Morning Digest: INS Aridhaman, nuclear-powered submarine, enters India’s naval fleet; Iran military says downed second U.S. jet in Gulf, and more

INS Aridhaman, nuclear-powered submarine, enters India’s naval fleet

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over a brief ceremony to formally commission the country’s third nuclear submarine, INS Aridhaman (S4), which is the third in the Arihant-class of SSBNs (Submersible Ship Ballistic Nuclear), on Friday (April 3) at Visakhapatnam. The boat, being part of the strategic weapons programme, falls under the domain of the Strategic Forces and is part of the country’s nuclear triad. As per sources in the Navy, the commissioning was not made public and was carried out quietly, but Mr. Singh dropped enough hints to acknowledge the commissioning of the vessel.

Iran military says downed second U.S. jet in Gulf

Iran shot down two U.S. military planes in separate attacks on Friday (April 4, 2026), with one service member rescued and at least one missing, in a dramatic escalation since the war began nearly five weeks ago. It was the first time U.S. aircraft had been downed in the conflict and came just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has “beaten and completely decimated Iran” and was “going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast.” One fighter jet was shot down in Iran, officials said. A U.S. crew member from that plane was rescued, but a second was missing, and a U.S. military search-and-rescue operation was underway.

Earthquake tremors felt in several parts of north India

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake centred in Afghanistan at a depth of 150 km has been reported late Friday (April 3, 2026). Tremors were felt in several parts of Delhi NCR, Suresh Gaddale of the National Centre for Seismology confirmed to The Hindu .The tremors, which lasted a few seconds, occurred around 9:45 p.m. and they were felt in several parts of north India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana, officials said. There were no immediate reports of any damage.

Union Home Ministry revises classification of districts affected by left-wing extremism

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has re-categorised the total number of left-wing extremism (LWE) affected districts in the country replacing the earlier classification of “most affected” with “LWE affected,” “districts of concern” and “legacy and thrust districts.” While the number of districts in the LWE category remains unchanged at 38 compared to 2024–25, the classification now reflects shifts in the severity of violence reported in these areas. The red corridor has significantly contracted – from over 200 districts in 2005 to just two in 2026 – and its definition has also been revised.

Congress calls delimitation move ‘dangerous,’ says women’s law amended to grab political mileage in polls

The Congress on Friday (April 3, 2026) warned that a hurried move to amend the Constitution for delimitation, alongside amendments to the women’s reservation law, during a proposed special sitting of Parliament could have “dangerous consequences” for several States, particularly in the south, northeast and the northwest. The party alleged that the special sitting — scheduled for April 16 to 18 — to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam or the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, is aimed at grabbing “political mileage” in the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu and called it a “gross violation” of the Model Code of Conduct.

White House seeks $1.5 trillion defence budget as Iran war drives costs

U.S. President Donald Trump asked lawmakers on Friday (April 3, 20276) to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, as the United States faces rising costs from its war with Iran and mounting global security commitments. The proposal would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40 percent in a single year — the sharpest increase since World War II — as Washington seeks to sustain military operations and rebuild depleted weapons stockpiles.

14 dead as Russia launches new daytime attacks on Ukraine

Russian strikes killed 14 people in Ukraine on Friday (April 3, 2026), officials said, as Moscow launched the latest in an increasing number of daytime barrages. Moscow has been firing aerial broadsides at Ukraine throughout its more than four-year invasion, mostly at night, but in recent weeks it has stepped up daytime attacks. The Russian military used more than 500 drones and dozens of missiles in its salvo on Friday (April 3), according to the Ukrainian air force.

Election petitions must be decided on the basis of material on record: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has observed in an order that election petitions challenging poll results must be decided by courts on the material on record. A Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath recently said it was impermissible to stall proceedings until fresh evidence, if any, was unearthed. The order was based on an appeal challenging a February 2025 Punjab and Haryana High Court order.

IPL 2026: Kings ace a big chase, make it two out of two

A tall target, the bowlers trying to take control and a tricky asking rate. It is a situation Shreyas Iyer has revelled in quite a few times, both for India and his IPL teams. It requires gumption to go on the offensive while still relying on conventional methods. The Punjab Kings skipper yet again demonstrated why he was one of the best white-ball batters going around, striking a crucial half-century (50, 29b, 4×4, 3×6) and guiding his side to a five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday (April 3, 2026).