The Supreme Court has put its November 20 decision on hold, which had upheld the government's restrictive definition of the Aravalli Range. This definition limited protection to hills over 100 meters high or clusters within 500 meters of each other. Environmentalists argued this would exclude thousands of hills, leading to unregulated mining and ecological degradation. The Court has now proposed a high-powered committee to conduct a scientific evaluation of the environmental impacts. It emphasized that the definition must ensure the 'ecological integrity' of the range, which acts as a barrier against the Thar desert's expansion and mitigates pollution in cities like Delhi.
The court stayed the implementation of the restrictive definition to prevent irreversible ecological damage during ongoing proceedings.
A new expert panel will analyze the possibility of adverse consequences from 'sustainable mining' in newly demarcated areas.
The Aravalli Range is critical as a green barrier against the eastward expansion of the Thar desert and helps mitigate pollution in Delhi.
Exam Points
Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
The Aravalli Range spans four states: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi.
Only 1,048 Aravalli hills out of 12,081 in Rajasthan met the 100-metre threshold under the previous definition.
India is currently regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI) through existing frameworks like the IT Act and financial sector rules, but lacks a dedicated consumer safety regime for AI. Unlike China’s more intrusive 'duty of care' approach targeting psychological dependence, India’s posture is reactive. The article argues that India should focus on building domestic capacity by improving access to computational resources and upskilling its workforce. Instead of 'regulating first,' India should consider regulating downstream use assertively while nurturing frontier models. This involves adding obligations for companies deploying AI in high-risk contexts and ensuring accountability through frameworks like the RBI’s model risk guidelines.
India currently relies on the IT Rules to curb deepfakes and fraud but lacks a comprehensive AI safety law.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been largely reactive rather than preemptive in its regulatory approach.
Financial regulators like RBI and SEBI are developing frameworks for AI accountability and model risk management.
Exam Points
RBI is developing a FREE-AI framework process for governing model risk.
MeitY uses IT Rules to define and label 'synthetically generated' content.
China recently unveiled draft rules targeting emotionally interactive AI services and psychological dependence.
India has crossed the $4.1 trillion nominal GDP mark, becoming the world's fourth-largest economy. This growth is attributed to a series of structural reforms under 'Reform Express 2025,' focusing on ease of doing business, infrastructure, and energy security. Key initiatives include the National Single Window System, PM GatiShakti, and the decriminalization of thousands of legal provisions. The government is also pushing for energy independence through the Oilfields Amendment Act and a massive Nuclear Energy Mission. These reforms aim to create a predictable regulatory environment, attract private investment, and modernize logistics through new maritime and shipping laws.
India's total exports reached $825.25 billion in 2024-25, supported by digital tools like the Trade Connect ePlatform.
The PM GatiShakti National Master Plan has been opened to the private sector to streamline infrastructure planning.
Significant legislative changes include the Indian Ports Act 2025 and the Merchant Shipping Act 2025 to modernize maritime trade.
Exam Points
India's nominal GDP crossed $4.1 trillion, making it the world's fourth-largest economy.
Budget 2025 set out a Nuclear Energy Mission with a ₹20,000 crore outlay.
India's position in the Global Innovation Index rose to 38th place among 139 economies.
The Supreme Court is considering the validity of talaq-e-hasan, a practice where a husband divorces his wife over three months. The article argues that the Quran does not grant men superior status to unilaterally dissolve marriage. Instead, it views marriage as a 'solemn covenant' between equals. The Quranic procedure for divorce involves four distinct conciliatory steps, including arbitration, before a final divorce is pronounced. The author contends that all forms of unilateral divorce, including talaq-e-bid’a and talaq-e-hasan, lack Quranic support and should be struck down to ensure gender justice and constitutional equality.
The Quran uses terms like 'uqdatan-nikah' and 'meesaaqan ghaleezan' to describe marriage as a contract between equals.
The prescribed Quranic divorce process requires attempts at resolution, temporary separation, and arbitration from both families.
Unilateral divorce practices are often based on later sectarian traditions rather than the Quran or Hadith.
Exam Points
Case: Benazeer Heena vs Union of India and Ors. (2025).
The three-judge SC bench includes Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and N. Kotiswar Singh.
Quranic references for marriage as a solemn covenant: 2:235, 2:237, and 4:21.
Beyond the ethical arguments for equality, there is a compelling business case for LGBTQIA+ inclusion. India’s LGBTQIA+ community is estimated at 135 million people, with a purchasing power of approximately $168 billion. However, discrimination and exclusion lead to significant economic losses, estimated between 0.1% and 1.7% of India's GDP. The article emphasizes that inclusion should not be a seasonal marketing gesture but a strategic business imperative. Companies that prioritize representation and offer trans-inclusive policies foster stronger brand loyalty and attract top talent, while those failing to engage risk losing a massive market segment.
The 'pink economy' represents a significant but under-recognised market opportunity in India's development story.
Homophobia and exclusion result in tangible costs through health disparities and labor-related losses.
Genuine inclusion requires corporate advocacy, trans-inclusive healthcare, and year-round commitment rather than performative 'rainbow washing'.
Exam Points
India's LGBTQIA+ community is estimated at 135 million individuals.
The community's purchasing power is estimated at $168 billion in nominal GDP terms.
Exclusion costs the Indian economy between 0.1% and 1.7% of its GDP.
