Context

• A private member’s bill titled “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Amendment of the Tenth Schedule)” has been introduced in Lok Sabha.

Major Highlights of the Bill

• The Tenth Schedule to the Constitution, popularly known as the Anti-Defection Law, was added to the Constitution by the Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985.
• The Bill prescribes that a member will lose their seat only if they vote, or abstain from voting, in violation of their party’s direction on a Confidence Motion, No-confidence Motion, Adjournment Motion, Money Bill, or other financial matters — and not for any other type of vote.
• It allows parliamentarians to take an independent line in voting on bills and motions.

What is Whip?

• A whip refers to an order to members of a party in the House to abide by a certain direction of the party.
• Political parties issue whips to their MPs to either vote for or against the bill, depending on their party line.
  • Once the whip is issued, the MPs from each party will necessarily have to obey the whip or else risk losing their seat in Parliament.
• The term is derived from the old British practice of “whipping in” lawmakers to follow the party line.
• It is not mentioned in the constitution but is considered a parliamentary convention.
• Parties appoint a senior member from among their House contingents to issue whips — this member is called a chief whip, and he/ she is assisted by additional whips.

Types of Whip

• There are three kinds. 
  • A one-line whip just informs members about a vote but permits them to abstain. 
  • A two-line whip asks them to be present but does not tell them how to vote. 
  • The three-line whip, largely the norm these days, directs members to be present and vote as per the party line.

Importance of a whip 

• The whip maintains discipline, secure attendance of, and gives necessary information to, members of the party.
• It is a channel of communication between the political party and the members of the party in the legislature. 
• They also serve the function of gauging the opinion of the members, and communicating it to party leaders. 

Anti Defection Law

• The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, also known as the anti-defection law, was added to prevent political defections.
• Disqualification on ground of defection: A legislator belonging to a political party will be disqualified if he/she:
  • voluntarily gives up his party membership, or 
  • votes/abstains to vote in the House contrary to the direction issued by his political party. 
  • Independent members will be disqualified if they join a political party after getting elected to the House. 
  • Nominated members will be disqualified if they join any political party six months after getting nominated.
  • A member is not disqualified if he has taken prior permission of his party, or if the voting or abstention is condoned by the party within 15 days. 
• Exemptions in cases of merger: Members are exempted from such disqualification when at least two thirds of the original political party merges with another political party.
  • the members must have become members of the party they have merged with/into, 
  • or they should have not accepted the merger and choose to function as a separate group.
• Decision making authority: The decision to disqualify a member from the House rests with the Chairman/Speaker of the House.

Source: TH

Context

• Human Rights Day is observed annually around the world on 10th December.

About Human Rights Day

• The day marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
  • Human Rights Day has been observed every year since 1950.
• Theme for 2025: “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials”.

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)?

• The document, consisting of a preamble and 30 articles setting out fundamental rights and freedoms.
• This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
• The declaration is not a treaty and is not legally binding in itself, but the principles it sets out have been incorporated into many countries’ laws and is viewed as the basis for international human rights law.

What are Human Rights?

• Human rights are fundamental rights and freedoms that are inherent to all human beings, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, or any other status. 
• These rights are considered universal, inalienable, and indivisible, forming the foundation for human dignity, equality, and justice. 
• Human rights are different from the Civil rights that are created and defined by laws within a specific nation.
  • Civil rights are legal rights granted and protected by a government, and they may change over time as laws are amended or updated.

Significance of Human Rights

• Inherent Dignity: Human rights affirm the inherent dignity of every individual. 
• Equality and Non-Discrimination: They strive to ensure that all individuals have equal opportunities and are treated with fairness and without prejudice.
• Protection from Abuse: Human rights provide a framework for holding governments, institutions, and individuals accountable for actions that violate these rights, promoting justice and accountability.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in India

• It is a statutory body established in 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act for promoting and protecting human rights in India. 
• It consists of a Chairperson (a former CJI or Supreme Court judge), judicial members, human rights experts, and ex-officio members from national commissions. 
• NHRC investigates human rights violations, issues recommendations, intervenes in court cases, reviews safeguards, promotes awareness, and advises the government on policy reforms. Although it has civil court powers, its recommendations are not binding.

Source: DD NEWS

In News

• The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) informed Parliament that offshore mining blocks were identified only after excluding all Marine Protected Areas and key biodiversity zones. 

Background 

• The Centre’s plan to auction 13 offshore mining blocks — including sand off Kerala, lime mud off Gujarat, and polymetallic nodules near Great Nicobar — sparked protests in Kerala, where fishing communities and the state assembly opposed the move, citing threats to marine life and livelihoods. 
• The government stated that mining can proceed only with detailed environmental management plans.

Offshore Mining in India

• It is aimed at harnessing ocean resources for energy and minerals.
• It focuses on tapping mineral deposits, hydrocarbons, and sand from beneath the seabed to meet industrial and energy needs.
• It is seen as a driver of India’s Blue Economy, contributing to energy security, infrastructure, and technological advancement.
• With rising demand for rare earths and metals, offshore mining strengthens India’s self-reliance in critical sectors.

Issues and Challenges

• Mining activities can disrupt marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and coastal stability. 
• Fishing communities worry about reduced livelihoods and displacement due to mining operations.
• Balancing industrial needs with conservation laws and marine protected areas remains complex. 

Government Initiatives

• Deep Ocean Mission aims to explore and sustainably harness ocean wealth.
  • It includes the Samudrayaan Project with India’s first manned submersible ‘MATSYA 6000’.
• Policy safeguards: Rule 5(2) of the Offshore Areas Operating Right Rules, 2024: Prior consultation with stakeholder Ministries/Departments is mandatory before notifying any offshore area for the grant of operating rights.
  • Rule 10(5) and Rule 18(3) of the Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024, mandate that the Successful/Preferred Bidder obtain all consents, approvals, permits, and no-objections required under applicable laws before commencement of production or exploration operations, including those relating to environmental protection.
• Section 16A of the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 provides for the establishment of the Offshore Areas Mineral Trust as a non-profit autonomous body.
  • The coastal States have been made members of the Governing Body and Executive Committee of the Trust.

Conclusion and Way Forward 

• Offshore mining represents both opportunity and risk. While it can boost India’s energy security and industrial growth, unchecked exploitation may harm fragile marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
• There is a need to balance development with sustainability, ensuring that initiatives like the Deep Ocean Mission prioritize ecological safeguards alongside economic gains.

Source: TH

Context

• According to the Department of Atomic Energy, NPCIL has, for the first time, crossed 50 billion units (BUs) of electricity generation in FY 2024–25. 

Nuclear Power in India

• India operates one of the world’s most unique nuclear programmes based on a three-stage nuclear strategy designed to utilise India’s abundant thorium reserves.
• The current installed nuclear power capacity in the country is around 8.78 GW, spread across 24 nuclear power reactors.
• As of July 2025, nuclear energy contributes around 3.1 % of total electricity generation.

What is Nuclear Energy?

• Nuclear energy is the energy released during nuclear reactions, either through fission (splitting of atomic nuclei) or fusion (merging of atomic nuclei). 
• In nuclear fission, heavy atomic nuclei, such as those of uranium or plutonium, are split into lighter nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy.
  • This process is utilized in nuclear power plants to generate electricity. 

