POLITICS

Will New Delhi lodge formal protest against Russian manufacturers for supplying RD-93MA jet engines to Pak Air Force?

India is likely to lodge a strong diplomatic protest against Russia over reports of RD-93MA jet engine sales to Pakistan, given the direct bearing on its security calculus. New Delhi had earlier formally requested Moscow to halt the supply of spares, citing their use in Pakistan Air Force’s JF-17 fighters that were actively deployed during aerial clashes in “Operation Sindoor” following the Pahalgam terror attack. The upgraded RD-93MA, with enhanced thrust and reliability, would significantly bolster the JF-17’s combat effectiveness, an outcome India views as detrimental to regional stability. While Russia continues to balance its defense commitments with both India and China, the involvement of Beijing as a conduit in this supply chain complicates matters further. In all likelihood, New Delhi will apply both back-channel persuasion and public pressure to remind Moscow of its longstanding strategic partnership, lest Russian actions tilt South Asia’s military balance further in Pakistan’s favour.

Will India buy Iranian oil?

As China and Russia openly defy US sanctions on Iran by continuing trade and energy deals, India is cautiously advancing its case for resuming Iranian oil imports. New Delhi argues that diversifying crude sources is essential to prevent overdependence on discounted Russian oil, which has grown since the Ukraine war. Access to Iranian barrels, geographically closer and cost-effective, could help India manage inflationary pressures and stabilize fuel prices for its vast consumer market. However, the challenge lies in navigating Washington’s sanctions regime without jeopardizing strategic ties with the US, especially as defence and technology cooperation deepens. India may seek temporary waivers, explore rupee-rial settlement mechanisms, or align with multilateral buyers to blunt sanctions pressure. While outright circumvention risks diplomatic strain, New Delhi’s balancing act aims to secure its rising energy needs without surrendering economic autonomy to either Russia or the Western bloc. 

Bihar Assembly polls: Fierce fight expected on seats won or lost by slender margins

For Bihar Assembly elections, both the prominent alliances – the NDA and INDI block, are focussing more on the seats lost or won by small margins. The BJP leaders had already deliberated on 39 such seats where the win or loss margin was less than 10,000 votes in the last Assembly polls. For instance, in seats like Arrah, Barhara, Munger, Begusarai, Badhwar, Hajipur, Amnour, Pranpur and Pari, the win margin was below 5000 votes. Additionally, in over 18 seats, BJP lost by 10,000 votes, among which, in over 9 seats, the win margin was less than 5000. This includes seats like Kalyanpur, Kishanganj, Siwan and Bhagalpur. On the other hand, Mahagatbandhan leaders are also cautious that a repeat of 2020 does not happen in the 2025 Assembly Election results. In the last Assembly election, Mahagatbandhan leaders lost many seats by as low as 12 votes to 712 votes in a fierce fight.

What ails the Karnataka BJP?

In Karnataka, the health of the BJP state unit is not well. After the losing of the state assembly election in 2022. The party is suffering from internal infightings. After B S Vijayendra's appointment as the state president, senior leader Yatnal left the party. Some other leaders have reportedly adopted indifferent attitudes. Senior leader and former union minister and ex-CM Sadananda Gowda has lost relevance and kept a low profile.  According to experts, the BJP in Karnataka is nowadays a divided house and every important leader has his own private loyalists. In such a situation , the party can not hope of winning the state assembly election due in 2027.

Vladimir Putin to visit India in December

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India in the first week of December, marking a significant moment in the long-standing strategic partnership between New Delhi and Moscow. The visit comes at a time of shifting global power equations and heightened geopolitical turbulence. High on the agenda will be defense cooperation, energy security, and coordination on multilateral platforms such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the United Nations. Discussions are also likely to cover regional stability, particularly the evolving situation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific. India has maintained its balancing act between the West and Russia, and this visit will showcase how Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin aim to deepen ties despite global fissures caused by the Ukraine conflict. With trade in defense, nuclear energy, and oil expected to dominate talks, the summit underscores India’s continuing diplomatic tightrope walk between old allies and emerging partners like the US.

Will Prafulla Patel be Gujarat BJP President?

Prafulla Patel, who is currently the Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman& Diu, may be moved to Gujarat as BJP President.