Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 21-08-2025

• Why: To meet high demand from sectors like EVs, renewable energy, and technology, reducing import dependency (e.g., 100% for lithium and nickel).

• Why: To promote mineral trading, enhance exploration funding, and facilitate mine development.

• Why: To maximize resource utilization, encourage investment in challenging mining environments, and increase output.

• Why: To address India’s supply risks and growing demand for minerals essential for economic growth and national security.

• Why: Demonstrates parliamentary consensus on the need to reform and strengthen the mining sector.

• Economic Hardship: Sanitary products are seen as luxuries, with families prioritizing food and essentials.
• Financial Dependence: Women often lack control over finances, needing male family members’ approval for purchases.
• Access Issues: Long distances to markets and irregular supply/poor last-mile delivery of government schemes hinder consistent access.
• Lack of Awareness: Absence of formal menstrual health education in schools and social taboos perpetuate misinformation.

• Health Risks: Increased exposure to bacterial/fungal infections and reproductive tract infections.
• Educational Disruption: 23% of girls drop out after menarche due to lack of facilities and stigma. Missing school leads to academic lag and potential dropout.
• Economic Loss: Reduced female labor force participation and untapped human capital negatively impact GDP.

• Government Scheme: Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (2011) aims for pad distribution and awareness, but faced disruptions (e.g., COVID-19).
• Civil Society: Menstrupedia uses comics for accessible education, reaching millions. Partnerships with NGOs improve access.

• Integrate menstrual health into adolescent education for both genders.
• Local groups and ASHA workers to lead discussions and break taboos.
• Make menstrual products affordable and accessible through partnerships.
• Ensure adequate toilets with water and disposal facilities in schools and workplaces.
• Treat menstrual health as part of public health, gender equality, and poverty reduction policies.

Why in News: The 6th anniversary of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was observed on August 15, 2025, highlighting its reach to 15 crore households with tap water.

What is JJM?

• About: Launched August 15, 2019, to provide tap water to all rural households (55 lpcd) by 2024 (extended to 2028). It’s a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Objectives (TAP):
  • Target Every Rural Household: Provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC).
  • Areas of Priority: Focus on quality-affected, drought-prone, desert regions, and SAGY villages.
  • Public Places: Ensure taps in schools, Anganwadi centers, gram panchayats, and community buildings.
• Features (WATER):
  • Women and Weaker Sections: 50% women representation in committees.
  • Awareness and Stakeholder Involvement: Community participation (Janandolan).
  • Technological Interventions: Real-time monitoring (IMIS, Dashboards, IoT).
  • Empowerment through Education: Train locals on water quality testing.
  • Rural Focus: Shift from habitations to households for decentralized management.

Key Challenges (GAPS):

• Gaps in Data: Unreliable data hinders issue resolution, with many habitations facing water contamination.
• Absence of Infrastructure Quality: Substandard post-pipeline infrastructure restoration in many states.
• Poor Maintenance Planning: Few states have comprehensive repair and maintenance policies.
• Sluggish Execution: Slow implementation of critical actions.

Key Actions to Enhance JJM (REPAIR):

• Revise Infrastructure Quality: Enforce restoration clauses and ensure accountability.
• Ensure Data Authenticity: Mandate third-party audits and geotagging.
• Performance-based Funding: Link funding to states’ progress.
• Awareness & Testing: Conduct drives and mandatory testing by gram panchayats.
• Integrate Financial Reforms: Integrate JJM with rainwater harvesting and Atal Bhujal Yojana.
• Repair & Maintenance Planning: Develop a nationwide policy and conduct regular reviews.

U.S. Sanctions ICC Officials: The U.S. imposed sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors.

• Why in News: These sanctions target individuals investigating alleged war crimes by Israeli leaders and U.S. officials, reflecting U.S. opposition to ICC jurisdiction in these matters.

U.S. Accusations of Politicization: Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled the ICC a national security threat, citing politicization and overreach.

• Why in News: This highlights the U.S. rationale for the sanctions, framing the ICC’s actions as illegitimate and politically motivated.

Sanctioned Officials’ Involvement: The sanctioned officials were involved in cases concerning Israel and the U.S.

• Why in News: This clarifies the specific context of the sanctions and the reasons behind the U.S. action.

U.S. Sovereignty Argument: Washington stated the move was to protect its sovereignty.

• Why in News: This reveals the U.S. legal and political justification for imposing sanctions on an international body.

Potential Hindrance to ICC Work: The sanctions may impede the ICC’s efforts on war crimes cases.

• Why in News: This points to the practical consequences of the U.S. action on international justice mechanisms.

ICC Condemnation: The ICC denounced the sanctions as an attack on its independence and a setback for global justice.

• Why in News: This showcases the ICC’s response and its defense of its mandate and autonomy.

Recent ICC Arrest Warrants: The ICC recently issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and others for alleged crimes in Gaza.

• Why in News: This provides the immediate trigger for the U.S. sanctions and illustrates the ICC’s active investigations.

Successful Test: India successfully test-fired the Agni-5 missile.