Government initiatives for nuclear expansion

• Nuclear Energy Mission: The government has set an ambitious target to increase the country’s nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047
  • India had announced a Rs 20,000 crore R&D mission for development of small modular reactors (SMRs). India is also targeting the deployment of at least five of these indigenously developed reactors by 2033.
• NPCIL and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) have signed a supplementary Joint Venture agreement to develop nuclear power facilities in the country.
  • The JV named ASHVINI will build, own, and operate nuclear power plants, including the upcoming 4×700 MWe PHWR Mahi-Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project.
• Unit 7 of the Rawatbhata Atomic Power Project was connected to the Northern Grid and began commercial operations.
• The Atomic Energy Commission approved pre-project activities for ten additional 700 MWe PHWRs, beyond the 22.5 GW nuclear capacity planned by 2032.

Applications of Nuclear Technologies 

• Agriculture and Food Processing: DAE developed two new crop varieties: TBM-9, an early-maturing banana, and RTS-43, a high-yield sorghum.
• Advances in Strategic Sectors: 
  • The Heavy Water Board achieved 99.8% enrichment of Boron-11, suitable for semiconductor applications. 
  • The first experimental run of India’s dark matter search project, InDEx, began at the Jaduguda Underground Science Laboratory.

Concerns Associated with Nuclear Technology

• High Capital Costs and Long Gestation Period:  Nuclear plants require massive upfront investment, making them costlier than solar or wind.
• Radioactive Waste Management: Spent fuel remains hazardous for thousands of years. It requires secure storage, reprocessing, and long-term geological disposal.
• Safety Risks: Catastrophic incidents (Chernobyl, Fukushima) show low-probability but high-impact risks.
  • Evacuation, contamination and long-term ecological impacts make public acceptance difficult.
• Water-Intensive Technology: Nuclear reactors require large quantities of water for cooling.
  • Not suitable in drought-prone or water-stressed areas.

Way Ahead

• By promoting nuclear energy as a sustainable, scalable, and secure power source, the government aims to bolster energy security and meet the nation’s long-term economic and environmental goals. 
• The Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat is poised to accelerate nuclear power development, positioning India as a global leader in advanced nuclear technology by 2047.

Source: DD NEWS

In News

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025 for public consultation.
  • The Bill proposes a major restructuring of the governance and functioning of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).

Draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025: Key Provisions

• Transformation into a Statutory Body: Replaces the ISI Act, 1959, and dissolves the existing society-based structure. ISI becomes a centrally supervised statutory institution, created directly by Parliament.
• Changes in Governance Structure: Board of Governance will wield most institutional powers. Majority of Board members are Central Government nominees; internal academic representation is reduced to only three seats.
  • The Academic Council becomes recommendatory rather than decision-making.
• Administrative and Academic Controls: The Board of Governors (BoG) gains powers to establish, merge, close, or relocate centers domestically or abroad, with no statutory protection for Kolkata headquarters, allowing potential shifts for operational efficiency. Central Government directly appoints, reviews performance, and removes the Director, centralizing leadership control previously shared.
• Financial Reforms: Section 29 mandates pursuit of self-sufficiency through revenue streams like increased student fees, consultancy services, sponsored research projects, intellectual property commercialization, patents, collaborations, and investments. Annual audited accounts follow CAG standards, with BoG empowered to manage funds, grants, and endowments independently.

Criticisms and Concerns

• Fear of Government Overreach: Academicians argue the Bill undermines the autonomy ensured by the 1959 Act.
  • The new governance structure heavily dominated by government nominees limits faculty participation and undermines academic independence.
• Threat to Cooperative Federalism: Replacing a society registered under a State Act without consultation is viewed as bypassing federal principles.
• Impact on Long-term Research: Critics fear pressures to raise revenue may shift focus from fundamental research to commercially viable projects.
• Financial Burden on Students and Faculty: Emphasis on revenue generation could increase fees and intensify dependence on sponsored research.

Government’s Stand

• The Government argues that the reforms aim to modernise ISI and make it a “world-class scientific institution” by its centenary in 2031.
• A 2020 Review Committee, chaired by Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, recommended restructuring ISI to improve:
  • Governance efficiency
  • Academic expansion
  • International competitiveness.

Source: TH

Context

• Domestic household savings are replacing Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) as the dominant market force in India.

About

• The latest NSE (National Stock Exchange) Market Pulse report shows Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) ownership of Indian equities at a 15-month low of 16.9% and 24.1% in the NIFTY 50. 
• Meanwhile, domestic Mutual Funds (MFs) are hitting new highs quarter after quarter.
  • Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) are bringing in record inflows, and individual investors, through direct holdings and MFs, now own nearly 19% of the market, the highest in over two decades. 

Domestic Household Savings

• Household saving is the difference between a household’s net disposable income and its total consumption expenditure, including taxes and debt repayments. 
• Household savings form the largest component of total domestic savings in India around 55–60%.
• Composition of Household Savings:
  • Financial Savings: Bank deposits, Insurance and pension funds, Mutual funds and equities, Small savings schemes (PPF, NSC, Sukanya Samriddhi, Post Office schemes).
  • Physical Savings: Real estate (houses, land), Gold and jewellery and Durables.
• They are a key source of capital formation, financing investment and supporting long-term economic growth.
  • Domestic household savings provides a stable alternative to volatile foreign capital flows.
• Recent Trends: 
  • Shift from physical to financial savings, especially among younger households.
  • Rise in retail participation in stock markets through SIPs, mutual funds, demat accounts.

Key Drivers of Financialisation of Household Savings

• Structural Drivers: Formalisation of economy GST, demonetisation gave push to the banking system.
  • Digital public infrastructure such as the UPI, Aadhaar, e-KYC has enabled easy access to financial products.
• Changing Consumption and Investment Patterns: Post-Covid consumption revival led to increased borrowing for consumption, housing, and education.
  • Households are now turning to higher-risk assets like equities and mutual funds. SIP contributions increased 8.5 times from ?3,122 crore (2016) to ?26,632 crore (2025).
• Market & Policy Drivers: Low returns from gold/real estate compared to equities & mutual funds.
  • Rise of SIPs as a stable monthly investment tool.
  • Regulatory reforms by regulatory bodies like SEBI, RBI, IRDAI, PFRDA boosting trust.
  • Tax incentives under Section 80C, NPS, and small savings schemes encourage households to invest.
• Behavioural Drivers: Younger investors are having a higher risk appetite.
  • Increased financial awareness via digital content, fintech apps.

Impacts on the Economy

• Positive Impacts:
  • Stabilises capital markets by reducing dependence on foreign portfolio flows.
  • Enhances capital formation for long-term growth (infrastructure, SMEs).
  • Deepens financial markets leading to better resource allocation.
  • Improves risk diversification and potential returns for households.
• Macro Benefits: 
  • Supports India’s transition to a $5 trillion economy.
  • Aligns with Viksit Bharat 2047 by broadening domestic investment base.
  • With less reliance on FPI flows, the central bank can prioritise stimulating bank credit growth and managing the growth-inflation trade-off, rather than defending the rupee from capital flight. 

