India and the United States sign Landmark Trade Agreement

The Trade Agreement

• US reciprocal tariffs on Made in India products will now be reduced from 25% to 18% effective immediately. US has also withdrawn the additional 25% duty.
• In August 2025, the US imposed a tariff of up to 50% comprising a 25% reciprocal tariff plus an additional 25% duty over Russian oil imports.
• As reported by the US, India has agreed to scale up imports of American goods, including over $500 billion worth of energy, technology products, and nuclear equipment.
• India will progressively reduce its Tariffs and Non-Tariff Barriers against the US.

Significance of the deal

• Economic Significance: Provides increased opportunities for farmers, MSMEs, entrepreneurs, and skilled workers to Make, Design and Innovate in India for the world.
• It will help India get technology from the US.
• Strategic Reset in Bilateral Relations: The deal ends a phase of tariff-led escalations and upholds momentum and trust in India–US strategic and economic engagement.
• Geopolitical implications: It strengthens India’s position in the global supply chain, potentially countering China’s dominant position in global trade and manufacturing.
• Macroeconomic Stability: The deal potentially helps stabilise capital flows, supports the rupee, and improves investor confidence amid global uncertainty.

About India-US trade

• Largest Trading Partner: The US is one of India’s top trading partners; India runs a trade surplus with the US, driven mainly by services and high-value goods exports.
• FDI investment: USA is the 3rd largest investor in India with cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of US$ 70.65 billion (2000-2025).
• Trade volume: Bilateral trade has stood at a record US$ 132.2 billion in FY25 as against US$ 119.71 billion in FY24.
• Key Indian exports to US: Pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, electronics, gems & jewellery etc.
• Key US exports to India: Crude oil, LNG, aircraft and parts, defence equipment etc.

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National Statistics Office (NSO) to conduct Survey on Migration across India

• Survey to be conducted during July 2026 to June 2027 would capture detailed information on extent/nature of migration, rural–urban and inter-state movement, key reasons, etc.

Recent Trends on Migration in India

• Overall migration rate stood at 28.% with sharp gender differences in patterns (Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2020-21).
• Migration rate was estimated at 10.7% among males and 47.9% among females.

Key Reasons for Migration

• Gender Specific: Marriage accounted for the predominant cause among females (86.8%) while employment (labour market opportunities) accounted for the major reason among males (22.8%).
• Pull Factor: Driven primarily by the presence of job opportunities and the prospect of a better life. E.g., Case of Rural-to-Urban Migration.
• Nearly one in four rural Indians (26.8%) was a migrant in 2020-21. (Economic Survey 2025-26).
• Push Factors: Person tend to leave their native place due to lack of job opportunities, low wages or salaries, unfavourable environmental conditions and natural calamities, etc.

Key Measures to taken to address challenges

• Rural Development Initiatives: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM); Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 strengthening rural employment, etc.
• Urban Resilience Initiatives: Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT); Smart Cities; Implementation of Transit-oriented Development (ToD), etc.
• Workers’ Welfare: Key Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PMSYM); Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY); One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme for robust safety net for migrants, etc.

Miniratna Category-I status to Yantra India Limited

• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approved the grant of Miniratna Category-I status to Yantra India Limited (YIL).

What is Miniratna status?

• Miniratna is a classification given to profit-making Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) to grant them enhanced financial and operational autonomy, short of Navratna/Maharatna levels, so they can operate more efficiently and competitively.

Historical background:

• Introduced in October 1997 by the Government of India.
• Objective: To decentralise decision-making and empower efficient CPSEs (other than Navratnas) through delegated financial powers.

Types of Miniratna CPSEs:

1. Miniratna Category-I – Higher autonomy
2. Miniratna Category-II – Moderate autonomy

Eligibility criteria for Miniratna status

Common conditions (for both Category-I & II)

1. Continuous profit in the last 3 years
2. Positive net worth
3. No default in repayment of Government loans/interest
4. No dependence on budgetary support or Government guarantees
5. Board to be restructured with at least three non-official (independent) Directors

Additional criteria:

Category-I:

• Pre-tax profit of ₹30 crore or more in at least one of the last three years

Category-II:

• Profit in all last three years (no minimum profit threshold specified)
• Key features & delegated powers (Category-I focus)

Capital expenditure:

• Power to incur capex up to ₹500 crore or net worth (whichever is less) without Government approval.
• Covers new projects, modernisation, and purchase of equipment.

