Civil Registration System (CRS) Report 2023

• The Vital Statistics of India, based on the CRS Report 2023, released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), highlights demographic trends of India.

Key Findings of the Report

• Births Registered: India recorded 2.52 crore births in 2023, a slight decline from 2022, with an overall registration rate of 98.4%.
• This marks the third drop in five years (2020, 2021, and 2023), reflecting a steady fall in birth registrations.
• Deaths Registered: 86.6 lakh deaths were registered in 2023, slightly up from 86.5 lakh in 2022.
• The data shows no major spike in mortality post-COVID, unlike 2021, when deaths surged to 102.2 lakh due to the pandemic’s impact.
• Sex Ratio at Birth: Arunachal Pradesh (1,085) recorded the highest, followed by Nagaland (1,007) and Goa (973), while Jharkhand (899) and Bihar (900) reported the lowest sex ratios.
• Institutional Births: 74.7% of births in 2023 occurred in healthcare institutions, indicating expanding access to maternal and child health services.
• Timely Registration: Over 90% of registrations in 11 States/UTs, including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Puducherry, were completed within 21 days of birth.
• States such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal lagged, with registration levels between 50% and 80%.

WHO Issues Alert on Contaminated Cough Syrups

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a medical alert following the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly linked to the consumption of contaminated cough syrups.

Key Highlights

• The alert follows the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) report confirming the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG) in three syrups.
• This is the fifth WHO alert on India-made syrups since 2022, after similar incidents in Gambia and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Through the South-East Asia Regulatory Network, WHO is working with the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) to strengthen testing capacity for DEG and ethylene glycol (EG) contamination.

DEG Contamination

• Source: Contamination occurs through polyethylene glycol; a solvent used in syrups.
• Grades of Material: Industrial-grade polyethene glycol, used in antifreeze and lubricants, has higher DEG content than pharmaceutical-grade material.
• Cause: Failure to differentiate between these grades during manufacturing leads to toxic contamination.

India-Mongolia Diplomatic Relation

• During the Mongolian President’s visit to New Delhi, India and Mongolia signed 10 agreements, strengthening their bilateral relations.

Key MoUs Signed

• Oil Refinery Project: India will finance Mongolia’s oil refinery through a $1.7 billion Line of Credit, marking India’s largest overseas development partnership.
• Defence Cooperation: India to train Mongolian armed and border security forces and has appointed a Defence Attaché at its embassy in Ulaanbaatar.
• Cultural & Spiritual Ties: India will send a Sanskrit teacher to Gandan Monastery and collaborate to digitise one million ancient Buddhist manuscripts.
• Holy relics of Buddha’s disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, will be sent to Mongolia in 2026.
• Regional Collaboration: A new MoU between Ladakh’s Hill Development Council and Mongolia’s Arkhangai Province seeks to promote cultural and educational exchanges.
• Economic Cooperation: India and Mongolia will explore joint ventures in critical minerals, rare earths, digital technology, and clean energy.

India-Canada to Strengthen Cooperation

• Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand made her first official visit to India, during which both countries reached agreements to restore cooperation after a long diplomatic rift.

Key Agreements to Restore Ties

• Ministerial Dialogue: Renewed consultations will focus on advancing trade, investment, energy cooperation, and overall strategic alignment.
• Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA): Negotiations will resume under a revised framework to expand trade and investment relations.
• Canada–India CEO Forum: The forum will reconvene in early 2026 to promote joint ventures in clean technology, agri-food, digital innovation, and sustainable infrastructure.
• Canada–India Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED): Energy dialogue will be reinstated to strengthen cooperation in low-carbon fuels, energy transition, and grid resilience.
• Critical Minerals Annual Dialogue: Scheduled for March 2026 in Toronto, it will foster collaboration in sustainable mining, critical mineral processing, and secure supply chains.
• Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee: The committee will be revived to expand research networks and cooperation in digital infrastructure.
• Joint Working Group on Higher Education: The renewed mandate will strengthen academic collaboration in AI and cybersecurity, while facilitating Canada’s academic presence on Indian campuses.
• Civil Nuclear Cooperation: Ongoing engagement will secure uranium supply chains, enhance nuclear safety partnerships, and support India’s clean energy transition.
• Mutual Respect Clause: The joint statement reaffirmed mutual sensitivities, signalling intent to rebuild trust and balanced diplomatic engagement.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Clashes

• Renewed clashes broke out between Afghanistan and Pakistan along the Durand Line, causing heavy casualties and the closure of major crossings.

