On 2nd September (Wednesday), former bureaucrat Ashish Joshi was questioned for around 9 hours by the Delhi Police Special Cell over his contentious remarks pertaining to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Police officers dropped him off at his RK Puram residence after releasing him in the evening.
According to police sources, Joshi was detained from Chanakyapuri for examination in relation to a case that was filed under section 192 of the of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which addresses provocation with the aim or knowledge that it is likely to provoke a disturbance. It was registered by the Counter Intelligence (CI) unit.
Just got back home. Delhi Special Cell dropped me home . Details later .
An insider revealed, “Joshi had recently posted on social media about the ECI. After registering an FIR (First Information Report), we decided to question him to verify his claims. At the office, he was questioned and confronted with the messages he had posted on social media. After verifying the claims, we decided to let him go,” reported The Indian Express.
Who is Ashish Joshi
Joshi, an alumnus of Saint Stephen’s College of Delhi University, is a 1992-batch officer of the Indian Post and Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS). He worked at the Department of Telecommunications as a Controller of Communications. He retired on 31st March of this year.
However, Joshi’s track record has been notably controversial. He faced a suspension lasting more than two years in August 2019 after he advocated for action against the then-rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kapil Mishra, who demanded action against the “internal enemies” of India.
Joshi had launched a complaint with the Delhi Police Commissioner, who was suspended for abusing his official position as he used his official letterhead for the communication. “The matter that indecent messages were doing the rounds on social media was brought to my notice by my college junior Barkha Dutt, who tagged me on Twitter. As a public servant, I was just doing my job of informing the authorities concerned,” he brazenly defended himself, dismissing any wrongdoing at the time.
Interestingly, Joshi had a close relationship with AAP prior to their fallout in 2015, which stemmed from disagreements with former party leader and journalist Ashish Khetan, leading to his resignation as member secretary of the Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC). Afterwards, he lodged a formal complaint with Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Branch against Rajendra Kumar, the former principal secretary of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“He is a part of the cosy club of Lutyens Delhi, which refuses to realise that Stephen’s does not run the country,” a senior AAP leader had attacked Joshi, blaming him for ruining Kumar’s career.
A vocal member of lslamo-leftist ecosystem
A divisive video came to light in March 2018, following the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) success in the Araria Lok Sabha by-election. The party’s supporters were heard chanting “Bharat tere tukde honge” (India will be broken into pieces) and “Pakistan zindabad” after the victory. Joshi also voiced his objection about the troubling situation.
However, his criticism was not directed at the slogans or those who were raising them, but with Zee News for airing the video. He even submitted a complaint against the news channel for “running communal headlines repeatedly.”
Joshi also does not hold any faith in the democracy of the nation and further supports smear tactics by propaganda platforms such as “The Wire” targeting the Election Commission. He wants the populace to mobilise in a “mass movement against ECI to seek full accountability and transparency before the electoral and political system is totally destroyed.” Of course, the provocation tactic is neither concerned with the voters nor democracy. It is meant to create unrest because his preferred government is not in power.
I fully agree with Political Economist Parkala Prabhakar @parakala who says time has come for a mass movement against ECI to seek full accountability and transparency before the electoral and political system is totally destroyed.https://t.co/KamPpZ1CYy
Joshi, in line with others of his ilk, is also actively engaged in the dissemination of misinformation and the creation of facts from thin air. He also supported the discredited 2.6 GDP assertions of former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg as a confirmation of his analysis, celebrating the alleged economic downturn under the Modi government.
Joshi even seeks a re-election of the Delhi assembly due to the inconvenient outcome of the Special Intensive Revisions of the electoral roll. He intentionally failed to mention that this is not the final list and that affected persons can present their claims along with supporting documents until 30th September.
Additionally, the constitutional and statutory validity of this exercise has been affirmed by the Supreme Court. Moreover, all personnel from Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of political parties, are integral to the SIR process. However, the essential initiative to purify the voter list of any fraud or fabrication appears to stoke a peculiar hostility within the opposition and its ecosystem.
Delhi Assembly elections must be re-held, or @ECISVEEP must immediately publish post-SIR voter lists at every booth for public verification. Booth-level officials must be present on-site to address wrongful exclusions and rectify rolls on the spot.
It is not surprising that Joshi harbours a profound hatred for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its leader Mohan Bhagwat. He even went so far as to suggest that the concept of “love jihad” is a conspiracy theory associated with them, thereby trivialising the suffering and pain experienced by countless Hindu victims. He subsequently accuses the organisation of “constant othering,” despite Bhagwat’s regular emphasis on the shared roots of all Indians, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Joshi, blurring the distinction between disdain towards the nation and the government, argued that the RSS remained silent when China entered Arunachal Pradesh. He gleefully ridiculed the ability of Indian forces to secure the borders and endorsed the unfounded propaganda without considering its potential ramifications for the country.
Must listen. @YashRRJ exposes the tartuffery of @RSSorg with hammer and tongs .@DrMohanBhagwat abroad talks “unity in diversity” and says a Hindu who wants no Muslims isn’t a Hindu. Back home, the same ecosystem runs on “4 vs 24 children”, love jihad, and constant othering.… pic.twitter.com/swgCv9euFn
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) campaign against the “Dangi Naxal ecosystem” drew a similar response from Joshi. Its vow to expose lies and propaganda was deliberately cast in a violent light, with him accusing that the party wanted to attack Indians. He even tagged DGPs (Director General of Polices) of different states and union territories, urging them to act immediately as they were “duty-bound under the Constitution and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).”
The intent appeared clear: to sow panic by recasting the saffron party’s mission against fabricated narratives as a clarion call for violence, even though the video explicitly spoke of only dismantling fabrications.
To all DGPs of States and Union Territories, I write to you as a former civil servant and a citizen of India. Please see the tagged video of a ruling party handle. It is openly calling for violence against citizens of India. You are duty-bound under the Constitution and the… https://t.co/NCfU8omgUe
Ashish Joshi, a prominent voice in the liberal ecosystem, has repeatedly used criticism of the Modi government as a vehicle to push anti-India narratives and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. From questioning the Election Commission’s integrity to echoing pro-China narratives, his record reflects a consistent pattern of rhetoric often detached from evidence.
His remarks follow the same playbook, make sweeping allegations without producing credible proof, while routinely amplifying notorious entities such as The Wire. He channels his enmity for the government into attacks on the country and its institutions.
On Wednesday (2nd September), Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief commander and Islamic terrorist Yasin Malik filed an affidavit before the additional sessions judge hearing TADA/POTA cases in Srinagar, seeking capital punishment for himself in the 1990 Sarla Bhat murder case.
Malik, however, has denied any role in the horrific killing of the Kashmiri Pandit nurse, who was abducted by Muslim terrorists from her hostel and later discovered dead with several gunshot wounds.
Yasin Malik expressed ‘shock’ over implication in Sarla Bhat murder case, denies role
In the 25-page affidavit filed before the court through his counsel Adil Pandit, Yasin Malik claimed that the charges against him in the 36-year-old case have been brought due to “political circumstances” and that he has been “falsely implicated”.
“To my utter shock and disbelief, I was arrayed as one of the accused in the said chargesheet after more than three decades of the occurrence. I have no complaint against this court or the prosecuting agencies. I respectfully state that, in my understanding, the present proceedings have arisen out of political circumstances and decisions and I believe that I have been falsely implicated,” he wrote.
Yasin Malik further claimed that before filing the chargesheet, three State Investigation Agency (SIA) officers visited him in Tihar Jail for questioning him about the allegations relating to the Kashmiri Pandit nurse’s murder.
“During my examination, they confronted me with only two allegations. Firstly, they referred to an alleged handwritten note purportedly issued by the JKLF, allegedly recovered from the scene of occurrence, claiming responsibility for the murder and mentioning the names of Javaid Mir, Sheikh Abdul Hamid and Mohammad Yasin Malik. Secondly, I was asked, is it true that JKLF suspected a nurse of SKIMS Soura, namely Sarla Bhat, of passing information to security personnel regarding your presence in the house of Hafiz Bazaz and if you ordered JKLF to kill her,” the affidavit states.
Yasin Malik invokes ‘coma’ in his defence, declares Sarla Bhat ‘innocent’
The jailed Islamic terrorist claimed that tens before Sarla Bhat’s abduction, on 8th April 1990, he suffered life-threatening injuries and remained in coma for weeks.
“According to the prosecution, I allegedly directed the murder of Sarla Bhat on April 19, 1990. However, the historical record demonstrates that I had sustained life-threatening injuries on April 8, 1990, remained in a coma, and was widely reported to have died. Indeed, I was declared dead on two occasions – first on April 8, 1990, and again on April 27, 1990, the day of Eid according to reports circulated at the time. It is therefore incomprehensible how a person who was unconscious, fighting for his own survival and widely believed to be dead could have participated in, directed or orchestrated the offence as alleged,” the affidavit reads.