Concerns with Financialisation of Household Savings

• Increased Exposure to Market Volatility: Shift towards equities, mutual funds and market-linked instruments exposes households to greater risk.
• Low Financial Literacy: Many new retail investors do not fully understand risk-return trade-offs, asset allocation, or long-term investment principles.
  • It can lead to herd behaviour, excessive trading, and susceptibility to mis-selling by intermediaries.
• Short-Term Speculative Investing: Rise of online trading platforms and social media–driven tips encourages speculative, high-risk trading, not productive long-term savings.
• Decline in Cushion of Physical Assets: Physical assets like gold and property have traditionally provided inflation hedging and stability. Rapid shift to financial assets may reduce household ability to withstand shocks if markets underperform.
• Limited Social Security Net: India has a large informal workforce with minimal pension coverage. Over-reliance on market-based savings without adequate safety nets can increase retirement insecurity.
• Regulatory Oversight Challenges: Rapid growth in new products crypto, derivatives, high-risk funds strains regulators SEBI, RBI. Mis-selling and high-fee structures in some products reduce net returns.
• Macroeconomic Concerns: Excessive household exposure to financial markets can transmit market stress into broader consumption shocks, affecting economic stability.

Way Forward

• Fiscal and Tax Reforms: Rationalise capital gains tax and savings-related tax structures. Offer tax breaks or guaranteed returns on small savings schemes like PPF and KVP.
• Expanding Financial Inclusion: Universalise the National Pension System (NPS) with auto-enrolment for informal workers. Promote customised micro-savings products for rural and informal sector households.
• Strengthen Regulatory Oversight: Ensure transparency in digital lending, mutual funds, and insurance schemes. Tighten unsecured lending norms to curb procyclical credit growth.
• Technology Innovations: Leverage fintech platforms for micro-savings, AI-based financial advice, and blockchain for secure savings instruments.
• Institutional Coordination: Develop a National Strategy on Household Savings with measurable targets.

Source: TH

Context

• Recently, China’s trade surplus surpassed $1 trillion in the first eleven months of 2025, underscoring China’s dominance in global manufacturing and exports.
  • It also reveals underlying economic vulnerabilities and global trade distortions.

Milestone and Its Meaning of $1 Trillion Trade Surplus

• It is the culmination of two decades of industrial scaling and policy continuity of China including the tightly integrated supply chains, infrastructure depth, and manufacturing ecosystem.
  • It is added by weaker Renminbi (exchange rate effects), but the fundamental driver remains production strength.
  • It comes amid weak domestic demand and a volatile global trade environment.

Behind the Trade Surplus

• China’s Manufacturing Dominance: According to a study, no nation since the UK’s Industrial Revolution or the US post–World War II era has held such extensive control over global manufacturing like China.
  • The global trade-to-GDP ratio has more than doubled since 1970, from 25% to over 60% by 2022, amplifying the consequences of China’s industrial strength.
  • Over two decades, Chinese manufactured exports have grown 25-fold, powered by low labor costs, economies of scale, and state support.
• Export Composition: It reveals a decisive shift toward higher-value manufacturing.
  • Strong sectors: Automobiles, integrated circuits, and advanced electronics.
  • Weak sectors: Labor-intensive industries such as apparel, textiles, and toys.
• Changing Trade Geography: Shipments to the United States fell 29% year-on-year, largely due to renewed tariffs and softer American demand.
  • But, overall exports surged because China diversified its markets, primarily towards the Global South and emerging economies.
  • Transshipment through Southeast Asia, reflecting firms’ adaptive responses to tariff barriers.
  • It represents both strategic resilience and an evolving global trade map where China’s influence extends deeper into developing economies.

Policy Implications

• China’s Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC), the country’s annual economic policy meeting, aims to interpret the record surplus both as a success story and a warning signal. It likely includes:
  • Rebalancing growth toward stronger domestic demand.
  • Containing overcapacity and mitigating involution.
  • Promoting technology upgrading and green manufacturing.
  • Stabilizing confidence amid global headwinds.
    • The central focus will remain on structural reform, innovation, and sustainable growth rather than headline surplus numbers, while trade tensions will frame discussions.
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) attributes the surplus partly to a real depreciation of the Yuan, driven by China’s low inflation relative to its trading partners.
  • The IMF urged China to stimulate domestic consumption and allow greater exchange rate flexibility to address these imbalances sustainably.

Global Implications of China’s $1 Trillion Trade Surplus

• Overcapacity and Global Friction: China’s expanding surplus intensifies domestic and international dilemmas.
  • Trading partners accuse China of dumping goods and distorting markets, as recently France signals unease over China’s role in industries such as electric vehicles and green tech.
• Trade Imbalances and Currency Wars: The US and EU face record deficits with China.
  • US deficit in 2025 projected at $480 billion, leading to renewed tariff escalation.
• Deflationary Pressures: China’s export-driven glut (EVs, steel, solar) depresses global industrial prices, raising risks of ‘imported deflation’ in OECD economies.
• Geoeconomic Repercussions: China’s surplus strengthens its global liquidity dominance, increased lending to Global South via Belt & Road and Yuan-denominated trade.
  • But Western powers interpret this as ‘mercantilist aggression’, triggering industrial policy retaliation (e.g., EU’s CBAM).
• Asian Economies’ Realignment: ASEAN economies, Taiwan, and India benefit partially from supply chain shifts, but also face price competition and dumping risks.

Implications For India

• Rising Trade Deficit and Manufacturing Pressure: India’s trade deficit with China reached $95 billion in FY2025, as imports of electronics, solar components, and APIs surged.
  • Domestic manufacturing under ‘Make in India’ and Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes faces intensified competition from China’s cost-efficient exports.
• Investment and Supply Chain Realignment: Multinationals are diversifying from China. ‘China+1’ strategy, benefiting India, Vietnam, and Mexico.
  • However, India lacks equivalent logistics and infrastructure, slowing relocation inflows.
• Currency & Inflation Spillovers: Yuan depreciation exerts deflationary pressure on global prices, including India’s imports, which helps inflation control but hurts local producers.
• Strategic Dependencies: India’s critical sectors (pharma APIs, electronics) remain dependent on Chinese imports.

India’s Strategic Responses

• Trade Diversification: FTAs with UAE, EU in progress, but need to prioritize ASEAN & Africa markets.
  • India is pushing for supply chain diversification and self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) to reduce dependence on Chinese imports.
• Manufacturing Incentives: PLI in electronics, solar, semiconductors, and need to accelerate value-chain localization.
• Geopolitical Leverage: Need to use trade diplomacy to balance China’s dominance, as India is an active partner in QUAD & IPEF.
• India’s response to China’s trade surplus needs to twofold:
  • Short-term: Tighten quality controls, incentivize domestic production, and monitor dumping practices.
  • Long-term: Invest in R&D, skill development, and infrastructure to build globally competitive industries.

Source: IE

Context

• Mexico has approved tariffs of up to 50% on imports from non-FTA partners, including India, effective from April 1, 2026.

What is Trade Protectionism?

• Trade protectionism refers to policy measures, such as tariffs, quotas, import licensing, local content rules, aimed at shielding domestic industries from foreign competition.
• Drivers of the current wave of protectionism include:
  • Slowing global growth and supply-chain vulnerabilities.
  • Strategic reshoring by major economies like the U.S. and EU.
  • Geopolitical tensions and pressure to protect domestic jobs.
  • Concerns over dumping, subsidies, and unfair trade practices.

Background of Mexico’s Tariff Measure

• In 2024, Mexico imposed 5–50% tariffs on a range of items imported from countries without a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• The measure targeted imports from Asian countries such as India, China, and Thailand. Now Mexico’s Senate extended these tariffs to remain in force beyond April 2026.
• India currently does not have an FTA or PTA Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Mexico, making it vulnerable to these duties.

