Genome Edited (GE) Rice

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said it has developed the world’s first genome edited (GE) rice varieties with superior yields, drought and salinity tolerance, and high nitrogen-use efficiency traits.
•  Two of its affiliate institutions — the Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) at New Delhi — have bred improved GE mutants of the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT-5204) and Cottondora Sannalu (MTU-1010) varieties using CRISPR-Cas SDN-1 (Site-Directed Nucleases-1) technologies?
• These have been named ‘Kamala’ and ‘Pusa DST Rice 1’. They have better stress tolerance, improved yields, and climate adaptability without any compromises with their existing strengths.
• DRR DHAN 100 (KAMALA): Developed by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), Hyderabad, this variety promises significantly higher yields, improved drought tolerance, and early maturity compared to its parent variety, Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204).
• According to the ICAR, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) has been developed using genome editing technology targeting the Cytokinin Oxidase 2 (CKX2) gene (also known as Gn1a), to increase grain numbers per panicle.
• The ICAR release pointed out that DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) retains the grain and cooking quality that makes Samba Mahsuri a consumer favourite.
• PUSA DST RICE 1: This new genome-edited variety has been developed over the widely cultivated fine-grain variety called MTU1010 by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi.
• Developed through Site Directed Nuclease 1 (SDN1) genome-editing, the new variety, Pusa DST Rice 1, targets the Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) gene to improve the plant’s resilience to harsh soil and climate conditions.
• GE is different from genetic modification or GM. The latter involves introduction of genes from unrelated species into host plants. These could, for example, be genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium, that code for the production of proteins toxic to various insect pests in cotton.
• GE, entails mere “editing” of genes naturally present in the host plant, leading to mutation or changes in their DNA sequence. No foreign genes or DNA are incorporated.
• CRISPR-Cas uses ‘Cas’ enzymes, or proteins that act like molecular “scissors”, to cut and modify the DNA sequence of a native gene at its targeted location. Such editing is intended to bring forth desirable alterations in that gene’s expression and function.
• In this case, scientists at IIRR have used the CRISPR-Cas12 protein for editing the ‘cytokinin oxidase 2’ gene (also called Gn1a) in Samba Mahsuri rice, in order to the increase the number of grains produced from each panicle (plant ear head) of this variety.
• The Gn1a gene basically codes for an enzyme that regulates the number of grains per panicle, thereby indirectly influencing yields. Through “editing”, the scientists are able to reduce the expression of that gene, leading to an increase in the number of grains per plant.
• The new GE line – called IET-32072 or ‘Kamala’ – is claimed to have recorded an average paddy (rice with husk) yield of 5.37 tonnes per hectare with a potential of 9 tonnes. This is higher than the corresponding average and potential yields of 4.5 tonnes and 6.5 tonnes/hectare from its parent Samba Mahsuri (BPT-5204) variety.

 ‘India considers tax breaks for Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF’

