Morning Digest: Key News Highlights for July 18, 2025

Rapid Summary

• India has criticized “double standards” as U.S. lawmakers consider a bill imposing 500% duties on countries importing Russian oil, including India.
• The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) flagged a high failure rate in Aadhaar biometric verification, urging a review of UIDAI’s functioning due to exclusion risks for welfare beneficiaries.
• The Supreme Court upheld property rights for legal heirs of Scheduled Tribe women in ancestral assets.
• The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) appealed against premature narratives concerning the air India crash on June 12, targeting international media for unverified reporting.
• Bangladesh denied ties between filmmaker Satyajit Ray and a condemned house in Mymensingh district deemed structurally unsafe.
• The U.S. designated The resistance Front-a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy allegedly responsible for the Pahalgam attack-as a foreign terrorist organization.
• In a custody dispute involving an Indian father and Russian mother, the Supreme Court directed police to trace their child and issued restrictions preventing the mother from leaving India with the minor.
• Following Gopalganj clashes in Bangladesh, India’s call emphasized that upcoming Bangladeshi elections should be inclusive with participation from all groups.

Indian Opinion Analysis
India’s caution over “double standards” related to sanctions on Russian oil reflects broader concerns about equitable global policies amidst geopolitical tensions; balancing domestic energy needs against international pressures remains critical for India’s strategic autonomy and economic stability.

The PAC critique of Aadhaar highlights systemic flaws that risk excluding vulnerable populations from welfare schemes-a potential gap policymakers must address promptly to ensure equitable access.

The Supreme Court’s ruling reinforces equality principles within tribal communities but could initiate discussions about broader inheritance laws across underrepresented groups.

AAIB’s appeal reflects institutional eagerness for accuracy following aviation tragedies which attract intense scrutiny; criticism toward selective media narratives underscores challenges posed by misinformation during sensitive investigations.

India’s appeal over Bangladeshi election inclusivity aligns with its regional diplomacy stance but warrants careful navigation due to cross-border sensitivities post-clashes like those witnessed in Gopalganj.

With shifting global stances such as U.S.’s designation of terror entities tied indirectly to Pakistan-based handlers (e.g., Resistance front), counterterrorism strategies may increasingly intersect diplomatic frameworks where India’s security collaborations appear vital yet strategically complex.

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