India’s Minerals Diplomacy: India is recalibrating its global mineral strategy following the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in 2025 and the tightening of export controls by China on rare earths.Minerals diplomacy is the strategic use of international partnerships and multilateral mineral clubs to secure a reliable supply of minerals like Lithium and […]
Day: January 19, 2026
Accountability in Democratic Institutions
Accountability in Democratic Institutions: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recently addressed the 28th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference (CSPOC) in New Delhi.He emphasized that the legitimacy of democratic institutions depends on their ability to remain transparent, inclusive, and accountable amidst the rise of AI and social media.Accountability is the ethical obligation of those in […]
Coconut root wilt disease
Coconut root wilt disease: Coconut Root Wilt Disease is in the news due to its rapid spread across major coconut-growing regions of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, affecting lakhs of palms.A debilitating, non-fatal disease of coconut caused by a phytoplasma (phloem-limited pathogen), leading to chronic decline and major yield loss.Infected palms often remain alive but […]
Dugongs
Dugongs: The Union government’s Expert Appraisal Committee (MoEFCC) has asked Tamil Nadu to revise the design of the proposed International Dugong Conservation Centre at Manora (Thanjavur).Dugong is a large, slow-moving marine mammal, commonly called a “sea cow”, that feeds exclusively on seagrass.It is a keystone species, playing a vital role in maintaining healthy seagrass meadows.Scientific […]
