Morning Brief: Bharat Bandh Today As 25 Crore Workers Strike Nationwide; CDS Warns Of Emerging China-Pak-B’desh Axis; India’s Ties With Taliban Improving; And More

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Bharat Bandh Today as 25 Crore Workers Strike Nationwide

A massive all-India strike called by 10 central trade unions is expected to disrupt essential services today, with over 25 crore workers protesting the Centre’s “anti-worker, anti-farmer, pro-corporate” policies. The Bharat Bandh has support from farmers’ groups and informal sector workers, with major impacts likely in banking, postal, coal, transport, and power supply sectors.

Public sector employees from Railways, NMDC, and steel plants have also joined the protest. Trade unions oppose the new labour codes, privatisation, and rising contractualisation. While schools and private offices remain open, train delays and electricity disruption are possible. Leaders say the Centre has ignored their demands and failed to hold labour conferences for a decade.

CDS Warns Of Emerging China-Pak-B’desh Axis

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has warned of a growing convergence between China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, calling it a potential strategic concern for India. His remarks come just weeks after the first China-Pakistan-Bangladesh trilateral summit, which was held on 19 June in Kunming.

On Operation Sindoor, the recent limited war with Pakistan, he said India saw no unusual Chinese activity on the border but acknowledged Pakistan’s dependence on Chinese arms. He called the operation a form of “non-contact warfare” and rejected the idea that nuclear weapons deter conventional conflict. The CDS added that Operation Sindoor is currently “on pause,” but remains active and expandable if needed.

India’s Ties With Taliban Improving

India’s relations with the Afghan Taliban have improved significantly in recent months despite the absence of formal recognition, as seen in foreign minister S Jaishankar’s recent phone contact with Taliban counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi. India, along with China, abstained from a UN General Assembly vote on a resolution calling for political inclusion and an end to the Taliban’s repressive policies.

India’s UN envoy P Harish defended the abstention, citing Kabul’s condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and stressing that a “business as usual” punitive approach would not help the people of Afghanistan, who have suffered for decades. He called for targeted, initiatives and international pressure to prevent Pakistan Army-run terrorist groups like LeT and JeM from operating in Afghan territory.

Other Developments

Air India Crash Probe Focuses On Fuel Switches, Report Due Soon

Investigators probing the 12 June crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, which killed 241 people, have narrowed their focus to the aircraft’s fuel control switches. The plane lost altitude shortly after takeoff, and a preliminary report is expected by Friday, sources said. Black box data and Boeing simulations point to possible issues with the fuel switches, though no mechanical failure has been confirmed.

The cause, whether inadvertent, improper, or deliberate action, remains unclear. The investigation has faced criticism for opacity, though India has now allowed a UN aviation observer. The crash has raised questions about Air India’s safety culture and threatens the Tata Group’s efforts to revamp the airline into a global brand.

India Inc's Spending On CSR Triples In A Decade

India Inc’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending tripled over a decade to Rs 34,909 crore in 2023–24, up from Rs 10,066 crore in 2014–15, according to corporate affairs ministry data. Education and healthcare together accounted for over 55 per cent of the total spend last year, up from 44 per cent a decade earlier.

Traditional areas like rural development and sanitation saw reduced allocations, while sectors like animal welfare (up 310 per cent), senior citizen welfare (up 246 per cent), and art and culture (up 144 per cent) saw sharp increases between 2019–24. Companies with net worth over Rs 500 crore, turnover above Rs 1,000 crore, or net profit over Rs 5 crore must spend 2 per cent of their average past 3-year profits on CSR activities.

Trump Hardens Tariff Threats on Copper, Pharma, BRICS

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (8 July) doubled down on sweeping new tariffs, saying there would be no further extensions on country-specific levies set to kick in 1 August. He announced a 50 per cent tariff on copper imports and threatened a 200 per cent duty on pharmaceuticals unless companies shift production to the US within a year.

Trump also took fresh aim at the BRICS bloc, warning of an automatic 10% tariff on imports from any country aligned with the grouping, which he accused of being “set up to hurt us.” Despite earlier claims of progress with India and the EU on trade deals, he said penalties on both could still go ahead.

Markets reacted with caution as the rhetoric injected renewed uncertainty into global trade. Trump’s remarks followed a string of tariff letters to countries that haven’t signed trade deals with the US, as part of his “reciprocal tariff” strategy.

From The States

Sidda, DKS Head To Delhi Amid Buzz Of Leadership Shift

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar are set to meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday, as murmurs of a leadership change intensify. The meeting comes amid renewed calls from Shivakumar’s supporters for him to take over as CM, a demand the high command has so far brushed aside. “CM, AICC general secretaries, and I will hold a meeting to discuss party matters,” Shivakumar said Tuesday.

Asked whether Siddaramaiah would be offered the OBC committee chairmanship as a soft landing, Shivakumar deflected: “He is a prominent backward class leader.” The OBC committee meets in Bengaluru July 15. Siddaramaiah is expected to join Shivakumar in Delhi after the latter’s scheduled meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh.

Seat Talks Heat Up In Bihar As INDIA Bloc Eyes Broader Base

Seat-sharing talks within the INDI alliance in Bihar are intensifying, with pressure on the Congress to scale down from the 70 seats it contested in 2020. The CPI(ML)-Liberation is eyeing 30 seats this time, up from the 19 it fought last time, while the RJD faces calls to accommodate more allies to move beyond its Yadav-Muslim core.

Talks are on with the JMM, which wants to contest in areas bordering Jharkhand, and the VIP, which seeks over 10 seats appealing to Nishad communities. The bloc is also in discussions with Pashupati Paras’s RLJP to shore up Dalit representation, with the NDA already housing LJP(RV), HAM(S), and BSP.

Punjab: AAP Courts Sikh Hardliners With Tough Sacrilege Bill

In a move seen as appeasing Sikh religious hardliners, the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has drafted a controversial anti-sacrilege bill that proposes life imprisonment if desecration of holy scriptures leads to riots or deaths. The new act also bars parole or furlough for those defaulting on fines of up to Rs 20 lakh.

The draft law holds parents and guardians accountable if juveniles or differently abled individuals under their care commit sacrilege. It criminalises abetment, conspiracy, and disruption of religious practices. Scriptures covered include the Guru Granth Sahib, Quran, Bible, and Gita. A second conviction could mean life in prison for the remainder of one’s natural life.

You’re all caught up—until next time.