Daily Briefing: Red tape behind Indore deaths?

On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition👇

🚨 Big Story

At least eight people have died after consuming contaminated drinking water, while hundreds of others have been hospitalised in Indore’s Bhagirathpura in Madhya Pradesh. The cause appears to be a toilet built over a drinking water line without a safety tank, which allowed sewage water to mix into the water supply. But this was no unforeseen tragedy. My colleague Anand Mohan J looked into municipal records and helpline data, and sought testimonies from residents and officials, which reveal that warnings were ignored and bureaucratic processes that could have prevented the disaster were stalled.

As early as October 15, residents had begun to notice that something was wrong with the water. Formal complaints later complained of “acid” in the water and “foul stench”. Officials blame delays in securing tenders to build a new water pipeline and for repairs. Read the details.

Also read: ‘The administration killed them’: Six-month-old among 8 dead from contaminated water in Indore

⚡Only in Express

Territorial integrity is no longer a given. Recently, Israel recognised Somaliland as an independent state. For years, Somaliland has sought international recognition after it established its own de facto governing system, distinct from Somalia, in 1991. Israel’s move drew condemnation from several Arab countries, which view it as a strategic play to secure maritime access, while others have chosen to remain silent. Together, these reactions point to a deeper trend: the breakdown of the so-called “rules-based international order” (RBIO), writes columnist C Raja Mohan.

📰 From the Front Page

Abandon ship? The government has extended yet another relief package to the beleaguered telecom operator Vodafone Idea, freezing its hefty dues of Rs 87,695 crore for the next five years. Top government sources have told The Indian Express that this may set the stage for the government’s potential exit from Vodafone Idea, while it considers bringing in a private investor.

Heating up: The government late Wednesday night notified new duty rates for tobacco products, including cigarettes, and cess rates for paan masala. This could mean a 15%-40% increase in cigarette prices. Read how the complex duty structure on cigarettes works, and what will change.

📌 Must Read

Mountain task: The Supreme Court has directed ‘domain experts’ to examine whether the new 100-m height definition for the Aravalli Hills narrows the scope of protection. Before this, a technical sub-committee of experts, formed by the Centre, had deliberated on the nuances of defining the hill ranges. What did they conclude? More studies are needed to find a suitable method. Read.

Looking ahead: As we enter 2026, we took stock of a couple of key projects that have been in the pipeline and may come to fruition this year.

👉 India’s first human spaceflight was slated for 2021. After multiple delays, the first uncrewed mission (to demonstrate a complete mission from exit to splashdown) will likely lift off by March this year.

👉 India’s first sleeper Vande Bharat train will be launched later this month, between Kolkata (Howrah) and Guwahati (Kamakhya), traversing nine districts of West Bengal and Assam. As many as 12 VB sleeper trains are expected to be ready by the end of the year.

Also read: Railways in 2025: Kashmir and Mizoram lines completed; new frontiers, traffic and freight challenges ahead

⏳ And Finally…

If you could live forever, would you? The year 2025 was all about living longer. Tech bros coughed up millions in longevity research, while Gen Z and millennials made wellness a priority. For years, our cinema has been obsessed with the fountain of youth or immortality elixirs (think Pirates of the Caribbean or Harry Potter). But 2025 has shown that the question may not be “how” we can live longer, but if we should. Read.

🎧 I leave you with the latest episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, where we look back at the biggest successes and failures of artificial intelligence in 2025.

That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta

Business As Usual by EP Unny