• India may offer a 10-year tax holiday and streamlined exemptions to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to boost $100 billion investments in infrastructure and energy. Proposals include benefits under Sections 10(23FE) and 80IA of the Income Tax Act for easier fund inflows.
• The Centre is considering tax reliefs for Saudi Arabia‘s sovereign wealth fund, as a means to facilitate the proposed $100 billion investments by the West Asian Kingdom in the country’s infrastructure and energy sectors.
• According to official sources, the proposals under consideration include a tax holiday of up to 10 years for Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and further streamlining of procedures to make it easier for it to claim tax exemption on dividend, interest, and long-term capital gains (LTCG) on investments in infra-assets.
• PIF may be given a treatment similar to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), which gets specific tax benefits under the Income Tax Act.
• During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Riyadh, talks were held on the Gulf country’s investment plans for India, as it steps up investments across the world, and diversifies into sectors other than petroleum.
• PIF, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, presides over assets worth $925 billion. Despite being such a big source of long-term patient capital, its exposure to India is currently limited to a few ventures, including $1.5 billion in Jio Platforms and $1.3 billion in Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd.
• High-Level Task Force (HLTF) was constituted in 2024 for promoting investment flows between the two countries. Saudi Arabia has shown interest in investing in India in multiple areas, including energy, petrochemicals, infrastructure, technology, fintech, digital infrastructure, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and health.
• Section 10(23FE) exempts SWFs and global pension funds from taxes arising on interest, dividends, and LTCGs related to infrastructure investments made in India during specified periods. ADIA and its wholly owned subsidiaries are specifically mentioned in the Act for the exemption.
• While PIF is also eligible under this section to get tax benefits like other SWFs, it wants a treatment similar to ADIA. So, PIF may be included under Section 10 (23FE) itself, which will cut down procedures for it to get tax exemption
• The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia was established in 1971 and is that nation’s sovereign wealth fund. It provides financing for productive commercial projects that are strategically significant to the development of the Saudi Arabian economy. The fund complements private sector efforts with additional experience and capital resources

What is Carbon Tax?

• India and the United Kingdom inked a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday (May 6), bringing to an end around three years of negotiations. One of the major sticking points in finalising the trade deal was the carbon tax of the United Kingdom.
•  The draft UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) legislation states that the levy will apply to imported goods from January 1, 2027, and defines CBAM goods as aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen, iron, and steel — sectors associated with high carbon emissions.
• As the UK remains unwilling to grant any concessions under its CBAM, India has suggested a “rebalancing mechanism” which would require the UK to compensate Indian industry for losses incurred due to the regulation.
• “The ‘rebalancing mechanism’ article has been inserted into the ‘general exceptions’ chapter of the negotiating text between the two countries. This would enable India to claim compensation for its losses and ensure the UK does not raise a dispute against India at the World Trade Organisation (WTO.
• The general exceptions chapter in international trade agreements, such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), allows countries to implement measures that might “otherwise violate trade rules”, provided they are justified on grounds such as public health or environmental protection, according to the WTO.

Carbon Tax – Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

• According to the World Bank, “a carbon tax directly sets a price on carbon by defining a tax rate on greenhouse gas emissions or – more commonly – on the carbon content of fossil fuels”.
• It is a type of carbon pricing, and the other type of carbon pricing is the emissions trading systems (ETS). The CBAM is a form of carbon pricing system.
• The CBAM or Carbon Tax was first introduced by the European Union in 2021.  It taxes certain products coming in from other countries based on their carbon emissions footprint in their production process. For instance, if the imported steel was produced through a process that entailed higher emissions than the emissions standards for that product in Europe, it would be taxed.
• CBAM allows industries in Europe to remain competitive while continuing to maintain high environmental standards. It prevents these industries from relocating their production to countries where the production might be cheap owing to less strict emission norms, a situation described as carbon leakage. In the process, it hopes to contribute to reducing global emissions.
• However, it hurts the export competitiveness of developing countries such as China and India. The developing countries point out that CBAM overlooks the “differentiation” embedded in the global climate architecture that allows them to be treated differently from the developed nations.
• Notably, CBAM is set to take effect in January 2026, with the transition period requiring exporters to submit data to EU authorities, having begun on October 1, 2023. This is significant as India exports over 15 per cent of its total goods exports to the EU. In 2022-23, India exported goods worth $75 billion to the EU.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal have, on multiple occasions, called the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) or carbon tax an “unfair” measure and a violation of the “common but differentiated responsibilities” (CBDR) provision of multilateral climate negotiations.

