Researchers in Nagaland found native stingless bees (Tetragonula iridipennis, Lepidotrigona arcifera) are safe and effective. Why: They boost crop yields as pollinators and produce medicinal honey ideal for Northeast India.
They are considered safer than traditional honeybees, making them a good alternative.
Stingless bees are small, eusocial insects found in tropical/subtropical regions, belonging to the tribe Meliponini.
Key features include small size, dark body with yellow markings, two pairs of wings, and an oval face with a pointed chin.
They nest in various locations like tree trunks or wall cavities using resin, mud, and wax for their nests which contain honey pots.
Their diet consists of nectar and pollen; some species also feed on rotting fruits.
While lacking functional stingers, they defend themselves by biting with mandibles; some can inject venom through bites.
Stingless bees are important buzz pollinators, crucial for tropical crops and ecosystem health.
NE 2025
The 17th edition of the India-Mongolia joint military exercise “Nomadic Elephant” concluded on June 13, 2025, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Why: Marks the successful completion of a key annual bilateral defence engagement.
Indian Army contingent (45 personnel, mainly from Arunachal Scouts) and Mongolian Armed Forces participated.
Why: Demonstrates active military cooperation and mutual commitment.
The exercise focused on enhancing interoperability in semi-conventional operations under a UN mandate in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
Why: Prepares both forces for joint participation in multinational peacekeeping missions and counter-insurgency/terrorism operations in challenging environments.
Key activities included counter-insurgency/terrorism operations, shooting, room intervention, small team tactics, rock craft, and cyber warfare modules.
Why: Enhanced practical skills and tactical coordination between the contingents.
Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh attended the closing ceremony.
Why: Highlights the high-level importance placed on the exercise and the bilateral defence relationship by India.
The exercise strengthens bilateral defence cooperation, trust, and reinforces shared interests in regional stability and international peacekeeping.
Why: Deepens the strategic partnership and enduring bond of friendship between India and Mongolia, while enhancing the Indian Army’s readiness for multinational roles and reinforcing India’s role as a responsible stakeholder in global peacekeeping efforts.
It contributes significantly to India’s expanding defence diplomacy.
Why: Underscores the strategic importance of India’s partnership with Mongolia and its engagement in regional security initiatives.
Cardamom Snail Pest
Snail infestation is threatening cardamom crops in Idukki, Kerala.
Why: This is significant because Idukki is a major cardamom producing region in India, and an infestation directly impacts local farmers’ livelihoods and the overall spice supply.
The infestation is linked to recent heavy summer rains.
Why: This highlights a potential climate-related challenge impacting agricultural vulnerability.
Snails feed on new panicles, flowers, and young capsules.
Why: This explains the mechanism of damage, showing how the infestation directly leads to reduced yield and quality of the spice.
Farmers are resorting to chemical sprays like metaldehyde.
Why: This indicates the severity of the problem (requiring chemical intervention) and raises potential environmental or health concerns related to pesticide use.
Cardamom is a valuable crop, known as the “Queen of Spices,” native to the Western Ghats.
Why: Provides context on the importance and origin of the crop being affected.
India is a major global spice producer and exporter, with cardamom being one of the cultivated varieties.
Why: Places the local issue within the larger national and international spice market context, showing the potential broader economic impact.
Trust-Based Reg
News Context: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 (effective Aug 2023) and proposed Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 (Union Budget 2025–26) replace criminal penalties with fines for minor offences across many Central Acts, marking a shift towards Trust-Based Regulation.
What it is: A governance approach assuming good faith compliance from individuals and businesses, focusing on reducing unnecessary legal burdens and promoting voluntary compliance, rather than treating them as potential offenders.
Shift in Approach: Moves from a policing/punitive mindset (strict penalties for minor lapses) to a partnership/reformative model (encouraging compliance, reserving strict action for serious violations).
Key Features: Involves decriminalizing minor offences, implementing risk-based enforcement, simplifying compliance, encouraging self-declaration, and reducing unnecessary government interference/harassment.
Why in News/Needed in India:
Replaces colonial-era punitive laws that fostered fear and rent-seeking.
Enhances Ease of Doing Business by simplifying regulations and compliance, especially for MSMEs.
Helps decongest the judiciary by diverting minor cases from criminal courts.
Reduces corruption and harassment by officials seeking rent from procedural lapses.
Boosts economic growth by reducing the fear of criminal charges for unintentional non-compliance.
Aligns with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision of ‘minimum government, maximum governance’.
