30.07.25 Current Affairs

ONE LINER CURRENT AFFAIRS

National Affairs

• Judicial Pendency: Over 5 crore cases pending in Indian courts; Centre sanctioned ₹9,000 crore under e-Courts Phase III to upgrade district courts with digital filing and AI tools.
• NEP@5: Five years of the National Education Policy 2020 marked; achievements include higher enrolment and foundational literacy, but institutional reforms like HECI are still delayed.
• Tele-Law Program: 90 lakh beneficiaries served; 11,000 pro bono lawyers on Nyaya Bandhu network, improving legal access.
• Living Wage Proposal: Labour Ministry exploring transition from minimum wage to living wage for workers to reduce gender disparity and boost participation.
• Setubandha Scholar Scheme: Allows Gurukul students to obtain IIT degrees and research fellowships, formally integrating traditional learning systems.
• State of Food & Nutrition (SOFI) 2025: India contributes significantly to global hunger reduction but faces persistent issues of food affordability and regional disparities.
• Operation Mahadev: Indian Army, CRPF, and J&K Police neutralized 3 high-value terrorists in Srinagar; key in counter-terror strategy.
• Telecom Expansion: Remote areas like the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are getting upgraded mobile towers to improve connectivity.
• Urban Flood Plans: The Centre asked all metro cities to draft flood resilience plans after floods in Chennai and Delhi.
• NIPUN Bharat & CUET Impact: Over 4 crore children reached under foundational literacy; CUET has standardized undergraduate admissions nationwide.

International Relations

• BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting: Held in Brasilia; launched a new cultural platform for artist exchange and creative industries.
• Preah Vihear Temple Dispute: Cambodia and Thailand tensions revived over the UNESCO-listed temple in the Dangrek Mountains.
• AUKUS Geelong Treaty: Australia and the UK signed a nuclear submarine pact under AUKUS Pillar I without the US; it ensures 50 years of cooperation.
• Nelson Mandela Prize 2025: UN awarded Brenda Reynolds (Canada) and Kennedy Odede (Kenya); India has not yet received this award.
• India’s Global Tiger Role: India contributes 75% of the world’s tiger population, leading international conservation efforts.
• Nepal-India Treaties: Ongoing talks on updating extradition and mutual legal assistance frameworks.
• Global Hunger Diplomacy: India pledged enhanced South-South cooperation for food security after the SOFI 2025 report.
• Taiwan Strait Tensions: Indian strategic analysts are monitoring China’s increased patrols in the region.
• Sri Lanka Debt Deal: India is part of the creditors giving a debt moratorium to Colombo.
• Bangladesh Unrest: Electoral unrest continues; India is maintaining a neutral diplomatic stance.

Environment and Climate

• Environment Protection (Contaminated Sites) Rules 2025: Legal framework to identify and remediate hazardous waste sites under the “Polluter Pays” principle.
• International Tiger Day 2025: India doubled tiger population ahead of Tx2 goal; 3,682 tigers now across 58 reserves.
• Kaziranga Grassland Bird Census: First census using acoustic monitoring; documented 43 species including critically endangered Finn’s Weaver.
• True Polar Wander Study: Dams shifted Earth’s axis by 1 metre since 1835, impacting navigation and climate systems.
• Urban Heat Island Mitigation: States asked to develop green cover plans to address rising heat waves.
• Majuli Island Erosion: Tree plantation drives continue to counter Brahmaputra-driven land loss.
• Forest Fires: Uttarakhand reported recurring wildfires due to dry pine forests and inadequate fireline management.
• Western Ghats ESZ Expansion: Maharashtra and Kerala notified more eco-sensitive zones.
• Yamuna River Pollution: Delhi Jal Board criticized for failing to curb the untreated sewage flow.
• SOFI 2025 Findings: Climate disasters are directly worsening global hunger levels.

Science and Technology

• Exercise Divya Drishti: The Indian Army tested AI-based surveillance and sensor-to-shooter battlefield integration in East Sikkim.
• Heavy Water Facility: India’s first private heavy water upgrade unit launched by TEMA India for the nuclear sector.
• AI in Railways: Facial recognition-based passenger surveillance to be expanded across 200+ stations.
• Acoustic Bird Monitoring: AI-enabled BirdNET software used for Kaziranga census sets a model for conservation tech.
• CUET & Digital Education: Tech platforms like DIKSHA, AI-powered “Jaadui Pitara” are now mainstream in NEP implementation.
• Space Research: ISRO progressing toward human-rated launches under the Gaganyaan program.
• Quantum Mission: Continued investment toward developing secure communication and indigenous quantum processors.
• Cybersecurity Alerts: CERT-In flagged increased ransomware attacks on MSMEs.
• Mobile Apps for Farmers: Kerala fishermen using price apps to reduce waste and price volatility.
• AI in Disaster Early Warning: The Government is piloting AI for flood and landslide prediction in hill states.