India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)

•  The draft UK-CBAM legislation also outlines how emissions will be calculated and how the CBAM rate will be set, based on a domestic sectoral price linked to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. In India, the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) is enacted to suit the a developing nation’s model as against the system in Western countries that deals with absolute emissions.
• The CCTS, launched in 2023, is to create a framework for the trading of carbon credits, to facilitate the reduction of emissions in energy-intensive industries, and to support India’s climate commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015.
• This scheme is not operational yet and for that for that the the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified a Draft Greenhouse Gases Emissions Intensity (GEI) Target Rules, 2025, on April 16, to put in place a compliance mechanism for the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023 (CCTS).
• In December last year, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in response to a Parliament question, provided that CCTS follows two mechanisms: a compliance mechanism and an offset mechanism. “In the compliance mechanism, the obligated entities that comply with the prescribed GHG emission intensity reduction shall be eligible for issuance of Carbon Credit Certificates. In the offset mechanism, the non-obligated entities can register their projects for GHG emission reduction or removal, or avoidance for issuance of Carbon Credit Certificates.

India’s large dams on the Chenab

•  In 2002, the Legislative Assembly of the erstwhile J&K state had passed a resolution calling for the termination of the IWT and, in 2011, the National Conference government had appointed a consultant to quantify the loss suffered by J&K on account of the Treaty.

Large dams in J&K

• The National Register of Large (Specified) Dams lists 15 large (specified) dams in Jammu and Kashmir as of September 2023.
• The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) defines a large (specified) dam as (i) one that is higher than 15 metres, measured from the lowest part of the general foundation area to the top; or (ii) one that is 10-15 metres in height, and satisfies at least one of five specified criteria relating to the length of the crest, capacity of reservoir, maximum flood discharge, foundation, and design.
• Four of the 15 large (specified) dams in J&K are on the Chenab — Salal (rockfill dam), Aalal (concrete dam), Baglihar, and Dul.
•  The river, which enters J&K after flowing for 122 km in Himachal Pradesh, drains the eastern section of the southern slopes of the Pir Panjal, the Jammu hills, and the foothills.
• Built as run-of-the-river projects, the Baglihar and Salal dams enable India to regulate the timing of water release downstream. At the time of their construction, Pakistan had raised objections and sought the World Bank’s intervention.
• India had then agreed to keep the dam’s height at 143 metres, a decrease by 1.5 metres from the originally proposed height, thus reducing the water pondage capacity by 13.5 per cent.

IWT and Chenab

• The IWT identifies the Chenab as one of the three “Western Rivers” (along with the Indus and Jhelum) which Pakistan controls.
• However, India is allowed restricted use of the waters of the three Western Rivers for domestic use, non-consumptive use, agricultural use (as set out in Annexure C of the IWT), and generation of hydro-electric power (Annexure D).
• For agriculture, the IWT allows India to withdraw up to 1,000 cusecs between April 15 and October 14, and 350 cusecs (from October 15 to April 14) for Ranbir Canal; and 400 cusecs (April 15-October 14), and 100 cusecs (October 15-April 14) for Pratap Canal.
• To generate hydroelectric power, India is allowed to build run-of-the river plants on all the three Western Rivers. A run-of-the-river plant generates power from the natural flow of water. Both Salal and Baglihar on the Chenab are run-of-the river projects.

Baglihar project

• With a height of 143 metres, the Baglihar dam in Ramban district has a gross storage capacity of 428.28 million cubic metres (MCM) and live storage capacity of 31.11 MCM.
• The dam, which was commissioned in 2009, is operated by the J&K Power Development Corporation. Baglihar Stage-1 has an installed capacity of 450 megawatt.

Salal project

• The Salal power project has an installed capacity of 690 MW (Stages I and II of 3 x115 MW each), and the plant was commissioned in stages in 1987, 1993, 1994, and 1995.
• With a height of 81.38 meters, Salal (concrete dam) has a gross capacity and live storage capacity of 284.1 MCM and 271.3 MCM respectively. The dam is managed and operated by the NHPC Limited.

UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed: the key goods included, what it means

• UK India trade deal details: India and the United Kingdom inked a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday (May 6), bringing to an end around three years of negotiations.
• The timing of the deal, signed by the world’s fifth and sixth largest economies, respectively, is significant. It comes as global trade is reeling under the tariffs unleashed by US President Donald Trump in early April.

