Daily Briefing: Parliament set for stormy session?
Parliament reconvenes today, and tensions are already high. The government has agreed to the Opposition's demand to discuss Operation Sindoor, India's cross-border strike in May against terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. However, other demands remain unresolved. The Opposition is pushing for a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as discussions on US President Donald Trump's claim of mediating the ceasefire and concerns over electoral roll revisions in Bihar. Defending Modi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the PM is 'always present in Parliament, even if not in the House,' barring foreign travel. He added, 'It's not right to drag him into every issue.' Despite the friction, Rijiju said the government is open to discussions and has urged the Opposition to let the House function smoothly.
Also on the table are likely to be the impeachment motions against two judges: Justice Yashwant Varma, embroiled in the cash-at-home row, and Justice Shekhar Yadav, accused of hate speech at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad event. With critical issues at hand, it remains to be seen whether dialogue will prevail over disruption.
On that note, let's get to the rest of today's edition.
In a bold move towards high-tech warfare, the Indian Army is preparing for a significant technological upgrade, motivated by key insights from Operation Sindoor. As the battlefield develops, emphasis is shifting to smarter, faster, AI-driven combat tactics and enhanced satellite surveillance.
AI on the frontlines: The Army has developed a detailed roadmap to deploy AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data Analytics in key areas, including drone swarming (coordinated drone missions), battlefield monitoring, combat simulations, and troop training. Crucially, the focus will be on faster, real-time data-backed decision-making, with AI tools expected to help condense long reports, detect unusual patterns and threats, and analyse feed from drones or satellites.
On the watch: It is believed that Pakistan gained access to China's live satellite feed during Operation Sindoor. While India's satellites, Cartosat and RISAT, have supported defence forces, they have limitations. To address these issues, the Army plans to collaborate with global commercial satellite providers, such as Maxar Technologies, to improve surveillance capabilities.
Kanhaiya Kumar has had a dynamic political arc, beginning with his days at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), though he would say his political journey started even before his birth, when he was 'assigned a caste, religion and gender'. Kumar has since contested two elections, one with the CPI and another with the Congress. Though he has lost both, he remains hopeful of a win. Kumar, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) in-charge, is expected to play a key role for the Congress in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. He joined The Indian Express for the latest Idea Exchange session to discuss his political ideology, concerns over the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, and the incarceration of student activist Umar Khalid.
Handover: Former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha was once a confidant of JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar before he left the party in 2023. Kushwaha remains a constituent of the NDA, and on Sunday, he had an interesting suggestion: Nitish should hand over the reins of the party to his son, Nishant Kumar.
Dual roles: Former Union Minister Smriti Irani is set to reprise her role as Tulsi Virani in a reboot of the popular TV soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Her character in the first iteration of the Hindi drama made her a household name. She speaks to The Indian Express about her return to acting and how she balances the dual role of actor and politician.
Foolproof: The Election Commission, while announcing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls, stated that it needed to ensure all voters met the age and citizenship eligibility criteria. However, an affidavit filed by Jharkhand's Chief Electoral Officer in the High Court attests that EC's 'clear safeguards' prevent enrolment of ineligible persons. It also underlined the limits of an Electoral Registration Officer's (ERO's) powers to question or initiate an inquiry into an individual's citizenship.
Cropped: Until about six months ago, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was still grappling with stubborn inflation, mainly due to persistently high food prices. That made it difficult for the central bank to consider cutting interest rates. However, the surplus monsoon in 2024 followed, leading to a strong agricultural season and providing much-needed relief on the food front. As a result, food inflation has eased and is expected to stay low for now. We explain the factors behind this welcome shift.
♟️ The king falls: When World Champion D Gukesh defeated chess titan Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess, many had called it 'luck'. A video of Carlsen's regrettable show of frustration at the end of the match went viral and soon became a meme template on social media. But subsequent losses at the hands of Indian players have shown cracks in the Norwegian's aura of invincibility. India's soft-spoken, bespectacled rising star R Praggnanandha has defeated the World No. 1 twice in the ongoing Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. My colleague, Mayank Chaudhary, writes that Pragg may be the most competent Indian to take on the world's best player. Read.
🎧 Before you go, do tune in to the latest '3 Things' podcast episode. Today's lineup: a phone-tapping operation in Telangana, warnings over samosas and jalebis, and a hospital visit row in Jharkhand.
That's all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta
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