India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, stated that increased Chinese investment in India would benefit both the economy and broader bilateral ties. He also advocated for greater Indian exports to China, particularly in pharmaceuticals, where India is globally competitive. Despite a political freeze since 2020, bilateral trade has expanded, though it remains lopsided with a significant deficit. Efforts to normalize relations are underway following a meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping in October 2024, after disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, emphasized the benefits of increased Chinese investment for India's economy and bilateral relations.
He also called for greater Indian exports to China, especially in competitive sectors like pharmaceuticals.
Despite a political freeze since 2020, bilateral trade has grown, but India faces a substantial trade deficit with China.
Exam Points
India's Ambassador to China: Vikram Doraiswami.
PM Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2024.
China was India's largest trading partner in 2025-26.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India successfully managed the challenges of the West Asia conflict through effective assessment, strategic decision-making, and leveraging domestic resources and strong diplomatic ties. The country avoided fuel rationing, ensured cooking gas supplies, and shielded consumers and farmers from global price spikes, with state-run oil marketing firms (OMCs) absorbing losses. Modi credited domestic refineries for increasing LPG production, highlighting India's position as the world's fourth-largest refiner, with plans for further expansion. He made these remarks during the inauguration of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd. (HRRL) in Balotra.
PM Modi asserted that India effectively managed the West Asia crisis through strategic decisions and leveraging domestic resources and diplomatic ties.
The government prevented fuel rationing and ensured cooking gas supplies, shielding consumers from price hikes.
State-run oil marketing firms (OMCs) bore the financial losses to maintain stable prices.
Exam Points
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd. (HRRL) petrochemical complex in Balotra, Rajasthan.
India is currently the world's fourth-largest refiner.
State-run Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) absorbed losses to shield consumers from global price spikes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the CG Semi Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test facility at Sanand in Gujarat. He emphasized that semiconductor clusters are emerging across India, which will generate significant employment opportunities. This inauguration aligns with India's broader push to establish a robust domestic semiconductor ecosystem, crucial for technological self-reliance and economic growth. The government aims to foster a strong manufacturing base for semiconductors to reduce reliance on imports and boost indigenous capabilities in high-tech industries.
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a semiconductor assembly and test facility in Sanand, Gujarat.
The establishment of semiconductor clusters across India is expected to create large-scale employment opportunities.
This initiative is part of India's broader strategy to build a robust domestic semiconductor ecosystem.
Exam Points
CG Semi Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test facility inaugurated at Sanand, Gujarat.
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Semiconductor clusters are coming up across India to create employment.
A civil society network, the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatments, has urged the government to revise India's National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), which has not been updated in nearly four years. In contrast, the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines has been revised twice in the same period (2023 and 2025) and now contains 523 drugs, significantly more than NLEM's 384. The NLEM, last overhauled in 2022, lacks several active cancer-treating agents, supportive cancer-care medicines, and monoclonal antibodies present on the WHO list, impacting affordable healthcare access.
India's National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) has not been updated for nearly four years, lagging behind the WHO's revised list.
The NLEM, last notified in 2022, contains 384 medicines, while the WHO list, revised in 2023 and 2025, has 523 drugs.
The civil society group highlights that NLEM misses critical cancer-treating agents and other medicines found on the WHO list.
Exam Points
National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) last notified in 2022.
NLEM currently contains 384 medicines.
WHO Model List of Essential Medicines revised in 2023 and 2025, contains 523 medicines.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has demanded that Telegram take proactive measures to detect and remove pirated content, giving the platform 15 days to respond. This move escalates ongoing issues between the government and Telegram, which has been accused of delayed action against piracy. The I&B Ministry's notice emphasizes a shift from piecemeal takedowns to platform accountability, requiring Telegram to observe due diligence under the IT Act and IT Rules, 2021. Telegram had previously complied with an order to remove over 3,100 URLs in March 2026.
The I&B Ministry has directed Telegram to proactively detect and remove pirated content from its platform.
Telegram has been given 15 days to respond to the notice, marking an escalation in government scrutiny.
The government aims for platform accountability, moving beyond individual takedown requests.
Exam Points
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) issued the notice to Telegram.
Telegram was asked to remove over 3,100 URLs in March 2026.
Relevant legal provisions: IT Act and IT Rules, 2021.
The Assam Forest Department released a special booklet highlighting the rich butterfly diversity in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). The BTR, spanning 3,653 sq. km., boasts 346 of Assam's 620 recorded butterfly species, including rare, endemic, and threatened taxa. It serves as a unique ecological corridor where species from the Eastern Himalayas, Indo-Malayan region, and Indo-Gangetic plains converge. The booklet also notes the cultural significance of butterflies, inspiring traditional folklore and the Bodo community's "Bagurumba" butterfly dance, which is believed to be inspired by the colorful mud-puddling congregations.
Assam's Forest Department released a booklet on the butterfly diversity in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
The BTR is a significant biodiversity hotspot, home to 346 of Assam's 620 recorded butterfly species, including rare and endemic ones.
It acts as a unique ecological corridor where different biogeographic zones meet.
Exam Points
Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) covers 3,653 sq. km.
BTR hosts 346 of Assam's 620 recorded butterfly species.
The Union Consumer Affairs Department has increased the procurement price of onions by 13% to ₹2,125 per quintal for the Price Stabilisation Buffer. This move aims to boost procurement and ensure better returns for farmers, coming amid rising retail prices and farmer complaints about unremunerative prices. NAFED and NCCF are procuring onions from various states. Despite production estimates of 307.37 lakh metric tonnes for 2025-26, the government anticipates prices to inch up due to normal seasonality and speculative buying, though current stock levels are adequate.
The Union Consumer Affairs Department increased the onion procurement price by 13% to ₹2,125 per quintal for the Price Stabilisation Buffer.
The hike aims to provide better returns to onion farmers and strengthen buffer procurement efforts.
NAFED and NCCF are responsible for procuring onions from various states.
Exam Points
New onion procurement price: ₹2,125 per quintal (13% increase).
Procurement agencies: National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF).
Onion production estimated at 307.37 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) for 2025-26.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked Meta to halt the rollout of WhatsApp's username feature, citing concerns about increased online fraud, phishing, and impersonation. MeitY argues that hiding phone numbers and using usernames could facilitate identity spoofing of individuals, public authorities, and financial institutions. WhatsApp, which is rolling out the optional feature with safeguards like PINs and country-of-origin display, maintains it has reserved usernames for prominent personalities. The government asserts its right to intervene under the IT Act, 2000, and IT Rules, 2021, classifying WhatsApp as a "significant social media intermediary."
The Indian government has asked WhatsApp to stop rolling out its username feature due to concerns about potential increases in online fraud, phishing, and impersonation.
MeitY believes the feature could enable identity spoofing of individuals and institutions by allowing usernames to resemble genuine entities.
WhatsApp states the feature is optional, includes safeguards like PINs, and has reserved usernames for prominent personalities.
Exam Points
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued the notice.
WhatsApp is considered a "significant social media intermediary" under Section 2(1)(w) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rules 2(1)(v) and 2(1)(w) of the IT Rules, 2021.
Relevant IT Act sections cited: 66C (identity theft), 66D (cheating by personation), and 79 (intermediary liability/safe harbour).
Read more
Read it. Retain it. Recall it.
Get spaced-repetition flashcards, daily quizzes and offline access — free on Android.