What’s in the UK-India trade deal?

• TRADE BOOST: The agreement is expected to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion a year, from 2040 onwards, Britain said. Trade between the two nations totalled £42.6 billion in 2024.
• Total UK exports to India amounted to £17.1 billion, while total UK imports from India amounted to £25.5 billion in 2024. India was Britain’s 11th-largest trading partner last year. Britain said the deal was the “biggest and most economically significant” bilateral trade agreement it had signed since leaving the European Union in 2020 (what was dubbed “Brexit”).
• GOODS AND SERVICES IN FOCUS: According to Reuters, whisky and gin tariffs will be halved from 150% to 75%, before falling to 40% by the tenth year of the deal, benefiting Britain’s Scotch whisky industry and making the beverage cheaper in the world’s largest whisky market.
• A India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently. Other British goods categories which will face lower tariffs include cosmetics, aerospace, lamb, medical devices, salmon, electrical machinery, soft drinks, chocolate and biscuits. Indian workers will also see increased quotas to work in the UK in certain sectors (more on this below).

What led to the deal, and what issues emerged during negotiations?

• The need for a trade deal between the countries was felt because of multiple factors. First, the disruption of supply chains during the pandemic brought home to Western companies the risks of over-dependence on China and the need for a ‘China-plus one’ policy.
• For the UK, the size and potential of the Indian market offered a way to compensate for the loss of access to the European Single Market after Brexit. Under this mechanism, EU countries could freely access each others markers and their residents could easily move between countries to work.
• Further, the country has suffered from a “cost of living” crisis in recent years. For PM Starmer, who won the general elections last July, the deal will mark an important achievement relatively early on in his tenure.
• At the same time, in 2019, India decided not to join the China-dominated Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which includes multiple Southeast Asian countries. Alternate trade partners thus needed to be tapped.
• Notably, a Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) report stated that the India-UK FTA is expected to yield only limited trade benefits for India, as many of its exports to the UK already enjoy low or zero tariffs. For India, services are an important area of concern when it comes to the UK.
• Some issues that took a while to be ironed out included work permits for Indian service sector workers under the FTA. Immigration was a major issue in the run-up to the Brexit vote. India had originally proposed larger quotas for professionals, particularly in sectors like IT and healthcare. A UK official recently told Politico that the new rules will lead to “around 100 new visas” for Indian workers each year.
• Another point was the UK’s carbon tax. It was looking to impose a levy on metal imports based on carbon emissions, which would have hurt Indian exporters.

And finally, what is a Free Trade Agreement or FTA?

• Simply, these are agreements between countries, aimed at setting rules that promote trade and ease regulations.
• The Ministry of Commerce said in an FAQ that “FTAs are arrangements between two or more countries or trading blocs that primarily agree to reduce or eliminate customs tariff and non tariff barriers on substantial trade between them.” They can cover both goods and services.
• The UK’s Department of International Trade noted, “Trade and investment barriers can make it more difficult and costly to trade or invest overseas. By removing or reducing them, FTAs can make it easier for businesses to export, import and invest. They can also benefit consumers by providing a more diverse and affordable range of imported products.”
• The timing of the India-UK FTA matters. While the US’s high tariffs have now been paused temporarily, a flat 10% rate is still applicable to all countries, and the general sentiment of uncertainty continues to prevail. As a result, countries around the world have been looking at strengthening trade relations with non-US partners and hedging against future shifts in US policy

Let’s celebrate invisible biodiversity: DBT Secy on ‘One Day One Genome’

