Jul-2025

• Why: Developed countries often try to downplay older agreements to reduce their obligations.

• Why: This upholds the principle of CBDR&RC and rejects attempts to dilute historical responsibilities.

• Why: CBDR-RC is crucial for equitable burden-sharing in climate action.

• Why: This is controversial as the world is likely to exceed 1.5°C soon, and it’s unusual for implementation decisions to change treaty terms.

• Why: This limits enforceability, as success isn’t legally mandated, though the ICJ suggested conduct obligations can be stringent.

• Why: This limits the practical application of climate action for developing nations.

• Why: India’s existing legal framework and enforcement capacity need enhancement to meet potential new demands and ensure compliance.

Maharashtra Govt. Directive: Maharashtra government issued guidelines restricting state employees’ social media use, banning criticism of government policies and sharing confidential documents without approval. Violations face disciplinary action.

• Why in News: This directive reignited the debate on ethical digital conduct for public servants, paralleling an advisory from LBSNAA for civil servants on caution and integrity online.

Key Pillars of Ethical Digital Conduct:

• Transparency: Clear, accessible digital communications build public trust.
• Accountability: Public servants are responsible for their online actions.
• Impartiality: Avoiding bias and maintaining political neutrality online is crucial.
• Integrity: Honesty and fairness in all digital interactions are paramount.

Regulation Justification:

• Pro-Regulation: Preserves political neutrality, protects sensitive information, maintains institutional integrity, and prioritizes public interest.
• Anti-Overregulation: Risks violating freedom of expression, erodes transparency and public scrutiny, creates a generational disconnect, and can harm morale.

Existing Regulatory Mechanisms:

• Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964: Prohibits criticism of government and mandates political neutrality.
• All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968: Mandates dignified conduct and prohibits information disclosure.
• RTI Act, 2005 & Official Secrets Act, 1923: Protect classified information.

Promoting Ethical Digital Conduct:

• Frame clear, specific guidelines distinguishing personal from official.
• Promote constructive social media use for public awareness and grievance redressal.
• Integrate digital ethics training for all employees.
• Implement department-specific protocols.
• Use graded accountability mechanisms.
• Reinforce virtue-based self-regulation (restraint, integrity).

• Why: This aims to enhance the accuracy and relevance of macroeconomic statistics, facilitating better policy formulation and analysis by reflecting the current economic structure.

• Why: Similar to GDP, this update ensures the IIP accurately represents the current industrial landscape.

• Why: This recalibration will make the CPI a more precise measure of inflation by reflecting current consumption patterns.

• GDP: Measures the total monetary value of all final goods and services produced domestically. It’s a demand-side measure.
• GVA: Measures the value added in the production process by different sectors. It’s a supply-side measure, calculated at basic prices (excluding product taxes and subsidies). Sectoral performance is first gauged through GVA.

50% Decline in Coral Cover: A 24-year study found Lakshadweep’s coral cover dropped from 37.24% in 1998 to 19.6% in 2022.

• Why in News: This alarming drop highlights the severe impact of climate change on these vital ecosystems.

Key Findings:

• Marine Heatwaves Drive Loss: El Nino events (1998, 2010, 2016) and climate change are primary causes, slowing reef recovery.
• Six Coral Response Clusters: Corals show varied responses to heatwaves, recovery rates, depth, and wave exposure.
• Local Factors Matter: Wave exposure and depth influence reef resilience and recovery, but global emission cuts are crucial for recovery time.

Key Reasons for Depletion:

• Rising Sea Temperatures: Heatwaves cause bleaching by disrupting coral-algae symbiosis.
• Ocean Acidification: Increased CO₂ weakens coral skeletons.
• Pollution & Runoff: Fertilizers and sewage promote algal blooms; sedimentation blocks sunlight.
• Human Activities: Destructive fishing and tourism damage reefs.

Implications:

• Biodiversity Loss: Threatens 25% of marine life, impacting fisheries and food webs.
• Economic Impact: Hurts tourism and coastal economies reliant on reefs.
• Reduced Coastal Protection: Reefs are natural barriers against erosion and storms.
• Lost Scientific Discoveries: Potential medicines from coral species are at risk.
• Water Quality & Climate Regulation: Degraded reefs impair water filtration and carbon cycling.

Measures:

• Tackle Climate Change: Reduce carbon emissions and protect blue carbon ecosystems.
• Reduce Local Stressors: Control pollution, ban destructive fishing, enforce MPAs.
• Active Restoration: Coral gardening, artificial habitats, super-corals.
• Community-Led Conservation: Promote eco-tourism, reef-friendly practices, alternative livelihoods.

Magnitude 8.8 Earthquake: A powerful earthquake struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

• Why it’s news: It was one of the strongest earthquakes in recent history, with only five quakes of magnitude 8.5+ occurring globally in the last 20 years. The last similar event in Kamchatka was in 1952.

Location on the Ring of Fire: The quake occurred on the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt, also known as the Ring of Fire.

• Why it’s news: This zone is responsible for 80% of the world’s strongest earthquakes and 75% of volcanoes, making Kamchatka a highly active seismic region.

Caused by Subduction: The earthquake was triggered by the Pacific Plate subducting (diving) beneath surrounding plates.

• Why it’s news: Subduction zones are the primary cause of high-magnitude earthquakes, and the Pacific Ocean bed is the most seismically active area due to this continuous tectonic process.

Tsunami Generated: The earthquake triggered tsunami waves, reaching 3-4 meters in parts of Kamchatka and 2 feet in Hawaii.

• Why it’s news: Tsunamis are a significant secondary hazard of undersea earthquakes, particularly those caused by vertical displacement of the seafloor in subduction zones.

No Casualties Reported: Despite significant flooding from the tsunami, no casualties were reported.

• Why it’s news: This is a positive outcome that highlights preparedness or the specific nature of the flooding.

Geographical Context: Kamchatka is part of the Circum-Pacific Belt, which also includes vulnerable regions like Japan, Chile, and Alaska.

• Why it’s news: This places the Kamchatka event within a broader pattern of seismic activity affecting numerous populated coastlines.

Unknown Domain Structure: The specific structural details of the affected area’s crust were not fully understood.

• Why it’s news: This suggests a knowledge gap in understanding the precise geological conditions that led to or were impacted by the earthquake, potentially affecting future risk assessment.

Why in News: The NISAR satellite, a joint Earth observation mission by NASA and ISRO, was launched from Sriharikota by ISRO’s GSLV-F16 rocket on July 30, 2025.

Key Facts About NISAR:

• Joint Development: Developed by ISRO and NASA.
• Dual-Frequency SAR: First satellite to use L-band (NASA) and S-band (ISRO) radar from a single platform.
• Technical Features: Uses a 12-meter unfurlable antenna and SweepSAR technology for high-resolution, all-weather imaging with a 242 km swath.
• Launch Vehicle: GSLV Mk II (GSLV-F16), marking the first time GSLV is used for a sun-synchronous polar orbit mission.
• Mission Life: 5 years.
• Objectives: Monitor land changes, track ground deformation (earthquakes, landslides), measure forest biomass/carbon stock, monitor agriculture, assess wetland changes, and study cryosphere dynamics.
• Data Access: Data will be freely accessible within 1-2 days, or near real-time for emergencies.

Significance for India:

• Indo-US Ties: Strengthens India-US space cooperation and India’s global science partnerships (‘Vishwa Bandhu’).
• Applications: Aids disaster management, agriculture, and climate monitoring.
• Technological Advancement: Showcases ISRO’s growing technical capabilities.
• Global Contribution: Provides critical data for global scientific research and decision-making, especially for developing countries.

• Why: This signals a significant push to revive a project conceived over 40 years ago, amidst India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.

• Why: India aims to leverage its rights for water utilization when the treaty is in abeyance, maximizing benefits from the Chenab River.

• Why: This substantial investment highlights the project’s scale and national importance, with benefits expected for J&K and the entire nation.

• Why: This crucial clearance removes a major hurdle, allowing the project to move forward after past delays.

• Why: The current revival suggests these past obstacles, including compensation and relocation issues, have been addressed, enabling progress.

• Why: This recognition underscores its significance for India’s energy security and water management strategy.

INS Satpura Participates in SIMBEX-25: The Indian Naval Ship Satpura has arrived in Singapore for the 32nd edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX-25).

• Why in News: This marks a significant event in the ongoing maritime cooperation between India and Singapore.

Focus on Bilateral Partnership: SIMBEX-25 underscores the strong and enduring maritime partnership between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), celebrating 60 years of bilateral ties.

• Why in News: It highlights the deepening strategic trust and professional synergy between the two nations.

Comprehensive Exercise Structure: The exercise includes a Harbour Phase with Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs), professional interactions, and operational discussions, alongside a Sea Phase featuring advanced naval operations.

• Why in News: This demonstrates the commitment to enhancing interoperability and operational coordination through a wide range of complex drills.

Alignment with India’s Vision: The exercise aligns with India’s ‘MAHASAGAR’ vision and Act East Policy, emphasizing robust engagement with neighboring countries.

• Why in News: It signifies India’s strategic approach to regional security and its commitment to a rules-based maritime order.

Advanced Naval Operations: The Sea Phase includes air defense exercises, cross-deck helicopter operations, precision targeting, complex maneuvering drills, and VBSS operations.

• Why in News: These advanced operations are crucial for enhancing collective maritime security capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.

Rupee Depreciates Significantly: The Indian rupee fell by 61 paise, closing at ₹87.42 against the US dollar, marking its biggest single-day drop in nearly three months.

Cause: Trump Tariffs: US President Donald Trump’s warning of 20-25% tariffs on Indian goods created market uncertainty.

Contributing Factors:

• Month-end dollar demand.
• Aggressive selling by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) amounting to ₹16,370 crore in a week.
• Increased dollar demand from importers, particularly oil companies.
• A globally stronger US dollar.

Impact on Inflation: A depreciating rupee makes imports like oil, electronics, and capital goods more expensive, potentially fueling imported inflation (cost-push inflation).

Broader Economic Impact:

• Exports: Boosted competitiveness (positive).
• Imports: Become more costly (negative).
• Current Account Deficit: May worsen.
• Foreign Investment: Could be deterred if perceived instability increases.

RBI Intervention: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may sell US dollars from its reserves to stabilize the rupee and curb imported inflation. Monetary policy tools like increasing the repo rate can also be used to attract foreign capital and control inflation.

Why in News: Increased GLOF incidents in Nepal, driven by climate change, are raising concerns for India’s Himalayan Region (IHR), which has numerous vulnerable glacial lakes.

GLOF Cause: Sudden release of water from glacial lakes, often due to moraine dam failure. Climate change accelerates glacial melt, creating more lakes. Other causes include cloudbursts, avalanches, landslides, seismic activity, internal seepage, and unregulated infrastructure development.

India’s Vulnerability:

• IHR has over 7,500 glacial lakes, mostly above 4,500m, making them remote and difficult to monitor.
• Satellite data shows many glacial lakes have significantly expanded, increasing GLOF risk.
• Past GLOFs (Sikkim 2023, Uttarakhand 2013) caused widespread destruction of infrastructure, including hydropower projects, and loss of life.
• Lack of robust, real-time early warning systems due to high costs and difficult terrain.
• GLOFs damage infrastructure, reduce river carrying capacity, and increase downstream flood risk.

Mitigation Efforts:

• National GLOF Mitigation Programme: NDMA’s $20 million program targets 195 high-risk glacial lakes.
• Shift to Risk Reduction: Focus on pre-disaster mitigation rather than just post-disaster relief.
• Scientific Interventions: Expeditions use bathymetry, ERT, and UAVs for monitoring. Promoting indigenous technologies like SAR interferometry.
• Monitoring Systems: Installing Automated Weather and Water Stations (AWWS) for real-time data.
• Security Forces & Local Participation: ITBP personnel trained for manual early warnings; community engagement in planning and awareness.

Way Forward: Implement advanced monitoring, automated alerts, controlled drainage, develop resilient infrastructure, foster transboundary collaboration (especially with Nepal and China), and mandate GLOF impact assessments.

• Why: Limited capacity, budget, and outreach of the legal aid system.

• Why: Insufficient prioritisation of legal aid funding, with spending caps and restrictions on NALSA funds hindering flexibility.

• Why: Low budgets, irregular deployment, and inadequate pay disincentivize PLVs, impacting awareness and dispute resolution efforts.

• Why: Lack of coordination, limited lawyer participation in pro bono work, illiteracy, and insufficient legal awareness among the public hinder access.

• Why: While allocated significant funds, its long-term success and effectiveness in complementing the existing system are yet to be established.

• Why: Essential for economically weaker sections, marginalized communities, and vulnerable groups to secure legal representation and uphold fundamental rights.

• Why: To meet the constitutional promise of justice for all, the system requires enhanced support, improved outreach, and greater public engagement.

Road Project Stalled, Isolating Tribal Settlements: A crucial 13km road project connecting tribal settlements within Anamudi Shola National Park is stalled, severely impacting access to basic services for nearly 330 Muthuvan families.

Life-Threatening Consequences: The lack of proper roads led to an incident where an injured tribal woman had to be carried for six kilometers on a bamboo stretcher due to the absence of an ambulance, highlighting the life-threatening realities faced by these communities.

Development Obstruction Allegations: Local representatives allege the Forest Department is obstructing the road construction, citing the need for permissions through the Parivesh portal and redirecting allocated funds.

Impact on Education: The absence of a road forces children from these settlements to be relocated to hostels at a young age to attend school, preventing them from living with their families.

Forest Department’s Stance: The Munnar Wildlife Warden states that road construction requires 3.5 hectares of forestland. While one hectare can be provided by the DFO, further land requires an application through the Parivesh portal, and the department does not oppose the construction.

Park’s Significance: Anamudi Shola National Park is a biodiversity hotspot and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the highest peak in South India and critical for watershed conservation.

Unique Carbonate Chemistry: Ladakh’s hot springs, especially in Puga Valley, rapidly form calcium carbonate (travertine). This process preserves crucial organic molecules like amino acids and fatty acids, key to understanding the origin of life.

Real-World Prebiotic Reactor: The extreme conditions (high UV, temperature fluctuations) in Ladakh’s hot springs mimic early Earth and Mars, making them an ideal natural laboratory to study how life might have begun.

Extremophile Insights: Microbes found in these springs produce protective substances, offering clues to life’s adaptability and survival in harsh environments, relevant for astrobiology.

Astrobiological Significance for Mars: Similarities to Martian hydrothermal systems make Ladakh’s springs valuable for space science. They help guide missions by ISRO and NASA in searching for biosignatures on Mars by identifying how and where to look.

New Directions in Research: The findings support new research avenues in astrobiology, synthetic biology, and Mars exploration, enhancing India’s contribution to the search for extraterrestrial life.

Empirical Evidence for Carbonate Role: The study provides empirical evidence that natural travertine from Puga Hot Spring can trap and preserve prebiotic organic molecules, highlighting calcium carbonate as a potential natural template for origin-of-life chemistry.

Preservation Mechanism: The research reveals how organic molecules are preserved and potentially triggered by travertine formation in environments with high UV, relevant to early Earth conditions.

Two Consecutive Successful Flight-Tests: DRDO conducted back-to-back tests of the Pralay missile from Odisha’s coast on July 28 & 29, 2025. Why it’s news: Demonstrates reliability and successful validation of the missile system.

User Evaluation Trials: Tests were part of validating the missile’s maximum and minimum range capabilities. Why it’s news: Indicates the missile is progressing towards operational deployment by the Indian Armed Forces.

Pin-Point Accuracy: The missiles precisely followed trajectories and met all test objectives with high accuracy. Why it’s news: Highlights the effectiveness of its advanced guidance and navigation systems.

Indigenously Developed: Pralay is a solid propellant quasi-ballistic missile developed by DRDO labs with industry collaboration. Why it’s news: Showcases India’s growing indigenous defense manufacturing capabilities.

Key Features: Short-range (150-500 km), 500-1000 kg payload, can carry multiple warheads, and harder to intercept due to lower altitude flight and in-flight maneuvers. Why it’s news: Details the missile’s offensive capabilities and strategic advantages.

Armed Forces Boost: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated the missile will provide a technological boost to the armed forces. Why it’s news: Emphasizes the strategic importance of Pralay for national security.

Induction Soon: DRDO Chairman indicated successful Phase 1 tests pave the way for near-future induction. Why it’s news: Signals the missile’s operational readiness and impending deployment.

