Daily Briefing: Monsoon arrives in Kerala; 45 major paper leaks in 24 years, who’s accountable?

• India-Venezuela energy talks
• Conviction gap in exam paper leaks 
• Marjane Satrapi passes away

🚨 Big Story

Diversifying oil needs: India and Venezuela are exploring a long-term energy partnership as New Delhi looks to diversify its oil sources amid growing uncertainty in West Asia. During talks with Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who is currently in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed deeper cooperation in energy, critical minerals, technology and healthcare. Venezuela, home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has emerged as one of India’s top crude suppliers in recent months, informed Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. He said an Indian technical team will visit Venezuela soon to “further explore this potential”. Rodriguez, who has been to India at least six times in the past, is expected to travel to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

⚡ Only in Express

No accountability on paper leaks: More than 3.86 crore students and job aspirants have been affected by major examination paper leaks over the past two decades. An Indian Express investigation found that among 45 major exam leak cases since 2002, only two have resulted in convictions, despite over 1,650 arrests. The fallout is huge: cancelled exams, delayed careers and years of uncertainty. On average, retests took 183 days to be scheduled. Meanwhile, many cases remain stuck in courts while some cases have been closed and a few accused have even gone on to become MLAs.

📰 From the Front Page

Gone too soon: French-Iranian graphic novelist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi, whose work gave a human face to life under Iran’s Islamic Revolution, died at 56. In a statement released by members of her family, it was said that Satrapi died of “sadness” a little over a year after the death of her husband, Swedish actor, producer and screenwriter Mattias Ripa. Long before graphic memoirs became mainstream, Marjane Satrapi changed the conversation with Persepolis – her powerful coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of revolution and war in Iran. A fierce advocate for freedom, women’s rights and independent thinking, Satrapi spent decades challenging authoritarianism through her art, rather than politics.

Warfare: Outgoing Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, commenting on including drones to modern warfare, said the goal is not just to buy drones, but to weave them into every aspect of how the Indian Army trains, plans and fights. As warfare evolves, so is the Indian Army. In an interview with The Indian Express, General Dwivedi revealed that the force is rapidly integrating drones, loitering munitions and counter-drone systems across its ranks. From infantry units equipped with “Ashni” drone platoons to formation-level surveillance and strike capabilities, the Army is building a more connected battlefield.

📌 Must Read

Split in TMC paves way for Left: Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) state secretary Md Salim believes the collapse of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has created fresh political space in Bengal and he wants the Left to fill that gap. With TMC reeling from a dramatic split just weeks after losing power, the CPM leader says the party’s troubles were inevitable. In an interview with The Indian Express, he argued that the TMC lacked a clear ideology and had reached its “expiry date” after serving its political purpose. Salim sees an opportunity for the Left, pointing to recent electoral gains and claiming that genuine opposition politics in Bengal still belongs on the streets, not in legislative manoeuvres.

India’s ‘exam warriors’: India’s education system increasingly treats students as “exam warriors” expected to absorb stress, uncertainty and even institutional failures without complaint. In our Opinion section today, Pratap Bhanu Mehta argues that the country’s exam culture has become less about learning and more about endurance. He writes: “The education system might seem to you like organised and systematic cruelty. It is, and it is by design. But it is preparing you for the battlefield that is Indian society: It tests your endurance. To spruce things up, we have injected an element of chaos. Like warriors, we do not expect you to get upset, to complain, to hold the highest authorities accountable, to ask questions, like what is the whole point of this cruel system. Like warriors, you take this on the chin, be stoic about it, and get ready for battle again.”

‘New Nepal’ challenge: India this week welcomed a key leader from Nepal’s ruling Rastriya Swatantrata Party, signalling an effort to build ties with Kathmandu’s new Gen Z-backed government. With Prime Minister Balen Shah refusing foreign travel during his first year in office and breaking with traditional diplomatic norms, India used the visit of party chief Rabi Lamichhane to open channels of communication. Yet challenges remain, from a renewed border dispute, to China’s growing influence in Nepal. For India, the task is to deepen engagement while avoiding perceptions of being a ‘big brother’ and instead positioning itself as a trusted partner in Nepal’s next chapter.

⏳ And Finally…

Afghanistan’s Test against India: Ahead of Afghanistan’s latest Test against India, former player and current youth coach Rais Ahmadzai talked on how far the team has come from limited facilities and little red-ball experience, to producing global stars and a thriving domestic structure. In 2009, Afghanistan’s cricketers travelled to their first-ever First-Class match dreaming of seeing their names listed as professional players. Just nine years later, they earned Test status and began competing against the world’s best. However, challenges remain. Despite winning four of their first 12 Tests, Afghanistan still play only one or two matches a year, leaving players and coaches eager for more opportunities to prove themselves in cricket’s toughest format.

🎧 Lastly, don’t forget to tune in to today’s episode of our 3 Things podcast, where we discuss Maharashtra’s new Marathi language requirement for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers; how the Ahmedabad Air India crash site should be remembered after the Gujarat government announced plans to redevelop the damaged BJ Medical College hostel blocks while families of victims seek a memorial at the site; and more.

That’s all for today. Have a wonderful day!

Until next time,

Richa Shrivastava

Business As Usual by E P Unny