image sourced from original article at A major controversy has unfolded in India's scientific community following the suspension of Israel from the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics held in Mumbai. Nearly 300 scientists have petitioned the government, accusing faculty from leading institutes of misusing the event to advance political activism and calling for accountability to prevent future politicisation of scientific forums.
The petitioners argue that the boycott has damaged India's diplomatic standing and undermined its reputation as a neutral host for international scientific events. They stress the importance of maintaining strong ties with Israel for scientific collaboration and warn that such incidents could harm India's global image.
Conversely, those supporting the suspension cite Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza and restrictions on Palestinian participation as justification. Their resolution allows Israeli students to compete individually but bars official state representation until Israel complies with international law, emphasizing the need for all nations to respect human rights in line with the Olympic spirit.
