India’s total installed electricity capacity crosses 500 GW

India has also achieved one of its major COP26 (Panchamirit goals)  to have 50 % of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 five years ahead of the schedule.

• India’s Present Energy Mix: 
• Non-fossil fuels-51% (256 GW), 
• Fossil fuels 49% (244 GW).
• Share of Renewables:Solar: 127 GW, Wind: 53 GW, Hydro: 47 GW.

India''s Key Renewable Energy Initiatives

• PLI Scheme: to boost domestic manufacturing of high-efficiency Solar PV modules.
• PM-KUSUM: to install grid-connected solar power plants and solarise agricultural pumps.
• Green Hydrogen Mission: Aimed at making India a global hub for the production, utilisation, and export of Green Hydrogen.
• Green Energy Corridor: to strengthen the transmission network for evacuation of large-scale renewable power.
• RPO Obligation: Mandates Discoms to procure a specified minimum percentage of power from renewable sources.

Key Issues in Renewable Energy Expansion

• Grid & Storage Constraints: RE sources are variable and unpredictable as they are dependent on fluctuating weather conditions.
• Transmission Bottlenecks: Solar plants can be built within a year, but transmission lines take up to two-and-a-half years.
• Financing Risks: Unsigned Power Purchase Agreements and financially weak discoms hinders project uptake.
• High Import Dependence: Reliance on foreign solar modules and critical minerals.
• Land & Policy Delays: Land acquisition hurdles and inconsistent state regulations slow project execution.

Way Forward

• Storage Investment: Mandate large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
• Stronger Infrastructure: Fast-track the Green Energy Corridor and streamline land approvals.
• Domestic Manufacturing: Expand local production of solar modules, batteries, and green hydrogen technologies.
• Policy Stability: Ensure predictable regulations and promote decentralised renewable energy, especially rooftop solar.

UNEP’S Adaptation Gap Report 2025

Key Findings

• Finance Gap: Developing nations face an adaptation shortfall of $310–365 billion/year by the mid-2030s.
• Current Funding: Global adaptation finance is only $26 billion, far below needs.
• Implementation Lag: Most nations have plans, but execution and quality remain weak.
• Urgent Action: Calls for a major scale-up in finance, innovative tools, and stronger resilience planning.
• India’s Scenario: India has advanced its National Adaptation Fund and State Action Plans, but remains highly vulnerable to heat stress, erratic monsoons, and coastal flooding.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

• Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is observed annually on October 31 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

• The Ekta Diwas 2025 celebrations will feature a grand parade in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, alongside the nationwide ‘Run for Unity’ and the ‘Unity March’ to promote national cohesion.
• The year 2025 marks Sardar Patel’s 150^th birth anniversary and the 10^th anniversary of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) initiative.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

• Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950), born in Nadiad, Gujarat, was a prominent nationalist leader and the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India.
• Agrarian Struggles: He led the Kheda Satyagraha (1918), demanding tax relief for drought-affected farmers, and the Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) against unfair taxation, earning the title “Sardar.”
• National Integration: He became known as the “Iron Man of India” for unifying 565 princely states into the newly independent Indian Union.
• Civil Services: He established the modern All India Services as the “Steel Frame” to protect India’s unity and integrity. This earned him the popular title, “Patron Saint of Indian Civil Servants.”

Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB)

• The initiative was launched on 31 October 2015 by the Government of India to promote ‘unity in diversity’ among States and Union Territories.
• Objective: Strengthen emotional bonds, promote integration, celebrate cultural diversity, and encourage interstate partnerships.
• Key Initiatives: EBSB promotes unity through the Bhasha Sangam App (multilingual learning), Yuva Sangam (student exchanges), Kashi Tamil Sangamam (cultural bonding), and digital campaigns on the EBSB Portal showcasing inter-state activities.

Workforce Challenges in India’s Primary Healthcare System

Recurrent strikes by National Health Mission (NHM) staff and state-level protests by ASHA and Anganwadi workers have revealed deep-rooted structural weaknesses in the primary healthcare system of India.