Reasons Behind Mexico’s Tariff Decision

• Appeasing the United States under USMCA review: It is observed that Mexico’s extension of high tariffs on imports from non-FTA partners is aimed at placating the United States ahead of the upcoming review of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).
  • Ensuring alignment with U.S. strategic preferences is seen as important for Mexico’s trade stability under the trilateral pact.
  • The United States has been urging Latin American nations to limit their economic engagement with Asian economies, which it views as competitors in the region.
• Revenue generation: The tariff measures are also driven by Mexico’s need to raise an estimated $3.76 billion next year as part of efforts to narrow its fiscal deficit. Higher duties on imports present an immediate non-tax revenue source.

Impact on India’s Automotive Sector

• Erosion of Export Competitiveness: Indian firms, especially in the passenger car, motorcycle, and auto-component segments, face strong competition from countries that enjoy FTA-based zero-duty access.
  • Mexico is India’s third-largest car export market after South Africa and Saudi Arabia. It  accounts for about 10% of India’s total auto and auto part exports and 12% of motorcycle exports.
• Risk to India’s Growth Strategy: Automotive exports support, employment in MSME supplier networks, manufacturing under Make in India, foreign exchange earnings etc. and protectionism threatens these linkages.
• Supply Chain Disruptions: Protectionist barriers slow integration into global value chains (GVCs). Automotive components, where India is building scale, are sensitive to even small tariff changes.

Way Ahead

• Initiate Trade Negotiations: The Engineering Exports Promotion Council (EEPC) has urged the Government of India to begin FTA or PTA talks with Mexico.
  • EEPC warns that continued tariffs may erode India’s competitiveness and permanently reduce market share.
• Safeguard Auto Sector Competitiveness: Targeted support for affected exporters in automobiles, auto components, and engineering goods.
• Enhance Export Resilience: Promote quality upgrades, cost efficiency, and logistics improvements to absorb tariff shocks.
  • Explore local assembly or joint ventures in Mexico to bypass tariff barriers.

Context

• The Government has approved the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) with ?25,060 crore to boost exports, especially for MSMEs and labour-intensive sectors.

Export Promotion Mission

• In the Union Budget for 2025-26, the Finance Minister announced an Export Promotion Mission.
  • It would facilitate easy access to export credit, cross-border factoring support, and support to MSMEs to tackle non-tariff measures in overseas markets.
• Time Span: EPM will span six years covering FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31.
• Ministries and Institutions: The Department of Commerce, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Finance, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, financial institutions, industry associations and state governments.
• Implementing Agency: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), as the implementing agency via a dedicated digital platform integrated with existing trade systems.
• Two Integrated Sub-Schemes: Niryat Protsahan & Niryat Disha.
• Under EPM, priority support will be extended to sectors impacted by recent global tariff escalations, such as textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products.

Major Components of EPM

Financial Support (Niryat Protsahan)

• Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE): Provides 100% coverage by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC).
  • Additional credit facilities up to ?20,000 crore to eligible exporters (including MSMEs).
  • Enables collateral-free credit, improving liquidity and competitiveness.

Non-Financial Support (Niryat Disha)

• Addressing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs): Funding for compliance, certifications, and technical standards.
• Market Acquisition & Branding: Assistance for international exhibitions, packaging, and branding.
• Logistics Cost Reduction: Support for supply chain efficiency and trade facilitation.

RBI’s Trade Relief Measures

EPM and RBI Measures are expected to:

Conclusion

• The Export Promotion Mission marks a decisive step toward a coherent, technology-driven and inclusive export ecosystem. 
• By merging fiscal incentives, financial facilitation, digital governance and regulatory flexibility into a single mission-mode framework, the government has created a powerful platform to enhance India’s global trade competitiveness. 

Source: PIB

Context

• The 3rd edition of the World Inequality Report highlights widening gaps in wealth, income, climate responsibility, and global financial flows, with India showing high levels of concentration at the top.

Key Findings of Report

• Global Inequality Trends: The top 10% globally own three-quarters of all wealth;
  • The bottom 50% hold just 2%;
  • The top 1% control 37% of global wealth, 18 times more than the bottom half of the world combined.
• Gender Inequality: Women earn only 61% of men’s income per working hour (excluding unpaid work).
  • It falls to 32% if it includes unpaid labor.
  • Globally, women capture just 26% of total labor income, a figure nearly unchanged since 1990.
• Regionwise Inequality: Middle East & North Africa (16%); South & Southeast Asia (20%); Sub-Saharan Africa (28%); East Asia (34%); Europe/North America/Oceania (around 40%);
• Climate Inequality: The report links economic inequality with environmental injustice:
  • The poorest 50% of the global population account for only 3% of carbon emissions tied to private capital.
  • The top 10% are responsible for 77%, and the top 1% alone account for 41%, nearly double that of the bottom 90% combined.
• Income Inequality in India: The top 10% in India earn 58% of the national income, while bottom 50% receive only 15%.
  • Women earn just 18% of total labor income in India, below the global average of 34%.

• Wealth Concentration in India: Wealth inequality in India exceeds income inequality:
  • The richest 10% own 65% of total wealth;
  • The top 1% hold 40%;
  • The bottom 50% own less than 6%.

Reasons Highlighted For Inequality

• Changing Global Economic Geography (1980 to 2025): In 1980, the global elite was concentrated in North America, Europe, and Oceania, while India, China, and Sub-Saharan Africa were largely confined to the bottom 50%.
  • By 2025, China’s population has moved upward into the middle and upper-middle global income brackets.
  • India has lost relative ground, with much of its population now concentrated in the bottom half of the global distribution.
• Policy Failures: The report highlights taxation failures at the very top, where the ultra-rich often pay lower effective tax rates than middle-income households.
  • The regressive tax structure undermines state capacity to invest in public goods like education, healthcare, and climate action.

Key Suggestions in Report

• Progressive taxation to ensure those with greater means contribute fairly.
• Public investment in universal education, healthcare, childcare, and nutrition programs.
• Redistributive measures, including cash transfers, pensions, and unemployment benefits to directly reduce inequality.

Source: IE

Context

• Deepavali has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee, held in New Delhi.

About Deepavali

• Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is celebrated on Kartik Amaavasya, which typically falls in October or November.
  • Residences, thoroughfares, and temples are illuminated with numerous oil lamps.
• The festival opens with Dhanteras, when families purchase metalware or essentials as symbols of prosperity.
  • It is followed by Naraka Chaturdashi.
  • The third day is the highlight of Deepavali- the sacred Lakshmi-Ganesha Puja.

Popular Legends of Deepavali

• In the Ramayana, it signifies the return of Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and their victory over Ravana, celebrated with lamps lighting their path. 
• In the Mahabharata, it marks the return of the Pandavas after their exile.
• Naraka Chaturdashi recalls Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasura, symbolising the end of evil.
• Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankar, attained Nirvana on Deepavali at Pavapuri. Jain devotees celebrate this festival with enthusiasm as Nirvana Day.
• King Bali’s Return: In Maharashtra, Deepavali marks the visit of King Bali, symbolising justice and generosity.
• Kali Puja: In Bengal, Odisha and Assam, Deepavali coincides with the worship of Goddess Kali for protection and inner strength.

Source: PIB

Context

• India is hosting the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2025 in Red Fort complex, New Delhi.
  • This will be the first time that India hosts the ICH Committee session and the Ministry of Culture and Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) are the nodal agencies for hosting the Session.

