Daily News Analysis-17 June 2025 // FATF condemns Pahalgam attack, to release report on state-sponsored terror, New flowering plant discovered in Aravalli hills near Jaipur, India’s uneasy balancing act in the Bay of Bengal, Serving justices, but not justice – questions on judicial accountability, Water everywhere, but not a drop to drink – India’s urban water crisis, Analysing Internet access and digital skills in India, Significance of the Shipki La pass – India-China border dynamics, When can the U.S. President deploy military on U.S. soil?, Ambiguities in India’s nuclear liability law, Registrar-General of India issues 2027 Census notification, Agents who dupe poor with foreign job promises devalue Indian passport – SC, Shah launches tech platforms for better disaster management, India backs peaceful resolution of Cyprus question, Ax-4 mission – ISRO and Axiom Space collaborate on space experiments, More Indians turning to AI for news, influencer-driven media trends, TRAI caps Wi-Fi hotspot operator fees – push for affordable internet, WPI inflation dips to 14-month low of 0.39% in May, Forbidding Arabian Desert once had a lush and bountiful chapter – ‘Green Arabia’ study.

Stay ahead in your UPSC preparation with the top editorials and issue-based analysis from The Hindu, Indian Express, and relevant reports. All topics below are linked to GS1 , GS2 & GS3, with a focus on exam-relevant insights, keywords, and actionable conclusions.

1. FATF Condemns Pahalgam Attack; To Release Report on ‘State-Sponsored Terror’ for First Time

📰 Why in News

• Financial Action Task Force (FATF) strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack (April 2025), which killed 26 tourists in Jammu & Kashmir.
• FATF to release a first-ever report recognizing state-sponsored terrorism as a key component of terror financing.
• India provided intelligence linking Pakistan-based groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba to the attack.

🔍 Key Features

• Rare Public Condemnation: Only 3rd such condemnation by FATF in 10 years.
• Focus on State-Sponsored Terrorism: Report to officially include role of governments in financing/harboring terrorists.
• India’s Diplomatic Move: Successfully raised issue of Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism.
• Financial Networks Targeted: Emphasis on how terror attacks depend on illicit financial flows.
• FATF Monitoring: Possible relisting of Pakistan on FATF grey list if non-compliant.

🎯 Significance

🔄 Way Forward

• India to leverage this for multilateral pressure on Pakistan.
• Push for binding global norms on state accountability in terror financing.
• Strengthen domestic enforcement (e.g., FIU, ED, NIA).
• Collaborate with like-minded countries in forums like G20, SCO, BRICS.
• Advocate for UN reforms to act decisively against state sponsors of terror.

📚 UPSC Relevance

2. New flowering plant species discovered in Aravali hills near Jaipur

📰 Why in News

• A new flowering plant species, Portulaca shivanii, has been discovered in the Aravalli Hills near Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• This species belongs to the Portulacaceae family and is endemic to the region.
• The discovery was made by researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and marks a significant addition to India’s floral biodiversity.

🌿 Key Features

🎯 Significance

🔄 

Way Forward

• Floral Surveys: Conduct detailed botanical surveys in the Aravalli range to identify more undiscovered species.
• Conservation Efforts: Classify the species under IUCN Red List if necessary and preserve its habitat.
• Local Awareness: Educate local communities and stakeholders about the ecological importance of native species.
• Protection Policies: Enforce stricter environmental protection laws in ecologically sensitive zones like the Aravallis.
• Research Promotion: Encourage taxonomic, ecological, and molecular studies of endemic plants in India.

📚 Importance for UPSC

3.

India’s uneasy balancing act in the Bay of Bengal

📰 Why in News

• Amid rising China engagement in Bay of Bengal littoral countries—like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar—India is taking careful diplomatic and security steps to maintain influence in its strategic maritime backyard  .
• This balancing act was prominent during BIMSTEC 2025, where India led efforts to resist any formal role for China in sub-regional frameworks  .
• India has also expanded its naval presence, including opening coastal surveillance radars and commissioning warships and submarines, to secure maritime interests  .

🔍 Key Features

• Diplomatic safeguarding: Deepened ties with Bay littoral states, especially Bangladesh, to counter Chinese infrastructure and port diplomacy  .
• Strategic forums: Reasserted India’s leadership in BIMSTEC, preventing any institutional foothold for China  .
• Maritime domain awareness: Strengthened the Integrated Coastal Surveillance System with radar networks in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Seychelles  .
• Naval capability: Commissioned submarines and warships to monitor Bay and Indian Ocean region, signaling deterrence  .

🎯 Significance

• Strategic security: Prevents China from gaining military/logistical access via ports and connectivity projects; ensures India remains the dominant security actor.
• Geopolitical balance: Supports regional states like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in navigating between India and China, preserving Indian influence.
• Economic linkages: Promotes secure maritime trade routes and enhances India’s Indo-Pacific economic outreach.
• Institutional sovereignty: By safeguarding BIMSTEC, India ensures Bay of Bengal cooperation stays region-led, not influenced by extra-regional powers.