• The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has over the past five months released detailed graphical summaries, infographics, and other details of over 100 bacterial genomes as part of the ‘One Day One Genome’ initiative launched to harness the microbial potential of India.
• The initiative was announced in New Delhi on November 9, 2024, on the first foundation day of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), an autonomous body under the (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology. It aims to make genomic data more accessible to researchers, students and the general public.
• BRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), a West Bengal-based institute under the DBT, is coordinating the ‘One Day One Genome’ mission and sharing a collection of bacterial genomes from 13 BRIC institutions, along with two autonomous institutions:
  International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) New Delhi and Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) Faridabad.
• The BRIC-NIBMG team analyses these genomes and is showcasing a fully annotated bacterial genome, complete with a detailed graphical summary, infographics, and genome assembly/annotation details, on its website daily, making it freely available to researchers, student community and the general public.
• This release is complemented by social media posts designed to capture the imagination of the general public and students, educating them about the potential of bacterial genomic resources.
• For several years, Indian scientists have gathered genomic data of various Indian strains of microorganisms. The mission now aims to highlight the unique bacterial species found in India and emphasise their critical roles in the environment, agriculture, and human health.
• Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) introduced the ‘One Day One Genome’ initiative to showcase the enormous microbial potential of India. In this initiative an annotated microbial genome will be publicly released every day to make microbial genomics data more accessible to researchers and directly benefit the community.
• The unique features of these microbes and their genomes will be highlighted. Common people will get the benefits of sophisticated technologies and cutting-edge genomic research. It will bring ground breaking transformation in environmental, agricultural and health research. This initiative will be coordinated by BRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (BRIC-NIBMG)

What is Gene Editing Technology ?

• Gene editing, also known as genome editing, is a technique that allows scientists to ‘cut’ DNA strands and edit genes.
•  The technology enables a simple but remarkably efficient way to ‘edit’ the genetic codes of organisms, thus opening up the possibility of ‘correcting’ genetic information to cure diseases, prevent physical deformities, or even produce cosmetic enhancements.
• Advanced research has allowed scientists to develop highly effective clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR) -associated proteins-based systems. This system allows for targeted intervention at the genome sequence.
• Its mechanism is often compared to the ‘cut-copy-paste’, or ‘find-replace’ functionalities in common computer programmes. A bad stretch in the DNA sequence, which is the cause of disease or disorder, is located, cut, and removed — and then replaced with a ‘correct’ sequence.
•  The tools used to achieve this are not mechanical, but biochemical — specific protein and RNA molecules.

How is Gene Editing different from Gene Modification?

• GE is different from genetic modification or GM. The latter involves introduction of genes from unrelated species into host plants. These could, for example, be genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium, that code for the production of proteins toxic to various insect pests in cotton.
• GE, on the other hand, entails mere “editing” of genes naturally present in the host plant, leading to mutation or changes in their DNA sequence. No foreign genes or DNA are incorporated.

CRISPR-Cas9 and Site-Directed Nuclease Approaches

• In the last decade, targeted genome editing using “CRISPR/Cas9” has captivated the attention of the research community. The applications of this technology — an acronym for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9” — have gained significant traction in various fields of science, including agriculture.
• CRISPR-Cas uses ‘Cas’ enzymes, or proteins that act like molecular “scissors”, to cut and modify the DNA sequence of a native gene at its targeted location. Such editing is intended to bring forth desirable alterations in that gene’s expression and function.
• CRISPR/Cas9 was originally identified and adapted from a naturally-occurring immunity mechanism in bacteria, which is employed against invading viruses. The bacteria basically capture snippets of DNA from the viruses and use them to create CRISPR arrays.
•  These DNA segments allow the bacteria to “remember” the viruses. In the event of the viruses attacking, the bacteria produce RNA (messenger that carries genetic information from the DNA) from the CRISPR arrays. The bacteria then uses Cas9 enzyme, which acts as a pair of “molecular scissors”, to cut the DNA apart and disabling the virus.
• The same system has been engineered by researchers to produce RNA complementary to a specific target DNA sequence in the genome of an organism. This “guide” RNA binds itself only to that target sequence and no other regions of the genome.
• The Cas9 enzyme will, in turn, follow the guide RNA and cut the two strands of DNA at the targeted location. At this stage, the cell knows that the DNA is damaged and tries to repair it. The researchers can now use the natural DNA repair machinery to introduce changes, including by adding or deleting genetic material.
• Such genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 is possible through three different approaches: Site-Directed Nuclease (SDN) 1, 2 and 3.
• SDN1 produces a double-stranded break in the genome of a plant and modifies an existing trait without undertaking insertion of any foreign DNA or even editing at the site of interest.
• SDN2 modifies the trait of interest by producing a double-stranded break and, while that is being repaired by the cell, editing a small sequence at the target site.
• SDN3 uses site-specific insertion of a large, foreign DNA fragment to introduce a new trait of interest

