Every day’s current affairs.

India–US trade deal announced | Uncertainty over for global capital, China+1 strategy back in game: CEAInternational Relations Cash transfers now take 20% of state subsidies — 16th finance panel sounds alarm, seeks exit clausesPolity & Governance From calling India ‘tariff king’ to 25% extra duty for Russian oil, Trump finally fixed the tariff at 18%, one of the lowestInternational Relations FC bats for discom privatisation, debt clean-up via SPVsPolity & Governance Jumping hurdles: How India managed to diversify exports in the face of US tariffsEconomics US agriculture secretary signals more exports to India, fuelling import concernsEconomics US trade deal: Farmers secure, agriculture and dairy interests protected, says Piyush GoyalEconomics Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project: Indian Railways achieves second mountain tunnel breakthrough in PalgharEconomics India ‘commits’ to $100 bn/year US imports for 5 years; energy, aircraft parts, tech to dominateInternational Relations Decode Politics: RTI journey — From ‘dawn of a new era’ to fears of ‘tool for idle curiosity’Polity & Governance Decode Politics: How and why Manipur finally moved back towards an elected govtPolity & Governance Finance Commission strikes a balance – addresses southern states’ concerns, and equityPolity & Governance India-US agree on a big deal, it marks a welcome shift to freer trade, a domestic reform agenda awaitsInternational Relations Expert Explains: What 2026 Delhi Declaration tells about India’s approach to the Middle EastInternational Relations India-US trade deal: How Indian exports diversified in the face of US tariffs, which sectors struggledEconomics India’s rocky road to trade deal with US: The flip-flops, political pitfallsInternational Relations India-US trade deal may have a $100-bn opportunity for India’s electronics exports. Here’s whyEconomics How does the trade deal with the US affect India’s macroeconomic outlook?Economics US farm exports to India have been surging even with no trade dealEconomics A cautious nudge: On the 16th Finance Commission’s recommendationsPolity & Governance A full stop: On the top court, the right to menstrual health and hygienePolity & Governance Hope and uncertainty as India and US strike long-delayed trade dealInternational Relations Adani Defence teams up with Italy’s Leonardo to tap India’s mega helicopter marketInternal Security Hillock butchered, HC tears into Haryana govt for ‘environmental plunder’ at Charkhi Dadri mineEnvironment & Ecology When Shanti means nuclear energyScience & Technology Defence budget through the years: Big leap for 2026-27, but what numbers since 1999 revealInternal Security

Corridor to future: High-speed rail, freight, one for rare earthsEconomics Budget rationalises tax penalty, prosecution framework for individuals; foreign asset disclosure scheme announcedEconomics Union Budget 2026-27: Manufacturing gets big boost as govt slashes customs dutiesEconomics Gadget charge: Outlay doubled to Rs 40,000 crore for electronic componentsEconomics Union Budget: Rs 10,000-crore SME Growth Fund, reform to boost liquidity for MSMEsEconomics Relief for students pursuing education abroad: Overseas spending eased, TCS down to 2%Economics Budget 2026 | AI impact on jobs and services: Panel to look at the road aheadScience & Technology Union Budget: Rs 10K crore for container scheme amid shortage, dependencyEconomics Union Budget 2026-27: To cut China reliance, support for rare earths, critical mineralsEconomics IT boost: Budget offers tax certainty with safe harbour reformsEconomics US lowers tariffs on India to 18% from 50% under trade deal; rates better than Vietnam, Bangladesh & PakistanInternational Relations Oil a deal clincher? Trump says India will stop buying Russian crude, will buy more from US, even VenezuelaInternational Relations Growth remains priority, looking at more PSU divestment: FM SitharamanEconomics What Gen Naravane’s memoir says about 2020 Ladakh face-off with China: ‘I had been handed a hot potato’Internal Security Trump tariff shadow: Budget addresses US demands, backs vulnerable sectorsEconomics ExplainSpeaking: Making sense of the Budget, and what it means for the economyEconomics Explained: Proposal to ban non-Hindus from entering Char Dham, amid questions of legalityPolity & Governance Expert Explains: How Budget 2026 shifts from revenue collection to ‘institutional maturity’Economics Budget proposes to develop 15 archaeological sites: Check out the list and what it entailsArt & Culture India-US trade deal: How Trump influenced India’s trade policy in the run-up to the pactInternational Relations India–US trade deal reaffirms what had started looking hazy: India’s role as US ally & China counterInternational Relations What the new fiscal rule means for growth and spendingEconomics Pushing welfare towards the StatesPolity & Governance More boots, bigger budget: Agnipath outlay jumps 58%, Army’s share the largestInternal Security CDS Gen Chauhan in Armenia, focus on deeper defence ties including new dealsInternational Relations