Key Cadres Supporting Primary Healthcare

Key Challenges

• Expanding Responsibilities: Added duties like population enumeration, Non-Communicable Disease and palliative care, without matching pay or support.
• Poor Remuneration & Protection: Low, irregular payments; no social security; limited safety during fieldwork (still recognised as volunteers).
• Unionisation and Strikes: Growing union presence reflects discontent, Kerala and Haryana ASHAs, and Anganwadi unions nationwide, are demanding regularisation and fair pay.
• Vacant Regular Posts: ~10–15% Auxiliary Nurse Midwife posts and 20–25% doctor posts remain vacant.
• Contractualisation trend: Rising contractual hiring reflects cost-cutting and ease of administration but lacks clear career growth or cadre structure.

A balanced workforce model, coupled with transparent recruitment, fair incentives, and continuous capacity building, is essential to strengthen India’s health system.

Export of GI-Tagged Indi and Puliyankudi Limes

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) exported the Geographical Indication (GI) tagged Indi and Puliyankudi limes to the UK for the first time.

Indi Lime

• Indi limes are primarily grown in the Vijayapura district of Karnataka. They thrive in semi-arid climates and black cotton soils.
• They are known for their superior quality, zesty aroma, high juice yield, and balanced acidity.
• These limes are used in cooking and are also valued in traditional medicine and cultural practices.
• It officially received the GI tag in 2023, safeguarding its regional identity and export potential.

Puliyankudi Lime

• Puliyankudi limes are grown in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district, known as the “Lemon City of Tamil Nadu.”
• These limes, particularly the Kadayam variety, are characterised by their thin peel, strong acidity, high ascorbic acid content, and juice percentage of around 55%.
• Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, they support immunity and digestion while ensuring superior quality.
• It received the GI tag in 2025 for its unique regional and nutritional characteristics.

Rehabilitation Council of India

• The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) has announced reforms to enhance transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity within the rehabilitation ecosystem nationwide.
• Key reforms: Includes free and extended registration for professionals, the establishment of Centres of Excellence, and comprehensive examination reforms such as faster supplementary exams.
• Significance: These reforms reaffirm RCI’s commitment to empowering students and professionals, aligning with the vision of Jan Vishwas (trust-based governance) and the Ease of Doing Business.

RCI

• The RCI is a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, established as a society in 1986 and granted statutory status in 1993.
• Objective: To regulate and standardise the training policies and programs for professionals working with persons with disabilities.
• Mandate: To maintain the Central Rehabilitation Register and oversee the service delivery of personnel working in the fields of Rehabilitation and Special Education.

SC Directs NHRC to Monitor Mental Health Authorities

• The SC has directed the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to monitor the functioning of Central and State Mental Health Authorities, ensuring effective implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
• The decision follows a 2018 petition highlighting the inhumane treatment of mentally ill prisoners at a faith-based asylum in Badayun, Uttar Pradesh.

Mental Healthcare Act, 2017

• It replaced the Mental Health Act, 1987, and aligns Indian law with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• Its core aim is to provide mental healthcare and protect the rights of persons with mental illness.
• Definition: Mental illness covers substantial disorders of thinking, mood, perception, orientation or memory that grossly impair judgement, behaviour or ability to meet ordinary life demands (includes conditions linked to alcohol/drug use).
• It Provides for:
• Establishment of Central and State Mental Health Authorities.
• Creation of Mental Health Review Boards.
• Right to access affordable and quality mental healthcare, and;
• Decriminalisation of suicide attempts by individuals with mental illness.

Doctrine of Merger

The Supreme Court(SC) has recently clarified the ‘Doctrine of Merger’ not of rigid & universal application.

Doctrine of Merger

• Rationale: there cannot be more than one operative decree at a given point of time. 
• Application: It applies irrespective of whether the appellate court has affirmed, modified or reversed the decree of the trial court. 
• It means that after a higher court gives its verdict, the lower court’s decision becomes part of that ruling and is no longer treated as a standalone judgment.
• Purpose and Benefits: maintenance of the decorum of the hierarchy of courts and tribunals, ensures finality in judicial decisions
• In State of Madras v. Madurai Mills Co. Ltd., SC held that the doctrine of merger applies depending on the nature of the appellate or revisional order and the scope of the statutory provisions granting such jurisdiction.