🔄 Way Forward

• Maritime infrastructure: Continue expanding coastal radar networks, joint naval exercises, and capacity building with neighbors.
• Diplomatic outreach: Deepen bilateral cooperation on trade, water sharing (e.g., Teesta), climate resilience to maintain goodwill.
• Multilateral engagement: Use BIMSTEC, Indo‑Pacific Forum, and sub-regional platforms to institutionalize India’s leadership.
• Strategic deterrence: Expand naval assets (submarines, MDA aircraft), host joint exercises with Quad partners to signal strategic depth.
• Alternative connectivity: Offer infrastructure projects (ports, digital, rail) to Bay countries as an alternative to Chinese BRI.

📚 UPSC Relevance

4. Serving Justices, But Not Justice

📰 Why in News

• Recent developments in India’s higher judiciary have sparked debate over judicial ethics, administrative transparency, and independence.
• Issues like judicial overreach, allegations of bias, CJI-centric administration, and gender-insensitive rulings have raised serious concerns about whether the judiciary is serving the public interest or protecting its own.

🔍 Key Features

1. Judicial Overreach: Justice Surya Kant cautioned that the judiciary must not encroach upon legislative or executive functions, to maintain constitutional balance.
2. Allegations of Bias: Senior advocate Kapil Sibal raised concerns over double standards in dealing with misconduct charges against different judges.
3. CJI-Centric Court: Justice A.S. Oka highlighted that the Supreme Court’s functioning is overly dependent on the Chief Justice, calling for administrative reforms.
4. Insensitive Judgments: A recent Supreme Court verdict drew criticism for appearing dismissive toward a rape survivor, exposing persistent gender bias.
5. Judicial Vacancies & Diversity: Justice Chavan advocated for a National Judicial Service (NJS) to ensure transparent recruitment and fill over 5 crore pending cases.

🎯 Significance

• Protects Democracy: A fair and impartial judiciary is critical for upholding the rule of law.
• Public Trust: Bias or favoritism erodes citizens’ confidence in justice delivery.
• Checks and Balances: Ensuring judiciary remains within its constitutional limits preserves institutional harmony.
• Justice Access: Reducing vacancies and improving diversity helps create a more inclusive and efficient justice system.

🔄 

Way Forward

• Establish an All India Judicial Service (AIJS) to ensure merit-based, transparent recruitment.
• Decentralize Supreme Court administration; reduce overdependence on the CJI.
• Strengthen the Restatement of Judicial Values (1999) and enforce an internal ethics mechanism.
• Sensitize judges on gender justice and social sensitivity in judicial reasoning.
• Uphold judicial restraint; defer to legislature and executive in policymaking areas.

📘 Importance for UPSC

5. Water everywhere, but not a drop to drink

📰 Why in News

• Multiple regions across India are confronting acute water scarcity and crisis, despite abundant water sources—highlighting failures in management, infrastructure, and policy  .
• Recent reports reveal farmer protests, urban pipeline contamination, drying groundwater, and drying wildlife watering holes—underscoring that availability doesn’t equate to access or quality .

🔍 Key Features

1. Interstate Irrigation Disputes: Rajasthan farmers are protesting reduced water releases from Punjab under the Gang Canal agreement, disrupting sowing and livelihoods  .
2. Urban Infrastructure Failures: Cities like Cuttack and Chennai face contaminated pipelines near sewage drains; neglected stormwater channels in Madurai worsen flooding and groundwater depletion  .
3. Ecological Impact: Wildlife in Gurgaon’s Aravali corridor suffer as watering holes dry up during heatwaves  .
4. Groundwater Over-extraction: India is extracting groundwater up to 400% faster than recharge in some areas, putting millions at risk—farmers are especially affected  .
5. Health Risks: Contaminated water sources are triggering illness and even fatalities in UP villages, alongside pollution threats to dams like Kaushalya  .

🎯 Significance

• Threat to Food Security & Farmers’ Livelihoods: Disputes and scarcity disrupt agriculture, affecting rural incomes and national food production.
• Public Health Hazard: Contaminated water channels and pipelines raise the risk of diseases and epidemics.
• Ecosystem Damage: Drying urban wetlands and forest watering holes threaten biodiversity and wildlife balance.
• Economic Fallout: Water-related stress can affect credit ratings, industrial growth, and urban development  .
• Challenge to SDG 6: India’s struggle with water management undermines its efforts toward ensuring availability and sustainable management of water for all.

🔄 Way Forward

1. Strengthen Water Governance: Implement tailored policies per region (e.g., Vidarbha), improve water allocation transparency, and resolve interstate disputes fairly  .
2. Modernize Urban Infrastructure: Upgrade sewer and drinking-water networks, renovate neglect‑ridden storm channels, and adopt tech solutions—IoT/drone mapping, bioremediation.
3. Promote Groundwater Recharge: Enforce rainwater harvesting, watershed management, and regulate borewell drilling.
4. Revive Water Bodies & Ecosystems: Replenish urban lakes and rural ponds; protect wildlife watering holes in forest corridors.
5. Community Engagement: Encourage citizens as “water warriors” through conservation campaigns; increase accountability in Jal Jeevan and Smart Cities missions.