• Why it’s news: The SPUN Atlas reveals over 90% of critical mycorrhizal fungi areas are outside protected zones, highlighting a significant oversight in conservation efforts.

• Why it’s news: They aid plants in absorbing essential nutrients like phosphorus and sequester approximately 13 billion tonnes of CO2 annually (one-third of global fossil fuel emissions), vital for mitigating climate change.

• Why it’s news: Despite forming symbiotic relationships with over 80% of plant species and constituting up to 30% of soil microbial biomass, the fungal component of soil remains poorly understood.

• Why it’s news: The FAO’s Global Soil Biodiversity Observatory (GLOBSOB) launch at COP15 signifies a growing recognition of the importance of soil organisms and the need to integrate their protection into environmental policies.

• Carbon Sequestration: Store significantly more carbon (up to 394 tonnes/hectare) than terrestrial forests, locking it in soil for millennia, aiding climate change mitigation.
• Coastal Protection: Act as natural “bio-shields,” reducing wave energy and flood depths against storm surges, tsunamis, and erosion.
• Biodiversity Hotspots: Support diverse terrestrial/aquatic species, including Bengal tigers, and serve as nurseries for marine life.
• Economic & Livelihood Support: Vital for coastal economies, fishing, honey collection, and supporting livelihoods through the blue economy and food security.

• Land Conversion: Primarily for aquaculture, oil palm plantations, and agriculture.
• Pollution: Oil spills, industrial effluents, and plastic waste degrade water quality.
• Climate Change: Rising sea levels and increased cyclones threaten their existence.
• Invasive Species: Disrupt native habitats and regeneration.

Mission Goal: To achieve self-sufficiency in oilseed and edible oil production by 2030-31, with a target to raise oilseed production from 39 to 69.7 million tonnes.

Why it’s News: India is a major oilseed producer but imports over 50% of its edible oil demand, making self-reliance crucial.

Key Objectives:

• Boost production of major oilseeds (mustard, groundnut, soybean, sunflower, sesame).
• Enhance research for high-yield, climate-resilient varieties.
• Promote modern farming and digital technologies.
• Provide financial incentives and input subsidies.
• Strengthen post-harvest management and processing.
• Increase extraction from secondary sources (rice bran, cottonseed).

Implementation Details:

• Duration: 2024-25 to 2030-31.
• Budget: ₹10,103 crore.
• Over 600 Value Chain Clusters identified for organized support.

Support Measures:

• SATHI portal for seed supply.
• Increased Minimum Support Price (MSP) and schemes like PM-AASHA.
• Higher import duties to protect domestic producers.
• Crop insurance coverage under PMFBY.

Research & Development: ICAR developing high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties through multiple research projects and has notified 432 high-yielding varieties/hybrids over the last 11 years.

Farmer Support: Farmers in identified clusters receive free high-quality seeds, training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and advisory services.

Awareness Campaign: An Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign promotes healthier dietary guidelines for edible oils.

Why in News: China has started building a massive 60,000 MW hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo River (Brahmaputra in India) in Tibet, near Arunachal Pradesh. Announced in 2021, it involves 5 cascade dams and will be three times more powerful than the Three Gorges Dam.

Key Concerns for India:

• Ecological & Seismic Risks: Located in a seismically active zone, the dam risks earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods. It could displace over 1.3 million people and may be weaponised by China for geopolitical pressure.
• Hydrological & Environmental Impact: Sudden water releases/diversions can devastate ecosystems and tribal livelihoods dependent on the Brahmaputra.
• Loss of Traditional Knowledge: Artificial flow regulation undermines indigenous flood management systems.
• Legal & Diplomatic Gaps: China’s unilateral actions ignore India’s riparian rights as it’s not a signatory to water-sharing treaties.
• Regional Water & Food Security: The dam threatens irrigation, hydropower, and flood regulation in India’s Northeast.

India’s Response:

• Siang Upper Multipurpose Project: India plans an 11.2 GW project in Arunachal Pradesh to regulate upstream flows and ensure water security.
• River Linking Projects: Plans include Manas–Sankosh–Teesta–Ganga Link and Jogighopa–Teesta–Farakka Link.
• Diplomatic Dialogue: India has raised concerns with China and seeks dialogue on water-sharing and data exchange.

Measures India Can Take:

• Accelerate Strategic Water Infrastructure: Fast-track projects like Upper Siang and expand basin storage capacity.
• Enhance Scientific & Institutional Preparedness: Conduct risk assessments and improve data modelling for timely responses.
• Implement Interlinking & Channel Diversion Plans: Operationalise interlinking projects to redirect water and create buffer systems.
• Strengthen Diplomacy & Regional Cooperation: Push for data sharing with China and collaborate with Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar on water governance and disaster preparedness.

India Ranked Among More Equal Societies: The Gini Index, a measure of income/wealth inequality, positions India as relatively equal globally. This is because the index focuses solely on income distribution.

Index Limitations Highlighted: The Gini Index fails to capture crucial ground-level inequalities like urban-rural, gender, wealth, and digital disparities. Its methodology also overlooks informal sector employment, access differences, and societal norms that drive inequality.

Forms of Inequality in India:

• Wealth Inequality: A small elite holds most of the nation’s wealth, with the top 10% owning a large income share. Informal jobs and untaxed income make accurate wealth measurement difficult.
• Gender Inequality: Women’s participation in the workforce (35.9%), leadership roles (12.7%), and startup founding (7.5%) is significantly lower, influenced by patriarchal norms affecting resource allocation and inheritance.
• Digital Inequality: Access to the internet and functional computers is limited, especially in schools (53.9% and 52.7% respectively). Rural women (25%) have far less internet access than rural men (49%), impacting education during events like pollution-related school closures.

Gini Coefficient Explained: It’s a statistical measure of income/wealth inequality from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality), based on the Lorenz Curve. It’s used globally to assess income distribution but doesn’t account for non-income inequalities.

Global Hunger Decline but Recovery Incomplete: Hunger affected 673 million (8.2%) globally in 2024, a slight decrease from 2023. However, it remains above pre-Covid-19 levels, indicating slow recovery. By 2030, around 512 million may still face chronic undernourishment, mostly in Africa, necessitating major shifts in policy and food systems.

Widespread Food Insecurity: 2.3 billion people worldwide are moderately or severely food insecure. While the number unable to afford a healthy diet fell slightly, the cost of healthy diets increased due to global food price inflation exacerbated by the pandemic and Ukraine war.

Regional Hunger Disparities: Asia has the most undernourished people (323 million), followed by Africa (307 million). While some regions improved, food insecurity persists or is rising in others, particularly in Africa where over one in five face chronic hunger.

India’s Nutritional Paradox:

• Undernourishment Persists: 12% of India’s population (172 million) is undernourished, a reduction but still a significant number.
• Unaffordable Healthy Diets: 42.9% of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet due to rising food costs.
• Double Burden of Malnutrition: India faces both undernutrition (high child wasting and stunting) and rising overnutrition (increased childhood overweight and adult obesity).
• High Child Wasting: India has the world’s highest child wasting rate (18.7%).
• Anaemia in Women: Over 53.7% of women aged 15-49 are anaemic, ranking India 4th globally.

Causes of India’s Paradox: Poverty, inequality, inadequate dietary diversity, high food prices, health service gaps, and the nutrition transition towards processed foods contribute to the complex nutritional challenges.

Strategies for India: Recommendations include investing in local food systems, targeted fiscal measures, promoting dietary diversity (e.g., millets, local crops), combating anaemia in women, enhancing nutrition programs like PM Poshan, ensuring food access via schemes like “One Nation, One Ration Card,” and addressing obesity through monitoring and promoting healthy lifestyles.

The Crisis: Over 271 girls rescued in Bihar, trafficked into orchestras (153) and the flesh trade (118), highlighting systemic child trafficking driven by poverty, lack of regulation, and socio-cultural exploitation.

• Why it matters: A 14-year-old girl trafficked from Chhattisgarh to Bihar for dance training was found subjected to control, violence, and rape, underscoring the brutal reality faced by victims.

What is Child Trafficking: Recruitment, transportation, harboring, or receipt of children for exploitation (forced labour, sexual abuse, slavery), as per the UN Palermo Protocol.

• Common Forms: Sexual exploitation, forced labour, begging/petty crimes, child soldiers, child marriage, illegal adoption.

Vulnerability Factors: Family dysfunction, poverty, lack of parental care, inequality, inadequate child protection, abandonment, conflict, economic challenges, environmental disasters, and unsupervised internet use.

Bihar as a Trafficking Hub:

• Absence of Regulation: No strict oversight for orchestra groups or dance troupes, enabling trafficking networks.
• Geography: Porous border with Nepal and connectivity to other trafficking-prone states facilitate flows.
• Cultural Exploitation: Traffickers exploit aspirations for dance/stage careers, promising income and fame, especially in states like West Bengal.
• ‘Orchestra Belt’: Districts like Saran see girls as young as 12 sold to orchestras for as little as ₹10,000, forced into exploitative performances.

Systemic Failures:

• Underreporting: Many cases don’t reach police due to family complicity or fear.
• Low Conviction Rates: Despite comprehensive laws (ITPA, JJ Act, POCSO, Bonded Labour Act, Child Labour Act, BNS), enforcement is weak.
• Underfunded AHTUs: Anti-Human Trafficking Units lack resources; multi-state investigations falter due to jurisdiction issues.
• Re-victimization: Rescued girls are often returned to the same families that sold them.

Proposed Solutions (PICKET Strategy):

• Policy: Zero-tolerance policies against exploitation.
• Institutions: Dedicated units for monitoring, prosecution, and rehabilitation.
• Convergence: Inter-agency cooperation and shared digital data.
• Knowledge: Grassroots awareness and survivor-informed intelligence.
• Economy: Make trafficking financially unviable through seizures and penalties.
• Technology: Use AI, heatmaps, and tracking software for detection.

Key Measures:

• School/Community Vigilance: Monitor attendance, mandatory reporting of absences, village migration registers, parental sensitization.
• Transport Vigilance: RPF and transport staff to monitor corridors and identify suspicious activity.
• Strengthening AHTUs: Full-time, trained officers with accountability.
• Regulating Orchestras: Immediate prohibition of minors, mapping, regulation, prosecution of owners, and asset attachment.
• Labor Department Role: Mandated inspection, reporting, and action.
• Justice Mechanisms: Time-bound prosecution, long-term state-supervised rehabilitation, immediate victim compensation.
• Prosecution as Prevention: Emphasizing legal action as a critical deterrent.

Why in News: Himachal Pradesh’s recent extreme weather events (flash floods, landslides, cloudbursts) highlight India’s rising disaster risks, exacerbated by climate change. India lost over $56 billion from weather-related disasters between 2019-2023, emphasizing the need for swift risk management tools like parametric insurance.

Rising Disaster Risks in India:

• Nearly 50% of India’s 764 major natural disasters since 1900 occurred after 2000, showing increased climate volatility.
• Drought-prone areas have risen by 57% and heavy rainfall instances by 85% since 1997 and 2012 respectively.
• Up to 4.5% of India’s GDP is at risk by 2030 due to extreme heat.
• India accounts for the highest climate-related losses in South Asia (25% of Asia-Pacific losses).

What is Parametric Insurance:

• Pays out automatically when predefined parameters (e.g., rainfall, temperature) exceed set thresholds.
• Offers faster, hassle-free compensation based on verified data, unlike traditional insurance requiring loss assessment.

How it Works:

• Payouts are triggered instantly when an agreed-upon index breaches a threshold (e.g., rainfall below a level, temperature above a mark).
• Uses independently verified data from sources like IMD or NASA.

Applications:

• Pilots in Rajasthan and UP protected smallholder farmers from drought via automatic loan support.
• Nagaland adopted multi-year parametric cover for landslides and extreme rainfall.
• Used globally for droughts, floods, cyclones, and seismic activity.

Integration in Disaster Risk Reduction:

• Integrate parametric models into state disaster plans.
• Expand coverage to agriculture, renewable energy, transport, and MSMEs.
• Develop climate-linked microfinance products.
• Promote public-private partnerships.

Conclusion: Parametric insurance offers speed, trust, and financial resilience, transforming disaster response to proactive protection and ensuring financial resilience in a warming world. It’s essential climate infrastructure akin to UPI for payments.

• Negative: Short-term contracts lead to high turnover, discouraging skill development and innovation, causing a 31% lower labour productivity in Contract Labour-Intensive (CLI) enterprises compared to Regular Labour-Intensive (RLI). This gap is worse in small (36%) and medium (23%) enterprises, and labour-intensive sectors (42%). Principal-agent problems and moral hazard (shirking) also contribute.
• Positive (Limited): Capital-intensive and high-skill CLI enterprises show productivity gains (17% for capital-intensive, 20% for large high-skill CLI), but these constitute only 20% of formal manufacturing.

• Implement Labour Code on Industrial Relations, 2020: Allows direct fixed-term contracts, mandates basic benefits, but unions fear further informalisation.
• Incentivise Longer Fixed-Term Contracts: Offer social security concessions and subsidised skilling to promote stability and skill accumulation.
• Revive/Extend PMRPY: Incentivise formal job creation by covering employer EPF/EPS contributions to reduce reliance on contract labour.

• Parameters: Access (35%), Usage (45%), Quality (20%).
• Quality: Includes financial literacy, consumer protection, and service quality.

• PMJDY: Provides basic banking, insurance, pension, and credit access with no charges and free RuPay debit cards.
• Digital India: Promotes digital literacy and services like UPI, BHIM app, making India a digitally empowered society. UPI is the world’s leading real-time payment system.
• JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile): Facilitates Direct Benefit Transfers and easy bank account opening.
• PMJJBY & PMSBY: Affordable life and accident insurance schemes.
• Atal Pension Yojana: Aims to provide pension security to unorganized sector workers.

• Why news: Major structural change aimed at improving learning.

• Why news: Focus on foundational skills is crucial for future academic success.

• Why news: Streamlines higher education access and pathways.

• Why news: Globalization of Indian higher education.

• Why news: Offers flexibility and reduces exam stress.

• Why news: Moves beyond rote learning to assess broader competencies.

• Why news: Implementation hurdles affect a significant higher education reform.

• Why news: Highlights centre-state friction on language policy.

• Why news: Delays in improving teacher quality.

• Why news: Affects the restructuring of higher education governance.

• Why news: Uneven progress on a key NEP principle.

• Why news: A welfare initiative for students faces funding rejection.

• Why news: Indicates significant implementation challenges due to federal disagreements.

Low Wages & Women’s Participation: A significant barrier for women entering formal employment in the textile sector is low pay, with 54% unhappy and 80% earning under ₹20,000/month. High costs like transport and childcare also force women out of the workforce. This contributes to a low female labour force participation rate (32%).

Govt’s ‘Living Wage’ Initiative: The Ministry of Labour and Employment is developing a “living wage” concept, which goes beyond minimum wage to include housing, education, healthcare, and nutrition. This is aimed at improving women’s quality of life and encouraging their workforce participation.

Survey Highlights Dissatisfaction: A survey of over 10,000 women, particularly in manufacturing, revealed widespread dissatisfaction with current income levels, underscoring the need for better wages.

Other Hindrances for Women: Besides inadequate income, women’s participation is also hampered by a lack of childcare, safety concerns, transport issues, and unsuitable job timings.

Policy Focus & Dialogue: The “living wage” is intended to be state-specific. A key policy direction is to foster “social dialogue” between employers and employees to address these issues.

Wage Types in Context: Understanding wage structures is crucial, with distinctions between Minimum Wage (legally enforced lowest pay), Fair Wage (balancing worker needs and industry capacity), and the proposed Living Wage (covering comprehensive needs for quality of life).

• Why it’s news: This directly impacts citizens’ ability to access justice, a fundamental right.

• Why it’s news: This is a core structural reason for delays, impacting the judiciary’s capacity.

• Why it’s news: Poor infrastructure and staff shortages directly contribute to inefficiency and prolong case durations.

• Why it’s news: These are practical bottlenecks that lawyers, litigants, and judges face daily, causing frustration and delays.

• Why it’s news: The sheer volume of cases, often unnecessarily, exacerbates the existing problem.

• Why it’s news: This underscores the human and societal cost of judicial delays.

• Why it’s news: These are actionable steps that can address the deep-rooted problem of pendency and improve access to justice.

• Why it’s news: Highlights a successful, practical measure that can be scaled up to alleviate court burdens.

