and asked them to file a status report and a reply, respectively.
Noting that the Supreme Court had cancelled the bail granted to Kumar by the high court in August last year, the judge remarked, "I think you are being ambitious." "Once the Supreme Court has taken a view, what do you expect from me?" the court asked.
The counsel for the accused said the bail plea should be considered since all public witnesses have been examined in the trial.
The counsel for Delhi Police and the deceased's kin, however, said all public witnesses were yet to be examined.
(PTI)
India on Friday joined a US-led strategic alliance, 'Pax Silica', that is aimed at building a resilient supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
India signed a pact joining the coalition at a ceremony at the AI Impact Summit here.
The signing ceremony was attended by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and US envoy to India Sergio Gor among others.
Gor said Pax Silica is a coalition of capabilities.
"Pax Silica is a declaration that future belongs to those who build and when free people join forces," US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said.
(PTI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav arrived at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, being held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav arrives at India AI Impact Summit 2026, being held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi pic.twitter.com/B8Tq0lJqHO
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2026
(ANI)
No one stopped to help her while she desperately pleaded for help as her granddaughter lay soaked in blood after a car rammed into their e-rickshaw, recalled the elderly woman after the horrific accident in West Delhi's Janakpuri.
The woman was taking her six-year-old granddaughter to school on the morning of February 17 when the tragedy struck.
"The e-rickshaw driver was driving very gently. Suddenly, a speeding white car collided with our e-rickshaw, and the three of us fell. I begged the car driver to take my baby to the hospital in his car. But he ran away," said Mercy Xavier, the girl's maternal grandmother.
The girl's mother said she got a call from a hospital staffer informing her about the accident and her mother's fervent pleas for help on the road that fell on deaf ears.
(PTI)
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the US-India partnership plays a critical role in ensuring the benefits of artificial intelligence are widely accessible and reach people across societies and economies, reports PTI.
At the AI Summit, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said there are significant opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. He expressed optimism about expanding engagement in key areas.
He described Pax Silica as a 'coalition of capabilities', underscoring its focus on strengthening trusted technology partnerships.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsVIDEO | AI Summit: US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) says, “ I think we have a lot of opportunities between our two nations. And so we look forward on engaging on that.”#ptiataiimpactsummit #indiaaiimpactsummit2026 #aiimpactsummit2026
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2026
(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/8APElvwrh5
(PTI)
At the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said global food systems face climate volatility, falling water tables and fragile supply chains. He stressed for the Global South, agriculture underpins livelihoods, stability and national security in the summit.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Delhi: On India AI Impact Summit, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "Across the world, food systems are under strain. Climate volatility is intensifying. Water tables are falling. Soil health is deteriorating. Supply chains are fragile, and global markets are… pic.twitter.com/ALrzNlHBny
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2026
(ANI)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. He e will oversee key MoUs in AI, quantum technology and advanced skilling, boosting the state’s innovation, research and global technology partnerships.
During the visit, the Chief Minister will preside over the exchange of several strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the field of artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and advanced skilling, reports PTI.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026 today at Bharat Mandapam, reaffirming the State’s commitment to emerging technologies and its strategic ambition to become a leading hub for artificial intelligence, advanced research,… pic.twitter.com/5CqETsURtO
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2026
Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory in view of the AI Impact Summit 2026, announcing special traffic arrangements on 20 February 2026.
According to the advisory, restrictions and diversions will be in place from 08:00 am to 10:00 am and again from 05:00 pm to 09:00 pm.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsTraffic Advisory
— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) February 19, 2026
Special traffic arrangements will be in place on 20 Feb, 2026 from 08:00–10:00 AM & 05:00–09:00 PM in view of AI Impact Summit–2026.
Commuters are advised to plan their journeys in advance, avoid affected stretches, and follow directions of traffic personnel… pic.twitter.com/UjGoChy7gf
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