1. India Charts Strategic Northeast–Kolkata Route Through Myanmar, Sidesteps Bangladesh

Context: In a bold geopolitical move, India has advanced efforts to connect its Northeast region with Kolkata via Myanmar, bypassing traditional routes through Bangladesh. This shift not only addresses diplomatic friction but also strengthens India’s strategic foothold in Southeast Asia and enhances regional autonomy.

Myanmar: India’s Crucial Eastern Gateway

India shares a 1,643 km-long land border with Myanmar, connecting the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. Myanmar plays a pivotal role in India’s Act East Policy, serving as a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP): A Game Changer

The Kaladan Multimodal Project is central to this strategic vision. Designed to create a seamless corridor from Kolkata to Mizoram via Myanmar, it integrates sea, river, and road transport to drastically reduce logistical dependence on the narrow ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor.

Project Phases and Status:

• Kolkata to Sittwe (Sea) – 539 km: ✅ Completed
• Sittwe to Paletwa (Inland Waterways) – 158 km: ✅ Completed
• Paletwa to Zorinpui (Road) – 108 km: ⚠️ Partially complete (Delayed by conflict in Rakhine State)
• Zorinpui to Aizawl & Shillong (Road link) – 🛠️ Under development via Shillong–Silchar–Zorinpui Corridor

Once operational, this route will cut travel distance and time, enhance regional logistics efficiency, and support India’s East-West Industrial Corridor plans.

Why This Shift Matters:

1. Reducing Dependency on Bangladesh: India’s earlier transit routes to the Northeast relied heavily on Bangladesh. However, Dhaka’s recent remarks labeling India’s Northeast as “landlocked and dependent” triggered a strategic response. India aims to secure self-reliant routes, minimizing transit fees, delays, and geopolitical vulnerability.
2. Empowering the Northeast: Improved connectivity through Myanmar will:

• Stimulate trade, tourism, and local industries
• Enhance logistics for manufacturing and agriculture
• Draw investment into the Northeast, traditionally isolated

3. Reinforcing India’s Act East Vision:

The Myanmar route aligns with the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway and strengthens links to ASEAN economies, boosting regional integration.

Security & Strategic Implications:

• The route allows India to counterbalance China’s expanding presence in western Myanmar (e.g., Kyaukpyu port, CMEC).
• India’s infrastructure investments stabilize border zones, especially in insurgency-prone areas like Chin and Rakhine States.
• It affirms India’s role as a regional power investing in peace, connectivity, and inclusive development.

Challenges Along the Myanmar Route:

Despite its promise, the corridor faces obstacles:

• Insurgent activity by groups like the Arakan Army
• Challenging terrain slowing construction
• Geopolitical rivalry with China’s Belt and Road projects in the same region

Yet, India’s persistence reflects a long-term strategic vision rooted in self-reliance and regional leadership.

India’s Countertrade Measures: Shifting Dynamics with Bangladesh

Amid tensions, India has banned Bangladeshi ready-made garments from entering through land ports in Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. These exports must now go through Kolkata and Mumbai sea ports where stringent inspections are in place.

This move is seen as a reciprocal response to Bangladesh’s restriction on Indian yarn exports, previously limited to sea routes only. As 93% of Bangladesh’s apparel exports to India used land routes, this policy shift could significantly alter trade balances and increase operational costs for Dhaka’s exporters.

The Road Ahead: Toward a Self-Reliant, Globally Connected Northeast

With enhanced infrastructure, strategic intent, and growing geopolitical awareness, India is rewriting the connectivity script for its Northeast. The Myanmar corridor is more than a logistics route—it represents resilience, regional integration, and India’s emergence as a decisive actor in Indo-Pacific geopolitics.

2. Alarming Drop in Government School Enrolment Across 23 States

Context: A recent review by the Ministry of Education (MoE) has revealed a significant decline in student enrolment in government schools across 23 states for the academic year 2024–25. The trend, first highlighted in the UDISE+ 2023–24 report, continues to deepen, triggering renewed concern over the future of public schooling in India.