Why in News? International Tiger Day 2025, on July 29th, aims to raise global awareness for tiger conservation, particularly highlighting the Amur tiger, the world’s largest wild cat.

India’s Conservation Contribution:

• Project Tiger: Launched in 1973 to address a drastic decline in tiger numbers (from 1 lakh in the early 1900s to 1,827 in 1972).
• Aim: Ensure a viable Bengal tiger population in natural habitats.
• Methods: Establishment of tiger reserves with core-buffer zones and oversight by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Progress: Expanded from 9 reserves to over 50, covering 2.2% of India’s land. Tiger numbers have risen to an estimated 3,682 (as of 2022 data).
• Global Significance: India now hosts around 75% of the world’s tiger population, with a significant growth rate.
• Project Integration: Project Tiger and Project Elephant merged into “Project Tiger & Elephant” from FY 2023-24.

Global Context of International Tiger Day:

• Origin: Established in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit to combat alarming tiger population decline.
• “Tx2” Goal: Aimed to double tiger populations globally by 2022 through international collaboration.
• Purpose: Raise awareness about threats like habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict, inspiring collective action.
• Celebration: Marked globally with educational programs, media campaigns, and conservation activities.

• Low Productivity: India leads in acreage but ranks 39th globally in yield.
• Import Dependence: Cotton imports have significantly increased.
• Stagnation: Lack of new GM cotton variants since 2006.
• Infestation: Increased pink bollworm resistance to Bt cotton.
• Missed Opportunities: Competitors like the US and Brazil are gaining ground.

• Online application filing.
• Video consultations.
• Dispute resolution via e-Lok Adalats and online mediation.

• Why it’s news: It signifies a shift from solely government-run facilities (BARC) to private sector participation, boosting efficiency.

• Why it’s news: High purity is essential for efficient nuclear reactions, and upgrading ensures reactor effectiveness.

• Why it’s news: Time savings are crucial for maintaining operational readiness of nuclear power plants and accelerating expansion plans.

• Why it’s news: Demonstrates tangible progress towards national energy security and expansion of nuclear power.

• Why it’s news: Highlights the growing role of private Indian companies in the strategic nuclear sector.

• Why it’s news: Provides context on the importance and function of the upgraded material within the nuclear process.

Why in News: PM Modi visited Gangaikonda Cholapuram during the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival, highlighting the Chola Empire’s maritime expedition and releasing a commemorative coin for Rajendra Chola I’s 1000th year of Gangetic expedition. The festival also marked 1,000 years of Rajendra Chola I’s Southeast Asian maritime expedition.

Rajendra Chola I’s Significance:

• Ruled 1014-1044 AD, son of Rajaraja Chola I.
• First Indian king to lead overseas military expeditions, extending influence across South and Southeast Asia.
• Assumed titles like Gangaikonda Cholan and Kadaram Kondan.
• Founded Gangaikondacholapuram as his capital.
• Built the Brihadisvara Temple (Gangaikondacholeeswaram) and Chola Gangam Lake.
• Possessed a powerful navy, securing dominance in the Bay of Bengal and influence in Southeast Asia.
• Promoted trade with China and Southeast Asia through merchant guilds.

Chola Administration & Architecture:

• Centralised monarchy with strong local self-governance, including village assemblies (Sabhas/Urs).
• Used a Kudavolai system (palm-leaf ballot) for transparent village elections.
• Dravidian temple architecture reached its peak, featuring impressive Vimanas and intricate sculptures.
• Famous for bronze sculptures, notably the Nataraja.

Political Context: The visit and commemoration of Chola achievements are also seen in the context of upcoming Tamil Nadu polls, with the BJP seeking to gain influence and Chief Minister MK Stalin promoting Dravida pride. The Chola Empire is presented as a symbol of Hindu and Dravida power.

Ceasefire Agreement: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire after clashes occurred near the Preah Vihear and Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple complexes.

• Why in News: This marks an attempt to de-escalate significant military confrontations along their shared border.

Border Disputes: The conflict stems from long-standing territorial disagreements, exacerbated by colonial-era border demarcations and competing cultural claims.

• Why in News: These historical claims are actively used by political elites in both nations to foster nationalism and bolster domestic support, making border skirmishes volatile.

Preah Vihear Temple: This 11th-century Hindu shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Cambodia near the Thai border.

• Why in News: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that the temple belongs to Cambodia (1962, reaffirmed 2013), but Thailand disputes the ICJ’s jurisdiction, keeping tensions alive. Recent Cambodian efforts to list it as a UNESCO site in 2008 reignited conflict.

Prasat Ta Muen Thom: This 12th-century temple complex, with Hindu and later Buddhist significance, is also a flashpoint for conflict.

• Why in News: Fighting occurred at this site during recent hostilities, highlighting its role in the broader border dispute and cultural ownership claims.

Escalation of Tensions: Tensions simmered since May with skirmishes, a Cambodian soldier’s death, nationalist rhetoric, and reciprocal diplomatic actions like expulsions and bans.

• Why in News: The conflict escalated to air strikes by Thailand and rocket/artillery fire from Cambodia, resulting in casualties and significant civilian displacement.

External Pressure for Ceasefire: International pressure, notably from China and the United States, played a role in facilitating the ceasefire talks.

• Why in News: US President Donald Trump reportedly made the ceasefire a precondition for trade talks, indicating external actors’ interest in regional stability.

Underlying Issues Unresolved: The ceasefire does not address the fundamental issues of cultural inheritance and ownership disputes.

• Why in News: Analysts expect an uneasy peace, as deep-seated historical and cultural claims require more substantial resolution to achieve lasting stability.

• Zero Emission: Emits only water vapor when used in fuel cells.
• High Energy Density: Suitable for heavy-duty transportation.
• Renewable Energy Integration: Acts as an energy storage vector for intermittent renewable sources.
• Decarbonization: Helps decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors.

India’s First Private Heavy Water Test Facility Launched: TEMA India has opened the nation’s inaugural private facility for testing heavy water upgrade equipment.

• Why it’s news: This marks a significant step in public-private collaboration within India’s nuclear sector, moving a critical testing function from a government institution (BARC) to the private domain.

Streamlining Heavy Water Upgrading: The facility will manufacture and test distillation columns used to restore the purity of depleted heavy water (D₂O).

• Why it’s news: This process is essential for maintaining efficient performance of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), India’s primary nuclear reactor type.

Reduced Project Timelines: The private facility is expected to cut the time for upgrading heavy water equipment by 1-2 years.

• Why it’s news: Previously, BARC handled the testing after equipment was manufactured by various vendors, a process that could take 7-8 years. The new integrated approach will significantly expedite the process.

Technology Transfer and Collaboration: The facility was designed and built by TEMA India under technology transfer from BARC and with a purchase order from Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).

• Why it’s news: This highlights a direct collaboration between government research bodies and private industry, leveraging existing expertise for national development.

Supporting India’s Nuclear Expansion: TEMA India has already dispatched its first batch of tested equipment for the Rawatbhata Nuclear Power Plant and will supply for upcoming reactors in Gorakhpur and Kaiga.

• Why it’s news: This directly supports India’s ambitious nuclear energy expansion plans, aiming for 22.4 GW by 2032 and 100 GW by 2047, as the nuclear sector grows rapidly.

• Why it’s news: This shows a significant shift in their habitat preference, moving into human-dominated zones.

• Why it’s news: This highlights their opportunistic nature and ability to capitalize on human activity for survival.

• Why it’s news: It explains their success in a changing environment.

• Why it’s news: This points to emerging challenges for both wildlife and humans.

• Why it’s news: This emphasizes the practical implications of the jackals’ adaptation.

Milestone Achieved: India has reached 20% ethanol blending in petrol (E20) ahead of its 2025-26 target.

Why in News: This signifies India’s strong commitment to energy security, boosting rural incomes, and environmental sustainability.

Policy and Regulation:

• National Policy on Biofuels (2018, amended 2022) accelerated the E20 target.
• Flexibility in feedstock (sugarcane, corn, residues, waste) ensures stable supply.
• Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana promotes advanced biofuels.

Infrastructure and Pricing:

• Ethanol Interest Subvention Schemes supported plant setup.
• Long-Term Offtake Agreements provided market stability.
• Administered pricing and GST reduction incentivized production.
• Easier interstate movement of ethanol facilitated by law amendments.

Socio-Economic Impacts:

• Enhanced farmer and distillery incomes, boosted rural employment.
• Saved Rs 1.36 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing crude oil imports.
• Promoted ‘Make in India’ and self-reliance in energy.
• Stabilized farm gate prices and encouraged crop diversification.

Environmental Impacts:

• Avoided ~700 lakh tonnes of CO₂ emissions, aiding climate goals.
• Reduced vehicular emissions like carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.
• Lowered urban air pollution due to more complete fuel burning.
• Utilized waste materials, reducing landfill burden and methane.

India’s Southwest Monsoon Strong Overall: As of July 28, 2025, India has recorded 8% above-normal rainfall (440.1 mm) for the monsoon season. This indicates a generally favorable start.

Regional Disparities Exist: While most regions are experiencing normal or above-normal rainfall, East and Northeast India are facing a significant deficit of 23%.

Specific Deficit Areas: Punjab, Bihar, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya are highlighted as states with persistent rain deficiency.

July is Crucial and Performing Well: July, the most important month for monsoon rainfall, has so far seen 5.4% above-normal rainfall.

Low-Pressure Systems Aiding Rainfall: The occurrence of back-to-back low-pressure systems and depressions over the Bay of Bengal has been instrumental in sustaining rainfall across much of the country.

Monsoon’s Significance for India: Monsoons are vital for India’s agriculture (supporting crops like rice), water resources (replenishing water bodies), and the economy (impacting rural demand and food security).

Monsoon Variability and Challenges: Factors like El Niño/La Niña and climate change contribute to the unpredictability of monsoon behavior, leading to potential floods or droughts and impacting sowing cycles.

Nepal’s GLOF event highlights rising Himalayan risks: A recent GLOF in Nepal destroyed the Seti River bridge, demonstrating the escalating danger from these events in the Himalayas. This is newsworthy because it underscores a tangible, recent threat impacting infrastructure and communities.

India’s proactive mitigation efforts: India is enhancing early warning systems, monitoring glacial lakes, and reinforcing infrastructure to counter GLOF threats in its Himalayan region. This is a key point as it shows governmental action in response to a growing environmental hazard.

Scientific and technological focus: India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is leveraging satellite technology, remote sensing, and SAR interferometry for prediction and risk assessment. This highlights the use of advanced science and technology in disaster preparedness, making it newsworthy as a forward-thinking approach.

Transboundary cooperation with Nepal is crucial: Shared watersheds and increasing glacial lake risks necessitate collaboration between India and Nepal. This is significant news as it points to the importance of regional diplomacy and joint strategies for managing transboundary environmental threats.

GLOFs are a recognized Himalayan natural disaster: The provided context lists GLOFs alongside other significant disasters like earthquakes and landslides, with examples such as the Chamoli disaster. This categorization emphasizes that GLOFs are a recognized and recurring threat in the region, making any news about them relevant.

Economic Growth Engine: India’s textile sector’s market value surged from under ₹7 lakh crore in 2014 to over ₹12 lakh crore in 2024, with a 25% increase in production, underscoring its vital role in national economic expansion.

Major Employer: As the second-largest employer, it significantly empowers rural artisans, women, and youth, supporting over 3,000 startups and providing crucial livelihood opportunities.

Cultural Heritage & Modernization: The sector is a vibrant expression of India’s rich heritage, adopting a “farm to fibre to foreign” model that synergizes tradition with technological advancements.

Government Policy Support: Key initiatives like the National Technical Textiles Mission, PLI scheme, MITRA parks, and Samarth skill development scheme are driving growth and modernization, with MSMEs contributing 80% to the sector.

Ambitious Export Goals: The government aims to triple textile exports from ₹3 lakh crore to ₹9 lakh crore by 2030, building on recent 7% export growth, boosted by a focus on R&D, GI tagging, and quality control.

Vision for Self-Reliance: Prime Minister Modi envisions the textile sector as central to a self-reliant India by 2047, benefiting all stakeholders from farmers to entrepreneurs.

Sustainability Focus: The sector is actively addressing environmental challenges, including textile waste, by adopting resource-efficient practices.

• Tightest (July 2013): During the “taper tantrum” (bond and forex market stress, FCI at 2.826).
• Easiest (June 2021): Post-COVID, driven by RBI’s liquidity measures (FCI at -2.197).
• Other tightening episodes linked to IL&FS crisis (bond and equity markets) and early COVID-19 onset (equity and corporate bonds).
• Recent easing since mid-2023, firming up from November 2024 due to US factors, then reverting to average.

14th Edition Commences: Exercise Bold Kurukshetra 2025, the latest iteration of the annual joint military exercise between India and Singapore, began on July 27th in Jodhpur.

Participants: The exercise involves India’s Mechanised Infantry Regiment and Singapore’s 42 Armoured Regiment of the 4 Singapore Armoured Brigade.

Objectives: The core aims are to validate operational procedures, enhance interoperability, and improve joint training capabilities for both armies, particularly within UN peacekeeping scenarios.

Focus on Mechanised Warfare: This edition will be conducted as a Table Top Exercise and Computer-Based Wargame, specifically focusing on validating operational procedures for mechanised warfare.

Deep-rooted Ties: The exercise, first initiated in 2005, underscores the strong and long-standing military relationship between India and Singapore, aiming to foster greater mutual understanding and collaboration.

Bilateral Defence Cooperation: Exercise Bold Kurukshetra 2025 serves to further consolidate and strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between the two nations.

• Why: Urban population will nearly double to 951 million by 2050, necessitating significant infrastructure development.

• Why: Climate change and urbanization (increased impervious surfaces) are the primary drivers. Annual losses from pluvial flooding could rise from $4 billion (2023) to $14-30 billion (2070).

• Why: Urban development traps heat, exacerbating heat waves.

• Why: Examples like Ahmedabad’s Heat Action Plan show the effectiveness of targeted strategies.

• Why: Despite the 74th Amendment, many states haven’t fully empowered ULBs, which are crucial for implementing climate solutions but often stretched thin and under-resourced.

• Why: These steps are crucial for managing climate risks and ensuring sustainable urban growth.

Significant Reduction in Zero-Dose Children: India has decreased its zero-dose child population from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024.

• Why it’s news: This demonstrates a substantial improvement in reaching children with essential vaccinations, signifying progress in public health efforts. Zero-dose children are those who have not received even the first DTP vaccine dose, making them vulnerable.

Contribution to South Asia’s Immunization Success: India’s achievement is a key factor in South Asia recording its highest-ever immunization coverage.

• Why it’s news: This highlights India’s leadership role and its impact on regional health outcomes, as reported by WHO and UNICEF.

High DTP Third Dose Coverage: 92% of South Asian infants received the third DTP dose in 2024, a record high.

• Why it’s news: This indicates widespread success in completing critical vaccination schedules across the region, with India playing a significant part.

India’s Immunization Efforts Recognized: India received the Measles and Rubella Champion Award in 2024.

• Why it’s news: This award underscores India’s commitment and effectiveness in immunization programs on a global stage.

Targeted Vaccination Plan: The Zero Dose Implementation Plan 2024 aims to further vaccinate children who are currently unvaccinated.

• Why it’s news: This shows a proactive strategy to address the remaining gaps in immunization coverage.

Mission Indradhanush Impact: This ongoing mission has vaccinated over 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women.

• Why it’s news: This highlights the long-term commitment and scale of India’s efforts to reach underserved populations with vaccines.

Polio-Free Status Maintained: India has maintained its polio-free status since 2014.

• Why it’s news: This is a testament to sustained public health interventions and the success of national vaccination days.

Why in News: States have defaulted on approx. Rs 6,450 crore in claim settlements since FY20, raising concerns over delays and farmer support for the PMFBY.

About PMFBY: A government-sponsored crop insurance scheme providing financial support for crop loss due to natural calamities, pests, or diseases, aiming to stabilize farmer income.

Premium Structure: Farmers pay a capped premium (2% for Kharif, 1.5% for Rabi, 5% for commercial/horticultural). The Centre and States share the remaining premium (50:50, 90:10 for NE States).

Key Benefits:

• Covers crop loss from natural disasters, pests, diseases, and post-harvest events.
• Aims for faster compensation (within two months post-harvest).
• Utilizes technology (satellite, drones, mobile) for accurate loss estimation.
• Farmers have received ~Rs 500 in claims for every Rs 100 premium paid.
• Over Rs 1.78 lakh crore paid in claims since 2016.