Implementation: The Jan Vishwas Act decriminalizes 183 provisions across 42 Acts, with Jan Vishwas 2.0 planning to decriminalise 100+ more. States and municipalities are urged to adopt similar reforms.
Deep Sea Exploration
About 99.999% of the Earth’s deep seafloor (>200m depth) remains visually unexplored, highlighting the vast unknown area covering two-thirds of the planet.
Exploration is concentrated among just 5 countries (US, Japan, New Zealand, France, Germany) and biased towards features like ridges and canyons, leaving vast abyssal plains under-studied. Why: Shows uneven global research efforts and potentially missed discoveries in less-explored areas.
The deep ocean environment is harsh (no sunlight, cold 4°C, extreme pressure) but life thrives, sustained by ‘marine snow’ (falling organic matter). Why: Demonstrates life’s adaptability and the critical role of marine snow in sustaining ecosystems and aiding carbon sequestration for climate regulation.
The mesopelagic zone (200–1,000m) hosts about 90% of global fish biomass. Why: Indicates the ecological importance of even the upper deep ocean layers.
Deep ocean exploration is vital for potential resources (energy, polymetallic nodules, new antibiotics) and understanding/mitigating climate change. Why: These are significant benefits driving exploration efforts.
India launched the Deep Ocean Mission in 2021 to explore and sustainably harness deep-sea resources. Why: Represents a national commitment to participating in deep-sea research and resource assessment.
India’s agriculture is undergoing a significant shift by integrating AI and digital technologies to improve efficiency and address challenges.
The CROPIC initiative by the government exemplifies using AI for real-time crop monitoring and photo analysis to assess health and losses, aiding insurance and policy. (Why: A concrete government step leveraging technology for critical agricultural processes).
AI applications like precision farming optimize resource use (water, fertilizers), reducing costs and environmental impact. (Why: Improves sustainability and economic viability for farmers).
AI-driven weather forecasts and yield predictions help farmers and policymakers plan sowing, harvesting, procurement, and supply chains. (Why: Enables better planning and reduces uncertainty).
AI tools identify pests and diseases early via image recognition, preventing widespread losses. (Why: Protects crops and ensures yield security).
AI-powered advisory services provide customized, language-specific guidance, benefiting small and illiterate farmers. (Why: Enhances knowledge dissemination and decision-making for a large farmer base).
AI automates crop loss assessment for insurance claims using photo analysis, aiming for faster and fairer settlements compared to subjective methods. (Why: Streamlines critical farmer support mechanisms).
However, challenges like the digital divide, poor data quality, high costs, and inadequate infrastructure hinder widespread AI adoption among farmers. (Why: Limits the benefits of technology to a large segment of the farming population).
Ensuring inclusive AI usage requires improved rural connectivity, developing localized models, farmer training, and robust data privacy frameworks. (Why: Necessary steps to make AI an equitable tool benefiting all farmers).
India BFSI Revamp
Fragmented Regulatory Framework: Challenges arise from multiple regulators (RBI, SEBI, IRDAI) leading to overlapping jurisdictions, gaps, and inconsistencies. Why? This causes compliance complexities and operational inefficiencies.
Underdeveloped Corporate Bond Market: It’s shallow, illiquid, and opaque. Why? This keeps the cost of capital high, hindering business viability and economic growth.
Opacity in Ownership and UBO Disclosure: Current rules allow investors to avoid revealing Ultimate Beneficial Owners. Why? This hinders transparency, makes tracing control difficult, and weakens enforcement, eroding investor trust.
Unregulated Shadow Banking: Entities like NBFCs, margin lenders, and brokers offer banking-like services without comprehensive oversight. Why? Poses a significant financial stability threat and involves opaque practices.
Weak Insurance Penetration: Coverage is low (4.2% of GDP). Why? Indicates underutilization of insurance as a financial safety net.
Non-Performing Assets (NPAs): High levels, especially in public sector banks. Why? Constrains lending capacity and affects system efficiency and stability.
Need for Deep Bond Market Development: India’s bond market is small (18-20% of GDP) compared to peers. Why? Strengthening it lowers borrowing costs and improves access to long-term capital, supporting growth.
Call for Integrated Financial Regulation: Harmonisation across regulators is needed. Why? To address oversight gaps, inconsistencies, and improve efficiency.
Strengthening KYC and UBO Norms: Requires accurate data and strict enforcement. Why? To curb misuse, enhance transparency, and build investor trust.
