Saudi Arabia–Pakistan Defence Pact: Strategic Shift in Regional Security Dynamics

·       Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have formalised a historic mutual defence pact, solidifying a security partnership that dates back to the 1960s. The agreement explicitly states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered aggression against both,” reflecting a significant escalation in defence collaboration. This pact is not only designed to deepen military cooperation but also to reinforce joint deterrence mechanisms across the region.

·       This landmark defence agreement, signed amid increasing regional volatility—highlighted by Israel’s recent strike in Qatar and a perceptible decline in U.S. security commitments—marks the first such pact between an Arab nation and a nuclear-armed country. Despite Saudi Arabia’s established and growing relationship with India, the deal signals a notable realignment in the regional security architecture.

Saudi-Pakistan Defence Pact: Historical Context and Strategic Intent

·       The pact was signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Riyadh and is grounded in nearly eight decades of bilateral engagement built on religious, strategic, and political solidarity. It is an extension of the long-standing defence cooperation between the two nations, aimed at fortifying deterrence capabilities and contributing to regional and global stability.

·       Strategically, the agreement marks a turning point in Saudi Arabia’s regional posture, suggesting a recalibration as the kingdom continues to manage its ties with both India and Pakistan. The move highlights the evolving security and diplomatic calculus in South Asia and the broader Middle East.

India’s Cautious Response to the Pact

India has responded with measured caution to the Saudi-Pakistan defence agreement. A spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) acknowledged awareness of the long-standing security collaboration between the two nations. While not issuing any direct criticism, the MEA stated it would closely assess the implications of the agreement for India''s national security and regional stability. India reaffirmed its intention to safeguard its strategic interests while continuing to monitor the shifting alliances in the region.

Historical and Institutional Military Cooperation Between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

·       Military cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is not new. It began in the 1960s with the deployment of Pakistani troops to the kingdom and was further strengthened when Pakistani special forces assisted during the 1979 Grand Mosque siege in Mecca. These foundational ties were institutionalised through the Bilateral Security Cooperation Agreement of 1982, enabling ongoing military training, advisory missions, and arms transactions.

·       Pakistan has played a crucial role in training the Saudi Air Force, and Saudi Arabia remains a major buyer of Pakistani weaponry. In recent years, bilateral military engagement has intensified through renewed commitments to training and personnel exchanges. The current pact is Pakistan’s most comprehensive formal security engagement with Saudi Arabia in decades. It also comes at a critical economic juncture for Pakistan, securing Saudi investments and reinforcing its role as a prominent security actor within the Islamic world. Analysts suggest that the pact could enable Pakistan to access advanced U.S. weaponry through Saudi financial backing.

·       For Saudi Arabia, the agreement bolsters its strategic defence against regional adversaries, particularly Iran and its proxy forces such as the Houthi militia, as well as growing threats linked to Israeli military actions.

Saudi Arabia’s Parallel Strategic Relationship with India

·       Despite its new defence pact with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia maintains robust strategic and economic relations with India. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 42.98 billion in FY 2023–24, with India exporting goods worth USD 11.56 billion and importing USD 31.42 billion. Saudi Arabia stands as India’s fifth-largest trading partner, while India ranks as the kingdom’s second-largest.

·       Politically, the relationship has been strengthened through high-level engagements. The 2006 visit by King Abdullah to India resulted in the Delhi Declaration, while the Riyadh Declaration of 2010 formally elevated ties to a Strategic Partnership. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2016 visit to Saudi Arabia, he was conferred the kingdom’s highest civilian honour, the ‘King Abdulaziz Sash,’ underscoring the depth of bilateral goodwill.

·       In more recent developments, Saudi Arabia has played a key role in crisis diplomacy. During Modi’s April 2025 visit, the kingdom swiftly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack. Additionally, the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs conducted a diplomatic visit during India’s Operation Sindoor, reflecting Riyadh’s support in sensitive times.

·       Saudi Arabia’s approach to Indo-Pakistan tensions has remained largely balanced. While it has consistently condemned terror attacks such as Pulwama, it has avoided direct criticism of India’s abrogation of Article 370 or the Balakot airstrikes. Instead, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a diplomatic interlocutor, maintaining strategic engagement with both New Delhi and Islamabad.

Conclusion: Strategic Balancing in a Volatile Region

·       The Saudi Arabia–Pakistan mutual defence pact represents a significant strategic development, reshaping the regional security landscape. While it strengthens the defence posture of both nations and formalises long-standing military cooperation, it also introduces a new layer of complexity in South Asia’s geopolitical environment.

·       At the same time, Saudi Arabia’s ongoing strategic and economic engagements with India indicate that Riyadh is striving for a nuanced balancing act. The kingdom appears to be recalibrating its foreign policy to maintain strong ties with both South Asian powers, while enhancing its own security architecture in an increasingly unpredictable regional context.

