Tamil Nadu is Suing the President of India
☕ India’s Morning Briefing: Mon, November 17
Hello, and welcome to the brief.
Good morning, friends.
We are looking at a world where “white-collar” professionals are building bombs, where climate summits are besieged by the very people they claim to protect, and where the humble spaghetti noodle has become a geopolitical hostage.
Welcome to the 158th edition of The India Brief
Do not miss the deep dive in the end.
1. The Power Vertical
⛓️ Key Aide Arrested in Red Fort Blast Conspiracy
NIA arrests Amir Rashid Ali; from Delhi
Alleged conspirator; registered the car for bomber
Called “major breakthrough”
The NIA is moving fast, but the question is whether they’re catching the kingpins or just the guys who did the paperwork for the apocalypse.
🔥 Father of Detained Man Attempts Self-Immolation in Kulgam
Bilal Ahmad Wani; critical condition
Protest; allegedly denied meeting with son
Son detained; in 600-person post-blast crackdown
A father sets himself on fire because he can’t see his detained son. This is a PR nightmare for authorities, turning a security “win” into a human rights tragedy in one horrific flash.
👑 Nitish Keeps CM Chair, BJP Takes the Cabinet
NDA’s 202-seat win; Nitish Kumar to remain CM
BJP; 89 seats, gets larger cabinet share
Formula: ~15 berths for BJP, ~14 for JD(U)
Nitish Kumar keeps the crown, but the BJP just built a much, much bigger throne. He’s now the king who has to ask his landlord for permission.
🎭 RJD Family Feud Goes Full Dynastic Drama
Rohini Acharya; slams Tejashwi’s aides
Alleges humiliation; “made her an orphan”
Tej Pratap; supports sister, calls insult “unbearable”
The RJD, having thoroughly lost the election, has moved on to the next logical step: high-drama dynastic implosion. Pass the popcorn.
🎓 Tamil Nadu Sues The President Over Anti-NEET Bill
TN files Supreme Court suit
Challenges President’s refusal; of anti-NEET bill
Argues; “unconstitutional,” violates federalism, state autonomy
⚖️ SC Cancels Bail in 400kg Cocaine & Meth Haul
SC; sets aside Bombay HC bail
Accused: Vigin K Varghese
Case: 59kg cocaine, 198kg meth
HC ignored; prior 198kg meth arrest
The Bombay HC gave bail to a guy accused of importing 400kg+ of meth and cocaine, ignoring that he’d... already been arrested for it. The Supreme Court had to point out this rather obvious clerical error.
💰 Follow the Currency: The High Court’s original decision was optimising for procedure (antecedents “not noticed”). The Supreme Court is optimising for institutional credibility. It reversed the bail to send a message that procedural errors cannot be allowed to undermine the entire narcotics justice system. 🔗
📈 CAG to Audit “Ease of Living” in 101 Cities
On Audit Diwas; CAG announces new audit
Will assess; “ease of living” in 101 major cities
Focus: infrastructure, environment, economic growth
The CAG, famous for auditing fighter jets and tax revenue, is now going to audit... your happiness. Or at least, your commute, your air quality, and your job prospects.
And Then What?: This creates a new, non-political “league table.” Cities will be publicly ranked by the CAG on quality of life, forcing state and municipal governments to compete on measurable metrics, shaming laggards into action. Or it could all just not have any effect
2. The Ledger
Goldman Sachs Touts India for Decade-Long Growth
Goldman Sachs report; emerging markets to lead decade
India; singled out for “strong EPS growth”
Resilient domestic demand; a key driver
Goldman Sachs has found its new favourite emerging market, and it’s India. Get ready for a decade of “India stands out” reports.
The Chessboard: This isn’t just an investment tip; it’s a geopolitical signal. Global capital is diversifying from China (”de-risking”), and Goldman is placing the “safe, high-growth” bet on India, anointing it as the West’s preferred non-Chinese economic anchor. 🔗
⛽️ India Remains Top Buyer of Sanctioned Russian Oil
India; 2nd largest Russian oil buyer in October
Purchases: $2.9 billion
Continues; despite new US sanctions on Russian firms
India’s foreign policy: “We hear your concerns about the war. We also hear the 30% discount on this barrel of Ural crude. The discount is slightly louder.”