Governance and Public Policy

• NEP 2020 Implementation Gaps: Federal disagreements and lack of digital access are slowing full rollout.
• Judicial Reform for mediation, domain-specific benches, and digital courtrooms to cut pendency.
• MGMD Cultural Mapping: Digital inventory of 4.7 lakh villages created; integrates welfare schemes for artists.
• Gender Inclusion in Policing: Centre reiterates 33% reservation target for women under Nirbhaya Fund.
• Organic Product Certification: APEDA reformed standards to match global benchmarks amid criticism.
• One Nation One Fertilizer: Scheme expands standardized branding and distribution of urea across states.
• Digital India 2.0: e-Aadhaar offline functionality and DigiLocker expansion launched.
• Tele-Law & ADR: Mandatory pre-litigation mediation proposed in civil and commercial cases.
• Living Wage Transition: Discussion papers released for wider stakeholder consultation.
• Nty Policies: New framework to integrate counter-terror intelligence across agencies post-Operation Mahadev.

Economy and Finance

• GST Collection: ₹1.72 lakh crore collected in July, driven by strong domestic consumption.
• Digital Rupee Expansion: RBI is piloting offline e-rupee in rural areas.
• Crypto Regulation: SEBI drafts framework for licensing and investor protection.
• Global Hunger Report: SOFI 2025 highlighted price volatility impacting diet affordability; India is focusing on MSP reforms.
• EPFO Payroll: Formal job creation hit a new high, with 13.5 lakh additions in June.
• IT Industry Workforce: Debate on ethical workforce practices after bench time limits by top firms.
• MSME Financing: SIDBI launched a ₹2,500 crore fund for green and women-led enterprises.
• Inflation Trends: CPI forecast at 5.3% for Q2 FY26 due to food price pressures.
• Fishermen Price Apps: Mobile adoption in Kerala reduces wastage and stabilizes prices.
• BEML Divestment: Strategic sale cancelled due to national security sensitivities.

Social and Cultural Issues

• Dowry Deaths: NCRB draft showed a 12% increase; UP and Bihar recorded the highest cases.
• FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025: Divya Deshmukh became the first Indian woman to win, defeating Koneru Humpy.
• Transgender Welfare Draft: Proposed quotas in education and skill programs.
• School Dropouts: ASER data shows rural girl dropouts still above pre-COVID levels.
• Mandela Prize 2025: Highlights ongoing global recognition for community work; no Indian winner yet.
• Child Labour: Rising cases in the urban informal sector noted by the Labour Ministry.
• Heritage Awareness Drives: PM’s Mann Ki Baat highlighted Paithani saris for cultural revival.
• Homelessness Rise: Delhi survey shows 48% increase in homeless children.
• MGMD Portal: Empowers rural artists and preserves oral traditions digitally.
• GI Tag Expansion: Government pursuing new tags for Mithila paintings, tribal foods, and handlooms.

Defence and Strategic Affairs

• Operation Mahadev: Major counter-terrorist success in Srinagar neutralizing Pakistan-backed militants.
• Exercise Divya Drishti: Tested AI-based battlefield awareness systems at high altitude in East Sikkim.
• IBGs & Rudra Brigades: New integrated formations for rapid offensive operations.
• AUKUS Implications: India is analyzing the regional security impact of the Geelong Treaty on submarine warfare.
• Drone Warfare: Army expanding UAV use in all infantry units.
• Sensor-to-Shooter Doctrine: Validated in Divya Drishti exercise to reduce decision lag.
• Loitering Munitions Deployment: Increased in Northern Command for border skirmishes.
• Cold Start Strategy Updates: Agile IBGs are now key to offensive doctrines.
• Counter-Terror Coordination: Joint force structures strengthened after the Mahadev success.
• Maritime Security Cooperation: India is enhancing trilateral patrols with Australia and Japan.

Art and Culture

• Brihadisvara Temple: Featured for UNESCO heritage value and Chola architecture.
• Paithani Sarees: GI-tagged heritage highlighted for weaving revival.
• MGMD Initiative: Digitally mapping 6.5 lakh villages’ cultural assets.
• BRICS Cultural Platform: To boost creative industries and cultural exchanges.
• Ajanta-Ellora Motif Influence: Seen in handlooms like Paithani and temple carvings.
• Setubandha Scholar Scheme: Bridges traditional knowledge systems with formal academia.
• Preah Vihear Temple: UNESCO site at the heart of the Thai-Cambodia border dispute.
• Mithila Painting Promotion: Artisan support integrated into the MGMD portal.
• FIDE Chess Event: Hosted finals in Georgia, showcasing cultural sport heritage.
• Cultural GI Advocacy: New campaigns to tag traditional foods and crafts.

