National - Mrigank

January
MILLETS
- MIIRA — was placed during the first Agriculture Deputies Meeting under the Agriculture
Working Group (AWG), G20 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh
- During the meeting, Shubha Takur, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, introduced the
MIIRA.
- MIIRA stands for Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness
- MIIRA will be aimed at coordinating millet research programmes at the international
level.
- It is in line with the UN declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the proposal for
which was moved by India and supported by 72 countries.
- (India assumed G20 presidency on dec 1 2022 )
- Sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), foxtail millet (kangni/ Italian millet), little millet
(kutki), kodo millet, finger millet (ragi/ mandua), proso millet (cheena/ common millet),
barnyard millet (sawa/ sanwa/ jhangora), and brown top millet (korale).
- These crops require much less water than rice and wheat, and are mainly grown in rainfed
areas.
- jowar is the most widely grown millet crop; its major producers are the US, China,
Australia, India, Argentina, Nigeria, and Sudan.
- 2018-19, Agriculture Ministry data show, bajra (3.67%), jowar (2.13%), and ragi (0.48%)
- accounted for about seven per cent of the gross cropped area in the country
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has described millets as ―Shree Anna
- Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae
- Modi nominated for a Grammy - co wrote a song about millets

Jammu and Kashmir

Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order 2019 - Revoked Article 370 and Article
35A
Article 370 acknowledges the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of
autonomy
Article 35A empowered J and K legislature to define permanent residents of the state and confer
special rights and privileges upon them
Post the modification of article 370 the term constituent assembly of Jammu and Kashmir changed
to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir was one among the 565 princely states of India on which the British
paramountcy lapsed at the stroke of midnight on 15th August 1947 under the Partition Plan
provided by the Indian Independence Act.
LG of Jammu and Kashmir - Manoj Sinha
LG of Ladakh - BD Mishra

1st LG of Ladakh - R.K Mathur

Formerly was the Chief Information Commissioner of India

Instrument of Accession of J&K

It is a legal document executed by Maharaja Hari Singh, the then ruler of the princely state of
Jammu & Kashmir, on October 26, 1947 which declared that the state of Jammu and Kashmir
accedes to India.

- On October 17, 1949, Article 370 was added to the Indian constitution(introduced by N
Gopalaswami Ayyangar), as a 'temporary provision', which exempted Jammu & Kashmir and
permitted it to draft its own Constitution and restricted the Indian Parliament's legislative
powers in the state along with Article 35 A allowing it to define its permanent residents and
their special rights and privileges.

- The IoA gave India’s Parliament the power to legislate in respect of J&K only on the matters
of defence, external affairs and communications and ancillary subjects that include elections
to the dominion legislature and offences against laws with respect to any of the said matters.

- Article 35A stems from Article 370 and was introduced through a Presidential Order in
1954, on the recommendation of the J&K Constituent Assembly.

- Clause 3 of the article 370 gives the President of India the power to amend its provisions
and scope. The government sought to dilute the autonomy under Article 370 without
bringing a Constitutional Amendment that would require a two-thirds majority in the
Parliament.
 - This power was invoked on 5th August 2019 by the President and the Constitution
(Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 has replaced the Presidential Order of
1954 and the special status provided to J&K under Article 370 has also been abolished.

- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, passed by Parliament divides the state of
Jammu and Kashmir into two new Union Territories (UTs): Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
This is the first time that a state has been converted into a UT. Of the six Lok Sabha seats
currently with the state of Jammu and Kashmir, five will remain with the union territory of
Jammu and Kashmir, while one will be allotted to Ladakh.Instead of 29, India will now have
28 states. Kashmir will no longer have a Governor, rather a Lieutenant Governor like in Delhi
or Puducherry

- The UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have an Assembly, like in Delhi and Puducherry.J&K
Assembly will have a five-year term, not six, as was the earlier case.Section 32 of the J&K
2019 Bill proposes that the Assembly can make laws on any subjects in the State and
Concurrent lists except on state subjects relating to “public order” and “police”.It can also
make laws on land, unlike the Delhi Assembly(Article 239AA, 69th Constitutional
Amendment).

- Article 360, which can be used to declare a Financial Emergency, will now also be applicable.
All laws passed by Parliament will be applicable in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Right
to Information Act and the Right to Education Act. The Indian Penal Code will replace the
Ranbir Penal Code of Jammu and Kashmir.

- Jammu & Kashmir will no longer have a separate constitution, flag or anthem. The citizens of
Jammu and Kashmir will not have dual citizenship.

This provision is currently under challenge in the Supreme Court on the ground that it added
article 35A in the Indian Constitution only through a Presidential Order.
Conversion of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory is in violation of Article 3, as the Bill was
not referred to the President by the State Assembly.

- In Santosh Kumar v. State of J&K & ors (2017), the SC said that due to historical reasons,
Jammu and Kashmir had a special status.
 - In SBI v Zaffar Ullah Nehru (2016), the SC held that Article 370 cannot be repealed without
the concurrence of the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sonam Wangchuk demand for schedule 6

- Sonam Wangchuk started a 5 day fast on January 26 on Khardung La(temps reach -400 C)
demanding extension of the sixth schedule of Article 244 of the constitution and
environmental protection .

- Ladakh and the Himalayas are known as the third pole of the world.The Himalayas, along
with all glaciers and river basins, are also called the “water tower of Asia”.Studies have
reported a 6.7% retreat in these glaciers btw 1990-2019.

- The Sixth Schedule of India’s Constitution(enacted 1949, Article 244 of Indian Constitution)
protects tribal populations and provides autonomy to communities to frame laws on land,
public health, agriculture, etc. by establishing Autonomous Development Councils.
Currently, ten ADC’s exist in the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram(3 councils each)
and Tripura(1 council).

- Only 50% population needs to be tribal for 6th schedule to apply

- Minister of Tribal Affairs: Arjun Munda

- Demands for 6th schedule in Ladakh are by Kargil Democratic Alliance and the Leh Apex
body

- Under the 6th schedule governor is empowered to determine the area as administrative
units of the ADC

- In September 2019, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes had recommended the
inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, noting that the new UT was predominantly
tribal (more than 97%).
 - Sonam Wangchuck is the founder of HIAL(Himalayan Institute of Alternatives) and the
recipient of Ramon Magsaysay award.

J&K Delimitation
● Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 increased the number of seats in the
Assembly.Erstwhile J&K state had 111 seats( now it has 90 + 24 seats) — 46 in Kashmir, 37
in Jammu, and 4 in Ladakh — plus 24 seats reserved for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Delimitation in erstwhile state:
● Parliamentary constituencies = Constitution
● Assembly seats - State Gov under J&K RoPA

● Post 2019, the delimitation of both by the Constitution.

● The Delimitation Commission was set up on 6th March 2020
● Headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, it has the Chief Election
Commissioner and J&K’s Chief Electoral Officer as members, and J&K’s five MPs as
associate members. ( HEAD + 7 members )

Changes:
● Legislative Assembly: The Commission has increased seven Assembly seats — six in Jammu
(now 43 seats) and one in Kashmir (now 47) + 24 seats reserved for PoK
● There are five Parliamentary Constituencies in the region( 5 seats to the lok sabha)
● The Delimitation Commission has seen the Jammu & Kashmir region as one single Union
Territory.
● 9 seats reserved for ST

● Delimitation for the rest of the country has been frozen until 2026
● Last delimitation exercise in J&K was carried out in 1995.
● In 2002, the then J&K government amended the J&K Representation of the People Act
(RoPA) to freeze till 2026
● Challenged in the J&K High Court and then the Supreme Court, both of which upheld the
freeze.

Ethnic Group were added to ST list (“Gadda Brahmin,” “Koli,” “Paddari Tribe,” and “Pahari)

● Proposal is sent to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs for examination and further
deliberations.
 ● Sends it to the Registrar General of India (RGI) - Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan
● Sent to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
● Sent back to the Union government
● Amendment bill drafted, needs to be passed by both houses
● President assents to a Bill that amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950,
through Article 341/342

● Article 366(25): It only provides a process to define ST

● Article 342(1): The President with respect to any State/UT (after consultation with the
Governor in case of state) may specify the tribes/tribal communities/part of or groups within
tribes/ tribal communities as a Scheduled Tribe in that State/UT.

● Fifth Schedule: It lays out provisions for the Administration and Control of Scheduled Areas
and STs in states other than 6th Schedule States.
● Sixth Schedule: Deals with the administration of the tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya,
Tripura and Mizoram

Lithium reserves in J&K

- The Geological Survey of India has for the first-time established Lithium ̳inferred‘ resources
(G3) of 5.9 million tonnes in Salal-Haimana area of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir.
- What are Inferred Resources?
- The inferred‖ mineral resource is a resource for which quantity, grade and mineral
content are estimated only with a low level of confidence It is based on the
classification from United Nations International Framework Classification for
Reserves/Resources – Solid Fuels and Mineral Commodities of 1997 (UNFC-1997).
- UNFC-1997 is a system for the classification and reporting of reserves and resources of
solid fuels and mineral commodities and provides a standardized, internationally recognized
system for the reporting of reserves and resources. It has been developed by the UN
Economic Commission for Europe.
- According to UNFC-1997, there are four stages of exploration for any mineral deposit:
Reconnaissance (G4), Preliminary exploration (G3), General Exploration (G2) and Detailed
Exploration (G1)
- Lithium (Li), sometimes also referred as ̳White gold‘ due to its high demand for
rechargeable batteries, is a soft and silvery-white metal.
- Chile > Australia > Argentina are top countries with Li reserves.
 - Lithium Triangle: Chile, Argentina, Bolivia. (54 % found here )
GSI - the Geological survey of india
- GSI is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines
- It was set up in 1851 primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways
- D. H. Williams was the first Geological Surveyor appointed by the East India Company
in 1846.
- HQ in Kolkata and has six regional offices located at Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur,
Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata
- Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) is an important platform of the Geological
Survey of India (GSI) to facilitate discussion for synergy and to avoid duplication of work.

- Atomic commission of india

- The Atomic Energy Commission of India is the governing body of the Department of Atomic
Energy
- The DAE is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister
- set up on 3 August 1948 under the late Department of Scientific Research.
- HQ - Mumbai
- Indian Atomic Commission set up on Aug 3 , 1948 under what was called the Dept of
Scientific Research .This was replaced by Atomic Commission of India(under DAE ) in 1954
With Homi Bhabha as secretary
- Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) detonated an underground nuclear device at Pokhran in
the deserts of Rajasthan on 18 May, 1974

Children and Armed Conflict Report

First time since 2010, the United Nations Secretary-General has removed India from the 2023
report on Children and Armed Conflict in view of measures taken by the Indian government to
protect children.
India was previously accused of recruiting and using boys in armed groups in Jammu and Kashmir
(J&K). In 2022, a higher number of violations against children were confirmed in J & K.
Establishment of infrastructure such as Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, and
Child Care Homes under the JJ Act, 2015 to address problems
J&K Commission for the Protection of Child Rights established

25 years ago, in December 1996, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) took decision to create a
mandate to protect children from hostilities and adopted resolution 51/77 which created the
CAAC mandate
51/77 resolution recommended that the Secretary-General appoint for a period of three years, a
Special Representative on the impact of armed conflict on children

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

- Celebrated on 9th Jan . bcoz on this day in 1915 Gandhi came from SA
- Prime Minister inaugurated the 17th three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in
Indore, Madhya Pradesh and a digital exhibition on the contribution of the diaspora in the
freedom struggle
- He also released a commemorative stamp, ‘Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen’ on the
occasion.
- This day came into effect in 2003, but in 2015 it was revised and was decided to be
celebrated every two years. It was then a theme-based conference that was set up every year
during the interim period.
- PBD Conventions are held once every two years.
- PBD 2023: The theme is "Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal”.
- Government also confers Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.
- It is the highest honour conferred on a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Person of Indian Origin
(PIO); or an organisation or institution established and run by NRI OR PIO, who have made
significant contributions to a better understanding of India abroad, support India's causes
and concerns in a tangible way.
- Chief Guest: President of Guyana - Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

GI TAGS

A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a
specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country).

India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications
of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 which came into force with effect from 15
September 2003.

GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement
The GI tag ensures that no one else can use the name . Darjeeling tea became the first GI tagged
product in India, in 2004–2005.
The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years with 10 year time gaps
for renewal
Tamil Nadu (58) and Karnataka (46) holds maximum number of GI tags followed by Kerala with 35
GI tag, Uttar Pradesh with 34 GI tag and Maharashtra with 31 GI tag

Products States/UTs Categories

Rasagola Odisha Food Stuff

Black Rice (Manipuri) Manipur Food Stuff

Kandhamal Haldi Odisha Agricultural

Malai Poondu from

Tamil Nadu Agricultural
Kodaikanal

Jammu &
Kashmir Saffron Agriculture
Kashmir

Hmaram Mizoram Handicraft

Pawndum Mizoram Handicraft

Ngotekherh Mizoram Handicraft

Tawlhlohpuan Mizoram Handicraft

Arunachal
Idu Mishmi Textiles Handicraft
Pradesh

Srivilliputtur Palkova Tamil Nadu Food Stuff

Mizo Puanchei Mizoram Handicraft

Gulbarga Toor Dal Karnataka Agricultural

Tirur Betel Leaf Kerala Agricultural

 Khola Chilli Goa Agricultural

Kandangi Saree Tamil Nadu Handicraft

Kaji Nemu Assam Agricultural

Manufactur
Dindigul Locks Tamil Nadu
ed

Palani Panchamirtham Tamil Nadu Food Stuff

BBC Documentary- India the modi question

Godhra Riots of 2001

3 part documentary
Major implication- State incompetence and compliance
People questioned the timing of its release in 2023.
A Special Investigation Tribunal was formed, which gave a clean chit to the PM.
Governmental order was given to take down the documentary along with directions to major social
media channels like yt etc to remove all links and information related to this by the Ministry of
information and broadcasting, invoking emergency provisions and powers of Information
technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code, Rules of 2021, in order to issue
these directions.

There was a tax raid against the BBC and cases against universities etc where it was publicly
displayed.

Governor vs state

Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s term saw the M.K. Stalin government re-adopting a Bill returned
by the Governor later repeated with the online gambling bill
V Senthil Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 for an alleged job scam in
2015, and has subsequently been a minister without portfolio in the MK Stalin-led government.
Governor unilaterally dismissed him as CM didn't get him to step down (July)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee threatened the interim Vice Chancellors of State
universities with “economic blockade” if they continued to follow the directives of Governor C.V.
Ananda Bose. The 31 State-run universities remained in a state of limbo, without permanent Vice
Chancellors for more than five months (September)

Punjab - the state's governor Banwarilal Purohit has accused Punjab Chief minister Bhagwant
Mann of making derogatory references to him in the last assembly session in June, and said that he
would file a criminal complaint for assaulting the governor's image (August)

Rajasthan - Vice Chancellors of 27 state universities who had attended the launch of Rajasthan
Governor Kalraj Mishra’s biography were given 19 copies of the book along with a bill receipt of Rs
68,383 for the same. Raj Bhavan has, however, denied any role in marketing of the book. (July)

Kerala Governor - Arif Mohammed Khan

Full-blown attack on the Left government by alleging that “they have initiated the process of
collapse of constitutional machinery”
Not permitting the vice chancellors appointed by him from performing their duties (Nov 2022)
CM - Pinarayi Vijayan
Article 176 of the Constitution talks about the duties of the governor, where the address is
mentioned and makes it a constitutional duty.
The points laid down are usually debated in the state assembly and a resolution is usually laid down
to accept it, which usually passes.If it does not pass it indicates the govt has lost faith/majority and
it is as good as a NCF and the govt is then expected to resign.

However the governor, in his address, chose to skip certain parts of the document and left the
premises.
The constitution is silent about the governor's right to skip, modify etc however the convention is
he cannot and just states it on the behalf of the state govt.

Before Independence:
Since 1858, when India was administered by the British Crown. Provincial Governors were agents
of the crown, functioning under the supervision of the Governor-General.

With the Government of India Act, 1935, the governor was now to act in accordance with the
advice of Ministers of a province’s legislature, but retained special responsibilities and
discretionary power.

Governor was envisaged to be the Constitutional Head of a State

Article 153 says that there shall be a Governor for each State. One person can be appointed as
Governor for two or more States.The Governor is appointed by the President and holds office
under the pleasure of the President (Article 155 and 156).

Article 161 states that the governor has the power to grant pardons, reprieves, etc.The Supreme
Court stated that the sovereign power of a Governor to pardon a prisoner is actually exercised in
consensus with the State government and not the Governor on his own.The advice of the
government binds the Head of the State.

Article 163 states that there is a council of ministers headed by the Chief Minister to aid and
advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except some conditions for
discretion.Discretionary powers include:

● Appointment of a chief minister when no party has a clear majority in the state legislative
assembly
● In times of no-confidence motions
● In case of failure of constitutional machinery in the State(Article 356)
Article 200:Article 200 of the Indian Constitution outlines the process for a Bill passed by the
Legislative Assembly of a State to be presented to the Governor for assent, who may either
assent, withhold assent or reserve the Bill for consideration by the President.The Governor may
also return the Bill with a message requesting reconsideration by the House or Houses.

- In the case of Purushothaman Nambudiri v State of Kerala, the Supreme Court ruled that a
bill pending the Governor's assent does not lapse upon the dissolution of the House.The
Court inferred from the absence of a time limit in Articles 200 and 201 that the framers did
not intend for bills awaiting the Governor's assent to be at risk of lapsing.The second
provision of Article 200 grants the Governor the discretion to refer a bill to the President if
they believe its passage would infringe upon the powers of the High Court.
- The procedure for presidential assent is outlined in Article 201.In the Shamsher Singh case,
the Court held that the Governor's power to reserve bills for the President's consideration
is an instance of discretionary authority.

Article 201:It states that when a Bill is reserved for the consideration of the President, the
President may assent to or withhold assent from the Bill.The President may also direct the
Governor to return the Bill to the House or Houses of the Legislature of the State for
reconsideration.

Article 361:Under Article 361 of the Constitution, the Governor has complete immunity from
court proceedings for any act done in the exercise of their powers.

Bilkis Bano Case

The 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case of the 2002 riots walked out of jail as the Gujarat
government has allowed their release under its remission policy.

Remission - Release after a period of time spent in jail. Under Articles 72 and 161 of the
Constitution, the President and Governors have the power to pardon, and to suspend, remit, or
commute a sentence passed by the courts

State governments have powers under Section 432 of the CrPC to remit sentences.States set up
a Sentence Review Board. The Supreme Court has held that states cannot exercise the power of
remission arbitrarily, and must follow due process.

In ‘Laxman Naskar v. Union of India’ (2000) the SC laid down five grounds on which remission is
considered.
Convicts serving life sentences are entitled to seek remission only after serving a minimum of 14
years. The remission policy of Gujarat, 1992 permitted prisoners to apply for remission on the
basis that life imprisonment is an arbitrary or notional figure of twenty years of imprisonment.

Bilkis Bano

Gujarat had turned violent after the Sabarmati train was burnt in Godhra on 27 February 2002
when 59 karsevaks were killed in the train.

Fearing the outbreak of violence, a then five-month pregnant Bilkis Bano fled from her village
with her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter and 15 other family members.

They were attacked by about 20-30 people whereas Bilkis, her mother, and three other women
were raped and brutally assaulted. Only Bilkis, a man, and a three-year-old survived the attack.

Her case was taken up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Supreme Court,
which ordered an investigation by the CBI.

The accused in the case were arrested in 2004 and the trial was moved out of Gujarat to
Maharashtra after Bilkis Bano received death threats.

In 2008, the Special CBI Court sentenced 11 accused to life imprisonment on the charges of
conspiring to rape a pregnant woman, murder and unlawful assembly under the Indian Penal
Code. The court acquitted seven other accused for lack of evidence.

The Bombay High Court, in 2017, upheld the conviction and life imprisonment of 11 people in the
gang rape case.

In 2019, the Supreme Court awarded compensation of Rs 50 lakh to Bilkis — the first such order
in a case related to the 2002 riots.

Convict release

One of the convicts had approached the Gujarat High Court seeking remission of the sentence
under sections 432 and 433 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The high court dismissed his plea while observing that the “appropriate government” to take a
decision about his remission is Maharashtra, and not Gujarat.

He then filed a plea in the Supreme Court, pleading that he had been in jail for over 15 years
without remission as of 1 April 2022.

The apex court directed the Gujarat government to look into the issue of remission of his
sentence following which the government formed a committee.

The committee took a unanimous decision in favour of remission of all the 11 convicts in the case

PMGKY (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana)

PMGKAY is a part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) to help the poor fight
the battle against Covid-19. Applicable to all beneficiaries under AAY and PHH (Antyodaya Ann
Yojana and Priority Households)

The scheme aimed at providing each person who is covered under the National Food Security Act
2013 with an additional 5 kg grains (wheat or rice) for free, in addition to the 5 kg of subsidised
foodgrain already provided through the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Rolled out from January 1st, 2023

Its nodal Ministry is the Ministry of Finance.

The benefit of the free ration can be availed through portability by any migrant labour or
beneficiary under the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan from nearly 5 lakh ration
shops across the country.

PMGKAY will subsume the two subsidy schemes of Department of Food & Public Distribution (a)
Food Subsidy to FCI (b) Food Subsidy for decentralized procurement states dealing with
procurement, allocation and delivery of free foodgrains to the states under NFSA

Cost: The overall expenditure of PMGKAY will be about Rs. 2 lakh crore for all the phases.

Challenges: The beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act are based on the last census
(2011)
74th Republic Day

India observes Republic Day - 26th of January 1950, the day the Indian Constitution went into
effect it replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country’s governing law, transforming
India into a republic distinct from the British Raj.

The Constitution was approved by the Indian Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, and
it became operative on January 26, 1950.

The Indian National Congress issued the Declaration of Indian Independence on January 26,
1930, hence that day was chosen as Republic Day

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the president of Egypt, will attend the celebrations of India’s Republic Day
Chief Guest 2023

On Kartavya Path, formerly known as Rajpath, Republic Day 2023 parade will start. There will be
a number of military and cultural parades performed

21 gun salute presented with 105mm field guns which were Made in India replacing vintage
Quick Fire 25 pound guns used since independence

CRPF - All womens marching contingent led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Shweta K
Sugathan. Air force and Navy led by women officers too (Sindhu Reddy and Disha Amrith
respectively)

Theme: Jan Bhagidhari

Padma Awards

● 2023 - 106 Padma Awards, including three dual cases (in a dual case, its counted as one)
● 6 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 91 Padma Shri awardees
● Padma Awards are announced annually on Republic Day (26th January).
● Instituted on 2nd January 1954 (Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna)
● To recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public
service is involved.
● The Awards are given in three categories:
a) Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service),
b) Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order) and
 c) Padma Shri (distinguished service)
● Conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee
● Constituted by the PM every year and are presented by the President in March/April yearly
● Total can't be more than 120

Bharat Ratna
● Highest civilian award of the country
● Criteria expanded in 2011 from art, literature, science, public service to any human
endeavour
● First recipients - C Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, CV Raman
● First posthumous laureate - Lal Bahadur Shastri
● 48 people have won the Bharat Ratna (14 posthumously)
● Youngest winner - Sachin Tendulkar (40)
● Oldest - Dhondo Keshav Karve (100)
● Has been awarded to one naturalised citizen - Mother Teresa
● Awarded to two non Indians - Abdul Gaffar Khan (Pakistan), Nelson Mandela (South Africa)
● The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the PM to the President of India.
● Restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year
● Briefly suspended twice in its history
● First time in July 1977 when Morarji Desai was PM
● The suspension was rescinded on 25 January 1980 after Indira Gandhi returned as PM
● Second time in 1992 when PIL filed questioning them of violating Article 18

Wassenaar arrangement (Jan)

● 26th annual plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement in Vienna

● Ireland handed over the chairmanship to India
● India assumed the chairmanship from 1st January, 2023.

Wassenaar Agreement - Static

● Wassenaar Arrangement is a voluntary export control regime.
● Established in July 1996
● 42 members comprising mostly NATO and EU states
● Exchange information on transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods
● Dual-use refers to the ability of a good to be used for multiple purposes (peaceful and
military)
● Secretariat: Vienna, Austria.
● India became a member of the Arrangement in 2017.
● Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary: It is the decision-making body of the Arrangement.
● Meets once a year, usually in December.
 ● The position of Plenary Chair is subject to annual rotation among Participating States
● All Plenary decisions are taken by consensus

February

Jallikattu/Kambala

Supreme Court upheld the Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra laws allowing the bull taming
sport ‘Jallikattu’, bull race of Kambala and bullock cart races

Five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph mainly addressed the five questions
referred to it by a two-judge bench on February 2, 2018.

The proceeding had been initiated by the Animal Welfare Board, PETA, CUPA .The court said any
violation of the the 2017 law, in the name of “cultural tradition”, would attract the penal law and
held that the state govt order was not violative of article 14 and 21 and that the practice is
protected under Article 29 (1).

‘Jallikattu’ or ‘Sallikattu’ is derived from salli (‘coins’) and kattu (‘package’), which refers to a prize of
coins that is tied to the bull’s horns and that participants attempt to retrieve.
Manju virattu literally means ‘bull chasing’.
Eru thazhuvuthal literally means ‘bull embracing’It is celebrated in the second week of January,
during the Tamil harvest festival, Pongal.

In 2011, the Centre added bulls to the list of animals whose training and exhibition is prohibited.
In 2014, the SC had banned the bull-taming sport, ruling on and citing the 2011 notification.

International IP Index

India ranks 42nd among 55 economies

Released by the U.S. Chambers of Commerce
US topped the International IP Index followed by United Kingdom and France
Bottom 3 - Venezuela (55), Russia (54), Algeria (53)

The Index evaluates the IP framework in each economy across 50 unique indicators
Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic
works, symbols, names, and images used in commerce.
Form of legal protection - Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) given to individuals or companies for
their creative and innovative works.
Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
These legal protections allow the creators to control use of their work and prevent others from
using or reproducing them without permission.

Types:

Patents for inventions

Trademarks for branding
Copyrights for artistic and literary works
Trade secrets for confidential business information
Industrial designs for product appearance.

India member of WTO, WIPO and TRIPS signatory

National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy 2016 was adopted in May 2016
Its clarion call is “Creative India; Innovative India”

Livestreaming of SC proceedings

Live transcription of Constitution Bench proceedings from February 2023

25 Constitution Bench hearings have been conducted across 4 cases. However, only 9 transcripts
have been published so far.
April 18th, the proceedings in the plea for marriage equality commenced. The hearings concluded
after 10 days of arguments. A total of 6 transcripts are available for this case. This is the most
number of transcripts published in any case so far
Project coincided with Maharashtra MLA case hearings - First case to be transcribed

SC decided to live stream its proceedings in crucial Constitution Bench cases that will be heard
from 27th September, 2022.
Part of the right to access justice under Article 21
Gujarat High Court was the first high court to livestream court proceedings

Recommendations by the Attorney-General of India

Must be introduced as a pilot project in Chief-Justice of India’s (CJI’s) court, and only in
Constitution Bench cases.
Not permitted in cases involving: Matrimonial matters, Matters involving interests of juveniles or,
Matters of National security

United States: Since 1955, audio recording and transcripts of oral arguments has been allowed.
Australia: Live or delayed broadcasting is allowed but the practices and norms differ across courts.
Brazil: Since 2002, live video and audio broadcast of court proceedings, including the deliberations
and voting process undertaken by the judges in court, is allowed.
Canada: Proceedings are broadcast live on Cable Parliamentary Affairs Channel, accompanied by
explanations of each case and the overall processes and powers of the court.
South Africa: Since 2017, the Supreme Court of South Africa has allowed the media to broadcast
court proceedings in criminal matters, as an extension of the right to freedom of expression.
United Kingdom: After 2005, proceedings are broadcast live with a one-minute delay on the
court’s website, but coverage can be withdrawn in sensitive appeals.

Union Budget

According to Article 112 of the Indian Constitution, the Union Budget of a year is referred to as the
Annual Financial Statement (AFS).
The Budget Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance is the nodal
body responsible for preparing the Budget.
The first Budget of Independent India was presented in 1947.

A key theme of Union Budget 2023-24 is the focus on inclusive development - Sabka Sath, Sabka
Vikas

Amrit Kaal
The Finance Minister of India called it the first Budget in Amrit Kaal. The vision for the Amrit Kaal
is an empowered and inclusive economy that is technology-driven and knowledge-based with a
robust financial sector.

• The Indian economy has increased in size from being 10th to 5th largest in the world in the
past nine years.
• Seven priorities of the budget ‗Saptarishi‘ are inclusive development, reaching the last mile,
infrastructure and investment, unleashing the potential, green growth, youth power and financial
sector.
• Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Program with an outlay of ₹2200 crore to be launched to boost
availability of disease-free, quality planting material for high value horticultural crops.

• Capital outlay of Rs. 2.40 lakh crore has been provided for the Railways, which is the highest
ever outlay and about nine times the outlay made in 2013-14.
• iGOT Karmayogi, an integrated online training platform, launched to provide continuous
learning opportunities for lakhs of government employees to upgrade their skills and facilitate
people-centric approach.
• Jan Vishwas Bill to amend 42 Central Acts has been introduced to further trust-based
governance.
• Annual production of 5 MMT under Green Hydrogen Mission to be targeted by 2030 to
facilitate transition of the economy to low carbon intensity and to reduce dependence on fossil fuel
imports.
• Rebate limit of Personal Income Tax to be increased to Rs. 7 lakh from the current Rs. 5 lakh
in the new tax regime. Thus, persons in the new tax regime, with income up to Rs. 7 lakh to not pay
any tax.
• Agniveer Fund to be provided EEE ( Exempt-Exempt-Exempt) status. The payment received
from the Agniveer Corpus Fund by the Agniveers enrolled in Agnipath Scheme, 2022 proposed to
be exempt from taxes. Deduction in the computation of total income is proposed to be allowed to
the Agniveer on the contribution made by him or the Central Government to his Seva Nidhi
account.

National Green Hydrogen Mission:

An outlay of Rs 19,700 crores has been allocated to the National Green Hydrogen Mission to
facilitate transition of the economy to low carbon intensity, reduce dependence on fossil fuel
imports, and make the country assume technology and market leadership in this sunrise sector.
The target is to reach an annual production of 5 MMT by 2030.

GOBARdhan Scheme:
500 new ‘waste to wealth’ plants under GOBARdhan scheme will be established to promote
Circular Economy (200 compressed biogas (CBG) plants and 300 community/cluster-based plants).
Total Investment - Rs 10,000 crore.
In due course, a 5% CBG mandate will be introduced for all organizations marketing natural and
biogas.
Bhartiya Prakritik Kheti Bio-Input Resource Centres:
Over the next 3 years, the Centre will facilitate 1 crore farmers to adopt natural farming by setting
up 10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centres, creating a national-level distributed micro-fertilizer and
pesticide manufacturing network.

Financial Information Registry:

A National Financial Information Registry will be set up to serve as the central repository of
financial and ancillary information.
This will facilitate efficient flow of credit, promote financial inclusion, and foster financial stability.
Small Savings Schemes:
To commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a one-time new small savings scheme, Mahila Samman
Savings Certificate, will be made available for a two-year period up to March 2025.
Also, the government is committed to sticking to this plan to reduce the fiscal deficit to below 4.5%
by 2025-26.
Budget presented most times by Morarji Desai

MISHTI, PM PRANAM, amrit dharohar

• This is part of a larger ―green push with focus on the environment and climate change. The
following are the schemes announced.
MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes)
• MISHTI is a new programme that will facilitate mangrove plantation along India‘s coastline
and on salt pan lands.
• The programme will operate through ―convergence between MGNREGS, Campa Fund
and other sources,‖ the FM said.
• This new programme will aim at intensive afforestation of coastal mangrove forests. India
has such forests on both its Eastern and Western coasts with the Sundarbans in Bengal being one
of the largest mangrove forests on the planet.

• PM PRANAM (Prime Minister Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and

Amelioration of Mother Earth)
• This programme will seek to incentivise states and union territories promoting alternative
fertilisers and the balanced use of chemical fertilisers.
• To further facilitate the adoption of ―natural farming,‖ 10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centres
will be set- up, creating a national-level distributed micro-fertiliser and pesticide manufacturing
network.
To encourage the balanced use of fertilisers in conjunction with biofertilisers and organic
fertilisers.
Amrit Dharohar
• This is a scheme that will be implemented over the next three years to encourage optimal
use of wetlands, and enhance bio-diversity, carbon stock, eco-tourism opportunities and income
generation for local communities.
• Amrit Dharohar will emphasise on the importance of wetlands and their preservation, with
an outlook that is inclusive of local communities as caretakers of the ecosystem.
• The government had previously identified the importance of wetland ecosystems, with
Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying in Man ki Baat, ――Now the total number of Ramsar
sites in our country has increased to 75. Whereas, before 2014, there were only 26…‖
• Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance that have been designated under the
criteria of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971) for containing representative, rare or
unique wetland types or for their importance in conserving biological diversity.
• These sites sustain a diverse variety of flora and fauna, from endangered aquatic life to
migratory birds.
• India‘s 75 Ramsar sites are spread across the country, covering 1326678 hectares.
• As many as 49 new sites have been added to the list since 2019, with 19 being added in
2022.

NITI Aayog
- B.V.R. Subrahmanyam is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Niti Aayog.
- Replace Parameswaran lyer, who was assigned as the Executive Director of World Bank.
- The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog was formed via
a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015.
- established to replace the Planning Commission which followed a top-down model.
- The Planning Commission was an institution in the Government of India, which formulated
India‘s Five-Year Plans
- NITI Aayog is the premier policy ̳Think Tank‘ of the Government of India, providing
both directional and policy inputs.
- Current chairman of NITI Aayog is Shri Narendra Modi,
- Current Vice Chairman is Suman Bery.
- In 2015, Sindhushree Khullar - first chief executive officer (CEO) of the NITI Aayog
- NITI Aayog folows Bottom Up approach

- The Planning Commission, reporting direcltly to the Prime Minister of India, was
established on 15 March 1950, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as the Chairman.
 - Authority for creation of the Planning Commission was not derived from the Constitution
of India or statute; it is an arm of the Central Government of India. The first Five-Year
Plan was launched in 1951, focusing mainly on development of the agricultural sector.

March

Rajasthan Right to Health Bill

Rajasthan Government has passed the Right to Health Bill on 21st March 2023, which gives every
resident of the state the right to avail free services at all public health facilities.

Free healthcare services will be provided at all public health institutions and select private
facilities

Mandatory for the hospitals to provide treatment in emergency cases without waiting for
medico-legal formalities and give medicines and transport facilities without charging money.

Right to health refers to and means the most attainable levels of health that every human being is
entitled to

Origin (Right to health): 1946 when WHO came into existence

Part IV of the Constitution under the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) ensures social and
economic justice to its citizens
Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) by the United Nations

Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees a fundamental right to life & personal liberty.
The right to health is inherent to a life with dignity.

Articles 38, 39, 42, 43, & 47 put the obligation on the state in order to ensure the effective
realization of the right to health.

Supreme Court in Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity case (1996) held that in a welfare state,
the primary duty of the government is to secure the welfare of the people and moreover it is the
obligation of the government to provide adequate medical facilities for its people.
Parmanand Katara Vs Union of India (1989), Supreme Court had ruled that every doctor whether
at a government hospital or otherwise has the professional obligation to extend his services with
due expertise for protecting life.

Challenges Related to Right to Health in India

India has 1.4 beds per 1,000 people, 1 doctor per 1,445 people, and 1.7 nurses per 1,000 people.
Over 75% of the healthcare infrastructure is concentrated in metro cities, where only 27% of the
total population resides—the rest 73% of the Indian population lack even basic medical facilities.

Frontiers in Public Health, more than 33% of the individuals are still suffering from infectious
diseases out of the total ailing population in India.

The per capita out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure on infectious diseases is INR 7.28 and INR 29.38
in inpatient and outpatient care, respectively

According to the World Economic Forum 2021, India consistently ranks among the five worst
countries in the world for the health and survival of females.
Women from poor households account for over 2,25,000 lesser hospital visits than men between
2017 and 2019 for nephrology, cardiology, and oncology services alone,

Government of India spent 2.1% of GDP on healthcare in FY23. This is much lower than the
average health spending share of the GDP — at around 5.2% — of the Lower- and Middle-Income
Countries (LMIC)

Raisina Dialogue

Premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most

challenging issues facing the global community
Held since 2016
Hosted in New Delhi
By the Observer Research Foundation + Ministry of External Affairs
Theme 2023 - "Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest?"
Chief Guest: Italian PM Georgia Meloni

Observer Research Foundation

Established in 1990
Independent think tank based in New Delhi with three centres in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
It seeks to lead and aid policy thinking towards building a strong and prosperous India through non
partisan research inputs

Conference of Security and Intelligence Chiefs

March 1, India held the second conference of intelligence and security chiefs from 26 countries
around the world.
First conf in April 2022, a day before the Raisina Dialogue
Addressed by the PM of India and National Security Advisor (NSA).

Security conference is organised by RAW and the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS)
that reports to NSA.
Meeting focused on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Modelled on the lines of the Munich Security Conference and Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue.
Coincided with the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting and the Raisina Dialogue

Rahul Gandhi Defamation

Timeline -

April 13, 2019: Rahul allegedly said “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”
during a rally in Kolar, Karnataka in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

March 23, 2023: A Surat court convicted him and sentenced him to two years in prison. The court
approved Gandhi’s bail on a surety of Rs 15,000 and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow
him to appeal.

March 24, 2023: A day after his conviction, Rahul was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. A notice
issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said he stood disqualified from the House from March 23, the
day of his conviction.

April 3, 2023: Gandhi approached the Surat Sessions Court challenging his conviction and further
seeking a stay on the Surat court’s ruling.
April 20, 2023: A local court in Surat dismissed the Congress leader’s application to stay the
conviction, and upheld the magistrate’s order in his conviction.

April 25, 2023: Rahul filed a revision application challenging a Surat court’s refusal to stay his
conviction in a criminal defamation case before the Gujarat High Court.

July 7, 2023: The Gujarat High Court dismisses Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his
conviction.

July 15, 2023: A week after the Gujarat High Court declined to stay his conviction in the criminal
defamation case, Rahul filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the HC’s decision.

August 3, 2023: Maintaining that he is not guilty of the offence of defamation, Rahul made it clear
to the apex court that he had no intention of apologising.”

August 4, 2023: The Supreme Court stayed his conviction in the defamation case.

Privilege Motion

- Formal proposal by an MP to take action when they believe a member or minister has
breached parliamentary privilege

- Can be enforced when minister believes another minister has - withheld facts or given
wrong or distorted facts

- Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity that protects members of parliament from

civil or criminal liability for actions or statements made in the course of their legislative
duties

- Role of the Speaker/Rajya Sabha (RS) Chairperson:

- The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion.
- Can decide on the privilege motion themselves or refer it to the privileges committee of
the Parliament.
- If the Speaker/Chairperson gives consent under relevant rules, the member concerned is
given an opportunity to make a short statement
- Rules Governing Privilege:
- Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in
Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook governs privilege

- Privilege committee -
- It is a Standing Committee. It examines the cases of breach of the privileges of the House
and its members and recommends appropriate action.
- The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha committee has 10
members.

- The Constitution also extends the parliamentary privileges to those persons who are
entitled to speak and take part in the proceedings of a House of Parliament or any of its
committees. These include the Attorney General of India and Union ministers.
- The parliamentary privileges do not extend to the President who is also an integral part
of the Parliament. Article 361 of the Constitution provides for privileges for the
President.
- Article 105 of the Constitution expressly mentions two privileges, that is, freedom of
speech in Parliament and right of publication of its proceedings.
- Apart from the privileges as specified in the Constitution, the Code of Civil Procedure,
1908, provides for freedom from arrest and detention of members under civil process
during the continuance of the meeting of the House or of a committee thereof and forty
days before its commencement and forty days after its conclusion.

- RaGa case was filed under IPC sections 499 and 500, dealing with defamation.
- Section 500 stipulates imprisonment of up to two years, with or without a fine, for
someone held guilty of criminal defamation.
- Section 499 of the IPC elaborates on how defamation could be through words –
spoken or intended to be read, through signs, and also through visible
representations.
- History of defamation can be traced in Roman law and German law. Abusive
chants were capital punishment in Roman.
- Article 19 of the Constitution grants freedom of speech to its citizens. However,
Article 19(2) has imposed certain reasonable exemptions to this freedom such as -
Contempt of Court, defamation and incitement to an offence.
 - In a Criminal Offense, defamation has to be established beyond reasonable doubt
but in a civil defamation suit, damages can be awarded based on probabilities
Relevant cases -
- Shreya Singhal Vs. Union of India (2015): It is a landmark judgement regarding
internet defamation. It held unconstitutional Section 66A of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 which punishes for sending offensive messages through
communication services.

- The conviction may disqualify an MP if the offence for which he is convicted is

listed in Section 8(1) of the Representation of the People (RPA) Act of 1951.
- includes offences such as section 153A (offence of promoting enmity between
different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language,
etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) or section 171E
(offence of bribery) or section 171F (offence of undue influence or personation at
an election) and a few others
- Section 8(3) of the RPA mandates that an MP can be disqualified if convicted and
sentenced to at least 2 years of imprisonment.
However, the section also states that the disqualification takes effect only “after
three months have elapsed” from the date of conviction.
Within that period, the convicted MP can file an appeal against the sentence
before the High Court.

Struck down Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to disqualify a legislator
immediately when convicted for two or more years' prison.
This provision was struck down in Lily Thomas v Union of India‘.
Article 102 of Indian Constitution defines Disqualification of Members in Parliament.

The Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution speaks about anti-defection laws
Disqualification on the ground of anti-defection laws:
The person will be disqualified if they do any of the following:
Giving up one's position in their party voluntarily.
Acting in opposition to their party's policies.
After being elected, join another political party.
If the person is a nominated member and joins a political party after the six-month period has
expired,
If less than two-thirds of a political party's members join another party
New India Literacy Program
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme “New India Literacy Programme” (NILP) for implementation
during five years from the FYs 2022-23 to 2026-27 with financial outlay of Rs.1037.90
crore.
- aims to cover a target of 5 cr non-literates in the age group of 15+
- The scheme has five components:
- Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
- Critical Life Skills
- Vocational Skills Development
- Basic Education
- Continuing Education
-
- As per Census 2011, the absolute number of non-literates of the country in 15 years and
above age group is 25.76 crore (Male 9.08 crore, Female 16.68 crore).
- In consideration of the progress of persons certified as literates being to the tune of 7.64
crore under the Saakshar Bharat programme implemented during 2009-10 to 2017-18, it is
estimated that currently around 18.12 crore adults are still non-literate in India.
- Exchanged the term ‘Adult Education’ to ‘Education For All’

April

Sedition

Sedition as an offence committed when a person excites disaffection towards the government
Drafted in 1837 by Thomas Macaulay
Section 124A was inserted to IPC in 1870 by an amendment introduced by Sir James Stephen

Kedarnath Singh v State of Bihar (1962) ruling on sedition the SC overruled the earlier rulings of
the high courts and upheld the constitutional validity of IPC Section 124A. Sedition can be applied
when theres acts involving intention to create violence or disorder

Balwant Singh v. State of Punjab (1995) - Real intent of the speech must be taken into account
before labelling it seditious.

SC in Romesh Thapar v State of Madras held that “criticism of the government exciting disaffection
or bad feelings towards it, is not to be regarded as a justifying ground for restricting the freedom of
expression
Vinod Dua vs Union of Punjab - Protect political leaders and journalists from sedition in relation to
tweets

May 2022 - SC suspended use of Section 124A, stalling pending criminal trials and court
proceedings under Section 124A across the country because it restricted free speech guaranteed
under Article 19(1)(a)
Restrictions to this right are laid down in Article 19(2)

Government initiated the "Process of Re-examination" of Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian
Penal Code (IPC) and consultations are in its "final stage".

The 22nd Law Commission report recommends retaining Section 124A of the IPC, pertaining to
sedition, but proposes amendments and procedural safeguards to prevent misuse.

The Law Commission's report highlights that the existence of laws like the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the National Security Act (NSA) does not cover all aspects of the
offence outlined in Section 124A.

Commission suggested preliminary inquiry within 7 days by an officer ranked inspector or above as
a safeguard under 124A

Punishment for the Offence of Sedition:

It is a non-bailable offense.
Punishment under Section 124A ranges from imprisonment up to three years to a life term, to
which a fine may be added.
A person charged under this law is barred from a government job.
They have to live without their passport and must appear in court at all times as and when
required.
Now under bharatiya nyay sanhita- section 150 encompasses sedition although the word is not
specifically used

Law Commission of India

The Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of
India
The commission‘s function is to research and advise the government on legal reform, and is
composed of legal experts, and headed by a retired judge
Advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice.
First Law Commission was established by the East India Company under the Charter Act of 1833
Presided by Lord Macaulay.
The first Law Commission in independent India was formed in 1955 with its chairman being the
then Attorney-General of India, M. C. Setalvad.
On November 7, 2022, Justice Rituraj Awasthi (Former Chief Justice of Karnataka HC) was
appointed as the chairperson of the 22nd Law Commission which is
- for a period of three year with effect from 21st February, 2020.
- The term since been extended upto 31st August, 2024.

Airlines

Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, achieves the distinction of being the
first airport in the Northeast to implement the 'Digi Yatra' facility
Digi Yatra initiative revolves around the use of facial recognition technology to create a seamless
airport journey for passengers
No personally identifiable information (PII) is stored, and all passenger data is encrypted and
secured within their smartphone wallet

Air India

● Flag carrier of India

● HQ in New Delhi
● Owned by Talace Private Limited
● Rebranded its logo to The Vista from the Maharajah
● The airline was founded by J. R. D. Tata as Tata Airlines in 1932.
● On 27 January 2022, the airline was officially handed back to Tata Group.
● March 2022, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the chairman of Tata Sons was appointed as the
chairman of the airline.
● May 2022, Tata Sons appointed Campbell Wilson as Air India‘s CEO and MD.
● The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the merger of Vistara with Air India
● Allowed Singapore Airlines to acquire 25.1% stake in the erstwhile national carrier
● Singapore Airlines investment of Rs. 2,059 crore in the Tata-owned airline as part of an
agreement last year to merge with Air India.
● Vistara + Air India = Airline‘s full-service business
● AirAsia India + Air India Express = Company’s low-cost arm.
 ● Latter‘s merger is expected to conclude by March 2024
● June 2022 the CCI had approved the full acquisition of AirAsia India by Air India
● Tata Sons raised their shareholding from 81.7% to 100% by acquiring the remainder from
Malaysia‘s AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd. for $18.8 million.
● Sections 230 to 240 of the Companies Act, 2013 cover the statutory provisions governing
mergers and acquisitions (M&A)

Go First Canceled all flights till May 9th

● Citing operational reasons and said that a full refund will be issued to the original form of
payment.
● Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a show cause notice to the airline
after it cancelled flights for three days starting May 3.
● Owned by: Wadia Group
● Filed for bankruptcy on May 2nd
● Blamed Pratt & Whitney engines for the grounding of about half its fleet
● Has an ongoing case against them.
● Go First’s plea for voluntary insolvency proceedings is being heard by the National Company
Law Tribunal.
● Second major airline to report bankruptcy after Spice-Jet in 2021
● Indigo continues to dominate the competitive aviation sector in India

ONE RANK ONE PENSION

- OROP means the payment of the same pension to military officers for the same rank for the
same length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement.
- Implemented in 2015
- Pensions of past retirees will be re-fixed every five years
- Pensions of past retirees would be re-fixed based on retirees from 2013.
- Armed Forces Personnel who had retired till 30th june 2014 are covered under it.
- November 2022, the SC had upheld Employees Pension (Amendment) Scheme 2014.
- The EPS amendment of August 22, 2014 had raised the pensionable salary cap to ₹15,000 a
month from ₹6,500 a month
- Allowed members and employers to contribute 8.33 per cent on their actual salaries (if it
exceeded the cap) towards the EPS.
- Before OROP, ex-servicemen used to get pensions as per the Pay Commission
- UP and Punjab have the highest number of OROP beneficiaries.
- Based on recommendation of the Koshiyari committee
- Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in India was abolished as a part of pension reforms
- Repealed from 1 January 2004, it had a defined-benefit (DB) pension of half the Last Pay
Drawn (LPD) at the time of retirement along with components like Dearness Allowances
 - OPS was an unfunded pension scheme financed on a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) basis in which
current revenues of the government funded the pension benefit for its retired employees.
- OPS was replaced by a restructured defined-contribution (DC) pension scheme called the
National Pension System
- The National Pension System (NPS) is a defined-contribution pension system
- Regulated by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) which is under
the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance of the Government of India
- NPS Trust was established by PFRDA as per the provisions of the Indian Trusts Act of 1882
- The changes in NPS was notified through changes in The Income-tax Act, 1961, during the
2019 Union budget of India.
- five states which introduced the OPS between April 2022 to April 2023, the employees
have been given a choice to either pick OPS or NPS( Rajasthan chattisgarh, jharkhand ,
himachal pradesh, punjab)
- Last date to apply for the higher pension scheme is 11th july , 2023

AGNIPATH
- For recruiting soldiers across the Three services (Army, Navy and Airforce).
- Youth joining the army will be called Agniveer
- Recruited into the army for a period of 4 years.
- After four years, 25% of the batch will be recruited back into their respective services, for a
period of 15 years.
- Only for personnel below officer ranks
- Commissioned officers are the army's highest ranked officers
- Aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 23 years will be eligible to apply.
Benefits for Agniveers:
- Upon the completion of the 4-years of service, a one-time ‘Seva Nidhi’ package of ₹11.71
lakhs will be paid to the Agniveers that will include their accrued interest thereon.
- They will also get a ₹48 lakh life insurance cover for the four years.
- In case of death, the payout will be over ₹1 crore, including pay for the unserved tenure.
The government will help rehabilitate soldiers who leave the services after four years. They will be
provided with skill certificates and bridge courses.
- One of the reasons for implementation of the Agnipath Yojana is to lower the median age of
our personnel, the Kargil Review Committee also highlighted the same.
- Today, only 19% of the personnel are <25
- 19% are 36-40
- Average age = 32 years today, which will go down to 26 in six to seven years.
- Agnipath reduces the increasing pension payments in the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
 - Enables more investment in R&D of the Defence Sector

PM Mitra Parks

Inagurated in Lucknow and Hardoi, UP in April 2023

7 States to develop PM-Mitra Parks (Mega-Integrated Textile Region and Apparel)
Outlay of 4450 crores
Rs 500 crore for each greenfield MITRA park and upto Rs 200 crore for each brownfield park
Period of 7 years (till 2027/28)
Developed by SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) owned by State gov and GOI in PPP mode
5F vision - Farm-Fibre-Factory-Fashion-Foreign

Textiles
Contributes 2.3% to GDP
21% of total employment.
India is the 6th largest producer of Technical Textiles with 6% Global Share
Largest producer of cotton & jute in the world
Second largest producer of silk in the world
95% of the world’s hand woven fabric comes from India.

India Justice Report

Tata Trusts + Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
First published in 2019.
Uses parameters such as police, judiciary, prisons, and legal aid to assess state overall performance

Rank among the 18 large and mid-sized states (population 1cr+) in delivery of justice
Karnataka (#1)
Tamil Nadu (#2)
Telangana (#3)
UP (#18) (last)

7 Small States with ( population <1cr)

Sikkim(#1)
Arunachal Pradesh (#2)
Tripura (#3)
Goa (#7) (last)
Problems:
High Courts were functioning with 778 judges (sanctioned strength - 1,108 judges) (as of Dec 22)
HC pendency is highest in UP (11.34 years) and WB (9.9 years)
Lowest in Tripura (1 year), Sikkim (1.9 years), and Meghalaya (2.1 years).

CCR (Case Clearance Rate) in HC up by 6% (88.5% to 94.6%) between 2018-19 and 2022
Declined by 3.6 % in lower courts (93% to 89.4%).
2018-19, 4 HC had a CCR of 100%
In 2022, 12 HC have CRR of 100%

Court halls - 21,014 court halls for the 24,631 sanctioned judges' posts, a shortfall of 14.7%

Entry of Foreign law firms and universities in India

Bar Council of India (BCI) has notified Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers
and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2022, allowing foreign lawyers and law firms to practice in India.

They cant appear before courts, tribunals or other statutory or regulatory authorities.
with the recommendation of NEP-20 on the internationalisation of Indian higher education, the
University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently finalised the ‘Regulations 2023

Ban on sale of gold jewelry if there's no HUID

(from 1st April)

Bureau of India Standards (BIS) has prohibited the sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts
without 6-digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID)

Earlier, the old hallmarked jewelry with 4 marks without HUID was also permitted to be sold
Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of
precious metal in precious metal articles.
Hallmarking scheme for Jewelry was started by BIS in the year 2000.
In India gold and silver have been brought under the purview of Hallmarking.
After introduction of 6-digit HUID in 2021, hallmark consisted of 3 marks viz, BIS logo, purity of
the article and six-digit alphanumeric HUID. Each hallmarked article has traceable HUID number
As per BIS Rules, 2018, in case Hallmarked jewelry bought by the consumer is found to be of lesser
purity than that marked on jewelry, then the buyer/customer shall be entitled for compensation

Civil services Day

Celebrated on 21st April.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel first addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in
1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi.
He called the civil services the Steel Frame of India.
First function on civil services day was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi in 2006, now tradition.
The theme for this year is ‘Viksit Bharat: Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile’.
He also conferred the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration under 4
programmes - Swachh Jal, Swacch Bharat, Samagra Shiksha and Aspirational District Programme.
8 were given under these and 7 awards were given for innovations.

1st Global Buddhism Summit 2023

- Organised by the Ministry of Culture with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC),
whose HQ is in Delhi on April 20-21st in New Delhi
- Theme: Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis

- 173 international participants comprising 84 Sangha members and 151 Indian delegates
comprising 46 Sangha members, 40 nuns and 65 laity from outside Delhi.

- India has established several Buddhist institutions and centres of excellence, such as the
Nalanda University and the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies and the Dhamma
Dipa International Buddhist University (DDIBU) in Tripura, the 1st Buddhist run university
to offer Buddhist education.

- The IBC was formed in November 2011 when New Delhi was host to the Global Buddhist
Congregation (GBC).

Buddhist teachings
4 noble truths - dukkha , samudhya, nirodha, athhanga magha
Noble Eightfold path/Athhanga Manga - Right intentions, view, mindfulness, concentration, effort,
livelihood, action and speech.

5th Disaster Relief Infrastructure International Conference

● The 5th summit was held on 4th and 5th April 2023 in New Delhi.
● The theme - Delivering Resilient and Inclusive Infrastructure: Pathways for Risk-Informed
Systems, Practices and Investments.
 ● Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
● India's second major global initiative after the International Solar Alliance (ISA)
● Launched on 23rd September 2019, at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York
● Secretariat is based in New Delhi, India
● 31 countries, 6 international organisations and 2 private sector organisations have joined
CDRI as members.
● It aims to increase the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks as
part of the SDG’S, thereby ensuring sustainable development, particularly in SIDS(Small
Island Developing States) which are the most vulnerable.

SC upholds UAPA PFI ban

- In September 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared the PFI + associates as
illegal for 5 years under UAPA, 1967.
- Five months later in March 2023, the UAPA Tribunal upheld the Centre's decision to ban PFI
and its affiliates
- The tribunal has to be established by the Center by a notification within 30 days to further
investigate and confirm whether the decision is justified.
- It does not take effect until the tribunal confirms the declaration and the order is published
in the official gazette
- The tribunal is headed by a retired or sitting judge of a High Court and it calls upon the
concerned association to show cause, within another 30 days and after hearing arguments
from both sides, it inquires and decides within 6 months .

- The right to dissent is a part of the fundamental right to free speech and expression and
therefore, cannot be abridged in any circumstances except for mentioned in Article 19 (2).
- The Amendment to UAPA in 2019 empowered the ruling government, under the garb of
curbing terrorism, to impose indirect restriction on the right to dissent which is detrimental
for a developing democratic society.

