The day commenced with continued focus on the escalating US-India trade dispute, following President Trump's 50% tariffs. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India's firm resolve to protect its farmers, even at a high cost. By late morning, editorial priority dramatically shifted to Rahul Gandhi's widespread allegations of electoral fraud. He accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP to manipulate voter lists, presenting "evidence" of irregularities like duplicate entries. The Election Commission responded, challenging Gandhi to submit a sworn affidavit to substantiate his claims. Concurrently, the tariff narrative broadened geopolitically. China and Brazil openly supported India against the US tariffs, criticizing Trump. Reports confirmed Russian President Putin's expected visit to India, with NSA Ajit Doval meeting Putin in Moscow to affirm strategic ties. The ongoing Uttarkashi disaster and the repeated attack on Kapil Sharma's Canada cafe also received significant coverage.