China files complaint in WTO over subsidies under PLI scheme

China alleged that 3 Indian PLI schemes related to EV and battery provide financial benefits to companies operating in India contingent on Domestic Value Addition (DVA).

• The 3 specific PLI schemes challenged are:
• scheme to incentivise establishment of Giga-scale manufacturing capabilities of ACC batteries;
• scheme for auto industry, which seeks to buttress the manufacturing of Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) products;
• scheme to promote EV manufacturing by attracting global EV manufacturers.
• DVA requirements under these PLI schemes incentivise companies to use domestic goods rather than imported goods are a violation of Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (“SCM Agreement”) of WTO under prohibited category.

SCM Agreement of WTO

• Article 1 defines a subsidy as a financial contribution by a government or a public body that confers a benefit.
• The SCM Agreement creates 2 categories of subsidies: Prohibited and Actionable.
• Prohibited: 2 categories of subsidies are prohibited by Article 3.
• First: It consists of subsidies contingent, in law or in fact, whether wholly or as one of several conditions, on export performance (“export subsidies”).
• Second: It consists of subsidies contingent, whether solely or as one of several other conditions, upon the use of domestic over imported goods (“local content subsidies”).
• Actionable: They are subject to challenge, either through multilateral dispute settlement or through countervailing action.

Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure (ICCVAI) Scheme

The ICCVAI Scheme, a demand driven scheme run by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) as part of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), addresses significant post-harvest losses in perishable commodities in India.

Key Objectives

• Build seamless cold chain from farm to consumer
• Reduce post-harvest losses through scientific preservation and efficient storage systems
• Value addition by increasing shelf life by promoting processing\
• Ensure steady food availability of safe, high-quality food products for consumers.

Key Components

• Farm-Level Infrastructure(Pre-cooling units), Processing Centres, Distribution Hubs (Centralized storage, consolidation, and dispatch centres for efficient movement of produce) & Refrigerated Transportation 

Who are eligible for establishment of food processing units?

• Individuals (including farmers).
• Organizations:Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), NGOs, PSUs, Firms, Companies, Corporations, Cooperatives, and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Key Government Initiatives Complementing the ICCVAI Scheme

• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): Provides financial assistance for cold storages up to 5,000 MT capacity.
• National Horticulture Board (NHB): Supports construction/modernization of cold storage facilities ranging from 5,000 MT to 20,000 MT.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): Facilitates term loans up to ₹2 crore with a 3% per annum interest subvention.
• Operation Greens Scheme: Covers fruits, vegetables, and shrimp for price stabilization and post-harvest loss minimization.

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC)

The Cabinet Secretary chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) in regard to cyclones in Bay of Bengal.

NCMC

• Has been given statutory status under The Disaster Management Act (Amendment) Act, 2025.
• Status: Nodal statutory body to deal with the major disasters which have serious or national ramifications.
• Members: Cabinet Secretary as Chairperson and such other members as may be notified by the Central Government.
• Powers and Functions
• Can evaluate preparedness for any disaster or emergency situation.
• Coordinates and monitors national disaster response efforts.

New Strategic EU–India Agenda

• The EU has a proposal to link India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• This linkage aims to shield Indian exporters from double taxation and foster equitable North–South collaboration in climate policy.

Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)

• Launched by the Ministry of Power under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022.
• To establish a domestic carbon market to incentivise and regulate the reduction of GHG emissions.
• The CCTS assigns a carbon credit to each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) reduced, effectively putting a price on emissions and encouraging businesses to adopt cleaner technologies.
• Under this initiative, carbon credit certificates are issued by the BEE to entities that exceed their emission reduction targets.

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

• CBAM is a proposed EU carbon border tax on imports from countries with carbon-intensive production methods.
• CBAM, which will start in 2026, is a part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package”.
• Initially, it will be imposed on the most carbon-intensive imports, i.e., iron and steel, cement, fertilisers, aluminium, hydrogen, and electricity.