Joint ventures & subsidiaries:

• Same financial limits as capital expenditure.
• Enables faster expansion and collaboration.

Mergers & acquisitions:

• Permitted if aligned with growth plan and core business.
• Investments abroad require CCEA to be kept informed.

Human Resource Development (HRD):

• Boards can design and implement HR policies, training, VRS, CRS.
• Powers can be further delegated for appointments, postings, transfers below Board level.

Foreign travel:

• CEOs can approve emergency foreign tours up to 5 days for functional directors (with intimation).

Technology & strategic alliances:

• Boards can enter technology JVs, strategic alliances, and acquire know-how, subject to Government guidelines.

Motion of Thanks to President’s Address

• Both Houses of Parliament took up discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address delivered by Droupadi Murmu at the start of the Budget Session.

Motion of Thanks to President’s Address:

• The Motion of Thanks is a formal resolution moved in both Houses of Parliament to express gratitude to the President for the Special Address delivered to a joint sitting of Parliament at the beginning of each year and after a general election.
• It provides Parliament an opportunity to debate, critique, and assess the policies and programmes of the Government outlined in the Address.

Origin and background:

• The practice flows from the Westminster parliamentary tradition, adapted to India’s constitutional framework.
• The President’s Address itself is the statement of the Government’s policy, drafted by the Council of Ministers and approved by the Cabinet.
• Discussion on the Address takes place only through the Motion of Thanks, not directly on the Address.

Constitutional provisions:

• Article 86(1): Empowers the President to address either House or both Houses of Parliament assembled together.
• Article 87(1): Mandates a Special Address by the President
• At the commencement of the first session after a general election, and
• At the commencement of the first session of every year.
• Article 87(2): Requires Parliament to make rules for discussion on matters referred to in the President’s Address, which is done through the Motion of Thanks.

Key features of the Motion of Thanks:

• Moved and seconded by members selected by the Government (through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs).
• Wide scope of discussion: Members can raise any national or international issue, including matters not mentioned in the Address.

Amendments allowed:

• Opposition members may move amendments expressing regret that the Address omitted or inadequately covered certain issues.
• Prime Minister’s reply:
• The debate concludes with a reply by the Prime Minister, after which amendments are voted upon.

Voting:

• The Motion is put to vote; if amendments are adopted, the Motion is passed in amended form.
• The Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address has been adopted with amendments by the Rajya Sabha only five times in India’s parliamentary history — 1980, 1989, 2001, 2015 and 2016.
• In contrast, no amendment to the Motion of Thanks has ever been carried in the Lok Sabha.

Significance:

• Parliamentary accountability: Enables Parliament to hold the Executive accountable for its policies and priorities.
• Policy debate: Acts as the first major debate of the year, setting the tone for the Budget Session.
• Opposition’s platform: Provides space to formally criticise government policies through constitutional means.

Single-unit solar energy capture and storage device

• Indian scientists have developed a single-unit solar device that can capture and store solar energy simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate harvesting and storage systems.

Single-unit solar energy capture and storage device: What is it?

• It is a photo-rechargeable supercapacitor—a next-generation energy device that integrates solar energy harvesting and electrical energy storage in a single unit, unlike conventional solar systems that require separate solar cells and batteries/supercapacitors.

Developed by:

• Scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru
• Under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology

Aim:

• To develop efficient, low-cost, compact and eco-friendly energy storage systems
• To support portable, wearable, miniaturised, and off-grid technologies
• To reduce energy losses, system complexity, and dependence on fossil fuels and conventional batteries

How it works?

• The device uses binder-free nickel–cobalt oxide (NiCo₂O₄) nanowires grown directly on nickel foam through an in-situ hydrothermal process.
• These nanowires form a highly porous, conductive three-dimensional network.

The same material structure:

• Absorbs sunlight (acting as a photo-harvester), and
• Stores electrical charge (acting as a supercapacitor electrode).
• This dual functionality removes the need for external power-management electronics, minimizing voltage/current mismatch losses.

Key features:

• Single integrated unit for energy harvesting and storage.
• Stable output voltage of ~1.2 V.
• High durability: ~88% capacitance retention after 1,000 photo-charging cycles.
• Wide operating range: works from low indoor light to intense sunlight.
• Compact and lightweight, ideal for autonomous and miniaturised devices.
• Off-grid capability, suitable for remote and energy-poor regions.
• Supports transition towards clean, renewable, and sustainable energy systems.