About the Intangible cultural heritage

• Intangible cultural heritage, includes the practices, knowledge, expressions, objects, and spaces that communities see as part of their cultural identity.
  • Passed down over generations, this heritage evolves, strengthening cultural identity and appreciation of diversity.
• Historical Background: For the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, UNESCO adopted the 2003 Convention during its 32nd General Conference in Paris.
  • India ratified the convention in 2005.

Significance of Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Preserves Cultural Identity and Continuity: Intangible heritage anchors communities to their roots, reinforces identity, and strengthens belonging across generations.
• Promotes Social Cohesion and Harmony: Shared cultural practices create a sense of collective memory and mutual respect.
• Supports Livelihoods: Protecting ICH helps sustain rural economies, promotes cultural tourism, and creates employment opportunities.
• Preserves Traditional Knowledge Systems: Indigenous ecological knowledge, healing practices, agricultural wisdom, and craftsmanship offer sustainable solutions relevant for contemporary challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
• Intergenerational Learning: ICH carries values, ethics, local histories, and skills that enrich curricula, build cultural literacy, and strengthen intergenerational bonding.
• Boosts Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power: Yoga, classical arts, festivals, and traditional crafts enhance India’s global cultural presence, build goodwill, and strengthen international relationships.

Functions of the Intergovernmental Committee

• The Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage advances the objectives of the 2003 Convention and ensures their effective implementation across Member States. The committee:
  • Prepares and submits to the General Assembly the draft plan for the use of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.
  • Examines periodic reports submitted by States Parties and compiles summaries for the General Assembly.
  • Evaluates requests from States Parties and makes decisions regarding, Inscription of elements on UNESCO’s ICH Lists (as per Articles 16, 17 and 18).

India’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Inscribed by UNESCO

• To date, 15 Indian elements have been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List, and the country has served on the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for three terms.

Source: PIB

Context

• India dropped 13 places to 23rd in the Climate Change Performance Index released during COP30 in Brazil in November 2025.

About

• The main reason is the lack of progress in India’s phase out of coal. 
• Challenges with Phaseout: Coal creates a difficult policy paradox—its gradual elimination could deprive many States of employment and affordable electricity, yet persisting with current coal dependence endangers people’s health and livelihoods due to escalating global warming and pollution.
  • India’s far deeper coal dependence and limited economic alternatives in coal regions make its transition more complex. 
• This trade-off draws attention to Chile’s experience in tackling it.

India’s Energy Share

• As of 2025, the country’s total installed electricity capacity has crossed 500 GW, reaching 500.89 GW. 

• Non-fossil fuel sources (renewable energy, hydro, and nuclear): 256.09 GW – over 51 % of the total.
• Fossil-fuel-based sources: 244.80 GW – about 49 % of the total, making coal a source of up to almost half the energy needs. Also, coal contributes about 75% of total electricity production in India.
•  Within renewables:
  • Solar power: 127.33 GW.
  • Wind power: 53.12 GW.
• During FY 2025–26 India added 28 GW of non-fossil capacity and 5.1 GW of fossil-fuel capacity.

Chile’s Model

• In comparison, coal’s share of Chile’s electricity generation fell from 43.6% to 17.5% during 2016-24. 
  • Today, renewables (especially wind and solar) make up over 60% of the country’s power mix. 
• Measures Taken by the Government: 
  • The government imposed stringent emission standards on coal plants, raising construction and compliance costs by 30%. Competitive auctions for wind and solar power helped push renewables. 
  • Chile has also aggressively built out energy storage systems to stabilise the grid, and committed to phase out all coal by 2040. 
• All this makes the case that even economies with coal dependence can accelerate a transition. 
• Challenges in Replicating the Model:
  • As compared to India coal occupies a smaller share of Chile’s energy, giving it fewer plants to shut down and a smaller dependent workforce. 
  • The transition was also enabled by a political environment that allowed swift, market reforms following privatisation of key sectors.

India’s Green Commitments

• As part of the updated NDC submitted to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in 2022:
  • India has committed to reducing its emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels), 
  • achieving 50% of cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, 
  • These targets also contribute to India’s long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.
• The National Electricity Plan (NEP) envisions significant growth in renewable energy generation by 2032, with solar power expected to contribute 50% of that growth.

Suggestions for India

• TERI has suggested that India could phase out coal power entirely by 2050 to meet its net zero goals. 
  • In the transition to this target, there could be an incremental scaling down of coal, improved efficiency and decommissioning. 
• Three sets of action that India can opt for:
  • India should focus on tackling the limitations faced by renewable energy sources. The effort would also be aided by a drive to electrify transport, industry and households.
  • Reform of markets and regulation to disincentivise coal, for example through carbon pricing, removal of coal subsidies, clean dispatch rules and power procurement contracts that favour renewables.
  • Providing robust support for workers through reskilling and alternative livelihoods. A dedicated transition fund is essential, such as the “Green Energy Transition India Fund” proposed by the Inter-Ministerial Committee.

Way Ahead

• Considering the high stakes, a phaseout of coal needs to become a top political priority. 
• Renewable energy gains show tremendous promise, but without an actionable plan to replace coal, climate ambitions would remain hollow. 
• The time has come for a coal exit road map, one that enshrines delivery timelines, financing of social protection, market reform, and learning from peers such as Chile.

Source: TH

Context

• The Global Environment Outlook, Seventh Edition: A Future We Choose (GEO-7), was released during the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi.

About

• GEO-7 is UNEP’s flagship assessment published for the first time in 1997.
• It is a major scientific report that reviews the planet’s environmental health, policy effectiveness, and future trends, providing crucial, participatory, science-based data to guide global environmental action and policy.

Major Highlights of the Report

• Tipping Points: Several tipping points could occur in the next few years to decades:
  • shifts in intensity and timing of monsoons, 
  • loss of Arctic sea ice which is likely to alter the jet stream, 
  • change the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events; 
  • abrupt thaw of permafrost likely to result in a substantial release of methane within a few years; 
  • the coral die-off is already underway and a collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could lead to rapid shifts in the climate in Europe and Africa.
• The report highlights several alarming trends: Global warming is worsening and exceeding previous estimates.
  • 1 million species face extinction.
  • 20–40% of land is degraded.
  • Solid waste already exceeds 2 billion tonnes annually and will rise further.
  • Plastic production may triple by 2060 without policy shifts.
  • 9 million people die annually from pollution.
  • Climate change would cut 4% off annual global GDP by 2050 and 20% by the end of the century.
• Global Warming: The world has warmed 1.3°C, with projections showing potential warming between 2.4°C to 3.9°C by 2100, potentially faster than IPCC models estimate.

• Interconnected Drivers: Drivers like population growth, urbanization, resource-intensive lifestyles, and governance failures intensify environmental pressures.
• Failures of Current Policies: The current policies are insufficient — without transformation, none of the environmental SDGs will be achieved, and internationally agreed environmental goals (including the Paris Agreement, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and Aichi Targets) will not be met.
• India Specific: Shifts in monsoon systems can affect South Asia including India which further impacts water, agriculture, and food systems.
  • Changes in monsoon circulation could exacerbate droughts, floods, and water scarcity across India.
  • India faces land degradation affecting approximately 33% of its geographical area (115-120 million hectares), with major impacts on agricultural productivity and food security. 
  • Assessments indicate India’s current targets are “Highly insufficient” for a 1.5°C pathway, requiring strengthened ambition and international support.