📚 Importance for UPSC

6.Analysing Internet access and digital skills in India

📰 Why in News

• As of January 2025, India had 806 million internet users — 55.3% of its population — but 652 million people remain offline  .
• Mobile 4G reaches 95% of the population, and there are 970 million internet connections as of mid‑2024  .
• Despite rapid growth, significant urban-rural, gender, caste, and socio-economic disparities persist in digital access and skills .

🔍 Key Features

1. Penetration & Infrastructure
   • 95% 4G coverage, median mobile speed ~100 Mbps, fixed broadband ~63 Mbps  .
   • National Broadband Mission 2.0 targets universal, high-speed broadband by 2030  .
2. Urban–Rural Divide
   • Internet access: ~87% urban vs ~71% rural households  .
   • In rural areas, only around 31–33% households access digital services  .
3. Social Inequalities
   • Caste plays a role: dominant-caste urban households at 92%, ST households only 71%  .
   • Gender gap exists: in Telangana, 77% men vs 68% women use smartphones  .
4. Digital Skills & Adoption
   • Among rural youth (14–16), 90% have smartphone access; two-thirds actively carry one  .
   • Workplace demands are high: 66% consider data analysis essential; 60% value cybersecurity skills  .
5. Government & Private Interventions
   • PMGDISHA certified ~47.8 million rural citizens  .
   • ‘Internet Saathi’ program trained 17 million rural women  .

🎯 Significance

• Inclusive growth & equity: Digital access is vital for education, employment, and welfare service access. Inequality deepens socio-economic gaps.
• Economic potential: Each 10% increase in subscribers adds ~3.2% to per capita GDP  .
• Skill-driven competitiveness: As global demand for digital skills rises, India’s youth must bridge gaps to leverage the digital economy.
• Effective governance: Online services, UPI, e-health, etc., depend on widespread connectivity and digital literacy.

🔄 Way Forward

1. Expand Rural Connectivity: Fast-track NBM 2.0; map and upgrade fiber to schools, PHCs, Panchayats.
2. Targeted Digital Literacy: Enhance PMGDISHA; support Internet Saathi & CSCs; focus on women, caste-marginalised and remote areas.
3. Skill Development at Scale: Promote digital skills training in local languages; emphasise high-demand skills like data analytics, cybersecurity.
4. Awareness & Inclusion Initiatives: Campaigns to educate about online services; bridge gender/caste digital divides.
5. Monitor & Evaluate: Regular surveys and caste/gender-disaggregated data; tweak programs for better equity.

📚 Importance for UPSC

7.🏔️ Shipki La Pass: Significance

📍 What is Shipki La?

• Shipki La is a high-altitude mountain pass located in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, India.
• It connects India with the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China and lies in the Himalayas at an elevation of approximately 4,000 meters.

🧭 Geographical & Strategic Significance

1. India-China Border Trade
   • Shipki La is one of the three official border trade routes between India and China (others are Nathu La in Sikkim and Lipulekh in Uttarakhand).
   • It allows limited trade under India-China border agreements.
2. Strategic Military Importance
   • The pass lies close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Himachal Pradesh.
   • Its location makes it significant from a defence and surveillance standpoint, especially amid India-China tensions.
3. Connectivity Potential
   • Could serve as a vital point for future trans-Himalayan trade and infrastructure development, especially if relations normalize.
4. Link to Sutlej River
   • The Sutlej River enters India from Tibet through the Shipki La pass, making it hydrologically important as well.

🌍 Historical & Cultural Importance

• It was historically used as a trade route by local traders from Kinnaur to Tibet (barter trade in wool, salt, foodgrains).
• Region around the pass is culturally influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, seen in nearby monasteries and tribal practices.

🛤️ Way Forward

• Improve infrastructure and surveillance around the pass.
• Explore border trade expansion under strict regulation.
• Strengthen diplomatic mechanisms to resolve LAC tensions peacefully.
• Encourage eco-tourism and cultural exchange programs in the region under sustainable development models.

📚 Importance for UPSC

8.

Deployment of U.S. Military on Domestic Soil: Constitutional Scope and Contemporary Relevance

Why in News:

The deployment of the U.S. military on domestic soil has recently drawn attention amid debates on federal response powers during civil unrest, mass protests, and natural disasters. Events like the Capitol riots (2021), Black Lives Matter protests (2020), and emergency responses to hurricanes have sparked legal and constitutional scrutiny over the President’s authority to use armed forces within U.S. borders.

Key Features:

The President of the United States can deploy military forces domestically under defined legal frameworks. The Insurrection Act of 1807 is the main instrument that authorizes the use of federal troops in cases of rebellion, lawlessness, or obstruction of federal authority. The National Emergencies Act allows declarations that can unlock military logistical support, while the Stafford Act facilitates military involvement in disaster relief. However, the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 restricts the use of federal military for direct law enforcement unless exceptions like the Insurrection Act are invoked. The National Guard can be deployed under state or federal authority depending on the situation.

