What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: ​Unmistakable shift

Context

India signalled a change in foreign policy stance at the SCO Summit

Introduction

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit marked a significant shift in India’s foreign policy. After seven years, Modi’s bilateral engagement with Xi Jinping reflected efforts to reset ties post the 2020 standoff. The summit symbolized India’s strategic balancing, amid global realignments shaped by U.S. sanctions, regional tensions, and evolving multilateral forums.

Shift in Foreign Policy

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit signaled a shift in India’s foreign policy outlook.
• This was Mr. Modi’s first visit to China in seven yearsand his first bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping since the 2020 military standoff.
• He attended the SCO Summit after a three-year gap, an organization often seen as anti-Western.

Symbolism and Diplomatic Engagements

• Photographs of Mr. Modi with Mr. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin revived memories of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral, once dormant.
• The bilateral meeting with Chinafocused on:
  • Endorsing the normalisation processbegun in October 2024.
  • Advancing troop disengagement along the LAC.
  • Fast-tracking boundary resolution talksthrough Special Representatives.
  • Approving the resumption of direct flights, visa facilitation, and economic cooperationto stabilize global trade.

Messages from Leaders

• Modi emphasized ties based on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity.
• President Xi highlighted the importance of the “Dragon and the Elephant coming together”.
• Such warmth was unthinkable a year ago and was partly shaped by:
  • S. tariffs and sanctions on India.
  • India’s growing mistrust of the Trump administration’s intentions.
• This shift allowed India to temporarily set aside concernsover:
  • China’s support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
  • Blocking India’s initiatives on UNSC reformsand NSG membership.
  • Obstruction in designating Pakistan-based terrorists.

Key Outcomes of the SCO Summit

• Tianjin Declarationhighlights:
  • Strong language against cross-border terrorism, condemning both the Pahalgam attack in Indiaand attacks on Pakistani forces in Balochistan.
  • Common ground on the Gaza humanitarian crisis.
  • Condemnation of S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
  • India, however, opposed references to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Proposals discussed:
  • Xi Jinping’s idea for an SCO Development Bank.
  • Modi’s suggestion for a “Civilisational Dialogue”among SCO members.
• Despite a “productive” visit, gaps remained:
  • Modi skipped the “SCO Plus” Summit, missing a chance for deeper engagement with leaders from the neighbourhood and Global South.

Conclusion

The SCO Summit 2025 showcased India’s attempt to combine strategic pragmatism with diplomatic outreach. While the visit produced positive optics, including progress on LAC disengagement and counter-terrorism commitments, concerns like China’s Pakistan policy and BRI opposition remained. Modi’s absence at the SCO Plus Summit signaled missed opportunities, but the visit still underlined India’s pursuit of a balanced role in global and regional geopolitics.

 

Editorial 2: The Supreme Court to the soldier’s rescue

Context

The bureaucracy needs to show greater flexibility and empathy in addressing the often life-altering challenges faced by defence personnel and their families.

Introduction

It was with a sense of relief that one read about the Supreme Court of India taking up, suo motu, the case of cadets boarded out of military academies after suffering severe injuries and disabilities during training, as highlighted in a media report. This neglect has long been a travesty of justice, since the special needs of young cadets who volunteered to serve the nation and endured debilitating injuries were not adequately addressed by the state. The Court may now wish to examine the issue more deeply to ensure fairness and empathy in such cases.

Need for Flexibility and Empathy in Compensation Cases

• Conflict existsbetween:
  • Bureaucracy’s rigid rule-based approach.
  • The lifelong consequencesof medical disabilities sustained in military duty.
• Problem:Existing rules cannot anticipate or address all variations of human misfortune.
• Solution:Two key virtues are essential — flexibility and empathy.
• Illustration:The following two examples highlight this need.

The case of a mother-to-be

• An IAF pilot diedin a flying accident; his wife was expectant at the time.
• As per rules:
  • Widow with child→ entitled to higher pension.
  • Widow without child→ entitled to lower pension.
  • Expectant widow→ no provision for enhanced pension.
• Committee members raised the issue; all officials agreed it was valid but said “rules are rules.”
• Suggested solution: “put up a case”for special consideration.
• Concern: Why should this be treated as a special caseinstead of a general rule?
• Eventually, a case was submitted, and the rules were amended, though the change took several yearsto implement.

When a Governor acted

Event/Aspect	Details
Incident	IAF Cheetah helicopter crash in Siachen Glacier (~20,000 ft altitude).
Casualties	One pilot died; the other sustained severe head injuries, risk of invalidation from service.
Family Situation	Would have faced severe hardships without IAF support.
Intervention	Commodore Commandant contacted Governor of Chhattisgarh (Shekhar Dutt), a former Army officer and Defence Secretary.
Governor’s Action	Approached Defence Minister A.K. Antony (2006–14); ensured pilot’s service extension.
Further Support	Manohar Parrikar (2014–17) also granted another extension.
Outcome	Government lauded for fulfilling its duty towards a combatant.
Critical Questions	– What if the Governor hadn’t been an ex-serviceman? – Why should support depend on “aligned stars”? – Shouldn’t the government adopt flexible, fair policies for all defence personnel, not just exceptional cases?

An attitude that must change

• Within 10 daysof a media article exposing the struggles of disabled cadets and the Supreme Court’s suo motu notice, the government acted voluntarily.
  • It granted these cadets medical benefits on par with ex-servicemen.
• Despite numerous media reports over the years highlighting the plight of injured cadetsand the hardships of their families, the bureaucracy remained indifferent.
• The higher judiciary must hold the bureaucracy accountablefor its heartless and apathetic attitude.
• A reminder from history: the ‘George Fernandes solution’.
  • When bureaucrats delayed the purchase of snow scooters, Fernandes, then Defence Minister (1998–2001), sent them to Siachento experience firsth and why jawans needed the equipment.

Conclusion

The bureaucracy must reflect on Chanakya’s timeless wisdom about a soldier’s rightful dues, reimagined in today’s context to highlight the need for empathy towards their medical and personal needs. Chanakya had cautioned that the day a soldier is forced to demand what is rightfully his, it would mark a moment of decline, for the state would then lose its moral authority to govern.