India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew 4.9% in April 2026, a slower rate than the previous year, under a newly revised series with 2022-23 as the base year. The updated series expands coverage to include water supply, sewerage, waste management, and gas supply, alongside the traditional mining, manufacturing, and electricity sectors. This revision aligns the IIP with other major macroeconomic indicators whose base years were also updated to 2022-23. The new methodology also features improved granularity and revised weights based on the updated Gross Value Added (GVA) 2022-23 series, providing a more comprehensive measure of industrial activity.
India's industrial output growth, measured by the IIP, slowed to 4.9% in April 2026 under a revised base year of 2022-23.
The new IIP series expands its coverage to include water supply, sewerage, waste management, and gas supply, in addition to existing core sectors.
The base year for major macroeconomic indicators, including IIP, has been revised from 2011-12 to 2022-23.
Exam Points
India's IIP grew 4.9% in April 2026.
The base year for IIP has been revised from 2011-12 to 2022-23.
Manufacturing sector constitutes about 75% of the IIP basket.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran has highlighted the vulnerabilities of existing global trade routes and strengthened the case for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). IMEC, announced at the G-20 Summit in 2023, aims to connect India with Europe, bypassing the Suez Canal, through a multimodal network of railways, ports, and digital infrastructure. However, the conflict has directly impacted envisioned corridor areas, particularly those involving Israel and the port of Haifa, and exposed geopolitical fault lines among key partners like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. To navigate these challenges, IMEC needs a broader, more flexible framework, exploring alternative entry points like Oman and a western spur through Egypt.
The Iran conflict underscores the need for alternative connectivity projects like IMEC to bypass conflict zones and strategic choke points.
IMEC, launched at the G-20 Summit in 2023, is a multimodal economic corridor connecting India with Europe via the Arabian Peninsula.
The conflict has directly affected key IMEC components, including Israel and the port of Haifa, and revealed geopolitical divergences among partner nations.
Exam Points
IMEC was officially announced at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023.
The IMEC project aims to connect India with Europe across the Arabian Peninsula.
The proposed IMEC structure has eastern (India to UAE via sea), central (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel via overland), and western (Haifa to European ports via sea) sections.
India faces a recurring public health crisis due to mass deaths from illicit liquor consumption across several states. Recent tragedies, like the Pune-Pimpri Chinchwad incident, reveal a sophisticated supply chain involving industrial-grade methanol. High state taxes on legal alcohol push low-income individuals towards cheaper illicit options, while adding methanol boosts profits for illegal vendors. Weak enforcement, regulatory loopholes in tracking methanol, and the marginalization of victims contribute to this 'perfect storm.' Public health experts note that higher prices for legal liquor and total bans (like in Bihar and Gujarat) often divert the market to criminal syndicates, exacerbating the problem.
India experiences recurrent mass deaths due to the consumption of illicit liquor, often involving industrial-grade methanol.
High taxes on legal alcohol and the profitability of illicit liquor drive low-income individuals towards dangerous alternatives.
Weak enforcement, regulatory gaps in tracking methanol, and alleged complicity of local authorities sustain the illicit liquor trade.
Exam Points
Malwani incident in 2015 resulted in over 100 deaths from illicit liquor.
A 2024 analysis found that illicit market accounts for an estimated 40% of alcohol consumption in India.
States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, and Maharashtra have reported mass deaths.
China's growing counter-space capabilities, including anti-satellite missiles and co-orbital systems, are a significant concern, indicating a potential for orbital warfare despite its stated peaceful space program. China aims for both technological and numerical superiority in space, competing with initiatives like Starlink, and recognizes the military and economic implications of space weaponization. Its capabilities include kinetic attack systems, laser-based systems, and co-orbital satellites designed to disrupt or destroy other satellites. For India, with fewer operational satellites, this poses a vulnerability, requiring measures like expanding its space industry, disaggregating large satellite programs, strengthening ground assets, enhancing data-sharing with partners, and clearly defining red lines for a proportionate response.
China is developing advanced counter-space capabilities, including anti-satellite missiles and co-orbital systems, raising concerns about potential orbital warfare.
China aims to achieve space superiority by leveraging space-based assets for military and economic systems and competing technologically and numerically with rivals.
Its offensive capabilities include kinetic attack systems (DN-3, SC-19 missiles), laser-based systems, and co-orbital satellites (SJ, TJS series) to disrupt or destroy satellites.
Exam Points
China tested an exo-atmospheric vehicle to strike a satellite in 2015 and demonstrated an orbital dog-fight in 2024.
China plans to deploy over 36,000 LEO satellites by 2030.
India has around 60 operational satellites, compared to 400-plus Chinese military satellites.
The recently released National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6 data for 2023-24 shows remarkable gains in child health, with reduced stunting and wasting, increased institutional deliveries, and higher full immunization coverage. India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has also stabilized at 2.0, below replacement level. However, the survey also exposes a 'dual public health burden': rising obesity among men and women, persistent malnutrition, and a decline in exclusive breastfeeding. The data underscores the need to address lifestyle diseases and metabolic disorders through comprehensive screening, behavior change communication, higher taxes on sugary foods, and bolstering health systems at all levels to prevent future health crises, especially as India undergoes a demographic transition.