Challenges:

• State Defaults: States like Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh have delayed premium contributions, impacting timely claim settlements and farmer trust.
• Delayed Payouts: Farmers frequently experience delays in receiving claims.
• Disparity in Enrollment: Tenant and marginal farmers are underrepresented compared to loanee farmers.

Measures for Improvement:

• Digital Reforms: National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) for a unified platform. Digiclaim Module for transparent claim processing.
• Penalties: A 12% penalty for insurers on claim delays from Kharif 2024.
• Technology Adoption: Mandatory use of YES-TECH for yield estimation for certain crops.
• Weather Data: Expansion of WINDS for better data collection and insurance products.
• Financial Assurance: Escrow accounts for state premiums from Kharif 2025–26.
• Proportional Claim Disbursal: Centre’s share of claims will be disbursed to farmers even if states default.

Ceasefire Agreement: DRC and M23 rebels agreed to a “permanent ceasefire” in Doha, Qatar.

• Why in news: This represents a potential breakthrough in a long-standing and violent conflict.

Commitment to Dialogue: Both sides pledged to engage in talks, including the voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons.

• Why in news: Addresses the humanitarian crisis and aims for long-term solutions beyond just ending hostilities.

Fragile Ceasefire: The agreement is considered fragile due to several factors.

• Why in news: Highlights the challenges ahead and suggests that peace is not guaranteed.

Lack of International Support: Analysts warn the peace process could falter without strong international backing, especially after previous failed attempts.

• Why in news: Underscores the need for external commitment to ensure the ceasefire’s success.

Ground Realities: M23 has threatened to resume fighting, and some rebels refuse to retreat, indicating persistent mistrust and unresolved issues.

• Why in news: Shows the practical difficulties in implementing the ceasefire and the deep-seated nature of the conflict.

Territorial Control: M23 controls significant territories in North and South Kivu provinces.

• Why in news: Raises concerns about security for civilians and the DRC government’s authority, with disarmament and reintegration remaining key questions.

Deep-Rooted Grievances: The conflict is fueled by ethnic, political, and economic issues, with accusations of external actor support for armed groups.

• Why in news: Explains the complex origins of the conflict and why simply stopping fighting may not be enough.

Humanitarian Crisis: The conflict has caused widespread displacement and dire conditions for thousands.

• Why in news: Emphasizes the human cost of the conflict and the immediate need for humanitarian aid and stability.

Why in News: PM Modi’s attendance as guest of honour at Maldives’ 60th Independence Day marked a significant “reset” in bilateral ties, which had been strained due to the Maldivian President’s “India Out” campaign and derogatory remarks by his administration officials. This visit is the first by an Indian PM to Maldives’ Independence Day celebrations and the first time President Muizzu hosted a foreign leader of head of state/government.

Key Outcomes of the Visit:

• Strategic Partnership Progress: Reviewed 2024 Economic and Maritime Security Partnership, reaffirming India’s “Neighbourhood First” and MAHASAGAR policies.
• Economic & Digital Partnership: Discussions on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). Agreements on UPI, RuPay card, and local currency trade to boost digital economy and tourism welcomed.
• Financial Support: Extended USD 550 million Line of Credit (LoC) for infrastructure and an Amendatory Agreement to cut Maldives’ annual debt repayment by 40%.
• Infrastructure & Social Projects: Inaugurated roads, drainage in Addu City, 6 community development projects, and 3,300 social housing units.
• Healthcare & Disaster Support: Donated two Aarogya Maitri Health Cubes (BHISHM) for emergency medical aid.

Maldives’ Recalibration Drivers:

• Economic Crisis: Severe economic downturn and credit rating downgrade by Moody’s prompted a need for stability.
• Economic Dependence: Heavy reliance on Indian tourists and essential goods from India. Strained ties led to significant revenue loss.
• India’s Strategic Role: Recognition of India’s historical support in development, security (Operation Cactus), and as a ‘First Responder’.
• Geopolitical Balancing: Pragmatic effort to balance relations with both India and China.
• Political Realism: Strategic recalibration to protect and strengthen ties due to India’s economic and geopolitical significance.

Cruciality of the Reset:

• For India: Maldives’ strategic location on key shipping lanes, counterbalancing China’s influence, and maintaining regional maritime stability.
• For Maldives: India’s role in security cooperation, tourism, education, climate change adaptation, and disaster relief.

Future Strengthening: Expedite FTA, boost investments, adopt local currency trade, fast-track key projects, strengthen maritime security through joint patrols and intelligence sharing, engage Maldivian youth, support independent media, and maintain high-level diplomatic engagement.

Statutory Backing: The NCMC has been given formal statutory backing under the amended Disaster Management Act, 2025.

• Why in News: This elevates it to the apex decision-making body for national disaster response coordination.

Constitution: Formally constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Section 8A(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

• Why in News: Previously, it operated without this formal legal foundation.

Composition: Headed by the Cabinet Secretary, with members including the Union home secretary, defence secretary, secretary (co-ordination), Cabinet Secretariat, and the head of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

• Why in News: The recent constitution under the amended Act solidifies its structure for addressing major disasters.

Key Functions: Assesses disaster preparedness, directs strengthening efforts, and coordinates response among central/state governments and agencies.

• Why in News: This ensures a unified and smooth disaster management process across the nation.

Purpose: Constituted to address situations involving major disasters with national ramifications.

Groundbreaking Microscope Technique: Caltech scientists developed a new method to observe molecular motion in real-time.

• Why in News: This technique is the world’s fastest single-molecule imaging, offering unprecedented speed and precision.

Indirect Molecular Observation: The method doesn’t image molecules directly but infers their movement by how they interact with light.

• Why in News: It leverages Brownian motion – the random jittering caused by molecular collisions – to detect molecular activity.

Key Technologies Used:

• Streak Camera: Tracks nanoscale dynamics at picosecond speeds.
• Ensemble Observation: Analyzes hundreds of billions of molecules simultaneously with enough precision to infer individual motion.
• Why in News: Combines speed, scale, and precision, enabling new insights into molecular behavior.

Non-Intrusive & Label-Free: The imaging process is fast, doesn’t require fluorescent labels, and doesn’t disturb the molecules.

• Why in News: This makes it highly suitable for biomedical research, disease diagnostics, and nanomaterial fabrication, as it’s gentle and versatile.

Brownian Motion Explained: Random movement of particles in a fluid due to collisions with fluid molecules.

• Why in News: Understanding Brownian motion is crucial for the technique’s success and highlights its foundational scientific significance. It provided early evidence for molecular motion and is a cornerstone of statistical mechanics.

Project: China is constructing a massive 60,000 MW hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) river at the “Great Bend” near India’s Arunachal Pradesh border. This project is expected to be the world’s largest hydropower station.

Concerns for India (GS Paper III – Environment):

• “Water Bomb” Threat: Potential for catastrophic flash floods downstream in India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam) due to sudden, deliberate, or accidental water releases from the dam.
• “Existential Threat”: Disruption of river flow can threaten the livelihoods of indigenous communities dependent on the river for fishing and agriculture, impacting their cultural identity.
• Ecological Impact: Potential harm to the biodiversity and fragile ecosystems of the Eastern Himalayas, leading to habitat loss and extinction of riverine flora and fauna. Long-term depletion of the Siang and Brahmaputra rivers is also a concern.
• Seismic Risk: The dam’s location in a seismically active and earthquake-prone zone raises concerns about structural integrity and potential disasters.

Concerns for India (GS Paper II – International Relations):

• Strategic Implications: China’s control over a significant water source for India raises geopolitical concerns and potential for leverage.
• Lack of Transparency: India has expressed concerns over mega projects on rivers in Chinese territory and the need for transparency and consultation.
• China’s Stand: China asserts the project is within its sovereign rights but claims cooperation on data sharing and flood control.
• India’s Response: India is monitoring the situation, reiterating concerns to China, and urging that downstream interests are not harmed. Diplomatic engagement on trans-border rivers is ongoing.

Mitigation Measures for India:

• Scientific Assessment: Conduct scientific calculations regarding the dam’s impact.
• Capacity Building: Enhance India’s capability to preempt deliberate actions.
• River Storage: Plan storage on Brahmaputra system rivers (e.g., Upper Siang project) to buffer flow variations.
• Inter-basin Transfers: Explore proposals to connect Brahmaputra to the Ganga basin for water transfer.
• Diplomatic Channels: Seek detailed hydrological and project data from China.
• Regional Coordination: Engage with neighbouring riparian countries (Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar) for coordinated early warning and disaster preparedness.

Ancient Roadmap for Viksit Bharat: Prime Minister Modi cited the Cholas as a historical model for achieving a developed India, emphasizing their achievements as a guide.

Military and Naval Strength: The Cholas’ powerful navy was highlighted, linking to the current need to strengthen India’s maritime and defense capabilities.

Cultural Unity: The Cholas’ role in fostering cultural integration was praised, drawing parallels with modern initiatives like Kashi-Tamil Sangamam.

Democratic Traditions: The kudavolai system was mentioned to underscore India’s indigenous democratic roots, showcasing early electoral practices.

Water Management: Their advanced irrigation systems were lauded as exemplary for sustainable environmental practices.

Art and Architecture: The enduring legacy of Chola temple architecture, sculpture, and literature was recognized.

Contemporary Actions: The announcement of statues for key Chola rulers and efforts to recover cultural artifacts demonstrate a focus on honoring and reclaiming heritage.

Date of Celebration: Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated annually on July 26th.

• Why: To commemorate the bravery of Indian soldiers who fought and won the 1999 Kargil War.

2025 Initiatives: The Indian Army launched three initiatives to honor soldiers’ bravery on Kargil Vijay Diwas 2025.

• Why: To further recognize and share the valor of the soldiers involved in the war.

Initiatives Include: An e-shradhanjali portal, a QR code-based audio app for Kargil war stories, and a new Line of Control (LoC) viewpoint at the Batalik sector.

• Why: These provide accessible platforms for remembrance, storytelling, and a physical place to reflect on the conflict.

Origin of the War: Pakistan troops secretly occupied strategic heights in Kargil shortly after the 1999 Lahore Declaration.

• Why: This act of aggression led to the conflict.

Indian Response: The Indian Army launched Operation Vijay to reclaim these heights.

• Why: This was a decisive military operation to regain control of Indian territory.

Joint Operations: The IAF conducted Operation Safed Sagar against enemy positions, and the Indian Navy launched Operation Talwar to create pressure in the Arabian Sea.

• Why: Demonstrates a multi-service effort to ensure victory.

Key Battlegrounds: The war was fought in challenging terrain across crucial areas like Tololing, Tiger Hill, Drass, and Batalik.

• Why: Highlights the difficult conditions under which Indian soldiers fought.

Memorials: The Kargil War Memorial in Dras, Ladakh, built in 2000, honors Operation Vijay’s success. The National War Memorial in Delhi also includes the Kargil Conflict among other major conflicts.

• Why: These memorials serve as permanent tributes to the sacrifices made.

• Why in News: India met its goal of having 50% of its installed capacity from non-fossil sources five years early (in 2024, target was 2030).

• Carbon Sink: India is on track to meet its target of adding 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon sink through forests.
• Emissions Intensity: The reduction in GDP emissions intensity is also progressing well, with 36% reduction achieved by 2020 against a 2030 target of 45%.

• Capacity vs. Generation Gap: While installed capacity is high, only 28% of electricity generated is from non-fossil sources, and clean energy’s share in total energy consumption is low (approx. 6%).
• Over-Reliance on Solar: Solar dominates renewable energy growth, while wind, hydro, and nuclear sectors lag due to land, policy, and financial issues.
• Carbon Sink Sustainability: Concerns exist about the ecological impact of monoculture plantations versus natural forests and maintaining gains amidst land pressures.
• Data Gaps: Lack of recent emissions data hinders real-time monitoring and policy adjustments.
• Climate Finance Shortfall: Developed nations are not meeting their climate finance and technology transfer commitments.

• Bridge Capacity-Generation Gap: Scale up battery storage and modernize transmission networks.
• Diversify Energy Sources: Expedite wind and hydro projects, boost nuclear energy, and promote green hydrogen.
• Ensure Sustainable Carbon Sink Growth: Use technology for monitoring, promote mixed native species, and penalize forest encroachments.
• Secure Climate Finance: Advocate for developed nations to meet finance commitments and attract private/foreign investment.

• Why it’s news: It signifies a tangible increase in global mobility for Indian citizens.

• Why it’s news: More countries are now accessible to Indian passport holders without needing prior visas, simplifying travel.

• Why it’s news: These specific additions are concrete examples of the improved travel opportunities.

• Why it’s news: Provides context by highlighting the top-performing passports in terms of global mobility.

• Why it’s news: Explains the scope and methodology of the ranking, showing its comprehensive nature.

• Why it’s news: Emphasizes the reliability and currentness of the index due to its data source.

Supreme Court Rejects Delimitation Plea for AP & Telangana: The apex court ruled against starting the delimitation process for these states.

J&K Delimitation Not a Precedent: The court stated that the delimitation in Jammu & Kashmir, a Union Territory with a distinct constitutional framework, cannot be applied to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Article 170 Inapplicable to UTs: The court clarified that Article 170, concerning State Assemblies, does not apply to Union Territories like J&K.

Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014: This act already provides for delimitation in Andhra Pradesh, but only after the first census following 2026.

No Arbitrary Notifications: Existing notifications were deemed not arbitrary and not in violation of Article 14 (Right to Equality).

Delimitation Purpose: To ensure fair representation based on population changes, upholding “one person, one vote.”

Future Delimitation Freeze: Delimitation is currently frozen based on the 2001 Census until after the 2026 Census.

• Identify genetic health risks like Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia.
• Provide precision healthcare tailored to tribal community needs.
• Bridge the gap between science and tribal traditions for a healthier future.

• Why in news: The violence and casualties highlight the ongoing and intensifying territorial disputes between the two nations.

• Why in news: These historically and culturally significant sites are at the heart of the territorial dispute, making their control a sensitive issue.

• Why in news: This use of advanced weaponry signifies a dangerous escalation beyond minor skirmishes, raising regional security concerns.

• Why in news: The diplomatic breakdown and reciprocal blame underscore the depth of the unresolved issues and the breakdown in communication.

• Why in news: The large-scale displacement shows the direct human impact of the conflict, affecting civilian populations on both sides.

• Why in news: The potential for instability to spread across the region makes this a matter of international importance and intervention.

E3 Group’s Diplomatic Engagement with Iran: France, Germany, and the UK (E3) met Iran in Istanbul for nuclear talks.

• Why in news: This highlights ongoing diplomatic efforts by the E3 to resolve the deadlock over Iran’s nuclear program, a critical global security issue.

Focus on “Snapback” Sanctions: The talks centered on the potential reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran using the “snapback” mechanism if progress stalls by August.

• Why in news: This signifies a potential escalation in international pressure on Iran, indicating a deadline for Iran to meet nuclear obligations.

E3 Warning on Non-Compliance: The E3 had previously warned of sanctions if Iran fails to meet its nuclear commitments.

• Why in news: This reinforces the E3’s firm stance and commitment to enforcing international agreements regarding Iran’s nuclear activities.

Mutual Skepticism and Concerns: Iran is wary of Western intentions, while European leaders are concerned about Iran’s lack of transparency regarding its nuclear program.

• Why in news: This points to the persistent challenges and underlying mistrust that complicate negotiations, a key factor in assessing the likelihood of progress.

Agreement to Continue Discussions: Despite tensions, both sides agreed to further meetings.

• Why in news: This indicates a continued commitment to dialogue, suggesting that diplomatic channels remain open, albeit with significant hurdles related to trust and commitment.

Why in News: Sohrai, Pattachitra, and Patua paintings were showcased at the 2nd edition of Kala Utsav 2025 – ‘Artists in Residence Programme’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This event highlights India’s living art traditions and provides a platform for folk and tribal artists.

Sohrai Painting:

• Origin: Jharkhand, practiced by women of various tribal communities (Kurmi, Santhal, Munda, etc.).
• Nature: Harvest art linked to agriculture and cattle domestication.
• Significance: Ritualistic use of rice gruel (aripan/mandalas) to welcome cattle.
• Recognition: Received Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2020.

