Morning Brief: China Delays Magnet Export Talks With India After Blocking Supply; India To Fast-Track Launch Of 52 Defence Satellites; Monsoon Covers Entire Country Nine Days Early

Kick-start your morning with Swarajya’s Morning Brief – your news fix, curated for clarity and insight.

After Choking Supplies, China Delays Magnet Talks

A delegation of Indian auto industry representatives is yet to depart for China as it awaits formal clearance from the Chinese commerce ministry to discuss the import of rare earth magnets, ET has reported. Though 40–50 executives received visas last month, no official appointments have been granted by Chinese authorities so far.

Facing mounting shortages, the Indian automobile sector has sought urgent government intervention, warning that continued delays could lead to production losses. “Not a single license has been issued to us so far,” a senior industry official said, noting that the situation has become critical. Apart from rare-earth magnets, China has also blocked exports of specialty fertilisers and tunnel boring machines. Components for solar panels and electric vehicle batteries have also faced unexplained delays.

India to Fast-Track Launch of 52 Defence Satellites

India is accelerating the rollout of 52 dedicated defence surveillance satellites following Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the need for deeper and more persistent monitoring of adversary territory. Cleared last October at a cost of Rs 26,968 crore, the Space-Based Surveillance Phase-3 programme will see the launch of 21 satellites by ISRO and 31 by private companies. The first satellite is expected to lift off by April next year, with the full constellation targeted for completion by the end of 2029.

The project, led by the Defence Space Agency, aims to significantly reduce revisit times over key regions in China, Pakistan, and the Indian Ocean. Officials said efforts are underway to finalise a military space doctrine to match evolving threats. During Operation Sindoor, India had to depend heavily on commercial foreign satellites for real-time intelligence, highlighting the need for better domestic capabilities.

Monsoon Covers Entire Country 9 Days Early

The southwest monsoon covered the entire country on Sunday (29 June), nine days ahead of the usual 8 July timeline, marking the earliest nationwide arrival since 2020, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. It reached Delhi two days early and has now advanced into all remaining parts of Rajasthan, west Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to persist across most of northwest, central, east, and northeast India over the next week. This year, the monsoon arrived over Kerala on 24 May 24, the earliest since 2009, though it experienced an 18-day pause before resuming progress. The IMD has forecast above-normal rainfall for the June–September season, which is vital for India’s agriculture sector and water resources.

Other Developments

Political Orders Not To Hit Military Sites Led To Losses On 7 May

India lost some fighter jets during its 7 May strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK because the political leadership had barred attacks on military installations and air defences, India’s defence attache to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, said at a seminar in Jakarta. His remarks, echoing Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan’s earlier admission of “initial losses,” have reignited political criticism from the Congress.

Captain Kumar stated that once the IAF changed tactics and targeted military assets, including radar sites, subsequent strikes went through successfully. The Indian embassy in Indonesia later clarified that his remarks were taken out of context and emphasised that the armed forces operate under civilian leadership and the objective of Operation Sindoor was limited to neutralising terror infrastructure.

Record $135 Billion Sent Home By Indians Abroad In FY25

Indians abroad sent home a record $135.46 billion in FY25, a 14 per cent jump from the previous year. Remittances have more than doubled in eight years and now make up over 10 per cent of India’s $1 trillion gross current account inflows, with the the US, the UK, and Singapore accounting for 45 per cent of the total.

These inflows have consistently surpassed foreign direct investment, highlighting their role as a stable source of external financing and a key buffer for India’s trade deficit, which stood at $287 billion. India continues to be the world’s top recipient of remittances, receiving nearly twice as much as Mexico and almost three times as much as China. 

Railways to Revamp Ticketing System

Indian Railways is set to overhaul its ticketing system to improve predictability for waitlisted passengers, starting with releasing the list of confirmed passengers eight hours before train departure, up from the current four. The move, to be implemented in phases, is aimed at helping passengers from remote areas plan better and make alternative arrangements if needed.

A modern passenger reservation system (PRS) capable of handling over 150,000 bookings and four million enquiries per minute will be operational by December 2025. From 1 July, only authenticated users will be allowed to book ‘tatkal’ tickets via IRCTC, with OTP-based login required during the peak windows.

Iran Could Resume Enrichment In Months Despite US Strikes

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has said Iran could resume uranium enrichment within months, contradicting former President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that Tehran's capabilities had been destroyed or set back by years. The US strike inflicted “severe but not total” damage on Iran’s nuclear sites, he said, adding, “One cannot claim that everything has disappeared.”

His assessment aligns with European intelligence agencies and a recent US Defense Intelligence Agency report, which estimated the attacks delayed Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months. While centrifuges were knocked out, Iran may still be able to restore key capabilities. Trump, however, has insisted that the operation “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, and has dismissed reports to the contrary.

From The States

Fadnavis Blames Uddhav, But Rolls Back Hindi Option

Facing backlash over alleged Hindi imposition, the Maharashtra government has scrapped two orders that gave the option of Hindi as the third language in primary schools. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a committee headed by educationist Narendra Jadhav will now review the issue and consult stakeholders before a fresh policy is decided.

Fadnavis blamed the Uddhav Thackeray-led government for first accepting Hindi as the third language, citing the Mashelkar Committee report. Uddhav Thackeray hit back, accusing the BJP of trying to divide Marathi speakers and announced that his party will now turn its 5 July protest into a “victory march.”

Bihar Electoral Roll Revision Sparks Political Clash

The Election Commission of India’s exercise to revise the voter roll in Bihar has sparked a political row. Over one crore enumeration forms have been distributed across the state, with the ECI saying the effort is aimed at cleaning up the rolls ahead of upcoming elections. Opposition parties, especially the RJD and Congress, have alleged it is a politically motivated move to delete legitimate voters.

RJD MP Manoj Jha compared the process to the NRC in Assam, accusing the ECI of using unverified claims of infiltration to justify the revision. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said he has asked Lalu Prasad to coordinate with Mallikarjun Kharge and seek time from the ECI. Meanwhile, NDA allies including the BJP, JDU, LJP (RV), HAM, and RLM have strongly supported the exercise, calling it essential for electoral transparency.

TMC Infighting Erupts Over Kolkata Rape Case

The rape of a law student in Kolkata has triggered internal strife within the Trinamool Congress, with controversial remarks by some leaders drawing public outrage and disciplinary action. MLA Madan Mitra has been served a show-cause notice after suggesting the crime could have been avoided if the student had taken friends along—remarks the party later disowned as his personal opinion.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee openly criticised the party’s stance, accusing it of indirectly shielding culprits and vowing to distance himself from such leaders. Meanwhile, Opposition parties including the BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) held torch rallies across Kolkata on Sunday demanding justice, with BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar alleging systemic exploitation of women by TMC’s student wing.

You’re all caught up—until next time.