Urban Transit Challenge
- Urbanisation is central to India’s Viksit Bharat by 2047 vision. Why? Over 60% of the population expected in cities by 2060s requires sustainable and efficient urban mobility for economic productivity and inclusive growth.
- Demand for urban transit is rapidly increasing. Why? Rapid population inflow, growing distance between housing/jobs, and unplanned sprawl strain existing systems and necessitate more/better options.
- Government initiatives like PM e-Bus Sewa and PM e-Drive aim to boost electrification. Why? To introduce mass, clean mobility solutions in expanding urban areas, a step towards sustainable transport.
- India faces a significant urban bus shortfall (35,000 vs 2,00,000 needed). Why? Undermines efforts to provide adequate public transport capacity for mass transit needs.
- Metro expansion projects have seen large investments but often struggle with low ridership and financial sustainability. Why? Due to poor last-mile connectivity, high fares, lack of integration, and high operating costs, questioning their sole sufficiency.
- Alternative modes like trams and trolleybuses are being overlooked. Why? Life cycle analysis suggests trams are financially viable (45% profitable over 70 years), and trolleybuses outperform e-buses in long-term cost efficiency, offering potentially more sustainable options.
- Despite current focus, e-buses show high long-term net losses (82%). Why? High maintenance, battery replacement, and energy costs challenge their cost-effectiveness over extended periods.
- Cities like Kochi and Kolkata are exploring/maintaining older tram systems. Why? Offer working models for modernizing cost-effective, climate-friendly, and commuter-friendly transit solutions by leveraging existing infrastructure and learning from experience.
- Need to diversify urban transit solutions beyond metro/e-bus and integrate planning with urban design. Why? Essential for creating resilient, affordable, and climate-aligned transport systems that match the scale of India’s urban transition and support the Viksit Bharat goal.
KHAAN QUEST
- Indian Army contingent (Kumaon Regiment, 40 personnel including women) reached Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for Exercise KHAAN QUEST (June 14-28, 2025). Why: Marks India’s participation in this year’s significant multinational military exercise focused on peacekeeping.
- It’s the 22nd iteration of the exercise, hosted by the Mongolian Armed Forces, which originated as a bilateral exercise between the USA and Mongolia in 2003 and became multinational from 2006. Why: Shows the long-standing nature and evolution of the exercise into a key platform for international peacekeeping training.
- Objective is to enhance peacekeeping capabilities, interoperability, and military readiness under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Why: Prepares participating forces for potential deployment in complex United Nations peace support operations dealing with threats to international peace.
- Exercise includes joint planning, tactical drills like checkpoints, cordon and search, civilian evacuation, counter-Improvised Explosive Device (IED), and casualty management. Why: Focuses on practical skills and coordination essential for operating effectively in challenging peacekeeping environments.
- Significance includes promoting exchange of Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) and strengthening military cooperation and camaraderie among participating nations. Why: Improves combined operational effectiveness and builds crucial relationships between international forces.
PASSEX 2025
- Passage Exercise (PASSEX) 2025 was conducted by the Indian Navy and the UK Royal Navy in the North Arabian Sea on June 9 and 10.
- Indian participants included the stealth frigate INS Tabar, a conventional submarine, and a P-8I maritime patrol aircraft.
- The UK formation comprised the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and frigate HMS Richmond.
- The exercise featured unified control of helicopters, tactical manoeuvres, coordinated anti-submarine operations, and professional officer exchanges.
- Why it’s news: It strengthens interoperability, communication, and strategic collaboration between the two navies at sea.
- It aims to enhance tactical manoeuvres, maritime domain awareness, and reaffirm commitment to Indo-Pacific maritime security.
- The exercise demonstrates deepening cooperation and robust bilateral ties between India and the UK, supporting a secure and stable maritime environment.
- It aligns with the India–UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the 2030 Roadmap, and India’s SAGAR vision for regional security and growth.
Heat-Tolerant Pigeonpea
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New heat-tolerant pigeonpea variety ICPV 25444 developed using speed breeding. Why: Enables cultivation in high temperatures (up to 45°C) and significantly reduces development time (5 years vs 15), allowing faster adoption.
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It can utilize 12 million hectares of rice fallows post-kharif previously left uncultivated due to heat and water scarcity. Why: Opens up vast tracts of land for pulse production, increasing overall output potential.
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The variety doubles yields from around 1.1-1.2 to 2 tonnes/ha and has a faster harvest cycle (4 months vs 6-7). Why: Increases farmer profitability and allows for better integration into crop rotations.
