February 18, 2026 – India Headlines

Story gist: Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bangladesh. He received a letter from Indian PM Narendra Modi, delivered by Om Birla, which included an invitation to India.

Bias summary: Left-leaning NDTV frames the story around Rahman receiving Modi’s letter and India invite post-swearing-in, emphasizing diplomatic outreach. Center Times of India highlights Om Birla’s meeting and letter handover, focusing on procedural diplomacy. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting potential scrutiny of Rahman’s BNP background or India-Bangladesh power dynamics.

Story gist: Fourteen former cricket captains, including Indians Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, and Sourav Ganguly, appealed to the Pakistan government to treat jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan fairly. The plea urges provision of medical care and dignified treatment.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like Telegraph India emphasize Sourav Ganguly’s support for ensuring Imran Khan’s medical care. Center outlets like The Hindu focus on calls for dignity amid jail treatment. Right-leaning outlets provide no coverage, omitting the story and any perspective potentially scrutinizing Khan’s legal issues or the captains’ intervention.

Story gist: New MPs in Bangladesh took oath during a live ceremony ahead of Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in as Prime Minister. The event follows BNP’s victory in recent elections.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like The Hindu offer live, event-focused coverage spotlighting the oath ceremony and Tarique Rahman’s imminent role as PM, emphasizing immediacy. Center outlets, also The Hindu, contextualize it in a neutral weekly roundup via charts, highlighting BNP’s electoral sweep alongside unrelated stories like Andhra Pradesh budget. Right-leaning coverage is absent, leaving no conservative framing on BNP’s rise or power transition.

Story gist: The National Green Tribunal cleared the Rs 80,000-crore Great Nicobar infrastructure project. It cited the project’s strategic role and found no good ground to interfere.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like Telegraph India frame the NGT approval by emphasizing claims of upheld environmental safeguards, focusing on ecological assurances. Center outlets like The Hindu limit coverage to letters to the editor, treating it as opinion fodder rather than front-page news. Right-leaning outlets omit the story entirely, absenting a perspective that might highlight strategic and economic benefits.

Story gist: Hindustan Times published over 200 greetings, images, GIFs, quotes for Lunar New Year 2026. CNN released Chinese zodiac predictions for the Year of the Fire Horse. Google displayed Lunar New Year 2026 Doodles.

Bias summary: Left-leaning CNN emphasizes zodiac predictions and fortunes for 2026’s Year of the Fire Horse, adopting a mystical tone. Center coverage via Google Doodles provides neutral visual celebration without narrative. Right-leaning outlets offer no coverage, absenting any conservative framing or emphasis on the holiday.