UPSC Key: Lateral Entry, Operation Sindhu and Radiological Mines

Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 19, 2025. If you missed the June 18, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here
FRONT PAGE
Modi reminds Trump no trade talk or US role in Sindoor pause, declines his invite
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests.
What's the ongoing story: Weeks after Donald Trump claimed credit for brokering a 'ceasefire' between India and Pakistan and linked it to a trade deal with India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the US President Wednesday that at no point was there any discussion, at any level, on an India-US trade deal, or any proposal for mediation by the US between India and Pakistan.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the US President?
• Why this is significant?
• According to PM Modi, the pause in Operation Sindoor was due to what?
• Which key principle of India's foreign policy was reasserted during the call?
• How Operation Sindoor reflects India's doctrine of calibrated military response in counter-terror operations?
• What is the strategic messaging conveyed by PM Modi's refusal of Trump's U.S. visit invitation?
Key Takeaways:
• Detailing the 35-minute phone conversation between Modi and Trump, their first since Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, 'President Trump enquired if Prime Minister Modi could stop over in the US on his way back from Canada. Due to prior commitments, Prime Minister Modi expressed his inability to do so. Both leaders agreed to make efforts to meet in the near future.'
• Modi headed to Croatia from Canada Wednesday. The two leaders could not meet during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis because the US President had returned to Washington, exiting the Summit early.
• Underlining that a discussion on ending military action took place 'directly between India and Pakistan through the existing channels of communication between the two armed forces' and had been initiated 'at Pakistan's request', Modi said 'India does not and will never accept mediation'. He also said there was 'complete political consensus' in India on this issue.
• Hours later, Trump repeated his claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan. 'Well, I stopped the war…. I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We are going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India,' he said.
• Trump, who was meeting Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir over lunch at the White House, said, 'This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side,' while referring to Munir.
Do You Know:
• Trump had been claiming credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. By letting him know that US mediation never came up during the conflict, Modi has called out the US President's narrative. He also declined an invitation to US, aware that the Pak Army chief is there.
• On the Indo-Pacific region, Misri said both leaders 'shared their perspectives and expressed their support towards the significant role of Quad in the region'. This was an oblique reference to China's assertive behaviour in the region.
• US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet visiting Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir over lunch Wednesday, a meeting that is being closely tracked by Delhi.
• According to the White House, the lunch is scheduled to be held at 1 pm at the Cabinet room, and is 'closed to press'. This meeting between the US President and the Pakistan Army chief, a rare occurrence, is happening after almost two decades. Munir's US visit began last Sunday and it is his second since he took over as Army chief in 2022. In 2006, US President George W Bush had met then Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf. US Presidents have met Pakistan's military rulers in the past when the country was officially under their rule.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Trump hosts Munir amid talk of US looking at Pak airspace use
India, Canada hit reset: To revive trade talks, pick high commissioners
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests.
What's the ongoing story: Following a 'positive' meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the side-lines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, India and Canada have 'agreed to take calibrated and constructive steps to restore stability' in their relationship, starting with the 'early return of High Commissioners to each other's capitals'.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is the historical background of India-Canada relations?
• What is the current issue between India and Canada?
• What triggered the faceoff between the two nations?
• What is the present situation?
• 'India has raised concern over interference of Canadian diplomats in India's internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities'-know in detail
• 'Anti-India elements operating from Canadian soil'-Discuss
• Why New Delhi is facing an unprecedented diplomatic challenge?
• A diplomatic escalation of this kind could potentially damage some of the structured and organic exchanges between the two sides-comment
• How recent India-Canada standoff can impact India's geopolitical structure?
• What you know about the Khalistan movement?
• What are the Historical events responsible for Khalistan?
• How Khalistan movement affected or can affect Indo-Canadian relationship?
• Why do Canadian politicians pander to Sikh extremists?
• What is the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic relations?
Key Takeaways:
• Relations between the two countries plummeted in 2023 after Justin Trudeau, the then Canadian Prime Minister, alleged 'potential' involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar — a charge that India rejected as 'absurd' and 'motivated'. This led to downgrading of diplomatic ties.
• But the thaw took place in Canada's Kananaskis on Tuesday, as Modi and Carney held their first meeting since the latter's election in May this year. The two sides agreed to resume senior-level dialogues on trade, people-to-people contact and connectivity.
