March 2024 Current Affairs

Military Exercises
“Tiger Triumph 2024”
• Source - PIB
• Amphibious Exercise
• Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam from 18 - 25 Mar 24
• Sea Phase held onboard USS Somerset on 30 Mar 2024
• Bilateral Tri-Service
• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
• Between India and US – first tri-service military collaboration
• Earlier India has such exercise with Russia
IMT TRILAT 24
• Source - PIB
• India, Mozambique, and Tanzania - Trilateral Naval Exercise
• Second edition – Held at Nacala, Mozambique
• Two phases – Harbour phase at Maputo of Mozambique.
• In line with the vision of SAGAR (Security & Growth for All in the
Region)
• Joint surveillance of EEZ off Tanzania and Mozambique
• INS Tir and INS Sujata – from Indian Side
‘LAMITIYE-2024’
• Source - PIB
• Tenth edition of Joint Military between the Indian Army and
Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF)
• ‘LAMITIYE’ meaning ‘Friendship’ in the Creole language
• To enhance interoperability in Sub-conventional Operations in
Semi-Urban environment
• Under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peace Keeping
Operations
 UPSC 2024 Prelims Question
Which of the following statements about ‘Exercise Mitra Shakti-2023’ are
correct?
1.This was a joint military exercise between India and Bangladesh.
2.It commenced in Aundh (Pune).
3.Joint response during counter-terrorism operations was a goal of this
operation.
4.Indian Air Force was a part of this exercise.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 2, 3 and 4
 UPSC 2024 Prelims Question
Operations undertaken by the Army towards upliftment of the local
population in remote areas to include addressing of their basic needs
is called:
(a) Operation Sankalp
(b) Operation Maitri
(c) Operation Sadbhavana
(d) Operation Madad
 Economy (Including Schemes)
T+0 rolling settlement cycle
• Source – Indian Express
• Trade settlement system where the settlement of trades occurs on
the same day they are made - same-day settlement
• Different from the T+1 cycle, where trades are settled the next day
• India - second country after China - short settlement cycle
• Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) - timelines, process and
risk requirements
• Market Infrastructure Institutions - first-line regulators include
stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories
HCES 2022-2023 (79th Survey)
• Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) during
August 2022 to July 2023 – 1st part (2nd part will continue)
• By the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics
and Program Implementation.
• For generating estimates of household Monthly Per Capita
Consumption Expenditure (MPCE)
• Utility - Poverty line is defined on the basis of MPCE
• Used for rebasing the Gross Domestic Product and the Consumer
Price Index - Key input for RBI monetary policy
• Major problem – it is just about spending but not about income or
employment – Moreover survey is not an accurate mechanism
Background
• Before 28th survey (1973-74) - it was regular
• After that it was five years once - quinquennial surveys
• 27th (1972-73), 32nd (1977-78), 38th (1983), 43rd (1987-88), 50th
(1993- 94), 55th (1999-00), 61st (2004-05), 66th (2009-10) and
68th (2011-12) rounds - at roughly 5-year intervals
• Govt junked the 2017-18 survey citing data quality issues
• So Breaking 11-year data - last exercise was conducted in 2011-12
• Distribution separately for the rural and urban sectors of the
country
• For States and Union Territories, and for different socio-economic
groups
Key Findings
• “Per Capita Monthly Household Consumption Expenditure more
than doubled during 2011-12 to 2022-23”
• Without considering the imputed values of the items received free
of cost through social transfer
• In this survey - (i) Food items, (ii) Consumables and Services items,
and (iii) Durable goods
• Consumption in rural areas is growing faster than in urban areas -
narrowing the gap
• According to the survey data, the gap was 84% in 2011-12 and
reached 71% in 2022-23
• Significant Fall in the Consumption of Cereals and Food
• Expenditure on high-value food items such as eggs, fish, meat,
fruits, and vegetables has increased
• The expenditure on non-food items has increased across all
categories, with the highest expenditure on transport and
communication
• Increase in the Expenditure on Education and Health
• The gap between the MPCE of agricultural families and the overall
average of rural households has been narrowing over the years.
• The MPCE is the highest in Sikkim for both rural (₹7,731) and
urban areas (₹12,105).
• It is the lowest in Chhattisgarh
• The rural-urban difference in average MPCE: Highest in Meghalaya
(83%) followed by Chhattisgarh (82%)
• MPCE is highest in Chandigarh (rural Rs 7,467 and urban Rs
12,575), and is the lowest in Ladakh (Rs 4,035) and Lakshadweep
(Rs 5,475) for rural & urban areas
• Top 5% of India’s rural and urban population has an average MPCE
of Rs 10,581 and Rs 20,846, respectively
• The bottom 5% of India’s rural population has an average MPCE of
Rs 1,441, while it is Rs 2,087 in urban areas
• In Rural India, food constitutes about 46% - whereas in urban
areas, it is around 39%
• Beverages, Refreshments, and Processed Food - Tamil Nadu with
the highest spending percentages both in rural (28.4%) and urban
(33.7%) areas
• Milk and Milk Products - northern states like Haryana (rural 41.7%,
urban 33.1%) and Rajasthan (urban 33.2%)
• Egg, Fish, and Meat – Kerala tops both in rural (23.5%) and urban
(19.8%)
• Non-Food Expenditure - higher spending on non-food items
increased
• With rural spending from 40.6% in 1999 to 53.62% in 2022-23 and
urban spending from 51.94% to 60.83% in the same period
• Conveyance – Kerala Tops
• Medical Expenses - Particularly high in Kerala, West Bengal, and
Andhra Pradesh for rural areas and West Bengal, Kerala, and
Punjab for urban areas
• Durable Goods – Again Kerala tops
• Fuel and Light - West Bengal and Odisha shows increased spending
Observations
• Indian households are consuming more nutritious and diverse
diets - positive implications for their health and well-being
• In food items, people are spending more on milk, fruits and
vegetables - people are also spending more on processed food
• For the first time that expenditure on food has fallen
• increase in the expenditure on education and health expenditure –
So investing more in human capital and quality of life
• Increase in the expenditure on non-food items - people are
becoming prosperous with extra income
• Indian households have more disposable income and are spending
more on discretionary items (clothing, footwear, transport,
education, health, and entertainment)
• Increase in the expenditure on transport and communication -
growing demand for mobility and connectivity
• Decline in Value of Self-Employment in Agriculture – Poor
condition of landless labour
• Fall in the Average MPCE of Agricultural Households – Agri is not
profitable at all
• Difference between rural and urban MPCE has a bigger gap at the
top - reflecting an increase in inequality at higher income levels
 UPSC 2015 Prelims Question
Which of the following brings out the ‘Consumer Price Index Number
for the Industrial Workers’?