States with the Steepest Decline:

Among the worst-affected states:

• Uttar Pradesh tops the list with a staggering fall of 21.83 lakh students
• Bihar follows with 6.14 lakh
• Rajasthan with 5.63 lakh
• West Bengal with 4.01 lakh

In southern and northeastern India, the trend is also evident:

• Karnataka: Drop of 2 lakh
• Assam: 1.68 lakh
• Tamil Nadu: 1.65 lakh
• Delhi: 1.05 lakh

Midday Meal Participation Also Declines:

The PM-POSHAN scheme—formerly the Midday Meal Scheme—has also seen a sharp fall in coverage, particularly in the same states:

• Uttar Pradesh: Meal participation dropped by 5.41 lakh
• Rajasthan: 3.27 lakh
• West Bengal: 8.04 lakh
• Delhi: 97,000 fewer students availed the scheme in 2024–25

Reports from various states indicate a growing trend of students bringing their own food, raising concerns over the quality or coverage of school-provided meals.

Possible Causes Behind the Downturn:

1. Data Cleansing & Methodology Shift : The government has moved from school-wise aggregated data to student-level Aadhaar-based reporting. This transition has likely eliminated duplicate or “ghost entries,” revealing more accurate but lower enrolment figures.
2. Shift to Private Schools Post-Pandemic: Several states have noted that parents are increasingly choosing private schools in the post-COVID period, reversing the pandemic-era return to government institutions.
3. Declining Trust in Public Services: Inadequate facilities, staffing shortages, and inconsistent implementation of schemes like PM-POSHAN may be driving families away from public schools.

Implications of Declining Enrolment:

• Nutritional Deficiency Risk: Reduced participation in school meal schemes may impact children’s health, learning, and attendance.
• Administrative Gaps: The shift to digital, Aadhaar-based tracking may cause temporary disruptions, affecting data accuracy and fund allocation.
• Policy Review Needed: The fall calls for urgent introspection of existing education and welfare strategies to retain children in public education systems.

Ministry of Education’s Response:

The MoE has termed the drop a matter of “deep concern” and has:

• Asked all states to submit detailed reports by June 30
• Urged officials to enhance the coverage and quality of school meals
• Directed re-investigation of enrolment figures to validate the data

Understanding PM-POSHAN: A Vital Welfare Initiative

• PM-POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Education.
• It provides hot, cooked meals to 11.20 crore children from Balvatika to Class 8 in 10.36 lakh government and government-aided schools.
• Operates on a 60:40 funding split between Centre and states (90:10 for NE states).
• Covers material costs (pulses, oil, vegetables, etc.) and 100% of grain supply via FCI (Food Corporation of India).
• Aims to improve child nutrition, school attendance, and cognitive development.

The Road Ahead: Urgent Reforms Required:

The enrolment drop in government schools cannot be viewed in isolation. It reflects broader issues of trust, delivery, and governance in India’s public education system. Strengthening infrastructure, ensuring teacher availability, upgrading digital tools for monitoring, and reinvigorating PM-POSHAN are essential to reversing this trend.

3. India Receives 70 Proposals Under Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme

Context: The Government of India has received 70 applications, with nearly 80% from small and medium enterprises (SMEs), under its flagship Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme, signaling growing industry interest in building a resilient domestic electronics ecosystem.

About the Scheme: A Strategic Leap Towards Self-Reliance

The scheme, with an outlay of 22,919 crore, is designed to:

• Attract major investments—both domestic and global—into component-level manufacturing.
• Enhance Domestic Value Addition (DVA) by strengthening India’s technological and manufacturing capabilities.
• Facilitate the integration of Indian firms into Global Value Chains (GVCs).

Key Features of the Scheme:

• Offers differentiated incentives based on component categories to bridge manufacturing disadvantages.
• Has a six-year implementation period, including a one-year gestation period.
• Performance-linked payouts are tied to employment generation targets, promoting both job creation and industrial growth.

Component Categories Eligible for Incentives:

1. Category A: High-tech subassemblies such as display modules and camera modules.
2. Category B: Critical base components like multi-layered PCBs, lithium-ion cells, and non-surface mount devices.
3. Category C: Flexible PCBs and SMD passive components that support miniaturization and efficiency.
4. Category D: Capital equipment and components used in the production of the above categories.

India’s Electronics Sector: From Aspiration to Acceleration

• Domestic production has jumped from 1.90 lakh crore in FY15 to 9.52 lakh crore in FY24, clocking a CAGR of over 17%.
• Exports have grown from 38,000 crore to 2.41 lakh crore in the same period—a 20% CAGR.

This rapid growth showcases India’s rising prominence in global electronics markets, especially in areas like mobile phones, LED lighting, and consumer electronics.

Challenges on the Road to Global Leadership:

Despite the progress, India still faces several hurdles:

• Fierce competition from established players like China, Taiwan, South Korea, USA, and Vietnam.
• Shortage of skilled manpower for advanced electronics manufacturing.
• High capital costs, technological complexity, and long payback periods deter quick scalability.