He also claimed that when Sarla Bhat torture and murder case happened in April 1990, Governor Jagmohan was leading the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and he did not, at any point, suggest that Malik was ordered Bhat or any other Kashmiri Pandit’s killing.
Furthermore, Yasin Malik claimed that during his questioning by the SIA officers, he was asked whether Sarla Bhat was working secretly for the security forces and whether the forces conducted the raid at Narwara, Downtown Srinagar, on 8th April 1990. In response, Malik claimed to have said that Sarla Bhat was ‘innocent’ and was not covertly working for the security forces.
“One of the allegations put to me during my examination was whether Sarla Bhat was working covertly for the security forces and whether she was responsible for the raid conducted at Narwara, Downtown Srinagar, on April 8, 1990. I categorically stated that the allegation is entirely false. Sarla Bhat was neither working for the security forces in any covert capacity nor was she in any manner responsible for the raid at Narwara on April 8, 1990. She was an innocent civilian. In my view, she was as innocent as my own thirteen-year-old daughter, Raziya Sultana,” he wrote.
Yasin Malik invokes ‘Istakharah’ for not challenging the trial court proceedings against him
In his affidavit, Malik claimed that he offered a Istakharah, an Islamic prayer used to ask Allah for guidance when making an important decision. Based on his circumstances and ‘deep reflection’, he decided not to contest the trial court proceedings.
Excerpt taken from Yasin Malik’s affidavit
“That, considering my personal circumstances and after deep reflection, I have decided not to contest the trial proceedings further. My decision shall not be treated as an admission of any prosecution fact, guilt or acceptance of the allegations made against me. I request for capital punishment,” Malik wrote.
‘I will be hanged’: Yasin Malik divorces Pakistani wife Mushaal
Before declaring his intention of not challenging the trial court proceedings against him in the present case, Yasin Malik said that he is divorcing his Pakistani wife Mushaal Malik.
The jailed terrorist stated that Mushaal is 20 years younger than him, and he does not want her to live as his widow or bear difficulties due to his circumstances. Malik expressed certainty that he will sooner or later be hanged to death.
Malik also said that many of his relatives including daughters, friends and well-wishers have also been distanced from us because they were repeatedly called by the NIA and SIA for questioning.
“Through this affidavit, I also wish to address my wife and my daughter. For the last eight years, I have not been able to hear your voices or communicate with you, as I was not permitted phone calls or video conferencing with you. I know that my time with you has been limited and uncertain. You are Twenty (20) years younger than me, and I do not want you to spend the rest of your life carrying the burden of my circumstances or living as a widow. I therefore request you to find the courage to begin a new chapter of your life with dignity and hope…” he wrote.
Excerpt taken from Yasin Malik’s affidavit
“That, before I will be hanged, I have taken the decision to separate you from the bond of our Nikah,” Malik declared.
1990 Sarla Bhat murder case and the J&K SIA chargesheet
The 1990s were the most horrific times for the local Kashmiri Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir, as Pakistan-backed Islamic terrorism engulfed the region. Kashmiri Pandits were being singled out and killed by Kashmiri Muslim terrorist groups.
On 18th April 1990, then 27-year-old Sarla Bhatt, a staff nurse at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar, was abducted near the hospital. She was brutally assaulted and shot dead with an automatic rifle in Omer Colony, Malbagh.
Sarla Bhat (Source: Wikipedia)
The case of Sarla Bhat was reopened by the SIA in August 2025.
In June 2026, the Jammu and Kashmir SIA filed a comprehensive 737-page chargesheet in a special TADA/POTA court, naming terrorist Yasin Malik, former chief commander of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), as the mastermind behind the abduction, torture, and murder of Sarla Bhatt.
The SIA chargesheet alleged that the killing was part of JKLF’s systematic campaign of targeted violence against Kashmiri Pandits aimed at instilling fear and forcing their mass exodus from the Valley.
The authorities stated that the JKLF had a fabricated pretext, falsely accusing Bhatt of passing information against their members. Even though most Kashmiri Pandits had already fled the valley at that point, Sarla had continued to work at the hospital.
The evidence cited by the SIA include eyewitness accounts, protected witnesses, medical and ballistic reports, a terror claim note, and electronic records.
Currently, in judicial custody serving a life sentence in a separate terror-financing case, Yasin Malik faces charges of abduction, murder, criminal conspiracy, and offences under the Ranbir Penal Code, TADA, and the Arms Act. Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo, another JKLF terrorist who had shot and killed Sarla Bhatt, is named as a co-accused, along with three other JKLF terrorists who are dead.
More than three decades after the SIA finally reopened probe in Sarla Bhatt’s case in 2025. Senior IPS officer Nitish Kumar, present ADG of CID/SIA, and IPS Divya Dev, SP, SIA, led the investigation that involved tracking down other nurses who worked at SKIMS at that time, papers, digital evidence, electronic and other records.
Malik is in prison after being sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special NIA court for terror funding activities in Jammu and Kashmir in May 2022. He was convicted under the UAPA after he pleaded guilty in the case. He was awarded two life imprisonment sentences, in addition to five 10-year sentences, all to run concurrently.
The JKLF terrorist is also facing charges for the kidnapping of the daughter of then Indian Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Rubaiya Saeed, and killing 5 IAF personnel in early 1990. He is also allegedly involved in the killing of Justice Neelkanth Ganju, the judge who had ordered the death sentence for JKLF terrorist Maqbool Bhatt, and the murder of the former director of Doordarshan Kendra in Srinagar, Lassa Kaul.
The Indian Air Force has successfully conducted a trial drop of the indigenously developed Khagantak-243 long-range glide bomb, marking another step in India’s effort to build a domestic arsenal of precision-guided and stand-off weapons.
Taking to X, the official account of the Indian Air Force tweeted: “A significant milestone for the #IAF and Indian Industry. The Indian Air Force successfully conducted the drop of an indigenously designed & developed Long Range Glide Bomb (Khagantak-243).”
Precision. Power. Pride.
A significant milestone for the #IAF and Indian Industry. The Indian Air Force successfully conducted the drop of an indigenously designed & developed Long Range Glide Bomb (Khagantak-243). The Trials met all objectives scaling new peaks of lethality… pic.twitter.com/VWZEp89zL0
The trial is significant because the weapon is designed to allow a fighter aircraft to strike a target from a considerable distance, rather than requiring the aircraft to fly directly over the target. The IAF said the latest trials met all their objectives, describing the achievement as an important milestone for both the force and the Indian defence industry.
But what exactly is the Khagantak-243, how does a glide bomb work, and why is this capability important for the IAF?
What is the Khagantak-243?
The Khagantak-243 is a 300 kg-class stand-off precision-guided glide bomb designed for air-launched attacks.
Unlike a conventional free-fall bomb, which largely follows a ballistic trajectory after being released, a glide bomb uses aerodynamic lift to travel towards its target. Guidance systems then help steer it during its flight.
Available information puts the Khagantak-243’s reported range at more than 140 km when released from an altitude of around 12,000 metres.
This gives the weapon a key advantage: the launching aircraft can release it well before reaching the target area.
The system reportedly combines Inertial Navigation System (INS) technology with satellite-based navigation for guidance. It has also been designed for integration with fighter aircraft, including the Su-30MKI.
Why does stand-off range matter?
In modern warfare, getting close to the target can expose an aircraft to enemy air-defence systems.
A stand-off weapon changes that equation.
Instead of flying deep into an area protected by surface-to-air missiles, radar systems and other air-defence assets, a fighter can release a guided munition from a safer distance and subsequently leave the area.
The weapon then uses its aerodynamic design and guidance systems to cover the remaining distance.
This means that the value of the Khagantak-243 is not simply its range. It is the combination of range, precision and the ability to launch it without directly overflying the target.
How is a glide bomb different from a missile?
The two can look similar in terms of their battlefield role, but their propulsion systems are fundamentally different.
A cruise or air-to-surface missile generally has an engine that provides thrust throughout much of its flight. A glide bomb, by contrast, is unpowered after release and relies on its initial velocity, altitude and aerodynamic lift to travel towards its target.
That makes glide bombs comparatively simpler than powered missiles while still allowing them to achieve significantly greater reach than conventional bombs.
Their effectiveness, however, depends heavily on factors such as release altitude, aircraft speed, aerodynamic design and the accuracy of their navigation and control systems.
Who is developing the Khagantak-243?
The programme also reflects the expanding role of India’s domestic defence industry in the development of precision weapons.
