India and the United Kingdom have signed a Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) and launched the 'India-U.K. Vision 2035' framework, replacing 'Roadmap 2030'. The deal aims to benefit Indian farmers, MSMEs, and various export sectors, while British products will face lower tariffs in India. UK Minister Reynolds hailed it as Britain's "biggest" trade deal since Brexit. Both nations emphasized the deal's political benefits and committed to strengthening multilateralism and reforming global bodies like the UN Security Council. They also agreed to negotiate a reciprocal Double Contributions Convention to prevent double social security payments for cross-border workers.
India and the UK have formalized a Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) and established the 'India-U.K. Vision 2035' framework.
The trade deal is projected to boost Indian exports in sectors like agriculture, MSME, footwear, and jewellery, while reducing tariffs on British goods in India.
The Vision 2035 framework focuses on pillars such as growth, jobs, technology, climate, defence, and security, aiming for deeper bilateral cooperation.
Exam Points
The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) and 'India-U.K. Vision 2035' framework were signed on July 24, 2025.
The deal was signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal (India) and British counterpart Jonathan Reynolds.
The new framework replaces the previous 'Roadmap 2030'.
India-China relations are gradually mending, marked by India's decision to restart tourist visas for Chinese nationals and several high-level meetings, including the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC). China has also reopened the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. Despite these positive steps, a significant trust deficit remains due to the 2020 LAC military standoff and Galwan clash. The article highlights a lack of transparency regarding the reasons for the rupture in ties and guarantees against future transgressions, as normalization proceeds without full troop de-escalation or dismantling of infrastructure in disputed border areas.
India-China relations are showing signs of revival with diplomatic engagements and renewed people-to-people contacts, such as tourist visas and Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
High-level meetings, including the WMCC, are taking place to discuss border issues and economic cooperation, addressing India's investment restrictions and China's export curbs.
Despite progress, a fundamental lack of mutual trust persists due to the 2020 LAC military standoff and Galwan clash.
Exam Points
The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) has been convened three times.
China reopened the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra pilgrimage.
PM Modi is expected to visit the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in August.
The India-U.K. Free Trade Agreement, while economically beneficial, poses significant public health risks for India. The deal's tariff-free entry for British High Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS) food products could lead to lower prices, increased consumption, and a surge in diet-related diseases, mirroring Mexico's experience post-NAFTA. India's current regulatory framework for unhealthy foods is deemed sub-optimal, with weak enforcement of advertising restrictions and a preference for "star rating" front-of-pack nutrition labels over more effective warning labels. The article urges India to prioritize public health safeguards, including stricter advertising regulations and mandatory warning labels, to mitigate the adverse effects of cheaper junk food.
The India-U.K. FTA, despite economic benefits, is criticized for potentially exacerbating public health issues in India by allowing cheaper HFSS food imports.
The experience of Mexico post-NAFTA serves as a cautionary tale, where increased HFSS consumption led to a rise in diet-related diseases.
India's existing regulations for unhealthy food advertising and labelling are considered inadequate compared to the UK's stricter norms.
Exam Points
The India-U.K. FTA was signed on July 24, 2025.
Mexico's NAFTA experience began in 1992, leading to a 'Soda Tax' and warning labels in 2014.
The UK has a ban on HFSS product advertising before 9 p.m. and a traffic light FOPNL system.
India continues to grapple with hazardous cleaning deaths, with 150 reported in 2022-2023, largely due to a business model that obscures liability. Despite the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act 2013, court orders, and the NAMASTE scheme, progress in mechanizing sewer cleaning and providing safety gear has been slow. There's a significant lack of PPE kits, health cards, and safety workshops for workers, and data on rural sanitation workers is scarce. The article emphasizes that enforcement is the core problem, with insufficient funding for mechanization and worker deaths often misclassified. It calls for urgent measures like complete mechanization, licensing of the trade, and extending support to vulnerable communities like Dalits and women.
Hazardous cleaning deaths persist in India, primarily due to manual scavenging and a business model that evades accountability.
Despite existing legislation like the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act 2013 and the NAMASTE scheme, implementation and enforcement remain inadequate.
There is a severe deficit in providing safety equipment, health cards, and training to sanitation workers, with limited data on rural workers.
