Recently, India and Australia have announced that they are set to conclude an Interim Trade Agreement in March 2022 and a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA)12-18 months thereafter. The agreement will cover “most areas of interest for both countries” including goods, services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and customs procedures. Earlier, India, Japan …

Recently, the Prime Minister of India chaired a meeting regarding the management of the cryptocurrency sector. Citing the unregulated nature of the crypto market, he called for taking progressive and forward-looking steps. At the moment, there is no legislature that covers cryptocurrencies in India. In India, owning cryptocurrencies is still not illegal. In 2020, the Supreme Court had struck …

The Centre Government is contemplating creation of the National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA). NIRA is supposed to be an independent autonomous body for planning, investigation, financing and the implementation of the river interlinking projects in the country. Important points: NIRA will function as an umbrella body for all river linking projects and to be headed by a …

Recently, the US intelligence reports said the tension on the Russia-Ukraine border represents a major security crisis for the region, with the potential to snowball into a broader conflict. Ukraine says that Russia has amassed around 90,000 troops at the border. Important points: Ukraine and Russia share hundreds of years of cultural, linguistic and familial …

Recently, six students were banned from entering a college in Karnataka’s Udupi district for wearing a hijab (a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women). The issue throws up legal questions on reading the freedom of religion and whether the right to wear a hijab is constitutionally protected. Article 25(1) of the Constitution guarantees the “freedom of …