- INDIA, FRANCE FINALISE DEAL FO R26 RAFALE – M AIRCRAFT
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- India and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on April 28, 2025, for26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy.
- Cost: ₹54,000 crore; deliveries to begin mid-2028, completion by 2030.
- Signed by: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu.
- Training, simulators, equipment, weapons (e.g., Astra Beyond Visual Range missiles), logistics
- Expected to generate thousands of jobs via production facility setup and maintenance/repair/overhaul (MRO) facilities.
2. THE POST OF DEPUTY SPEAKER IS NOT SYMBOLIC OR OPTIONAL
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Article 93mandates that the Lok Sabha shall “as soon as may be” elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker.
- The office of the Deputy Speaker has remained vacant throughout the 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) and continues into the 18th.
- Constitutional experts assert this delay is not a procedural lapse but a serious constitutional anomaly.
- Deputy Speaker ensures continuity of House proceedings in the absence of the Speaker, safeguarding procedural neutrality.
- Historically, the Deputy Speaker’s office has promoted bipartisanship, often held by the Opposition.
- Absence of a Deputy Speaker disrupts democratic norms and weakens parliamentary functioning.
- Reflects executive over reach and poor commitment to constitutional propriety.
- Appointment is essential for ensuring institutional stability, neutrality, and opposition representation.
- Signals need for parliamentary reform to enforce compliance with constitutional mandates
3. ROLE IN A RISK SOCIETY : HOW WOMEN BEAR A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN
SUBJECT: SOCIAL ISSUES
- Ulrich Beck’s theory of”Risk Society”describes a shift from an industrial society to one increasingly shaped by technological and environmental hazards.
- Events like Chernobyl disaster,COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change expose how modern risks disproportionately impact vulnerable groups.
- Women bear a heavier burden due to inequalities in access to healthcare, education, economic resources, and safety
- Highlights the intersection of gender, environment, and economic vulnerability.
- Urges the need for gender-sensitive disaster management and climate resilience policies.
- Reveals how systemic inequalities intensify the impact of modern global risks.
- Emphasizes building inclusive frameworks in risk governance and development planning
4. MURMU PRESENTS THE PADMA AWARDS TO 71 PERSONALITIES
SUBJECT: PERSONALITIES
- President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma awardsto71 personalities out of 139 announced on the occasion of the76th Republic Day.
- Awards given:Padma Vibhushan,Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
- Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Durbar Hall with the presence of top dignitaries including Vice-President, Prime Minister, and Union Ministers.
- Padma Shri recognitions: Included 30unsung heroes, such as100-year-old Libia Lobo Sardesai who contributed to Goa’s freedom movement.
- Other awardees came from diverse fields like literature, arts, medicine, social work, and science.
- Notable Padma Bhushan awardees:
- Pankaj Udhas, singer (posthumous).
- Sushil Kumar Modi, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister.
- P.R. Sreejesh, former hockey player.
5. THE UNSC STATEMENT ON PAHALGAM ATTACK APPEARS WATERED DOWN
SUBJECT: NATIONAL
- UNSC condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack“in the strongest terms,” but did not name the TRF(The Resistance Front) or its linkage to designated terror outfit LeT.
- The statement lacked reference to cooperation with India and failed to mention the targeting of non-Muslims.
- Observers described the language as“watered down”, likely influenced by Pakistan’s presence on the Council (2025–26) and China’s support.
- India criticized the weak stance, calling for stronger global cooperation and efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.
- Reflects limitations of multilateral forums when political interests override moral clarity.
- Exposes UNSC’s structural weakness in addressing state-sponsored terrorism.
- Underscores India’s need for a multi-pronged strategy: legal, diplomatic, economic, and military.
- Strengthens the case for global consensus on terrorism definitions and universal accountability mechanisms
