UPSC Key: Special package for Mauritius, India-Nepal relations, and Swami Vivekananda

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced a special economic package for Mauritius and underscored that India and the island nation are “not just partners but a family”.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the history of India and Mauritius relations?

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Mauritius?

— What is India’s ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR) policy?

— What is the strategic importance of Mauritius in India’s ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR) policy.

— What is MAHASAGAR doctrine?

— Read about the Chagos Islands. 

— Map Work: Mauritius, Chagos Islands.

Key Takeaways:

— Through the package, India will help Mauritius build hospitals, roads and deliver choppers. Seven MoU were signed between the two nations in a meeting between PM Modi and his Mauritius counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam in Varanasi.

— Calling the bond between the two countries an “investment in our shared future” and not a mere “assistance,” PM Modi said, “At the same time, we will also advance projects such as the Chagos Marine Protected Area; the ATC Tower at SSR International Airport; as well as the expansion of highways and ring roads.”

— PM Modi said India remains “fully committed to strengthening the security of Mauritius’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and enhancing its maritime capacity.”

— Ramgoolam praised India’s “timely support” for the improvement of quality of life in the island nation. 

Do You Know:

— Mauritius, a strategically located island nation in the western Indian Ocean, is an important neighbour for India. A key reason for the special ties is that people of Indian-origin comprise nearly 70% of the island’s population of 1.2 million.

— Mauritius was among the first few countries with which independent India established diplomatic relations in 1948. Since its independence from the British in 1968, Mauritius has mainly been ruled by two major political families, the Ramgoolams (Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and his son, Navin) and the Jugnauths (Anerood Jugnauth and son, Pravind). 

— Bilateral trade between India and Mauritius increased from USD 206.76 million in 2005–06 to USD 851.13 million in 2023–24, with Indian exports valued at USD 778.03 million and Mauritian exports at USD 73.10 million in the latest fiscal year. India’s main exports include pharmaceuticals, cereals, cotton, prawns, and meat, while Mauritius exports vanilla, medical devices, aluminium alloys, and refined copper.

— Mauritius has also been a major source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India — USD 175 billion since 2000, accounting for roughly 25% of total FDI inflows. Although post-2016 Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) reforms led to a decline (from USD 15.72 billion in 2016–17 to USD 6.13 billion in 2022–23), FDI rebounded to USD 7.97 billion in 2023–24, making Mauritius India’s second-largest FDI source, with USD 3.21 billion in Q1 of 2024–25.

— A milestone in economic cooperation was the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) on February 22, 2021, effective from April 1, 2021—India’s first trade agreement with any African country. CECPA provides preferential access to 310 Indian export items and 615 Mauritian products, including specialty sugar, juices, alcoholic beverages, and medical devices. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why Mauritius matters

📍Knowledge Nugget | UK hands over Chagos Islands to Mauritius: All you need to know for UPSC Exam

📍India–Mauritius partnership and the new maritime geopolitics

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(1) With reference to the Chagos archipelago, consider the following statements:

1. It lies to the south of the Maldives archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

2. These islands were uninhabited until the late 18th century.

3. In 1814, France ceded the islands to the Portuguese.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Thaw in India-Canada ties: New envoys likely to take charge next week

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Eleven months after India and Canada expelled each other’s high commissioners in a tit-for-tat move, the new envoys named simultaneously by both sides in August are set to join next week, The Indian Express has learnt.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the status of the India-Canada relationship?

— What are the areas of cooperation between both the countries?

— What are the reasons for the recent constraints on the India-Canada relationship?

— What is the Kalistan movement?

— What is Canada’s approach to Khalistani separatism?

— What is the significance of Canada for India?

Key Takeaways:

— While New Delhi had named Dinesh Patnaik, a 1990-batch IFS officer, as its high commissioner in Ottawa on August 28, Canada had announced the name of Christopher Cooter for the job on the same day.

— The development comes two months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney agreed on the “early return of high commissioners” as part of the “constructive steps to restore stability”.

— Relations between the two countries had plummeted in September 2023 after Justin Trudeau, the then Canadian Prime Minister, alleged “potential” involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023 — a charge that India rejected as “absurd” and “motivated”.