• Why: Validated operational and technical parameters, confirming its readiness.

ICBM Status: Agni-5 is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.

• Why: Possesses a range of approximately 5,000 km, capable of reaching targets across Asia and parts of Europe and Africa, significantly expanding India’s strategic reach.

MIRV Capability: A MIRV-equipped variant was tested earlier.

• Why: This allows the missile to carry multiple independently guided warheads, enabling it to strike several targets simultaneously and enhancing its effectiveness.

Strategic Significance: Developed by DRDO to meet India’s strategic security requirements.

• Why: Strengthens India’s nuclear deterrence, supports its No First Use doctrine, and bolsters its second-strike capability, particularly important in its strategic posture towards China and beyond.

Technological Advancement: Three-stage, solid-fueled, canisterized missile with road and rail mobility.

• Why: These features ensure quick launch capability and operational flexibility in deployment.

• Why in News: This signifies a concrete step by a state government towards implementing aspects of UCC, reflecting a renewed focus on the issue nationally.

• Why in News: This highlights a specific area where UCC aims to regulate personal conduct beyond traditional marriage, extending to cohabitation.

• Why in News: This change focuses on formalizing marital status, a key aspect of personal law reform.

• Why in News: Understanding the UCC’s fundamental objective is crucial to contextualize the Uttarakhand amendments within the broader national debate.

• Why in News: This provides the constitutional grounding for such legislative efforts, linking state actions to constitutional directives.

• Why in News: These arguments underpin the rationale behind pursuing UCC, explaining the perceived benefits.

• Why in News: These counterarguments represent significant societal and political challenges that any UCC implementation must address.

• Why in News: Judicial pronouncements underscore the legal and societal imperative felt by the apex court regarding UCC.

• Why in News: This highlights that while Uttarakhand is making moves, a comprehensive national UCC remains an aspirational goal.

Mass Deletion of Migrant Voters: Nearly 3.5 million voters (4.4%) were removed from electoral rolls in Bihar due to being marked “permanently migrated” after absence during door-to-door checks, risking disenfranchisement in both home and work states.

Administrative & Electoral Barriers: Voter registration is tied to residence proof and physical verification, which migrants often lack in temporary housing. Their absence during verification leads to name deletions, reflecting a bias against non-resident voters despite their retained ties.

Host-State Resistance: Destination states are reluctant to register migrants due to fears of increased competition for local jobs and altered electoral outcomes, treating them as outsiders.

Systematic Disenfranchisement: Migration leads to lower voter turnout in source states (e.g., Bihar’s 53.2% vs. Gujarat/Karnataka’s 66.4%/70.7%), highlighting a pattern of systematic disenfranchisement.

Triple Burden on Migrants: A study identified administrative barriers, digital illiteracy, and social exclusion as factors preventing migrants’ electoral participation.

Circular Migration Ignored: States fail to recognize circular and seasonal migration patterns, where people frequently return, yet deletions are made without cross-verification.

Need for Portable Voter ID: India requires a shift from residence-based registration to a portable, mobile voter ID system.

Solutions: Halt blanket deletions, use cross-verification with destination state rolls, pilot remote/online voting, empower local bodies to track migrants, and replicate migration survey models (like Kerala’s).

Analogy to ONORC: Just as ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ ensures portability of food entitlements, political rights should also be portable for migrants.

Democratic Rupture: The current situation is a “democratic rupture,” risking a silent voter purge of the poorest citizens.

• Why it’s News: Streamlines documentation, enhances transparency, and makes meeting insights accessible.

• Why it’s News: Bridges language barriers and promotes uniformity in meeting records nationwide.

• Why it’s News: Showcases government’s commitment to AI for inclusive governance and digital inclusion.

• Why it’s News: Simplifies the process for over 2.5 lakh village panchayats, enabling easier adoption.

• Why it’s News: Part of a broader digital transformation effort to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and rural governance.

Why in News: Honour killings are increasing in India, particularly to enforce caste hierarchies and against inter-caste unions. Recent incidents highlight how families and communities legitimize this violence, contradicting constitutional values.

What are Honour Killings: Violence, usually murder by family members, against couples who defy caste, community, or gender norms, especially inter-caste unions.

Legal Framework: Constitutional Safeguards (Articles 14, 15, 19, 21) and statutory provisions classify them as murder under the IPC/BNS. Laws like the Hindu Marriage Act and Special Marriage Act support inter-caste marriage.

Judicial Stance: Supreme Court rulings (Lata Singh, Arumugam Servai, Vikas Yadav, Shakti Vahini, Shafin Jahan) have affirmed the legality of inter-caste marriage, condemned Khap Panchayats, and protected individuals’ freedom to choose partners, linking it to dignity.

Consequences: Honour killings violate human rights, perpetuate gender injustice, reinforce caste hierarchies, weaken democracy, cause psychological trauma, and damage India’s global image.