Health inequities are shortening lives by decades

• A global report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that the underlying causes of ill health often stem from factors beyond the health sector, such as lack of quality housing, education and job opportunities.
• The new World report on social determinants of health equity shows that such determinants can be responsible for a dramatic reduction of healthy life expectancy – sometimes by decades – in high- and low-income countries alike.
• For example, people in the country with the lowest life expectancy will, on average, live 33 years shorter than those born in the country with the highest life expectancy. The social determinants of health equity can influence people’s health outcomes more than genetic influences or access to health care.
• “Our world is an unequal one. Where we are born, grow, live, work and age significantly influences our health and well-being,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But change for the better is possible. This world report illustrates the importance of addressing the interlinked social determinants and provides evidence-based strategies and policy recommendations to help countries improve health outcomes for all.”
• The report underscores that inequities in health are closely linked to degrees of social disadvantage and levels of discrimination. Health follows a social gradient whereby the more deprived the area in which people live, the lower their incomes are and they have fewer years of education, poorer health, with less number of healthy years to live.
•  These inequities are exacerbated in populations that face discrimination and marginalization. One of the vivid examples is the fact that Indigenous Peoples have lower life expectancy than non-Indigenous Peoples in high- or low-income countries alike.

Social injustice driving inequities

• The World report on social determinants of health equity is the first of its kind published since 2008 when the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health released its final report laying out targets for 2040 for reducing gaps between and within countries in life expectancy, childhood and maternal mortality.
• The 2025 world report, shows that these targets are likely to be missed.
• Although data is scarce, there is sufficient evidence to show that health inequities within countries are often widening. WHO data cites that children born in poorer countries are 13 times more likely to die before the age of 5 than in wealthier countries.
• Modelling shows that the lives of 1.8 million children annually could be saved by closing the gap and enhancing equity between the poorest and wealthiest sectors of the population within low- and-middle-income countries.
• The report shows that while there was a 40% decline in maternal mortality globally between 2000 and 2023, low- and lower-middle-income countries still account for 94% of maternal deaths.
• Women from disadvantaged groups are more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. In many high-income countries, racial and ethnic inequities in maternal death rates persist, for example, in some areas Indigenous women were up to three times more likely to die during childbirth. There are also strong associations between higher levels of gender inequality, including child marriage, and higher maternal mortality rates.

Breaking the cycle

• WHO emphasizes that measures to address income inequality, structural discrimination, conflict and climate disruptions are key to overcoming deep-seated health inequities. Climate change, for example, is estimated to push an additional 68–135 million people into extreme poverty over the next 5 years.
• Currently, 3.8 billion people worldwide are deprived of adequate social protection coverage, such as child/paid sick leave benefits, with direct and lasting impact on their health outcomes. High debt burdens have been crippling the capacity of governments to invest in these services, with the total value of interest payments made by the world’s 75 poorest countries increasing fourfold over the past decade.
• WHO calls for collective action from national and local governments and leaders within health, academia, research, civil society, alongside the private sector to:
• address economic inequality and invest in social infrastructure and universal public services;
• overcome structural discrimination and the determinants and impacts of conflicts, emergencies and forced migration;
• manage the challenges and opportunities of climate action and the digital transformation to promote health equity co-benefits; and
• promote governance arrangements that prioritize action on the social determinants of health equity, including maintaining cross-government policy platforms and strategies, allocating money, power and resources to the most local level where it can have greatest impact, and empowering community engagement and civil society

