Current Affairs – October 13, 2025

{GS1 – Geo – HG} Siddi Community

• Context (NOA): President Droupadi Murmu commended the Siddi community for reaching over 72% literacy and encouraged them to keep pursuing education for empowerment.

• The Siddis, also known as Sheedis or Habshis, are a primitive tribal group of African origin.
• They were brought from East Africa to India as slaves by Indian rulers & Portuguese traders between the 15^th and 17^th centuries.
• Distribution: They are mainly concentrated in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Religious Practices: They practice several religions, including Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity.
• Cultural Traditions: The Siddis are known for their Dhamal or Goma tradition, which combines African drumming and rhythms with Indian influences.
• Legal Status: Recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in the 2011 Census and classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Gujarat.

{GS2 – MoAy – Initiatives} SPARK 4.0 Initiative *

• Context (DDN): The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) launched the 4^th edition of SPARK 4.0 (2025–26) under the Ministry of Ayush.

About SPARK (Studentship Program for Ayurveda Research Ken)

• SPARK is a flagship studentship program designed to promote research skills and a scientific mindset among undergraduate Ayurveda students nationwide.
• Target Group: It includes Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) students from colleges recognised by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM).
• Research Support: Students get financial support to conduct independent research projects and receive a certification upon successful completion.
• Significance: It advances innovation in Ayurveda research aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

About Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS)

• CCRAS is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ayush, functioning as India’s apex organisation for promoting scientific research in Ayurveda.
• Objective: It aims to bridge traditional Ayurvedic knowledge with modern scientific methods.
• Research Scope: The Council’s work covers a broad range of studies, including medicinal plants, pharmacology, clinical research, and tribal health, for evidence-based progress in Ayurveda.

{GS2 – IR – Bilateral Relations} India to Restore Diplomatic Ties with Afghanistan

• Context (TOI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that India will upgrade its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan by reopening its embassy in Kabul.

• Ministerial Engagement: The announcement was made during his meeting with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, marking a move towards normalising relations with Afghanistan.
• Technical Mission: Since June 2022, India has maintained a technical mission in Kabul to coordinate humanitarian aid and oversee relief efforts.
• Restoration of Relations: The upgrade turns India’s technical mission into a full embassy, four years after it was closed following the Taliban’s 2021 takeover.

Read More> India-Afghanistan Relations | India’s Policy on Recognising the Taliban

{GS2 – IR – India-UK} India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre *

• Context (ET | PIB): India and the UK signed a strategic partnership to establish the India–UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre (CIC) to promote innovation in digital connectivity.

• Objective: The centre aims to promote inclusive, secure, and resilient digital communication between both nations; it also seeks to shape the global ecosystem for 6G and AI-enabled telecom systems.
• Implementation: It will be implemented under the UK–India Technology Security Initiative, jointly executed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• Key Feature: The CIC will serve as a bridge between academic research and industry application by supporting applied research through joint lab testing and field trials.
• Focus Areas: The centre will focus on three strategic domains over the next four years–
  • AI-Driven Telecom: Using advanced AI tools to optimise telecom networks and enable innovative digital services.
  • Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs): Developing satellite and airborne systems to ensure reliable, high-speed connectivity in rural and remote areas.
  • Telecom Cybersecurity: Strengthening network security and promoting interoperable, resilient communication systems.
• Significance: The CIC strengthens India–UK digital cooperation under the Vision 2035 roadmap, advances 6G preparedness and aids in the development of global telecom standards.

Read More > India–UK Bilateral Talks 2025 | India–UK Relations

{GS2 – IR – UN} India to Host UNTCC 2025 *

• Context (DD | TH): The Indian Army will host the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries’ (UNTCC) Chiefs’ Conclave in New Delhi from October 14-16, 2025.

• It will bring together senior military leaders from 32 nations involved in UN Peacekeeping.

India’s Leadership in UN Peacekeeping

• Since its inception in 1948, India has been among the largest and most experienced troop contributors to UN peacekeeping missions.
• Over 2,70,000 Indian peacekeepers have served across 50 UN missions, often in high-risk zones.
• Indian contingents are known for their professionalism, gender inclusivity, and humanitarian outreach, including the deployment of the first all-women peacekeeping contingent in South Sudan.

{GS2 – IR – Israel-Palestine} Gaza Peace Summit 2025 **

• Context (TH): The US and Egypt co-hosted the Peace Summit on Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to end the war in Gaza and restore stability in the region.

• The summit followed a ceasefire agreement based on the US President’s 20-point peace plan for ending the Israel–Hamas conflict.
• Objective: To finalise an agreement, disarm Hamas and establish a new governing body in Gaza.
• Participation: Over 20 countries, including India, attended the summit, but representatives from Israel, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority did not participate directly.
• Significance: The summit highlights renewed multilateral diplomacy in the Middle East and a shared global responsibility for post-conflict recovery.