Significance:

Understanding this balance between civil liberties and federal authority is vital to evaluating democratic norms in crisis management. The issue raises questions about executive overreach, the militarization of civil space, and the protection of constitutional rights. Historically, such deployments have been rare and controversial, reflecting the importance of maintaining civilian control and the rule of law. It also serves as a benchmark for evaluating similar provisions in other democracies, including India.

Way Forward:

Legal scholars and policymakers advocate for clearer guidelines, increased Congressional oversight, and public transparency regarding the invocation of emergency powers. Institutional safeguards must ensure that any military deployment within national borders remains proportionate, temporary, and constitutionally justified. Additionally, reforms are suggested to update the Insurrection Act to reflect modern civil-military expectations in democratic governance.

Importance for UPSC:

This topic is significant for understanding comparative constitutional law, especially the role of executive power during emergencies. It aids in analyzing themes in polity, internal security, and democratic accountability, and provides comparative context with India’s emergency provisions like Article 355 and 356, as well as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). It is relevant for GS Paper 2 and Paper 3, as well as for essay writing on civil-military relations and governance in crisis.

9.Ambiguities in India’s Nuclear Liability Law: A Legal and Strategic Analysis

Why in News:

India’s nuclear liability regime has been under renewed scrutiny due to stalled foreign investment in nuclear energy and ongoing global discourse on civil nuclear safety. Concerns raised by international suppliers about India’s liability framework, especially after the India-U.S. civil nuclear deal, highlight the legal ambiguities that continue to hinder nuclear expansion.

Key Features of the Law:

India’s nuclear liability framework is governed by the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 (CLND Act) and its associated rules. The law provides for a no-fault liability regime, where the operator (typically the government-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited – NPCIL) is primarily liable for any nuclear damage. However, the controversial Section 17(b) allows the operator to have a right of recourse against suppliers in case of patent or latent defects, which is unusual globally.

Ambiguities in the Law:

1. Right of Recourse against Suppliers (Section 17)
   The clause allows NPCIL to sue suppliers for damages post-accident, which goes against international norms such as the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC), where the operator bears all liability.
2. Contradiction with International Standards
   India ratified the CSC in 2016, but its domestic law deviates from it. This inconsistency causes legal uncertainty for foreign suppliers, especially from the U.S., France, and Russia, deterring them from participating in Indian projects.
3. Ambiguous Language
   Terms like “intent” or “patent or latent defects” in Section 17(b) are undefined and open to broad judicial interpretation, adding legal unpredictability.
4. Insurance Pool Mechanism
   The Indian government established a ₹1,500 crore insurance pool to reassure suppliers, but it is unclear how much legal cover this pool actually provides in case of liability claims.
5. Jurisdiction and Legal Process
   Suppliers are unsure about the forum and process for recourse or challenge if liability is imposed. The law does not clearly define dispute resolution mechanisms, especially for foreign entities.

Significance:

These ambiguities have real-world implications. India has ambitious nuclear energy goals to ensure clean and reliable power, but these legal uncertainties discourage private and foreign investment in the sector. At the same time, the law reflects India’s commitment to ensuring supplier accountability post-Bhopal tragedy, balancing public safety and investment needs.

Way Forward:

India needs to revisit and possibly amend Section 17 to align better with international practices while safeguarding public interest. Clear guidelines, legal definitions, and possibly a model liability-sharing contract can ease investor concerns. Strengthening the insurance framework and ensuring judicial clarity will foster confidence among both domestic and global stakeholders.

Importance for UPSC:

This topic is relevant under GS Paper 2 (Governance, International Agreements, Parliament), GS Paper 3 (Energy Security, Disaster Management), and Essay (science, environment, ethics of development). It combines themes of legal interpretation, international diplomacy, energy policy, and public accountability—key areas for a well-rounded civil services aspirant.

10.📣 Registrar-General of India Issues 2027 Census Notification

📰 Why in News

• On June 16, 2025, the Registrar General & Census Commissioner issued a gazette under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948, formally declaring India’s 16th national census to be held in 2027  .
• After multiple delays since the originally planned 2021 schedule, this notification marks the official commencement of the decennial exercise  .

🔍 Key Features

• The census will be conducted in two phases:
  • Phase I: House-listing and housing data collection.
  • Phase II: Individual-level enumeration starting March 1, 2027, except for snow‑bound areas (Ladakh, HP, Uttarakhand, J&K) where the reference date is October 1, 2026  .
• This iteration will be fully digital, with mobile apps and optional self-enumeration portals, supported by stringent data-security protocols  .
• For the first time since 1931, nationwide caste enumeration will be included—covering all caste groups including OBCs—alongside religion, demographics, assets, and socio-economic indicators  .
• The exercise will deploy approximately 3.4 million enumerators and supervisors, with a projected budget of around ₹13,000 crore  .