SC Guidelines vs Adani Gag Order: Free Speech, Defamation, and the Legal Debate Over Prior Restraint

In a recent and controversial development, a lower court issued a far-reaching ex parte gag order against several journalists, notably including Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, prohibiting them from publishing any allegedly defamatory content related to Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL). The order extended further, directing the removal of a significant volume of online content—articles and social media posts alike. Acting on this directive, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued takedown notices, which led to the removal of 138 YouTube videos and 83 Instagram posts. Notably, some of the removed content included satirical takes and indirect references to Adani, raising serious concerns about overreach and the suppression of legitimate speech.

Supreme Court Guidelines on Defamation Injunctions: The Legal Framework

·       The Supreme Court of India has consistently adhered to the legal principle established in the Bonnard v. Perryman case (1891), commonly referred to as the Bonnard standard. According to this principle, courts should issue an injunction in defamation cases only when it is evident that the defendant will not be able to justify the allegedly defamatory statement. Merely suspecting defamation is not sufficient to warrant such a restriction.

·       This principle was reaffirmed in the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling in the Bloomberg-Zee case. In that instance, the Court overturned an ex parte injunction which had directed Bloomberg to remove an article about Zee Entertainment. The Court stressed that pre-trial injunctions in matters concerning free speech should be granted only in exceptional situations—specifically, when denying such an injunction would result in a greater injustice. The ruling made it clear that the default position must favour freedom of expression.

·       Additionally, the Court has expressed strong reservations about issuing ex parte orders in cases that involve restrictions on speech. Such orders, the Court noted, should be granted only when the contested content is clearly "malicious" or "palpably false." In the absence of such clarity, pre-publication bans may suppress legitimate criticism and obstruct the public’s right to access information, thereby posing a serious threat to democratic discourse.

The Adani Gag Order: A Legal and Constitutional Challenge

·       On September 6, 2024, a Delhi court issued a blanket gag order against Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and other journalists, restraining them from publishing any content related to AEL and ordering existing material to be taken down within 36 hours. This order raised multiple legal and constitutional concerns.

·       Crucially, there was no judicial examination of the allegedly defamatory material prior to the issuance of the order. This omission effectively gave AEL unchecked authority to control and sanitize public discourse about itself. Furthermore, the order prohibited the publication of “unverified or defamatory” reports, effectively constituting prior restraint—a concept that is fundamentally at odds with the right to free speech guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution.

Why Prior Restraint is Legally Contentious

·       While Article 19(2) of the Constitution permits reasonable restrictions on free speech on specific grounds—such as national security, public order, decency, morality, and defamation—prior restraint is treated with particular scepticism in Indian jurisprudence. The burden of proof in such cases is exceptionally high. Courts have long held that pre-publication bans are rarely justified and must be considered only under extraordinary circumstances.

·       Moreover, in any defamation case, journalists must be given an opportunity to defend their content. Truth, public interest, and fair comment are well-established defences in defamation law. Denying the accused a hearing before ordering content removal not only violates principles of natural justice but also undermines the legal rights of both the press and the public.

Delhi Court’s Reversal: A Partial Correction

Subsequently, a District Judge in Delhi quashed the gag order in relation to four journalists—Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskant Das, and Ayush Joshi—on the grounds that the initial order was legally unsustainable. The court underscored that the journalists had not been given an opportunity to be heard, thereby violating the fundamental principle of natural justice.

The judgment stressed the irreversible damage that can result from prematurely removing content, especially if the material is later found not to be defamatory. It pointed out that restoring such content retroactively would be practically infeasible, further emphasizing the need for caution in issuing sweeping takedown orders.

Key Takeaways from the Ruling

·       The District Judge ruled that the original gag order was ex parte and, therefore, procedurally flawed. An ex parte order—passed without hearing the opposing party—is generally granted only in urgent circumstances requiring temporary relief, such as restraining orders meant to prevent immediate harm. However, in cases involving speech, such urgency must be balanced against the fundamental right to a fair hearing.

·       The court reaffirmed that before issuing blanket takedown orders, it is essential to allow the accused parties an opportunity to present their defence. The judgment also served as a caution against the irreversible consequences that may arise from hasty censorship, especially in cases where the content may ultimately be deemed non-defamatory.

·       While the ruling narrowed the scope of the original gag order, it did not address related pending appeals or the main defamation trial. Thus, the broader legal battle over speech, defamation, and corporate influence remains ongoing.

Conclusion: Balancing Free Speech and Reputation in the Digital Age

·       The controversy surrounding the Adani gag order reflects a deeper tension between the constitutional guarantee of free speech and the protection of individual or corporate reputations. Although defamation laws serve an important function in preserving dignity and truth, their misuse—particularly through ex parte injunctions—can lead to disproportionate suppression of speech.

