What is the Five Eyes (FYEY) Alliance?

The annual Raisina Dialogue in Delhi held this year by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will host intelligence agency chiefs of several countries. What is the conference about? The conference is modelled on the lines of the annual Munich Security Conference and Singapore’s Shangri-La dialogue. It is expected to bring together heads and deputy heads… Continue reading

All-India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey

The All-India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey, usually conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) every five years, is set to resume this year after a prolonged break. What is the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES)? The CES is traditionally a quinquennial (recurring every five years) survey conducted by the government’s National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). It… Continue reading

Strontium: A Cyber-Espionage Group

Recently, Microsoft said that it had disrupted cyberattacks from a Russian nation-state hacking group called ‘Strontium’. What is Strontium? Strontium, also known as Fancy Bear, Tsar Team, Pawn Storm, Sofacy, Sednit or Advanced Persistent Threat 28 (APT28) group, is a highly active and prolific cyber-espionage group. It is one of the most active APT groups… Continue reading

Palli in Jammu becomes India’s First Carbon-Neutral Panchayat

Palli village in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir has become the first panchayat in the country to become carbon-neutral, fully powered by solar energy. Various feats achieved All its records have been digitised and the benefits of all the Central schemes are available in this village around 17 km from Jammu. Palli village, with… Continue reading

What is different now in communal violence in India

Context India has a long history of communal violence. Just how similar or different are the recent episodes? And what kind of dangers do they pose to the polity and society? What is different this time? Religious processions: It should first be noted that such processions have historically been some of the largest triggers for… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Mudda Aapka: India–Mauritius Relations

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth is on an eight-day visit to India. The purpose of this visit is to further strengthen the relations between the two countries. Mauritius is becoming an integral part of the goals of India’s maritime diplomacy.… Continue reading

Digital Service Tax

Context Over the past four years, 137 countries have engaged intensively with the OECD to find a solution to the tax challenges arising from digitalisation. Like any international agreement, finding a middle ground has been difficult and a series of compromises have been made. What makes it difficult to tax the digital economy? Operation across… Continue reading

NITI Aayog gets a new Vice-Chairman

The government has appointed Suman K. Bery as the vice-chairman of the NITI Aayog following the resignation of Rajiv Kumar. What is NITI Aayog? The NITI Aayog serves as the apex public policy think tank of the GoI. It was established in 2015, by the NDA government, to replace the Planning Commission which followed a… Continue reading

Postal ballot for NRIs being contemplated

Chief Election Commissioner, during a recent visit to South Africa and Mauritius, urged Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to register as overseas electors and told them that a proposal on postal ballots for NRIs was being contemplated by the Election Commission of India. Why in news now? CECs interactions with NRIs came after Union Law Minister informed… Continue reading

UK to issue Open General Export Licence (OGEL) to India

In the backdrop of the rapid geopolitical turmoil, PM Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson agreed on a new and expanded India-UK defence partnership and vowed to seal an ambitious free trade agreement by the end of the year. What is the news? The UK is creating an Open General Export Licence (OGEL) for… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Care Economy

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context The importance of care work is now widely acknowledged and covered in various international commitments such as the SDGs. However, the investment in the care economy has not matched the pace. What is the care economy? The care economy includes child… Continue reading

New research about Jupiter’s moon Europa

A team of researchers from Stanford University have said that on one of Jupiter’s moons Europa, a prime candidate for life in the solar system might have abundance of water pockets beneath formations called double ridges. About Europa Europa is slightly smaller than Earth’s moon and its diameter is about one-quarter that of the Earth.… Continue reading

Freebies model of Governance

Context Against the backdrop of promises of freebies in Punjab, this article deals with the harm caused by such freebies to the economy, life quality and social cohesion in the long run. Macroeconomic stability of the Union and the States India is a Union of states. It is not a confederation of states. The Union… Continue reading

[pib] UDAN Scheme awarded PM Award for Excellence in Public Administration

The Ministry of Civil Aviation’s flagship Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) has been awarded Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration this year. What is UDAN Scheme? The Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme is a low-cost flying scheme launched with the aim of taking flying to the masses.… Continue reading

Explained: Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs)

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister has announced that 80 Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs), an integral component of the Smart Cities Mission, have already been set up. What is the Smart Cities Mission? The Smart Cities Mission aims at developing 100 cities, which were shortlisted, into self-sustainable urban settlements. The mission was… Continue reading

INS Vagsheer: Key features, capabilities

The sixth and last of the French Scorpene-class submarines, INS Vagsheer, was launched into water at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai. Launch of INS Vagsheer It was launched by Veena Ajay Kumar (wife of Union Defence Secretary), in keeping with the naval tradition of launch and naming by a woman. The six submarines were being… Continue reading

ISRO develops Space Bricks from Martian Soil

Researchers from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a way to make bricks from Martian soil with the help of bacteria and urea. Space Bricks ISRO and IISc have collaborated to develop a novel scalable technique of manufacturing space bricks using Martian Simulant Soil (MSS). The… Continue reading

Who was Veer Kunwar Singh (1777-1858)?

Political factions in Bihar has planned to organise the birth anniversary of the 1857 uprising hero Veer Kunwar Singh on April 23 at Jagdishpur in Bhojpur. Veer Kunwar Singh Kunwar Singh also known as Babu Kunwar Singh was a leader during the uprising of 1857. He belonged to a family of the Ujjainiya clan of… Continue reading

[Yojana Archive] Harnessing Multiplier Effect

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Recently, the Finance Minister has stressed upon the need to increase capital expenditure by both public sector as well as private sector. This is in order to improve the economic growth and invigorate demand in the country. Why increase CAPEX? As… Continue reading

Demolition drives violate international law

Context Communal clashes broke out during Ram Navami processions in several parts of the country including at Khargone in Madhya Pradesh. Subsequently, the Madhya Pradesh government bulldozed the houses of those who were allegedly involved in rioting. Right to housing Fundamental right under Article 21: The right to housing is not only a fundamental right… Continue reading

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