Significance of the India–EU Carbon Market Linkage

• Export Competitiveness: Prevents Indian exporters from facing double penalties, vital for sectors like steel and aluminium, which are worth $8.5 billion in exports to the EU.
• Climate Leadership: Helps in achieving Paris Agreement goals and targeting net-zero by 2070.
• Green Industrial Transition: Encourages adoption of cleaner tech in energy-intensive sectors.

Urban Planning in India Must Evolve Beyond Land Use

• The current urban planning framework remains confined to land-use regulation and lacks an integrated approach that connects economic planning, climate resilience, and resource sustainability.

Limitations of Current Urban Planning

• India’s planning framework dates back to colonial-era sanitation reforms introduced during the 19th-century plague outbreaks. The system continues to focus narrowly on zoning and land allocation.
• Projections are typically based on past population trends rather than forward-looking economic and employment data.
• Cities are treated as physical spaces to manage rather than economic hubs to empower. The result is a static planning system disconnected from India’s growth ambitions and climate imperatives.

Need for a New Planning Paradigm

• Economic Vision: Planning should begin with identifying the economic drivers, industry clusters, services, logistics, or innovation zones, for the next 20-50 years.
• This vision should determine expected job creation, population growth, and corresponding infrastructure needs.
• Natural Resource Budgeting: Each city must undertake a natural resource audit, mapping water, land, and energy availability against projected demand.
• Urban development must respect a city’s carrying capacity, ensuring sustainable consumption.
• Environmental Integration: Each city needs a climate action plan outlining emission-reduction pathways and resilience measures against extreme events.
• Urban Master Plans must integrate an air pollution management plan, addressing transport-related emissions and industrial impacts.
• Urban Mobility: A Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) should promote public transport, cycling, and walking to curb congestion and air pollution.
• Transit-oriented development (TOD) and mixed-use zoning can reduce travel distances and emissions.
• Balanced Urbanisation: Promoting Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities will help decongest metros, create jobs locally, and distribute economic opportunities more equitably.
• Smaller cities must be integrated into regional growth corridors, as they can host manufacturing and logistics hubs at lower costs.

Revised Nutrient-Based Subsidy

• The Union Cabinet approved revised nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) rates on phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilizers for the 2025-26 Rabi season.
• Increased Allocation: A total subsidy of ₹37,952 crore was approved for the 2025-26 Rabi season, marking a 55% increase from ₹24,000 crore in 2024-25.
• Rate Adjustment: Subsidy rates for phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) were increased, while nitrogen (N) and potash (K) rates remained unchanged.

 Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme

• The Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) is a central sector scheme administered by the Department of Fertilizers under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
• Objective: Ensures affordable access to non-urea fertilizers while promoting balanced nutrient use and sustainable soil health.
• Subsidy Basis: Provides a fixed subsidy per kilogram of nutrient content for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potash (K), and sulphur (S); urea remains outside the NBS regime.
• Pricing System: The pricing of phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers is decontrolled, allowing Manufacturers and importers to set Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs).
• Additional Support: Offers extra subsidies for fertilizers fortified with secondary or micronutrients such as zinc and boron.
• DBT Framework: Subsidies are paid to fertilizer companies via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, based on retail sales data from PoS devices.
• Rate Review: An inter-ministerial committee reviews the NBS rates annually or biannually.

Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)

Researchers identified 5 carbon-rich compounds surrounding a nascent star called ST6 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).

• The discovery could illuminate how life’s building blocks formed in the universe’s infancy.

Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)

• It is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, floats in space nearly 200,000 light-years from Earth.
• This dwarf galaxy looms large on the southern nighttime sky at 20 times the apparent diameter of the full Moon.
• Vast clouds of gas within it slowly collapse to form new stars. 