Union Budget Announces Measures to Position India as a Global Hub for Medical Tourism

• Union Budget 2026-27 announced measures to position India as a global hub for medical tourism, biopharmaceutical manufacturing and Ayurvedic drugs

Healthcare and Pharma Announcements in Union Budget 2026-27

• Medical Hubs: The government will establish five Regional Medical Hubs under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to integrate allopathic and traditional medicine.
• Biopharma Mission: A new scheme titled ‘Biopharma SHAKTI’ is launched with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore to boost domestic production of biologics and biosimilars.
• Infrastructure Expansion: Three new All India Institute of Ayurveda will be set up, along with the upgradation of Ayush pharmacies and drug testing labs.
• Research Network: A network of over 1,000 accredited clinical trial sites will be created to make India a preferred global destination for drug research.
• Regulatory Reform: The CDSCO will be strengthened with a dedicated scientific review cadre to align Indian approval timelines with global standards.
• Skill Development: Three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) will be established to create a high-skilled workforce for the biopharma sector.

Strategic Impact of the Measures

• Value Shift: The focus on ‘Biopharma SHAKTI’ marks a strategic shift from low-cost generic drug manufacturing to high-value complex biologics and innovation.
• Brand Differentiation: Integrating Ayush centres into Regional Medical Hubs creates a unique “Holistic Health” brand that combines modern surgery with traditional wellness.
• Employment Generation: The establishment of integrated healthcare hubs will create high-quality jobs for doctors, nurses, researchers, and allied health professionals.
• Import Reduction: Domestic manufacturing of biosimilars will significantly reduce India’s reliance on costly imports for critical therapies like cancer treatment.
• Global Credibility: The accreditation of 1,000+ clinical trial sites address global concerns about data integrity and reliability in Indian clinical trials.
• Agrarian Boost: The promotion of Ayurveda exports directly benefits farmers cultivating medicinal herbs and plants.

Self-Help Entrepreneur Mart (SHE-Mart)

• The Union Budget 2026–27 announced a new platform for women entrepreneurs called SHE-Mart—‘self-help entrepreneur’ Mart.
• SHE-Marts are designed as community-owned outlets within cluster federations to market products made by women entrepreneurs from self-help groups (SHGs).
• The platform aims to enhance branding, visibility, and market access while reducing dependence on intermediaries for sustainable income.
• The initiative establishes permanent retail outlets for SHG products, promoting women’s self-reliance and economic independence.
• The proposal builds on the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ programme, shifting the focus from micro-credit-based livelihood generation to women-owned enterprises.

About Lakhpati Didi Programme

• The programme was launched in 2023 to empower rural women in SHGs to achieve a sustainable annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh.
• It is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• Lakhpati Didi Definition: A SHG member who earns at least ₹1 lakh per annum over at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles.
• Skill Development: Women are trained in high-value skills like drone operation, LED manufacturing, plumbing, tailoring, and organic farming.
• National Target: The government aims to create at least 3 crores ‘Lakhpati Didis’.
• Key Achievement: Over 2.5 crore women have achieved the status across the country.

Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana and Divyang Sahara Yojana

• The Union Budget 2026-27 introduced two major schemes specifically designed to empower persons with disabilities (Divyangjan).
• The schemes reaffirm the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, in line with the vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.

Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana

• This scheme focuses on providing industry-relevant, customised training to create dignified and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
• It targets high-growth sectors such as IT, AVGC, hospitality, and food services, which offer task-oriented roles suited for Divyangjan.

Divyang Sahara Yojana

• The initiative improves access to affordable, high-quality assistive devices for persons with disabilities.

Key components:

• Supporting the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) to increase assistive device production and integrate AI technologies.
• Strengthening PM Divyasha Kendras for integrated care and establishing Assistive Technology Marts for trials and purchases of assistive products.

U.S. Tariffs on Indian Exports Reduced to 18%

• U.S. President Donald Trump announced a landmark agreement to reduce the effective tariff on Indian exports to 18%.

About the Agreement

• Penalty Rollback: The agreement specifically removes the 25% ‘punitive duty’ the US previously imposed to penalise India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
• Energy Pivot: India has reportedly agreed to halt imports of Russian oil and purchase over $500 billion in US energy, technology, and agricultural products.
• Reciprocal Reductions: As part of the deal, India has committed to reducing its tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US goods, with some sectors aiming for “zero tariff” status.

