Must Read
President Murmu promulgates ordinance to increase Supreme Court judge strength by four
President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37 (excluding the Chief Justice of India). This move, coming six years after the last increase, aims to address the massive backlog of over 93,000 pending cases in the apex court.
Read on The HinduDive Into Study Notes
Must ReadIndia, Netherlands elevate ties to strategic partnership; ink 17 pacts on defence, critical minerals, other sectors
India and the Netherlands have elevated their bilateral relationship to a **strategic partnership**, signing 17 agreements during Prime Minister Modi's visit to The Hague. The agreements span critical sectors, including defence manufacturing, semiconductor cooperation, critical minerals, and green hydrogen, reflecting a shared desire to secure supply chains amidst shifting global geopolitics and rising tensions in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
Read on The Hindu · +1 sourceDive Into Study Notes
Must ReadIndia, Chile expedite CEPA negotiations and critical minerals cooperation
A high-level Chilean delegation visited India to expedite negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and explore cooperation in critical minerals. The visit, featuring meetings with India's External Affairs and Commerce Ministers, signals a strategic shift towards deepening economic ties, focusing on trade, biotechnology, and securing supply chains for future technologies.
![Illustration about Environment & Ecology: The [Calcutta High Court] has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the tribal consent process f](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-05-17%2Fforest-rights-and-the-great-nicobar-mega-project-the-case-before-the-calcutta-high-court-4a49b677.png&w=1200&q=75)
Must ReadForest Rights and the Great Nicobar Mega-Project: The case before the Calcutta High Court
The [Calcutta High Court] has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the tribal consent process for the [Great Nicobar Island (GNI) mega-project]. The plea alleges significant procedural violations of the [Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006], claiming that consent was improperly obtained from non-tribal settler panchayats and government officials, bypassing the actual rights holders, including the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), the [Shompen tribe].
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes
ImportantUS, China, and the Thucydides Trap: Why Xi used the term, what Trump’s response reveals
During a recent US-China summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping invoked the **Thucydides Trap** to caution against strategic miscalculation and the potential for uncontrolled confrontation between the two powers. The term, coined by political scientist Graham Allison, describes the historical tendency for conflict when a rising power challenges an established dominant power.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study NotesAll caught up!
You've covered today's handpicked stories for your exam prep.