An Iranian strike on Kuwait International Airport early on Wednesday resulted in the death of the Indian national and injuries to several others. The strike was part of the latest back-and-forth attacks by Iran and the US.

Reacting to the incident, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said: “We condemn the attack on Kuwait International Airport today in which an Indian national has died and several of our nationals are injured.”

“Since the onset of the conflict in West Asia, we have strongly urged that the civilian population and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. We again call upon the parties to cease such attacks,” the MEA said.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait is extending all possible assistance to those injured. “Indian missions and posts across the region are on alert and continue to proactively support our community,” the MEA

The US on Wednesday has proposed to impose 12.5 per cent tax on India, including China, the UK, and Japan after a USTR trade investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 found that these nations had failed to enforce legal restrictions on importation goods that were produced exclusively or in part with forced labour.

The action comes after 60 countries were the subject of investigations by United States Trade Representative (USTR) for allegedly failing to enact and successfully enforce bans on imports created using forced labour.

“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable. This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevelled playing field,” USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer said in a statement.

“We will no longer tolerate this disparity,” he added.

However, USTR suggested a lower rate of 10 percent for six nations — Pakistan, Canada, Ecuador, the European Union (EU), Indonesia, and Mexico.

It has claimed that these nations have shown a commitment to addressing forced labor imports and have pledged to impose and enforce a prohibition on forced labor imports through a formal Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the US.

Meanwhile, India’s Commerce Ministry said India remains engaged with the US on the matter as a part of Section 301 proceedings. Also, India is also parallelly engaged with the US for finalisation of a framework agreement which was announced on February 2, and in accordance with the joint statement released on February 7.

“The proposed tariffs are not yet final and stakeholders can submit requests to participate in public hearings by June 22. Written comments can be submitted until July 6. Public hearings will be held on July 7. USTR will consider the comments and testimony received before taking a final decision on the proposed measures,” according to the statement issued by the Commerce Ministry.

Products covered under section 232 tariffs and certain other products are excluded from these tariff proposals. A special mechanism has also been proposed for textile and apparel products that could allow a certain volume of imports from selected economies to enter the US at lower tariff rates, it added.

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (Trade Act), is designed to address unfair foreign acts, policies, or practices affecting US commerce. It may be used to respond to unjustifiable, unreasonable, or discriminatory foreign government acts, policies, or practices that burden or restrict US commerce.

Under Section 302(b) of the Trade Act, the Trade Representative may self-initiate an investigation under Section 301.

On March 12, 2026, USTR initiated 60 investigations related to the failure of various economies to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.

Pursuant to Section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Trade Act, USTR provided the public and interested persons with opportunities to present their views through a public comment process and through a public hearing.

USTR received testimony of nearly 60 witnesses and 500 comments and rebuttal comments.

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GOLDEN SAMPARK

Meet Colonel Archit Goswami: 4 Para SF Officer Whose Transfer Left Mizoram in Tears

In early May 2026, a video quietly broke the internet not because of explosions or action sequences, but because of something far more powerful: tears. Special needs students at Serchhip’s Shalom Special School (Vohbik School) in Mizoram, many of whom struggle to articulate words, were seen weeping uncontrollably, clinging to a man in uniform as he prepared to leave. Teachers wept. Parents wept. The man in fatigues — visibly moved — embraced each of them.

That man was Colonel Archit Goswami, SM, Commanding Officer of the 14th Battalion, Assam Rifles. A decorated Special Forces veteran. A counter-terrorism operative who had stared down hardcore terrorists in Kashmir. And, as Mizoram discovered, a deeply humane officer who had quietly transformed the lives of some of its most vulnerable children.

This is his story.

From the Elite Ranks of 4 Para SF,
Before the Northeast, before Assam Rifles, Colonel Archit Goswami was forged in one of the most demanding crucibles in Indian military service.

He belongs to the 4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) 4 Para SF, the unit whose operators are trained for surgical strikes, hostage rescues, and deep penetration missions that most soldiers never encounter. His service number, IC-69038P, marks a career that progressed steadily through Captain, Major, and Lieutenant Colonel before his elevation to Colonel.

Early in his career as a Major, he was handpicked as part of India’s Special Forces contingent for Exercise Vajra Prahar (2011) a prestigious bilateral Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) conducted alongside US Army Special Operations Forces at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington. Serving as an Assault Team Leader, he trained in Close Quarters Battle, Advanced Military Operations in Urban Terrain, explosive breaching, and Full Mission Profiles. It was an early signal that Goswami was among the finest the Indian Army had to offer.