— This tension led to the downgrading of diplomatic ties, with both sides expelling the high commissioners and other senior diplomats.

— The thaw took place on June 17 this year as Modi and Carney held a “positive” meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis, where the two sides “agreed to take calibrated and constructive steps to restore stability” in their relationship, starting with the “early return of high commissioners to each other’s capitals”. The two sides agreed to resume senior-level dialogues on trade, people-to-people contact and connectivity.

Do You Know:

— Canada hosts one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world, numbering 16 lakh people of Indian origin, accounting for more than 3 percent of the total Canadian population and 700,000 NRIs. 

— India is Canada’s largest source country of foreign students with an estimated 4.27 lakh Indian students studying there in 2023.

— In 2022, India was Canada’s ninth-largest merchandise trading partner in the Indo-Pacific region, the 13th-largest merchandise trading partner globally and the 14th-largest destination for merchandise exports. Major exported items from India to Canada include pharmaceutical products (USD 274.05 million); followed by nuclear reactors, boilers, and parts (USD 195.46 million), electrical machinery (USD 160.68 million), and articles of iron and steel (USD 156.03 million).

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | India-Canada Diplomatic Row

📍Knowledge Nugget of the day: Khalistan movement

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

‘Indian diaspora has a decisive role to play in the politics and economy of America and European Countries’. Comment with examples. (UPSC CSE 2020)

 

FRONT

Protesters split, President looks within, Nepal waits for new govt

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

What’s the ongoing story: Uncertainty over the formation of an interim government in Nepal following the fall of the K P Sharma Oli government deepened Thursday with Gen Z protest groups divided on who should hold the temporary reins of power, and President Ram Chandra Poudel insisting that any solution to the current stalemate must be found under the existing Constitution.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Read about Nepal’s GenZ Protest.

— What are the reasons behind the anti-government “Gen Z protests” in Nepal?

— What can be the regional implications of Nepal’s ongoing political churn?

— Know about the constitutional history of Nepal.

— What is the border dispute between India and Nepal?

— Map work: Location of Kali River, Limpiadhura, Lipulekh, Kalapani, Indian states bordering Nepal, China-Nepal border.

Key Takeaways:

— The President’s stance complicates efforts by Nepal Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel to ensure an interim dispensation takes charge soonest. A day earlier, General Sigdel had asked former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to step in as the interim Chief Executive, an offer that she accepted after much persuasion and a formal statement from some of the Gen Z groups.

— Nepal’s current Constitution does not allow any former Chief Justice or Supreme Court judge to become President or Prime Minister or hold any other political or constitutional post upon retirement. Karki retired in June 2017. President Poudel said a way out of the stalemate was possible under the existing Constitution, and must be pursued further.

— His assertion is being seen as a move to protect the existing political system and the Constitution in a highly polarised environment. At least four major parties – the CPN (Maoist Centre), Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Madesh-centric groupings – have endorsed his call.

— Poudel’s statement flies in the face of General Sigdel’s efforts to bring multiple Gen Z groups and other leaders to the table to facilitate the formation of a government not led by a leader of any existing political party.

— If the President’s move succeeds, the issue will return to Parliament where the coalition of the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) – the ruling alliance until Oli stepped down as Prime Minister two days ago following violent protests in which leaders were singled out and assaulted – enjoy a majority. This increases the chance of the return of Oli or his nominee since he has not yet resigned as leader of the parliamentary party.

— The move to save the Constitution and Parliament comes amid confusion and division within the Gen Z grouping – it does not have any formal structure or chain of command, and multiple groups are pushing forward different prescriptions.

— Oli also alleged that there could have been an external role against him. “I put Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura on our country’s map, where they actually belong. And I asserted Lord Ram was born in Nepal and I refused to yield to any pressure from outside,” he said.

— In May 2020, the Oli government, scaling up its row with India over territorial claims to the Lipulekh-Kalapani-Limpiyadhura triangle at the trijunction of Nepal, India and China (Tibet), brought a Constitution amendment Bill to give legal sanctity to Nepal’s new map. It was published by the government after India inaugurated a new road via Lipulekh on the Mansarovar Yatra trail.