🎯 Significance

• Provides updated data critical for policy planning, especially welfare schemes, reservation, and electoral delimitation.
• Digital and self-enumeration tools enhance efficiency, transparency, and citizen participation.
• Caste data revival reflects political and social shifts, impacting debates on social justice and quota reforms.
• Enables measurement of SDG progress, municipal planning, and insights into migration, urbanisation, and demographic change.

🔄 Way Forward

• Coordinate with state governments for administrative boundary freezing and resource allocation.
• Launch public awareness, training programs, and pilot tests for digital tools.
• Strengthen data security frameworks to protect citizen privacy.
• Post-census, ensure timely data release to aid policymaking and delimitation.
• Analyze caste data scientifically to inform evidence-based decisions on social policy.

📚 Importance for UPSC

• Prelims: Reference dates, Census Act, digital census innovation, caste enumeration revival.
• GS Paper 2: Role of Census in governance, state policy formulation, social justice mechanisms.
• GS Paper 3: Planning, development indicators, data-driven governance.
• Ethics/Essay: Issues of privacy, inclusivity, accuracy, digital ethics in governance.
  

  ---

  ---

  11.Agents Who Dupe the Poor with Promises of Future Abroad Devalue the Indian Passport: SC📰 Why in News

  The Supreme Court recently refused anticipatory bail to an agent accused of promising a man illegal passage to the U.S. via the perilous “Donkey route”. The Court^1 condemned the practice, stating: “Because of people like you, Indian passport is devalued.” This case underscores broader concerns about human trafficking, illegal migration, and misuse of India’s global identity. 

  🔍 Key Features

  • Criminal Exploitation: The accused allegedly collected ₹43 lakh, lured the complainant to Dubai, then through jungle routes across Latin America to enter the U.S. illegally.
  • Severe Condemnation by SC: The bench called the act a “serious” offense that tarnishes India’s international image.
  • Legal Grounds: Anticipatory bail was denied based on the gravity of offenses under human trafficking and cheating charges.
  • Operational Methods: The “Donkey route” involves dangerous, unauthorized migration via multiple countries, facilitated by exploitative agents.

  🎯 Significance

  • Diplomatic Consequences: Large-scale trafficking damages the credibility of Indian travel documents and strains international trust.
  • Human Security: Highlights exploitative networks targeting impoverished migrants with false promises.
  • Judicial Stance: Signals the Supreme Court’s intolerance against human smuggling and illicit international migration.
  • Policy Enforcement: Reinforces the need for robust action against unscrupulous agents.

  🔄 Way Forward

  1. Strengthen legislative frameworks (e.g., anti-human trafficking laws) and stringent penalties for such offenses.
  2. Enhance public awareness via targeted campaigns in vulnerable regions.
  3. Regulate and monitor migration agents through licensing and enforcement mechanisms.
  4. Foster international cooperation for tracking and repatriating trafficking victims.
  5. Empower frontline enforcement via training, inter-agency coordination, and proactive surveillance.

  📚 Importance for UPSC

  • Prelims: Legal aspects—human trafficking, anticipatory bail, Passport Act.
  • GS Paper 2: Internal security, human rights, crime prevention, judicial activism.
  • GS Paper 3: Migration studies, border control, international image.
  • Ethics & Essay: Exploitation of vulnerability, justice for marginalized migrants, integrity of national identity.
    

    ---

    ---

    12.Shah Launches Tech Platforms for Better Disaster Management📰 Why in News

    On June 16, 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated three high-tech platforms in Guwahati during the annual conference of relief commissioners and disaster response officials. These include the Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR‑ER), National Database for Emergency Management Lite 2.0 (NDEM Lite 2.0), and the Flood Hazard Zonation Atlas of Assam  .

    🔍 Key Features

    • ICR‑ER streams live satellite data, enabling real-time disaster monitoring and coordinated response across central and state agencies  .
    • NDEM Lite 2.0 is a mobile-friendly database giving ground teams—regardless of remoteness—access to maps, alerts, and unified situational data  .
    • Assam Flood Atlas maps water levels, flood-prone zones, and impact regions instantaneously, significantly aiding flood mitigation, early warnings, agricultural resilience, and crop insurance planning  .

    🎯 Significance

    • Marks a strategic shift from reactive disaster relief to proactive, zero‑casualty, data‑driven disaster management.
    • Enhances national coordination through ‘whole-of-government’ integration and satellite-based monitoring, bolstering preparedness at tehsil and district levels  .
    • Speaks to India’s growing leadership in global disaster resilience, leveraging institutions like NDMA, NDRF, and CDRI  .

    🔄 Way Forward

    • District-level Planning: All relief commissioners must draft district disaster management plans within 90 days—linking ecosystem response and local preparedness  .
    • Mock Drills & Start‑ups: Annual inter-state drills for cyclones and lightning; involve Start-up India initiative to develop innovative relief-tech  .
    • Community Empowerment: Expand training of volunteers (like Yuva Aapda Mitra), strengthen Incident Response frameworks, and integrate environmental conservation into planning  .