India Surpasses 500 GW Power Capacity

• India’s power sector reached two major milestones as total installed capacity exceeded 500 GW and renewables provided over 50% of the national demand.
• Total Capacity: The total installed electricity capacity reached 500.89 GW in September 2025.
• • Energy Composition: Non-fossil fuel sources contributed 256.09 GW (51%), while fossil fuel sources stood at 244.80 GW (49%).
• Renewable Distribution: Solar energy accounted for the largest share at 127.33 GW, followed by wind energy at 53.12 GW.
• Capacity Expansion: Between April and September 2025, India added 28 GW of non-fossil capacity and 5.1 GW of fossil-based capacity.
• COP26 Milestone: India achieved its COP26 Panchamrit target of 50% installed non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, five years ahead of schedule.

Government Schemes Driving Power Sector Growth

• PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY): Expands decentralised solar capacity through rooftop panels on one crore households.
• PLI Scheme for Solar PV Modules: Targets 39,600 MW of integrated domestic solar PV manufacturing capacity under Tranche-II.
• PM-KUSUM Scheme: Promotes rural solar power by developing 10,000 MW of grid-connected plants on farmers’ land.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM): Targets to create 5 MMT annual green hydrogen capacity by 2030, supported by ~125 GW renewable energy capacity.
• Green Energy Corridors (GEC): Upgrades transmission networks to absorb surplus renewable power from Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Ladakh, creating over 200 GW capacity.
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): Offers up to 40% early-stage capital funding for large-scale battery storage projects.

Challenges of India’s Power Sector

• Financial Distress: State-owned DISCOMs face recurring losses due to tariff-cost mismatches, inefficiencies, and delays in subsidy disbursal.
• AT&C Losses: Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses due to theft, poor metering, and billing inefficiencies remain around 17% (more than twice the global average).
• Coal Dependency: Heavy reliance on coal (~75%) for power generation exposes the sector to price volatility, supply disruptions, and logistical constraints.
• Procedural Delays: Slow approvals, land acquisition disputes, and inconsistent land records hinder timely project execution and deter private investment.
• Insufficient Storage: Inadequate energy storage capacity limits renewable integration and prevents a consistent, round-the-clock electricity supply.

Microbial Link to Arsenic Contamination in Rice

• A recent study found that the types of microbes in rice paddies primarily determine arsenic contamination in rice and the resulting crop losses.
• The study highlights the importance of monitoring various chemical forms of arsenic in rice to enhance food safety standards worldwide.

Key Findings of the Study

• Microbial Ratio: The balance between arsenic‑methylating bacteria (which increase risk) and demethylating archaea (which detoxify) determines arsenic’s toxicity more than the total arsenic content in soil.
• Arsenic Conversion: Methylating bacteria convert inorganic arsenic into highly toxic organic forms, such as dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and dimethylated monothioarsenate (DMMTA).
• Health and Crop Risk: The toxic organic forms of arsenic pose significant health risks to humans and cause a physiological disorder called straighthead disease in rice.
• Straighthead disease risk rises when the methylating-to-demethylating microbe ratio exceeds 1.5.

• Soil Age Factor: Younger paddy soils, less than 700 years old, contain more methylating microbes, while older soils have more detoxifying demethylating archaea.
• India’s Vulnerability: Newly developed paddy fields in eastern and southern states face a higher risk of straighthead disease than older, microbially balanced fields.

Loktak Hydroelectric Project

• The modernisation and repair work for the Loktak Hydroelectric Project (LHP) in Manipur has been postponed due to significant logistical challenges.

Loktak Hydroelectric Project (LHP)

• The LHP is a multipurpose project located in Manipur with an installed capacity of 105 MW.
• Commissioned in 1983, it is operated by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
• The project is located on Loktak Lake, which receives inflows mainly from the Khuga and Imphal rivers.
• The Ithai Barrage is a key component of the project, serving as an artificial reservoir to maintain consistent water levels for reliable power generation.

Early Triassic Species of Coelacanth

• Palaeontologists in China discovered a new fossil species, Whiteia anniae, which belongs to the ancient coelacanth genus Whiteia.
• Importance: Found in Early Triassic marine layers (~249 million years old), it marks the first Whiteia fossil discovered in Asia.

