Current Affairs – June 20, 2025

{GS1 – IS – Population} Census Delay & Its Impacts

• Context (TH): India’s decennial Census, originally set for 2021, has been delayed to 2027, marking an unprecedented 16-year gap.

• Reason for the delay: COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged inaction of the government.

Census: Legislative & Constitutional Provisions

• Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990.
• The census is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Article 246 of the IC designates the Census as a Union subject (entry 69, 7^th schedule).
• 1^st census in India was conducted in 1872 non-synchronously in different parts of India. Since 1881, censuses have been conducted every 10 years.
• It will be India’s 1^st digital census, marking a shift from paper-based enumeration to a digital format using mobile apps and online platforms.

Process of Census Enumeration

• Census is carried out in 2 phases:
  1. House listing: Focuses on characteristics of buildings & households like use of building, materials used, number of rooms, ownership status, sources of water & electricity, etc.
  2. Population enumeration: captures demographic and socio-economic details like name, age, sex, date of birth, marital status, education, occupation, etc. that form the heart of the Census database.
• The population enumeration follows the Housing Census with a gap of 6-8 months.

Implications of the Delay

• Outdated Data: Policies today rely on 2011 data, which is misaligned with present realities such as migration, urbanisation, and demographic changes.
• Social Welfare Gaps: Beneficiary targeting for schemes like PDS and MGNREGS is rendered ineffective due to population miscounts.
• Public Health & Education: Vaccination goals and school enrolment projections are compromised due to flawed denominators.
• Disaster Management & Infrastructure: Lack of updated data hampers planning for disasters and basic amenities like transport, housing, and sanitation.
• Impact on Marginalised Groups: The delay hinders targeted policy for marginalised communities, the elderly, and migrant workers, whose needs have evolved significantly since 2011.
• SDGs & NEP Targets: Outdated Census data hinders accurate tracking of SDGs & disrupts planning under National Education Policy like enrolment estimates, teacher deployment, & infrastructure needs.
• Electoral Roll & Delimitation: The delay affects timely updates to electoral rolls and risks skewing the 2026 delimitation exercise, as constituency boundaries may not reflect current population shifts.

Way Forward

• Announce a Fixed Timeline: The government must commit to a clear schedule for conducting the Census without further delay.
• Prioritise Execution: Mobilise resources and workforce to begin groundwork immediately, ensuring no slippage beyond 2027.
• Avoid Political Linkages: Keep the Census independent of National Population Register (NPR) and delimitation to prevent procedural and public disruptions.
• Use Interim Surveys: Till the Census is completed, strengthen reliance on periodic surveys like NFHS and NSSO for policymaking.

Also read > Census 2027

{GS2 – IR – Bilateral Relation} India-Canada ties

• Context (IE): India & Canada have begun resetting their strained ties during G7 Summit.

• High Commissioners Reinstated: Reopening top diplomatic posts to revive formal communication.
• Senior & Working-Level Engagements: Regular official talks restarted to rebuild trust & coordination.
• Normalization Intent: Reflects mutual effort to repair ties & address key bilateral concerns.

Indo-Canada Relationship Fallout

• Khalistani Extremism Issue: Pro-Khalistan separatist activities in Canada & its support of Khalistani activities like unofficial referendum on forming an independent Sikh state in 2023 is an attack on India’s sovereignty.
• Lack of Security Cooperation: Canada’s inaction on India’s extradition requests for individuals involved in terrorism & organised crime remains a sore point.
• Stalled Agreements: Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) & Foreign Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement remain frozen.
• Electoral Politics Factor: The political influence of Sikh voters, especially in regions like Ontario and British Columbia, shapes Canada’s stance.

Consequences

• Strategic Ties at Risk: Limited response from Western partners, including the Five Eyes Alliance, may hamper nuclear & security cooperation.
• Economic Fallout: May hurt bilateral trade & investment flow, delaying trade negotiations.
  • E.g. India Canada CEPA, Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) & Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA).
• Impact on Diaspora: Diplomatic rifts risk unsettling the Indian diaspora & over 2.3 lakh Indian students studying in Canada.
• Mobility Disruption: Potential suspension in visa services, citing security threats, could disrupt travel & immigration for individuals.