Causes of the Afghanistan–Pakistan Conflict

• Boundary Dispute: The Durand Line, established by the British, has never been accepted by Afghanistan, while Pakistan’s strict enforcement continues to trigger recurring border clashes.
• Militant Safe Havens: Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants responsible for attacks in Pakistan, while Kabul blames Islamabad for using militant networks.
• Strategic Autonomy: The Taliban aims for an independent foreign policy, building ties with China, Russia, and India, which challenges Pakistan’s long-standing goal of “strategic depth” in Afghanistan.
• Refugee Deportations: Pakistan has expelled over one million Afghan refugees since 2023, worsening humanitarian stress and deepening bilateral distrust.
• Border Closures: Pakistan frequently closes crossings such as Torkham and Chaman during clashes, disrupting Afghanistan’s trade and worsening its economic crisis.

Challenges for India

• Regional Instability: Ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan could destabilise the region and indirectly impact India’s security interests, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Narco-Terrorism: The conflict fuels Afghanistan’s illegal opium trade, which funds extremist groups, thereby strengthening the drug–terror nexus in South Asia.
• Diplomatic Dilemma: Pakistan’s persistent allegations of “Indian-sponsored terrorism” weaken India’s counter-terrorism narrative and limit diplomatic engagement opportunities with the Taliban.
• Connectivity Barriers: The conflict disrupts India’s transit routes through Afghanistan and restricts overland access to Central Asia.

Potential for India

• Strategic Opportunity: The conflict reduces Pakistan’s influence in Afghanistan and weakens its regional presence, enabling India to strengthen strategic partnerships with Iran and Central Asian countries.
• Alternate Connectivity: India can strengthen regional trade through the Chabahar Port and Zaranj–Delaram Highway to access Central Asian markets and energy resources.
• Security Cooperation: India’s pragmatic engagement with the Taliban on humanitarian aid and counterterrorism creates scope for focused coordination on intelligence sharing and border security.

World Economic Outlook by the IMF

• The October 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO) released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts a slowing yet resilient global economy.
• The WEO is a biannual report that analyses and projects global economic trends and policy challenges.

Key Highlights

• Global Growth: Revised upward to 3.2% for 2025, reflecting economic resilience despite trade shocks and rising protectionism.
• India’s Outlook: Growth forecast increased to 6.6% for 2025 but lowered to 6.2% for 2026, due to strong first quarter performance but waning momentum.
• US Tariff Impact: The initial effect of U.S.-led tariff measures on India was less severe than expected, with the growth rate reaching 7.8% in April–June 2025.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• The IMF is an international financial organisation established to promote global monetary cooperation and secure economic stability.
• It is a specialised agency of the United Nations headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA.
• Establishment: Conceived at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, it was formally established in December 1945 with 29 founding members; India is a founding member of the IMF.
• Membership: Currently includes 190 member countries; Liechtenstein joined most recently in 2024.
• Structure: Includes the Board of Governors (the highest decision-making body), the Executive Board, and ministerial committees.

PM GatiShakti Public Platform

• On the 4^th anniversary of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP), the government launched ‘PM GatiShakti Public’.

Key Features of the Platform

• It is a digital platform designed to help private players, consultants, and researchers make data-driven infrastructure planning.
• Developed by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) and the National Geospatial Data Registry (NGDR).

PM GatiShakti – Offshore

• The Govt. also launched PM GatiShakti – Offshore, a dedicated digital platform for integrated planning of offshore infrastructure, such as wind farms, marine exploration, and coastal development.
• It combines key datasets from multiple ministries on a unified geospatial interface to strengthen India’s Blue Economy, promote green energy, and support sustainable coastal growth.

Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation 2021-25

• The Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021-25 places India’s elephant population at 22,446, marking an 18% decline from the 2017 estimate of 27,312.

• Officials clarified that the figures are not directly comparable due to a new methodology and will serve as a fresh baseline for future assessments.