    📚 Importance for UPSC

    Relevant for Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3, and Ethics/Essay topics—covering themes like disaster governance, technological integration, decentralised planning, federal coordination, climate resilience, and India’s global standing in crisis management.

    ---

    ---

    13.India Backs ‘Peaceful Resolution of Cyprus Question’: Key Insights

    📰 Why in News

    During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Cyprus (June 16, 2025)—the first by an Indian PM in over two decades—India officially reiterated support for the “peaceful resolution of the Cyprus Question” based on UN Security Council resolutions, international law, and the EU acquis, as outlined in a joint statement issued from Nicosia  .

    🔍 Key Features

    • India reaffirmed its commitment to Cyprus’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and unity, opposing unilateral actions or occupation of northern Cyprus  .
    • The joint declaration emphasized a bizonal, bicommunal federation as the agreed basis for a political settlement  .
    • India and Cyprus also called for resuming UN-facilitated negotiations, urging all parties to work toward a just, lasting settlement  .

    🎯 Significance

    • The statement underscores India’s long-standing principled stand in support of decolonisation, territorial integrity, and UN-guided conflict resolution .
    • It deepens strategic and diplomatic ties with Cyprus, aligning India with EU perspectives and countering Turkey’s influence, especially at a time when Cyprus is stepping into the EU Council presidency  .
    • This move aligns with India’s aspiration for UN Security Council reform, gaining support from Cyprus among other states  .

    🔄 Way Forward

    India and Cyprus plan to institutionalise defence, cyber, maritime, and crisis-response cooperation along with economic, educational, and cultural initiatives via a five-year roadmap  . India aims to bolster its support for Cyprus during its upcoming EU Council presidency and deepen collaboration within the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) framework  .

    📚 Importance for UPSC

    This development is important for CSM Prelims (Cyprus Question, UNSC Resolutions) and GS Paper 2 (Foreign Policy, diplomatic strategy, India-EU relations). It also enhances GS Paper 3 coverage on strategic economic corridors and Essay/Ethics discussions on respect for sovereignty, international cooperation, and India’s evolving global role.

    ---

    ---

    14.India’s coordination with Axiom Space for Ax‑4 mission experiments

    📰 Why in News

    • ISRO and Axiom Space have collaborated closely to refresh time-sensitive biological and live experimental specimens ahead of the Ax‑4 mission, now slated for launch on June 19, 2025 to the International Space Station (ISS)  .
    • This coordination follows multiple delays in the launch—due to a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in Falcon 9 and an ISS module pressure leak—with both agencies emphasizing safety and mission integrity  .

    🔍 Key Features

    • ISRO-Axiom coordination: ISRO refreshed live culture-based samples (microbes, seeds, cells) affected by launch delays to ensure experimental viability aboard the ISS  .
    • Pilot astronaut: Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will fly as pilot—India’s second astronaut in space and the first government-sponsored to the ISS—accompanying U.S., Polish, and Hungarian crew members  .
    • Scope of research: Ax‑4 carries around 60 scientific experiments, with 7–6 led by ISRO, spanning biology, microgravity effects on human health, agriculture, microbial adaptation, crop resilience, and more  .
    • Mission context: This is the fourth private crewed mission to the ISS, launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule under Axiom Space, marking deeper collaboration among ISRO, NASA, ESA, and the private sector  .

    🎯 Significance

    • First-hand exposure: Shukla’s participation gives ISRO valuable insights in spacecraft operations, docking, and microgravity experimentation—a bridge to India’s own Gaganyaan mission planned for 2027  .
    • Scientific uplift: The diverse experiment suite offers potential breakthroughs in space medicine (e.g., diabetes study “Suite Ride”), botany, and cellular biology  .
    • Strategic collaboration: Reinforces India’s position in commercial human spaceflight, international cooperation, and multi-nation involvement in space research.

    🔄 Way Forward

    • After addressing technical and safety delays, the mission will proceed on June 19 launch date from Kennedy Space Center  .
    • ISRO will leverage mission data and operational experience to refine Gaganyaan preparation, focusing on crew training, emergency protocols, and mission management.
    • Continued joint efforts with Axiom, NASA, ESA for cross-training, experiment transferability, and broader commercial space ventures will help India establish long-term capabilities in LEO missions and beyond.

    📚 Importance for UPSC

    This topic intersects key areas for UPSC aspirants:

    • Prelims: Ax‑4 timeline, Shubhanshu Shukla’s role, ISRO‑Axiom‑SpaceX collaboration.
    • GS Paper 3: India’s human spaceflight program, international scientific cooperation, space mission planning.
    • GS Paper 2: International collaborations in science and technology, private sector involvement.
    • • Prelims: Know WPI vs. CPI, key statistics (0.39%), and drivers of inflation.
      • GS Paper 3: Relevance for macroeconomic stability, inflation control, RBI policy tools, supply chain management.
      • GS Paper 2: Implications of fiscal and trade policies in inflation containment.
      • Ethics/Essay: Use as case study in governance, economic policy response, and equitable growth.
        