India-Canada Relations

• Strategic Alignment: Both nations advocate for a rules-based Indo-Pacific order, vital for regional peace, trade & stability. Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy recognises China as a disruptive power & identifies India as a strategic partner.
• Trade Relations: Bilateral trade in goods touched $9.36 billion, with India exporting $3.80 billion & importing $5.56 billion. Services trade reached $9.99 billion, highlighting economic engagement.
• Investment Flows: Canadian Pension Funds have invested over $75 billion in India, reflecting deep confidence in India.
• Indian Diaspora in Canada: 1.8 million people of Indian origin reside in Canada, making up over 3% of its population.
• Civil nuclear cooperation: Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA) with Canada was signed in 2010, under which a Joint Committee on Civil Nuclear Cooperation was constituted.
• Defence Ties: An MoU between India’s DRDO & Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) , signed in 2016 & renewed in 2021, supports initiatives in defence technology & infrastructure.

Challenges

• Khalistan Movement: The rise of pro-Khalistan sentiment in Canada is a major irritant for India, which perceives it as a threat to national security. E.g, Glorification of Indian PM Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
• Diplomatic Tensions: Ongoing investigations & mutual accusations have led to a breakdown in trust between the two countries.
• Economic Disruption: The suspension of trade talks & visa services is affecting business & people-to-people connections.
• Diaspora Politics: Canada’s domestic politics & involvement of Sikh communities in shaping foreign policy added complexity to relations.
• Security Concerns: India’s concerns over Canada’s perceived support for extremist groups.

Way forward

• Constructive diplomacy: Initiate high-level discussions to address mutual concerns transparently. Both sides should express their concerns without disrupting the status quo.
• Security cooperation: Cooperate & collaborate on counter terrorism under the Framework for Cooperation on Countering Terrorism & Violent Extremism (2018).
• Economic & trade relations: Resume negotiations on trade agreements (e.g., CEPA) to rebuild economic ties, investment flows etc.
• Engage diaspora: Both countries should encourage diaspora & Track-II diplomacy channels to build on people-to-people ties, cultural exchanges & dialogues for conflict resolution.
• Strategic interest: Need to strengthen cooperation in key strategic interests such as countering China in the Indo-Pacific region & emphasising freedom of navigation & rule-based order.
• Environmental collaboration: Renewable energy projects & technology transfer.
  • E.g. International Solar Alliance & sharing clean energy technologies like green hydrogen.

Read also> India-Canada relations, G7.

{GS2 – IR – Bilateral Relations} PM’s Croatia visit

• Context (IE): Prime Minister visited Croatia, becoming the 1^st to visit the country.

Key Outcomes of the Visit

• Defence & Cyber Cooperation: Both sides agreed on a long-term defence plan covering joint military training, personnel exchange, cybersecurity & co-production in defence manufacturing.
• Strategic MoUs: Key agreements in agriculture, science & tech, cultural exchange & establishment of an ICCR Hindi Chair in Zagreb to boost academic collaboration.
• Investment & Research: Commitments made to boost investments in sectors like IT, pharma, clean tech & semiconductors with academic research initiatives.
• People-to-People Ties: A mobility agreement is being finalised to ease movement for students, tourists & professionals.
• Space: India will share space expertise with Croatia.

Significance of Croatia for India

• EU Diversification: Enhances India’s engagement with emerging EU members like Croatia to influence EU decision-making beyond Western Europe.
• Geopolitical Alignment: Croatia’s neutral stance, tech collaboration& low reliance on China align with India’s global outlook.
• Gateway to Eastern & Central Europe: Croatia is placed at the intersection of key European transport corridors such as the planned Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T).
• Maritime Connectivity: Adriatic ports & Croatia’s role in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) strengthen India’s alternative trade routes to Europe.
• Diplomatic Backing: Supports India’s UNSC bid & acts as a reliable partner in EU-NATO frameworks.