Pattachitra:

• Origin: Odisha, associated with the Jagannath Temple.
• Medium: Painted on cloth (Pata) coated with chalk powder and tamarind glue.
• Materials: Uses natural colors from vegetable, earth, and mineral sources.
• Themes: Religious, mythological, and folk stories (e.g., Krishna Leela, Lord Jagannath).
• Technique: Painted on cloth scrolls, uses natural colors, and finished with lacquer.

Patua Painting:

• Origin: West Bengal, practiced by the Patua or Chitrakar community (Hindu and Muslim).
• Presence: Also found in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bangladesh.
• Medium: Painted on cloth scrolls (pati/patta) backed with fabric.
• Materials: Uses bamboo-goat hair brushes and vegetable dyes fixed with gum.
• Purpose: Used to narrate stories, particularly ‘Mangal Katha’ by Hindu Patuas.

Export Promotion Mission (EPM) Launched: Announced in Union Budget 2025-26, jointly driven by Ministries of Commerce & Industry, MSME, and Finance.

• Why in News: Aims to boost India’s export-led growth by specifically empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Key Objectives:

• Enhance global competitiveness of Indian exports.
• Improve MSME access to credit, infrastructure, and global markets.
• Reduce non-tariff barriers and promote ESG-aligned exports.
• Accelerate digitalization and logistics efficiency.
• Why in News: Addresses critical challenges faced by MSMEs in international trade.

Major Components: Credit support (collateral-free loans, interest equalization), infrastructure development (ports, customs digitization), digital trade (paperless systems), market expansion (FTAs, overseas offices), and capacity building.

• Why in News: Comprehensive approach to address multiple facets of export promotion.

Special Initiatives: NIRYAT PROTSAHAN for trade finance and support to e-exporters/first-time exporters, NIRYAT DISHA for branding/warehousing/compliance.

• Why in News: Targeted support for specific segments of exporters.

E-Commerce Export Hubs (ECEHs): Piloted by DGFT to assist MSMEs and artisans in expanding e-commerce exports.

• Why in News: Focuses on leveraging digital platforms for wider market reach.

Ministry of MSME’s Role: Primarily focused on ensuring effective implementation of EPM’s objectives for MSME benefit.

• Why in News: Highlights collaborative effort and clear departmental responsibility.

• Why: Revealed critical intelligence gaps (no foresight on large-scale infiltration), and severe logistical/equipment shortcomings for high-altitude warfare. It was a wake-up call for military modernization and self-reliance in defense.

• Why: To address the identified shortcomings, India established new intelligence agencies (DIA, NTRO), improved inter-agency coordination (RAW, IB, Military Intelligence), and created the permanent National Security Adviser (NSA) role.

• Why: Kargil necessitated upgrading weaponry (Rafale, Apache, BrahMos) and adopting new strategies like the “Cold Start Doctrine” for rapid mobilization. It also led to the formation of a Mountain Corps and the push for integrated theatre commands under the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

• Why: This terror attack on civilians marked a significant shift. India’s swift and devastating retaliatory strikes (“Operation Sindoor”) against terror bases and military airbases across Pakistan signaled an end to strategic restraint and a move towards decisive deterrence against cross-border terrorism.

• Why: Prior to Uri (2016) and Balakot (2019), India’s response to terror was often reactive. The Pahalgam attack and subsequent strikes demonstrated a proactive and punitive approach, raising the cost of terror for Pakistan.

• Why: The journey from Kargil to Pahalgam illustrates India’s strategic evolution. It highlights a transition from dealing with conventional aggression and terrorism reactively to building capabilities and the political will for preemptive and decisive action.

Global Health Workforce Shortage: A projected global shortfall of 18 million health workers by 2030, with most countries lacking adequate doctors and nurses.

• Why: Increasing demand due to health crises and ageing populations in developed nations.

India’s Significant Health Worker Migration: Despite domestic shortages, India witnesses large-scale migration of doctors and nurses to countries like Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US.

• Why: Approximately 75,000 Indian-trained doctors and 640,000 Indian nurses work abroad.

Drivers of Migration (Push & Pull Factors):

• Push: Limited career growth, low domestic wages, political instability.
• Pull: Trade agreements, increased demand due to health crises, international recruitment policies.
• Why: These factors incentivize professionals to seek better opportunities abroad.

Formalized Export Policies: Countries like India and the Philippines have formal policies to export health workers for remittances and economic benefits.

• Why: Aims to leverage migration for economic gains, but exacerbates domestic shortages.

Gains vs. Losses: While migration offers remittances and skill development, the loss of workforce capacity in shortage-hit source countries is a significant concern.

• Why: The drain of skilled professionals weakens domestic healthcare systems.

Medical Diplomacy & Global Influence: India leverages health worker migration for diplomatic gains, fostering international partnerships and enhancing global health influence.

• Why: Demonstrated during COVID-19 with deployments to neighboring and African countries.

Need for Balanced Policies: The core issue is balancing national healthcare needs with global workforce opportunities, focusing on individual needs, national health systems, and global equity.

• Why: Current policies often prioritize economic gains over domestic health system strength.

Proposed Solutions:

• Institutional Reforms: Establish a centralized agency (like Kerala’s model) to manage mobility, address grievances, and support returnees.
• Workforce Capacity Building: Expand health education, improve career viability and working conditions, and offer incentives for retention. Encourage circular migration.
• International Agreements: Negotiate comprehensive and enforceable bilateral agreements, potentially including compensation mechanisms, investments in medical education, or technology transfer. Implement WHO Code of Practice.
• Leverage Digital Tools: Enable remote service provision by Indian health professionals.
• Regional Approaches: Enhance production capacity collaboratively and amplify regional voices for bargaining power.
• Why: These measures aim to maximize gains, mitigate losses, and ensure sustainable development of the health workforce.

Why in News: A World Bank report, “Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India,” highlights that Indian cities will generate 70% of new employment by 2030 but face significant risks from flooding and extreme heat. It urges greater urban autonomy and climate-resilient planning.

Key Climate Risks for Indian Cities:

• Urban Growth: Rapid urbanization leads to 951 million urban dwellers by 2050, increasing vulnerability to climate shocks.
• Flooding: Urban sprawl and concrete construction worsen flooding, with potential annual losses reaching $5 billion by 2030 and $30 billion by 2070 without adaptation.
• Extreme Heat: Urban heat island effect intensifies, potentially causing 3 lakh heat-related deaths annually by 2050.
• Air Pollution: India hosts a significant number of the world’s most polluted cities, impacting health.

Challenges to Urban Autonomy & Resilience:

• Weak Devolution to ULBs: States have not fully devolved powers to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) as intended by the 74th Amendment.
• Limited Financial Resources: ULBs lack funds for resilient infrastructure, with low property tax collection and reduced revenue sources post-GST.
• Weak Institutional Capacity: ULBs often lack technical expertise and data for climate adaptation.
• Fragmented Governance: Poor coordination hinders integrated climate strategies.

Strategies for Climate Resilience:

• Greater Autonomy for Cities: Empowering cities to make decisions improves resource mobilization and resilience.
• Urban Planning and Design: Incorporating green infrastructure and climate-aware zoning.
• Risk Evaluation and Adaptation: Conducting risk assessments and implementing measures like the Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan.
• Energy-Efficient Buildings: Promoting sustainable buildings to reduce emissions and improve comfort.
• Enhance Investment: Encouraging public-private partnerships for climate-resilient infrastructure.

• Transparency in the National Sports Board: Mandates strong public accountability and clear procedures.
• Age & Tenure Cap: Caps administrator age at 75 and removes fixed terms to promote new talent while retaining experience.
• BCCI under purview: Brings the BCCI under government oversight for the first time, aligning it with national standards.
• Athletes’ Right to Redressal: Establishes the Tribunal as the primary forum for dispute resolution, mirroring global norms.

• Why in News: Unveiled during the Indian PM’s London visit, it reaffirms a commitment to a revitalized partnership and sets ambitious goals for cooperation.

• Trade & Economic Cooperation: Building on CETA to boost bilateral trade and create jobs. Plans for a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).
• Technology & Innovation: Focus on AI, quantum computing, telecom, and critical minerals via the Technology Security Initiative.
• Defence: A 10-year roadmap for joint research and manufacturing, including jet engine technology and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
• Climate & Sustainability: Collaboration on green finance, offshore wind, nuclear technologies, and joint supply chains for green goods.
• Education & Skills: Encouraging UK university campuses in India and focusing on mutual recognition of qualifications and green skills.
• Global Governance: Commitment to multilateralism and reforms in international institutions.

• Key Highlights:
  • Duty-Free Access: 99% duty-free access for India to the UK market (textiles, leather, etc.) and 90% tariff elimination by India on UK imports (cars, alcohol).
  • Services Sector: Expanded market access for Indian professionals in IT, finance, and education, with simplified visa processes.
  • Double Contribution Convention: Exemption from UK social security contributions for Indian professionals for three years.
  • Inclusive Growth: Promotes participation of women, youth, MSMEs, farmers, and innovators.
  • Agricultural Benefits: Tariff reductions on Indian processed foods, edible oils, and seafood.
• Impact: Aims to double bilateral trade by 2030 (to USD 112 billion), increase UK exports to India by 60%, and stimulate job creation and investment.

Birth Anniversary Observed: Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s birth anniversary was celebrated on July 23, 2025.

• Why: This date marks his birth on July 23, 1856, a significant day for remembering his contributions.

Prominent Tributes: Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Shri Harivansh, and other dignitaries paid floral tributes.

• Why: This highlights the continued respect and recognition of Tilak’s legacy by current political leaders in India’s highest legislative bodies.

“Father of Indian Unrest” and Advocate of Swaraj: Tilak is revered as the “Father of Indian Unrest” and was an early, strong proponent of complete independence (Swarajya). His famous call, “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!”, inspired the masses.

• Why: This underscores his pivotal role in galvanizing the Indian freedom struggle and his enduring philosophy of self-rule.

Key Figure in Nationalist Movement: He was part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio, known for their extremist nationalist ideology, and his influence led to the Surat Split in the Indian National Congress.

• Why: This positions him as a central figure in shaping the direction and intensity of India’s independence movement.

Contributions to Education and Media: Tilak co-founded the Deccan Education Society, leading to Fergusson College, and published newspapers like ‘Kesari’ (Marathi) and ‘Mahratta’ (English). His book ‘Gita Rahasya’ is also notable.

• Why: These actions demonstrate his commitment to education and his use of media to spread nationalist ideals and mobilize public opinion.

Portrait Unveiling Recognition: His portrait was unveiled in the Central Hall of Parliament by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1956, recognizing his immense contributions.

• Why: This signifies the national honor bestowed upon him for his leadership and impact on India’s journey to freedom.

50% Decline in Live Coral Cover: Lakshadweep’s coral reefs have seen a significant drop from 37% live coral cover in 1998 to below 20% currently, impacting Agatti, Kadmat, and Kavaratti. This highlights a severe degradation of these vital ecosystems.

Major Causes: Marine Heatwaves & Climate Change: Repeated marine heatwaves (1998, 2010, 2016) are directly linked to rising ocean temperatures, causing coral bleaching. Insufficient recovery time between these events hinders reef regeneration, with ongoing warming stressing corals.

Threat of Functional Extinction: There’s a serious risk that the reefs will no longer support biodiversity or offer natural coastal protection, impacting island safety and the delicate balance of marine life. Even previously resilient coral species are now showing signs of bleaching.

Impacts on Local Communities: The decline threatens livelihoods dependent on reef ecosystems, such as fisheries, and reduces crucial coastal protection against storm surges and erosion, affecting island communities directly.

Urgent Need for Global Action: While local conservation efforts can aid recovery, the long-term survival of these reefs hinges on global climate action to limit ocean warming. Time is critical for reefs to regenerate, requiring extended periods of stable conditions.

NCAP and Industrial Pollution: India’s clean air goals are hindered by underregulated industrial pollution, a major contributor. NCAP needs industrial reforms for breathable air and sustainable growth.

NCAP Objectives: Aims to reduce PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations and bring non-attainment cities up to prescribed air quality standards through coordinated action.

Industrial Pollution Sources: Includes particulate matter, SO2, NOx, VOCs, and heavy metals from large industries, MSMEs, and informal sectors like brick kilns, rice mills, and stone crushers.

Impacts: Leads to severe health issues (respiratory, cardiovascular), increased healthcare costs, reduced productivity, and disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities.

Barriers to Regulation:

• Informal Industries: Outdated technologies and inefficient burning in brick kilns and rice mills emit high pollutants; poor enforcement of dust mitigation guidelines for stone crushers.
• Large Industries: Underutilization of existing pollution control measures.
• MSMEs: Reliance on polluting fuels like coal and heavy oil.
• Regulatory Gap: Lack of mandatory reporting for air pollutant emissions for industries.
• Low Fund Allocation: Only 0.6% of NCAP/Fifteenth Finance Commission funds are allocated to industrial emissions control.

Recommended Solutions:

• Technology Upgradation: Mandate zigzag technology and fabric filters for brick kilns; install multi-cyclone separators or wet scrubbers for rice mills; enforce dust suppression for stone crushers.
• Process Improvements: For large industries, use alternative fuels, electric furnaces, and waste heat recovery; effectively utilize ESPs, fabric filters, and wet scrubbers.
• MSME Transition: Shift to natural gas, electricity, or solar thermal energy.
• Transparency & Accountability: Mandate reporting of fuel consumption and pollution control measures for consent-to-operate clearances.
• Government Support: Facilitate clean fuel infrastructure, provide financial incentives (tax breaks, grants, loans) for cleaner technologies.
• Collaborative Approach: Cities, industries, and regulatory bodies must work together, with clear implementation plans for guidelines like common boilers.

Conclusion: An integrated, well-funded strategy for all industry types is essential for achieving clean air targets. Cleaner industrial air benefits both health and the economy.

• Why in news: Aims to revolutionize governance, logistics, and service delivery in India by assigning a unique digital address to every home.

• Why in news: Provides every location with a unique identity using geospatial data, significantly improving location accuracy.

• Why in news: Simplifies address usage, enhances accuracy, and facilitates easy sharing of location data.

• Why in news: Supports a federated and interoperable design, making every location digitally addressable.

• Reduces delivery costs in e-commerce, postal, and logistics.
• Enhances resource planning in telecom, broadband, and urban governance.
• Improves digital inclusion and responsiveness of public services, especially in remote and underserved areas.
• Why in news: These are the identified outcomes and benefits driving the policy’s implementation.

• Why in news: Promotes indigenous technology and is an open-source solution.

• Why in news: Indicates the policy is in an active development and consultation phase.

Comprehensive Trade Pact: India and the UK have signed a wide-ranging agreement to boost bilateral trade and investment. This is significant as it aims to deepen ties post-Brexit, aligning economic and geopolitical interests.

Tariff Reductions: Lower duties on various goods and services are expected to increase exports and benefit consumers in both countries.

Investment Facilitation: A framework is established to protect and encourage investments across key sectors like manufacturing, technology, pharmaceuticals, and finance.

Services Liberalization: Enhanced market access commitments have been made for sectors such as IT, legal, financial, and business services.

Ease of Doing Business: Streamlined customs, regulatory cooperation, and dispute resolution mechanisms are introduced to simplify trade.

IPR & Innovation: Collaboration will be strengthened in intellectual property, research and development, and innovation.

Expanded Cooperation: The pact includes joint projects in climate (clean energy), education (student exchanges), security (defense, cyber), and healthcare (pharmaceuticals, digital health).

Economic Impact: The agreement aims to double trade volumes and create jobs in both India and the UK.

Next Steps: Implementation is pending ratification and stakeholder consultations.

Delhi High Court Directs Action on One Stop Centres (OSCs): The court issued directions to the Delhi government due to poor conditions and shortcomings in OSCs, as highlighted by a Hindustan Times report.

Purpose of OSCs: Launched by MWCD and known as Sakhi Centres, OSCs provide integrated support (medical, legal, psychological, counseling) to women affected by violence. They are 100% centrally funded by the Nirbhaya Fund.

Reasons for Court Intervention:

• Staffing Shortages: Many OSCs, especially in hospitals, lack dedicated staff and rely on external agencies.
• Non-Compliance with SOPs: Mandated staffing norms and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were not consistently followed.
• Inadequate Record-Keeping: Crucial records for monitoring and improvement were not properly maintained.

Court’s Directions:

• Awareness Campaign: Publicize OSCs through newspapers and prominent locations with helpline numbers.
• Infrastructure Strengthening: Ensure adequate infrastructure and immediate staff recruitment to make centers fully functional.
• SOP Implementation: Circulate SOPs on child pregnancy and child marriage among stakeholders.
• Nodal Officer Appointment: Appoint a Nodal Officer to oversee implementation and monitoring.