JSR Dynamics is associated with the bomb’s body and control systems, while Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is involved in electronics and guidance-related components.
The IAF has also entered into a production arrangement with BEL for the weapon, according to the information available on the programme.
This is important beyond the individual weapon itself. Developing a precision-guided munition requires expertise in areas ranging from aerodynamics and flight control to navigation, electronics and systems integration.
Building those capabilities domestically can create expertise that can subsequently be applied to other weapons programmes.
Why is the Khagantak-243 trial important?
The IAF’s latest trial is significant for three reasons.
First, it expands India’s indigenous stand-off weapon portfolio. The ability to attack targets from a distance gives fighter aircraft greater flexibility in contested environments.
Second, it strengthens the domestic precision-weapons ecosystem. The involvement of Indian private and public-sector companies means that expertise in guidance, control, electronics and munition production is being developed within the country.
Third, it reduces potential dependence on foreign suppliers. Indigenous weapons give the armed forces greater control over production, upgrades and availability, particularly during prolonged military operations when imported supplies could become vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions.
Is the Khagantak-243 operational yet?
The successful trial should not automatically be interpreted as the weapon having entered full operational service.
A successful weapons trial establishes that specified objectives have been achieved during that particular test. Further evaluation, qualification, integration and production steps can still be required before a system becomes fully operational at scale.
Nevertheless, the latest test represents an important milestone.
India’s defence modernisation is increasingly moving beyond simply assembling or procuring weapons and towards developing the underlying technologies required to design, manufacture and upgrade them domestically.
The Khagantak-243 is an example of that shift: a relatively compact weapon that combines aerodynamics, navigation, guidance, flight control and domestic manufacturing into a single system.
For the IAF, that means another potential tool for stand-off precision strikes. For India’s defence industry, it represents another step towards building the technological depth needed to produce sophisticated weapons at home.
On 2nd September (Wednesday), retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra has been named the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The former senior Indian Air Force officer has been hired to the top executive position as the organisation in charge of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir overhauls its administration.
Mishra is from the Deoria district, which is near Ayodhya. His father was a lecturer, and he hails from a middle-class background. On 6th December 1986, he was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the IAF. He has over 3,000 hours of flying experience and served for more than 38 years as a fighter combat leader and experimental test pilot. He retired on 30th April this year.
Mishra graduated from the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK, the Air Force Test Pilots School in Bengaluru, the National Defence Academy in Pune and the Air Command and Staff College in the United States. He was a chief test pilot at the Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment and led a fighter squadron during his time in the service.
Additionally, he commanded two front-line air bases as an Air Officer. He occupied a number of high-level posts, such as Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Projects) at Air Headquarters, Principal Director of ASR and Director of the Operational Planning and Assessment Group.
Prior to being designated Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), Mishra held the responsibilities of Commandant of ASTE and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff for Doctrine, Organisation and Training. He assumed leadership of the Western Air Command, a crucial operational unit within the IAF, in January 2025.
Afterwards, he presided over “Operation Sindoor” which targeted terrorist organisations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Mishra was instrumental in overseeing air drills during the pivotal operation. He has been honoured with multiple prestigious military awards, including the Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal. He is also a recipient of the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal.
The trust’s decision and Mishra’s responsibilities
Millions of pilgrims continue to flock to the revered temple on a daily basis. Hence, the trust’s focus on improving operational discipline, crowd control, infrastructure growth, and security monitoring is highlighted by the decision to appoint an experienced military administrator.
Mishra’s time in the defence forces has given him decades of advanced administrative, operational and strategic planning skills. His experience managing complicated systems and large-scale public operations originates from his work in vital logistics, personnel management and defence administration.
He has a great deal of experience managing high-density operations under pressure and carrying out large-scale logistics. He has a track record of success in operational discipline, security procedures and multi-agency collaboration. Additionally, he has extensive experience supervising infrastructure and allocating resources within strict defence frameworks.
Mishra will preside over day-to-day operations of the 70-acre Ram Janmabhoomi grounds as CEO of the temple complex. His responsibility focuses on maintaining the site’s spiritual integrity while professionalising managerial tasks. He will be in charge of putting in place smooth queue management systems and entry-exit procedures to safely manage large crowds.
He is going to be responsible for supervising the remaining construction phase throughout the larger temple complex, which includes guest amenities and auxiliary shrines. He will work together with internal security teams, state police, and central security personnel to keep an impenetrable perimeter. He will make sure that pilgrim facilitation centres, IT infrastructure, sanitation drives and staff management are all streamlined.
The move represents a deliberate turn toward institutionalised management for India’s major religious complexes. The trust intends to create standard operating procedures that align with international benchmark requirements for public venue management by designating a veteran with substantial command experience. It is anticipated that Mishra’s induction will strengthen current initiatives to make Ayodhya a premier pilgrimage destination capable of managing enormous seasonal surges with ease.
The temple trust seeks to secure people’s faith by choosing a qualified CEO. The chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, Nripendra Mishra, had previously emphasised that a full-time CEO was essential to provide professional management and transparency to the most high-profile temple project in the world.
The selection process
A three-person Search Committee led by Justice (retired) Pramod Kohli, a former Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, was established on 6th July, marking the start of the selection process. The other participants were retired nuclear scientist Dr Suresh Avaran and retired Lieutenant General B K Chaturvedi.
Applications from all around India totalled 5,585. 16 individuals were ultimately shortlisted by the committee and invited to Ayodhya for in-person meetings on 11th and 12th August. Their backgrounds, work histories, personalities and professional skills were evaluated. In the end, Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, Major General Sanjay Pratap Singh Vishwasrao and Shruti Bhardwaj were suggested for the position. The trustees chose Mishra as the first CEO after weighing the profiles of all three.
The CEO will be the highest executive authority at the helm of the organisation’s officers, functionaries, employees, and staff, among other duties. In addition to ensuring compliance with all legal, regulatory and Trust Deed obligations, he will take charge of the effective management of the trust’s present operations and future growth.
On Tuesday, 1st September, Design and technology services firm Tata Elxsi announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bengaluru-based startup Sarla Aviation to collaborate on developing its Shunya electric air taxi. The partnership comes as Sarla Aviation moves ahead with its plans to develop an Indian-made electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility.
Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Tata Elxsi will provide engineering support for several important parts of the aircraft programme. Its work will cover avionics, flight-control systems, software integration, testing, verification and validation, as well as certification support.
Tata Elxsi and Sarla Aviation partner to accelerate development of #Shunya, India's first indigenous #eVTOL aircraft.
Sarla Aviation, meanwhile, will remain responsible for the overall design and development of Shunya. The company will also lead the type certification process for the aircraft. The two companies could later expand their partnership to areas such as sensor-fusion-based navigation software, structural and industrial design and airworthiness testing.
Tata Elxsi to support Shunya’s flight-control and certification work
The agreement comes at an important stage in Sarla Aviation’s development journey. The company is now moving beyond technology demonstrations and towards building a full-scale aircraft that can eventually carry passengers.
Tata Elxsi’s support will focus on areas that become especially important as an aircraft moves closer to commercial operations. Flight-control systems, avionics integration, software testing and certification require extensive engineering and validation before an aircraft can be cleared for passenger operations.
The partnership could also help Sarla Aviation build capabilities for other future applications. According to Tata Elxsi, the collaboration is expected to strengthen technologies that could eventually be useful in logistics, air ambulance services and defence-related applications.
Manoj Raghavan, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Elxsi, said the development of advanced air mobility will require both engineering capabilities and a wider ecosystem of supporting technologies.
“Every major shift in transportation has been enabled by a combination of engineering innovation and ecosystem readiness. Advanced air mobility is no different, and Sarla Aviation’s vision for Shunya reflects the ambition driving this transformation. “Initiatives like this create opportunities to apply expertise built across aerospace, mobility and digital technologies to entirely new aviation platforms,” Raghavan said.
Sarla Aviation co-founder and CEO Adrian Schmidt also highlighted the challenges involved in developing a completely new category of aircraft.
“Building a new class of aircraft is not simply an engineering challenge,” Sarla co-founder and CEO Adrian Schmidt said. “It requires bringing together people and organisations willing to solve problems that have never been solved before in this market.”
Schmidt said Tata Elxsi’s experience in complex aerospace systems would give Sarla access to the engineering capabilities needed to take Shunya “from concept to reality”.
Shunya designed to fly more than 300 km
Shunya is being developed as a seven-seater electric air taxi, including one seat for the pilot. The aircraft is designed for flight operations of more than 300 km and combines vertical take-off and landing capability with the efficiency of fixed-wing flight.
This combination is important because an eVTOL aircraft can take off and land vertically without needing a conventional runway, while its fixed-wing configuration can help it become more efficient during longer-distance cruising.
