12.04.25

Cryptocurrency as a New Threat Frontier: The report highlights the increasing targeting of cryptocurrency exchanges, with attacks on WazirX and Bybit resulting in significant financial losses. Hackers are migrating to various cryptocurrencies, including Monero (XMR).

Emergence of New Malware: A new malware variant scans for and steals crypto wallets/keys within infected environments, allowing unauthorized access to crypto assets.

Deepfakes and AI-Generated Content Risks: The report emphasizes the use of deepfakes and AI-generated content as powerful tools for social engineering attacks, mimicking voices and appearances.

Prompt Hacking Concerns: Prompt hacking vulnerabilities are more common in AI applications that host LLMs locally.

Jailbreaking of AI Systems: The report highlights the successful jailbreaking of even secure AI systems like ChatGPT, enabling circumvention of safeguards.

Malicious LLMs: Malicious LLMs, such as WormGPT and FraudGPT, are capable of creating convincing phishing emails, malware, and automating exploit development.

Policy Recommendations: The report urges policymakers to implement clear AI regulations and mandate security testing of APIs used in AI applications.

Government Initiatives in Cybersecurity: The Indian government is actively working on cybersecurity through initiatives like the National Cyber Coordination Centre, Cyber Surakshit Bharat, and CERT-In.

PLFS 2024 Released: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2024, providing insights into India’s labour market. Data collected during July 2023 – June 2024.

Urban LFPR Increase: Urban Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rose for males (74.3% to 75.6%) and slightly for females (25.5% to 25.8%), increasing overall urban LFPR to 51.0%. All-India LFPR remained stable at 56.2%.

Stable WPR: All-India Worker Population Ratio (WPR) was nearly unchanged at 53.5%.

Marginal UR Changes: Rural unemployment fell slightly to 4.2%. Urban male unemployment rose, female UR declined, keeping overall urban UR at 6.7%. All-India UR dipped from 5.0% to 4.9%.

PS+SS Stability: LFPR remained largely stable nationally, with a slight decline from 59.8% to 59.6%.

Slight WPR Decline (PS+SS): All-India WPR declined slightly from 58.0% to 57.7%.

Slight UR Increase (PS+SS): All-India UR rose slightly from 3.1% to 3.2%.

Gender Disparity: Female LFPR remains lower than male.

Stagnant Employment: WPR and LFPR show minimal year-on-year change, indicating slow job creation.

Successful Release Trials: DRDO successfully conducted release trials of the Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) ‘Gaurav’ from a Su-30 MKI aircraft between April 8-10, 2025.

Pin-Point Accuracy: The trials demonstrated a range close to 100 km with pin-point accuracy against a land target on an island.

Indigenous Design: ‘Gaurav’ is a 1,000 kg class glide bomb indigenously designed and developed.

Glide Bomb Functionality: Unlike traditional bombs, it uses fins/wings for gliding, enabling the launch aircraft to stay out of range of enemy air defenses. It’s unpowered, relying on momentum and aerodynamic surfaces.

Dual Guidance System: Equipped with a dual guidance system combining Inertial Navigation System (INS) with GPS.

Partnerships: The project involved collaboration with Indian private sector partners like Adani Defence Systems & Technologies, Bharat Forge, and MSMEs.

Operational Capability: Launched from high altitudes (over 40,000 feet), it can glide to a range of over 100 kilometers.

Air Force Induction: The trials are paving the way for the weapon’s induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Enhancement of Armed Forces Capabilities: The development of LRGB will further enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces to a great extent.

US-Panama Security Pact: A new defense and security agreement aims to counter China’s growing influence over the Panama Canal.

US Concerns: The US is wary of China’s operation of two major ports at the Canal, fearing influence over global shipping.

Historical Context: The US originally constructed and controlled the Canal, transferring full control to Panama in 1999.

Strategic Importance: The Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, significantly reducing shipping distances. It is strategically important waterway in the world, second to Suez Canal.

