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Type: Revived / Restored

  • US Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship

    Why in News?

    The US Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, reaffirming that children born in the United States are citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

    What is Birthright Citizenship?

    • Birthright citizenship is the automatic acquisition of citizenship by virtue of birth. There are two main principles:
      • Jus Soli (Right of the Soil): Citizenship is granted based on place of birth.
      • Jus Sanguinis (Right of Blood): Citizenship is determined by the nationality of one or both parents.

    US Position

    • Governed by the Fourteenth Amendment (1868).
    • Provides citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction.
    • Intended originally to guarantee citizenship to formerly enslaved people after the American Civil War.
    • Recognizes limited exceptions: Children of foreign diplomats. Children of enemy forces during hostile occupation.

    [2021] With reference to India, consider the following statements:
    1. There is only one citizenship and one domicile.
    2. A Citizen by birth only can become the Head of State.
    3. A foreigner once granted the citizenship cannot be deprived of it under any circumstance.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 only

    [C] 1 and 3

    [D] 2 and 3

  • April 2026 Net FDI at Nearly 5-Year High

    Why in News?

    India’s Net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rose to $6.6 billion in April 2026, the highest level since May 2021, driven by a sharp increase in gross FDI inflows.

    Key Highlights

    • Net FDI: $6.6 billion in April 2026, up from $917 million in March 2026.
    • Gross FDI Inflows:$15.3 billion, the highest since at least March 2021.
      • Increased 65% year-on-year.
      • Increased 131% over March 2026.
    • April inflows alone accounted for over 16% of total FDI received in FY 2025-26.

    Major Source Countries

    • Japan, Singapore, and Mauritius
    • Together accounted for more than 75% of FDI inflows.

    Outward FDI

    • Gross outflows: $8.7 billion (up 13.7% YoY).
    • Outward FDI by Indian companies: $4.8 billion, the highest on record since at least March 2021.
    • Around 80% of outward FDI was directed to United States and Cayman Islands
    • Major sectors Financial and insurance services, Business services, and Manufacturing

    Significance

    • Marks a strong recovery after six consecutive months of negative net FDI up to February 2026.
    • Reflects renewed investor confidence and stronger capital inflows into the Indian economy.

    Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

    • Investment by a foreign entity in a business located in another country with a lasting interest and management control (generally 10% or more equity ownership).
    • Includes Greenfield investments, Brownfield investments, and Reinvested earnings

    FDI vs FPI

    • FDI: Long-term investment with management control.
    • FPI (Foreign Portfolio Investment): Investment in financial assets without management control; generally more volatile.

    [2021] Consider the following:
    1. Foreign currency convertible bonds
    2. Foreign institutional investment with certain conditions
    3. Global depository receipts
    4. Non-resident external deposits
    Which of the above can be included in Foreign Direct Investments?

    [A] 1, 2 and 3

    [B] 3 only

    [C] 2 and 4

    [D] 1 and 4

  • Qadian-Beas Railway Line Project Revived

    Why in the news?

    The Government of India has revived the Qadian-Beas New Railway Line Project in Punjab after nearly a century. The project was originally approved during 1928-29 by the North-Western Railway but remained incomplete.

    Key Highlights

    • Length: 39.68 km broad-gauge railway line.
    • Cost: Approximately ₹1,400 crore.
    • Implementing Agency: Northern Railway.
    • Route: Qadian (Gurdaspur) – Dhapai – Ghuman – Butala – Sathiala – Beas (Amritsar).
    • Revived under the Socially Desirable Rail Connectivity Programme.

    Infrastructure Features

    • 2 crossing stations (Ghuman and Butala).
    • 11 major bridges and 121 minor bridges.
    • 54 Road Under Bridges (RUBs).
    • Modern signalling and telecommunication systems.
    • Deployment of Kavach, India’s indigenous train collision avoidance system.

    Significance

    • Connectivity: Brings several areas of Punjab’s Majha region onto the railway network. Improves mobility and accessibility for residents.
    • Strategic Importance: Provides an alternative corridor to the Amritsar-Pathankot railway section during emergencies. Enhances resilience of railway operations in northern India.
    • Economic Benefits
      • Better market access for farmers.
      • Faster transportation of agricultural produce.
      • Boost to trade, commerce, and small-scale industries.
      • Employment generation during construction and operation.
    • Tourism: Improves access to major religious destinations including Qadian, Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Sri Darbar Sahib, Dera Baba Nanak, and Gurdwara Achal Sahib

  • Base Year Revision of Wholesale Price Index (WPI)

    Why in the news?

    The Government of India has revised the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2011-12 to 2022-23. The revised WPI series and new Producer Price Indices (PPIs) will be released from June 15, 2026.

    What is WPI?

    The Wholesale Price Index (WPI):

    • Measures changes in prices of goods at the wholesale level.
    • Tracks inflation from the producer or wholesale market perspective.
    • Released by:
      • Office of Economic Adviser under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

    Base Year Revision

    • Previous base year: 2011-12.
    • New base year: 2022-23.

    Why is Base Year Revised?

    Base year revision helps:

    • Reflect current economic structure.
    • Include new products and industries.
    • Improve accuracy of inflation measurement.
    • Align statistics with changing consumption and production patterns.