Policy Recommendations

• The report outlines target-seeking scenarios showing how the world could reach environmental goals if transformative efforts occur across sectors.
• Transformation requires:
  • Ambitious policies.
  • Inclusive governance.
  • Systematic integration of environmental goals in decision-making.
  • Wide participation from governments, civil society, businesses, and Indigenous Peoples. 
• The report identifies four major systems where transformation is critical:
  • Economic & Financial Systems: Reform to internalize environmental costs and align finance with sustainability goals. 
  • Materials & Waste System: Shift to a circular economy that minimizes waste and maximizes reuse and recycling. 
  • Energy System: Accelerate renewable energy deployment and phase out fossil fuels, while ensuring energy access. 
  • Food System: Promote sustainable diets, reduce food loss/waste, and enhance resilient food production.
• Urgent transformation will deliver societal, economic, and environmental benefits worth far more than the cost of inaction — potentially generating trillions in economic gains.

Source: IE

Context

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports tabled its 371st report on the autonomous bodies under the Department of Higher Education.

Major Highlights of the Report

• Performance of NTA: It highlighted the performance of the National Testing Agency (NTA), noting recent irregularities in examinations.
  • Repeated delays and errors in major examinations, including NEET-UG, UGC-NET, CUET, and JEE (Main).
  • It urged that such avoidable errors must not recur. 
• Infrastructure Gaps: Persistent gaps in faculty recruitment and infrastructure, including lack of seed grants for new faculty in central universities and UGC-funded institutions, and constraints in implementing Multiple Entry Multiple Exit programs. 
• Delays in Online Education: It flagged delays in online and distance education approvals for institutions with lower NAAC accreditation scores, urging the UGC to reconsider these restrictions.
• On Accreditation: It highlighted concerns with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which evaluates higher education institutions.
  • It called for detailing the extent of irregularities uncovered and the corrective steps taken. 
  • Reforms needed such as the Basic Accreditation Framework (BAF) and Maturity Based Graded Levels (MBGL) to ensure a more objective, transparent process with limited scope for discretion.
• On Draft UGC Regulations: It recommends that the draft UGC regulations of January 2025 be referred to the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) for wider stakeholder consultation.
  • The Committee emphasised that these regulations should uphold both national standards and state autonomy.

Recommendations

• Digital Examinations Held by NTA: It recommended NTA to build greater in-house capacity and place renewed emphasis on pen-and-paper testing to reduce the vulnerabilities associated with digital and outsourced exams.
  • It also recommended a nationwide list of blacklisted firms involved in paper-setting and administration to prevent recurrence of lapses.
• Remunerations: It recommends extending the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to faculty and non-teaching staff in centrally funded institutions, increasing Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) amounts, and implementing the 7th Pay Commission in ICSSR research institutes. 
• Fill Vacancies: It also called for immediate filling of vacancies, implementation of promotions, and appointment of leadership positions across ICSSR research institutions. 
• On Governance: The Committee urged greater participatory decision-making in bodies to preserve its autonomous character.
• Accreditation: Highlighting the challenges of implementing NEP 2020, the Committee stressed the need for faster, streamlined accreditation and evaluation processes. 
• It also recommended measures to regulate the proliferation of private coaching centres and ensure that examination papers reinforce school curricula rather than parallel coaching syllabi.

Source: HT

Context

• India’s performance in deceased organ donation remains extremely low (0.77 per million in 2023, compared to 49.38 in Spain). Nearly 5 lakh Indians die annually waiting for transplants.

Organ Transplant and Donation

• Organ Transplantation/Donation is a surgical procedure in which an organ, tissue or a group of cells are removed from one person and surgically transplanted into another person.
  • One person can save up to 8 lives by donating heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines.
• In India, the organ transplantation is one of the lowest in comparison with the western nations.
  • India’s organ donation rate remains under 1% relative to the population. 
  • India ranks third globally in organ transplantation.
• In 2023, more than three lakh citizens pledged to donate organs through the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). 
• Eligibility for Organ Donation: Both living and deceased individuals can donate organs. Living donors must meet specific medical and legal criteria to ensure donor safety and ethical practices.

Laws and Rules Governing Organ Transplantation in India

• Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994: It is the primary legislation related to organ donation and transplantation in India and is aimed at regulation of removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.
  • Makes Brainstem Death (BSD) a legal definition of death and lays down procedures for certification.
• Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act, 2011: It allows swapping of organs and widens the donor pool by including grandparents and grandchildren in the list. 
• Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules (THOT), 2014: It has many provisions to remove the impediments to organ donation while curbing misuse/misinterpretation of the rules. 

In News

• Neurotechnology will soon deepen understanding of the brain and may even allow it to influence its functioning.

What is Neurotechnology?

• It refers to tools that directly interact with the brain by recording or influencing neural activity, enabling new ways to study, repair, or enhance brain function.
• Central to this field are Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), which decode brain signals to control devices like cursors, wheelchairs, or robotic arms through either non-invasive sensors or implanted electrodes.
  • BCIs support diagnostics, neuroprosthetics, and treatments for conditions such as paralysis, depression, and Parkinson’s disease. 
• While experiments have shown brain-to-brain communication in animals, human uses remain largely therapeutic, with future enhancement or military applications raising significant ethical concerns.

Benefits and Need 

• India faces a growing neurological disease burden, especially from strokes, spinal injuries, Parkinson’s disease, and depression.
• Neurotechnology offers promising solutions—neuroprosthetics can help paralysed individuals regain movement or communication, and targeted brain stimulation can reduce reliance on long-term medication for mental health conditions. 
• Beyond healthcare, neurotechnology aligns with India’s strengths in biotechnology, engineering, and AI, creating broader opportunities for innovation and growth.

Progress

• IIT Kanpur has developed a BCI-powered robotic hand for stroke patients, while major neuroscience research is underway at the National Brain Research Centre in Manesar and IISc’s Brain Research Centre. 
• Startups like Dognosis are exploring innovative uses—such as analysing dog brain signals to detect cancer-related scents—showing how animal-focused neurotech could eventually transform human cancer screening.

Way Ahead for India

• Neurotechnologies offer India opportunities in healthcare, recreation, and the economy, leveraging its genomic diversity, expertise, and growing interest in brain research. However, their growth depends on strong regulatory support.
• Public engagement on BCI benefits and risks, along with tailored regulations assessing technical and ethical aspects—such as data privacy and user autonomy—are essential to promote safe and effective BCI development in India.

Source :TH

Context

• Despite high expectations, the defence announcements during the Russian President’s visit did not materialise as India is more focused towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

India’s Shift in Defence Sector

• Defence Budget: The defence budget has seen a steady rise, growing from ?2.53 lakh crore in 2013–14 to ?6.81 lakh crore in 2025–26.
• Production: India, once heavily dependent on arms imports, now has a defence production value of ?1.51 lakh crore, up from ?46,000 crore in 2014.
  • 65% of defence equipment is now manufactured domestically, a significant shift from the earlier 65-70% import dependency.
• Export: India’s defence exports have surged from ?686 crore in 2013–14 to ?23,622 crore in 2024–25, a 34-fold rise.
  • India’s diverse export portfolio includes bulletproof jackets, Dornier (Do-228) aircraft, Chetak helicopters, fast interceptor boats, and lightweight torpedoes.
  • The top three destinations were the USA, France, and Armenia.
  • Notably, ‘Made in Bihar’ boots are now part of the Russian Army’s gear, highlighting India’s high manufacturing standards.
• Defence industrial base includes 16 DPSUs, over 430 licensed companies, and approximately 16,000 MSMEs, strengthening indigenous production capabilities.
• India targets ?3 lakh crore in defence production by 2029, reinforcing its position as a global defence manufacturing hub.