a) The Reserve Bank of India
b) The Department of Economic Affairs
c) The Labour Bureau
d) The department of Personnel and Training
 UPSC 2019 Prelims Question
In a given year in India, official poverty lines are higher in some States
than in others because
(a) poverty rates vary from State to State
(b) price levels vary from State to State
(c) Gross State Product varies from State to State
(d) quality of public distribution varies from State to State
UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
As per the NSSO 70th Round “Situation Assessment Survey of Agriculture
Household”, consider the following statements:
1.Rajasthan has the highest percentage share of agricultural household among
its rural household.
2.Out of the total agricultural household in the country, a little over 60 percent
belong to OBCs.
3.In Kerala, a little over 60 percent of agricultural household reported to have
received maximum income from sources other than agricultural activities.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
NREGA Wage Hikes
• Source – The Hindu
• Notified by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Act of
MGNREGA 2005 - Centrally Sponsored Scheme
• Revised and fixed every year - Amounts vary from state to state
• According to changes in the CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index-
Agriculture Labor)
• CPI-AL is compiled by the Labour Bureau, under the Ministry of
Labour and Employment
• Includes sub-categories such as food, clothing, bedding, footwear,
fuel, light, pan, supari, tobacco, and intoxicants.
• Released on a monthly basis
New GI Tags
• Source – Indian Express
• Matabari Pera Prasad and Rignai Pachara textiles – both from Tripura
• GI Tag - legal protection against unauthorised imitation or misuse of
the product - name or sign used on certain products
• Only the authorised users or those residing in the geographical
territory are allowed to use
• Under WTO – TRIPS - negotiated at the end of the Uruguay Round of
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
• To provide copyright rights; geographical indications; industrial designs;
integrated circuit layout-designs; patents; new plant varieties;
trademarks; trade names and undisclosed or confidential information
• Paris Convention - adopted in 1883 – first major step taken to help
creators
• Applies to industrial property in the widest sense, including
patents, trademarks, industrial designs, utility models, service
marks, trade names, geographical indications
• Berne Convention - adopted in 1886 - deals with the protection of
works and the rights of their authors - provides creators such as
authors, musicians, poets, painters etc with the means to control
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) administers both
the Paris Convention and the Berne Convention
• Issued by the Geographical Indication Registry, a division of the
Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade (DIPIT)
under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection)
Act, 1999
• Registered GI is valid for 10 years
• Darjeeling tea was the first product in India to receive a
Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2004–2005
• As of March 31, 2024, Uttar Pradesh has the most Geographical
Indication (GI) tags in India with 69 products, followed by Tamil
Nadu with 58 products.
 UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration
and Protection) Act, 1999 in order to comply with the obligations to
(2018)
(a) ILO
(b) IMF
(c) UNCTAD
(d) WTO
 UPSC 2015 Prelims Question
Which of the following has/have been accorded ‘Geographical
Indication’ status?
1) Banaras Brocades and Sarees
2) Rajasthani Daal-Bati-Churma
3) Tirupathi Laddu
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
LANCET study on birth rate in India
• Source – Indian Express
• India’s total fertility rate (TFR) — the average number of children
born per woman
• Dipping irreversibly to 1.29
• Far lower than the replacement rate of 2.1
• Means a rapidly depleting working age population
• Worldwide too - from 5 in 1950 to 2.2 children in 2021
• In India , the TFR was 6.18 in 1950
• By 2050 the share of senior citizens in India will be more than 20
per cent, that is one five people
 UPSC 2024 Prelims Question
The total fertility rate in a economy is defined as :
(a) the number of children born per 1000 people in the
population in a year.
(b) the number of children born to couple in their lifetime in a
given population.
(c) the birth rate minus death rate.
(d) the average number of live births a woman would have
by the end of her child-bearing age
 UPSC 2024 Prelims Question
Consider the following countries:
1.Italy
2.Japan
3.Nigeria
4.South Korea
5.South Africa
Which of the above countries are frequently mentioned in the media for
their low birth rates, or ageing population or declining population?
(a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 1, 3 and 5
(c) 2 and 4 only (d) 3 and 5 only
Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain Campaign 2024
• Source – PIB
• 5th Edition of Jal Shakti Abhiyan Themed ‘Nari Shakti Se Jal Shakti’
• To Highlight Key Role Played By Women in Water Conservation and
Sustainable Management of Water Resources - Jal Shakti
• Movie “Jal Shakti Abhiyan 2019 to 2023 – A public led movement
marching towards Water Security”
• Launch of two books namely, “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: 2019 to 2023”
and “101 Water Champions of Jal Jeevan Mission”
• Convergence of resources and efforts in rural areas
1. Geo-tagging of all water supply sources (September 2024)
2. At least one recharge structure for each ground water source
(March 2026)
3. Rejuvenation and sustenance of spring sources (March 2026)

• Convergence of resources and efforts in urban areas

1. Identify-Water bodies as potential water sources (September
2024)
2. Defunct borewell for ground water recharge (September 2024)
• Under the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment)
• A global initiative by India to help the world lead a sustainable way
of life and achieve the sustainable development goals set by the
UN
• Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the COP26 summit
in Glasgow in 2021
• An India-led global mass movement that will nudge individual and
collective action to protect and preserve the environment
• Aims to bring individual behaviors at the forefront of the global
climate action narrative
• Contributes to both combating climate change and achieving
sustainable development goals
• In India, at least 80% of all villages and urban local bodies are
aimed to become environment-friendly by 2028.
