The week of July 7th to July 13th was marked by a series of significant political and financial developments in India. These events included Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to Russia and Austria, a Supreme Court verdict on the bail of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and the lavish wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
On July 7th, a tragic hit-and-run incident occurred in Mumbai. Kaveri Nakhwa, a 45-year-old woman, was killed when a speeding BMW, driven by Mihir Shah, the son of Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah, rammed into her scooter. This marked the third incident of drunk driving in Maharashtra in just two months. The pillion rider was dragged for around 100 meters on the car’s bonnet before being thrown onto the road.
On July 8th, PM Modi arrived in Moscow for a two-day visit to Russia. He was welcomed by Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and was accorded a guard of honour. Modi stated his intention to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries. His visit included talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, focused on boosting bilateral ties in areas like energy, trade, and defence.
On July 9th, the Central Railway announced the operation of 64 special trains to facilitate devotees travelling to Pandharpur for Ashadhi Ekadashi. The pilgrimage to the temple of Lord Vitthal in Solapur district attracts devotees from across Maharashtra.
PM Modi’s visit to Austria on July 10th included talks with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer. The discussions centred on maximizing the potential of the partnership between India and Austria. Modi highlighted the importance of combating terrorism and emphasized collaboration in fields such as innovation, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology.
A recent Asian American Voter Survey revealed a decline in support for US President Joe Biden among Indian Americans. His support dropped from 65% in 2020 to 46% in 2024. Former President Donald Trump, however, saw a slight increase in support, going from 28% to 30%. While Asian Americans overall still favour Biden over Trump, the survey indicates a significant shift in political sentiment.
On July 12th, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case. However, Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI later that day in connection with a related case. The Supreme Court imposed conditions on Kejriwal’s interim release, restricting him from visiting the CM office and Delhi Secretariat.
The same day, Anant Ambani married Radhika Merchant at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The lavish wedding was attended by numerous Bollywood stars, global celebrities, business magnates, and politicians. Celebrations continued with a ‘Shubh Aashirwad’ ceremony on July 13th and a wedding reception on July 14th.
The Kollywood film ‘Indian 2’, starring Kamal Hassan, was released in theatres on July 13th. The sequel to ‘Indian’ (1996) garnered ₹ 26 crore net at the domestic market on its opening day. Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar’s ‘Sarfira’ premiered on the same day, earning ₹ 2.4 crore net.
On July 13th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the ‘bhoomi-pujan’ for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project in Mumbai. This ambitious project, involving 12.20-kilometre-long twin tunnels, aims to reduce travel time between Goregaon and Mulund from 75 minutes to 25 minutes.