Government Initiatives Supporting the Sector:

• Make in India: Focus on domestic production and reducing imports.
• Digital India: Expands digital infrastructure, increasing demand for electronic devices.
• Startup India: Encourages innovation in electronics and embedded systems.
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme: Offers lucrative benefits for manufacturing mobile phones and critical components.
• National Policy on Electronics 2019 (NPE 2019): Envisions India as a global manufacturing and export hub.
• EMC 2.0 (Electronics Manufacturing Clusters): Supports shared infrastructure and logistics for efficient manufacturing.

Way Forward: Toward a $500 Billion Electronics Vision

India has set an ambitious goal of achieving $500 billion in electronics manufacturing by 2030. To meet this target, the country must:

• Localize the production of advanced components such as semiconductors, sensors, and chipsets.
• Strengthen research and design capabilities through robust R&D investment.
• Form strategic global alliances with technology leaders in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and the U.S.
• Upskill the workforce with specialized training in areas like semiconductor design, robotics, and precision electronics.

4. New Caledonia in Crisis: Political Talks Collapse Amid Rising Tensions

5. The New Conservation Crisis: Tigers Raised with Human Help Now Pose a Danger

Context: A troubling case in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve has brought the controversial practice of live baiting back into the spotlight. A young tigress named Kankati, just 23 months old, has killed two people within a month, alarming both wildlife officials and conservationists. The reason? She was raised on live bait provided to her injured mother, Arrowhead, making her less fearful of humans — and more dangerous.

What is Live Baiting? 

A Colonial Hangover with Modern Risks

Live baiting refers to the practice of offering a live animal (like a goat or buffalo calf) as prey to large carnivores such as tigers. Once a tool of British-era trophy hunters, it evolved into a tourism tactic post-independence — allowing tourists to witness tiger kills in parks like Sariska, until it was officially banned in 1982 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Still Practiced: Feeding the Old and the Injured

Though banned for tourism, live baiting continues unofficially — particularly for injured or aging tigers who can no longer hunt. Buffalo calves are commonly used in reserves like Ranthambhore and Tadoba, with feedings every 7–10 days.

Despite NTCA’s (National Tiger Conservation Authority) guidelines promoting minimal human interference, the practice persists. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) label artificial feeding as “not advisable,” but not explicitly illegal when used for non-hunting tigers.

How It Harms: Breaking the Wild Spirit of the Tiger:

Experts argue that artificial feeding:

• Disrupts natural selection
• Makes tigers dependent on humans
• Causes them to lose hunting instincts
• Increases risk of human-wildlife conflict

Fact: Habituated tigers are more likely to approach villages or attack people and livestock, mistaking them as easy prey.

Veteran conservationists insist that if baiting is ever used, it should be:

• Only during genuine emergencies
• Limited to biweekly feeding
• Not continued beyond three months

Case Studies: When Kindness Backfires:

The Guda Cubs (2008): Orphaned by poisoning, they were fed buffalo calves instead of being taught to hunt. One male, T36, died in a territorial fight. His sister, T37, survived — but remained less independent than wild-born tigers.

Simba’s Sad End:

Another hand-raised cub, Simba, died after suffering injuries from a porcupine — a result of poor hunting skills developed due to early dependence on bait.

Machhli — A Tiger on Life Support:

Known as the “Queen of Ranthambhore,” Machhli was fed bait for seven years. Though she gained celebrity status, her unnaturally long survival raised questions about the ethics of wildlife care.

A Growing Culture of Over-Intervention:

Live baiting is just one symptom of a larger issue: a shift from preservation to pampering in India’s tiger reserves.

Examples of Overreach:

• Transporting prey animals into reserves
• Tranquilising tigers for minor injuries
• Creating artificial waterholes in summer
• Tourist-driven treatment demands for limping or aging tigers

This trend is seen in major reserves like Corbett, Bandipur, Kanha, and Pench, where emotional decisions are replacing scientific wildlife management.

The Ethical Dilemma: Compassion vs. Natural Law

While public sentiment often demands saving every tiger, conservationists remind us:

In nature, not every animal survives — and that’s essential to ecosystem health.

