International Aryan Summit 2025

• The International Aryan Summit 2025 will take place in New Delhi as part of the Jyana Jyoti Festival.

• The Jyana Jyoti Festival, also known as the International Arya Mahasammelan, marks the 200^th birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and the 150^th anniversary of the Arya Samaj.

Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati

• Dayanand Saraswati was born as Mool Shankar on February 12, 1824, in Tankara, Gujarat.
• Vedic Revivalism: He founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 and gave the slogan “Back to the Vedas.”
• National Vision: He was the first to use the term “Swaraj” in 1876; He promoted Swadeshi and supported Hindi as a unifying national language.
• Social Reform: He launched the Shuddhi Movement to reconvert Hindus who had embraced other religions for revival.
• Intellectual Works: His major writings include Panchmahayajya Vidhi, Satyarth Prakash, Veda Bhashya, and Veda Bhashya Bhumikā.

Arya Samaj

• The Arya Samaj (1875) was established in Bombay as a significant Hindu reform movement.
• Philosophy: It rejects idol worship, ritualism, and caste discrimination, advocating a return to the moral and spiritual principles outlined in the Vedas.
• Social Reforms: The Samaj led campaigns against untouchability, child marriage, and promoted widow remarriage and female education.
• Legacy: Leaders like Mahatma Hansraj and Lala Lajpat Rai established the network of Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) schools to combine modern Western education with traditional Vedic values.
• The first DAV School was established in Lahore (now Pakistan) in 1886.

Five Indian megacities face Land Subsidence threat due to Excessive Groundwater Extraction

A study analysed the satellite radar data from 2015-23 and found land subsidence in Delhi (National Capital Territory, NCT), Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai. 

Key Highlights of the Study

• Impact: It has impacted nearly 80 million people with Delhi recording the highest sinking rate of 51 mm annually.
• Localised Uplift: The study identified localised uplift in some cities, like areas near Dwarka in Delhi. 

Land Subsidence

• Meaning: Gradual or sudden sinking of the earth’s surface caused by the compression or weakening of soil and rock layers beneath. 
• Primary Causative Factors: Excessive groundwater pumping, large-scale mining, rapid urbanisation, natural shifts in earth’s crust, etc. 
• Areas Witnessing Subsidence: Areas around Assam and Sikkim (due to fault activity and hydrocarbon extraction), Himalayan towns like Joshimath and Mussoorie (unregulated development), etc.

Impacts of Land Subsidence

• Impact on Infrastructure: Study estimates more than 2000 buildings in Delhi are currently at high damage risk due to differential land subsidence. 
• Impact on Coastal Regions: These regions witness saltwater intrusion, leading to freshwater contamination and crop loss.  
• Disasters: Buildings crack or collapse, roads buckle, and drainage networks misalign, often leading to floods impacting human lives. 
• Long-term ecological risk: It alters river flows, affects aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and may accelerate carbon release from peatlands and marshes.

Ways to Prevent Land Subsidence

• Innovative Solutions: Artificial recharge of depleted aquifers; deep soil mixing involving injection of stabilising agents into the ground. 
• Advanced Monitoring Technologies: PSInSAR (for cities with plenty of stable structures), SBAS-InSAR (for agricultural or vegetated areas), and SqueeSAR (for mountainous terrain), etc. 

Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme

• The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has highlighted the significant impact of the Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure (ICCVAI) Scheme in reducing post-harvest losses of perishable commodities.

 Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure (ICCVAI) Scheme

• ICCVAI is a demand-driven central sector scheme administered by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)
• Objective: To create an integrated cold chain from farm to consumer, minimise post-harvest spoilage and increase farmers’ income.
• Financial Assistance: Provides grants or subsidies of up to ₹10 crore per project for setting up integrated cold chain systems.
• Covers 35% of eligible project costs in general areas and 50% in ‘difficult areas’ (e.g., Northeast, Himalayan regions, IITDP areas, and Islands), as well as for SC/ST groups, FPOs, and SHGs.
• Scope: Encompasses perishable sectors like horticulture, dairy, meat, poultry, marine or fish products.
• Fruits, vegetables, and shrimp are excluded and covered under the Operation Greens scheme.
• Eligible Entities: Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) may include individuals, FPOs, FPCs, NGOs, PSUs, cooperatives, SHGs, and private firms.
• Implementation Condition: Applicants must link ‘Farm-level Infrastructure’ with a ‘Distribution Hubs’ and/or ‘Refrigerated Transport Systems’ to qualify for financial assistance.