National Security Act, 1980

- Dates back to the Bengal Regulation III of 1818 and Rowlatt acts of 1919 .
- Nehru Government enacted the Preventive Detention Act of 1950, which expired on 31st
December 1969
- Indira Gandhi, brought in the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in 1971
- Repealed and replaced by the NSA in 1980.
 - NSA allows the govt to detain a person without a formal charge and without trial under the
grounds of security of state, public order, foreign affairs etc, even if they are already in
custody, released on bail or acquitted.
- The detained is not entitled to representation, postage of bail application, to know the
grounds upon which they have been detained and the right to be produced before a
magistrate within 24 hours
- Can be held like this for 5 days ordinarily and 10 days in extreme circumstances without
knowing the grounds for their detention(Article 22(3)) and even then some details might be
withheld for public interest.The maximum time they can be held for is 12 months, subject to
a lawful extension.
- If any detention is made, then it has to be referred to a 3 member Advisory Board within
three weeks from the date of detention, which has to submit its report within 7 weeks and
shall be constituted by the government, whose head is/has/is qualified to be a HC judge.The
details of this investigation will be confidential and the accused does not have the right to
legal representation.The report will decide the validity of the detention.
- No prosecution can be carried out against the govt/official invoking NSA if it has been
conducted via due process and is conducted under good faith.(Sec 16).Hence habeas corpus
is the only available remedy.
-
Vibrant Villages Programme

● Amit Shah was in Arunachal Pradesh for the launch of the Vibrant Villages Programme‘
(VVP) in the border village of Kibithoo.
● To upgrade infrastructure and counter Chinas influence in the border areas
● Allocation of Rs 4,800 crore
● Cover 1.42 lakh people
● First announced in the 2022 Budget.
● The Parliamentary Standing Committee in 2018 had pointed at the backwardness in border
areas
● 2,967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts have been identified for comprehensive
development. These villages are in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal
Pradesh and Ladakh
● 1st phase - 662 villages have been identified for priority coverage
● Rs 2,500 crore will be spent exclusively on the creation of road infrastructure.
● Total outlay is for FY 2022-23 to 2025-26
● Development of growth centres on the Hub and Spoke Model through promotion of social
entrepreneurship, empowerment of youth and women through skill development
 ● Development of sustainable eco-agribusinesses on the concept of One village-One product
● 3 level development of villages

Assam - Arunachal Pradesh MoU/

● Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) over the long-standing border dispute
between the two states
● 800-km border
● Disputed areas are 123 border villages, which span 12 districts of Arunachal Pradesh and 8
districts of Assam.
● Assam CM Gopinath Bordoloi had made a set of recommendations in relation to the
administration of NEFA (North East Frontier Agency/Arunachal Pradesh) and submitted a
report in 1951.
● Around 3,648 kilometres of the Balipara and Sadiya foothills were transferred from NEFA to
Assam‘s then Darrang and Lakhimpur districts
● Arunachal was made a Union Territory in 1972
● April 1979, a high-powered tripartite committee was constituted to delineate the boundary
on the basis of Survey of India maps, as well as discussions with both sides
● 489 km of the 800 km were demarcated by 1983-84
● Further demarcation could not take place because Arunachal did not accept the
recommendations
● Claimed several kilometres of the 3,648 sq km, which was transferred to Assam in line with
the 1951 report
● Assam filed a case in the SC in 1989, highlighting an encroachment made by Arunachal
Pradesh
● SC appointed a local boundary commission in 2006
● Assam CM Sarma and Arunachal CM Khandu agreed border issues would be confined to
123 villages which Arunachal Pradesh had claimed before the Local Commission in 2007
● Line delineated by the high powered tripartite committee in 1980 would be taken as the
notified boundary and all realignment would be done in relation to it
● Both states would set up 12 regional committees covering the 12 districts of Arunachal
Pradesh and the 8 counterpart districts of Assam for joint verification of the 123 villages.
● Dispute over 37 of these 123 villages was resolved with the signing of the Namsai
Declaration
● Through the MoU, the dispute over another 34 villages has been resolved
May
Manipur violence

Manipur
- Formed 1972
- Capital = imphal
- Cm = biren singh (BJP)
- Guv - Ansuiya uikey
- State has 16 districts

■ Order from the Manipur High Court, directing the State to pursue a 10-year-old
recommendation to grant ST status to Meitei
■ The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) began demanding ST status
for the Meiteis in 2012
■ The valley, which comprises about 10% of Manipur’s landmass, is dominated by the
non-tribal Meitei
■ Valley = 64% of the population of the State and yields 40 of the State’s 60 MLAs.
■ The Manipur valley is encircled by hills , here live 15 Naga tribes and the

Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi group,
■ The hills comprising 90% area are inhabited by more than 35% recognised tribes but
send only 20 MLAs to the Assembly.
■ While a majority of the Meiteis are Hindus followed by Muslims, the 33 recognised
tribes, broadly classified into ‘Any Naga tribes’ and ‘Any Kuki tribes’ are largely
Christians
■ The Meiteis were recognised as a tribe pre 1949 (merger of State with UoI)
■ The language of the Meitei people is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution
■ Meitei usually have SC, OBC or EWS status benefits
■ In 1972, the union territory of Manipur became the 19th state of India.
■ Apprehension of Meities that creation of Greater Nagalim would lead to shrinking of
Manipur’s geographical area
■ 2006-12 came the demand for an Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Manipur, to bar outsiders. The
free movement of the Kuki-Zomi across Manipur’s porous border with Myanmar fanned
fears of demographic change
■ 2015 - Meitei protests against ILP in Imphal, protests countering demand in

Churachandpur
● 38 villages in the Churachandpur-Khoupum Protected Forest area (in Churachandpur and
Noney districts) are “illegal settlements”
● Kuki groups have claimed that the survey and eviction is a violation of Article 371C, as
kukis are residents of Hill Area. (Provisions of 371C given below)
● Churachandpur (a Myanmar bordered District)
● Kuki dominated
● Has mostly Christian population
● Country’s poorest district
● Recently an all women committee formed with Just. Gita Mittal (former CJ of J&K)

Meiteis SC Status reviewed by

● The Lokur committee ( 1965)

● Bhuria commission ( 2002-2004)
● A high level committee in 2013 under prof.Virginius xaxa
● Article 371- provides “special provisions” for 11 states
● 6 states of the Northeast
● Articles 369-392 (including some that have been removed) appear in Part XXI of the
Constitution, titled ‘Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions’
● Article 370 deals with Jammu and Kashmir
AFSPA

○ Enacted to quell the protests during the Quit India movement

○ AFSPA was issued by way of 4 ordinances in 1947
○ Replaced by an Act in 1948
○ Present law was introduced in Parliament in 1958 by then Home Minister, G.B. Pant.
 ○ Known initially as the Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958.
○ After the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland came into
being, the Act was adapted to apply to these States as well.
○ The AFSPA gives unfettered powers to the armed forces and the Central armed police
forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of law and arrest
and search any premises without a warrant and with protection from prosecution and legal
suits.
○ The law first came into effect in 1958 to deal with the uprising in the Naga areas
○ Amended in 1972 and the powers to declare an area as “disturbed” were conferred
concurrently upon the Centre and the States.
○ Tripura revoked the Act in 2015
○ Meghalaya - under AFSPA for 27 years, revoked by the MHA from 1st April 2018.
○ Currently AFSFA is in some parts of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
○ Since 1981, AFSPA has been applicable in Manipur
○ AFSPA also existed in the Naga-dominated areas of Manipur since 1958
○ SC upheld AFSPA in 1998 - Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India

Constitutional basis for reservation

● Idea of reservation first by william hunter and jyotirao phule in 1882
● Reservation scs of today introduced by then brit pm Ramsay Mcdonald in 1933 in the form
of communal award.
● OBC included in the constitution on recommendation of Mandal comm
● In 1978 prez appoints mandal commission by invoking article 340
○ - mandal commission says 52 % of pop in OBC and reservation should be
○ 27 % in govt jobs
● Indra Sawhney case of 1992 upheld 27 % reservation and struck down govt. Decision for 10
% reservation for EWS
● Ruled that reservation beneficiaries cannot exceed 50 % of india's pop
● Constitutional (103rd Amendment ) Act of 2019 allowed 10 % reservation for EWS in govt
and educational institutions
 ○ -amended article 15 and 16
● Part XVI of constitution deals with reservation of SC and ST in state legislatures
○ - article 15(4) and 16(4) enabled state and central govt to to reserve seats for SC and
ST
○ - 81 rst Amendment Act, 2000 inserted article 16(4B) enabled state to fill vacancies in
the succeeding year thereby nullifying the ceiling of 50 % reservation on total
vacancies in that year
● The State of Madras v. Smt.Champakam Dorairajan (1951) case was the first major verdict
of the Supreme Court on the issue of Reservation
● Led to the First amendment in the constitution.

POCSO and POSH (Aug)

● POSH Act is a legislation enacted by the Government of India in 2013 to address the issue
of sexual harassment faced by women in the workplace
● The Supreme Court in a landmark judgement in the Vishakha and others v State of
Rajasthan 1997 case gave ‘Vishakha guidelines’.
● These guidelines formed the basis for the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

● POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, 2012) came into effect on
14th November 2012
● Enacted in consequence to India’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child in 1992
● Criminalises sex between a minor and an adult
● Does not recognize a minor’s consent as valid.
● Child marriages are illegal but not void
● Voidable at the minor's choice if he/she petitions the court to declare the marriage null and
void.
● The Act stipulates 18 years as the minimum marriageable age for women, while for men it is
21 years.

● POCSO Rules 2020

 ● Rule-9 of the POCSO Rules allows the Special Court to order interim compensation for the
child’s needs related to relief or rehabilitation
● Immediate Payment of Special Relief: The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) may recommend
immediate payment for essential needs using funds from the District Legal Services
Authority (DLSA), the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), or funds maintained under the
Juvenile Justice Act 2015.
● Support Person for the Child: CWC to provide a support person to assist the child
throughout the investigation and trial process.
● Criminal law (Amendment) Act, 2018, Department of Justice has started a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme in October, 2019 for setting up of a total of 1023 Fast Track Special
Courts (FTSCs) set up
● Fast track courts (FTCs) were first recommended by the Eleventh Finance Commission in
2000
● Following the December 2012 Gangrape and murder case, the Union Government set up a
‘Nirbhaya Fund’, amended the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and set up fast-track Mahila Courts
(a Special Court)
● As of June 2023, the FTSCs have successfully disposed of more than 1.74 lakh cases related
to rape and POCSO Act.
● This reflects the significant impact of these specialized courts in providing speedy justice to
the victims of sexual offences.
● 763 FTSCs are currently functional across 29 States and Union Territories. 412 courts are
exclusive POCSO Courts.

Assam Child Marriages

● Assam government has arrested over 2,000 men in a campaign against child marriages
● Booked under the POCSO Act for under 14 girls
● 14 to 18 years would be booked under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006
● Debate on Muslim Age of Marriage
● Under Muslim personal laws, the marriage of a bride who has attained puberty is
considered.
● Puberty is presumed, in the absence of evidence, on completion of the age of 15 years.
● At the time of India’s independence, the minimum marriageable age stood at 15 years for
females and 18 years for men.
Tipraland
● TIPRA Motha(Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance)
● Led by the scion of Tripura’s royal family, Pradyot Manikya Debbarman, has promised
indigenous communities an ethnic homeland with Greater Tipraland
● Party had secured 18/28 seats in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council
(TTAADC) elections in 2021 .
● The tribals have been reduced to a minority in the once 50:50 state due to the influx of
displaced Bangladeshis(1971 liberation war).
● Demand to carve out a new State for the 19 indigenous tribes of Tripura under Articles 2
and 3 of the Constitution
● Demand earlier made by Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) in 2009 after it broke
away from the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT).
● 20/60 constituencies reserved for ST
● Tripura was ruled by Manikya dynasty from the late 13th century till signing of the IoA on
October 15, 1949. Bikram Manikya was king (minor at the time,Pradyot father)
● TTADC was formed under the 6th schedule of Constitution in 1985 to ensure development
rights of tribals
● Comprising of 30 members(2 nominated)
● March 2nd, the results of the 2023 Tripura elections(conducted on 16th Feb) were
announced
● The BJP- IPFT alliance won 33 of the 60 seats
● Tipra Motha - 13 seats and Left Front-Congress alliance - 14, Trinamool congress -0
● Article 2 - Admit new territories as States (Sikkim)
● Article 3 - Alteration of existing states, internal creation of states

ASSAM DELIMITATION

● EC announced the process of delimitation, based on 2001 Census

● Assam currently has 14 Lok Sabha constituencies and 126 Assembly constituencies.
● The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President, works in collaboration with EC
● Composition of the commission - Retired Supreme Court judge + Chief Election
Commissioner +Respective State Election Commissioners
● Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.
● Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation
Act after every Census.
 ● First delimitation exercise in 1950-51.
● The Delimitation Commission Act was enacted in 1952.
● Delimitation Commissions have been set up 4 times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002
● No delimitation after the 1981 and 1991 Censuses.
● Primary objective in india - To allocate constituencies ensuring equitable representation
● All india united democratic front and congress opposed Assam delimitation
● Assam CM - Himanta Biswa Sarma (BJP)

Dima Hasao Peace PACT(April)

● Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) has signed a Peace Agreement with the Assam
government and the Union Government.
● In September 2021, the DNLA had declared a unilateral ceasefire for a period of 6 months
following an appeal by the chief minister which has since been extended.
● The MoU has been signed which makes the DNLA’s 179 cadres lay down its arms,disband
and abide by the Constitution of India, vacate all camps and join the mainstream.The central
and state governments will provide Rs 500 crore each for the development of the Dimasa
tribal areas.
● Dimasa Welfare Council will be set up by the Government of Assam to protect, preserve and
promote the identity of the Dimasa people residing outside the jurisdiction of North Cachar
Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC)(under Article 244 schedule 6) which runs the Dimasa
tribal region.
● The MoU also provides for the appointment of a Commission under Paragraph 14 to
examine the demand for the inclusion of additional villages with the council.
● DNLA is an armed insurgent group operating in Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong districts in
Assam
● Established in April 2019
 ● Wants sovereign territory for the Dimasa tribes
● Runs on extortion and taxation and draws its support from the NSCN(IM) of Nagaland.
● Dimasas (or Dimasa-Kacharis) are the earliest known settlers of Assam/Brahmaputra valley
● Earliest historically known capital was Dimapur (now in Nagaland)
● Later became Maibang in North Cachar Hills.

Internet Shutdown

Provisions of IT act to shut Internet down

Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, read with Temporary Suspension of Telecom
Services (Public Emergency and Public Safety) Rules, 2017:
Allow the union or state home secretary to order the suspension
Such an order must be reviewed by a committee within five days and cannot last for more than 15
days

Section 144 CrPC:

This section empowers a district magistrate, a sub-divisional magistrate
Such orders can include the suspension of internet services in a particular area for a specified
period

Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000:

This section empowers the central government to block access to any information on the internet
that it considers to be prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity, defence, security or friendly
relations of India, or to public order or decency, or to incitement of any offence.
However, this section only applies to blocking specific websites or content, not the entire internet.

Authority who are able to order such directions are:

The Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. (Central Government)
The Secretary of the Home Department to the concerned State Government. (State Government)

The Review Committee shall comprise of:

Cabinet Secretary, and Secretaries of Legal Affairs and Department of Telecommunication, in case
of Union Government;
Chief Secretary, Secretary Law or Legal Remembrancer concerned, Legal Affairs and Secretary to
the State Government (except Home Secretary), in case of State Government.

Forests

CEC forest expert’s body

● SC August 18,allowed MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) to
reconstitute and replace the ad-hoc experts‘ panel of the central empowered committee
(CEC) created in 2002
● Permanent CEC will have additional powers vis-a-vis its predecessor as not only will the
body continue to assist the Court in environment and infrastructure related matters, but
even the Central government (MoEFCC) can also seek its recommendation on any issue.
● CEC will now consist of a chairperson, member secretary and 3 expert members,
● No longer have two member NGO’s
● Dissenting opinion of any CEC member has to be placed along with the report before the
Court.
● 2nd such body with permanent form under the statute
● Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), an expert panel assisting SC on matters of
pollution relating to Delhi and the national capital region (NCR), was replaced in 2020 by the
Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining areas.

Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023 ( Van Sanrakshan act)

● Aims to bring significant changes to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980

● After Independence, vast areas of forest land were designated as reserved and protected
forests.
● Many forested areas were left out, and areas without any standing forests were included in
'forest' lands.
● In Godavarman case, 1996, the Supreme Court suspended the felling of trees across the
country, Ruled that the FC Act would apply to all land parcels that were either recorded as
'forest' or resembled the dictionary meaning of forest.
● In June 2022, the government amended the Forest Conservation Rules to propose a
mechanism to allow developers to raise plantations "over land on which the (FC) Act is not
applicable" and to swap such plots against subsequent requirements of compensatory
afforestation.
 ● The Act's name was changed to Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 to
reflect the potential of its provisions
● Removing protection for ecosystems managed as forests (grasslands or mangroves)
● Prior forest clearance isn’t needed where forest land is situated within 100 km of an
international border
● The Mizoram and Tripura Assembly have passed resolutions opposing the Act, as most of
Northeast India falls within the 100 km range
● Nagaland and Sikkim have also opposed the 100 km exemption clause.
● 50%+ of the Recorded Forest Areas (RFA) in the North East falls under “unclassed forests”
● The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act/Tribal Rights Act passed on
18 December 2006 - Rights of forest-dwelling communities to land and other resources.

Global Forest Watch

● Released by World Resources Institute (WRI)
● Established: 1982
● HQ: Washington DC
● Reveals that India has lost over 1.6 million hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2018
● Total tree cover (12% of the country’s geographical area in 2000) reduced to 8.9% in 2010.
● 5 states(Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur) were responsible for over
50% of all tree cover loss
● Total tree cover 2023 = 24.62%
● Uses data collated by the University of Maryland, Google, US Geological Survey and NASA

UN Forum on Forests
● Held in New York ( 8-12 May)
● 18th edition
● Established in 2000 by ECOSOC
● Composed of all UN members
● Suriname: claiming to be the most forested and carbon-negative country
● Will derive 23% of its energy from renewables by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2060

Forests - Timeline of Important Events

● 1992 - UNCED adopts the “Forest Principles” and Agenda 21.
● Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (1995) and Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (1997)
are established for implementation of the principles
● 2000 - UNFF is established
● 2006 - UNFF agrees on 4 Global Objectives on Forests.
 ● 2007 - UNFF adopts the UN Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests
● 2009 – UNFF adopts decision to assist countries in reversing a 20-year decline in forest
financing especially Small Island Developing States & Low Forest Cover Countries
● 2011- The International Year of Forests, “Forests for People”

Central Vista Redevelopment Project

● Central Vista - India’s central administrative area located near Raisina Hill, New Delhi.
● Originally designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker during British colonial rule
● Retained by Government of India after independence
● Redevelopment of the project is being overseen by Ar. Bimal Patel.
● Houses Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, North and South Block, India Gate, National
Archives among others.
● In December 1911, King George V made an announcement in Delhi Durbar (a grand
assembly) to shift the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi
● The redevelopment project includes
● Constructing a triangular Parliament building next to the existing one
● PM inaugurated the parliament and placed ‘Sengol’, the symbol of power transfer to India
from the British.
● Lok Sabha Hall with a capacity of up to 888 seats and a larger Rajya Sabha hall with up to
384 seats. Joint sessions of Parliament can now accommodate up to 1,272 seats
● The new Sansad Bhavan stands as a "Platinum-rated Green Building,"
● The public entrances lead to 3 galleries
a) The Sangeet Gallery which exhibits dance, song, and musical traditions of India
b) The Sthapthya Gallery depicts the architectural heritage of the country
c) The Shilp Gallery showcases distinct handicraft traditions of different states.
● The Lok Sabha hall’s interior, inspired by India's national bird, the peacock
● The Rajya Sabha hall, representing the lotus, India's national flower,
● Revamping of the 3-km-long Rajpath (Kartavya Path) — from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India
Gate.
IT Guidelines

● IT Rules derive their authority from the IT Act, 2000

● "Safe harbour" for intermediaries that observe due diligence in discharging duties and
follow guidelines prescribed by the state.
● Section 79 of the Act grants immunity to intermediaries (WhatsApp, Twitter,Instagram etc)
● Require social media platforms to identify the first originator of any information
● Centre also created 3 grievance appellate committees.
● Established by the government to investigate user complaints against major social media
companies including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
 ● GAC will be an exclusive virtual platform and will respond to user appeals within 30 days.
● No promotion of betting platforms online as betting and gambling are illegal activities
● Such platforms will have to register with a Self Regulatory Body(SRB)
● Minister of Electronics and IT: Ashwini Vaishnaw
● The IT Rules, petitions are pending consideration in the Supreme Court of India.
● 2021 IT Rules sought to regulate intermediaries and digital news media.
● Amendments (April 2023) - Gave government power to decide what information is bogus
and exercise censorship by compelling intermediaries to take down posts deemed false
● Done by the Fact Check Unit
● Shreya Singhal vs UoI (2015) = Law that limits free speech cant be vague or over-broad.

June
PM Modi Awards

Egypt- Order of the Nile (June 25) Established: 1915

Saudi- Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud
Bhutan- Order of the Druk Gyalpo
Global Energy and Environmental Leadership Award- CERA
Global Goalkeeper Award- Gates Foundation for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Champions of the Earth Award (2018)- UNs highest environmental honour
Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour- France
Grand Cross of the Order of Honour- Greece

Odisha train crash + Railways

● June 2, 2023, at Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha's Balasore district.

● Kavach initiative, which aims to enhance railway safety in India. However, the Kavach
system has not been implemented on the Odisha route.
● Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system
● Developed by the RDSO(Research Design and Standards Organisation)
● The accident took over 293 lives and left more than 1,100 people injured
● CRS (Commission of Railway Safety) - Railway safety authority in the country.
● It deals with matters related to safety of rail travel and operations as laid down in the
Railways Act, 1989.
● HQ: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
● The CBI arrested 3 railway employees in connection with the case, charged under section 304
(culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 201( evidence tampering).
 ● CRS produced a report which said that faulty labelling of wires at the location box caused
signalling error.
● The Indian Railway Minister has highlighted a change in the electronic interlocking as the
primary factor leading to the accident.
● Interlocking System refers to a crucial safety mechanism used to control train movements
and ensure safe operations at railway stations and junctions. It is a complex network of
signals, points (switches), and track circuits that work together to prevent conflicting
movements and collisions.
● As of 2022, 2,888 stations in India were equipped with an electronic interlocking system —
comprising 45.5% of the Indian Railways network.
● The Indian Railways is the world's fourth-largest railway network, carrying an average of 8
billion passengers annually
● Introduced in 1853, when a line was constructed from Bombay to Thane covering a distance
of 34 km.
● Largest government undertaking in the country.
● 18 distinct zones
● Minister- Ashwini Vaishnaw
● Indian Railways is the proud owner of 4 UNESCO accorded World Heritage Sites namely
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (1999), Nilgiri Mountain Railway (2005), Kalka Shimla
Railway (2008) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai (2004).
● Network spans over 68,000 km and encompasses more than 7,000 stations, with a running
track of 1,02,831 km
● As of March 31, 2022, the total track length, including sidings, yards, and crossings, stands at
1,28,305 km.
● The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for an action taken report from
the Odisha government regarding the Balasore train accident.
● NHRC is an autonomous entity of the government with a mission to protect and promote
human rights.
● Established in accordance with the Paris Principles of Human Rights, 1991.

First International Train Services between India-Bhutan

● The railway line will connect Bhutan‘s Gelephu and Kokrajar in India‘s Assam. The
construction work of this 57-km railway link is expected to be completed by 2026

Gandhi Peace Prize(June)

- Gita Press, Gorakhpur, a 100-year-old institution that publishes Hindu religious texts and
promotes Gandhian ideals of peace and social harmony, has been awarded the Gandhi Peace
Prize for 2021 by the Government of India.
- Gita press was established in 1923 by Jaya Dayal Goyandka and Hanuman Prasad Poddar.
- Gandhi Peace Prize Awards was instituted in the year 1995, on the 125th birth anniversary
of Mahatma Gandhi.
 - The award carries an amount of Rs 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and a traditional handicraft or
handloom item. The award is conferred by the President of India at a function in Rashtrapati
Bhavan. The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste,
creed or gender.
- The Award may be divided between two persons / institutions who are considered by the
Jury to be equally deserving of recognition in a given year. Work by a person since deceased
cannot be the subject of an Award

Uniform Civil Code

Complete in Uttarakhand, soon to be tabled. The Law Commission of India has asked for views and
proposals from the public regarding the UCC. Previous stance on the UCC was that it was neither
necessary nor desirable. UCC is a proposal to replace the personal laws of various religious
communities with a common set of laws for all citizens.

The Uniform Civil Code is mentioned in Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, which is part of the
Directive Principles of State Policy.
These principles are not legally enforceable but are meant to guide the state in making policies.

The only states in India with UCC is Goa which retained its common family law known as the Goa
Civil Code after it was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961

All religions are governed by their own personal laws.

Personal laws are determined based on religious identity.
The reformed Hindu Personal Law still incorporates certain traditional practices.
Differences arise when Hindus and Muslims marry under the Special Marriage Act, where Hindus
continue to be governed by Hindu Personal Law, but Muslims are not

Cases:
Shah Bano Begum v. Mohammad Ahmed Khan (1985):
The Supreme Court upheld the right of a Muslim woman to claim maintenance from her husband
under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, even after the expiry of the Iddat period.
It also observed that a UCC would help in removing contradictions based on ideologies.

Sarla Mudgal v. Union of India (1995):

The Supreme Court held that a Hindu husband cannot convert to Islam and marry another woman
without dissolving his first marriage.
It also stated that a UCC would prevent such fraudulent conversions and bigamous marriages.

Shayara Bano v. Union of India (2017):

The Supreme Court declared the practice of triple talaq as unconstitutional and violative of the
dignity and equality of Muslim women.
It also recommended that the Parliament should enact a law to regulate Muslim marriages and
divorces.

Maharashtra MLA Case

The infamous “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” slogan was coined against the background of continuous
defections by the legislators in the 1960s.
Paragraph 4 does not clarify whether the original political party refers to the party at the national
level or the regional level, despite the fact that that is how the Election Commission of India
recognises political parties.
Maharashtra case:
Validation of whip should have been decided on the basis of the explanation (a) to paragraph
2(1)(a):
It says that an elected member of a House shall be deemed to belong to the political party by which
he was set up as a candidate for election as such member. Hence, The only party which can legally
issue the whip is the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and not the Eknath Shinde led faction as it
was the party which set them up as candidates in the last election.The anti-defection law was
enacted to punish defectors, not to facilitate defection.

Name of Speaker in Maharashtra - Rahul Narwekar

SC directed him to rule on the petitions

Judgements
1) In Kihoto Hollohan vs Zachillhpeu And Others (1992) Supreme Court upheld the validity of
the Anti-defection law and made the Speaker’s order subject to judicial review on limited
grounds.
2) G. Vishwanathan v. Speaker, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly case - Members who have
publicly expressed opposition to their party or support for another party were deemed to
have resigned
3) Ravi S Naik v. Union of India - In the absence of a formal resignation by the member, the
giving up of membership can be inferred by his conduct.
4) Shrimanth Balasaheb Patil v. Hon’ble Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly (2019), the
Karnataka Case -MLA’s would not be bound by the whip of their respective party in the trust
vote and noted that the speaker decision to be made within 3 months

Stalemate bw telangana and AP

● AP approached SC seeking just reasonable and equitable apportionment of assets and
liabilities under AP reorganisation act 2014
● 2nd june 2014 - NW part of AP was separated and 29th state telangana was created
● States reorganisation act 1956 merged the telugu speaking areas of hyderabad state with
andhra state to create enlarged AP state
● 8 years after bifurcation of AP - division of assets and liabilities remain elusive
● Issues involved
○ 245 institutions worth 1.42 lakh crore
 ○ 91 under schedule IX and 142 under schedule X of the Act
○ Division of another 122 institutions not mentioned in the Act
● MHA has given clarity about HQ assets in 2017
● Article 131 - SC has original jurisdiction in any dispute bw GOI and one or more states
● Article 263 - inter state council is expected to inquire and advice on disputes discuss
subjects common to all states

July
Census

● Population Census - A process of collecting, compiling, analysing and disseminating

demographic, economic and social data (at a specific time) of all persons in a country.
● Census is a Union subject under Article 246 of India Constitution
● As per Census Act 1948, the Census of India is conducted.
● In India, the Census is conducted once a decade.
● Census 2011 was the 15th National Census of the country and the 7th after Independence
● First census was in 1881
● Earliest mentions: Rigveda (800-600 BC), Arthashastra (300 BC)
● Ain-i-Akbari (16th century)
● Non-synchronous Census (held in a few places): 1872 under Gov. Gen. Lord Mayo
● Synchronous Census (held all over British India) 1881 by W.C. Plowden (Census
Commissioner)
● Governor General in 1881 was Lord Ripon
● Until 1951, Census Organisation was set up on an ad-hoc basis
● Since 1951, Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner (Under MHA)
● Guaranteed confidentiality where the information is not even accessible by the government
● 5th (1921) Only census to witness a decadal population decline (0.31%)
● Called the year of "The Great Divide"
● 11th (1971) Added information on fertility for currently married women
● 13th (1991) Concept of literacy changed to children aged 7+ (previously 4+)
● 14th (2001) Leap in tech front; usage of Intelligent Character Reading (ICR)
● 15th (2011) Notable fall in case of Empowered Action Group (EAG)

Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC)

● Conducted in 2011 for the first time since 1931
 ● Uses economic status criteria (to define a poor/deprived person)
● Specific caste (to evaluate caste groups that are economically worse/better off)
● Article 340 mandates the appointment of a commission backward classes
● SECC not confidential to government and isn't a complete census

G Rohini Commission

● Justice G. Rohini-headed - 4 member Commission for the sub-categorisation of OBCs

● Submitted its report on the issue to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
● Constituted a Commission on 2nd October, 2017 under article 340
● 12 week deadline given 14 extensions
● Justice G. Rohini was the first female Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court
● Also served as a judge on the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
● The Commission examined the extent to which reservation/benefits for OBCs are
concentrated among dominant caste groups.
● Commission was then tasked with suggesting a break-up of the over 2,600 caste groups in
the Central OBC list so that these benefits could be equitably redistributed
● Results of Report - OBCs get 27% reservation
● Only a few dominant caste groups among them benefit from this quota.
● 97% of benefits went to 25% of OBC castes.
● Around 983 OBC communities (37% of the total) had zero representation in jobs and
educational institutions.
● The Kalelkar Commission(1953), was the first to identify backward classes other than the
Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) at the national level.
● The 102nd Constitution Amendment Act, 2018 provided constitutional status to the
National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)
● Previously a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
● It was introduced by Thawar Chand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
● The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 10 April 2017
● Current Min of social justice and empowerment - Virendra kumar (union)
● 9 states have already sub-categorised OBC's Rohini Commission

Reservation History/Static
● in 1963, SC ruled in 'MR Balaji vs State of Mysore' reservations will be under 50%
● in 1979, 2nd Backward Classes (5-member Mandal Commission) set up; in 1980, submitted
report identifying 52% communities as backward; used 11 social indicators
 ● Mandal comm. Headed by BP Mandal, 7th CM of Bihar. Officially known as Socially And
Educationally Backward classes commission
● in 1990, VP Singh government reserved 27% seats for OBC's in civil posts (Article 16(4)) +
educational institutions (Article 15(4))
● In 2005, 93rd Constitutional Amendment Act brought private + unaided colleges under
reservation purview

SC on sub-categorisation:
● EV Chinnaiah vs State of Andhra Pradesh (2005) ~ SC holds sub-categorisation of
SC-ST-SEBC as violative of Art 14 & prohibits it -
● Constitutional Bench (2020) - SC reopens the legal debate on sub-categorisation of SC &
ST's GK:

Bihar Caste Census

● In an all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 1, 2022, it was
unanimously decided that the castes and subcastes of all religions will be counted in Bihar
via a caste census
● After two resolutions were passed separately in 2018 and 2019 by the Bihar Legislative
Assembly.
● This is because the socio-economic census conducted in 2011 by the Congress led UPA govt
at the center’s findings were never released to the public, citing errors in enumeration and
the last caste census being the one conducted in 1931.
● The Union government opposed this survey in the Supreme Court, asserting that only the
Centre is empowered under the Constitution to carry out a census
● Census is enumerated as a subject under Entry 69 in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule
of the Constitution.
● The survey eventually began on January 7, and the first round went on until January 21.
● The second round began on April 15 and was scheduled to continue until May 15, but was
stayed by the Patna High court on May 4th after several petitions were filed by the
organization Youth for Equality against the legitimacy of the caste survey.
● HC bench dismissed all challenges to the survey
● Bihar - Capital: Patna
● Third highest population
● CM - Nitish Kumar
● Governor - Rajendra Arlekar
● Per 2011 census, among states, Bihar has the lowest literacy rate of 47%
● Highest is Kerala (male: 96.1%, female 92.1%).
 ● Bihar caste survey results: EBCs form 36% of population, OBCs at 27.13%
● OBC Yadavs are the single biggest caste with 14.26 per cent
● The Hindu population in the state is 81.99 percent and Muslim population is 17.7 percent.
● The Scheduled Caste population is 19.65 percent, while the general category is 15.52
percent

Ranganath Report(Dalit convert)(April)

● SC revisited a 2007 report by the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission for Religious and
Linguistic Minorities
● Commission recommended Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation for Dalit converts to
Christianity and Islam.
● The Centre had discredited the report and set up its own commission headed by a former
CJI K.G. Balakrishnan to review it

Pradhan Mantri PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Development Mission + tribal day
(Relevant to census and manipur)
● Recent PM scheme as part of the Union Budget
● Rs 15,000 crore for the programme over the next three years.
● Ministry of Tribal Affairs has implemented the scheme of “Development of PVTGs”
● Covers 75 PVTGs for their comprehensive socio-economic development.
● State Governments submits Conservation-cum-Development (CCD) plans as required
● 100% grants-in-aid are made available to States as per the provisions of the scheme.
● In India, tribal population makes up for 8.6% of the total population.
● 1973 - Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category
● 1975 - Government identified 52 PVTGs
● 1993 - Additional 23 groups were added, total of 75 PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes.
● 2006 - Government of India renamed the PTGs as PVTGs.
● PVTGs have some basic characteristics - they are mostly homogenous, with a small
population, relatively physically isolated, absence of written language, relatively simple
technology and a slower rate of change etc.
● Highest number of PVTG’s are found in Odisha
● World Tribal Day - August 9th
● Declared by UN in 1994
● Theme: Indigenous Youth As Agents of Change For Self Determination
● India has 2nd largest tribal population in the world (after Africa)
● Out of the 7 major tribes, Bhils are largest and Andamanese are smallest
National Maritime Heritage Complex (July)
● Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways - Sarbananda Sonowal
● Will have Asia’s Biggest Underwater Marine Museum
● India’s Grandest Naval Museum
● Constructed at: Indus Valley civilization region of Lothal, Gujarat
● Set to become the world's largest maritime museum complex
● Part of the Sagarmala Programme.

SAGAR SAMPARK(July)
● The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has inaugurated 'SAGAR SAMPARK’,
● It is an indigenous Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS).
● Terrestrial based enhancement system
● Corrects errors in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
● Mariners can now improve their positioning within 5 metres using the latest DGNSS system

ED tenure extension
● Director: Sanjay Kumar Mishra
● Appointed November 2018 for 2 years
● Tenure extended in November 2020 for 3 years
● Petition raised challenging extension
● September 8, 2021, SC dismissed the petition but issued mandamus prohibiting further
extensions
● Government amended the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003, and the Delhi Special
Police Establishment Act, 1946, to grant itself powers for 3 tenure extensions.
● Contradicted SC directive advocating for fixed tenures for top officials (Vineet Narayan
Case).
● The court ruled that the amendments themselves were constitutional but declared the
specific extensions given to the director of ED as invalid, as they violated the earlier
mandamus.
● The ED Director is appointed under Section 25 of the CVC Act, 2003.
● The Central Government appoints a Director of ED on the recommendation of a selection
committee.
● Mandumus - means “we command “ in latin
● Used to enforce fundamental rights of citizens, under article 32 and 226
● 16th Sep - ED Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra's tenure ends, Rahul Navin appointed
in-charge chief
● ED investigates money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
● Functions under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
● HQ: New Delhi
 ● On 1st May 1956, an ‘Enforcement Unit’ was formed, in the Department of Economic Affairs
● In the year 1957, this Unit was renamed as ‘Enforcement Directorate’.
● There are 5 regional offices at Mumbai, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Delhi
● Headed by Special Directors of Enforcement.
● Tenure: 2 years, but directors tenure can be extended from 2-5 years by giving 3 annual
extensions
.
National Research Foundation
● Proposed entity that will replace the Science and Engineering Research Board of India
(2008)
● Established as per recommendation of the NEP
● Estimated cost of 5k crore
● Presided by the PM (ex officio prez of the board ) and consist of 10 major directorates
● 18-member board with eminent Indian and international scientists, senior government
functionaries and industry leaders.
● The functioning of NRF is governed by an executive council which is chaired by the principal
scientific advisor to the government ( Ajay Sood ) .
● The NRF will be registered as a society and have an independent secretariat.
● Expectations from NRF
● Increasing India’s investment in R&D from 0.7% of GDP to 2% of GDP by 2030
● Enhancing India’s share of global scientific publications from about 5% to 7% by 2030

National Hydrogen Mission

● Nodal ministry - Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE)
● Nodal Authority - Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power.
● Outlay of Rs 19,744 crore up to 2029-30.
● Target of 125 gigawatts of associated renewable energy capacity
● Its aims are to produce 5 MMT of GH by 2030
● 8 lakh crore investment and avert 50 MMT of CO2 emissions.
● Its components are SIGHT(Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition
Programme, outlay of 17940 cr) & SHIP(Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership, a PPP
for R&D)
● MNRE defined standard for 'green hydrogen':
● Should have a well-to-gate emission
● Not exceeding 2 kg CO2 equivalent per kg Hydrogen
● Taken as an average over the last 12-months
● 3 day International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023) in New Delhi(5th-7th
July).
● GH is the only type of hydrogen that is produced in a climate-neutral manner, making it
critical to reach net zero emissions by 2070
● India setting up 3.5 million tons of GH manufacturing capacity

● Ethanol as a fuel
● Ethanol /Ethyl Alcohol (C2H5OH), made from sugar,starch, rice or petrochemical processes
(ethylene hydration)
● 20% ethanol blending target by 2025 (E20)
● Currently ethanol makes up 10% of petrol in vehicles
● Initiatives:
● Roadmap for ethanol blending (Report by NITI Aayog 2021)
● E100 pilot project (Network for production and distribution, 2021)
● Pradhan Mantri Jivan Yojna (boost 2G ethanol projects)
● National Policy on Biofuels (2018)
● Union Minister Nitin Gadkari unveils world‘s first BS-VI 100% ethanol-powered car (E100)
● Developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor
● Based on the Toyota Innova HyCross.

● NTPC Ltd is planning to commission the country‘s first Green Hydrogen fueling station in
Ladakh
● NTPC Limited(National Thermal Power Corporation) is a PSU engaged in electricity
generation
 ● HQ: New Delhi
● Comes under Ministry of Power
● Minister of Power/New and Renewable Energy: Raj Kumar Singh

Draupadi Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu was on a six-day State Visit to Suriname and Serbia from the 4th June
to 9th June 2023
President of Suriname: Chandrikapersad Santokhi. She was the Chief Guest on the 5th of June in
commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Suriname

Became the first Indian to be honoured with the Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star
The highest civilian award in Suriname
Established on 25 November 1975, the day Suriname became independent from the Netherlands.
The award consists of a yellow star with a gold border, suspended from a yellow ribbon with green
edges. The star is surrounded by a wreath of green leaves

Suriname is a country in northern South America

Smallest sovereign state in South America
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname.
Currency - Surinamese Dollar
Chandrikapersad Santokhi is the current President of Suriname, since 2020.

Murmu visited Serbia from the 7th to the 9th at the invitation of President of Serbia Aleksandar
Vucic.
Target for bilateral trade from the present 32 crore Euros to one billion euros by the end of the
decade

President‘s State Visit to Serbia is the first-ever visit by a Head of State from either side

Droupadi Murmu: Indian politician and former teacher who is serving as the 15th and current
President of India since 2022
First person belonging to the tribal community and also the second woman after Pratibha Patil
(2007-2012) to hold the office
Youngest person to occupy the post and the first President born in Independent India
 8th Governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021
Odisha MLA from Rairangpur Assembly constituency from 2000 to 2009
Minister of State (Independent Charge), Government of Odisha from 2000 to 2004.
Droupadi Murmu was born to a Santali family on 20 June 1958
1997, Droupadi Murmu was elected as the councillor of the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat as an
independent candidate from a reserved seat for women
Joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
2000 Odisha Legislative Assembly election from Rairangpur Assembly constituency and served
two terms in the Odisha Legislative Assembly between 2000 and 2009.
2007, she received the Nilkanth Award for the Best MLA of the Odisha Legislative Assembly

June 2022, the BJP nominated Murmu as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)‘s candidate for
President of India for the 2022 election the following month
Yashwant Sinha, was nominated as the candidate for president by the opposition parties.
21 July 2022, Murmu secured a clear majority in the 2022 Presidential election defeating common
opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha with 676,803 electoral votes (64.03% of total) in 21 states to
become the 15th President of India
26 July 2022, Droupadi Murmu took the oath as the 15th President of India which was
administered by the 48th Chief Justice of India N. V. Ramana

Murmu addressed the nation for the first time as president on 14 August 2022, the eve of the 75th
Independence Day.
Ram Nath Kovind served as the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022. He is the second dalit
to hold the position of President of India after Kocheril Raman Narayanan (1997-2002)

August
INDIAN LAWS OVERHAUL

● The Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita Bill, 2023, which will replace the IPC
● The Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023, which will replace the CrPC
● The Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023, which will replace the Evidence Act
● IPC - Criminal Code
● Drafted in 1860
● By first law commission established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833
● IPC came into order on 1 jan 1862
● CrPC provides procedures for administering criminal law in India
 ● Enacted in 1973
● Became effective on 1 April 1974.
● Indian Evidence Act - Governs admissibility of evidence in Indian courts
● Passed in India by the Imperial Legislative Council in 1872, during the British Raj
● MHA in 2020 had constituted a committee to review the 3 codes of criminal law
● Headed by Prof. (Dr.) Ranbir Singh
BHARTIYA NYAY SANHITA BILL
● 10 years imprisonment for sexual intercourse with women on false promise of marriage
● Introduces community service as a form of punishment for specific crimes
● Maximum limit of 180 days to file a charge sheet

BHARTIYA NAGRIK SURAKSHA SANHITA BILL

● Use of technology for trials, appeals, and recording depositions
● Video-conferencing for proceedings.
● Video-recording of statement of survivors of sexual violence compulsory,
● Police must inform about the status of a complaint in 90 days
● Section 41A of the CrPC will be renumbered as Section 35
● Added safeguard - No arrest can be made without prior approval from DSP or above
(Deputy Superintendent of Police), especially for offences punishable by more than 3 years
or for individuals above 60 years.
● Police consult the victim before withdrawing a case punishable by 7+ years
● Allows absconding criminals to be tried in-absentia by court and sentenced too
● Magistrate can take cognizance of offences based on e- records such as emails, SMSs
● Mercy petitions to be filed within 30 days to the Governor and within 60 days to the
President.
● No appeal shall lie against the President’s decision in any court.

BHARATIYA SAKSHYA BILL, 2023

● Defines electronic evidence as any information generated or transmitted by any device or
system that is capable of being stored or retrieved by any means.
● Admissibility of electronic evidence must have authenticity, integrity, reliability
● Admissibility of DNA evidence must follow consent, chain of custody
● Recognises expert opinion as a form of evidence (medical opinion, handwriting analysis)
● Presumption of innocence as a fundamental principle

Digital Personal Data Protection Bill,2023

● Timeline:
● 2017, KS Puttaswamy judgement - Gol sets up Srikrishna Commission
● Objective - To examine data protection issues
● 2018, Srikrishna Comm gives report
● 2019, Centre revises Personal Data Protection Bill with report recommendations
● Bill tabled in Parliament, then sent to JPC
● 2021, JPC (headed by Meenakshi Lekhi then PP Chaudhary) gives report
● 2022, DPDP bill draft released
● 2023, Bill was tabled and passed
● Penalties on violation - 250 cr "per instance" (earlier were 2500 cr)
● Section 18 widens ambit of government power
● Data Protection Board will be formed to oversee implementation
● May exempt government agencies from the application of provisions in interest of security
of the state, public order, and prevention of offences.
● Data fiduciaries and intermediaries have increased responsibility

Data protection in India:

● IT Amendment Act, 2008 + IT (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules,
2021
● -Puttaswamy judgement, 2017 + BN Srikrishna Commission, 2017
● -Section 43A, IT Act (2000) - compensation for data breach
● -Section 66E, IT Act (2000) - violation of privacy, upto 3 yr jail + upto 2L fine
● -Section 72A, IT Act (2000) - disclosure of information in violation of a contract; upto 3 yr jail
+ upto 5L fine
● In 2018, Aadhar data breach led to exposure of 1.1 bn records
● Around the world:
i) EU - General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR); introduced in 2016, enforced in 2018
ii) China - Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) + Data Security Law (DSL);both in
2021
● in 2017, Yahoo! data breach exposed 3 bn accounts
● KS Puttuswamy judgement (2017):
● in 2010, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) established & 1st Aadhar issued
● -in 2012, KS Puttuswamy + Parvesh Sharma filed PIL against Aadhar
● *KS Puttuswamy was Justice in Karnataka HC*
● -in 2017, 9-judge bench ruled unanimously Right to Privacy a fundamental right under Art
14, 19 & 21
● -overturned - MP Sharma vs Satish Chandra (1954) + Kharak Singh vs State of UP (1962)
 ● GK:
● -Right to Privacy -- Article 12, UDHR (1948)

General Data Protection Regulation

● The GDPR was approved by the European Parliament on April 14, 2016
● went into effect on May 25, 2018.
● It replaces the EU Data Protection Directive of 1995
● Based on 4 principles -Data minimization, Accuracy, Storage limitation, Integrity and
confidentiality (security)
● GDPR provides a longer list of lawful bases for the processing of personal data, including
processing for purposes of a contract, and processing in the legitimate interests of the data
controller.

Digital India Act

● DIA will review the 'safe harbor' principle, which shields online platforms like Twitter and
Facebook from accountability for user-generated content.
● DIA mandates stringent KYC requirements for wearable devices
● DIA aligns with Digital India Goals for 2026, which aim to establish a $1 trillion digital
economy and shape the future of global technologies.
● DIA will replace IT Act 2000
● The Act will cover Artificial Intelligence (AI), Deepfakes, cybercrime, competition issues
among internet platforms, and data protection.

NO CONFIDENCE MOTION

Current events
● LS Speaker Om Birla accepts Opposition's no-confidence motion against Centre
● Brought by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi
● Joint appeal of INC & BRS against Modi Govt over Manipur issue
● 28th NCM since independence
● Modi Govt also faced in 2018 by TDP & INC over Telangana special status demand
● BJP has 303 MP's, NDA has 331 MP's, INDIA has 144 MP's, others have 70
● 1st ever NCM in Aug 1963 by Acharya JB Kripalani (62 in favour, 347 against)
● Art 105(2) -- MP immunity:
● Art 194(2) - MLA immunity
● Indira Gandhi faced most (15) times
● Jyoti Basu of CPI(M) moved most (4) times
 ● 1st successful motion - against Morarji Desai in 1979 (didn't face but resigned)
● Atal Bihari Vajpayee govt lost by 1 vote in 1999

No-confidence motion:
● Under Rule 198 of LS procedure & conduct
● Can only be moved by LS
● Any member can move by providing written notice to LS Secretary General by 10 am on
proposal day
● LS Sec Gen -- Utpal Kumar Singh (Retd IAS)
● Minimum of 50 MP's must support it
● Speaker announces date within 10 days
● Voting thru ~ voice, division (gadgets, ballot etc) or secret ballot
● In case of tie, speaker casts deciding vote
● Other important motions:
i) Adjournment - discuss a definite matter of public importance
ii) Closure - to cut short debate
iii) Motion with a vote - under Rule 184, allows for a debate w/ a vote; Govt will have to
follow outcome
iv) Short Duration Discussion - under Rule 193, discussion under 2 hours
v) Confidence motion - called upon by Prez to make govt prove their majority
vi) Motion of Thanks to thank Prez after address

Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the Parliament

● Article 93 of the Constitution - Election of both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
● The Speaker is the constitutional and ceremonial head of the House.
● Speaker and a Deputy Speaker for the Lok Sabha
● Chairman and a Deputy Chairman for the Rajya Sabha.
● Speaker and Deputy Speaker originated in India in 1921
● Under the provisions of the GoI(govt of India) Act of 1919 (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms)
● They were called the President and Deputy President respectively
● Nomenclature continued till 1947
● G.V. Mavalankar was the first Speaker of Lok Sabha in Independent India.

Speaker
● Member belonging to the ruling party is elected Speaker
● Term of 5 years
● Eligible for re-election.
● When LS is dissolved, Speaker doesn't resign (continues till the newly-elected LS meets)
● The Speaker presides over a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament.
● Joint sitting is summoned by the President to settle a deadlock between the two Houses
● Can adjourn the House or suspend the meeting in absence of quorum
● Quorum = 1/10th of the total strength of the House
● Speaker only votes in case of a tie (Casting Vote to resolve a deadlock)
● Decides whether a bill is a money bill or not, decision is final
● Decides disqualification of a member arising on grounds of 10th schedule (defection)
● The 52nd amendment to the Indian Constitution vests this power in the Speaker.
● 1992, the SC ruled that the decision of the Speaker in this regard is subject to judicial review
● Ex-officio chairman of the Indian Parliamentary Group (IPG)
● Nominates the chairmen of all Parliamentary Committees
● Under following conditions, the speaker, may have to vacate the office:
● If he ceases to be a member of the Lok Sabha.
● If he resigns by writing to the Deputy Speaker
● If he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the members (14 days’ advance
notice)

Deputy Speaker
● Also elected by the Lok Sabha
● Upto the 10th Lok Sabha, both were usually elected from the ruling party.
● 11th Lok Sabha - Speaker from the ruling party and Deputy Speaker from the main
opposition party.
● Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker when post is vacant or when Speaker is
absent
● Deputy Speaker has one special privilege - Whenever appointed as a member of a
parliamentary committee, he/she automatically becomes its chairman
● Not subordinate to the Speaker. Directly responsible to the House.
● Speaker Pro Tem:
● Speaker of the last Lok Sabha vacates his office before the first meeting of the newly-elected
LS
● President appoints (and administers oath) to a member of the Lok Sabha as the Speaker Pro
Tem.
● Usually the senior most member of the house
Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023,

● Amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act 1991.

● May 2023, SC gave Delhi government control over everything except public order, land, and
police
● The Centre introduced an ordinance on May 19 overriding SC order
● Giving more authority to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) in matters of appointments and
transfers of bureaucrats
● National Capital Civil Services Authority: The bill establishes the National Capital Civil
Services Authority to make recommendations to the LG on certain service-related matters.
● Consists of the Delhi CM, the Chief Secretary of Delhi, and the Principal Home Secretary of
Delhi
● Gives more discretionary powers to LG
● Matters must be submitted to LG pre disposal
● Article 239 AA was inserted in the Constitution by the 69th Constitutional Amendment Act,
1991. Based on the recommendations of S Balakrishnan Committee (1987),
● Gives Delhi special status
● LG of Delhi - VK Saxena
● NCR region established = 1985
● New Delhi made capital in 1931

Ordinances Promulgation and Repromulgation

● Article 123 - President can promulgate Ordinances when Parliament is not in session/
emergency
● Ordinances have the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament.
● Ordinances have to be ratified with Parliament within 6 weeks of reassembly of Parliament
● If the two Houses start their sessions on different dates, the later date will be
considered(Articles 123 and 213)
● Ordinance may lapse earlier if the President withdraws it or if both Houses pass resolutions
disapproving it(effectively loss of majority).
● If an Ordinance makes a law that Parliament can enact under the Constitution, it shall be
considered void.
● Article 213 deals with powers of the Governor to promulgate/ withdraw an Ordinance when
the state legislature is not in session.
● Ordinance can be retrospective
● May also modify or repeal any act of Parliament or another ordinance.
 ● If an Ordinance lapses, the only option for the government is to reissue or repromulgate it.
● Even after tough judgments on the use of ordinances, both the Centre and state
governments have ignored the Supreme Court’s observations.
● In 2013 and 2014, the Securities Laws (Amendment) Ordinance was repromulgated three
times.
● In April and May 2015, An ordinance to amend the Land Acquisition Act was issued in
December 2014 was promulgated twice.

1) Krishna Kumar Singh and Another v. State of Bihar, 2017, 7 judge bench -
Governor’s power to issue an Ordinance is an emergency power.

2) Dr D C Wadhwa and Ors v. State of Bihar and Ors (1986) - These actions in the case were
declared as “a fraud on constitutional power”, and said that the Ordinances were
repromulgated in violation of the SC judgment. 256 Ordinances were promulgated between
1967 and 1981, out of which 69 were repromulgated several times and kept alive with the
permission of the President.

3) A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court headed by then CJI P N Bhagwati held that “an
Ordinance promulgated by the Governor to meet an emergency shall cease to be in
operation at the expiration of 6 weeks from the reassembly of the Legislature.

4) RC Cooper v. Union of India (1970)-

Ordinance is not immune from judicial review

5) A.K. Roy v. Union of India (1982) - laid down some safeguards for its ordinances such as
periodic review by an advisory board, communication of grounds of detention to the detenu,
and opportunity for representation against detention

Health Based Central Schemes In India

PM-JAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana)

● World’s largest health insurance scheme fully financed by the government.
● Launched in 2018,
● Sum insured of Rs.5 lakh per family for secondary care and tertiary care.
● Targets the beneficiaries as identified by latest Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) data.
● The funding for the scheme is shared – 60:40 for all states and UTs with their own legislature
● 90:10 in Northeast states, Himachal and Uttarakhand
● 100% Central funding for UTs without legislature.
● National Health Authority (NHA) has been constituted for PM-JAY implementation
● Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health And Family Welfare
● State Health Agency (SHA) is the apex body of the State Government responsible for the
implementation of AB PM-JAY in the State

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

● National initiative that aims to develop the digital health infrastructure of the country
● Launched in 2021.
● Recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the vision of Universal Health
Coverage (UHC).
● Aims to provide digital health IDs for all Indian citizens
● Implementing agency - NHA
● Unified Health Interface (UHI) is envisioned as an open protocol for various digital health
services
● UHI Network is an open network of End User Applications (EUAs) and participating Health
Service Provider (HSP) applications.
● Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Sandbox - Serves as a platform for testing technology and
products
● NHA has announced an extension of its Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS) under the
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
● DHIS offering incentives of up to Rs. 4 crores, has been extended till December 31, 2023

PM ABHIM (Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission)

● Launched in 2021
● Till FY 2025-26
● Addition to the National Health Mission (NHM)
● Aims to provide support to 18000 rural Health and Wellness Centres in 10 ‘high focus’
states
● Establish 11,000 Urban Health and Wellness Centres across the country.
● Indian government has signed loan agreements to borrow up to Rs 14000 crore for
PM-ABHIM from international agencies
a) Asian Development Bank (ADB) for USD 300 million
b) Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for 50 billion Japanese Yen
 c) The World Bank (IBRD) has approved USD 1 billion for PM-ABHIM.

National Health mission

● Launched in 2013
● Subsumed the National Rural Health Mission (2005) and National Urban Health Mission
(2013).
● Health system strengthening for Reproductive-Maternal- Neonatal-Child and Adolescent
Health (RMNCH+A), Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases.
● NHM has enabled achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for health.
● MDGs have been superseded by the Sustainable Development Goals
● The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is responsible for health policy and family
planning in India.
● Founded in 1947
● HQ: New Delhi.
● Minister - Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya.

Supreme Court

● CJI - Highest-ranking officer of the Indian Judiciary.

● President of India to appoint, in consultation with the outgoing CJI
● Serve until they reach 65/impeachment.
● Convention- The name suggested by incumbent CJI is the next senior most judge
● Broken twice both by the Indira Gandhi govt.
● 1973 - Justice A. N. Ray was appointed superseding 3 senior judges
● 1977 - Justice M. H. Beg was appointed superseding Justice Hans Raj Khanna
● Article 145 of the Constitution of India and the Supreme Court Rules of Procedure of 1966
CJI allocates all work to the other judges who are bound to refer the matter back in any case
where they require a larger bench
● Constitution of India envisaged a supreme court with a CJI + 7 judges
● Strength of the Supreme Court is 34 (33 + CJI).
● Supreme Court of India came into being on 28 January 1950
● Replaced both the Federal Court of India and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
● First Chief Justice of India was Sir H J Kania.
● Motto of the Supreme Court is Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ, means whence law (dharma),
thence victory
NJAC (National Judicial Appointments Commission)

● August 2014, Parliament passed the 99th Amendment Act along with the NJAC Act
● Independent commission to appoint judges to the SC/HC to replace the collegium system
● In 2015, the SC declared both as unconstitutional and null and void.
● Composition of NJAC
● The CJI as the ex officio Chairperson
● Two senior-most Supreme Court Judges
● The Union Minister of Law and Justice
● Two eminent persons from civil society (to be nominated by a committee consisting of the
CJI, PM and the LOO in the Lok Sabha; 1 person - SC/ST/OBC/minorities or women)
● CJI and Chief Justices of the HC were to be recommended by the NJAC based on seniority
● SC and HC judges were to be recommended on the basis of ability, merit, and “other criteria
● The Act empowered any two members of the NJAC to veto a recommendation

Collegium System
● Group of the senior-most judges makes appointments to the higher judiciary
● SC Collegium is a 5 member body (CJI + 4 senior most judges of the court)
● HC collegium is led by the incumbent Chief Justice + 2 senior most judges
● Government can also raise objections but if the collegium reiterates the same names, the
government is bound to appoint them as judges

3 judges case leading to forming of collegium

● S.P. Gupta v. UoI (1981)- In matters of appointment of judges the executive has primacy
● SCAORA v. UOI, 9 judge bench(1993)- Overruled SP Gupta, In the matter of appointment of
the SC and HC judges the CJI has primacy
● Third Judges Case (1998): SC on the President's reference (Article 143) expanded the
Collegium to a 5 member body from a 2 member body
● Fourth Judges Case (2015): SC declared both the 99th Constitutional Amendment as well
as the NJAC Act as unconstitutional and void, reinstating collegium

Appointment and Removal of Judges

● Articles 124(2) and 217 of the Constitution deal with the appointment of judges to SC and
HC
● Appointments are made by the President
● Article 124(3) of the Constitution, a person can be appointed as a judge of SC if
 a) Citizen of India
b) Judge of a HC for 5 years or two such courts in succession
Or Advocate of a HC for at least 10 years or two or more such courts in succession.
Or Distinguished jurist in the opinion of the president.
● After retirement, a judge of the SC is prohibited from practising law in any court in India or
pleading before any government authority.
● Article 128 - Retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back
● SC judge can only be removed on the grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity
● Removal requires an address by each House of Parliament, supported by a special majority

Review petition
● Prayed before the Court of law to review an already passed order/judgement
● Under Article 137 of the Constitution of India and the rules made under Article 145, SC has
the power to review its own judgement
● This was done in Sabarimala verdict

Curative petition
● Under Article 142 Curative Petition can be filed in SC
● The concept evolved in the case of Rupa Ashok Hurra vs Ashok Hurra,2002.
● Its objectives are to avoid a miscarriage of justice and to prevent abuse of process.
● This is filed after the review petition is rejected

SC joins National Judicial Data Grid

● NJDG portal is a national repository of data relating to cases instituted, pending and
disposed of
● Information available on the NJDG-SCI (Supreme Court of India) portal would include
a) current pendency of civil and criminal cases
b) filing and disposal of cases in the previous month
c) number of cases pending before 3,5,7 and 9 judge Benches (currently 583 3-judge,
288 5-judge, 21 7-judge and 135 (civil) 9-judge Bench references are pending
● The Union Cabinet approved the 3rd phase of eCourts Project
● Central sector scheme with a financial outlay of Rs. 7,210 crore
● To be implemented over 4 years
● Begins in 2023 and is rooted in the philosophy of “access and inclusion”
National Curriculum Framework

● NCF was released by NCERT and Min of Edu led by principles of NEP 2020
● Developed by - 12 member national steering committee headed by K Kasturirangan (former
ISRO chief)
● Minister of education = Dharmendra Pradhan
● Literacy rate in india = 73 %
● Classes 9 and 10 learn 3 languages, with at least 2 being native Indian languages.
● Classes 11 and 12, students will study 2 languages, including 1 of Indian origin
● Board exams on at least two occasions and best score will be taken
● Earlier, students in Classes 9 to 12 studied five mandatory subjects with an option to add
one
● Now, the number for Classes 9 and 10 is seven and Classes 11 and 12 is six
● NCF has undergone four revisions in the past - in 1975, 1988, 2000, and 2005
● Four Sections of NCF:
a) NCF for School Education (NCF-SE)
b) NCF for Early Childhood Care and Education (Foundational Stage)
c) NCF for Teacher Education
d) NCF for Adult Education.

Jadui pitara - play based learning box for 3 - 8 yrs under NEP 2020 in 13 languages (Feb ‘23)

Red Fort
● 77th Independence Day - Every year PM hoists tiranga and addresses the nation from the
Red Fort accompanied with a 21 gun salute and guard of honour by the armed forces.
● Vishwakarma Scheme was announced - For artisans and craftspeople
● Red Fort is octagonal on plan, with two longer sides on the east and west
● Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007
● Depicted on the new 500 rupee note.
● Currently under the management of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Historical Significance
● Delhi served as capital during the Delhi Sultanate (1206-1506) and under Mughal rule
● Shah Jahan laid down his citadel, Lal Qila/Red Fort in Shahjahanabad(Old Delhi).
● 1857 Rebellion, people marched towards Red fort and declared Bahadur Shah Zafar as their
leader
● Rebellion was quelled and Shahjahanabad was looted and destroyed
 ● In 1911, British moved their capital to Delhi
● Delhi Durbar ceremonies reinforced British dominance
● INA trials at the Red Fort in the 1940s intensified nationalist sentiments against British rule
● August 15, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Tiranga at Princess Park
● "Tryst with Destiny" speech at the Red Fort on August 16, 1947
● Red fort violence 2021 - Farmers' Republic Day protest where Khalistan flag hoisted
● Group of protestors deviated from the parade to storm the Red Fort
● Took place on the 72nd Republic Day against the decision by NDA to implement 3 farm acts
● Announced on 2 January 2021 by the leadership of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha
● Hoisting Khalistan flag led to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) and the Rashtriya Kisan
Mazdoor Sangathan withdrawing from the farmers' protests

Operation Jericho

● 1966, a separatist movement led by Mizo National Front (MNF) was gathering steam in the
area now known as Mizoram and then referred to as the Mizo Hills.
● Centre had decided to station another Assam Rifles battalion in the Hills, in addition to the
one Assam Rifles battalion and a few BSF companies already present.
● MNF launched ‘Operation Jericho’ to take control of Aizawl and then the Mizo hills
● Overran Aizawl in a few days time in late February
● Besieged the HQs of 1 Assam Rifles and released all prisoners
● Proclamations of “independence” were made and a demand was raised for the Assam Rifles
to surrender.
● Attempts were made to re-supply the Assam Rifles battalion with helicopters, but these
were shot at by the Mizo rebels

● Brig (later Maj Gen) Rustom Zal Kabraji:

● Led Army operations on the ground to clear rebel-held positions
● Commanded the 61 Mountain Brigade, located at Agartala
● First Signals officer to command a mountain brigade
● IAF was called in which helped the Army regain control of areas declared “independent”.
● By the end of the month, Brig Kabraji’s Brigade had regained control of Mizoram.
● In 1972 - Mizo Hills became the Union Territory of Mizoram
● Mizoram Peace Accord (1986) between the Government and the MNF
● 53rd amendment - Creation of State of Mizoram on 20 February 1987, as India's 23rd state
 CITIIS 2.0

Stands for ‘City Investments to innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0’

● Recently approved by the government
● It is a part of the Smart Cities Mission and aims to promote and integrate waste
management and climate oriented reform actions
● CITIIS will consider Smart City Projects for the following four themes:
● i. Sustainable Mobility, ii. Public Open Spaces, iii. Urban E-governance and ICT.
● The program will run for a period of 4 years.
● The Program envisages to competitively select projects promoting circular economy with
focus on integrated waste management at the city level, climate oriented reform actions at
the State level, and institutional strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the National
level.
● CITIIS 2.0 aims to leverage and scale up the learnings and success of CITIIS 1.0.
● CITIIS 2.0’s predecessor was launched jointly in 2018 and considered three components:
● i) 12 City level projects selected- competitive process, ii) Capacity- development activities in
the State of Odisha, iii) Promoting integrated urban management at the national level
through activities undertaken by, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), which was the
Program Management Unit (PMU) for CITIIS 1.0.

