70% Of Air India Planes Have Recurring Technical Issues: Centre

More than seven out of every ten aircraft reviewed in the Air India Group fleet have shown recurring technical defects, according to official data tabled in Parliament on Thursday, putting the airline group at the top of the list among Indian carriers reviewed for such issues.

The figures, presented in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, reveal that 191 of the 267 aircraft operated by Air India Group were identified with repetitive defects during inspections conducted since January last year.

Within the Air India Group, 137 of 166 Air India aircraft and 54 of 101 Air India Express planes were found to have recurring issues during inspections.

Responding to the data, an Air India official said, "We have, out of abundant caution, carried out checks across our fleet. Hence, numbers are higher."

Offering further clarification, a top Air India executive said there are different types of equipment which are checked on planes and that these are categorised into A, B, C and D segments, depending on priority and urgency.

"In case of Air India, most of the issues are with category D, which includes items like seats, tray tables, screens (on the back of seats) and so on. These are not related to the safety of the aircraft," the executive said.

The executive added that "as the retrofit programme for narrow-body aircraft rolls out over the next two years, these issues will be resolved too."

Across the industry, a total of 754 aircraft belonging to six scheduled airlines were analysed for recurring deficiencies, of which 377 planes were flagged for repeated technical issues.

India's largest carrier IndiGo had 405 aircraft examined during the period. Of these, 148 planes were identified as having repetitive defects as of February 3 this year, the data showed.

Other airlines also reported such defects, with SpiceJet recording 16 affected aircraft out of 43 analysed, while Akasa Air saw 14 aircraft flagged from 32 reviewed planes.

The government also shared details of aviation safety oversight carried out by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). During the previous year, the regulator conducted 3,890 surveillance inspections, 56 regulatory audits, 84 checks on foreign aircraft, and 492 ramp inspections as part of planned monitoring.

In addition, 874 spot checks and 550 night surveillance inspections were carried out under unplanned safety oversight activities, the minister said.

On staffing, the government informed Parliament that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aviation regulator, had 637 sanctioned technical posts in 2022, a number that has now been increased to 1,063 following a restructuring exercise aimed at strengthening regulatory capacity.

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Class 12 Student Cuts Off Teacher's Lips In Roadside Attack In UP

A Class 12 student in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly attacked his teacher with a sharp weapon on January 26, severing both her lips, according to police.

The victim's brother stated in his complaint that the student had been consistently harassing the teacher, who worked at a private school on Agra Road. Despite a previous complaint made to the student's mother during a parent-teacher meeting and subsequent assurances that the behaviour would stop, the harassment persisted.

Distressed by the student's conduct, the teacher eventually resigned and moved to a different school. However, the accused allegedly tracked her to her new workplace and continued to stalk her daily.

On January 26, the student intercepted the teacher on her way to work and attacked her with a sharp weapon, cutting off both of her lips before fleeing the scene.

"A case has been registered based on the complaint filed by the teacher's brother," said Kotwali Station House Officer Fateh Bahadur Singh. "We are currently searching for the accused and will take further action once he is in custody."

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Ravichandran Ashwin 'Disappointed' Over Two Veteran Stars Missing T20 World Cup

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his disappointment after the West Indies failed to bring back Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine from retirement for the T20 World Cup 2026, starting on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka. Narine retired from international cricket in 2023 while Pooran quit in 2025. Both players are active in franchise T20 leagues. "I am very disappointed that the West Indies did not pick Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine in their squad for this World Cup. You need to sit across the table from them, talk to them, and bring them to the World Cup. How can you leave Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine out and go into a World Cup without them?" Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin added that he is a big fan of the West Indies cricket team and believes the board needs to reassess their planning for major tournaments.

"I am a big fan of the West Indies. They have a lot of ability. But the way they plan and sometimes even the infrastructure in the West Indies leaves me with my mouth open. I think West Indies cricket has a high ceiling and huge potential, but they really need to re-look at the way they approach and plan for World Cups," he said.