• While Carney raised the issue of 'transnational crime and repression, security, and the rules-based order', he said he needs to be 'careful' about commenting on Nijjar's killing as there is a judicial process underway.
• Responding to a question on whether he spoke to Modi about Nijjar's killing, Carney said: 'We have had a discussion, the Prime Minister and I, about the importance of having the law enforcement to law enforcement… cooperation directly, the importance of addressing transnational repression, as I noted, including when we met… And obviously, there is a judicial process that's underway and I need to be careful about further commentary.'
Do You Know:
• This was Modi's first visit to Canada in a decade. 'Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Complimented him and the Canadian Government for successfully hosting the G7 Summit. India and Canada are connected by a strong belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law. PM Carney and I look forward to working closely to add momentum to the India-Canada friendship. Areas like trade, energy, space, clean energy, critical minerals, fertilisers and more offer immense potential in this regard,' he posted on X.
• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to hold frank and forward-looking discussions on the state of India-Canada relations and the way ahead.
• Canada hosts one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world, numbering 16 lakh people of Indian origin, accounting for more than 3 percent of the total Canadian population and 700,000 NRIs. India became the top source of foreign students studying in Canada — 2.3 lakh, according to 2022 data. India's total trade with Canada (goods and services) in 2021-22 was US $11.68 billion, much below potential, but when it comes to India's import of pulses, almost 30% of the total import comes from Canada.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Nations openly supporting terrorism continue to be rewarded: PM at G7
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍'Indian diaspora has a decisive role to play in the politics and economy of America and European Countries'. Comment with examples. (UPSC GS2, 2020)
GOVT & POLITICS
Govt hasn't abandoned lateral entry: MoS
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What's the ongoing story: Ten months after the government cancelled the recruitment process for lateral entry to posts in various ministries saying that it would review the policy to include reservations, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh said Wednesday that the government has not suspended its lateral entry policy and is still 'open to it'.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is lateral entry?
• Which constitutional principle was cited as a concern when reservations were not included in lateral entry?
• Which advisory commission initially recommended lateral induction of specialists?
• What is the rationale behind introducing lateral entry into the Indian bureaucracy?
• Assess the challenges of implementing reservation in lateral entry recruitment, with reference to the 2024 UPSC cancellation.
• How lateral entry recruitment aligns with principles of social justice and constitutional mandates?
Key Takeaways:
• On August 17, 2024, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had advertised 45 posts for lateral entry into various ministries. However, the government decided to stop the process after facing backlash, including from BJP ally, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), over the lack of reservations.
• On August 20, Singh wrote to the UPSC chairperson to cancel the advertisement, which was done the same day. Till then, the government had maintained that reservation in lateral entry posts could not be implemented as they were single-cadre posts.
• 'It is important that the constitutional mandate towards social justice is upheld so that deserving candidates from marginalised communities get their rightful representation in government services…The Prime Minister is of the firm belief that the process of lateral entry must be aligned with the principles of equity and social justice enshrined in our Constitution, particularly concerning the provisions of reservation,' Singh had written.
• Asked about the status of the policy while he addressed a press conference on 11 years of the government, Singh said the policy was not suspended. 'We have not suspended it. I think it was started with a very noble intention and it was possible only because we had someone like Prime Minister Modi there, otherwise, such kind of lateral entry, was unknown, the procedures,' he said, adding that the previous governments did not have an objective mechanism for such recruitments.
• Asked about the implementation of reservation, he said in appointments of single posts anywhere in the world, 'reservation rule doesn't work. I hope I'm making my point clear.'
Do You Know:
• The upper age limit to appear for the civil services examination in the early days was 24 years. Open market recruitments were made from among individuals who had completed the age of 25 but not the age of 40. For Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates the age ceiling was 45 years. (The now-cancelled lateral entry initiative had the same age ceiling for applicants.)
• In the first round of special recruitments in 1948-49, 82 officers were hired on the recommendation of the Emergency Recruitment Board. During the second round, Minister of State for Home Affairs B N Datar explained the rationale for open-market recruitments:
• For the 1956 round, the government fixed an income floor of Rs 300 for open-market candidates to apply — a requirement that caused an uproar in Parliament.
