1. STRONGER INDIA-EU TIES TO DE-RISK GLOBAL ECONOMY AHEAD OF SUMMIT
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- High-Level Interaction: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with ambassadors from EU member nations to discuss de-risking the global economy through resilient supply chains and enhanced trade.
- Chief Guests for Republic Day: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa are confirmed as the chief guests for India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations.
- Security and Defence Partnership: A landmark Security and Defence Partnership is set to be signed next week, focusing on maritime security, cyber defence, and counter-terrorism.
- Indispensable Economic Partner: EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas described India as “indispensable” to Europe’s economic resilience amid global shifts and geopolitical instability.
- FTA Negotiations: Both sides are accelerating talks to conclude the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), aiming to remove barriers in clean tech and semiconductors.
- Mobility Framework: A new memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a comprehensive mobility framework will facilitate the movement of students, researchers, and highly skilled professionals.
2. RBI’S ‘STATE OF THE ECONOMY’ REPORT HIGHLIGHTS RURAL REVIVAL
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- Macroeconomic Assessment: The Reserve Bank of India’s latest assessment indicates continued growth momentum despite “unprecedented” global geopolitical uncertainties.
- Rural Demand Resurgence: High-frequency indicators, particularly retail automobile sales, show a significant revival in rural demand, bolstered by recent GST rationalization.
- GDP Growth Estimates: The National Statistics Office (NSO) has projected a real GDP growth of 7.4% for the fiscal year 2025–26, marking an upward trend from previous years.
- Inflation Trends: Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rose slightly to 1.3% in December, driven by the narrowing of food deflation and steady core inflation.
- Formalization of Economy: Healthy growth in E-way bill generation reflects a stronger formal economy and efficient goods movement across states.
- Concept – Current Account Deficit: Global flashpoints like the Greenland territorial dispute and Middle East conflicts are cited as risks that could impact trade and capital flows.
3. TAMIL NADU ESTABLISHES ‘SEMMOZHI ILLAKIYA VIRUDHU’ LITERARY AWARD
SUBJECT: POLITY & TAMIL NADU
- New Literary Honor: The Tamil Nadu government has officially established the ‘Semmozhi Illakiya Virudhu’ to recognize outstanding contributions to classical Tamil literature.
- Institutional Autonomy: The award was introduced amid ongoing discussions regarding representation and the autonomy of literary institutions in recognizing regional languages.
- Classical Language Promotion: The initiative aims to provide a platform for Tamil scholars and writers to gain national and international recognition for their “Semmozhi” (classical) works.
- Conflict with Sahitya Akademi: The state moved to create this independent award following disputes over the selection criteria and representation in the Sahitya Akademi.
- Conservation Milestones: In a separate environmental update, the state has prioritized the protection of river sandbars, vital for the nesting of the endangered Indian Skimmer bird.
4. DRDO TO SHOWCASE INDIGENOUS HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY AT KARTAVYA PATH
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM): The DRDO is set to showcase its Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, a major technological milestone featuring indigenous avionics and high-accuracy sensors.
- Hypersonic Capabilities: The LR-AShM reaches speeds up to Mach 10, utilizing a quasi-ballistic trajectory with multiple “skips” to evade enemy radar.
- Indus-X Collaboration: India and the U.S. are advancing defense ties through the INDUS-X framework, focusing on the co-development of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
- Indigenous Contracts: Bharat Forge has secured a ₹300 crore contract under the Emergency Procurement-VI (EP-VI) framework to supply indigenous loitering munitions (like the ‘Bayonet’) to the Army.
- Operation Sindoor: The Indian Air Force (IAF) announced it will showcase the “Operation Sindoor Formation” during the upcoming parade to honor past counter-terror operations.
5. SUPREME COURT MANDATES SPECIAL INTENSIVE REVISION (SIR) OF ELECTORAL ROLLS
SUBJECT: POLITY & NATIONAL ISSUES
- Judicial Direction: The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to implement a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to ensure voter inclusivity and accuracy.
- Anti-Corruption Probe Safeguards: The judiciary recently emphasized the need for a balance between administrative efficiency and protective safeguards to prevent the political misuse of corruption probes.
- Border Security and Farming: Farmers along the Punjab border have demanded the relocation of the border fence closer to the Zero Line to reclaim nearly 31,500 acres of fertile land currently beyond the fence.
- Conservation Status: The Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan has been declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), restricting mining and industrial activity in 94 adjoining villages.
- Public Health Alert: An outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) has been reported in the Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh, prompting a central medical investigation.
