India inducts third n-sub, strengthens deterrence

India Friday inducted its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridaman, significantly strengthening its sea-based nuclear deterrent capabilities. The Indian Navy also commissioned the advanced stealth frigate INS Taragiri at a separate ceremony.

US announces 100% tariff on patented pharma; limited impact on India

The US on Thursday announced a 100% tariff on import of patented pharmaceuticals and associated ingredients starting July 31 on grounds that Washington is heavily reliant on imports, which threatens to limit access to life-saving medications in the event of "global supply chain disruption".

11 months after bilateral ties took a hit, India & Azerbaijan officials meet in Baku

Almost 11 months after ties between India and Azerbaijan suffered following Operation Sindoor, New Delhi and Baku are re-engaging with each other as senior officials met in Baku on Friday. The re-engagement is part of repairing of ties that began due to Azerbaijan's support and help in evacuating Indian nationals from Iran - by using the landlocked nation as an overland transit route.

US, China are recalibrating ties. Five ways India must respond

Reducing dependencies on China in critical inputs is a strategic imperative, as is avoiding the creation of new dependencies on the US in domains like AI. India must invest in its own sovereign Al stack and green energy ecosystem. 

A new space age, next frontiers and challenges

The last time humans headed toward the Moon was more than 53 years ago. None of the Artemis 2's crew members had been born. Unlike the astronauts of 1972, they will not set foot on Earth's only satellite. The Artemis mission, which took off on Thursday, does not aim to plant flags on the Moon or even leave footprints on it. The early lunar missions were part of a project of one-upmanship between the US and the Soviet Union. Artemis belongs to a different era in science and geopolitics. The Moon is today a frontier in Sino-US space competition.

Jan Vishwas ethos is about the state placing the citizen first, taking a step back

For too long, threatening jail time has been part habit, part intention, and part malice; cutting enabling provisions reinforces our constitutional morality that liberty should not be casually curtailed. 

The significance of India's third nuclear submarine

India Inducted its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridaman, on Friday, significantly strengthening its sea-based nuclear deterrence capabilities.

With INS Aridaman's induction, India will have three operational ballistic missile submarines at sea for the first time.

The indigenous SSBN (ship submersible ballistic nuclear) is designed to carry more long-range nuclear-tipped missiles than INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, which were commissioned in 2016 and 2024, respectively. 

The right to be considered for promotion, how it is implemented

A March 27 judgment by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, holding that the right to be considered for a promotion is a fundamental right, brings into focus a nuanced legal principle governing public employment in India.

It highlights that while no government employee can demand a promotion as an absolute guarantee, the Constitution ensures that they must be fairly evaluated for one if they meet the eligibility criteria. The recent case before the Punjab and Haryana High Court illustrates how this right is often breached in practice. 

Between oil shock and El Niño, how high inflation could go

Since the day that the United States at-tacked Iran in late February, the biggest policy concern has been the impact on India's domestic inflation rate. This is the rate at which the general price level goes up from one year to another.

Typically, Indian policymakers (read the Reserve Bank of India) hope to achieve an inflation rate of 4%, that is, the general price level goes up by 4% from one year to the next. This level has been chosen because it is considered ideal - high enough to incentivise producers to produce more and earn more profits, and low enough to not hit consumer demand. 

Fresh IBC amendments: How govt looks to plug gaps in insolvency code

The Parliament on Wednesday passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

The IBC was enacted in 2016 to create a time-bound mechanism to deal with companies that default on their loans - by reviving them through resolution or liquidating them if resolution is not possible.

The amendment seeks to speed up the resolution process and introduces provisions for an out-of-court mechanism, group insolvency and cross-border insolvency. 

Forex reserves drop by $10.28 bn to hit $688.06 bn

India's forex reserves dropped by $10.288 billion to $688.058 billion during the week ended March 27, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Friday. 

Junta chief elected President by pro-military Parliament

Myanmar Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was elected president on Friday after breezing through a parliamentary vote, formalising his grip on political power in the war-torn nation five years after he ousted an elected government in a coup. 

Pakistan FM discusses 5-point plan to end West Asia conflict with Saudi counterpart

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday spoke with Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and discussed the five-point peace plan proposed by Islamabad and Beijing to end the conflict in West Asia. 

UN lauds efforts by Indian peacekeepers in opening key corridor in South Sudan

The UN has lauded efforts by Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan in re-opening a critical supply route impacted by floods last year, emphasising the "vital role" it played in supporting stability and enabling assistance to vulnerable civilians. 

Artemis II rockets ahead after spending a day around Earth

NASA'S Artemis II astronauts fired their engines and blazed toward the moon Thursday night, breaking free of the chains that have trapped humanity in shallow laps around Earth in the decades since Apollo.