• More than 22,161 applications were received for these recruitments in 1956, including 1,138 from the SCs and 185 from the STs. To enable Indians residing abroad to appear, 22 examination centres were set up outside India. The exam was held on December 28, 1956.
• The SC quota was 12.5% and the ST quota was 5%, both for vacancies filled normally through competitive exams and in the special recruitment from the open market. The filling of the quota was subject to the availability of suitable candidates. According to the government, the conditions for recruitment of SCs and STs were relaxed to the extent possible.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Express View on lateral entry in bureaucracy: No short-cuts
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
📍'Institutional quality is a crucial driver of economic performance'. In this context suggest reforms in the Civil Service for strengthening democracy. (2020)
THE EDITORIAL PAGE
Playing with fire
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests.
What's the ongoing story: Syed Akbaruddin Writes: In an age of climate urgency and energy scarcity, nuclear power is on the cusp of being rediscovered. This time not as a Cold War relic, but as a lifeline. It offers countries seeking low-emission, high-reliability power what few other sources can: Base load stability in an increasingly unstable world.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Under international humanitarian law (Geneva Conventions), attacking a civilian nuclear power plant is prohibited if it causes what?
• What term describes nuclear plants used as protective shields because attacking them risks nuclear disaster?
• What does 'cold shutdown' of a reactor imply?
• The 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran's Natanz and Arak nuclear sites-Why?
• What is the concept of nuclear power plants as 'radiological mines' in modern warfare?
• What is the strategic rationale behind Israel's preventive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites?
• Assess the role of the IAEA in monitoring and preventing military operations near nuclear installations.
• Israel's latest military operation inside Iran-what you know so far?
• Iran-Israel Conflict-know the background
• Iran-Israel bilateral relations-know the present situation
• What role can international organizations like the United Nations play in de-escalating the Israel-Iran tensions?
Key Takeaways:
Syed Akbaruddin Writes:
• Yet, just as it gains renewed relevance, it's facing a new kind of threat — becoming a target. From Israel's recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites to military activity around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, we are witnessing the erosion of a longstanding principle: That nuclear facilities must be protected, in war and peace.
• These are not isolated incidents. While echoing past precedents like the Israeli strikes on Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981 and Syria's Deir ez-Zor in 2007, these instances also reflect a new, troubling trend. Civilian nuclear infrastructure is now being treated as a strategic target. A red line once widely respected is being crossed with frequency.
• This pattern signals a slow collapse of a global understanding that, however imperfect, has helped avert catastrophe. This shift carries numerous risks not just for the countries involved, but for the world. One miscalculation, one errant strike, could spark a radiological disaster, endangering thousands and contaminating entire regions.
Do You Know:
Syed Akbaruddin Writes:
• International law provides clear protection. Article 56 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions prohibits attacks on 'works and installations containing dangerous forces', including nuclear plants, from which civilian harm could result. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has, in many resolutions, condemned strikes on safeguarded nuclear facilities as violations of international law and the UN Charter.
• Israel has justified its ongoing actions against Iranian nuclear sites as acts of preventive self-defence, citing Iran's history of undeclared facilities, its missile programme, and enrichment levels approaching weapons-grade. Israeli officials argue that inaction risks letting Iran cross the nuclear military threshold under civilian cover. On the other hand, Iran remains a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and its declared nuclear facilities are under IAEA safeguards.
• India thus has a major stake in this conversation. The collapse of protections around civilian nuclear infrastructure threatens not only the nuclear order but also our energy security and development goals. India has set an ambitious target of 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, up from about 8 GW today. With rising industrial demand and a commitment to net-zero goals, nuclear power is central to India's long-term energy strategy.
• Plans to amend the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, announced in the budget, are underway to encourage private investment and scale up deployment.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍US shifting military jets, ships in region to protect Israel from Iranian strikes
EXPRESS NETWORK
Govt launches Operation Sindhu to evacuate citizens stuck in Iran
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What's the ongoing story: As India is starting its evacuation, the Iranian embassy officials said that some Indian students have sustained injuries in a strike and the Iranian foreign ministry was in close touch with the Indian mission in Tehran.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Operation Sindhu is launched primarily to what?