Satellite-Based Toll Collection System in India
• Source – The Hindu - 1st phase in Bihar
• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has amended
the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection)
Rules, 2008
• new regulations, called the National Highways Fee (Determination
of Rates and Collection) Amendment Rules, 2024
• Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based technology
• Owners will have to get a non-transferable “on-board unit” (OBU)
fitted in their vehicles
• GNSS OBUs could ultimately come factory-fitted in new vehicles
• Fastag is replaced by a system like GPS (GNSS)
• GNSS lanes will have advance signage, markings, lighting, and
equipment so that vehicles can safely cruise through the toll plazas at
reasonably high speeds
• Without coming in conflict with the slow-moving FASTag vehicles
passing through non-GNSS lanes
• As a GNSS vehicle passes through the toll gate, the charger will receive
a ping (distance and time stamp) through the OBU.
• Non-GNSS vehicles entering GNSS lanes will have to pay double the toll
as penalty.
• Both systems will be in use - All lanes will eventually be converted to
GNSS lanes
• GNSS is less cost than Fastag
• On-Board Unit (OBU) - a tracking device - fitted inside a vehicle
• Whose location can be mapped using GAGAN - GPS Aided GEO
Augmented Navigation
• Indian satellite navigation system with an approximate accuracy of
10 metres
• FASTag uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology
• Without stopping the vehicle at a toll booth boom barrier in order
for the FASTag barcode to be read – barrier free movement
• Movement of the vehicle will be tracked by satellite
• And users will pay toll only for the distance they have travelled -
or pay-as-you-use concept
• Rather than the fixed amounts for set distances that they pay now
• Challenges
• Recovering the toll amount if a road user fails to clear his payment
after completing a journey on a highway
• If the digital wallet linked with the OBU is empty
• There are no barriers involved that can stop a non-compliant
vehicle
• Gantry-mounted Automatic Number-Plate Recognition (ANPR)-
based systems for capturing violations have to be set up
• Data security is another issue - Digital Personal Data Protection
Bill, 2023
 Polity
Immunity to Lawmakers in Bribery Cases
• Source – The Hindu
• seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court - unanimous verdict
authored by Chief Justice of India
• an MP or an MLA can no longer claim immunity from prosecution
on charges of bribery in connection with their vote or speech in
the legislative house – under 105 or 194
• Overruled a 25-year-old majority view of the Supreme Court - laid
down in the infamous JMM bribery case judgment of 1998
• 1998 verdict – granting them immunity under Articles 105 and 194
of the Constitution against criminal prosecution for any speech
made or vote cast inside the House
• lawmakers who took bribes were immune from prosecution for
corruption if they go ahead and vote or speak in the House as
agreed
• The legislator will face criminal prosecution whether or not he
makes a speech or votes in favour of the bribe-giver
• The offence of bribery is complete on the acceptance of the
money or on the agreement to accept money being concluded
• Ruling also applies to elections to the Rajya Sabha and the offices
of the President and Vice President
 Election related
New Election Commissioners 2024
• Source – PIB
• Gyanesh Kumar and Shri Sukhbir Singh Sandhu assumed charge as
the Election Commissioners – Appointed by the President
• On the advice given by the selection committee – PM, Union
Cabinet Minister, LoP
• Search Committee, headed by the Cabinet secretary, proposes a
panel of names to the Selection Committee
• No specific qualifications prescribed by the Constitution for the
appointment of Election Commissioners
• 2023 Act
• Replaces the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election
Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991
• Recommendations of the Selection Committee will be valid even when
there is a vacancy in this Committee.
• A Search Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary will propose a
panel of names to the Selection Committee.
• Eligibility for the posts includes holding (or having held) a post
equivalent to the Secretary to the central government.
• The salary and conditions of service of the CEC and ECs will be
equivalent to that of Cabinet Secretary.
• Under the 1991 Act, it was equivalent to the salary of a Supreme Court
Judge.
Model Code of Conduct
• Sourece – The PIB and The Hindu
• set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India for
the conduct of political parties and candidates during elections
• Evolved with the consensus of political parties
• comes into force immediately when the election dates are
declared and remains till the results are announced
• MCC applies to all elections from the Lok Sabha and state
Assemblies to local bodies.
• Also applicable for State Legislative Council elections from Local
Bodies, and Graduates’ and Teachers’ Constituencies.
• History
• 1960 Assembly elections in Kerala - 'Code of Conduct' was
prepared by the State Administration
• 1962 Lok Sabha elections - the Election Commission of India (ECI)
circulated the code
• In 1974 - a formal MCC - last revision in the year 2014
• Before 1977 - only political parties and candidates
• Dinesh Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms (1990) - giving it
statutory backing and making it enforceable through law
• In 2013, the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances,
Law, and Justice proposed legally binding the MCC and integrating
it into the RPA 1951
• MCC is not a statutory document – not enforceable by any laws passed
by the Parliament.
• Violating many of its guidelines may not attract punitive action.
• Any complaint regarding elections should be brought to EC observers,
Returning Officer, local magistrate, Chief Electoral Officer or the
Election Commission itself.
• In response, any directions issued by the EC, Returning officer, District
Election Officer shall be strictly complied with.
• resorted to its extraordinary powers under Article 324
• But overlaps with ‘electoral offences’ and ‘corrupt practices’ under the
Indian Penal Code (now known as Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and the
Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• These actions will attract appropriate punishment as per these laws.
Govind Panel Recommends Roadmap for Simultaneous Elections in India
• Source – PIB
• High level Committee on Simultaneous Elections constituted under the
Chairmanship of Ram Nath Kovind
• Simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
• followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days
• In all, 18 amendments to the Constitution and other statutes
• Amendment – 83, 85, 172, 174, 324A, 325, 356
• No ratification by the states except 324A and 325
• First sitting of the Lok Sabha post general elections set an ‘Appointed
Date’ – notified by the President
• This date would mark the beginning of the new electoral cycle.
• State Assemblies, that are formed after the Appointed Date and
before the completion of the Lok Sabha’s term, would conclude
before the subsequent general elections.
• After this, election to the Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies
would be held simultaneously.
