India will defend its people against terror: Jaishankar tells Quad leaders in US
India had responded to the Pahalgam attack by launching targeted strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). India further launched strikes on Pakistani military facilities, including air defence systems, radar sites, and command-and-control centres in response to Islamabad's unprovoked aggression.These retaliatory actions were taken between May 8 and 10, after which Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart over the hotline, leading to a ceasefire agreement on May 10.advertisementEarlier in New York, during a conversation with Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad, Jaishankar had reinforced this message by stating, "We are not going to fall for that. If he is going to come and do things, we are going to go there and also hit the people who did this. So no yielding to nuclear blackmail, no impunity to terrorists, no more free pass that they are proxies. And we will do what we have to do to defend our people."At the Quad meeting, Jaishankar also spoke about the grouping's shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and the importance of ensuring freedom of choice for nations in the region."It is essential that nations of the Indo-Pacific have the freedom of choice so essential to make right decisions on development and security," he said, adding that Quad's initiatives have progressed significantly in the maritime domain, logistics, education, and political coordination.Highlighting that the Quad must become more cohesive, nimble and focused, he said, "Quad is about deepening our convergence and expanding our common ground. I value our consultations on different dimensions of the Indo-Pacific in that regard."India has proposed hosting the next Quad Summit and Jaishankar noted that New Delhi had some proposals to make the meeting productive, expressing confidence that the partners would align their vision.advertisement"We are all committed to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. To that end, our endeavours are devoted to promoting a rules-based international order," he said.S Jaishankar's visit to the US from June 30 to July 2 marks his second visit to Washington this year for a Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting. - EndsMust Watch
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UPSC Key: India Energy Stack, Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme and Tibetan Buddhist school
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 2, 2025. If you missed the July 1, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here FRONT PAGE We expect Quad to understand our position on terror: Jaishankar Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: At the first Quad foreign ministers' meeting after Operation Sindoor in May, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India expects its Quad partners to understand and appreciate that the country has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and it will exercise that right. Key Points to Ponder: • What is Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)? • Formation of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) and 2004 tsunami relief operations-Connect the Dots • Know the Principles and the motive behind the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) • Who are member nations in Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)? • Who are observer nations in Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)? • The QUAD in the Indo-Pacific region and its geopolitical implication-Know in detail • How QUAD is significant for India? • What are India's expectations from the Quad in terms of counter-terrorism cooperation? • India's counter-terrorism diplomacy has evolved in response to regional challenges-discuss • Know the significance of the Quad in the changing global geopolitical landscape and India's role within it. • How do India's strategic and security concerns shape its engagement with Quad countries, particularly regarding terrorism and regional stability? • Discuss the relevance and the impediments in adoption of UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. Key Takeaways: • 'A word about terrorism in the light of our recent experience — the world must display zero tolerance. Victims and perpetrators must never be equated. And India has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and we will exercise that right. We expect our Quad partners to understand and appreciate that,' Jaishankar said in remarks to the media ahead of the meeting in Washington DC with his counterparts from the US, Australia and Japan. • On April 22, 26 people were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which was followed by four days of military confrontation between India and Pakistan. • Jaishankar later described the Quad meeting as 'very productive' and said they 'discussed how to make the Quad more focused and impactful on contemporary opportunities and challenges'. • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Quad is a 'very important partnership that has developed over the years and… really taken wing in the last few months'. He said he was focussed on 'diversifying the global supply chain of critical minerals, not just access to the raw material, but also access to the ability to process and refine it to usable material'. Do You Know: • Following the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, India, Japan, Australia, and the US created an informal alliance to collaborate on disaster relief efforts. In 2007, then PM of Japan, Shinzo Abe, formalised the alliance, as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad. But this nascent group was hampered by a lack of cohesion amongst members and accusations that the Quad was nothing more than an anti-China bloc. Thus, the early iteration of the Quad, largely based on maritime security, eventually dissipated. In 2017, faced again with the rising Chinese challenge, the four countries revived the Quad, and broadened its objectives. • In 2020, the trilateral India-US-Japan Malabar naval exercises expanded to include Australia, marking the first official grouping of the Quad since its resurgence in 2017, and the first joint military exercises among the four countries in over a decade. In March 2021, the Quad leaders met virtually and later released a joint statement titled 'The Spirit of the Quad,' which outlined the group's approach and objectives. The first in-person meeting was held in Washington DC, later that year. The group's primary objectives include maritime security, addressing the risks of climate change, creating an ecosystem for investment in the region, and boosting technological innovation. In 2020-21, the grouping also collaborated to combat the Covid-19 crisis, especially vis-à-vis vaccine diplomacy. • Quad members have also indicated a willingness to expand the partnership through a so-called Quad Plus that would include South Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam, amongst others. