International Affairs

Context The Gulf region has played a crucial role in ensuring India’s energy security, which is vital for the country’s industrial growth, power, and transportation sectors. Energy Production and Consumption in India Global Standing: India is the world’s third-largest energy consumer after China and the United States. Energy Consumption: According …

For Mains: Significance, Challenges, and Cooperation Areas in Indo-French Relations At a recent event in Paris, India and France underscored the ‘Partnership for the Planet’ as crucial to the Indo-French Horizon 2047 Roadmap, emphasizing their enhanced cooperation on climate change, biodiversity, health, and environmental issues. The partnership is evolving to …

Context: The World Bank has elevated Russia from an ‘upper-middle income’ to a ‘high-income’ country, a classification it last held in 2014. Russia’s Economic Resilience Global Rankings: Russia is 72nd in per-capita GNI and 53rd in purchasing power parity worldwide. GDP Growth: In 2023, Russia saw a 3.6% increase in …

Context: The 50th G7 Leaders’ Summit recently concluded in Apulia, Italy, with India’s participation as an Outreach Country. On January 1, 2024, Italy took over the Presidency from Japan for the seventh time and will pass it to Canada on December 31, 2024. History and Evolution of the G7 The …

Relevancy for Mains: Implications of the Russia-North Korea security pact on the stability of the world, etc. The security pact reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, in which both countries promised mutual assistance “in the event of aggression”, has echoes from the …

❖  A new study has revealed the fate of methane released from the September 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream Pipeline Description: The Nord Stream network comprises offshore pipelines (Nord Stream 1 and 2) that supply natural gas to northern Europe. These …

The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) marks a significant development in the strategic partnership between India and the United States. Launched in January 2023, this framework aims to foster collaboration in cutting-edge technological areas critical for economic growth, national security, and global leadership. What is iCET? iCET establishes …

International Criminal Court Recently, an application was presented to a pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants against five individuals linked to the conflict in Gaza. The five individuals are- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders Yahya …

UN Peacekeeping: The United Nations Peacekeeping (UNPKO) is a crucial instrument deployed by the UN to assist countries ravaged by conflict in transitioning towards lasting peace. Established in 1948, UN Peacekeeping has evolved significantly, with over 70 missions undertaken and over two million personnel deployed Role of Peacekeeping Operations Peacekeeping …

Introduction Three Indian literary works, Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and Sahdayaloka-Locana, were added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register during the tenth meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP), held earlier this week in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.The inclusion of Indian literary in UNESCO …

GS Paper II (Governance): It highlights the importance of international cooperation in criminal justice matters. Interpol serves as a vital platform for such collaboration. GS Paper III (Internal Security): Interpol plays a role in combating transnational crimes like terrorism, drug trafficking, and cybercrime, which are relevant to India’s internal security. …

GS Paper III (Environment & Ecology): The syllabus emphasizes climate change mitigation strategies, and carbon farming is a prominent concept in this domain. GS Paper III (Agriculture): You can link carbon farming practices to sustainable agriculture and improved soil health. Essay Paper: Carbon farming can be a compelling point for …

About the Index: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) annually publishes the World Press Freedom Index. It ranks 180 countries and territories based on the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media outlets. The ranking is based on five key factors: Pluralism Media Independence Economic Environment Legal Environment Safety and …

Introduction: The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1974 marks a significant milestone in global public health. It aimed to ensure universal access to life-saving vaccines for children, initially focusing on six childhood diseases: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, and tuberculosis. EPI: A …

Introduction The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is a strategic economic initiative launched by the United States in May 2022. It aims to strengthen economic ties among member countries in the Indo-Pacific region, fostering resilience, sustainability, and shared prosperity. This framework holds significance for regional economies, including India, offering …

Total Solar Eclipse: A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, completely obscuring the Sun’s disk and casting a large shadow on the Earth’s surface. Those located within the path of totality, where the Moon’s shadow fully covers the Sun, witness a total solar …

Concept : Governments impose anti-dumping duties as a trade remedy measure to protect domestic industries from unfair competition resulting from the dumping of goods by foreign producers. Dumping: Dumping refers to the practice of exporting goods to another country at prices lower than their normal value, typically the price in …

  Concept: The UNHRC is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) responsible for promoting and protecting human rights worldwide. It was established in 2006, replacing the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), with the aim of addressing the shortcomings of its predecessor and enhancing the …

TABLE OF CONTENTS News Concept Understanding Ballistic Missiles News: The new generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime was successfully flight-tested by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) along with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha Concept : The Agni Prime …

TABLE OF CONTENTS News Concept Why no moon? Upcoming Project News: Astronomers are looking forward to opening a new window on the universe by posting high-resolution telescopes on the moon and in orbit around it. There are numerous proposals to do this from astronomers around the world, including one from …