• Fresh elections could be held to constitute a new Lok Sabha in the
event of a hung House or a no-confidence motion
• When fresh elections are held for the Lok Sabha, the new Lok
Sabha will only serve for the remaining time left in the term of the
previous Lok Sabha
• When fresh elections are held for state legislative assemblies, the
newly elected assembly will continue to exist until the end of the
full term of the Lok Sabha unless it’s dissolved earlier.
• Election commission can prepare a common electoral roll and
voter ID cards in consultation with the state authorities
 International news
WTO MC13
• 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) held at Abu Dhabi in the UAE
adopted the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration
• E-Commerce - maintain the current practice of not imposing
customs duties on electronic transmissions till the next 14th MC
• TRIPS Non-Violation and Situation Complaints - Moratorium on
non-violation and situation complaints was also extended till next
• New WTO membership terms of Comoros (165) and Timor-Leste
(166)
• Services Domestic Regulation - disciplines on services domestic
regulation entered into force for a group of 72 WTO members
• Joint declaration on finalisation of Investment Facilitation for
Development (IFD) Agreement to facilitate the flow of FDI
• Fisheries subsidies reform – pending from the MC 12 of Geneva
• joint proposal by India and South Africa for temporarily waiving
intellectual property protections on COVID vaccines and
treatments - failed
• Background of WTO
• 164 members representing 98% of world trade
• Created in 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement, replacing the
1947 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
• Only international organization that deals with the rules of trade
between countries - To promote free trade,
• All decisions are taken through consensus and any member can
exercise a veto
• Does not delegate power to a board of directors or an
organisational chief like WB or IMF
• Ministerial Conference - topmost decision-making body - meets
every two years.
• General Council - highest-level decision-making body - meets
regularly to carry out the functions.
• The General Council also meets under different rules as the
Dispute Settlement Body and as the Trade Policy Review Body
• Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala - first woman and the first African to head the WTO
• Cairns group vs India
• No outcome emerged on increasing subsidy limits for public
distribution programs
• G33 (a group of developing nations including India) pushed for the long
sought-after permanent solution to public stockholding
• Thailand on India’s public stockholding program – MSP
• de minimis limit under WTO's Agreement on Agriculture is 10% for
developing countries, but India exceeded this limit with subsidies
worth 13.7%
• inconsistent with various articles of the WTO’s Agreement on
Agriculture and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing
Measures (SCM)
• Raised the issue of India’s alleged export subsidies
• India SCM Agreement are not yet applicable
• India has a phase-out period of 8 years to eliminate export
subsidies
• India has invoked the peace clause - for the fifth consecutive time.
• India has breached the prescribed subsidy limit for rice.
• Peace clause origin - Bali ministerial meeting in December 2013 –
temporary solution till the final decision
• Amber box subsidies that distorts trade - MSP – de minimis –
Price support measure
• Green Box subsidies - direct payment to farmers - PM-KISAN -
income support measure
 UPSC 2015 Prelims Question
The terms ‘Agreement on Agriculture’, ‘Agreement on the Application
of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures’ and ‘Peace Clause’ appear in
the news frequently in the context of the affairs of the
a) Food and Agriculture Organization
b) United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change
c) World Trade Organization
d) United Nations Environment Programme
 UPSC 2016 Prelims Question
In the context of which of the following do you sometimes find the
terms `amber box, blue box and green box’ in the news?
(a) WTO affairs
(b) SAARC affairs
(c) UNFCCC affairs
(d) India-EU negotiations on FTA
 UPSC 2017 Prelims Question
The term ‘Domestic Content Requirement’ is sometimes seen in the
news with reference to
(a) Developing solar power production in our country
(b) Granting licences to foreign T.V. channels in our country
(c) Exporting our food products to other countries
(d) Permitting foreign educational institutions to set up their
campuses in our country
‘Station Shiv Shakti’ - International Astronomical Union (IAU)
• Source – The Hindu
• Nomenclature for the landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram
lander
• Prime Minister previously designated the location of Chandrayaan-
2's lander crash in September 2019 as "Tiranga Point.“
• Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam proposed naming the site
where the Chandrayaan-1 moon impact probe landed in
November 2008 as "Jawahar Point."
• Planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is used to
uniquely identify a feature on the surface of a planet or satellite
• So that it can be easily located, described, and discussed
• IAU - internationally recognised authority for assigning names to
planetary surface features
• An international non-governmental organization (INGO)
• With the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including
promoting astronomical research, outreach, education, and
development through global cooperation
• Founded in 1919 at Brussels, Belgium – HQ at Paris, 85 countries
• No names having political, military or religious significance may be
used, except for names of political figures prior to the 19th
century
• India joined the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1948 as
an independent nation – So member but not a founding member
 UPSC 2015 Prelims Question
India is a member of which of the following?
1. Asia-Pacific economic corporation.
2. Association of South-East Asian Nations.
3. East Asia Summit
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 1, 2, and 3
d) India is a member of none of them
 UPSC 2015 Prelims Question
In the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, an initiative of six countries, which of
the following is/are not a participant/ participants?
1. Bangladesh
2. Cambodia
3. China
4. Myanmar
5. Thailand
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 5
 UPSC 2016 Prelims Question
Consider the following countries :
1. Denmark
2. Japan
3. Russian Federation
4. United Kingdom
5. United States of America
Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council ‘?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 4 and 5
(d) 1, 3 and 5
UN Adopts First Global Resolution on Artificial Intelligence
• Source – The Hindu
• General Assembly has approved
• sponsored by the United States - adopted by consensus - support
of all 193 U.N. member nations
• Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions
are not legally binding – But barometer of world opinion
• European Union lawmakers gave final approval to the world’s first
comprehensive AI rules
2024 Summit for Democracy
• Third Summit for Democracy – at South Korea - First time outside
of USA
• Under the theme “Democracy for Future Generations”
• Initiative launched by U.S. President Joe Biden in 2021
• Three themes - defending against authoritarianism, addressing
and fighting corruption, and advancing respect for human rights
• India also attended by online
• Criticized for promoting American exceptionalism
First-ever Nuclear Energy Summit
• Source – The Hindu
• Jointly organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and
Belgium to promote nuclear energy
• part of the multilateral approach to decarbonisation
• 30 countries (including India) and the EU
• declaration signed by 22 world leaders mentioned the need to triple
nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
• Historic Inclusion in Global Stocktake - Global Stocktake monitors the
Paris Agreement’s (2015) progress
• Collobration with IAEA’s ‘Atoms4NetZero’ program – aimed at
supporting Member States’ efforts to utilize nuclear energy
• IAEA - Atoms for Peace and Development is the motto -
Established in 1957 as an autonomous international organization
within the United Nations system - to promote safe, secure and
peaceful nuclear technologies - responsible for verifying the NPT
• India aims to triple its n-power by 2030 from 7.5 GW – Only 3% to
India's electricity generation from n-power
• India recently added two indigenously designed 700 MW
pressurized heavy water reactors at the Kakrapar Atomic Power
Project in Gujarat
• with nine more reactors under construction
• India’s commitment - to achieve net zero emissions by 2070.
 UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the
‘Additional Protocol’ with the ‘International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA)’?
A) The civilian nuclear reactors come under IAEA safeguards.
B) The military nuclear installations come under the inspection of the
IAEA.
C) The country will have the privilege to buy uranium from the
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
D) The country automatically becomes a member of the NSG.
 UPSC 2020 Prelims Question
In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under “IAEA Safeguards”
while others are not?
(A) Some use Uranium and others use thorium.
(B) Some use imported uranium and others use domestic supplies.
(C) Some are operated by foreign enterprises and others are
operated by domestic enterprises.
(D) Some are State-owned and others are privately-owned.
France - Law to Legalize “Aid in Dying”
• Source – Down to Earth
• will be for people with incurable illnesses
• France will join European countries like the Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal, where euthanasia
or assisted suicide is allowed
• Most of Australia, some states of the United States and Japan also
have made such practices legal
• In India – Aruna Shanbaug case 2011 – Only passive euthanasis
France - Enshrines the Right to Abortion in Its Constitution
• Source – The Hindu
• First nation in the World to embed abortion rights in its
constitution - right to abortion in Article 34 of the French
constitution
• Abortion is a deeply divisive issue in the United States - U.S.
Supreme Court ruling in 2022 rescinding long-held abortion rights.
• In India – it is a legal right – MTP Act of 1971 – amended in 2021
Famines in Gaza and Haiti
• Source – Indian Express
• Gaza - due to ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza
• Haiti food insecurity - due to the crisis caused by criminal gang
• Operation Indravati by India to evacuate its citizens stranded in
war-torn Haiti
• Famine vs Drought
• Famine occurs when a country has such a severe food shortage
that its population faces acute malnutrition, starvation, or death.
• It is decided using a UN scale called the Integrated Food Security
Phase Classification (IPC)
• declaration of famine would be made by top United Nations
officials based on the IPC criteria
• Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Pakistan,
Somalia, Syria and Yemen are at the risk of famine
 UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
Very recently, in which of the following countries having lakhs of
people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died
due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts?
(a) Angola and Zambia
(b) Morocco and Tunisia
(c) Venezuela and Colombia
(d) Yemen and South Sudan
 UPSC 2023 Prelims Question
Which one of the following countries has been suffering from
decades of civil strife and food shortages and was in news in the
recent past for its very severe famine?
(a) Angola
(b) Costa Rica
(c) Ecuador
d) Somalia
New Digital Markets Act (DMA) Law - EU
• Source – The Hindu
• Seeks to regulate large online companies called ‘gatekeepers’
• European Union investigates Tech giants - Apple, Alphabet and
Meta
• Could be fined up to 10% of their global revenues and 20% for
repeat infringements of the DMA
• Aims to create a level playing field for businesses in the digital
sector
• Governments trying to exercise greater control over the
functioning of big tech companies
Romania and Bulgaria Partially Join Schengen Area
• Source – The Hindu
• Since 2007 – both are members of EU -marking a new step in the two
countries’ integration with the European Union
• Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone - officially abolished border controls
at their mutual borders
• functions as a single jurisdiction under a common visa policy for
international travel purposes
• Schengen Area, established in 1985, comprised 25 of the 27 EU
member countries
• Only EU member states that are not part of the Schengen Area are
Cyprus and Ireland
• Also along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein (EFTA)
 UPSC 2016 Prelims Question
‘European Stability Mechanism’, sometimes seen in the news, is an
(a) agency created by EU to deal with the impact of millions of
refugees arriving from Middle East
(b) agency of EU that provides financial assistance to eurozone
countries
(c) agency of EU to deal with all the bilateral and multilateral
agreements on trade
(d) agency of EU to deal with the conflicts arising among the member
countries
 UPSC 2017 Prelims Question
The term ‘Digital Single Market Strategy’ seen in the news refers to
(a) ASEAN
(b) BRICS
(c) EU
(d) G20
 UPSC 2017 Prelims Question
With reference to ‘Global Climate Change Alliance’, which of the following
statements is/are correct?
1.It is an initiative of the European Union.
2.It provides technical and financial support to targeted developing countries to
integrate climate change into their development policies and budgets.
3.It is coordinated by World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business
Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
 UPSC 2019 Prelims Question
Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy
for its citizens known as ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ in April
2016 and started implementation of it from 25th May, 2018?
(a) Australia
(b) Canada
(c) The European Union
(d) The United States of America
 UPSC 2023 Prelims Question
Consider the following statements :
Statements-I : Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European
Union (EU) have launched the ‘Trade and Technology Council’.
Statement-II : The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to bring
technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct
explanation for Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct
explanation for Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
 UPSC 2023 Prelims Question
Consider the following statements :
The ‘Stability and Growth Pact’ of the European Union is a treaty that
1.limits the levels of the budgetary deficit of the countries of the European Union
2.makes the countries of the European Union to share their infrastructure facilities
3.enables the countries of the European Union to share their technologies
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
 UPSC 2024 Prelims Question
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The European Parliament approved The Net-Zero Industry Act recently.