— Meanwhile, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah ‘Balen’, who commands sizable support among the Gen Z groups, has backed the idea of dissolution of Parliament and appointment of former Chief Justice Karki as head of the interim government.

Do You Know:

— Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are the disputed territories between India and Nepal.

— The Nepal-India border was delineated by the Sugauli Treaty of 1816, under which it renounced all territory to the west of the river Kali, also known as the Mahakali or the Sarada river. The river effectively became the boundary. The terms were reiterated by a second treaty between Nepal and British India in 1923. 

— Nepal’s case is that the river originates from a stream at Limpiyadhura, north-west of Lipu Lekh. Thus, Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipu Lekh fall to the east of the river and are part of Nepal’s Far West province in the district of Dharchula.

— New Delhi’s position is that the Kali originates in springs well below the pass, and that while the Treaty does not demarcate the area north of these springs, administrative and revenue records going back to the nineteenth century show that Kalapani was on the Indian side, and counted as part of Pithoragarh district, now in Uttarakhand. Both sides have their own British-era maps as proof of their positions.

— Lipulekh pass lies at an altitude of 5,115 metres, on the border between Uttarakhand and the Tibet Autonomous Region, near the trijunction with Nepal. It is an ancient passageway between the Indian subcontinent and the Tibetan Plateau, frequented by traders and pilgrims alike.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Jobs to inequality to corruption: What lit the fuse in Nepal

📍 Anger, remittance economy, tourism, I-T: Why social media ban was trigger

UPSC Prelims Practice and Previous year Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are the disputed territories between:

(a) India and Bhutan

(b) China and Nepal

(c) India and China

(d) India and Nepal

(3) Consider the following pairs: (UPSC CSE 2016)

	Community sometimes mentioned in the news	In the affairs of
1.	Kurd	Bangladesh
2.	Madhesi	Nepal
3.	Rohingya	Myanmar

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

 

EXPLAINED 

Sep 11, 1893: When Swami Vivekananda introduced America to Vedanta 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement.

Mains Examination: General studies-I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present – significant events, personalities, issues.

What’s the ongoing story: “Sisters and Brothers of America.” Thus began Swami Vivekananda’s iconic speech at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893. His unusual choice of salutation — speakers at the time generally preferred the more formal “ladies and gentlemen” — was reportedly met with a standing ovation that lasted for more than two minutes. And it set the tone for a speech that would introduce America to the Hindu faith, and make a plea for religious tolerance and syncretism that remains as relevant today as it was 132 years ago.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Read about Swami Vivekananda.

— What was the philosophy of Swami Vivekananda?

— Why Vivekananda’s teachings resonate with youth?

— How did Vivekananda’s Chicago address shape India’s moral and cultural presence in global discourse?

— Why did Vivekananda place such importance on the role of youth in national reawakening?

— In what ways did Vivekananda’s concept of “spiritual nationalism” contribute to the shaping of India’s freedom movement?

— How did his emphasis on service and renunciation differ from other strands of nationalism emerging in colonial India?

— How did Vivekananda’s message transcend the boundaries of religion and nation to articulate a vision of universal humanism?

— How is Swami Vivekananda’s thought as relevant to India’s future as it was in its past?

Key Takeaways:

— At the turn of the 20th century, the West ruled the world. But colonialism also created a platform for the global exchange of ideas, a “dialogue between the East and the West”. Vivekananda’s 1893 was a milestone in this discourse.

— The Parliament of World’s Religions, held in Chicago between September 11 and 27, 1893, was the product of these intellectual currents. 

— Vivekananda addressed the Parliament a total of six times, although his first speech on September 11 is probably the most famous. His message was radical yet resonant. “We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true,” he said.

— Vivekananda’s participation in the Parliament opened the United States’ eyes to Hinduism, specifically Vedanta, the “philosophical position of radical nondualism” which he presented as an inclusive, universal religion.

— For the next two years, he toured the country, addressing audiences and cultivating ardent disciples. He also lectured twice at Harvard. Vedanta societies cropped up around the US — and elsewhere in the West — largely due to the popularity of Vivekananda and his teachings. Many remain active till date.

