| Download PSIR & GS2 Daily Brief- 29 – October – 2026 Today’s brief covers these important themes: Shivam Aggarwal in Bar & Bench argues that a press card is an institutional identifier and not a constitutional patent, and that police powers must meet the same tests whoever is holding the phone. Manini in ORF sets out why the coal states are left out of India’s renewable build, and why a frozen royalty rate and falling coal revenue make the energy transition a question of fiscal federalism. C. Raja Mohan in The Indian Express reads Jaishankar’s Baku visit against the strains between Ankara and Baku, and argues that shared religion and ethnicity do not by themselves produce a strategic bloc. Chietigj Bajpaee in the Lowy Institute weighs the structural strength of India–US ties against the damage done by Washington’s reversals on Russian crude, and names the trade agreement and a Quad summit as the tests. Manoj Joshi in ORF examines China’s proposed export controls on AI, biomedicine and solar technology, and the altitude threshold on tunnelling equipment that India will feel along the Line of Actual Control. UPSC has previously asked question on these themes: • PSIR Paper I, 2026: Evaluate the Centre-State relation with reference to Article 293 and analyze its implications for the Indian federal structure. • PSIR Paper II, 2026: QUAD requires more robust architecture than the summit driven mode to tide over the current challenges. Elaborate. • PSIR Paper II, 2026: India has adopted multi-alignment to fulfill its core values and interests in International relations. Discuss. • GS Paper II, 2026: Is the right to vote a fundamental right? Discuss the position of the Election Commission of India while undertaking the revision of electoral rolls. Can it also examine the question of citizenship of voters? • PSIR Paper II, 2025: India continues to invoke its time-tested policy of strategic autonomy vis-à-vis both the United States of America and Russia by rejecting US’ offer of mediation on Kashmir issue and by refusing to criticize Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine. Comment. • GS Paper II, 2025: Examine the evolving pattern of Centre-State financial relations in the context of planned development in India. How far have the recent reforms impacted the fiscal federalism in India? • PSIR Paper II, 2024: “Deglobalisation is displacing globalisation.” Comment. • GS Paper II, 2024: Critically analyse India’s evolving diplomatic, economic and strategic relations with the Central Asian Republics (CARs) highlighting their increasing significance in regional and global geopolitics. | Click Here to Download |
In a world where political developments evolve rapidly and international dynamics shift constantly, staying informed is essential for every serious student of Political Science and International Relations (PSIR). The PSIR & GS2 Daily Brief is an initiative designed to bridge the gap between daily news events and their deeper theoretical, conceptual, and analytical relevance within the PSIR syllabus.
This daily brief provides a structured and comprehensive analysis of important national and international developments through the lens of political theory, comparative politics, Indian politics, and international relations.
Rather than merely reporting events, it seeks to explain why these developments matter, how they connect with core PSIR concepts, and what implications they hold for academic understanding and examination preparation.
By consistently engaging with daily events in a concept-oriented manner, the PSIR Daily Brief aims to cultivate a habit of critical thinking and informed interpretation of contemporary politics.
This initiative ultimately aspires to transform everyday news into meaningful academic insight– making PSIR not just a subject to study, but a framework to understand the world.