Infrastructure

• Judicial Infrastructure: Expansion of e-courts with AI scheduling, video conferencing, and domain-specific benches.
• Urban Flood Resilience: Metros asked to build drainage and green infrastructure to avoid recent deluge repeats.
• Railway AI Surveillance: New security systems to cover 200+ stations nationwide.
• Heavy Water Facility: First private-sector unit strengthens nuclear energy self-reliance.
• Mangrove Mitigation: Coastal project clearances tied to mandatory mangrove plantations in Maharashtra.
• Smart Cities Audit: Performance review to prioritize citizen-centric infrastructure.
• Nainital Tourism Capacity Study: To reduce over-construction pressure on fragile hill ecosystems.
• Delhi Drainage Upgrades: Orders for upgrading Yamuna-bound drains to curb pollution.
• Andaman Island Connectivity: New jetties and telecom towers built for remote island access.
• Urban Green Space Plans: Cities are required to maintain a minimum per capita green area to reduce heat islands.

Geography

• Majuli Island: Erosion countermeasures include extensive tree planting along the Brahmaputra banks.
• Kaziranga NP: Bird census data highlights grassland ecosystem health.
• Nainital Hill Town: Carrying capacity study to balance tourism and environment.
• True Polar Wander: Dams caused a 1 metre axis shift affecting navigation and climate.
• Western Ghats: Eco-sensitive zone expansion to protect endemic species.
• Arctic Ice Decline: Record lows affecting Indian monsoon predictability.
• Uttarakhand Wildfires: Geography of pine forests linked to repeated fires.
• Yamuna River: Geography worsened by urban sprawl and untreated sewage.
• Nilgiris Corridors: SC mandated removal of illegal constructions to protect elephant migration.
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Geographic isolation tackled via better connectivity projects.

Places in the News

• Babina Firing Range (UP): Venue of India–Singapore exercise “Bold Kurukshetra”.
• Nilgiris (TN): Elephant corridors restored after SC order.
• Kaziranga (Assam): Acoustic-based bird census launched.
• Brasilia (Brazil): Hosted BRICS cultural meeting.
• Thanjavur (TN): Brihadisvara Temple spotlighted for UNESCO heritage value.
• Preah Vihear (Cambodia-Thai border): Temple at centre of bilateral dispute.
• Batumi (Georgia): Venue of FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025.
• Delhi NCR: Yamuna pollution and flood preparedness in focus.
• Chamoli & Tehri (Uttarakhand): Reported July wildfires.
• Mumbai Coastal Belt: Mangrove afforestation projects underway.

History and Heritage

• Chola Era Brihadisvara Temple: Known for its granite vimana, inscriptions, and UNESCO status.
• Paithani Handloom Tradition: Rooted in Maharashtra’s cultural legacy.
• MGMD & NMCM Missions: Cultural mapping, preserving village heritage digitally.
• Ajanta and Ellora Influence: Reflected in temple art and saree motifs.
• Preah Vihear Temple: Khmer-era structure symbolizes historical continuity and regional conflict.
• Mithila Art: Being promoted under GI tag campaigns.
• Setubandha Scholar Scheme: Recognizes and mainstreams Gurukul-based knowledge.
• Elephant Corridors: Nilgiris corridors reflect British plantation history and ecological continuity.
• Temple Restoration Initiatives: Focus on traditional artisans’ employment in heritage maintenance.
• BRICS Cultural Goals: Advocating culture as a separate sustainable development target post-2030.

President and Governors to act on State Bills

Context: The Supreme Court will begin hearings on August 19 on the Presidential Reference, which questions its power to set timelines for the President and Governors, starting with Tamil Nadu and Kerala’s petitions challenging the maintainability of the reference.

Key Highlights:

• A Constitution Bench led by CJI B.R. Gavai will first hear Tamil Nadu and Kerala’s objections on maintainability.
• The Presidential Reference seeks clarity on the SC’s power to set timelines for the President and Governors to act on State Bills.
• Senior advocates K.K. Venugopal, A.M. Singhvi, and P. Wilson will argue for the States to have the reference returned unanswered.
• Kerala argued that Article 143 advisory jurisdiction cannot be invoked for questions already settled by the SC.
• Attorney-General R. Venkataramani said the States would get a “full say”, after which the Union would argue on maintainability.
• The hearing schedule:
  • Written submissions by August 12
  • Union Government: August 19, 20, 21, 26
  • Opposing parties: August 28, September 2, 3, 9
  • Union rebuttal: September 10
• Tamil Nadu and Kerala termed the reference an “appeal in disguise” against previous SC rulings.
• The Bench includes Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P.S. Narasimha, and Atul Chandurkar.
• The Chief Justice stressed adherence to timelines, with Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta supporting the directive.
• The outcome could define limits on Presidential/Gubernatorial discretion regarding State legislation.