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Nuts and bolts diplomacy Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is transforming itself into a trade bloc from a military alliance, in present times Discuss. (2020) Ban to 7-yr jail: Fears of abuse over Karnataka Bill to curb fake news Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: • General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. • General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT What's the ongoing story: Defining fake news in sweeping terms to include content that is deemed 'anti-feminism' and 'disrespect of Sanatan symbols'; prescribing a seven-year jail term for social media users held guilty of posting 'fake news' as decided by a committee headed by the state Information & Broadcasting Minister; setting up special courts to deal with cases under the law — Karnataka's Bill to curb fake news raises several questions of free speech and state overreach. Key Points to Ponder: • The Karnataka Mis-Information and Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, 2025-what are the key takeaways? • Which Article of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, relevant to the fake news bill debate? • What are the constitutional and legal implications of the Karnataka Government's Bill to curb fake news, especially in the light of Article 19(1)(a)? • The Karnataka Fake News Bill has raised concerns over arbitrary power and censorship-know the issues and challenges • Do you think bills like Karnataka Fake News Bill pose a threat to democracy? • Where to draw the balance between freedom of expression and state interest in curbing misinformation in the context of Karnataka's recent legislation? • Shreya Singhal v. Union of India highlighted the need for precision in legislation dealing with digital speech-How is this relevant to the Karnataka Fake News Bill? Key Takeaways: • The Karnataka Mis-Information and Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, 2025, in the name of prohibiting misinformation and fake news, empowers a committee of lawmakers to identify and label content on social media as 'fake news.' It is the first of its kind state legislation to deal with digital platforms and free speech. • 'Any social media users, if found guilty by the Authority for posting fake news on the social media platform shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend up to seven years and fine which may extend up to Rs 10 lakh or with both,' the Bill states. • That 'Authority,' under Section 5 of the Bill, includes the Minister for Kannada and Culture Information and Broadcasting as the ex-officio Chairperson; one member each from the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council to be nominated by their respective Houses; two representatives from social media platforms appointed by the state government and a senior bureaucrat as Secretary. • This Authority's mandate is to 'ensure complete ban on promotion and spread of fake news' including 'posting of contents which are abusive and obscene including anti-feminism and insult to the dignity of the female'; 'disrespect of sanatan symbols and beliefs' among others. • The Authority is also tasked with ensuring 'only those content(s) are posted on the social media platform which are based on authentic research on the subjects related to science, history, religion, philosophy, literature.' Do You Know: • This Bill comes in the face of an unequivocal ruling by the Bombay High Court last September that struck down as unconstitutional a key provision of the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021 which empowered the government to identify 'fake news' on social media platforms through a 'Fact Check Unit' (FCU). The Court had held that lack of judicial oversight in the Rules was unconstitutional. The Bill also makes the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita's provision on granting anticipatory bail inapplicable to offences under the proposed law. • The Bill's descriptions of fake news and misinformation widen the scope of abuse and misuse. For instance, fake news is described under Section 2(i) of the Bill as 'purely fabricated content' and 'editing audio or video which results in the distortion of facts and/or the context.' Misinformation is defined as 'knowingly or recklessly making a false or inaccurate statement of fact.' • The provision states that 'opinions, religious or philosophical sermons, satire, comedy or parody or any other form of artistic expression' are exempted from the definition. What constitutes 'artistic expression' is not defined in the Bill. • In January 2024, Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay HC had also struck down the Centre's IT rules for vague and overbroad terms such as 'fake,' 'false,' and 'misleading.' 'Vagueness and overbreadth are both linked to the concept of the chilling effect,' the ruling had said. • In the landmark 2013 ruling in Shreya Singhal v Union of India, striking down 66A of the Information Technology Act that allowed blocking of content, the Court had emphasised that vague definitions cannot be justified to curb free speech. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Karnataka Bill cracks down on fake news with Rs 10 lakh fine and up to 7-year jail term THE WORLD Senate passes Trump's sweeping tax-cut, spending Bill, sends it for House clearance Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: The Republican-controlled US Senate on Tuesday narrowly passed President Donald Trump's sweeping tax and spending legislation, a mammoth 940-page package that cements several of his key domestic priorities but adds an estimated $3.3 trillion to the national debt. Key Points to Ponder: • The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), passed in 2017 under the Trump administration, primarily aimed at what? • What are the objectives and key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed during the Trump administration? • What will be the impact of the 2017 US tax reforms on global investment flows and the Indian economy? • How the use of the budget reconciliation process influenced the passage of the TCJA in the US Senate? • Know the distributional effects of the TCJA in terms of its impact on different income groups within the United States? • Compare the US corporate tax structure before and after the TCJA and analyze its implications for tax competition globally. • What are the political challenges faced in passing the TCJA, especially in a narrowly divided Senate? Key Takeaways: • The bill, dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act', passed in the Senate with a thin 51-50 margin, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote after over 24 hours of debate. Only three Republican senators defected. • The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to face a tight vote in the coming days. Trump has set a July 4 Independence Day deadline for Congress to send the bill to his desk, putting pressure on House Republicans — who hold a narrow 220-212 majority — to fall in line. • If passed, the legislation would make permanent the Trump-era 2017 tax cuts for businesses and individuals, while introducing new tax breaks for overtime workers, tipped income, and senior citizens. It also provides tens of billions for immigration enforcement and scraps major components of former President Joe Biden's green-energy initiatives, a report by news agency Reuters reported. • However, the bill has drawn sharp criticism for deep spending cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, tighter eligibility for safety net programs, and an overall increase in the national debt. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Senate version adds $800 billion more in debt than the version previously passed by the House in May. Do You Know: • The latest draft of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, released early on Saturday, has some notable differences from the earlier version which was passed in the House of Representatives in May by a single vote. Senators have been working through the weekend to pass the bill and send it back to the House for a final vote as Trump told Republicans to skip holiday vacations and deliver the bill by July 4. • Republican leaders hold a narrow majority in the House and Senate and would require a complete unity in their group for the bill to be passed. However, criticism of the bill by GOP cheerleaders, like Elon Musk have given a headache to the Trump administration and the passage of the bill. • Key changes have been made in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, latest draft of which has been released on Saturday. The changes include increased cuts to Medicaid, increased proportion of tax deduction for older Americans under Social Security taxes, increasing the deduction limit for state and local taxes (SALT). Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What's in Trump's 'big beautiful' bill? Cuts, tax breaks, and a $3.3 trillion price tag Ukraine's Luhansk under full Russian control, says official Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: Russia has taken full control of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, more than three years after President Vladimir Putin ordered thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian-backed head of the region told Russian state television. Key Points to Ponder: • What are the geopolitical and strategic implications of Russia taking full control of Ukraine's Luhansk region? • How the Ukraine conflict, especially the control over Luhansk, challenges the post-World War II international legal order? • Know the role of international organizations such as the UN and OSCE in preventing and managing the Ukraine-Russia conflict? • What are the humanitarian consequences of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine? Highlight the challenges faced by civilians in Luhansk. • What the impact of Russia's consolidation over Luhansk on the European security architecture and NATO's eastern strategy? • How has the Ukraine conflict, including events in Luhansk, influenced the global energy market and India's energy security? Key Takeaways: • Luhansk, which has an area of 26,700 square km (10,308 square miles), is the first Ukrainian region to fall fully under the established control of Russian forces since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. • Putin in September 2022 declared that Luhansk – along with the partially controlled Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions – was being incorporated into Russia, a step Western European states said was illegal and that most of the world did not recognise. • Ukraine says that Russia's claims to Luhansk and other areas of what is internationally recognised to be Ukraine are groundless and illegal, and Kyiv has promised to never recognise Russian sovereignty over the areas. • Luhansk was once part of the Russian empire but changed hands after the Russian Revolution. It was taken by the Red Army in 1920 and then became part of the Soviet Union in 1922 as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. • Along with neighbouring Donetsk, Luhansk was the crucible of the conflict which began in 2014 after a pro-Russian president was toppled in Ukraine's Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed separatist forces fighting Ukraine's armed forces in both Luhansk and Donetsk. Do You Know: • Russia controls nearly 19% of what is internationally recognised to be Ukraine, including Luhansk, plus over 70% of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and fragments of the Kharkiv, Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions. • Donetsk and Luhansk are the two areas that together make up the Donbas region on the Ukraine-Russia border. • Donbas is a key industrial hub and important from a resource perspective having the largest coal reserves in Ukraine. • These two areas broke away from Ukrainian government's control back in 2014 and proclaimed themselves independent 'people's republics', but were not formally recognised by Russia until February 2022. According to a Reuters report, Russia, over the years, backed the regions by supplying aid, vaccines, and other materials. • As the border region between Ukraine and Russia, the area is an example of the disagreements and complexities in the relations between the countries. Having a large Russian-speaking population and around 40 per cent ethnic Russian population, Donbas has always had a greater affinity for Russia. • As Russia intensifies attacks, the US has committed more weapons to Ukraine. On June 30, US President Joe Biden said the United States will provide another $800 million in weapons and military aid, reported Reuters. The week before that it received US supplies of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), a long-range weapon system. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Explained: The fall of Luhansk, its significance in the Ukraine-Russia conflict EXPLAINED The Dalai Lama, his successor, and China Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: A statement by the Dalai Lama on his reincarnation is expected on Tuesday when Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, a former chairman of the cabinet of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), and Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong or political leader of the CTA, read out a message from him. Key Points to Ponder: • Who is Dalai Lama? • The Dalai Lama is considered the spiritual head of which Tibetan Buddhist school? • What are the types of Tibetan Buddhist school? • Tibetan Buddhist school evolved from which traditions of Buddhism? • The process of identifying the reincarnation of a Dalai Lama is known as what? • The Panchen Lama is traditionally responsible for what role in Tibetan Buddhism? • Which agreement in 1951 formally brought Tibet under Chinese sovereignty, leading to tensions that resulted in the Dalai Lama's exile? • Dalai Lama, India and China-connect the dots • What is the religious and political significance of the institution of the Dalai Lama? • What are the implications of China's role in the selection of the next Dalai Lama for India-Tibet relations and regional geopolitics? Key Takeaways: • The Dalai Lama was born in the hamlet of Taktser in north-eastern Tibet — now Qinghai province of China — on July 6, 1935, and was identified at age 2 as the reincarnation of Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama. • A year after the communists took power in China, the People's Liberation Army invaded Tibet. In 1951, Tibet was annexed by China, and in March 1959, a Tibetan national uprising was crushed by Chinese troops. • That month, the Dalai Lama escaped from Lhasa along with a group of his followers, and crossed into India at Khenzimane in Arunachal Pradesh. In 1960, Jawaharlal Nehru's government settled him in McLeodganj, Dharamshala, where the Tibetan government-in-exile was established. • On March 14, 2011, the Dalai Lama wrote to the Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies, known as the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, asking to be relieved of his temporal authority. The formal transfer of political power to the democratically elected leader of Tibetans living in exile took place on May 29 that year, ending a 368-year-old tradition in which the Dalai Lama was both the spiritual and political head of Tibetans. • The Dalai Lama, literally 'Ocean of Wisdom, is believed to be the manifestation of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of compassion, and the patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattvas are persons who are on the path to becoming a Buddha, but who put the liberation of other sentient beings ahead of entering nirvana themselves. Do You Know: • The institution of the Dalai Lama is part of the tulku concept in Tibetan Buddhism, in which spiritual masters are reincarnated upon their death, so that their teachings can be preserved and carried forward. • The first Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa, was born in 1391. Beginning with Lobsang Gyatso (1617-82), the fifth of the line, the Dalai Lama became both the spiritual and political leader of Tibetan Buddhists. • The present Dalai Lama was found by a search party in 1939, six years after the 13th Dalai Lama Thupten Gyatso passed away in 1933. The reincarnation was recognised by several signs, including a vision revealed to a senior monk. In 1940, the little boy was taken to Potala Palace in Lhasa and officially enthroned. • Since 1969, the Dalai Lama has said that whether or not his reincarnation should be recognised was 'a decision for the Tibetan people, the Mongolians, and people of the Himalayan region to make'. • China denounces the 14th Dalai Lama as a 'splittist', 'traitor', and an exile with 'no right to represent the Tibetan people', and prohibits any public show of devotion towards him. • In 2004, the Chinese government abolished the Religious Affairs Regulations that lay down the process for selecting the Dalai Lama, and in 2007 decreed that 'No group or individual may carry out activities related to searching for and identifying the soul boy for the living Buddha without authorization.' A draw of lots, called the 'Golden Urn method', was institutionalised to select the Dalai Lama. • In 2015, Padma Choling, a retired Chinese politician of Tibetan ethnicity and chairperson of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Tibet, objected to the Dalai Lama's insistence that no government had the right to choose the next Dalai Lama for political purposes. