1. CONSTITUTIONAL ROW OVER GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS IN TAMIL NADU
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Governor’s Refusal: Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi declined to read the customary address prepared by the state government, citing “factual inaccuracies” regarding the state’s investment claims of ₹12 lakh crore.
- Constitutional Challenge: Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that the DMK will seek a Constitutional Amendment to abolish the mandatory “customary address” by the Governor at the start of the first Assembly session of the year.
- National Anthem Controversy: The Governor staged a walkout from the House, stating that the National Anthem was not played at the start of the session, leading to accusations of unconstitutional behavior from the ruling party.
- Speaker’s Intervention: Following the walkout, Speaker M. Appavu proceeded to read the Tamil translation of the speech, while Opposition parties (AIADMK, BJP, and PMK) demanded a discussion on the state’s law and order situation.
- Concept – Article 176: This article mandates the Governor’s address at the commencement of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year; the current standoff tests the limits of “discretionary powers” vs “constitutional duty.”
2. INDIA-UAE STRATEGIC DEFENSE PARTNERSHIP AND ENERGY PACT
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- Letter of Intent Signed: India and the UAE signed a landmark ‘Letter of Intent’ for a bilateral Strategic Defence Partnership, marking a shift from transactional trade to a deep-security alignment in the Gulf region.
- Trade Ambition: Both nations set a revised target to double bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032, leveraging the momentum of the 2022 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
- LNG Agreement: An energy deal was finalized between HPCL and ADNOC Gas for the purchase of 0.5 MMPTA of LNG over 10 years, starting in 2028, ensuring long-term energy security for India.
- Digital/Data Embassies: Both sides explored the possibility of setting up Data Embassies to protect sovereign data and interlinking national payment platforms for seamless cross-border transactions.
- Concept – I2U2 Grouping: The deepening ties reinforce the I2U2 (India, Israel, USA, UAE) framework, aimed at joint investments in water, energy, transportation, space, and health.
3. RBI OVERHAULS PRIORITY SECTOR LENDING (PSL) NORMS
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- New Directives: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the PSL Directions 2025, overhauling targets and classifications to ensure credit flows to under-served regions and climate-resilient projects.
- Climate Finance Focus: For the first time, credit for green hydrogen projects and sustainable agricultural tech has been categorized under “Priority Sector,” incentivizing banks to fund the green transition.
- MSME Export Support: Specific provisions were introduced to facilitate MSME exports to West Asian and African markets, aligning with the “Bharat-Africa-Setu” initiative.
- Urban-Rural Rebalancing: To counter “urban softening,” the RBI adjusted weightages to encourage more lending in rural districts that have seen a 7.9% consumption rise but remain credit-starved.
- Concept – Monetary Policy Transmission: These norms are vital for ensuring that the central bank’s liquidity reaches the grassroots, supporting the broader 8.2% GDP growth trajectory.
4. MISSION MAUSAM: URBAN WEATHER NETWORK EXPANSION
SUBJECT: NATIONAL ISSUES / SCIENCE & TECH
- Automatic Weather Stations (AWS): On the 151st foundation day of the IMD, the Union Ministry announced the deployment of 200 new AWS specifically for urban climate monitoring.
- City Coverage: Fifty AWS each will be installed in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune during 2026 to provide high-resolution data for predicting extreme rainfall events.
- Prediction Accuracy: Officials reported a 40% increase in cyclone track prediction accuracy over the last decade, with Mission Mausam Phase II aiming to reduce seasonal forecast errors to below 2.5%.
- Marine Fish Farming: India’s first open-sea marine fish farming project was also launched today to bolster the Blue Economy and sustainable livelihoods for coastal fishers.
- Concept – Disaster Management Act: High-resolution urban weather data is critical for State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) to issue localized warnings and prevent flood casualties.
5. NEW NATIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY
SUBJECT: POLITY / NATIONAL
- Nitin Nabin Assumes Charge: Senior leader Nitin Nabin was sworn in as the National President of the BJP in New Delhi today, succeeding J.P. Nadda.
- Generational Shift: Prime Minister Modi described the new president as a “millennial boss,” signaling an organizational shift to appeal to younger voters ahead of upcoming state elections.
- Policy Continuity: Nabin emphasized that the party’s focus would remain on the “Viksit Bharat 2047” agenda, with a specific focus on organizational expansion in Southern India and West Bengal.
- Strategic Coalitions: The change in leadership comes at a time when the party is navigating complex coalition dynamics in the NDA and preparing for major legislative pushes in the Budget Session.
- Concept – Inner-Party Democracy: While the Constitution of India does not mandate specific internal election procedures for parties, the Representation of the People Act requires parties to maintain democratic structures for recognition by the ECI.