● The funding for this project would include a loan from AFD and KfW and a technical
assistance grant from the EU.

September
Lok Sabha Women's Reservation Bill

● Introduced on 19th september 2023 and passed on 20th september

● Also known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
● Reserves 1/3rd of the seats in Lok Sabha and State (+Delhi) legislative assemblies
● Applies horizontally to the seats reserved for SCs and STs
● Will come into effect only after a delimitation exercise is completed
● Reservation would continue for a period of 15 years
● It is the 106th Amendment to Constitution
● Inserts Article 330A (Lok Sabha), 332A (State Legislature), 239AA(2)(b)(UT of Delhi)
● Jagdeep Dhankhar (VP) constituted an all-women panel of Vice Chairpersons in Rajya Sabha
 ● Panel comprises 13 women Rajya Sabha Members only
● 1996: First Women Reservation Bill was introduced in the Parliament.
● 82 women MPs in LS (15.2%) and 31 women in RS(13%).
● Increased significantly since the 1st Lok Sabha (5%)
● According to UN Women data, Rwanda (61%), Cuba (53%), Nicaragua (52%) are the top
three countries in women representation

June
● Rajya Sabha Chairman nominated 4 women parliamentarians to panel of vice-chairpersons
● Gave women equal representation in the panel for the first time in history
● S. Phangnon Konyak - First woman from Nagaland to be elected as a Rajya Sabha member
● Rajya Sabha Chair has become fully digital.
● Article 118(1) the Chairman nominates a panel of vice-chairpersons who presides over the
House in the absence of the Chairman/ Deputy Chairman

September
● Nagaland government bill providing 33% reservation for women in urban local bodies
● September 12 - Assembly referred the Nagaland Municipal Bill, 2023 to the Select
Committee

General Elections

One nation One election

● Centre set up a panel headed by Ram Nath Kovind on September 1st to explore feasibility of
ONOE
● Kovind panel has 8 members = Prez Ram Nath Kovind (HEAD) + Amit Shah (MHA) + Harish
Salve (advocate) + Subash Kashyap (former LS Sec Gen), NK Singh (chair, 15th Fin Comm) +
Sanjay Kothari (former CVC) + Ghulam Nabi Azad (former RS Leader of Opp) + Adhir Ranjan
Choudhary (declined)
● Arjun Ram Meghwal (Law Min) is special invitee
● Elections to LS & State Assemblies held simultaneously from 1951-52 to 1967
● 1959 - Kerala assembly dismissed
● Now: Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh elections w/ LS elections
● Countries w/ ONOE ~ South Africa, Sweden, UK, Germany
● ONOE was recommended by -
● 15th Law Commission (1999) under BP Jeevan Reddy - First to recc. simultaneous elections
● 21st Law Commission (2018) under BS Chauhan - Said ONOE is unfeasible
● Parliamentary Standing Committee (2015)
 ● NITI Aayog (2017) - Prepared working report on ONOE

Constitutional provisions
● i) Art 83 ~ term of LS is 5 years; Art 172 ~ term of VS 5 years
● ii) Art 85 ~ Prez can dissolve LS; Art 174 ~ Guv can dissolve VS
● 18th General Elections in 2024
● Art 326 - Elections based on adult suffrage
● Art 81 - Max 550 seats in LS = 20 from UTs + 530 from States
● Currently 543 members in LS
● 1st session of LS on 17 April, 1952
● Concept of NOTA (none of the above option) introduced in 2003
● India the 14 th country to institute negative voting
● Simultaneous elections unfeasible due to need for appropriate amendments
● 50% states need to ratify proposal for simultaneous elections
● May be restored through an amendment of the Constitution, Representation of the People
Act, 1951 and Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies

Voting tech:
a) EVM - Electronic voting machine
- Designed by electronic corporation of india Ltd and manufactured by Bharat electronics Ltd
b) VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) - Used in Noksen, Nagaland in 2013 first
c) RONET (Returning Officer NET)
● Developed by 01 Synergy
● This would help them monitor the assigned tasks at all levels for the smooth conduct of
elections.
d) ECI360
● Developed for the general public — which comprises signed and sworn affidavits of the
contesting candidates, a list of rejected candidates, the final list of candidates, pickup
requests for voters with disability, queue status (people waiting in line to cast votes), R
eal-time poll booth-wise polling percentage, grievance redressal, and the results.
● Candidate app of ECI360 allows them to request permissions for rallies and is also mapped
with redressal systems

History~ of EVM
-in 1977, ECI mooted
-in 1980, MB Haneefa invented 1st Indian voting machine
-in 1982, used in Kerala elections; overturned by SC
*so, Kerala 1st state to use EVMs*
-in 1989, Sec 61A added to RPA (1951) allowing EVMs + Chapter II added to Conduct of Election
Rules (1961)
-in 1999, used in state-wide elections for 1st time in Goa elections
-in 2004, used in all 543 constituencies during General Election
GK:
-Ram Nath Kovind ~ 26th Guv of Bihar (2015-17); 14th Prez of India (2017-22)
*1st Prez of India from UP*
-in 2019 elections, 610 parties spent *60k cr
-ECI is Chair of Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) for 2022-24
-61st Constitutional Amendment Act (1988) ~ voting age from 21 to 18

CEC and Other ECs (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023

● Bill in the Rajya Sabha aiming to alter the process of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and
Election Commissioners (ECs) appointment
● Seeks to remove CJI from the panel to select the CEC and ECs.
● SC in March 2023 ruled that CEC and ECs will be appointed by the President on the advice
of a Committee consisting of the PM, LOO in Lok Sabha and CJI
● Ruling emerged from a 2015 PIL by Anoop Baranwal challenging the appointment process.
● Before SC ruling, the CEC and ECs were appointed by the President on the recommendation
of the government
● In 2018, a two judge bench of the SC referred the case to a larger bench
● Since no law was enacted as prescribed by Article 324, the Court stepped in
● Bill seeks to address this vacuum and set up a legislative process to make EC appointments
● Bill proposes a Search Committee to prepare a panel of 5 persons for consideration for the
positions of CEC and ECs
● Bill repeals the Election Commission Act, 1991.
● 1991 Act - Salary of the ECs will be equal to that of a SC judge
● New Bill - Salary, allowance, and service conditions of the CEC/ECs will be the same as
Cabinet Secretary
● 3-member panel would now consist of a Cabinet Minister besides the LOO and PM

● Election commission was established in 1950 with one CEC

● 5 Articles (324-329) in Part XV (Elections) of the Constitution.
 ● Article 324 of the Constitution vests the “superintendence, direction, and control of
elections” in an Election Commission consisting of the CEC and other ECs as determined by
the President
● Two additional Commissioners were appointed for the first time on 16 October 1989
● Tenure ended on 1 January 1990.
● Election Commissioner Amendment Act, 1989 was adopted on 1 January 1990
● Turned it into a 3-member Commission
● Sukumar Sen was the first CEC, serving from 21 March 1950 to 19 December 1958.
● V. S. Ramadevi was the first lady
● CEC has never been impeached in India.
● Issued the Code of Conduct for the first time in 1971 for the 5th Lok Sabha elections
● Current CEC - Rajiv Kumar

National party status

● Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers the EC to recognise
political parties and allot symbols.
● 6 National Parties in India - BJP,INC,CPI(M),AAP,NPP, BSP
● Decision based on poll performance
● Ensures that the party’s symbol is reserved for its candidates across the country
● Gets land for office in Delhi
● Provision of time for political broadcasts on the state-owned television and radio stations
● Access to electoral rolls
● State parties get exclusive state symbols in the State
● 40 “star campaigners” during the time of elections (the registered-unrecognised parties
are allowed to have 20 “star campaigners”).
● TMC, NCP and CPI have lost their national party status.
● At the time of the first General Elections (1952), there were 14 national parties in India
● Parties without national status are declared as registered-unrecognised parties.
● RoPA 1951 - Registered parties can get recognised as 'State Party’ or' National Party’
● A political party would be considered a national party if:
● It is ‘recognised’ in four or more states
 ● OR its candidates have secured at least 6% of total valid votes in at least 4 states (in latest
Lok Sabha or Assembly elections) and the party has at least 4 MPs in the last LS polls
● OR it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the LS from at least 3 states
● State Party if:
● Secures 6% of the valid votes polled in the state at a general election to the respective
state legislative assembly (state LA) and wins 2 seats in the same state LA.
● OR it secures 6% of the total valid votes in the state at a general election to the LS; and
wins 1 seat in the LS from the same state.
● OR it wins 3% of seats in the LA at a general election to the legislative assembly of the
state concerned or 3 seats in the assembly (whichever is more).
● OR it wins 1 seat in the LS for every 25 seats or any fraction thereof allotted to the state
at a general election to the LS from the state concerned.
● OR it secures 8% of the total valid votes polled in the state at a General Election to the LS
from the state or to the State LA.

Rivers

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

● Implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) which was
constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986.
● NGRBA was dissolved in 2016
● Replaced by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management of River
Ganga.
● Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved by GoI in June
2014
● Budget outlay of Rs.22,500 crore from 2023-26
● Twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of
National River Ganga.
● Chacha Chaudhary - Mascot of the Namami Gange Programme
● World Rivers Day: September 24th
● Theme: Rights of Rivers
River Rejuvenation Project- Devika (North Indias first)
● Modeled after the Namami Ganga Initiative
● Aimed at restoring the health of the Devika River (in Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir).
● Flows from Suddha Mahadev temple in Udhampur towards western Punjab (now in
Pakistan) where it merges with the Ravi river
● Built at a cost of over Rs 190 crore
● The river holds religious significance as it is revered by Hindus as the sister of Ganga.

River Standoffs

Telangana - Andhra Pradesh (Krishna River Dispute)

● First tribunal - 1969, address conflict between Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra
● The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal was established to resolve the Krishna River water issue.
● Telangana government demands a 50% share in the 811 tmcft assured waters of the river.
● The Krishna River Management Board allocated water in a 66:34 ratio for 2022-23
● Continues the temporary water ratio agreed upon by Telangana and AP gov in 2014.

Cauvery water sharing issue (August)

● TN government sought SC intervention to make Karnataka release 24,000 cusecs
● Also urged SC to make Karnataka government release 36.76 TMC (thousand million cubic
feet) stipulated for September 2023
● As per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT)‘s final award of February 2007
● This was modified by the SC in 2018

Cauvery Water Dispute

● Fought between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over allocation of water from the river Kaveri
● Madras Presidency and the Kingdom of Mysore reached 2 agreements sparking this conflict
● Cauvery rises in Karnataka (Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats )
● Flows through TN and Puducherry before draining into the Bay of Bengal
● Known as Ponni in Tamil and Ganga of the south
● 4th largest river of southern India
● Involves 3 states and one Union Territory (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry)

CWDT (Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal)

● Constituted in 1990
● To adjudicate the water dispute between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry
● Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre has been appointed the new chairman

Cauvery Water Management Scheme

● Established in 2018
● Consists of two subsidiary bodies
● Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)
● Head - S. Masood Hussain
● Permanent body which will regulate and control Cauvery water releases with the CWRC
● Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).
● Head - Navin Kumar
● Technical arm which will ensure the implementation of the final Award
● Periodically collects data regarding levels, inflows, storages, and release of water.

Mekedatu Reservoir Project

● Store and supply drinking water for Bangalore city
● 400 negawatts (MW) of power is also proposed to be generated through the project
● 2018, Tamil Nadu approached the SC against the project

Ministry of Jal Shakti And Legalities

● Formed in May 2019 under the second Modi ministry.
● Merging of 2 ministries: Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga
Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
● Minister - Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
● Entry 17 of the State List deals with water
● Entry 56 of the Union List - development of inter-state rivers and river valleys
● Article 262 - In case of water disputes parliament provides adjudication and courts can
exercise jurisdiction
PCA Asserts Competence in India-Pakistan Hydroelectric Projects Dispute

Facts Of The Case

● Dispute between India & Pakistan over the Kishanganga hydroelectric project (on a
tributary of Jhelum), and the Ratle hydroelectric project (on the Chenab) in J&K
● Disagreement over whether the technical design features of these plants contravene the
Indus Waters Treaty
● Pakistan objects to the hydroelectric projects, citing violations of the IWT
● In 2016, Pakistan retracted its request for a Neutral Expert and proposed a CoA
● India requested the appointment of a Neutral Expert in 2016
● World Bank paused the process, urging resolution through the PIC.
● Pakistan refused to discuss the issue during PIC meetings
● Led World Bank to initiate actions on Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration
● IWT does not empower the World Bank to decide whether one procedure takes precedence
● Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled it has the competence to hear Pakistans objections
● India rejects it and says it goes against the provisions of the IWT
● India opposes the constitution of the CoA

Indus Waters Treaty

● Water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan
 ● Brokered by the World Bank and signed on September 19, 1960.
● Distribution and utilization of the waters of the Indus River system
● 6 rivers: Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej allocated to India & Pak respectively

Dispute Resolution
● Happens through Permanent Indus Commission (PIC)
● PIC has a commissioner from each country.
● Parties inform each other about planned projects on the Indus River
● PIC facilitates the exchange of necessary information.
● Aimed at resolving differences and avoiding escalation
● If the PIC fails to resolve the issue, The World Bank appoints a neutral expert
● If a neutral expert also fails, the dispute goes to CoA which resolves through arbitration.
● IWT states that Neutral Expert and CoA steps are mutually exclusive
● Only one of them can be used at a time for a given dispute.

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)

● Established in 1899
● HQ: The Hague, Netherlands
● Intergovernmental organisation and has a 3-part organisational structure:
● Administrative Council - to oversee its policies and budgets
● Members of the Court - a panel of independent potential arbitrators
● International Bureau - Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General (Marcin Czepelak)

National Water Awards 2022 and 2023

● Ministry of Jal Shakti, through the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and
Ganga Rejuvenation
● First announced the National Water Awards in 2018
● Part of Jal Samridh Bharat vision
● Awards were not given in 2021 due to covid.
● 2023 - 4th edition
● 41 awards in 11 categories presented on June 17th, 2023
● Best State - Madhya Pradesh
● Best District - Ganjam District, Odisha
● Best Urban Local Body - Chandigarh Municipal Corporation
● Best NGO - Arpan Seva Sansthan
CBI (consent from states)

● CBI is governed by The Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act of 1946
● Section 6 - CBI must obtain the consent of state governments before it can investigate a
crime in a particular state
● Consent - ‘Case-specific’ or 'General'
● General consent allows the CBI to operate seamlessly within states
● Case-specific on a case by case basis
● The first state to withdraw general consent to the CBI was Mizoram in 2015
● Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Jharkhand followed in 2020
● Tamil Nadu recent most to withdraw consent (June 2023)
● December 2021, a SC bench referred a case, in which the CBI had filed an affidavit on the
withdrawal of ‘general consent’ to the CBI by several States, for consideration of the CJI
● 8 States withdrew consent to the CBI for launching investigations in their territory

CBI

■ CBI is the premier investigating police agency in India.

■ Functions under Dept. of Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, Pension & Public Grievances
■ Falls under Prime Ministers Office
■ Coordinates investigation on behalf of Interpol Member countries.
■ Conviction rate - 65 to 70%
■ CBI chief - Praveen Sood
■ Special Police Establishment (SPE) was constituted in 1941 in the Department of War
■ To enquire into allegations of bribery and corruption in the war related procurements
■ Formalised by enacting the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946
■ CBI is not a statutory body but derives its power to investigate from the act
■ Establishment recommended by the Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption
■ 1963 - CBI was established by the Government of India
■ Director of CBI was appointed on basis of DSPE till 2014
■ In 2003, DSPE Act was revised on SC recommendation in the Vineet Narain case.
■ In 2014, the Lokpal Act provided a committee for appointment of CBI (PM,CJI,LOO)
■ MHA sends a list of eligible candidates to DoPT(dept of personnel and training )
■ DoPT prepares the final list and sends it to the committee
■ Director of CBI has a 2 year tenure, by the CVC Act, 2003
 ■ November 2021, the President promulgated two ordinances to allow the Centre to extend
the tenures of the directors of the CBI and ED from 2 years to up to 5 years

Saradha Scam
● Caused by the collapse of a Ponzi scheme (April 2013) run by Saradha Group
● Consortium of over 200 private companies working in Eastern India
● Group collected ₹200 to 300 billion from over 1.7 million depositors before it collapsed
● Aftermath -West Bengal gov set up commission to investigate + 5 billion rupees fund
● Central government through the Income Tax Department and ED launched a probe
● May 2014, the SC transferred investigations to the CBI

Delhi Liquor Scam

● Delhi liquor sales policy introduced in 2021
● Allowed only private shops to sell liquor,home delivery of liquor, shops staying open till 3 am
and unlimited discounts by licensees
● Controversy with Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police and Delhi's LG VK Saxena
● Requested CBI probe against Manish Sisodia for bending rules and providing undue licenses
● ED launched a probe, alleging money laundering and kickbacks paid to AAP for its Goa
election campaign
● Implicated K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao
● Claimed a ₹2,800 crore loss to the government

Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)

● Established:1964
● Recommendations of the Santhanam Committee on Prevention Of Corruption
● 2003, the Parliament enacted CVC Act conferring it with statutory status
● Not controlled by any Ministry/Department.
● Independent body which is only responsible to the Parliament.
● Looks into offences committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 by certain
categories of public servant

Bail

● Bail is the conditional/provisional release of a person held under legal custody

 ● Occurs in matters which are yet to be pronounced
● Person undertakes a promise to appear in Court as and when required
● Signifies a security/collateral deposited before the Court for release.
● Regular Bail - To release a person who is already under arrest and in police custody.
● Interim Bail - Granted for a temporary and short period by the Court
● SC granted interim bail to activist Teesta Setalvad
● Teesta Setalvad - Secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP)
● Organisation formed to advocate for the victims of 2002 Gujarat riots
● Anticipatory Bail - Direction issued to release a person on bail even before arrest (Sec. 438)
● Section 437 of the CrPC deals with bail in case of non-bailable offences
● Person shall not be released on bail if:
● Committed an offence punishable with death or life imprisonment
● Previously convicted for an offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or 7+ years
● Convicted on 2 or more occasions on other offences with a term of 3 to 7 years.
● Exceptions - Under the age of 16, woman or sick/infirm.

CrPC
● Section 41 - May arrest a person who has committed a cognisable offence without a warrant
● Section 46 - Officer may confine the person physically to effect the arrest if noncompliance
● 2005 Amendment - Prohibits the arrest of a woman after sunset or before sunrise.
● 2009 Amendment - Only a female police officer may touch the woman when arrest

Security Acts (NSA,UAPA,PSA)

Refer to also Raisina Dialogue - Security Chiefs Conference
Refer to Sedition

● Article 22 of the Constitution grants protection to persons who are arrested or detained.
● Detention is of two types:
● Punitive detention is to punish a person, happens post trial and conviction in a court
● Preventive detention is detention of a person without trial and conviction by a court

National Security Act (NSA)

● Preventive detention law to maintain public order and national security.
● Enacted in 1980
● Article 22 (3) (b) allows for preventive detention for reasons of security and public order.
● Article 22(4) states that preventive detention shouldnt be longer than 3 months (initially)
● Maximum period for which one may be detained is 12 months (with extensions)
 ● Provides for the constitution of a National Security Council which advises PM
● 3-tiered organization that oversees issues of strategic concern.
● Chaired by the PM
● Formed in 1998

Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA)

● Enacted in 1978
● Allows for the detention of a person without a formal charge and without trial
● Person need not be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours of the detention
● Does not have the right to move a bail application before the court

Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)

● Passed in 1967
● Aims at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India.
● Unlawful activity refers to any action taken by an individual or association intended to
disrupt the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India.
● If the Centre deems an activity as unlawful then it may declare it so as per UAPA
● Both Indian and foreign nationals can be charged.
● 2004 amendment, added “terrorist act" to the list of offences
● Empowers the Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) to grant approval of
seizure or attachment of property

INDIA-BHARAT DEBATE

● Article 1 of Constitution uses both “India” and “Bharat” interchangeably, stating, “India, that
is Bharat, shall be a Union of States
● There are 28 states in India and 8 union territories
● Article 348(1) (a) provides that all proceedings in the SC and HC shall be in English
● Article 52: President of India who shall have the executive power of the Union.
● Article 76: President shall appoint an Attorney General for India to give legal advice
● Article 124: States that there shall be a Supreme Court consisting of a CJI
● Preamble - Begins with “We the People of India,” but the Hindi version uses “Bharat”
● Vishnu Purana describes “Bharata” as the land between the southern sea and the Himalayas
● Greeks called the people living beyond the Indus as Indoi, which means “the people of Indus”.
● Persians and the Arabs also used the term Hind or Hindustan to refer to the land of Indus.
● Sikh founder Guru Nanak Dev mentioned “Hindustan” in Gurbani
● Guru Teg Bahadur is known as the protector of “Hind” and religion
 ● SC has twice rejected pleas to rename ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’, once in 2016 and then in 2020

SC on Illegitimate inheritance

● SC ruled that children born of void or voidable marriages can inherit their parent’s share in
HUF property under the Mitakshara Law.
● Voidable Marriage: Marriage that is initially valid but has certain defects can lead to its
annulment
● Void Marriage: Considered invalid from the very beginning as if it never existed
● Children from void/voidable marriages are considered “legitimate” under the Hindu
Succession Act, 1956 which governs inheritance.
● Revanasiddappa vs. Mallikarjun, 2011 - Recognizing the inheritance rights of illegitimate
children
● Court noted that after the enactment of the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act in 2005
● Deceased person’s share in HUF property can be inherited by testamentary or intestate
succession
● Section 6 amended in 2005 to recognise women as coparceners by birth in father's property
● Arunachala Gounder v. Ponnusamy, 2022: Self-acquired property of a Hindu male dying
intestate would devolve by inheritance and not by succession.

Mitakshara Law
● Governs the rules of inheritance and property rights among members of a HUF
● It is one of the two major schools of Hindu law, the other being the Dayabhaga school
● Mitakshara law applies to the entire country except West Bengal and Assam.

Hindu Succession Act (1956)

● Codification of Mitakshara School of Law for unwilled succession
● Applies to everyone who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsi, Jew or Tribal as per Art 366
 ● Sec 2(2) of Hindu Succession Act, 2005 ~ excludes ST women from father/HUF property
WHO’s Gujarat Declaration

● Outcome document of the 1st WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit 2023 released
● Known as the “Gujarat Declaration”.
● India has the first WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Gujarat.
● Aims to advance evidence based traditional medicine interventions
● Explored the role of digital health technologies, including AI, in traditional medicine.
● Inaugurated by WHO Director General
● Co hosted by Ministry of AYUSH
● Summit conducted on: 17th and 18th August
● Theme: Towards Health and Well-being for All

WHO (World Health Organisation) Static GK

● Specialised UN agency responsible for public health
● HQ: Geneva, Switzerland
● Established on 7 April 1948 (World Health Day).
● Director-General is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia
● Has 194 members
● India became a party to the WHO on 12 January 1948.
● Regional office for South East Asia is located in New Delhi.
● In 1997, WHO (+Canada) rolled out the Global Public Health Intelligence Network
(GPHIN), which functioned as an early warning system for potential epidemics.
● Members must self report epidemics under IHR (International Health Regulations) 2005
● Global Outbreak Alert Response Network (GOARN) 2000 - Analyze events upon detection
● Modi addressed Second Global Covid Virtual Summit where he emphasised WHO Reforms

World Health Assembly

● 76th world health assembly was held at WHO HQ
● From 21st to 30th May
● Theme : WHO at 75 - saving lives, driving health for all
● Taiwan was excluded from the WHO assembly due to opposition from china and pakistan
● Re-election of CAG (Girish Chandra Murmu) as external auditor of the WHO
● WHA is WHO’s decision making body
● Global plan for indigenous health - plan will be considered at 79th WHA in 2026
● Global alliance for drowning prevention - aims to address by 2029
● Draft resolution on chemicals waste and pollution
 ● WHO program budget - 6.83 billion USD for 2024-25
● Triple billion targets
○ 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage
○ 1 billion more people better protected from health emergencies
○ 1 billion more people enjoying better health and well being

Smallpox
● 1967 - Smallpox cases recorded in India accounted for nearly 65% of all cases in the world
● WHO launched the Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme.
● Smallpox was eradicated in 1977 by WHO + Indian Government

Polio
● WHO’s 1988 Global Polio Eradication Initiative
● India began the battle against Polio with help from World Bank.
● Polio Campaign,2012: Indian Government + UNICEF + WHO + Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation + Rotary International + CDC = Awareness of the need to vaccinate all children
under 5 against polio.
● India was removed from the list of endemic countries in 2014.

Concerns about substandard cough syrups

● Concerns about cough syrups manufactured in india that caused 300 child deaths
● Syrups contain high levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol
● WHO has issued an alert for 7 syrups produced in India
● Drug controller general (Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi) has mandated testing of cough syrups
● Drugs and cosmetics act 1940 and rules 1945 - Guidelines for issuing licences to
manufacture ayurvedic, siddha and unani medicines
● Central drugs standard control organisation (CDSCO) - central drug authority for
discharging functions assigned to GOI under drugs and cosmetics act

Vishwakarma scheme

● Launched: September 17, 2023

● Occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti
● Government support to workers engaged in traditional crafts and skills
● Outlay of Rs. 13,000 crore and is fully funded by the Central government.
● Vishwakarma - Architect of the gods and was the divine carpenter/craftsman who made
weapons, chariots and cities for the gods
 ● Provide collateral free loans of upto 3 lakhs @ interest of 5 %
● Covers 18 traditional sectors
● Timeline of 5 years ( 2023- 2028)
● Workers will be registered for free through Common Services Centres using the
biometric-based PM Vishwakarma portal
● Early texts - Craftsman deity = Tvastar, Vishwakarma was used for any powerful deity

Special session of parliament

● Special Session of Parliament = September 18, 2023 to September 21, 2023 (4 sittings)
● The Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced and passed during this session.
● Other Bills Taken Up for Discussion During Special Session:
● The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022
● The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019
● The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023
● The Press and Registration of Periodicals (Amendment) Bill, 2023

October

Same Sex Marriage In India

● 5 judge bench of SC ruled in a 3:2 verdict against same-sex marriages
● CJI concludes that SC can’t strike down/read words into the Special Marriage Act 1954
● Parliament and State Legislature to formulate laws on it.
● SC says the relationship of marriage is not a static one.
● SC holds that queer persons have an equal right and freedom to enter into a “union”.
● All 5 judges agreed that there is no fundamental right to marry under the Constitution
● Right to marry is a statutory right
● CJI & Justice Kaul (Minority): Favoured extension of Civil Union to same-sex couples:
● Civil Union - Legal status, allows specific rights normally conferred upon married couples
● Resembles a marriage without the same recognition in personal law
● - Shafin Jahan v. Asokan K.M. - Right to marry a person of one’s choice is integral to Article
21
● - Navjet Singh Johar v. UoI - LGBT Community entitled to all Constitutional Rights

Special Marriage Act (SMA) 1954

● Marriages in India can be registered under the respective personal law or under SMA 1954.
● Judiciary duty to ensure that the rights of both the husband and wife are protected.
 ● Provisions for civil marriage for Indians and Indian nationals abroad irrespective of religion
● Allows people from two different religious backgrounds to come together in marriage.
● Lays down the procedure for both solemnization and registration of marriage, where
the husband or wife are not Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, or Sikhs.

Dadasaheb Phalke Awards

● Waheeda Rehman, has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2021
● Outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema
● Given by: Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
● Award is presented at the National Film Awards ceremony
● The 2021 awards were given out this year as they were delayed due to Covid
● Constituted in 1969, to commemorate filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke
● Phalke directed India‘s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra in 1913
● The Award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and Rs. 10 lakh.
● First recipient - Devika Rani (First Lady of Indian cinema)
● Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India‘s highest award in the field of cinema

Waheeda Rehman
● Born on February 3, 1938,
● Waheeda Rehman has been working in the Indian film industry since 1955
● Debut as a dancer in the Telugu social drama Rojulu Marayin
● In 1971, she won the National Award for Best Actress for Reshma Aur Shera
● Won Filmfare for Guide (1965) and Neel Kamal (1968).

National Film Awards

● National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India.
● The Awards were first presented in 1954.
● Categorised into 3 sections; Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Best Writing on Cinema.
● National panel appointed by the government selects the winning entry
● Awards are presented in New Delhi by President

Vizhinjam International Seaport Project

● Located near Thiruvananthapuram
● India‘s first international deepwater transshipment port for ultra large ships
● Natural depth of 18m, scalable up to 20m
● The port is located 10 nautical miles from the international shipping route
● Cost - Rs 7,600 crore
 ● Built by Adani Ports and SEZ Private Limited
● Design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) model.
● Kerala Congress government in 2015 made a deal with the Adani Group.
● Government gave 500 acres of land
● Deal is for 40 years, with provisions extending for 20 years
● Hong Kong-flagged Zhenu Hua 15 docked at the seaport

Ports In India
● India has 13 major ports and 187 minor and intermediate ports.
● No mega-port and terminal infrastructure to deal with ultra-large container ships
● 75 per cent of India‘s transshipment cargo is handled at Colombo, Singapore, and Klang
● Coastline spanning 7516.6 kilometres
● Port of Mundra (Gujarat) only pvt one
● Port Blair which was notified as major port in 2010 was removed of its status recently
● States with the highest no. of ports: Maharashtra (53); Gujarat (40); Kerala (21);

ELECTORAL BONDS
● SC has constituted a constitution bench headed by CJI to hear the plea of electoral bonds.
● Scheme notified by the government on January 2, 2018 (alternative to cash donations)
● First tranche issued - March 1 - 10th, 2018
● Made to political parties as part of efforts to bring in transparency in political funding
● It is a bearer instrument in the nature of a Promissory Note
● Bank of issue of electoral bonds - SBI (29 branches)
● Issued/purchased for any value, in multiples of `1,000, `10,000, `1 lakh, 10 lakh and 1,cr
● Life of only 15 days during which it can be used for making donation only to the parties
under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and which secured not less
than 1% of the votes polled in the last Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly elections
● Introduced through the Finance Acts of 2016 & 2017, which amended 4 legislations –
Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA), Representation of the People Act, 1951
(RoPA), Income Tax Act, 1961 and the Companies Act, 2013.
● Report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said that unknown
sources accounted for over 76% of the declared income of 27 regional parties in 2021-2022
and 93.26 per cent of that amount came from anonymous electoral bonds.
● CPI-M, ADR and Common Cause filed petitions before SC challenging the scheme
Parliament Panel on New Education

● Special session of Parliament- Parliament Standing Committee on Education report

● Titled: "Implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in Higher Education."
● The report examined the progress and challenges in implementing NEP
● Emphasised that 70% of universities operate under State Acts
● 94% of students are enrolled in State or private institutions,
● 6% in Central higher educational institutions.

NEP 2020
● Overhaul and modernisation of the education system in line with 21st-century goals (SDG4)
● Replaces NEP 1986 (modified in 1992)
● The 10+2 structure will shift to a 5+3+3+4 system, (3-6-year-olds under school curriculum)
● Mother tongue/regional language will be the medium of instruction till Grade 5
● Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardised.
● Special emphasis on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs)
● Support for children with disabilities, and establishment of "Bal Bhavans."
● No rigid distinctions between arts and sciences, curricular and extracurricular activities, and
vocational and academic streams.
● Aim to increase Gross Enrolment Ratio from 26.3% to 50% by 2035 (3.5 cr new seats)
● Creation of National Research Foundation to boost research culture and capacity.
● Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI) and strengthening language departments.
● Facilitation of international collaborations and entry of top-ranked foreign universities.
● Joint efforts to increase public investment in education to 6% of GDP.
● Establishment of PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge
for Holistic Development) for competency-based and holistic assessment in education.
● Gender Inclusion Fund
● Special Education Zones to address the specific needs of disadvantaged regions and groups

Ethics Committee of the Parliament

● The Presiding Officers‘ Conference held in Delhi in 1996 first mooted the idea of ethics
panels for the two Houses.
● March 4 1997 - K. R Narayan constituted the ethics committee for the Upper House
● Inaugurated in May to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of members
● Rules applicable to the Committee of Privileges also apply to the ethics panel
 ● For Lok Sabha, a study group of the House Committee of Privileges, after visiting AUKUS in
1997 recommended an Ethics Committee, but it wasnt done by the Lok Sabha.
● G M C Balayogi, constituted an ad hoc Ethics Committee in 2000
● Became a permanent part of the House only in 2015.
● The work of the Ethics Committee and the Privileges Committee often overlap, more
serious allegations go to the latter
● Mandate of Privileges Committee: safeguard the freedom, authority,dignity of Parliament‖.
● Non-MP can be accused of breach of privilege for attacking the authority & dignity of LS
● The Ethics Committee can take up only cases of misconduct that involve MPs
● 2 types of Parliamentary Committees– Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees.
● Standing Committees are permanent (constituted every year or periodically)
● The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee will take up Nishikant Dubey‘s complaint against Mahua
Moitra. ( from krishnagar constituency ) . accused of sharing her login password with
businessman Darshan Hiranandani

November

Surrogacy act 2021- 22 amendment

● Recently, the Delhi High Court has questioned the association of marital status with
eligibility for surrogacy under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021.
● A government notification in March 2023 amended the law, banning the use of
donor gametes.
● It said “intending couples” must use their own gametes for surrogacy.
● The petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the amendment as a
violation of a woman’s right to parenthood.
● The Court interpreted the requirement for the child to be "genetically related" as
being related to the husband.
● The Court emphasized that the law permitting gestational surrogacy is
"woman-centric," meaning that the decision to have a surrogate child is based on the
woman's inability to become a mother due to her medical or congenital condition.

Surrogacy

● Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman (the surrogate) agrees to carry and give
birth to a child on behalf of another person or couple (the intended parent/s).
● A surrogate, sometimes also called a gestational carrier, is a woman who conceives, carries
and gives birth to a child for another person or couple (intended parent/s).
 ● Types- Altruistic surrogacy (It involves no monetary compensation to the surrogate
mother other than the medical expenses and insurance coverage during the pregnancy)
Commercial surrogacy (It includes surrogacy or its related procedures undertaken for a
monetary benefit or reward (in cash or kind) exceeding the basic medical expenses and
insurance coverage.)
● Under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, a woman who is a widow or a divorcee
between the age of 35 to 45 years or a couple, defined as a legally married woman and
man, can avail of surrogacy if they have a medical condition necessitating this option.
○ The intended couple shall be a legally married Indian man and woman, the man
shall be between the ages of 26-55 years and the woman shall be between the
ages of 25-50 years, and shall not have any previous biological, adopted, or
surrogate child.
● It also bans commercial surrogacy, which is punishable with a jail term of 10 years and a
fine of up to Rs 10 lakhs.
● The law allows only altruistic surrogacy where no money exchanges hands and where a
surrogate mother is genetically related to those seeking a child.

International - Vianca

January
Israel Judicial Reforms

● Knesset - Unicameral legislature of Israel, 120 members

● At Givat Ram, Jerusalem
● Elections every 4 years through proportional representation
● Passed legislation that abolishes the “reasonableness doctrine,” which the Supreme Court of
Israel has employed to evaluate government policies
● Limits SC ability to overrule decisions/made by government ministers
● NGO Movement of Quality Government has approached SC to strike it down
● Other judicial reforms
a) Knesset can overrule SC decisions by simple majority, unless decisions are unanimous
b) Majority of lawmakers in Judiciary Appointments Committee
c) Ministers can choose own legal advisors instead of independent professionals
d) Israel's Basic Laws are immune to judicial review
 ● SC w/ 15 judges appointed by Prez, upon nomination from Judicial Selection Committee (9
members)

Israel Static
● Capital: Jerusalem
● Currency: New Shekel
● President: Isaac Herzog
● PM: Benjamin Netanyahu
● Amir Ohana (Likud) is Israel' 1st openly gay speaker
● Khaled Kabab is 1st muslim SC judge

Benjamin Netanyahu
● chairman of Likud Party
● Terms - 1996-1999, 2009-2021, 2022-now (sworn in 6th time)
● Israel representative to UN from 1984-88
● charged w/ bribery fraud & breach of trust in 2019

Kohelet Policy Forum

● Jerusalem-based think-tank
● Founded in 2012 by Moshe Koppel
● It is dedicated to promoting the values of individual liberty and free-markets, Israel as the
nation-state of the Jewish people, and representative democracy.
● Key driver behind the Nation-State law passed in 2018
● Israel = Nation state of the Jews where they alone have the right to self-determination

Israel Palestine Conflict

Timeline
● 1917 - Balfour declaration - British supporting establishment of a "national home for the
Jewish people" in Palestine
● 1923- British mandate for Palestine issued by LoN (UK will create a home for the Jews)
● 1936 - Peel Commission (Palestine Royal Commission) - Investigate unrest in Mandatory
Palestine (administered by UK) following a 6-month-long Arab general strike
● 1947 - UN partition plan for Palestine drafted - Divided into separate jewish and Arab states
Jerusalem as an international city
Accepted by jewish leaders but not by arab leaders
● 1948 - Declaration of Israel's independence by founding father David Ben Gurion
Prompted surrounding Arab states to attack
Nakba (War of independence)
End of the war, Israel controlled about 50 percent more territory than envisioned
Jordan controlled the West Bank/Jerusalem's holy sites, and Egypt controlled the Gaza Strip
● 1964: Founding of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
● 1967: In Six-day Arab- Israeli war - Israeli forces seize the Golan Heights from Syria, the
West Bank & East Jerusalem from Jordan and Sinai Peninsula & Gaza strip from Egypt
● 1973- Yom Kippur war (arab states lead by Syria and Egypt attack Israel)
● 1975- UN grants PLO observer status & recognizes Palestinians right to self-determination.
● 1978 Camp David Accords: "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" brokered by U.S.
Peace talks between Israel and its neighbours and a resolution to the "Palestinian problem".
● 1987- Hamas formed - offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood + first Intifada (uprising)
● 1993- Oslo Accords- Israel & PLO officially recognize each other and renounce violence
Established the Palestinian Authority (limited autonomy in the Gaza Strip + West Bank)
● 2005 - Jews withdraw from Gaza
● 2006: Palestinian house divided between Fatah movement, represented by President
Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas, which will control the cabinet and parliament.
● 2007: Palestinian Movement Splits. Hamas militants drive Fatah from Gaza

President Mahmoud Abbas appoints a new government in Ramallah (West Bank)

● 2014- Fatah and Hamas form a unity government

West Bank
● Between Israel and Jordan
● Major city - Ramallah, de facto administrative capital of Palestine
● Israel took control of it in the 1967 war and established Jewish settlements
 Gaza
● Between Israel and Egypt.
● Israel occupied the strip after 1967
● Relinquished control of Gaza City and most of the administration during the Oslo peace
process.
● In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed Jewish settlements from the territory

Golan Heights
● Plateau that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war
● Israel effectively annexed the territory in 1981
● Recently, the USA has officially recognized Jerusalem and Golan Heights as a part of Israel.

Fatah
● Founded by the late Yasir Arafat in the 1950s in Kuwait
● Word means “to conquer”
● Military operation began in 1965 (Jordan and Lebanon)
● 1968 - Fatah became part of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)
● PLO was conceived in 1964 at an Arab League summit in Cairo, Egypt,
● Arafat’s aid Mahmoud Abbas, who still is the head of the organisation
● 1990s - Renounced armed resistance and signed Oslo accords establishing Palestine
National Authority
● PNA headed by Fatah and governs 40% of the West Bank
● Largest Palestinian political faction
● Secular movement unlike Hamas
● Nominally recognized Israel and has actively participated in the peace process

Hamas
● Hamas - Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement)
● 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Authority's legislative elections in Gaza Strip
● Ejected Fatah from Gaza in 2007
● Operation Al-Aqsa Flood is the codename for recent attack by Hamas on israel
● Largest military group in Palestine

Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

● Second largest militant group in Palestine
● Aims to destroy Israel and establish a fully Islamic Palestinian state
 ● Established in 1981 by members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood

Al - aqsa mosque / Qibli Mosque / Qibli Chapel

● Masjid-al-aqsa = 'the furthest mosque'
● Plaza of mosque - Al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf (“the Noble Sanctuary”)
● Silver domed mosque building itself is called jami - al-aqsa
● Situated in Old city of jerusalem
● Jewish Significance - Site of Temple of Jerusalem (Herodian incarnation destroyed in 70 CE)
● Jews call the plaza Temple Mount and it's considered the holiest place in Judaism
● 2005, Chief rabbinate of Israel forbade Jews from walking on the site so that they wouldn't
enter the Holy of Holies (inner sanctum of the Temple, God’s dwelling place on earth)
● During 6-Day War Israel occupied East Jerusalem and its Old City (former part of Jordan)
● Plaza was left under the custodianship of a waqf maintained by Hashemite dynasty in Jordan

Intifadas
● Arabic usage refers to a legitimate uprising against oppression.
● Refers to Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
● First Intifada, December 1987 to 1993
● Second Intifada or the Al-Aqsa Intifada, Late September 2000 to 2005
● 2023 Israel–Hamas war, referred to as the Third Intifada

Iron Dome System of Israel

● Ground-to-air defence system that comprises radar and interceptor missiles
● Capable of tracking and neutralising any rockets or missiles fired towards targets in Israel.
● Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (state-run)
● Deployed in 2011.
● Useful in defending against rockets, artillery,mortars,aircraft, helicopters and UAVs.
● Range of close to 70 km
● 3 key components, Detection and Tracking radar, Battle Management and Weapons Control
and the Missile Launcher.

India - Israel
● India recognised Israel in 1950
● Diplomatic ties in 1992
● First non-Arab country to recognise PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian.
● India recognised the statehood of Palestine in 1988.
 ● Modi visited Palestine in 2018 (first PM), Pranab Mukherjee visited in 2015 (first president)
● India's Representative Office to Palestine - Ramallah
● First ever Joint Commission Meeting between the two in November 2016
● India-Palestine Techno Park is an IT hub in Ramallah
● 164 nations have relation w/ israel
● India is Israel’s 3rd largest trade partner in Asia and 7th largest globally
● Ex Blue Flag by Air Forces in 2017
● Modi visited in 2017; Netanyahu visited in 2018; Naftali Bennet visited in 2022
● I2U2 - India, Israel, the UAE, and the US
● Formed in July 2022
● Referred to as the 'West Asian Quad'
● Link West Policy(2018) - Treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive.
● I4F - india israel industrial R & D and innovation fund
● Oldest jewish synagogue - In Cochin

Israel‘s Defence Ministry has secured its largest-ever defence deal

● Missile defence system to Germany for $3.5 billion post US approval
● Germany will buy Arrow 3, which is designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles

Suez Canal
● Artificial sea-level waterway running across the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt
● Connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea
● Separates Africa from Asia
● Shortest maritime route between Europe & Indian and western Pacific oceans.
● Carries over 12% of world trade by volume acting as a major source of income for Egypt
● Opened for navigation in November 1869
● Controlled by British and French interests in its initial years
● Nationalised in 1956 by Egypt.
● Canal was closed five times (last one was for 8 years,reopened for navigation in 1975)
● Israeli vessels have a freedom of navigation through Suez Canal and Straits of Tiran.
● Straits of Tiran route serves Israel's only port on the Gulf of Aqaba, Eilat.

Arab Spring
● Pro-democracy protests and uprisings that took place in the Middle East and North Africa
● Began in Tunisia in Dec 2010, Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire to protest against the
arbitrary seizing of his vegetables by the police
● Led to fall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (in power since 1987) via the Jasmine Revolution
 ● Tunisia was the only one with successful transition to democracy
● Protesters also brought down Hosni Mubarak dictatorship in Egypt
● In 2013, the military seized power therefore democracy couldn't last
● Spread to Libya, Syria and Yemen where they morphed into full-scale civil wars

Syria and Israel

● Israel has fired retaliatory rockets after 3 rockets had been launched from Syria.
● Targeted attacks by Israel on Aleppo and Damascus international airport
● Ultra-nationalist government in power in Israel, raising concerns among its neighbours.
● Al-Aqsa Mosque raid by Israel sparked rocket attacks from Lebanon, Gaza Strip, and Syria.
● Israel fears Iran is using war in Syria to station fighters and weapons close to Israel's borders.

Abraham accords
● Abraham Accord between Israel, UAE and Bahrain is mediated by the USA
● It is the first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years
● Egypt was the first Arab State to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1979.
● Jordan signed a peace pact in 1994
● Direct flights between the UAE and Israel and Israel and Bahrain
● The Accords reinforced Israel‘s relations with neighbouring countries.
● Prosperity Green & Blue agreement between Israel, the UAE, and Jordan
a) Solar field to supply 600 MW of electricity to Israel would be established in Jordan
b) Desalination plant in Israel would deliver 200 million cubic metres of water to Jordan
● The Abraham Accords made the I2U2 Group possible
● Allowed Muslims to peacefully pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque, the 3rd holiest site in Islam.
● Kaaba in Mecca is considered the holiest site, followed by the Prophet‘s Mosque in Medina
● Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been serving as the President of UAE
● Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Vice President, PM and Ruler of Dubai Emirate
● Jerusalem is considered holy to the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
● Peace deal negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia have been paused due to the war.

India-Egypt relations
● Modi on his visit to Egypt
a) Received the Order of Nile award
b) Paid homage to over 4,300 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in Egypt and Aden
during WWI at the Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery
 c) Visited the 11th-century Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo (restored by India's Dawoodi
Bohra community)
● Egypt Pm chief guest of Indian republic day - Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.
● Ancient times - Cultural routes, trade flourished
● President Nasser and Pm Jawaharlal Nehru had a good friendship
● Founding members of the NAM(Non alignment movement) in 1961
● Egypt- India Friendship Treaty of 1955.
● India and Egypt decided to elevate the relationship to a strategic partnership
● Joint air force exercise - Desert Warrior
● First joint special forces exercise "Exercise Cyclone-I" was in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan (Jan 2023)
● India was Egypt’s 6th largest trading partner, while Egypt was India’s 38th in 2022-23
● Egypt allows India to access Africa markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
● Egypt interested in acquiring the Tejas LCA Mk-1A aircraft from India

WEF
● Established in 1971
● Based in Geneva, Switzerland
● Founder and Executive Chairman is a German named Klaus Schwab.
● 53rd edition of the annual World Economic Forum summit
● Held in Davos, Switzerland
● Summit held 16th to 20th Jan 2023
● Theme for 2023 summit - Cooperation in a Fragmented World
● President - Borge Brende

Energy Transition Index 2023

● India at the 67th place globally on its Energy Transition Index (ETI) released by WEF
● India is the sole major economy with energy transition momentum accelerating across all
dimensions
● Singapore is the only other major economy showing "true momentum”
● Sweden topped the list and France was the only G20 Country in the top 10, followed by
Germany (11), the U.S. (12), and the U.K. (13)
● Global average ETI scores increased by 10% since 2014
● Only marginal growth in past 3 years
● Only 41 countries have made steady progress in the past decade.
Global Gender Gap Report 2023

● This year is the 17th edition of the Global Gender Gap Report released by WEF
● Inception in 2006
● Evaluates status of Gender Parity across 146 countries.
● There are 4 sub-indices + Overall index
● GGG scores between 0 and 1, where 1 shows full gender parity and 0 is complete imparity.
● Longest-standing index, which tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time
● Global gender gap score in 2023 stands at 68.4%, just 0.3% more than last year
● At this rate we will take 131 years to achieve full gender parity
● Iceland maintained its leading position with 91.2%.
● India- 127 out of 146.( last year 135)
● Afghanistan, Pakistan and Algeria bottom 3

Oxfam International Report

● Oxfam’s Report “Survival of the Richest: The India story”

● Released the India supplement of its annual inequality report on day 1 of the WEF Summit
● Taxing India’s 10 richest people at 5% can generate enough to bring children back to school
● Richest 1% in India now own more than 40% of the country’s total wealth
● Bottom half of the population together share just 3% of wealth between 2012 and 2021.
● Total number of billionaires in India increased from 102 in 2020 to 166 in 2022
● Wealth of India's 100 richest = $660 billion - could fund the Union Budget for 18+ months

OXFAM (Oxford Committee for Famine Relief)

● Founded: 5 October 1942 at Oxford, England
● Type: International NGO
● HQ: Nairobi, Kenya

Golden Globe Awards - 2023

● For excellence in American and international film and American television.

● Bestowed by 87 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
● Presented Jan 10th, Beverly Hills California
● First Golden Globe Awards: January 1944 at 20th Century-Fox studios.
● Global Globe Awards 2023 = 80th edition
● Music composer M M Keeravani - Best Original Song for RRR (directed by SS Rajamouli)
 ● Singers - Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj
● AR Rahman won Golden Globe for Slumdog Millionaire

Peru Crisis

● Anti government protests post impeachment and arrest of former president Pedro Castillo
● Former vice-president, Dina Boluarte now President
● Crisis is the result of a power struggle between Mr. Castillo and Congress.
● Tourism industry = 4% of Peru‘s GDP (2020) and employed nearly 8% of the population
● Capital and largest city -Lima.
● Currency of Peru- Sol.
● Prime Minister of Peru - Anibal Torres Vasquez
● Bordered - Ecuador & Colombia(north), Brazil (east), Bolivia (southeast), Chile (south)
● 19th largest country in the world, and the 3rd largest in South America.

UN water conference 2023

● Held in New York (UN headquarters)
● UN 2023 Water Conference – “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018-2028
● Co-hosted by Tajikistan and Netherlands
● Second Water Conference- First one held in 1977 in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
● Launching of Global campaign- ‘Be the Change’.
● SDG 6 = Clean And Safe Drinking Water
● US- $49bn and Japan - 500bn yen investments
● Vietnam: Policies for river basin management (2025), clean water for all households (2030)
● Europe: improve access to water for over 70 million people
● India: $240 bn, implementing the largest dam rehabilitation program in the world (DRIP - 2),
and efforts to restore groundwater levels.

February

Grammy Awards 2023

● Originally named Gramophone Award

● Presented annually in the US by the National/Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
(NARAS for English) (LARAS for Spanish/Portuguese)
● Established in 1959 to respect the performers for the year 1958
● Award: Golden statuette of a gramophone.
● Kim Petras - First trans woman to get a Grammy
 ● Viola Davis got the EGOT completion (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony)
● Beyonce most nominated (9 times)
● Ricky Kej (Best Immersive Audio Album) - Divine Tides with Stewart Copeland
● Only Indian to win three Grammy awards
● Ricky has previously won 2 Grammy Awards under the Best New Age Album category -
○ ‘Winds of Samsara’ (in 2015) and Divine Tides (in 2022)

Chinese Spy Balloon

● US shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon that was spotted over US airspace on 6th Feb
● Cheap, quiet and hard-to-reach balloons have been used for reconnaissance
● According to China, the balloon was for research but got off track
● Air space - Space above a national territory, belongs to government controlling the territory
● Doesn’t include outer space which under the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 is free
● Treaty doesn’t define the altitude at which outer space begins and air space ends
● Fundamental right of a state to regulate the use of its air space and enforce aviation law
● Established through the Paris Convention on the Regulation of Aerial Navigation (1919)
● Under the 1944 Chicago Convention - Commercial non-scheduled flights of contracting
states can fly into each others’ territory without prior diplomatic permission

UN social development commission and chairmanship (india)

● India - Chair of the 62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development
● Announcement was made at the 13th plenary meeting-61st session of the commission
● India ambassador to UN - Ruchira Kamboj
● 62nd session, Theme: “Fostering Social Development and Social Justice through Social
Policies to progress on Agenda 2030 and poverty eradication”

Commission for Social Development

● Carrying out the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action
● Copenhagen Declaration adopted during the World Summit for Social Development in 1995
● Puts people at the centre of development
● Established by ECOSOC, one of the six main organs of the United Nations

Windsor Framework

● Windsor framework - Remedy to trade problems between EU and UK

 ● It will replace the Northern Ireland Protocol
● Under which - N. Ireland in EU single market with trade/customs inspections of goods going
from Great Britain to N. Ireland
● EU rules prevented some UK govt policies from being implemented in N. Ireland
● Presence of an Irish Sea border upset those who seek a united UK.
● Windsor framework - Permits free trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland
through green and red lanes for goods flowing into Northern Ireland.
● Green lane goods will have fewer checks and controls, no customs checks or rules of origin
● Red lane goods will be subject to full checks and controls to preserve the EU’s single market.

March
Oscars (Academy Awards)

● March 12, 2023, the 95th Academy Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles
● Host - Jimmy Kimmel
● "Everything Everywhere All At Once" won 7 Oscars
● "Pinocchio" won "Best Animated"(first award given) making Guillermo del Toro the first
person to win Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Animated Feature.
● Best Documentary Short Film - India's "The Elephant Whisperers".
● "Naatu Naatu" song from the "RRR" movie for the Best Music (Original Song) category
● The Academy Awards (Oscars) are awards for artistic and technical merit in the film industry
● Given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
● Winners receive golden statuettes of a knight rendered in the Art Deco style
● Award sculpted George Stanley from a design sketch by Cedric Gibbons
● First Academy Awards - May 16, 1929 at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
● First broadcast by radio in 1930
● Televised for first time in 1953
● Oldest of the four major annual American entertainment awards; its equivalents
Emmy - Television, Tony - Theatre, Grammy - Music
● First Best Actor- Emil Jannings, for The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh.
● In 1957 Best International Feature announced
● In February 9, 2020, Parasite became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture
● 13 Indians have been nominated and 8 have won Oscars
● Mehboob Khan‘s 1957 Mother India - India‘s first submission for Best International Feature
● Lost to the Italian film Nights of Cabiria (1957) by one vote.
 ● At the 55th Academy Awards, Bhanu Athaiya (first Academy Award for an Indian) won for
Gandhi costume design
● Ravi Shankar was nominated for Best Original Score for the same film.
● Two other Indian films have been nominated for the Oscars—
Salaam Bombay! (1988) and Lagaan (2001).
● In 1992, Satyajit Ray was bestowed with an Honorary Academy Award
● Resul Pookutty(Best Sound Mixing) & A.R.Rahman(Best Original Score)-Slumdog Millionaire
● Rahman also shared the Best Original Song Award with lyricist Gulzar for song Jai Ho
● Rahman is the only Indian to win more than one Academy Award

World Happiness Index

● World Happiness Report 2023 - By UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network

● Report launched in 2012
● Released annually on March 20th (International Day of Happiness)
● 2023 - Report ranked 136 countries.
● 6 factors — social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption.
● Finland (#1) (6th year in the row), Denmark (#2), Iceland (#3)
● Surprise entry - Lithuania (at the 20th spot).
● Afghanistan was the unhappiest nation, followed by Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
● India ranks at 126th position out of 136 countries
● In 2022, India ranked 136th position out of 146 countries.