Need for Defence Acquisition & Indigenisation Reforms

• Strategic Autonomy & National Security: Reduces dependence on foreign suppliers, especially during crises and geopolitical tensions.
• Addressing Capability Gaps: India faces complex security challenges across borders and in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Modernisation is required to replace ageing platforms in the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Reducing Import Bill & Promoting Economic Efficiency: India is among the world’s largest arms importers, indigenous production lowers costs in the long run, reduces foreign exchange outflow, and strengthens the domestic defence economy.
• Boosting Domestic Defence Industrial Base: Indigenisation stimulates innovation and growth of DPSUs, MSMEs, and private industry.
• Faster Procurement & Operational Readiness: Domestic manufacturing shortens procurement cycles and ensures timely delivery.
• Improved Customisation & Adaptability: Indigenous platforms can be tailored to Indian terrain (Himalayan high-altitudes, deserts, maritime zones) which allows continuous upgrades to meet evolving threat environments.
• Technology Sovereignty: Developing indigenous technologies ensures freedom in design, production, and future upgrades. It also prevents vulnerability due to sanctions, supply chain disruptions, or technology denials.

Defence Acquisition & Indigenisation Reforms

• DAP 2020 with Focus on Indian-IDDM: It gives the highest priority to the ‘Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)’ category to ensure that major defence purchases are made from Indian sources.
• Simplified ‘Make’ Procedure: Encourages Indian industry to design, develop, and manufacture defence products, reducing import dependence.
  • Under Make-I, the government funds up to 70% of development costs and reserves certain projects for MSMEs. 
  • The Make-II category (industry-funded) offers relaxed eligibility, minimal paperwork, and accepts proposals from industry or individuals. 
  • So far, 62 projects for the Army, Navy, and Air Force have received ‘Approval in Principle’.
• Liberalised FDI in Defence: Foreign Direct Investment limit raised to 74% via automatic route for new defence industrial licences, and up to 100% by government approval in cases involving access to advanced technology. 
• Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS): DTIS aims to boost indigenisation by providing financial assistance for setting up eight Greenfield testing and certification facilities in the aerospace and defence sector.
  • Seven test facilities are already approved in areas like unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare, electro-optics, and communications.
• Boosting Innovation:iDEX & TDF Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), launched in 2018, supports startups, MSMEs, academia, and innovators with grants and funding to develop technologies for defence and aerospace.
  • Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme also funds industries, especially Start-ups and MSMEs upto an amount of Rs. 10 Crore, for innovation, research and development of defence technologies.
• Strategic Partnership (SP) Model: Introduced in 2017 to create long-term partnerships between Indian companies and global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
  • These partnerships focus on technology transfer and setting up manufacturing infrastructure in India.
• International Defence Cooperation: In 2019, India signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement with Russia to jointly manufacture spares and components for Russian-origin defence equipment in India.
• Indigenisation Portals: SRIJAN Portal (launched 2020) lists defence items previously imported, inviting industry to develop them locally. So far, 46798 items have been listed.
• Ease of Doing Business in Defence: Defence products requiring industrial licences have been rationalised, and most parts/components no longer need a licence.
  • Industrial licence validity has been extended from 3 years to 15 years, with a possible 3-year extension, making investment planning easier.

Conclusion

• The combination of strategic policy interventions, increased domestic participation, and a focus on indigenous innovation has significantly strengthened the country’s defence capabilities. 
• With ambitious targets set for 2029, the nation is poised to further expand its global footprint, reinforcing its position as a dependable partner in the international defence market while enhancing national security.

Source: TH

Context

• The DPIIT-led committee has released a working paper titled ‘One Nation, One License, One Payment: Balancing AI Innovation and Copyright’.

About

• The DPIIT-led committee has recommended a “hybrid model” of compensation for use of copyrighted content in AI training.
• If implemented, India would become the only country to prescribe a statutory licensing regime for AI developers, with royalty rates prescribed by a government-appointed committee.

Its Key Features

• Aim: To protect the rights of IP holders (by having a compensatory model) and at the same time ensuring mandatory licensed access to quality datasets for AI developers.
• Mandatory Blanket Licence: All AI developers will be required to obtain a statutory blanket licence to use all lawfully accessed copyright-protected works for training AI systems.
• Statutory Remuneration Right for Creators: Creators and copyright holders will receive royalties mandated by law, instead of individually negotiated licensing deals.
• Creation of CRCAT (Copyright Royalties Collective for AI Training): A new umbrella body designated under the Copyright Act, 1957 will:
  • Collect royalties from AI developers.
  • Distribute them among classes of copyright holders.
  • Act as a centralised facilitator for the blanket licence.
• The Centre will constitute a committee to determine the royalty rate. 
  • It will consist of senior government officers, senior legal experts, financial or economic experts, and technical experts with expertise in emerging technologies. 
  • A CRCAT member from and AI developers’ representative will also be part of the committee.
• Royalty Rates: The panel will set royalty rates, while ensuring that they are fair, predictable, and transparent.
  • It will also review and adjust rates every 3 years, to reflect technological and market developments.
• Legal Relief: The rates set by the rate setting committee may be challenged before the court and would be subject to judicial review.
• Rejection of Voluntary Licensing: The committee rejects private, voluntary licensing agreements (e.g., OpenAI–AP deal) due to:
  • High transaction costs,
  • Unequal bargaining power,
  • Risk of big companies monopolising licensing,
  • Inadequate access to diverse training data.
• Prerequisite of Lawful Access: AI companies cannot bypass paywalls or technological protection measures using the mandatory licence. They must have lawful access to data.
• Retroactive Payments: It suggests retroactive payment of royalties in cases where copyrighted data has already been ingested into AI systems and also lays a framework for establishing burden of proof in related lawsuits.

Need for Such Model

• Infringement of Copyright Act: The AI training involves multiple acts of reproduction from downloading and storing works to generating temporary copies that raise clear infringement questions under India’s Copyright Act.
• Compensation to Copyright Holders: AI companies have non-discriminatory access to copyrighted work, there is a need that all copyright holders are compensated in an equitable way. 
• Growing Scepticism: It comes amid growing scepticism of news publishers in several jurisdictions over concerns of copyrighted material being used for training foundational models, without permission or payment. 
• Court Cases: Infringement has led to court cases where publishers have mounted a legal challenge against OpenAI over the unlawful utilisation of copyrighted material.
• Commercialised Use by AI Developers: Many AI Developers have built AI Systems which are commercially successful and generate huge revenues.
  • In order to ensure fairness and accountability, such AI Developers must be required to pay royalties to copyright owners for past usage of their works. 

Concerns Raised by Industry

• Concerns are being raised over the royalty rates fixed by a government-appointed panel.
  • Companies argue that they should be allowed to discuss mutually beneficial licensing rates among themselves.
• It could lead to slowdown in AI development which ultimately harms India’s ambitions to build and scale indigenous AI capabilities.
• The implementation must be fair and scale-dependent; otherwise, it risks becoming an entry barrier for startups and further strengthening incumbents.

Conclusion

• It comes in the wake of soaring AI adoption, mushrooming AI startups and conflicts over the use of copyrighted content by AI developers.
• The government argues that a licensing framework allows domestic AI firms access to rich, copyright-protected datasets, reduces barriers to innovation and aligns with India’s broader goal of building sovereign AI capabilities.