Sarla believes this design could make Shunya suitable for point-to-point air travel, particularly on routes where road journeys take a significant amount of time.
The company is targeting the first flight of Shunya within the next 18 to 24 months. Certification activities are expected to follow as the aircraft progresses through development and testing. For Sarla, the immediate goal is to turn the technologies tested on its smaller demonstrator aircraft into a full-scale passenger-carrying platform.
Sylla demonstrator helped test Shunya technologies
Before developing Shunya, Sarla Aviation conducted flight tests using Sylla, a smaller technology demonstrator. Earlier this year, the company completed a six-month flight-test campaign involving more than 500 test points and over 18 hours of flight time.
The company is now working on Sylla 2.0, which is expected to focus on another major challenge in eVTOL development, the transition from vertical flight to normal wing-borne flight.
Data collected during the first Sylla campaign is being used to improve the next demonstrator as well as the Shunya programme. Sarla CTO and co-founder Rakesh Gaonkar has said that the first aircraft provided the company with the data it was looking for and that the lessons from those tests are now influencing the next stage of development.
The partnership also gives Sarla access to Tata Elxsi’s existing experience in aerospace and advanced mobility technologies.
Tata Elxsi has worked on areas including battery management, flight controls, avionics software, systems integration and certification support. The company had also agreed with the CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories in January 2025, covering areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles, urban air mobility and eVTOL technologies.
For Sarla, this experience could be useful as Shunya moves from an engineering concept towards an aircraft that needs to meet aviation safety and certification requirements.
Jayaraj Rajapandian, Head of Aerospace at Tata Elxsi, said the Shunya project reflects how quickly aviation technology is changing.
Sarla’s plan to use Shunya for airport transfers and medical flights
Shunya is part of a larger urban air mobility plan that Sarla Aviation outlined in 2024. The company has chosen a relatively large aircraft for its first commercial platform, with six passenger seats and one seat for the pilot.
The idea is to spread the cost of operating the aircraft across more passengers and eventually offer fares that can compete with premium ground transportation.
Sarla’s first phase would focus on passengers who place a high value on saving time. Airport transfers, especially for business travellers, are expected to be one of the key uses.
Bengaluru is an important example for the company.
Medical transport is another important part of the initial plan. Sarla’s 2024 proposal envisaged commercial passengers paying for flights while medical missions could be provided free of cost.
From premium air taxis to wider urban connectivity
Once the first phase becomes operational, Sarla plans to expand its network. The company intends to use revenue from its early operations to increase aircraft production and reduce costs through larger-scale manufacturing.
The second phase would move the service beyond premium airport transfers. Sarla wants to connect residential areas with offices, schools, universities, parks, sports facilities and other frequently used locations.
The company has also discussed residential communities with dedicated landing facilities, which could allow people to travel directly between their homes and important destinations without relying on congested roads.
A claim by former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg that India’s GDP growth was only around 2.6% instead of the officially reported 7.8% went viral on social media. Several users have shared his calculation to claim that the government has manipulated GDP figures to make the economy look stronger than it actually is.
The Congress also picked up the claim to attack the government. In a post on X, the party alleged that the Modi government had “fudged GDP figures” and claimed that, without the alleged manipulation, real GDP growth would have been only 2.6%. But this comparison is misleading because the 2.6% figure being circulated is not an alternative calculation of India’s real GDP growth. It comes from comparing figures from two different GDP series.
𝟕.𝟖% 𝐆𝐃𝐏 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚, 𝟐.𝟔% 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲
Former Finance Secretary in the Modi Govt, Subhash Chandra Garg, has exposed how the Modi government has fudged GDP figures.
Garg questioned the recent revision of India’s GDP numbers and argued that the revision of the previous year’s figures had made the latest growth rate appear much higher. In comments cited by the Congress and media reports, he pointed to the increase in nominal GDP and suggested that, without the revision, growth at current prices could have been around 2.6%.
“The 7.8 per cent figure looks impressive on the face of it, but we should examine the reality behind it,” he said in his interview with NDTV.
However, the claim later gained much traction on social media, as Garg had claimed that India’s real GDP growth was 2.6%. His calculation does not actually support that figure.
The calculation used by Garg compares nominal GDP of ₹88.27 lakh crore in Q1, calculated under the new 2022–23 base-year series, with ₹86.05 lakh crore for Q1 FY26 compiled under the old 2011–12 series. That produces a growth rate of roughly 2.6%.
Why the 2.6% calculation is misleading
According to data cited by several media reports, comparing the two numbers is statistically invalid because one comes from the new GDP series and the other from the old series. Calling 2.6% the ‘real’ growth rate by mixing two incompatible GDP series is not scrutiny; it is simply incorrect arithmetic.
The new GDP series uses 2022-23 as the base year and has updated coverage, sectoral weights, estimation methods, price treatment and data sources. Once a new series is introduced, the historical data is also revised using the new methodology so that comparisons can be made on a like-for-like basis.
Under the new series, nominal GDP in Q1 FY2026-27 stood at ₹88.27 lakh crore, compared with ₹80 lakh crore in Q1 FY2025-26. That represents nominal growth of 10.3%.
More importantly, real GDP, which removes the effect of price changes, increased from ₹75.46 lakh crore to ₹81.36 lakh crore. This gives the official real GDP growth rate of 7.8% for the April-June quarter. These are the figures released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
4/ Using same series: Q1 FY26 = ₹80.00 lakh cr, Q1 FY27 = ₹88.27. Nominal +10.3%, real +7.8%.
It's the first line of the press note. He didn't have to dig! Just reading would have sufficed.
Congress, its leaders and social media posts amplify the claim
The Congress used Garg’s remarks to accuse the government of manipulating economic data. Several social media users also repeated the claim, suggesting that there was “no real growth” in the Indian economy and that the 7.8% figure was created through statistical manipulation.
"Real GDP growth is 2.6%, not 7.8%. The government is good at revising the base-year data so that it can project GDP growth as high as 7.8%."
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also launched a similar attack. Sharing a post on X, she wrote, “India’s former Finance Secretary, Subhash Garg, has raised serious concerns on the GDP growth data. Hard facts about how last year’s current price GDP of ₹86 trillion was revised down to ₹80 trillion to arrive at a 7.8%, which would’ve otherwise been 2.6% “He understands India’s finances and what the economic data throws up better than most people”.
India’s former Finance Secretary – Subhash Garg has raised serious concerns on the GDP growth data.
Hard facts about how last year’s current price GDP of ₹86 trillion was revised down to ₹80 trillion to arrive at a 7.8%, which would’ve otherwise been 2.6%
Congress leader Pawan Khera also shared a post accusing the government of manipulating the data. Sharing a post on his X account, Khera wrote, “Subhash Garg has punctured the government’s tall claims of 7.8% GDP growth, arguing that India’s real GDP growth is closer to 2.6%. His contention is even more damning: the previous year’s GDP growth was revised downward, making this year’s growth rate look stronger by comparison. His assessment seems far closer to the lived reality of ordinary Indians — rising prices, falling purchasing power, shrinking disposable incomes and savings, stagnant job opportunities, and rising household debt. These claims cannot simply be dismissed.”
Subhash Garg has punctured the government’s tall claims of 7.8% GDP growth, arguing that India’s real GDP growth is closer to 2.6%.
His contention is even more damning: the previous year’s GDP growth was revised downward, making this year’s growth rate look stronger by… https://t.co/ejGe8Ea7hR
But the viral posts often leave out an important detail: the 2.6% figure is based on mixing the old and new GDP series. It cannot be directly compared with the official 7.8% real growth rate.
This is shocking 🤯
Former Finance Secretary Subhash Garg has said that the real GDP is around 2.6% and nowhere close to 7.8% as reports suggest
GDP numbers are periodically revised when better data becomes available and when the statistical system is updated. The recent exercise involved moving to a new base year of 2022-23, along with changes in data sources and estimation methods.
MoSPI’s latest release shows that real GVA grew 8.2% in Q1 FY2026-27, while nominal GVA increased 11.5%. The services sector was a major contributor, growing 10% in real terms, while manufacturing grew 9.2%.
This does not mean every GDP number is beyond criticism. Quarterly estimates can be revised as more information becomes available, and a high GDP growth rate by itself does not tell us how income, employment or growth are distributed across society.
What about inflation and the GDP deflator?
The 10.3% nominal GDP growth and 7.8% real GDP growth imply an overall GDP deflator increase of roughly 2.3%. However, this should not be confused with CPI or WPI inflation.
The GDP deflator covers the wider economy, including consumption, investment, government services, exports and domestically produced output. The new GDP series also uses more detailed price indices and a double-deflation method for manufacturing, where output and intermediate inputs are adjusted separately.