Significance of the Trade Deal

• Regional Competitiveness: The 18% rate provides a vital edge to compete against regional rivals like China (34%), Vietnam (20%), and Pakistan (19%) in the US market.
• Labour-Intensive Trade: The tariff cut offers immediate relief to rejuvenate MSME-heavy industries like Textiles, Gems & Jewellery, and Seafood, which struggled under the 50% regime.
• Energy Security: By shifting from Russian Ural crude to US oil and LNG, India is reconfiguring its long-term energy supply chain to align with Western strategic interests.
• Diplomatic De-Escalation: The agreement marks the end of a “trade war” phase to restore the “Mega Partnership” (MAGA + MIGA) and ensure stability in bilateral ties.
• Supply-Chain Realignment: It reinforces the ‘China Plus One’ strategy to establish India as a trusted trade partner within the US-led economic sphere.

2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Adopted Delhi Declaration 2026

• The 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held in New Delhi, adopted the Delhi Declaration 2026 to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and the Arab world.
• Chairmanship: India and the United Arab Emirates co-chaired the session, which saw participation from the Foreign Ministers of Arab States and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.

Key Takeaways of Delhi Declaration 2026

• Counter-Terrorism: The Declaration marked a diplomatic milestone by explicitly condemning the Pahalgam terror attack; it adopted a zero-tolerance approach to combat cross-border terrorism.
• Global Security: The ministers committed to the UNSC-adopted “Algeria Guiding Principles” to combat terror financing via emerging technologies.
• Maritime Initiative: The Arab side introduced the STREAM (Suez Canal-Red Sea Economic and Maritime Development Initiative) to boost the blue economy and restore navigation safety.
• Strategic Modernisation: The partnership expanded into new frontiers, prioritising cooperation in Green Hydrogen, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and Fintech.
• Geopolitical Stance: The forum reaffirmed its support for a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders while welcoming the outcomes of the 2025 Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit.
• Institutional Economy: The launch of the India-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (IACCIA) institutionalises private-sector engagement to boost bilateral trade.
• Institutional Mechanisms: The roadmap establishes specific Working Groups for Space Cooperation, Tourism, and Counter-Terrorism; these bodies will hold their inaugural meetings in India in 2026-27.

About the League of Arab States

• Origin: The League was established in Cairo, Egypt in 1945 to assert Arab independence and sovereignty against colonial powers.
• Linguistic Identity: It defines itself strictly by the Arabic language and culture; Regional powers like Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan are excluded because they do not speak Arabic as a primary language.
• African Context: Somalia, Djibouti, and Comoros are full members because of this linguistic rule, despite their geographic distance from the Arabian Peninsula.
• Membership: The League comprises 22 member states; Syria was fully readmitted in 2023 after a decade-long suspension.
• Headquarters: The permanent General Secretariat is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
• Governance: The Council of the League serves as the supreme decision-making body, with each member state holding exactly one vote.
• Security Framework: The league operates under the Joint Defence and Economic Cooperation Treaty (1950), treating aggression against one member as aggression against all.
• India’s Status: India holds Observer Status in the Arab League; the Indian Ambassador to Egypt serves as the Permanent Representative.

Union Budget Push for CCUS Technology

• The Union Budget 2026–27 allocated ₹20,000 crore over five years to scale up Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technologies.

About Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS)

• CCUS is a suite of technologies that capture and reuse or store carbon dioxide (CO2), effectively preventing its release into the atmosphere.
• Capture: The process starts by separating CO2 from industrial gases at the source through pre-combustion, post-combustion, or oxy-fuel techniques.
• Transportation: Captured CO2 is compressed and transported via pipelines or specialised ships to designated utilisation or geological storage sites.
• Utilisation (CCU): Captured CO2 is converted into value-added products such as Green Urea, Methanol, carbonated concrete building materials, and algae-based biofuels.
• Storage (CCS): Long-term sequestration injects CO2 into deep geological formations like saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas fields, or coal seams.