— Vivekananda’s teachings also helped popularise the practice of meditation and Hatha Yoga (now known only as yoga) in the West. Once a practice restricted to a small number of renunciants and mendicants, yoga today is a billion dollar health and wellness business.

Do You Know:

— Spiritual primacy is the central theme of Vivekananda’s teachings, through which human beings can succeed in every sphere of their lives. Nevertheless, he urges people, especially the youth, to never let go of reason. Instead, he premises his philosophy, ideas and life work on the premise of reason. The three instruments of knowledge that he propounded are instincts, reason, and inspiration.

 — Swami Vivekananda believed that there is only one Self in the universe. There is only one Existence. He saw the entire universe as a manifestation of the absolute One.

— On the coexistence of various faiths, he believed religious acceptance, and not tolerance was important. He claimed that tolerance comes out of a superiority complex.

— For Vivekananda, the most desirable path for self-realisation was the selfless service of man. Some ways through which the essential unity of all human beings can be realised are unconditional love for all, judicious detachment, and expansion of self through service of fellow humans despite any sectarian difference, he believed.

— He was an exponent of vedantic humanism. He did not propagate a world-negating concept of spirituality, rather he said that each and every chore of your life should be done with divinity. He articulated that external rituals of religion are of secondary importance but the spiritual essence of a religion should be preserved and accepted.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why Vivekananda’s Chicago speech marked India’s first moral presence in global discourse

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(4) With reference to Swami Vivekananda, consider the following statements:

1. He was an exponent of vedantic philosophy.

2. He founded the Ramakrishna Mission.

3. He spelt out the three pathways of attaining moksha from the worldly pleasure and attachment.

4. The Raja of Ramnad sponsored his trip to participate in the World’s Parliament of Religions.

Which of the above statements are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Why NASA says we may be closest ever to discovering life on Mars

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

What’s the ongoing story: The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has found the strongest signs yet that some form of life may have existed on Mars in the past.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Why is Mars so interesting to scientists?

— What are biosignatures?

— How can studying biosignatures on Mars help us interpret the early history of life on Earth?

— What is the significance of NASA’s recent discovery of potential biosignatures on Mars by NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance?

— Read about the Mangalyaan mission.

— What are the planetary missions of ISRO?

— What are the findings of the Perseverance rover?

Key Takeaways:

— At a press conference on Wednesday (September 10), NASA said that its Mars rover Perseverance, which has been roaming the surface of the Red Planet since February 2021, had picked up “potential biosignatures” in a rock sample that it scanned last year.

— The announcement by the American space agency has triggered renewed excitement about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. However, scientists behind the finding have underlined that the rover has picked up only potential evidence – and more studies must be carried out before any conclusion can be reached.

— Last year, the six-wheel, small car-sized rover had come across a rock – later named Cheyava Falls – on its designated route, which seemed to possess attributes that scientists thought were worth investigating for potential microbial signatures from the past.

— Based on data sent by instruments aboard the rover, scientists determined that certain chemicals and structures on the rock were such that could have been formed by living organisms billions of years ago. NASA revealed this in July 2024, but said that more detailed analysis was required.

— In findings published in Nature magazine on Wednesday, NASA scientists have left open the possibility of the rock sample containing potential biosignatures. Biosignatures refer to an object or structure that may have a biological origin – that is, it may have been formed by a living organism.

— The analysis by the onboard instruments found that the rock sample was composed of clay and silt, and also contained organic carbon, sulphur, oxidised iron (rust), and phosphorus. On Earth, clay and silt are excellent preservers of past microbial life, NASA said in a statement.

— The Cheyava Falls rock will undergo more detailed analysis. Perseverance had drilled into the rock and acquired a small sample a few centimetres in size – it is one of the 30-odd samples the rover has collected from various locations on Mars so far.

— It is intended to get these rock samples to Earth in a future mission. The rover has a special compartment in which they can be stored. NASA has been working on a sample return mission, but is facing uncertainty due to budget cuts imposed by the Trump Administration.