Key Components of the Scheme

1. Farm-Level Infrastructure: Facilities for pre-cooling, weighing, sorting, grading, and packaging.
2. Processing Centres: For blast freezing, individual quick freezing, milk chilling, and meat/fish processing.
3. Distribution Hubs: Multi-product, multi-temperature storage and controlled-atmosphere warehouses
4. Refrigerated Transport: Reefer vans, insulated tankers, mobile refrigerated containers, etc.
5. Food Irradiation Units: Ionising radiation technology to preserve food and extend shelf life.

KOYLA SHAKTI Dashboard and CLAMP Portal

• The Ministry of Coal launched the KOYLA SHAKTI Dashboard and the Coal Land Acquisition, Management, and Payment (CLAMP) Portal to promote transparent digital governance.

KOYLA SHAKTI Dashboard

• The KOYLA SHAKTI or Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard (SCAD) is a unified digital platform that integrates the entire coal value chain from mine to market in one interface.
• Key Feature: It consolidates data on coal production, logistics, dispatch, and consumption to enable real-time coordination among stakeholders.
• Vision: The dashboard enhances transparency, efficiency, and innovation aligned with Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Minimum Government, Maximum Governance principles.

CLAMP Portal

• The Portal is a unified digital solution to streamline the full land acquisition processes in coal sector.
• Key Feature: It digitises the entire land acquisition process to keep centralised, transparent records, ensuring fair and timely payouts and reducing delays.
• Institutional Efficiency: The portal improves interoperability in land management across Coal Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

India-Nepal Power Transmission Agreements

• India and Nepal signed two major agreements to build new high-capacity cross-border power transmission corridors.

• The agreements were signed between India’s POWERGRID and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to form two joint venture (JV) companies, one in each country.

• The joint ventures will facilitate the construction of two 400 kV double-circuit transmission lines — Inaruwa (Nepal)–New Purnea (India) and Lamki (Dododhara, Nepal)–Bareilly (India).
• Objective: To enhance regional energy cooperation and trade, strengthen grid connectivity, and facilitate clean energy exchange.
• Significance: The projects align with the India-Nepal Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation (2022) and support shared goals of energy security.

Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar

Indian Vice-President paid homage to Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on his birth anniversary. 

Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar (1908- 1963)

• Born: To a wealthy land owning family of the village Pasumpon in Ramanathapuram District (Tamil Nadu). 
• Belonged to Kondayankottai Marava community of Mukkulathor known for their valour.

Key Contributions: 

• Entered into politics in 1927, Subash Chandra Bose was his political friend. 
• Joined national movement and  helped Congress expand influence in Tamil Nadu interior regions.
• Played role in Temple Entry Movement in Tamil Nadu, Repeal of the Criminal Tribes Act, etc.
• Served as the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 1952-57 and Member of Parliament from 1957-63. 
• Titles Earned: An Uncrowned Monarch, Netaji of the South, The Lion of the South. 
• Key Values: Leadership, Nationalist, Courage, Compassion, etc. 

Chabahar port

India gets six-month U.S. sanctions waiver on Chabahar port in Iran.

• Location: Sistan-Baluchistan province on the Makran coast in South-eastern part of Iran, on the Gulf of Oman.
• It is the only deep-sea port in Iran with direct ocean access.
• There are two terminals in Chabahar Port project i.e. Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari. 
• It is closest Iranian port to India and it grants India access to landlocked Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries bypassing Pakistan.
• The port is part of the proposed International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to Caspian Sea via Iran and onwards to northern Europe.

