Daily Briefing: India-US trade negotiations resume today amid tariff relief discussions

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

🚨 Big Story

“RCB’s golden era” 🏆🏏

A year after ending an 18-year wait for their maiden IPL title, Royal Challengers Bengaluru showed that their breakthrough was no one-off, defending the trophy and cementing their place among the league’s elite. For years, RCB were defined by dazzling batting line-ups, star power and painful near-misses, but under Rajat Patidar’s leadership they have evolved into a complete, balanced and tactically astute side. At the heart of the triumph was Virat Kohli, who once again delivered when the stakes were highest. Blending aggression with composure, he anchored the chase with an innings that reflected both his experience and enduring class. More than just another title, the victory symbolised RCB’s transformation from perennial underachievers into a team that now knows how to win, and keep winning, when it matters most.

The Kohli legacy

For Virat Kohli, RCB’s second successive IPL title was more than just another trophy, it was the fulfilment of a dream he had imagined countless times during his 19-year journey with the franchise. Reflecting on the triumph, Kohli credited the team’s depth, clarity and fearless mindset, saying he never felt the pressure of having to carry the chase on his own. He also spoke about reinventing his game to keep pace with modern T20 cricket and praised younger teammates for pushing him to evolve. The victory was particularly emotional for a player who endured years of heartbreak before finally tasting success. Now a two-time IPL champion, Kohli stands not just as RCB’s greatest player, but as a symbol of perseverance, loyalty and the rewards of never giving up on a long-held dream.

⚡ Only in Express

CBSE’s new On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for Class 12 has come under intense scrutiny amid complaints of blurred scans, missing pages, answer-sheet mix-ups and delays in the re-evaluation process. In a report, Indian Express found that students and parents faced multiple hurdles, including portal crashes, payment failures and inaccessible answer books, raising concerns over the rollout of the digital evaluation system. While CBSE has defended OSM as a transparency-enhancing reform that reduces manual errors and speeds up assessment, reports of over 13,000 answer sheets requiring manual evaluation and instances of answer-book mix-ups have fuelled criticism. The controversy has also widened to include questions over the tender process, system safeguards and the overall reliability of the digital marking framework.

📰 From the Front Page

Delimitation debate returns: The Centre is preparing to revive its push for delimitation and the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, aiming to implement the reforms before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. The delimitation exercise, based on data from the upcoming Census, could redraw parliamentary constituencies and expand the Lok Sabha’s strength from 543 to as many as 850 seats. It is also linked to the rollout of the Women’s Reservation Act, which provides 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies. Meanwhile, the One Nation, One Election plan seeks to synchronise Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. The proposals are expected to trigger intense political debate, particularly with southern states expressing concerns over representation and federal balance.

Karnataka politics: With D K Shivakumar taking over as Karnataka Chief Minister, the BJP is recalibrating its strategy ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections. BJP leaders believe Shivakumar’s administrative performance will be closely watched, as his reputation as a strong organiser and political strategist is already well established. His elevation is expected to strengthen the Congress’s hold over the influential Vokkaliga community while potentially weakening the JD(S), which draws support from the same voter base. The BJP, meanwhile, faces the task of consolidating its Lingayat support and managing internal leadership dynamics. 

📌 Must Read

Record RBI earnings: The RBI earned more than Rs 4 lakh crore in FY26, thanks largely to its efforts to manage the rupee and navigate global market volatility. A major chunk of this income came from selling dollars in the foreign exchange market to support the Indian currency, along with earnings from foreign assets and government bonds. While the central bank spent about a third of its earnings on operational costs and financial buffers, the windfall allowed it to transfer a record Rs2.87 lakh crore surplus to the Centre. The figures highlight how the RBI’s role extends far beyond setting interest rates, from defending the rupee to managing liquidity, its market operations have emerged as a major source of income.

Language push: A month after Maharashtra made Marathi proficiency mandatory for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, thousands of migrant workers are scrambling to learn a language that could determine their livelihoods. With a deadline of August 15 looming, drivers are attending Marathi classes after long shifts, practising alphabets in classrooms or turning their smartphones into learning tools. The mandate affects around 3 lakh permit holders in Mumbai alone, many of whom have spent years working in the city without speaking Marathi. As political parties and the state government roll out language-training initiatives, our report captures the challenges, anxieties and determination of drivers balancing the pressures of earning a living with the need to adapt to a new linguistic reality.

⏳ And Finally…

Economic reform agenda: Economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia has called for a clearer strategy to manage India’s balance of payments amid rising oil prices, weak capital inflows and pressure on the rupee. Speaking at an Idea Exchange session moderated by P Vaidyanathan Iyer, Ahluwalia argued that allowing the rupee to depreciate was the right move for now, as it could help exports and reduce external imbalances. He also warned that distorted price signals in sectors such as fuel, fertilisers and electricity were hurting economic efficiency, and pushed for faster trade integration through FTAs, lower import duties on key inputs and measures to revive foreign investment. He stressed that India must become more globally competitive rather than relying on protectionist policies.

🎧Lastly, tune in to today’s 3 Things podcast, where we unpack the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, the controversy surrounding CBSE’s On-Screen Marking system for Class 12 exams, and the South Delhi building collapse that killed four people and injured ten.

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

Anupama