NFHS-6 (2023-24) shows significant improvements in child health indicators, including reduced stunting and wasting, and increased institutional deliveries and immunization.
India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has stabilized at 2.0, falling below the replacement level of 2.1.
The survey highlights a 'dual public health burden' characterized by rising obesity rates alongside persistent malnutrition and a decline in exclusive breastfeeding.
Exam Points
NFHS-6 data is for 2023-24.
Child stunting is down by 17%, severe wasting by 32%.
India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is 2.0 (below replacement level of 2.1).
Despite the Indian rupee's depreciation against the U.S. dollar, remittances play a crucial, often overlooked, role in anchoring India's external balances, unlike the overemphasized FDI and FPI flows which have been declining. Remittances, recorded as Net Secondary Income in the Current Account, have consistently financed a significant portion, often the entirety, of India's trade deficit since mid-2013. Unlike FDI and FPI, remittances are stable, driven by the Indian diaspora's income and familial needs, and do not generate future liability outflows. Their importance is growing as trade deficits are expected to increase, making their ability to cover this deficit critical, especially when FDI and FPI flows are negative.
Remittances are a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in stabilizing the Indian rupee and managing external balances.
Unlike declining FDI and FPI flows, remittances provide a stable source of foreign exchange, financing a substantial portion of India's trade deficit.
Remittances are driven by the diaspora's income and familial needs, making them less volatile than other capital flows.
Exam Points
Indian rupee lost nearly 12% of its value against the U.S. dollar since May 2025.
Net FDI was negative in Q3 of 2025-26.
In 2024, India received $138 billion in remittances.
The Centre has approved the appointment of five new judges to the Supreme Court, increasing its working strength to 37, just shy of the revised sanctioned strength of 38. These appointments follow the Collegium's recommendation on May 27, 2026. The new judges include Chief Justices from various High Courts and a senior advocate. This development comes after the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was increased from 34 to 38 judges through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, earlier in May. Currently, Justice B.V. Nagarathna is the only woman judge in the Supreme Court.
The Centre approved the appointment of five new Supreme Court judges, bringing the working strength to 37.
The appointments were made under Article 124(2) of the Constitution, following the Collegium's recommendation.
The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was recently increased from 34 to 38 judges via an Amendment Ordinance in May 2026.
Exam Points
Supreme Court's working strength rises to 37.
Revised sanctioned strength of Supreme Court is 38.
Appointments made under Article 124(2) of the Constitution.
The Department of Agriculture and Family Welfare has reduced the requirement for urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizers for the Kharif season, anticipating a lowered monsoon due to the looming El Nino threat. After consulting states, the urea requirement was cut from 194.04 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) to 190.32 LMT, and DAP requirement was curtailed from 59.17 LMT to 56.23 LMT. The Indian Meteorological Department's forecast of lower monsoons prompted this re-assessment of fertilizer needs. Additionally, a significant stock of various fertilizers, including urea, DAP, NPKS, SSP, and MOP, has been added to the overall stock to manage potential shortages.
The government has reduced fertilizer requirements for urea and DAP for the Kharif season due to anticipated lower monsoons from El Nino.
The Department of Agriculture and Family Welfare, in consultation with states, re-assessed the demand for key fertilizers.
The Indian Meteorological Department's forecast of a weaker monsoon is the primary reason for the revised fertilizer requirements.
Exam Points
Urea requirement cut from 194.04 LMT to 190.32 LMT for Kharif season.
DAP requirement cut from 59.17 LMT to 56.23 LMT for Kharif season.
El Nino effect is cited as the reason for lower monsoon forecast.
Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, experience significant air pollution episodes in summer, driven primarily by coarser PM10 particles and ozone, contrasting with winter's PM2.5 dominance. Summer pollution is exacerbated by dust storms (loo and andhi), construction activity, road dust, and vehicular emissions. Ozone forms under strong sunlight from NOx and VOCs, making hotter, sunnier days conducive to its formation. To combat this, cities need to leverage early warning systems for dust storms and air quality, enforce active dust management at construction sites, and reduce NOx and VOC emissions from vehicles and industries. Year-round air quality management plans are crucial, treating both summer and winter pollution with equal seriousness.
Summer air pollution in Indian cities is characterized by high levels of PM10 and ozone, distinct from the PM2.5 dominance in winter.
Dust storms, including 'loo' from West Asia and 'andhi' from local thunderstorms, significantly contribute to PM10 spikes.
Ozone formation is intensified by hot, sunny weather, as it results from the reaction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under strong sunlight.
Exam Points
Delhi witnessed 54 days between April 1 and May 31, 2026, where daily average PM10 levels exceeded the 24-hour NAAQS of 100 ug/m3.
On 40 days, at least one CAAQMS in Delhi recorded a breach in the hourly ozone standard of 180 ug/m3.
The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is used to combat air pollution in Delhi NCR.
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