Therefore, the viral claim that India’s “real GDP growth is only 2.6%” is misleading. Garg did raise questions about GDP revisions, but the 2.6% figure being circulated is not a valid alternative real-growth calculation. The official MoSPI estimate, based on the new and consistently applied GDP series, puts India’s real GDP growth in Q1 FY2026-27 at 7.8%.
The recent visit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat to the US has baffled and traumatised the Islamo-leftist cabal. After petitions, propaganda articles, and charged rhetoric could not prevent Bhagwat’s Madison Square event, the Islamo-leftist lobby led by Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) Action and SACRED Acts has secured a pledge from 100 politicians against receiving donations from RSS-linked entities or its supporters.
100 US Republican and Democrat politicians sign Hindus for Human Rights Action and SACRED Acts pledge to refuse donations from RSS supporters
In a press release issued on 31st August, Hindus for Human Rights Action and SACRED Acts said, “– Hindus for Human Rights Action and SACRED Acts announce an historic commitment against hate with nearly 100 American political leaders from across the United States pledging to reject political contributions from the anti-democratic movement behind the assassination of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (R.S.S.).”
The press release cites The New York Times to claim that the RSS is a “far-right group” that has been for nearly a century to turn India into a Hindu-first nation.
Amusingly, the HfHR Action and SACRED Acts lamented that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat visited the US despite the ‘direct opposition’ of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which recommended barring Bhagwat’s entry into the US and sanctioning RSS leaders.
The press release further stated that the nonpartisan pledge signed by Republican and Democrat politicians establishes three core commitments, including rejection of political violence and intimidation, refusal to accept donations from RSS and its affiliates, and return or redirect all such political contributions to ‘pro-democracy’ outfits.
“In response to the R.S.S. leaders visit Hindus for Human Rights Action, SACRED Acts, and their partners announce a nonpartisan pledge that includes a broad coalition of signatories from both the Democratic and Republican parties, including elected officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local/municipal level in eight states. The Nonviolence Pledge establishes three commitments for elected officials and candidates: Reject political violence and intimidation; Refuse donations linked to the anti-democratic R.S.S. and its affiliates; Return or redirect such political contributions to pro-democracy organizations.”
In addition to requiring the 100 US politicians to sign the SACRED Acts Nonviolence Pledge against RSS, the HfHR Action also urged all American political leaders to make a public statement supporting the USCIRF’s call “to impose sanctions and bar entry of R.S.S. leaders to the U.S. for “their responsibility and tolerance of severe violations of religious freedom.”
Notably, the SACRED Acts Nonviolence Pledge was first launched by SACRED Acts, founded by Pushkar Sharma, in Illinois in 2023, with support from Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Asian American Midwest Progressives, India Civil Watch International (ICWI), and Hindus for Human Rights.
As Islamo-leftist activists and politicians join forces to sharpen their attacks on India, the Indian government and the RSS by relying on apocryphal narratives and alarmist rhetoric, it is important to know who all are behind these sinister manoeuvres.
Ahead of Mohan Bhagwat’s US visit, USCIRF demanded sanctions against RSS and R&AW
The USCIRF, headed by a Pakistan-born American, Dr Asif Mahmood, has an opprobrious track record of churning out utterly biased and dubious anti-India reports annually.
In its annual report for the year 2026, the USCIRF has made unfounded allegations against the Indian government, the RSS and India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). In the report, the USCIRF placed India among the countries it describes as “countries of particular concern”. It also urged the US government to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for allegedly “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA)”.
Unsurprisingly, the USCIRF actively contributed to the sinister Islamo-leftist campaign in the US to stop RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Madison Square event.
The US-based organisation openly called for sanctions against the RSS, falsely accusing it of perpetrating attacks on Christians and Muslims in India. It emphasised PM Modi’s association with the RSS to insinuate that the Indian government, in connivance with the RSS, has been targeting religious minorities in the country.
“India’s PM Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian umbrella organisation whose sub-groups have perpetrated attacks on religious minorities, incl. Christians & Muslims. Now, the RSS leader, Mohan Bhagwat, plans to visit the U.S.,” the USCIRF’s Pakistan-born American Chairman, Dr Asif Mahmood, said.
“RSS leaders, even when affiliated with the Indian gov’t, should not be honoured with high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies. Instead, the USG should focus on imposing sanctions on RSS members found responsible for FoRB violations,” the organisation’s commissioner Gene Mills remarked.
The Indian Government, however, trashed the USCIRF’s statement, calling it a “biased” organisation with a track record of making “disparaging and inflammatory remarks about India.”
Hindus for Human Rights Action
Officially launched in 2026, with its public launch event held on 11th March, Hindus for Human Rights Action is the political advocacy arm of its parent organisation, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR).
The HfHR Action describes itself as “A movement for all Hindus seeking to protect democracy, human rights, and pluralism, and dismantle caste and Hindu nationalism.”
HfHR was formed in the year 2019 by two Islamist advocacy groups named Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and the Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI). Interestingly, the three organisations had formed another outfit called the Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), which, alongside IAMC, had been at the forefront of leading demonstrations against the visit of PM Modi to Houston on September 22, 2019.
The HfHR chief Sunita Vishwanath, who was pictured alongside Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, had attempted to create hysteria and panic among Indian Muslims about the National Register of Citizens (NRC). HfHR’s founding member Raju also heads EKTA. It is an associate organisation of IAMC. The sole purpose was to have Hindus on the panel to project that the Hindus, in general, were against Hindutva. Interestingly, HfHR ran Facebook ads to promote previous USCIRF reports.
Recently, HfHR endorsed IAMC’s online petition asking people to take part in it to urge Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke Bhagwat’s US visa, insisting that otherwise it would “send the wrong message about America’s commitment to religious freedom and the safety of minority communities.”
Indian American Muslim Council
The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is a Washington-based Islamist outfit which has been involved in anti-India activities and pushing an anti-Hindu agenda for many years. In 2021, IAMC campaigned to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern”.
During the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, IAMC and CAIR condemned India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan Army-backed terror establishments in Pakistan.
The Indian American Muslim Council is accused of having ties with the banned Islamic terror outfit, Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Besides, the Indian American Muslim Council has ties with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) through its founder Shaik Ubaid. The IAMC is a Jamaat-e-Islami-backed lobbyist organisation claiming to be a rights advocacy group.
Moreover, the IAMC is also accused of collaborating with and even paying money to various groups in the USA to get India blacklisted by the USCIRF. OpIndia has reported on how the IAMC frequently publishes disinformation to peddle Muslim victimhood propaganda against India. The Indian government slapped the IAMC with the UAPA in 2021.
The IAMC also backed New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his mayoral candidacy. Mamdani, a notorious Hinduphobe, had recently lamented not having the authority to cancel the RSS Chief’s event in the city.
SACRED Acts
The South Asian American Coalition to Renew Democracy, also known as SACRED Acts, is a US-based organisation that claims to advance democracy and human rights by countering ‘extremism’ and political influence linked to ‘nationalist movements’.
Its stated mission is to “organize multiracial, multifaith, and anti-caste coalitions to counter authoritarianism and strengthen movements for justice.”
SACRED Acts first gained attention in 2023, when it introduced a six-page Nonviolence Pledge in Illinois, with the backing of the Islamist IAMC, Asian American Midwest Progressives, India Civil Watch International and Hindus for Human Rights.
Since its 2023 launch, the Nonviolence Pledge has secured signatures of around 90 officials and candidates across federal, state and local races. The ‘pledge’ boasts the endorsement of Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, as if his relation with MK Gandhi makes him an unquestionable authority of righteousness.
Pushkar Sharma, the Executive Director of SACRED Acts, claims, “Over the past decade, in Illinois alone, individuals tied to the RSS have funnelled at least $2.5 million into political campaigns across both parties [Democratic and Republican] promoting their anti-democratic, extremist agenda that does not represent the beliefs of the vast majority of South Asian Americans.”
Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Kshama Sawant, and more: Who the key signatories of the anti-RSS pledgeare
The Hindus for Human Rights Action and SACRED Acts orchestrated anti-RSS pledge has been signed by at least 100 American politicians, including members of Congress, state legislators, mayors, local elected officials and candidates from both Democratic and Republican circles.
Among the key signatories of this ridiculous pledge are members of the US House of Representatives Pramila Jayapal of Washington, U.S. Rep. Aisha Wahab (CA), Ro Khanna of California and Robin Kelly of Illinois, Michigan’s newly elected Democratic nominee for the Senate race Abdul El-Sayed, another Democrat congressional nominee Brad Lander, and socialist politician Kshama Sawant.