Modernising Cross-Border Payments

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a draft circular proposing reforms to speed up credit of inward foreign remittances.

Key Proposals by RBI

• Same-Day Credit Rule: Banks must credit inward remittances received during forex market hours on the same day, and after-hours receipts by the next business day.
• Straight-Through Processing (STP): RBI mandates end-to-end automated crediting of remittances post-risk checks to eliminate manual delays.
• Real-Time Reconciliation: Banks should reconcile their nostro account credits every 30 minutes instead of relying on end-of-day statements.
• Customer Notification: Beneficiaries must be immediately informed of receipts; those received post-closing should be notified at the start of the next business day.
• Digital Platforms: Banks to offer online portals for uploading documents, exchanging information, and tracking FX transaction progress in real time.

 NITI Aayog’s ‘Reimagining Manufacturing’ Report

• NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub released a report, “Reimagining Manufacturing: India’s Roadmap to Global Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing”, in collaboration with CII and Deloitte.

• Strategic Vision: The report outlines a 10-year plan (2026-2035) to transform India’s manufacturing sector through technology integration and innovation.
• Primary Goals: It aims to raise manufacturing’s GDP share to over 25% (from 17%) by 2035, create 100 million jobs, and position India among the top three global hubs.
• Technology Scope: Thirteen high-impact sectors across five clusters are prioritised for adopting AI, ML, robotics, digital twins, and advanced materials.
• Five Clusters: Engineering, Consumer Products, Life Sciences, Electronics, and Chemicals.
• Economic Risk: Delayed adoption of frontier technologies may cost India $270 billion by 2035 and $1 trillion by 2047 in potential GDP gains.
• Policy Integration: It recommends including “Advanced Manufacturing” as a key pillar of the upcoming National Manufacturing Mission.

Key Structural Challenges Identified

• GDP Gap: Manufacturing contributes just 17% to India’s GDP, far below East Asia’s 25-30% share during its industrial growth.
• R&D Deficit: India invests less than 1% of its GDP in research and development, whereas China invests over 2%.
• Qualitative Deficit: Skill shortages, weak 5G coverage, and limited smart industrial parks hinder automation and the adoption of advanced technologies.
• Productivity Stagnation: India’s total factor productivity stands at 2.2%; to meet the 2035 targets, it must rise above 5.5%.
• Regulatory Lag: Fragmented data policies and unclear technology standards obstruct long-term investments and digital industrialisation.

Key Recommendations of the Report

• Frontier Institute: Establish a Global Frontier Technology Institute for R&D coordination, certification, and technology transfer.
• Smart Parks: Develop 20 plug-and-play industrial zones with 5G connectivity and testing infrastructure to attract investors.
• Digital Backbone: Build a national industrial IoT framework for real-time data sharing, predictive maintenance and operational efficiency.
• Champion Model: Encourage large firms to mentor MSMEs through cluster-based innovation networks and shared digital platforms.
• Service Transition: Support manufacturers in shifting from product-based to integrated service-oriented operations using AI and IoT systems.
• State Missions: Launch state-specific skilling programs aligned with local industrial strengths, such as robotics in Tamil Nadu or green mobility in Maharashtra.

Chief Justice of India (CJI)

In exercise of powers under Article 124 of the Constitution of India, President appointed Justice Surya Kant as 53^rd CJI succeeding present CJI BR Gavai.

Appointment of CJI 

• Union Ministry of Law and Justice seeks the recommendation of the outgoing CJI for appointment of next CJI, who conventionally recommends senior-most judge of the Supreme Court.
• However, this seniority principle has not been followed for three times in the past.  
• After receipt of recommendation of the CJI, Union Minister of Law and Justice puts up the recommendation to the Prime Minister, who advises the President in the matter of appointment. 

Madras High Court, becomes first to recognise Cryptocurrency as Property

In Rhutikumari v. Zanmai Labs Pvt. Ltd, the Court granted protection to an investor whose digital assets were frozen on a crypto exchange after a massive cyberattack. 