        ---

        ---

        Ethics/Essay: Collaboration vs. competition in global space race, innovation, and public‑private partnerships.

        ---

        ---

        15.More Indians turning to Al for news, influencers pull in followers: report📰 Why in News

        A recent YouGov survey reveals that 55% of Indians are likely to engage with AI-generated influencers, the highest share among 17 countries surveyed—well above the global average of 23%  .

        This trend follows the launch of India’s first AI influencer, Radhika Subramaniam, and marks a significant shift in how audiences in India consume news, travel content, and digital experiences  .

        🔍 Key Features

        • AI Influencers Emerging: India now has its own AI personas like Radhika, blending Tamil-English bilingual engagement and culturally immersive storytelling for Gen-Z audiences  .
        • High Adoption Rates: Over half of Indian internet users are receptive to AI influencers, compared to much lower global engagement  .
        • Brand Strategy Shift: 92% of Indian brands now prioritize influencer marketing—mixing macro and micro influencers—while virtual personas are gaining traction  .
        • Trust with Caution: Indians show strong enthusiasm for AI, with 30% “excited” and only 13% “cautious,” indicating a relatively positive outlook  .

        🎯 Significance

        • Media Evolution: AI influencers are redefining content creation and consumption—news, travel, education—raising new questions about authenticity, bias, and trust.
        • Marketing Innovation: Brands are shifting from follower counts to creator relevance and long-term partnerships, leveraging virtual influencers for storytelling  .
        • Regulatory Landscape: The government is responding with disclosure and transparency guidelines for influencers (virtual or human), highlighting emerging policy focus .
        • Digital Literacy: This trend has implications for digital ethics, misinformation control, and AI-verification frameworks—critical for domestic communication policies.

        🔄 Way Forward

        • Policy & Standards: Develop regulatory frameworks for AI-generated content—labeling, bias audits, accountability standards.
        • Media Literacy: Promote critical thinking and awareness campaigns about synthetic media among internet users.
        • Support Ethical AI: Encourage brands and platforms to adopt transparent and trusted deployment of virtual influencers.
        • Research & Monitoring: Strategically track how AI influencers affect public opinion, content credibility, and user behavior.

        📚 UPSC Relevance

        This topic bridges multiple areas:

        • Prelims: Stats (55% Indians), virtual influencers like Radhika Subramaniam, key survey findings.
        • GS Paper 2: E-governance, digital media regulation, influencer disclosures, AI oversight.
        • GS Paper 3: Role of AI in marketing, brand strategy, media infrastructure evolution.
        • Ethics/Essay: Integrity of information ecosystem, transparency in digital content creation, trust in synthetic media.
          

          ---

          ---

          16.TRAI Caps Wi‑Fi Hotspot Operator Fee: Significance and Implications📰 Why in News

          The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued the Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025, imposing a tariff cap on broadband connectivity costs for Public Data Offices (PDOs) under the PM‑WANI program. Operators must now offer fiber broadband up to 200 Mbps at no more than twice the prevailing home broadband rates  .

          🔍 Key Features

          • The tariff ceiling aligns backhaul costs for Wi‑Fi vendors (e.g., tea stalls, small shops) with affordable home broadband, replacing high leased-line charges of up to ₹8 lakh/year  .
          • TRAI dismissed industry calls to scrap PM‑WANI, asserting that PDOs represented only 0.7% of broadband connections and did not compete with telcos  .
          • The cap is complemented by PM‑WANI reforms like backhaul aggregation, dual-SSID support, roaming compatibility, mobile data offload, and ad‑push options  .

          🎯 Significance

          • Promotes Digital Inclusivity: Lowered connectivity costs are expected to increase public Wi‑Fi hotspots, helping India bridge its digital divide and meet PM‑WANI targets.
          • Boosts Local Economy: Enables grassroots entrepreneurs to participate in internet service provisioning, creating livelihood opportunities.
          • Strengthens National Digital Vision: Supports efforts toward “Broadband for All” and the National Digital Communications Policy, reinforcing last-mile connectivity  .
          • Market Equilibrium: Balances stakeholder interests—ensuring affordability for PDOs while maintaining incentives for telecom firms.

          🔄 Way Forward

          • Expand Access: Encourage rapid PDO rollout; monitor data usage to assess cap effectiveness.
          • Promote Awareness and Training: Conduct outreach in rural and underserved areas to onboard informal entrepreneurs.
          • Review & Revise: Revisit the cap after two years based on usage trends and market dynamics  .
          • Ensure Regulatory Compliance: Enforce transparency among ISPs, track PDO-acquired services, and support technical onboarding.

          📚 Importance for UPSC

          This policy links crucial UPSC themes: digital inclusion, telecom regulation, public-private partnerships, rural empowerment, and infrastructure-driven development. It is highly relevant for Prelims (terms like PM‑WANI, FTTH, tariff order), GS Paper 2 (public policy implementation, governance), and GS Paper 3 (digital infrastructure, economic development). Consider using this as an essay example on “Digital India” or bridging the digital divide.