Keezhadi Digs
Excavations at Keezhadi, Tamil Nadu reveal an advanced urban civilization dating to at least 6th century BCE with findings like literacy (graffiti resembling Indus script) and planned structures, significant as it indicates early urbanisation in South India and potential links to the Indus Valley, challenging earlier beliefs.
The archaeological report by lead archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, dating the site to 8th-3rd century BCE, was returned by the ASI for revisions, asking for a later date (pre-300 BCE maximum), why? because the ASI cited a lack of scientific rigor and asked for more evidence.
Ramakrishna has refused to revise his report, why? asserting its scientific validity based on existing data.
Tamil Nadu leaders and scholars allege political interference by the central government, why? accusing them of trying to suppress evidence of Tamil civilization’s antiquity and independence because it challenges dominant Hindutva historical narratives.
Allegations of stalling tactics include the transfer of Ramakrishna, delays in funding/approval, and delay in report processing, why? to allegedly hinder the recognition of the findings.
Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin states the Centre is undermining Tamil heritage and that the truth doesn’t serve their “script”, why? implying a political motive to control historical narratives.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat denies political motives, why? stating the report needs more scientific validation and cautioning against using findings for “regional sentiments”.
Tamil academics point to a potential double standard, why? arguing less scrutiny is applied to reports from sites like Ayodhya and Mathura, suggesting bias.
Fiscal Federalism
Fiscal Federalism: System in India dividing financial powers/responsibilities between Union and States, grounded in the Constitution.
Karnataka’s Grievance: Despite significant contribution (8.7% GDP, 2nd in GST), the state receives only 15 paise per rupee contributed to Union taxes, indicating inadequate fiscal returns.
Reduced Devolution Share: Karnataka’s share of central taxes (vertical devolution) dropped from 4.71% to 3.64% under the 15th Finance Commission, resulting in a substantial loss of over â‚ą80,000 crore.
Declining Per Capita Share: The state’s per capita devolution decreased significantly relative to the national average between the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions (95% to 73%).
Demand for Increased Vertical Devolution: Karnataka proposes raising the share of taxes devolved to states from the Centre to at least 50% (from the 15th FC’s recommendation of 41% for all states).
Cesses and Surcharges: Calls for capping these unshared taxes at 5% and including any excess amounts, along with Union non-tax revenues, in the divisible pool to be shared with states.
Reforms in Grants and Allocation: Suggests limiting unpredictable discretionary grants (e.g., to 0.3% of total devolution) and adjusting the horizontal devolution formula to give more weight to states’ economic contribution while maintaining equity for less-developed states.
Bengaluru Infrastructure Funding: Specific request for â‚ą1.15 lakh crore investment in Bengaluru’s infrastructure, citing its importance to the state and national economy.
Why in News: Karnataka’s Chief Minister raised these issues with the Finance Commission, arguing that current devolution system is unfair to high-performing states and needs reforms for fairness, predictability, and to sustain state economies vital for national progress.
RBI Gold Loan Guidelines
Higher LTV: Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio increased to 85% for loans up to â‚ą2.5 lakh. Why: Benefits NBFCs focused on small loans by allowing greater lending against gold value.
Bullet Loan LTV Calculation: LTV for bullet loans must include accrued interest. Why: Stricter computation, but higher LTV helps mitigate its impact.
Increased Risk Management Focus: Higher LTV increases exposure to gold price volatility. Why: Necessitates robust risk practices and timely auctions for LTV breaches.
No Additional Provisioning: Proposed 1% extra provisioning for LTV breaches is dropped. Why: Reduces potential capital burden, but NBFCs must define clear policies for LTV breaches and auctions.
Uniform Rules and Timeline: Rules apply to all regulated lenders from April 1, 2026. Why: Ensures regulatory consistency and provides time for NBFCs to adapt.
Growth Driver: The framework provides lending flexibility and clarity. Why: Supports growth for NBFCs but intensifies market competition.
Emergency 50 Years
The news highlights the 50th anniversary of the declaration of a National Emergency in India on June 25, 1975, which lasted until March 1977.
Why in news: The 50-year mark of this significant event in India’s democratic history.
Why it happened: The declaration followed the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on June 12, 1975, in the Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Shri Raj Narain Case, which invalidated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s 1971 election.
The court found her guilty of misusing government machinery for campaigning, leading to her disqualification and subsequent political turmoil that preceded the Emergency declaration.