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Has potential to drastically reduce India’s significant pigeonpea imports (USD 800 million annually) and bridge the 1.5 million tonne domestic shortfall. Why: Supports India’s national goal of achieving self-reliance in pulses by 2028, saving foreign exchange.
Global Gender Gap 2025
- India ranked 131st out of 148 countries with a parity score of 64.1%, a slip of two places from 129th in 2024. Why: The report evaluated gender parity across 148 countries.
- The Global Gender Gap Index is an annual benchmark measuring gender gaps across four dimensions: Economic Participation, Educational Attainment, Health & Survival, and Political Empowerment. Why: It acts as a strategic tool for tracking progress and setting priorities.
- In subindices, India showed gains in Economic Participation (40.7%), Educational Attainment (97.1%), and Health & Survival. Why: Improvement in estimated earned income parity (28.6% to 29.9%), near-parity in literacy and tertiary enrolment, and better sex ratio/life expectancy contributed to these gains.
- India’s Political Empowerment score fell by 0.6 points. Why: Female representation in Parliament decreased from 14.7% to 13.8%, and ministerial representation fell from 6.5% to 5.6%.
- Within South Asia, India ranks lower than Bhutan (119), Nepal (125), and Sri Lanka (130), but better than Maldives (138) and Pakistan (148). Bangladesh is the region’s top performer at 24th globally. Why: Provides regional context and comparison; Bangladesh’s rise driven by political and economic gains.
- Globally, the gender gap has closed by 68.8%, marking the strongest post-COVID-19 pandemic progress. Why: Reflects recent momentum towards parity, although full parity is estimated to be 123 years away at the current rate.
- Iceland leads the global ranking for the 16th consecutive year, followed by Finland, Norway, UK, and New Zealand. Why: These countries consistently show high performance in closing gender gaps across the evaluated dimensions.
Lesser Flamingos
- Large numbers of Lesser Flamingos recently arrived at Chhaya pond in Porbandar, Gujarat. Why: This indicates their current location before their next crucial migratory phase.
- They will migrate from Porbandar to the Great Rann of Kutch for breeding. Why: This is a key stage in their annual life cycle, focusing on reproduction in a specific region.
- The Lesser Flamingo is the smallest species and inhabits brackish and coastal water bodies in India. Why: These details help identify the specific bird and understand its preferred environment in the region.
- It is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN and listed under CITES Appendix II and WPA, 1972 Schedule IV. Why: This highlights its vulnerable conservation status, making its movements and populations important to monitor.
Healthcare AI
- News Highlight: Indian researchers developed Garbhini-GA2, an AI model predicting fetal age from ultrasound images with high accuracy (half-day error), significantly outperforming existing methods and showcasing AI’s potential in Indian healthcare.
- Applications:
- Early Disease Detection: AI analyzes medical images quickly for diseases like cancer (AIIMS iOncology), TB, pneumonia (Qure.ai), crucial in areas with specialist shortages.
- Telemedicine: AI chatbots and assistants offer symptom guidance and advice, improving access in rural areas (e.g., Practo, Apollo).
- Drug Discovery/Treatment: AI helps develop affordable, patient-specific therapies (e.g., InnAccel SAANS for infant breathing support).
- Wearables: AI-powered devices help manage chronic diseases like diabetes, providing real-time recommendations (e.g., BeatO glucometer).
- Hospital Efficiency: AI streamlines operations, predicts disease progression, improving patient care (e.g., Microsoft AI predicting diabetic retinopathy).
- Medical Training: AI simulations and personalized learning enhance medical education and competency (e.g., FundamentalVR).
- Challenges:
- Lack of Quality Data: Fragmented, non-digital records and data bias limit effective AI training for the Indian context.
- Limited Rural Infrastructure: Poor internet connectivity and lack of digital systems in remote areas hinder AI deployment.
- Regulatory/Ethical Concerns: Absence of clear AI governance framework raises issues of patient privacy, bias, and accountability.
- Language Barrier: India’s diverse languages challenge AI implementation and accurate communication.
- Professional Resistance: Doctors/nurses show distrust towards AI, fearing job loss or misdiagnosis, slowing adoption.
- Solutions:
- Build Local Data: Standardize digital health records (ABDM), leverage platforms, and share anonymized data for better AI training.
- Strengthen Rural Tech: Improve infrastructure (internet, 5G), equip healthcare workers with AI tools, and enable offline capabilities.
- Establish Regulations: Create clear approval processes for AI medical tools and enforce ethical guidelines to ensure safe and responsible AI use.