India-Croatia Relations

• Trade: Bilateral trade has gone up to $337.68 million in 2023 (from $199 in 2017). India exports medicines, chemicals, machinery, apparels to Croatia.
• Cultural Linkages: Croatia has a notable tradition of Indology with support from University of Zagreb & cultural presence like ISKCON, reflecting civilisational connections.
• Defence & Technology: Strengthening collaboration as demonstrated by a key MoU inked during the 2023 Raisina Dialogue.
• Diplomatic Relevance: India’s engagement with historically non-aligned nations, with Croatia holding symbolic value due to its past association with leaders like Josip Broz Tito.
• Maritime Advantage: Croatia’s Adriatic Sea ports enhance its potential as a logistics hub within IMEC, providing India with alternate routes.

Croatia Credits : BBC Capital: Zagreb. Member of both EU & NATO. Location: Southeast Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. Bounded by Adriatic Sea on the west. Neighbouring countries: Hungary (North), Montenegro (South), Slovenia (West), Serbia & Bosnia-Herzegovina (East). Natural Landscape Major Mountain: Dinaric Alps dominate the terrain. Major rivers: Sava & Drava. Climate: Continental inland & Mediterranean along the coast.

Also read > 2025 G7 Summit, India–EU Free Trade Agreement.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC3)

• Context (TH): The 3^rd UN Oceans Conference (UNOC) was held in Nice, France to strengthen global ocean governance under SDG-14. It accelerated ratification of the BBNJ Treaty and supported marine goals under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• UNOC is the main United Nations conference supporting SDG-14 (Life Below Water).
• It operates under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
• Conference Series: Held in 2017 (New York), 2022 (Lisbon), and 2025 (Nice); next in 2028 (Chile & South Korea).
• Multi-Stakeholder: Involves states, UN agencies, scientists, the private sector, and civil society.

UNOC 2025 Conference

• Held in Nice, France. Host Countries: France and Costa Rica.
• Theme: “Accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.”
• Objectives: Address governance, financing, scientific knowledge, and climate adaptation. Reinforce SDG 14: Life Below Water—focus on sustainable fisheries, pollution control, and marine conservation.
• India’s Engagement: India advocated for marine diplomacy, sustainable fisheries, and open data.
• Outcome Document: Culminated in the launch of the Nice Ocean Agreements.
• BBNJ Progress: 56 countries ratified the treaty, nearing the 60-ratification threshold.

Successes of UNOC3 2025

Led By	Initiative	Purpose	Details
European Commission	Ocean Investment Package	Ocean governance and sustainable fisheries	€1 billion pledged for conservation and marine science
French Polynesia	Largest Marine Protected Area	Marine biodiversity protection	5 million sq. km of EEZ declared protected
Spain	New MPAs Commitment	Expansion of marine protected areas	Five MPAs announced, covering 25% marine area
Germany	Baltic Munitions Cleanup	Clearing explosive remnants from the seabed	€100 million allocated for cleanup in the Baltic and North Seas
New Zealand	Pacific Ocean Governance Fund	Support for Pacific marine governance	$52 million for governance and science in the Pacific Islands
Italy	Marine Surveillance Support	Improve monitoring in MPAs and oil zones	€6.5 million for Coast Guard surveillance systems
Canada	Climate Resilience Contribution	Support climate resilience in coastal states	$9 million for island and coastal resilience programs
Panama, Canada	Quiet Ocean Coalition	Tackle noise pollution in oceans	37 countries committed to noise pollution regulation
UN Agencies	One Ocean Finance	Mobilise blue economy investments	Finance strategy to support SDG-14 through industry investment

Also read > High Seas Treaty, UNOC3.

{GS3 – Envi – Degradation} Overtourism

• Context (IE): World-renowned Louvre Museum in Paris saw an unsustainable surge in tourist footfall.

Global Overtourism Crisis Spain: In Barcelona and Mallorca, locals took to the streets, even spraying tourists with water to protest skyrocketing rents and shrinking liveability. Italy: Venice introduced access fees on peak days after UNESCO threatened to revoke its World Heritage status. Japan: The town of Fujikawaguchiko installed a massive screen to block selfie spots with Mount Fuji, reacting to years of traffic and cultural intrusion. Mount Everest: The world’s tallest peak now faces “traffic jams” of climbers, leaving behind trash, human waste, and even corpses.