Statement-II: The European Union intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and
therefore aims to develop all of its own clean technology by that time.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-I explains
Statement-II
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain
Statement-I
(c) Statement-1 is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
India Signs Free Trade Agreement with EFTA Bloc
• Source – PIB
• EFTA countries comprising Switzerland, Iceland, Norway &
Liechtenstein - Separate from the European Union
• Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) - marks the
second such full-fledged FTA signed after India’s agreement with
the United Arab Emirates
• EFTA is one important economic block out of the three (other two
- EU &UK) in Europe
• For the first time, India is signing FTA with four developed nations
• For the first time in the history of the world – a legal binding
commitment to invest $100 billion in India - The investments do
not cover foreign portfolio investment
• For the first time in the history of FTA - 1 million direct jobs in the
next 15 years
• For the first time, the FTA also included a chapter on commitments
to human rights and sustainable development
• Controversial pharma clause - “data exclusivity” for pharma -
between swiss and India
 UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
Consider the following counties:
1.Australia
2.Canada
3.China
4.India
5.Japan
6.USA
Which of the above are among the ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN?
(a) 1, 2, 4 and 6
(b) 3, 4, 5 and 6
(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5
(d) 2, 3, 4 and 6
UNSC on Gaza
• Source – The Hindu
• For the first time - demands immediate ceasefire
• 14 council members voted for the resolution - United States
abstained from the vote (14-0) – Earlier US has vetoed
• US had previously vetoed every UN resolution calling for an
immediate ceasefire in Gaza
• It also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all
hostages
• Also emphasizes the urgent need to expand the flow of
humanitarian assistance
• UNSC is charged with maintaining international peace and security
• All UNSC resolutions are considered binding, in accordance with
Article 25 of the UN Charter
• If not followed, the council can vote on a follow-up resolution
• Text was legally binding on Israel but not on Hamas, as the
Palestinian group is not a state
• India was re-elected to the Human Rights Council for the 2022-24
• Case on Israel - under ICJ – case filed by South Africa
• Two state, one solution - Israel vs Palestine
• One country, two systems – China and Hong Kong
 UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
The term “Two state Solution” is sometimes mentioned in the new in
the context of the affairs of
(a) China
(b) Israel
(c) Iraq
(d) Yemen
Australia’s SSN-AUKUS Submarine Program
• In 2021 - AUKUS trilateral cooperation - between Australia, the
United States, and the United Kingdom
• To Build Australia’s SSN-AUKUS Submarines
• A planned class of nuclear-powered fleet submarine (SSN)
• Ensure safety, security and peace in the Indo-Pacific
• Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, China’s growing assertiveness,
the destabilising behaviour of Iran and North Korea
• China and its rapid military buildup have raised concerns – Issues
in South China Sea and Taiwan issue
• China called it as “typical Cold War mentality” - concerns over
potential arms race in the Asia-Pacific region
• Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which the
U.S. and U.K. (nuclear weapons states) and Australia (not a nuclear
weapons state) are signatories
• A nuclear-weapon country is not supposed to transfer such
weapons or technology to a non-nuclear weapon state
• While it prohibits the transfer of nuclear weapons, Article 4 of the
Treaty allows the exchange of nuclear materials for “peaceful
purposes”
• But US held that - providing Australia “nuclear-powered” and not
“nuclear armed” submarines
 UPSC 2015 Prelims Question
Consider the following countries
1. China
2. France
3. India
4. Israel
5. Pakistan
Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty
on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only
c) 2, 4 and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
 UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes
seen in the news?
(a) An Israeli radar system
(b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme
(c) An American anti-missile system
(d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea
 Geography
Gevra Mine to Become Asia’s Largest Coal Mine
• Source – PIB
• Chhattisgarh-based Coal India subsidiary South Eastern Coalfield
Limited’s Gevra mine
• The mine has been granted environmental clearance to expand
production capacity to 70 million tons per annum from the current
52.5 million tons
• Refer - Coal Map of India
• North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Wyoming, United States is the
world's largest coal mine by reserves and production
 UPSC 2018 Prelims Question
Consider the following statements
1.In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines.
2.Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.
3.Rajasthan has iron ore mines.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only
 UPSC 2019 Prelims Question
Consider the following statements:
1.Coal sector was nationalized by the Government of India under Indira Gandhi.
2.Now, coal blocks are allocated on lottery basis.
3.Till recently, India imported coal to meet the shortages of domestic supply,
but now India is self-sufficient in coal production.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
 UPSC 2022 Prelims Question
Consider the following statements:
1. Gujarat has the largest solar park in India.
2. Kerala has a fully solar powered International Airport.
3. Goa has the largest floating solar photovoltaic project in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only
India’s Second Spaceport to come up in Tamil Nadu
• Source – Indian Express
• Built in Kulasekarapattinam, a coastal village in Tamil Nadu's
Thoothukudi district
• Union government’s recent policy announcing the opening of the
space sector to private players
• sharp rise in the number of commercial launches
• SHAR will be only used for launching bigger and heavy-lift-off
missions – India’s big ticket missions to the Moon, Venus, and
much touted human-flight mission, the Gaganyaan
• Kulasekarapattinam launchport will be used to launch smaller
payloads - pertaining to the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)
• Notably, both the launchports are located on Southern India, near the
equator
• Trajectory followed by all launches from SHAR are longer as they follow
a path which requires the vehicle to skirt eastwards around Sri Lanka
before taking the actual southward flight - consumes additional fuel
• same would not be required for future launches from
Kulasekarapattinam - geographically located several kilometers to the
west of Colombo - allowing a straight southward flight
• Geostationary satellites must necessarily be in the equatorial plane
• SHAR has two launch complexes that are routinely used to launch the
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Geosynchronous Space
Launch Vehicles (GSLV)
 Environment
Threats to the Great Indian Bustard and Conservation Efforts
• Source – Indian Express
• IUCN Status – Critically Endangered - less than 150 Great Indian
Bustards remaining in the wild
• GIB a large bird found only in India – key indicator species of the
grassland habitat
• Over 120 Bustards are found in the desert and semi-arid landscape of
Rajasthan alone - Kutch and Thar deserts of western India
• The rest survive in the wild in other range states of Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh
• While Madhya Pradesh, another range state, has not recorded a
Bustard sighting for several years.
• Major threats – overhead powerline – GIB is ostrich-like bird species -
Ground level flying only
• Western India - vast, open landscapes also carry the promise of
abundant solar and wind energy
• SC ordered that the overhead transmission network should be sent
underground in key habitats of the GIB.