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday this week matters for Tibetans, and beyond Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 1. Why did Buddhism start declining in India in the early medieval times? (2010) 1. Buddha was by that time considered as one of the incarnations of Vishnu and thus became a part of Vaishnavism. 2. The invading tribes from Central Asia till the time of last Gupta king adopted Hinduism and persecuted Buddhists. 3. The Kings of Gupta dynasty were strongly opposed to Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Low pressure systems & MJO: Behind monsoon's early national coverage Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World. Main Examination: General Studies I: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes. What's the ongoing story: The southwest monsoon covered the entire country on June 29, nine days ahead of its normal schedule of July 8. Since 1960, this was only the tenth occasion when the monsoon completed the national coverage in June. Key Points to Ponder: • What led to the monsoon's rapid progress? • What defines 'national monsoon coverage'? • What are the factors associated with early advancement of monsoon in India? • What is Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)? • How Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is associated with early advancement of monsoon in India? • What are the implications of early monsoon onset on agriculture and water resource management in India? • How Madden-Julian Oscillation influences the timing and spread of monsoon over India? Key Takeaways: • This year, the monsoon onset was early as well. It arrived in Kerala on May 24, eight days before the usual date schedule of June 1. This happened due to a range of different reasons including the active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) — a moving system of wind, cloud and pressure that brings rain as it circles around the equator — in mid-May. • After the onset, the monsoon progress largely remained ahead of its normal schedule over south peninsular, east and northeast India, and near normal over the northwest. However, it was slightly delayed over the central India region. • In June, the all-India average rainfall stood at 180 mm, which was quantitatively 9% above normal, according to the IMD. This year, the deficit rainfall trend observed during June since 2022 was discontinued. • Over central India, June's average rainfall was 24.8% above normal — a trend which was seen for the first time since 2022. The region received 212.6 mm of rainfall. • State-wise rainfall figures suggested that, for the first time since 2019 and 2020, Manipur (242.7 mm) and Mizoram (466.9 mm) respectively recorded normal rainfall this June. However, the month ended with below normal rainfall across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Bihar, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Lakshadweep. Do You Know: According to the India Meteorological Department, the monsoon's rapid progress was driven by: • LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS: India witnessed the development of five low pressure systems over different regions in June. These systems are essentially areas where the atmospheric pressure is lower than the surrounding regions. • ACTIVE PHASE OF MJO: Like in May, June also witnessed an active phase of the MJO. In this phase, the MJO brings more clouds to south of India, which are then carried northwards by the monsoon winds, leading to enhanced rainfall. • MONSOON TROUGH'S POSITION: A monsoon trough is an elongated low pressure area stretching from northwest India to the Bay of Bengal, whose position affects the monsoon conditions over the country. In June, as it remained largely to the south of its normal, it drew moisture-laden air, bringing in the monsoon early over the entire country. • NEUTRAL PHASE OF ENSO & IOD: The southwest monsoon is affected by two other factors, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). ENSO — a climate phenomenon characterised by changes in sea temperatures along the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, accompanied by fluctuations in the atmosphere overhead — has three phases, El Niño, La Niña, and neutral. • IOD, which is the difference in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) between the eastern and western regions of the Indian Ocean, also has three phases, positive, negative, and neutral. While a positive IOD leads to more rainfall, a negative phase results in less rainfall. A neutral IOD has minimal impact. In June, IOD was in a neutral phase. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What caused an 'early' monsoon onset in India this year? Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍How far do you agree that the behavior of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscape? Discuss. (2015) ECONOMY Cabinet approves Employment-Linked Incentive scheme for formal job creation Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: With an objective to boost employment generation in formal sectors, especially in manufacturing, the Union Cabinet approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme on Tuesday. The scheme, which was announced in the Union Budget for 2024-25, presented in July 2024, has an outlay of Rs 99,446 crore and aims to create 3.5 crore jobs over two years. Key Points to Ponder: • What is Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme? • What is the primary objective of the Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme approved by the Union Cabinet? • The Employment-Linked Incentive scheme is most similar in structure to which another ongoing schemes? • Which indicator is most directly used to measure the success of the Employment-Linked Incentive scheme? • The ELI scheme promotes employment primarily in which sector? • How does ELI scheme differ from existing employment schemes in India? • How can the ELI scheme contribute to the formalisation of India's labour force? • How can the government balance fiscal prudence with employment support through incentive-based schemes like ELI? Key Takeaways: • The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the ELI scheme to 'support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector', an official statement said. Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the ELI will be focussed on the manufacturing sector and will have two parts — part A for first timers and part B for sustained employment. • Part A of the scheme focuses on first-time employees by providing them a wage subsidy of up to one month's wage, up to a maximum amount of Rs 15,000, while Part B of the scheme has incentives for employers to create additional employment. Out of the total 3.5 crore employees expected to benefit from the scheme, around 1.92 crore persons are seen to be first-timers entering the workforce. • Targeting first-time employees registered with the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Part A will offer one-month EPF wage up to Rs 15,000 in two instalments. 'Employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh will be eligible. The first instalment will be payable after six months of service and the second instalment will be payable after 12 months of service and completion of a financial literacy programme by the employee. • To encourage the habit of saving, a portion of the incentive will be kept in a savings instrument of deposit account for a fixed period and can be withdrawn by the employee at a later date,' the statement said. • Part B of the scheme is for generating additional employment in all sectors, with a special focus on the manufacturing sector. The employers will get incentives for employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh. 'The government will incentivise employers, up to Rs 3,000 per month, for two years, for each additional employee with sustained employment for at least six months. For the manufacturing sector, incentives will be extended to the third and fourth years as well,' the statement said. Do You Know: • For EPF wage slab of additional employee up to Rs 10,000, an incentive of Rs 1,000 will be given to the employer; for wage slab of over Rs 10,000 and up to Rs 20,000, a benefit of Rs 2,000 will be given; and for wage over Rs 20,000 (up to salary of Rs 1 lakh/month), an incentive of Rs 3,000 will be provided. • Establishments, which are registered with EPFO, will be required to hire at least two additional employees (for employers with less than 50 employees) or five additional employees (for employers with 50 or more employees), on a sustained basis for at least six months, it said. • All payments to the first-time employees under Part A of the scheme will be made through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. Payments to the employers under Part B will be made directly into their PAN-linked accounts. The duration of the scheme will be for two years from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2027. • The ELI scheme was first announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2024-25 as part of the Prime Minister's Package for Employment and Skilling that had a Budget outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Government has made welcome moves to create employment, challenge now is to improve quality of jobs How India Energy Stack could be a UPI moment Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: Beyond enabling unique identification, full integration, and interoperability, the Indian Energy Stack can help unlock an entirely new ecosystem — one where energy fintech, virtual power plants, and peer-to-peer trading can thrive on a standardised, interoperable digital infrastructure Key Points to Ponder: • The India Energy Stack (IES)-what is this? • The proposed India Energy Stack (IES) aims what? • What is the role of the National Electricity Data Grid in the India Energy Stack? • How India Energy Stack (IES) draws inspiration from the UPI model to reform India's power sector? • Do you think that India Energy Stack is one of its kind solution to improve transparency, efficiency, and consumer empowerment in the electricity value chain? • How can smart metering and data integration under the India Energy Stack help reduce AT&C losses and improve DISCOM health? Key Takeaways: • The proposed India Energy Stack (IES) aims to do for the power sector what Aadhaar did for identity, and UPI for finance. By digitally integrating India's fragmented power ecosystem — from producers and grid operators to consumers, exchanges, and regulators — the IES will enable peer-to-peer energy trading, support aggregated demand-response programmes amid rising renewable integration, and facilitate smoother compliance with carbon offsetting. • The 17-member task force, constituted by the Ministry of Power on June 27, has Nilekani as its chief mentor and is charged with designing and charting a roadmap for the nationwide rollout of the IES — a process expected to take several years. • Picture this: Solar panels on your rooftop generate excess power, which you store in a battery at your neighbour's home — and draw back in the evening. In return, a payment for renting the battery is instantly transferred from your bank account to your neighbour's, enabled by a digital public infrastructure (DPI) as seamless as UPI. Now, with the government setting up a task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, a digitally integrated future for India's power sector is beginning to take shape. Do You Know: • In India, electricity is a concurrent subject, meaning both the Union and state governments share responsibility for its governance, which has contributed to a highly fragmented sector, leading to 'isolated digital islands rather than an integrated national platform'. • This fragmentation, according to a concept brief by New Delhi-based FSR Global — knowledge partner for the IES initiative – 'creates significant operational challenges that impede the energy sector's ability to meet India's growing energy demands efficiently'. • The brief identified four key challenges facing the power sector that the IES could help address. First, there is no unique identifier for consumers, assets, or stakeholders. Second, decision-making is