🪫 Mumbai CNG Supply Hit by Pipeline Damage
CNG supply disrupted; Mumbai
Cause: damage to main GAIL pipeline
MGL; reports disruption
Someone broke the main gas pipe in Mumbai. A bad day for taxi drivers, and a really bad day for whoever is on the phone with GAIL’s repair dispatcher.
3. The Global Chessboard
🤝 Saudi Crown Prince MbS Back at the White House
MbS; at White House
First visit since 2018 Khashoggi killing
Visit; signals “rehabilitation” on world stage
Focus: AI, defense, energy
Seven years after being an international pariah for that murder, MbS is back at the White House. It’s amazing what high oil prices, AI ambitions, and a truce with Iran can do for one’s reputation.
🗿 Find the Pattern: This is the “Nixon to China” script, but in reverse. The US is re-embracing a “pariah” leader it needs (MbS) to counter a larger strategic threat (Iran) and secure a critical future resource (AI development). Realpolitik always wins.
Trump Threatens $5B Lawsuit Against BBC
Trump; plans $5B lawsuit vs BBC
Reason: misleading Panorama edit; Jan 6 speech
Edit; led to resignation of 2 top BBC execs
📉 Japan’s Economy Shrinks 1.8%, Blames US Tariffs
Japan’s economy; sank 1.8% (annualised) in Q3
Govt data; blames spiralling exports
Cause: President Trump’s tariffs
🌊 Gaza Floods Worsen Crisis; Truce “Uncertain”
Heavy rains; flood displaced persons’ tents in Khan Younis
Israeli PM; tells cabinet truce is “uncertain”
As if war and starvation weren’t enough, Gaza is now flooding. Meanwhile, the politicians who manage the “truce” are openly saying it’s about to fail.
4. The Uplift & The Breakthrough
🔬 ICMR Discovers “Genetic Switch” for Pregnancy
Indian scientists; discover key genetic switch
HOXA10-TWIST2 genes; control embryo implantation
Could improve; IVF success rates
Indian scientists just figured out how the “gate” in the womb opens for an embryo. A monumental leap for fertility science.
⓶ And Then What?:Write: This discovery moves fertility treatment from a game of chance (implantation) to a game of timing. It will spawn a new generation of pre-IVF diagnostic tests that check the “switch,” creating a multi-billion dollar new industry.
🥇 Dhanush Srikanth Wins Deaflympics Gold, Sets World Record
Indian shooter; Dhanush Srikanth
Wins gold; 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo
Sets new World Record; 252.2 points
Defends title
6. DEEP DIVE
The Government Is Launching an Audit... of Your Happiness
The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG)—the nation’s highest bean-counter—has announced it will audit the “ease of living” in 101 major Indian cities.
My first instinct, and yours, is probably to laugh. This sounds like peak bureaucracy. The CAG, a body famous for auditing multi-billion-dollar fighter jet deals and exposing tax revenue black holes, will now create a report on “citizen-centric dimensions” like “infrastructure availability, environmental sustainability, and local economic growth”.
We don’t need an audit to tell us what we already know. We know the air is unbreathable, the traffic is medieval, and the public parks are shrinking.
But this is where it gets interesting. This isn’t just another report destined to gather dust on a shelf. This is the CAG. Its reports have constitutional power. They are tabled in Parliament and form the non-negotiable basis for accountability.
And then what? This audit creates a new, non-political, data-driven “league table” for quality of life. It bypasses all political spin. When the CAG report ranks your city 95th out of 101 on “environmental sustainability,” the local municipal corporation can’t blame the opposition or “fake news.”
This creates a powerful new incentive for governance: shame.
This audit isn’t about measuring your happiness; it’s about weaponising objective data to force local governments to compete. It’s accountability, by spreadsheet. And for the 40 crore urban citizens this audit covers, it might be the only accountability they ever get.
Q: The CAG is launching an audit to rank 101 cities on “ease of living.” Is this a brilliant move to force accountability, or a colossal waste of time to tell us what we already know?
Reply with your thoughts.
Stay sharp,
Aditya S.
Editor, The India Brief
That landlord king analogy? Brilliant. Power dynamics laid bare.