• In 2020, New Zealand High Court too held crypto currencies, as digital assets and a form of property capable of being held on trust. 

Key Highlights of the Ruling

• Nature of Cryptocurrency: The court held that it is not a tangible property nor is it a currency. Rather, it is a property, which is capable of being enjoyed, possessed and being held in trust.
• The Court reaffirmed previous SC rulings on the principles of property and held them to apply equally to cryptocurrencies.
• Legal Clarification: The court held that under Indian law, cryptocurrency is classified as a Virtual Digital Asset (VDA) and it is not treated as a speculative transaction under Income Tax Act, 1961.
• Clarification on the RBI Ban (2018): The Court held that RBI had not banned virtual currencies as such; it had only prohibited banks from facilitating their trade. 

Significance of the Ruling

• Addresses the Regulatory Grey Zone: The ruling marks a landmark judicial acknowledgment of digital assets as legally ownable property. 
• Protects Investors: It could allow investors to seek traditional property remedies like bank guarantees rather than relying on exchange-driven loss-sharing schemes. 

Declining Interest in Soybean Cultivation

• Madhya Pradesh, India’s largest soybean producer, recorded a 10% decline in acreage between 2023 and 2024, as young farmers are abandoning soybean farming.

Key Issues Faced by Farmers

• MSP Gap: Farmers often sell produce at 35–40% below the Minimum Support Price (MSP); the state’s Bhavantar Yojana, designed to bridge price gaps, does not fully offset income losses.
• Low Profitability: Rising costs of fertilisers, diesel, and labour have significantly increased cultivation expenses, while market returns have remained stagnant, narrowing profit margins.
• Import Threat: Prospective imports of cheaper soybeans and soybean meal from the United States create market uncertainty about price declines and reduced competitiveness.
• Weak Infrastructure: Insufficient storage and drying facilities at government mandis lead to post-harvest losses; the lack of affordable cold storage leaves small farmers vulnerable to price crashes.
• Yield Loss: Climate change-driven irregular rainfall and low-quality seeds have significantly reduced yields, often to less than half of previous harvests, undermining long-term viability.
• Debt Dependence: Nearly 70% of soybean farmers depend on seasonal loans for inputs, often resulting in “distress sales” immediately after harvest to repay debts.

Way Forward

• Price Assurance: Strengthen procurement systems and enforce MSP implementation through digital platforms like e-NAM.
• Seed Modernisation: Expand ICAR-certified seed distribution and promote climate-resilient varieties like NRC 142 to improve productivity and yield.
• Import Policy: Maintain quantitative restrictions on soybean and soymeal imports while promoting domestic processing and value addition.
• Diversification: Encourage soybean–maize–pulse crop rotation through targeted subsidies to enhance soil fertility and ensure stable farmer incomes.
• Agro-Processing: Support start-ups and Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) to develop soy-based foods, feed, and biofuels to expand non-oil demand.

 Introducing Artificial Intelligence in Schools

• The Ministry of Education has announced the introduction of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) curriculum for Classes 3 and above beginning from the 2026–27 academic year.

• Policy Alignment: The curriculum will align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 while promoting the vision of ‘AI for Public Good’.

Benefits of Introducing AI in Schools

• Cognitive Development: AI-based education encourages creativity, computational reasoning, and problem-solving skills among young learners.
• Workforce Preparedness: Early AI exposure develops necessary skills vital for future employability in an AI-integrated world.
• Personalised Learning: AI-driven tools tailor lessons to individual learning styles and incorporate accessibility features like speech-to-text and real-time translation to support diverse learners.
• Teacher Efficiency: Automating routine tasks like grading enables educators to dedicate more time to focus on student engagement and mentorship.
• Ethical Literacy: Educating about AI ethics in schools raises awareness of bias, privacy, and fairness, promoting responsible use.