US Troop Deployment: The agreement allows US military personnel to deploy to Panama-controlled facilities for training and exercises.

No US Bases: The agreement stops short of allowing the US to build new bases.

Trump’s Stance: President Trump claims China has too much influence over the Canal and aims to reassert US control.

Canal’s Significance: The Panama Canal handles a significant portion of US container traffic and world trade.

US Goal: The Trump administration wants to “take back” control of the waterway, which the US funded and built.

Re-emergence of Wildlife Crime: Elephant poaching in Tamil Nadu raises concerns about a resurgence of wildlife crime threatening elephant survival.

Elephant Population Fluctuation: Tamil Nadu’s elephant population declined significantly between 2012 and 2017 but showed some recovery by 2024,indicating the impact of poaching.

National Heritage Animal: Elephants are India’s National Heritage Animal and a keystone species essential for forest ecosystem health, highlighting the importance of their protection.

Indian Elephant Subspecies: Indian elephants represent a significant portion of the Asian elephant population, emphasizing India’s role in their conservation.

Key Threats: Ivory trade and human-animal conflict are the key threats to the elephant population.

Warangal Chapata Chilli GI Tag: While not directly related to elephant poaching, news of the Warangal Chapata chilli from Telangana receiving a Geographical Indication (GI) tag highlights agricultural developments that can impact local economies and potentially influence land use and conservation efforts in the region.

GI Tag Benefits: Farmers expect the GI tag to nearly double the price of the Warangal Chapata chilli, demonstrating the economic incentive for cultivating and protecting regional specialties.

CPCB’s “Blue Category” Concerns: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reclassified Waste-to-Energy (WTE) incineration, previously in the highly polluting “red category”, into a new “blue category” based on Essential Environmental Services (EES).

“Bluewashing” Accusations: This reclassification is criticized as “bluewashing” because it misleadingly portrays WTE incineration as environmentally friendly despite burning unsegregated waste. This mirrors greenwashing, but focuses on social and economic responsibility.

WTE Incineration & Pollution: WTE incineration generates “dirty electricity” and is a polluting activity, contradicting its new categorization.

CPCB Rationale & Implications: The CPCB has introduced a “blue category” for industries, which would be considered as EES to ease regulatory burden and give consent to pollute for longer duration.

Industry Categorization for decision-making: The categorization is based on Pollution Index (PI) which considers emissions, effluents, waste and resources. The categories vary from White (least polluting) to Red (most polluting).

Bluewashing Tactics: Bluewashing uses vague claims, selective disclosure, symbolic affiliations, and misleading certifications to create a false impression of ethical practices without true action.

Expanding Range: Asiatic lions are increasingly venturing outside Gir National Park, including into coastal areas like Diu Island. This indicates potential range expansion beyond traditional habitat.

Diu Sightings: Frequent lion sightings on Diu, with instances of forest officials relocating lions back to Gir, suggest that lions perceive Diu as part of their territory due to its proximity to Gir via a tidal creek.

Carrying Capacity: Some conservationists believe the increased movement into Diu suggests that Gir National Park may be approaching its carrying capacity for lions.

Conservation Success: The Asiatic lion population has grown from critically endangered to endangered through dedicated conservation efforts, increasing numbers to 674 lions roaming across 30,000 sq km in Gujarat.

Habitat Expansion Necessitates Management: As lion populations grow and expand beyond the boundaries of Gir National Park and into human-dominated landscapes such as Diu Island, this necessitates a comprehensive and adaptive wildlife management strategy. It may be necessary to increase or add new conservation areas for protection of the species.

Project Lion: The government has initiated ‘Project Lion’ to ensure their safety and create a second habitat in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno-Palpur.

Threats Remain: Despite population growth, Asiatic lions are still vulnerable due to limited genetic diversity, potential for disease outbreaks, and habitat fragmentation which poses extinction risks.