·       The Supreme Court’s evolving jurisprudence on the matter, especially its reliance on the Bonnard standard and its caution against pre-trial censorship, highlights the judiciary’s growing recognition of this delicate balance. The partial reversal by the Delhi court marks a corrective step, reaffirming that procedural fairness and the right to be heard are indispensable when adjudicating matters that impact the public’s right to know.

·       As the remaining proceedings unfold, the case is likely to shape future discourse on defamation, prior restraint, and the permissible limits of corporate power over media narratives in India’s democratic framework.

Equalising Primary Food Consumption in India: Addressing Hidden Hunger Through Policy Reform

The 2024 National Sample Survey (NSS) Household Consumption Survey has revealed a troubling disconnect: despite low official poverty levels, nearly half of rural India and a fifth of urban India cannot afford two basic meals—or thalis—a day at prevailing market prices. This gap underscores the need to shift from calorie-focused food security to comprehensive primary food consumption that ensures nutritional adequacy for all.

Understanding Primary Food Consumption

Primary food consumption refers to the minimum intake required for an individual to meet essential energy, protein, and micronutrient needs for a healthy life. This includes a balanced mix of:

• Cereals (mainly rice and wheat) for carbohydrates
• Pulses for protein
• Vegetables for vitamins
• Fats for energy
• Milk/curd for calcium

The Thali Index is used to measure affordability—reflecting the cost of a standard South Asian meal made up of roti or rice, dal, vegetables, curd, and salad.

Key Features of Primary Food Consumption

• Balanced Nutrition: Goes beyond calorie sufficiency to focus on immunity, growth, and health.
• Universal Baseline: Establishes a minimum, non-negotiable standard of dietary adequacy for all citizens.
• Affordability Sensitivity: Considers actual purchasing capacity after essential non-food expenses.
• Equity-Focused: Serves as a benchmark to highlight inequality in access to essential nutrients.
• Policy Relevance: Informs design and targeting of food subsidy schemes, especially the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Current Consumption Reality and Nutritional Gaps

Despite the expansion of PDS, India still struggles to provide nutritional security, particularly for the poorest segments:

• Affordability Crisis: About 50% of rural and 20% of urban households cannot afford two nutritious meals a day.
• Cereal Parity Achieved: Thanks to PDS, rice and wheat consumption is nearly equal among rich and poor.
• Pulses Disparity: The bottom 5% of households consume just half the pulses consumed by the top 5%, highlighting a severe protein gap.
• Policy Misalignment: PDS covers cereals comprehensively but fails to ensure access to pulses, the primary protein source in Indian diets.

The ultimate policy objective is to raise the nutrition level of the poorest households to match the highest observed levels, achieving true food equity.

Public Distribution System: Achievements and Shortcomings

India’s PDS has had notable success in democratising access to cereals, but persistent inefficiencies remain:

• Achievements: Universal cereal coverage has led to uniform rice/wheat consumption across income groups.
• Gaps: Protein deficiency persists, with inadequate pulse distribution through PDS.
• Fiscal Inefficiency: Over 80% of the population, including well-off households, receives subsidised cereals, burdening the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and public finances.
• Rural-Urban Divide: While urban subsidies are relatively equitable, in rural areas, wealthier households disproportionately benefit.
• Over-Entitlement: Cereal quotas often exceed actual household needs, resulting in stock surpluses and economic inefficiencies.

Structural Challenges to Equalising Food Consumption

India’s failure to equalise food consumption stems from systemic and logistical obstacles:

• Fiscal Constraints: The high cost of universal cereal subsidies limits the state’s capacity to diversify diets.
• Nutrition Deficit: Despite cereal abundance, protein-energy malnutrition, anaemia, and stunting remain prevalent.
• Infrastructural Gaps: Regular pulse supply, cold storage, and buffer stock maintenance require robust logistics.
• Targeting Inefficiencies: Inclusion of non-poor and exclusion of deserving households weaken delivery.
• Behavioural Barriers: Food choices are influenced by affordability, cultural norms, and dietary awareness—even when better food is available.

Policy Proposal: Restructuring PDS for Nutrition Security

To address these gaps, experts propose a fundamental restructuring of the PDS with a nutrition-first lens:

• Rationalise Cereal Allocations: Limit rice/wheat entitlements to actual consumption needs of lower-income households.
• Diversify Food Basket: Incorporate pulses, millets, iodised salt, and fortified oil to ensure balanced diets.
• Remove Top-End Subsidies: Discontinue subsidised cereals for the top 20% income group to create fiscal space.
• Dynamic Targeting: Update beneficiary lists regularly using Aadhaar and SECC (Socio-Economic and Caste Census) data.
• Technology Integration: Use GPS for grain movement, Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) for pulse subsidies, and e-POS for real-time monitoring.