Do you Know:

— Mars was considered to be a dry planet in the 20th century. This changed in 2001, when the Gamma Ray Spectrometer on board the Mars Odyssey spacecraft detected a fascinating hydrogen signature that seemed to indicate the presence of water ice. But there was ambiguity – this was because hydrogen can be part of many other compounds as well, including organic compounds.

— To test for the presence of water, NASA sent a spacecraft to land near the Martian South Pole in 2007. The spacecraft studied the soil around the lander with its robotic arm and was able to establish, without any ambiguity, the presence of water on Mars for the first time.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍New findings by NASA Mars rover provide strongest hints yet of potential signs of ancient life

 

THE IDEAS PAGE

DIS/AGREE

India must reset Nepal Policy 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

What’s the ongoing story: Constantino Xavier writes- “Nepal’s political revolution this week reminds us that, more than any foreign hands, the recent crises in South Asia are symptoms of a massive economic, demographic, and political churning across the region.”

Key Points to Ponder:

— India-Nepal Bilateral relations-know the historical background

— What is the India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950?

— What are the areas of cooperation and conflict between India and Nepal?

— What are the areas of conflict in India-Nepal Bilateral relations?

— What is India’s Neighbourhood First Policy?

— What can be the impact of political instability in Nepal on India-Nepal relations?

Key Takeaways:

— “India will have to deal with this turmoil, not only by defensively minimising risks but also by actively supporting the transformation of its neighbouring countries. It has done so in Sri Lanka, after its worst financial crisis in 2021. It promises to re-engage with a new leadership in Bangladesh after the elections in 2026. Until then, India must focus all its attention on supporting a crucial transition towards a new, more democratic and developed Nepal.”

— “The spontaneity and violence of this week’s protests must be understood in the context of a wave of discontent that had been brewing against a small, geriatric, and nepotistic leadership that ran Nepal with 17 different prime ministerships in the last 20 years. Coupled with economic stagnation, rising inequality, and one of the world’s youngest populations (median age 25), it was only a question of time until things flared up. What role should India now play beyond just being a passive bystander?”

— “Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s resignation marks the end of a generation of leaders who have worked both with and against India through every possible constellation and coalition since 2006. Oli’s last incarnation turned out to be particularly difficult for New Delhi.”

— “This week thus marks a turning point also for India-Nepal relations, and it is unlikely that anyone in New Delhi is shedding crocodile tears for the ousted leadership. With much of traditional Kathmandu’s political edifice literally burnt to ashes, the prospect of a new Nepal now arises.”

— “While it remains unclear who will lead the transition and in what direction, the current context offers an overall opportunity for India to reset its Nepal policy. As it did in the past, whether in 1951, 1990, or 2006, New Delhi can facilitate another step towards the dream of a stable Nepal through a more federal democracy and inclusive development.”

— “To achieve this, India will have to deploy the power of its diplomacy coupled with much political tact to both understand and cater to the aspirations of a new generation of Nepali leaders. Five challenges stand out.”

— “First, India must deepen its engagement with a new generation of Nepali leaders, both within but also beyond the traditional big parties.”

— “Second, India will have to resist the temptation to equate state stability with political personalities.” 

— “Third, India will have to show much tact and sensibility to engage with Nepal without being seen to interfere in Nepal. This is a tough task: Since 1947, India has always been perceived by its smaller neighbours as a regional hegemon, an elephant that is capable of both productive and destructive effects, whether through the power of intervention or inaction.”

— “Four, and most important: India will have to double down on economic interdependence with Nepal. As seen in Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, political transitions are usually harbingers of economic slowdown: Whoever takes power in Kathmandu in the next few weeks will be in dire need of financial assistance to keep the economy running and to buy themselves time on the political street.” 

— “Yet, New Delhi should see this as an opportunity to accelerate its successful connectivity strategy with Kathmandu. For the last few years, India has been able to deliver more, faster, and better support to Nepal’s development aspirations.”

— “Beyond the political, it is this delivery-oriented economic dimension in India’s Nepal policy that will eventually bring the biggest dividends for both sides. Nepal’s ambitions to become a middle-income country rely on more, not less, Indian trade and investments. To make the relationship truly “special,” as leaders on both sides like to profess, India will have to prove its mettle as a reliable partner to provide Nepal with multiple solutions across the technology and digital domains; the transportation, energy, and climate sectors; and the health and education systems.”