ICC and ICJ(arrest warrant against Putin)

● International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin for war crimes
● First time that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant against UNSC P5 member
● War crime of unlawfully deporting and transferring children from Ukraine to Russia
● ICC has no jurisdiction over crimes in Russia (not a party to statute) but it can prosecute
individuals from countries who commit crimes on the territory of a party to the Rome
Statute.
● Ukraine - not a party to Rome Statute, has twice accepted ICC jurisdiction under Art 12(3)

International Criminal Court (ICC)

● 1998 - Rome Statute was adopted by 120 States
● 2002 - Rome Statute took effect upon ratification by 60 states establishing the ICC
● The ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court
 ● President of the ICC - Piotr Hofmańsk
● HQ - The Hague, Netherlands
● The Rome Statute, grants the ICC jurisdiction over four main crimes:
○ The Crime of Genocide
○ Crimes against Humanity
○ War crimes
○ Crime of Aggression
● Currently, 123 countries are party to the Rome Statute
● India is not a party to the Rome Statute along with the US and China.
● Prosecutes heinous offences only when a country’s own legal machinery fails to act
● ICC prosecutes individuals unlike ICJ which deals with countries and inter-state disputes
● ICC not part of the UN system unlike ICJ

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

● Established in June 1945 by the UN Charter
● Began work in April 1946.
● The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands)
● One of the UNs 6 principal organs
● ICJ president - Judge Joan E. Donoghue (US)
● Vice president - Judge Kirill Gevorgian (Russia)
● Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for 9 years by UNGA and UNSC
● First Indian Judge - Benegal Rao
● India has been involved in 6 cases with ICJ, most prominent is Kulbushan Jadhav case

Summit for democracy - US

● March 29-30, 2023, US will co-host the second Summit for Democracy
● Other hosts: Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, and Republic of Zambia.
● Goal: "To renew democracy at home and confront autocracies abroad".
● First Summit - Biden announced the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal
● Landmark set of policy and foreign assistance initiatives that build upon the U.S.’s work to
bolster democracy and defend human rights globally.
Abel Prize

● 2023 Winner - Luis Caffarelli

● For: Contributions to regularity theory for nonlinear partial differential equations including
free-boundary problems and the Monge-Ampère Equation
 ● Recognises pioneering scientific achievements in mathematics
● Named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802-29)
● First proposed in 1899 - Sophus Lie, after he learned Nobel's will did not include prize for
maths
● Working group established in 2001 for Abel Prize (200th birth anniversary of Abel in 2002)
● Prize established by the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) in 2002
● First awarded in 2003
● Monetary award of 7.5 million kroner (roughly $ 720,000) and a glass plaque
● Designed by Norwegian artist Henrik Haugan.
● Awarded by Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, on behalf of Education Ministry

Luis Caffarelli
● Caffarelli was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
● First Abel laureate from South America.
● Professor at the University of Texas, Austin.
Niels Henrik Abel
● Proof demonstrating the impossibility of solving the general quintic equation in radicals.
● Discoverer of what would later be known as Abelian functions.
● Died of tuberculosis at the age of 26.
Nepal

● Ram Chandra Paudel elected as the third President of Nepal

● The Constitution of Nepal, adopted in 2015, affirms Nepal as a secular federal parliamentary
republic divided into 7 provinces.
● Pushpa Kamal Dahal is serving as the Prime Minister of Nepal since December 2022.
● Bidya Devi Bhandari served as the second president of Nepal and she is the first woman to
hold the office in the country.
● The Nepalese rupee is the official currency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

April
Pakistan

● Pakistan = 5th most populous country,

● Capital - Islamabad
● Largest city and financial centre - Karachi
 ● Separated from Tajikistan by Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor, and the maritime border with
Oman.
● Drafted its constitution in 1956, and emerged as a declared Islamic republic
● In 1971, the exclave of East Pakistan seceded as the new country of Bangladesh
● 2008 - Elected a civilian government
● 2010 - Adopted a parliamentary system with periodic elections

PAKISTAN PM/POLITICS
● Anwar ul Haq Kakar - 8th interim PM
● Arif Alvi - current prez of pakistan
● He belongs to Balochistan Awami Party
● 3 largest political parties of pakistan are - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf,Pakistan Muslim
League–Nawaz ,Pakistan People's Party (PPP)
● Liaqut Ali khan - 1st pm of pakistan

TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan)
● Known as the Pakistani Taliban
● Islamist armed militant groups operating along the Afghan–Pakistani border.
● Founded: December 2007
● Founder: Baitullah Mehsud

PAK CJ suo moto power

● Senate on March 30 passed a Bill aimed at curbing CJ discretionary powers after the
National Assembly ( Lower House) approved
● The President now has 10 days after which assent will be deemed to be given
● The suo motu cases and benches for these cases that can be taken up will be decided by a
committee consisting of the CJ + 2 judges
● Constitution interpretation cases - Bench > 5 judges; decisions made will be open to appeals
● Right of the accused to file intra-court appeal within 30 days (applicable retrospectively)
● Constitution of Pakistan provides for SC original jurisdiction under Article 184
● Suo motu cases are taken up under Article 184 (3), Pre bill: Suo moto under CJ discretion
● Nawaz Sharif disqualified from public office under Article 184(3) (Panama Papers 2017)

Cause of the bill

● Imran Khan’s dissolution of provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Jan
● Election Commission did not announce an election schedule
● President Arif Alvi unilaterally decided that the two provinces would go to polls on April 9
 ● Feb 23, Chief Justice Bandial took suo motu notice of the matter and initiated a hearing.
● Initially, 9 judge bench was set up for the case, 2 differed and 2 recused themselves
● Hearing went ahead with 5 judges
● SC in a 3-2 verdict directed the EC to go ahead with elections
● 2 dissenting judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, lashed
out at the unlimited authority of the CJ, becoming the immediate trigger of the bill.
● New CJI - Qazi Faes Isa (appointed September 2023) said bill is constitutional

Imran Khan Removal

● Khan became the first PM to be removed through a no-confidence motion in April 2022.
● Opposition launched a motion for a vote of no confidence in his leadership.
● Deputy speaker of the parliament blocked the motion (foreign power influence)
● Government then swiftly dissolved parliament and called for a snap election.
● Opposition challenged the legality of government actions in the Supreme Court.
● After a 4 day hearing, SC ruled that - Mr Khan's government had breached the constitution.
● NCM - 174 voted against him in the 342-member house
● Shehbaz Sharif formed interim government till 2023 elections
● Anwar Kakar - Current Pakistan PM

Imran Khan
● Former cricketer and politician
● Served as the 22nd PM of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022
● Founder and chairman of the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), 1996

Toshakhana case (August)

● Imran Khan sentenced to 3 years of jail + fine of 100,000 Pakistani rupees (maximum
punishment) for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts
● The Islamabad trial court declared him guilty of corrupt practices in the Toshakhana case.
● Sentenced under Section 174 of the Pakistan‘s Election Act
● Khan resisted disclosing details of presents he received in office
● He wrote a letter to the Election Commission admitting to selling 4 such presents and
buying them from the government by paying a percentage of their value.
● EC disqualified Khan from holding public office for 5 years
● Case was filed in August 2022 by members of the Pakistan Democratic Movement
● Khan was formally indicted in the case May 10

Toshakhana
 ● Department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division
● Stores gifts and other expensive items received by public officials
● Established in 1974

Imran Khan - Official Secrets Act

● Imran Khan has been charged for violating the country's Official Secrets Act.
● A special court in Pakistan on Monday indicted him in the cipher case
● Disclosed a cipher sent by the country’s embassy in Washington in March last year.
● Former FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi was also indicted along with Khan
● Khan had used that document to build a narrative that his government was ousted as a
result of a foreign conspiracy.
● Hearing was held at the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi by special court judge Abual Zulqarnain.
● Khan and Qureshi have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
● Post indictment, court adjourned the hearing till October 27
● The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on September 30 presented the charge sheet against
Khan and Qureshi who signed its copies.
● The court was earlier set to indict Khan on October 17 but it delayed it after Khan’s lawyers
objected that he was not provided with the copies of the chargesheet.
● Khan has been in jail due to cipher case since the Islamabad High Court on August 29
granted him bail in the Toshakhana case in which he was arrested on August 5 from Lahore.

Official Secrets Act (OSA) In India

● OSA broadly deals with two aspects

a) Spying or espionage
b) Disclosure of secret information of the government.
● OSA does not define the secret information
● Government follows the Manual of Departmental Security Instructions, 1994 for classifying
a document as secret.
● If guilty, a person may get up to 14 years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both
● Both the person communicating the information and the person receiving the information
can be punished under the OSA.d
● The Indian Official Secrets Act (Act XIV), 1889 objective - Muzzling the voice of newspapers
in several languages that were opposing the British policies.
● Amended (made more stringent) - The Indian Official Secrets Act, 1904
 ● Viceroy of India at the time - Lord Curzon
● In 1923, a newer version was notified, the Indian Official Secrets Act (Act No XIX of 1923).
● It was extended to all matters of secrecy and confidentiality in governance in the country.

Amendment to pakistan army act , 1952(July)

● Clause 1A in Section 8 of the Act.
● The Act will include civilians working in entities affiliated with or controlled by the Pakistan
Army like the Fauji Foundation, Army Welfare Trust, Fauji Urea, Fauji Cement, etc.
● Prevents disclosure of sensitive info
● Prohibits concerned people from taking up elections for 2 yrs
● Cannot scandalize army
● Cannot engage with entity conflicting with pak interests

Siachen Glacier

● Indian Army + BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) installs first mobile tower at Siachen
● Minister of Communication: Ashwini Vaishnaw
● Union Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan
● Siachen Glacier is located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas
● Northeast of Point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends
● It is the Second-Longest glacier in the World's Non-Polar areas
● Originates at the base of the Indira Col West, on the Indira Ridge.
● South of the great drainage divide separating Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent
● Extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram sometimes called the "Third Pole".
● The Siachen Glacier is part of Ladakh which has now been converted into a Union Territory

History and Recent Developments

● In 1949, India and Pakistan signed the Karachi Agreement,which drew a cease-fire line.
● Line ended at NJ 9842, about 60 km south of the border with China
● The area including the Siachen Glacier was inaccessible and thus left unmapped.
● Siachen region enables India to monitor the Gilgit-Baltistan regions of Pakistan.
● Since Jan 2018, 130 tonnes of waste have been brought down and disposed of.
● Part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for troops under waste management
● High altitude areas of 18,000 to 21,000 feet nothing degrades at sub-zero temperatures
● India spends around $1m (£600,000) a day to maintain control over the glacier.
 Operation Meghdoot
● Launched on 13 April 1984
● First assault launched in the highest battlefield in the world
● Resulted in Indian troops gaining control of Siachen Glacier.
● Ceasefire was negotiated in 2003
● Col. Narinder (“Bull”) Kumar managed to map the entire area

UNFPA Report - India Population

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):

● Subsidiary organ of the UNGA and works as a sexual and reproductive health agency.
● The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) establishes its mandate.
● Established as a trust fund in 1967
● Began operations in 1969.
● Renamed the United Nations Population Fund in 1987
● Og acronym ‘UNFPA’ for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities was retained.
● Works to tackle SDGs on health (SDG3), education (SDG4) and gender equality (SDG5).

Population Report and Developments

● Population across the globe touched 8 billion.
● More than half the world’s population lives in Asia
● China and India - 2 most populous countries with more than 1.4 billion people each.
● Population - 12 years to grow from 7 billion to 8 billion, 15 years (2037) to reach 9 billion.
● Population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under 1% in 2020.
● Grow to around 8.5 bill in 2030, 9.7 bill in 2050, 10.4 bill in 2080 and remain there till 2100
● 60% of population lives in a region where the fertility rate is below replacement level.
● In 1990, 40% lived in a region where the fertility rate was below replacement level.
● Most of the increase in population up to 2050 will be in 8 countries (India is one of them)
● 281 million people will be living outside their country of birth in 2020.
● All South Asian nations have seen high levels of emigration in recent years.

India Population Developments

● India has largest population in the world
● India’s fertility rate has hit 2.1 births per woman
● Population growth - 0.7% per year
● India is likely to peak at 1.7 billion population in 2048
● Decline to 1.1 billion at the end of the century.
 ● 68% of India’s population is between 15-64 years old in 2022
● 65 and above comprise 7% of the population.
● 27% of the country’s population is between the ages of 15-29.
● At 253 million, India is also home to the world’s largest adolescent population (10-19 years)

Finland Joins NATO

● Finland has officially joined NATO (4 April)

● Sweden's path to NATO membership remains blocked by Turkey and Hungary.
● Finland shares a 1,340-km border with Russia
● Ended more than 70 years of military non-alignment
● Policy of neutrality between the Soviet Union and the West was known as ‘Finlandisation’

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

● Established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April, 1949
● Military alliance to provide collective security against the Soviet Union
● Guarantees freedom of members through political and military means
● Currently 31 member states
● HQ: Brussels, Belgium.
● Military Headquarters of Allied Command Operations: Mons, Belgium
● Secretary General: Jens Stoltenberg
● Article 5 of the Washington Treaty (collective self defence)
● NATO has only once invoked Article 5, on September 12, 2001 following 9/11
● Does not extend to members' civil wars or internal coups.
● Funded by its members (U.S. contributes 3/4ths of budget)
● France withdrew from integrated military command in 1966 but remained a member
● Resumed its position in NATO’s military command in 2009
 ● NATO Military Exercise - Steadfast Noon (14 NATO countries)
● Nato summit in Vilnius Lithuania 2023

NATO Plus and Other Alliances

● China Select Committee of the US House recommends making India part of NATO Plus
● NATO Plus 5, is a security arrangement that brings together NATO and five aligned nations
○ Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, and South Korea
● Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC): It is a 50-nation multilateral forum, for discussing
political and security issues among Allies and partner countries.
● Mediterranean Dialogue: Security and stability in Mediterranean and North Africa
● Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI): Offers non-NATO countries in Middle East the
opportunity to cooperate with NATO

CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act)

● US said delivery of the 5 S-400 systems is a “significant transaction” under CAATSA (2017)
● It could trigger sanctions against Indian officials and the Government
● Ensures no country increases military engagement with Iran, North Korea and Russia
without facing punitive action from the US.
● Section 231 says President shall impose no fewer than five different sanctions in this case
● Also empowers the President to waiver/delay sanctions for “vital national security interests”
● Placed sanctions on China and Turkey for purchase of the S-400

S400 and India-Russia Trade

● Russia’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system
● Range of 380-km
● Defence trade between Russia and India has crossed $15 billion since 2018
● Over 60% of Indian military inventory is of Russian origin

S-400 (Project Kusha)

● IAF deployed 3 S-400 air defence missile squadrons along China and Pakistan borders
● Indian Defence Acquisition Council procured the Indian Long Range Surface Air
Missile(LRSAM) system under Project Kusha.
● The S-400 has a range of up to 400 km in an altitude of up to 30 km
● Can engage up to 36 targets simultaneously, with 4 different types of missiles
● Project Kusha led by DRDO aimed at developing long-range air defence system by 2028-29.
Kosovo-Serbia

Timeline (leading up to conflict)

● Serbian Empire had gained control of Kosovo in the 12th century
● Heart of the kingdom with Christian churches and monasteries built in Kosovo
● Serbia lost Kosovo for 500 years to the Ottoman Empire in the 1389 Battle of Kosovo
● Kosovo became a majority ethnic Albanian region with Muslims
● USSR Era: Kosov was autonomous province of Serbia(one of the six republics of Yugoslavia)
● 1980s, Kosovo Albanians increasingly mobilised and sought separation from Serbia
● In 1989, Serbia‘s autocratic leader Slobodan Milosevic stripped Kosovo of its autonomy
● 1990s, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), consisting Kosovo Albanians, led an insurgency
● Serbia deployed heavy forces in 1998 and 1999
● NATO deployed 500,00 peacekeepers through the UNSC Resolution 1244
● 2008, Kosovo declared independence, Serbia challenged Kosovo‘s actions in ICJ
● Ethnic Serb minority of 50,000+ resides in the northern part of Kosovo bordering Serbia
● Doesn’t recognise Kosovo institutions, receive pay/benefits from Serbia and pay no taxes
● This leads to conflict in the region
● 2011, EU initiated talks to resolve the conflict between the two countries
● 2013, the two reached the Brussels Agreement brokered by the EU
a) Dismantle Serbia-backed parallel structures in Kosovo‘s north
b) Creation of Association of Serb Municipalities linking Kosovo‘s 10 Serb municipalities
● 2022, Clashes in North Kosovo over Kosovo asking Serbian drivers to use temporary Kosovo
number plates for their vehicles when in the country
● 27th Feb 2023 - Ohrid agreement to normalise relations( brokered by EU) accepted orally
● April 2023, Kosovo held mayoral elections in municipalities
a) Boycotted by Serbs, 3% turnout
b) Ethnic Serb mayors, judges and police officers in northern municipalities resigned
● Clashes on May 29 between Serbs in North Kosovo and the NATO led Kosovo Force (KFor)
● Presidents of Serbia and Kosovo have met once on June 1, 2023 under pressure from the EU

Kosovo
● Capital: Pristina
● Recognised by 100 countries
● Currency: Euro
● PM: Albin Kurti
● President: Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu
 Serbia
● Capital: Belgrade
● Currency: Dinar
● One of the first modern constitutions in Europe, 1835 Constitution (Sretenje Constitution)
● Current constitution was adopted in 2006 in the aftermath of the Montenegro
independence referendum which renewed the independence of Serbia itself
● President: Aleksandar Vucic
● PM: Ana Brnabic (first woman and first openly gay person to hold the office)

World Health Day 2023

● Celebrated on 7th April annually
● WHO founded on 7th April 1948
● Idea was conceived at the First Health Assembly in 1948
● Came into effect in 1950.
● Theme for 2023: Health for all , 75th anniversary of WHO

CR Rao wins Statistics international prize

● C R Rao, Indian-American mathematician won the 2023 International Prize in Statistics
● Rao's paper published in 1945 in the Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society paved
the way for the modern field of statistics
● Came up with Cramer-Rao Lower Bound, Rao-Blackwell Theorem,Information Geometry.
● Work aided development of the large Hadron Collider, AI, data science, quantum physics etc.
● 1968 - Won the Padma Bhushan
● 2001 - Won the Padma Vibhushan

International Statistics prize

● Awarded once every two years
● Collaboration among five leading international statistics organisations
● Modelled after the Nobel Prize, Abel Prize, Fields Medal, and Turing Award
● Prize: $80000 in cash
● Event at: International Statistical Institute, World Statistics Congress in Ottawa, Canada.

25 Years of Good Friday Agreement

● Biden is visiting Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
● The Good Friday Agreement was signed on April 10, 1998
● Agreement ended 30 years of violence known as The Troubles which claimed 3500+ lives
 ● Fetched a Nobel peace prize for David Trimble and John Hume (leaders of the two opposing
parties in Northern Ireland)
● Britain‘s intelligence agency, MI5, recently increased the threat level in Northern Ireland
from domestic terrorism to severe because Brexit

Timeline
● 1921 - Northern Ireland (capital in Belfast) was created by partitioning Ireland, consists of
the 6 northeastern counties of the island
● 1922 - Rest of Ireland gained independence from the British (today‘s Republic of Ireland,
with its capital in Dublin)
● Northern Ireland remained with the UK, tensions between the Protestants and Catholics
● 1960s - Protestants gained more power than the Catholics, who claimed discrimination
● Late 1960s - Paramilitary groups from both sides (Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Ulster
Volunteer Force (UVF)) were attacking each other
● 1972 - The Bloody Sunday saw the British soldiers kill 14 unarmed protesters
● In 1979, the IRA killed Lord Louis Mountbatten, the former Governor General of India
● In 1984, they tried to assassinate Margaret Thatcher
● By the mid-1990s, momentum for peace was building
● April 1998, the negotiators gathered at Hillsborough Castle outside Belfast
● Negotiators: British PM Tony Blair, Irish PM Bertie Ahern, George Mitchell (envoy of Bill
Clinton) and 8 parties from Northern Ireland
● Agreed on -
○ Northern Ireland would remain part of the UK, but could join Ireland via referendum
○ People born in Northern Ireland could have Irish or British nationality or both
○ Weapons by paramilitary groups would have to be decommissioned
○ People in jail for violence so far would be released
○ Northern Ireland would get a new government with powers over most local matters,
where both the nationalists and unionists would be represented
○ UK government would look after security, foreign policy, tax laws, immigration rules
● May 22, 1998, a referendum was held in Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the agreement
was approved by 94 per cent of voters in Ireland and 71 per cent in Northern Ireland

Zimbabwe Launches Gold-Backed Currency

● For p2p and p2b transactions as well as to act as a store of value

● Holders of physical gold coins can convert it into gold-backed digital tokens
● Price tied to the value of gold instead of another currency
● Zimbabwe in April had 350 kgs of gold in reserves valued at $22.80m
● Intends to build reserves to around $100m
● Vesting period of 180 day
● Gold-backed coins is part of a wider plan by the central bank to stabilise local currency
● Zimbabwe dollar is currently trading at $1 US for every $2,000 on the black market

Timeline (Economic)
● 1980: The Rhodesian dollar is renamed Zimbabwe dollar after independence from Britain.
● 2003: Zimbabwe issues low-denomination bearer cheques to ease cash shortages
● 2006: The country issues a second series of higher-denomination bearer cheques
● 2008: 10 trillion dollar notes being issued as inflation ravages the economy
● 2009: The Zimbabwe dollar is demonetised (struck off as legal tender), a multi-currency
system (dollar, euro, pound and South African rand) is adopted to end hyperinflation
● 2016: Bond note (currency claimed to have the same value as US dollar) is introduced
● 2018: Reintroduces the Zimbabwe dollar/Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar
● 2019: The US dollar is outlawed in local transactions
● 2022: Zimbabwe launches gold coins to stabilise faltering currency
● 2023: Zimbabwe introduces gold-backed digital currency

Zimbabwe
● Landlocked country in Southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers
● Borders: South Africa (south), Botswana (south-west), Zambia (north) & Mozambique (east)
● Capital: Harare
● Largest and dominant ethnic group are the Shona( 82% of the population)
● 16 official languages, with English, Shona, and Ndebele being the most common

Timeline (Historical)
● 1890 - British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes demarcated the Rhodesia region post
conquest of Mashonaland
● 1893 - Demarcated Matabeleland after Matabele resistance (First Matabele War)
● 1923 - Company rule ended with the establishment of Southern Rhodesia as a
self-governing British colony
● 1965 - White minority government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia
● 1980 - Became Zimbabwe under black majority which then joined the Commonwealth of
Nations
● 1987 - Robert Mugabe became President when his Zanu PF party won
● 2000 to 2009 the economy experienced decline and hyperinflation
 ● Rebounded after the use of currencies other than the Zimbabwean dollar was permitted
● Suspended from Commonwealth in 2002 for breaching Harare Declaration
● Withdrew from Commonwealth in December 2003
● 2017 - Mugabe was placed under house arrest by the army and resigned 6 days later
● Emmerson Mnangagwa has since served as Zimbabwe‘s president.

IPEF
● INDO PACIFIC ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK (For Prosperity )
● Economic initiative launched by Biden on May 23 2023 in Tokyo
● 14 participating founders with open invitation for others to join
● Pillars - trade, supply chain resilience, clean economy, fair economy
● India had joined Pillars II to IV of IPEF while it has an observer status in Pillar-I
● Recent Ministerial Meeting
a) Concluded IPEF Supply Chain Agreement under Pillar II (Supply Chain Resilience)
b) Introduction of a regional hydrogen initiative by some IPEF partners to encourage
widespread deployment of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen (under Pillar III)

May

World Press Freedom

Day
● Celebrated annually on May 3
● Aim: To raise awareness about the importance of a free and independent press.
● First proposed in 1991 by the UNESCO General Conference
● In 1993, the UNGA adopted a resolution to declare May 3 as World Press Freedom Day.
● Theme for 2023 - , ‘Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a Driver for All
Other Human Rights,’

Prizes
● Winners - Niloofar Hamedi, Elaheh Mohammadi and Narges Mohammadi
● Ceremony on: World Press Freedom Day at the UN HQ in New York
● UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize -Created 1997
● Named after Guillermo Cano Isaza(Colombian journalist assassinated)
● Only such prize awarded to journalists within the UN System
 ● Honours a person, organization or institution which has made an outstanding contribution
to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom
● Presence of DG of UNESCO at ceremony (Audrey Azoulay)
● Monetary prize of $25,000
● Niloofar Hamedi - writes for Shargh, broke the news of the death of Mahsa Amini on 16
September 2022, detained in solitary confinement in Evin Prison since September 2022.
● Elaheh Mohammadi, writes for Ham-Mihan, reported on Mahsa Amini’s funeral
detained in Evin Prison since September 2022, barred from reporting for a year in 2020.
● Narges Mohammedi- worked with Payam-e-Hajar. Serving 10-year jail term, been arrested
13 times, convicted 5 times and sentenced to 31 years in total. Won 2023 Nobel Peace Prize

Index
● Published by Reporters Without Borders or Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF).
● On World Press Freedom Day since 2002
● RSF is an independent NGO based in Paris
● Ranks 180 countries based on their level of press freedom
● Score ranging from 0(worst score) to 100(best score)
● 5 indicators: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context,
safety
● Norway, Ireland and Denmark occupied the top three positions.
● Vietnam, China and North Korea were at the bottom on the list
● Situation has gone from ‘problematic’ to ‘very bad’ in 3 countries: Tajikistan (down 1 at
153rd), India (down 11 at 161st) and Turkey (down 16 at 165th).
● 2023 - India ranked 161/180 countries (Score: 36.62)
● India fell compared to 2016 when it was ranked 133.
● Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression under Article 19
● Freedom of press is not expressly protected but it is implied protected under article 19(1) (a)
● Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras - SC observed that freedom of the press lay at the
foundation of all democratic organisations.
● Freedom of press faces restrictions under Article 19(2)

Turkey elections
● President: Tayyip Erdogan
● July 2018 - Referendum switching Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system.
● Abolished the post of prime minister and made the president head of government.
● Voters will elect 600 members of parliament
● Elected by party-list proportional representation in 87 districts
 ● Erdogan won another 5 years in power with about 52.16% of the votes
● After a run off vote on May 28 when no candidate secured more than 50% of the vote
● Erdogan took 49.5 percent while his main challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, got 44.89 percent

King Charles III Coronation

● Date: May 6, 2023
● Conducted at: Westminster Abbey
● Anniversary of the 1910 death of King Edward VII.
● VP Jagdeep Dhankhar attended ceremony
● Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was attended by Nehru in 1953
● Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby ( the highest-ranking cleric in the Church of
England), oversaw the ceremony, a role that has been held by the Archbishop since 1066.
● Ceremony was also known as Operation Golden Orb
● Begins with a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, with the new king
travelling in the Gold State Coach.
● King is then anointed with holy oil + given a ring (symbolizes commitment to the monarchy)
● New king hailed as Long live the King! and a rendition of God Save the King
● Camilla (Queen Consort) wore the crown made for Queen Mary in 1911

Westminster Abbey
● Abbey = religious building (church/place where monks or nuns live)
● The Abbey was consecrated in 1065
● Since 1066, 39 coronation ceremonies and 16 royal weddings have taken place here
● Church was demolished by Henry III 200 years later to build the present Gothic structure in
honour of Edward

King Edward
● King Edward was made a saint in 1161 by the church after his death.
● Successors were placed in St Edward‘s Chair(Coronation Chair) carrying the Stone of Scone
● Monarchs are typically crowned with St Edward‘s Crown.
● Oldest of the British royal crowns and is a part of the Crown Jewels collection
● Crown was created in 1661
● King Charles II was the first monarch to wear the crown,

King Charles III

● Born: 14 November 1948
● King of the UK and 14 other Commonwealth realms.
 ● In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer
● In 2005, Charles married his long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles

Commonwealth of Nations
● Created as: British CoN through the Balfour Declaration at the 1926 Imperial Conference
● Formalised by the UK through the Statute of Westminster in 1931.
● Current CoN was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949
● Modernised the community and established the member states as free and equal
● The head of the Commonwealth is Charles III

49th G7 Summit
● At: Hiroshima, Japan
● Chaired by Japanese PM, Fumio Kishida
● PM of India unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima, Japan.
● Commitments of the G7:
a) To prevent another nuclear catastrophe
b) To pursue nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation
c) acknowledge the suffering and resilience of the Hibakusha (survivors of the atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945)
● Climate Wishlist of the G7
a) Global peak in emissions by 2025
b) Eliminate "inefficient fossil fuel subsidies" by 2025
c) Net-zero status by 2050
d) China aims for net-zero by 2060, while India has set 2070 as its target.

G7
● Intergovernmental organization formed in 1975.
● Discusses global economic governance, international security and energy policy annually
● The G7 countries are the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US. (and the
European Union)
● The G7 does not have a formal charter or a secretariat.
● Presidency rotates yearly and the member with the presidency sets the agenda.

QUAD

● Grouping of 4 democracies –India, Australia, the US, and Japan.

● Objective - “free, open, and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region
 ● Idea was first mooted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007
● Couldn’t move ahead with Australia pulling out of it
● In 2017, India, Australia, the US and Japan formed the “quadrilateral” coalition
● Meeting was held on May 20, 2023 in Hiroshima
● Convened by Australian PM (Anthony Albanese), attended by all 4 leaders
● Highlights:
a) Statement of Principles on Clean Energy Supply Chains in the Indo-Pacific
b) Clean Energy Supply Chains Diversification Program
c) Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) deployment in the Pacific
● Quad Plus meeting with representatives from South Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam

India- EU Trade and Technology Council

● 1st Ministerial meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC)
● Location: Brussels, Belgium.
● US-EU launched a TTC in June 2021.
● 2nd bilateral forum for the EU
● 1st one established with any partner for India.
● Highlights
○ WTO reforms
○ The ongoing negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
○ To resolve the dispute over E.U.’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

● Translates into a 20-35 % tax on select imports into the EU (based on carbon emissions)
● Starts 1st January 2026.
● Prevents EU industries from being undercut by more-polluting foreign competitors
● Imports into the EU will pay a CO2 fee = European companies already pay in EU markets
● CBAM is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package”
○ EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030
● importers will need to surrender a corresponding number of CBAM certificates
● Price based on the weekly average auction price of EU Emission Trading System (ETS)
allowances in €/tonne of CO2 emitted

European Union
● Croatia adopted the Euro on the 1st of January 2023 (20th member of Eurozone)
● President of European Central Bank - Christine Lagarde (former IMF managing director)
● EU granted Bosnia candidate status beginning its road to membership
 ● Political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe
● Founded in 1992 - Maastricht Treaty
● Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012
● Treaty of Lisbon (2016) - Allows members to leave which UK did (Brexit)
● Described as sui generis (in a class of its own, of its own kind)
● Schengen Area - Area free of passports, boundaries, can travel freely between countries
● European Single Market - No restrictions on movement of people,goods,capital,services (4
freedoms)
● Eurozone
a) Established in 1999 as a monetary union
b) Came into full force in 2002
c) Composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency
d) 8 EU members do not use the euro.
● President of the European Commission - Ursula Von Der Leyen
● President of the European Council - Charles Michel

European Free Trade Association

● Members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
● Not part of the EU but have access to its single market through various agreements
● Leaders met hoping to establish TEPA (trade and economic partnership agreement)
between India and the EFTA.
● EFTA = 10th largest merchandise traders and 8th largest services traders worldwide
● Imports and exports of goods and services close to USD 1.3 trillion in 2021
● World leaders in technology and development, financial systems, pharmaceuticals etc
● EFTA is India's 9th largest trading partner

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations)

● Focuses on a comprehensive data protection law for processing of personal data.
● In the EU, the right to privacy is enshrined as a fundamental right
● 7 principles of GDPR:
● Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency; ▪ Purpose limitation; ▪ Data minimisation; ▪
Accuracy; ▪ Storage limitation; ▪ Integrity and confidentiality; and ▪ Accountability.
● Replaces the UK’s 1984 Data Protection Act and the EU’s Data Protection Directive, 1995,
● It is a regulation, not a directive, and therefore is directly binding
● Applies to any organisation offering goods and services to customers/businesses in the EU.
Arab League

● Re-admitted Syria after a suspension for over a decade

● Syria suspended in 2011 for not complying to withdraw military forces (peace plan)
● Arab League is also called League of Arab States (LAS)
● Intergovernmental organisation of all Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa
● Formed in Cairo, Egypt on 22nd March 1945
● Following the adoption of the Alexandria Protocol in 1944
● 22 Arab nations are members
● Signing on 13th April 1950 - Joint defense and economic cooperation, signatories also
involved in coordination of military defense measures
India-UAE CEPA

● FTA covers goods, services, investment, and other areas of economic cooperation.
● Entered into force on May 1, 2022
● Expected to increase trade in goods to $100 billion and services to $15 billion in 5 years
● First full-fledged FTA signed by India with any country in the past decade.
● Preferential market access for over 80% of products traded between India and the UAE.
● Covers 11 broad service sectors and more than 100 sub-sectors
● Enhanced market access for each other's service providers across these sectors.
● Liberal and non-discriminatory cross-border investment
● It also includes provisions on dispute settlement and cooperation on investment facilitation.
● UAE is India's 3rd largest trading partner (after US, China)
● Bilateral trade turnover between the two was US$ 68.4 billion in 2021.
● 7th largest investor in India with FDI inflows of $15 million from 2000 –2022.
● Trade post FTA increased from USD 72.9 billion (FY 22) to USD 84.5 billion (FY 23), (16%)
● Indian exports - USD 28 bn to USD 31.3 bn (11.8% year on year growth)

Pulitzer Prize - 2023

● Named after newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer

● Most prestigious awards in U.S Journalism
● First presented in 1917.
● Awards in the Public service category in journalism being revered with a gold medal
● Public service prize 2023- Associated Press, Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka
● Pulitzer 2023 - Announced on 8th May
 ● 21 categories with 16 awards for journalism reporting on corruption
● Hosted by Columbia university, New York.
● Announced by Marjorie Miller, the Administrator of the Pulitzer prizes.
● Winners awarded $15000 cash awards and certificates.
● The awards were given in broad categories of journalism, books, drama and music

International Booker Prize

● Awarded for work of fiction translated into English and published in the UK and Ireland
● Began: 2005 as the Man Booker International Prize.
● The prize awards £50,000 divided equally between the author and the translator
● Shortlisted authors and translators each receive £2,500.
● The winner of 2023 is Time Shelter
● Written by Georgi Gospodinov, translated by Angela Rode
● Announced at a ceremony at Sky Garden in London on May 23, 2023.
● The 2022 winner was Tomb of Sand/Ret Samadhi(Hindi)
● Written by Geetanjali Shree and translated by Daisy Rockwell
● First book written in an Indian language.

Bretton woods and UNSC Reforms

● UN Secretary-General has called for reforms in UNSC and Bretton Woods Institutions

Bretton Woods Institutions

● Monetary framework created in 1944 by representatives of 44 nations
● At the Bretton Woods Conference in New Hampshire, USA
● Aimed to establish stability and cooperation after World War II.
● Created 2 organizations—the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
● Bretton Woods System was dissolved in the 1970s
● Both the IMF and World Bank are still functioning as its remnants
● MD of IMF - Kristalina Georgieva
● Head of world bank - Ajay Banga

UNSC (United Nations Security Council)

● Established by the UN Charter in 1945
● One of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations.
● Has 15 members: P5 + 10 non-permanent members elected for 2-year terms.
● The P5 are: US, Russia, France, China and the UK.
 ● India has been a non-permanent member 8 times during 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73,
1977-78, l984-85, 1991-92, 2011-12 and 2021-22.
● Absence of Africa, India, Germany, Brazil, and South America, from P5 is an issue
● UNSC presidency : China

June
OceanGate - Titanic sub epic fail
● Based in Everett, Washington
● Founded: Stockton Rush and Guillermo Sohnlein
● Titan sub went missing (June 18th
● The implosion occurred (June 22nd)
● Company suspended operations (July 6)
● CEO: Stockton Rush
● Onboard: CEO, Hamish Harding, Paul Nargeolet. Shahzada and Suleman Dawood
● It was only certified to reach 1300 m but aimed to reach 4000.
● Hull is made of a combination of carbon fibre and titanium

Titanic
● Operated by White Star line.
● Meant to go from Southampton to NYC.
● Sank April 1912 off coast of Newfoundland (North Atlantic)
● Wreckage found in 1985 .
● Collision with iceberg caused 6 compartments to flood, 1500 died,
● 710 rescued by RMS Carpathia
● SOLAS (International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea) established in 1914
● Captain: Edward Smith
● Chief naval architect: Thomas Andrews

Atlantic Declaration

● US + UK announced the Atlantic Declaration (21st century economic partnership)

● Signing of the Atlantic Charter in 1941 laid the foundation for international order.
● The New Atlantic Charter signed in 2021 -
● The US is the largest source of direct investment in the UK and vice versa.
● Part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, along with Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Wagner Group mutiny

● Wagner Group (PMC Wagner) Head - Yevgeny Prigozhin

● Russian paramilitary organization
● Founded in 2014 during the Russian annexation of Crimea.
● Wagner at its peak had 50,000 mercenary recruits (many ex-prisoners) in Ukraine
● Prigozhin staged a mutiny against the country's defense establishment
● Leveled serious accusations against Russia's Ministry of Defense:
a) Claiming corruption and incompetence.
b) Released a video accusing the defense leadership of ordering airstrikes on Wagner
c) Taking control of the Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov-on-Don
● Close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin until the rebellion in June 2023
● Wagner forces embarked on a "march of justice" towards Moscow
● Russian President labelled it as treason
● Prigozhin agreed to retreat and relocate to Belarus (negotiations with Lukashenko)
● Death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash on August 23
● Succeeded by his son Pavel Prigozhin

20th ASEAN - India Summit

● Established: 8 August 1967 (Bangkok Declaration)

● 5 nations (Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines) signed ASEAN Declaration
● 5 countries joined them – Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam.
● Anthem, a flag and biannual summits (twice a year)
● Rotating chairmanship based on alphabetical order.
● Its official motto is ―One Vision, One Identity, One Community.
● Pillars - Political-Security Community (APSC), Economic Community (AEC) and
Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).
● India is part of the ASEAN plus Six grouping, which includes China, Japan, ROK, New
Zealand and Australia as well.
● 2010 - a Free Trade Agreement between India and ASEAN
● India part of negotiations to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
● Theme: “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”
● Two Joint Statements on Maritime Cooperation and Food Security
● Timor-Leste participated in the Summit as Observer.

18th East Asia Summit

● Proposed by Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad in 1991
 ● Established in 2005 as an ASEAN initiative
● First summit - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December 2005.
● 18 members = ASEAN Plus Six + Russia and USA
● PM to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste
● Launched the negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA)
● First major region wide digital economy agreement in the world

Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia

● International organization established in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2008
● Recognized ERIA as an international organization on 30 December 2008
● Works very closely with both the ASEAN Secretariat and 16 Research Institutes to
undertake and disseminate policy research under the 3 pillars:
○ Deepening Economic Integration
○ Narrowing Development Gaps
○ Sustainable Development

Act East policy

● By GoI to cultivate economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia
● Look East policy developed and enacted in 1991 under PM Narasimha Rao
● Act East announced in 2014 by Modi as the successor to the Look East policy

Asia Pacific Human Rights

● Biennial conference of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) of Asia Pacific
● Date: 20th September 2023
● Inaugarated by President Murmu at Delhi.
● Organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) + Asia Pacific Forum (APF)
● Will also feature the 28th Annual General Meeting of APF.
● Marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR)
● 30 years of National Human Rights Institutions and the Paris Principles.
● The NHRC came into existence on 12th October 1993
● Established by the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA) of 1993
● Amended in 2006.

July
Sri Lanka

President Ranil Wickremesinghe paid an official visit to India

Highlights:
● Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Animal Husbandry & Dairying
● MoU for development of Trincomalee
● Network-to-Network Agreement b/w NIPL & UPI
● Energy Permit for Sampur Solar Power Project
● Adani Ports & SEZ's (APSEZ) to develop Western Container Terminal (WCT) in Colombo
● a Vision document
○ “Promoting Connectivity, Catalysing Prosperity”
○ India-Sri Lanka Economic Partnership Vision' w/ 5 pillars (sea, air, power, economic &
Point-to-Point connectivity)

13th amendment
● PM Modi urged Wickremsinghe to implement 13th amendment
● earlier, Tamil National Alliance (TNA, largest Tamil party in SL) had rejected Prez's offer to
implement 13th amendment w/o police powerslows
● in 1987, Indo-Lanka Accord signed b/w PM Rajiv Gandhi & Prez JR Jayawardene
● after this accord, 13th Amendment enacted
● 13th amendment - Creation of Provincial Councils for all 9 provinces to self-govern and
made Sinhala and Tamil the official languages with English being the link language
● but in SL ~ Prez has overriding powers + unitary constitution + land & police powers not
given to Provinces ~ so, 13th Amendment has been rather redundant

Sri Lankan Civil war

● from 1815 to 1948, British ruled SL
● Post 1948 independence there was discrimination against Tamils
● in 1972, new discriminatory constitution
● in 1976, LTTE formed (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, inspired by Che Guevara) by
Velupillai Prabhakaran
● in 1983, civil war starts w/ Black July pogrom
● in 1987, Operation Pawan by Indian Army in SL, sent IPKF
● in 1989, IPKF withdraws
● on 21 May, 1991 LTTE insurgent kills Rajiv Gandhi
● in 2009 ~ LTTE admits defeat (17 May), Prabhakaran killed (18 May), Prez Mahinda
Rajapaksa declares end of civil war (19 May)

India-SL ties
● joint Military (Mitra Shakti) & 10th SLINEX @ Colombo (Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise)
● FTA in 2010 (benefits 60% exports)
● India is SL's 3rd largest export destination after US and UK
● PM Modi visited in 2015, 2017, 2019
● India extended 4bn in Emergency Funds (1 bn in May)
● FDI from India - USD 1.7 billion - 2005 to 2019
● 1st bilateral creditor to officially support Sri Lanka's debt restructuring programme
● Agreement on raising the limit of High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP)
● Sri Lanka is located just off the southern coast of India, separated by the Palk Strait.
● India's 1st international cruise ~ MV Empress (Chennai to Hambantota, Trincomalee,
Kakesanturai)

Katchatheevu Island
● 285-acre uninhabited island in the Palk Strait, between India and Sri Lanka
● Located off the coast of Rameswaram,India.
● In 1974, PM Indira Gandhi and Sirima R.D. Bandaranaike signed an agreement that
recognized Katchatheevu as part of Sri Lanka's territory, resulting in a change of ownership.
● Agreement allowed Indian fishermen to fish and Indians to visit the Catholic shrine
● Supplemental pact (fishing rights,defining maritime boundaries, EEZ) was signed in 1976.
● GoI in 2013, stated there was no question of retrieval as no Indian territory was ceded.
● Framed as a dispute between British India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), resolved through
agreements in 1974 and 1976

Tea Production
● Sri Lanka produces 300 million kg of tea annually
● The country exports 97-98% of its annual output.
● Because of the economic downturn, its production is going down
● Major opportunity for India to step up and boost tea exports
● In markets like Iran where it has rupee trade and dollar trade affected due to US sanctions
 Hambantota Port
● Second major port in the country, with the first in Colombo
● Public Private Partnership and a Strategic Development Project
● Government of Sri Lanka(15%) and China Merchants Port Holdings (CMPort)-85%.
● This port was given to China by Sri Lanka along with 15000 acres of land around
● on a 99-year lease after Sri Lanka failed to repay Chinese loans in exchange for $1.1 billion
● It is seen as a case of Chinese "debt trap" Diplomacy.
● China providing $307 million and SL required to accept China Harbor as the port builder
● The port was opened on Nov 18, 2010 - M.Rajapaksa’s birthday
● failed to bring in business, only 34 ships berthing at Hambantota in 2012
● compared with 3,667 ships at the Colombo port
● The govt asked for a further loan of $757 million @ 6.3% interest
● In 2016
○ after President Maithripala Sirisena formed a new government
○ debt stood over $44.8 billion increasing almost 3x under the previous govt
● China’s satellite tracking vessel Yuan Wang 5 docked here despite India and US concern
● Yuan Wang 5
○ is a third-generation vessel of the Yuan Wang series
○ entered service in 2007
○ It has the ability to track satellites and intercontinental missiles.

RCEP trade bloc

● SL to join Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

● FTA among 15 Asia-Pacific nations
● Signed in November 2020
● conceived at the 2011 ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia.
● Formally signed on 15 November 2020 at the virtual ASEAN Summit hosted by Vietnam.
● trade pact took effect on 1 January 2022. ( For the first ten ratifying countries)
● Members account for 30% of the population (2.2 billion) and 30% of GDP ($29.7 trillion)

Loan from ADB

● Sri Lanka cabinet approves $200 mln loan from Asian Development Bank
● Asian Development Bank (ADB) was established on 19 December 1966
● HQ - Philippines
● Aim - promote social and economic development in Asia.
 ● Admits UNESCAP (UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) members
and non-regional developed countries
● Starting with 31 members at its establishment, ADB now has 68 members.

France

Protests + more
● Nahel (Algerian 17 year old) killed by police in Nanterre causing protests against police
● 2023 - Resistance against pension reform ( increasing retirement age from 62 to 64)
● 2018 - Yellow Vest protest - Against fuel tax increase

India France relations

● 25th anniversary of the India – France Strategic Partnership.

● India's first 1998
● acquisition of 26 Rafale-M (the mari immediately after India‘s nuclear tests inne version)
fighters for the Indian Navy
● three more Scorpene class submarines at the public sector Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd
● Road Map on Green Hydrogen - Oct ‘22
● Road Map on the Blue Economy and Ocean Governance - feb ‘22
● sets the course for the France-India bilateral relationship in all areas till 2047

Rafale aircrafts
● MoD withdrew tender for 126 aircrafts
○ purchases 36
○ ^2015 Modi and Macron deal
● Planned to buy 18 and manufacture 108 with acquired tech by HAL
● Gov selected Dassault Aviations - Dassault Rafale
● Dassault 50:50 offset clause
○ Must invest 50% of contract value back into India (Dassault intends to invest 115 mill)
● Oct 2016: Dassault and Reliance joint venture
● June 2021: French Judge appointed to investigate corruption

Guest of Honour
● Bastille Day Parade
○ 14 July 2023 - Paris
○ anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789
 ○ during the French revolution (1789-1799)
● Symbolises the democratic values of - Liberty, Equality and Fraternity

Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

● France‘s highest civilian and military honor
● Modi is first Indian Prime Minister to receive
● President Emmanuel Macron conferred at Elysee Palace on July 13, 2023
● Other winners - Nelson Mandela, Angela Merkel
● Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802
● The ribbon of the Legion is red and badge features a five-armed Maltese asterisk suspended
on an oak and laurel wreath
● Emmanuel Macron - French president and ex officio Prince of Andorra - since 14 May 2017
● Elisabeth Borne - Prime Minister of France

Abaya ban in France

● Principle of Laïcité (negative secularism) - France’s commitment to secularism.
● Originin the struggle of anticlerical Republicans against the power of the Catholic Church
● Also present in turkey and china
● 1950s/60s - Migration of people from Muslim nations like Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria to
France due to decolonization efforts in North Africa
● 2004 - Law prohibiting “ostentatious” religious symbols in public (Catholic dresses, Jewish
kippahs, and Muslim headscarves)
● 2011 - Face-covering veils were banned in public places.
● Indian Secularism - Preamble says India is a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic
● ‘Secular’ was added to the preamble by the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act of 1976

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

● Successor to the League of Nations‘s International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation

● Founded 16 November 1945.
● 93 members +12 associate members
● Contributes to the achievement of SDG’s in Agenda 2030 adopted by UNGA in 2015
● HQ: World Heritage Centre in Paris, France
● Director General: Audrey Azoulay (since 2017)

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

● Recently 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in Saudi Arabia
● Committee maintains UNESCO‘s World Heritage List & oversees conservation of the sites
● Treaty - Convention concerning the Protection of the world cultural and natural heritage
● Adopted by UNESCO in 1972
● There are 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.
● India’s first World Heritage City is Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Prominent International Sites

● Saint Sophia Cathedral (Ukraine)
● Gold domed structure in Kyiv
● Built in the 11th century and designed to rival the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
● Biggest collection of mosaics and frescoes from that period
● Medieval center of the western city of Lviv (Ukraine) near the Polish border
● The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments (Thailand)
● Located about 340 km north of Bangkok in Phetchabun province

Santiniketan
● Located in Bengal‘s Birbhum district
● Founded in 1863 as an ashram by Debendranath Tagore
● Santiniketan now stands as India‘s 41st World Heritage site
● India now ranks 6th on the World Heritage List
● Home to Visva-Bharati University
● Central university and an institution of national importance through an Act (1951)
● Recommendation from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
● International advisory body based in France

Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala

● Comprises of the Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in Karnataka
● Building style developed under the rule of the Hoysala Empire
● Between the 11th and 14th centuries in southern Karnataka
● Hoysala temples are sometimes called hybrid or vesara (mix of Dravida and Nagara styles)
● Hoysaleshvara temple at Halebid, Karnataka that was built in dark schist stone in 1150
● Chennakeshava temple in Somnathpura, Karnataka built AD 1268 under Narasimha III
● Kesava temple at Belur, Karnataka built by Vishnuvardhana.

Charaideo Maidams (Nomination only)

● No world heritage site in the category of cultural heritage in Northeast India.
● 13th-19th century CE mound burial tradition of the Tai Ahom community in Assam
 ● Established in 1228 in the Brahmaputra valley of Assam
● Kingdom was founded by Chaolung Sukapha, a 13th century ruler.
● Ruled by Ahoms till British annexation in 1826 with the signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo.
● 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan.
● Known for his leadership in the Battle of Saraighat, 1671 in which an attempt by Mughal
forces to capture Assam was thwarted
● Lachit Borphukan gold medal is awarded to the best NDA (Defence Academy) cadet
● Medal was instituted in 1999 to inspire defence personnel

UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

● Created in 2004
● Aim: “promote cooperation among cities which recognize creativity in urban development”.
● SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities.
● Network covers 7 creative fields: crafts and folk arts, media arts, film, design, gastronomy,
literature and music
● Recently added 55 new cities (November 2nd)
● 2 Indian cities: Kozhikode,Kerala - ‘City of Literature’ & Gwalior,MP - ‘City of Music’
● Other Indian cities in the UCCN
● 2015 - Jaipur: Crafts and Folk Arts, Varanasi: Creative City of Music
● 2017 - Chennai: Creative City of Music
● 2019 - Mumbai: Film , Hyderabad: Gastronomy
● 2021 - Srinagar: Crafts and Folk Art

USA - UNESCO

1984 - USA withdrew under the Reagan Administration

2003 - Rejoined under George W Bush
2011 - USA and Israel stopped funding to UNESCO and lost voting rights
2017 - Trump withdrew from organisation
2023 - Biden rejoined due to increasing Chinese influence

SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)

● Permanent intergovernmental international organization.

● Founded on 15 June, 2001
● Entered into force in 2003.
 ● Shanghai Five (1996) - Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan
● Border demarcation/demilitarization talks which 4 former Soviet republics held with China
● Renamed the SCO following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organization in 2001
● India and Pakistan became members in 2017 at the Astana Summit
● Iran became a full member in June 2023
● 9 member countries of SCO and 3 observers - Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia.
● Official languages are Russian and Chinese.
● Secretary General of SCO - Zhang Ming
● Two permanent structures
○ Secretariat in Beijing
○ RATS (Regional Anti Terrorism Structure) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
● SCO 2023 in India was conducted online on July 4th
● Theme: “For a SECURE SCO”
○ S‘ for security for citizens, E‘ for economic development, C‘ for connectivity in the
region, U‘ for unity, R‘ for respect of sovereignty and integrity, and E for environment
protection
○ Coined by PM Modi in the 2018 SCO Qingadao Summit.
● First tourism and cultural capital of SCO: Varanasi (Kashi)
● SCO has been an observer in the UNGA since 2005
● Signed a joint declaration of cooperation with the UN in 2010.

Africa
Nigeria new president - Bola Tinubu from All Progressive Congress
- Prev prez was Muahmmudu Buhari
- Largest nation and economy in africa
- Member of the informal MINT group of countries and is one of the Next Eleven economies.

Niger Coup
● Led by General Abdourahamane Omar Tchiani (President of the national council for the
safeguard of the homeland)
● Imprisoned and detained President Mohamed Bazoum, dissolved the elected government
● Prosecute Bazoum for high treason over his exchanges with foreign heads of state and
international organisations.
● M62 -A civil society umbrella organisation set up in 2022
● Anti-French and believes that the Wagner group can help Niger against terrorism.
● Niger - Largest landlocked country in West Africa
● Capital - Niamey
 ● Currency - West African CFA Franc
● Bordered by: Libya (northeast), Chad (east), Nigeria (south), Benin and Burkina Faso
(southwest), Mali (west), Algeria (northwest)
● 80% of its land lies in the Sahara Desert.
● Major uranium and gold producer
● Niger suspended from the African Union

Burkina Faso coup

● Jan 24, 2022 , Burkina Faso’s army, led by Paul-Henri Damiba , deposed President Roch
Kabore after 6 years in power
● September 30, 2022, President Damiba was then deposed again by army Captain Ibrahim
Traore, citing his inability to control the armed uprising and worsening the crisis
● Current president- Ibrahim Traore
● ECOWAS threatened military intervention demanding immediate reinstatement of the
transitional govt of Damiba and elections
● Since 2015, Burkina Faso has had rebellions linked to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group in
West Africa’s Sahel region.
● Traore has said a national conference will appoint a new interim leader, civilian or military
● Return to civilian rule by 2024
● September 26, 2023, a coup attempt by 6 military officers against the junta was foiled
● Day after French news magazine Jeune Afrique was suspended
● Burkina Faso - Landlocked West African country
● Gained independence from France as Upper Volta in 1960.
● Its name, meaning “Land of Incorruptible People,” was adopted in 1984.
● Capitol: Ouagadougou
● Bordered by:Mali (north and west), Niger(northeast), Benin (southeast), Côte d’Ivoire,
Ghana,Togo (south)
● Official language: French
● Major religion: Muslim
● Currency: CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine) franc, officially pegged to the euro

Mali, Niger, Burkina sign mutual defence pact - Sahel

● The Liptako-Gourma Charter establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)

● Aim - To establish collective security (collective self defence)
● Jihadist insurgency erupted in northern Mali in 2012
 ● Mali junta leader - Assimi Goita
● Pushed out France‘s anti-jihadists in 2022 and UN peacekeeping force MINUSMA in 2023.
● Spread to Niger and Burkina Faso 2015 onwards

ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)

● Threatened to intervene militarily in Niger over the coup

● Junta defied their August 6 deadline to reinstate Bazoum and closed Nigers airspace.
● Known as CEDEAO in French
● Established in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty
● Aim - Promoting economic integration, single common currency and a single trading bloc
● President - Omar Alieu Touray
● 15 members
● ECOMOG (Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group)
● Peacekeeping operation which resolved Liberia-Sierra Leone conflict (1990s-2000s)
● 8 states use the West African CFA franc as its currency
● These 8 are known as the West African Economic and Monetary Union

African Union (AU)

● Admitted into G20 (September 2023) and will have same status as 27 member EU
● Consists of 55 member states
● Announced in the Sirte Declaration (Libya) - 1999.
● Founded: 2002 in Durban, South Africa.
● Replace the Organisation of African Unity (OAU)(established in 1963)
● AU‘s secretariat- African Union Commission in Addis Ababa.
● Largest city in the AU - Lagos, Nigeria
● Largest urban agglomeration - Cairo, Egypt
● Chairperson of the African Union Commission - Moussa Faki Mahamat (Chadian)
● Chairperson of the African Union - Azali Assoumani (Comorian)
● International Day for People of African Descent (31 August), since 2021.

Africa Climate Summit and Kampala Declaration

● Kampala Declaration to be formally adopted during the Africa Climate Summit
● Conference of States (by Kenya & Uganda) discussed its expansion
● Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment & CIimate Change (KDMECC)
● signed by 15opt KDMECC-AFRICA during Africa Climate Summit
● Africa Climate Summit @ Nairobi, countries in 2022 @ Kampala, Uganda
 ● 48 countries have agreed to adKenya
● Theme - "Driving Green Growth & Climate Finance Solutions for Africa & the World"
● Hosted by Republic of Kenya + African Union Commission
● Africa Climate Week 2023 (4-8 Sep) by UNFCCC, UNDP, UNEP, World Bank
● Uganda - capital is Kampala; currency is Shilling; Prez is Yoweri Museveni
● Kenya - capital is Nairobi; currency is Shilling; Prez is William Ruto
● Ezulwini Consensus of AU~ reform of the UN & international organizations

Sudan War
● Coup in October 2021 - RSF (Rapid Support Forces) & Sudan army overthrew a civilian govt
● Coup led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
● Prime Mnister Hamdok was reinstated in a deal(Nov 2021)
● Hamdok resigned later amidst continued protests on 2nd Jan 2022
● Deal that both military & RSF would concede power and set up a constitutional govt
● Issues - Timetable for RSF integration into the army, chain of command between army & RSF
● Conflict erupted on April 15
● General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (Army head and leader of Sudan's ruling council since 2019)
● RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Deputy on ruling council,known as Hemedti)
● The army accused the RSF of illegal mobilisation
● RSF said the army had tried to seize full power in a plot with Bashir loyalists
● Operation Kaveri by GoI to evacuate Indian citizens and foreign nationals from Sudan
● Brought them from conflict zones - Port Sudan - Jeddah - safely home

Ethiopia declares state of emergency following militia clashes

● Fighting broke out across Ethiopia‘s Amhara region and has quickly become a security crisis
● Amhara region - Second largest region in Ethiopia
● Fighting is between the military and local Fano militiamen
● Fano was a key ally of the military (ENDF) during a two-year civil war in Tigray
● Tensions rose after military tried to integrate them into it
● Capital and largest city - Addis Ababa
● Currency - Bir
● PM - Abiy Ahmed Ali (since 2018)
● Leader of the Prosperity Party since 2019 and awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.

Gabon Coup
● Gabon army calling themselves The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of
Institutions
● Seized power after Prez Ali Bongo had won a 3rd term, accusing him of corruption/fraud
 ● Coup leaders have named Gen Brice Oligui Nguema as the country‘s transitional leader
● Ali Bongo was first elected in 2009 following the death of his father, Omar Bongo
● Omar ruled the country for 41 years (1967 - 2008)
● 8th coup in West and Central Africa since 2020
● Gabon is located on the equator and bordered by Equatorial Guinea (northwest), Cameroon
(north),Republic of the Congo (east & south), Gulf of Guinea (west)
● Capital and largest city - Libreville
● French colony till 1960 and has had only 3 presidents.
● Currency: Central African CFA franc (currency of 6 countries total)
● First African country to get paid for reducing carbon emissions by protecting its rainforest
● African Union condemned the coup and suspended Gabon

Fukushima Water Issue

● Japan's plan to release 1mln tons of water from Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea
● Claimed to be treated but potentially radioactive,neighbours (ROK) are opposed
● Fukushima Daiichi Plant suffered a meltdown in 2011 after earthquake and tsunami
● The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is assisting Japan to release the water
● Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) - Removes radioactive elements except tritium,
● Tritium is a hydrogen isotope with a 12.5 year half life

IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)

● Established in 1957
● Known as “Atoms for Peace” organisation in the UN reporting to both UNGA and UNSC
● HQ: UN Office at Vienna, Austria
● Won the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
● 4 new countries (Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Brunei, and Mexico) have joined OPEC
● Established: 1960
● HQ: Vienna, Austria.
● Founding members: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela
● OPEC: 13 member states
● 2016 - OPEC expanded to OPEC+.
● OPEC+ includes the 13 OPEC member countries along with 10 other countries
● Produces around 30% of the world's crude oil and members are 60% of the petroleum trade
Multidimensional Poverty Index 2023
● Released by UNDP + Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI)
● Launched in 2010
 ● Monitors deprivations in 12 indicators
● Person is multidimensionally poor if they are deprived in 1/3rd or more indicators.
● Index measures acute multidimensional poverty across more than 100 developing countries
● 18%(1.1 bill/6.1 bill) of the world population are acutely multidimensionally poor.
● Sub-Saharan Africa has 534 million poor and South Asia has 389 million
● India - 230 mill people who are poor, 18.7% under the vulnerable category
● Vulnerable = Not poor but have deprivations in 20 - 33.3% of all weighted indicators.
● India has reduced its global MPI values within 15 years ( was 645 million in 2005/06 )
Henley Passport Index 2023
● Compiled and published by Henley & Partners
● Index encompasses 199 different passports and covers 227 travel destinations.
● Most powerful passport - Singapore (197 out of 227 countries)
● Least powerful passport - Afghanistan (27 countries)
● India - 86th rank(visa free access to 57 countries)
● Henley Openness Index - Measures the no of nations a country allows visa-free access to
● India was placed 93rd out of 97 countries, offering visa-free access to only 5 nations.
The United Kingdom

CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership)

● UK joins CPTPP making it UK’s biggest deal since Brexit

● More than 99% of British exports will have zero tariffs.
● Trading bloc now has a GDP of 12 trillion pounds and account for 15% of global trade
● U.K. will have a veto on whether China joins the treaty
● CPTPP is an FTA between the 11 APEC(Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) nations
● 2005 - Trade agreement between 11 Pacific nations + US =Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
● US withdrew so remaining members formed the TPP-11
● CPTPP was formed in 2018 in Santiago, Chile

Migration Crisis in the EU and the UK Migrants Bill - Rwanda

● 5 year trial - announced in April 2022 - would see asylum seekers sent to Rwanda
● They may be granted refugee status to stay in Rwanda. If not, they can apply to settle there
on other grounds, or seek asylum in another "safe third country".
● Government says the plan will deter people arriving in the UK through "illegal, dangerous or
unnecessary methods", such as on small boats which cross the English Channel.
● No asylum seeker has actually been sent to Rwanda so far
● Supreme Court recently rejected this proposal
● Began its hearing to determine the fate of the Rwanda scheme on 9 October
● June 2023, the Court of Appeal overturned an HC ruling that the Rwanda plan was lawful.
● The Court of Appeal judges ruled that the east African nation was not a safe third country
● Rwanda policy breaches Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights
● Asylum Aid, the charity which brought the case against the government
● Uk gov said - "anyone entering the UK illegally" after 1 January 2022 could be sent
● Under the deal, Rwanda can also ask the UK to take in some of its most vulnerable refugees.
● October 2022, Privilege Style - the airline which was scheduled to take asylum seekers to
Rwanda - withdrew from its Home Office contract
● The UK's asylum system costs £3bn a year

North Sea Drilling + Murmansk

● UK PM has endorsed plans for fossil fuel drilling off the British coast in the North Sea
● North Sea Transition Authority (NTSA), responsible for regulating the industries for drilling
● The North Sea is located in northwest Europe
● Bordered by Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands,Belgium, France and UK
● Connected to the Atlantic by the Strait of Dover and the English Channel
● Opens onto the ocean between Orkney & Shetland islands and Shetland Islands & Norway.
● 1958 Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf - First international legislation to
establish the rights of countries over the continental shelves adjacent to their coastlines
● U.K. Parliament's Continental Shelf Act of 1964 solidified the country's jurisdiction over oil
and gas resources beneath the seabed near its shores.
● British Petroleum (BP) secured the first exploration license in the U.K. North Sea in 1964
● Discovery of natural gas in 1965
● Collapse of the BP-operated Sea Gem drilling rig in 1965.
● Commercial oil was discovered in the Forties Field, east of Aberdeen, Scotland in 1970
● UK said even after achieving Net-Zero by 2050, quarter of energy would still be oil and gas.
● Climate Change Committee (CCC) reported in its March 2023 Progress Report - U.K. not
adequately prepared for climate change under the second National Adaptation Programme.
● Murmansk called the capital of the Arctic Region
● Beginning point of the Northern Sea Route (NSR)
● Rising trend of Indian involvement in Cargo traffic (35% of cargo in first 7 months of 2023)
● Murmansk port is about 2,000 km northwest of Moscow, Russia
 NSR (North Sea Route)
● Shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia-Pacific region
● Straddles the Four Seas (Barents, Kara, Laptev and East Siberian Sea) of the Arctic Ocean.
● 5,600 km in length
● Potential distance savings of up to 50% compared to Suez or Panama Canals.
● The 2021 Suez Canal Blockage heightened interest in the NSR as an alternative
● Russia important as they have the worlds only nuclear powered icebreaker, Rosatom
● Growth rate of NSR cargo traffic approximately 73% during 2018-2022,

Dutch govt collapse

● Dutch government collapsed on 7th July

● Parties in its ruling coalition failed to reach an agreement on migration policy.
● PM - Mark Rutte, 4th Cabinet, one of Europe‘s longest-serving leaders.
● Debate: terms of family reunification and whether to create 2 classes of asylum: a
● temporary one (fleeing conflicts) and a permanent one (fleeing persecution)
● Mark Rutte has served as PM of the Netherlands since 2010
● Leader of the People‘s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) since 2006
● First liberal PM in 92 years
● 2 August 2022, he became the longest-serving PM, earlier Ruud Lubbers (1982–1994).