Way Forward: Towards Nutritional Equity

India must pivot from ensuring calorie sufficiency to securing nutritional adequacy for all. Key measures include:

• Pulse Procurement Missions: Strengthen government procurement under NFSM (National Food Security Mission); encourage pulse cultivation on rice fallows.
• Redirect Subsidy Savings: Use funds saved from rationalised cereal entitlements to strengthen nutrition-focused schemes like ICDS and PM Poshan.
• Expand Community Kitchens: Scale up affordable meal models like Tamil Nadu’s Amma Canteens and Andhra Pradesh’s Anna Canteens.
• Promote Public Awareness: Run campaigns on balanced diets, importance of protein, and benefits of millets to reshape consumer choices.

Conclusion

India has achieved remarkable success in ensuring widespread access to cereals. However, nutrition security remains elusive—especially among the poorest. The path forward lies in transforming the PDS into a compact, efficient, and nutrition-sensitive system that ensures not just food security, but dietary equity. By expanding access to pulses, trimming unnecessary subsidies, and targeting support effectively, India can move closer to eliminating hidden hunger and become a model for sustainable and equitable food systems globally.

India’s Onion Sector: Price Distress, Farmer Protests, and Policy Challenges

Onion farmers in Maharashtra have launched widespread protests following a dramatic price crash that pushed market rates well below the cost of production. Their demands include immediate compensation for losses, stable and predictable export policies, and enhanced procurement support to shield them from recurring financial distress.

India’s Onion Production Landscape

·       India ranks as the world’s second-largest onion producer, following China, with an average annual output of 25 to 30 million tonnes. The primary onion-producing states include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Onion cultivation in India occurs across three major crop cycles—Kharif, Late Kharif, and Rabi—with the Rabi crop being the most significant, contributing nearly 60% of total production due to its superior storability.

·       Maharashtra leads the sector owing to favourable agro-climatic conditions and extensive cultivation in districts such as Nashik, Ahmednagar, Pune, and Solapur. Despite its dominance in production, the state’s onion sector remains vulnerable to structural and policy-related issues.

Persistent Challenges in the Onion Sector

·       The sector is plagued by chronic price volatility. Market rates often swing drastically due to oversupply, inadequate storage facilities, and abrupt policy decisions such as export bans. Rabi onions, though suitable for storage, suffer significant post-harvest losses because of poor infrastructure, resulting in distress sales. Export policy inconsistencies further exacerbate the problem; frequent restrictions not only disrupt the income cycle of farmers but also diminish India’s credibility in international markets. This has allowed competitors like China and Pakistan to seize India’s former market share.

·       Meanwhile, rising production costs—driven by expensive inputs like fertilisers, seeds, labour, and storage—push per-quintal cultivation expenses to between Rs. 2,200 and Rs. 2,500. In contrast, farmers frequently receive prices far below this threshold, leaving them with unsustainable losses.

The 2025 Crisis and Maharashtra’s Farmer Agitation

·       On September 12, 2025, onion growers in Maharashtra began protesting after market prices fell sharply. Farmers are currently receiving only Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000 per quintal, less than half their input costs. The situation deteriorated further as Rabi onions, stored in anticipation of better prices, began to rot, triggering a wave of panic sales.

·       Compounding the crisis, the central government released onion buffer stocks through the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). While this move was intended to stabilise consumer prices, it led to a further decline in wholesale prices, intensifying farmer losses.

Farmers’ Key Demands

Farmers have put forth a set of urgent demands in response to the crisis. They are seeking compensation of Rs. 1,500 per quintal to offset losses incurred due to the price crash. Additionally, they have called for an immediate suspension of buffer stock sales in urban markets, as these releases are driving down already low prices. Farmers are also pushing for a consistent and reliable export policy to rebuild trust among international buyers, particularly in markets like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which were once significant importers of Indian onions.

Impact of Fluctuating Export Policies

India’s onion exports dropped significantly from 25.25 lakh tonnes in 2022–23 to just 11.47 lakh tonnes in 2024–25. This steep decline has weakened India’s position in global markets, enabling countries like China and Pakistan to replace India in several key importing regions. Experts argue that this loss of competitiveness is largely a result of policy unpredictability, which has tarnished India’s reputation as a dependable supplier.

Proposed Alternatives and Policy Suggestions

Farmers and exporters are urging the government to introduce incentives for onion exports to help reclaim India’s lost market share. One proposed approach is to replicate Andhra Pradesh’s procurement model, where onions are purchased at a fixed rate of Rs. 1,200 per quintal, ensuring a baseline price for growers. Additionally, long-term solutions such as expanding cold storage facilities and strengthening farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) are being highlighted. These measures would not only improve post-harvest management but also enhance farmers’ collective bargaining power in both domestic and export markets.