Union Budget 2026: Govt proposes to top up Self Reliant India Fund with Rs 4,000 crore in FY27 to support MSMEsEconomics Govt to double outlay of electronic components manufacturing scheme to Rs 40,000 cr: FMEconomics FM Sitharaman announces tax holiday for data centres in India till 2047Economics Debt-to-GDP target set at 55.6% for FY27, nominal GDP growth pegged at 10%Economics Budget 2026: From heritage sites to medical hubs and eco trails, Sitharaman announces measures to boost tourism sectorEconomics Amid n-power push, govt exempts custom duty on capital goodsScience & Technology Budget 2026-27 hikes investment limits for persons resident outside India in a bid to boost FDI, FII inflowsEconomics Critical mineral: Union Budget exempts custom duty on capital goods for RE minerals push, boost explorationEconomics Fertiliser subsidy zooms amid unrestrained consumption, weak rupee and geopolitical tensionsEconomics Budget proposes schemes to revive 200 legacy industrial clustersEconomics In new debt-to-GDP era, FY27 target set at 55.6%Economics Another bumper RBI dividend likely in FY27, disinvestments seen at Rs 80,000 croreEconomics Budget 2026: Centre continues thrust on capex, FY27 target fixed at Rs 12.22 lakh croreEconomics Mega connectivity push: Railways, highways continue to be primary drivers, take 47% of capexEconomics No NPR notification yet, but Budget allocates funds. Will NPR, precursor to NRC, be conducted?Polity & Governance Explained: Why rising water levels threaten Maharashtra’s age-old Lonar lake and nearby structuresEnvironment & Ecology Union Budget 2026 Explained Highlights: Jobs focus; govt to continue capex heavy lifting, measures for taxpayersEconomics Budget 2026-27: Why the push for Rare Earth Corridors in Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra PradeshEconomics Union Budget 2026: FM announces panel to review banking sector, move aimed at strengthening banking systemEconomics Union Budget | Rs 20,000 cr for Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage tech: How it works, and the push for itEnvironment & Ecology In Budget’s capex push, focus on Railways and roads continues: 7 more high-speed rail corridors announcedEconomics Union Budget 2026: What’s in Biopharma SHAKTI scheme announced by FM SitharamanScience & Technology Union Budget 2026: 4 ways in which it addresses US tariffs’ strain on IndiaEconomics FM Sitharaman announces chip manufacturing scheme 2.0, but will it go beyond fabs?Science & Technology 5 takeaways from the Union Budget 2026-27: Push on creating jobs, easing US tariffs distress, bolstering fund flowsEconomics Trump’s steep tariffs are straining India’s textile sector. Does the Budget address this?Economics Nirmala Sitharaman talks of ‘orange economy’ in Budget speech: What is it, how govt plans to boost itEconomics What does this Budget have for individual taxpayers? STT hike, TCS relief and other key measuresEconomics Rare earths and data centres: India pushes local industry as global tensions riseEconomics VB-G Ram G gets Rs 95,000-plus crore allocation under Union Budget 2026-27, MGNREGA funds reducedEconomics Op Sindoor effect: Defence capital budget up 22% to 2.19 lakh cr, big boost for aircraft, aero enginesInternal Security Nipah Virus: WHO warns of rare but serious infection, rules out transmission to close contactsScience & Technology Big Budget boost for Census as govt hikes allocation 6-fold, 50% jump for CAPF infra fundsPolity & Governance 10X Budget beef-up for Intelligence Bureau capex, after Pahalgam & Red Fort terror attacksInternal Security