Pramila Jayapal: A rabid Hinduphobe and anti-India politician in the US
Pramila Jayapal is a notorious anti-India and anti-Hindu element infecting American politics. In December 2019, she brought a Congressional resolution urging India to end restrictions on communications in Jammu and Kashmir. Her stand against the Indian Government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in the state made the Indian-American community feel betrayed, cheated and saddened.
Following her resolution, MEA Jaishankar famously cancelled his meeting with a group of United States lawmakers following their refusal to exclude anti-India Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal from the delegation that was scheduled to meet him. “Don’t think her report has a fair understanding of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir or a fair characterisation of what the Government of India is doing. I have no interest in meeting her,” the External Affairs Minister revealed after speculations of cancellation of the meeting came forth.
In January 2026, Pramila Jayapal joined 7 other US lawmakers in signing an open letter to the Indian government demanding bail and a free trial for 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi Riots accused mastermind Umar Khalid. Even as Khalid’s case remained sub judice, the US lawmakers declared him downright innocent. Jayapal and other signatories demanded that Umar Khalid be released from jail, claiming that the anti-CAA protests were ‘peaceful’ and even painted Muslims as the victims of the anti-Hindu riots in 2020.
Kshama Sawant: TheAnti-India lobbyist who brought resolution against CAA, Hindus in Seattle
An Indian American economist from Seattle and a former member of the Seattle City Council, Kshama Sawant has an opprobrious history of peddling anti-Hindu hatred and indulging in activism directly attacking the Hindu American community.
As a councilwoman, Kshama Sawant drafted and piloted a law to designate “caste” a protected category under the city’s non-discrimination policy – the first such law passed by a city in the United States – which placed Hindus under additional legal scrutiny and faced fierce opposition from the community leaders and groups. Furthermore, she protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which aimed to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Sawant was the driving force behind a resolution passed by the Seattle City Council in February 2020 denouncing India’s CAA and NRC for “discriminating against women, Muslims, members of suppressed castes, indigenous and LGBT individuals.”
The resolution ridiculously framed the CAA as ‘discriminatory’ even as CAA had nothing to do with any existing Indian citizens, Muslim, LGBT, women or otherwise. It was a provision to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have already been living in India as refugees.
The resolution asked the Indian Parliament to ratify several United Nations (UN) refugee relief treaties, repeal the CAA and halt the NRC. It should come as no surprise that anti-Hindu, anti-Indian, and Islamist groups praised the action. The Indian American Muslim Council‘s (IAMC) president, Ahsan Khan, stated that Seattle’s decision should send a message to those who are threatening religious freedom and plurality. Thenmozhi Soundararajan of advocacy group Equality Labs also voiced support, characterising Seattle’s initiative as a component of a worldwide protest against the CAA.
In 2020, Sawant brought a resolution which called on workers, farmers, students, and other community members to participate in solidarity actions in support of the protesting farmers in New Delhi.
After Kshama Sawant sponsored a caste resolution, Seattle became the first city in the US to formally designate “caste” as a protected group under its non-discrimination policy in February 2023.
Aisha Wahab: The Senator who introduced the SB-403 caste discrimination bill
In 2023, California Senator Aisha Wahab tabled the SB-403 caste discrimination bill. The dubious organisation Equality Labs is one of the bill’s biggest supporters. The bill was completely based on the Cisco caste case, which later fell flat. In October 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom returned the discriminatory and Hinduphobic Bill ‘SB403’, deeming it “unnecessary”.
Ro Khanna: The Islamist sympathiser
Rohit Khanna, commonly known as Ro Khanna, is a US Democrat Congressman of Indian origin. In August 2019, Ro Khanna joined the Pakistan Congressional Caucus, becoming the first Indian-American to do so. This move had raised eyebrows in the Indian-American community, while he was welcomed by the Pakistanis, including Pakistan’s ambassador to the US.
Over the years, OpIndia has extensively reported on Khanna’s anti-India activities.
On 24th March 2023, Khanna made unsolicited remarks about the internal political affairs of India. The development comes after Congress scion Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a criminal defamation case.
In an X post, he claimed, “The expulsion of Rahul Gandhi from parliament is a deep betrayal of Gandhian philosophy and India’s deepest values.” The US politician further added, “This is not what my grandfather sacrificed years in jail for. Narendra Modi, you have the power to reverse this decision for the sake of Indian democracy.”
In August 2019, Ro Khanna courted controversy for presenting a distorted version of Hindutva to his American followers. He had tweeted, “Important article. It’s the duty of every American politician of Hindu faith to stand for pluralism, reject Hindutva, and speak for equal rights for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist & Christians. That is the vision of India my grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar fought for.”
Khanna created a false impression that Hindutva promotes inequality and discrimination against other religions. Contrary to Khanna’s framing, Hindutva (as defined by Veer Savarkar) is an inclusive term that represents everything ‘Indic’.
During the anti-farm law agitation in India in 2020, Ro Khanna tweeted, “India & the US share a rich tradition of democracy & peaceful protests. Farmworkers are the backbone of both our nations & must have their voices heard.”
India & the US share a rich tradition of democracy & peaceful protests. Farmworkers are the backbone of both our nations & must have their voices heard. I hope there's a peaceful and fair solution so they can provide for their families. I am encouraged by the ongoing dialogue.
Equality Labs, which is known for anti-Hindu propaganda, has worked with Congressman Ro Khanna to introduce a resolution in celebration of the 129th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar. The founder of Equity Labs, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, has shared the stage with Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is the founder of Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice or SFJ.
Unsurprisingly, Ro Khanna, who has a history of pushing Islamist narratives, also enjoys the backing of Islamist outfits like the IAMC. In 2023, he visited India and met the Muslim ‘victims’ of anti-Hindu Nuh violence. He also met anti-Hindu riots accused Umar Khalid, Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, who is generally seen loitering around on Twitter spewing hate, and Kukis from Manipur; he did not meet Meities when he should have met both communities in the capacity of a foreign politician.
Interestingly, Ro Khanna has claimed that as a part of his commitment to the HfHR Action and SACRED Acts pledge to return or redirect funds received from RSS supporters, he is returning a $6,600 contribution he recently received “from a pro-MAGA, billionaire with ties to the RSS”. Questions are being asked as to why a MAGA supporter would donate to an Islamist-sympathising Democrat like Khanna.
Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka has emerged as a prominent face of the group’s activism, regularly appearing in protests and public campaigns while billing himself as a voice on issues ranging from education and health to governance.
But a closer look at his professional background reveals a far wider network, one that runs through international public-health organisations, global philanthropic institutions and, during his second stint at Gavi, a former Pakistani senator and minister who had previously worked closely with Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The trail begins with Gavi
Ranka’s professional profile shows that he first worked with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, from May 2021 to July 2022. He returned to the organisation in October 2024 as an independent, part-time consultant, a position he held until September 2025.
Source: LinkedIn
The timing of his second stint is particularly noteworthy.
By October 2024, Gavi was being led by Dr Sania Nishtar, who had taken over as the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer on March 18, 2024. Nishtar was not simply a public-health professional who happened to come from Pakistan. Before moving to Gavi, she had been a Pakistani senator and had held a minister-rank position in the country’s federal government.
From 2018 to 2022, she served as Special Assistant to then Prime Minister Imran Khan on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, with the status of a Federal Minister. She had previously served as a Federal Minister during Pakistan’s caretaker government in 2013.
Source: LinkedIn
Thus, when Ranka returned to Gavi as a part-time consultant in October 2024, the organisation was headed by a former senior figure in Pakistan’s political establishment.
That fact does not establish a direct relationship between Ranka and Nishtar, nor is there evidence that she personally recruited or supervised him. But the chronology is important when examining the professional network through which Ranka operated.
Sania Nishtar and Imran Khan’s government
Nishtar’s role in Pakistan under Imran Khan was substantial.
A 2020 Telegraph profile described her as Khan’s Special Adviser on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation and identified her as the person tasked with building Ehsaas, the PTI government’s flagship social-protection programme.
Imran Khan and Sania Nishtar (Source: The Telegraph)
The programme was closely associated with Khan’s political vision. Following his 2018 election victory, Khan had spoken extensively about poverty, education, malnutrition and social protection, invoking the idea of a welfare state that would take responsibility for its weaker sections.
Nishtar was subsequently given the responsibility of translating that vision into government policy. Ehsaas became an umbrella programme covering social safety nets, education scholarships, healthcare, employment and poverty alleviation.
Nishtar therefore occupied a position at the intersection of public health, international development and Pakistani politics before eventually moving to the leadership of Gavi.
It was during her tenure as Gavi CEO that Ranka returned to the organisation.