Conclusion: A Sector in Urgent Need of Reform

·       The ongoing onion crisis in Maharashtra reflects deep-rooted structural issues in India’s agricultural and trade policy frameworks. Although interventions like buffer stock releases aim to stabilise retail prices for consumers, they often come at the expense of farmers’ incomes. The current wave of protests underscores the pressing need for comprehensive reform—including stable export policies, better procurement strategies, and infrastructure development.

·       Unless these systemic flaws are addressed through long-term policy vision and immediate support mechanisms, onion farmers in India will continue to face devastating price shocks, repeated agitations, and the consequences of reactive governance.

Plasticdweep: Lakshadweep’s Mounting Waste Crisis

Context

A major fire at the Minicoy Island dumping site in September 2025 has drawn national attention to Lakshadweep’s escalating waste problem. This incident exposed the archipelago’s accumulation of nearly 4,000 tonnes of unmanaged waste, posing a severe threat to coral reefs, marine ecosystems, and the livelihoods of fishing communities.

Understanding Plasticdweep

The term Plasticdweep has come to symbolise the growing environmental and infrastructural crisis associated with land and marine waste across Lakshadweep’s islands. The fire at Minicoy brought to light years of administrative neglect, irregular waste management practices, and the lack of any functional and sustainable disposal mechanism.

Trends and Alarming Data

·       Lakshadweep is grappling with the accumulation of approximately 4,000 tonnes of uncollected dry waste, including plastics, electronic waste, and discarded appliances. A 2024 survey by Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) documented 32,710 pieces of litter across 28 island beaches. Moreover, the survey found that 59% of coral colonies were suffocated by debris, while 15% showed signs of bleaching—both indicators of ecological degradation.

·       The collapse of local governance systems has significantly contributed to the crisis. Since the dissolution of the panchayati system in 2021, routine waste collection services have been disrupted, leading to widespread unregulated dumping and open burning. These practices have not only worsened the environmental toll but have also increased public health risks. Compounding the issue are logistical constraints: due to rough monsoon conditions, marine waste evacuation is feasible only during a narrow window of four to five months each year. During this time, transport priorities are given to essential commodities like food and fuel, further delaying waste disposal.

Consequences and Ramifications

·       Ecologically, the unchecked plastic and waste buildup is having a catastrophic impact on coral reefs, which form the backbone of marine biodiversity in the region. Coral death leads to the depletion of fish stocks, which in turn disrupts the marine food chain and diminishes biodiversity. For local communities, particularly fisherfolk, this directly threatens their income, food security, and the tourism potential of the islands.

·       On the health front, residents are increasingly exposed to the harmful effects of toxic smoke from burning plastics and to leachate that seeps into groundwater and the surrounding marine environment. Microplastic pollution also leads to bioaccumulation in the food chain, affecting not just marine life but also human consumers.

El Niño and Its Intensifying Impact on Central India

·       A recent scientific study has drawn attention to a paradoxical consequence of the El Niño phenomenon on the Indian subcontinent, particularly central India. While El Niño is traditionally associated with the suppression of the southwest monsoon and an increased risk of drought, the study reveals that it also significantly elevates the probability of extreme daily rainfall events by nearly 50%. This dual impact—lower seasonal rainfall but intensified bursts of precipitation—raises serious concerns regarding flood hazards, urban infrastructure resilience, and long-term climate adaptation planning.

·       El Niño represents the warm phase of the broader El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) system and involves the abnormal warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Under normal conditions, trade winds push warm waters westward toward Indonesia, allowing for nutrient-rich upwelling off the South American coast. However, during an El Niño event, these trade winds weaken, causing warm water to accumulate in the eastern Pacific. This shift depresses the thermocline and limits upwelling, which in turn disrupts global atmospheric circulation patterns.

·       The onset of El Niño is typically driven by a combination of factors including the weakening of easterly trade winds, a sustained positive sea surface temperature anomaly (exceeding 0.5°C above normal for at least five overlapping three-month periods), and the influence of westerly wind bursts and the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). Global warming has also contributed to the increasing frequency and intensity of such episodes.

·       El Niño events occur irregularly every 2 to 7 years and are monitored using the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI), which measures deviations in sea surface temperatures. The global consequences of El Niño are far-reaching, including droughts in Indonesia and Australia, flooding in parts of South America, and disruptions to fisheries and storm patterns.

·       In the Indian context, El Niño generally delays the onset of the southwest monsoon and causes erratic withdrawal patterns. It reduces the number of rainy days but increases the severity of rainfall in already wet regions. This change in rainfall distribution, combined with urban vulnerability and poor drainage systems, exacerbates flood risks and poses complex challenges for disaster preparedness and agricultural planning.

WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2024: A World of Extremes

·       The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released the 2024 edition of its State of Global Water Resources report, highlighting a deeply concerning trend: the Earth’s water cycle is becoming increasingly erratic and extreme. Across the globe, water systems are oscillating unpredictably between severe droughts and catastrophic floods, posing critical risks to ecosystems, agriculture, and human settlements.

·       One of the most alarming findings is that all global glacier regions reported mass loss for the third consecutive year. Many of the world’s smaller glacier systems have already reached, or are nearing, the "Peak Water Point"—the stage where annual runoff from melting reaches its maximum and then begins to decline due to shrinking glacier mass. This not only threatens long-term freshwater availability but also contributes to rising sea levels and coastal inundation.

·       The report reveals that nearly two-thirds of the world’s river basins experienced either excessive or insufficient water flow in 2024. These anomalies contributed to a series of extreme events: unprecedented heavy rainfall in the tropical zones of Africa, widespread flooding in parts of Europe and Asia, and intense droughts in the Amazon Basin.

·       At the heart of this growing instability is the intensification of the water cycle, driven by global climate change. As atmospheric temperatures rise, evaporation rates increase, causing more water to be stored in the atmosphere. This intensification leads to more extreme weather events, including prolonged droughts, heavy precipitation episodes, and stronger hurricanes. It also accelerates glacier melt and thermal expansion of ocean waters, directly contributing to sea-level rise and threatening coastal communities.

·       The water cycle involves both “pools” and “fluxes.” Pools refer to the various forms and locations where water is stored, such as lakes, glaciers, or the atmosphere. Fluxes describe the movement of water between these pools, such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. With the accelerating pace of climate change, both pools and fluxes are being disrupted, leading to a planet increasingly defined by water-related extremes.

Moran Community’s Push for Scheduled Tribe Status

·       The Moran community, a lesser-known ethnic group mainly residing in Assam’s Tinsukia district and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, is intensifying its demand for recognition as a Scheduled Tribe (ST). Historically, the Morans are believed to have had an independent kingdom at Bengmara—modern-day Tinsukia—before the arrival of the Ahoms.

·       Linguistically, the Morans originally spoke a dialect derived from the Bodo group within the Tibeto-Burman language family. However, over time, they transitioned to using Assamese as their primary language. Religiously, the community now largely follows the Vaishnava tradition and belongs to the Moamoria sect, a conversion attributed to the influence of Sri Aniruddha Deva, a disciple of the Bhakti saint Sri Sankara Deva. Before adopting Vaishnavism, they followed the Shakta faith and were affiliated with the Kechaikhati Than, a shrine dedicated to the worship of the mother goddess.

·       Culturally, the Moran community celebrates unique festivals such as Gasar Talar Bihu, a form of Bihu dance performed under a tree, and Kheri, reflecting their distinct identity and heritage.

SLAPP: Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation

·       More than a year prior to a civil court imposing an ex-parte injunction against journalists in a case involving Adani Enterprises, the Supreme Court of India had already raised concerns over the growing misuse of the judicial process to stifle public discourse through Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP).

·       SLAPP suits are frivolous legal cases intended not to win on merit but to burden critics—especially journalists, activists, NGOs, artists, and researchers—with prolonged litigation. These lawsuits are commonly used by powerful individuals or corporate entities to silence opposition, deter public accountability, and drain the financial and emotional resources of those engaging in public-interest advocacy.

·       Typically filed under vague legal provisions, SLAPPs rely on exaggerated damage claims and smear tactics to overwhelm defendants, exploiting the disparity in financial and legal power between the parties. While countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have passed anti-SLAPP laws that allow early dismissal and compensation for the targeted party, India lacks a dedicated anti-SLAPP framework. Courts must instead depend on the general civil procedure and constitutional protections. The Supreme Court has reiterated the importance of safeguarding journalistic freedoms and warned against the misuse of defamation laws to undermine free expression.

20 Years of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

·       As the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA) completes 20 years since its enactment, it remains one of India’s most crucial legal tools for safeguarding women in intimate and familial relationships. The Act is designed to provide protection to wives or female live-in partners from abuse by husbands or male partners and their relatives.

·       According to the "Crime in India 2022" report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India registered approximately 4.45 lakh cases of crimes against women, with the majority involving cruelty by husbands or their relatives—an issue directly addressed by the PWDVA. The law defines domestic violence comprehensively to include not only physical and sexual abuse but also verbal, emotional, and economic abuse. It also criminalizes harassment linked to unlawful dowry demands.

·       The Act mandates a robust institutional mechanism for enforcement. State governments are required to appoint Protection Officers, register Service Providers, and designate shelter homes and medical facilities. Protection Officers are responsible for assisting victims in filing domestic incident reports with Magistrates, facilitating legal aid, and ensuring access to safe shelters. Service Providers extend legal, medical, and financial assistance.