Exam Points
150 hazardous cleaning deaths reported in 2022 and 2023.
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 is in force.
The National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme was launched in 2023.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to move a statutory resolution in the Rajya Sabha to extend President's Rule in Manipur for another six months, effective from August 13, 2025. Manipur was initially placed under President's Rule on February 13 following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. Article 356(3) of the Constitution allows President's Rule to be extended every six months, up to a maximum of three years, with parliamentary approval. The extension is aimed at allowing the government to focus on restoring normalcy, including opening national highways and recovering looted police weapons, amidst ongoing ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will seek parliamentary approval to extend President's Rule in Manipur for an additional six months.
The extension will be effective from August 13, 2025, following the initial imposition of President's Rule on February 13.
President's Rule was imposed after the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
Exam Points
President's Rule in Manipur was imposed on February 13, 2025.
The proposed extension is for six months, effective from August 13, 2025.
Article 356(3) of the Constitution governs the extension of President's Rule.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) filed a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court defending its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which requires electors to prove citizenship. Critics argue the affidavit lacks evidence of illegal migrants and questions the legal basis for a citizenship test, especially given the high number of internal migrants (over 450 million nationally, 36% of Bihar households). The ECI's approach, which conflates "ordinary residence" with citizenship and rejects Aadhaar/ration cards as proof, is seen as exclusionary. The article highlights the mismatch between outdated laws and mobile citizenry, urging the ECI to advocate for reform and pilot inclusive enrolment models to prevent disenfranchisement.
The ECI's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, requiring citizenship proof, is challenged for potentially disenfranchising poor, minorities, and migrants.
The ECI's counter affidavit is criticized for lacking concrete evidence of illegal migrants in Bihar's electoral rolls and for its legal rationale for a citizenship test.
The Representation of the People Act, 1950, is deemed outdated, failing to account for India's large mobile citizenry and conflating "ordinary residence" with citizenship.
Exam Points
The ECI filed a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court on July 21.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is underway in Bihar, with the first phase completing by August 1, 2025.
The Representation of the People Act, 1950, is the primary legislation governing electoral rolls.
At the UN Security Council (UNSC), India's Permanent Representative, Parvathaneni Harish, declared a Gaza ceasefire a "must" and called for the release of all hostages, reaffirming India's "unwavering" support for the Palestinian cause. This statement marks a stronger stance compared to India's abstention on a similar UN General Assembly resolution a month prior. Harish highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with widespread damage to hospitals and lack of schooling for children. India reiterated its long-held position that a "two-State" solution is the only path to enduring peace between Israel and Palestine.
India, at the UNSC, strongly advocated for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.
This position represents a notable shift from India's previous abstention on a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a ceasefire.
India's representative highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, including extensive damage to infrastructure and lack of access to essential services.
Exam Points
Parvathaneni Harish is India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
The statement was made during the UNSC's quarterly open debate on the 'Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question'.
Pakistan chaired the Security Council Presidency for July.
A debate addresses whether India should relax its adoption procedures, prompted by long waiting periods for prospective parents (13 parents for every child available). While some argue that strict procedures cause delays, experts like Aloma Lobo and Smriti Gupta contend that the procedures are crucial for preventing child trafficking and ensuring safe placements. They emphasize that the primary issue is the scarcity of children legally free for adoption, not the procedures themselves. Many abandoned or orphaned children in shelters are not evaluated for adoptability, and the term "orphan" is often loosely applied. The discussion highlights the need to bring more eligible children into the legal adoption pool and improve post-adoption support and training for parents, especially for those adopting older children or children with special needs.
The long waiting period for child adoption in India is primarily due to a scarcity of children legally free for adoption, rather than overly strict procedures.
Existing adoption procedures are essential safeguards against child trafficking and improper placements, ensuring the child's safety and well-being.
Many abandoned and orphaned children in shelters are not being evaluated or brought into the legal adoption pool, contributing to the shortage.
Exam Points
Data from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) indicates 13 parents wait for every child free for adoption.
The Supreme Court has directed CARA to streamline adoption processes.
The 2020 World Orphan Report estimated 3.1 crore orphans in India, but only about 2,000 children are in CARA's pool.
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