Editorials Analysis – 03 April 2025

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  Summary: The 6th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) summit is set to be held in Bangkok on April 4, 2025. It will be the first in-person summit since 2018, with the previous summit held virtually in 2022. The theme for this year’s summit is "prosperous, resilient, and open BIMSTEC." The summit is expected to result in the adoption of the 5th BIMSTEC Declaration and the signing of an agreement on maritime transport cooperation....

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Summary: In March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump reached out to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program, while escalating military pressure on Iran and its allies. On March 15, the U.S. launched airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen, and Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza, targeting Hamas and Hezbollah. The escalating conflict is tied to Iran's support for these groups and its nuclear ambitions.The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) aimed to curb...

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Summary In March 2025, manufacturing activity, as measured by the seasonally adjusted Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), rose to an eight-month high of 58.1, up from 56.3 in February 2025. A PMI value above 50 indicates expansion, and the metric has shown continuous growth for 45 months. The increase in PMI in March was primarily driven by a rise in new orders, with the new orders index reaching an eight-month high of 61.5. Despite a slight slowdown in international orders, overall...

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Summary The Supreme Court, in a hearing on petitions filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders, addressed the issue of Speaker's indecision on disqualification petitions under the anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule). The petitions concerned 10 Telangana MLAs who had shifted allegiance to the ruling Congress party. Justice B.R. Gavai remarked that the courts are not "powerless" if a Speaker chooses to remain indecisive. He emphasized that while courts cannot direct a Speaker on how to decide, they can insist on...