Risks and Challenges

• Cognitive Dependency: Overreliance on AI tools can diminish students’ analytical abilities and impede the development of critical thinking skills.
• Social Disconnection: Excessive use of AI tools can weaken student–teacher and peer interactions, reducing opportunities for social and emotional growth.
• Digital Divide: High costs of AI infrastructure hinder adoption in under-resourced areas. Additionally, low-income students lack devices, connectivity, and digital skills, which worsens educational inequalities.
• Academic Integrity: Generative AI tools make plagiarism and cheating easier, undermining the reliability and credibility of traditional assessment systems.
• Data Ethics: AI systems trained on biased datasets can reinforce stereotypes and lead to unfair evaluations. Large-scale data collection also raises significant concerns over privacy and data security.

Way Forward

• Problem-Centric Design: Introduce AI tools to solve specific educational challenges, such as enhancing comprehension or lowering grading time.
• Teacher Training: Institutionalise continuous professional development to equip teachers with AI literacy and responsible integration practices.
• Human Oversight: Implement the “human-in-the-loop” approach for all critical decision-making, ensuring educators remain responsible for the final decisions.
• Hybrid Learning: Encourage blended classrooms by combining traditional and digital methods to maintain continuity during connectivity gaps.
• Performance Evaluation: Track measurable outcomes such as engagement levels, feedback speed, and skill improvement to assess AI’s educational efficacy.
• Equity and Inclusion: Prioritise affordable digital infrastructure and localised content development to ensure nationwide access and participation.

Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS)

Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Tribal Affairs, launched MYGS initiative.

MYGS

• It is a pioneering initiative to strengthen Janbhagidari and promote participatory local governance by engaging students in simulated Gram Sabha sessions.
• It is aligned with National Education Policy 2020, and will be implemented across Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs), and State Government Schools.
• JNVs  are residential schools established under NEP 1986 to provide education to rural children irrespective of their socio economic status.
• EMRSs aim to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribes (ST) students in areas having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) 

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is undertaking the base revision exercise of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and has proposed changes in housing index compilation.

• As a part of CPI, Housing constitutes a major component with an expenditure share of 21.67% in urban areas and 10.07% at the All-India level in the current series.
• Currently, the housing index is not compiled in the rural sector.
• Weightage of other sectors in CPI: Food and Beverages (45.86%), Miscellaneous involving education, health, personal care etc. (28.31%), Fuel & Light (6.84%), Clothing & FootWear (6.53%), Pan, tobacco and intoxicants (2.38%).

Foreign Rush for Indian Banks

• Global financial institutions have invested billions in Indian banks, insurers, and NBFCs, signalling confidence in India’s cleaned-up and fast-growing financial sector.

Why Global Giants Are Investing in Indian Banks?

• High Growth Potential: India’s banking sector grew 31% YoY in 2024, generating $46 billion in net income, among the fastest globally (McKinsey).
• High Credit growth: It remains above 16%, outpacing most Asian peers.
• Market Scale: Over 400 million underbanked citizens and an expanding retail credit base.
• Policy Liberalisation: FDI limits raised to 74% in private banks and 100% in insurance.
• Macroeconomic Fundamentals: India’s GDP projected to grow 6.8% (RBI, 2025); stable monetary policy and cleaned-up balance sheets attract long-term capital.

Curriculum on Artificial Intelligence and Computational Thinking (AI & CT) to be introduced from class 3 onwards in all schools

Ministry of Education is supporting institutions such as CBSE, NCERT, KVS, and NVS, along with States and UTs, in designing a meaningful and inclusive curriculum under the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF SE) 2023.

• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has constituted an expert committee chaired by Prof. Karthik Raman, IIT Madras, to develop the AI & CT curriculum.
• Teacher training and learning-teaching materials on NISHTHA platform will form the backbone of curriculum implementation.

Role of AI & CT in Education

• Development of Computational Thinking: It is a problem-solving approach that involves understanding a complex problem and develop possible solutions in a way that computer can execute.
• It has four key techniques – decomposition (breaking down complex problem), pattern recognition, abstraction (focusing on important information), and algorithms (developing step-by-step solution to problem). 
• Foundational Skills: Introducing AI at young age helps build critical thinking, logical reasoning, and ethical awareness.
• Students learn to understand and question technology, developing meta-skills that are becoming as crucial as literacy and numeracy in the digital age.
• Future Readiness: As automation transforms industries, AI curriculum ensures the next generation is skilled and adaptable to rapidly changing job market.