Factors Responsible

• Revenge Travel Post-COVID: A sudden rebound in global travel after the pandemic has led to unprecedented crowd surges.
• Lack of Planning: Most destinations do not have carrying capacity assessments, leading to unchecked tourist footfall.
• Economic Overdependence: In many regions, the economy is heavily dependent on tourism, making it politically and economically challenging to limit numbers.

Implications

• Environmental Degradation: Unregulated tourism is straining fragile ecosystems, causing deforestation, pollution, and overwhelming waste systems.
  • Manali alone generates 70–100 tonnes of waste daily against a 20–30 tonne capacity.
  • In Ladakh, post 3 Idiots movie, Pangong Lake has seen a tourism boom, straining the region’s delicate ecology and waste systems.
• Cultural Erosion: Local traditions, customs, and identities are diluted as commercial interests override heritage preservation. In Goa, domestic tourist numbers crossed 1 crore in 2024.
• Overburdened Infrastructure: Tourist volumes often exceed infrastructure capacity, resulting in traffic snarls, water shortages, and unregulated urban sprawl.
  • Shimla, built for 25,000, now hosts over 2.4 lakh residents plus tourists, nearly leading to water riots in 2018.
• Decline in Visitor Experience: Overcrowding diminishes the charm and serenity of tourist spots, leading to dissatisfaction.
  • Suffocation-related deaths at Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan due to overpacked premises.

• Rising Cost of Living: Inflation in housing and commodities, affecting local residents.
• Community Backlash: Growing resentment among locals; leading to protests and restrictions.

Way Forward

• Enforce Visitor Caps: Limit daily tourist numbers at heritage and ecological sites to avoid overcrowding and preserve their integrity, e.g., Pompeii caps daily visitors at 20,000.
• Diversify Tourist Destinations: Encourage travel to lesser-known areas to reduce pressure on overburdened hotspots and ensure equitable development.
• Visitor Management Systems: Use digital ticketing, geo-fencing, and advance booking models for crowd control.
• Awareness and Sensitization: Launch campaigns to educate tourists about respecting local norms, environment, and culture.
• Taxing Peak Tourism: Implement dynamic pricing, congestion taxes, or tourism cess in fragile zones.
• Infrastructure Investment: Focus on last-mile connectivity, waste management, water conservation, and disaster preparedness.

{GS3 – Envi – Reports} Global Drought Outlook 2025

• Context (OECD): Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released the Global Drought Outlook 2025.

Key Findings

• Drought Severity: Global land area affected by drought has doubled between 1900 & 2020, with 40% of Earth’s land experiencing more frequent & intense droughts.
• Water Decline: 37% of land has shown a significant drop in soil moisture since 1980, threatening freshwater availability. 62% of monitored aquifers globally are in decline.
• Climate Risk: Under a +4°C global warming scenario, drought frequency & intensity may increase up to sevenfold.
• Disaster: Though only 6% of disasters are drought-related, they account for 34% of all disaster-related deaths.
• Food security: Crop yields may fall by up to 22% in drought years, threatening food security.
• Sectoral Disruptions: Droughts disrupt hydropower generation & inland water transport (e.g., Panama Canal), countries like India & Australia are at high risk.

India-Specific Findings

• Flash drought hotspots are rising across monsoon regions.
• Over 60% of Indian soils are drying between 1980-2023.
• Groundwater over-extraction in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, Maharashtra, Karnataka.
• Rain-fed farming & water-intensive crops (paddy, sugarcane) are highly vulnerable.

What is Drought?

• Drought is a prolonged period of unusually dry weather that creates a hydrological imbalance, reducing water availability in soil, rivers & aquifers.
• It may be caused by low rainfall, high temperatures or human-induced factors like deforestation & groundwater overuse.

