What to read in Indian Express
31 October 2025
| No. | Headline (as printed) | Page No. | GS Paper & Topic | Theme / Issue | UPSC Relevance / Analytical Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trump, Xi agree on ceasefire in trade war; China eases curbs on rare earth exports | Page 1 | GS 2 – India & its neighbourhood relations; Effect of policies of developed and developing countries on India’s interests | Global trade war, Indo-Pacific geopolitics | The truce between US–China reduces global trade tension and impacts India’s export competitiveness, supply chain participation, and rare-earth dependence — crucial for India’s semiconductor and EV ambitions. |
| 2 | Two superpowers (Editorial) | Page 10 | GS 2 – Bilateral, regional & global groupings affecting India’s interests | US–China power dynamics | Analyses rivalry between the two superpowers and its implications for global order. Helps understand India’s multi-alignment strategy and Indo-Pacific balancing. |
| 3 | Don’t rely on the heavens (Editorial) | Page 10 | GS 3 – Agriculture / Cropping patterns & irrigation systems | Monsoon dependency, irrigation reform | Emphasises the need for climate-resilient agriculture, better irrigation, and digital tech adoption (AI & IoT). Good for Mains agriculture & GS-3 disaster risk management. |
| 4 | Thaw, at last (Editorial) | Page 10 | GS 2 – India & its neighbourhood relations | India–Pakistan relations thaw | Discusses diplomatic signals hinting at improvement in India–Pakistan ties; useful for IR and regional security balance. |
| 5 | An early start (Editorial) | Page 10 | GS 2 – Social Sector / Health, Education, Human Resources | Early childhood care & education | Argues for investment in early education to build human capital. Connects to NEP 2020, Samagra Shiksha, and SDG-4. |
| 6 | The debt we owe Sardar Patel (Opinion) | Page 11 | GS 1 – Modern Indian History & Post-Independence Consolidation | Integration of princely states, Patel’s legacy | Highlights Patel’s role in unifying India; important for GS-1 history and Essay (nation-building, federal unity). |
| 7 | Its sovereignty is rented (Opinion) | Page 11 | GS 2 – Effect of policies of developed & developing countries on India’s interests | Small states’ external dependency | Discusses global south nations trading sovereignty for economic dependence; useful for questions on neo-colonialism and debt diplomacy. |
| 8 | Pakistan’s revival should worry India (Opinion) | Page 11 | GS 2 – India & its neighbourhood relations; Effect of policies of developing countries | Pakistan’s political stability & India’s security | Analyses Pakistan’s economic and diplomatic revival and its potential to alter India’s regional calculus — relevant for IR and internal security linkages. |
| 9 | In U-turn, US gives 6-month sanction relief to Chabahar | Page 12 | GS 2 – International Relations | Chabahar Port, India–Iran–US relations | Reaffirms Chabahar’s strategic value for India’s connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia. Also demonstrates India’s diplomatic agility amid sanctions regimes. |
| 10 | Priyanka says NEP and PM-SHRI are ‘brainwashing’ kids; Pradhan hits back | Page 12 | GS 2 – Governance / Policies for development & implementation challenges | Education policy & politics | Brings focus on NEP 2020 reforms and PM-SHRI schools; useful for policy implementation and governance debates. |
| 11 | India, Russian oil, and the looming secondary sanctions threat | Page 17 | GS 3 – Infrastructure: Energy / Liberalisation impacts | Energy trade, economic diplomacy | Analyses India’s oil imports amid Western sanctions; key for answers on energy security, diversification, and Atmanirbhar Energy initiatives. |
| 12 | After ASEAN summit: Group’s importance for India amid US–China tussle | Page 17 | GS 2 – International Institutions & Regional Groupings | ASEAN centrality, India’s Indo-Pacific policy | Explains ASEAN’s balancing role in the US–China rivalry; links to Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. |