What to read in Indian Express
15 October 2025
| No. | Headline (as printed) | Page No. | GS Paper & Topic | Theme / Issue | UPSC Relevance / Analytical Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ruins of Delhi’s first city to Buddha relics: Monument gets ready for Piprahwa gems | Page 1 | GS 1 – Art & Culture | Cultural heritage, Buddhist relics, repatriation diplomacy | Highlights India’s cultural soft power through preservation and exhibition of Buddhist relics (Piprahwa). Connects archaeology, art conservation, and heritage diplomacy — relevant to culture and India’s global image. |
| 2 | Major setback to Maoist party as ideological head surrenders | Page 1 | GS 3 – Linkages between development and spread of extremism | Internal security, Left-Wing Extremism, surrender policy | Demonstrates success of development-linked counter-insurgency and rehabilitation programs. Shows evolution from armed struggle to integration — key for internal security answers. |
| 3 | India, Mongolia ink 10 pacts, ties elevated to strategic partnership | Page 5 | GS 2 – Bilateral, regional & global groupings affecting India’s interests | India–Mongolia relations, strategic diplomacy | Expands India’s “Act East + Connect Central Asia” framework. Strengthens soft-power linkages via Buddhism and defence cooperation — relevant for India’s extended neighbourhood strategy. |
| 4 | New count: Elephant population dips nearly 18 %, Western Ghats remain primary habitat | Page 9 | GS 3 – Environment | Wildlife conservation, biodiversity, habitat protection | Reveals decline in elephant numbers; underscores importance of ecological corridors, human-animal conflict mitigation, and census methodology — good case for biodiversity questions. |
| 5 | Complicity, not diplomacy (Editorial) | Page 10 | GS 1 – Indian Society: Role of women & women’s organisations | Gender issues, women’s activism, representation | Critiques limited diplomatic space for women; underlines gender bias in global negotiations and leadership — connects to empowerment, representation, and SDG-5 goals. |
| 6 | The softening (Editorial) | Page 10 | GS 3 – Indian Economy | Inflation trends, monetary policy, macroeconomic stability | Analyses easing inflation and RBI’s cautious monetary stance. Useful for questions on fiscal-monetary balance and price stability within growth frameworks. |
| 7 | Meet Ladakh halfway (Editorial) | Page 11 | GS 2 – Federal Structure, Devolution of Powers | Centre-State relations, autonomy, governance in UTs | Examines Ladakh’s demand for statehood and Sixth-Schedule status. Highlights challenges in devolution, regional aspirations, and participatory governance — key for federalism debates. |
| 8 | Constructing peace, bit by difficult bit (Editorial) | Page 11 | GS 2 – International Relations | Peace processes, diplomacy, conflict resolution | Focuses on incremental diplomacy and negotiation strategies in conflict resolution — relevant to India’s peacekeeping and foreign policy ethics. |
| 9 | Studying the twinning rate | Page 13 | GS 3 – Conservation, Pollution & Environmental Impact Assessment | Public health & environment, reproductive health data | Analyses rise in twin births and medical-environmental linkages; shows interplay of healthcare technology, fertility policy, and demographic sustainability. |
| 10 | Energy security, geopolitics: behind China’s crude oil stockpiling | Page 13 | GS 2 – Policies & Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s Interests | Global energy geopolitics | Explains China’s oil stockpiling strategy and its global market impact; important for India’s energy security and strategic reserves planning. |
| 11 | After World Bank, IMF also cuts India’s FY27 GDP growth forecast by 20 bps | Page 15 | GS 3 – Indian Economy: Growth, Resources, Employment | Global outlook, macro-economic forecasting | Indicates external perception of India’s medium-term growth moderation; connects to employment, fiscal prudence, and structural reforms for sustainable growth. |