The Operation That Earned Him a Sena Medal
Fast forward to 20 August 2019. Jammu & Kashmir. An active counter-terrorism operation in progress.
A group of heavily armed terrorists had barricaded themselves inside a target house. A local police personnel was trapped inside pinned, with no clear extraction route. Under intense enemy fire, the then-Major Archit Goswami did what Para SF officers are trained to do under the most extreme pressure: he moved forward.

He personally eliminated a hardcore terrorist and successfully extracted the trapped police personnel from the target house an act the citation described as reflecting “unflinching bravery and leadership of the highest order.”

The President of India formally approved the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for Major Archit Goswami, announced via PIB on 14 August 2020 Independence Day. It was a fitting occasion to honour a man who had placed his life between a terrorist’s weapon and a fellow security force member’s survival.

The Sena Medal (Gallantry) is not handed out lightly. It is awarded to officers who display individual acts of exceptional bravery in the face of the enemy. Colonel Goswami earned his in the most direct way possible.

The Northeast Chapter: Soldier, Guardian, Builder.
When Colonel Goswami took command of the 14th Battalion, Assam Rifles, his theatre of operations changed completely but his sense of mission did not.

The 14 Assam Rifles operates across the sensitive border districts of Nagaland and Mizoram, including stretches of the 510-kilometre Indo-Myanmar international border one of the most porous and narcotics-trafficked frontiers in South Asia.

Taking on the Drug Menace
Under his command, the battalion launched systematic crackdowns on drug syndicates smuggling high-volume methamphetamine and heroin through Champhai, Mizoram a key transit corridor for narcotics flowing in from Myanmar’s Golden Triangle. These weren’t token seizures. The operations dismantled smuggling networks and disrupted supply chains that had been poisoning border communities for years.

Beyond enforcement, Colonel Goswami understood that stopping supply alone was insufficient. He partnered with local organisations, including the Miraculum Society, to launch multi-district drug awareness campaigns targeting youth in border villages building community resistance at the grassroots level, where the real battle against addiction is fought.

Winning Hearts in Noklak
In Noklak, Nagaland, local communities including the Khiamniungan people organised a public farewell at the grounds, praising the battalion’s support and cooperation. They called the unit’s personnel “good Samaritans” and “real Friends of the Hill People.” Small gestures like arranging Sunday bus services for villagers travelling to church had accumulated into genuine, lasting goodwill.

The Farewell That Moved a Nation
But it was in Serchhip, Mizoram, that Colonel Goswami’s impact reached its most visible and most emotional expression.

During his tenure, he directed sustained support toward the Shalom Special School (Vohbik School), an institution serving specially-abled children. His support went beyond token gestures covering infrastructure development, structural improvements, and sustained engagement with the school’s students, teachers, and parents.

For children who often struggle to find champions in their corner, Colonel Goswami became exactly that.

When his transfer orders came through in May 2026, the school organised a farewell. What followed was not scripted. Students many with limited verbal ability wept openly. Teachers who had watched the Colonel quietly, consistently show up for their school broke down. Parents embraced him. The footage circulated across Indian social media platforms within hours, drawing messages of admiration from citizens and commentators across the country.

The Indian Army’s unofficial motto in the Northeast — “Friends of the Hill People” — is often used ceremonially. Colonel Goswami lived it.

he military is being used as a trust substitute to somehow restore the faith of the public. And the Prime Minister having to “personally monitor” undergraduate admissions to medical colleges can hardly be a sign of good governance

In the wake of the Neet-UG question paper leak, the State’s response has been astounding. The Union education minister has said that the help of the Indian Air Force will be sought for the secure transportation of examination question papers ahead of the re-exam on June 21. And the Supreme Court has been told that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is monitoring the Neet situation. The IAF, in addition to securing Indian airspace, will now also protect Indian examination space. The decision to induct the IAF not only shows the loss of faith in the civil administration by the public, but by the government itself. The military is being used as a trust substitute to somehow restore the faith of the public. And the Prime Minister having to “personally monitor” undergraduate admissions to medical colleges can hardly be a sign of good governance. It is in fact the opposite. For a government that swears by good governance, the institutional architecture should be healthy and the chain of responsibility self-executing. The Prime Minister should not even be bothered with these processes. This is what a competent education minister and professional bureaucracy should be handling. That the Prime Minister has to step in suggests that the system has failed so completely that only the highest office in the country can be trusted to manage it. Also Read – Anita Anand | The Romance And The Tragedy Of The Monsoon In India

his is not all. Nisarga Adhikary, a 19-year-old Class 12 student from West Bengal and hobbyist cybersecurity dabbler, breached the Central Board of Secondary Education’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal — used by examiners to assess scanned answer sheets on a computer — in less than an hour. He proved that the digital security is so poor that anyone can impersonate an examiner and change a student’s grades.

