The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has revised its forecast for the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala, now expecting it around June 4. This overshoots the previously predicted May 26 arrival and marks a rare instance since 2015 that the IMD has failed to accurately predict the monsoon's Kerala arrival. Conditions are favorable for the monsoon's advance into parts of the Arabian Sea, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Bay of Bengal, aided by an upper-air cyclonic circulation. The IMD also noted that the monsoon season is already forecast below normal, at 90% of the long-period average, under a building El Niño.
The IMD has revised its monsoon onset forecast for Kerala to around June 4, deviating from its earlier prediction of May 26.
This marks a rare instance since 2015 where the IMD's operational onset forecasts, usually accurate, have missed the mark.
Favorable conditions, including an upper-air cyclonic circulation, are expected to facilitate the monsoon's advance.
Exam Points
IMD revised monsoon onset forecast for Kerala to June 4.
Previous forecast was May 26, with a model error of plus or minus four days.
The monsoon season is forecast below normal, at 90% of the long-period average.
India has resisted China's proposal for an "early harvest" settlement of the Sikkim boundary, viewing it as an asymmetric concession. The article argues that such a move would allow Beijing to settle the Sikkim sector on its terms while leaving other disputed sectors unresolved, undermining India's strategic interests. The 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles mandates a "package settlement" across all sectors, with demarcation as the final step. China's push for early demarcation in Sikkim inverts this process and could expose the Siliguri Corridor to greater risk, especially given China's military consolidation in western Bhutan and pressure on vulnerable Bhutan.
India should reject China's "early harvest" proposal for the Sikkim boundary, as it undermines the comprehensive "package settlement" approach.
The 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles outlines a three-step process: political parameters, framework, then delineation and demarcation.
Settling Sikkim in isolation would allow China to leverage its geographical advantage and increase pressure on India's territorial vulnerabilities, particularly the Siliguri Corridor.
Exam Points
Luo Zhaohui, China's Ambassador to India, revived the "early harvest" idea in 2017.
The Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles was signed on April 11, 2005.
Article I of the 1890 Great Britain-China Convention identifies "Mount Gipmochi on the Bhutan frontier" as the starting point of the Sikkim-Tibet boundary.
Decades of overt hostility and crisis management characterize U.S.-Iran relations, with current efforts towards a memorandum for an indefinite ceasefire facing significant obstacles. Both Washington and Tehran are motivated by the high costs of prolonged conflict, but deep mutual distrust persists. Iran suspects U.S. regime change ambitions, while the U.S. believes Iran uses negotiations to buy time for its nuclear program. Domestic opposition in both countries, particularly from hardliners in Iran's IRGC and critics in the U.S., complicates any agreement. Regional actors like Israel, prioritizing its security and nuclear monopoly, could also disrupt diplomatic momentum, making a lasting peace elusive.
U.S.-Iran relations are marked by historical distrust, making current negotiations for a ceasefire memorandum challenging.
Both sides are driven by the economic and political costs of ongoing hostilities but harbor deep suspicions about each other's true intentions.
Domestic opposition from hardliners in Iran and critics in the U.S. poses significant hurdles to any peace agreement.
Exam Points
Mohammed Ayoob, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Relations, authored 'The Many Faces of Political Islam' (2020).
The 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA) is referenced in the context of perceived weaknesses.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is identified as a hardline faction.
Rajasthan's new land pooling scheme highlights a growing trend in India to address the complexities and financial burdens of land acquisition for urban infrastructure. Traditional acquisition methods have become time-consuming and costly, especially after the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Land pooling, particularly Town Planning (TP) schemes, offers a viable alternative where landowners voluntarily contribute land for development, receiving reconstituted, more valuable plots in return. This participatory approach reduces displacement, ensures equitable benefit-sharing, and enables faster urban development, as successfully demonstrated in Gujarat and now being adopted by other states like Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
Land pooling schemes, like Town Planning (TP) schemes, are gaining traction as an alternative to traditional land acquisition for urban infrastructure.
The 2013 Land Acquisition Act increased financial obligations and procedural complexities, making large-scale acquisitions unviable.
Land pooling involves landowners voluntarily contributing land for infrastructure, receiving serviced and more valuable plots in return.
Exam Points
Rajasthan recently announced its first land pooling scheme.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act was enacted in 2013.
Gujarat's Town Planning and Urban Development Act, 1976, formalized TP schemes.
The Supreme Court welcomed five new judges, increasing its working strength to 37, leaving only one position vacant. These appointments follow the Centre's decision to raise the court's sanctioned strength from 33 to 37 judges (excluding the Chief Justice of India) through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026. CJI Surya Kant administered the oath of office to the new appointees, who include former Chief Justices of various High Courts and a senior advocate. This move aims to address the workload and ensure timely justice delivery in the apex court.
The Supreme Court's working strength has increased to 37 judges with the appointment of five new judges.
This expansion follows the Centre's decision to raise the sanctioned strength from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.
The increase was facilitated by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.
Exam Points
The Supreme Court's sanctioned strength increased from 33 to 37 judges (excluding CJI).
The increase was enacted through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) have successfully conducted flight-tests of the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile. This achievement marks a significant milestone in India's efforts to enhance its precision strike capabilities and advance self-reliance in defense technology. The missile was test-fired from an airborne platform under extreme release conditions, with trials validating all critical subsystems and flight parameters. Data from tracking instruments at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, confirmed the missile's performance and the success of the trials, bolstering India's defense capabilities.
The RudraM-II is an indigenous air-to-surface missile developed by DRDO and IAF.
It has successfully cleared flight trials, marking a significant advancement in India's defense technology.
The missile was tested from an airborne platform under extreme conditions to validate its performance.
