 "Residents discuss with municipal workers at Bhagirathpura amid the contaminated tap water crisis where several people died and fell ill, in Indore, January 2, 2026. PTI")
India has something to cheer about in the new year. The South Asian country has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy in nominal gross domestic product (GDP) terms, overtaking Japan.
Madhya Pradesh’s Indore has had a solemn beginning to the new year. More than a dozen lives have been lost after a diarrhoea outbreak was reported following the consumption of contaminated drinking water in the city’s Bhagirathpura.
Hundreds of Indian students in Germany are facing possible deportation. Many had taken massive loans to cover the cost of tuition and living. What will happen to them now?
Here’s all this and more in our weekly wrap from India.
1. India has surpassed Japan to emerge as the world’s fourth-largest economy in nominal GDP terms, now only behind the United States, China and Germany. The Indian government’s end-of-year economic review estimates that the economy is currently valued at about $4.18 trillion.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that by 2026, India’s nominal GDP will touch $4.51 trillion, marginally higher than Japan’s estimated $4.46 trillion. In 2014, India ranked as the world’s 10th-largest economy. How did it jump to the fourth place so soon? We explain here .
2. At least 15 deaths, including that of a six-month-old baby, have been reported in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area due to contaminated drinking water over the last week. Almost 2,800 people fell ill and more than 100 were hospitalised after complaining of vomiting and diarrhoea.
Sewage mixed with drinking water is seen as the cause of Indore’s tragedy. Over 20 formal complaints about water quality were made in the affected Bhagirathpura area in 2025. This indicates that the contaminated water tragedy in Indore, officially touted as India’s ‘cleanest city’, could have been prevented. Read our story to know more.
Quick Reads
View All3. The death of a Tripura man studying in Dehradun due to an alleged racial attack has sparked outrage. Anjel Chakma, 24, died after being stabbed in what his family said was a racially motivated attack.
A group of six youths allegedly hurled racial slurs at Anjel’s younger brother, Michael, with the duo being called “Chinese and momos”. Anjel hit back, saying, “We are not Chinese… We are Indians”. As the matter escalated, Anjel was attacked, which left him critically injured. He succumbed to his injuries after 17 days in hospital. Here’s our report on the tragic tale.
4. Indians students in Germany could be deported. Hundreds of Indians studying at the private International University (IU) in Berlin are facing expulsion after German authorities ruled that their courses no longer meet student visa requirements.
Students who took loans to move to Berlin for their studies could be hit hard by this development. These Indians are now staring at uncertain times. Students have taken to online forums to warn others about taking admissions at IU. But why has this happened? We explain here .
5. The Australian government issued a health advisory warning that counterfeit batches of a rabies vaccine have been circulating in India since November 2023. They asked people who took the dose of Abhayrab to get a replacement jab. Australia is not the only country to raise flags about the Abhayrab rabies vaccine.
The United States and the United Kingdom have also raised concerns about the vaccine. However, the vaccine maker has claimed that the jab is not available for sale anymore. Here’s what the row is about.
6. Ikkis, Bollywood actor Dharmendra’s last movie, tells the story of the Indian Army’s Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who played a major role in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.
Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson, Agastya Nanda, plays the role of Khetarpal, who died at 21 while fighting the enemy. His bravery was such that he was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. He is the youngest recipient of India’s highest military medal. We take a look at the braveheart’s story .
7. Wedding bells will soon ring for the Gandhi-Vadra family. Raihan Vadra, the son of Congress leader and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra and businessman Robert Vadra, is engaged to Aviva Baig.
The duo have been together for the past seven years and reportedly plan to formalise their relationship via an engagement ceremony in Rajasthan. This function is likely to be held in January. However, there is no official confirmation yet. But who is the would-be-bride, Aviva Baig? Read our article to know more about her.
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