hampered by the lack of access to harmonised, real-time data. Third, those seeking to offer solutions in this space struggle to scale, as they depend on various proprietary digital platforms. And fourth, there is no interoperability between these digital systems, which prevents cross-regional data sharing and cross-discom transactions. • Beyond enabling unique identification, full integration, and interoperability, the IES can help unlock an entirely new ecosystem — one where energy fintech, virtual power plants, and peer-to-peer trading can thrive on a standardised, interoperable digital infrastructure. • The possibilities are many. Consumers – and producer-consumers, or prosumers – could instantly buy surplus energy to store in batteries or sell rooftop solar output at peak prices. The IES would deepen the decentralisation of electricity and allow prosumers to manage their assets more actively and efficiently. Grid operators could make far more precise load-balancing and dispatch decisions, while energy producers could reduce curtailment or track carbon offsets using transparent performance data. • The utility of IES is based on its ability to maintain the integrity of data, processes, and settlements across the board. A key component of this architecture is the Utility Intelligence Platform (UIP) – a primary application layer built on the IES foundation that would enable all of these services. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍India can lead the charge in creating a global and seamless energy network PM on 10 years of Digital India: It has become a people's movement Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: The PM said that India's 5G rollout is among the fastest in the world, with 4.81 lakh base stations installed in just two years, with high-speed Internet reaching urban hubs and forward military posts alike including Galwan, Siachen, and Ladakh. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Digital India? • 'Digital India has become a people's movement in its truest sense'- Discuss in the context of the past 10 years of Digital India initiatives. • Know the role of Digital India in bridging the digital divide across urban and rural India. • Do you think that digital India helped in bridging the gap across urban and rural India? • Discuss the role of UPI, DigiLocker, and CoWIN in creating a digital ecosystem for governance and service delivery. • How has the Digital India programme transformed the nature of citizen-government interactions in the past decade? • 'Digital India programme contributed to improving transparency and reducing corruption'-how far you agree with the same? Key Takeaways: • With the government's flagship 'Digital India' programme completing ten years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it has not remained a mere governance scheme, but has become a 'people's movement'. • The PM said that India's 5G rollout is among the fastest in the world, with 4.81 lakh base stations installed in just two years, with high-speed Internet reaching urban hubs and forward military posts alike including Galwan, Siachen, and Ladakh. • The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed initiative to create a national e-commerce network, has recently crossed 200 million transactions, with the last 100 million in just six months, Modi said. • The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has also crossed Rs 1 lakh crore GMV in 50 days, with 22 lakh sellers including over 1.8 lakh women- led MSMEs, who have fulfilled orders worth Rs 46,000 crore, Modi said • Through the $1.2 billion India AI Mission, India has enabled access to 34,000 GPUs at globally unmatched prices at less than $1/GPU hour making India not just the most affordable internet economy, but also the most affordable compute destination, the PM said. Do You Know: • Digital India is a flagship programme of the Government of India, launched on July 1, 2015, by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. • According to the State of India's Digital Economy Report, 2024, unveiled by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) stated that India comes in third place in terms of the digitalisation of the economy. India's digital infrastructure has been a key driver of its third-place ranking. With a clear focus on realising the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' i.e. Developed India by 2047, the government has laid out a comprehensive plan aimed at empowering citizens through social welfare programs, skill development and education. These elements are the core of the Viksit Bharat goal. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍We want a Digital India. Just not the one we are living in Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍 'The emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Digital Revolution) has initiated e-Governance as an integral part of government'. Discuss. (2020) PRELIMS ANSWER KEY 1.(a) For any queries and feedback, contact Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
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Business Standard
31 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Quad launches critical minerals push as PM eyes Latin America deals
In Washington DC on Wednesday (India time), the foreign ministers of the four-member Quad grouping launched the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative to ensure the availability of critical minerals. The fresh initiative comes amid concerns over China's coercive tactics, including price manipulation in the sector. The statement issued after the meeting did not name China, but the foreign ministers of India, Japan and Australia, along with the US Secretary of State, said they were 'deeply concerned about the abrupt constriction and future reliability of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals'. Earlier that day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a week-long foreign visit to five countries, with officials stating that expanding cooperation in critical minerals—including rare earth elements—will be high on the agenda in his meetings with the leaders of at least four of those