Context of the News: The High Court’s intervention was prompted by a Hindustan Times report detailing inadequate infrastructure and staff paucity in Delhi’s OSCs.

New Malaria Vaccine Candidate: AdVacFxalVax

• Developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• Shows over 90% protection against Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite.
• Set for further testing, trials, and commercial development with private partners.

Significance for Global Health

• Malaria remains a major killer, especially in Africa and Asia.
• Existing vaccines (like RTS,S) offer limited protection; AdVacFxalVax could offer longer immunity.
• India’s malaria cases and deaths have significantly declined but remain a concern.

How AdVacFxalVax Works

• Stimulates both antibody and T-cell responses by targeting two parasite parts (PfCSP and Pf34/48).
• Provides two lines of defense: preventing liver infection and stopping parasite spread from red blood cells.
• Uses alum adjuvant, a safe and reliable immune booster.

Potential Advantages

• Potential for longer-lasting protection.
• Proven safe in animal trials; human trials are pending.

Context: Malaria in India

• India aims to eliminate malaria by 2030.
• Cases and deaths have dropped considerably due to surveillance and control efforts.
• Endemic states include Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Tripura.

• 1803 annexation by Colonel Harcourt.
• Dethronement of King Mukunda Deva II.
• British disregard for promises regarding land grants (parganas).
• Paikas faced loss of land and political status.
• Imposition of new revenue demands, salt taxes, and trade restrictions.

• Led by Bakshi Jagabandhu.
• Revolt by Paikas and over 400 Kondh tribals.
• Attacked British establishments and looted treasury offices.
• Suppressed but resistance continued for years.

Why in News: A Ministry of Social Justice study analyzed 54 hazardous cleaning deaths linked to manual scavenging across 8 States/UTs in 2022-2023. This highlights the ongoing issue of sewer and septic tank cleaning deaths, even as manual scavenging is officially banned.

Lack of Safety Gear: In 90% of analyzed deaths (49 out of 54), workers had no safety equipment. The few who did had only minimal protection like gloves. Most deaths occurred without mechanized equipment.

Institutional Negligence: Agencies often lacked equipment readiness, and awareness drives about safety laws were absent or incomplete.

No Informed Consent: Workers frequently entered sewers without consent, and even when consent was obtained, they weren’t informed of the risks.

Exploitative Hiring: The majority of workers were hired informally on individual contracts, lacking the security of direct government or PSU employment.

Legal Framework: Manual scavenging is banned under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR Act). It also violates fundamental rights like Article 17 (abolition of untouchability) and Article 21 (right to life). Supreme Court guidelines mandate significant compensation for deaths and disabilities.

NAMASTE Scheme: This government scheme aims to address hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, having identified over 84,000 workers. While some have received PPE kits, implementation varies.

Challenges: Manual scavengers face severe health risks from toxic gases, social stigma, economic exploitation, and psychological issues.

• Why in News: Provides a reality check for policymakers on urban sanitation, backed by elaborate assessments, third-party verification, and feedback from 140 million residents.

• Why in News: This theme has the potential to drive economic activity and empower local communities through waste management.

• Why in News: Allows smaller cities and those previously lagging (like in Odisha) to compete and improve, showing cleanliness is achievable across diverse urban areas.

• Why in News: Creates a “premier league” of top performers, motivating them to set new benchmarks and inspiring others.

• Why in News: This holistic approach identifies gaps in India’s progress and drives improvements across the entire sanitation ecosystem.

• Why in News: Showcases replicable models for waste management and urban rejuvenation, demonstrating that cities can transform from challenges to leaders.

• Why in News: Demonstrates effective policy design and resource mobilization that has driven progress in sanitation nationwide.

• Why in News: Points to crucial next steps for sustainable urban sanitation, focusing on citizen participation and market-based solutions.

• Why: The US cites alleged anti-Israel bias and supports “woke, divisive cultural and social causes” out of step with American policy.

• Previous Exits: First under Reagan (1984) due to mismanagement and Soviet alignment; second under Trump (2017) due to anti-Israel bias after Palestine’s membership.

• Precedent: The US and Israel halted UNESCO funding in 2011 after Palestine joined.

• Opportunities: Increased diplomatic influence, shaping global agendas, projecting soft power, and advocating for Indian heritage sites.
• Challenges: Funding cuts may affect Indian projects, and rising Chinese influence could strain India’s resources and geopolitical balance.

• Why: To address threats like deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and climate change impacting hornbills.

• Why: These species are crucial seed dispersers and keystone species vital for forest regeneration.

• Why: A comprehensive approach ensures broader landscape-level conservation for hornbills.

• Why: These actions directly support hornbill survival and habitat restoration.

• Why: Engages local communities as stakeholders, fostering long-term conservation success.

• Why: Leverages expertise for effective and scientifically-backed conservation strategies.

• Why: Demonstrates Tamil Nadu’s commitment to diverse and multi-faceted wildlife conservation.

• Real-world simulations: Focuses on IT and Operational Technology (OT) systems, critical infrastructure breaches, deepfakes, AI malware, and API security.
• STRATEX (Strategic Decision-Making Exercise): Enhances senior leadership response to national cyber crises.
• CISO Conclave: Engages top security officers on emerging trends and policy frameworks in cybersecurity and AI.
• Cybersecurity Startup Exhibition: Showcases indigenous innovations for digital self-reliance.

IMF Recognition: IMF highlighted UPI’s role in transforming India’s digital payments, emphasizing its interoperability.

• Why: This international endorsement signifies UPI’s success and potential global influence.

Massive Scale and Adoption: UPI handles immense transaction volumes and user/merchant numbers, surpassing global payment giants.

• Why: Demonstrates UPI’s dominance and integration into everyday Indian life, powering a significant portion of digital payments.

Seamless Transactions & Security: UPI enables instant, 24/7, secure transactions through features like Virtual Payment Addresses (VPAs) and two-factor authentication.

• Why: Enhances user convenience and trust by simplifying payments and protecting sensitive bank details.

Interoperability: UPI allows transactions across different apps and banks, moving beyond closed-loop systems.

• Why: Fosters competition and innovation among payment apps, leading to better user experiences and greater payment flexibility.

Financial Inclusion: Zero-cost, real-time transfers make digital payments accessible to small businesses and first-time users.

• Why: Empowers micro-businesses and promotes digital literacy, expanding access to financial services.

Global Expansion: UPI is active in multiple countries and being pushed for adoption in BRICS nations.

• Why: Positions India as a leader in digital payment innovation and facilitates easier cross-border transactions for Indians.

• Why it’s news: This is a historic advisory opinion, clarifying legal obligations under major climate treaties like the Paris Agreement.

• Why it’s news: Establishes a potential legal basis for climate reparations and accountability.

• Why it’s news: Demonstrates the ICJ’s evolving role in addressing critical global issues and sets a precedent for legal challenges.

• Why it’s news: Highlights the ICJ’s authority and its capacity to interpret international law in new and critical areas like climate change.

• Why it’s news: Reinforces the ICJ’s importance in shaping international environmental law.

• A digital addressing framework by Department of Posts.
• Aims to revolutionize address creation, sharing, and management.

• DIGIPIN: 10-character alphanumeric code mapping addresses to a unique 4×4 meter grid using geospatial coordinates. Replaces traditional PIN codes with hyper-local precision. Developed indigenously with open-source architecture.
• Digital Address Layer: Allows personalized digital address handles with consent-based sharing and revocation, enabling privacy and real-time updates, similar to UPI.

• Accuracy: Eliminates ambiguity.
• Inclusion: Supports urban/rural, multilingual users.
• Governance: Aids scheme targeting, disaster response, infrastructure planning.
• Commerce: Reduces e-commerce delivery failures.
• Privacy: User-controlled data access.

RBI’s FI-Index Hits 67 in March 2025: This marks a significant increase from 64.2 in March 2024, indicating deeper financial engagement.

• Why in News: Shows tangible progress in making financial services accessible and usable for more people.

Driven by Usage and Quality: The rise is primarily attributed to improved usage of financial services and enhanced quality, alongside sustained financial literacy.

• Why in News: Highlights that the focus is shifting from mere access to meaningful engagement and impact at the grassroots level.

Comprehensive Measure: The index covers banking, investment, insurance, pension, and postal sectors, reflecting a holistic view of financial inclusion.

• Why in News: Demonstrates the broad scope of the RBI’s efforts and the interconnectedness of various financial services in achieving inclusion.

Key Parameters and Weights: Consists of Access (35%), Usage (45%), and Quality (20%), with Quality including financial literacy, consumer protection, and service equity.

• Why in News: Emphasizes the importance of usage and quality, particularly financial literacy, as critical drivers of financial inclusion, not just availability of services.

Cumulative Progress: The index, without a base year, reflects cumulative efforts over time, growing from 43.4 in March 2017 to 67 in March 2025.

• Why in News: Underscores the sustained, long-term commitment and success of ecosystem-wide initiatives in bringing underserved communities into the formal financial system.

What is Animal Testing? It involves using animals (vertebrates like rats, mice, dogs, monkeys, and some invertebrates like octopuses) in experiments to assess the safety and effectiveness of products (medicines, cosmetics) or advance scientific knowledge. Methods include injecting substances, surgery, inhalation of toxic gases, and inducing distress.

Historical Context: Humans were previously used in feeding experiments for food supply toxicity tests, but a shift to animals occurred due to perceived unpredictability of human subjects and the desire for “controllable basic principles.”

Ethical Concerns: Experiments often cause pain, distress, or death. Animals cannot provide informed consent. Legal and cultural variations in protection standards exist, and findings may not accurately translate to humans, leading to questionable effectiveness and animal suffering.

Ineffectiveness: There’s a consensus that animal testing is not always effective in predicting human harm due to interspecies differences.

Alternatives – Tissue Engineering: Advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine allow for lab cultivation of artificial organs and tissues (muscles, pancreas, skin, bone marrow, etc.) for testing.

Benefits of Shifting: Using lab-grown models is more ethical, kind, and can advance the field of tissue engineering. It promotes compassion and respect for animals.

Recommendations:

• Amend The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 to mandate considering lab-grown models over live animals.
• Scientists and organizations should use lab-grown or bioartificial models wherever feasible.
• Restructure current lab procedures to minimize or eliminate animal testing by moving to “ex-corpus” or artificial biological models.
• Collaborate with tissue-engineering firms to produce artificial models.
• Use regenerative medicine to replicate biological systems outside the body.
• Promote awareness of animal suffering and a change in values.
• Utilize 2D radiographic imagery and 3D visual models for educational purposes, replacing animal dissection.

The Pledge: A call to make civilization more hospitable to life by changing procedures, laws, and practices to recognize the inherent dignity of animals and conduct testing on biological substances.

Post-Pandemic Reality of Remote Work: Remote work, initially seen as the future, is more complex than anticipated, with a gap between aspiration and practice.

Global Survey Findings: A survey of 16,000 college-educated workers across 40 countries (2024-25) shows a global average desire for 2.6 remote days, but only 1.27 days are being realized, a decline from 2022.

Regional Disparities: US, UK, and Canada average 1.6 remote days, while Asia averages 1.1.

Reasons for Lag in Asia: “Presenteeism” culture, cramped living conditions, shared spaces, and unreliable internet hinder remote work adoption.

Gender Dynamics: Women, especially mothers, desire and work from home more than men, linking it to balancing work and caregiving. Men without children seek it for freedom, hobbies, and relief from office life.

Employer Hesitation: Concerns about team spirit, oversight, innovation, and existing office-centric management systems lead to employer reluctance.

Health Concerns: Remote workers report more physical ailments (backaches, headaches) and mental toll (isolation, blurred boundaries) due to non-ergonomic home environments and constant connectivity.

Way Forward (Hybrid & Support): Hybrid work is recommended. Companies need to invest in ergonomic home offices, support healthy routines, and create digital boundaries. Governments should ensure universal broadband, provide home-office stipends, and enforce health standards.

Societal Reckoning: Remote work highlights unresolved tensions in gender equality, male identity, freedom vs. control, and autonomy vs. loneliness.

UK Launches World-First Sanctions Regime: The UK has introduced a new sanctions regime specifically targeting individuals and networks involved in global migrant smuggling operations. This is a pioneering initiative by any country.

Targets Gangs, Middlemen, and Enablers: The sanctions are designed to impact all levels of smuggling networks, from the gang leaders themselves to those who supply equipment (like small boats), facilitate payments (e.g., via hawala networks), and provide fake travel documents.

Measures Include Asset Freezes and Travel Bans: Designated individuals will face asset freezes, meaning their UK-based assets will be immobilized. They will also be banned from traveling to the UK, and UK businesses will be prohibited from engaging with them.

Aim to Disrupt Smuggling Operations: The primary goal is to make it more difficult for these criminal networks to operate by cutting off their financial resources and restricting their movement.

Expert Skepticism on Effectiveness: Experts question the overall impact of these sanctions, suggesting they may only have marginal effects due to the sheer number of people involved in the industry.

Need for International Cooperation: The effectiveness of the sanctions is heavily reliant on the cooperation of other countries where smugglers operate. Without this, their impact could be limited.

Distinction from Human Trafficking: Migrant smuggling is defined as facilitating illegal entry for financial gain. It’s distinct from human trafficking, which involves exploitation, though smuggled migrants can become trafficking victims.

Context of Rising Channel Crossings: The sanctions come as the UK sees a significant increase in people crossing the English Channel in small boats, highlighting the urgency of the issue.

India Criticizes Proposed US Sanctions on Russian Oil: India has strongly opposed the US Russian Sanctions Act, 2025, which threatens 500% tariffs on countries importing Russian oil and energy. NATO has also pressured India, China, and Brazil to cease Russian oil purchases or face 100% secondary sanctions.

Accusations of “Double Standards”: India has accused the West of hypocrisy, pointing out that European nations continue to buy Russian energy while pressuring others to stop. This is highlighted by the EU’s continued procurement of Russian oil and gas, even as India significantly increased its reliance on discounted Russian crude post-2022.

Rising Dependence on Russian Oil: Since Western sanctions in 2022, Russia has become India’s top oil supplier, accounting for 35.1% of imports by FY25. This discounted oil has been crucial for India’s energy security, helping manage inflation and saving approximately USD 13 billion.

Concerns Over Secondary Sanctions: India views secondary sanctions as economic coercion that extends one country’s laws into others’ affairs, potentially straining diplomatic ties. The proposed tariffs risk India’s USD 41 billion trade surplus with the US.

Energy Security Priority: India imports over 85% of its oil and sees Russian crude as vital for its energy needs. Excluding Russia could significantly drive up global oil prices, negatively impacting consumers.

Diversification and Diplomatic Engagement: India is diversifying its oil sources and engaging with the US to convey its concerns and seek waivers or exemptions from the proposed tariffs.

Impact on Trade Relations: The sanctions threat complicates ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US.

• Why in News: This is a significant long-term goal, reflecting a strategic shift towards nuclear energy.

• Why in News: Highlights India’s established, albeit complex, nuclear journey.

• Why in News: Explains the reasons for previous slow growth in the sector.

• Why in News: Marks a turning point for India’s nuclear power development.

• Why in News: Illustrates the substantial gap between current status and future targets, highlighting immediate challenges.

• Why in News: Essential steps for enabling the ambitious 100 GW target.

• Why in News: Addresses the economic realities of nuclear power projects.

• Total installed capacity: ~485 GW.
• Coal & thermal: ~50-55% installed, ~70-75% generation.
• Renewables (solar, wind): ~35-40% installed, fastest growing.
• Large Hydro: ~10% installed.
• Nuclear: ~2% installed, ~3% generation.
• Why in News: Provides a snapshot of the current energy landscape, showing the dominance of coal but a strong shift towards clean energy, with nuclear a relatively small but growing component.

• Why in News: Underscores the broader national commitment to decarbonization, supporting the nuclear push.

• Why in News: Sets a near-term benchmark for the transition towards cleaner energy sources.

India’s Millet Standards Recognized: India’s group standard for whole millet grains, approved last year, was lauded at the 88th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) Executive Committee in Rome.

Why in News: This recognition highlights India’s leadership in setting global food standards, particularly for millets, a key focus for the nation.

Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC): An international body jointly established by FAO and WHO to protect consumer health and ensure fair food trade, with 189 members. India is a member since 1964.

