17 pacts inked, India & Netherlands deepen ties to strategic partnership
Driven by shifting global geopolitics, India and the Netherlands elevated their ties to a strategic partnership and inked 17 agreements to boost cooperation in defence, critical minerals and other key sectors during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten. In their meeting on Saturday evening, the two Prime Ministers expressed deep concern over the situation in West Asia, especially its serious implications for the region and beyond in view of disruptions caused to the global energy supplies and trade networks. Modi and Jetten also called for freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, while opposing any “restrictive" measures, and reaffirmed their support for ongoing initiatives in this regard, according to a joint statement. Following the Modi-Jetten talks in The Hague on Saturday, India and the Netherlands unveiled a “strategic partnership roadmap" to boost ties in trade and investment, defence and security, critical and emerging technologies, including semiconductors, space, AI and quantum computing. The two leaders also launched an ambitious “India-Netherlands roadmap on the development of green hydrogen". Modi and Jetten agreed to explore possibilities of establishing a defence industrial roadmap to ensure joint manufacturing of defence equipment, systems, components and other key capabilities through transfer of technology and setting up of joint ventures. In the talks, the two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation in science and innovation, sustainability, health, agriculture, water management, climate change, energy transition, maritime development and people-to-people ties. The agreements inked between the two sides will provide for boosting cooperation in areas of semiconductors, critical minerals, health, water, renewable energy, agriculture and culture among others, according to the MEA. A key pact signed following the Modi-Jetten meeting was one on migration and mobility, which is expected to facilitate movement of Indians to the European nation for jobs and education.
From paper setters to Telegram groups, CBI traces multi-layer chain in NEET leak
The alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak appears to have travelled from inside the examination system to aspirants across states through a chain of insiders, intermediaries and coaching contacts, according to submissions made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court during the ongoing investigation. The court granted 14-day CBI custody of Pune-based botany professor Manisha Mandhare in connection with the paper leak case. The agency’s probe has pointed towards a phased operation that allegedly began with access to confidential question pools linked to the paper-setting and moderation process before reaching candidates days ahead of the May 3 examination. At the centre of the investigation is Mandhare, who, according to the agency, was associated with the examination process as a subject expert and allegedly had access to confidential botany and zoology question paper sets. Court proceedings have also linked retired chemistry professor PV Kulkarni to the chemistry paper-setting process. Investigators suspect that portions of the paper and answer keys were extracted from within the examination ecosystem and circulated through a network of accused persons.
The CBI told the court that Mandhare worked with Kulkarni and Pune-based accused Manisha Waghmare, her neighbour, and allegedly shared the paper with another accused, Shubham Khairnar. “PV Kulkarni provided questions to certain persons through Manisha Waghmare. They were in conspiracy with each other to collect and distribute the leaked question papers,” public prosecutor Neetu Singh informed the court earlier this week. According to the agency, Mandhare allegedly conducted special coaching sessions for select students at her Pune residence in April, where botany and zoology questions were dictated and marked in notebooks instead of being openly circulated. The probe further alleges that Ayurveda practitioner Dhananjay Lokhande acted as an intermediary in moving examination-related material beyond Pune. Investigators suspect the network later expanded through Khairnar and accused Yash Yadav, who allegedly circulated question papers in PDF format through Telegram on April 29. The alleged leak later spread to Rajasthan after Mangilal Biwal allegedly sought leaked papers for his son through the network for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.