Coelacanth

• The coelacanth is an ancient deep-sea fish lineage once thought extinct since the Cretaceous period (~66 million years ago). A living specimen was rediscovered off the coast of South Africa in 1938.
• Lobe-Finned: They have fleshy, paired fins that move in alternating, limb-like motion (similar to four-limbed vertebrates).
• Intracranial Joint: Their skull contains a unique hinge that allows them to expand their mouths to engulf large prey.
• Rostral Organ: An electrosensory snout organ aids nocturnal hunting by detecting faint electrical fields.
• Habitat Range: They inhabit deep, volcanic underwater caves between 90 and 700 meters, often near the Comoros and Indonesian coasts.
• Hunting Behaviour: Coelacanths are nocturnal ambush predators feeding on fish and cephalopods; they conserve energy by drifting passively.
• Living Species: There are two distinct living species

• West Indian Ocean Coelacanth: Found along the Comoros Islands and East African coasts. IUCN: Critically Endangered; CITES: Appendix I.
• Sulawesi Coelacanth: Native to the waters around Sulawesi and Papua in Indonesia. IUCN: Vulnerable; CITES: Appendix I.

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS

• Astronomers have detected 3I/Atlas, a celestial object currently moving toward the Sun, with scientists estimating a ~40% chance that it is an interstellar Comet.

 3I/Atlas Interstellar Comet

• Designation: In 3I/Atlas, the “3I” denotes it as the third confirmed interstellar object after 1I/ʻOumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
• Discovered by: Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), a NASA-funded survey.
• Current Trajectory: Moving toward perihelion (closest approach to the Sun), projected in 2026.
• Speed: Estimated to be tens of km/s, too high for an ordinary bound comet.

World Inequality Report 2025

Climate Inequality Report 2025 is was recently released by World Inequality Lab.

Key Findings

• Disproportionate Emissions from Wealth Ownership: Top 1% contributes 15% of global consumption-based emissions but 41% of emissions arising from private capital ownership.
• Extreme Emission Inequality: Per capita emissions of the top 1% are 75 times higher than those of the bottom 50% by consumption.
• Concentration of Industrial Emissions: Around 100 companies are responsible for 71% of industrial GHG emissions.

Negative Effects of Antibiotic Combination Therapy

• A recent study highlighted how combining antibiotics, rather than enhancing treatment, can sometimes reduce effectiveness and accelerate antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Key Findings of the Study

• While combining antibiotics may seem like a way to fight resistant bacteria, such combinations can sometimes result in “antagonism,” where drugs interfere with each other’s effects.
• Different Mechanisms:
• Bacteriostatic antibiotics (like tetracycline) stop bacterial growth.
• Bactericidal antibiotics (like ciprofloxacin) kill actively dividing bacteria.
• When used together, the bacteriostatic drug halts bacterial division, preventing the bactericidal one from working effectively.
• Study Findings: Researchers found that tetracycline slowed bacterial metabolism in E. coli, reducing ciprofloxacin’s ability to destroy bacterial cells, leading to higher bacterial survival.
• Resistance Risk: Using unnecessary or poorly designed combinations can accelerate the emergence of “superbugs,” which are bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics.

NITI Aayog unveils a report on India''s Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap to Global Leadership

NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub released the roadmap “Reimagining Manufacturing: India’s Roadmap to Global Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing”, outlining how frontier technologies like AI, Robotics, and Digital Twins can make India a top-three global manufacturing hub by 2035

Reimagining Manufacturing:

• Published by: NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub, in collaboration with CII and Deloitte.
• Purpose: To chart India’s strategic pathway to advanced manufacturing leadership through technology integration, sectoral focus, and institutional reforms.
• Scope: Covers 13 high-impact sectors under five clusters and a 10-year roadmap (2026–2035) to integrate frontier technologies into production ecosystems.

Current Status of Manufacturing in India:

• Manufacturing currently contributes 15–17% to GDP, below East Asian peers like China (25%) and South Korea (27%).
• India aims to raise this to 25% by 2035, generating 100+ million skilled jobs and 6.5% global export share.
• Sectors such as automotive, electronics, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy remain central to this goal.