India’s Role: India chairs the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs and led the development of global millet standards, also co-chairing proposals for turmeric and broccoli standards.

Millets (Shree Anna): Nutritious, gluten-free, climate-resilient grains promoted globally by India, which declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.

Indian Millet Standards: FSSAI has framed standards for 15 millet types, setting limits for moisture, contaminants, and grain defects, forming a basis for global standards.

India’s Millet Production: India is the largest producer of millets (38.4% of global production), with significant cultivation and exports.

India’s Millet Promotion: Initiatives include Production Linked Incentive Schemes, subsidies for farmers, inclusion in public distribution, and the ‘Eat Right Campaign’.

Capacity Building: India is recognized by FAO for its capacity-building programs for neighboring countries, promoting the use of the Codex Trust Fund.

Government Acquiring Bitra Island: The government is acquiring Bitra Island in Lakshadweep.

• Why: For defense and strategic purposes, complementing existing naval bases.

Bitra Island Details:

• Smallest Inhabited: It’s the smallest inhabited island in Lakshadweep.
• Location: Situated at 11°36′N, 72°11′E, 483 km from Kochi.
• Size: Spans 0.57 km in length.
• Lagoon: Surrounded by a large 45.61 sq km lagoon supporting rich marine biodiversity.
• Population: Home to 271-350 people, primarily dependent on fishing and coconut cultivation.

Concerns Raised:

• Resident Fears: Locals fear displacement from their traditional fishing grounds due to the acquisition.

US to Withdraw from UNESCO: The US plans to exit UNESCO by December 2026. This is a recurring pattern, with previous withdrawals in 1984 and 2017, and a rejoining in 2023.

• Why: The US cites ideological differences, opposition to Palestine’s membership, and alignment with its “America First” policy as reasons for this latest withdrawal.

Potential Impact on US Influence: The withdrawal could diminish US influence in crucial global areas like education, culture, and technology governance.

UNESCO’s Response: UNESCO expressed regret over the decision but stated its readiness to continue its work without US support.

UNESCO’s Role: UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a UN agency focused on promoting peace and sustainable development through international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication. Its key functions include protecting World Heritage Sites, promoting education for all, supporting scientific collaboration, and addressing ethical AI and climate education.

• Why: Based on studies indicating ambient SO2 levels are well below prescribed norms, even without widespread FGD. Indian coal’s low sulphur content (under 0.5%) and tropical climate contribute to lower SO2 concentrations compared to regions using high-sulphur imported coal.

• Economic Burden: High capital expenditure for FGD installation estimated to lead to tariff increases of Rs 0.25 – 0.30 per kWh.
• Environmental Impact: Mining and transportation of limestone (FGD input) increases carbon emissions (CO2).
• Limited Necessity: Arguments that Indian coal’s low sulphur content made FGD unnecessary for most plants.

• Plants retiring before 2030 are exempt.
• Plants near NCR or cities with >1 million population: Deadline extended to Dec 2027.
• Plants near critically polluted areas: Compliance by 2028, case-by-case.
• Other plants: Exempt if chimney height norms are met.
• Impact: Around 78% of power plants may not require FGD, saving capital expenditure.

• Why it’s news: This is a rare public solemnization of a tradition that has become less common, attracting significant attention and going viral online.

• Why it’s news: Their status as a recognized tribe adds a layer of cultural and legal context to their traditions.

• Why it’s news: It highlights the socio-economic reasons behind cultural practices, showcasing how traditions adapt to historical needs.

• Why it’s news: This shows a conflict and coexistence between national law and specific tribal customs, highlighting the complexities of cultural preservation.

• Why it’s news: It illustrates the ongoing evolution of tribal customs in the face of modernization, with some members actively choosing to uphold older traditions.

• Why it’s news: It provides a visual and sensory aspect to the story, illustrating the vibrancy of the tradition beyond its legal or social implications.

Presidential Reference under Article 143: President sought Supreme Court’s opinion on powers and timelines for President/Governors to act on state Bills.

• Why in News: Addresses delays and potential misuse of power in clearing state legislature bills, impacting federalism and accountability.

Key Judicial Questions:

• Can the judiciary impose timelines on constitutional authorities when the Constitution is silent?
• Are the President’s and Governors’ actions/inactions under Articles 200 & 201 judicially reviewable?
• Can the SC deem assent under Article 142 for inaction?
• Are delays/refusals based on irrelevant reasons unconstitutional?
• Why in News: These questions challenge the scope of judicial review over executive discretion and the interpretation of constitutional silence.

Article 200 (Governor’s Assent): Governors can assent, withhold, reserve for President, or return Bills for reconsideration.

• Why in News: Governors are expected to act within a reasonable timeframe; delays, as seen with the Tamil Nadu NEET Bill, raise concerns about misuse of this power.

Article 201 (President’s Power on Reserved Bills): President can assent, withhold, or direct the Governor to return reserved Bills.

• Why in News: State Bills pending presidential assent for years (e.g., Telangana’s reservation bill) highlight federalism and accountability issues.

Article 143 (Advisory Jurisdiction): Empowers the President to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion on significant legal/factual matters.

• Why in News: This reference is a key instance of the President utilizing this power to clarify constitutional procedures and powers.

• Hasty arrests due to public/political pressure for immediate detection.
• Difficulty in collecting concrete forensic/scientific evidence.
• Over-reliance on confessional statements, which often fail court scrutiny.
• Challenges in linking individuals, detailing roles, and proving conspiracy.

• Delayed trials weaken prosecution (fading memories, lost evidence).
• Weak witness protection leading to fear and retracted testimonies.
• Lack of advanced training for investigators.
• Courts distrust police-recorded confessions without corroboration.

• Erosion of public faith when grave crimes go unpunished.
• Collective failure of police, prosecution, and judiciary.
• Failure to convict emboldens terror networks and undermines safety.

• Strengthen forensic infrastructure and cyber intelligence.
• Establish fast-track courts for terror cases.
• Enhance witness protection.
• Allow NIA to function independently and train state ATS.
• Improve coordination between all justice system wings.
• Train officers to plug investigative loopholes and secure timely legal advice.

Why in News: India observed National Flag Day (Tiranga Adoption Day) on July 22, 2025, commemorating the adoption of the Indian National Flag by the Constituent Assembly in 1947.

Key Facts About the Indian National Flag:

• Evolution: The flag evolved from designs in 1904 (Sister Nivedita), 1906 (Swadeshi Movement), 1907 (Madam Bhikaji Cama), 1917 (Home Rule Movement), and 1921 (Pingali Venkayya).
• Present Flag: Adopted on July 22, 1947, with three horizontal stripes: saffron (top), white (middle), and green (bottom).
• Ashoka Chakra: Replaced the spinning wheel in 1947. It’s a navy blue wheel with 24 spokes, signifying law, justice, and progress.
• Symbolism: Saffron for strength and courage; white for purity, truth, and peace; green for fertility, growth, and prosperity.
• Dimensions: 3:2 ratio (length to height).
• Regulation: Governed by the Flag Code of India, 2002, which includes fundamental duties for citizens to respect the flag.
• Material: Traditionally hand-spun khadi, but amendments allow other materials.
• Oldest Surviving Flag: Housed at Fort St George Museum, Chennai.

Flag Code of India, 2002:

• Allows citizens to fly the flag on any day, not just national occasions, provided rules are followed.
• Amended in 2022 to allow flying day and night.
• Outlines Do’s and Don’ts to preserve the flag’s dignity.

Significance of National Flag Day:

• Instills pride, patriotism, and national unity.
• Encourages reflection on civic responsibilities and the flag’s symbolism.
• Highlights the sacrifices of freedom fighters.
• Often marked by ceremonies and educational programs.

India’s Longest Road Tunnel & Asia’s Longest Bi-Directional Tunnel: The Zojila Tunnel project is set to achieve these distinctions upon completion. This makes it a significant engineering feat and a landmark infrastructure project.

Crucial All-Weather Connectivity: The tunnel, spanning over 30 km at 11,578 feet in the Himalayas, will ensure year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Leh via Kargil and Dras. This bypasses the Zojila Pass, which is closed for about six months annually due to snow.

Enhanced Civilian and Military Logistics: Reliable connectivity is vital for moving people and goods, especially for military purposes in this strategically sensitive region. The tunnel significantly improves mobility for both.

SAIL’s Significant Steel Contribution: The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied over 31,000 tonnes of steel (TMT Re-bars, Structurals, Plates) for the project, demonstrating the crucial role of public sector undertakings in national development.

Strategic Importance and Nation Building: The project enhances border infrastructure and defense preparedness. SAIL’s involvement reinforces its legacy in supporting iconic national projects, contributing to India’s engineering prowess and nation-building efforts in challenging terrains.

Economic Opportunity and Tourism Boost: Improved connectivity is expected to stimulate economic development and tourism in the remote Himalayan regions.

Scheduled Completion: The tunnel is slated for completion by 2027.

Supreme Court Criticizes ED Misuse: The Supreme Court of India has strongly criticized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for using its powers inappropriately, particularly in politically charged investigations.

• Why in News: This indicates a significant judicial check on the agency’s operations and raises questions about its impartiality.

ED as a Political Tool: The court emphasized that the ED should not be employed as a mechanism for political gains or to target opponents.

• Why in News: This highlights a serious concern about the politicization of a key financial investigation agency.

Officers Crossing Limits: The Supreme Court observed that ED officers are exceeding their authority and boundaries in their conduct.

• Why in News: This points to potential overreach and misconduct by individuals within the ED, warranting scrutiny.

Upholding Constitutional Values: The SC sternly reminded the ED to adhere to constitutional principles, ensuring fairness and professionalism in its actions.

• Why in News: This serves as a reminder for the ED to operate within the legal and ethical framework of the constitution.

ED Functions: The ED is a law enforcement and economic intelligence agency responsible for enforcing laws like the PMLA and FEMA, investigating financial crimes, and confiscating illegal assets.

• Why in News: Understanding the ED’s mandate is crucial in evaluating the court’s criticism in the context of its powers and responsibilities.

Date and Purpose: International Moon Day is observed annually on July 20 to commemorate the Apollo 11 mission’s first human landing on the Moon in 1969.

• Why: This date marks a historic milestone for humanity’s exploration of space.

UN Recognition: The United Nations General Assembly officially recognized July 20 as International Moon Day in 2021.

• Why: To promote global cooperation in space exploration and acknowledge the collective progress of all nations in lunar exploration.

Apollo 11 Mission: Launched by NASA on July 16, 1969, it was the first crewed mission to land on the Moon and return safely. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first humans to walk on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969.

• Why: This mission is the primary reason for the day’s observance.

India’s Lunar Contributions: India has made significant strides with its Moon missions, including Chandrayaan-1 (discovering water) and Chandrayaan-3 (historic soft landing at the South Pole).

• Why: Highlights the growing international participation and achievements in lunar exploration beyond the initial Apollo missions.

Activities and Goals: Worldwide events, educational outreach, and science competitions are organized to inspire interest in space science.

• Why: To foster curiosity, promote sustainable space practices, international cooperation, peaceful exploration, and responsible resource use.

Date Debate: Minor criticism exists regarding the exact timing of the first step on the Moon (UTC July 21) versus the landing date (July 20).

• Why: Occasional debate over the most accurate commemoration date, with some questioning if July 20 fully represents the international spirit due to its American roots.

Supreme Court Examines Nature of Right to Vote: The apex court is deliberating whether the right to vote is constitutional, statutory, or fundamental, particularly in light of Bihar’s electoral roll revision. This is significant because the classification of the right impacts its enforceability and protections.

Article 326 and Representation of the People Act, 1951: Article 326 grants universal adult suffrage, giving the right to vote to citizens over 18. The Representation of the People Act, 1951, outlines specific conditions for voting, demonstrating that the right is subject to legal qualifications and disqualifications.

Conflicting Judicial Precedents: Past Supreme Court rulings have vacillated, with some (like N.P. Ponnuswami) deeming it a statutory right, while others (like PUCL) have suggested it’s a constitutional right. Most recently, the Anoop Baranwal case (2023) majority reaffirmed its statutory nature.

Dissenting View Links Voting to Freedom of Speech: Justice Ajay Rastogi’s dissenting opinion argued that the right to vote is an expression of choice, intrinsically linked to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), suggesting a higher constitutional standing.

Constitutional vs. Statutory Rights: Understanding the difference is crucial. Constitutional rights are guaranteed by the Constitution (even if not Fundamental Rights) and are enforceable. Statutory rights are created by legislation and can be altered or repealed. The court’s decision will clarify which category the right to vote definitively falls into.

• Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh will preside over the Rajya Sabha until a new VP is elected, as per Article 91.
• A new Vice President must be elected within 60 days (by September 19, 2025).

• Ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
• Can act as President in case of vacancy, for a maximum of six months.

• Why: AI can generate outputs that mimic or duplicate original works, leading to potential copyright infringement allegations.

• Why: Existing laws were not designed for AI, and exceptions haven’t been adequately tested in court for AI training processes.

• Anthropic: Using copyrighted data for AI training can be “transformative” (like a writer learning), but using pirated copies requires trial.
• Meta: AI outputs not causing market dilution and being “transformative” can be covered by fair use. However, tech companies should share AI boom wealth with copyright holders.
• Why: These rulings offer some clarity by favoring “fair use” for transformative training but highlight limits on pirated content and call for creator compensation.

• Why: Global litigation signals the need for clear AI-IPR policies, transparent data usage guidelines, and creator compensation mechanisms to balance innovation and creator rights. India needs to proactively adapt its framework.

• Why: This lack of global consistency creates legal uncertainties for AI development and copyright enforcement worldwide.

• CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System): 24×7 online platform for citizens to lodge grievances, now a global model.
• Jeevan Pramaan (Digital Life Certificate): Biometric-enabled digital service simplifying life certificate submission for pensioners, also a global model. Over 10.31 crore submitted since 2014.

• Revolutionary reforms under PM Modi have instilled self-esteem, confidence, and trust in citizens.
• 29 out of 41 Good Governance Conferences since Independence have been held during PM Modi’s tenure, showing the scale of reforms.
• Reforms are revolutionary, have significant socio-economic impact at the grassroots, and have changed citizen mindset.
• India’s UPI adoption shows commitment to innovation and digital empowerment.
• Over 1,600 obsolete laws repealed for efficiency and transparency.

• Commitment to people-centric, technology-driven governance.
• Good governance is a right of every citizen and duty of public servants.
• Odisha has made progress in disaster resilience, inclusive growth, and citizen services.

• Conference aligned with “Holistic Development of India through Holistic Development of Districts and Blocks.”
• Call for Commitment, Collaboration, and Capability among civil servants for Vikshit Bharat.
• New paradigm where young civil servants are thought leaders and catalysts for innovation.

F-35B Fighter Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Kerala: A Royal Navy F-35B, operating from the HMS Prince of Wales, landed in Kerala due to an unspecified emergency.

• Why it’s news: This marks an unusual event involving a high-tech, fifth-generation fighter jet from a major naval power landing in India under emergency circumstances.

Repairs Conducted by Air India MRO: Air India’s Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Kerala provided the necessary support for the F-35B.

• Why it’s news: Highlights the capability of Indian MRO facilities to service advanced foreign military aircraft, fostering international cooperation and demonstrating technical prowess.

UK Engineering Team Assisted: A 14-member UK engineering team worked alongside Indian personnel for the assessment and safety checks of the F-35B.

• Why it’s news: Demonstrates collaboration between UK and Indian technical teams on a complex military asset, underscoring diplomatic and operational ties.

Logistical Support by UK Airbus A400M: A UK A400M Atlas aircraft provided logistical support and transported the engineering team.

• Why it’s news: Shows the integrated support systems used by modern air forces for deploying and maintaining advanced aircraft globally.

F-35B Significance: The F-35B is a stealth, multirole fighter known for its Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) capability, allowing it to operate from carriers without catapults.

• Why it’s news: Provides context on the advanced nature of the aircraft involved and its unique operational features, making the incident more significant.

• Why in News: This finding underscores a critical environmental and economic issue for the continent.

• Why in News: This emphasizes the significant economic cost of wetland loss, particularly for African nations heavily reliant on nature-based sectors.

• Conservation Over Restoration: Conserving healthy wetlands is more cost-effective than restoring degraded ones.
• Invest in Nature-Based Solutions: Boost public and private investment in wetland protection as NbS for resilience and climate mitigation.
• Align with Biodiversity Goals: Urgent action is needed to meet Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets for wetland restoration (30% of degraded ecosystems) and conservation (30% of land, waters, seas).
  • Why in News: These recommendations provide a roadmap for policy and legislative interventions to protect these vital ecosystems.