• GIBs are especially vulnerable because of their narrow frontal vision
and large size
• As they are heavy birds, they are unable to manoeuvre across power
lines within close distances
• It avoids irrigated areas - dry semi-desert regions in parts of Rajasthan
have been altered by irrigation canals into an intensively farmed area
• Unlike some birds that have a panoramic vision around the head,
species like raptors and bustards have extensive blind areas above
their heads
• When they stretch their head forward to scan the ground below,
they fly blind in the direction of travel
• Other threats - Free-ranging dogs, depredation of eggs by other
predators such as dogs, monitor lizards and humans, illegal
hunting, hunted sporadically, the widespread use of pesticides in
farmlands, Loss of grassland, particularly nesting sites, and an
erosion of support from local communities
Cheetah Population in Kuno National Park Grows
• Source – Times of India
• ‘Project Cheetah’ – In 1952, India declared it as extinct
• The last confirmed three cheetahs were shot by Maharajah of
Surguja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo in 1948
• The last known sighting was that of a female in 1951 in Koriya
district in northwestern Chhattisgarh
• The Asiatic subspecies is now found only in Iran and is declared as
critically endangered
• IUCN red List – Cheetah as Vulnerable but Asiatic cheetahs and
Northwest cheetahs are critically endangered
• Population of Indian born cheetahs - Now stands at 13 with five
new cubs - Total number of cheetahs, including cubs, in Kuno is
now 26
• In September 2022, eight cheetahs from Namibia
• In February 2023, an additional 12 cheetahs from South Africa
• At Kuno National Park in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh
• Kuno was founded previously as a wildlife sanctuary to implement
the Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project
• Now Kuno has one of India’s highest density of leopards
• Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) of Madhya Pradesh - will
be the second home for cheetahs in India
• Threats
• Scorching temperatures reaching up to 46-47 degrees Celsius
• Unfamiliar prey species in the Indian subcontinent, namely spotted
deer, sambar deer, and nilgai - few cattle and Eurasian boars
• There are about 20 chital — the cheetah’s main prey — per square
kilometre available - sharp decline from the nearly 60 chital per square
km
• Cheetah requires much more area than lions and tigers because it is
the weakest of the cats and cannot hold on to its prey
• But cheetah project could aid India’s open forest and grassland
ecosystems - help conserve habitat for wolf, bustard, lesser florican and
carackal.
International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)
• Source – The Hindu
• Globally, the ‘big cats’ include the tiger, lion, leopard, snow
leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah
• Barring the puma and jaguar, the rest are found in India, with the
latest – the cheetah – having been translocated
• India to set up International Big Cat Alliance – multi-country,
multi-agency coalition - HQ in India
• Along the lines of the International Solar Alliance
• Initiatives to disseminate good practices in conserving big cats
• Funds, sharing the knowledge, centralized repository of successful
practices and personnel
• Currently a gap in many ‘big cat’ countries in availing resources,
and in the optimal use of practices and processes
• There is no international body addressing the conservation
challenges of big cats across their range of habitats
• 16 countries have given their written consent to be part of the
IBCA
• There are 96 countries that harbour ‘big cats’
• And the alliance is also open to other countries, conservation
organisations, scientific organisations, businesses, and corporates
• an ongoing initiative is a memorandum between India and
Cambodia to help that country revive its extinct tiger population
Antarctic Circumpolar Current Responds to Global Climate
• Source – Down to Earth
• Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) could grow stronger due to
human-caused climate change
• ACC - ocean current connecting the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific
oceans
• Plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate
• World’s most powerful ocen current - means of inter-basin
exchange of heat, carbon dioxide, chemicals, and biology
• It responds to the global climate by picking up pace or slowing
down
• Powered by continuous westerly winds, the ocean current circles
Antarctica clockwise
• ACC has accelerated, causing relatively warm water from higher
latitudes to reach the South Pole
• In some parts of Antarctica these warm waters are melting the
undersides of ice shelves
• Thus contributing to ice loss and sea-level rise.
• A stronger ACC means more warm, deep water reaches the ice-
shelf edge of Antarctica
• In the future, the ACC is likely to grow stronger due to human-
caused climate change
• This could accelerate melting of Antarctic ice
 UPSC 2024 Prelims Question
Which of the following is/are correct inference/inferences from
isothermal maps in the month of January?
1) The isotherms deviate to the north over the ocean and to the
south over the continent.
2) The presence of cold ocean currents, Gulf Stream and North
Atlantic Drift make the North Atlantic Ocean colder and the
isotherms bend towards the north.
Select the answer using the code given below :
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
 Reports
V-Dem Institute’s Democracy Report 2024
• Source – The Hindu
• Released by the Gothenburg-based V-Dem Institute (Sweden)
• Tracks democratic freedoms worldwide
• Four regime types based on their score in the Liberal Democratic Index
(LDI): Liberal Democracy, Electoral Democracy, Electoral Autocracy, and
Closed Autocracy.