Digi Bandar

Digi Bandar, launched at India Maritime Week 2025, as a national digital framework for Indian ports.

• Aim:  To make ports data-driven, AI-enabled, and interconnected to enhance efficiency, safety, and transparency.
• Focus: Predictive logistics, digital twins, and automation in port operations.

Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF)

Recently, seven countries secured funding under Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF). 

KBF

• Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MTPF), supporting accelerated action to deliver the goals of KMGBF (Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework), particularly in developing countries.
• KMGBF is a non-binding framework adopted at the CoP-15 to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at Montreal, Canada (2022).
• It has 4 goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030. 
• Established under the leadership of China and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), with the Secretariat of the CBD (SCBD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Venkatadri slender gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri)

• Zoological Survey of India identified Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri, a new slender gecko species from Andhra Pradesh’s Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve.

• This is the second slender gecko species recorded from Andhra Pradesh, after H. arakuensis.

Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri

• H. venkatadri, also known as the Venkatadri slender gecko, is a small, slender gecko species endemic to the Tirumala hills of Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve.
• It is named after the sacred Venkatadri Hills, where it was found.

• Appearance: The gecko has a mottled brown to grey body with irregular speckling; Its adhesive toe pads help it move on vertical surfaces.
• Habitat: It is an arboreal species that shelters under Tendu bark during the day, usually 1.5–3 meters above the ground.

Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve

• Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve is a tropical dry mixed deciduous forest located in the southern Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.
• UNESCO Status: It was declared a Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme in 2010, making it the first such reserve in Andhra Pradesh.
• Red Sanders: The reserve is famous for its large population of endemic and valuable Red Sanders trees.
• Wildlife: Golden gecko, leopards, sloth bears, Indian giant squirrels, slender lorises, etc.

Ecological Droughts

IIT Kharagpur study highlights that ecologically fragile forests in Western Ghats, Himalayas, and Northeast, along with croplands in central India are increasingly facing ecological droughts. 

• Definition: Ecological droughts are prolonged moisture deficits disrupting ecosystem structure, biodiversity, and carbon balance.
• Causes: Driven by natural phenomena, such as lack of rainfall or warming temperatures including warming oceans,  rising atmospheric dryness, etc. 
• Impact: Reduced Plant growth, Local species extinction, etc. 
• Other Types of Drought: Meteorological, Agriculture, Hydrological, Socio-Economic. 

Secondary Sanctions 

Threat of USA’s Secondary Sanctions could impact importing of Russian oil by Indian refiners. 

• While Primary sanctions include international trade restrictions (e.g., trade embargoes from the target), Secondary sanctions penalizes third parties, preventing third states and economic operators from doing business as usual with target states. 
• They serve as force multipliers for primary sanctions and have an extraterritorial aspect. 
• E.g., The USA imposed sanctions on Iranian oil (Primary) and Indian refiners stopped importing oil from Iran (Secondary). 

AmazonFACE Project

• Ahead of COP30 in Belem (Brazil), the AmazonFACE project near Manaus simulates CO₂-rich atmospheres to study how the Amazon rainforest adapts to rising carbon levels.
• It simulates future atmospheric CO₂ levels to observe impacts on photosynthesis, water vapour release, and carbon absorption in tropical rainforests.
• The project is supported by Brazil’s federal government and the U.K.
• Working Mechanism:
  • Six steel rings fumigate 50–70 trees each with CO₂ levels projected for 2050–2060.
  • Sensors record canopy gas exchange and microclimate data every 10 minutes.
  • Three untreated rings serve as baselines to compare ecosystem response.