The Emergency resulted in the suspension of civil liberties, press censorship, and postponement of elections.
Key facts covered include National Emergency being proclaimed under Article 352 on grounds like war or armed rebellion.
Amendments modified rules on grounds (44th replaced “internal disturbance” with “armed rebellion”), parliamentary approval (special majority within 1 month by 44th), duration (extendable every 6 months), and judicial review (initially barred, restored by 44th).
Implications included the Centre exercising greater control over states (executive directions, Parliament making laws on state subjects) and potential extension of legislative terms.
Fundamental Rights were curtailed, with Article 19 automatically suspended in external emergency (Art 358) and others suspendable by Presidential order (Art 359), except Articles 20 and 21.
India Fertility Rights
UNFPA Report 2025 highlights the real crisis in fertility is unmet reproductive aspirations, not just declining numbers, because many cannot have the children they want or avoid unwanted pregnancies.
India’s TFR has declined significantly (from 2.9 to 2.0), indicating population stabilisation but masking persistent state-level variations (e.g., Bihar vs Kerala) and shifting demographic challenges.
Despite declining TFR, over one-third of Indians faced unintended pregnancies and over one-third were unable to have children when desired, showing a dual challenge of over- and under-achieved fertility.
Reproductive rights, including access to contraception, safe abortion, healthcare, and freedom from coercion, are crucial because they enable individuals to make informed choices about their bodies and families.
Significant issues in India include a high stigma around infertility and expensive, unregulated treatment options, making desired parenthood inaccessible for many.
Contraception use is skewed towards female sterilization (66%), with low uptake of reversible methods due to myths and gender bias, limiting women’s control over spacing and number of children.
Women face a gendered burden of domestic work and lack support for planning a second child, especially among educated working women, hindering reproductive autonomy and well-being.
Workplace constraints like lack of paid parental leave, childcare, and discrimination, particularly in the informal sector, penalise women for childbearing.
Judicial pronouncements (Suchita Srivastava, Puttaswamy, X v. Principal Secretary Health) recognise reproductive choices and privacy as fundamental rights, underscoring the legal basis for reproductive autonomy.
The way forward requires shifting from population control to a rights-based reproductive justice approach, integrating fertility, contraception, and maternal care into public health and addressing social barriers like stigma and gender inequality.
Biggest Israel Attack Iran
Key Point: Israel launched its largest-ever military operation targeting key Iranian nuclear and military facilities inside Iran.
Why: Prime Minister Netanyahu described it as a “pre-emptive action” to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a primary concern for Israel.
Key Point: Major sites struck included the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, missile bases, and research centers across various cities like Isfahan, Tehran, and Tabriz.
Why: These locations are central to Iran’s nuclear program and military capabilities, which Israel perceives as direct threats.
Key Point: The attack followed a critical IAEA resolution against Iran for non-compliance with nuclear safeguards and killed several top Iranian officials.
Why: The resolution highlighted ongoing concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities, providing immediate context for heightened tensions and potential military action. The killing of officials suggests targeting of leadership linked to these programs.
Key Point: This marks a significant escalation in the long-standing Israel-Iran conflict, shifting towards direct military engagement inside each other’s territory.
Why: The conflict is rooted in deep ideological rivalry, Iran’s support for anti-Israel proxies (like Hezbollah, Hamas), and its nuclear program. Recent years saw increased direct strikes, and this operation represents a major step up from previous shadow warfare.
Key Point: The attack has critical implications for regional stability and ongoing international nuclear negotiations.
Why: It directly confronts Iran’s strategic assets and increases the risk of wider conflict or retaliation, potentially derailing diplomatic efforts related to Iran’s nuclear program (like the JCPOA).
IREDA Bags Excellent
IREDA received an ‘Excellent’ rating from the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).
Why: For its exceptional performance in the Power and NBFC sectors during FY 2023-24.
This is the fourth consecutive year IREDA has achieved the ‘Excellent’ rating.
Why: Consistent strong performance against annual targets set by the DPE.
The rating highlights IREDA’s leadership in its field.
Why: It signifies IREDA’s prominent role in green financing and its commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions in India.
DPE ratings are based on annual performance assessments of CPSEs.
Why: To evaluate parameters like profitability and efficiency against MoU targets, ensuring accountability and transparency across public sector companies.
IREDA is India’s largest green financing NBFC.
Why: Its core mandate since 1987 as a Navratna PSE under MNRE is dedicated to promoting, developing, and financing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
