Welcome to 1947. We’re on a mission to provide intellectually curious Indians with unbiased, facts-only news. It’s great to have you here.

Today’s February 10. We’re covering the Delhi election results, India’s GDP slowdown, the Aero Show in Bengaluru, and more.

MUST KNOW

BJP wins majority in Delhi elections

The BJP secured a victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, winning 48 seats out of 70 and returning to power in the capital after 26 years, while the AAP was reduced to 22 seats.

AAP party chief Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia lost their seats while former CM Atishi Marlena retained hers. While the BJP surged from 8 to 48 seats, the vote share difference between BJP and AAP was only 2%. According to a Lokniti-CSDS Survey unemployment, cleanliness, and development were cited as the top issues on the minds of voters.

The Yamuna pollution controversy also hurt AAP, especially after Kejriwal’s claim that Haryana had "poisoned" the river backfired. The BJP framed it as an insult to Haryana, using it to consolidate support in rural and outer Delhi, where it flipped 10 AAP-held seats.

RBI cuts interest rates for first time in five years

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%, marking its first rate reduction since May 2020. The move, aimed at combating slowing economic growth, comes as inflation trends closer to the central bank’s 4% target. Despite the cut, banking sector insiders suggest that tight liquidity conditions may prevent lenders from fully passing on the benefits to borrowers, potentially limiting the impact on loan growth.

The rate cut comes as India’s economic growth slows. Last fiscal year, GDP grew by 8.2%, but the government has revised its outlook for the current fiscal year to 6.4%, its slowest pace in four years, citing weaker manufacturing and slower corporate investments. Growth is expected to remain in the 6.3%-6.8% range in the next fiscal year as well.

GOOD TO KNOW

Policy & Governance

Manipur CM resigns amid lingering ethnic violence

Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh of the BJP resigned on Sunday under pressure, following nearly two years of ethnic clashes that have left at least 250 dead and displaced 60,000 people.

The conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted in May 2023 after a Manipur High Court order suggested considering the Meitei community for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list, triggering protests. Violence has continued sporadically, with tensions over economic benefits and job quotas fueling unrest.

Controls on real money gaming imposed in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority has introduced strict regulations for online real money gaming, including a ban on minors and mandatory KYC verification using Aadhaar authentication. Gaming platforms must implement real-time cautionary measures, including pop-up warnings for prolonged play and monetary limits for users.

Environment

India hits 100 GW solar power capacity milestone

India has achieved a significant milestone, reaching 100 GW of solar power capacity, making it the 4th largest solar producer globally. Solar now makes up 47% of India’s total installed renewable capacity. From just 3 GW in 2014, India added a record 24.5 GW in 2024 alone.

Business

Aero India 2025: US and Russian fighter jets to be featured

Aero India 2025 will showcase two of the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter jets, the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II, for the first time in the event's history. The airshow, which runs from February 10 to 14 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, will also feature aircraft like the F-16, B-1 bomber, and KC-135 Stratotanker from the United States. With over 900 exhibitors, including 150 foreign companies, it is set to be Asia's largest airshow.

Amul to build world’s largest curd plant in Kolkata

Amul's parent company, GCMMF, will invest ₹600 crore in Kolkata to set up the world’s largest curd-making facility. The plant will produce 10 lakh kg of curd daily, including mishti doi, yogurt, lassi, and buttermilk, with a total milk processing capacity of 15 lakh litres per day.

UK universities rush to open campuses in India

Facing financial strain at home, UK universities are increasingly looking to India, home to over 40 million students, as a major growth opportunity. The University of Southampton has already launched a campus in Gurgaon. Other institutions, including Newcastle, Surrey, and Coventry, are exploring similar plans. The number of Indian students receiving confirmations of acceptance for studies (CAS) dropped 20.4% from 1,39,914 in 2022-23 to 1,11,329 in 2023-24.

Tech, Media & Telecom

India’s semiconductor market to hit $103 billion by 2030

India’s semiconductor market is projected to grow from $52 billion in 2024-25 to $103.4 billion by 2030, according to a report by the Indian Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA). With a projected CAGR of 13%, this growth is fueled by expanding local manufacturing, government incentives, and increasing semiconductor consumption across industries.

First CEO appointed to new national research promotion body

The government has chosen Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, a Microsoft executive, as the first CEO of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), a body established in 2023 to promote and fund scientific research in universities. The ANRF aims to expand India's research base beyond elite institutions like IITs, IISc, and CSIR labs, addressing the lack of research in universities, where only 1% of 40,000 higher education institutions are actively engaged in research.

RBI to launch bank.in domain to curb digital fraud

The RBI is launching an exclusive “bank.in” domain for Indian banks to combat digital financial fraud and enhance cybersecurity. The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology will manage domain registrations starting in April 2025. A separate “fin.in” domain will be introduced for non-bank financial entities.

Worth a Look

In this new, experimental section, we will share videos, tweets, podcasts, songs, books, articles, and other content about India that struck a chord.

Today, here’s a tweet from entrepreneur and investor Balaji Srinivasan about the rise of Indians globally and the recent uptick in racism.

Reader Feedback

Shout-out to Ritika for writing to us about what she likes in the 1947 newsletter! Another reader, Nitish, said we could make the user interface more engaging. We’d appreciate your thoughts on that.

Thanks for reading. If you have any feedback on our issue, we’d love to hear it! Please reply to this email or write to us at [email protected].

See you tomorrow.