The Home Ministry has notified changes to the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025, altering registration requirements for foreigners in India. Foreigners on a visa for 180 days or less, who wish to stay beyond their visa period, must now register "any time before the expiry of the said period of 180 days." This replaces the previous rule that mandated registration "within 14 days after the expiry of one hundred and eighty days of arrival in India." Similarly, those on visas for more than 180 days with a "stay not exceeding 180 days" stipulation must also register before the 180-day expiry if they intend to stay longer.
The Home Ministry has updated foreigner registration regulations under the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025.
Foreigners on visas of 180 days or less must now register before the 180-day expiry if they plan to extend their stay.
This new rule replaces the previous requirement to register within 14 days after 180 days of arrival.
Exam Points
Rules: Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025.
Notified by: Home Ministry.
New registration deadline: "any time before the expiry of the said period of 180 days."
An AIIMS Delhi study, funded by ICMR and published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, has for the first time detailed the biological pathway through which urban air pollution harms foetuses. Researchers found that fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) crosses the placental barrier, triggering inflammation and inhibiting IGFBP3 expression, a key protein for placental and embryo growth. This leads to restricted foetal growth and altered developmental trajectories. The study, involving rodents and delivery records of 994 women in Delhi and Deoghar, linked PM2.5 exposure to low birth weight and increased preeclampsia rates, highlighting the severe health consequences of air pollution on prenatal development.
An AIIMS Delhi study has mapped the biological pathway of how air pollutants breach the placental barrier and harm foetuses.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) activates inflammatory pathways, inhibiting IGFBP3, a protein crucial for foetal growth.
This inhibition leads to restricted foetal growth and altered developmental trajectories, with long-term consequences.
The Centre plans to phase out the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) over the next five years, replacing it with a more detailed Producer Price Index (PPI) starting June 15. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will release a revised WPI series with a new base year 2022-23, alongside the new PPI series. The PPI will include three indices: Output PPI, Trial Input PPI, and Services PPI, offering a more realistic assessment of inflationary trends by covering output, input, and services prices. This transition aligns with global best practices and IMF recommendations, providing better insights into price movements and inflation transmission.
The Indian government will phase out the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) over five years, replacing it with the Producer Price Index (PPI).
The DPIIT will release a new WPI series with base year 2022-23 and the new PPI series from June 15.
The PPI will comprise three indices: Output PPI, Trial Input PPI, and Services PPI, providing a comprehensive view of inflation.
Exam Points
WPI to be replaced by PPI over five years.
New WPI series base year: 2022-23 (replacing 2011-12).
India's record milk production, reaching 239 million tonnes in 2023-24, faces significant challenges from extreme heat linked to climate change. Dairy farmers report premature births and reduced milk output, with production falling by nearly 30% during heatwaves. Heat stress reduces cows' feed intake, diverts energy from milk production and reproduction, and increases costs for farmers to keep animals cool. While larger organized dairy operators can adapt with cooling systems, small farmers with limited capital struggle. The dairy sector, contributing 5% to India's GDP and supporting 80 million farmers, is vulnerable, highlighting the need for resilient strategies against climate impacts.
India achieved record milk production of 239 million tonnes in 2023-24, but extreme heat poses a significant threat.
Heat stress in cattle leads to reduced feed intake, lower milk production (up to 30% drop), and reproductive issues like premature births.
Small dairy farmers, who constitute the majority of India's milk producers, struggle to afford cooling systems and management strategies.
Exam Points
India's milk production: 239 million tonnes in 2023-24 fiscal year.
Dairy sector contribution to GDP: About 5%.
Number of farmers supported by dairy: More than 80 million.
A NITI Aayog Frontier Tech Hub report, "Future of India's Semiconductor Industry," states that India faces steep challenges in developing world-class semiconductor manufacturing, despite it being a national priority. The report emphasizes the need for local manufacturing due to geopolitical pressures and supply chain disruptions. India currently lacks a single fabrication unit, with the first expected by 2028. The report advocates for "selective depth" and "capital efficiency" over replicating the full global spectrum, focusing on packaging and high-volume domestic segments. It also stresses building sovereign design capabilities, R&D excellence, and securing trusted international partners like the U.S., Japan, EU, and South Korea.
India faces significant challenges in developing world-class semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, despite its strategic importance.
The NITI Aayog report emphasizes local manufacturing to mitigate geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions.
India currently has no operational fabrication units, with the first expected by 2028.
Exam Points
Report: 'Future of India's Semiconductor Industry' by NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub.
First fabrication unit expected in Dholera, Gujarat by 2028.
India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) corpus: ₹76,000 crore.
India's EV sector is rapidly growing, but this momentum exposes a new strategic vulnerability: heavy reliance on imported lithium-ion batteries, particularly from China. The article argues that future EV growth must prioritize supply chain resilience, strategic autonomy, and long-term sustainability. Current domestic cell manufacturing is insufficient, leading to significant battery imports that are susceptible to global geopolitical and economic disruptions. To mitigate risks, India needs to diversify suppliers, chemistries (e.g., sodium-ion batteries), and geographies. Product modifications for efficiency, developing software-defined battery platforms, and building an "EV supply chain alliance" with trusted partners are crucial to sustain demand without external bottlenecks.
India's rapidly growing EV market is becoming strategically vulnerable due to high dependence on imported lithium-ion batteries, especially from China.
Future EV growth must focus on supply chain resilience, strategic autonomy, and long-term sustainability, beyond just electrification speed.
Domestic cell manufacturing capacity is currently inadequate, making India susceptible to global supply chain disruptions and price volatility.
Exam Points
EV sales in India: Around 2.5 million vehicles in FY26.
ACC Battery Production Linked Incentive scheme: 40 GWh capacity awarded, but only 1 GWh installed.
Battery imports in 2025: 7,987 MWh, significant share from Chinese manufacturers.
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