·       The Act entitles aggrieved women to a wide range of legal remedies including protection orders, residence orders, custody of children, monetary relief, and access to medical and shelter facilities. Importantly, it upholds a woman’s right to reside in the shared household, regardless of her legal title or ownership.

·       However, several challenges persist. Deep-rooted social and cultural barriers—such as victim-blaming and economic dependence—deter many women from seeking redress. Structural shortcomings include inadequate shelter infrastructure, low conviction rates, and limited awareness of the law. Institutional gaps, such as the undertraining of police and Protection Officers, further reduce the effectiveness of the Act. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the misuse of the legislation in a growing number of false or exaggerated complaints, which complicate genuine grievance redressal.

Reinforcement Learning (RL): A Trial-and-Error Path to Smarter AI

·       In a recent publication, DeepSeek-AI revealed that its model, R1, developed novel reasoning skills using Reinforcement Learning (RL), a method grounded in trial and error driven by feedback.

·       Reinforcement Learning is a sub-discipline of machine learning where an AI agent learns to act in a dynamic environment by continuously interacting with it and receiving feedback in the form of rewards or punishments. Unlike supervised learning, RL involves no direct instructions. The agent relies solely on the environment’s responses to determine the best course of action that maximizes cumulative reward.

·       The agent processes information about the current state of the environment and selects an action. If this action results in a positive reward, the agent is more likely to repeat it under similar circumstances. Over time, this cycle enables the system to make optimal decisions. The RL framework is comprised of four key components: the agent (decision-maker), the environment (external system), the actions (available choices), and the rewards (feedback received after actions).

·       This learning model is particularly effective in solving sequential decision-making problems in uncertain environments, making it a promising tool for advancing artificial intelligence.

NE-SPARKS: North East’s Window to Space Exploration

·       The NE-SPARKS initiative—North East Students’ Programme for Awareness, Reach, and Knowledge on Space—has been launched to cultivate scientific curiosity and interest in space technology among school students from India’s northeastern region.

·       Supported by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and the governments of the eight northeastern states, the programme enables 800 meritorious science students (100 from each state) to visit ISRO centres in Bengaluru. These visits offer students direct exposure to India’s advancements in space research, helping bridge the geographic and informational gap between the northeast and the country’s scientific institutions.

·       Funded in a 60:40 ratio by the central and state governments respectively, NE-SPARKS aims to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education while fostering a culture of innovation among youth.

FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme and India’s Blue Ports

·       India’s Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has signed a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to bolster Blue Port infrastructure in the country.

·       FAO’s TCP is designed to offer member countries technical support and solutions in key areas such as agriculture, fisheries, nutrition, and food safety. The initiative helps governments address pressing challenges and achieve sustainable development goals.

·       Under this agreement, FAO will assist in enhancing the technical capacity of fishing ports to handle environmental, social, and economic challenges along the aquatic value chain. Pilot projects will begin in Vanakbara (Diu) and Jakhau (Gujarat), where strategic tools will be developed to design investment projects for sustainable fishing infrastructure.

·       India’s Blue Ports Framework, supported by the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, is focused on creating smart, integrated fishing harbours equipped with IoT devices, energy-efficient systems, and environmentally sustainable features like rainwater harvesting and waste management.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB): Enhancing Consumer Choice

·       The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), a statutory body established under the PNGRB Act of 2006, recently proposed an LPG interoperability framework. This would allow households to refill gas cylinders from any Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) distributor, similar to mobile number portability.

·       PNGRB’s primary mandate is to safeguard consumer interests while promoting competition and regulating the distribution and marketing of petroleum products and natural gas. It oversees activities like refining, processing, and pipeline operations—excluding the upstream extraction of crude oil and natural gas.

·       The board also adjudicates disputes, monitors retail service obligations, and ensures compliance with safety and pricing standards. Its decisions hold legal authority, with powers akin to those of a civil court. Based in Delhi, the board consists of a Chairperson, three members, and one legal expert, and functions under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Fentanyl: A Deadly Synthetic Opioid

·       The United States recently revoked visas for certain Indian business figures accused of involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals.

·       Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, originally developed for medical use to treat severe pain, particularly in post-surgical or cancer patients. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. When misused, even in minuscule amounts, fentanyl can cause fatal overdoses, making it one of the leading causes of opioid-related deaths globally.

·       Its synthetic nature allows it to be cheaply produced in labs, making it a favoured substance among illegal drug manufacturers. Like other opioids—such as morphine, codeine, and oxycodone—fentanyl acts on the central nervous system to relieve pain but also induces euphoria, sedation, and dependency. Repeated use alters brain activity, leading to addiction and long-term health issues.