Read More > Israel-Palestine Conflict

{GS2 – IR – Israel-Palestine} Implications of Israel-Hamas Ceasefire on India’s Economy

• Context (IE): The Israel-Hamas ceasefire has revived hopes for reopening the Red Sea trade corridor, which has been disrupted for nearly two years by Houthi rebel attacks.

• While the truce may ease freight rates and stabilise maritime routes, its impact on India’s trade will depend on restoring security along the Red Sea corridor.

Implications for India

• Around 90-95% of India’s trade depends on foreign shipping lines, making it highly vulnerable to fluctuations in freight rates.
• Exporters of low-margin goods like textiles, marine products, footwear, and engineering items were hit hardest as profit margins shrank.
• Even before the crisis, India remitted over $100 billion annually as transport service payments, a figure that surged during the crisis.
• The Cape of Good Hope route significantly increased voyage duration and insurance costs, reducing export competitiveness.

Geopolitical and Strategic Dimensions

• The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the 2023 G20 Summit, also faced uncertainty due to prolonged regional tensions.
• IMEC, comprising an Eastern Corridor (India-Gulf) and a Northern Corridor (Gulf-Europe), aims to offer a 40% faster alternative to the Suez Canal route.
• The ceasefire may revive confidence in regional infrastructure projects, though stability in Yemen and the Red Sea remains critical.

Maritime and Shipbuilding Reforms as Government Response

• To reduce dependence on foreign carriers, the Centre approved a ₹69,725 crore shipbuilding package.
• Key components include:
  • Extension of the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) till March 2036 with a corpus of ₹24,736 crore.
  • Introduction of a Shipbreaking Credit Note worth ₹4,001 crore.
  • Creation of a National Shipbuilding Mission to coordinate domestic capacity building.
• The package aims to unlock 4.5 million Gross Tonnage capacity, create 30 lakh jobs, and attract ₹4.5 lakh crore investment.

Read More> India’s Shipbuilding Sector

{GS3 – Agri – Schemes} PM Modi Launches Two Landmark Schemes for Farmers’ Welfare *

• Context (TH): PM Narendra Modi launched the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses to enhance farm productivity, agricultural self-reliance, and food security.

About the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (Pulse Self-Reliance Mission)

• The ‘Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses’ is a ₹11,440 crore Central Sector Scheme aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in pulses production.
• Objective: Reduce pulse imports (4.6 million metric tons in FY 2024), enhance farmers’ income, and ensure India’s nutritional security.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare is implementing the scheme over six years (FY 2025-31).

Targets of the Mission

• Production: Increase total pulse production to 35 MMT by FY 2030–31, up from 24 MMT in 2023-24.
• Expansion: Expand pulse cultivation area to 310 lakh hectares, compared to 275 lakh ha in 2024-25.
  • Of this expansion, 35 lakh hectares will be derived from rice fallow and other diversifiable lands.
• Yield: The average yield is projected to rise to 1,130 kg per hectare from 881 kg/ha in 2023-24.

Interventions and Strategies

• Procurement: Guarantees 100% MSP procurement of Tur, Urad, and Masoor for the initial four years.
  • NAFED & NCCF will jointly oversee procurement under the Price Support Scheme of PM-AASHA.
• Seed Distribution: Plans to supply 126 lakh quintals of certified, high-yield, climate-resilient seeds and distribute 88 lakh free seed kits.
• Infrastructure: Provides for 1,000 new processing units with subsidies of up to ₹25 lakh each to strengthen post-harvest value chains.
• Price Monitoring: Introduces a system to monitor international pulse prices, ensuring domestic price stability and farmer protection.

Read More> Pulses Production in India

About PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)

• PMDDKY is a central sector umbrella programme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare aimed at modernising farming in India.
• Governance Model: Modelled on NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme, it emphasises data-driven and result-oriented agricultural governance.
• Aspirational Districts: It designates 100 Aspirational Agriculture Districts nationwide based on (a) low productivity, (b) moderate crop intensity, and (c) below-average agricultural credit access.
• Scheme Integration: PMDDKY consolidates 36 Central schemes from 11 departments to streamline agricultural support delivery.
• Implementation Mechanism: Each district will formulate a District Agriculture Development Plan overseen by local committees and monitored by a Central Nodal Officer.

Read More > Pulses Production in India

{GS3 – Envi – RE} Sawalkote Hydropower Project *

• Context (TH): The Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir has received environmental clearance from Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC).

• Implementing Agency: National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd.

