UNSC Flashpoint: Kashmir and Indus Waters At a United Nations Security Council open debate on “Leadership for Peace,” Pakistan once again raised the Kashmir dispute and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). India responded forcefully. Its Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, categorically rejected Pakistan’s claims, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are…
Another Name Change in a Long Political Line India’s rural employment guarantee framework is poised for its most dramatic transformation in two decades. The Union government has introduced the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025—shortened to VB-G RAM G—seeking to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Presented in…
Sri Lanka is bracing for the arrest of one of its most celebrated sporting figures. Arjuna Ranatunga, the former cricket captain who led the island nation to its historic 1996 World Cup victory and later served as Petroleum Minister, is set to be taken into custody over an alleged fuel procurement scam that reportedly caused a loss…
Over 58 Lakh Forms Declared Uncollectable, Voters Face Provisional Removal West Bengal’s electoral landscape is undergoing one of its most consequential churns in recent years. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has identified more than 58 lakh enumeration forms as “uncollectable,” triggering provisional deletions ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. While the Election Commission of…
India’s Export Recalibration Towards Russia India has identified close to 300 high-potential products to significantly expand exports to Russia, signalling a decisive shift in its trade strategy. The move is aimed at correcting a widening bilateral trade imbalance—currently estimated at USD 59–68 billion—while advancing the shared ambition of achieving USD 100 billion in two-way trade by…
A Nation Shaken by Its Deadliest Terror Attack in Decades Australia was plunged into shock on December 14, 2025, when a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach claimed 16 lives during a Hanukkah gathering attended by nearly 1,000 people. The attack—Australia’s deadliest terror incident in decades—targeted families celebrating “Hanukkah by the Sea,” killing men, women, and a…
Mexico Approves Steep Tariffs, India Scrambles to Respond Mexico’s Senate has approved sweeping tariff increases of up to 50 percent on 1,463 product categories, a move set to take effect from January 1, 2026. The decision targets imports from countries that do not have a free trade agreement with Mexico, placing India squarely in the firing…
Thailand Vows Continued Fighting On December 13, 2025, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reiterated that Thailand would persist in military operations against Cambodia despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion of a newly brokered ceasefire. Hours after Trump’s calls with Anutin and Cambodian Premier Hun Manet, Thai fighter jets targeted Cambodian positions along the disputed border. Anutin took to…
LUMS Reintroduces Sanskrit Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has launched a four-credit elective in Sanskrit, marking the first time the classical language is formally taught at a Pakistani university since Partition in 1947. The initiative, spearheaded by Professor Shahid Rasheed, seeks to revive interest in South Asia’s shared linguistic and cultural heritage, bridging historical divides…
Hopes Fade for a 2025 Agreement Optimism surrounding a landmark EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) has dimmed, with negotiators now signaling that finalization by December 2025 is unlikely. Bloomberg reported on December 12 that talks have hit roadblocks over steel tariffs, automobile quotas, and carbon taxes. Earlier in 2025, high-level meetings—including Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s engagement with…