Credit: ResearchGate

• Types of Droughts
  1. Meteorological Drought: Long-term deficit in rainfall compared to the average.
  2. Agricultural Drought: Lack of soil moisture affecting crop growth & yield.
  3. Hydrological Drought: Reduced river flow or groundwater levels over time.
  4. Flash Drought: Rapid-onset drought due to sudden heatwaves & lack of rain, particularly observed in India’s monsoon season.

Causes of Droughts

• Climate Variability: Natural phenomena like El Nino & La Nina disrupt global weather patterns, often causing prolonged dry spells & uneven rainfall distribution.
• Shrinking Glaciers: Reduced snowfall & rapid glacier melt lower the long-term availability of freshwater, especially for river-fed regions.
• Land Degradation: Large-scale removal of vegetation & poor land practices reduces soil moisture retention, disturbing hydrological cycle.
• Urbanisation: Expanding cities lead to impermeable surfaces (roads, buildings) that block rainwater infiltration, limiting groundwater recharge.
• Unsustainable Water Use: Over-extraction of groundwater for irrigation & inefficient farming methods (e.g., flood irrigation) deplete aquifers & intensify drought conditions.

Impacts

• Ecological Degradation: Droughts reduce river flows & groundwater levels, degrade forests, wetlands & grasslands.
• Agricultural Losses: Prolonged droughts reduce soy & corn output by 10%, threatening food security.
• Energy Disruptions: Hydropower output may fall by over 25%, inland water trade faces up to 40% volume loss during droughts.
• Instability Risk: Persistent water scarcity can fuel social unrest, inter-state water disputes & regional geopolitical tensions.

Initiatives for the Prevention of Droughts

Global Initiatives

• UNCCD Drought Initiative (1994): The only legally binding global framework to combat desertification and mitigate drought impacts; has 197 member parties.
• WMO–GWP International Drought Management Programme: Promotes early warning, risk reduction, and drought preparedness globally.

Indian Initiatives

• National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS): Satellite-based drought monitoring system for real-time assessments and early warnings.
• PMKSY & Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP): Focus on water-use efficiency, micro-irrigation, and watershed development for drought-prone areas.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana: Promotes sustainable groundwater management through community participation.
• National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): Encourages cultivation of climate-resilient crops and implements contingency crop planning for drought adaptation.

Way Forward

• Invest in Resilience: Every $1 spent on drought prevention yields $2–$10 in returns, high Return on Investment (ROI) in agriculture & water sectors.
• Nature-Based Solutions: Restore degraded ecosystems, promote urban de-sealing & improve soil-water retention.
• Drought-Resilient Agriculture: Encourage drought-tolerant crops, adaptive farming & micro-irrigation to cut water use by up to 76%.
• Water Governance: Adopt cross-sectoral planning across agriculture, energy & urban sectors for efficient water use.
• Early Warning: Strengthen forecasting systems, risk assessment & infrastructure for timely response & long-term adaptation.

{GS3 – IE – Securities} Reverse Flipping

• Context (BS): SEBI introduced regulatory changes to facilitate reverse flipping by startups.

• The reforms aim to ease IPO norms, improve investor flexibility, and simplify compliance requirements.

Measures

• Promoter ESOP Norms: Promoters can retain Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOPs) granted up to 1 year before DRHP; new ESOPs are not allowed during this period.
• CCS Lock-In Rule: Lock-in, i.e. 1-year, removed for shares issued after converting Compulsorily Convertible Securities (CCS).
• Promoter Contribution: Shares held by FPIs, Alternative Investment Funds, & PFIs can count toward the minimum promoter contribution.
• AIF Co-Investment Vehicles: Category I & II AIFs can set up co-investment entities and offer advisory services

DRHP: Draft Red Herring Prospectus filed before listing. Dematerialisation: Converting paper shares to an electronic format. CCS: Securities that must convert to equity within a set time. Category I AIF: Invests in start-ups, SMEs, and socially beneficial sectors (e.g., VC funds). Category II AIF: Invests in private equity, debt, or unlisted companies without leverage (e.g., PE funds)

Reverse Flipping

• Reverse flipping is the process by which a startup relocates its legal domicile, operations, and ownership from a foreign jurisdiction back to its country of origin, reversing an earlier outward shift (Flipping).