- Train Healthcare Staff: Integrate AI into medical education and training programs to build trust and competence.
- Public Awareness: Conduct campaigns to inform the public about AI in healthcare benefits and limitations.
Global Gender Gap
- India ranked 131st out of 148 countries in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index, slipping two spots from 2024 (129th). Why: Indicates India is falling behind other nations in closing its overall gender gap.
- Political Empowerment saw a significant drop, with fewer women in Parliament and Ministerial roles. Why: This decline shows women’s representation and influence in political decision-making is decreasing.
- Economic Participation remains very low, placing India in the bottom five globally, despite a slight improvement in estimated earned income. Why: Highlighting the persistent major challenge of low female labour force participation compared to men.
- Achieved high parity in Educational Attainment (97.1%) and improved Health and Survival scores (aided by better sex ratio at birth). Why: Shows relative progress in basic access to education and health compared to other areas.
- Ranked below neighbours like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka within South Asia. Why: Demonstrates India’s relatively poor performance in gender equality compared to most countries in its region.
- Globally, India is among the bottom 20 countries; the index shows it will take over 120 years to achieve global gender parity at the current pace. Why: Underscores the vast challenges remaining both worldwide and particularly for India in closing gender gaps.
- The Global Gender Gap Index is an annual WEF report measuring gender-based disparities across economic, education, health, and political dimensions. Why: Provides context for the framework used to assess gender parity progress.
CPI May 2025
- Headline Retail Inflation (CPI Combined) is 2.82% in May 2025: This is the main figure released by MoSPI (NSO).
- Lowest CPI since Feb 2019: The 2.82% figure marks a significant drop, reaching a multi-year low.
- Sharp decline from April 2025 (3.16%) and May 2024 (4.80%): Shows a clear downward trend in retail inflation both month-on-month and year-on-year.
- Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) at 0.99%: Food inflation is also very low, down significantly from April 2025 (1.78%) and drastically lower than May 2024 (8.69%). This is the lowest food inflation since October 2021.
- Driven by price falls in key food items: Vegetables (-13.7%), Pulses (-8.22%), and moderation in cereals, fruits, sugar, eggs, etc., are primary reasons for the decline in food inflation and the overall CPI.
- Favorable base effect contributed: The high inflation figures from May 2024 (4.80% overall, 8.69% food) make the current year-on-year numbers appear lower by comparison.
- Gives RBI policy space: The sharp fall in inflation provides room for the Reserve Bank of India to potentially consider future interest rate cuts from the current repo rate of 5.5%.
- Outlook is optimistic: Supported by projections of a good monsoon and subdued global commodity prices, which could help keep inflationary pressures low.
- Data released by MoSPI (NSO): The official source for the CPI figures in India, using the 2012 base year.
Green Fuel for Viksit Bharat
- Context: India aims for ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed nation) by 2047 and Net Zero by 2070, requiring significantly increased, clean energy.
- Why: Future energy needs (28,000 TWh/year by 2070) vastly exceed current supply (9,800 TWh, mostly fossil fuels). Renewables alone cannot meet the gap, making nuclear essential (projected 70% of clean energy needed).
- Key Target: Government sets an ambitious goal of 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047.
- Why: Positions nuclear as a central pillar to achieve the massive clean energy target and decarbonize the sector.
- Challenge: India has low-grade uranium, requiring significant imports (20,000 tonnes/year needed for 100 GW).
- Why: Import dependency is risky due to limited global supply, geopolitical tensions, and rising demand elsewhere.
- Strategic Steps: Focus on scaling up indigenous PHWRs, promoting ‘Make in India’ for reactors, accelerating Thorium MSR-based SMR development, seeking global collaboration on advanced fuels (HALEU), involving private players, and streamlining regulations.
- Why: To overcome fuel dependency, leverage India’s large thorium reserves (Stage 3), reduce costs, enable faster deployment (SMRs), and ensure supply security.
- Innovation: Developing ‘Bharat SMRs’ and simpler ‘Bharat BSRs’.
- Why: Provides flexible, decentralized clean power, potential for process heat/hydrogen, acts as testbeds for advanced designs, and offers export potential.
- Overall: Nuclear energy is crucial for India’s development and climate goals, but achieving the target requires overcoming fuel challenges through a multi-pronged strategy focusing on indigenous tech, international collaboration, and regulatory changes. Safety remains paramount.
Kabir Jayanti 648
- The 648th Birth Anniversary of Sant Kabir Das (Kabirdas Jayanti) was observed on June 11, 2025. Why: Marking a significant cultural commemoration of a pivotal historical figure revered across India.