Angola joins International Solar Alliance

• Angola signed the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement and became its 123rd member.
• The agreement was signed during the State visit of Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco to New Delhi on May 3.
• This year, India and Angola are celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with the Angolan President. PM Modi also announced a defence credit line of $200 million for the African nation.
• The two nations will collaborate on developing Angola’s newly discovered oil fields and establishing new refineries, both onshore and offshore.
• New areas of cooperation include diamond processing, pharmaceuticals, automobile components, and digital infrastructure development. 
• India and Angola inked three pacts that will provide for bilateral cooperation in areas of ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine, agriculture and culture.
• India has also invited Angola to join its initiatives — Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Big Cat Alliance and Global Biofuels Alliance.

International Solar Alliance

• International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an inter-governmental treaty-based organisation with a global mandate to catalyse solar growth by helping to reduce the cost of financing and technology.
• The ISA was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande on November 30, 2015, in Paris on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the UNFCCC.
• The ISA Framework Agreement was opened for signature on November 15, 2016, in Marrakech, Morocco, on the sidelines of COP22.
• With the signing and ratification of the ISA Framework Agreement by 15 countries on December 6, 2017, ISA became the first international inter-governmental organisation to be headquartered in India.  
• On March 11, 2018, Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron co-hosted the founding conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
• Membership is open to those solar resource-rich states that lie fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, and are members of the UN.
• ISA was conceived as a coalition of solar-resource-rich countries (which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) to address their special energy needs. 
• The vision and mission of the ISA is to provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar-resource-rich countries, through which the global community, including governments, bilateral and multilateral organisations, corporates, industry, and other stakeholders, can contribute to help achieve the common goal of increasing the use and quality of solar energy in meeting energy needs of prospective ISA member countries in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner.
• At present, 123 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement, of which 105 countries have submitted the necessary instruments of ratification to become full members of the ISA.
• ISA has been positioned to help create the conditions that would make funding, developing and deploying solar applications on a large scale a reality. 
• ISA is now perceived as key to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
• ISA is partnering with multilateral development banks (MDBs), development financial institutions (DFIs), private and public sector organisations, civil society, and other international institutions to deploy cost-effective and transformational solutions through solar energy, especially in the least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Objectives of ISA:

• To address obstacles that stand in the way of rapid and massive scale-up of solar energy.
• To undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation. To mobilise more than $1,000 billion of investments by 2030. 
• Reduce the cost of finance to increase investments in solar energy in member countries by promoting innovative financial mechanisms and mobilising finance from institutions.
• Scale up applications of solar technologies in member countries.
• Facilitate collaborative research and development (R&D) activities in solar energy technologies among member countries.
• Promote a common cyber platform for networking, cooperation and exchange of ideas among member countries.

Assembly of the ISA

• The Assembly of the ISA is the apex decision-making body which deliberates on critical matters like ISA objectives, its functioning, approval of operating budget, assessment of the implementation of various initiatives, programmes and activities of ISA and others. 
• The First Assembly of the ISA, held on October 3, 2018, adopted the amendment to the Framework Agreement to expand the scope of ISA membership to all member countries of the United Nations.
• The Assembly meets annually at the ministerial level at the ISA’s seat

Double Contributions Convention

• The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) is a social security agreement between India and the United Kingdom, established alongside their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on May 7, 2025
• The primary goal of the DCC is to prevent employees and their employers from paying social security contributions in both countries simultaneously when moving between India and the UK
• The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) is a social security agreement between India and the United Kingdom, established alongside their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on May 7, 2025. The primary goal of the DCC is to prevent employees and their employers from paying social security contributions in both countries simultaneously when moving between India and the UK.