Feeding and rescuing every weak or injured tiger can:

• Create artificial population pressures
• Prevent natural population turnover
• Increase competition and territorial conflicts
• Lead to more human-tiger encounters

What Experts Say: Respect Nature’s Wisdom

Leading biologists and ecologists emphasize a return to core conservation principles:

• Let wild tigers hunt, fight, and survive naturally
• Avoid turning reserves into zoos
• Focus on protecting habitats and prey base
• Limit human involvement to critical interventions only

Extra Insight: India’s success in tiger conservation — with over 3,100 tigers as of 2022, the highest in the world — depends not just on numbers, but on ensuring these apex predators remain truly wild.

Conclusion: Preserve, Don’t Interfere

Live baiting, though sometimes well-intentioned, risks undermining the very essence of wildness that conservation strives to protect. India’s majestic tigers deserve more than survival — they deserve the dignity of the wild.

6. India’s Nuclear Power Makeover: Paving the Way for Private and Global Investment

Context: In a game-changing development, the Indian government is set to introduce two major amendments to reshape its nuclear energy sector during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. This move signals a strategic shift — allowing private and foreign players to finally participate in the country’s nuclear power generation.

A New Era for India’s Atomic Energy Sector:

India stands at a critical juncture in its energy transformation journey. With increasing electricity demand and global climate commitments, the government is looking to modernize the nuclear sector — an area long dominated by state-run entities such as the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

These reforms follow a significant boost from the United States, clearing a longstanding barrier to bilateral civil nuclear cooperation and unlocking long-delayed opportunities from the historic Indo-US nuclear deal.

Key Legislative Reforms: Unlocking the Sector:

1. Overhaul of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (2010)

Currently, the liability for nuclear accidents lies heavily with equipment vendors — a major deterrent for companies like Westinghouse, GE-Hitachi, and Framatome. The proposed amendment will:

• Cap the vendor’s liability to the original value of the contract.
• Introduce a defined liability window, post which vendors are no longer accountable.

This is designed to de-risk foreign investment and address long-standing industry concerns around financial exposure and legal uncertainty.

2. Amendment to the Atomic Energy Act (1962):

The second key change would:

• Allow private Indian players — and potentially foreign partners — to operate nuclear power plants.
• Enable public-private partnerships in atomic energy.
• Allow minority equity stakes for foreign firms in upcoming projects.

These steps would invite greater investment, competition, and technology innovation, catalyzing the next wave of growth in India’s nuclear power industry.

US Regulatory Green Light: A Turning Point

In March 2025, the US Department of Energy granted Holtec International permission to transfer Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology to Indian partners, including Tata Consulting Engineers and Larsen & Toubro. This Part 810 clearance is significant because:

• It lifts a long-standing restriction on US firms participating in India’s nuclear development.
• It enables technology co-production, empowering India to localize SMR manufacturing.

This move aligns US and Indian strategic interests while enabling India to emerge as a regional nuclear technology hub.

Geostrategic and Trade Implications:

These reforms are not isolated. They form part of a broader push to deepen Indo-US strategic and trade ties, potentially paving the way for:

• A comprehensive trade pact with nuclear energy as a key pillar.
• Expanded clean energy collaboration, especially in climate-resilient technologies.
• Greater strategic trust, solidifying India’s role as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific.

India could also become a key export base for advanced nuclear technologies, particularly SMRs, in Southeast Asia and Africa.

Boosting India’s Energy Security and Climate Ambitions:

With a target of net-zero emissions by 2070, India’s energy basket must shift toward low-carbon baseload solutions. Nuclear power provides:

• A stable, carbon-free alternative to coal.
• The potential for large-scale energy deployment with minimal land and water footprint.
• A chance to decarbonize industrial sectors, including steel and hydrogen production.

India currently lags behind in nuclear capacity — contributing less than 2% of total electricity generation. These reforms could change that narrative.

The Road Ahead: Challenges to Navigate:

While the proposed reforms promise transformation, they face several hurdles:

• Public safety concerns and political resistance, especially over private participation in sensitive sectors.
• Legislative delays, particularly in amending the liability framework.
• Need for robust safety protocols and transparent regulatory oversight to manage private operations.

Yet, successful implementation could place India among top-tier nuclear innovators, leading the charge in advanced reactor technologies.

Conclusion: A Strategic Shift With Global Impact

India’s decision to reform its nuclear laws and embrace private and foreign participation marks a historic policy evolution. It reflects a forward-looking approach to:

• Modernize energy infrastructure
• Strengthen strategic global alliances
• Accelerate clean energy goals

With US collaboration, industry confidence, and parliamentary will, India is poised to unlock a new era in nuclear energy — not just as a power source, but as a symbol of technological self-reliance and global leadership.