Significance of the Budgetary Push

• Hard-to-Abate Sectors: The push targets five high-emission industries—power, steel, cement, refineries, and chemicals—where decarbonisation through electrification or renewables is difficult.
• Climate Target: This financial commitment accelerates progress towards the Net Zero 2070 goal by complementing renewable energy efforts.
• Blue Hydrogen: CCUS serves as a critical bridge for producing “Blue Hydrogen” from natural gas, supporting India’s broader transition to a hydrogen economy.
• Economic Benefit: Lower industrial carbon intensity helps Indian exports avoid costs under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• R&D Operationalisation: It directly implements the ‘R&D Roadmap for CCUS’ launched in 2025, which aims to capture 750 million tonnes per annum of CO2 by 2050.
• Commercial Scalability: The outlay provides the necessary capital to transition CCUS from small-scale pilots to commercially viable, large-scale industrial systems.
• Carbon Market Synergy: It supports the Indian Carbon Market (CCTS) by allowing industries to generate Carbon Credit Certificates (CCCs) to monetise their emissions.

Waste-to-Energy Technology

• India is expanding waste-to-energy (WtE) plants to convert non-recyclable waste into power under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.

About Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Technology

• Energy Conversion: Converts non-recyclable municipal and industrial waste into usable electricity or heat through controlled processes like incineration, gasification and anaerobic digestion.
• Core Methods: Includes incineration, gasification, and anaerobic digestion for energy recovery.
• Current Status: India has 21 operational WtE plants and 133 biogas facilities.

Key Benefits of Waste-to-Energy Technology

• Landfill Burden Reduction: WtE plants reduce municipal solid waste volume by nearly 90%, helping cities manage over 62 million tonnes of annual waste generation in India.
• Methane Emission Control: Diverting organic waste from landfills prevents methane release, a greenhouse gas 28 times stronger than CO₂, significantly lowering climate impact.
• Renewable Power Generation: India’s operational 21 WtE plants produce over 170 MW of electricity, contributing to decentralised urban energy supply.
• Alignment with SDGs: Supports SDG-7 (Clean Energy) and SDG-11 (Sustainable Cities) by integrating urban waste management with renewable energy systems.

Government Initiatives for Harnessing Waste-to-Energy in India

• National Bio-Energy Mission: Promotes large-scale production of biogas, bio-CNG and power generation from agricultural residue and organic urban waste.
• National Biofuel Policy (2022): Encourages biofuel generation from waste streams to meet the 20% ethanol blending target by 2025, reducing fossil fuel dependence.
• Solid Waste Management Rules (2016): Mandate source segregation, treatment of waste, and promotion of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for energy recovery.
• Draft Waste-to-Energy Policy (2023): Seeks to establish a comprehensive regulatory and investment framework for expanding WtE infrastructure nationwide.

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)

• Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) was observed breaking into multiple fragments after its closest approach to the Sun in October 2025, captured by the Gemini North Telescope.

Comets

• Comets are frozen, ancient celestial bodies dating back approx. 4.6 billion years. A comet consists of a head and a tail.
• Comets orbit the Sun in highly elliptical paths. They consist of dust, rock, and ice.
• As comets approach the Sun, they heat up and release gases and dust, forming a glowing head.
• While NASA has identified 3,910 comets, billions more are believed to exist beyond Neptune in regions such as the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud.

About Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)

• Type: Long-period comet originating from the Oort Cloud, far beyond Neptune’s orbit.
• Composition: Loosely bound mix of ice, frozen gases, dust and rock, making it structurally fragile.
• Discovery System: Detected in May 2025 by Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS).
• Solar Breakup: Intense solar gravity and solar wind pressure caused the nucleus to fragment post-flyby.
• Interstellar Link: Such long-period comets are often compared with interstellar visitors as they arrive from far outer regions carrying primitive cosmic material.

About Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS)

• Developer: Created by the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy with NASA support.
• Locations: Operates telescopes in Hawaii, Chile, and South Africa for near-global sky coverage.
• Purpose: A planetary defence survey system designed to detect near-Earth asteroids & potentially life-threatening “killer asteroids” approaching Earth.
• Detection Scale: Can identify a ~20 metre asteroid days in advance & a 100 metre asteroid weeks ahead.

About Gemini North Telescope

• Location: Situated on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, at a high altitude for clear astronomical viewing.
• Size: An 8.1-metre optical-infrared telescope, among the world’s most powerful.
• Observatory Network: Part of the International Gemini Observatory twin-telescope system.
• Scientific Use: Captures high-resolution images of deep space objects like comets, stars and galaxies.