US and Chinese president met on the sidelines of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan

Key Outcomes of Busan meet 

• U.S. agreed to reduce a tariff punishing China for the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. by 10%.
• Fentanyl is an opioid drug, like morphine or heroin, made entirely in laboratories with no natural ingredients.
• China agreed to extend for one year a pause on export controls of rare earth minerals.
• Rare earths (group of 17 metallic elements) are used to produce magnets and other components used in missiles, aircraft, cars, refrigerators, other hi-tech devices etc.
• US president dubbed the meeting as G-2, a word first popularized by American economist C.F Bergsten in 2005.
• G-2 envisaged the US and China as co-managers of global stability through joint responsibility on economic governance, trade imbalances, and global problem-solving. 

Implication of G2 for world 

• Relevance of Regional institutions: Like Quad, Aukus, which were put to counter China could be questioned as US and China move towards a strategic accommodation. 
• Shift Towards Bipolarity: G2 signals convergence between US and China as global powers and bilateral decisions on key global issues can undermine multipolarity and interests of global south.
• Dependence on China: The shift identifies global and American reliance on China for critical minerals and semiconductor supply chains. 
• Implications for India: US-China rapprochement could reduce the US’s reliance on India as a geopolitical counter to China while emboldening China’s assertiveness towards India. 

National Crisis Management Committee

• Recently, the NCMC reviewed the preparedness for the approaching cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal.

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC)

• Constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the NCMC is the apex body for coordinating the Centre’s response to major disasters and crises.
• Chairperson: The Cabinet Secretary heads the committee.
• Members: Union Home Secretary, Defence Secretary, Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat, and a Member & Head of Department from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
• Function: The NCMC serves as the highest-level body for strategic decision-making, inter-ministerial coordination, and real-time response management during severe disaster situations. 

Exercise Trishul

• India launched Exercise Trishul, a large-scale tri-service war game along its western border with Pakistan, with a focus on the disputed Sir Creek region.

• It is a 12-day drill involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, taking place across Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• Objective: To test tri-service coordination and validate newly inducted indigenous tech & weapons.
• Scale: Over 20,000 Army personnel supported by T-90 tanks, BrahMos missile units, and Prachand helicopters operate alongside naval frigates and destroyers for amphibious and maritime drills.
• Key Feature: The Air Force is conducting high-tempo ‘Mahagujrat’ operations, deploying Rafale and Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), among others.
• Significance: The exercise incorporates indigenously developed systems and weapons platforms, highlighting India’s “Atmanirbharta” (self-reliance) in defence technology.

Ocean- Based Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) could offer Strategic Decarbonisation Pathway

Storing captured carbon subsea, in depleted oil and gas wells or aquifers — is ramping up as a climate solution globally. 

Ocean based CCUS

• It involves capturing CO₂​ from sources (generally from large point sources like power generation or industrial facilities using fossil fuels)  and storing it in seawater or deep-sea sediments.

Key Techniques 

• Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE): It accelerates CO2​ absorption by adding pulverized minerals (e.g., Lime) or electrochemically boosting rock weathering. 
• Ocean fertilisation: Promotes the growth of phytoplankton by adding required micronutrients, like phosphorus, nitrogen, etc., facilitating deep-ocean carbon storage.
• Other methods: Biological Carbon Capture, which utilizes marine ecosystems and the Enhancement of Blue Carbon Sinks like mangroves.

Key Benefits of Ocean-Based CCUS

• Durable Storage: Techniques like OAE could store carbon for up to 100,000 years.
• Vast Storage Capacity: Ocean is the largest natural carbon sink, storing 50 times more carbon than atmosphere.
• Safety and Scalability: It uses low temperatures and high pressure to stabilize CO2​ in liquid form, thus minimizing leakage, preventing groundwater contamination, etc. 
• Carbon Utilization: Captured CO2​ can be repurposed for industrial applications, including green hydrogen, biofuels, biopolymers, etc. 
• Climate Mitigation: It can reduce global CO2​ emissions by 14% by 2060. 
• Benefits for India: Achieve its Net-zero target by 2070; sustainable Blue growth; India’s vast coastline offers huge potential.

Currently, the technology is in early stages of development and is cost and capital intensive. It requires suitable funds for research, innovation with detailed techno-economic and environmental impact analysis before implementation.