nations. Barring Trinidad and Tobago, the PM's other destinations—Ghana, Namibia, Argentina and Brazil—are rich in mineral and energy resources. This marks the first bilateral visit in several decades by an Indian prime minister to some of these countries. Regarding his visit to Argentina, the PM said in his departure statement that it would be the first such bilateral visit in 57 years. He said discussions with Argentinian President Javier Milei would focus on advancing mutually beneficial cooperation in critical minerals, as well as in agriculture, trade, tourism, technology and energy. Argentina holds the world's second-largest shale gas reserves and fourth-largest shale oil reserves, along with substantial conventional oil and gas deposits—making it a potentially important energy partner for India in the future, said P Kumaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), at a press briefing on Monday. On critical minerals, the Quad ministers underscored the importance of diversified and reliable global supply chains. 'Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security,' they said. The ministers also announced new initiatives in four areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technology, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. The joint statement said the Quad 'unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism'. It 'condemned in the strongest terms' the Pahalgam terrorist attack. However, it did not name Pakistan or Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group India has said carried out the attack. The Quad Critical Minerals Initiative aims to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating to secure and diversify critical mineral supply chains. The ministers said they looked forward to coordinating with private sector partners to facilitate increased investment in this sector. The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. At the MEA press briefing on Monday, officials said the PM's visit to Ghana—the first by an Indian PM in 30 years—will focus on expanding cooperation in critical minerals. His visit to Namibia—the first in 27 years—will similarly emphasise mineral collaboration. India's investments in Namibia total around $800 million, primarily in minerals such as zinc and diamond processing. 'Namibia is a very resource-rich country. It has natural resources of uranium, copper, cobalt, rare earths in large numbers, lithium, graphite, tantalum—and all of these are of interest to us,' said Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the MEA. Kumaran said Modi's bilateral visit to Brazil on July 8 would also focus on mining and critical minerals. Modi will be in Argentina on July 4 and 5. Besides shale gas, Argentina has rich reserves of critical minerals such as lithium, copper and other rare earth elements. India's public sector firm Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) has already secured concessions in Argentina since 2024. KABIL and the National Mineral Development Corporation are actively exploring opportunities in Africa. 'In this context, the PM's visits to both Ghana and Namibia become very important,' Ravi said. Kumaran noted that Argentina is part of the Lithium Triangle, which includes Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. India is in talks with all three countries, as well as Peru, to acquire mining concessions for lithium, molybdenum and other critical minerals. Between KABIL and Coal India Limited, Indian PSUs have secured four concessions in Argentina's Catamarca province. Indian firms are working with the Argentinian provincial PSU CAMYEN, partnering to develop these sites and extract lithium for refining and use in India. In addition, there is growing private sector interest in rare earth minerals in Argentina.
India Today
31 minutes ago
- India Today
Ban on Pak news and social media channels, imposed during Op Sindoor, reversed
Pakistani news channels and social media accounts of celebrities that were banned during India's Operation Sindoor in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack have appeared again, suggesting that the restrictions have been lifted. However, no official announcement lifting the ban has been made by the government so Instagram accounts of several Pakistani celebrities, including those of Saba Qamar, Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, Hania Amir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, among others, which were banned by the government in a move to resent the April 22 attack, started becoming visible in India on Wednesday. advertisementEven many YouTube channels run by Pakistani news media outlets like Hum TV, ARY Digital and Har Pal Geo were also made available to be streamed again. Days after the attack in the Baisaran Valley, India had banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including Dawn News, Samaa TV, Ary News and Geo News, for reportedly spreading misinformation against YouTube channels were also banned from streaming in the country for churning out provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives against India, the Army and its security agencies. The banned channels had a subscriber base of 63 million in the ban, several Indian users opted for access to Pakistani celebrities' social media accounts through VPN the celebrities who remained at the heart of this quiet digital reunion was the widely-loved actor Hania Aamir, who is again in the news in India owing to her role in Dilijit Dosanjh-starrer Sardaar Ji makers of the movie received major backlash for starring Aamir amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, following the military conflict between the two countries last month. However, the makers clarified that Aamir was cast in the film before the hostilities comes hours after the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impose a complete ban on Pakistani channels and social media accounts in letter appealed to the government to respect the lives lost in the Pahalgam attack earlier this year. It also mentioned that "Cutting off Pakistan completely will have zero negative impact on our economy or entertainment industry".- Ends