The two-time champions have lost more matches than they have won since their Super Eight exit in the last edition in 2024, but they head into the new tournament with several positives-especially the evolution of their skipper, Shai Hope, into a well-rounded T20 batter.

The Windies have often shown glimpses of the fighting spirit and explosive hitting that once made them a dominant force in the shortest format, though they have frequently fallen short in tight contests.

Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, the West Indies have won just 14 of 43 matches, losing 27, with two ending in no result.

The two-time champions are placed in Group C alongside defending champions India, Nepal, Scotland, and Italy. They will begin their campaign against Scotland on February 7 in Kolkata.

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"Regrettable": Afridi's Blunt Take On Pak's Refusal To Play Against India

Former Pakistan captain and cricketing legend Shahid Afridi shared quite an intriguing statement after his government confirmed a boycott of the Indian team at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan and India are scheduled to square off in Colombo on 15 February, but Salman Ali Agha's men have been asked not to take the field by their government as a mark of protest against the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been flirting with the idea of giving the India match a miss ever since the ICC booted Bangladesh out of the tournament.

Afridi, who has time and again advocated for sports and politics to be kept separate, expressed 'regret' over Pakistan's decision to not play against India in the T20 World Cup. However, he also stood behind his government's decision while asking the ICC to resolve the matter through impartial actions.

"I've always believed cricket can open doors when politics closes them. Regrettably, Pakistan won't play India at the #T20WorldCup, but I stand behind my government's decision. This is the moment for @ICC to lead and prove through decisions, not statements, that it is impartial, independent, and fair to every member," Afridi's post on X (formerly Twitter) read.

Afridi himself was at the centre of a controversy after India Legends pulled out of a match against Pakistan Legends in the World Championship of Legends at Edgbaston.

"Sports bring people closer, but if politics gets involved in everything, how will we move forward? ... Sometimes, there's one bad egg (or rotten egg) that spoils everything for everyone else," Afridi had said, in a dig at former India batter Shikhar Dhawan after he refused to play against Pakistan in the tournament.

It is rather bizarre that the same Afridi is now backing the political interference of his country's government, especially in an event of the stature of the T20 World Cup.

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Delivery Man Climbs Stairs With Huge Parcel After Society Denies Lift Access

A video has gone viral showing a delivery worker for a moving company, struggling to climb six floors of stairs while carrying a massive parcel on his back. Notably, the agent was forced to take the stairs after being denied elevator access by a housing society, despite the lift reportedly being operational. The video, shared by user @Abhishekkkk10 on X, shows the worker nearly losing his balance due to the heavy load. Upon reaching the flat, a voice from inside the apartment is heard saying "Aaram se" (be careful) as he maneuvers the oversized package through the door.

"Packers and movers not allowed to use lift by society members; the delivery guy had to use stairs to bring heavy stuff to the 6th floor," the video was captioned on X.

Watch the video here:

Packers and movers not allowed to use lift by society members, ad delivery guy had to use stairs to bring heavy stuff to 6th floor. pic.twitter.com/ILAOaGNS6Q

— AbhishekkkK (@Abhishekkkk10) January 30, 2026

The footage sparked intense debate online, with many users condemning the society's rules as "inhumane" and "discriminatory." Many users pointed out the physical toll on gig workers, while some defended the rules by citing lift maintenance concerns or the absence of dedicated service elevators.

One user wrote, "Coz in India, labour is cheap and anything cheap, doesn't get respect or humane treatment."

Another said, "This is one of those things I vehemently, unequivocally, without a single shred of doubt or hesitation, HATE!! When we have the tools, and don't let them use those tools, there is no reason to call ourselves human anymore."

"Don't societies with more than 4 floors have service lift? If not, then the local municipality authority should be questioned. If yes, then service lift should be used for goods movement. If RWA is not allowing to use service lift, they should be sued," added a third user. 

A fourth stated, "Whoever these people are that made a man with a load on his back use the stairs for six floors should be prosecuted. The man could have had a heart attack and passed on. The Indian middle class contempt for the working poor is sickening."