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/columnists/bharat-bhushan-exam-mess-rattles-futures-can-iaf-pm-rebuild-trust-1960421

Five alumni of Mohali’s Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI) graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, on May 30.

The passing-out parade was reviewed by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi.

The cadets, Jaskirtan Singh of Sangrur, Manjot Singh Walia and Dhruv Bhandari of Jalandhar, Harshdeep Singh of Patiala and Parth Kavi of Mohali, completed the gruelling three-year training at the NDA following two years of foundational grooming at the Mohali institute.

Much of their preparatory training at the institute took place during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic period.

They will now join their respective service training academies, where they are slated to be commissioned within the next year.

n a landmark moment for Punjab, five former cadets of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI), SAS Nagar, graduated from the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Pune today. The passing out parade of the historic 150th NDA Course was reviewed by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM.

The five cadets including Jaskirtan Singh of Sangrur, Manjot Singh Walia & Dhruv Bhandari of Jalandhar, Harshdeep Singh of Patiala and Parth Kavi of Mohali, have completed a gruelling three-year training at the NDA following two years of foundational grooming at MRSAFPI. Notably, much of their preparatory training at the institute took place during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic period, a testament to their resilience. They will now join their respective service training academies, where they are slated to be commissioned as officers in the Indian Armed Forces within the next year.

Extending heartiest congratulations to the cadets, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that these young men have brought glory to Punjab. Their success is a powerful validation of Chief Minister S Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government’s initiative to prepare our youth for the nation’s defence services. He exhorted them to continue serving with unwavering commitment and make the state proud.

Major General Ajay H. Chauhan, VSM, Director of MRSAFPI, said that the momentum will continue as another 25 cadets are scheduled for their SSB interviews. The achievements of AFPIANs are a matter of pride for this institution and for all of Punjab. 

General NS Raja Subramani took charge as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on Sunday while Admiral Krishna Swaminathan assumed office as the new Navy Chief, marking a change at the top of the military hierarchy.

The Army is expected to get a new Chief as General Upendra Dwivedi is set to superannuate on June 30. General Subramani succeeds General Anil Chauhan, who completed his tenure as the country’s senior-most military officer on Saturday. Admiral Swaminathan succeeds Admiral DK Tripathi, who superannuated today.

The appointment of the new CDS comes weeks after outgoing CDS General Chauhan, submitted a formal proposal to the Ministry of Defence on having geographically defined areas designated as ‘theatre commands’ – with a military commander heading it and controlling all war-fighting assets like planes, copter, guns, tanks, equipment and manpower.

General Subramani faces the task of converting the theatre command blueprint into an operational reality and ensuring it shortens the decision-making loop for a simultaneous two-front scenario with Pakistan and China.

Soon after taking charge, General Subramani laid down his targets saying “strengthening the transformation of the armed forces and carrying out organisational reforms to improve tri-services integration and coordination would be among his top priorities”.

The new CDS said he aimed to accelerate the development, induction and integration of indigenous weapons in the armed forces.

Meanwhile, Admiral Swaminathan said: “It shall be my highest priority to ensure that the Navy maintains the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness so that it can protect the nation’s security and economic interests”.

The Navy stands vigilant to protect national interests wherever they are and is very actively deployed in a regional security environment that continues to remain challenging, complex, unpredictable, and uncertain, he added.

General Subramani is the third Army officer to serve as CDS, after General Bipin Rawat and General Chauhan.

A graduate of the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, he was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985.

General Subramani’s tenure is three years and it overlaps with the recent urgency in efforts by India-China to work out a solution for their disputed boundary. The military will be advising the government on contours of the boundary along the Himalayas, if that is to be demarcated.

He is one-year junior to Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who are due to retire in June and October, respectively. But with his appointment to four-star rank, he is ‘first among equals’ vis-a-vis the three service chiefs.

Admiral Swaminathan is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, United Kingdom, the College of Naval Warfare in Karanja, and the US Naval War College in Rhode Island.

His tenure starts as India moves towards finalising a deal to build next-generation conventional submarines in collaboration with Germany.