Key Highlights

• Regional Distribution: The Western Ghats (11,934) have the highest population, followed by the Northeast (6,559), Shivalik-Gangetic plains (2,062), and Central-Eastern Ghats (1,891).
• Top States: Karnataka (6,013), Assam (4,159), Tamil Nadu (3,136), Kerala (2,785), Uttarakhand (1,792), and Odisha (912) continue to host the largest elephant populations.
• Threats identified: Expansion of coffee and tea plantations and linear infrastructure projects such as railways, roads, and power lines cutting through corridors.
• In Central India, mining and human-elephant conflict remain major conservation challenges.

First IUCN Green Status of Species assessment for the Tiger Released

• The IUCN’s Green Status Assessment classified the tiger (Panthera tigris) as ‘Critically Depleted’, highlighting persistent global range loss despite local recovery gains.
• It showed a moderate recovery capacity, and the population could rise to over 25,000 individuals within the next century.

IUCN Green Status of Species

• The IUCN Green Status of Species is a conservation assessment tool that measures how close a species is to full recovery and monitors conservation outcomes over time.
• Optimistic Tool: Launched in 2021, it complements the IUCN Red List by highlighting species recovery instead of only extinction risk.
• Green Score: Each species receives a Green Score (0–100%) showing its progress toward complete population recovery.

Key Aspects of Species Recovery

1. Range Occupancy: How much of its original, historical distribution range the species occupies.
2. Population Viability: Whether the species’ populations are self-sustaining and safe from extinction.
3. Ecological Functionality: Whether the species is performing its natural ecological functions (e.g., predation, seed dispersal, etc.)

Green Status Categories

The Green Status divides species into eight recovery levels from ‘Extinct in the Wild’ to ‘Non-Depleted.’

1. Extinct in the Wild: No living populations remain in natural habitats, surviving only in captivity.
2. Critically Depleted: Species persists in small areas and depends entirely on conservation efforts.
3. Largely Depleted: Most historical populations are absent, and recovery remains limited or localized.
4. Moderately Depleted: Partial recovery achieved, but extensive restoration is still required.
5. Slightly Depleted: Nearly recovered, with a few populations or habitats yet to be restored.
6. Fully Recovered: Populations restored to historic levels and functioning naturally in all native ecosystems.
7. Non-Depleted: Species is widespread, has never faced a major decline, and is not at risk of extinction.
8. Indeterminate: Recovery status uncertain due to insufficient or unreliable data.

Conservation Impact Metrics

• The Green Status uses four key metrics to measure the effectiveness of conservation actions.

1. Conservation Legacy: Benefits from past conservation efforts that led to the present recovery levels.
2. Conservation Dependence: How a species’ condition would deteriorate if existing conservation efforts were withdrawn.
3. Conservation Gain: The extent of recovery expected within the next decade under current interventions.
4. Recovery Potential: Likelihood of achieving full restoration over the next 100 years under optimal conservation conditions.

Criteria for Full Recovery

• A species is considered fully recovered if it meets three main criteria across its historical range.

1. Historical Presence: The species must return to all areas it occupied before human disruption.
2. Population Health: Populations must be viable, reproducing, and resilient across their natural range.
3. Ecological Role: The species must resume its ecological functions in all native ecosystems.

Five Maharashtra Beaches Get Blue Flag Certification

• Context (NOA): Five beaches in Maharashtra have recently been awarded the international Blue Flag certification.

• Certified Beaches: Shrivardhan and Nagaon (Raigad), Parnaka (Palghar), and Guhagar and Ladghar (Ratnagiri) have received the certification.

Blue Flag Certification

• Administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Denmark, the Blue Flag Programme, launched in France in 1985 and expanded globally in 2001.
• Awarded to beaches meeting 33 criteria on cleanliness, water quality, safety & environmental education.
• The selection is made by an international jury representing UNEP, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), FEE, and IUCN.
• India launched its own eco-label, Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS), in 2018 under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project.
• Other Blue Flag-Certified Beaches in India: Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Golden Beach (Odisha), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad and Chal (Kerala), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Kovalam (Tamil Nadu), Eden Beach (Puducherry), Minicoy Thundi and Kadmat (Lakshadweep).

Global Land Outlook on Ecological Connectivity

• The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) released the 2025 Global Land Outlook Thematic Report on Ecological Connectivity & Land Restoration at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.

