Morning coverage focused on the strategic demonstration of defense infrastructure as Prime Minister Modi landed a military transport aircraft on a newly inaugurated emergency landing strip in Assam, near the China border. Editors framed this as a milestone in Northeast connectivity and tactical readiness. Concurrently, the legal resolution of the Pannun murder plot dominated early reports, following Nikhil Gupta’s guilty plea and 24-year sentence in a New York court. By early afternoon, editorial attention shifted to the diplomatic recalibration in Dhaka. Following Tarique Rahman’s landslide victory, the BNP leadership signaled a desire to reset ties with New Delhi, extending an invitation to Modi for the swearing-in ceremony while simultaneously seeking the extradition of former PM Sheikh Hasina. Evening reports highlighted External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s defense of India’s strategic autonomy at the Munich Security Conference, where he addressed oil procurement and trade deals with the U.S. amid persistent criticism from the opposition regarding national sovereignty.