Ranka was working for Gavi while actively associated with AAP
The Gavi connection becomes even more interesting when viewed alongside Ranka’s political activity.
His professional profile identifies his second Gavi stint as a part-time independent consultancy running from October 2024 to September 2025. During this same period, his Instagram account shows an active association with the Aam Aadmi Party and its leadership.
A post dated February 20, 2025 shows Ranka posing with AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In the accompanying caption, Ranka described Kejriwal as the person who had “inspired me like no one else” and said he had decided to be “slightly shameless” that day. He further wrote that “AK is as determined as ever” and told his followers that there were exciting things coming up.
Ashutosh Ranka posted a picture with AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal
The post is significant because it does not present Ranka as a detached observer meeting a politician for a routine photograph. His own words indicate admiration for Kejriwal and suggest that he was personally invested in the political developments surrounding the AAP leader.
Another post dated March 18, 2025 shows Ranka participating in an AAP-related press interaction. The video has an AAP backdrop and Ranka’s caption discusses the condition of government schools in Rajasthan while tagging the AAP Rajasthan account and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia.
Another post uploaded by Ranka in support of AAP
Both posts were made while Ranka was simultaneously listed as a part-time consultant with Gavi.
That does not mean Gavi endorsed AAP or that Ranka’s political activities were undertaken on behalf of Gavi. Nor does employment by an international organisation prevent an individual from engaging in politics in his personal capacity.
But it does raise a legitimate question about the boundaries between Ranka’s professional role and his political activism.
From AAP to CJP
Ranka’s political association with AAP also provides important context to his subsequent emergence as a CJP spokesperson.
A cursory examination of his social-media footprint shows that his political activism did not begin with CJP. He had already established a visible association with AAP and its leadership, including public appearances and expressions of admiration for Kejriwal.
His March 2025 appearance, in particular, shows him actively participating in an AAP political communication exercise rather than merely expressing a personal political preference online.
This matters because Ranka is now primarily known publicly through his CJP persona. His earlier political associations provide a broader picture of the trajectory that preceded it.
The relevant question is not whether moving from one political platform or movement to another is improper. Political activists frequently move between organisations.
The question is whether his professional affiliations and political engagements were adequately disclosed, especially during periods when the two overlapped.
The Soros connection runs through Gavi
Ranka’s first stint at Gavi also coincided with an important institutional relationship involving the Open Society Foundations.
In April 2022, Gavi entered into a roughly US$200 million COVAX risk-sharing facility with MedAccess and the Open Society Foundations. The arrangement involved procurement guarantees of up to US$100 million each from MedAccess and the Soros Economic Development Fund.
The purpose was to help facilitate additional COVID-19 vaccine procurement through COVAX.
There is no evidence that Ranka personally received any of this money or played a role in negotiating the arrangement. It would therefore be misleading to describe the Gavi–Open Society partnership as proof that Ranka was personally funded by George Soros.
But it is nevertheless part of the institutional ecosystem in which Ranka worked.
The broader chain is therefore documented: Ranka worked for Gavi; Gavi had an institutional financial relationship involving the Open Society Foundations; and the Open Society network is associated with George Soros.
Global Health Visions and Kinaura Partners
Gavi is not the only international organisation appearing in Ranka’s professional history.
Ranka has also been associated with Global Health Visions (GHV), subsequently renamed Kinaura Partners, a consultancy operating in the global-health sector. His professional profile identifies him as a Senior Associate at the organisation.
The consultancy’s work covers areas including immunisation, infectious diseases and health policy, and its public material has identified major international organisations and philanthropic foundations among those connected with its work.
Why did information about Ranka disappear?
The issue attracted greater attention after activist Vijay Patel highlighted Ranka’s professional affiliations.
Information about Ranka that had previously appeared on the concerned organisation’s website was subsequently reported to have been removed. His professional association, however, continued to appear on his LinkedIn profile.
The disappearance of a profile does not, on its own, establish wrongdoing. Websites are redesigned, employees leave and organisations routinely alter their public-facing pages.
But the timing inevitably raises questions when the individual concerned is a politically active public figure and the information disappears after his professional links are publicly highlighted.
If the professional association was entirely routine, the obvious solution would be transparency: identify the role, its duration, the nature of the work and any relevant disclosures.
The Pakistani link needs to be understood carefully
The most politically sensitive part of the story is undoubtedly the Pakistani connection.
Sania Nishtar was a senior figure in Imran Khan’s government. She was responsible for implementing one of his flagship welfare programmes and subsequently became CEO of Gavi.
Ranka, meanwhile, returned to Gavi as a part-time consultant after Nishtar had assumed the CEO’s position.
The larger network
What makes Ranka’s background noteworthy is not one isolated association but the combination of several different networks.
There is his association with AAP and Arvind Kejriwal, which is publicly visible through his own social-media posts. There is his professional association with Gavi, where he worked both before and during Sania Nishtar’s tenure as CEO. There is his association with Global Health Visions/Kinaura Partners, another player in the international public-health ecosystem. And there is Gavi’s institutional relationship with the Open Society Foundations.
Taken together, they raise questions that deserve straightforward answers.
What exactly were Ranka’s responsibilities at Gavi? Who paid him? What was the nature of his part-time consultancy? Were his political activities with AAP disclosed to his employer? What was his role at Global Health Visions/Kinaura Partners? And why was information about his professional association reportedly removed after it attracted public scrutiny?
These are questions of transparency and potential conflicts of interest.
The questions CJP and Ranka should answer
Ranka is now a political spokesperson and public campaigner. That makes his professional history relevant to the public, particularly when it includes employment with major international organisations and political activity during the same period.
The available record shows that he worked with Gavi, returned to it as a part-time consultant after Sania Nishtar became CEO, maintained an association with an international global-health consultancy, and was simultaneously visibly engaged with AAP and its leadership. His own Instagram posts provide evidence of that political association.
For someone who now presents himself as a political activist and spokesperson, the basic questions are simple: What were his professional relationships? Who funded his work? What political activities did he undertake while employed by international organisations? Were those activities disclosed? And are there any institutional or financial relationships that the public has not yet been told about?
In the Rangareddy district of Telangana, a 21-year-old private hospital nurse, Sirisha, was allegedly raped and murdered by a bike mechanic named Mohammed Sanaullah on 28th August. The nurse, Uke Sirisha, was found dead in a pool of blood in her room in Thukkuguda. The deceased victim’s family has alleged that Sirisha was raped before being murdered.
Nurse Sirisha was found dead in her room
Sirisha was working as a nurse at Prime Care Hospital in Thukkuguda for the last seven months. She was staying in accommodation provided near the private hospital along with her fellow nurses.
Reports say that Sirisha went to her room at around 10 pm on Friday (28th August) after her shift ended. Sirisha did not respond to calls from her colleagues the next day.
Later, a colleague entered Sirisha’s room through a window and found her dead inside the room. The deceased nurse had injuries on her face. The police arrived at the scene and registered a murder case.
“When she did not turn up, we called her on her phone, but there was no response,” a hospital employee told the media.
‘A hammer was used…’: Nurse Sirisha’s family alleges rape and murder
Speaking to the media, a relative of the victim said that she received a call from Sirisha’s colleague on Saturday. The colleague informed the deceased nurse’s relative about Sirisha’s death. Sirisha’s colleague had knocked on the door several times; however, upon not receiving any response from Sirisha, the colleague decided to enter through the window. Sirisha was found lying dead in a pool of blood.
Meanwhile, Sirisha’s mother has alleged that her daughter was raped and murdered, as her body had multiple injuries, including to her head, knees, throat and chest.
She also alleged that the murderer used a hammer to attack Sirisha.
On Sunday (30th August), the Pahadishareef police shifted the victim’s body to Osmania General Hospital for postmortem and registered a murder case.
Initially, the police refused to confirm sexual assault claims, saying that anything about this offence can be confirmed only after the postmortem report is released. The deceased nurse’s body was shifted to Osmania General Hospital for postmortem on Sunday.
Postmortem report confirmed sexual assault
After the postmortem report was released, it was confirmed that nurse Sirisha was indeed raped.
“On being informed, we rushed to the crime scene along with the Clues teams and collected evidence. Doctors at the OGH mortuary confirmed that the victim had been raped. We also found multiple injuries on her body,” a Pahadishareef police officer said.
“There were bleeding injuries on her face. She is suspected to have been murdered by an unidentified person,” the officer added.
Bihar native Mohammed Sanaullah arrested
On 29th August, the police arrested bike mechanic Mohammed Sanaullah on charges of rape and murder of the nurse. The 34-year-old accused is reported to be from Bihar’s Begusarai. Sanaullah migrated to Telangana’s Thukkuguda about three years ago. He was working as a bike mechanic near the hospital where Sirisha worked as a nurse, before shifting to another workshop run by his employer around two months ago.
