India's retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), dropped to 1.54% in September 2025, the lowest since June 2017. This decline is primarily attributed to falling food and fuel prices. The figure is currently below the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) lower comfort bound of 2%. While food inflation is expected to remain benign due to a good monsoon, risks persist from late monsoon withdrawals. Categories like clothing and footwear also saw a slowdown, whereas housing and intoxicants experienced a slight uptick in inflation rates.
Retail inflation fell to 1.54% in September, driven by a contraction in food and beverage prices.
The current inflation rate is below the RBI's mandated lower comfort limit of 2%.
Food and beverages saw a contraction of 1.4% in September compared to 8.4% inflation a year ago.
Exam Points
CPI is released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
The RBI's lower inflation comfort bound is 2%.
Retail inflation was last lower in June 2017 at 1.46%.
The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) received the Tech4Nature Award at the IUCN World Conservation Congress for its "Fisher Friend Mobile Application." The app uses geolocation technology to provide real-time "No-Fishing Zone Alerts," helping fishers avoid protected nesting sites of endangered Olive Ridley turtles. This prevents accidental incursions into areas like the Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, protecting marine biodiversity while saving fishers from legal penalties. Developed with support from Qualcomm and INCOIS, the app serves over 1,22,000 users across nine coastal states in India, offering information in nine languages.
The app provides real-time alerts to fishers when they approach notified nesting sites and marine protected areas.
It helps protect endangered Olive Ridley turtles by enforcing seasonal fishing bans through virtual boundaries.
The tool functions offline, which is crucial for boats operating outside mobile network coverage.
Exam Points
The app was developed by M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in collaboration with INCOIS.
Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary is a key conservation zone mentioned for Olive Ridley turtles.
The award was presented at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.
Economists C. Rangarajan and D.K. Srivastava analyze India's potential growth rate, suggesting it currently stays around 6.5%. While some argue for a 7.8% growth based on recent quarterly data, the authors emphasize the relationship between the Real Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) and the Incremental Capital-Output Ratio (ICOR). To achieve growth above 6.5%, India needs to increase the GFCF rate to approximately 34% of GDP and reduce the ICOR. The analysis highlights the importance of private sector investment and the impact of technological changes like AI on long-term growth prospects.
India's potential growth rate is estimated at 6.5% based on historical GFCF and ICOR trends.
The GFCF has remained stable at around 33.6% of GDP, but private investment needs to rise to push growth further.
Public sector investment has been a major driver recently, but its momentum appears to be slowing down.
Exam Points
Real GFCF for 2024-25 is estimated at 34.6% of GDP.
The average ICOR for the potential growth rate of 6.5% is calculated at 5.2.
India's real GDP growth rate averaged 6.1% between 2011-12 and 2023-24.
The 1.8-GW Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River is gaining momentum following India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) talks. While the project holds geopolitical significance and aims to operationalize India's entitlement over western rivers, it faces severe ecological concerns. The Chenab already hosts multiple "bumper-to-bumper" projects, leading to cumulative impacts like high sediment loads and slope instability. The project will require resettling 1,500 families and diverting 847 hectares of forest. Experts advocate for regional studies and data transparency to balance national security with ecological responsibility.
The Sawalkote project is a 1.8-GW run-of-river scheme planned on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir.
The project is seen as a strategic move following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam attack.
Ecological risks include compounded sediment loads and increased slope instability in the Himalayan region.
Exam Points
The project capacity is 1.8 GW on the Chenab River.
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan.
The project cost has risen by ₹9,000 crore due to inflation and administrative delays.
Indian Railways is undergoing a massive transformation to become a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030, four decades ahead of India's national target. Key initiatives include 100% electrification of broad-gauge tracks, the introduction of hydrogen-powered trains under the "Hydrogen for Heritage" initiative, and the use of solar and wind energy. The shift also involves moving freight from road to rail to increase the rail share to 45% by 2030. Financial mechanisms like sovereign green bonds and loans from the World Bank and IRFC are supporting this multi-billion dollar decarbonization plan.
Indian Railways aims for net-zero emissions by 2030 through electrification and renewable energy integration.
Over 98% of the broad-gauge network is already electrified, significantly reducing diesel dependence.
The "Hydrogen for Heritage" initiative plans to deploy 35 hydrogen-powered train sets.
Exam Points
The target year for net-zero emissions for Indian Railways is 2030.
The government has issued sovereign green bonds worth ₹58,000 crore since FY2023.
