Centre to roll out free HPV vaccination drive

The Union Health Ministry is set to launch a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme targeting girls aged 14.

The vaccination will be voluntary and free of cost, ensuring equitable access across socio-economic groups.

India will use Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine, for protection from HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, and types 6 and 11.

Union Cabinet nod for 'Kerala' to become 'Keralam'

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Kerala government's proposal to change the State's name from 'Kerala' to 'Keralam', the name used in the Malayalam language.

The President will now refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the Kerala Legislative Assembly to express its views, under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India, a government statement said.

An Israel visit - its strategic, economic, regional impact

The Prime Minister's visit will help deepen engagement with Tel Aviv, going far beyond routine diplomacy.

India's trade strategy in a multipolar world

In 2023, India updated its Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) with the goal of increasing exports to $2 trillion by 2030, reinforcing a framework of strategic autonomy that supports sovereign decision-making while engaging major global powers. According to the Department of Commerce's 2025 Year-End Review, India recorded a 6.05% annual increase in total exports -merchandise and services combined - reaching $825.25 billion.

The evolving nature of trade agreements

At the core of international trade treaties is the robust multilateral trade agreement established by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In the last three decades, there has been a proliferation of FTAs. While most FTAs are bilateral some are quite large, covering 10 to 15 countries, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.

Does the Data Act dilute the Right to Information Act?

The Supreme Court in Puttaswamy (2017) had declared the right to privacy as a fundamental right primarily under Article 21 (right to life and liberty). It is also an overarching right that includes freedom of speech and expression (Article 19). In this judgment, the court had directed that the government must put forth a data protection regime.

SC declines plea to remove Aadhaar from SIR document list, cites RP Act

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to alter a September 2025 order to use Aadhaar in the special intensive revision (SIR) process, saying the Representation of the People Act continues to endorse the 12-digit unique identity number as an identity proof for citizens.

Modi's Israel visit faces headwinds

Mr. Netanyahu's plans to announce a "hexagonal alliance" with India, Greece and Cyprus, and some unnamed Arab, African and Asian countries against "both radical Sunni and Shia axes", will be watched closely by those countries seen to be targeted, including Iran, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, each of which has historical and complex ties with India.

 Committee to probe repeated failures of PSLV, says ISRO

A committee that includes K. Vijay Raghavan, former Principal Scientific Adviser, and S. Somanath, former Chairman, India Space Research Organisation (IS-RO), will probe "systemic issues" underlying the successive failures of the ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

On January 12, the PSLV-C62 failed in its mission to deliver 16 satellites into orbit, and crashed into the sea after the third stage of the rocket failed to ignite. This was similar to the May 18, 2025 failure of the PSLV-C61, in which, too, the third stage failed to fire, destroying as a result the EOS-09 satellite intended for the government's strategic needs.