Israel, Iran trade strikes, warn each other against escalation

Israel and Iran traded fire on Monday in their first attacks since the U.S. struck a ceasefire with the Islamic Republic in April.

The Iranian military said hours later that it was halting offensive operations as the renewed hostilities threatened to drag West Asia back into a full-scale war, and warned that further "aggression and hostile acts" by Israel and its supporters, including in southern Lebanon, would be met with "much more severe and crushing measures than before".

The Oman CEPA, a new gateway for India's exports

India and Oman share one of the oldest trading relationships, with commercial and maritime links dating back thousands of years. From the movement of spices, textiles and frankincense to enduring people-to-people ties, trade has long been a cornerstone of this partnership. The India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into force on June 1, 2026, reaffirms and strengthens this historic relationship by providing a modern framework to deepen trade, investment and economic cooperation for the future.

Strategic afterthought

The government must be transparent with the Nicobar project

For a project so often invoked as a matter of national security strategy, the ballooning Great Nicobar Island development, now estimated to be at ₹91,000 crore, rests on a remarkably thin strategic record. The Centre has long cited the "strategic" character of its centre-piece - a transshipment port at Galathea Bay - to withhold information on its environmental clearances. Yet, the Public Investment Board (PIB), a Finance Ministry body, found in August 2024 that the port "lacked strategic objectives".

The trust deficit in India-Bangladesh ties

Bangladeshi diplomats have pointed out that Dhaka expected less rhetoric on illegal immigration, and more focus on issues such as the renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty.

What is lost and gained in NFHS-6

• NFHS-6 shows a net reduction of 30 indicators in its preliminary fact sheet, with 43 indicators dropped and 13 added compared with NFHS-5.

• Anaemia was dropped from NFHS-6, with the official position being that it will be tracked separately through the Diet and Biomarkers Survey.

• Several long-running indicators, including infant and child mortality, sex ratio at birth, sanitation coverage, clean cooking fuel use and cancer-screening measures, are absent from the latest fact sheet, leaving gaps that no other single source fills at the same scale.

Why Census 2027 matters for development, democracy and representation

The world's largest-ever count of people within a national geography got underway on April 1, with the commencement of the first of the two phases of Census 2027. The first phase will gather nationwide information on the conditions, amenities, and assets of every household. The second will collect critical demographic and socio-economic information, including details on education, migration, fertility, and, of course, caste.

President presents gallantry awards to security personnel

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred seven Kirti Chakras, including two posthumously, on personnel of the armed forces for displaying raw courage, unparalleled bravery and total disregard for personal safety in the line of duty.

India expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2025, says SIPRI

India is estimated to have modestly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2025 and continued developing new nuclear delivery systems, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2026 released on Monday.

The report estimated that India's nuclear stockpile had increased to around 190 warheads by early 2026. The country had around 180 such warheads in 2025.

'India, China should see each other as partners, not rivals'

China and India should stick to the "right strategic perception" that they are not rivals but cooperative partners and opportunities for each other's development, not threats, a top Chinese official said on Monday.

Rajnath Singh reviews HAL projects; Tejas delivery delay under scrutiny

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday reviewed the progress of major on-going projects of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) at a high-level meeting held at Kartavya Bhavan, with delays in the delivery of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A featuring prominently in the discussions.

'Nicobar project will enhance maritime security'

Under the Great Nicobar Island Development Project, India plans to invest around 13,000 crore to build a dual-use airport and runway for both civilian and Navy operations, said a senior official with the Ministry of Defence on Monday.

HC upholds POCSO conviction based on victim's testimony

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday upheld the life imprisonment of an accused convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, reaffirming that the sole testimony of a child victim is sufficient to sustain a conviction if it inspires confidence.

Zojila Tunnel between Kashmir and Kargil to see final breakthrough

India's ambitious, strategic, all-weather Zojila Tunnel in volatile seismic zone IV will witness the final breakthrough on June 9 as Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will oversee the final blasting from the Kargil side. The 13.14-km-long tunnel cuts through the mighty Himalayas at an altitude of 11,578 feet and connects the Kashmir valley with Ladakh's Kargil.

BGB team arrives in India for talks with the BSF

The Director-General of the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) arrived in Delhi on Monday to participate in the first round of the biannual D-G level talks with the Border Security Force (BSF).

The talks, scheduled to continue till June 11, are taking place against the backdrop of tensions between the two border guarding forces over the BSF sending undocumented Bangladeshis across the border at multiple land entry points.

Xi and Kim express hopes for greater ties between China and North Korea

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un under-scored their commitment to deepen cooperation in a closely watched summit on Monday, as Mr. Xi made a rare visit to Pyongyang in a likely attempt to reassert Beijing's unique influence over its socialist neighbour.

Trump's $100,000 fee for H-1B visa fee is unlawful, court rules

A federal judge on Monday struck down a $100,000 fee that U.S. President Donald Trump imposed on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, concluding that it constituted an unlawful tax that Congress never authorised.

'Amplifying' random numbers brings a breakthrough in digital security

Creating a truly unguessable password is difficult as even the best computers leave behind subtle, predictable patterns; by tapping into the power of quantum physics, scientists have now found a way to turn mostly random data into flawless security keys that are practically impossible to predict.

New mustard hybrids need diverse farming plans

In the 2026-27 rabi sowing season, from October to April, Indian farmers are set to begin the wide-scale cultivation of imidazolinone-resistant (IMI-resistant) mustard hybrids. These hybrids are designed to overcome a parasitic weed called Orobanche, a major hurdle in oilseed production.