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Ranveer Singh And Aditya Dhar Hint At Dhurandhar 2 Teaser Release

Ranveer Singh has sparked excitement among fans by teasing that the teaser of Dhurandhar 2 will drop tomorrow, February 3. 

The actor took to Instagram to share the update, simply writing, "Tomorrow 12:12." 

Director Aditya Dhar also posted the same message on his Instagram Stories, heightening anticipation for the next chapter of the blockbuster spy franchise.

About Dhurandhar 2

Dhurandhar 2 is the upcoming sequel to the 2025 spy thriller Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar. While the makers are keeping plot details tightly under wraps, the sequel will continue directly from where the first part ended.

What To Expect From Dhurandhar 2

The story resumes with Hamza Ali Mazhari, an Indian undercover agent who has successfully infiltrated Pakistan's underworld. After eliminating Rehman Dakait, Hamza rises to power, earns the trust of influential politicians such as Jameel Jamali, and even marries Jamali's daughter, Yalina.

In the sequel, Hamza sets his sights on a far greater enemy - Major Iqbal, the ISI mastermind known as Bade Sahab, who is believed to be behind several terror attacks on India. 

Dhurandhar 2 is slated for a theatrical release on March 19. The first film's staggering box office performance has set high expectations for the sequel. 

According to Sacnilk, Dhurandhar collected Rs 836.95 crore in India net and Rs 1,303 crore worldwide. Notably, it became the first Indian film to cross the Rs 1,000 crore mark while being released in a single language, unlike earlier record-holders that relied on multiple dubbed versions.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the franchise features Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal in prominent roles.

ALSO READ: Shekhar Kapur Reviews Dhurandhar: "Aditya Dhar Deserves All The Praise He's Getting"

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Total Tariff On India To Be 18%: US Ambassador Sergio Gor to NDTV

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor today congratulated both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump after both leaders confirmed reciprocal tariffs have been reduced to 18 per cent.

This is one of the lowest tariffs the US has announced for competing export economies, which means India has gone from being charged a very high tariff to the opposite end.

The US tariff on other competing export economies are Indonesia (19 per cent), Vietnam (20 per cent), Bangladesh (20 per cent), and China (34 per cent).

Gor told NDTV that this tariff breakthrough is the result of a strong friendship between the two leaders that has developed over many years.

"It's a friendship that has endured and it's ultimately what got this deal done. I've often said that the relationship between the United States and India has limitless potential. And with this trade deal, now being behind us, it's an incredible thing. It unlocks the next chapter of the relationship between our two great countries," Gor said.

A key point the American ambassador confirmed to NDTV is the total tariff, which now stands at 18 per cent.

"The total tariff will be 18 per cent. And that will be finalised over the next few days. There's some items that need to be signed, but the total tariff will be at 18 per cent," Gor said.

While there are a few technical things that will be worked out over the next two-three days, Gor said the deal is official. "It's done," he added.

PM Modi, Trump On Tariffs Deal

Soon after the tariff cut announcement by Trump, PM Modi thanked him "on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India".

"Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent," PM Modi said in a post on X.

"Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement," the prime minister said.

In the announcement that first appeared on the Trump-owned social media platform Truth Social, the US president called the move a "trade deal". Trump also called PM Modi "one of my greatest friends, and a powerful and respected leader of his country."

The US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) in a statement said the reduction of India's reciprocal tariff to 18 per cent marks an important and positive first step.

The US ambassador told NDTV that many companies from India want to buy American products, and the message when Trump became president was that America was open for business.

"You know, our countries are in a spot today that frankly, the last four years, we weren't there," Gor said. "And under President Trump's leadership, the United States has come back to the forefront. As you saw in the last day or two, Air India is buying more Boeings. There's a 10-year deal that got signed between the United States and India on defence," he added.

"So there are a lot of things that are in common. We are great partners and because of the president's leadership because of the prime minister's leadership, that is something that we aim to take to the next level. The next three years will define the relationship between our two nations," Gor said.

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