What is Moon Day?

• Observed annually on July 20th.
• Commemorates the first manned Moon landing by NASA’s Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Why it Matters:

• Milestone Achievement: A significant event in human space exploration and scientific progress.
• Honors Apollo 11: Recognizes the courage and teamwork involved in the mission.
• Inspires Future Missions: Motivates ongoing and future lunar exploration like Artemis and Chandrayaan.
• Promotes STEM: Encourages public interest in science, technology, engineering, math, and the spirit of discovery.

About the Moon:

• Earth’s only natural satellite.
• Fifth-largest moon in the Solar System.
• Average distance from Earth: 384,400 km.
• Diameter: 3,474 km.
• Likely formed ~4.5 billion years ago from a Mars-sized impact on Earth.
• Has eight phases due to its orbit around Earth and relation to the Sun.
• Causes Earth’s ocean tides through its gravitational pull.
• Lacks a significant atmosphere, leading to extreme temperature fluctuations.
• Surface features include craters, mountains, and basaltic plains (maria).

Key Scientific Facts:

• Tidal Locking: Always shows the same face to Earth due to synchronous rotation and revolution.
• Drifting Away: Moves 3.8 cm farther from Earth each year.
• Weak Gravity: About 1/6th of Earth’s gravity.
• No Protection: Lacks an atmosphere and magnetic field, leaving it exposed to solar radiation and meteor impacts.
• Tidal Influence: Its gravity is crucial for marine life and coastal ecosystems.
• Largest Relative to Planet: Proportionally the largest moon compared to its host planet.
• Water Ice: Discovered in permanently shadowed polar craters, vital for future missions.

Space Missions & Exploration:

• Apollo 11 (1969): First human Moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
• Chandrayaan-3 (2023): India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole.
• Artemis Program: NASA’s initiative to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable base.

Cultural Significance:

• Calendars: Used in various cultural lunar calendars.
• Daytime Visibility: Can be seen during the day due to its brightness and proximity.
• Celestial Phenomena: Events like Blood Moons (lunar eclipses) and Supermoons capture public attention.

Why in News: The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034 provides a 10-year forecast to guide policy on global agricultural and fish markets.

Cereal Production & Biofuels:

• Global cereal production to grow 1.1% annually, mainly from yield increases.
• By 2034, only 40% of cereal production will be for direct human consumption; 27% will go to biofuels and industrial uses.
• Biofuel demand to grow 0.9% annually, driven by Brazil, India, and Indonesia.

Market Growth & Emissions:

• Agricultural and fish production to grow 14% by 2034, powered by middle-income nations’ productivity.
• This growth will result in a 6% increase in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Consumption Trends:

• Per capita calorie intake from livestock and fish products to rise 6% globally.
• Lower-middle-income countries will drive this increase, with a 24% rise in intake.
• Despite improvements, low-income countries will still have significantly lower intake than global targets.

Biofuel Impact on Food Security:

• Land Use: Biofuel crops can displace food production land (e.g., India needing 7.1 million hectares for E20).
• Resource Strain: Biofuel crops demand significant water and fertilizers.
• Food Inflation: Biofuels increase feedstock demand, raising food prices (e.g., Indian rice prices up 14.5%).
• Environmental Trade-offs: Expansion can cause deforestation and biodiversity loss.

Policy Recommendations:

• Feedstock Diversification: Promote 3G ethanol from microalgae. Invest in GM crops for biofuels.
• Land Use: Implement biofuel zoning to protect fertile land; use marginal/wastelands.
• Incentives: Strengthen MSP for diverse grains; align ethanol procurement with food surplus.
• Productivity: Improve agricultural productivity to reduce undernourishment and emissions.

Major Security Breach at CoinDCX: India’s CoinDCX, a leading crypto exchange, experienced a hack on July 19, 2025. Hackers stole approximately ₹378 crore ($44.2 million) by compromising an internal operational wallet used for liquidity.

• Why it’s News: This is a significant financial loss for a major exchange, highlighting the persistent cybersecurity threats within the cryptocurrency sector.

User Funds Remain Secure: CoinDCX confirmed that the breach did not impact any customer wallets or funds. The company is absorbing the entire loss from its own treasury.

• Why it’s News: This is crucial for user confidence. Despite the large theft, the exchange’s robust security for customer assets and its willingness to cover the loss demonstrate responsibility and mitigate panic.

Hackers Used Obfuscation Techniques: The stolen stablecoins (USDT, USDC) were moved across Solana and Ethereum, routed through Tornado Cash to hinder tracking. Blockchain investigators detected the activity before CoinDCX’s announcement.

• Why it’s News: This illustrates the sophisticated methods employed by crypto hackers and the ongoing challenge of tracing illicit funds due to privacy-enhancing technologies like Tornado Cash.

CoinDCX’s Response: The company has informed CERT-In and is conducting cybersecurity audits. Founders have been transparent with users about the situation.

• Why it’s News: The swift and transparent response, including involving cybersecurity agencies, sets a standard for handling such incidents and reassures the wider crypto community about accountability.

Underlying Risk in Crypto Platforms: The incident underscores the inherent cybersecurity risks associated with cryptocurrency exchanges, even those with proactive security measures.

• Why it’s News: It serves as a reminder to all users and platforms that the digital asset space remains a target for sophisticated cyberattacks, necessitating continuous vigilance and investment in security.

• Why it’s news: This highlights the immediate human impact of the natural disaster.

• Why it’s news: Demonstrates the response and support mechanisms put in place for affected populations.

• Why it’s news: Shows the ongoing efforts to meet the basic needs of those displaced.

• Why it’s news: Provides crucial data on the scale of the flood and water management operations.

• Why it’s news: Underscores the administrative and safety directives being issued to manage the crisis.

• Why it’s news: Provides background information on the river’s importance and scale, contextualizing the flood event.

Most Precise Comparison of Optical Atomic Clocks: Researchers conducted the largest and most sophisticated test to date involving 10 optical atomic clocks across three continents to build confidence for redefining the SI unit of time.

• Why it’s news: This test is crucial for validating the accuracy and agreement between these next-generation clocks, a prerequisite for changing the global time standard.

Advancing Towards Redefining the Second: The comparison paves the way for potentially redefining the second by 2030, moving away from the current Caesium-133 atomic clock standard.

• Why it’s news: This signifies a major shift in fundamental physics and timekeeping, driven by the superior precision of optical clocks.

Optical Clocks Offer Superior Accuracy: Optical atomic clocks use atoms like Strontium-87 and Ytterbium-171, operating at much higher optical frequencies than the microwave frequencies of current Caesium clocks.

• Why it’s news: This higher frequency allows for 10,000x greater precision, potentially losing only 1 second over 15 billion years, compared to Caesium clocks losing 1 second every 300 million years.

Rigorous Testing and Validation: The test involved linking clocks via fiber optics and advanced GPS techniques, identifying and addressing potential discrepancies.

• Why it’s news: This demonstrates the scientific community’s commitment to rigorous verification before adopting a new standard and highlights the challenges in achieving global agreement between highly sensitive instruments.

Broader Applications: The enhanced accuracy of optical atomic clocks has implications for quantum sensing, high-speed networking, space science, and fundamental physics.

• Why it’s news: This indicates that the redefinition of the second is not just an abstract scientific goal but will have tangible impacts on various advanced technologies and scientific endeavors.

India’s Food Inflation Lowest Since Jan 2019: India’s CPI food inflation at 2.1% in June 2025 is significantly lower than the US (2.7%), UK (4.5%), and EU (3%).

Key Factors:

• Good Monsoon: Second consecutive year of good monsoon boosted crop output.
• Government Policy: Zero/low-duty imports of pulses and edible oils helped control prices.
• Global Prices: Cooling global prices for oil and pulses contributed.
• High Food Stockpiles: Government maintained high central food stockpiles.

RBI Implication: Easing food inflation provides room for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to consider cutting interest rates, which were previously high due to inflation concerns.

Monsoon & Crop Boost: Ample rainfall improved soil moisture and groundwater, benefiting Kharif crops. Sown area for Kharif crops saw a marginal increase.

Import & Support Measures: Government facilitated imports of pulses and edible oils at reduced duties. Support prices for crops like tur were increased to ensure farmer returns.

Over 100 MPs sign impeachment notice against Justice Yashwant Varma.

• Why in News: Initiated due to allegations of proven misbehaviour, following a judicial panel’s indictment over burnt currency found at his residence.

India’s process for removing judges is called impeachment.

• Why in News: It’s the common term for removing Supreme Court or High Court judges for proved misbehaviour or incapacity, aiming to protect judicial integrity.

Constitutional basis: Articles 124(4) and 218, plus the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.

• Why in News: These articles define the grounds and process for removal.

Grounds for removal: Proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

• Why in News: Judges can only be removed for serious misconduct or inability to perform duties.

Process involves: Motion by 100+ (Lok Sabha) or 50+ (Rajya Sabha) MPs, Speaker/Chairman acceptance, a 3-member inquiry committee, parliamentary debate, and special majority in both Houses.

• Why in News: This outlines the stringent procedure required for removal.

Presidential order: Removal requires a motion passed by both Houses, followed by a Presidential order.

• Why in News: This is the final constitutional step for removal.

Drawbacks: Resignation can halt proceedings; no judge has been successfully impeached post-independence due to high thresholds and political factors.

• Why in News: Highlights the difficulty and potential loopholes in the impeachment process.

Past attempts: Justice V. Ramaswami (1993) and Justice Soumitra Sen (2011).

• Why in News: Illustrates historical instances of impeachment proceedings.

New Regulations for Offshore Atomic Minerals: The government has notified the Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Operating Right Rules, 2025, under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002. This introduces strict rules for exploring and mining atomic minerals like uranium and thorium offshore.

Restricted Access to Offshore Atomic Minerals:

• Only government entities and private firms nominated by the Centre can explore or mine atomic minerals offshore.
• Foreign involvement requires prior government approval.
• Licensing for India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is limited to CPSEs or Centre-nominated agencies.

Threshold for Applicability: These 2025 rules apply only when uranium or thorium concentrations exceed a specific “threshold value.” Below this threshold, the 2024 rules will apply.

Mandatory Environmental Restoration: Exploration activities must be followed by mandatory marine environmental restoration and rehabilitation of affected seabeds within six months.

Significance of Atomic Minerals: Uranium and thorium are crucial for nuclear energy. India has limited uranium but abundant thorium, primarily found in monazite sands along its coast, with Kerala and Odisha being major sources.

Inconclusive Air India Crash Report: The preliminary report on the Ahmedabad crash is inconclusive, leading to distrust in the investigation and the system. This fuels demands for comprehensive aviation sector reforms for a genuine ‘culture of safety’.

Systemic Failures, Not Single Incidents: Aviation accidents result from multiple, aligned failures across different layers (airline operator, airport infrastructure, air traffic control, DGCA, MoCA), not a single cause.

Regulatory Loopholes & Obstacles: Strict building regulations near airports (pre-2008) were bypassed, allowing numerous obstacles that interfere with radar and communication. Despite amended rules, enforcement and demolition mechanisms for illegal construction remain weak.

DGCA’s Limited Capability & Over-Reliance: The DGCA has insufficient technical expertise, heavily relying on foreign regulators (FAA, EASA) for certifications, as seen with IndiGo’s engine issues.

Substandard Maintenance & Crew Standards: Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) face stress with no duty limits. DGCA allows delegation to less-qualified technicians. Flight Time Duty Limitations (FTDT) are often violated by pilots, with DGCA granting exemptions. Cabin crew are undervalued.

Airline Profit Over Safety: Airlines prioritize profit, leading to unsafe policies. Airline officials responsible for violations often retain positions, and DGCA-appointed officers within airlines lack real authority.

Air Traffic Management Shortages: A severe shortage of Air Traffic Controller Officers (ATCOs) exists, with unimplemented recommendations for licensing and duty-time limitations.

Whistleblower Silencing: Whistleblowers reporting safety issues face demotion, transfer, or termination, fostering a culture of fear and discouraging disclosures.

Judiciary’s Role & Undervalued Life: Courts are urged to scrutinize technical assessments. The judiciary’s conservative approach to valuing human life disincentivizes safety investments.

Need for Systemic Reform: Immediate, comprehensive reform is necessary, focusing on accountability, oversight, and a safety-over-profit commitment, including mental health support for air crew without punitive consequences.

• Identification: Promptly identify disabled prisoners at admission.
• Universal Accessibility: Provide wheelchair-friendly spaces, accessible toilets, ramps, and prison information in accessible formats (Braille, sign language).
• Therapeutic Facilities: Ensure dedicated spaces for physiotherapy, psychotherapy, etc.
• Access Audit: Conduct state-level access audits of prisons.
• Training: Train and sensitize prison staff on the needs of disabled prisoners.

• Why: To create a formal regulatory framework, boost user confidence with consumer protections, and position the US as a global crypto leader.

• Why: They offer price stability unlike volatile cryptocurrencies, facilitating financial services.

• Why: To curb misuse and enhance oversight, VDAs are under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. India’s official alternative is the Central Bank Digital Currency (Digital Rupee).

• Why: Demonstrates growing political influence of the crypto industry and a shared interest in its regulation.

• Why: To address concerns over potential conflicts of interest within government. (Note: This ban doesn’t apply to the president or his family).

Paradigm Shift Needed: India must move from a focus on food production to soil management to improve both crop and human nutrition, recognizing that nutrient-rich soils yield nutritious food.

Soil Deficiencies & Human Health: Micronutrient deficiencies in soil (like zinc) lead to crops with lower nutritional value, causing widespread malnutrition, such as childhood stunting, impacting physical and cognitive development.

Poor Soil Health Status: Soil Health Card data reveals severe deficiencies: less than 5% of tested soils are sufficient in nitrogen, 40% in phosphate, 32% in potash, and only 20% in soil organic carbon (SOC).

Low Soil Organic Carbon (SOC): SOC is crucial for soil health, nutrient cycling, and water retention. India’s SOC levels are critically low, with adequate levels considered 0.50-0.75% by IISC, and ideally 1.5-2% according to Rattan Lal.

Imbalanced Fertiliser Use: Nitrogen is overused (e.g., 61% excess in Punjab) while phosphorus and potassium are underused, drastically reducing the fertilizer-to-grain response ratio from 1:10 to 1:2.7.

Environmental Impact of Urea: Only 35-40% of nitrogen from urea is absorbed by crops; the rest is released as a potent greenhouse gas (nitrous oxide) or contaminates groundwater as nitrates.

Recommendations:

• Shift to science-based, soil- and crop-specific fertilization.
• Strengthen the Soil Health Card Scheme with digital integration and farmer advisories.
• Incentivize use of P, K, sulphur, and micronutrient fortified fertilizers.
• Promote organic manures and biofertilizers to boost SOC.
• Recognize soil health as a public health imperative.

Collaboration: ICRIER and OCP Nutricrops are collaborating to develop and scale data-driven soil nutrition solutions for improved crop productivity and nutritional quality.

Goal: Achieve “nutritional sufficiency” rather than just “caloric sufficiency” for a healthy nation.

Inauguration of Helpline (14473): A new helpline number was launched for waste pickers, providing them with a dedicated support channel.

Distribution of PPE Kits and Ayushman Cards: Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and Waste Pickers received Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and health insurance cards (Ayushman cards). This emphasizes safety and healthcare access for these workers.

Launch of AR/VR Training Module: An Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality training module was introduced for SSWs. This signifies a move towards modern, safer, and more effective training methods for occupational safety.

NAMASTE Scheme’s Goal: The scheme aims to eliminate hazardous manual scavenging by promoting mechanized sanitation, ensuring no direct contact with human waste.

Human-Centric and Rights-Based Initiative: NAMASTE focuses on the safety, dignity, and inclusion of sanitation workers, aligning with UN SDGs for clean water, decent work, and reduced inequality.

Formalization and Empowerment: The scheme works to formalize, rehabilitate, and empower SSWs and waste pickers through training, safety equipment, and livelihood opportunities like “Sani-preneurship.”

Government Commitment: The events highlight the government’s dedication to prioritizing marginalized communities and ensuring dignity for those historically underserved in sanitation work.

Scheme Scope: NAMASTE covers over 4800 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across India and is a three-year Central Sector Scheme (2023-24 to 2025-26).