French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Mumbai for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders will review the India-France strategic partnership. A new Rafale fighter jet deal is likely to be discussed. India may procure 114 additional Rafale jets from France’s Dassault Aviation. The Defence Acquisition Council has approved the proposal. India has already bought 36 Rafale jets and ordered 26 more for the Navy. Modi and Macron will also launch the India-France Year of Innovation 2026. Macron is on a three-day visit to attend the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. (PC: AFP)

Billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is not attending the AI Summit in New Delhi. His name was also missing from the event’s ‘Global Visionaries’ list. The development has sparked speculation. Sources said his absence comes amid renewed scrutiny over his past links to Jeffrey Epstein. Gates has earlier acknowledged knowing Epstein. There is no official statement linking his absence to the controversy. The AI Summit continues in Delhi with global leaders and tech experts discussing artificial intelligence, innovation and digital policy. Organisers have not commented on the change in the guest list. (PC: Reuters)

A video filmed inside an SUV shows the moments before a fatal crash in Delhi. The accident happened on February 3 near Lal Bahadur Shastri College in Dwarka. A teen was driving the Scorpio without a valid licence. The video shows him speeding on a road without a divider. The SUV then hit a motorcycle head-on. The biker, 23-year-old Sahil Dhaneshra, died from severe head injuries and heavy bleeding, according to the autopsy report. The teen was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and later granted interim bail due to his Class 10 board exams.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai today during his three-day visit to India. The talks will focus on defence cooperation, artificial intelligence and strategic ties. Discussions are expected on HAMMER missiles for the Indian Air Force and support for Rafale jets. Both sides may also review plans for joint manufacturing of helicopters and other defence projects under Make in India. The leaders will assess progress in the India–France Strategic Partnership and discuss regional issues. Macron will also attend the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi before concluding his visit. (PC: Reuters)

“Centre and states should publicly reassure that minorities are safe,” said Poola Anthony after becoming president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. India’s first Dalit Cardinal to lead CBCI spoke about safety and equal rights for minorities. He said violence and intimidation are unacceptable in a democracy. He added that the Church will use legal and constitutional routes to seek justice. “We ask only that the Constitution be upheld equally for all citizens,” he said. He called for quick and fair police action in crime cases. He said Christians are not in panic, but some feel worried after recent incidents. (PC: The Indian Express)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday. He launched the expo and visited many startup stalls on the first day. Officials said he spoke with founders and asked about real use cases of AI tools. The exhibition covers over 70,000 square metres with more than 600 startups and 300 demos. Thirteen countries have set up national AI pavilions. Sessions saw full halls and long queues. One participant said, “Sessions are packed. You have to be there well in advance.” The summit will continue till February 20 with policy and research meetings. (PC: India Today)

The Enforcement Directorate has imposed FEMA penalties worth ₹184 crore on NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha for alleged foreign funding violations. The agency said ₹120 crore was levied on the company and ₹64 crore on Purkayastha. In a statement, the ED said the order followed an adjudication process into foreign direct investment and inward remittances. It alleged that funds were received by “misrepresenting the nature of business activity” and through reporting failures. The ED said the contraventions were “substantial, deliberate, and systemic.” Purkayastha was arrested by Delhi Police in 2023 and is now on bail. NewsClick has earlier denied wrongdoing. (PC: HT)

The National Green Tribunal has dismissed petitions against the Rs 80,000 crore Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project and allowed it to move forward. A six-member bench said it found “no good ground to interfere” with the environmental clearance. The tribunal noted there were “adequate safeguards” in the approval conditions. It also highlighted the “strategic importance of the project.” The bench directed authorities to ensure “full and strict compliance” with all clearance conditions. The project includes a transhipment port, airport, township and power plant. Some activists had raised concerns about forest diversion and coastal regulation violations. (PC: The Indian Express)

The Supreme Court made strong oral remarks on pre-marital physical relations while hearing a bail plea in a rape case linked to a promise of marriage. The bench said caution is needed before such relationships. Justice BV Nagarathna said, “Maybe we are old-fashioned but… we fail to understand how they can be in a physical relationship before marriage.” The case involves a man accused of promising marriage despite already being married. The woman said they met on a matrimonial site and later travelled together. The court noted it appeared to be a consensual relationship and referred the matter to mediation. Hearing will continue Wednesday. (PC: NDTV)

India will host the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event at Bharat Mandapam. The summit will bring global tech leaders, startups and policymakers together.   Day one will focus on AI for road safety, learning, jobs and judicial reforms. Experts will discuss how AI can reduce accidents, improve skills and speed up court cases.   A special session will highlight AI in agriculture and climate resilience.   The Expo will feature over 300 pavilions and 600 startups. The theme is “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya.”