Sanaullah was stalking Sirisha for days before raping and murdering her
As per Shamshabad DCP B Rajesh, the arrested accused, Mohammed Sanaullah, used to watch Sirisha’s movements via the rear window of the mechanic shop. Sanaullah found out that Sirisha was working as a nurse at the nearby Prime Care Hospital and stayed in a hospital-provided room. Gradually, the police said, Sanaullah developed ‘sexual interest’ in Sirisha that drove him to raping her.
Through a reconstruction of the crime scene, the police found that Sanaullah entered Sirisha’s room via a window at 12:30 am on Friday. When the victim woke and screamed after seeing Sanaullah, the accused attempted to silence her by covering her mouth and overpowering her.
This led to a fierce struggle between the two, during which Sirisha bit Sanaullah’s left little finger and scratched his throat and the left side of his chest.
Following this, the police allege that Sanaullah attacked Sirisha on her face, pushed her down, and strangled her before raping her. After sexually assaulting her, the accused fled the room through the window and closed it.
On 29th August, after Sirisha did not pick up calls from her family members, her aunt grew suspicious and approached the Pahadishareef Police. Subsequently, the police launched a probe and arrested Sanaullah.
BJP and Hindu groups demand strict action
The rape and murder case of the 21-year-old nurse has stirred outrage in the state.
Criticising the law-and-order situation under the Congress government led by CM Revanth Reddy, Telangana BJP state president N Ramchander Rao said, “We demand that the police should take stern action against this guy who is responsible for such a heinous crime.” He also highlighted the rise in crimes against women in Telangana, stating, “Women are not safe in Telangana. Women are being attacked in Telangana day in and day out. The law-and-order situation in Telangana has failed, and women need protection.”
🚨 BREAKING: Telanganaʼs Pahadishareef Police ARRESTED MD Sanaullah (34), a bike mechanic, for the alleged RAPE & MURDER of 21-year-old nurse Sirisha in Thukkuguda, Rangareddy.
Sirisha’s family & BJP leaders protested yesterday, demanding an encounter & justice for the family.…
Meanwhile, Yamuna Pathak, National Mahila President of Visva Hindu Raksha Parishad, has also urged the authorities to ensure the harshest punishment for the perpetrator.
Telangana Nurses Association takes out candlelight march in Hyderabad to demand justice for nurse Sirisha
On 31st August, the members of the Telangana Nurses Association (TNA) held a candlelight protest at the Ambedkar Statue on Tank Bund in Hyderabad. The protestors sought accountability from Prime Care Hospital, where Sirisha worked as a nurse. They also demanded government intervention to ensure safe accommodation and adequate security for nurses and other healthcare workers, especially in private and corporate hospitals.
A 21-year-old Hindu nurse, Shirisha, was allegedly raped and murdered in her hospital room in Hyderabad after she resisted.
In addition, the TNA members also demanded suspension of the private hospital’s licence. The protestors allege that the hospital where Sirisha was employed failed to provide safe accommodation for its staff.
Furthermore, the TNA has demanded ex-gratia assistance for Sirisha’s family.
Russia is stepping up its defence push towards India, with the S-500 Prometheus air defence system and the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter at the centre of its latest offer. The move comes as India faces two major challenges: strengthening its air defence network and addressing the shortage of fighter aircraft in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The renewed Russian pitch comes amid a fresh meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek on Monday, 31st August, with the two leaders also expected to meet again in New Delhi. NDTV’s Shiv Aroor contends that, for Moscow, the discussions are an opportunity to build on decades of defence cooperation, even as India increasingly looks towards other suppliers and its own defence industry.
S-500 Prometheus Su-57 Felon
Can confirm that Team Putin is pushing 2 big weapon packages as prestige projects to take India-Russia defence ties to the next level.
The S-500 Prometheus is being presented by Russia as the next major step in its air and missile defence cooperation with India. Moscow’s pitch comes after the S-400 systems already inducted by India gained significant attention during Operation Sindoor last year.
India deployed its Russian-made S-400 systems against Pakistani aerial threats during the operation. An S-400 system was also reported to have brought down a Pakistani airborne early warning and control aircraft from a very long range, further strengthening the system’s reputation within the Indian military.
Russia appears keen to build on that experience. Just a day before the Modi-Putin meeting in Bishkek, Moscow reportedly submitted a proposal to supply India with five additional S-400 squadrons. If accepted, the deal could potentially double the number of squadrons already contracted.
However, the S-500 proposal is not a straightforward decision for India. New Delhi is already working on its own long-range air defence capabilities. Project Kusha is being developed as an indigenous system in the S-400 class, while India’s ballistic missile defence programme is also at an advanced stage.
This means India will have to examine whether the S-500 would fill an actual capability gap or simply overlap with systems that the country is already developing. Any purchase would also have to be considered in the context of India’s growing push for defence self-reliance.
Su-57 offer comes amid IAF fighter shortage
The second offer from Moscow is even more complicated for India. Russia’s second offer is the Su-57 Felon, its fifth-generation stealth fighter. The proposal comes at a time when the IAF is struggling with a shortage of fighter squadrons and India’s indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is still years away from becoming operational.
Russia has indicated that technology transfer, greater localisation and even production in India could be part of a potential Su-57 arrangement. The IAF has also considered the Russian offer, with the aircraft being viewed as a possible “stopgap” until the AMCA becomes available.
That, however, highlights the difficult choice facing India. If New Delhi waits for the AMCA, the IAF could be left without an indigenous fifth-generation fighter for several years. But importing the Su-57 would bring its own financial, logistical and strategic complications.
The urgency has increased because India’s neighbours are also moving ahead with stealth aircraft. China is believed to have more than 500 J-20 fighters, while Pakistan is expected to receive Chinese J-35 fifth-generation fighters. This leaves India facing a difficult question: should it wait for the AMCA or acquire a foreign stealth fighter as an interim solution?
Another fighter type could add to IAF’s burden
Introducing the Su-57 would also add another aircraft type to an already diverse IAF fleet. India’s frontline fighter inventory includes the Russian Su-30MKI and MiG-29, French Rafale and Mirage 2000, Anglo-French Jaguar and indigenous Tejas.
Every new aircraft comes with its own requirements for pilot training, maintenance, spare parts, weapons, infrastructure and logistics. The Su-57 could therefore increase the complexity of fleet management at a time when the IAF is already trying to simplify and modernise its combat aircraft inventory.
There is also an uncomfortable history behind Russia’s current offer. India and Russia had earlier worked on the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme, which was intended to develop an Indian version of the aircraft that eventually became the Su-57. The project was eventually abandoned.
Russia is nevertheless offering India a wider package of defence cooperation. This includes the Voronezh strategic early-warning radar, which is designed to detect ballistic missile launches and other threats over very long distances. Moscow is also looking at upgrades for India’s large fleet of Su-30MKIs in cooperation with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), along with modernisation of India’s Russian-origin Kilo-class submarines.
Russia faces growing competition in India
Moscow’s renewed push comes as India has spent years deliberately reducing its dependence on a single defence supplier. The country is increasingly buying military equipment from the United States, France, Israel and other partners while also investing heavily in domestic production.
The recent move towards procuring American Javelin anti-tank guided missiles, following a process that has lasted around 16 years, is one example. India is also moving towards a major additional purchase of 114 Rafale fighters from France.
At the same time, India’s own defence industry is becoming a stronger competitor. Programmes such as Tejas, AMCA, Project Kusha and the indigenous ballistic missile defence system reflect New Delhi’s long-term effort to build critical military capabilities domestically.
Still, Russia has one major advantage that newer suppliers cannot easily match. Decades of military cooperation have left Russian-origin equipment deeply embedded in India’s armed forces. Russian fighters, tanks, submarines, helicopters, missiles and air defence systems continue to form a significant part of India’s military inventory. Their maintenance, upgrades and eventual replacement will continue to create opportunities for Moscow.
The final decisions on systems such as the S-500 or Su-57 will not be made personally by PM Modi and Putin. However, political direction from the two leaders has historically helped push major India-Russia defence projects forward.
The latest Modi-Putin engagement is therefore about more than the familiar display of close ties between the two countries. Russia is trying to retain its position in India’s changing defence landscape at a time when Western suppliers and India’s own defence industry are competing for a larger share.
For India, meanwhile, the choices are becoming increasingly difficult. It must decide how much more foreign air defence capability is required when indigenous systems are moving closer to deployment. At the same time, the IAF must determine whether it can afford to wait for the AMCA while China and Pakistan rapidly expand their fifth-generation fighter capabilities.
