April 24, 2026
Good morning from New Delhi. Key developments across India:
Tamil Nadu breaks voting records
The southern state of Tamil Nadu recorded a historic voter turnout above 84% as polling concluded across all 234 Assembly constituencies. Polling was largely peaceful. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) attributed the higher percentage in part to changes in the electorate after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This is the highest turnout in a state Assembly election in Tamil Nadu since 1952.
West Bengal sees record turnout amid voter roll revision
Phase 1 of West Bengal’s assembly polls saw an unprecedented turnout of 92.25% after a monthslong SIR that deleted more than nine million names from the rolls. Of 294 constituencies, 152 voted in the first phase. Murshidabad district, which experienced the largest number of deletions, recorded turnout of about 93.55% in this round. Phase 2 is scheduled for April 29.
Raghav Chadha quits AAP, joins BJP with seven MPs
Prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha resigned from the party and announced he, along with seven other MPs, would merge with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Chadha, who had been with AAP since its founding, criticized the party for abandoning its principles and said it no longer worked in the national interest. The departures followed internal rifts that included Chadha’s removal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. Other MPs leaving AAP included Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak and Swati Maliwal.
Indian rupee falls to over-a-decade low
The rupee has slid to its weakest level in more than a decade, with the Reserve Bank of India’s real effective exchange rate falling to 92.72—well below its long-run average of 98.25. The decline, roughly 3% since late February, has been tied to the war involving Iran, which has driven oil prices up more than 50% and disrupted gas supplies, weighing on the currency.
India cautions citizens against travel to Iran
India’s Embassy in Tehran issued a fresh advisory urging nationals not to travel to Iran, whether by air or land, citing continued operational uncertainties, airspace restrictions and regional tensions stemming from the conflict involving Iran. Limited flights have resumed, but the embassy warned against travel amid the volatile situation.
Indians from the Bnei Menashe tribe arrive in Israel
Over 250 people from India who claim descent from the Bnei Menashe biblical tribe landed at Tel Aviv airport as part of an Indian government operation to relocate members of the community. They were welcomed by supporters singing traditional Jewish songs. The arrival is the first batch since November’s decision to facilitate the immigration of some 6,000 members from Manipur and Mizoram. Advocacy group Shavei Israel says thousands from this community have already moved to Israel since the 1990s.
US seeks to contain fallout after Trump repost
The US moved to smooth relations after former President Donald Trump reshared a post that described countries including India and China as a “hellhole.” The US Embassy called India “a great country” and emphasized the long-standing, respectful US-India relationship, while India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the comments were uninformed and inappropriate.
Stay tuned for further updates.