The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has been linked to the National Population Register (NPR), providing investigative agencies real-time access to the family-wise details of 119 crore residents. This integration aims to bolster intelligence gathering and speed up criminal investigations through secure platforms. A key tool, 'Gandiva', utilizes facial recognition and entity resolution to identify suspects by matching images against databases like telecom KYC or driving licenses. While the government emphasizes security benefits, the move links the first step of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to a powerful surveillance infrastructure.
NATGRID provides a secure platform for police and central agencies to access government and private databases.
The NPR contains family-wise data of 119 crore residents, last updated in 2015.
'Gandiva' is an upgraded NATGRID tool used for facial recognition and entity resolution.
Exam Points
NATGRID was conceptualized in 2009 following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
NPR data was first collected in 2010 during the 2011 Census phase.
The Union Cabinet approved Census 2027 with a budget of ₹11,718 crore.
Recent data indicates that India's status as a preferred investment destination remains fragile, with net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) turning negative for three consecutive months ending October 2025. This shift is largely attributed to external pressures, specifically the announcement of significant tariffs by the U.S. administration. Despite domestic measures like corporate tax cuts and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, outflows by Indian companies investing abroad have increased. The Reserve Bank of India noted that trade uncertainty is driving foreign portfolio investors to exit Indian equities, highlighting the need for deeper structural reforms.
Net FDI in India remained negative for three consecutive months as of October 2025.
U.S. trade policies, including proposed 25% to 50% tariffs, have significantly impacted investor sentiment.
Domestic reforms like PLI schemes and tax cuts have not fully insulated India from global economic headwinds.
Exam Points
Net FDI in the April-July 2025 period was $10.7 billion.
Cumulative net FDI position fell to $6.2 billion by the end of October 2025.
India's foreign policy in 2025 faced significant hurdles across economic, security, and strategic domains. Relations with the U.S. were strained by tariffs on key exports and tightened immigration rules. Despite initial resistance, India faced pressure to reduce oil imports from Russia. Regionally, instability in Bangladesh and Myanmar, alongside persistent tensions with China and Pakistan, tested India's diplomatic resilience. The 'Vishwaguru' narrative faced challenges as India navigated a world increasingly defined by transactional diplomacy and 'G-2' dynamics between the U.S. and China. The year underscored the limits of performative diplomacy in achieving tangible strategic gains.
Economic ties with the U.S. suffered due to the withdrawal of GSP privileges and new tariffs on labor-intensive sectors.
India's energy security strategy was pressured by U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and Iranian/Venezuelan imports.
Regional challenges include the political transition in Bangladesh and the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar.
Exam Points
India's oil imports from Russia reached $52 billion before facing renewed sanction pressures.
The 2024 regime change in Bangladesh and 2025 Gen-Z demonstrations in Nepal impacted regional predictability.
India has consistently ranked high in global doping violations, a trend that threatens its aspirations to host major international events like the 2036 Olympics. In 2024, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reported that 3.6% of India's tests resulted in adverse analytical findings. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) attributes this to increased testing, but issues like athlete evasion and the involvement of support staff suggest a deeper systemic malaise. To combat this, the government passed the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Experts argue for NADA's complete independence and better funding to ensure a clean sports ecosystem.
India recorded 260 adverse analytical findings (AAFs) out of 7,113 tests in 2024, ranking high globally.
The lure of government jobs through sports quotas and lucrative cash awards often drives athletes toward performance-enhancing drugs.
The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aims to strengthen the legal framework against doping.
Exam Points
India is set to host the 2029 World Police and Fire Games and the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.
WADA's 2024 figures show India's positivity rate at 3.6%, compared to lower rates in France and Italy.
President Droupadi Murmu recently released the Santhali translation of the Constitution of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The translation uses the Ol Chiki script, which is the traditional script for the Santhali language. This initiative aims to enable the Santhali-speaking tribal population, primarily located in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Bihar, to better understand their fundamental rights and the nation's legal framework. The move is seen as a significant step toward linguistic inclusion and the preservation of tribal heritage, ensuring that the country's foundational document is accessible to all citizens in their mother tongue.
