Red Fort Security Lapse Exposed | China Link in Tata EV Push | F-35 Emergency… Again | Munir’s Nuke Threat from America

Top of the Morning

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Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories.

Red Fort Security Breach Days Before I-Day

A “dummy terrorist” from Delhi Police’s Special Cell walked into the high-security Red Fort with mock explosives during a drill — reaching the children’s enclosure, taking selfies, and leaving unnoticed. This marks the third lapse in recent drills ahead of Independence Day. The man scaled a wall near Nishad Raj Road, loitered in the VIP seating zone, and exited before the breach was reported to police HQ and the PM’s Security Unit. No action has been taken yet. Last week, seven policemen were suspended over illegal Bangladeshi nationals and live cartridges found near the fort.

Pakistan Army Chief’s Nuclear Threat in US

During a black-tie dinner in Tampa, Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir warned, “If we’re going down, we’ll take half the world down with us.” Reviving tensions over the suspended Indus Waters Treaty, he accused India of risking famine for 250 million Pakistanis and vowed to destroy any Indian dam with “10 missiles.” On his second US visit in two months, Munir met top US military leaders. India’s Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called him a “Failed Marshal” and urged scrapping cricket ties with Pakistan.

Trump’s 50% Tariff Hits India Hard

India now faces the highest US tariff rate — 50% — more than China’s 30% and Vietnam/Bangladesh’s 20%. Exports in gems, jewellery, textiles, and some foods have stalled. Bloomberg Economics projects a 60% fall in US-bound exports and a 1% GDP hit. The Nifty 50 is down 7% from its peak, with potential for a 10% drop if tariffs persist. Analysts warn Trump’s unpredictability, high market valuations, and foreign investor exits could prolong the pain. The tariffs could also fuel US inflation, risk stagflation, and keep Fed rates high. Experts say the trade war could last until the 2026 US midterms.

British F-35’s Second Emergency Landing

A British F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing in Kagoshima, Japan, after a malfunction, briefly shutting the runway. Just two months earlier, another British F-35B made an emergency landing in Kerala due to a hydraulic fault. Two landings in two countries in eight weeks raise questions about the reliability of one of the world’s most advanced — and expensive — fighter jets.

Tata’s Battery Arm Gets Chinese-Owned Partner

For the first time, Tata Group acknowledged a Chinese-owned company in its flagship battery venture. Japan-based AESC Group, owned by China’s Envision, bought a 12% stake in Agratas Energy Storage Solutions for ₹66 crore in March; Tata Sons holds the rest. AESC’s general counsel, Gordon Louis Chin, joins the board with Tata chairman N. Chandrasekaran and Tata Motors CFO P.B. Balaji. Agratas is building 60GWh of gigafactory capacity in the UK and India to supply Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors. AESC, one of the world’s top 10 EV battery makers, could give Agratas access to proven tech and global supply chains — critical as Chinese export curbs hit rare earth magnets

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