Key Highlights of the Project

• This project marks the first major hydropower clearance on the Indus River system since India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan in April 2025.
• Designed as a run-of-the-river project, it will harness the Chenab’s natural flow without constructing a large storage dam.
• The project includes a 192.5-metre-high Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) gravity dam.
• With an installed capacity of 1,856 MW, the plant is expected to generate around 8,000 million units of electricity annually.

Read More> Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

{GS3 – Envi – CC} Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) Target Rules, 2025 **

• Context (IE): MoEFCC notified the Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) Target Rules, 2025, establishing India’s first legally binding framework for industrial emission reductions.

About Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) Target

• The GEI Target Rules are a set of legally binding mandates for carbon-intensive industries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of output.
• Scope: The rules apply to 282 industrial units across four sectors — Aluminium, Cement, Pulp and Paper, and Chlor-alkali.
• Definition: GEI is defined as the amount of greenhouse gas emitted per unit of output, measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).
• Compliance Cycle: The first compliance phase spans FY 2025-26 and 2026-27, with sector-specific targets based on the 2023-24 baseline.

Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) Compliance

• Compliance: The GEI Target Rules implement the compliance framework under India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), 2023.
• Credit Mechanism: Units meeting their reduction targets earn tradable carbon credits, while non-compliant units must buy credits or pay environmental compensation.
  • The environmental compensation is set at twice the average trading price of carbon credits.
• Institutional Oversight: The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) issues credits, and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors compliance and enforces penalties within 90 days.

Significance of GEI Target Rules, 2025

• Climate Commitments: Supports India’s Paris Agreement goal to reduce GDP emission intensity by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030.
• Carbon Market: Implements the compliance segment of the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) to ensure accountability in emissions reduction.
• Clean Technology: Encourages industries to adopt energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies.
• Global Competitiveness: Strengthens India’s preparedness for international frameworks such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

{GS3 – Envi – Species} Chowna Buku Chulu *

• Context (TOI): Scientists have discovered a new Begonia species named Chowna Buku Chulu in Leparada district, Arunachal Pradesh, distinguished by its bright red leaves.

About Chowna Buku Chulu

• Chowna Buku Chulu is a newly identified flowering Begonia species found in the Leparada district, Arunachal Pradesh.
• Trait: It features bright ruby-red leaves that enhance its ornamental appeal and market potential.
• Etymology: The name, meaning “Noble Red” in Sanskrit (Aryarakta), honours Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Chowna Mein.

About Genus Begonia

• Begonia includes around 2,000 flowering plant species known for their colourful leaves and diverse ecological diversity.
• Habitat: These plants thrive in moist tropical and subtropical regions, usually under shaded, humid forest canopies.
• Adaptation: Their asymmetrical leaves with red undersides reflect light upward, aiding photosynthesis in low-light forest floors.
• Distribution: Begonias have a pantropical range across South America, Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. India has rich Begonia diversity, especially in the Eastern Himalayan states.
• Defence: Some species produce oxalic acid to deter herbivores and protect against grazing damage.
• Applications: Begonias have medicinal, ornamental, and dye-related uses. They contain phytochemicals with antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Maitri II Research Station *

• Context (IE): The Government of India has cleared the proposal for Maitri II, a new Antarctic research station to be established by January 2029.

Key Highlights of the Station

• Maitri II will become India’s fourth research station in Antarctica after Dakshin Gangotri (decommissioned), Maitri (1989), and Bharati (2012).
• Nodal Agency: The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), will lead the project’s operations.
• Location: It will be established in Eastern Antarctica, near Schirmacher Oasis, replacing the ageing Maitri base.
• Design & Planning: A German design firm has been selected through an international competition to develop the station’s blueprint and Detailed Project Report (DPR).
  • It is designed as a green research facility and will use solar and wind energy for power generation.
• Budget: The project is estimated to cost ₹2,000 crore over seven years.

Strategic and Scientific Importance

• Strengthens India’s presence in Antarctica under the framework of the Antarctic Treaty System (1959) and the Indian Antarctic Act (2022).
• Enhances India’s contribution to climate change research, glacial monitoring, seismology, and polar biodiversity studies.

{Prelims – In News} Kabad Se Kalakriti Initiative

• Context (PIB): South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) built a model of the S-400 missile launcher system and a robotic soldier from industrial scrap under the Swachhta Hi Seva Campaign.

• The initiative is part of SECL’s flagship ‘Kabad Se Kalakriti’ programme, aligning with the national “Waste to Wealth” theme to turn industrial scrap into creative artworks.
• Materials: SECL used almost 800 kg of metal scrap, including old chassis, steel pipes, and other iron parts.
• Symbolism: The creations honour Operation Sindoor and serve as symbols of India’s defence innovation and eco-friendly waste reuse.

{Prelims} One Liners

• In News – International Day for DRR 2025 (NOA): The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is observed annually on October 13 to raise awareness of disaster risks and their mitigation. Theme: “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters“.