• What is the strategic significance of Operation Sindhu in demonstrating India's commitment to the safety of its overseas nationals?
• Analyze the logistics and diplomatic challenges involved in evacuating citizens from conflict zones, citing Operation Sindhu as an example.
• Compare Operation Sindhu with Operation Ganga.
• What is the role of regional diplomacy, especially involving Armenia and Turkmenistan, in the success of Operation Sindhu?
• How does India's evacuation policy enhance its international image and align with its evolving role as a responsible global power?
Key Takeaways:
• India on Wednesday announced launching 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran as fears of an all-out Israeli-American military strikes on Iran increased.
• The first batch of 100 students are returning from Armenia to Delhi in the early hours of Thursday. As India is starting its evacuation, the Iranian embassy officials said that some Indian students have sustained injuries in a strike and the Iranian foreign ministry was in close touch with the Indian mission in Tehran.
• An official statement of the Ministry of External Affairs said, 'In view of the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, the government of India has been taking various steps over the last several days for the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iran.'
• It said that the government of India is grateful to the governments of Iran and Armenia for the smooth facilitation of the evacuation process.
Do You Know:
• As India monitors developments in the region and prepares its evacuation plans from the conflict zone, it faces a diplomatic challenge post-Operation Sindoor.
• Armenia is one of Iran's neighbouring countries that Delhi is in touch with. India doesn't have amicable ties with some of the other countries bordering Iran — Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan.
Besides Armenia, Turkmenistan and Iraq are the other neighbouring countries of Iran with whom India has amicable ties; it doesn't have formal diplomatic ties with Afghanistan. It also has the Persian Gulf route, from where it can evacuate Indians through ships or via Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. With such complex regional dynamics at play, Delhi is tapping all its diplomatic relationships to evacuate its citizens.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍The war wasn't on TV, it was outside my window: Indian students trapped in Iran await evacuation
EXPLAINED
Revising the GDP base year
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
What's the ongoing story: The GDP is the central metric to assess the annual economic growth or the overall size of an economy and the 'base year' refers to the year that works as a starting point for calculations. At present, the base year is 2011-12.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is the base year?
• What is the base year for the GDP, IIP and CPI?
• Reasons for revising the base year-know in detail
• What are the considerations for the new base year?
• How is a base year chosen?
Key Takeaways:
• The GDP is the central metric to assess the annual economic growth or the overall size of an economy and the so-called 'base year' refers to the year that works as a starting point for calculations. At present, the base year is 2011-12. In other words, the GDP in 2011-12 is used as a 'base' over which the GDP growth of any following year is calculated. The new base year for GDP calculations will be 2022-23 and the revised series of data will be released on February 27, 2026.
• The first set of estimates of national income (GDP) for India was compiled by the 'National Income Committee', under the chairmanship of PC Mahalanobis in 1949. The first and final reports of national income by this committee were brought out in 1951 and 1954 respectively.
• Since then, as more and better quality data became available, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) undertook comprehensive reviews of the methodology used for calculating GDP. Apart from shifting base years of national accounts series, the CSO also tried making improvements in the compilation of national accounts series, in terms of coverage of activities, incorporation of latest datasets and latest international guidelines.
• The base year of national accounts have been revised on seven different occasions:
From 1948-49 to 1960-61 in August 1967;
From 1960-61 to 1970-71 in January 1978;
From 1970-71 to 1980-81 in February 1988;
From 1980-81 to 1993-94 in February 1999;
From 1993-94 to 1999-2000 in January 2006;
From 1999-2000 to 2004-05 in January 2010; and
From 2004-05 to 2011-12 on January 30, 2015.
Do You Know:
• A base year is the first of a series of years in an economic or financial index. In this context, it is typically set to an arbitrary level of 100. New, up-to-date base years are periodically introduced to keep data current in a particular index. Base years are also used to measure the growth of a company. Any year can serve as a base year, but analysts typically choose recent years.
• A base year is used for comparison in the measure of business activity or economic or financial index. For example, to find the rate of inflation between 2016 and 2024, 2016 is the base year or the first year in the time set. The base year can also describe the starting point from a point of growth or a baseline for calculating same-store sales.
• To more accurately understand and report the state of the economy. An accurate reporting, in turn, is an essential requirement both for policymakers as well as all the other economic agents (from large business firms to budding entrepreneurs).
