Daily Briefing: Maldives wants India troops out by March 15; Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra 2.0; and more

The Maldives government has set a March 15 deadline for India to withdraw its military personnel from the country. The announcement came just a day after its President Mohamed Muizzu took an indirect jibe at India for “bullying” amid a row over some Maldivian ministers’ remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But why are Indian soldiers in the Maldives? We explain.

⚡ Only in Express

In the latest edition of Idea Exchange, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw speaks about regulating telecom and upgrading safety systems in Railways, and how they are all set for the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

📰 From the Front Page

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has kicked off his second yatra. Speaking in Manipur, Gandhi was largely cautious while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took on the BJP on its Hindutva pitch. Ahead of the inauguration of the Ram Temple, Kharge accused Modi of using Ram for electoral gains.

The Indian Army is set for a new HR policy. Army officers specialising in niche technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and drones, among others, can now continue in the same domain on promotion to Colonel instead of getting posted out for command assignments, The Indian Express has learnt.

“If Gulmarg is a movie, then the snow is the hero,” said Waseem Ahmad Dar, a 23-year-old waiter at the Gulmarg Cafeteria. With snow eluding the destination so far this winter, the slopes of the ski resort haveremained lifeless and the tourist buzz usually felt in Gulmarg during this time of year is absent.

👩‍💻 Must Read

Despite his lack of mass appeal, the resignation of former MP and senior party leader Milind Deora from the Congress could disrupt the party’s Lok Sabha campaign in Mumbai, just months ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Here are the 5  possible effects Deora’s departure may have on the Congress.

In our Economics Explained section today, Investor and author Ruchir Sharma speaks to economist and psephologist Prannoy Roy on the likely big trends of the new year. But first, we list out the 10 predictions for 2024.

⌛ And Finally…

Can a nylon shuttle replicate the flight pattern of a feather shuttle? An IIT Kanpur aerospace engineering professor thinks that the answer widens the possibility of improved designs which can make the nylon shuttle stiffer, helping it accurately mimic a feather shuttle’s aerodynamic performance. 

Delhi Confidential: With the BJP in full poll mode, party leaders are not missing any occasion to send out a political message. At Union Minister Hardeep Puri’s Lohri celebrations, a milestone — Viksit Bharat 0 km — was prominently displayed. Don’t miss today’s Delhi Confidential for more!

In today’s edition of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, we discuss the case of Bengaluru-based start-up CEO, Suchana Seth, who was taken into custody for allegedly murdering her four-year-old son; Milind Deora’s resignation from the Congress; and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s deadline for India to withdraw its military personnel.

Until tomorrow,

Sonal Gupta and Ayesha Jain