August
China

● China - 4th largest country, 2nd highest population

● Capital: Beijing
● President - Xi Jinping
● National legislature - National Peoples Congress
● Largest parliamentary body in the world (2980 members)
● China‘s currency yuan joins IMF basket of reserve currencies (total 5 currencies)
● India shares 3488 km of border with China

Map dispute (August)

● China unveiled the "2023 edition of the standard map of China” on its "National Mapping
Awareness Publicity Week”
 ● Laid claim over 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh
● India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Indonesia have made strong public
statements regarding the map as it incorporates China’s territorial claims.
● Included Arunachal Pradesh(eastern sector) and the Aksai Chin Region(west sector)
● China considers Aksai Chin part of its Xinjiang region, while India considers it part of Ladakh.
● China claims Arunachal Pradesh (90,000 sq km) calling it "South Tibet” or “Zangnan.”
● No clear LoC demarcated between the nations in many places
● China does not recognize the McMahon Line and the Shimla Convention of 1914.
● Recent conflict - Galwan Valley in Ladakh in 2020 & Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh in 2022.

Dhokla Plateau(Doklam)
● Post 1962 Indo-China war, Doklam plateau (India-China-Bhutan trijunction) became imp
● Brings China closer to the 27-km-long Siliguri Corridor ( 'chicken's neck') linking the
northeastern states to the rest of India.
● China argues that the India-China-Bhutan trijunction is at Mount Gipmochi (Gyemo Chen)
● India and Bhutan mark the trijunction, near Batang la
● India- Bhutan Friendship Treaty (2007) - Neither government shall allow the use of its
territory for activities harmful to the national security and interest of the other
● In June 2017, Indian soldiers blocked a road on the request of Bhutan for intervention
● India claimed violation of the 1988 and 1998 Bhutan-China agreements
● August 28, 2017, the two sides agreed on disengagement of border personnel at Doklam
● China-Bhutan Agreement (April 2021) - Three Step Roadmap for Boundary Negotiations
● January, 2023, they held talks in Kunming which focussed on Doklam
● Chinas proposal - Bhutan gives Doklam to China in return for them recognizing disputed
territory in north-central Bhutan
● Capital of Bhutan - Thimphu
● PM - Lotay Tshering
● King - Jigme Wangchuk

Highest Road in Ladakh

● Umling La, the highest motorable road in the world, will be surpassed by Mig La-Fukche road
● August 15, BRO started a road connecting Likru, Mig-La and Phukche at 19400 feet
● Sela tunnel will be the highest and longest bi-lane tunnel in the world

BRO (Border Roads Organisation)

 ● Formed on 7 May 1960
● Secure India‘s borders and develop infrastructure in remote north/north-east
● Guinness World Record in November 2021 for the highest altitude road at Umling La
● Has been brought under Ministry of Defence
● Chief (27th) - Lt General Rajeev Chaudhry
● Director General (28th) - Raghu Srinivasan

China and stapled visa

● India withdrew 8 athlete wushu contingent from the Summer World University Games
● Wushu is the Chinese term for martial arts
● Games held in Chengdu and was originally scheduled for 2021
● Original 2023 games (Yekaterinburg) were cancelled after Russia invaded Ukraine
● Stapled visa - Unstamped paper attached by staples and can be torn off or detached at will.
● Stapled visas for Jammu and Kashmir residents started around 2008-09.

BRI
● Launched in 2013.
● Aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network
of land and sea routes.
● More than 100 countries signed agreements with China to cooperate in BRI projects like
railways, ports, highways and other infrastructure.
● It encompassed five kinds of activities:
● Policy coordination, Trade promotionk, Physical connectivity, Renminbi internationalization
(China’s currency) and People to people contacts.

Routes of BRI:
● New Silk Road Economic Belt: North of China, Eurasia including a link via Myanmar to India.
● Maritime Silk Road (MSR): South China Sea going towards Indo-China, South-East Asia and
then around the Indian Ocean thus reaching Africa and Europe.

According to a China based think tank report, investments in the BRI have fallen by 5% since 2019
Alternative routes to counter BRI

● Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative - G7 countries 47th G7 summit, 2021
● Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) - US and Allies
● Relaunch of the B3W plan under which G7 will mobilize 600 billion dollars by 2027 to
deliver infrastructure projects to developing and middle-income countries
● Blue Dot Network - US, Japan, Australia -2019 - Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Bangkok
● Global Gateway - EU

India- Middle East- Europe Corridor

● IMEC will consist of Railroad, Ship-to-Rail networks and Road transport routes extending
across two corridors, that is,
 ● The East Corridor – connecting India to the Arabian Gulf,
● The Northern Corridor – connecting the Gulf to Europe.
● Signatories - India, the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the European Union, Italy, France, and
Germany.
● Ports to be Connected:
● India: Mundra (Gujarat), Kandla (Gujarat), and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (Navi Mumbai).
● Middle East: Fujairah, Jebel Ali, and Abu Dhabi in the UAE as well as Dammam and Ras Al
Khair ports in Saudi Arabia.
● Israel: Haifa port.
● Europe: Piraeus port in Greece, Messina in South Italy, and Marseille in France

CPEC

● CPEC is a 3,000-km long route of infrastructure projects

● Connects Xinjiang to Gwadar Port in Balochistan in Pakistan.

● String of Pearls- China increasing Indian ocean presence to encircle India through a

network of airfields and ports

● Presence in: Chittagong port (Bangladesh), Hambantota port (Sri Lanka), Port Sudan

(Sudan), Maldives, Somalia and Seychelles

● CPEC passes through PoK and Baluchistan, both home to a long-running insurgency.
● Along with China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) and CPEC, China is also
developing the China-Nepal Economic Corridor (CNEC) which will link Tibet to Nepal
● 4th round of Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue - Agreed to extend CPEC to Afghanistan
● China proposed construction of the Peshawar Kabul motorway

9 dash line
● Connected by the Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by the Luzon Strait with the
Philippine Sea
● 1994 – The Convention on the Law of the Sea went into effect
● 1997 – Beijing shared the first rendering of its “Nine-dash Line” (1,118 miles from Hainan
Island to waters off equatorial Borneo)
● 2002 – ASEAN & China signed Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
● 2009 – China issued two diplomatic notes that claim a majority of the South China Sea.
● 2013 - Philippines challenged China’s claims in an arbitration case under 1994 Convention.
● 2016 – Ruling in favor of Philippines, rejected China’s maritime claims
● The nine dash line asserted by China violates the principle of Exclusive Economic Zones
(EEZ)
● Malaysia and Brunei claim that territories included in the Nine-dash line fall within their EEZ

Ten-Dash Line
● China has released a new “standard map”, which includes the ten-dash line.
● Ten-dash line is a U-shaped line (with ten dashes) in the South China Sea.
● With the ten-dash line, China is claiming over 90% of the South China Sea.
● It is an extended version of the nine-dash line.

Nine-dash line
● It is lined with nine dashes claiming a part of the South China Sea.
● China introduced it for the first time in 1947.
● It was a part of China’s map submitted to the UN in 2009.
● According to China, it is based on its historic maps.
● Overlapping Claims in the South China Sea
● Other countries in the South China Sea claim the area which is included in the nine-dash line.

Island Conflicts
● Vietnam claims both islands. It says it has actively ruled over both the Paracels and the
Spratlys since the 17th Century.
● The Philippines’ claim over the Spratly Islands is based on its geographical proximity.
● Malaysia claims a small number of islands in the Spratlys.
● Both the Philippines and China lay claim to the Scarborough Shoal.
● It is more than 100 miles from the Philippines and 500 miles from China.

Taiwan

● Taiwan came under Chinese control during the Qing dynasty

 ● Given to Japan after China lost the first Sino-Japanese war in 1895
● China regained control of Taiwan in 1945 after Japan lost World War II
● Civil war (nationalists and communists) led to the nationalists fleeing to Taiwan in 1949.
● Kuomintang party, led by Chiang Kai-shek, ruled Taiwan for many years
● China claims Taiwan as a Chinese province, but Taiwan says it was never part of the PRC
● 13 countries recognize Taiwan as a sovereign country due to China's diplomatic pressure
● One China Policy = Only one legitimate Chinese government

Timeline
● 1950s - PRC bombed islands under Taiwan's control, drawing in the US, which passed the
Formosa (Old Name of Taiwan) Resolution to defend Taiwan's territory.
● In 1995-96, China's testing of missiles in the seas around Taiwan led to the biggest US
mobilization in the region since the Vietnam War (1955-1975) .
● Taiwan produces 60% of the world's semiconductors and over 90% of advanced ones.
● The US does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is bound by US law (Taiwan
Relations Act, 1979) to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

TAIWAN TECC
● Taiwan announced opening of 3rd Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC), in India
● First TECC - New Delhi(1995) as the first TECC in South Asia
● Second TECC - Chennai (2012), Third TECC (current) - Mumbai
● India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations but since 1995, both sides have
maintained representative offices in each other’s capitals that function as de facto
embassies. India has backed the “one-China policy”

Torn Painting
● China’s national day - Oct 1
● Chinese military released an animated film called ‘Dreams Come True on Fuchun River”
● Joins two pieces of a torn flag/painting, one part kept in China and the other in
Taiwan(National Palace Museum) to invoke historical associations
● Eastern Theatre Command inserted aircraft carrier formations and J-20 jets in the film
● 14th century painting by Huang Gongwang
 ● A part of the Dwelling in the Fuchun mountains, titled ‘The Remaining Mountain’
● ‘Leftover mountain’ - Zhejiang Provincial Museum in China; shorter part
● “Master Wuyong Scroll” - Taipei, Taiwan; longer part
● Recreated using more than 34,000 aluminium alloy grilles in the Hangzhou Asian Games.
India - Bangladesh
● 14th Joint Group of Customs (JGC) in New Delhi.
● India is the 1st country to recognise Bangladesh as an independent state
● Established diplomatic relations after its independence in December 1971.
● Bangladesh is India’s biggest trading partner in the subcontinent
○ duty free quota free access to Bangladesh
○ except tobacco and alcohol under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
● India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline - Siliguri in WB and Parbatipur in Bangladesh
● One million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel to Bangladesh
● Cross-border infrastructure projects - Akhaura-Agartala rail link, Maitri Setu
● Bharat Heavy Electricals - Synchronisation of 660-MW unit-2 of Maitree Super Thermal
Power Project (STPP) with the electricity grid in Bangladesh.

Current Major Issues

● Rivers - 54 common rivers but only 2 treaties signed (Ganga and Kushiyara Waters Treaty)
● Other major rivers, such as the Teesta and Feni are still under negotiation
● Refugees - Rohingya refugees entering India through Bangladesh
● Have suffered decades of violence, discrimination and persecution in Myanmar
● Not recognized as an official ethnic group and denied citizenship since 1982
● Rohingya exodus (August 2017) - Violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State
● NRC-CAA 2019 aimed to curb influx of Rohingya refugees into India

India - Papua New Guinea

● PM of Papua New Guinea visits Indian warships on port call at Port Moresby
● Modi got highest civilian award - Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu (GCL)
● Line of credit worth $100 million provided for a solar power project to Samoa
● Two frontline warships under the Eastern Naval Command (INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata)
● INS Sahyadri is the third ship built under Project-17 class stealth frigates
● INS Kolkata is the first ship of Project-15A class destroyers.
● Papua New Guinea - Country in Oceania (Eastern half of New Guinea + Melanesia)
● Capital - Port Moresby
● PM - James Marape
FIPIC Summit (Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation)
 ● Developed for cooperation between India and 14 Pacific Island Countries (PIC)
● First edition held in Fiji in 2014 and the second edition in Jaipur in 2015
● This years edition (Third) - Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
● Date: May 22, 2023
● Co-chaired by Indian and Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister
● Major Highlights
○ India to open a super-specialty cardiology hospital in Fiji
○ introduce dialysis units and sea ambulances in all 14 PICs
○ establish Jan Aushadhi Centres to provide affordable medicines
○ Released Tamil movie 'Thirukkural' in Tok Pisin (language of Papua New Guinea)
● India’s engagement with the PICs is part of India’s Act East Policy.

Donald Trump Charged

● Donald Trump charged in efforts to overthrow 2020 election results
● Charges stem from Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation
● Special counsels - For politically sensitive cases, degree of independence from the Justice
Department leadership
● Allegation - Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. by preventing Congress from certifying
President Joe Biden
● Supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021,
● Previous allegations
○ March 2023 - Manhattan grand jury - indicted him on 34 felony counts of falsifying
business records
○ June 2023 - a Miami federal grand jury - indicted him on 37 counts related to his
handling of classified documents
○ August 2023 - a Washington, D.C. federal grand jury - indicted him on four felony
counts related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election and January 6 attack
● Impeached twice by the House of Representatives
○ December 2019 for Pressuring Ukraine to investigate Biden
○ January 2021, for incitement of insurrection(violent uprising)
○ Acquitted by the Senate both times
○ First former U.S. president to face criminal charges.
● Trump - 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021
● TRUTH Social - Social media platform created by Trump Media & Technology Group in 2021
Biden Impeachment Inquiry

● Congress can impeach officials for treason, bribery, and “other high crimes and
 ● misdemeanors.”
● The House of Representatives brings articles (charges) of impeachment against an official.
● If the House adopts the articles by a simple majority vote (218), leads to impeachment
● Speaker of House - Mike Johnson
● Senate holds an impeachment trial
● For the president, the U.S. Supreme Court chief justice presides.
● ⅔ majority needed in Senate - 67 votes
● Currently Democrats have a majority in the Senate with 51 seats
● If they are not found guilty, they may continue to serve in office.
● Only Andrew Jackson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump have been impeached before (in the
house nobody in the senate)
● Richard Nixon resigned before he was impeached
● Impeachment inquiry into Biden over his family’s business dealings (Hunter Biden)
● These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption
● FBI document from 2020 in which an informant claims the head of Burisma, a Ukrainian
company that included Hunter Biden on its board of directors, said: "it cost 5 (million) to pay
one Biden, and 5 (million) to another Biden."
● FBI dropped the matter
● Article 61: Impeachment of the President of India
● Can be removed for violation of the constitution
● Resolution moved after 14 days notice in writing signed by 1/4th+ of the total number of
members of the House
● Passed by a 2/3rds majority of the total membership of the House.
● Can be initiated by either House of Parliament, the other House shall investigate the charge
and the President shall have the right to appear and to be represented at such investigation.
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)

● Originally known as BRIC - Coined in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill
● Actually coined by Roopa Purushothaman who was a Research Assistant in the original
report.
● 1 st formal summit in 2009 - Yekaterinburg, Russia
● Annual summits since 2009 (summits are in B-R-I-C-S order)
● South Africa joined in 2010 (name changed to BRICS) leading to 5 member summit in 2011
● India has hosted the BRICS 2021 summit at New Delhi (also hosted in 2012 and 2016)
● 2023 BRICS summit - the 15th summit was held in South Africa
● South Africa President - Cyril Ramaphosa
 ● Theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable
Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”.
● BRICS expanded to 11 countries adding Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ethiopia, and
Argentina
● Full membership will take effect on January 1, 2024

New Development Bank (NDB)

● India at the 4th BRICS summit in 2012 - New Development bank idea
● Agreed to set up a Development bank at the 5th summit (Durban, South Africa)
● Fortaleza Declaration at 6th summit led to establishment of NDB
● President - Dilma Vana Rousseff (Brazil)
● VP - Anil Kishora
● HQ - Shanghai, China
● Authorized capital of the bank is $100 billion divided into 1 million shares ($100,000)
● Bangladesh, UAE, Uruguay and Egypt have joined since 2021
● Algeria, Honduras, Zimbabwe & Saudi are interested

BRICS Developments
● BRICS plans to launch a new university ranking system
● Launched of Remote Sensing Satellite (August 2021) made up of 6 existing satellites out of
which Resourcesat-2 and 2A, both developed by India
● Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh (represents JDU in Bihar) led Parliamentary
delegation to Johannesburg forum
Minamata Convention on Mercury

● Global treaty to protect human health & environment from mercury and its compounds
● 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Geneva, Switzerland
● Date: 19 January 2013
● 146 partner countries (Ukraine latest on 18th Aug 2023)
● Has been ratified by India
● Mercury - Considered by WHO as one of the top ten chemicals of public health concern.
● Gold mining a major source of mercury pollution(37%)
● Methylmercury accumulates in aquatic organisms like fish
● People come into contact with methylmercury through the consumption of fish and shellfish.
● This compound carries a higher risk of causing Minamata disease
● Symptoms - sensory impairment, tremors, and both auditory and visual deficits.
 ● Illness was initially observed in the residents of Minamata Bay, Japan who consumed
mercury-contaminated fish due to industrial waste pollution
India - US
● Trade -$191 billion in 2022 (10 fold increase)
● India became the 9th largest US trading partner in 2021. US is India’s largest trading partner
● India has also joined the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)
● Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)
● Launched in Jan 2023 and is being run by the National Security Council of both countries
● 6 areas of cooperation (co-development and co-production)
● Collaboration in AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and wireless telecommunication
through sharing of core technologies
● Advancement in 5G and 6G , and adoption of OpenRAN network technology in India.
● It is a non-proprietary version of the Radio Access Network (RAN) system
● RAN = Connects individual devices to other parts of a network through a radio link
● India-U.S. Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) is set to be launched
● Bilateral military exercises (Yuddha Abyas, Vajra Prahar) and multilateral (Malabar)
● I2U2 involving India, Israel, UAE and the US is being termed as the new Quad
● Micron Technology - $2.75 billion in 5 years for semiconductor assembly and test facility
in India ($400 million in 4 years for engineering centre + training of 60,000 engineers)
● Deal between General Electric Aerospace and HAL to manufacture under licence GE’s
F414 engine for India’s light combat aircraft Tejas Mk2
● Tejas Mk2 - 8 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, aircraft to be rolled out by 2024

● Mission endurance of 2hrs over 57 minutes (Tejas Mk1)

● Prospects of using F414 for Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

● 31 MQ-9B armed drones from the United States for $3 billion

● MQ-9B has 2 variants SkyGuardian & SeaGuardian
● Indian Navy has been using Sea Guardian since 2020
 ● Sky Guardian - Operates at 40,000+ feet, useful in Himalayan border areas.
● Predator (endurance of 40 hours) for long-hour surveillance

International religious freedom index

● Report by US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF)

● USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission.
● Established by US gov post inaction of the International Religious Freedom Act, 1998
● HQ: Washington DC
● Recommending India’s designation as a country of particular concern(CPC) since 2020
● Hasn’t been accepted by the US government so far
● For 2023, USCIRF recommends that the State Department redesignate India as CPC
● CPC - China since 1999
● Freedom of religion in India:
● Article 25 - Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion
● Article 26 - Freedom to manage religious affairs
● Article 27 - Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any religion
● Article 28 - Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction/worship in educational
institutions
● Article 29 and 30 - Protection of interests of minorities

Iran

Iran- Saudi Arabia meet

● Restore diplomatic ties which have been severed since 2016
● Diplomatic breakthrough negotiated by China in Beijing.
● Trying to end Yemen war in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.
● The two countries plan to reopen their respective embassies in Tehran and Riyadh.
● Agreed to activate a 2001 security cooperation agreement and a general economy, trade
and investment agreement signed in 1998.
● Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts
after Saudi had executed a prominent Shiite cleric
● Saudi Arabia (sunni) and Iran(shia majority)
● Saudi Arabia saw itself as the leader of the Muslim world.
 ● Challenged in 1979 by the Islamic revolution in Iran creating a revolutionary theocracy
● Iran - Capital is Tehran and President is Ebrahim Raisi
● Saudi Arabia - Capital is Riyadh and President/monarch is Mohammed bin Salman

Yemen (Proxy War)

● The warring sides in Yemen are swapping hundreds of prisoners

● Built hopes for a permanent ceasefire between the Saudi-backed government forces and the
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
● Yemeni Civil War began in 2011 after ousting of president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
● New president at that time, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, was unable to stabilize the country
● Houthis, a Zaidi Shia Muslim group seized control of the north and capital, Sanaa in 2014.
● Saudi Arabia then led a coalition and sent troops to Yemen in 2015
● Signed the Stockholm Agreement in 2018 committing to freeing conflict-related detainees.
● Agreement brokered by UN with 3 main components
a) The Hudayah agreement - Ceasefire in the city of Hodeidah
b) The Prisoner Exchange Agreement: - Supervised by the Office of the Special Envoy of
the Secretary-General for Yemen and Red Cross will oversee and facilitate
c) Taiz Agreement - Joint committee with participation from civil society and the UN.
● Yemen is a major source of crude oil for India, large population of Indian expats in Yemen,
Saudi Arabia, Iran presents a significant challenge for India
● Operation Raahat - To evacuate 4000 Indians from Yemen in April 2015.

Hijab killing

● Protests began soon after the September 16 death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini
● Arrested by morality police for allegedly violating Iran‘s mandatory Islamic dress code
● Protesters targeted symbols of Iran, burning pictures of Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
● Protests were more intense in areas home to ethnic minorities (Kurds in the northwest and
Baluchis in the southeast)
● The Shia clergy have built a system of clerical dictatorship with limited democratic practices
● Compulsory for women to wear the hijab in Iran, following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
● Morality police - Ensure women conform to the authorities interpretation of proper clothing
● 2014, Iranian women publicly flouting hijab laws protests called "My Stealthy Freedom"
● Inspired other movements, including "White Wednesdays" and "Girls of Revolution Street"
 ● December 14, 2022, Iran was expelled from the United Nations Commission on the Status of
Women (CSW). First member to be expelled during its 4 year elected term
● Iran is ranked 143 out of 146 in global gender gap index. Overall score was 0.576

Iran
● Iran, also known as Persia
● Bordered by Iraq & Turkey (west), Azerbaijan & Armenia (northwest), Caspian Sea &
Turkmenistan (north), Afghanistan & Pakistan (east),Gulf of Oman & Persian Gulf (south)
● 17th-most populous country, and the second largest in the Middle East
● Capital and largest city - Tehran.
● One of the world‘s oldest civilizations, Elamite kingdoms in the fourth millennium BC.
● Islamic Republic was established in 1979 by Ruhollah Khomeini, (first supreme leader)
● Position currently held by Ali Khamenei

September

G20

● 18th G20 Summit 2023

● Established in 1999 in the backdrop of the Asian financial crisis
● First chairman - Paul Martin
● Its aim was to secure global financial stability by involving middle-income countries
● First G20 Summit - November 14-15 2008 at Washington DC, US
● G20 = 2/3rds of the world's population, 85% of global GDP, and 75% of global trade.
● The G20 currently comprises:
○ Finance Track, with 8 work streams
○ Sherpa Track, with 12 work streams
● The members of the G20 (now G21) are
○ Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy,
Japan, Republic of South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey,
the United Kingdom, the United States,the European Union and the African Union
 18th G20 Summit
● Held in: New Delhi
● Date: September 9th and 10th, 2023.
● the first time India hosted the G20 Leaders' Summit.
● Theme:"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or "One Earth, One Family, One Future"
● Comes from the Maha Upanishad
● Putin didn’t attend and was instead represented by his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
● Xi Jin Ping represented by Premiere Li Qiang
● India's focus was on climate action and environmental sustainability
● Decisions made through consensus, not legally binding
● Presidency supported by a “troika” (Indonesia, India and Brazil)
● G20 summit concluded with PM Modi handing over the customary gavel of the G20 chair to
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Outcomes of G20 Summit 2023

● Admittance of the African Union (G20 now G21)

● Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA):

a) GBA is an India-led initiative to promote the adoption of biofuels.
b) IEA = 3.5-5x biofuels growth potential by 2050 due to Net Zero targets
c) 9 initiating members: India, US, Brazil, Argentina, Bangladesh, Italy, Mauritius, South
Africa, and UAE

● India - Middle East - Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC):

a) Part of Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII).
b) PGII was introduced during the G7 summit in the UK in June 2021
c) For financing infrastructure projects in developing countries through PPP
d) IMEC aims to establish a network of transport corridors, railways and sea lanes
e) Will have two separate corridors -
i) East corridor = India to Arabian gulf
ii) North corridor = Arabian gulf to Europe

● G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion Document:

a) Prepared by the World Bank
b) Lauded India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) over the past decade
 ● Tripling the Global Renewable Energy Capacity By 2030:
a) Avoids CO2 emissions by 7 billion tonnes between now and 2030, according to IEA
b) Aligns with global efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius

● Commitment to reform WTO dispute settlement system by 2024

Bharat Mandapam

● Summit held at: 'Bharat Mandapam’ in the ITPO Convention Centre in Pragati Maidan.
● Over 53,399 sqm (123 acres), the Bharat Mandapam is India’s largest conference and
exhibition venue.
● Capacity - 7000 (Sydney Opera House only 5900)
● Design inspired from 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'
● Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 26.
● India's largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination
● Draws inspiration from Lord Basaveshwara's concept of Anubhav Mandapam - a platform
for public ceremonies accessible to all.
● 'Culture Corridor - G20 Digital Museum' celebrates the shared heritage of G20 member
countries and guests

Statue
● The leaders were greeted by a 27-foot statue of Nataraja, Lord Shiva in his cosmic dance.
● Made from an eight-metal alloy known as ashtadhatu & weighs a staggering 18 tonnes
● Sculptors - Srikanda Sthapathy, Radhakrishna Sthapathy and Swaminatha Sthapathy

The Digital Indian Experience Zone

● In Halls 4 and 14, invited visitors to explore the power of India's digital initiatives.
● Aadhaar, DigiLocker, UPI, e-Sanjeevani, DIKSHA, Bhashini, ONDC showcase
● Ask GITA, an AI - powered tool rooted in Bhagwati Gita's wisdom, came to life.
● Extends to MyGov, CoWIN, UMANG, Jan Dhan, GSTN, and Fast Tag,

The RBI's Innovation Pavilion

● Cutting-edge financial technologies
● It showcases Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) and products like UPI one World,
Rupay on the GO, and cross-border bill payments through Bharat Bill Payments.
● UPI One World = seamless payment for foreign visitors without Indian bank accounts.
● Hall 3 of 16 Halls hosted the 'Crafts Bazaar’

Voice of Global South Summit

 ● Inaugurated by PM Modi (online format and more than 120 countries were invited)
● Theme
a) Voice of Global South – for Human-Centric Development(Inaugural/Leader’s session)
b) Unity of voice, unity of purpose( Concluding session)
● ‘Global North’ refers loosely to countries like the US, Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and
New Zealand, while ‘Global South’ includes countries in Asia, Africa and South America
● "Global South" is often used to highlight the historical legacy of colonialism and the
economic disparities between the colonies and the West
● Group of 77 (G-77) came into existence in 1964
● Signed a Joint Declaration during the 1st session of the UNCTAD in Geneva.
● Largest intergovernmental organisation of developing countries at the time.
● Now: 134 countries across Asia, Africa, South America, the Caribbean and Oceania
● China is not technically part of the group, hence also known as "G-77+China"
● Recent G77 Summit in Havana, Cuba
● "Global South" is criticised for its inaccuracy
● Countries considered part of the Global South (India), are in the Northern Hemisphere,
while Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere but is part of the Global North.
● 1980s - Development of the "Brandt Line" - Divides the world based on factors like
economic development and wealth distribution, rather than simply by geographical location.

The UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC)

● Established in 1974
● Coordinate cooperation between countries in the Global South and with developed
countries or multilateral agencies
● Works in collaboration with the G-77

B20 Summit India 2023

● 3 day summit to share ideas on issues concerning business globally

● Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Dharmendra Pradhan, Dr. S Jaishankar, G20 India Sherpa
Amitabh Kant & Trade Ministers of various countries will participate
● Modi attended the special session as Chief Guest
● 7 sessions including B20 India priorities and recommendations from India
● Several Global and Indian business leaders attended the Summit.
● B20 Theme - R.A.I.S.E (Responsible, Accelerated, Innovative, Sustainable, Equitable
Business)
Saudi India strategic partnership
● Crown prince/PM of Saudi Arabia = Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
● State visit to India after the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor
● Co-chaired the 1st summit-level meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia SPC
● Agreement to set up a joint task force for the $50 billion West Coast refinery project
● Saudi Arabia = India’s second-largest supplier of crude oil (Russia and Iraq top suppliers)
● India imports more than 18% of its crude oil and most LPG from Saudi Arabia
● Saudi is India’s 4th largest trade partner (after the USA, China and UAE)
● India = 'Guest of Honour' at the Saudi National Festival of Heritage and Culture in 2018
● 2021, = First-ever Naval joint exercise called the Al-Mohed Al-Hindi Exercise

West Coast refinery project

● 60 million tonnes refinery-cum-petrochemical complex
● Built in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra
● By IOC,BPCL and HPCL from India, and Saudi Aramco, Adnoc from Saudi Arabia

India - Saudi Arabia SPC

● The India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council was set up in 2019
● India the 4th country to form one with Saudi after the UK, France, and China
● During PM Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia in October 2019, his second in three years
● Established by PM Manmohan Singh in Saudi Arabia in 2010 via the ‘Riyadh Declaration’
● Two main pillars:
● Committee on Political, Security, Social and Cultural Cooperation
● Committee on Economy and Investments.
● Both sub-committees have 4 functional levels of engagements
● 4 JWGs (Joint Working Groups) have been formed under each sub-committee
Black Sea Grain Deal
● Brokered by the UN and Turkey
● Signed in Istanbul in July, 2022.
● Allows for commercial food and fertilizer exports from 3 Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea –
Odessa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhny/Pivdenny
● Initially 120 days(later extended twice) to facilitate grain export via the Bosphorus
● Ukraine = Breadbasket of Europe
● The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) was established to monitor its implementation
● Hosted in Istanbul with reps from Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine and the UN(Secretariat).
● Ukraine is among the largest exporters of wheat, maize, rapeseed, sunflower seeds & oil
 ● Under the Montreux convention (1936) Turkey is responsible for overseeing maritime traffic
in the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits.
● Facilitated the safe export of nearly 33 million metric tons of grain and other commodities
● World Food Programme bought 750,000 tonnes of this grain to places such as Afghanistan,
Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan
● Grain price stable at $800 per ton down from $1360 (UN estimates 23% drop in food prices)
● Russia slowed down inspections and pulled out of the deal on July 17
● Russia attacked the port of Odessa with drones and missiles within the next two days.
● Revival of the deal + 10 point peace blueprint was also recently floated by Zelensky to end
the war = Rejected by Sergei Lavrov on 23rd Sept in a press conference.
Ramon Magsaysay Award
● Dr R Ravi Kannan has won Ramon Magsaysay Award 2023 for revolutionising cancer
treatment in Assam through pro poor and people centred approach
● Korvi Rakshand (Bangladesh) - JAAGO Foundation (Developing inclusive education for the
underprivileged children)
● Eugenio Lemos (Timor-Leste) - Helped Timorese embrace new ways to appreciate
agriculture and nature preservation
● Miriam Coronel-Ferrer (Phillipines) - Settling war disputes and resisting martial rule.
Involved in drafting of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security‘, which was
adopted in 2010.

Ramon Magsaysay Award - Static

● Established in 1957 (trustees of Rockefeller brothers fund + Philippines government)
● It is often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Asia.
● Given to individuals and organisations in Asia for selfless service to society in various fields.
● Given out on August 31, on Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay‘s birth anniversary.
● Award is presented in Manila, the capital of the Philippines
● Till 2009, awards were given in 5 categories:
● Government service; public service; community leadership; journalism, literature and
creative communication arts; and peace and international understanding.
● However, post 2009, “Emergent Leadership” emerged as a category

ADB and PM GATI SHAKTIs

● 2023 Regional Cooperation and Integration (RCI) Conference at Tbilisi, Georgia
● Organised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
● 30 countries participated
● India showcased its PM Gatishakti National Master Plan.
 ● Theme -“Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Integration through Economic Corridor
Development (ECD)

PM Gati-Shakti National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity

● Made in India initiative for regional connectivity and integrated planning(16 infrastructure
related ministries) of multimodal infrastructure to improve logistics efficiency
● Launched in October 2021
● Subsumed the Rs. 110 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline launched in 2019
● 11 industrial corridors and 2 new defence corridors(Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)
● Extending 4G connectivity to all villages
● Adding 17,000 kms to the gas pipeline network
● Used to enhance connectivity in the The Indo-Nepal Haldia Access Controlled Corridor
project (eastern Indian states and Nepal) and the Regional Waterways Grid (RWG) project.
● Scheme has 7 engines - railways , airports, road, ports , mass transport, waterways and
logistics infrastructure
● National Master Plan aims at world class modern infrastructure and logistics synergy

ADB (Asian Development Bank)

● Estd 1966
● Objective: Promoting social and economic development in Asia and the Pacific
● It provides loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments.
● 68 members
● 49 are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside
● India is a founding member.
● ADB's 5 largest shareholders are Japan and the US (each with 15.6% of total shares), China
(6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).
● HQ: Manila, Philippines.
● Current President : Masatsugu Asakawa
MS Swaminathan
● Started Green Revolution lasting from 1967- 1978
● Worked closely with Norman Bourlough ( 1970 nobel laureate )
● Worked with 2 ministers of agriculture - C subramaniam(1964-1967) and Jagjivan Ram
(1967-1970 and 1974-77)
● Proposed Evergreen revolution (1990) to enhance soil productivity & undo the harm done
by green rev
● Proposed the issuance of soil health cards to farmers in 2008 as part of kuttanad wetland
development
 ● Modi govt implemented it under the name Central Health Soil Card
● Chairman of national commission of farmers where he evolved formula fixing MSP (half
more than weighted cost of average cost of producing cost )
● Got Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971 , albert einstein world science award (1986) and
Padma shri ( 1967)
● 1st World Food Prize Laureate in 1987
Eastern Economic Forum
● Established by Putin in 2015
● International forum held each year in Vladivostok, Russia.
● International platform for establishing and strengthening ties within Russia
● Sarbananda Sonowal representing India (Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways).
● The 8th Eastern Economic Forum 2023 took place on 10–13 September 2023
● On the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) campus, Vladivostok
● Vladivostok-Chennai Maritime Corridor - Proposed sea route of 5,600 nautical miles

Kigali Agreement
● GCC ministers reached a consensus on the Kigali (Rwanda) Amendment to the Montreal
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
● GCC 25th meeting in the Sultanate of Oman.
● The Kigali Amendment will help curb up to 0.4°C of global warming in this century
● International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer - 16 September
● Theme: Montreal Protocol: fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change
● On 16th September 2009, the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol became the
first treaties in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal ratification.

GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council)

● 6 countries in the Gulf region — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain
● Established in 1981 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
● Structure - Supreme Council (the highest authority), the Ministerial Council and the
Secretariat General
● Secretariat - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
● Secretary general - Jassim Muhammad Al-Budaiwi
● Political, economic, social, and regional organisation according to its charter.
● The Supreme Council comprises the Heads of State of the six member countries
● Supreme Council presidency - UAE
● Largest trading bloc of India due to oil and gas
● Qatar = 41% of India’s total natural gas imports.
Nagorno- karabakh conflict

● Azerbaijan seized full control over Nagorno-Karabakh, including Stepanakert

● In late September after defeating separatist forces
● Extended gains made in 2020 when a Russia-brokered cease-fire
● Allowed it to take territory that Armenia had seized in the 1990s.
● Nagorno karabakh region = Known as Artsakh by armenians- is mountainous region
● Recognised as part of Azerbaijan but its inhabitants are ethnic Armenians.
● Own government which has enjoyed close links to Armenia
● First war between Armenia and Azerbaijan ended with a ceasefire in 1994
● Left Nagorno-Karabakh and some surrounding areas under Armenian control.
● 2020 - Azerbaijan launched the Second Karabakh War
● Retook 7 surrounding districts and about a third of Nagorno-Karabakh.
● Russia brokered a peace deal after the Second Karabakh War in 2020
● Provided for up to 1,960 Russian peacekeepers stationed in the region.

Azerbaijan
● Also known as Land Of Fire
● Has a site named Yanar Dang (natural eternal fire)
● Bordered by Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran and the Caspian Sea
● Capital city: Baku.
● President - Ilham Aliyev
● Currency - Manat

Armenia
● Bordered by Turkey(west), Georgia(north) and Azerbaijan(east)
● Capital: Yerevan.
● President - Vahagn Khachaturyan
● PM- Nikol Pashinyan
● Currency - Armenian Dram

India Canada, Khalistan Movement

● Canadian PM alleged Indian involvement in Hardeep Singh Nijjar death in Surrey, June 2023
● Khalistani leader designated as a terrorist by India
● India rejected these allegations and accused Canada of sheltering Khalistani Extremists
 ● Modi raised concerns about Sikh protests in Canada with Trudeau on the sidelines of the
G20 summit
● June 2023: In Brampton, Ontario, a parade celebrated the assassination of Indira Gandhi,
● Pro-Khalistan Referendum (2022): Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organization,
conducted a referendum on Khalistan in Brampton, claiming significant support.
● Sanjh Savera Magazine (2002): Toronto-based Punjabi-language weekly Sanjh Savera
greeted Indira Gandhi's death anniversary with a cover illustration celebrating her murder

Khalistan Movement
● Fight for a separate, sovereign Sikh state in present day Punjab (both India and Pakistan).
● Demand was most prominent during a violent insurgency in the 1970s and 1980s
● Movement crushed following Operation Blue Star (1984) and Black Thunder (1986 & 1988)
● Origins traced back to India’s independence and subsequent Partition along religious lines.
● Lahore, the capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s great Sikh Empire, went to Pakistan
● Holy Sikh sites including Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak in Pakistan
● Canada - 'Khalistan government in exile' office in Vancouver in 1982
● Established by Surjan Singh Gill with limited local Sikh support
● Operation Blue Star began on 1st June 1984
● Fierce resistance from Bhindranwale and his heavily armed supporters
● Bhindranwale was killed and the Golden Temple was freed of militants
● Galvanised the demand for Khalistan
● October 1984 - PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two Sikh bodyguards
● Worst communal violence since partition where over 8,000 Sikhs were massacred
● 1985 - Sikh nationalists based in Canada blew up an Air India flight killing 329 people

Five Eyes Initiative

● US Ambassador to Canada David Cohen claimed that it was shared intelligence among Five
Eyes partners that caused Trudeau to make his claims
● Intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and the US.
● Parties to the multilateral UK-USA Agreement (joint cooperation in signals intelligence)
● Origins can be traced back to WW2
● UK and the US decided to share intelligence after breaking German and Japanese codes
● 1943, the Britain-USA (BRUSA) agreement
● 1946 - UKUSA (UK-USA) agreement signed
● 1949 - Canada joined
● 1956 - New Zealand and Australia joined
● Agency later enlarged its core group to 9 Eyes and 14 Eyes alliances as well
 ● 9 eyes = 5 eyes + Netherlands, Denmark, France and Norway
● 14 eyes = 9 eyes+ Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain and Sweden.
● 2016, the Five Eyes Intelligence Oversight and Review Council came into being
● Includes non-political intelligence oversight, review, and security entities of the 5 eye
countries

India Canada relations

● Canadian government expelled a senior Indian diplomat - Pavan Kumar Rai, the station chief
of RAW, based at India’s high commission in Ottawa.
● India denied involvement in the issue and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat.
● India suspended all visa services in Canada
● 3 October - Indian gov announced that 41/62 Canadian diplomats had a week to leave
● India established diplomatic relations with Canada in 1947.
● Canada hosts 16 lakh people of Indian origin (3 % of the total Canadian population)
● ISRO and CSA have signed MOUs for exploration and utilization of outer space.
● ANTRIX, the Commercial arm of ISRO, has launched several nanosatellites from Canada.
● ISRO flew Canadian first LEO satellite, from Indian spaceport Sriharikota in 2018
● Vienna Convention On Diplomatic Relations (1961) - Principles on how countries must treat
each others diplomatic representatives.
● Article 9 - Diplomat is persona non grata or unwelcome
● Article 29 - Diplomatic Immunity

Singapore‘s president

● Tharman Shanmugaratnam sworn in as Singapore‘s president

● 9th president of the city-state
● He is an Indian-origin Singapore-born economist
● Prior to being president-elect, he served as a senior minister and Deputy Prime Minister
● He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the WEF
● Won 70.4 percent of the vote
UNGA 78 th SESSION
● Theme of the 78th session: “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating
action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace,
prosperity, progress and the sustainability for all.”
● President - Dennis Francis
● Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.
 ● Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations
● HQ: New York City.
● It is one of the 6 principal organs of the UN and serves as its main policy-making organ
● 6 main committees of UNGA are:
● the Disarmament and International Security Committee
● the Economic and Financial Committee
● the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee
● the Special Political and Decolonization Committee
● the Administrative and Budgetary Committee
● the Legal Committee
● this year - latin and caribbean region had presidency

October

FATF (Financial Action Task Force)

● Global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog

● Set up in 1989 out of a G-7 meeting of developed nations in Paris.
● 39 members ( 37 + EU and GCC)
● India joined with ‘observer’ status in 2006
● Became a full member of FATF in 2010.
● India is also a member of the Asia Pacific Group (APG) and the Eurasian Group (EAG).
● Indonesia is the only observer country of FATF.
● Initially,combat money laundering.
● Post 9/11 expanded to combat terrorist financing.
● April 2012, counter the financing of spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
● April 1990, FATF 40 recommendations report against money laundering
● In 2004, the FATF published a Ninth Special Recommendations for combating money
laundering and terrorist financing (40+9 Recommendations)
● The FATF Plenary is the decision making body of the FATF.
● Meets 3 times per year - February, June and October
● FATF President is a senior official appointed by the FATF Plenary from among its members.
● Term of President - Begins on 1 July and ends on 30 June, 2 years after assuming office.
● President - T. Raja Kumar (Singapore) (since July 2022)
● FATF Secretariat Location: OECD headquarters in Paris (Organization of Economic
Cooperation and Development)
 ● They take stock of “Mutual Evaluation Reports” (MERs) of the countries it reviews
● Grey List: Countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding and
money laundering. Warning for blacklist
● Black List: The Black List includes Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) that
support terror funding and money laundering activities
● Iran, North Korea and Myanmar are the three black listed countries.
● Listing leads to economic sanctions from financial institutions (IMF, World Bank, ADB etc)
● FATF removed Pakistan from the grey list lauding “Pakistan’s significant progress”.
● The country was removed from the list after 4 years.
● It was first put on the list in 2008, removed in 2009 and before adding it again in 2018
● India agreed to the decision to take Pakistan off the list

India upcoming FATF review/strengthens PMLA

● India changed Prevention of Money-Laundering Act(PMLA),2002 ahead of FATF assessment

● PMLA applicable to all financial institutions, banks (Including RBI), mutual funds, insurance
companies, and their financial intermediaries.
● ED is responsible for enforcing PMLA and investigating money laundering cases.
● Punishable with imprisonment for a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 7 years and fine.
● If Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act is involved, punishment = 10 years + fine
● The PMLA was enacted in response to India’s global commitment (Vienna Convention)
● Changes:
● More disclosures for non-governmental organizations
● Bringing in practicing chartered accountants, company secretaries, and accountants
carrying out financial transactions on behalf of their clients into the ambit of the act
● Allowed 22 financial entities to verify the identity of their customers via Aadhaar under the
ambit of the money laundering law

Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018

● Confiscate properties of economic offenders who have left the country to avoid facing
criminal prosecution or refuse to return to the country to face prosecution.
● Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO): A person against whom an arrest warrant has been
issued for committing an offence in the Act whose value is Rs. 100+ crore
● Examples: Counterfeiting government stamps or currency,Cheque dishonour, Money
laundering, Transactions defrauding creditors.
Money Laundering

● Vienna Convention 1988

○ Creates an obligation for signatories to criminalise ML
● G-10’s Basel Committee Statement of Principles
○ International banks of members to comply
● IOSCO(International Organisation of Securities Commissions)
○ Encourages its members to take necessary steps to combat Money Laundering in
securities and futures markets.
● UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
○ Proactively tries to identify and stop ML
● Palermo Convention 2003
○ Formally known as United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised
Crime (UNTOC), India joined UNTOC in 2002 and ratified it in 2011.
● India is member and signatory to all 5

Domestic (refer to September - National - CBI)

● Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA)
○ Forms the core of the legal framework put in place by India to combat Money
Laundering. It was last amended in 2012.
● Financial Intelligence Unit-IND
○ Independent body reporting directly to the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC)
headed by the Finance Minister.
● Directorate of Enforcement (ED)
○ A law enforcement agency and economic intelligence agency responsible for
enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India

Terrorist Financing

● IMF: 189 members to comply with international standards to thwart terrorist financing
● Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT)
○ Definition of terrorism, banning all terror groups, prosecuting all terrorists under
special laws and making cross-border terrorism an extraditable offense worldwide.
● CCIT was proposed by India in 1996.
● International Counter Terrorism Conference 2022 by the Global Counter Terrorism Council
 ● India’s Annual Resolution on Counter-Terror was adopted by consensus in the First
Committee of the UNGA.
● National Security Guard (NSG) - Paramilitary force for counterterrorism and anti-hijacking

WMD Proliferation
● Agreements - Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty of 1968 (India non signatory)
● Biological Weapons Convention of 1972
● Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993.
● India has The Weapons of Mass Destruction and Their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of
unlawful activities) Act, 2005

Russia revokes Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Treaty

● CTBT = Multilateral treaty to ban nuclear explosions (both military and peaceful)
● Roots of the CTBT can be traced back to the Cold War era
● The Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (LTBT) of 1963
○ prohibited nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater but
allowed underground tests.
● The Threshold Test Ban Treaty (TTBT) of 1974
○ prohibits underground tests and establishes a nuclear "threshold," yet it falls short of
providing a comprehensive ban on all nuclear testing.
● The CTBT was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in 1994.
● In 1996, UN adopted the CTBT, which imposed a complete ban on nuclear weapons testing,
● CTBT = In force 180 days after it has been ratified by all 44 states listed in Annex 2
● It has been signed by 187 nations and ratified by 178
● Treaty cannot formally enter into force until it is ratified by 44 specific nations.
● 8 yet to ratify the treaty: China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, Egypt, USA

AUKUS
● Support for Japan and South Korea joining too
● Trilateral security partnership for Indo-Pacific, between Australia,UK and US
● Signed in 2021.
● Highlight: Sharing of US nuclear submarine technology to Australia.
● Alliance against China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea.
BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)

● First Indian Secretary General of BIMSTEC - Indra Mani Pandey

 ● First-ever Foreign Ministers’ meeting began in Bangkok, Thailand.
● 7 Members = 5 South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka) + 2 Southeast Asia
(Myanmar,Thailand)
● Came into being on 6th June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
● The BIMSTEC Secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
● 1997 - Cooperation on 6 sectors (trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism, fisheries)
● 2008 - Expanded to other areas.
● 2021 - Reorganisation led to each member leading certain sectors
● India leads security, counterterrorism, transnational crime, disaster management, energy
● India uses BIMSTEC to prioritise its foreign policy of "Neighborhood First" and "Act East."
SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation)

● Established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka on 8 December 1985.
● Foreign secretaries of the 7 founding countries met in Colombo in April 1981
○ Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
● India's current foreign secretary - Vinay Mohan Kwatra
● Afghanistan became the newest member of SAARC at the 13th annual summit in 2005
● Total 8 member states in SAARC
● HQ and Secretariat of the Association: Kathmandu, Nepal.
● Currently 9 observers to SAARC
● Current sec gen: Mohammad Golam Sarwa
Maldives presidential elections

● Dr Mohamed Muizzu wins Presidential elections in Maldives

● In the provisional results, Dr. Muizzu was shown to have polled over 53 per cent of the votes
● Ibrahim Mohammed Solih (incumbent) increased his support from 39% to 46% in the runoff
● Mr. Solih had won the last election in 2018 by a landslide
● Capital and most populated city - Male (King’s Island)
● Currency - Maldivian rufiyaa
● Mohamed Muizzu is the President of Maldives, took office on 17th November
● The Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth on 1 February 2020
Indian Evacuation operations

● Operation ajay - 2023 - israel

● Operation kaveri-2023 - sudan
● Operation dost -2023- turkey-syria
● Operation ganga - 2022 - ukraine
 ● Operation devi shakti - 2021 - kabul
● Operation vande bharat - 2020 - indian citizens in foreign countries during pandemic
● Operation samudra setu - 2020 - naval operation - bring back citizens during covid 19
● Evacuation from brussels - 2016 - march - terrorist attacks at brussels airport
● Operation raahat - 2015 - conflict between yemeni govt and houthi rebels
● Operation maitri - 2015 - rescue operation - nepal earthquake
● Operation safe homecoming - 2011 - libya conflict - 15000 indians
● Operation sukoon - 2006 - israel and lebanon conflict - 2280 indians - beirut sealift
● Kuwait airlift - 1990 - iraqi soldier attack - 170,000 indians evacuated

ECONOMICS, FINANCE AND BUSINESS - Pradhyot

WTO
- The WTO is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
established in the wake of the Second World War and was formed on 1st Jan 1995 based off
the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement
- It has 164 members, accounting for 98% of world trade and the Secretariat is based in
Geneva (Switzerland).
- Its budget is based on its members’ contributions.
- Its rules are set by negotiations by member states and the current set is largely the outcome
of the 1986- 94 Uruguay Round negotiations, which included a major revision of the original
GATT.
- WTO Ministerial Conference is the WTO’s top decision-making body(meets biennially)
consisting of all members of the WTO.Day-to-day functions are handled by the General
Council, made up of representatives from all members

Central Bank Digital Currency

■ The Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot launched by the RBI in the retail
segment has components based on blockchain technology.
■ CBDCs are a digital form of paper currency and unlike cryptocurrencies that operate in
a regulatory vacuum, these are legal tenders issued and backed by a central bank.
■ It is the same as a fiat currency and is exchangeable one-to-one with the fiat currency.
 ■ Digital currency refers to the digital version of the Indian rupee, which is also known as
the digital rupee or e-rupee, launched on Dec 1, 2022.
■ Transactions can be both Person to Person (P2P) and Person to Merchant (P2M).
■ CBDC - Central bank digital currency/digital base money is a digital form of paper

currency issued by the central bank and backed by the government

■ UPI QR code CBDC interoperability has been announced by GOI by which payments can be
made using a single QR code. QR code = Quick Response, developed 1994 by Japanese
company Denso Wave for automobile parts
■ First ever CBDC Bahamian Sand dollar in 2020
■ Latest is Jamacian JAM-DEX
■ Nigerian - eNaira 2020
■ China - eCNY 2020, Digital remnibi
Six central banks have launched a CBDC: the Central Bank of The Bahamas (Sand Dollar), the
Eastern
Caribbean Central Bank (DCash), the Central Bank of Nigeria (e-Naira), the Bank of Jamaica
(JamDex), People‘s Bank of China (Digital renminbi), the Reserve Bank of India (Digital
Rupee), and Bank of Russia (Digital Ruble).

Central backed cryptocurrency : Venezuela (Petro) and the Marshall Islands (Sovereign).

*IMF
● 190 member nations
● Formed in 1944 at the Bretton Woods conference
● Came into effect on 27th December 1945
● HQ - Washington, D.C.
● Largest contributor - US(based off quota, subscription and economy)
● Countries were not eligible for membership in the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD) unless they were IMF members..
● It is headed by a Managing Director who is elected by the Executive Board for 5-years.
● Current MD: Kristalina Georgiva
● Deputy MD from India: Gita Gopinat
● 3 main functions:
● Surveillance-Collects massive amounts of data on national economies, international trade,
and the global economy and makes forecasts, published in the World Economic Outlook
● Lending- Provide loans (including emergency loans) to members
 ● Capacity Building- Technical assistance, training, and policy advice to member countries

PARIS CLUB
● Informal group of creditors who assist IMF
● Total 22 members (all are part of OECD)
● Formed in 1956 when Argentina agreed to meet its public creditors in Paris
● Paris Club has reached 478 agreements with 102 different debtor countries.
● Sri Lanka needs assurance from the Paris Club in order to receive $3.0 Bn bailout
package from the IMF, following the economic crisis in 2022
● India, China, and Japan are its largest bilateral creditors
● Sri Lanka’s debt to China is 52% of its bilateral debt, 19.5% to Japan, and 12% to India.
● India launched its own bilateral negotiations with Sri Lanka in January 2023
● They are taking the debt under the EEF or Extended Fund Facility measure
● The EFF is designed for emerging and advanced market economies with long term BOP
problems, where there are structural issues in the economy

WORLD BANK

- It was created in 1944, as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD) along with the IMF in a meeting of 44 countries
- The IBRD later became the World Bank.
- Global partnership of five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty
and build shared prosperity in developing countries.
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
- International Development Association (IDA)
- International Finance Corporation (IFC).
- Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
- International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
- India is not a member of ICSID.
- The World Bank is one out of the 15 specialised agencies of the United Nations'
- It has 189 member countries.
- The United States is the largest single shareholder, with 16.41% of the votes,
- followed by Japan (7.87%), Germany (4.49%), the United Kingdom (4.31%), and France
(4.31%).
- The rest of the shares are divided among the other member countries.
- While the World Bank provides support to developing countries, the IMF aims to stabilise
the international monetary system and monitors the world’s currencies
- Goals of World Bank Group - end extreme poverty by 2030 . boosting prosperity of 40 % of
poor nations
 - Major publications - Human Capital index + World Development Index
- Ajay Banga - chairman of World Bank
- Its first loan was to France in 1947.
- As of 2022, the World Bank is run by a president and 25 executive directors, as well as 29
various vice presidents.
- The U.S., Japan, China, Germany and the U.K. have the most voting power.
- It works within the Open Data Initiative and hosts an Open Knowledge Repository.
- The five United Nations member states that are not members of the World Bank are
Andorra, Cuba, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and North Korea.

Kosovo is not a member of the UN, but is a member of the IMF and the World Bank Group,
including the IBRD and IDA.

Ajay Banga

- US banker David Malpass was the previous president of the World Bank Group
- In 2016, Banga was awarded the Padma Shri by the President of India
- before he was VC of General Atlantic
- Banga is an Honorary Chairman of the International Chamber
- of Commerce and has been on the Boards of the American Red Cross, Kraft Foods and
Dow In

January

*Hindenburg

● Short seller Hindenburg Research disclosed short positions in Adani Group

● Jan 2023 - Alleged stock manipulation and accounting fraud in its latest investigative report
● Adani Group companies experienced an acute decline in their share prices (lost $150 billion)
● Short selling -Trading strategy based on the expectation that the price of security will fall.
● Hindenburg - Investment research firm with a focus on activist short-selling
● Firm generates public reports via its website that allege corporate fraud and malfeasance
● Founded by Nathan Anderson in 2017
● HQ: New York City.
● Named after the 1937 Hindenburg disaster (human-made avoidable disaster)
● September 2020, Hindenburg Research published a report on the Nikola Corporation
 ● Following reports release, Nikola‘s stock dropped by 40% and there was a SEC inquiry
● September - OCCRP alleges Mauritius-based opaque funds invested millions in Adani stock
● OCCRP = Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
● Global network of investigative journalists founded in 2006 by Drew Sullivan and Paul Radu

Adani Group
● Indian multinational conglomerate
● Founded by Gautam Adani in 1988
● HQ: Ahmedabad.
● November 2022, it reached $280 billion (INR 24 trillion) surpassing Tata Group.
● More than 60 percent of its revenue is derived from coal-related businesses

Feb
Internationalisation of rupee
- Rupee official currency of India, the world’s fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and the
third largest by purchasing power parity
- India has taken some steps to promote the internationalisation of the rupee (e.g., enable
external commercial borrowings in rupees), with a push to Indian banks to open Rupee
Vostro accounts for banks from Russia, the UAE, Sri Lanka and Mauritius and measures to
trade with about 18 countries in rupees instituted.
- However, such transactions have been limited, with India still buying oil from Russia in
dollars.
- committee and recommendations
Tarapore committee
- also known as the Committee on Capital Account Convertibility (CAC), was established by
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 1997. The committee's purpose was to study the
feasibility of capital account convertibility in India. The committee was headed by S S
Tarapore
- The committee's report was submitted in May 1997. The committee recommended tying
liquid assets to static assets, such as investing in long-term government bonds
- Capital account convertibility means the freedom to conduct investment transactions
without any constraints.
- Indian currency is fully convertible in the Current Account and partially convertible in the
Capital Account
Interdepartmental group -radha shyam ratho
- Radha Shyam Ratho is the Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- He leads an Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) that was established by the RBI to accelerate
the internationalization of the rupee
- The group has put forward a range of short-term and long-term measures to promote the
internationalization of the Indian rupee. These measures include efforts to include the
currency in the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Special Drawing Rights (SDR).
- For short term measures, it recommended use of the existing bilateral and multilateral
payment and settlement mechanisms, such as ACU (Asian Clearing Union), to
internationalise the rupee.
- ACU is a regional payment and settlement system that facilitates trade and financial
transactions among member countries in Asia.
- It was established in 1974 with the aim of promoting intra-regional trade and enhancing
economic cooperation among its members.
- Members- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives, and Sri
Lanka.
- For the medium term, the group recommended:
- review of withholding tax for masala bonds issuances Masala bonds are debt instruments
issued by Indian entities in the international market but denominated in Indian rupees
- inclusion of the rupee in the Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) system.
- CLS system is a financial market infrastructure that provides a settlement service for foreign
exchange (FX) transactions.
- It was established in 2002 to mitigate the settlement risk associated with FX trades.
- Goal of full convertibility by 2060, letting financial investments move freely between India
and abroad.
- As part of this mechanism, in December 2022, India saw its first settlement of foreign trade
in rupee with Russia.
- So far banks of 18 countries including the UK, New Zealand, Germany, Malaysia, Israel, and
United Arab Emirates have been permitted to make settlements in rupees. These countries
have opened special vostro rupee accounts
- India in talks with 22 other countries
- All trade between india and bhutan is in rupee
- Special Drawing Rights (SDR)
-
- About
- The SDR is an international reserve asset, created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement its
member countries’ official reserves.
- The IMF uses SDRs for internal accounting purposes
 - Sri Lanka to formally include the rupee as a designated foreign currency,
*Singapore -India UPI (India Stack)
● India‘s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Singapore‘s PayNow have been integrated
● To enable faster Remittances between the two countries.
● Singapore - First country with which P2P payment facilities have been launched.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

● India‘s mobile-based fast payment system for completing transactions instantly
● Second cashless layer of the India Stack
● Uses a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) created by the customer
● Developed by NPCI in 2016
● Launched with 21 member banks
● Advanced version of Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)
● Crossed 10 billion transactions (August 2023) and 1 billion monthly first in October 2019
● First country to adopt India‘s UPI system - Nepal
● First of India's neighbours to use BHIM-UPI - Bhutan

India Stack
● Government initiative consisting of APIs (Application programming interfaces) and digital
public goods
● Allows governments, businesses, startups, and developers to solve India’s digital problems
● Components of this collection are owned and maintained by different agencies
● Aims to enhance identity verification, data exchange, and digital payment processes
● The concept was born in 2009 with the launch of the biometric digital ID system.
● The India Stack comprises four key layers:
● Identity - Aadhar by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
● Payments - UPI, IMPS, AEPS & APB by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
● Data management -Digital locker and signature, Electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC),
● Privacy data sharing - Digital Consent by the RBI, Open Credit Enablement Network
(OCEN) by NPCI

National Payments Corportation of India (NPCI)

● Initiative of RBI and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA)
● Under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007
● “Not for Profit” Company = Section 25 of Companies Act 1956 ( Section 8 of the 2013 Act)
March
*Bank Failures

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) And Subsequent Failures

● Largest failure since Washington Mutual in 2008
● Founded 1983,
● 16th largest US bank pre collapse
● US Treasury Secretary - Janet Yellen
● Led to failure of First Republic Bank in the following month
● First Republic - Founded by James Herbert in 1985, bought by Merril Lynch in 2007
● Became public in 2010 when Merill Lynch was bought by Bank of America Corp
● The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) decided the bank had run out of time to
find a private solution and reached out to various potential bidders to solicit offers.
● Jamie Dimon(CEO JP Morgan) made the best deal to buy the whole bank
● JPMorgan holds more than 10% of the nation’s total bank deposits
● Federal law prevents a large bank from an acquisition that would put it above that threshold
● Acquisitions of failed banks can however be exempted from the rule.
Financial Stability Board + Domestic Systemically Important Banks(Jan)
● Established after the 2009 G20 summit in London in response to 2008 financial crisis
● HQ- Basel, switzerland
● Board would identify Globally systemic important banks and also regional boards
● Previously existing body called the basel committee on banking supervision(est 1974)
● In India: SBI,HDFC,ICICI are Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs)
● They need to allocate additional capital to safeguard operations
● Identified as such by RBI in 2014
● Due to the 2008 financial crisis, must ensure banks aren't left overexposed as collapse of
major banks can have an adverse impact on the global economy
● SBI invested 7000cr into Yes Bank in March 2020 to stabilise its condition (30% stake)
Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse - UBS Deal

On 19 March 2023, following negotiations with the Swiss government, UBS announced its intent
to acquire Credit Suisse for $3.25 billion (CHF 3 billion) in order to prevent the bank's collapse.