          ---

        ---

        17.WPI inflation dips to 14-month low of 0.39% in May
        📰 Why in News

        • India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation fell sharply to 0.39% in May 2025, marking its lowest reading since March 2024 (0.26%) and down from 0.85% in April  .
        • The decrease was driven by falling food, fuel, power, and primary articles prices, while manufactured products also eased  .

        🔍 Key Features

        • Food and Vegetable Prices: Wholesale food inflation slowed to 1.72%, with vegetables declining 21.6% year-on-year  .
        • Fuel & Power: Continued deflation of 2.27%, reflecting declining energy costs  .
        • Primary Articles: Dropped by 2.02%, aided by lower mineral and non-food item prices  .
        • Manufactured Products: Inflation softened to 2.04%, down from 2.62% in April  .
        • Month-on-Month Trend: WPI experienced a slight contraction of –0.06%, signaling sustained deflationary pressure  .

        🎯 Significance

        • Producer Price Relief: Lower input costs ease pressure on downstream industries and may translate into lower consumer prices.
        • Monetary Policy Impacts: With retail inflation at a six-year low of 2.82%, the RBI may consider further policy easing  .
        • Inflation Management: Indicates effective supply-side management, though vulnerability remains with global commodity volatility.
        • Agricultural Resilience: Sharp fall in food prices suggests improved farm output and effective supply chain controls.

        🔄 Way Forward

        • Monitor Commodities: Watch for potential inflation upticks in metals or crude due to geopolitical developments  .
        • RBI Strategy: Continue evaluating inflation data for future policy decisions, balancing growth support with inflation risk.
        • Supply-Side Strengthening: Invest in cold storage, transport, and buffer stocking to prevent sudden food supply shocks.
        • Geopolitical Vigilance: Anticipate inflation volatility due to external factors like wars or trade disruptions.

        📚 Importance for UPSC

        • Prelims: Know WPI vs. CPI, key statistics (0.39%), and drivers of inflation.
        • GS Paper 3: Relevance for macroeconomic stability, inflation control, RBI policy tools, supply chain management.
        • GS Paper 2: Implications of fiscal and trade policies in inflation containment.
        • Ethics/Essay: Use as case study in governance, economic policy response, and equitable growth.
          

          ---

          ---

          18.Arabian Desert was once lush and bountiful

      📰 Why in News

      • A new international study based on stalagmites in caves across central Saudi Arabia reveals that the current Arabian Desert experienced repeated humid, green phases over the last 8 million years  .
      • The findings, published in Nature, confirm the hypothesis of “Green Arabia”, indicating that ancient grasslands, rivers, lakes, and savannahs existed in areas like the Rub’ al Khali  .

      🔍 Key Features

      • Speleothem Evidence: Stalagmites and stalactites—formed by mineral-rich rainwater dripping in caves—were analyzed using uranium dating and oxygen isotopes, tracing multiple humid epochs  .
      • Massive Lake in Rub’ al Khali: Around 9,000 years ago, a lake spanning ~1,100 km² and ~42 m deep existed in what is now one of the driest deserts  .
      • Savannah-like Landscape: Evidence shows grasslands, acacia trees, rivers, and wetlands supporting wildlife such as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, gazelles, and primates  .
      • Biogeographic Corridor: These green phases allowed early humans and prehistoric fauna to migrate between Africa and Eurasia, easing the “barrier” effect of the desert  .

      🎯 Significance

      • Origin of ‘Green Arabia’: Validates a long-held theory that the Arabian Peninsula was episodically hospitable during humid climate cycles.
      • Paleo-Climatic Insight: Shows how Earth’s orbital patterns and monsoon shifts influenced desert ecosystems over millions of years  .
      • Human Migration: Identifies Arabia as a vital “wet corridor” for early human dispersal out of Africa, complementing the ‘leaky’ Saharan routes  .
      • Ecosystem & Evolution: Demonstrates how dynamic climatic shifts shaped species distribution and evolutionary pathways over geological timescales.

      🔄 Way Forward

      • Encourage more multi-disciplinary research—linking speleothem records, sediment cores, rock art, and fossil data—to fully map “Green Arabia” phases.
      • Refine paleoclimate models using these insights to understand historical monsoon variability and predict future desertification or greening trends.
      • Explore analogies between past climate dynamics and current desertification challenges, aiding policymaking in arid land restoration.
      • Promote archaeological and ecological studies in the Arabian Peninsula to discover human settlement patterns and megafauna evolution.

      📚 Importance for UPSC

      • Prelims: Key terms like “Green Arabia,” speleothem, Rub’ al Khali, Saharo-Arabian corridor.
      • GS-1/3: Physical geography (climate cycles, monsoons), biodirectional corridors, desertification.
      • GS-2: Evidence-based policy, climate adaptation, environmental resilience.
      • Ethics/Essay: Human-nature interaction, understanding past climate to shape sustainable future, responsibility toward fragile ecosystems.
        

        ---

        ---

        DEEPIKA PARASHAR