    Major Changes in Revised WPI Series

    Increased Number of Items

    • Items increased from: 697 to 957.

    Renewable Energy Included

    New energy sources added under electricity:

    • Solar energy
    • Wind energy
    • Nuclear electricity

    What are Producer Price Indices (PPIs)?

    • PPIs measure: Price changes received by producers for goods and services.

    How is PPI connected to WPI?

    1. WPI is essentially a traditional form of producer price measurement for goods.
    2. PPI expands the scope of WPI by:
      • including services,
      • measuring both input and output prices,
      • capturing production stage inflation more accurately.
    3. India’s revised WPI and introduction of PPI indicate a gradual transition toward a modern producer inflation framework.

    Components Linking WPI and PPI

    1. Output Producer Price Index (OPPI)

    • Similar to WPI because it measures prices received by producers for selling goods.
    • WPI can be viewed as partially comparable to OPPI for goods.

    2. Input Producer Price Index (IPPI)

    • Measures prices paid by producers for raw materials, fuel, machinery, etc.
    • WPI does not capture this aspect separately.

    3. Service PPI

    • Completely absent in WPI.
    • Covers sectors like banking, telecom, insurance, railways, aviation.

    [2020] Consider the following statements:
    1. The weightage of food in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is higher than that in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
    2. The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which the CPI does.
    3. The Reserve Bank of India uses WPI as its key measure of inflation to decide changes in policy rates.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    [A] 1 and 2 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 3 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • Revision of Base Year for Index of Industrial Production (IIP) to 2022-23

    Why in the News?

    The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the report of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on revising the base year of the All-India Index of Industrial Production (IIP) from 2011-12 to 2022-23.

    About IIP

    • The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) measures: Growth in industrial activity in India.
    • Published By: National Statistical Office (NSO) Under MoSPI

    Technical Advisory Committee (TAC-IIP)

    • Chairman: Mridul K. Saggar
    • Constituted: September 2024
    • Purpose
      • Guide the revision of IIP base year.
      • Improve methodology, coverage, and accuracy.

    Major Changes in New IIP Series (2022-23)

    • Expanded Coverage: New sectors included:
      • Minor minerals
      • Rare earth minerals
      • Gas supply
      • Water supply
      • Sewerage and waste management

    Revised Item Basket

    • Total products: 1,042
    • Mapped into: 463 item groups
    • Based on: National Industrial Classification (NIC)-2025

    National Industrial Classification (NIC)-2025

    • National Industrial Classification (NIC) is India’s official system for classifying economic and industrial activities.
    • It helps in:
      • Collection of statistical data
      • Industrial surveys
      • National accounts compilation
      • Economic analysis and policy formulation

    Released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) through the National Statistical Office (NSO).

    [2012] In India the overall Index of Industrial Production, the Indices of Eighth Core Industries have combined weight of 37.90%. Which of the following are among those Eight Core Industries?
    1. Cement
    2. Fertilizers
    3. Natural Gas
    4. Refinery products
    5. Textiles
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    [A] 1 and 5 only

    [B] 2, 3 and 4 only

    [C] 1, 2, 3 and 4 only

    [D] 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

  • Supreme Court Revives Limited Use of Sedition Law (Section 124A)

    Why in the News?

    The Supreme Court of India clarified that accused persons who voluntarily consent can continue to face proceedings under Section 124A (sedition), even though the constitutional validity of the law remains under challenge.

    Background

    Section 124A (Sedition)

    • Part of the: Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860
    • Introduced during: British colonial rule in 1898
    • Punishes: Acts or speech considered to incite disaffection against the government

    Earlier Supreme Court Position (2022)

    In May 2022, the Supreme Court:

    • Suspended fresh sedition cases and ongoing proceedings.
    • Observed that Section 124A:
      • Reflected colonial mindset
      • Had chilling effect on free speech
      • Was widely misused

    The Court noted the Union government’s statement that outdated colonial laws should be reconsidered.

    Recent Clarification (May 21, 2026)

    • Kamran vs State of Madhya Pradesh.
    • The Court clarified: If accused persons voluntarily agree, courts may proceed with sedition trials on merits.

    Purpose

    • To protect:
      • Right to speedy trial
      • Timely closure of pending cases

    Constitutional Challenge Still Pending

    • The constitutional validity of Section 124A remains under challenge in S.G. Vombatkere vs Union of India

    Main Grounds of Challenge

    Petitioners argue Section 124A violates:

    • Freedom of speech and expression
    • Personal liberty
    • Equality before law
    • under Article 19, Article 21, and Article 14 of the Constitution.

    Concerns Raised

    Legal and Practical Issues

    • Lower courts may decide guilt while constitutionality remains unresolved.
    • Clarification did not address situations where:
      • One accused consents
      • Co-accused refuse

    Historical Context

    • Colonial Origins: Sedition law was used by British authorities against:
      • Bal Gangadhar Tilak
      • Mahatma Gandhi

    [2025] “Sedition has become my religion” was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of:

    (a) The Champaran Satyagraha

    (b) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi

    (c) attending the Second Round Table Conference in London

    (d) the launch of the Quit India Movement