Credit Suisse Group

HQ: Zürich, Switzerland
It is known for strict bank–client confidentiality and banking secrecy.
The Financial Stability Board considers it to be a global systemically important bank.
Credit Suisse is also a primary dealer and Forex counterparty of the Federal Reserve in the United
States.
Founded in 1856 to fund the development of Switzerland's rail system
In the 1900s, it began shifting to retail banking
Credit Suisse partnered with First Boston in 1978
Bought a controlling share of the bank in 1988
Biggest institutional shareholders of Credit Suisse include the Saudi National Bank (9.88%), the
Qatar Investment Authority and BlackRock (about 5% each
The bank was at the center of multiple international investigations for tax avoidance which
culminated in a guilty plea and the forfeiture of US$2.6 billion in fines from 2008 to 2012

UBS Group AG (Union Bank of Switzerland)

Co-HQ in Zürich and Basel, Switzerland
Largest Swiss banking institution and the largest private bank in the world
Financial Stability Board considers it a global systemically important bank
UBS manages the largest amount of private wealth in the world, counting approximately half of
the world's billionaires among its clients
UBS operations in Switzerland and the United States were respectively ranked first and second on
the 2018 Financial Secrecy Index.
UBS is a primary dealer and Forex counterparty of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Galapagos Investment

Credit Suisse has announced buying Ecuadorian bonds worth $1.6 billion in a debt-for nature swap
that cost them $644 million
In return, Ecuador‘s government had pledged to spend about $18 million annually for two decades
on conservation in the Galapagos Islands
UNESCO world nature heritage site and crucial to Charles Darwin‘s research before publishing his
theory of evolution

Credit Suisse will pay between 53.25% and 35.5% of the issue price for the 2030, 2035 and 2040
bonds
Cheaper-to-service $656 million Galapagos Bond maturing in 2041 will replace the old debt
The IDB approved a financial guarantee of $85 million for a debt swap of $800 million of Ecuador‘s
sovereign bonds, which could be used to cover the first six quarterly interest coupons if needed

Ecuador, has been mired in a political crisis as the country‘s National Assembly seeks to impeach
President Guillermo Lasso for alleged embezzlement. Lasso denies the allegations. This political
turmoil triggered a slump in bond prices
In 2022, Ecuador‘s public debt amounted to around $66.68 billion, according to the
Germany-based data platform Statista. Ecuador
Ecuador is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on
the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west6543
Includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific
The country‘s capital and largest city is
Once home to a variety of indigenous groups that were gradually incorporated into the Inca
Empire during the 15th century
Colonized by Spain during the 16th century
Achieved independence in 1820 as part of Gran Colombia
Sovereign state in 1830
One of 17 megadiverse countries in the world, Ecuador hosts many endemic plants and animals,
such as those of the Galápagos Islands
In recognition of its unique ecological heritage, the new constitution of 2008 is the first in the
world to recognize legally enforceable Rights of Nature, or ecosystem rights

April
WTO rules against India tariffs
- The World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel has ruled against India in a dispute over
information technology (IT) tariffs with the European Union (EU), Japan and Taiwan who all
brought claims against India’s 2019 import duties of 7.5% - 20% , arguing that such
measures are Protectionist and violate Global Trade Rules.
- The panel found that India's tariffs on certain IT products violated global trading rules, as
they were inconsistent with the terms of the 1996 Information Technology Agreement (ITA),
to which India is a signatory.
- India argued that at the time of signing the ITA, products such as smartphones did not exist
and hence, it was not bound to eliminate tariffs on such items.

- According to the European Commission, the EU is India's third-largest trading partner,

accounting for 10.8% of total Indian trade in 2021.
 - India has a choice to appeal against the WTO ruling over IT tariffs, but if India Appeals the
case will be held in Legal Purgatory as the WTO's top appeals bench is no longer functioning
due to the US opposition to judge appointments.

May
*Demonetization & 2000 Rs.(Jan)

● November 8, 2016 - Currency notes of 500 and 1000 were demonetized as legal tender
● Previous instances of demonetization
● 1946 - RBI order scrapping 1000 and 10000 rupee notes
● 1978 - 1000 ,5000 and 10000 rupee notes were scrapped
● SC upheld the validity of the demonetization scheme and that procedure was followed.
● 5 judge bench and it was a 4-1 split.
● Notification and announcement happened through the relevant body, the RBI
● ₹2000 note was withdrawn (Aug 2023) from circulation as part of RBI’s Clean Note Policy
● Will continue to be legal tender till Sept 30 (they can be exchanged upto 20k or deposited)
● RBI declared that banks would be required to maintain an Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio
(I-CRR) of 10% on the increase in their Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL).
● Temporary measure to manage excess Liquidity in the banking system (absorb 1 lakh crore)
● RBI used I-CRR in November 2016 post demonetization
● RRBs and LABs are exempted from maintaining CRR (SLR) with RBI, as per RBI Act, 1934.
● Still have to maintain CRR with themselves in cash,gold or approved securities.

US debt ceiling

- The Biden led administration breached the Congress set limit of 31.4 trillion dollars.
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has forecast that the United States could run out of cash
and extraordinary measures to pay its bills as soon as early June if Congress does not act.
- President Biden hosted a talk on May 8th with the House of Representatives Speaker
Kevin McCarthy, a Republican.
- The only other countries to have a debt ceiling are Denmark, Kenya and EU.
- It was established in 1917 during World War I.
- In India, the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act governs fiscal
discipline and debt management by setting targets for deficits and debt-to-GDP ratios +
the RBI governs financial aspects.

Options available

● a short-term increase/suspension of the debt limit

 ● Invoking the 14th Amendment which includes a provision that protects public debt held by
the federal government by saying it will not be questioned.
● The Federal Reserve could theoretically buy the debt.

The Senate decided to pass an agreement after it passed the House of Representatives which
allows the federal government to borrow money until after the next presidential election in
November 2024 by suspending the limit.

June
*RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)
● MPC decided unanimously to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.50%.
● Central bank will cut rates to inject money into the financial system whenever needed.
● Monetary Policy = RBIs policy for the deployment of monetary resources to achieve GDP
growth and lower the inflation rate
● It is a statutory and institutionalised framework under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934,
● Inflation target 4% +/-2%
● MPC adjusts MSF, Repo Rate, Reverse Repo Rate, and Liquidity Adjustment Facility.
● Committee led by Urjit Patel in 2014 recommended the MPC establishment
● Committee will have 6 members (3 government nominated, 3 from the RBI)
● Governor of RBI is ex-officio Chairman of the committee with a tie casting vote
● Deputy governor of RBI in charge of the monetary policy will be a member

Reserve Bank of India

● Central bank and regulatory body responsible for regulation of the Indian banking system
● Under the ownership of Ministry of Finance
● RBI manages currency in India
● Derives its roles and powers from the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
● Bank notes are printed at 4 currency presses
● 2 owned by GoI through Corporation, Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd
● 2 owned by RBI, through subsidiary, Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Ltd.
● Historical Monuments printed on Indian currency:
● ₹10 - Sun Temple, Konark, ₹20 - Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, ₹50 - Stone Chariot of Hampi
● ₹100 - Rani ki Vav, Gujarat,₹200- Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh, ₹500 - Red Fort, Delhi
● ₹2000- Mangalyaan Mission
● RBI Governor: Shaktikanta Das
● First Governor: Osborne Smith
 ● First Indian governor: C D Deshmukh

Eco Concepts for Pradhyot

● Monetary policy instruments are of two types namely qualitative instruments and
quantitative instruments.
Quantitative instruments include Open Market Operations, Bank Rate, Repo Rate, Reverse
Repo Rate, Cash Reserve Ratio, Statutory Liquidity Ratio, Marginal standing facility and
Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF).
Qualitative Instruments refer to direct action, change in the margin money and moral
suasion

● Repo rate is the rate at which RBI short term lends money to commercial banks in the event
of any shortfall of funds
● MSF is a window for scheduled banks to borrow overnight from the RBI in an emergency
situation when interbank liquidity dries up completely.

● Inflation is defined as a situation where there is sustained, unchecked increase in the general
price level and a fall in the purchasing power of money.
● The Central Government with the RBI, determines the inflation target in terms of Consumer
Price Index (CPI), once in every five years

● Headline Inflation is the measure of total inflation within an economy. It includes price rise in
food, fuel and all other commodities.
● SDF - To absorb liquidity (deposit) from Scheduled Commercial banks (SCBs) without any
securities in return. Replace the Fixed Rate Reverse Repo (FRRR) as the floor of the LAF
corridor
● Consumer Price Index measures price changes from the perspective of a retail buyer. It is
released by the NSO - National Statistical Office

July
*GST ( 50 th gst council )
● 50th meeting on July 11th
● Chairman: Nirmala Sitharaman (Union Finance Minister)
● Levied 28% on online gaming, casinos and horse racing
 ● Will become effective from October 1.
● Delhi, Goa and Sikkim have sought a review of this
● Gaming industry in India - $ 2.8 billion in FY22
● GST is the successor of VAT (both have same tax slabs)
● It is a comprehensive, multistage, destination-based tax, subsumed almost all indirect taxes.
● 5 different tax slabs for collection of tax: 0%, 5% 12%, 18% and 28%
● Petroleum, alcohol and electricity not under GST (taxed separately by state governments)
● Special rate of 0.25% on precious/semi precious stones, 3% on gold
● Cess of 22% (on top of 28%) on aerated drinks, luxury cars and tobacco
● Vajpayee government formed a task force under Vijay Kelkar for tax reforms in 2003
● 2005 - Commission recommended GST as suggested by 12th Finance Commission
● Vajpayee set up Asim Dasupta committee to look into modalities of GST implementation
● GST came into effect from 1 July 2017 through the 101st Amendment
● First country to implement GST - France (140 nations have GST)

Government Brings Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) under PMLA Ambit
● Changes under Section 66 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act(PMLA), which
provides for disclosure of information.
● GSTN has developed an Indirect Taxation platform for GST in India
● Incorporated in 2013 under Section 8 of the Companies Act
● Ravi Dasgupta committee led to GSTN as it was responsible for logistics and backend
● Came to be known as GSTN in 2017
● Company is headed by a chairman who is appointed by the Government
● Board of GSTN in June 2022 had approved conversion into a Government Company(50%
state govts and uts and 50% union)

Self-Reliant India Fund for MSMEs

Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund

As part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, the Indian government announced the allocation of Rs.
50,000 crores for equity infusion in MSMEs through the Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund.
National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Venture Capital Fund Limited (NVCFL) was
designated as the Mother Fund.

The fund comprises: Rs. 10,000 Crore from the GOI and Rs. 40,000 Crore sourced through Private
Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) funds
SEBI: It is a Statutory Body established on 12th April, 1992 in accordance with the provisions of
the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. The basic functions of SEBI is to protect the
interests of investors in securities and to promote and regulate the securities market. Chair:
Madabhi Puri Buch

MSME stands for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. The MSME sector of India contributes
around 33% of India’s GDP and is predicted to contribute worth USD 1 trillion to India’s total
exports by 2028.

GOI initiatives - MSME Champions Scheme, Infusion of 9000 cr in Credit Guarantee Fund (Budget
23-24), Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP)

The Finance Act 2023 brought about an amendment in Section 43B of the Income Tax Act, 1961, to
offer more favourable tax provisions for MSMEs.

Global Unicorn Index(April)

Released by Hurun Research Institute on 18 April 2023.
Cut off date was Dec 31st, 2022.
Unicorns are start-ups(primarily founded in the 2000s) that are worth at least a billion dollars and
not yet listed on a public exchange.
After the United States and China, India has retained the third-highest number of unicorns in the
world( 108 unicorns) and has the most offshore unicorns in the world and ranks 2nd in innovation
quality.
Top-most unicorn in India: BYJU’s ($22 billion); Swiggy and Dream11 (both at $8 billion)
India added only 3 in 2023 vs 24 in 2022.

Gazelles are startups likely to become unicorns in 2-3 years(500 m to 1 b) whereas cheetahs are
4-5 years. Decahorns are startups with valuations over 10 billion.

August
R Doraiswamy - LIC MD appointment by GOI
- Doraiswamy is currently the executive director at the central office in Mumbai. Appointed
in place of Ipe Mini, from September 1st 2023 - August 31, 2026.
 - Doraiswamy was recommended by the The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB),
which is headed by Bhanu Pratap Sharma.It replaced Banks Board Bureau (BBB).
- FISB to identify manpower capabilities and ensure proper selection of talent for senior
positions at financial institutions owned by the government.The final decision on the FSIB
recommendation would be taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by
the Prime Minister

Science, Environment and Technology - Pradhyot

*Artificial Intelligence
● Simulation of human intelligence processes by machines
● Father of Artificial Intelligence - John McCarthy
● Important sub areas of AI - Machine Learning,Computer Vision,Robotics, NLP
● Java, PROLOG and LISP are programming languages used to program AI machines
● Perl is a scripting language, not commonly used for programming AI
● Father of theoretical computer science - Alan Turing

Chatbots and ChatGPT

● Launched in November 2022
● Artificial intelligence tool built on top of GPT-3
● Provides a conversational interface that allows users to ask questions in natural language
● Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a subset of AI that enables computers to understand,
process, and generate human language
● ChatGPT is a variant of GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) which is a large-scale
neural network based language model
● Trained using Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF).
● Generative AI - Focuses on generating new content (images, audio, text) based on data
● Initially used to automate digital image and audio correction
● Art and Creativity- DeepDream Generator and DALL·E2
● Music- Amper Music and AIVA
● Created by OpenAI which is an American AI research laboratory
● Consists of the non-profit OpenAI, Inc.and its for-profit subsidiary corporation OpenAI, L.P
● Founded in San Francisco in 2015
● Elon Musk resigned from board in 2018 but remained a donor
● Microsoft provided OpenAI LP - $1 billion in 2019 and $10 billion in 2023
● CEO - Sam Altman (huge drama)
● Google unveiled Bard to compete with ChatGPT
 ● Developed by Google and introduced as Meena in 2020
● First generation - Google I/O keynote 2021
● Second generation - 2022, June - Blake Lemoine claimed its sentient
● Microsofts chatbot - Bing search engine
● Powered by a LLM (large language model) - optimised version of LaMDA (Language Model
for Dialogue Applications)
● Alexa based on Polish speech synthesiser Ivona (Amazon bought in 2013)

AI AND INDIA
● India aims to achieve 1 trillion digital economy by 2026
● Recently released India AI Report
● Recommends government provides resources for creation of AI engines to indigenous firms.
● PPP project that will create substantial GPU capacity for training of models
● Python is coding language used for development of AI and LLM’s (large language model)
● “High Powered Committee” (by India) - Development of LLMs (tools that harness AI to
create applications that can understand and process human language)
● The Draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) - This initiative centralises on
bolstering deep tech startups and addressing the challenges they face
● Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)
● Council that facilitates the PSA’s Office in specific science and technology domains
● Office of PSA is supported by the project management team at Invest India
● 9 national missions under PM-STIAC
● 4 approved - Deep Ocean, Natural Language Translation, AI and Quantum Frontier mission
● PSA (Principal Scientific Advisor)- Ajay Sood
● Rank of india for investment in startups offering AI based products and services in AI index
report 2023 - 5 th ( by stanford university )
● AI employment in India - 416k professionals
● AI is expected to contribute 957 billion USD to india’s economy by 2035
● Indias first Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) - Bengaluru,
Karnataka
● ARTPARK + AI Foundry will launch $100 million fund to support AI and robotics innovation
● Works in collaboration with IISC (Indian Institute of Science)
● Soundarya is a news anchor launched by Power TV, first AI news anchor in South india
● Supreme Court uses Teres NLP to transcribe proceedings
● Teres operated by Nomology Technology Private Limited
● Chatgpt powered whatsapp chatbot- Bhashini by Ministry of Electronics and IT
 ● Aim: To help Indian farmers learn about various government schemes
● BHASHINI (BHASHa INterface for India) is India’s AI led language translation platform
● Currently relies on input in English, needs to open to local languages too
● Will support 12 languages- English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Odia,
and Assamese
● Indrajaal: India‘s first AI-powered anti-drone system
● World‘s only wide area Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS), that can provide a
comprehensive and integrated security mechanism against moving threat
● LEGO-block like combination mechanism that offers 12 unique layers of technology
powered by AI
● Developed by Grene Robotics
● HQ: Hyderabad

Hiroshima AI Processes Summit (G7)

● Japan initiated the Hiroshima AI Process (HAP) summit of the G7
● Conclude by December 2023
● For: Regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI).
● Cooperates with: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and
the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI).
● Aims to govern AI in a way that upholds democratic values, fairness, transparency
● Needs to establish rules regarding AI and IPR and whether using copyrighted material in
Machine Learning is under the Fair Use doctrine
● "Fair Use"= Permits teaching, research, and criticism without permission of the copyright
owner
● Needs to develop a common guideline for G7 countries

Global AI currently Governed

● India - NITI Aayog issued National Strategy for AI report & Responsible AI for All report.
● US - Blueprint for AI Bill of Rights in 2022, outlining the harms of AI to economic/civil rights
● Lays down 5 principles for mitigating these harms.
● Sector specific approach to AI governance, with policy interventions for individual sectors
● China - World’s first nationally binding regulations to regulate recommendation algorithms
● EU - In May 2023, the European Parliament reached a Preliminary Agreement on a draft of
the AI Act, which aims to regulate systems like ChatGPT.
● The legislation was drafted in 2021
UK summit on AI
● First global AI Safety Summit on 1st and 2nd November
● Location: Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire.
● PM representatives: Matt Cifford and Jonathan Black (will lead summit)
● To discuss: Safety measures for mitigating risks caused due to AI
● International framework on AI safety and build upon recent discussions (G7, OECD,UN,EU)
● Bombe - Came from Polish word who initially cracked Enigma code
● France is holding next summit

Cryptocurrency
Transactions with cryptocurrency are recorded on a public digital ledger called blockchain, which
makes it difficult for anyone to manipulate the currency or the transactions recorded on the
blockchain.
Users can acquire cryptocurrency through a process called "mining" which involves using
computer power to solve complex mathematical equations, which validate and record transactions
on the blockchain, in return for a certain amount of cryptocurrency

- Bitcoin was invented by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi
Nakamoto and was released as open-source software in 2009.

- In 2022,GOI mentioned in the Union budget 2022-23 that-the transfer of any virtual
currency/cryptocurrency asset will be subject to 30% tax deduction.
- At present, El Salvador and the Central African Republic (CAR) are the only two countries
in the world where Bitcoin functions as a legal currency.

Legal Status of Crypto in India uncertain and subject to change. SC overturned ban on dealing in
crypto in 2018, government exploring blockchain and CBDC use

GanderCoin: India‘s First Digital Coin - CoinCRED based

WorldCoin
● A new cryptocurrency project called WorldCoin, from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman(ChatGpt
company), has claimed over 2 million sign-ups across the world.
● Its unique method of sign-up, involving scanning of irises, has caused caution in countries
such as France, Germany and Kenya. India also has at least 17 sign-up locations (Delhi and
Bengaluru). Called Orb.
 ● The Worldcoin protocol is intended to be the world‘s largest identity and financial public
network, open to everyone regardless of their country, background or economic status

● WorldCoin wants to offer users an account that only real humans can get, through what it
calls a World ID, for whose creation, an eye scan is essential.
● San Francisco and Berlin-based Company Tools for Humanity is behind WorldCoin. Altman
is its Co-Founder and Alex Blania is its Co-Founder and CEO

● A cryptocurrency is a digital currency designed to work as a medium of exchange through a

computer network that is not reliant on any central authority, such as a government or bank,
to uphold or maintain it. It is a decentralized system for verifying that the parties to a
transaction have the money they claim to have, eliminating the need for traditional
intermediaries
● The first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin(released 2009).There were more than 9,000 other
cryptocurrencies in the marketplace, of which more than 70 had a market capitalization
exceeding $1 billion
● Token used will be a layer 2 ethuream based block chain technology

EU MiCA

- The EU’s legislative body - European Parliament has approved the Markets in Crypto
Assets (MiCA) regulation, the world’s first comprehensive set of rules on cryptocurrency
markets.Published : 9 June in EU Official Journal.
- It prescribes requirements for crypto asset service providers (CASPs) who will now have to
be registered with any EU member nation.
- It will apply to any “ digital representation of a value or a right that uses cryptography for
security and is in the form of a coin or a token or any other digital medium which may be
transferred and stored electronically, using distributed ledger technology or similar
technology”, including bitcoin, ethereum as well as stable coins etc
- Stablecoin firms pegged to non-euro currencies will have to cap their transactions at a daily
volume of €200 million ($220 million) in a specified region
 - It will not regulate assets - that qualify as transferable securities and function like shares,
that exist as financial instruments under existing regulation; and non fungible tokens
(NFTs).
- MiCA will also not regulate central bank digital currencies issued by the European Central
Bank and digital/crypto assets issued by EU member countries.

*Cyclones

● Derived from the Greek word Cyclos meaning the coils of a snake
● Coined by Henry Peddington
● Low-pressure system that forms over warm waters (>27C)(high temp = low-pressure)
● Coriolis Effect - Cyclones blow anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in
the southern hemisphere
● Winds exceeding Gale speed(63 kmph) are called tropical cyclones by the WMO
● India has a bi-annual cyclone season (March to May and October to December)
● Known as:
a) North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific: Hurricane
b) Western Northern Pacific: Typhoons
c) South Pacific and Indian Ocean: Tropical Cyclones
d) Austrllia: Willy-Willies
e) West Africa and South USA: Tornado
● Bodies that name cyclones:
○ World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
○ United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (UN ESCAP)
○ Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMC) - Total 6 in the world
○ Tropical cyclone warning centers
● IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) names cyclones over the North Indian Ocean
(NIO), Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea,
● IMD also issues advisories to 12 countries in the region regarding cyclones and storms.
● WMO and UN ESCAP members = India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Pakistan, and Oman
● 2018 - WMO and ESCAP added 5 countries (Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Yemen)
● Global warming + Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) = Equatorial cyclones more frequent
● Majority of cyclones originate in the Western Pacific Ocean.
● NIO in the post-monsoon season (Oct-Dec) is a hotbed for low latitude cyclones (LLC)
● Constitute about 60% of all Tropical Cyclones formed in the NIO (since 1951)
El Nino Effect

● Simultaneous warming of the eastern and western regions of the equatorial Pacific could
cause cyclones and have impact on marine life
● Trend last seen in 2009
● El Nino events of 1982-83 and 1997-98 were the most intense of the 20th century
● El Nino + Global warming made 2016 the warmest year on record.
● El Niño de Navidad - Peruvian fishermen named it after newborn Christ
● La Nina(the girl/cooling phase) winter transitions to an El Nino summer = El Nino-Southern
Oscillations (ENSO)
● IOD (Indian Nino) is similar to El Nino and occurs in the Indian Ocean between the
Indonesian/Malaysian coastline in the east and African coastline near Somalia in the west.
● Indian Monsoon is expected to be influenced by El Nino in 2023,
● Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) could develop and offset El Nino
● Less powerful but aids in rainfall
● IOD is said to be positive when the western side of the Indian Ocean becomes warmer than
the eastern side
● Monsoon in India delayed however there was surplus rainfall (6%) by July 30th

PDO (Pacific Decadal Oscillations)

● Long-term ocean fluctuation of the Pacific Ocean.
● Repeats every 20-30 years and just like ENSO, has a ‘cool’ and ‘warm’ phase.
● Positive PDO = Cool West-Pacific Ocean & Warm East Pacific(vice versa for negative PDO)
● Coined in 1996 by Steven Hare
● ENSO with a positive PDO is generally not good
● ENSO with a negative PDO brings more rain to India.
● If both ENSO and the PDO are in the same phase, ENSO impact magnified

Cyclone Biparjoy
● From- 6th to 19th June 2023
● Formed over - East - Central Arabian Sea
● First noted by - India Meteorological Dept (IMD)
● Name given by Bangladesh
● Meaning - “Calamity” in Bengali
● Cyclone made landfall in - Naliya, Kutch District, Gujarat (Jakhau coast)
● Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
● Cyclone is classified as Category 3 on the Saffir - Simpson hurricane wind scale
● IMD predicted heavy downpours in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka
 ● Train services were suspended and operations at major ports of Kandla and Mundra
● In Pakistan, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) took proactive
preparations by evacuating certain areas in Karachi

Cyclone Mocha

● IMD = Low pressure area developing that can lead to high rainfall
● Cyclone Mocha was likely to form a depression over the Bay of Bengal around May 9,
● Moderate rainfall at most places with heavy rainfall over Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
● Name was suggested by Yemen and is named after the Red Sea port city
● Categorized as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm by the IMD
● ‘Super Cyclone’ by global weather website Zoom Earth
● Recorded wind speed of 277 kmph
● Strongest to form in the north Indian Ocean since 1982.
● Operation Karuna set up by India to help Myanmar.

Taiwan China Typhoons

Typhoon Haikui(September)
- First typhoon in 4 years to hit Taiwan directly and cross central mountain range(N to S)
- Wind Speed : 155-200 km/hr
- Category 3
- Named by China, means ‘Sea anemone’
- Primarily impacted southern and eastern parts
- Haikui then weakened to a tropical storm and moved out into the Taiwan Strait, heading to
China's southern coast
- last major storm to hit Taiwan was Typhoon Bailu in 2019, killed 1
- Taiwan President - Tsai Ing-wen , Premier - Chen Chien-jen

Typhoon Koinu(Oct)
- Category 4
- T 8 storm alert(3rd highest) issued by Hong Kong
- World’s third most powerful wind gust ever - 342.7km/h, maintained speed of 145 km/hr
- Highest wind gust recorded since Central Weather Administration formation (CWA)(1986)
- Highest:1996 Western Australia’s Barrow Island (408km/h) , USA’s Mount Washington in
New Hampshire (372km/h)
 - Impacted southern tip, outer Lanyu (Orchid) island
- Means Puppy in Japanese
- 1 death, 304 injuries

Typhoon Saola(September)
- Category 4 super typhoon
- Called Super Typhoon Goring in Philippines
- T 10 storm alert Hong Kong(highest)
- Wind Speed - 209 - 220 km/hr
- Mainland authorities also issued a typhoon red warning(the highest level in the 4 tier
system) as Saola approached Guangdong.
- Named after Vietnamese animal

Typhoon Doksuri(July)
- Called Super Typhoon Egay in the Philippines
- Means ‘eagle’ in Korean
- 25 dead
- Windspeed - 223 km/hr

Floods

Assam floods
Heavy rainfall and floods in 11 districts
Many rivers including Brahmaputra have rising water levels
Warning Level of Brahmaputra - 48.68m
Danger level for river - 49.68m
Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Majuli crossed danger mark
Guwahati is below warning level (48.45m)
Report by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA)
Affected districts - Bishwanath, Darrang, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Tamulpur and Udalguri
Lakhimpur worst hit
11 relief distribution centres, 8 in Lakhimpur and 2 in Udalguri have been set up
Landslides in Dima Hasao and Kamrup districts
Massive erosions in Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong West,
Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Tamulpur and Udalguri districts

Assam CM - Himanta Biswa Sarma

15th CM
Former member of INC

North of Assam - Bhutan, AP

East - Nagaland, Manipur
West - WB
South - Bangladesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram
Siliguri Corridor, 22km wide strip of land connects Assam to the rest of India

Libya floods
More than 5,000 people were killed, about 10,000 went missing, and 30,000 were displaced in
Libya after torrential rains caused flooding that burst dams, swept away buildings and destroyed
nearly a quarter of the eastern port city of Derna.
The death toll is likely to rise significantly and may even double, a minister in the regional
administration said.
Experts suggest three key factors — extreme weather, vulnerable geography, and crumbling
infrastructure — coalesced into one catastrophe, causing the most devastating floods to have hit
North Africa in almost a century.
Caused by Storm Daniel - strong mid-latitude cyclone that developed over the Ionian Sea and
Greece in early September, held in place by an ‘omega block’, Wind speed : 70-80 kmph
*Earthquakes

● Earthquakes caused due to release of energy, generating seismic waves in all directions
● Focus/Hypocenter - Location where the earthquake starts (below earth's surface)
● Epicenter - Right above the Hypocenter (on the earth's surface)
● The causes of an earthquake are:
a) Release of energy along a Fault/Fault Zones (break in the crustal rocks
b) Movement of tectonic plates (most common)
c) Volcanic eruption (stress changes in rock- injection/withdrawal of magma)
d) Human activities (mining, explosion of chemical/nuclear devices etc.)
● Earthquake waves
● Body Waves: Move in all directions travelling through the body of the earth
● P Waves: Move faster, First to arrive at surface, Similar to sound waves, Travel through
gaseous, liquid and solid materials
● S Waves: Arrive at surface with some time lag, Travel only through solid materials
● Surface Waves: Last to report on seismographs, More destructive, Cause displacement of
rocks
● Rayleigh Waves: Cause the ground to shake in an elliptical pattern, Spread out the most of all
seismic waves, Move vertically and horizontally in a vertical plane
 ● Love Waves: Same motion as S-waves (horizontal) without vertical displacement, Sideways
motion perpendicular to the direction of propagation, Faster than Rayleigh waves
● Seismometers - Measures seismic waves
● Richter Scale - Measures magnitude (energy released; range: 0-10)
● Mercalli-Measures intensity (visible damage; range: 1-12)
● Moment magnitude scale (1-8)
● Significant Earthquake Database by the National Centers for Environmental Information
(NCEI) which is a US government agency
● Takes data of the last 200 years to come up with the statistics
● Significant earthquake = Meets at least 1 of the following criteria:
○ Moderate damage (approximately USD 1 million or more)
○ 10 or more deaths
○ Magnitude of 7.5 or more,
○ An earthquake that generated a tsunami
● China has suffered the highest number of quakes — 428
● 4 quakes with a magnitude of 9+.
● The most severe quake struck the Chilean city of Puerto Montt in 1960 (9.5)
● India has recorded 85 quakes and ranks 16 on the list of countries with highest earthquakes
● India has been divided into 4 seismic zones (II, III, IV, and V)
● Deadliest earthquake to hit India occurred in 2001 in Gujarat
● Bhuj earthquake (magnitude - 7.6) killed over 20,000 people
● Strongest; the 1941 earthquake in Andaman (poorly recorded due to WW-II), and the 1897
earthquake in Assam both with a magnitude of 8

Morocco

● Most powerful earthquake in Morocco’s history - 8th of September 2023

● Magnitude of 6.8
● Epicenter - Al-Haouz province, within the Atlas Mountains near Marrakech
● Morocco is in western North Africa, directly across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain
● Bordered by: Algeria (east and southeast), Western Sahara (south), Atlantic Ocean (west)
and Mediterranean Sea (north)
● Capital City : Rabat.
● Major Mountain Ranges: The Atlas and Rif Mountains which are a result of the collision
and compression forces of the African and Eurasian tectonic plate
Turkey and Syria

● Magnitude - 7.8
● Moment magnitude scale - 7.5 aftershock
● Struck northern Syria and southern Turkey on Feb 6th
● Deadliest earthquake since 1939 for Turkey
● It was caused by Anatolian and Arabian plates.
● Turkey’s two main fault zones are the East Anatolian and the North Anatolian
● Quake zone in Turkey = Mediterranean in the south to northwestern Syria.
● Epicenter of the earthquake was near Gaziantep(home to ½ mil Syrian refugees)
● Turkey has imposed a three-month state of emergency in 10 provinces,
● António Guterres = Launch of a $397 million humanitarian appeal for Syria
● Problems : civil war, only 1 UN approved crossing, poor international relations
● Most of the aid and relief material in Syria flows through the capital Damascus
● Enables President Bashar al-Assad to limit resource provision in opposition areas
● He agreed to the opening of two more border crossings from Turkey on Feb 13th

Operation Dost
● Launched by GOI to aid in rescue ops and provide aid(3 NDRF teams)
● National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, essentials, and medical equipment
● Field hospital set up by the Indian Army in Iskenderun, Hatay province of Turkey
● India has also sent a transport aircraft with medical supplies to Syria.
● NDRF sent to 2 similar international operations – the 2011 Japan triple disaster
(earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown) and the 2015 Nepal earthquake
● SANCHAR - Tracking system developed by Captain Karan Singh and Sub PG Sapre of the
Indian Army to track both people and assets in Earthquake hit areas

Afghanistan
● Four 6+ magnitude earthquakes in Herat , affected Pakistan as well
● 1000-2400 people died, 500 injured
● Epicenter - 40 kilometers (24 miles) southeast of Jurm in the Hindu Kush mountain range
● Caused by collision of Indian, Eurasian plates and Arabian plates
● On the Alpine Himalayan Belt & crisscrossed by Chaman Fault and Main Pamir Thrust
systems.
● The U.N. humanitarian coordinator has approved a $5 million emergency reserve allocation
from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) and India, Pak and China have sent aid.
Jan
Indian Science Congress
- 2023 - 108th Science congress @ Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University Nagpur
from January 3–7, 2023
- Ada Yonath was the chief guest for the Valedictory Function
- The 107th Indian Science Congress was held in Bangalore in 2022.
- Event organised by Indian Science Congress Association , independent body which functions
with support from Dept. Of Science
- The first Indian Science Congress was held in 1914 at the Asiatic Society in Calcutta
- Theme - ‘ science and technology for sustainable development with women's empowerment’
- India is one of the 3 countries when it comes to number of PhD researcher workers and
startup ecosystems
- National Hydrogen mission launched Aug 15 , 2021 ( 75th independence day )
Ken Betwa River link project
- Total cost is 44,605 crore
- aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh (MP) to Betwa in
Uttar Pradesh (UP) to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
- The project involves building a 77-metre tall and a 2-km wide Dhaudhan dam (to be built
within Panna Tiger Reserve) and a 230-km canal.
- one of the 30 river interlinking projects
- the project is stuck in for the approval from National Green Tribunal (NGT), and Standing
Committee of the National Board for Wildlife
- Ken and Betwa rivers originate in MP and are the tributaries of Yamuna
- The National River Linking Project (NRLP) formally known as the National Perspective Plan,
envisages the transfer of water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding, to water
‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity, through inter-basin water transfer projects.
- Under the National Perspective Plan ,National Water Development Agency (NWDA), has
identified 30 links (16 under the Peninsular Component and 14 under the Himalayan
Component) for the preparation of feasibility reports (FRs).
- The NPP for transferring water from water-surplus basins to water-deficit basins was
prepared in August 1980.

BharOS
IIT Madras-incubated company has developed the BharOS. Developed by JandK Operations
Private Limited
Minister for telecommunications and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and education
minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the operating system
Indigenous mobile operating system (OS), like Android or iOS. It is focused on privacy and security.
Contribution towards the idea of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by creating a secure OS environment for
India-based users.
BharOS would offer Native Over the Air (NOTA) updates, meaning that security updates and bug
fixes will be automatically installed

No Default Apps (NDA) setting, means that users do not have to keep or use pre-installed apps in
this mobile operating system.

It will use a system known as Private App Store Services (PASS), which will examine and curate the
apps that are safe for the users.

BharOS is based on Android Open-Source Project (AOSP)

Android phone with stock OS usually have Chrome set up as default browser. BharOS makers are
looking to partner with DuckDuck Go for its default browser.

JOSHIMATH SINKING

Joshimath is home to one of the four cardinal maths or monasteries established by Adi Shankara -
Sringeri in Karnataka, Dwarka in Gujarat, Puri in Odisha and Joshimath near Badrinath in
Uttarakhand.
Joshimath is a hilly town located on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway (NH-7) in Chamoli
district of Uttarakhand.
The town (fall in high-risk seismic Zone-V) is traversed by running streams
according to the 1976 Mishra Committee report, Joshimath lies on a deposit of sand and stone, it's
not on the main rock.The town is situated on - Vaikeita groups of rocks (made up of coarse
mica-garnet-kyanite and sillimanite-bearing psammitic metamorphics)
The report added that undercutting by river currents of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga are also
playing their part in bringing landslides.
Land subsidence is a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth’s surface.
A landslide is defined as the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope.The term
landslide encompasses five modes of slope movement: falls, topples, slides, spreads, and flows.

Reports on joshimath sinking

Central Building Research Institute (CBRI):
In its report, the CBRI stated that Joshimath town has 44%, 42%, 14% of masonry, RCC and other
(traditional, hybrid) construction typologies, respectively, among which 99% are non-engineered.
These structures are not in compliance with the National Building Code of India, 2016.
ISRO - said sinking may be due to a toe cutting phenomenon
Now such landslide zones will be treated with green technology using bioengineering techniques.
Rs 100 crore has been approved in the first phase for this work under the World Bank-funded
U-Prepare project.
Under the first phase of the World Bank-funded U-Prepare project, a high-powered committee
headed by Chief Secretary Dr. SS Sandhu has given permission for the treatment of 23 active
landslide zones.

Feb

Sovereign Green Bonds

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs has approved the final Sovereign Green Bonds
Framework of India

India’s commitments under “Panchamrit” - PM at Conference of Parties (COP) 26 at Glasgow

Strengthen Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) targets, adopted under the Paris
Agreement
Green Finance Working Committee (GFWC) was constituted for SGB

Framework has been rated ‘Medium Green’, with a “Good” governance score by CICERO (Norway
based)

The ‘Medium Green’ rating is assigned ‘to projects and solutions that represent significant steps
towards the long-term vision, but are not quite there yet.

Green bonds are issued to fund projects that have positive environmental benefits while
providing investors with fixed income payments.

International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2021, estimating that 70% of the
additional USD 4 trillion spending to reach net-zero is required in developing countries
 The Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) funds are estimated at USD 40 trillion with
Europe accounting for about half this. By 2025, ESG assets will account for about one-third of the
total global assets. The ESG debt funds pie is around USD 2 trillion, of which over 80% is
“environmental” or green bonds, and the rest social and sustainability bonds.

Indian entities have issued green bonds for over USD 18 billion.

March
World Air Quality Report (2017-2022)

Prepared by IQAir
Swiss air quality technology company, prepares the annual world air quality reports based on data
from monitoring stations across the world.

NCT Delhi ranked 4th out of 50 of the world’s most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5 levels

Out of 131 countries, India ranked 8th with a population weighted average PM2.5 level of 53.3
μg/m3

Based on PM2.5 data from 7,323 cities and 131 countries.

Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh are the 5 most polluted countries

The WHO guideline for annual PM2.5 levels is 5 μg/m3.

Lahore was the most polluted city in the world, followed by Hotan in China, and Bhiwadi in
Rajasthan.
New Delhi is the second most polluted capital city in the world, with N’Djamena in Chad topping
the list.
A total of 39 Indian cities (including ‘Delhi’ and ‘New Delhi’) are on the list

PM 2.5 is an atmospheric particulate matter of diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres, which is
around 3% the diameter of a human hair.

Initiatives taken by India for Controlling Air Pollution

System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) Portal
Air Quality Index
Push for Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Commission for Air Quality Management
Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) Machine

April
*NATIONAL SUPERCOMPUTING MISSION

● 2023 - 2031
● NSM = MeiTY + Department of Science and Tech, implemented by CDAC, Pune
● India has total of 18 supercomputers
● Topmost rank -Frontier @ US (1.1 exaflops)
● First supercomputer of india - PARAM 8000 by Vijay Bhatkar
● First super computer under national quantum computing mission = Param Shakti
● Capacity of 1.66 PetaFlop has been installed at IIT-Kharagpur.
● China has the most supercomputers in the world (162) while US has 126
● NSM’s first supercomputer - Param Shivay, installed in IIT-BHU, Varanasi, in 2019(797
teraflops)
● Param Kamrupa - Northeasts fastest supercomputer at IIT Guwahati (named after the first
historical kingdom of Assam)
● Teraflops: 10^12 floating-point operations per second (FLOPS).
● Petaflops:10^15 FLOPS and Exaflops are 10^18 FLOPS
● Fastest supercomputer in India - ‘AIRAWAT’ (13 petaflops)
● Ranked at No. 75 at the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023), Germany.
● Installed at C-DAC, Pune.
● Named in the 61st edition of Top 500 Global Supercomputing List released recently
● Manufacturer: Netweb Technologies
● Top500 lists the 500 fastest computer systems being used today
● Started in 1993 and updated every 6 months
● Linpack benchmark performance achieved is used to rank (measure of a computer’s FLOPS)
● 3 other Indian supercomputers in the Top 500 list:
a) PARAM Siddhi-AI (No. 131): Installed at C-DAC, Pune
b) Pratyush ( No. 169): Installed at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
c) Mihir(No. 316): Installed at National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting.
Post-Quantum Cryptography

Quantum computing is a rapidly emerging technology that harnesses the laws of quantum
mechanics to solve problems that are too complex for classical computers. Subfield of physics that
describes the behaviour of particles

Unlike a bit that has to be a 0 or a 1, a qubit can be in a combination of states, which allows for
exponentially larger calculations and gives them the potential to solve complex problems

Vulnerabilities in Current Security Techniques: Current security measures, such as RSA

(Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), ECC (Elliptic Curves Cryptography), and Diffie-Hellman key exchange,
rely on “hard” mathematical problems that could be broken with using Shor’s Quantum Algorithm.
Earth Day 2023
Celebrated on April 22 annually, designated by UN in 2009
The theme for this year is "Invest in our Planet."(52nd anniversary)
Organised by Earthday.org /Earth day network
First earth day was in 1970, triggered by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill leading to protests by
almost 20 mil people on the call of US senator Gaylord Nelson.
Paris Agreement was signed on Earth Day 2016

May

PETERSBURG CLIMATE CONFERENCE

-The Petersberg Dialogue on Climate Change was hosted in Berlin, Germany (by both germany and
UAE)
-It was initiated in 2010 by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Key takeaways -
The developed countries are “on a good track” to deliver the USD 100 billion per year they had
promised to mobilise by 2020 during COP15 in 2009.
However, a recent estimate pegs climate finance needs at 1 trillion USD annually by 2030

-2023 is the year for the Global Stocktake(aims to assess whether current efforts will enable us to
reach the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement. z The report has been underway for the past
two years and is set to be released in September of 2023. )
What are India's Initiatives for Climate Change and Green Energy?
- National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC):
It was established in 2015 to meet the cost of adaptation to climate change for the State and
Union Territories of India that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

- National Clean Energy Fund: € The Fund was created to promote clean energy, and funded
through an initial carbon tax on the use of coal by industries.
It is governed by an Inter-Ministerial Group with the Finance Secretary as the Chairman.

- National Adaptation Fund: The fund was established in 2014 with a corpus of Rs. 100
crores with the aim of bridging the gap between the need and the available funds.
The fund is operated under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change
(MoEF&CC)

-UAE is hosting the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

June

Bonn Climate Change Conference

Conducted: 5 - 15 June, 2023, GST = Global Stocktake (ways to enhance global action) which is
mandated by Paris 2015, must be carried out every 5 years starting 2023. Main discussion COP 28
in UAE

COP 1 - 1995 in Berlin

COP 3 - Kyoto Protocol,1997 (reducing emissions targets in developed countries)
COP 27 - Egypt Dec 2022

Summit for a new global financial pact - Paris, Aims to redirect global financial flows and raise
money to fight climate change

World Environment Day(June)

Celebrated on June 5th.
Established by UNGA in 1974
Theme for this year is “Solutions to Plastic Pollution.
 hosted by Côte d'Ivoire in partnership with the Netherlands
India hosted in 2018 with theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”

Paris Global Climate Financing Summit(June)

The Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris ->the lack of financial support for developing
countries(was announced at the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) of the UNFCCC).

Global South leaders demand that Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) address transboundary
challenges, provide increased resources for development(climate finance) and call for more
concessional/grant financing to address their debt burdens/debt reductions .

The Summit announced additional USD 200 billion lending capacity for emerging
economies.The World Bank introduced disaster clauses to suspend debt payments during extreme
weather events.The IMF announced the allocation of USD 100 billion in SDRs (Special Drawing
Rights) for vulnerable countries, although some SDRs still require approval from the US Congress.

A new Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) deal worth 2.5 billion Euros was announced for
Senegal, aimed at increasing the share of renewable energy in the country's electricity mix.

Zambia reached a USD 6.3 billion debt restructuring deal, and calls were made for a Global Expert
Review on Debt, Nature, and Climate.The EU called for increased coverage of global emissions by
Carbon Pricing Mechanisms and allocating a portion of revenues to climate finance.
The Summit indicated that the long-awaited USD 100 billion climate finance goal would be
achieved this year.This commitment was made at UNFCCC COP 15 in Copenhagen in 2009

In 2010, the 194 member countries agreed to create the Green Climate Fund (GCF) at UNFCCC
COP 16.It is headquartered in Incheon, Republic of Korea. At the COP27 summit, delegates from
the UN agreed to create a 'Loss and Damages' fund to compensate the most vulnerable countries
for their losses due to climate-related disasters.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its State of the Global Climate 2022 report
which pointed out that the Paris Agreement on Climate Change has been ineffective

SDGs

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of seventeen
interlinked objectives designed to serve as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people
and the planet, now and into the future." 2015, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
created the SDGs as part of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. This agenda sought to design a
new global development framework, replacing the Millennium Development Goals, which were
completed that same year. These goals were formally articulated and adopted in a UNGA
resolution known as the 2030 Agenda,

The short titles of the 17 SDGs are:

No poverty (SDG 1)
Zero hunger (SDG 2)
Good health and well-being (SDG 3)
Quality education (SDG 4)
Gender equality (SDG 5)
Clean water and sanitation (SDG 6)
Affordable and clean energy (SDG 7)
Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8)
Industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9)
Reduced inequalities (SDG 10)
Sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11)
Responsible consumption and production (SDG 12)
Climate action (SDG 13)
Life below water (SDG 14)
Life on land (SDG 15),
Peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16)
Partnerships for the goals (SDG 17)

July
Mangroves in India
International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem(July 26th), West Bengal(40%
of mangroves), unveiled plans to establish a dedicated 'Mangrove Cell'.

- Mangroves are found in tropical and subtropical regions, especially intertidal zones and can
withstand extremely harsh conditions.According to the Indian State Forest Report 2021,
Mangrove cover in India is 4992 sq. Km ( 0.15% of total area in India) . India contains 45.8%
of total mangrove cover in South Asia.
- Sundarbans(UNESCO world heritage site, management started in 1982) in West Bengal are
the largest mangrove forest regions in the world and are a ‘Wetland of International
Importance’ under the Ramsar Convention in January 2019.
- Besides Sundarbans- the Andamans region, Odisha’s Bhitarkanika Mangroves, Kachchh and
Jamnagar areas in Gujarat.
 India has lost 40% of its mangrove cover in the last century with Kerala losing 95% of its
mangroves in the last 3 decades.
India joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate launched during the UNFCCC COP27 and had set
up a National Mangrove Committee in 1976(under the National Coastal Mission Programme).
*IBCA - International Big Cat alliance

● Proposed by India
● Assured support over five years with guaranteed funding of $100 million
● Inspired by the arrival of cheetahs in 2022 from Namibia
● Works towards conservation of the 7 big cats — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma,
jaguar and cheetah.
● Membership is open to 97 countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats
● Other interested nations/international organisations also may join
● India - Only country to have tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards and cheetahs in the wild

Governance structure
● GA consisting of all member countries,
● Council of 7 to 15 members elected by the GA (Term: 5 years)
● Secretariat - Secretary General is appointed by the GA on council recommendation

Lions
● Project Lion - To conserve the critically endangered Asiatic lion
● Primarily focusing on the Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat.
● Emphasizes habitat management, scientific research, anti-poaching measures
● Aims to ensure a sustainable and growing population of Asiatic lions.

Tigers
● Tigers(Panthera tigris) - Largest cat species in the world
● Fall under endangered in the IUCN Red List
● International Tiger day - 29th July
● Established: 2010 (St.Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia)
● Project Tiger- est 1973- from 9 reserves to now 55
● Reserves are notified by State Governments as per provisions of Section 38V of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972 on advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA)
● NTCA = Statutory body under the MoEFCC
 ● Established in 2006 for strengthening tiger conservation
● Created by amending the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
● Latest : 55th - Mhadei in Goa , 54th - Karauli and Dholpur districts(5th in Rajasthan),
● Largest - Nagarjuna Sagar in Andhra Pradesh
● Highest density - Jim Corbett National Park.
● India’s wild tiger population has increased to 3,167 in 2022 from 1,400 in 2006
● India has the largest number of tigers(70% of worlds tiger population)
● Madhya Pradesh has the largest with 785
● On International Tiger Day 2023, two significant reports were released
● The Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of tiger reserves in India, 2022
a) Prepared by NCTA and Wildlife Institute
b) Evaluated 51 tiger reserves using 33 parameters (avg score of 78.01%)
c) Best performer - Periyar (Kerala) with 94%
d) Worst - Dampa (Mizoram) with 50%
● Study by Panthera and Chinese Academy of Sciences
a) Highlighted Bangladesh as major poaching hub
b) Tigers here are supplied to 15 countries (India, China, UK, Japan,USA etc)

First regional CSS

● First-ever regional Center for Species Survival (CSS) in South Asia established in India
● IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature ) Species Survival Commission and
the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) have partnered to establish the centre.
● IUCN was established in 1948.
● HQ: Gland, Switzerland.

Cheetah Conservation

● 20 cheetahs were brought in from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno -Palpur National Park
● 9 have died
● Project anticipated a high mortality rate
● Goal was to achieve a 50% survival rate for the first year (10 out of 20 cheetahs)
● Overestimated Kunos cheetah carrying capacity and predation led to death of cheetahs
● Project Cheetah - Worlds first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project
● Cheetah (Acinonyx Jubatus) means adorned/painted in sanskrit
● Listed as “vulnerable” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,
● Country's last spotted cheetah - Died in Sal forests of Chhattisgarh's Koriya district in 1948
● Declared extinct in India in 1952
 ● First solid steps for reintroduction were taken in the 1970s
a) Negotiations with Iran under Shah Muhammad Reza Pahlavi
b) Plan was to exchange Asiatic lions for Asiatic cheetahs.
● 2009: Another attempt to source Iranian Cheetahs but failed
● 2012: Supreme Court ordered a stay on the reintroduction project.
● 2020: South African experts visited four potential sites: Kuno-Palpur, Nauradehi Wildlife
Sanctuary, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Madhav National Park.

Kuno National Park

● Location: Madhya Pradesh
● Established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary.
● In 2018, it was given the status of a national park
● Part of the Khathiar- Gir dry deciduous forests
● Kuno - Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary - To become India‘s second home for the Asiatic lion
● Problems with cheetahs adapting to the dry and deciduous forests of Kuno
● 24 villages have been relocated from Kuno for the Asiatic Lion project which may be
delayed due to cheetah reintroduction

International Leopard Day

● May 3
● Cape Leopard Trust launched a global platform at global leopard conference
● Leopard population - Increased from 8000 to 12,852 in India (most in MP, Karnataka and
Maharashtra )
● Listed as “vulnerable” in the IUCN Red List and are in Appendix I of CITES
● Scientific name - Panthera Pardus

CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

● Aim: Ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not
threaten their survival
● Also known as the Washington Convention
● Came into force: 1975
● Currently 184 signatories
● Secretariat administered by UNEP
● HQ: Geneva, Switzerland
 ● Secretary-General: Ivonne Higuero
● Supreme decision-making body of the CITES - CoP of CITES
● Last CoP (17th) - Johannesburg (South Africa), in 2016
● India hosted 3rd CoP in 1981
● World Wildlife Day has been celebrated every year on the 3rd of March since 2013.
● Appendices I, II and III ap- Species afforded different levels of protection from
over-exploitation.
● Appendix I - Most endangered (1082 species). International trade in these species is
prohibited except for scientific research.
● Appendix II - Not threatened with extinction but may be so unless trade is controlled.
● Includes "look-alike species", i.e. species who look like species listed for conservation
● International trade authorized by the granting of an export permit or re-export certificate.
● Appendix III (211 species) - Included at request of a Party regulating trade in the species
● Needs the cooperation of other countries to prevent unsustainable or illegal exploitation.
● Species added or removed from Appendix I and II only by CoP but from Appendix III at any
time and by any party unilaterally.
*Semiconductors

● Materials which have a conductivity between conductors and insulators.

● Brain and Heart of electronics
● Pure elements - Silicon and Germanium
● Compounds - Gallium Arsenide and Cadmium Selenide.
● Used in aerospace, automobiles, communication, IT
● India imports from: China, Taiwan (biggest producer, 60% of the world supply), USA, Japan
● 1874 - Karl Braun discovered semiconductor diode effect
● 1901 - 1st semiconductor device “cat whiskers patented”
● 1961 - Silicon chip invented by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce
Indian Initiatives
● PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) Scheme - Dec 2021, Centre sanctioned Rs. 76,000cr
under PLI scheme to encourage semiconductor manufacturing
● SPECS Scheme - Scheme for Promotion of manufacturing of Electronic Components and
Semiconductors , 2022
● India's Semiconductor Mission (2021) - To reduce reliance on imports and achieve self
reliance. India focussed on producing low end fabs (more than 100nm chips)

Foxconn - Vedanta Chip Deal

● Feb 2022 - 19.5 bn semiconductor joint venture between Foxconn and Vedanta
 ● At Dholera, Gujarat (60 % Vedanta, 40% fox) and was due to an MoU with the Gujarat govt
● May 2023 - STMicro involved , Vedanta unable to acquire necessary tech
● Vedanta had to pay fine and Foxconn dropped out of deal (July 2023)
● Micron (US based) has MoU with Gujarat for 22500 cr semiconductor plant in Ahmedabad
● Also broke ground on its $2.75b assembly, testing and packaging plant in Sanand, Gujarat.
● Event took place at Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation‘s (GIDC) industrial estate

Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd.)

● Established: 1974
● HQ: Tucheng , Taipei
● Founder: Terry Crew
● President: Young Liu
● In March - Bought land of 300 acre beside blr airport for $1bn iphone manufacturing plant
● Foxconn is the worlds largest tech manufacturer and service provider

Vedanta
● Established in 1965
● HQ= Mumbai
● CEO = Sunil Duggal
Anthropocene Epoch(July)
- The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) has proposed that the Anthropocene epoch
(human impact on earth), began in 1950.

- The International Union of Geological Sciences could officially ratify the new Global
boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) in August 2024.(start date supported by
plutonium in Crawford Lake near Toronto, Canada)
- The Anthropocene epoch as a term was first coined by Nobel Prize-winning chemist Paul
Crutzen and biology professor Eugene Stoermer in 2000.
- The GSSP is an internationally agreed upon geological reference point that defines and
correlates different time periods.
- The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is a NGO that serves as the
international coordinating body for professional geological research and education.It was
founded in 1961 and is a member of the International Science Council (ISC).
STARFIRE Algorithm (July)
Recently, Scientists at Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department
of Science and Technology have developed an algorithm named STARFIRE (Simulation of
TerrestriAl Radio Frequency Interference in oRbits around Earth) to tackle unwanted Radio
Frequency Interference (RFI) in space, enriching data obtained from space-based astronomy
missions.STARFIRE is an advanced algorithm developed to estimate and map unwanted RFI signals
in space.The STARFIRE algorithm can estimate and identify the RFI emitted by various sources,
including FM radio stations, Wi-Fi networks, mobile towers, radar, satellites, and communication
devices.
*Ocean Frameworks

Deep sea mining

● International Seabed Authority (ISA) is preparing to allow Deep Sea Mining in the
International Seabed, including mining for minerals needed for Green Energy.
● ISA’s Legal and Technical Commission - Oversees the development of deep sea mining
regulations
● Meet in early July 2023 to discuss the mining code draft
● Deep sea mining involves removing mineral deposits and metals from the ocean’s seabed.
● These nodules, deposits and crusts contain materials, such as nickel, rare earths, cobalt
● Countries manage their own maritime territory and exclusive economic zones
● High seas and the international ocean floor are governed by the UNCLOS

International Seabed Authority (ISA)

● Autonomous organization within the UN common system
● HQ: Kingston, Jamaica
● All States parties to the 1982 UNCLOS are members = 168 members (167 countries + EU)
● The Authority is one of the three international institutions established by UNCLOS
● Other two: Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf and the International Tribunal
for the Law of the Sea.

UN High Seas Treaty

● Agreed on during talks led by the UN during the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on
Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) in New York, the US.
● Treaty is yet to be formally adopted as members are yet to ratify it
● 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas -They are seas not included in the
territorial/internal waters of a country
● Area beyond a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nautical miles from the coastline)
● No country is responsible for the management and protection of resources on the high seas.
● High seas = 60% of the world’s ocean area and cover about half of the Earth’s surface
● 12 nautical miles from the baseline = Territorial Sea limit
● 200 nautical miles distance = Exclusive Economic Zone limit
● In 1982, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), was adopted,
which delineated rules to govern the oceans and the use of its resources.
 ● However, there was no comprehensive legal framework that covered the high seas.
● In 2022, EU launched the High Ambition Coalition on BBNJ to finalise the agreement
● 30x30 target set at UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 (2022) under which
countries agreed to protect 30% of oceans by 2030.
● Iran recent most country to join UNCLOS

Other Conventions
● Convention on Continental Shelf 1964: Defines and delimits the rights of States to explore
and exploit the natural resources of the continental shelf.
● MARPOL Convention (1973): Pollution of the marine environment by ships from
operational or accidental causes.