• Freedom of expression, clean elections, and freedom of
association/civil society as the three worst affected components of
democracy in autocratising countries
• In 2023, 42 countries (home to 35% of the world’s population) were
undergoing autocratisation
• Liberal democracy - regular free and fair elections, mechanisms for
judicial independence and constraints on executive overreach,
alongside rigorous protection of civil liberties and equality before
law
• Democratisation was taking place only in 18 countries - accounting
for just 400 million people, or 5% of the world’s population
• 71% of the world’s population — 5.7 billion people — live in
autocracies - an increase from 48% ten years ago
• level of democracy enjoyed by the “average person in the world is
down to 1985-levels
• Sharpest decline occurring in Eastern Europe, and South and
Central Asia
• India - downgraded to the status of an “electoral autocracy” in
2018 – Now declined even further as “one of the worst
autocratizers”
• India, with 18% of the world’s population, accounts for about half
of the population living in autocratising countries
• 2024 - a critical year for the “future of democracy in the world”
2023 Deadliest Year for Migrants: UN-IOM
• Source – The Hindu
• Released by - International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
• 8,500 migrants died in 2023 on land and sea route- 20% more
than in 2022
• Biggest increase in the Mediterranean Sea - Syrians, Afghans, and
others fled conflicts toward Europe, Rohingys in Asia
• Biggest jump in deaths in recent years was in Asia
• Difficulties in data collection - “Darien Gap” in Panama
• Check the map for these places
• IOM – founded in 1951 - based in Geneva - a United Nations
related organization - implements operational assistance
programmes for migrants, including internally displaced persons,
refugees, and migrant workers
• In 1992 - observer status at the United Nations General Assembly
• In 2016, the United Nations (UN) Member States - transform IOM
into an affiliated organization of the UN
• India was granted an observer's status to IOM in the year 1991
and became a member state in 2008
• In Dec 2023 – IOM launched Porject Prayas - to help Indian youth
migrate abroad
India Remains World’s Largest Arms Importer: SIPRI Report
• Source – The Hindu
• Released by Swedish think tank, Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI)
• India was the world’s top arms importer for the period 2019-23
• Gone up by 4.7% compared to the period 2014-18
• Russia - India’s main arms supplier [36% of its arms imports]
• First five-year period since 1960/64 - Made up less than half of
India’s arms imports – reduced dependency on Russia
• The largest single recipient of French arms exports was India -
accounted for nearly 30%.
• Nine of the 10 biggest arms importers in 2019–23, including the
top 3 of India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, were in Asia and Oceania or
the Middle East
• Ukraine became the fourth in 2022/23
• Pakistan - fifth largest arms importer - China supplys 82%
• SIPRI - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute - Sweden
World Happiness Report 2024
• Source – Indian Express
• published annually by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions
Network – since 2012
• Under a partnership between Gallup, the Wellbeing Research Centre at
the University of Oxford
• Based on the social and emotional aspects of a population - moving
beyond economic indicators
• Considers six key factors: social support, income, health, freedom,
generosity, and the absence of corruption
• Bhutan - a pioneer in valuing happiness more than economic
development - measures the Gross National Happiness of its citizens
• Notably, this year, the happiest countries no longer included any of
the world's largest countries
• Nordic nations top (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway[a] and
Sweden) - Finland tops the list for the seventh year in a row
• Followed by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden
• Of the 143 – Afghanistan at Bottom
• India is ranked 126th on the list - the same as last year
• older age is associated with higher life satisfaction in India - Older
men in India are more satisfied with than older women on an
average
• But when taking all other measures into account, older women
report higher life satisfaction than their male counterparts
Global Climate Report 2023
• Source – The Hindu
• Released by World Meteorological Organisation
• 2023 as ‘hottest year’ - Global average near-surface temperature
was 1.45 degrees Celsius (with a margin of uncertainty of ± 0.12
degrees Celsius) above the pre-industrial baseline.
• So close to the 1.5 degree Celsius lower limit of the Paris
Agreement on climate change
• The temperature records coincide with an ongoing El Nino event
since May 2023 - warming of the Central Pacific Ocean
• associated with below-normal monsoon rainfall in India as well as
an absence of Western Disturbances in the winter
• That contributed to record-breaking heat in southern India during
January and February
• Decreased monsoon rainfall in southeast Asia is associated with El
Niño
• Enhancing countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
ahead of the February 2025
• NDCs refer to the commitments made by countries to lay out a
time-bound programme to cut greenhouse gas emissions,
primarily by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to
renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower
• WMO – Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland – parent body is
UNESCO - A specialized agency of the United Nations
• IMO culminated in the World Meteorological Convention of 1947 -
Convention entered into force on 23 March 1950
• An intergovernmental organization within the UN system
• originated from the International Meteorological Organization, a
nongovernmental organization founded in 1873
• Responsible for promoting international cooperation on
atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics
• IMD (1875) became member of WMO after independence in 1949
• IMD - one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres
India TB report 2024
• Source – PIB
• Released by the Union Health Ministry
• Country has set 2025 as the target for eliminating the disease
• India achieves 16% decline in new TB cases
• 18% reduction in mortality since 2015
• Uttar Pradesh saw the highest jump in notifications
• National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) embarked on a
journey towards accelerating TB elimination, guided by the National
Strategic Plan (NSP) 2017–25
• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana
continued to provide financial support to TB patients
ILO Report on Forced Labour Profits
• Source – The Hindu
• Titled ‘Profits and poverty: The economics of forced labour’
• Released by International Labour Organisation
• Forced labour generates illegal profits worth $236 billion per year
• Increase of 37% since 2014
• ILO - Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations - one
of the first and oldest specialized agencies of the UN.
• Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland - To advance social and
economic justice by setting international labour standards
• Unlike other United Nations specialized agencies, the International
Labour Organization (ILO) has a tripartite governing structure
• Brings together governments, employers, and workers of 187
member States
• Released the India Employment Report 2024 in March 2024
• report is primarily based on analysis of data from the National
Sample Surveys and the Periodic Labour Force Surveys between
2000 and 2022
• India’s youth account for almost 83% of the unemployed workforce
• And the share of youngsters with secondary or higher education in the
total unemployed youth has almost doubled from 35.2% in 2000 to
65.7% in 2022
• The youth employment and underemployment increased between
2000 and 2019 but declined during the pandemic years
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR)
and the Unemployment Rate (UR) showed a long-term deterioration
between 2000 and 2018
• Almost 90% of workers remain engaged in informal work, while the
share of regular work, which steadily increased after 2000, declined
after 2018
• Only a small percentage being covered with social protection
measures, precisely in the non-agriculture, organised sector
 Rules and regulations
• Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) Implementation
• Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP)
• IRDAI (Bima Sugam – Insurance Electronic Marketplace)
Regulations, 2024
• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024
• Lesser Penalty Regulations, 2024
• Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024
 Science and Tech
• Agnibaan SOrTeD Rocket
• Pushpak: ISRO’s Reusable Launch Vehicle
• PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3)
• Agni-5 Missile with MIRV Technology
• Small Scale LNG (SSLNG)
• Genome India project
• Stage II of India’s 3-stage nuclear programme
• Mission Gaganyaan updates
• Significance of Atmospheric Research Testbed (ART)