National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC): Showcasing India’s Seafaring Legacy

·       The Prime Minister is scheduled to review the progress of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC), currently under development in Lothal, Gujarat—a site of immense archaeological and historical significance from the Indus Valley Civilization.

·       The NMHC, a flagship project under the Sagarmala Programme, aims to chronicle India’s 5,000-year-old maritime history. Lothal, being the only known port city of the Indus Valley era, houses the world’s oldest man-made dockyard, making it an apt location for the complex.

·       Spread over 400 acres with an estimated budget of ₹4,500 crore, the NMHC will feature museums, thematic galleries, a recreated Lothal city, and a maritime institute. Phase 1 includes Indian Navy and Coast Guard galleries and a lighthouse museum, projected to be the tallest in the world.

·       The Indian Ports Association and Indian Port Rail Corporation Ltd. are responsible for implementation. Funded through grants and future contributions, NMHC aims to become a global heritage destination showcasing India’s maritime prowess through immersive digital experiences and infrastructure.

WIPO Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025

·       In the 2025 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), India has secured the 38th position globally among 139 economies, thereby maintaining its distinction as the highest-ranking country in the Central and Southern Asia region. The GII, now in its 18th edition, is produced in collaboration with the Portulans Institute and various international partners. It serves as an annual benchmarking report, covering 139 economies and 100 innovation clusters, and is aimed at assessing the innovation capabilities and performance of nations. Its primary goal is to offer strategic insights to policymakers, business leaders, and researchers for enhancing innovation ecosystems.

·       The framework of the GII is divided into two major dimensions: Innovation Inputs and Innovation Outputs. Innovation Inputs consist of five pillars—Institutions, Human Capital and Research, Infrastructure, Market Sophistication, and Business Sophistication—while Innovation Outputs include Knowledge and Technology Outputs and Creative Outputs. The index utilizes over 80 indicators to assess performance, such as R&D investment, international patent applications filed under the PCT system, scientific publications, venture capital flows, high-tech exports, ICT adoption rates, and the valuation of unicorn startups.

·       In 2025, the top three positions in the index were occupied by Switzerland (1st), Sweden (2nd), and the United States (3rd). India, with a score of 38.2, continues to outperform other lower-middle-income economies and has retained its status as a consistent innovation over-performer for the 15th consecutive year. It has demonstrated excellence in various indicators—most notably in ICT services exports, where it leads globally, and in unicorn valuations and late-stage venture capital investments, where it ranks among the top nations.

·       India’s knowledge creation ecosystem also remains robust, as evidenced by a 7.6% increase in scientific publications and a strong record in patent filings. Additionally, India’s ranking under the Creative Outputs category has improved significantly, climbing from 49th in 2023 to 42nd in 2025. The country''s innovation clusters continue to make a mark on the global stage, with Bengaluru (21st), Delhi (26th), and Mumbai (46th) remaining in the top 100, and Chennai emerging as a new entrant—further underlining the strength of India’s startup and innovation ecosystems.

UN Chief Releases Reform Blueprint: “Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver”

·       In the lead-up to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the Secretary-General has released a landmark report titled “Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver”, which outlines a vision for structural and programmatic realignments across the UN system. Part of Workstream 3 under the broader UN80 Initiative, the report is aimed at reducing silos, eliminating duplication, and fostering more effective and rules-based collaboration within the organization. All proposed reforms are to be implemented in adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and other governing protocols.

·       The report identifies four principal areas for transformation. In the area of Peace and Security, it calls for a consolidation of field offices and leadership roles and the establishment of dedicated centres of excellence for peacebuilding and women’s leadership. In the domain of Sustainable Development, the report recommends a reevaluation of institutional structures—including potential mergers of agencies such as UNDP with UNOPS, and UNFPA with UN Women—as well as the phased closure of UNAIDS by 2026. It also proposes the establishment of Joint Knowledge Hubs to harness pooled expertise.

·       For Human Rights, a system-wide Human Rights Group under the leadership of the High Commissioner is proposed, aiming to embed human rights across all UN operations. In the humanitarian sector, the report advocates for the creation of a New Humanitarian Compact to streamline bureaucratic processes and improve responsiveness.

·       Several paradigm shifts are also proposed to increase the organization’s impact. In the realm of Technology and Data, a UN System Data Commons and a Technology Accelerator Platform are envisioned to modernize internal systems and integrate currently fragmented datasets. On the financial front, there is a call for reforming pooled and core funding models to enhance their alignment with collective strategic goals and make them more attractive to donors.

·       The UN80 Initiative, of which this report is a central part, is a comprehensive, system-wide campaign to make the UN more efficient and effective. It comprises three workstreams: the first focuses on internal performance and efficiency; the second reviews the extensive mandates that guide the UN Secretariat’s work; and the third, as demonstrated by this report, investigates whether deep structural and programmatic changes are required to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving world.