Samudrayaan
● Three-member team to explore depths of the ocean in the first manned ocean mission.
● Will go to a depth of 6,000 metre in a submersible named Matsya 6000
● Developed by the NIOT (National Institute Of Ocean Technology) Chennai
Project will be part of Deep Ocean Mission which supports Centre‘s Blue Economy policy
● Matsya 6000 is designed with the capability of operating in the deep sea for 12 hours
● Aim: Look for precious minerals and metals like nickel, cobalt and manganese
● Will be equipped with Autonomous Coring System (ACS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
(AUV) and Deep Sea Mining System (DSM)
● Deep Ocean Mission (includes the Samudrayaan Project)
● Will be implemented till 2026
● Cost estimated at Rs. 8000 crore

August
LK99

South Korean scientists have recently claimed the discovery of a material they named LK-99.
According to their reports, LK-99 is a superconductor at room temperature and pressure.

Scientists started with lead apatite and substituted some of the lead atoms with copper, resulting
in copper-substituted lead apatite, which they named LK-99
Group reported that at 10% copper substitution, LK-99 exhibited the characteristics of a
superconductor. Proven false however

Superconductors are materials that exhibit zero electrical resistance when cooled to extremely
low temperatures. This property allows them to conduct electricity with no loss of energy.

1911 Kamerlingh Onnes discovered that the electrical resistance of mercury completely
disappeared at temperatures a few degrees above absolute zero.

US to hold first standalone trilateral summit with Japan and South Korea
United States announced its first standalone trilateral summit with Japan and South Korea will
take place on August 18. US President Joe Biden will host Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South
Korean leader Yoon Suk-yeol (for some semiconductor thing )

However LK99 was debunked by researchers claiming it did not show superconductivity but only
diamagnetism , and on increasing temp showed semiconducting / insulating resistivity.
World Water Week and Jal Jeevan Mission
World Water Week, taking place from 20th to 24th August, 2023 is the yearly global water forum
organized by Stockholm International Water Institute.

This year’s theme, “Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World,
In line, Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in 2019, is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking
water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):
Focus on tap water supply in water-scarce and drought-prone areas including bulk water transfer
and regional water supply schemes.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA): Conducted in water-stressed districts for water conservation and
management. “Catch the Rain” campaign launched to cover all districts, rural and urban areas.
Aims to capture rainwater where and when it falls..

Jal Jeevan Mission (Rural): The goal of this mission is to provide 55 litres of water per person per
day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024.

Current Status:
● As of January 3, 2023, the count of rural households having access to tapped water
connections had risen to 108.7 million, equivalent to 56.14%.
 ● Consequently, the Mission is faced with the task of extending its coverage to an extra 76.3
million rural households (47.3%) within the upcoming two years.
● As reported by the program’s dashboard, so far, the Har Ghar Jal status, which involves the
provision of tap water supply to all rural households, has been attained by 9 states and
Union Territories: Haryana, Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Daman and Diu
and Dadra Nagar Haveli, Telangana, Gujarat, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh

It comes under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Government of India also launched Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) that complements JJM(R) and has
been designed to provide universal coverage of water supply through functional taps in all 4,378
statutory towns of India

Andaman and Nicobar islands first Swacch Sujal Pradesh, LG - D K Joshi

Union Ministry of Jal Shakti - Formed: 2019, Minister: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
India’s Wind Energy Potential

- India ranks 4th globally after China, the US, Germany in terms of installed wind energy
capacity, with 42.8 GW (onshore wind) as of April 2023.
- Wind resource assessment by the National Institute of Wind Energy reveals an estimated
wind power potential of approximately 695.5 GW at 120 metres and 1,164 GW at 150
metres above ground level across the nation.

Government Initiatives for Wind Energy Development -

- Policy for Repowering of the Wind Power Projects, 2016
- Guidelines for Disposal of Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP),
- National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy,2018,
- National Offshore Wind Energy Policy.

Tata Power signs MoU to develop two Pumped Hydro Storage projects in Maharashtra - capacity
of 2,800 Megawatts (MW) . These projects worth Rs. 13,000 at Sherawat, Pune (1,800 MW) and
Bhivpuri, Raigad (1,000 MW) districts
Reliance Industries Ltd has signed a pact with Brookfield Asset Management .The Australian
investment will complement giga-factories that Reliance is building at Jamnagar in Gujarat
1st hydrogen fuel cell bus service is starting in Leh
Implemented by India‘s largest power producer NTPC, which is supplying five hydrogen fuel cell
buses to the Leh administration for intra-city
The state-run company has also built a refuelling station and captive solar plant of 1.7 megawatt
for producing green hydrogen to fuel the buses.
Ashok Leyland is supplying the buses at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore
Passenger fare for the hydrogen fuel cell buses will be the same as the cost of travelling on
9-metre diesel buses currently in service.
Germany launched the world‘s first fleet of fully hydrogen-powered trains, these are
emissions-free trains that can reach speeds of 140 kilometres per hour and can run about 1,000
km before the tank runs dry
Convention on biodiversity
- The UN Convention on Biological Diversity 1993 - legally binding treaty to conserve
biological diversity
- Secretariat is based in Montreal, Canada.
- COP 1( 1994 ) - Nassau Bahamas
- COP 5 (2000) Nairobi Kenya. UNGA adopted 22 May as Int. Day for biodiversity
- In 2000, a supplementary agreement to the Convention known as the Cartagena Protocol
on Biosafety was adopted. It came into force on 11th September 2003.
The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living
modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
- COP 6 ( 2002) - The Hague , Netherlands- Global Taxonomy Initiative, Global Strategy for
plant conservation adopted
- COP 8 (2006) - Curitiba ,Brazil - Global Biodiversity Outlook report 3
- COP 10 (2010) - Nagoya, Japan - adopted Nagoya protocol (access to genetic resources and
fair and equitable sharing of benefits .
- also adopted Strategic plan for biodiversity 2011-20 and Alchi Biodiversity Targets
- COP 11 - Hyderabad
- COP 14 - Sharm El- Sheikh
- COP 15 -2022
Phase 1 - Kunming China
Ecological civilization; Building a shared future for all of life on earth .
formed Kunming Biodiversity Fund
Phase 2 - Montreal .
 - adopted Post 2020 global biodiversity framework - 4 goals and 23 targets to be achieved by
2030
- 30 by 30 target - Restore 30% degraded ecosystems globally (on land and sea) by 2030
- Conserve and manage 30% areas (terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine) by 2030
- Wealthier countries should contribute at least USD20 billions of this every year by 2025,
and at least USD 30 billion a year by 2030.

- India enacted Biological Diversity Act in 2002 for giving effect to the provisions of the CBD
- So far, the Global Environment Facility which caters to multiple conventions, including the
UNFCCC and UN Convention to Combat Desertification, remains the only source of funding for
biodiversity conservation.
- May 22 - Int Biodiversity day

Biological diversity act , 2002

- born out of India’s attempt to realise the objectives enshrined in the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1992 which recognizes the sovereign rights of
states to use their own Biological Resources.
- set up a national biodiversity authority which prohibits certain activities
- The act envisaged a three-tier structure to regulate the access to biological resources:
- The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
- The State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs)
- The Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) (at local level)
- Any grievances related to the determination of benefit sharing or order of the National
- Biodiversity Authority or a State Biodiversity Board under this Act, shall be taken to the
- National Green Tribunal (NGT).

other relevant laws

- environment protection act 1986
- the forest conservation act 1980
- the air prevention and control of pollution act of 1981

- National Biodiversity Authority

- The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2003 to implement the said
act .
- It is a Statutory body that performs facilitative, regulatory and advisory functions for
- the Government of India on the issue of Conservation and sustainable use of biological
- resources.
- The NBA has its Headquarters in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
 - members - chairperson( Mr. C Achalender Reddy ) + 3 ex officio mem(tribal and moefc) + 7
ex officio meme (union cabinet rep)+ 5 non official mem

- Biodiversity Heritage sites

- Under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 the State Government in
- consultation with local bodies may notify the areas of biodiversity importance as
- Biodiversity Heritage Sites.

Status of India's birds index 2023

The SoIB 2023 is a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort of 13 government and non-government
organisations, including the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Wildlife Institute of India
(WII), and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Worldwide Fund for
Nature–India (WWF–India) among others, which evaluates the overall conservation status of the
most regularly occurring bird species in India.

For the 338 species with identified long-term trends, 60% have experienced declines, 29% are
stable, and 11% have shown increases. Among the 359 species with determined current annual
trends, 39% are declining, 18% are rapidly declining, 53% are stable, and 8% are increasing(eg
Indian peafowl)

What Measures Have Been Taken to Safeguard Different Bird Species?

- National Action Plan for the Conservation of Migratory Birds (2018-2023)

- Transboundary protected areas for conservation of species like Tigers, Asian elephants,
Snow Leopard, the Asiatic Lion, the one-horned rhinoceros, and the Great Indian Bustard.
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

September
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards 2022
- The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards are the highest multidisciplinary science awards in
India. They are named after Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, the founder and director of the CSIR,
who was also a renowned chemist and visionary
- SSB Prizes, each of the value of Rs 5,00,000 (₹ five lakh only)
 - Any citizen,PIO, overseas citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and
technology up to the age of 45 years as reckoned on 31st December of the year preceding
the year of the Prize.It is based on work done preceding 5 yrs prize.

- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) established in 1942, with its
headquarters in New Delhi. It has a network of 37 national laboratories, 39 outreach
centers, 1 Innovation Complex , funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and it
operates as an autonomous body through the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- CSIR’s organizational structure includes the Prime Minister of India as President, the Union
Minister of Science and Technology as Vice President, with the Director-General heading
the governing body

Union minister for sci and tech = jitender singh

DG of CSIR = N.Kalaiselvi
26 sep = foundation day of CSRI
May 11 = National Technology Day

Global Stocktake Report

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ahead of the 18thG-20
summit in New Delhi. The synthesis report presents 17 key findings, painting a concerning picture
of the world’s progress towards Paris Agreement targets.
Objective to assess individual countries’ efforts to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and
transition to renewable energy sources.
The stocktake is designed to keep countries accountable and encourage them to increase their
climate ambitions over time.
In 2015, when countries committed in Paris to keep global temperatures from rising beyond 2
degrees Celsius by the end of the century and “as far as possible” below 1.5 degrees Celsius, they
also agreed to periodically review, or take stock of efforts, made by individual countries in
containing greenhouse gasses. ¾ While countries have laid out their Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDC), they are expected to increase their ambitions every five years. Next NDC set
in 2025

The global stocktake report influenced the G20 Leaders Declaration, a significant outcome of the
summit. For the first time, the declaration formally recognized the substantial financial
requirements for transitioning to renewable energy. It noted the need for USD 5.8-5.9 trillion in
the pre2030 period for developing countries and USD 4 trillion per year for clean energy
technologies by 2030 to achieve Net-Zero emissions by 2050.

Tamil Nadu‘s Shore Temple becomes country‘s first green energy archaeological site‘

Shore Temple in Mamallapuram has become the country‘s first ‗green energy archaeological site.‘
With the completion of the Green Heritage Project undertaken by the Renault Nissan Technology
& Business Centre India (Renault Nissan Tech), in partnership with Hand in Hand India (HiH), the
monument will be lit up by solar power generated by three 10-kw solar plants
NVIDIA , RIL and Tata group partnership

- NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang revealed plans to work together with reliance
Industries and Tata group to build AI infrastructure and supercomputers.NVIDIA will
provide access to the most advanced GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip and DGX Cloud, an AI
supercomputing service in the cloud.

- NVIDIA has four engineering development centres in the country – in Gurugram,

Hyderabad, Pune and Bengaluru -with over 3,800 employees.Jensen also recently met with
PM Modi regarding the AI capabilities of India.
- Jio platforms Ltd. in addition announced plans to build a state-of-the-art cloud-based AI
compute infrastructure with Nvidia.

- Nvidia Corporation is an American multinational technology company that was founded on

April 5, 1993, by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem, with a vision to bring
3D graphics to the gaming and multimedia markets.

Climate ambition summit 2023

● UN climate ambition summit (CAS) held in UN HQ new york on 20 sep 2023
● Aimed to accelerate climate action as a prelude to 28th COP to UNFCCC
● China US and india were absent - top 3 emitters - account for 42% of GHG emissions
● Countries were required to update pre-2030 nationally determined contributions (NDCs)
● Brazil pledged to reinstate original 2015 goals
Nepal aimed net zero emissions by 2045
Thailand targeted net zero by 2050
Portugal aimed carbon neutral by 2045
October
CERT-In
- The Indian computer Emergency Response Team (CERT - In) is national agency which responds to
cyber security incidents
- est 2004 by MeitY under Section 70(B) of the Indian Information Technology Act 2000.
- The functioning of CERT-In is defined by the Information Technology (The Indian Computer
Emergency Response Team and Manner of Performing Functions and Duties) Rules, 2013.
CERT-In's functions include:
Resolving incidents like data breaches and denial-of-service attacks
Providing alerts and incident handling guidelines
Conducting public awareness campaigns
Researching ways to improve security systems
CERT-IN provides Incident Prevention and Response Services as well as Security Quality
Management Services.
CERT-In observed National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October 2023
CERT-In issues “Guidelines on Information Security Practices” for Government Entities for Safe &
Trusted Internet
- Google cloud recently collaborated with CERT-In to train employees in cybersecurity s. This
includes training a 'cyber force' of 1,000 government officials in cyber defence best
practices. The initiatives also involve using generative AI and conducting cybersecurity AI
hackathons led by front-line experts from Google Cloud and Mandiant
*Nobel Prizes
● 5 prizes according to Alfred Nobel‘s (father of dynamite) will
● Awarded to those who have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind
● Established: 1895
● First time awarded in 1901
● Anniversary of Nobels death: 10th December (awards ceremony)
● Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine,
Literature and Peace. (Economics added later, Sveriges Riksbank prize)
● First Indian Nobel Laureate - Rabindranath Tagore for Literature, 1913
● National Science Day on Feb 28th, 1928 (discovery of Raman Effect by C V Raman)
● Won Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930
● First Indian woman laureate - Mother Teresa for Peace,1979

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

● Winners 2023 - Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman
● Development of mRNA vaccines against Covid-19
● First one - German physiologist, Emil von Behring, for serum therapy and diphtheria vaccine
● First woman - Gerty Cori in 1947 for her role in elucidating the metabolism of glucose

Nobel Prize in Physics

● Winners 2023 - Anne L‘Huillier, Pierre Agostini, and Ferenc Krausz
● Creation of extremely short pulses of light, used to measure electron movements
● First one - Wilhelm Roentgen for discovering X Rays
● 1983 - Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (stellar structure and evolution)

Nobel Prize in Chemistry

● Winners 2023 - Alexei Ekimov, Louis Brus, and Moungi Bawendi
● For deviant behaviour in nanoparticles
● 2009 - Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (studies of the structure and function of the Ribosome)
● First winner - Jacobus Henricus Van’t Hoff

Nobel Prize for Literature

● Winner 2023 - Jon Olav Fosse
● Youngest laureate - Rudyard Kipling (41 years old in 1907)
● Oldest laureate - Doris Lessing, (88 in 2007)
● Awarded posthumously once to Erik Axel Karlfeldt in 1931.
● Has been declined twice - Boris Pasternak and Jean Paul Sartre

Nobel Prize in Economics

● Winner 2023 - Claudia Goldin
● For having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes
● Based on a donation received by the Nobel Foundation in 1968 from Sveriges Riksbank
● Formally called - Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
● Goldin is only the third woman to win this honour (2009, Elinor Ostrom, 2019 Esther Duflo)
● The first Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded in the year 1969 to Ragnar Fisch and Jan
Tinbergen
 ● Only 3 laureates can share this prize in a single year. (The prize was shared by Abhijit
Vinayak Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer)

Nobel Prize for Peace -

● Only prize awarded in Norway
● Winner - Narges Mohammadi
● For her fight against the oppression of women in Iran
● Malala Yousafzai youngest to ever win Nobel Prize (age 17, in 2014)
● Mahatma Gandhi nominated 5 times

*LIGO Project in India

● GoI approved the construction of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave
Observatory (LIGO)project
● Built by: Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology
● The project aims to detect gravitational waves from the universe.
● 2 perpendicularly placed 4-km long vacuum chambers
● Most sensitive interferometers in the world.
● It is expected to begin scientific runs from 2030
● Location: Hingoli district of Maharashtra, about 450 km east of Mumbai.
● Gravitational waves were first postulated in Einstein's General Theory of Relativity (1916)
● LIGO is an international network of laboratories that detect gravitational waves.
● Designed to measure changes in distance several orders of magnitude smaller than a proton.
● LIGO in the US first detected gravitational waves in 2015
● Led to a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2017 (Kip Thorne, Barry Barish, Rainer Weisse)
● Black hole mergers are the source of some of the strongest gravitational waves.
● Operational LIGO: US - Hanford and Livingston, Italy - Virgo and Japan - Kagra

*COP28

● UAE hosting COP 28 to the UNFCCC in Dubai in 2023

● UAE is one of the world's top 10 oil-producing nations
● Has appointed the CEO of the state-owned oil company, Sultan Al Jaber as President.
● COP 27 was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
● COP 26 was postponed in 2020 and took place in Glasgow, UK in November 2021
● India hosted all 3 Rio convention COP’s- climate change (UNFCCC), biodiversity (CBD) and
land (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification).
● UNFCCC - Entered into force on 21st March 1994
● Ratified by 197 countries.
● Secretariat in Bonn, Germany.
● Slogan: Waiting On The World To Change

Conference of the Parties (COP):

● COP is the apex decision-making authority of UNFCCC.
● Meets annually, unless the Parties decide otherwise
● The COP meets in Bonn unless a Party offers to host the session.
● COP President normally rotates among the 5 UN regional groups which are - Africa, Asia,
Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Others.
● President is usually the environment minister of his or her home country

Major COP’s
● 1995: COP1 (Berlin, Germany)
● 1997: COP 3 (Kyoto Protocol) - Binds developed countries to emission reduction targets.
● 2002: COP 8 (New Delhi, India) Delhi Declaration - Focuses on the development needs of
the poorest countries and the need for technology transfer for mitigating climate change.
● 2010: COP 16 (Cancun) - Resulted in the Cancun Agreements. The Green Climate Fund, the
Technology Mechanism and the Cancun Adaptation Framework were established.
● 2011: COP 17 (Durban) -Resulted in Agreements for the period beyond 2020 , precursor to
the Paris Agreement of 2015.
● 2015: COP21 (Paris) - To keep global temperature well below 2.0C above pre-industrial
times and try to limit them even more to 1.5C.It requires rich nations to maintain USD
100bn a year funding pledge beyond the year 2020.
● 2018: COP 24, Katowice (Poland) - It finalized a “rulebook” to operationalise the 2015 Paris
Agreement.The rulebook covers climate financing facilities and the actions to be taken as
per Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)
Space - Kavya

Jan
*ISRO Static

Phase I: 1960-70

● Dr Vikram Sarabhai -Founding father of the Indian space programme

● Nehru put space research under the Department of Atomic Energy in 1961
● Homi Bhabha - Father of India’s atomic programme
● Founded the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962
● Chairman of INCOSPAR: Vikram Sarabhai
● Launch of sounding rockets in 1962
● Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) near Thiruvananthapuram in 1963
● India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established in 1969
● Department of Space was established in 1972

Phase II: 1970-80

● India began developing satellite technology

● First indigenous satellite launched by India was called Rohini
● First Indian-made sounding rocket was the RH-75 (Rohini-75). It weighed just 32 kg
● Launched from TERLS in 1967
● First satellite in 1975 - Aryabhata
● Launched by the Soviet Union
● By 1979, the SLV was ready to launch from the Sriharikota Rocket Launching Station, a
newly created second launch site (SRLS)
● First launch in 1979 failed due to a control malfunction in the second stage
● Resolved by 1980 and then succeeded

Phase III: 1980-90

● First communication satellite - Apple (Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment)

● Launched in 1981 from French Guiana
● Communication satellite INSAT-1A in 1982 which failed in orbit
● INSAT-1B was launched in 1983
 ● In 1987, the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) was tested, but the launch failed.
● After modest adjustments, another launch attempt was made in 1988, which also failed
● India's first remote sensing satellite - IRS-1A (17 March 1988 from the Soviet Cosmodrome)

Phase IV: 1990-2000

● 1992 - The first successful launch of the ASLV took place

● 1994 - First successful launch of PSLV (Now main vehicle, created worlds largest satellite
cluster)

Phase V: Post 2000

● 2001 - First development flight of the GSLV took place

● 2008 - Chandrayaan mission to send unmanned probes to the moon (PSLV)
● 2010, ISRO embarked on the following programmes:
a) Launch vehicle development programme - Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), GSLV Mark-III missions
b) Earth Observation programme - Indian remote sensing (IRS) satellites and
weather/climate satellite
c) Satellite navigation programme - 7 Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
(IRNSS) satellites + ground segment for accurate positional and timing information
● Gaganyaan - 3 flights in orbit (2 unmanned + 1 human spaceflight)
a) Orbital Module, would house three Indian astronauts (one will be a woman)
b) 5-7 days, it will circle the Earth in a low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 300-400 km
● ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu (renamed to IPRC in 2014) - Jet
propulsion laboratory of India
● 2016 - Scramjet (Supersonic Combusting Ramjet) engine
a) Hydrogen as fuel and Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser
b) ISRO’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV) - Solid rocket booster for Scramjet testing

IN-SPACE
● Provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure
● Single point of contact between ISRO and private players

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)

● Central Public Sector Enterprise of the Government of India
● Founded in 2019
● Managed by the Department of Space
● ISRO’s commercial arm
● HQ: Bengaluru
● Amazonia-1 The 53rd flight of PSLV-C51 marked the first dedicated mission for NSIL
● Would offer users remote sensing data for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region

Indian Space Association (ISpA)

● Collective voice of the Indian Space industry
● Represented by leading domestic and global corporations that have advanced capabilities in
space and satellite technologies
● Aids the government regarding policy, connect with international bodies

ISRO facilities:
● Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram
● Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram
● Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Andhra Pradesh
● Space Applications Centre (SAC),Ahmedabad
● National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad

Rakesh Sharma
● Former Indian Air Force pilot
● Flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme
● Only Indian citizen to travel in space
● Another Air Force pilot, Ravish Malhotra, was placed on standby
● 3 member crew: Ship’s commander, Yury Malyshev, and flight engineer, Gennadi Strekalov
● Soyuz carried them to the Salyut 7 Orbital Station

Kalpana Chawla
● Indian-born American astronaut/aerospace engineer
● First woman of Indian origin to fly to space
● Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator
● Chawla’s second flight was on STS-107, the final flight of Columbia, in 2003
● Died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster when the spacecraft disintegrated during its
re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere on 1 February 2003
● Posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor

Vikram Sarabhai
 ● Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and helped develop nuclear
power in India
● Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972
● Father of the Indian Space Program
● Known as the cradle of space sciences in India, the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) was
founded in 1947 by Vikram Sarabhai.

Homi J. Bhabha
● Indian nuclear physicist who is credited as the “father of the Indian nuclear programme”
● Founding director and professor of physics at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
● Founding director of the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay which was renamed the
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in his honour
● First chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the Department of
Atomic Energy.
● Adams Prize (1942) and Padma Bhushan (1954), and nominated for the Nobel Prize for
Physics in 1951 and 1953–1956
● Died in the crash of Air India Flight 101 in 1966, at the age of 56

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

● Indian aerospace scientist and statesman
● 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007
● Born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
● Studied physics and aerospace engineering
● Involved in India’s civilian space programme and military missile development efforts
● Known as the Missile Man of India for his work on ballistic missiles and launch vehicle tech
● Called the “People’s President”, returned to education, writing & public service after 1 term
● Recipient of the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.

Vikram-S

● India’s first privately developed rocket - Vikram-S

● Developed by: Skyroot Aerospace, Hyderabad based startup with help from ISRO and
IN-SPACe
● Comes under the Prarambh Mission
● Launched November 2022
● Single-stage sub-orbital launch vehicle which would carry three customer payloads.
● The Vikram-I can launch with 480 kilograms of payload
 ● Vikram-II is designed to do so with 595 kilo
● Vikram-III has a 500 km Low Inclination Orbit launch capability with 815 kg.

AstroSat

● Multi-wavelength astronomy mission on an IRS-class (Indian Remote Sensing-Class) satellite

● Launched: PSLV from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on September 28, 2015
● First Indian astronomy mission studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral
bands simultaneously
● 5 unique X-ray and ultraviolet telescopes working in tandem.
● Ground Command and Control Centre at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network
(ISTRAC), Bangalore, India
● Life of the Mission - 5 years (expected) but still going

Feb

March

April
Japan’s ispace prepares for world’s first commercial lunar landing

- Japanese start-up, ispace inc, attempted to land its Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1) spacecraft on
the moon early in what it hoped would be the world’s first lunar landing by a private
company.
- The M1 lander was set to touch down after taking off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a
SpaceX(Falcon 9) rocket in April.
- The M1 lander would deploy two robotic rovers, two-wheeled, orange-sized devices from
Japan’s JAXA space agency and a four-wheeled Rover made by the UAE known as the
Explorer Rashid, after the Dubai royal family patriarch as well as an experimental solid-state
battery made by NGK Spark Plug Co, a Japanese-based spark plug company
- It aimed to search for water samples before landing in the Atlas crater
- Communication with the lander was lost during the final moments of descent to the lunar
surface at 16:40 UTC (00:40 JST) on 25 April.
Other Japanese space missions
Hayabusa 2 -
 - decided to make a crater on asteroid 1999 JU3 (Ryugu) to collect underground
samples.

- This is part of the Hayabusa 2 mission, launched in December 2014, to explore

asteroid 1999 JU3 (Ryugu).
- Asteroids are actually minor planets which can neither be classified either as a planet
or as a comet.
These are generally in the direct orbit around the Sun.
The larger forms of asteroids are also known as planetoids.
- Hayabusa 2 was launched in December 2014 and is planned to complete a mission of
six years.
It arrived at Ryugu in July 2018 and will spend 18 months studying the asteroid before
making its return to Earth in December 2020.
The mission builds on the original Hayabusa mission that was launched in 2003 and
successfully linked up with asteroid Itokawa in 2005.
This mission returned samples to Earth in 2010 marking the first time sample materials
from an asteroid were brought back to Earth

LUPEX
● Indian and Japanese space agencies have been working on a lander-rover mission to explore
the moon.
● LUPEX: Lunar Polar Exploration Mission
● This mission is currently in its planning phase
● The latest details from ISRO suggest that the mission could live for 100 days on the lunar
surface, which is more than 5 times the mission of India’s Chandrayaan - 3.
● LUPEX could also involve a massive lunar rover that weighs 350 kg (for scale the
Chandrayaan - 3’s Pragyan Rover weighed 26 kg)
● Project’s preliminary details shared by Nilesh Desai, ISRO.
James Webb Telescope
● Large, infrared telescope designed to observe the most distant objects in the universe
● Successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.
● It is a collaboration between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
● Launched on December 25 2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana
● Jan 2022 - At Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, 1.5 million km beyond Earth’s orbit
● Named after James E Webb, NASA administrator (1961-68)
● First JWST image 11 July 2022
 ● Its primary mission is to study the early universe, the formation of galaxies, stars, and
planets, and the atmospheres of exoplanets.

JWST Compact Galaxy

The James Webb telescope has recently discovered a highly compact galaxy that was born just 510
million years after the big bang(relatively soon).
The galaxy, dating to 13.3 billion years ago, has a diameter of approximately 100 light-years - about
1,000 times smaller than the Milky Way - but forms new stars at a similar rate(2 stars per year) .
The universe at the time was less than 4% of its current age.
A globular cluster might be observed in the galaxy - a tightly bound collection of tens of thousands
to millions of stars - in the process of forming.
Such early universe galaxies are very different from galaxies formed today and shouldn’t be able to
form according to our current understanding of the universe.
The study was published in the journal science by University of Minnesota (lead author - a doctoral
student Hayley Williams , co author - astronomy professor Patrick Kelly)

JWST Uranus Image(Feb)

- The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, has captured a clear image of the
planet Uranus and its rings, in the same manner it had for Neptune in 2022.
- The infrared image from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) combines data from two
filters at 1.4 and 3.0 microns, which are shown in blue and orange, respectively.

- Uranus is an ice giant due to the chemical makeup of its interior, with most of its mass being
a hot and dense fluid of icy materials like water, methane, and ammonia.It rotates on its side,
with a roughly 90-degree angle from the plane of its orbit which leads to extreme seasons
and long periods of sunlight and darkness.
- It is among only 2 planets in our solar system that rotate clockwise along with Venus and
takes 84 earth years to orbit the Sun.It has 13 rings, with 11 visible in the image.It also has
27 known moons, out of which 6(brightest) were clearly captured.

- Uranus has only been imaged by 2 other facilities: the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it flew past
the planet in 1986 and the Keck Observatory with advanced adaptive optics.
- It has a unique polar cap that brightens and appears when hit by direct sunlight during
summer and vanishes in the fall. Webb's data can help scientists understand this mechanism.
 JWST methane and CO2
- JWST has recently found that K2-18 b, an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth, contains
carbon-bearing molecules including methane and carbon dioxide, which adds to recent
studies suggesting that K2-18 b could be a Hycean exoplanet, one which has the potential to
possess a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a water ocean-covered surface and falls in the
Goldlilocks zone for habitable planets.

- K2-18 b orbits the cool dwarf star K2-18 in the habitable zone and lies 120 light-years from
Earth in the constellation Leo. The planet’s large size — with a radius 2.6 times the radius of
Earth — means that the planet’s interior has a large mantle of high-pressure ice, like
Neptune, but with a thinner hydrogen-rich atmosphere and an ocean surface. Hycean
worlds are predicted to have oceans of water. However, it is also possible that the ocean is
too hot to be habitable or liquid.
- They also provided a possible detection of a molecule called dimethyl sulfide (DMS) which
on earth is primarily emitted from phytoplankton in marine environments.
- The detections of the Spectra of K2-18 b were obtained with Webb’s NIRISS (Near-Infrared
Imager and Slitless Spectrograph) and NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph).The team’s
results were accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
PSLV-C55 / TeLeos-2
- ISRO has successfully launched the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)-C55/TeLEOS-2
mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on April 22nd,
marking the 57th flight of PSLV.

- The mission was a commercial one conducted by NSIL(New Space India Limited), DSTA and
ST engineering.It carries TeLEOS-2 as primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-passenger
satellite, both belonging to Singapore.The satellites weigh about 741 kg and 16 kg,
respectively.The scientists used PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-2 (POEM-2) as an
orbital platform.ISRO has so far launched nine satellites belonging to Singapore.

- TeLEOS-2 is an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) owned by Singapore.It carries a Synthetic

Aperture Radar (SAR) payload capable of imaging at 1m full-polarimetric resolution and can
provide all-weather day and night coverage.In 2015, ISRO had launched TeLEOS-1, which
was launched into a low Earth orbit for remote sensing applications.
 - LUMILITE-4: is an advanced 12U satellite developed by I2R and STAR for the technological
demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES).
"12U" refers to a standardized form factor for CubeSats.It aims to augment Singapore’s
e-navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping community.

- POEM is an experimental mission by ISRO which performs in-orbit scientific experiments

during the 4th stage of the PSLV launch vehicle as an orbital platform.In the PSLV, the first
three stages fall back to the earth and the 4th is lost as space junk after the launch.

May
China sends first civilian to space

China launched its first civilian astronaut into orbit, launching the Shenzhou-16 mission to the
International Space Station for its second in-orbit crew rotation
The three Shenzhou-16 astronauts launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China’s
Gansu province’s desert bound for the Tiangong space station circling Earth

Shenzhou-16 Mission The Crew – Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu, And Gui Haichao
To Start Their Own Five-month Stint Aboard The Station
China’s Fifth Manned Mission to the Space Station Since 2021
Gui, A Professor At China’s Prestigious Aeronautics Institution Beihang University Who Pursued
His Postdoctoral Studies In Canada, Is The First Chinese Civilian To Be On A Spaceflight
Jing, The Mission Commander, Is a Space Veteran Who Was among China’s First Team of
Astronauts In 1998 And Has Already Completed Three Manned Flight Missions

Tiangong Space Station - Finished construction this year, could host astronauts for a decade
Sole in orbit research post after 2030 ISS decommissioning

June
Great Observatories

Chandra X-ray Project

The Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched by Space Shuttle Columbia in 1999.
Part of NASA's fleet of "Great Observatories" along with the Hubble Space Telescope and the
Spitzer Space Telescope.
The "X-ray universe" refers to the universe as observed with telescopes designed to detect X-rays.
X-rays are produced in the cosmos when matter is heated to millions of degrees.
Such temperatures occur where high magnetic fields, or extreme gravity, or explosive forces exist
in space.
Named after Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar whos work implied that stars more massive than the
so-called Chandrasekhar limit would eventually collapse to become objects so dense that not even
light could escape it
Chandrasekhar limit is the theoretical maximum mass a white dwarf star can have and still remain
a white dwarf.
Foundation of the theory of black holes, earned him a Nobel Prize in physics for 1983.

Hubble Space Telescope

Astronomer Lyman Spitzer wrote the paper Astronomical advantages of an extraterrestrial

observatory
Named after Edwin Hubble
It is one of the largest and most versatile telescopes in service.
It is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit (540km above Earth) in 1990 by
Space Shuttle Discovery
Hubble’s four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared spectra.
In 1997 - added capability in the near-infrared range
In 2009 - fixed the telescope and extended its projected service life.

*Black hole
● Gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out
● Matter has been squeezed into a tiny space (can happen when a star is dying)
● Scientists have detected the gravitational waves generated when two black holes collide.
● The concept was theorised by Albert Einstein in 1916 via his general theory of relativity
● Term ‘black hole‘ was coined by John Archibald Wheeler in 1967
● First blackhole discovered - Cygnus X1 (in the constellation of Cygnus, Swan)
● In April 2019 - Event Horizon Telescope Project released the first-ever image of a Black Hole
● Center of Messier 87 galaxy, 55 million light years from Earth
● Singularity - Condition in which gravity is so intense that spacetime itself breaks down
catastrophically
● Blackhole at the heart of the Milky Way - Sagittarius A
July
*Artemis Accords
● India decided to join the Artemis Accords during the PM’s visit to the United States.
● India became the 27th country to sign
● NASA and ISRO collab to send Indian astronauts, trained at the Johnson Space Center in
Houston, Texas to the ISS in 2024
● Artemis Accords are established by the U.S. State Department, NASA+7 countries (2020)
● Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg,UAE and the UK
● For: Common principles to govern civil exploration and space for peaceful purposes
● Builds upon the foundation of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967
● Intercosmos - was USSR space agency’s international arm,
● Gave India permission to launch Aryabhatta and Rakesh sharma to go to space
● Helped launch first mission of India for free as an exception
● Dissolved in 1994
● Artemis-I: Unmanned Mission to the Moon - Began with the launch of the Orion spacecraft
from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022.
● Artemis-II: Crewed Lunar Flyby Mission: First crewed mission under the Artemis program
set for 2024
● Artemis-III: Human Return to the Moon - Mission will go beyond the lunar flyby of
Artemis-II, allowing astronauts to land on the lunar surface set for 2025
● Lunar Gateway station is planned for 2029.
● Germany became the 29th country to sign the Artemis Accords,

Oumuamua
Oumuamua is the first Interstellar Object ever tracked by humans in the solar system.
Tracked by Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) instrument in
Maui, Hawaii in October 2017.
Hawaiian word meaning “scout” or “a messenger sent from far to reach out to us”.
Scientists have concluded that Oumuamua is a reddish-brown rock shaped like a cigar — about 800
m long and 80 m wide.

August
Voyager mission
● NASA lost communication with Earth‘s longest-running space probe, Voyager 2
● Voyager 2, which is about 19.9 billion kilometres away from Earth, is still operating.
● In 1974, however, it was decided that if one spacecraft completes the mission, the other one
 would be redirected towards Uranus and then Neptune.
● Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are identical spacecraft.
● Has some records , selected for NASA by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan,
● Fifteen months after its launch, Voyager 1 reached its first target planet, Jupiter, on March 5,
1979, and was soon followed by Voyager 2.
● Voyager 2 was launched before Voyager 1.
● While Voyager 1 officially entered interstellar space in August 2012, Voyager 2 made its
entry in November 2018.(outside influence of heliosphere,beyond influence of solar winds)
―They showed that interstellar space begins just over 18 billion kilometres from the sun
● NASA - independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civil space
program, aeronautics research
Established in 1958, NASA succeeding the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA)
NASA currently supports the International Space Station and oversees the development of
the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System for the crewed lunar Artemis program,
Commercial Crew spacecraft, and the planned Lunar Gateway space station
● They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favourable alignment of the two gas
giants Jupiter and Saturn and the ice giants, Uranus and Neptune, to fly near them while
collecting data for transmission back to Earth.
● After launch the decision was made to send Voyager 2 near Uranus and Neptune to collect
data for transmission back to Earth.
● As of 2023, Voyager 2 remains the only spacecraft to have ever visited the ice giants Uranus
and Neptune. In August 2018, NASA confirmed, based on results by the New Horizons
spacecraft, the existence of a "hydrogen wall" at the outer edges of the Solar System
● The Voyager spacecraft were built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California
and funded by NASA
● The cost of the original program was $865 million, with the later-added Voyager Interstellar
Mission costing an extra $30 million.

*Russia’s Luna-25 mission

● Russia‘s Vostochny spaceport in the Far East launched Luna-25 craft to the moon
● Luna-25 scheduled to land on the Moon on August 23, the same day as Chandrayaan-3
● Renamed from Luna-Glob lander to Luna 25
● Done to emphasise the continuity of the Soviet Luna programme from the 1970s
● The Russian mission will land near the lunar South Pole at the Boguslavsky crater.
● Will practise soft-landing, analyse soil samples and conduct long-term scientific research
● Only 3 governments have managed successful moon landings: the USSR, the USA and China
 ● Luna programme - Series of spacecrafts sent to the Moon by the USSR from 1959-1976
● 1968-1972 - Crewed missions to the Moon by the USA as part of the Apollo program.
● Apollo 8 was the first crewed mission to enter orbit in December 1968
● 6 missions landed humans on the Moon, beginning with Apollo 11 in July 1969
● Missions to the Moon (chronological): the USSR, the US, Japan, ESA, China, India,
Luxembourg, Israel, Italy, South Korea, and the UAE
● Russia and China lead the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS)
● Luna 25 failed due to an attempt to shift its circular orbit to a lower pre-landing orbit.
● Trajectory deviation, causing the craft to crash onto the Moon’s surface
● Roscosmos lost communication during this critical event.

September
*Aditya L-1

● 1st space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun.

● Conceptualised in January 2008 by the Advisory Committee for Space Research
● Initially envisaged as a small LEO satellite with a coronagraph to study the solar corona
● Since expanded to a comprehensive solar and space environment observatory
● It will be placed at L1 to complete research hence the mission was renamed Aditya L1
● Project director: Nigar Shaji
● Will be in earth's orbit for 16 days and will reach L1 (Lagrange Point 1) in 125 days
● Made at UR Rao satellite centre , hq in Blore
● Launched at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
● Halo orbit around the L1 of the Sun-Earth system, 1.5 million km from Earth
● Advantage of having a continuous view of the Sun without any occultation/eclipses
● Launch vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C57)
a) Workhorse of ISRO
b) 3rd generation launch vehicle of India + 4 stage launch (1st indian vehicle with liquid
stages )
c) 1st flight in 1993 , successful launch in 1994
d) Launched Chandrayaan (2008) and Mangalyaan (2013) missions
● Has 7 payloads ~
○ Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT; will record entire disk of Sun thru 11 filters
in 200-400 nm)
○ Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS)
 ○ High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL10S)
○ Aditya Solar-wind Particle EXperiment (ASPEX)
○ Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA)
○ Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)
● VELC is primary payload; everything except ASPEX will be off till Jan 6, 2024
● Lagrange points (Liberation points), named after Joseph Louis Lagrange
● There are 5 lagrange points which can be found by solving General Three Body Formula

Indian firm Agnikul Cosmos is on its way to becoming the first in the country to privately design,
develop and launch a liquid-fuelled rocket.
Agnikul is targeting to launch their maiden rocket known as -Agnibaan SOrTeD‘ (SubOrbital
Technological Demonstrator)
Driven by Agnikul‘s patented Agnilet engine- an entirely 3d Printed, single-piece,
6 kN semi-cryogenic engine
Agnikul was established in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM, and Prof. SR Chakravarthy,
who hail from IIT Madras
- Chennai-based space tech startup Agnikul Cosmos inaugurated India’s first private space
vehicle launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota.
The facility has two parts: the Agnikul launchpad and the Agnikul mission control centre,
- Agnikul Cosmos - Srinath Ravichandran (CEO) Moin SPM (COO)
- HQ – National Center for Combustion R&D, IIT Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu , India
*Space Laws

● 5 UN treaties are the bedrock of international space law

● Of these, India has ratified four and signed one.
● First is the “Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the
Exploration and Uses of Outer Space”
● Adopted by UNGA in 1963. Entered into force in 1967
● Also known as the Outer space treaty (Magna Carta of Space Law)
● Rescue Agreement - Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and
the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (ARRA)
● Entered into force on December 3, 1968
● Liability Convention - Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space
Objects
 ● Entered into force on September 1, 1972
● Registration Convention - Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Space
● Entered into force on September 15, 1976
● Moon Agreement - Governing State Activities on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies
● Introduced by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs in 1979 and entered into force in 1984

*Chandrayaan-3

● Chandrayaan-3 is India's 3rd lunar mission and 2nd attempt at a soft landing on the moon
● Launched on July 14 , 2023
● Took off: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
● Launch vehicle: LVM 3 (also known as GSLV Mk III)
● Cost: 615 cr
● Consists of: Lander module (Vikram after Vikram Sarabhai), Propulsion module (PM) and a
Rover(Pragyaan meaning wisdom)
● LOI (Lunar Orbit Insertion) - Places spacecraft into orbit around the moon, allows it to
establish a stable trajectory and begin data collection
● Involves propulsion system, Moon's gravitational pull and spacecrafts velocity
● Landed on August 23rd
● August 23rd will be celebrated as National Space Day
● Spot where the lander landed on the Moon will be known as ‘Shivashakti’
● Spot where Chandrayaan-2 crash landed will be called ‘Tiranga Point’
● India became 4th country to land on Moon and 1st in South Pole region
● Lander and rover = Mission life of one lunar day (about 14 Earth days)
● Pragyan rover will move around the landing site within a radius of 500 metres
● It will conduct experiments and send data and images to the lander.
● Landed using ALS (Automatic Landing system) and was assisted by ESTRACK (European
Space Tracking network)
● Health of Chandrayaan 3 monitored by Mission Operations Complex at ISTRAC, the Indian
Deep Space Network with support from ESA and Jet Propulsion Laboratory
● Has 6 payloads
a) SHAPE- Spectro-Polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth(Propulsion Module Payload)
Studies the spectro-polarimetric signatures of earth in near Infrared Wavelength
b) LIBS- Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy(Rover Payload 1)
 Derive the chemical and mineralogical composition of the lunar surface.
c) APXS- Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer(Rover Payload 2)
Determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the land site.
d) ILSA- Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity(Lander Payload 1)
Measure seismicity around the landing site and delineate the lunar crust and mantle.
e) ChaSTE-Chandra’s Surface Thermo-physical Experiment (Lander Payload 2)
Carry out measurements of thermal properties of the moon near the polar region.
f) RAMBHA-LP - RAMBHA Langmuir Probe (Lander Payload 3)
Measure density of near surface plasma(ions/electrons) & their changes with time.

Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM 3)

● Also known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV Mk-III)
● 3 stage vehicle, designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit
● Mass of 640 tonnes that can accommodate up to 8,000 kg payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
and 4000 kg payload to GTO (Geo-Synchronous Transfer Orbit).
● The three types of launch vehicles we have are: PSLV(Polar Satellite), GSLV(Geostationary)
and SSLV(Small Satellite).
● LVM-3 is the most powerful configuration of GSLV type of launch vehicles.
● The LVM-3 has 3 stages,
a) 1st stage (bottom most) - 2 S200 boosters straps to the sides of the rocket body.
Combust a solid fuel called hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene
b) 2nd stage - Powered by Vikas Engines
Combust a liquid fuel, either nitrogen tetroxide or unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.
c) 3rd stage - Powered by a cryogenic engine. Combusts liquified hydrogen and oxygen.

Moon
● Formed when Mars-sized object Theia collided with Earth 4.5 billion years ago
● 1/4th size of Earth in terms of diameter
● Near side (visible from Earth) covers 60% of the Moon
● Far side remained hidden until the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 captured images in 1959
● Astronauts on the Apollo 8 mission became the first humans to observe the far side directly.
● Near side boasts smoother surfaces and numerous ‘maria’ (large volcanic plains)
● Far side features massive craters from asteroid impacts

Chandrayaan 1
● Launched: 2008
● Launch vehicle; PSLV
 ● Orbiting around the Moon at a height of 100 km from the lunar surface
● Aim: To conduct chemical, mineralogical and photo-geologic mapping of the Moon.
● Carried 11 scientific instruments built in India, USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and Bulgaria.
● Mission concluded when we lost contact with it on Aug 29, 2009

Chandrayaan 2
● Launched: 22 July 2019
● Launch vehicle: GSLV MkIII-M1
● Implementing failure based approach was applied to Chandrayaan 3
● Comprised an Orbiter, Lander and Rover to explore the unexplored South Pole of the Moon.
● Vikram Lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed upto 2.1 km
● Subsequently communication from lander to the ground stations was lost.
● Orbiter camera is the highest resolution camera (0.3 m) in any lunar mission so far

ISRO’s Future Expeditions

● Chandrayaan-4: Navigating the Path of Lunar Evolution

● LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration)- Collab of ISRO & JAXA to explore Moons polar regions.
a) Designed to venture into permanently shaded areas
b) Investigate the presence of water
c) Assess the potential for a sustainable long-term station
● XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite): It is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission
a) Will study bright astronomical X-rays in extreme conditions.
b) Spacecraft will carry two scientific payloads in a low earth orbit.
● NISAR: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar is a jointly developed LEO observatory
a) Will map the entire globe in 12 days
b) Provide spatio-temporally consistent data for understanding changes in Earth climate
and biosphere (volcanoes, earthquakes, ecosystems, rising sea levels etc)
● Shukrayaan 1 (Venus Orbiter Mission): Mission to send an orbiter to Venus
a) Venus is also called the evil twin of earth
b) Shukrayaan = Combination of Shukra‘, meaning Venus, and Yaana‘, meaning craft
c) Idea of Shukrayaan -1 was born in 2012.

SSLV-D2

● ISRO’s smallest vehicle, Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D2), was launched from the
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
 ● SSLV D1 (August 2022) - Failed to place the satellites in precise orbit.
● Structural changes have been made to the equipment bay, along with changes in the
separation mechanism for stage 2, and logic changes for the on-board system.
● A vehicle is declared operational by ISRO after it completes two successful development
flights.
● Latest one - GSLV Mk III, now called LVM 3, when it carried Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.
● SSLV-D2 will place the ISRO’s earth observation satellite EOS-07 and two co-passenger
satellites - Janus-1 and AzaadiSat2.
Janus-1:
● Built by US-based Antaris and its Indian partners XDLinks and Ananth Technologies.
● It is a six-unit cube satellite with five payloads on board — two from Singapore, and one each
from Kenya, Australia, and Indonesia.
AzaadiSat2:
● It is a Cubesat weighing around 8 kg and carries 75 different payloads.
● Girl students from rural regions across the country were provided guidance to build these
payloads.
● Integrated by the student team of “Space Kidz India”.
EOS-07:
● Satellite designed and developed by ISRO.
● Design and develop payload instruments compatible with microsatellite buses and new
technologies for future operational satellites.

● SSLV is a 3 stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and Liquid
propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal.
● Capable of launching a 10 to 500 kg satellite in 500 km planar orbit.
● Objective is to capture the emerging small satellite commercial market, with launches
offered on demand.
● Kulasekharapatnam Spaceport is being developed as the second spaceport of the Indian
Space Research Organisation near Kulasekharapatnam town of southern India (Tamil Nadu)
● dedicated to Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) developed by the private sector.

*NavIC (Navigation with the Indian Constellation)

● Earlier known as IRNSS - Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System

● Provides positioning information in India and surroundings (upto 1500 km)
● GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation) - To enhance safety and accuracy of
navigation in Indian airspace
 ● Certified by DGCA (for RNP and AVP services)
● ISRO introducing L-1 frequency for all satellites (Starting from: NVS-01)
● NavIC - India, GPS - USA, Galileo - EU, GLONASS - Russia, Beidou - China, QZSS - Japan (Asia
- Oceanic)
● Countries whos IRNSS are recognised by IMO (Maritime Org)- US,China,Russia, India

Indian Space policy

- India accounts for only about 2% of the space economy.
- InSPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre)- formed 2020 It will
be a single window clearance and authorisation agency for space launches, establishing
launch pads, buying and selling satellites, and disseminating high-resolution data among
other things. It will act as a promoter by setting up industry clusters and as the regulator,
issue guidelines on liability issues
- New Space India Limited (NSIL): It will be responsible for commercialising space
technologies and platforms created through public expenditure, as well as, manufacturing,
leasing, or procuring space components, technologies, platforms and other assets from the
private or public sector.
- Department of Space: It will provide overall policy guidelines and be the nodal department
for implementing space technologies
What were India's Past Quests to Reform in its Space Sector?

■ The First Satellite Communication Policy: It was introduced in 1997, with guidelines for
foreign direct investment (FDI) in the satellite industry that were further liberalised but
never generated much enthusiasm.
■ Remote Sensing Data Policy: It was introduced in 2001, in 2016 it was replaced by a
National Geospatial Policy that has been further liberalised in 2022.
■ Draft Space Activities Bill: It was brought out in 2017, which went through a long
consultative process and lapsed in 2019 with the outgoing Lok Sabha.
○ The government was expected to introduce a new Bill by 2021, but it
appears to have contented itself with the new policy statement released by
ISRO
 ○ According to Indian Space Policy 2023, 4 many distinct entities are to
facilitate greater private sector participation
○ Major gap in the space policy is that it does not provide rules and regulations
for liability in case of violation

The Interior Exploration

● using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission
● was a robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of the planet Mars.
● It was manufactured by Lockheed Martin Space, was managed by NASA‘s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL), and two of its three scientific instruments were built by European
agencies.
● The mission launched on 5 May 2018 and successfully landed at Elysium Planitia on Mars on
26 November 2018.
● InSight was active on Mars for 1440 sols (1480 days; 4 years, 19 days).
● 1 sol is equal to a single day on Mars.
● InSight‘s objectives were to place a seismometer, called Seismic Experiment for Interior
Structure (SEIS), on the surface of Mars to measure seismic activity and provide accurate 3D
models of the planet‘s interior; and measure internal heat transfer using a heat probe called
HP3 to study Mars‘ early geological evolution

Nuclear Rocket for Space Travel

NASA in collaboration with the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) is seeking a nuclear propulsion system that could potentially cut down the travel time to
Mars by half.

Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) Launch for late 2025 or early
2026. Uses a nuclear reactor that utilizes the energy derived from the fission of uranium atoms.

Projects like Orion, Rover, and NERVA explored nuclear-powered propulsion systems, although
these initiatives were not fully realized. Notably, Project Orion considered using atomic bomb
explosions for acceleration, while Project NERVA aimed to develop nuclear-thermal engines
Atomic Bomb Explosions: Atomic bomb explosions involve the rapid and uncontrolled release of
nuclear energy through a chain reaction of nuclear fission. Core contains uranium-235 or
plutonium-239.

Nuclear-Thermal Engines: Nuclear-thermal engines are propulsion systems that use a nuclear
reactor to heat hydrogen to high temperatures. Then expelled through a nozzle creating thrust
according to Third Law of Motion.
*Parker Solar Probe

● Named after Dr. Eugene N. Parker.

● Aim: To study the heating of the solar corona, and explore what accelerates the solar wind
● Mission Design and Management - NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center / Johns Hopkins
University Applied Physics Laboratory
● Launch Vehicle - Delta IV-Heavy with Upper Stage
● Launch Date - Aug. 12, 2018
● Launch Site - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
● Will fly through the Sun’s atmosphere (3.8 million miles from the sun’s surface)
● More than 7x closer than any other spacecraft
● Will use Venus’ gravity during 7 flybys over 7 years to bring its orbit closer to the Sun.
● At closest approach, Parker Solar Probe hurtles around the Sun at 700,000 kph
● Parker Solar Probe and its instruments are protected by a carbon-composite shield
● The ESA’s Solar Orbiter and BepiColombo and NASA’s STEREO-A spacecraft observed the
sun from the same angle but at different distances.

*Stereo-A NASA(April)
● Stereo(Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) Mission
● Launched on Oct 26th, 2006 from Cape Canaveral Air force station
● 2 identical spacecrafts - one ahead and the other behind
● 3rd mission in NASA's Solar Terrestrial Probes program (STP)
● Aim - First-ever stereoscopic measurements to study the Sun and its coronal mass ejections,
or CMEs, through the heliosphere and study solar winds
● Built by - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and NASA
● On Feb. 6, 2011, STEREO-A and -B reached a 180-degree separation in their orbits - let us
see a full 3-d sphere picture via stereoscopic vision.
● Stereo Behind was lost control of in 2014 after a planned reset
● Aug. 12, 2023 - Marked its first Earth flyby in 17 years.
● Will enable using stereoscopic vision with NASA's and the ESA’s Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory (SOHO) and NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) to gain more data
 ● This will be different from observations in 2006, because at that time the Sun was in its Solar
Minimum phase and in 2025, it will be at Maximum phase with heightened activity
● Solar Maxima and Minima are the two phases of the 11 year period Solar Cycle
● Solar Maxima has more sunspots, solar flares, eruptions etc

Rare green comet Nishimura graces our skies after 400 years

Northern Hemisphere astronomy fans only have till early next week to witness this celestial visitor.
This comet, which is about a kilometer in size (about half a mile), will glide by Earth gracefully at a
distance of 78 million miles (125 million kilometers). Early risers should cast their eyes toward the
northern horizon about 1 1/2 hours before sunrise to capture a glimpse. Specifically, it will be
situated less than 10 degrees above the horizon near the Leo constellation

The Nishimura comet, named after an amateur Japanese astronomer who discovered it

NASA‘s OSIRIS-REx: First-ever asteroid sample dropped on Earth

-The NASA‘s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith

Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, launched on 8 th September 2016
Johannes Keppler discovered Kepler’s laws of planetary motion(ellipse).
He theorised about objects existing beyond the solar system
Gerrard Kuipler is the one who theorised and proved the existence of asteroids beyond
Pluto(Kuiper belt).

- delivered the first asteroid samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu (formerly 1999 RQ36) to
Earth
-250 grams of material
-Landed in the Utah desert
- Osiris-Rex will continue its mission by studying another asteroid, Apophis, which it will reach in
2029

-Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid in the Apollo group discovered by the LINEAR Project on 11
September 1999
-Potentially hazardous object that is listed on the Sentry Risk Table and has the highest cumulative
rating on the Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale
=Asteroid Bennu, named after an ancient Egyptian mythological bird that is associated with the
Sun, creation and rebirth has been predicted to hit the Earth by NASA. 510m wide
NASA states that the odds of the collision happening are 1 in 1,750 by the year 2300 or 0.05%
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (shortened as Roman or the Roman Space Telescope, and
formerly the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope or WFIRST) is a NASA infrared space telescope
in development and scheduled to launch by May 2027.

Roman was recommended in 2010 by the United States National Research Council Decadal
Survey committee as the top priority

On 17 February 2016, it was approved

On 20 May 2020, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that the mission would be
named the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in recognition of the former NASA Chief of
Astronomy
As of July 2022, Roman is scheduled to be launched on a Falcon Heavy rocket under a contract
specifying readiness by October 2026
NASA launch commitment of May 2027

Two scientific instruments:

The Wide-Field Instrument (WFI) - Sharp images comparable to Hubble, 100 times larger than
imaging cameras on the Hubble
Coronagraphic Instrument (CGI) is a high-contrast, small field of view camera and spectrometer
covering visible and near-infrared wavelengths

LUCY mission
- first mission to explore the Jupiter Trojan Asteroids.
- The solar-powered mission is estimated to be over 12 years long, during which the
spacecraft will visit eight asteroids covering a distance of about 6.3 billion km -
understanding of the “young solar system”.
- The mission is named after ‘Lucy’, a 3.2 million-year-old ancestor who belonged to a species
of hominins (which include humans and their ancestors).
- The spacecraft will be launched on an Atlas V 401 rocket.
- first asteroid will visit - an asteroid between mars and jupiter. named Donald Johnson ( after
the dude who discovered the remains of Lucy )
categories of asteroids
 - main belt of asteroids - between mars and jupiter
- trojan - they share orbit with larger planet (jupiter mars and neptune z) the jupiter asteroids
- referred to as swarms
- near earth asteroids - pass close to earth, those which cross Earth's orbit are called Earth
crossers

CALIPSO mission
- The mission ended this year
- CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol LIDAR and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) is a mission
dedicated to studying how clouds and aerosols impact the Earth’s climate.
- Joint project between NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and CNES
(Centre National d'Études Spatiales) /National centre for space studies - french space
agency.
- Launched in 2006, CALIPSO is a satellite-based observatory.
- using data from CALIPSO to construct 3D models of the atmosphere that improve our
ability to predict future climate change.
- CALIPSO has been part of a constellation of spacecraft called the "A-Train," including Aqua,
Aura, and PARASOL spacecraft, dedicated to studying the Earth’s weather and environment
- Instruments
- CALIOP - two-wavelength, polarisation-sensitive lidar-used to create vertical profiles of
cloud and aerosol properties, such as their height, thickness, and optical depth. This is the
1st lidar to provide long term atmospheric measurements

October
ozone hole in antartica

The hole, which scientists call an “ozone-depleted area” was 26 million square kilometers (10
million square miles) in size, roughly three times the size of Brazil.
The European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite made the recordings as part of the
EU’s environmental monitoring program.
The ozone layer is a trace gas in the stratosphere, one of the four layers of the Earth’s atmosphere
Scientists believe this year’s big ozone hole could be due to the volcanic eruptions at Hunga
Tongain Tonga during December 2022 and January 2023
While this year’s Antarctic ozone hole was likely due to a volcanic eruption, scientists became
aware that human activities were creating huge ozone holes in the 1970s.
In 1987,The Montreal Protocol was created to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the
production of these
harmful substances

Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F
The ice shelves of Antarctica were probably first seen in 1820, during a Russian expedition led by
Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev.

The first confirmed landing was by a Norwegian team in 1895.

In the early 20th century, there were a few expeditions into the interior of the continent.
British explorers were the first to reach the magnetic South Pole in 1909, and the geographic
South Pole was first reached in 1911 by Norwegian explorers.
Antarctica is governed by about 30 countries, all of which are parties of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty
System.
The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson.
Its properties were explored in detail by the British meteorologist G. M. B. Dobson, who developed
a simple spectrophotometer (the Dobsonmeter) that could be used to measure stratospheric
ozone from the
ground. Between 1928 and 1958, Dobson established a worldwide network of ozone monitoring
stations, which continue to operate to this day.
The "Dobson unit", a convenient measure of the amount of ozone overhead, is named in his honor.
Scientists use the word hole as a metaphor for the area in which ozone concentrations drop below
the historical threshold of 220 Dobson Units.