NeophyteID App Launched to Identify Invasive Alien Plants

• The Kerala government launched an AI-powered mobile application, NeophyteID, to identify and manage invasive alien plant species in the Western Ghats.
• Technology: The application uses the advanced YOLOv11 machine learning algorithm to enable real-time identification of invasive flora through image recognition.
• Citizen Science: It employs a participatory approach, encouraging students, researchers, and locals to crowdsource ecological monitoring.
• Data-Driven: The app generates a geospatial distribution map to help policymakers devise targeted conservation strategies.

Invasive Alien Species

• Definition: Invasive Alien Species are non-native plants, animals, or pathogens that establish, proliferate, and harm native biodiversity, the economy, or human health.
• Legal Definition: The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 defines invasive alien species.
• Regulatory Powers: The Act empowers the Central Government to regulate or prohibit the import, trade, possession, and proliferation of them.
• Global Target: The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (Target 6) mandates countries to reduce the rates of introduction and establishment of invasive species by 50% by 2030.
• Biodiversity Loss: IPBES identifies invasive alien species among five direct global biodiversity loss drivers; these caused over $127 billion in losses in India during 1960-2020.
• Key Examples: Lantana camara (degrading forests), Prosopis juliflora (destroying Banni grasslands), and Water Hyacinth (choking freshwater).

Celphos Poisoning

• Doctors at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) reported a major treatment breakthrough for deadly Celphos poisoning.

About Celphos (Aluminium Phosphide)

• Category: Highly toxic pesticide used mainly as a grain preservative in agriculture, widely used in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
• Toxic Mechanism: Aluminium phosphide acts as a grain fumigant that releases lethal phosphine gas inside the body after ingestion, causing cardiac failure, shock and metabolic acidosis.
• Fumigant: A chemical substance used to kill pests by releasing toxic gases in enclosed spaces, commonly for grain storage protection.

New Treatment Discovery

• Therapy Used: Intravenous Lipid Emulsion (ILE) administered along with standard medical care.
• Key Outcomes: Reduced mortality, faster correction of metabolic acidosis and improved heart stability.
• Early Use Benefit: Timely administration significantly alters disease progression.
• Intravenous Lipid Emulsion (ILE): A fat-based intravenous therapy that binds lipid-soluble toxins in the bloodstream, reducing their harmful effects and improving patient recovery.

Power Gap Index

• The Economic Survey 2025-2026 cited the Power Gap Index for the first time to highlight India’s strategic standing.
• The Power Gap Index (PGI) is an analytical tool for evaluating a country’s ability to convert resources into strategic influence. It is a secondary analysis based on the Lowy Institute Asia Power Index.
• The parent index evaluates 27 nations using 131 indicators categorised into eight thematic measures.
• The Indicators are divided into Resource-based measures (what a country has) and Influence-based measures (what a country does with those resources).
• PGI compares a nation’s Comprehensive Power (achievement) with its Expected Power (potential) to identify performance gaps.
• Score Interpretation: A positive score indicates overperformance through diplomacy, while a negative score signifies underutilised potential.
• India’s Position: India ranks third after the US & China but scores -4.0, indicating underperformance.

 ‘Volcán de Fuego’ Volcano Erupts in Guatemala

• Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala recently produced a series of volcanic explosions, sending ash plumes to altitudes of 16,000 feet.
• Location: This stratovolcano (composite volcano) is situated along the active Central American Volcanic Arc in southern Guatemala.
• Tectonic Setting: The volcano forms due to the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate within the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• Eruption Style: Strombolian and Vulcanian eruptions occur frequently, characterised by violent ejection of pyroclastic material and basaltic-andesite lava; It has remained eruptive since 2002.

Advance Pricing Agreement (APA)

• Union Budget rationalises Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) rules etc., indicating a more investor-friendly tax regime.

Key Changes for IT sector

• Consolidation of IT services into a single category of Information Technology Services with a uniform safe harbour margin to reduce disputes and litigation.
• Threshold for safe harbour eligibility raised (₹300 crore to ₹2,000 crore); automated, rule-based approvals.
• Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) process fast-tracked to be completed within 2 years (extendable 6 months).
• APA is a pre-emptive arrangement between a taxpayer and tax authorities that determines transfer pricing methodology for specified transactions in advance, ensuring tax certainty and reducing disputes.
• Transfer Pricing means fixing fair prices for transactions between related companies so that profits are not shifted to avoid tax.