Source: IE

Context

• India’s solar observatory Aditya-L1 along with six U.S. satellites, has revealed unusual behaviour of the May 2024 solar storm called “Gannon’s storm” triggered by a series of giant explosions on the Sun known as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs).

What is a Solar Storm? 

• The solar storm is composed of a series of giant explosions on the Sun, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). 
  • A CME is like a massive bubble of hot gas and magnetic energy thrown out from the Sun into space. 
  • When these bubbles hit Earth, they can shake earth’s magnetic shield and cause serious trouble for satellites, communication systems, GPS, and even power grids.

About Aditya-L1

• Aditya-L1 is the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun. 
• It was launched on September 2, 2023 by the PSLV-C57, and was inserted in its targeted halo orbit on January 6, 2024. 
• The solar observatory is placed at Lagrangian point L1 for “Observing and understanding the chromospheric and coronal dynamics of the Sun” in a continuous manner. 
• It is equipped with seven payloads (instruments) on board with four of them carrying out remote sensing of the Sun and three of them carrying in-situ observation.

Source: TH

Context

• The recent operational meltdown at IndiGo has exposed deep structural vulnerabilities in India’s civil aviation ecosystem, calling for compulsory resource mapping and a comprehensive overhaul of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Compulsory Resource Mapping

• Every airline in India, under DGCA regulations, submits manpower data annually. But these filings are neither standardized nor publicly audited.
  • Compulsory resource mapping became a regulatory requirement rather than a compliance formality to prevent future crises.
  • Such mapping would involve:
    • Dynamic tracking of crew availability, certifications, and fatigue data integrated into DGCA’s central systems.
    • AI-based predictive algorithms that forecast shortages weeks ahead.
    • Mandatory third-party audits of airline rostering and scheduling mechanisms.
  • It would enhance transparency and allow regulators to intervene before a breakdown occurs.

DGCA Overhaul: From Reactive to Predictive Regulation

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) currently operates on a reactive model, acting after a crisis unfolds.
  • A CAG report, in 2024, noted that DGCA’s staff-to-aircraft ratio is among the lowest in Asia, limiting its ability to perform real-time safety audits.
  • Reform should begin with:
    • Establishing a Data and Predictive Analytics Wing within DGCA.
    • Introducing ‘Aviation Systems Intelligence’ dashboards accessible to both airlines and regulators.
    • Ensuring regulatory independence through a statutory authority like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US.
    • Digitizing pilot medical, training, and fatigue records for cross-verification.
  • India risks regulatory obsolescence amid surging passenger numbers and fleet expansion without institutional strengthening.

Learning from International Models

• The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and US FAA have already embedded real-time crew monitoring and fatigue management systems into their safety protocols.
  • EASA mandates a Resource Assurance Certificate before approving airline expansions, a practice India could replicate.
  • Similarly, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) of Singapore uses predictive oversight models that combine machine learning with safety audits to flag anomalies early.

Road Ahead

• Integrating Policy: Mandate quarterly resource mapping and link compliance to route expansion approvals.
• Integrating Technology: Deploy digital fatigue and manpower dashboards integrated with DGCA systems.
• Integrating Accountability: Institute financial penalties for chronic under-reporting or mismanagement of human resources.

Source: The Print

In News

• The US has released the National Security Strategy (NSS) 2025, marking a decisive departure from post-Cold War American foreign policy frameworks to the “Make America Great Again (MAGA)” agenda at the heart of U.S. global strategy.

How does MAGA shape the new NSS?

• Focused national interest: Only issues directly affecting core US security and prosperity are treated as strategic; the document explicitly criticises earlier “global domination” ambitions.
• Regional Priorities: It puts the Western Hemisphere at the top, announcing a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine to re-assert US pre-eminence in the Americas, curb Chinese and other extra-regional influence.
  • The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy principle declared by US President James Monroe in 1823, asserting that the Western Hemisphere was closed to future European colonization, the US would oppose any European intervention in independent American states.
• Primacy of nations and sovereignty: It asserts the nation-state as the fundamental unit, defends US sovereignty against international institutions and “transnationalism”, and encourages all states to put their own interests first.
• Predisposition to non-interventionism: It sets a high bar for interventions abroad, criticising “forever wars”, while still insisting the US maintain overwhelming military strength (“peace through strength”).
• Economic nationalism: It elevates reindustrialisation, reshoring, tariffs, balanced trade, and “energy dominance” (including rejection of Net Zero/climate agendas) to central security objectives, aligning directly with MAGA economic themes.
• End of mass migration: It declares that “the era of mass migration is over”, treats border security as the primary element of national security, and links migration, drugs, and crime as core threats—again mirroring MAGA domestic politics in the external strategy.
• Stronger China Convergence: The 2025 US National Security Strategy explicitly positions China as America’s primary strategic challenge, representing a sharpened focus on containment and competition in the Indo-Pacific.

Source: TOI

Context

• The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has begun receiving nearly 45,000 requests per month, reflecting a significant rise in its use by central and state security agencies.

What is the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)?

• NATGRID is a real-time intelligence and data-access platform developed after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008) to enable seamless information-sharing across agencies.
• It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and consolidates over 20 categories of civil and commercial data, such as bank transactions, telecom usage, passport/immigration records, tax IDs, police FIRs (CCTNS), and other e-governance sources.
• Data accessibility: Initially restricted to Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) etc.
  • Access to NATGRID is now available to Superintendent of Police (SP) rank officers.

Significance of NATGRID

• Counterterrorism: NATGRID enhances the ability to detect and disrupt terror networks by correlating travel patterns, financial transactions, telecom data and social contacts.
• Improved Crime Detection: The platform assists in investigations related to organised crime, narcotics, human trafficking, cybercrime, fake currency networks, and cross-border smuggling.
  • In 2020, NATGRID signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), gaining access to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), which mandates all states to register FIRs on a unified digital platform.
• Institutional Efficiency: Every access is logged, which strengthens oversight and internal accountability.
  • The existence of a unified data platform reduces duplication, delays and inter-agency friction.
• Security Measures: To protect data, NATGRID uses strict access controls. All queries are encrypted end-to-end and logged, and only vetted, authorised officers can run searches.

Key Concerns

• Privacy Risks: NATGRID aggregates large volumes of sensitive personal information, raising concerns about potential surveillance overreach.
• Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities: India reported over 20.5 lakh cyber incidents to CERT-In in 2024, reflecting an increasingly hostile digital environment.
  • The extensive volume and value of NATGRID’s integrated data make it an attractive target for cyberattacks.
• Lack of Legislative Backing: NATGRID was created through executive orders, not a dedicated parliamentary law.
  • While administrative flexibility allows rapid deployment, the absence of statutory oversight limits transparency and public debate.

Way Ahead

• Enact Dedicated Legislation: A comprehensive law governing NATGRID’s scope, access protocols, data protection and oversight mechanisms will strengthen accountability.
• Strengthen Cybersecurity: Continuous investment in cyber-resilience, penetration testing and real-time monitoring is essential to protect integrated databases.
• Expand Training for State Agencies: Training district-level officers in digital forensics, data analysis and NATGRID protocols will maximize its utility.
• Ensure Privacy Safeguards: Stronger audit trails, independent review committees and alignment with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act is required to ensure proportional and ethical use.

Source: TH