• The fact is that the government led by Prime Minister Modi had announced in 2017 that a new GDP series will be released with 2017-18 as the new base year. The government had hoped to use the results of Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) as well as the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS was an annual survey replacing the quinquennial Employment-Unemployment Surveys), both of which were slated in 2017-18, to update the GDP data.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍'New base year for GDP, CPI, IIP from early 2026; Services survey from Jan'
Previous year UPSC main Question Covering similar theme:
📍Explain the difference between computing methodology of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the year 2015 and after the year 2015. (2021)
HOW INDIA-ARMENIA ALLIANCE IS PAYING OFF AMID IRAN-ISRAEL CRISIS
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests.
What's the ongoing story: Amid escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel, the Indian Embassy in Tehran on Tuesday helped at least 110 stranded students leave the country, facilitating their passage into Armenia through the Nurduz-Agarak border crossing.
Key Points to Ponder:
• India and Armenia-know in detail
• How India's defense exports under 'Make in India' have strengthened strategic ties with Armenia?
• Know the geostrategic importance of Armenia for India in the context of the Russia-dominated South Caucasus and emerging regional alliances (e.g., Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan).
• What is the role of Armenia in facilitating humanitarian efforts such as Operation Sindhu, and its significance for India's diplomatic reach?
• What is Nagorno-Karabakh?
• Where is Nagorno-Karabakh?
• Map Work-Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
Key Takeaways:
• With Iranian airspace shut down indefinitely, evacuations from the country will have to be facilitated through its land borders. This is a particular challenge for India, which shares rather tenuous relations with a few of Iran's neighbours, especially after Operation Sindoor.
• Pakistan remains New Delhi's primary geopolitical rival, with whom it only recently had a military conflagration. As such, the border between Iran and Pakistan in the Baloch homeland remains shut for Indian evacuees.
• As are Iran's borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan, both of whom professed overt support for Islamabad during Operation Sindoor. New Delhi's relations with Baku and Istanbul have taken a nosedive in recent weeks. On the other hand, India does not have official ties with the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan (to Iran's east) at all. This leaves three countries through which Indians can theoretically be evacuated — Turkmenistan, Iraq, and Armenia.
• Iran's border with Turkmenistan is sparsely populated, especially on the Iranian side, meaning there are significant logistical challenges facilitating evacuations through this frontier. The border with Iraq, on the other hand, lies directly in the line of fire between Iran and Israel. While it remains open at the moment, most of Iraq's airports are shut due to the conflict.
• The 44-km-long Iran-Armenia border is thus the most viable option for Indian evacuees, especially since Tehran and the Nurduz-Agarak crossing, some 730 km apart, are well connected by a major highway.
• It is in this context that years of Indian diplomatic efforts vis-à-vis Armenia are now paying dividends. While India's ties with Armenia date back millenia, the present relationship is a product of a few crucial geopolitical considerations.
Do You Know:
• With Turkey and Pakistan firmly in the Azeri camp, India has been a staunch backer of Armenia in its lingering conflict with Azerbaijan,
primarily over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. In recent years, New Delhi has eclipsed even Russia as Armenia's biggest military supplier: a $250 million deal in 2022 saw India supplying Armenia with PINAKA multi-barrel rocket launchers, Akash-1S air defense system, and other armaments.
• Yerevan has supported New Delhi's positions in international fora. Most notably, Armenia has publicly endorsed India's position on resolving the Kashmir issue on a bilateral basis (with Pakistan), and supports India's aspiration for a permanent seat in the expanded UN Security Council.
• Located in the southern Caucasus, Armenia is a crucial cog of the International North-South Transport Corridor, which aims to connect India to Europe through Armenia and Iran. Developing this route is a major geopolitical objective for New Delhi, one which would provide significant stimulus to its economy and establish India as a major player in the region.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and India
For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com
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Priya Kumari Shukla is a Senior Copy Editor in the Indian Express (digital). She contributes to the UPSC Section of Indian Express (digital) and started niche initiatives such as UPSC Key, UPSC Ethics Simplified, and The 360° UPSC Debate. The UPSC Key aims to assist students and aspirants in their preparation for the Civil Services and other competitive examinations. It provides valuable guidance on effective strategies for reading and comprehending newspaper content. The 360° UPSC Debate tackles a topic from all perspectives after sorting through various publications. The chosen framework for the discussion is structured in a manner that encompasses both the arguments in favour and against the topic, ensuring comprehensive coverage of many perspectives.