Key Features:

• Single Social Security Contribution: Employees working temporarily in the UK or India will only need to pay social security contributions in their home country, avoiding double payments.
• Three-Year Exemption: Workers temporarily employed in the other country for up to three years can continue contributing to their home country’s social security system, ensuring their records remain intact.
• Business Benefits: Indian businesses operating in the UK have long sought this agreement to reduce additional costs associated with bringing skilled professionals on short-term assignments.
• Comparison with Other Agreements: The DCC follows similar principles to the UK’s Social Security Agreements (SSA) with the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, Japan, Chile, and South Korea.
• Limitations: The DCC does not affect individuals’ rights to access benefits in the country where they pay social security contributions, nor does it remove the requirement to pay the UK immigration health surcharge.
• The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) is a social security agreement between India and the United Kingdom, established alongside their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on May 7, 2025. The primary goal of the DCC is to prevent employees and their employers from paying social security contributions in both countries simultaneously when moving between India and the UK.

Why It Matters:

• Previously, Indian professionals working in the UK for a limited period had to contribute to UK social security funds but could not claim benefits upon returning to India.
• The compulsory National Insurance (NI) contributions for skilled Indian professionals on temporary visas added an extra cost burden of about £500 per employee per year. The DCC eliminates this financial strain, making it easier for Indian companies to send talent abroad while maintaining their social security contributions in India.
• India already has social security agreements with countries like Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark, South Korea, and the Netherlands, allowing Indian employees to continue contributing to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in India while working abroad.
• This agreement is expected to enhance business mobility, reduce costs, and improve trade relations between India and the UK.
• The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) is a social security agreement between India and the United Kingdom, established alongside their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on May 7, 2025. The primary goal of the DCC is to prevent employees and their employers from paying social security contributions in both countries simultaneously when moving between India and the UK.

How does the DCC impact Indian professionals working in the UK?

• The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) provides major financial and social security benefits to Indian professionals working in the UK, especially those on short-term assignments. Here’s how it impacts them:

Key Benefits

• Eliminates Double Contributions: Indian professionals working in the UK for up to three years will only need to pay social security contributions in India instead of being required to contribute to both India and the UK’s systems.
• Cost Savings for Individuals: Before the DCC, Indian professionals on temporary visas had to make compulsory National Insurance (NI) contributions in the UK, adding an extra financial burden of approximately £500 per employee per year—without being able to claim benefits upon returning to India.
• Retains Social Security Rights: By keeping contributions within India’s system (such as the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)), professionals ensure uninterrupted access to retirement and other social security benefits.
• Enhanced Mobility & Business Ease: Indian companies sending talent to the UK will now have lower expenses, making it easier to send skilled professionals for short-term projects.
• Several international agreements function similarly to the Double Contributions Convention (DCC) by preventing workers from paying social security contributions in multiple countries simultaneously.

Similar Social Security Agreements

• European Union (EU) Social Security Coordination – EU member states have agreements ensuring that workers moving within the EU only contribute to one country’s social security system at a time.
• India’s Social Security Agreements (SSA) – India has bilateral social security agreements with countries like Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark, South Korea, and the Netherlands. These agreements allow Indian professionals to continue contributing to India’s Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) while working abroad.
• US Totalization Agreements – The United States has Totalization Agreements with countries like Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Germany, ensuring that workers only pay into one country’s social security system and can combine contributions for retirement benefits.
• UK’s Social Security Agreements – The United Kingdom has similar agreements with Switzerland, Norway, Canada, Japan, Chile, and South Korea, allowing temporary workers to avoid double contributions.
• Australia’s International Social Security Agreements – Australia has agreements with several countries, including New Zealand, the US, and Canada, ensuring that workers retain social security benefits when moving between these nations