This data-driven analysis highlights a puzzling divergence between industrial credit growth and industrial GDP (GVA-ASI) between 2016-17 and 2018-19. Historically, these two metrics moved in tandem. However, during this period, industrial credit slowed significantly while GVA-ASI showed an unexpected upturn. This decoupling suggests that industrial GDP might have been overestimated in the current National Accounts Statistics (NAS) series. The share of industrial credit in total bank credit has also declined from 42% in 2013 to 23% in 2024, with credit shifting toward the services sector and personal loans.
The share of industrial credit in total bank credit has reached its lowest point in half a century.
Credit growth in the western, southern, and northern regions was lower than the national average, while central and northeastern regions saw higher growth.
The correlation between industrial credit and GVA-ASI dropped significantly in the pre-pandemic window (2016-2020).
Exam Points
Industrial credit share fell from 42% (2013) to 23% (2024).
Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of industrial credit was 4.1% between 2014-24.
The current NAS series uses 2011-12 as the base year.
The Union government has replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and AJeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. During a Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting, officials stated that 'fake demand' for work would not be entertained during the transition period. The government is coordinating with states to ensure only genuine demand is raised. The meeting also addressed the long-standing issue of withheld funds for West Bengal, which were stopped in 2022 due to non-compliance with central directives regarding corruption and administrative issues.
MGNREGA was repealed by Parliament on December 18, 2025, to make way for the new VB-GRAM G Act.
The new scheme aims to distinguish between genuine and 'fake' demand to prevent misuse of funds during the transition.
Funds to West Bengal were stopped under Section 27 of the MGNREGA Act, 2005, due to continued non-compliance.
Exam Points
MGNREGA replaced by VB-GRAM G Act, 2025.
Funds to West Bengal stopped in March 2022 under Section 27 of MGNREGA.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development is headed by Saptagiri Ulaka.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for various capital acquisition proposals totaling ₹79,000 crore. These approvals cover critical equipment for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Key items include Loiter Munition Systems, Long Range Guided Rocket Ammunition for Pinaka MRLS, and High-Frequency Software Defined Radios. The move is aimed at boosting the operational capabilities and indigenous manufacturing of the Indian Armed Forces. Additionally, DRDO successfully tested the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120), marking a major milestone in indigenous rocket artillery.
The DAC approved the procurement of Loiter Munition Systems to enable precision strikes against tactical targets.
For the Navy, approvals include Bollard Pull Tugs and High-Frequency Software Defined Radios for secure communication.
The Air Force will receive AoN for Astra Mk-II missiles and Full Mission Simulators for the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.
Exam Points
DAC is chaired by the Defence Minister (Rajnath Singh).
Total value of AoN accorded: ₹79,000 crore.
DRDO tested the LRGR-120 Pinaka rocket at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
The INSV Kaundinya, an indigenously built traditional stitched sailing vessel, has set off from Porbandar, Gujarat, for its maiden overseas voyage to Muscat, Oman. This expedition is a significant effort by the Indian Navy to revive and celebrate India's ancient maritime heritage. The vessel was constructed using traditional shipbuilding techniques and natural materials, drawing inspiration from historical sources. The voyage aims to retrace ancient maritime routes that once connected India's western coast with the Gulf region, fostering cultural exchange and strengthening bilateral relations between India and Oman.
Stitched shipbuilding is an ancient technique where planks are sewn together with ropes rather than using nails.
The expedition highlights the deep historical and civilizational links between Gujarat and the Sultanate of Oman.
The crew consists of four officers and 13 naval sailors, led by Commander Vikas Sheoran.
Exam Points
Vessel name: INSV Kaundinya.
Route: Porbandar, Gujarat to Muscat, Oman.
Flagged off by Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command.
Despite the ongoing civil war following the 2021 coup, Myanmar's military junta (Tatmadaw) is proceeding with a three-phase election process. The first phase was held in December 2024, with subsequent phases scheduled for January 2025. Major political parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD), have been dissolved or excluded. The elections are widely viewed as an attempt by the military to gain domestic and international legitimacy. However, the international community, including the UN and several Western nations, has criticized the process as neither free nor fair, given the lack of competition and the prevailing violence.
The military has introduced a proportional representation (PR) system to ensure no single party can secure a significant majority.
Many areas in Myanmar are under the control of ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), making it impossible to hold credible elections nationwide.
The Union Election Commission (UEC) has been reconstituted with personnel favorable to the military.
Exam Points
The 2021 coup ousted the government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The new election law is the Political Parties Registration Law.
The military-backed party is the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
India and New Zealand concluded a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in December 2025. Under this deal, New Zealand will provide zero-duty market access for 100% of India's exports, while India will relax tariffs on 95% of imports from New Zealand. Crucially, India has protected its sensitive dairy and agriculture sectors by excluding items like milk, cheese, and butter from the agreement. The FTA also includes provisions for the mobility of Indian professionals and students, and cooperation in traditional medicine like Ayurveda. This agreement is part of India's broader strategy to diversify trade partners and integrate into global value chains.
New Zealand has committed to investing $20 billion in India over the next 15 years, with clawback mechanisms if targets aren't met.
The deal facilitates easier visas and work rights for Indian skilled workers, particularly in IT, healthcare, and education.
India's labor-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, and gems are expected to benefit significantly from zero-duty access.
Exam Points
New Zealand to provide 100% duty-free access to Indian goods.
India to relax tariffs on 95% of New Zealand imports.
Committed FDI from New Zealand: $20 billion over 15 years.
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