The United Nations General Assembly has designated September 16 as the International Day for
the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
The size of the ozone hole over Antarctica varies from year to year, typically opening in August and
closing by November or December.
Defence - Kavya

January
Gallantry awards

● Four Kirti Chakras, 11 Shaurya Chakras for armed forces and CAPF(central armed
police force) personnel
● The Kirti Chakra, the second-highest peacetime gallantry award in the country, will be
awarded to four personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force who were killed in action
during an antiNaxal operation in Chhattisgarh in April 2021.
● Eleven personnel — nine from the Army and one each from the Jammu and Kashmir Police
and the CRPF — will receive the Shaurya Chakra, the third-highest peacetime gallantry
award. Five of them have been named posthumously.
● Total 76 gallantry awards
● The awards include 54 Sena Medals (Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), and four
Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
● The posthumous recipients of the Kirti Chakra are Dilip Kumar Das, Raj Kumar Yadava,
Bablu Rabha and Sambha Roy.
● The gallantry awards are announced twice in a year — first on the occasion of the Republic
Day and then on the occasion of the Independence Day.
● Post-Independence, first three gallantry awards namely Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra
and Vir Chakra were instituted by the government of India on January 26th 1950 which
were deemed to have effect from August 15th,1947 (retrospective effect).
● Thereafter, other three gallantry awards — the Ashoka Chakra Class-I, the Ashoka Chakra
Class-II and the Ashoka Chakra Class-III — were instituted in 1952, which were deemed to
have effect from August 15, 1947. These awards were renamed as Ashoka Chakra, Kirti
Chakra and Shaurya Chakra respectively in January 1967.
● People Eligible for the Awards - All officers of all ranks of the Army, Navy and the Air Force
or of any of the reserve forces, territorial army and any other lawfully constituted armed
forces.

Wartime Highest Gallantry Awards

● Param Vir Chakra s
 ○ India‘s highest military decoration,
○ Param Vir Chakra translates as the ―Chakra of the Ultimate Bravery
○ medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from
actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts.
○ Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient.
○ Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra
posthumously in 1971, is the only Indian Air Force officer to have been honoured with
the medal.

● Maha Vir Chakra

○ It is the second highest gallantry award for acts of conspicuous
○ It replaced the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
○ The most MVCs awarded in a single conflict was in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

● Vir Chakra- It is the country‘s third-highest wartime gallantry award

Peacetime Highest Gallantry Awards

Ashoka Chakra - It is the peacetime equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC)
Havildar Bachittar Singh and Naik Narbahadur Thapa were the first recipients of the Ashoka
Chakra. Can be awarded to military or civilian

Kirti Chakra It is the second highest peacetime , Before 1967, the award was known as the Ashoka
Chakra, Class II. Awarded for sacrifice ,valour and courage, relevant because naxal thing

Shaurya Chakra The Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour,

Other Awards
● Sena Medal It is awarded for acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in the Army.
● Nao Sena Medal It is awarded for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage
in the Navy.
● Vayu Sena Medal It is awarded for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage
in the Air Force.

Demand for VDC’S to Lieutenant Governor (Jan)

The Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha was recently appointed and a particular demand has been
made by the villagers in Kashmir for the creation of Village Defence committees.
This is an idea being revived from the 1970s, where the civilian population were fearing for their
safety due to militant attacks, especially in the Doda district of Kashmir in the mid 1900’s. They got
the permission to maintain arms and ammunition to protect themselves .There is revival of the
same demand due to the increased frequency of attacks of militrats and even other places have
raised a similar demand.

IAF SUKOI AND MIRAGE 2000 CRASH

IAF SUKOI-30 crashed at Bharatpur, Rajasthan and Mirage 2000 at Morena, MP on 28 Jan’23.
Court of Inquiry has been set up.
The Mirage 2000 crash killed wing commander Hanuman Rao Sarathi, whereas the Sukoi-30 had
no casualties.

IAF SUKOI-30
Su 30 is a twin-engine super manoeuvrable fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi Aviation
Corporation in the USSR
On 30 November 1996, Indian govt signed a contract with Rosvooruzhenie acquiring the aircraft.
India purchased 40 more such aircraft for 1.6 bn USD in 2007 and further in 2010, an additional 42
aircrafts and in 2020, 12 more due to India- China clashes.

MIRAGE- 2000
Dassault Mirage 2000 is a French single-engine multirole aircraft manufactured by Dassault
Aviation.
In 1982, Govt placed an order for 36 Mirage 2000 THs (H: Hindustan) in response to Pakistan
purchasing F-16s from the USA.

Trishakti Prahar exercise

It also draws vital lessons from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Taking place on the western front in Rajasthan,
the ‘Trishakti Prahar‘ exercise is organized by the 21 Corps, one of the four major ―strike
formations‖ within the 12-lakh strong Indian Army.
The exercise‘s final phase is scheduled for the first half of November and will involve more than
30,000 troops, including T-90S and Arjun main-battle tanks, a diverse array of howitzers,
helicopters, and other military assets.
Fighter jets, Apache attack helicopters, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, and various aircraft from
the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Navy will also participate.

the Army has already sealed deals worth Rs 6,600 crore in the first three emergency procurement
tranches, with another 49 schemes worth Rs 7,600 crore inked in the fourth tranche
. Furthermore, approximately 34 additional schemes, valued at around Rs 7,000 crore, are in the
final stages of approval.
During the ‗Trishakti Prahar‘ exercise, several newly-inducted weapon systems and technologies
will undergo testin

February

DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation)

Military‘s research and development

HQ - New Delhi, India.
Formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of
Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation
Dr. Samir V Kamat is the current Chairman of DRDO

Nine-member committee of experts under Prof K Vijay Raghavan to review and redefine the role
of the department

March

Project 17A
- Project 17 Alpha frigates (P-17A) were launched by the Indian Navy in 2019 to construct a
series of stealth guided-missile frigates.
- constructed by two companies - Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) and Garden Reach
Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
- The first stealth ship launched under Project 17A was the Nilgiri, which was launched in
2019.

- GRSE est - 1884

- 6 ships launched out of total 7 ( 4 with msmdl and 3 from GRSE) so far including
- INS udaygiri
- INS Nilgiri
- INS Taragiri
- INS Vindhyagiri
- capable of neutralising threats in air and surface

*SIPRI Arms Report (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)

 ● Report for the period between 2018 and 2022
● Worlds largest arms importer - India (Dropped by 11%)
● Largest suppliers to India - Russia (45%), France (29%), USA (11%)
● Worlds largest arms exporter - USA
● India was the largest market to Russia, France and Israel

SIPRI Yearbook 2023

● Revealed that China could have as many ICBM as U.S. or Russia by the end of the decade
● Russia has the highest number of stored nuclear arsenals followed by US and China
● US has deployed the highest number of nuclear arsenals followed by Russia and France
● As of January 2023, the total global inventory of warheads is estimated at 12,512
● 9,576 warheads held in military stockpiles for potential use(90% by the US and Russia).
● India's nuclear arsenal expanded from 160 warheads in 2022 to 164 warheads in 2023
● Pakistans grew from 165 to 170 in the same period
● China's nuclear arsenal grew from 350 warheads in Jan 2022 to 410 warheads in Jan 2023

April

Defence Industrial Corridors

A defence corridor refers to a route or a path along which domestic productions of defence
equipment by public sector, private sector and MSMEs are lined up to enhance the operational
capability of the defence forces.

Connecting Cities in Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (6): Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra,
Aligarh, Chitrakoot and Jhansi.
Connecting Cities in Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (5): Chennai, Hosur, Salem,
Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli.

Women officers in artillery

- Indian army is going to commission first set of women officers to the artillery regiments
- These women will train at the Officers Training Academy , Chennai
- 10 % of every batch of women will go into army and artillery
SC order of 2020
- In 2019, the Army changed its rules allowing Short Service Commission (SSC) officers
women officers to opt for permanent commission who would have otherwise retired
 after 14 years of service ,applied only to the batches of women officers starting their
career in the Army in 2020.
- With the landmark Supreme Court judgement of 2020, permanent commission was
granted to women officers with retrospective effect.
- Women officers who were inducted into the Army were inducted as SSC officers in
1992 and in the years after did not have the choice to opt for permanent
commission(as this takes at least 16 to 18 years).
- JAG and Army Education Corps were exceptions, where a permanent commission was
opened for them in 2008.
- Once promoted to the rank of Colonel, an officer is eligible to command troops dire
- Women officers have been inducted into all branches of the Navy, and they will be
eligible for permanent commission in the future
- The IAF has opened all branches for women officers, including the fighter stream and
the new weapon systems branch.
- Women are still not eligible in core combat arms such as Infantry, Mechanised
Infantry and Armored Corps; the Army is not open to women fighting wars at the
borders as foot soldiers.
- All major countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, and Israel,
allow women to hold command positions within their national armed forces.
Women in armed forces
- 1958 - allowed to join armed medical forces (first to offer regular commission
to women)
- 1992-Army Navy and Airforce induct women for SSC
- 2016 - IAF inducts 3 women as fighter pilots
- 2021 - first batch of women in Corps of Military Police
- Shiva Chauhan - first women posted at siachen glacier 2023
Officers training academy
- Est 1963
- At Alandur, Chennai
- Trains SSC for 49 week course
- Motto is ‘Serve with honour’
- Another OTA - Gaya in 2011
SSC - for 14 years after 10 years you can either - PC , resign or opt for resignation
Indian army - 2nd largest in terms of active personnel

Artillery segment -
- Est 1827
 - Motto is ‘Sarvatra - Izzat-o-iqbal’
- Is combat support arm
- 2 nd largest arm of the indian army (Indian armed Service corps is the largest )

UN Military General Advocate of the year award - Ceilia Erzuah (Ghanan)

May
*ASEAN - India naval exercise
● The inaugural edition of AIME was held in May 2023
● Singapore co-hosted the event with India
● Involved 9 ships, 6 aircraft, and over 1,800 personnel from ASEAN member states and India .
● Harbour phase - Changi Naval Base from 2 to 4 May 2023
● Sea phase - 7 to 8 May 2023 in the South China Sea .
● INS Delhi, India’s first indigenously built guided missile destroyer
● INS Satpura, indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate
● Led by Ram Gurcharan Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet(Visakhapatnam).
● Will also participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX-23) and
International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) being hosted by Singapore.
● India and Singapore both conducted their annual SIMBEX exercise in September.

Washington Declaration

- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the U.S. (70th anniversary of U.S.-South
Korea bilateral relations), triggered by the successful launch of North Korea’s Hwasong-8
solid-fuel ICBM, and signed the Washington Declaration.It has been criticised by North
korea and China.
a) an American nuclear ballistic submarine would be deployed in the Korean
peninsula;
b) a nuclear consultative group would be formed(similar to US and NATO);
c) South Korea’s nuclear deterrence capabilities will be strengthened and would
receive US intel.
d) ROK won’t venture into the creation of its own independent nuclear capabilities,
instead following an alliance based approach,
e) U.S. President mandated as the ‘sole authority’ to use the US’s nuclear arsenal.
- South Korea’s nuclear development programme supported by former president Park
Chung Hee was hindered due to U.S. pressure. In the 1990s, the U.S. withdrew one
 hundred nuclear weapons from South Korea as part of their “Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty”.

June

Iran’s hypersonic missile - Fattah/Conqueror (add iran us treaty)

Iran has claimed that it has developed a hypersonic missile capable of traveling 15 times the
speed of sound.According to Iran's state television, the missile, named ‘Fattah’ or "Conqueror" in
Farsi, boasts a range of up to 1,400 kilometers (870 miles). The report also asserts that the missile
can penetrate any regional missile defense system, although no evidence was provided to
support this claim. A hypersonic missile is a weapon system which flies at least at the speed of
Mach 5 i.e. five times the speed of sound and is maneuverable.

July

Ukrainian passenger plane shot down by Iran

- Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, and Britain have asked the ICJ to open proceedings against Iran
over the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane in 2020. (July 5th, 2023 is when they
asked the ICJ)
- Resulted in 176 deaths (everyone on board died).
- Iran Revolutionary Guards shot down the Ukraine International Airlines flight on Jan 8th,
2020 shortly after it took off from the Tehran Airport, in what Iranian officials said at the
time was a “disastrous mistake.”
- According to the Countries’ application, Iran has violated a series of obligations against the
so-called ‘Montreal Convention’ aimed at securing the safety of civilian air travel.
- They also mentioned that Iran had failed to take all practicable measures to prevent the
downing of Flight PS752 and had failed to conduct an impartial, transparent and fair criminal
investigation and prosecution.

August
*Malabar Exercise
● is a multilateral naval exercise that was started in 1992.
● It began as a bilateral exercise between the navies of India and the United States.
● Two more editions in 1995 and 1996
● Break until 2002 in the aftermath of India‘s nuclear tests
 ● From 2002 onward, the exercise has been conducted annually
● Japan and Australia first participated in 2007
● Since 2014, India, the US and Japan have participated in the exercise every year
● In 2020 Australia officially joined the Malabar Exercise
● 31st edition of the Malabar exercise will be held off the coast of Sydney from August 11-21,
Tejas LCA ASTRA

- started by the Government of India in 1984

- established the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to manage the LCA programme.

LCA TEJAS MK2

- The Indigenous LCA Tejas Mk2 is an indigenous fighter aircraft with 8
Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) + other missiles carrying capability
- The LCA Mk2 is an upgraded version of the LCA Tejas Mk1 and has a weapon carrying
capacity of 6.5 tonnes and is powered by the General Electric GE-414 engine(US deal).
- Critical design review is done and manufacturing has started -> production expected by
2024.

ASTRA
- The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for supply of
the Astra Mark-1 at a cost of Rs 2,971 crore for IAF and NAVY.
- Mk-1’s development phase was completed in 2017 and successful tests have been
conducted since from Sukhoi-30 MKIs.
- It is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR), Air-to-Air Missile (AAM).BVM missiles are capable of
engaging beyond the range of 237 km/20 nautical miles. AAMs are fired from an airborne
asset to destroy an airborne target.
- The Mk-1 has a range of around 110 km.The Mk-2 with a range over 150 km is under
development
- It can travel at speeds of 4x speed of sound and reach a maximum altitude of 20 km, making
it extremely flexible for air combat.
- The missile is fully integrated on the Sukhoi 30 MKI I and will be integrated with other
fighter aircraft in a phased manner, including the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and
MiG-29K fighter aircraft.

Relevance
 - Recently LCA Tejas successfully test-fired ASTRA off the Goa coast on August 23, 2023.The
missile release was successfully carried out from the aircraft at an altitude of about 20,000
ft.
- The test launch was monitored by Group Captain B Balaji, a Chase Tejas aircraft and
scientists of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), DRDO,HAL and quality testing
officials.
- The IAF has earlier contracted 40 LCA-MK1 in two batches which include 32 single-seat
fighters and eight twin-seat trainers. Further, the IAF has contracted 83 LCA Mk1A in 2021
and the deliveries are scheduled to begin by February 2024.

September
BRIGHT STAR-23
Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent reached the Egyptian Air Force Base to participate in Exercise
BRIGHT STAR-23. This will mark the first participation of the IAF in Ex BRIGHT STAR-23, which
will also see the participation of air force contingents from the US, Saudi Arabia, Greece and Qatar.
The Indian Air Force contingent comprises 5 MiG-29s, 2 IL-78s, two C-130s and two C-17 aircraft
IAF
-Established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured
India‘s aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal.
-After India gained independence from United Kingdom in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force
was kept and served in the name of the Dominion of India. With the transition to a republic in
1950, the prefix Royal was removed.
-Since 1950, the IAF has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan. Other major
operations undertaken by the IAF include Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, Operation
Cactus and Operation Poomalai. The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of
the IAF.
- Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari is currently serving as the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).

BRO to construct world‘s highest fighter airfield in Ladakh

Construction of the world‘s highest fighter airfield in Nyoma, Ladakh

BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India‘s borders and develop infrastructure in remote
areas of the north and north-east states of the country. Part of the Indian Armed Forces. Brought
under the Ministry of Defence in 2015
BRO set a Guinness World Record in November 2021 for the ―highest altitude road‖ at Umling La
October
Guwahati to host Northeast‘s first-ever defence tech expo

10th & 11th of October 2023 at Maniram Dewan Trade Center, Guwahati.

Northeast India (officially the North Eastern Region (NER)) comprises eight states—Arunachal
Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura (commonly known as the
―Seven Sisters), and the brother Sikkim.
- The Siliguri Corridor connects the region to the rest of mainland India. Officially recognised
under the North Eastern Council (NEC), constituted in 1971 as the acting agency for the
development of the north eastern states.
Sikkim formed part of the North Eastern Region as the eighth state in 2002.
Guwahati city in Assam is called the Gateway to the North East and is the largest metropolis in
North East India.
The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, established in September 2001, Minister of
Development of North Eastern Region is G. Kishan Reddy

*ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles)

● Any missile with a range > 5500 km

● P5 + India, Israel, North Korea and Iran - Only countries with operational ICBMs
● First practical design for ICBM - Nazi liquid-fueled V-2 rocket (Wernher von Braun)
● Operation Paperclip - Took Nazi scientists to the US to develop ICBMs for the US Army

IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program)

● By: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Missile Man of India)
● Enabled India to attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology
● Approved by Government of India in 1983 and completed in March 2012
● The 5 missiles (P-A-T-N-A) developed under this program are:
a) Prithvi: Short range surface to surface ballistic missile.
b) Agni: Ballistic missiles with different ranges (Agni 6 is under development)
c) Trishul: Short range low level surface to air missile.
d) Nag: 3rd generation anti-tank missile
e) Akash: Medium range surface to air missile
● The NCA ( Nuclear command authority) political council(head pm) authorizes command on
basis of opinion of the Executive council(head is National security advisor)
● Agni V - first ICBM of india
● Latest one - Agni Prime
● All tests of these missiles are conducted by SFC (Strategic Forces Command)

Agni Prime Ballistic Missile (June)

● Test happened at DRDO, APJ Abdul Kalam Island, June 7 2023.
● Replacing Agni 1 ballistic missile (1000 - 2000 km) range surface to air
● Agni - P developed as part of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme
● India 6th country to have ICBM
● Agni V - 5000km max range
● ASAT destroyed satellites in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) in 2019 under Mission Shakti
● India 4th country with ASAT.
● Indian ballistic missile program launched after Kargil (1999)

START TREATY
● “Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty” (START-I) signed between US and USSR in 1991
● START II btw Russia and USA signed in 1993, came into force in 2000 (ratified by US in 1996,
Russia 2000, expired 2002 bypassed by SORT).
● New START came into force in Feb 2011, and placed new limits on intercontinental nukes
● Its duration was supposed to be for 10 years but US and Russia agreed to extend it to 2026.
● Last remaining arms reduction pact between the two
● Limits both sides to 700 strategic launchers and 1,550 operational warheads

Treaties signed Between USA & Russia

● Strategic Arms Limitation Talks-1(SALT):
1969, Both sides pledged not to construct/increase ICBM silos
Capped: Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) launch tubes & SLBM-carrying subs
● Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty-1 (START):
Signed in 1991, Destruction of excess delivery vehicles
Regular exchange of information (like telemetry), and the use of satellites
● Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty-2:
Signed in 1993, Reducing deployed strategic arsenals to 3,000-3,500 warheads
Banned the deployment of destabilizing multiple-warhead land-based missiles.
● Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT):Moscow Treaty
Signed in 2004, Reduced their strategic arsenals to 1,700-2,200 warheads each
 Russia's Hypersonic missile
● Can reach the speed of Mach 10
● Named Kinzhal means dagger in russian
● Has range of 1.5k to 2k km
● ICBM’s can travel longer than hypersonic but are slower.
● Highest range ICBM - Satan 2 by Russia(first in 2018)

Global cruise missile

● BrahMos is the fastest supersonic cruise missile
● Developed by india and russia
● It is the frontline weapon of IAF, Navy and Army
● Indian army started inducting Brahmos regiments since 2007

*Submarines

● India has 15 diesel-electric submarines,(SSKs), and 1 nuclear ballistic submarine (SSBN)

● 3 types of submarines -
● Diesel Electric Submarine (SSK) -
a) 4 Shishumar Class(in India + Germans starting in the 1980s)
b) 8 are Kilo/Sindhughosh Class (from Russia 1984 - 2000)
c) 3 Kalvari Class Scorpene (P-75) built at MDL (collab with France’s Naval Group)
● Nuclear Powered Attack Submarine (SSN)
● Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine(SSSBN) - Arihant
● 30 - Year Plan for indigenous submarine construction
● Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 1999
● 2 production lines of 6 submarines each
● Projects were called P-75 and P-75I.

Project 75
● 6 diesel-electric Scorpene-class attack submarines
● Built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
● Contract for P-75 in 2005, with France’s DCNS, now the Naval Group ($3.75-bn deal)
● Submarines are based on the Scorpene-class submarine and are known as Kalvari class
● "Kalvari" means "deep-sea tiger shark" in Malayalam
● INS Kalvari, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 14, 2017.
● Last Kalvari-class submarine, Vagsheer, was launched on April 20, 2022
 ● The other Kalvari-class submarines are: INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela, INS Chakra.
● Project-75I (approved in 2007) succeeded the Project-75
● Request for Proposal in 2021

INS Vagir commissioned into the Indian Navy

● Inducted around 23rd January 2023

● First Vagir - Russian submarine
● Commissioned: 3rd December 1973
● Decommissioned: 7th June 2001
● Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) gave a new incarnation to the submarine with the same name
● Step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’
● Named after the Sand Fish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean.
● It is a part of the six Kalvari-class submarines being built in India.
● The state-of-art technology used in the submarine has ensured:
● Advanced acoustic absorption techniques
● Low radiated noise levels
● Hydro-dynamically optimised shape.
● Precision guided weapons.
● Features:
● Launch attacks with both torpedoes and tube launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater
or on surface.
● Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, Intelligence gathering, Mine Laying, Area
Surveillance, etc
● Chief of Naval Staff - Admiral R. Hari Kumar

Sports - Kavya

Tennis static

French Open/Roland-Garros
Stade Roland Garros in Paris is hosting the Roland Garros tournament aka the French Open
Took place from may 28 to june 11 2023
One of the four Grand Slam tournaments is tennis along with Australian Open, Wimbledon and US
Open, only one played on clay courts
History
Named after roland garros - french aviator - first person to fly across Mediterranean sea in 1913,
Pioneer of aerial warfare in WW2 and died in combat in 1918
First held in 1891 as a national championship for french players only, 1925 - international players
1968- ‘open era’ both amateurs and professionals to compete
Rafal Nadal has won a record 14 titles at roland garros, 4 consecutive - 2005 to 2008, 5
consecutive - 2010 to 2014
Grand slam
Also called majors - 4 most important tennis events
Australia open - mid jan
French open - late may to early june
Wimbledon - june july
US open - august sep
Wimbledon is oldest founded in 1877, then US in 1881, French in 1891 and australian in 1905

January
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup-2023

The 15th edition International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey World Cup 2023, held in
Bhubaneswar and Rourkela (Odisha) from January 13 to 29, 16 teams this year

Germany beat Belgium to win this years edition of the World Cup

Birsa Munda stadium inaugurated, one of the largest stadiums in the world

FIH President Tayyab Ikram

Chief Minister of Odisha - Naveen Patnaik
Mascot Olly (Olive Ridley Turtle)
Sports Minister - Anurag Thakur

FIH World Cup

Concieved by India and Pakistan
Approved by the International Hockey Federation in 1969
First edition in 1971 was allotted to Pakistan before being moved to Spain
Pakistan was the winner, defeating Spain in 1971.
India was supposed to host in 1975 but moved to Malaysia.
Since 1982 the tournament has been held every four years.
2018 - Belgium defeated Netherlands

FIH, founded in 1924, is responsible for field hockey’s major international tournaments
HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland.

ICC Awards

Honour the best international cricket players of the previous 12 months

Introduced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2004
Between 2009 and 2014 the awards were the LG ICC Awards
Virat Kohli has been the most frequent winner with 10 awards, including the player of decade.

Player of the year - Babar Azam (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy)

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year - Natalie Ruth Sciver-Brunt

March
*UWW Suspends of Wrestling Federation of India

● Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) - National governing body for wrestling

● Has been provisionally suspended by the United World Wrestling (UWW), for not
conducting its elections on time.
● No national flag in the upcoming World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia
● Member federations must hold elections every 4 years
● WFI was supposed to hold its elections in February 2023, but did not
● WFI recognized by the Government of India and the Indian Olympic Association.
● Organises various national and international wrestling events
● Also supports and trains Indian wrestlers who participate in the Olympic Games
● WFI cannot receive any financial or technical assistance from the UWW.
● Suspension hinders qualifications for Paris Olympics, as the World Championships are a
qualifying event
● India has won 4 Olympic medals, 19 World Championship medals, and 69 Asian
Championship medals in wrestling since 2008
● Ancient India practiced wrestling known as Malla Yuddha

United World Wrestling (UWW)

● International governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling
● Oversees wrestling at the Olympics and the World Championships
● HQ: Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland
● Founded in 1912 as the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA)
● Changed its name to United World Wrestling in 2014.

Other Sports Bodies in India Facing Similar Conflicts

● FIFA suspended AIFF due to delayed elections in 2002, The ban was lifted subsequently
● International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Hockey Federation (FIH) also
warned of potential bans for Indian sports bodies for similar reasons
● June 2020, the Indian government revoked recognition of 54 national federations for
non-compliance with the National Sports Development Code of India 2011
● Draft National Code for Good Governance in Sports 2017 is a proposed set of guidelines for
the management and administration of sports bodies in India.

Wrestler Protests
● WFI Founded: 1958
● WFI HQ: New Delhi
● WFI Chief: Brij Bhushan Singh part of BJP
● WFI Secretary- Vinod Tomar
● Allegations: Brij and many other coaches sexually exploited women wrestlers
● They want him to be arrested under POCSO(Protection of Children from Sexual Offences
Act). He should be removed and WFI should be dissolved.
● Govt formed an oversight committee with five members headed by Mary Kom.
● Committee with 4 men and 1 woman (violated law: more than half should be women)
● Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Kadian, Somveer
Rathi and Jitender Kinha- some protestors at Jantar Mantar.
● Farm unions also supported the cause.Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait
and Samyukt Kisan Morcha's Baldev Singh Sirsa also joined the protests.

Wrestling accolades in India

● Indian wrestler Mohit Kumar has become the Under 20 World Championship in men‘s 61 Kg
Freestyle category
● Amman City in Jordan.
● Mohit defeated Russia‘s Eldar Akhmadudinov by 9-8 in the final to become the fourth Indian
Freestyle Wrestler to win a Junior World Championship.
● Mohit is the fourth male wrestler from India to earn a gold medal in the U20 World
Championships. First - Palwinder Cheema in 2001.
April

Men's World Boxing championship

-Men's World Boxing Championships held in Tashkent,Uzbekistan

- Deepak Bhoria (51kg) won silver, Hussamuddin (57kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) won bronze
medals in the semifinals.

-Organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA) and the Boxing Federation of Uzbekistan,
with the support of the Government of Uzbekistan.

ISSF World Cup, Baku(Apr/May)

Sarabjot Singh and TS Divya emerged as champions in the mixed team 10m air pistol event at the
ISSF World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.

They defeated Damir Mikec and Zorana Arunovic of Serbia to claim the gold medal.

May
Laureus Awards
Established:1999, Laureus sport for good (Daimler, Richemont). First held: 25 May 2000 at Monte
Carlo, Nelson Mandela gave speech(laurel from greek word laurel)

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year - Lionel Messi. Earlier he won jointly with Lewis Hamilton in
2020. Won Qatar WC, 7 Ballon Dor, Inter Miami club, Argentina country
Team of the year: Argentina mens football team

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year - Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, Jamaican sprinter. 5th world
100m at Eugene,Oregon
Laureus Sport for Good: TEAMUP (Global) (War Child, Save the Children, UNICEF Netherlands)
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Carlos Alcaraz, Spain, Tennis
Laureus Sporting moment (2000-2020) - Sachin Tendulkar

Most awards: Roger Federer (6) (5 sportsman of the year and 1 comeback of the year)

Khelo India University Games

3rd edition of Khelo India University Games (KIUG) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
From 25 May to 3rd June
Closing ceremony in Varanasi on 3rd June
Mascot - Jitu (Swamp Deer/Barasingha) - the state animal of Uttar Pradesh.
First edition held in Odisha in 2020
Second edition was held in Bangalore, Karnataka in 2022 .
Over 4750 athletes from more than 200 Universities competing in 21 sports categories.
Competitions will take place in Varanasi, Lucknow, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Gorakhpur

Khelo India - Translates to ‘Let’s play India’

Proposed by GoI in 2017 to revive India’s sporting culture
Building better sporting infrastructure and academies across the country for various sports.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Minister - Anurag Thakur

Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), Khelo India University Games (KIUG) and the Khelo India Winter
Games were set up

Reviving Traditional Sports such as Gatka, Mallakhamb, Thang-ta, Kalaripayattu, and Yogasan
Integration of Sports in Education:
Aligns with NEP 2020 to incorporate sports as a subject within the curriculum
Construction of the country’s first National Sports University

Establishment of state-of-the-art sports facilities across India, called Khelo India State Centres of
Excellence (KISCE)
These centres aim to provide basic facilities for sportspersons with potential and cater to three
sporting disciplines each.

June
Djokovic and Swiatek Claim Historic French Open Victory(June)
- Novak Djokovic made history at the French Open,2023 securing his third title at
Roland-Garros and solidifying his position as the most successful men's singles tennis
player.won against casper rudd(norway) This win marked Djokovic's 24th major men's
singles crown, surpassing all other players in the history of the sport.
 - Iga Swiatek(poland), the world number one player, successfully defended her title at Roland
Garros. In a thrilling final against Karolina Muchova(czech), her fourth Grand Slam title
overall.

- Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1
in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
Djokovic has been ranked No. 1 for a record total of 392 weeks in a record 12 different years, and
finished as the year-end No. 1 a record seven times. Djokovic has won an all-time record 24 Grand
Slam men‘s singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles.
Overall, he has won 96 singles titles, including a record 69 Big Titles (24 majors, a record 39
Masters, and a joint-record six ATP Finals).
Djokovic is the only man in tennis history to be the reigning champion of all four majors at once
across three different surfaces.

Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his fourth U.S. Open and a record
equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title

Novak Djokovic of Serbia wins his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open 2023, defeating Daniil
Medvedev of Russia. Djokovic moved ahead of Serena Williams to claim the record for the most
major singles titles won in the Open era.
Grand Slam tournaments, also called majors, are the four most important annual tennis events.

July
SAFF Championship 2023(July)
- held in Bengaluru, Karnataka, securing their ninth title by defeating Kuwait in a thrilling
football match.
- Organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), one of the five
sub-confederations under the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
- SAFF was formed in 1997 by founding Member Associations from Bangladesh, India,
Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and SriLanka.
- The SAFF Secretariat currently operates from Dhaka, Bangladesh.India has been a
powerhouse in the tournament, reaching the finals in all editions except 2003, winning 9/13
final matches.
Sunil Chhetri, the captain has become the player with the third highest number of goals in the
league of current players, preceded by Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo in the league of
current players and almost reached the feat of a 100 international goals(at 92), currently standing
at 4th on the list.

Asian Athletics Championships 2023 (add more)

The 2023 Asian Athletics Championships which began in Thailand recently have chosen revered
Hindu god Hanuman as the official mascot for the 2023 year’s event

. The event was held on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Asian Athletics
Association (established in 1973).

-.A total of nine countries (Japan; Hong Kong; Singapore; China; Indonesia; the Republic of Korea;
Malaysia; and Philippines) participate in the Asian event including India.

August
*National Sports Day

● Celebrated on 29 August every year

● Birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand Singh ('Hockey Wizard' and 'The Magician')
● First National Sports Day on August 29, 2012
● Theme: "Sports are an enabler to an inclusive and fit society".
● Major Dhyan Chand was a 3 time Olympic gold medalist(1928, 1932, 1936)
● Played international hockey from 1926 to 1949 with 400 goals and 185 matches
● Captain of the Indian team in 1934
● 1956, Major Dhyan Chand retired from the army as a Major and got the Padma Bhushan.
● Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (highest sporting honour of India)
● Dhyan Chand Award (highest award for lifetime achievement in sports)

Chess World Cup 2023

- The Chess World Cup is organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the
governing body of chess in the world.It's constituted as a non-governmental institution.
 - FIDE currently has its headquarters in Lausanne (Switzerland), but it was initially founded
in 1924 in Paris under the motto “Gens Una Sumus” (Latin for “We are one Family”).

- The FIDE World Cup 2023 took place from 29 July to 25 August 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In the Open tournament, 206 players were eligible to take part and 103 in the Women's
event.

- The winners of the top three places in both sections qualified for the 2024 Candidates
tournament, which is held to find a challenger for open world champion Ding Liren and
women’s champion Ju Wenjun at the next world chess championship battle.
-
- Magnus Carlsen finally managed to win the FIDE Open World Cup for the first time in his
career by defeating India’s Praggnanandhaa in the final, after the second game of the
tiebreaker. The two players had played out one draw each on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Fabiano Caruana placed third after defeating Nijat Abasov(4th).

- For the women’s tournament, the winner was Goryachkina Aleksandra

- Pragg, who turned 18 during the World Cup, was the youngest World Cup finalist ever, and
is the youngest World Cup winner.
- Seeded 31, Pragg is also the lowest seed to make the final of the World Cup.
Praggnanandhaa became the third youngest player after the legendary Bobby Fischer and
Carlsen to qualify for the Candidates tournament.He has also achieved significant victories
such as winning the World Youth Chess Championship (under-18) in 2019 and emerging
victorious in the Asian Continental Chess Championship (open) in 2021.
Other imp facts:
- GM Arjun Erigaisi won the Sharjah master's International Chess Championship 2023.The
44th Chess Olympiad was held in Chennai in 2022. The prestigious competition, which has
been organized since 1927, is being hosted in India for the first time and in Asia after 30
years.
- Gukesh D, a protege of five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand, will become the
top-ranked Indian in the International Chess Federation (FIDE) monthly rating list for
classical chess, surpassing Anand after 36 years. He will also break into the top 10 rankings
for the first time, making him the third Indian to achieve this feat.He became the youngest
player to defeat World No. 1 chess player, Magnus Carlsen.
- Viswanathan Anand:
 ○ The most successful Indian chess player, who won the FIDE World Chess
Championship in 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.
○ He also won the World Rapid Chess Championship in 2003 and 2017, and the
World Blitz Chess Championship in 2000 and 2017. He is the only player to have
won the world title in all three formats of chess.
○ In 2001 fide was not conducted
- Koneru Humpy:
○ The highest rated Indian female chess player, who won the Women’s World Rapid
Chess Championship in 2019.
○ She also won the Women’s Grand Prix series in 2019-2020.

World athletics championship

- The 2023 World Athletics Championships the nineteenth edition of the World Athletics
Championships, were held at the National Athletics Centre, in Budapest, Hungary.

- The official mascot of the event is a Racka, called Youhuu. The capital‘s Liberty Statue was
selected as the logo

- The motto for the event is Witness The Wonder

- The 2023 World Athletics Championships have ended in Budapest as the United States
again finished on top of the medal table with 29 medals

- India finished with one medal, a gold and finished joint 18th in the medals table.

- Neeraj Chopra won India‘s only medal in Budapest - a gold in the men‘s javelin throw
competition. The medal also meant Neeraj Chopra also became the first Indian athlete to
become a world champion.
 - Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan won the silver with
a season‘s best throw of 87.82m, while Jakub Wadlejch of the Czech Republic won the
bronze with a throw of 86.67m. Notably, Neeraj Chopra was already the first Indian track
and field athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics (Tokyo 2020), Diamond League title
(2022) and Junior World Championships (2016).
- Neeraj Chopra, who holds the national record of 89.94m in men‘s javelin throw, had won a
silver medal at the World Championships in Oregon last year.
- It was India‘s first silver medal at a global track and field event and the country‘s second after
Anju Bobby George won a bronze in the women‘s long jump, first to win at WAC at Paris
2003. This was India‘s third medal ever at the World Athletics Championships 2023 after
Anju Bobby George‘s long jump bronze at Paris 2003 and Neeraj‘s silver at Oregon 2022.
- Parul Chaudhary - women's steeplechase 3000m (broke national record )

September

Wimbledon
- First one - 1877
- 2023 - russia and belarus banned
- Played on grass court , french - clay , us,aus - hard
- Carlos alcaraz won 2023 males title
- Marketa vondrousova women's title
- Novak Djocovic has most singles male titles(24 ,10 aus) . margaret court - women's
title

* Asian Games
● Established in 1951
● First edition was held in New Delhi
● 2023 will be 19th edition
● Held every 4 years among athletes from all over Asia.
● Held in China (hosting for the 3rd time)
● Held in: Hangzhou olympiad sports centre stadium (called big lotus in china)
● Hangzhou is the 3rd Chinese city to host, after Beijing (1990) and Guangzhou (2010)
● Mascot- Jiangnan yi group of robots (Jiagnan Remembrance) by Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi.
● Mascot names - Congcong, Lianlian, Chenchen (Memories of Jiangnan)
● Slogan ―Heart to Heart@future
 ● India has hosted 2 times (1951 delhi and 9th edition in 1982 delhi)
● 2026 edition will be held in Nagoya, Japan
● Since 1982 Games, they have been organised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after
the breakup of the Asian Games Federation
● Recognized by the IOC as the 2nd largest multi-sport event after the Olympics
● 2018 games: Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia
● E-sports and breakdancing were introduced along with cricket, Go, Xiangqi and chess
● India won 107 medals (28 gold 38 silver 41 bronze)
● First time India exceeded 100 medal tally
● Athletics we won most - 6 gold , 14 silver and 9 bronze
● India Men's Hockey team won gold (against Japan )
● In 2018 we won 70 medals
● China won - 383 , South Korea -190, Japan - 188
India‘s first-ever sports university to be set up in Manipur

Under Act East Policy‘ (special emphasis has been given to sports infrastructure in the Northeast
region. )
The first national Sports University of the country has been allocated to the northeast state of
Manipur at a total sanctioned cost of Rs.643.34 crore.

Indian archer Aditi Gopichand Swami

made history giving India its first-ever individual gold medal in the history of the World Archery
Championships at the ongoing edition of the tournament in Berlin

FIFA Women's World Cup

In news: Spain won the 9th FIFA Women's WC after defeating England 1-0; Sweden @ 3rd place
-Spain's 1st title; first nation to concurrently hold U-17, U-20 & senior women WCs
*1st European nation to win since 2007; 2nd nation to win both men's & women's WC since
Germany in 2003*
-Player of the Match ~ Olga Carmona (Spain Captain)
*Leah Williamson (England Captain)*
-2019 FIFA WC ~ US 2-0 Netherlands
FIFA Women's WC 2023:
-9th edition of FIFA Women's WC hosted by Australia & NZ from 20 Jul to 20 Aug; mascot was
Tazuni
*1st w/ more than 1 host nations; 1st in Southern Hemisphere*
-1st to feature expanded format of 32 teams (previously 24 teams)
Mary Earpsvs (England) won Golden Gloves
-Hinata Miyazawa (Japan) won Golden Boot; Aitina Bonmati (Spain) won Golden Ball:

FIFA Women's WC:

-1st edition in 1991 @ China; won by USA
-held every 4 years (1 yr after Men's WC)
-most successful team is US (4 titles)
Spain won 2023
Jenni hormosa controversy - luis rubiales kissed her without consent after spain won, he is the
president of RFEF(Royal spanish football federation)
FIFA Men's WC:
-1st edition in 1930 @ Uruguay; won by Uruguay
-held every 4 years
*Italy has been host most (4) times*
-most successful team is Brazil (5 titles)
*only team to have played in every tournament*
-22nd (2022) title won by Argentina against France; 3-3 after full + extra time, 4-2 in penalty
shootout

Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA):

-founded in 1904 @ Paris;
- HQ @ Zurich (Switzerland); Prez is Gianni Infantino
*1st Prez was Robert Guerin (France)*
*Prez Sepp Blatter was impeached in 2016 on charges of corruption*

All India Football Federation (AIFF):

-founded in 1937; HQ @ New Delhi; Prez is Kalyan Chaubey
-affiliation w/ FIFA in 1948; suspended reinstated in Aug 2022
-gave 'Vision 2047' ~ 6 four-year strategic plans
-India hosted 2022 U17 Women's FIFA WC (7th edition); won by Spain; mascot was Ibha
*India made debut*
-India has also hosted 2017 U17 FIFA Men's WC
-Indian team was 4th in 1956 Olympics; highest ranking was #94 in 1996
GK:
-Loitongbam Ashalata Devi ~ captain of India's women's football team
-there will be 48 teams in Men's FIFA WC 2026
-world's 1st football match - Scotland vs England (in 1872, @ Glasgow)
-in 1908 London Olympics, football became part of Olympics
Nicknames of the teams
- Spain - las soñadoras (the dreamers)
- England - the lionesses
- USA - teams USA , USWNT, the stars and stripes , The Yanks
- Sweden - Blagult
- Australia - The matildas
- New Zealand - Football Ferns
Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra is an Indian track and field athlete, who is the reigning Olympic champion, World
champion and the Diamond League champion in the javelin throw.
First Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in his event and the first such Asian to win gold at
the World Championship.
Chopra is the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for India at the Olympics. He is also
the first track and field athlete from India to win at the World Under-20 Championships, where in
2016 he achieved a world U20 record throw of 86.48 m
One of only two Indians to have won an individual Olympic gold medal (the other being Abhinav
Bindra), the youngest-ever Indian Olympic gold medalist in an individual event and the only
individual to have won gold on his Olympic debut. His silver medal at the 2022 World
Championships made him the second Indian to win a medal at a World Athletics Championships.
He subsequently won the first gold for India at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
89.94 m by Neeraj Chopra in Diamond league, Stockholm, 2022 - best record for India
Tokyo Olympics - 87.58 m
World athletics championships - 88.17 m

World number 1 in Javelin throw, Won Gold at World Athletics Championship, second in Zurich
Diamond league.
Won Olympic gold medal in his debut year, first Indian track and field athlete to accomplish this. He
also serves in the Indian Army as a JCO/Subedar
First Indian to win individual gold - Abhinav Bindra

Neeraj Chopra Finishes 1st at Lausanne Diamond League 2023(July)

Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic gold medalist, clinched first place in the javelin event in the Lausanne
Diamond League 2023 which took place at the Athletissima stadium in Switzerland by achieving a
remarkable throw of 87.66 m. The Lausanne meet, the sixth meet of the Diamond League athletics
series, was Neeraj Chopra’s second competition of the season and the first since the Doha
Diamond League.

October
*cricket olympics

● 5 sports included in the 2028 Los Angeles Games post the approval of the IOC
● Cricket makes its return to the Olympics after more than 100 years
● Other sports added: baseball/softball, flag football, squash and lacrosse.
● Accepted a proposal by LA organisers for a 6 team T20 tournament for men and women
● Los Angeles Organising Committee chairperson - Casey Wasserman
● Cricket was in the Olympics once before, in Paris in 1900, when England defeated France.
● Inaugural Modern Olympic Games - 1896 in Athens, Greece
● Most recent Games - 2021 in Tokyo, Japan
● First city to host the Summer Olympic Games thrice - London
● As of 2022, Paris, Los Angeles, Athens and Tokyo have each hosted twice
● Paris will host for the third time in 2024, followed by LA which will host in 2028.
● 5 countries in every edition: Australia, France, Great Britain, Greece, and Switzerland
● Australia, France and Great Britain have won at least a medal at every edition of the Games
● Great Britain as the only one to win gold each time
● US leads the all-time medal count and has topped the medal table on 18 separate occasions
● The Olympic symbol comprises 5 rings of different colours which symbolise the union of the
five continents
● Original Olympic motto: Citius - Altius - Fortius (Faster - Higher - Stronger)
● Amended to "faster, higher, stronger - together"(communiter) during the International
Olympic Committee's session in Tokyo 2021
● Mascot of the 2020 Summer Olympics - Miraitowa
● Mascot of the 2020 Summer Paralympics - Someity
● US topped the medal count by both total golds (39) and total medals (113)
● India won total 7 Medals (highest medal tally by India ever), 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze
● Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu got the first medal - Silver in Women‘s 49kg (1st olympic medal)
● PV Sindhu became the first Indian woman and only the second Indian athlete -after Sushil
Kumar - to win two individual Olympic medals
 ● Indian men‘s hockey team won an Olympic medal since gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics
● Neeraj Chopra became India‘s second individual Olympic champion (after Abhinav Bindra)
-with his men‘s javelin throw gold at Tokyo 2020. India‘s first track-and-field medal

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

● Non-governmental sports organisation
● Based in Lausanne, Switzerland
● Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas
● Authority responsible for organising the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympic Games.
● Current president of the IOC - Thomas Bach.
● The 2022 winter olympics was held in Beijing
● Winter Olympics 2026 is to be held in Milan

November
Hyderabad to host India‘s first ever IAU 50 km World Championships
Hyderabad is all set to host two mega sporting events-- the IAU 50km World Championships 2023,
which will be held for the first time in India, and the Hyderabad Half Marathon 2023. Both events
will take place on November 5, 2023. The 50 km World Championship is being conducted by
International Association of Ultra Runners (IAU) and the Athletics Federation of Indian (AFI) and is
organised by NEB Sports

IAU 100 km Asia Oceania Championship in Bengaluru this July, we are extremely proud to bring
the first-ever Ultra World Championships to India. The Half Marathon has three categories –
21.1K (Half Marathon), 10K and 5K. Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and Padma Bhushan
Pullela Gopichand will flag off

*ICC Cricket World Cup

● First World Cup - England in June 1975

● Women‘s Cricket World Cup had been held two years before the first men‘s tournament
● Tournament involving multiple international teams - 1912 (Test matches between Australia,
England and South Africa)
● First three World Cups were held in England
● From 1987 hosting has been shared between countries under an unofficial rotation system,
● 14 ICC members having hosted at least one match in the tournament.
● 10 teams,including the automatically qualifying host nation, compete for the title at venues
within the host nation over about a month.
● In 2027 - Format changed to accommodate 14 teams
● Australia has won the tournament 6 times
● India and West Indies 2 times each,
● Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England have won 1 time each
● Best performance by a non-full-member team - Kenya made the semi-finals in 2003
● 2019 World Cup winners - England
● 2023 World Cup winners - Australlia
● 2027 World Cup will be held jointly in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
● 2023 ODI World Cup, Super Overs are deployed as a tiebreaker
● Mascots - Blaze and Tonk

History of ODI World Cups

● First international cricket match - Canada and US (24 and 25 September 1844)
● First credited Test match - Australia and England in 1877
● South Africa was admitted to Test status in 1889
● First 3 tournaments were held in England (Prudential Cups after sponsors Prudential PLC)
● 60 overs per team,during daytime in the traditional form, cricket whites and redball
● 8 teams participated: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the West Indies
(6 Test nations) + Sri Lanka and a composite team from East Africa
● Notable omission - South Africa (banned due to apartheid)
● Winners - West Indies (defeated Australia by 17 runs in the final at Lord‘s)
● 1979 World Cup saw the introduction of the ICC Trophy competition to select non-Test
playing teams (Sri Lanka and Canada qualified through this)
● The West Indies won a second consecutive tournament, defeating England

The 1983 World Cup

● Sri Lanka became a Test nation (Zimbabwe qualified through the ICC Trophy)
● Fielding circle was introduced. 4 fielders needed to be inside it at all times.
● 3rd edition of the Cricket World Cup tournament
● Final - India and the West Indies at Lord‘s on 25 June 1983 and won by India
● 3rd World Cup final appearance for the West Indies, having won the last two
● Kapil Dev captained the Indian cricket team
● Youngest captain (at the age of 24) to win the World Cup for any team
● 2016 film Azhar, directed by Tony D‘Souza, revolves around Match fixing scandals in the 90s
and 2000s (Dev is played by Varun Badola)
● Indian filmmaker Kabir Khan directed a biopic titled 83, about 1983 world cup (Ranveer
Singh as Dev)

DLS (Duckworth Lewis Method)

● Introduced in the 1992 World Cup to adjust targets in rain-affected matches
● Devised by two British statisticians, Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis as a result of the
semi-final in the 1992 World Cup between England and South Africa
● Initially, South Africa needed 22 runs from 13 balls, but after the rain the revised target left
them needing 21 runs from 1 ball due to the Most Productive Overs method

2011 Cricket World Cup

● 10th Cricket World Cup
● Played in India, Sri Lanka, and for the first time in Bangladesh
● Pakistan stripped of hosting following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009
● India won defeating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai,
● First country to win the Cricket World Cup final on home soil
● India‘s Yuvraj Singh was declared the man of the tournament
● First time two Asian teams in the final
● First time since the 1992 World Cup that the final match did not feature Australia.
● Mascot for the 2011 World Cup - Stumpy the elephant
● Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara chose to bat first after winning the toss
● India captain M S Dhoni, promoting himself up the order, joined Gambhir and they both
added 109 runs
● Dhoni was declared man of the match for scoring 91 runs
● Dhoni = First cricketer to be a winning captain of all three major ICC trophies
● India won the 2007 T20, the 2011 World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy
● Australia lost their final group stage match against Pakistan on 19 March 2011
● Ended unbeaten streak of 35 World Cup matches, which had begun on 23 May 1999

Modern World Cups

● Australia and New Zealand jointly hosted the 2015 World Cup
● Participants remained at 14. Ireland was the most successful associate nation with 3 wins
● New Zealand beat South Africa in the semi-final to qualify for their maiden Cup final
● Australia defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in the final at Melbourne
 ● 2019 World Cup was hosted by England and Wales
● Participants was reduced to 10
● New Zealand defeated India in the semi-final, which was pushed to reserve day due to rain
● England defeated Australia, in the second semi-final
● Neither finalist had previously won the World Cup
● Scores tied at 241 after 50 overs causing a super over, after which the scores were again
tied at 15 after which boundary count was checked and Englands was higher so they won

International Cricket Council (ICC)

● Global governing body of cricket.
● Founded as: Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by Australia, England and South Africa.
● Renamed: International Cricket Conference in 1965
● Adopted its current name in 1987.
● HQ: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
● 108 member nations: 12 full test playing members and 96 Associate Members.
● Responsible for the organisation and governance of international tournaments
● Head of ICC: Gregor John Barclay
● CEO of ICC: Geoffrey John Allardice

Miscellaneous

National food security act, in the context of covid 19

- National Food security act - 2013 -subsidised food grains to below poverty level
- In the pandemic, the government promised to double the amount of grain it normally
provides to all beneficiaries, added a new allocation of pulses, and made it all free for
eight months. It also announced a separate allocation of grain and pulses for migrant
workers.
- According to Global food security index
- - undernourishment prevalence rate - 16.3 %
- children stunted - 30.9 %
-underweight children - 33.4 %
-obese children - 3.8 %
 Global hunger index
- India is ranked 111 out of 125 countries (overall score - 28.7) categorised as serious .
- Released by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe ( pvt german NGO est 1962)
- Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Chile, China are among the top ranked countries (i.e.,
low level of hunger) and Yemen, Madagascar, Central African Republic are the
bottom.
- based on 4 indicators : all our neighbours did better than us sri lanka - rank 6
Human development index
- India's rank - 132
- Top 3 countries - Norway ,Switzerland and Ireland
- India's score - 0.633 world average is 0.732

Bengaluru gets 3D-printed post office, first in India

Union Minister for Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology launched
the nation‘s first post office constructed using 3D printing technology at Cambridge Layout in east
Bengaluru. First commercial building to have used 3D printing technology. It has a built-up area of
1,000 square feet, By Larsen and Toubro Construction. It was originally scheduled to finish within
45 days. However, work was completed in 43 days. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras
helped the construction team with the structural design. The post office will house the Ulsoor
Bazaar post office,
Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, successfully fabricated a sentry post using 3D printing
techniques for the Indian Army. THIS IS LEGIT RIGHT NEXT TO MY APT - P

Red Sea Global (RSG) and mobile telecom operator Zain KSA have announced the launch of the
world‘s first zero-carbon 5G network
at the Six Senses Southern Dunes resort in The Red Sea. The revolutionary 5G network is designed
to align with Vision 2030‘s goals.for 5G connectivity in the region while beingpowered100%
renewable energy. Over 760,000 solar panels have been installed in Red Sea Global to power the
entire 28,000 km2 destination

India‘s first Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drone) Common Testing Centre under Defence Testing
Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) will be established in Tamil Nadu.

Established over an area of about 2.3 acres at the SIPCOT Industrial Park, Vallam Vadagal near
Sriperumbudu
The testing centre would enable the State to be a significant contributor to the self-reliance of the
country in the aerospace and defence sectors.
A consortium of companies consisting of Keltron, Sense Image Technologies, Standards Testing &
Compliance and Avishka Retailers had been chosen for establishing the facility at an estimated
cost of Rs.45 crore

World’s longest river cruise (Jan)

Was inaugurated by PM Modi in India - MV Ganga Vilas.

Supposed to run from Varanasi to Dibrughar in Assam(research abt jail, Amrit Pal Singh) on the
river Ganga and is a plan to revive tourism(50-51 days) and will touch upon a lot of tourist spots,
sanctuaries, places of historical importance etc.

Mughal Gardens -> Amrit Udyan(Jan)

They have been renamed in India to Amrit Udyan.

Was designed by Edwin Lutyens but not planted by him, but by an horticulture expert William
Mustoe.

PEN Pinter Prize 2023(July)

Michael Rosen, a renowned poet and writer, has been recognized for his literary contributions and
honored with the prestigious PEN Pinter Prize 2023.Rosen is known for making poetry accessible
to children through his work and performances. His themes are often social, political and
ethical.The PEN Pinter Prize was established in 2009 by English PEN, the founding centre of a
global literary network that promotes literature and human rights.The prize was named after
Harold Pinter, who was a vice president of English PEN and an active member of the International
PEN Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC).It was inspired by Pinter’s Nobel Prize acceptance
speech in 2005, titled “Art, Truth and Politics”, in which he spoke about the role of the writer as a
“citizen of the world” who questions and exposes the lies of power.The Prize is awarded annually to
a writer resident in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Commonwealth or former
Commonwealth.
Ajay Banga, Recognized on "Great Immigrants" List(June)
Ajay Banga, the president of the World Bank, has been included in the annual "Great Immigrants"
list curated by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He became World Bank chief in June 2023
and is the first-ever Indian American to lead the institution.The "Great Immigrants" initiative pays
homage to the legacy of Andrew Carnegie( a Scottish immigrant) , recognizing exceptional
individuals who have achieved success in America and inspire others to do the same, fostering a
vibrant and resilient democracy.

Global Slavery Index

- new report, ‘The Global Slavery Index 2023’, by the Walk Free Foundation
- with the number of people living in such conditions reaching 50 million—an alarming 25% rise in
the past five years.

■ India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey, and the U.S. are among the top G20 countries
with the highest number of forced labourers.
○ This means that one in every 160 people in the world is a victim of modern slavery.
■ It ranks 160 countries based on their estimated prevalence of modern slavery per 1,000
people.
○ The countries with the highest prevalence are North Korea (104.6), Eritrea (90.3),
and Mauritania (32.0), where modern slavery is widespread and often
state-sponsored.
○ The countries with the lowest prevalence are Switzerland (0.5), Norway (0.5), and
Germany (0.6), where strong governance and effective responses to modern
slavery are evident.
■ Asia and the Pacific has the largest number of people in modern slavery. (29.3 million)
○ India has the prevalence of 8. (Estimated proportion of population living in modern
slavery per thousand people).

What is India's Stance Related to Modern Slavery?

 ■ Legislative Framework:
○ India has taken legislative measures to combat modern slavery, including the
Bonded Labour Abolition Act of 1976 (the Act was amended in 1985 to
include contract and migrant workers) and the Central scheme for
Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour.
○ The Supreme Court has also ruled that non-payment of minimum wages
amounts to “forced labour” under Article 23 of the Constitution.

Related : 11 th World of Work Report

- Released by ILO
- Global unemployment rate = 5.3%
- Unemployment rate in india = 4.8%
- e-Shram portal -National database of unorganized workers
ILO - DG= Gilbert F Houngbo
Formed in 1919 by treaty of versailles
HQ=Geneva
UN Affiliated since 1946 (UN has 11 such agencies )
Publishes
- Global Wage report
- World employment and social outlook
- World social protection report
- World of work report
ILO Nobel prize - 1969

Worlds first solar city - Sanchi

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the country‘s first solar city Sanchi. Sanchi
would soon become a net zero city in Madhya Pradesh
OSOWOG initiative aims to connect different regional grids through a common grid that will be
used to transfer renewable energy power, especially solar energy. The idea for the One Sun One
World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative was put forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the First
Assembly of the ISA in October 2018. The OSOWOG Declaration was jointly released by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and the then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the COP26 Climate
Meet in Glasgow in 2021

Nipah virus
It is a zoonotic virus(it is transmitted from animals to humans).
- The organism that causes Nipah Virus encephalitis is an RNA or Ribonucleic acid
virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Henipavirus, and is closely related to
Hendra virus.
- The disease spreads through fruit bats or ‘flying foxes,’
- It first broke out in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999.
- The disease is named after a village in Malaysia, Sungai Nipah, where it was first
detected

TWITTER
- on April 14, 2022, and concluded it on October 27, 2022. Musk had begun buying shares of the
company in January 2022, becoming its largest shareholder by April with a 9.1 percent ownership
stake(worth 2.64 bn)
- Musk made an unsolicited offer to purchase the company, to which Twitter's board responded with
a "poison pill" strategy to resist a hostile takeover before unanimously accepting Musk's buyout
offer of $44 billion on April 25
- Twitter was taken private and merged into a new parent company named X Corp. It is now a wholly
owned subsidiary of X Holdings Corp
- Linda Yaccarino was appointed CEO of X Corp. in June 2023, and the Twitter app was rebranded as
X.
Founders of twitter - Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz stone, Noah Glass
Founded - March 21 , 2006
HQ - San Francisco
Elon Musk - co founded 6 companies - SpaceX, Tesla, X (formerly Twitter), The Boring Company, Neuralink,
and xAI
- The Twitter Files are a series of releases of select internal Twitter, Inc. documents published from
December 2022 through March 2023 on Twitter. (has 6 instalments )

Aarogya Maitri Cube

Aarogya Maitri Cube: India Builds World‘s First Portable Hospital to Keep 200 Survivors Alive for
48 Hrs
India has unveiled the world‘s first portable disaster hospital, a groundbreaking facility that can be
airlifted and consists of 72 cubes. This extraordinary endeavour is a component of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi‘s ambitious ―Project BHISHM‖ (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and
Maitri), unveiled in February 2022. The project was officially inaugurated during the MedTech
Expo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The design of these cubes draws inspiration from the ―Rubik‘s
Cube,

Global Liveability Index

The Economist Intelligence Unit released its 2023 report on global liveability index, placing
Austria’s capital Vienna as the top ranked city to live in 2023. The list of worst liveable cities
around the world in 2022:
1. Tehran, Iran
2. Doula, Cameron
3. Harare, Zimbabwe
4. Dhaka, Bangladesh
5. Port Moresby, PNG

Austrian Capital, Vienna, topped the Global Liveability Report, 2022, with a 99.1 rating. It replaced Auckland,
which topped in 2021. Vienna ranked the 12th position in 2021 since most of its museums and restaurants were
closed due to Covid-19. It rebounded to 1st place, which it also held in 2018 and 2019.

Western European and Canadian cities dominated the top rankings, whereas the ranks of Eastern European
cities slipped amidst an increased geopolitical crisis.

Six out of ten ranks were bagged by European cities. Copenhagen (Denmark) has moved up 13 places from its
position 12 months ago, to second, and Zurich (Switzerland) now shares third place with Calgary (Canada),
which has risen from 18th position.

● Damascus in Syria and Tripoli in Libya continue to stay at the bottom of the list, along with Lagos in Nigeria.
Social unrest, terrorism, and conflict have been the responsible factors for their low ranks.
● five cities in India have found a place on the list for the first time.
● The National Capital, New Delhi, has been ranked 112th on the list
● The financial capital, Mumbai, is ranked at 117th position.
● Chennai and Ahmedabad are in the 142nd and 146th positions respectively.
● Till the previous year, only Mumbai and Delhi found a place on the list.