First, peace on the streets 

— Manjeev Puri writes- ” Nepal has been on the boil the past few days with the protesting youth showing signs of mobocracy, humiliating senior politicians with acts of violence, and torching government buildings. For Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, who appeared invincible only a few days ago, there was little choice but to resign and be whisked away to a safe place by the armed forces.”

— “The trigger for what has been termed the Gen Z protest was the Oli government banning 26 social media apps as they had failed to register themselves with the Nepali authorities. There were underlying critical issues simmering among the youth, including unemployment, the poor state of the economy, and the general unresponsiveness of politicians and the government.”

— “Why did the people have to come out on the street, and did the country’s parliament fail them? The answer would appear to be yes, given that the country’s leadership has been held by three persons, K P Sharma Oli (Communist Party), Sher Bahadur Deuba (Nepali Congress) and Prachanda (Maoists), for more than a decade. For people on the ground, no matter their different political parties, they are chips of the same block with all steeped in corruption. Moreover, a year back, the two largest political parties in Parliament, the Nepali Congress and the Communists, joined hands, controlling nearly two-thirds of the lower house and effectively stilling dissent in the house.”

— “What next? First, peace needs to be restored on the streets. Balen Shah and other young leaders have appealed for this, as did the Army Chief of Nepal, and the protesters seem to be paying heed, with some people even participating in street clean-ups. The Army has enforced a light curfew and brought major political leaders to the cantonment. It will surely play a critical role in the coming days — they have to restore law and order, but without heavy-handedness.”

— “They have started to play a key role in plugging the political vacuum — hopefully they will be an interlocutor, as in Sri Lanka, and not be overtly involved in government, like in Bangladesh, where the underlying factors for unrest were different.”

— “A default position in Nepali politics is directing ire towards India. In the context of the protesters’ violence, suggestions are being made that the instigators were monarchists, and some have hinted at Indian involvement. New Delhi has rightly issued an appeal for peace in Nepal and underlined the importance of stability, peace, and prosperity in the country.”

— “Nepal needs political leadership, and this must have representation from the youth. However, at this critical juncture, the country needs to be helmed by a respected person who is not tainted by the recent political culture. The name being mentioned is former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, who studied at Banaras Hindu University. The interim government could well be composed of bureaucrats, academics, and some politicians. Stability in the country should be of utmost importance to its people. That is also critical for India, given its historical ties with Nepal and its people.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why is Kathmandu burning?

ALSO IN NEWS
Collegium recommends new CJs for 3 High Courts	The Supreme Court Collegium on Thursday recommended new Chief Justices for the High Courts of Patna, Meghalaya and Manipur. For Patna, the Collegium headed by CJI B R Gavai, proposed that Justice P B Bajanthri, who is currently Acting Chief Justice there, be appointed as Chief Justice. The Collegium also recommended the name of Justice Soumen Sen of Calcutta HC to be made Chief Justice of Meghalaya and Justice M Sundar, who is the seniormost judge of the Madras HC to be appointed as Chief Justice of Manipur HC.
Indian Armed Forces’ all-women team to circumnavigate the globe	Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday virtually flagged off ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ — a historic and first Tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition from the Gateway of India in Mumbai. In the expedition, 10 women officers from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force aboard the indigenously-built Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni will cover over 26,000 nautical miles across the globe for nine months, braving treacherous waters, freezing winds and unpredictable storms. The 50-foot yacht Triveni has been indigenously-built in Puducherry. The crew, which set sail from Mumbai, will cross the Equator twice, round the three great Capes (Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope) and cover all the major oceans, including the Southern Ocean and the Drake Passage. The crew will also make four port calls at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Cape Town (South Africa) and is scheduled to return to Mumbai in May 2026.
Kerala HC gives approval to Global Ayyappa Sangamam, sets conditions	The Kerala High Court Thursday dismissed the petitions challenging the Global Ayyappa devotees Sangamam clearing the way for the event scheduled to be held on September 20, but laid down some conditions “in the larger interest of maintaining the sanctity of Sabarimala and the ecological balance of the holy River Pampa”.

 

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for August 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