Global Land Outlook (GLO) Report

• The Global Land Outlook is the flagship publication of the UNCCD that assesses global land resources and sustainable management practices. It has been published twice so far, in 2017 and 2022.
• Core Objective: It examines land degradation, desertification, and drought, as well as their combined effects on food, water, and climate stability.
• Thematic Reports: These offer in-depth, evidence-based analysis on specific land-related issues. They are developed in collaboration with global partner institutions.
• The Ecological Connectivity and Land Restoration report was co-published with the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

Key Findings of the Report

• Habitat Fragmentation: Nearly one-third of global land has been transformed by humans, breaking natural habitat links and weakening ecosystems.
• River Barriers: More than 60% of rivers are dammed or diverted, halting fish migrations and disturbing natural water cycles.
• Infrastructure Expansion: Global road networks may rise by 60% by 2050, which will worsen habitat loss and ecological isolation.
• Degradation Extent: Around 40% of Earth’s land is degraded, placing half the global population under environmental strain.
• Migration Threats: Expanding agriculture and cities block species migration routes, e.g., wildebeest in the Serengeti-Mara (Tanzania), fisheries in the Mekong River.
• Ecosystem Decline: Reduced connectivity harms soil health, crop yields, and water access, while raising disaster exposure.

Successful Models Highlighted in the Report

• European Green Belt (Europe): It connects 24 countries from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean, showing coordinated conservation across borders.
• Wildlife Corridors (Costa Rica): A national system of wildlife corridors was built to aid jaguar movement and promote ecotourism.
• Agroforestry Practices (Bolivia): Indigenous communities are restoring connectivity using traditional sustainable agroforestry practices.
• Great Green Wall (Africa): The project aims to restore 250 million acres of degraded land, capture 250 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, and create 10 million jobs by 2030.
• Rewilding Projects (Portugal): The project in the Greater Côa Valley focuses on large-scale ecological restoration through reintroducing locally extinct wild species.

Astra Mark 2

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing the Astra Mark 2 with an extended range of over 200 kilometres.

Key Features of Astra Mark 2

• Astra Mark 2 is an indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile designed for long-range aerial combat.
• Range: With a range of over 200 km, it extends engagement capability beyond Astra Mark 1’s 110 km. The latest configuration has now surpassed earlier projections of 130-160 km.
• Propulsion: While Astra Mark-1 is a single pulse, Astra Mark 2 is equipped with a dual-pulse solid rocket motor.
• Speed: Capable of speeds exceeding Mach 4, allowing rapid engagement of fast-moving aerial threats.
• Integration: To be deployed on Su-30MKI and LCA Tejas Mk1A aircraft, strengthening the IAF’s indigenous weapons ecosystem.
• Strategic Significance: The Mark 2 version offers India a critical edge in air combat by enabling a first-shot advantage at longer ranges. It also counters advanced imported missiles like the Chinese PL-15.

Crew Escape System in Gaganyaan Mission

• ISRO has highlighted the working of the Crew Escape System (CES), a critical safety mechanism of the Gaganyaan Mission.

• Gaganyaan Mission aims to send Indian astronauts (~400 km LEO orbit) and bring them back safely.

Crew Escape System (CES)

• Purpose: Rapidly separates the Crew Module from a malfunctioning HLVM3 rocket during launch.
• Placement: Mounted at the rocket’s forward end with multiple high-burn-rate solid motors.
• Working: In case of rocket malfunction, the CES uses high-burn solid motors to pull the crew module away from the launch vehicle, followed by parachute descent and sea splashdown.
• Test Vehicle:  Vikas-engine powered, developed for CES validation.
• CES Types:
• Puller Type: CES pulls the crew module away using solid motors (E.g. Gaganyaan).
• Pusher Type: CES pushes the module away using compact liquid engines. (E.g. SpaceX Falcon 9).

National Students’ Day

India observes October 15^th as National Students’ Day to honour the birth anniversary of former President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. The day recognizes his contributions to education and his dedication to empowering students.

Military Exercises – Samudra Shakti

The Indian Navy hosted the fifth edition of the annual bilateral naval exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ with the Indonesian Navy in Visakhapatnam. Other India-Indonesia Joint Exercises: Garuda Shakti (Army special forces), IND-INDO CORPAT (maritime patrol).