- Prime Minister paid tribute to Sant Kabir Das. Why: Emphasizing the national recognition of his enduring legacy, particularly his lifelong dedication to social harmony and reform.
- Sant Kabir Das (1440–1518) was a revered mystic poet, saint, and social reformer from Varanasi. Why: He played a crucial role in shaping spiritual and social thought during the Bhakti movement.
- He was a prominent proponent of Nirguna Bhakti (devotion to a formless God) and challenged religious orthodoxy, blind rituals, and social divisions, including casteism. Why: His teachings advocated a universal, inclusive path to God based on truth, compassion, and equality, making spirituality accessible to all.
- He popularized devotional worship in vernacular languages through his dohas and bhajans, significantly influencing Hindi literature and Indian consciousness. Why: Using accessible language helped spread his message widely among common people.
- His legacy promotes communal harmony, being revered by Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs alike, and led to the formation of the Kabir Panth. Why: His universal message of love, equality, and inner spiritual awakening transcends religious boundaries and continues to inspire unity.
CCEA
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister, approved two railway multitracking (doubling) projects.
- These projects are Koderma–Barkakana Doubling (Jharkhand) and Ballari–Chikjajur Doubling (Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh).
- Total investment is ₹6,405 crore, adding approximately 318 km to the railway network.
- Why: Improve connectivity to around 1,408 villages, benefiting about 2.8 million people.
- Why: Enhance freight transport capacity by 49 million tonnes per annum, vital for moving coal, minerals, and commodities.
- Why: Increase operational efficiency, reduce congestion, and improve reliability for both passenger and freight services.
- Why: Contribute to environmental goals by reducing fuel consumption (520 million litres) and CO2 emissions (2,640 million kg annually), equivalent to planting 110 million trees.
- Why: Generate significant direct employment, estimated at 108 lakh human-days during construction.
- Why: Aligned with the PM-Gati Shakti Master Plan to boost logistics, regional development, and create employment.
- CCEA’s role: As one of the key cabinet committees, it approves major economic policies and high-value investment projects crucial for national economic development.
IAEA
- IAEA board censured Iran: The Board of Governors passed a resolution formally criticizing Iran.
- Why news: This is the first such censure in 20 years, highlighting a major breakdown in cooperation between the IAEA and Iran over its nuclear activities.
- Reason for censure: Iran failed to fully cooperate with the IAEA regarding undeclared nuclear materials and sites since 2019.
- Why news: This lack of cooperation violates Iran’s Safeguards Agreement under the NPT, raising concerns about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
- Implications of censure: The action raises the possibility of referring Iran to the UN Security Council, potentially leading to renewed sanctions and increased geopolitical tensions.
- Why news: It escalates the long-standing dispute over Iran’s nuclear program and could have significant international security consequences.
- Iran’s response: Iran rejected the censure, announced plans for a new enrichment facility and advanced centrifuges, and threatened further retaliation.
- Why news: This shows Iran’s defiance and intent to further expand its nuclear program in response to international pressure, complicating diplomatic efforts.
- IAEA’s role: The IAEA is mandated to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation and ensures compliance with Safeguards Agreements through inspections.
- Why news: The censure underscores the IAEA’s critical function in verifying states’ nuclear activities and the challenges it faces in countries like Iran.
AI171 Ahmedabad Crash
- Air India Flight AI171 crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025: Why? This is the central event, a major aviation disaster reported in the news.
- High fatality count: 241 out of 242 people on board died: Why? Highlights the tragic and severe scale of the accident.
- Sole survivor identified as a British national of Indian origin: Why? A significant human element, focusing on the miraculous survival amidst widespread loss.
- Flight issued a “mayday” call and crashed minutes after takeoff: Why? Provides crucial details about the sequence of events leading to the crash, indicating immediate distress.
- Witnesses reported the plane flying unusually low before impact: Why? Adds external observation supporting the unusual nature of the flight path before the crash.
- PM Modi and Civil Aviation Minister ordered immediate response and investigation: Why? Shows the high-level government reaction and prioritization of rescue and inquiry.
- DGCA will lead the investigation with Boeing and international support: Why? Identifies the key authority responsible for determining the cause and indicates the involvement of relevant experts and entities.
- Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani is presumed dead among the passengers: Why? Notes a prominent personality among the victims, adding a political dimension to the casualty list.
- Multiple Indian aviation bodies like DGCA, AAIB, MoCA are involved in safety and investigation: Why? Provides context on the structured system in India for handling such incidents and ensures regulatory oversight and independent inquiry.