POLITICS

Cabinet reshuffle in May?

Grapevine has it that a major reshuffle in the Modi Cabinet is expected in May. About three to four Cabinet Ministers and equal number of Ministers of State are likely to go, and induction of some new faces will take place.

MEA under Vikram Misri Accelerates Long-Term Energy Diversification Strategy

The Ministry of External Affairs, under Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, is working intensively to reduce India’s reliance on energy supply routes passing through West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz. According to sources, senior officials in the MEA’s economic diplomacy and energy security divisions have been engaged in near-continuous consultations aimed at reshaping India’s import architecture in response to persistent geopolitical volatility in the region.

This effort marks a shift from short-term risk management to a structurally new energy security doctrine. The focus is on building diversified supply lines across Africa, Russia, Central Asia, and Latin America, complemented by stronger partnerships in renewables and critical minerals. The Ministry is also coordinating with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry and key Indian missions abroad to develop alternate shipping and logistics frameworks that bypass chokepoints vulnerable to conflict or sanctions.

Officials emphasize that this is not a temporary response to regional tensions but a long-term strategic recalibration aligning with India’s goal of energy independence by the next decade. The MEA’s renewed push could significantly redefine India’s external engagements and economic resilience in an increasingly fragmented global energy landscape.

Bihar liquor ban to be relaxed?

Under the new CM Samrat Choudhary’s regime, there are chances of a partial relaxation of the liquor ban in Bihar.