He succeeds Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who retired from service

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan accorded a Guard of Honour during a ceremony marking his assumption of charge as India’s new Chief of the Naval Staff, in New Delhi, Sunday, May 31, 2026. PTI

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Sunday assumed charge as India’s new chief of the Naval Staff amid a fast-evolving regional maritime security scenario.

He succeeds Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who retired from service. Admiral Swaminathan was serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command before taking charge of the top post.

The new Navy chief, speaking to reporters, described the regional security environment as “challenging, complex, and unpredictable” and asserted that maintaining peak operational readiness will be his highest priority.

“The Indian Navy stands vigilant to protect national interests wherever they are and is very actively deployed in a regional security environment that continues to remain challenging, complex, unpredictable and uncertain,” he told reporters.

“It shall be my highest priority to ensure that the Indian Navy maintains the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness so that it can protect the nation’s security and economic interests,” he said.

Admiral Swaminathan said the Indian Navy is well set on a course of capability enhancement and modernisation.

“It shall be my endeavour to sustain the growth momentum of the Navy, consolidate all ongoing programs, scale up where required, and sharpen our operational capabilities through the induction of niche and emerging technologies,” he said.

“I will devote every single day of my life to making the Navy a better, stronger, sharper, and more impactful service so that it can serve the interests of national security, national development, and national economic prosperity,” he added.

Admiral Swaminathan said the Navy is deeply committed to jointness, ‘Atmanirbharata’ and indigenisation. He also praised Admiral Tripathi describing him as one of the “finest” military professionals globally.

Admiral Swaminathan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987 and is a specialist in communication and electronic Warfare.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the US Naval War College, Newport.

The Army has started disciplinary proceedings against a Major General and a number of other officers for allegedly accepting bribes to select officer candidates for the armed forces at the Service Selection Centre, Kapurthala.

Section 123 of the Army Act was invoked against the Major General, who headed the centre, on Sunday as it was his last day of service, to enable the Army to conduct court-martial proceedings against him, sources said.

The section empowers the Army to recall retired or discharged personnel accused of committing an offence while serving in the military so that proceedings under the Act can be conducted against them.

The Major General was attached to Headquarters Delhi Area earlier this month, while about 20 other officers, some of whom have retired, have been attached to different formations.

Following an initial probe by Military Intelligence into certain officers allegedly accepting illegal gratification, ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh, to select candidates, the Additional Directorate General of Discipline and Vigilance at Army Headquarters approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2021 for a detailed investigation into the scam.

The CBI conducted searches at 30 locations across India in connection with the case, including Delhi, Kapurthala, Bathinda, Kaithal, Palwal, Lucknow, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, Guwahati and Jorhat. An FIR filed by the CBI named 23 individuals, including Army officers.

The scam allegedly revolved around clearing candidates who had been temporarily rejected on medical grounds by fraudulently passing them through the review medical board. One of the jawans involved allegedly compiled a list of such rejected candidates who could then be approached.

A “high-caliber” bomb was successfully tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Sunday at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Ramgarh near Chandigarh.

The test was conducted amid comprehensive security arrangements and strict adherence to established safety protocols, DRDO officials said. Explosive trials have been carried out by TBRL several times in the past. The explosion sound was heard several kilometers away.

Senior Air Force officers were also present, implying that the tested bomb was meant to comprise the warhead for IAF missiles or other air-dropped munitions.

In view of the test, the Panchkula Administration had already issued a high alert and urged residents of nearby villages and habitats to remain indoors on Sunday morning.

As part of the security protocol, special surveillance was maintained in the surrounding areas. TBRL had cautioned that bomb fragments could fly up to a height of 1.5 km and spread over a radius of two km from the detonation site.

A DRDO establishment under its armaments cluster, TBRL is engaged in the ballistics evaluation of warheads and projectiles. It conducts research in the fields of high explosives, detonators, shock waves and assessing the terminal effects of ammunition, and is also involved in evolving data and design parameters for new armaments.

TBRL has been closely involved in India’s nuclear weapons development and missile programmes and is also associated with the Indian Space Research Organisation, evaluating special parachutes and other equipment for the upcoming Gaganyaan manned space mission.

Apart from evaluation and research, TBRL has developed several products such as a baffle range for small arms firing training, hand grenade, liquid armour and non-lethal bullets, obstacle busting devices and specialised ammunition storage facilities. Some of its products and technologies are also used by the para-military forces and the police, as well as civilian agencies.