U.K. has announced it will recognize the State of Palestine

Context: The U.K. has announced it will recognize the State of Palestine in September, ahead of the UN General Assembly, unless Israel commits to a ceasefire and concrete peace measures in Gaza.

Key Highlights:

• The U.K. set a September deadline for recognising Palestine before the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
• Conditions for Israel include:
  • Immediate ceasefire and commitment to a sustainable peace.
  • Humanitarian aid access to Gaza through the UN.
  • Assurance of no annexations in the West Bank.
• PM Keir Starmer’s statement follows pressure from 221 British MPs, mostly Labour, calling for recognition.
• Starmer stressed that recognition aims to protect the two-state solution, which is under threat.
• U.S. President Donald Trump, after meeting Starmer, said he had “no objection” to the move.
• France also announced it would recognise a Palestinian state at the UNGA (July 24 declaration by President Macron).
• The U.K. clarified recognition alone won’t change the ground situation; it announced airdrops of food to Gaza and the evacuation of injured children to Jordan.
• The statement condemned Hamas as a terrorist organisation responsible for the October 7 attacks, insisting it “must never be rewarded”.
• An official assessment of Israel’s actions will be conducted prior to the UNGA session; no single party will have a veto on recognition.
• The move underscores mounting international pressure on Israel for a durable truce and humanitarian relief in Gaza.

India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

Context: India plans to replicate pro-MSME provisions from its recently signed trade agreement with the U.K. in future deals with the U.S. and EU to enhance small business participation in global trade.

Key Highlights:

• Future trade agreements with the U.S. and EU may include MSME-focused carve-outs similar to those in the India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
• CETA includes a dedicated chapter on SMEs, which India had actively advocated for during negotiations.
• Provisions include:
  • Establishing MSME contact points in both countries.
  • Sharing information on regulations, certifications, and market opportunities.
  • Cooperation on trade promotion activities, such as exhibitions and B2B events.
• In public procurement, U.K. suppliers bidding for Indian contracts will be treated as ‘Class-II local suppliers’, while Indian MSMEs retain ‘Class-I local supplier’ status and preferential treatment.
• CETA also addresses non-tariff barriers that disproportionately affect MSMEs.
• Labour-intensive MSME-heavy sectors like textiles, footwear, leather, marine products, toys, sports goods, and gems & jewellery are a major focus.
• Export share of these sectors dropped from 30.4% in 2018-19 to 24.6% in 2024-25, underscoring the need for better market access.
• Free access to the U.K. market is expected to have a multiplier effect on jobs, incomes, and rural MSME growth.
• The agreement also promotes technical cooperation and support for women-owned and rural MSMEs.
• Commerce Ministry officials confirmed that MSME safeguarding is a key priority in ongoing trade negotiations.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) And India’s GDP

Context: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.4% for 2025-26 and 2026-27, aligning with an overall upward revision in global growth estimates.

Key Highlights:

• India’s growth forecast was upgraded by 0.2 percentage points (2025-26) and 0.1 percentage points (2026-27) to 6.4% for both years.
• The global growth forecast was raised to 3% for 2025 and 3.1% for 2026, also an upgrade of 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively.
• The IMF cited stronger-than-expected front-loading of trade and investment as a key reason for the revisions.
• Lower-than-anticipated U.S. tariff rates and a weaker U.S. dollar improved global financial conditions.
• Fiscal expansion in major economies further supported the positive growth outlook.
• The IMF’s upgrades indicate resilience in global economic activity despite trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainties.
• India continues to remain a key driver of global growth, backed by robust domestic demand and investment flows.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened rules on bank and NBFC

Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened rules on bank and NBFC investments in Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), capping their collective contribution at 20% of any scheme’s corpus.

Key Highlights:

• RBI has capped collective investment by all regulated entities (REs) in an AIF scheme at 20% of the corpus.
• No single regulated entity (bank or NBFC) can invest more than 10% of the AIF scheme’s corpus.
• If an RE invests more than 5% in an AIF scheme that has downstream investments in its debtor companies, the RE must make 100% provisioning for its proportionate exposure.
• The provisioning requirement is capped at the direct loan and/or investment exposure the RE has to the debtor company.
• The new guidelines aim to limit concentration risks and prevent indirect exposure to stressed borrowers through AIFs.
• These norms apply to all regulated entities, including scheduled commercial banks, small finance banks, cooperative banks, and NBFCs.
• The circular reinforces RBI’s efforts to improve transparency and risk management in alternative investments.