Potential of the Manufacturing Sector:

• Global Hub Vision: By leveraging frontier technologies like AI, robotics, and digital twins, India can position itself among the top three global manufacturing hubs by 2035.
• Economic Gains: Advanced manufacturing integration could add $270 billion to GDP by 2035 and $1 trillion by 2047, driving high-value industrial growth.
• Job Creation: Expansion of high-tech clusters can generate over 100 million skilled jobs, fostering inclusive and sustainable employment.
• Export Boost: India’s merchandise exports are projected to rise from 2% to 6.5% of global trade, boosting foreign exchange reserves and competitiveness.
• Innovation Drive: Embedding AI, advanced materials, and robotics will enhance production precision, resilience, and global sustainability credentials.

Key Challenges:

• Low R&D Investment: With R&D spending below 1% of GDP, India lags in innovation capacity, patents, and high-tech product development.
• Fragmented Supply Chains: MSMEs face weak integration with global value chains due to limited digital connectivity and logistics bottlenecks.
• Skilling Deficit: A large workforce remains untrained in automation and AI tools, leading to slow adoption of advanced manufacturing processes.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Absence of smart industrial parks, 5G networks, and reliable energy constrains global-scale production.
• Regulatory Lag: Lack of unified data governance and technology standards delays industry-wide digitisation and interoperability.

Initiatives Taken So Far:

1. National Manufacturing Mission (NMM): Coordinates frontier tech adoption, R&D funding, and policy convergence across priority sectors.
2. PLI Schemes: Provide performance-linked incentives to boost domestic manufacturing in sunrise sectors like electronics and semiconductors.
3. Industrial Corridors: Initiatives like Gati Shakti and PM MITRA enhance logistics, connectivity, and cluster-based competitiveness.
4. Make in India & Digital India: Encourage self-reliant production ecosystems and integrate digital tools into manufacturing processes.
5. Skill India & AICTE Initiatives: Drive industry-linked training programs and promote modular skilling aligned with Industry 4.0 needs.

Key Recommendations from the Report:

• Global Frontier Technology Institute (GFTI): Establish a Centre of Excellence for advanced R&D, testing, and certification to promote innovation.
• Plug & Play Frontier Industrial Parks: Develop 20 tech-enabled industrial zones with ready infrastructure, 5G, and simulation facilities.
• Technology Access Platforms: Build shared digital infrastructure to help MSMEs access AI, robotics, and automation tools affordably.
• Champion-Based Model: Large industries should mentor MSMEs through cluster-led innovation and technology demonstration programs.
• Servicification of Manufacturing: Shift focus from product output to integrated service solutions powered by AI and IoT for value creation.
• National Digital Backbone: Create a real-time industrial IoT network for seamless data exchange and predictive efficiency in production.
• Skilling Missions: Launch state-specific frontier tech missions like robotics in Tamil Nadu or green mobility in Maharashtra to localize expertise.

India stands on the cusp of a manufacturing revolution where technology, talent, and transformation converge. By embracing frontier technologies, India can leap from cost efficiency to global excellence. The roadmap envisions not just “Make in India”, but “Innovate in India” — redefining the nation’s industrial destiny by 2047.

Quantum information Scrambling

Google achieved a verifiable quantum advantage, proving its quantum processor “Willow” outperforms the fastest supercomputers.

• The team detected faint “echoes” of scrambled data, proving information retention through entanglement.
• Definition: It refers to the rapid spread of information across a quantum system, making it inaccessible to local measurements.
• Mechanism: It distributes quantum data among particles through entanglement, hiding information globally rather than erasing it.
  • Analogy: Like a drop of dye dispersing in water, information initially stored in one qubit gets distributed among many qubits.
• Significance: Demonstrates a verifiable quantum advantage and enhances understanding of quantum technologies

Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2025

Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has notified the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2025.

Amendment Rules 2025

• Introduces specific provisions for packages containing medical devices, aligning the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 with the Medical Devices Rules, 2017.
• It provides that while requirement to make mandatory declarations remains, the specific font size and dimensional standards prescribed under Medical Devices Rules shall apply instead of those under Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules.
• It aims to ensure regulatory harmony, reduce compliance ambiguity, and enhance consumer protection in the healthcare sector.