Prior to her involvement with the Indian Express, she had affiliations with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as several coaching and edutech enterprises. In her prior professional experience, she was responsible for creating and refining material in various domains, including article composition and voiceover video production. She has written in-house books on many subjects, including modern India, ancient Indian history, internal security, international relations, and the Indian economy. She has more than eight years of expertise in the field of content writing.
Priya holds a Master's degree in Electronic Science from the University of Pune as well as an Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from the esteemed Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, widely recognised as one of the most prestigious business schools in India. She is also an alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia University Residential Coaching Academy (RCA).
Priya has made diligent efforts to engage in research endeavours, acquiring the necessary skills to effectively examine and synthesise facts and empirical evidence prior to presenting their perspective. Priya demonstrates a strong passion for reading, particularly in the genres of classical Hindi, English, Maithili, and Marathi novels and novellas. Additionally, she possessed the distinction of being a cricket player at the national level.
Qualification, Degrees / other achievements:
Master's degree in Electronic Science from University of Pune and Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
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• Mint

Iran-Israel conflict: Donald Trump warns Iran has ‘two weeks' to avoid US strikes

US President Donald Trump warned escalating tensions on Friday, giving Iran a "maximum" of two weeks to avoid potential American air strikes. His remarks come as Israel asserts it has already delayed Iran's presumed nuclear ambitions by at least two years. Trump also dismissed European diplomatic efforts, saying it would be "very hard" to ask Israel to halt its ongoing military actions, according to a report by AFP. A series of blasts were heard in Tehran on Friday as Israel kept up the massive wave of strikes it says is aimed at stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons -- an ambition Tehran has denied. 'According to the assessment we hear, we already delayed for at least two or three years the possibility for them to have a nuclear bomb,' Israel's foreign minister Gideon Saar said in an interview published Saturday. Saar said Israel's week-long onslaught will continue. "We will do everything that we can do there in order to remove this threat," he told German newspaper Bild. As Trump mulls the prospect of joining the war on Israel's side, top diplomats from Britain, France and Germany met their Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Geneva and urged him to resume talks with the United States that had been derailed by Israel's attacks. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said "we invited the Iranian minister to consider negotiations with all sides, including the United States, without awaiting the cessation of strikes, which we also hope for." But Araghchi told NBC News after the meeting that "we're not prepared to negotiate with them (the United States) anymore, as long as the aggression continues." Trump was dismissive of European efforts, telling reporters, "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this." Trump also said he's unlikely to ask Israel to stop its attacks to get Iran back to the table. "If somebody's winning, it's a little bit harder to do," he said. Any US involvement would likely feature powerful bunker-busting bombs that no other country possesses to destroy an underground uranium enrichment facility in Fordo. On the streets of Tehran, many shops were closed and normally busting markets largely abandoned on Friday. Since Israel launched its offensive on June 13, targeting nuclear and military sites but also hitting residential areas, Iran has responded with barrages which Israeli authorities say have killed at least 25 people. A hospital in the Israeli port of Haifa reported 19 injured, including one person in serious condition, after the latest Iranian salvo. More than 450 missiles have been fired at the country so far, along with about 400 drones, according to Israel's National Public Diplomacy Directorate. We will do everything that we can do there in order to remove this threat. Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. It has not updated the toll since.

The Hindu

16 minutes ago

• The Hindu

Pakistan nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize for ‘leadership' during India-Pakistan conflict

Pakistan has said in a post on social media platform X that U.S. President Donald Trump should get Nobel Peace Prize in 2026 'in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis'. Mr. Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for playing a substantial role in easing the conflict — despite Indian authorities disputing that. The nomination came after Mr. Trump was asked on Friday (June 20, 2025) about the Nobel and said he should be awarded it for a variety of reasons, including his work on India and Pakistan and arranging a treaty he said would be signed on Monday to end hostilities between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. 'I should have gotten it four or five times,' the President said. 'They won't give me a Nobel Peace Prize because they only give it to liberals.'