The World Bank approved a $245 million loan for the Rail Logistics Project in June 2022.
Despite constitutional protections, caste-based violence against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) remains a critical issue in India. Recent NCRB data shows a rise in crimes against these communities, with over 57,000 cases registered against SCs in 2023. The article highlights systemic failures, including delayed investigations, low conviction rates, and societal bias within the judiciary and police. Over 60% of cases under the Atrocities Act remain pending in courts. A multi-pronged approach involving legal enforcement, political will, and social reform is necessary to dismantle caste hierarchies and ensure justice.
NCRB 2023 report indicates a 0.4% increase in crimes against SCs and a 28.8% increase against STs.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, faces severe implementation challenges.
High pendency rates in courts (over 60%) hinder the delivery of justice for victims of caste violence.
Exam Points
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was enacted in 1989.
NCRB reported 57,789 cases against SCs and 12,960 cases against STs in 2023.
Over 60% of cases under the Atrocities Act remain pending in courts according to the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights.
India and Canada have agreed to relaunch their trade dialogue and restore diplomatic ties following a meeting between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. The discussions focused on restarting talks for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and exploring cooperation in AI, energy, and food security. Both nations also began preliminary discussions on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) nuclear-powered reactors. This move signals a "repair mode" in bilateral relations, which had been strained since 2023 due to security issues and allegations regarding the killing of a Khalistani activist.
India and Canada are re-establishing the India-Canada Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment.
Discussions included an invitation for Canadian PM to visit India for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026.
Cooperation on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology marks a new area of civil nuclear energy partnership.
Exam Points
The proposed trade agreement is the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
The AI Impact Summit is scheduled for February 19 to 20, 2026, in India.
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for their research on innovation-driven economic growth. Mokyr's work focuses on historical factors and technological progress, while Aghion and Howitt developed the mathematical model of "creative destruction." This concept describes an endless process where new, better products and technologies replace old ones, driving long-term prosperity. The prize, worth $1.2 million, highlights that sustained growth is not guaranteed and requires specific institutional and technological prerequisites to counteract economic stagnation.
The laureates explained how innovation and technological progress are the primary drivers of long-term economic growth.
The 'creative destruction' model posits that growth arises from the continuous replacement of old technologies with new ones.
Joel Mokyr’s research emphasizes the historical role of the 'culture of growth' and institutional frameworks in fostering innovation.
Exam Points
The prize is officially known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
The 2025 winners are Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt.
The prize amount is 11 million Swedish Kronor ($1.2 million).
A study by Stanford University researchers has found that snow leopards possess the lowest genetic diversity among all big cat species, even lower than the cheetah. Using whole-genome sequencing of 37 individuals, the study concluded that this low diversity is due to a persistently small population size over evolutionary history rather than recent inbreeding. Interestingly, the species has "purged" many harmful mutations, allowing the population to remain relatively healthy despite low diversity. However, they remain vulnerable to climate change and habitat loss, particularly in the Himalayas where India plays a crucial role in their conservation.
Snow leopards have the lowest heterozygosity (genetic diversity) among big cats, making them potentially less adaptable to rapid environmental changes.
The low diversity is a result of long-term small population sizes rather than recent bottlenecks or inbreeding.
India is home to an estimated 718 snow leopards, with the highest numbers in Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
Exam Points
India's first snow leopard population assessment (SPAI) estimated 718 individuals in the wild.
The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Snow leopards are listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has updated its Red List of Threatened Species, highlighting increased threats to Arctic seals and birds. Habitat loss from logging and agriculture is the primary threat to birds, while Arctic seals are suffering from global warming and reduced sea ice. The hooded seal's status has moved from vulnerable to endangered. Global warming in the Arctic is occurring four times faster than elsewhere, drastically affecting "keystone species" like ice-dependent seals that are central to the food web. On a positive note, the green turtle population has shown recovery due to long-term conservation.
The IUCN Red List now includes 172,620 species, with 48,646 threatened with extinction.
Arctic seals are classified as 'keystone species' because they recycle nutrients and serve as a primary food source for other animals.
61% of bird species worldwide have declining populations, largely due to tropical forest destruction.
Exam Points
The IUCN Red List update was released at the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.
Arctic warming is occurring four times faster than the global average.
Green turtle populations recovered by 28% since the 1970s due to sustained conservation.
Read more
Read it. Retain it. Recall it.
Get spaced-repetition flashcards, daily quizzes and offline access — free on Android.