The Santhali version of the Constitution is written in the Ol Chiki script.
Santhali is a major tribal language spoken in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Bihar.
This initiative promotes linguistic diversity and constitutional awareness among tribal communities.
Exam Points
Santhali is one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
The Ol Chiki script was created by Pandit Raghunath Murmu.
The Navi Mumbai region is poised for a significant economic boom driven by the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Analysts predict that the commencement of commercial flights will accelerate real estate development and infrastructure projects across the region. Key projects like the Atal Setu (MTHL), the Alibaug-Virar Multimodal Corridor, and the expansion of the Mumbai-Navi Mumbai Metro are enhancing connectivity. This improved network is boosting demand for both residential and luxury housing, transforming Navi Mumbai into a strategic hub that links Mumbai to the Pune Expressway and beyond.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is the primary catalyst for regional infrastructure growth.
Major projects include the Atal Setu (Mumbai Trans Harbour Link) and the Alibaug-Virar Multimodal Corridor.
Enhanced connectivity is driving demand in micro-markets and strategically connected locations like Khopoli.
Exam Points
The Atal Setu is also known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL).
NMIA is expected to significantly de-congest the existing Mumbai airport.
Rabies remains a significant public health challenge in India, causing approximately 20,000 deaths annually, the highest in the world. The disease disproportionately affects the impoverished, who face barriers in accessing Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG). Despite the availability of vaccines, shortages and high costs of RIG often lead to fatal outcomes. Effective management requires a multi-pronged approach: increasing awareness, ensuring affordable and accessible treatment, and implementing robust stray dog population control through 'Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release' programs. Recent developments include the introduction of monoclonal antibodies as a more accessible alternative to human rabies immunoglobulin.
India accounts for about one-third of global rabies deaths, with approximately 20,000 fatalities each year.
Rabies is 100% preventable through timely vaccination but nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear.
The 'One Health' approach is essential for managing the disease, involving both human healthcare and animal welfare.
Exam Points
India has an estimated 80 million free-roaming dogs and 20 million dog bites occur annually.
Monoclonal antibodies (RMabs) have been recently included in national guidelines as an alternative to RIG.
Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney have developed experimental drugs called 'mitochondrial uncouplers' that target the cell's energy production process. These molecules make cells burn energy less efficiently, releasing fuel as heat instead of converting it into ATP (chemical energy). This process forces cells to consume more fats to meet their energy needs, offering a potential new treatment for obesity. Unlike older, lethal versions of such compounds, these new 'mild' uncouplers are designed to be safer, reducing oxidative stress and potentially offering benefits for metabolic health and neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.
Mitochondrial uncouplers disrupt the production of ATP, triggering cells to burn more fat for energy.
The research focuses on 'mild' uncouplers to avoid the lethal overheating associated with earlier versions of these compounds.
These drugs could potentially treat obesity, improve metabolic health, and provide anti-aging effects.
Exam Points
Mitochondria are known as the 'powerhouses' of the cell, converting food into ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
The research was led by Tristan Rawling at the University of Technology Sydney.
Modern urban planning often overlooks the fundamental element of human belonging, leading to an 'invisible tax of exclusion' for migrants. Language barriers serve as a primary standard for integration, often marginalizing those from different linguistic zones and creating economic disadvantages in job searches and healthcare access. To build sustainable urban futures, cities must be viewed as dynamic ecosystems rather than static blueprints. This involves inclusive governance that reflects a city's cosmopolitan reality and proactive measures like cultural sensitivity training for public-facing staff to ensure all residents feel validated and secure.
Linguistic friction acts as an economic roadblock, channeling migrants into the informal economy.
Urban planning often assumes a static, homogenous user base, ignoring the needs of diverse new residents.
Inclusive cities require infrastructure and services that are accessible regardless of a resident's linguistic or cultural background.
Exam Points
The 'invisible tax of exclusion' refers to the systemic disadvantages faced by non-native linguistic groups.
The author, Aruna Bhattacharya, is a medical anthropologist specializing in urban health systems.
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