Driving Factors:

• Family: The primary enforcer of caste norms through socialization and marriage arrangements.
• Community: Informal bodies like Khap Panchayats often support or condone such violence.
• Paradox of Progress: Increased honour killings in states with greater Dalit empowerment, indicating caste hierarchies are threatened.
• Conflicting Attitudes: Public rejection of caste violence contrasted with private glorification and fear of losing social power, amplified on social media.
• Weak Enforcement: Honour killings not recognized as a separate crime, making tracking difficult.

Impact of Changing Social Dynamics: Weakening family influence and evolving lifestyles, especially among urban youth prioritizing individual autonomy, challenge the mechanisms that sustain caste and honor killings.

Measures: Enact a standalone law, implement witness protection, train law enforcement/judiciary, establish fast-track courts, create shelter homes, conduct public awareness campaigns, integrate education on gender equality and human rights, and promote digital counter-narratives.

Why in News: First ministerial-level meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister and Chinese Foreign Minister in Delhi since November 2024 LAC disengagement, signaling efforts to stabilize relations.

De-escalation & Stability: Both nations stressed the importance of peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for stable bilateral ties. India reiterated its “3 Ds” (disengagement, de-escalation, de-induction) and “3 mutuals” (respect, sensitivity, interest). Discussions focused on next steps for troop de-escalation, though significant troop numbers remain deployed.

Economic & Trade Links: Talks included boosting trade facilitation, connectivity, river data sharing, and technology transfer. China agreed to supply fertilizers and rare earths, and border trade via Lipulekh, Shipki La, and Nathu La will resume. Visa facilitation for tourists and businesses was also discussed.

Cultural & People-to-People Ties: Resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and tourist visas were reiterated. Plans for the High-Level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in 2026 and joint commemoration of 75 years of diplomatic relations were agreed upon.

Regional Security & Global Engagement: India raised concerns about Pakistan-backed terrorism. Both countries emphasized cooperation on a multipolar world, regional stability, and multilateral platforms like SCO and BRICS.

Underlying Challenges: Persistent border disputes (Aksai Chin, Arunachal Pradesh claims), economic asymmetry (large trade deficit for India), strategic insecurities (CPEC, Pakistan cooperation, NSG/UNSC aspirations), and technological dependence on China remain significant issues. Hydrological concerns over shared rivers and competition for regional leadership are also key challenges.

Path Forward: India aims for constructive engagement through border stability, trade, and dialogue, advocating for incremental confidence-building, selective economic engagement, enhanced trans-boundary river governance, and leveraging multilateral platforms.

• Why: To address governance vacuums caused by prolonged detention of ministers in serious cases, recognizing their higher responsibilities compared to legislators.

• Manoj Narula v. Union of India (2014): While no bar on appointing those with criminal cases, constitutional morality is expected from PM/CM.
• Lily Thomas (2013): Legislators are disqualified upon conviction without delay.

India Rejects Nepal’s Lipulekh Claims: India has dismissed Nepal’s objections to resuming border trade through the Lipulekh Pass, stating Nepal’s claims lack historical basis.

• Why it’s news: This highlights a direct diplomatic disagreement between India and Nepal over territorial claims and border management.

Nepal Claims Lipulekh as its Territory: Nepal’s constitution reportedly includes Lipulekh as part of its territory, forming the basis of its objection.

• Why it’s news: This underlines the core of the dispute – differing constitutional and territorial assertions.

India Cites Historical Trade: India asserts that border trade through Lipulekh Pass began in 1954 and continued for decades before COVID-19 disruptions.

• Why it’s news: This presents India’s justification for its actions and its view on the historical precedent.

Lipulekh’s Strategic and Historical Importance: The pass is a high-altitude route near the India-Nepal-China trijunction, linking Uttarakhand with Tibet. It served as an ancient trade route and was the first Indian border post opened for trade with China in 1992.

• Why it’s news: This explains the significance of the location, both for trade and its role in regional connectivity and historical trade routes.

Religious Significance for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: The Old Lipulekh Pass is crucial for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

• Why it’s news: This adds another layer of importance to the pass, connecting it to religious pilgrimage and cultural ties.

Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) planned by 2035: India aims for a fully operational space station by this year. This is a significant step in developing independent Indian human spaceflight capabilities.

Moon mission by 2040: India plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon ahead of the ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 vision. This demonstrates ambitious lunar exploration goals.

Similar to ISS: BAS will orbit at 400-450 km and focus on scientific research, mirroring the functionality of the International Space Station. This indicates a collaborative and research-oriented approach.

Five modules, phased development: The station will be built in phases, with the Base Module targeted for 2028. This phased approach suggests a structured and manageable development process.

Boosts global space stature: BAS will enhance India’s position in the global space arena. This signifies India’s growing influence and technological advancement.

Enables microgravity research and collaborations: The station will support research in areas like biotechnology and materials science, fostering international partnerships. This highlights the scientific and economic benefits of the project.

Supports long-duration human space missions: BAS will be crucial for future extended human presence in space. This is a foundation for more complex future missions.

Enhances Earth observation and space economy: It will improve Earth observation capabilities for disaster monitoring and boost the space economy. This points to practical applications and economic growth potential.

Inspires STEM talent: The project aims to inspire young minds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This emphasizes the educational and inspirational aspect.