Key Factors Driving Reverse Flipping to India

• Capital Access: VC/PE inflow rising through funds like SIDBI’s ₹10,000 crore Fund of Funds (FoF) (2016).
• Tax Relief: Section 80-IAC offers a 3-year tax holiday within a 10-year window.
• Simplified Compliance: SPICe+, MCA21, and Startup India ease procedures.
• Domestic Scale: 700+ million internet users reduce early global dependency.
• Faster IP Process: 2019 Patent Rules enable expedited exams for startups.
• Policy Push: Schemes like Startup India and Make in India offer support.
• Economic Stability: GDP growth above 7% with controlled inflation boosts trust.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} Scientists find Universe’s Missing Matter

• Context (IT): Scientists have located the universe’s missing ordinary matter, hidden as diffuse gas in intergalactic space using Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs).

Distribution of Ordinary Matter

• 76% of ordinary matter is spread as a thin gas in the intergalactic medium (IGM), which is a vast cosmic web between galaxies.
• 15% reside in galaxy halos surrounding galaxies, including the Milky Way.
• Only 9% is located within galaxies forming stars, planets, gas clouds & dust.

IGM: The sparse, ionized gas that exists in the vast spaces between galaxies. Galaxy Halos: The extended regions surrounding galaxies containing dark matter, gas & old stars. Milky Way: The spiral galaxy that houses our solar system. Baryonic matter: Refers to ordinary matter made up of protons & neutrons, forming atoms that compose stars, planets & living things.

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs)

• FRBs are brief, powerful bursts of radio waves originating from distant galaxies, lasting milliseconds to a few seconds.
• They are likely emitted by highly magnetized neutron stars or other extreme cosmic events.
• As they travel across the cosmos, FRBs interact with matter, making them useful cosmic tools.
• FRBs are electromagnetic in nature & can be detected by specialized radio telescopes.

Role of FRBs in Solving Missing Ordinary Matter

• FRBs acted as “cosmic flashlights“, illuminating the path through which they travel.
• As the radio waves dispersed into multiple wavelengths, scientists measured the degree of dispersion to estimate matter density.
• By tracking 69 FRBs, researchers traced missing baryonic matter up to 9.1 billion light-years away.
• This method provided the first direct evidence of where the universe’s missing ordinary matter resides.

Ordinary Matter (Baryonic) vs. Dark Matter

Ordinary Matter

• Composition: Made up of baryons.
• Examples: Includes gas, dust, stars, planets & all physical substances like water, air & living organisms.
• Proportion: Makes up only about 15% of all matter in the universe.
• Detectability: Interacts with light, making it observable through telescopes & electromagnetic radiation.

Dark Matter

• Proportion: Forms about 85% of all matter in the universe.
• Nature: Cannot be seen directly, detected only via its gravitational pull-on galaxies & cosmic structures.
• Composition: Still a mystery to science, believed to be made of hypothetical particles like Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) or axions, not yet observed in laboratories.

Similarities

• Both are forms of matter with mass & gravity.
• Both influence cosmic structures & evolution.

Read also> Galaxies

{Prelims – In News} FASTag Annual Pass Scheme

• Context (IE): The Minister of Road and Transport announced a FASTag-based annual pass.
• The FASTag Annual Pass offers private vehicles toll-free access on National Highways for ₹3,000 annually or 200 trips.

• Effective from August 15, 2025, the scheme is voluntary and aims to reduce toll congestion and save users up to ₹7,000 annually.
• Applicable only to non-commercial cars, jeeps & vans, the pass can be activated through the NHAI or Rajmargyatra portal.
• The pass is valid only at National Highway and Expressway fee plazas.

FASTags

• FASTag is an electronic toll collection system, launched in 2016.
• It is operated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
• The device employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it.
• It is affixed on the windscreen, so the vehicle can drive through plazas without stopping.
• It is valid for five years & can be recharged as & when required.

Read more > FASTag

{Prelims – In News} Probe into Air India Crash

• Context (IE): US and UK agencies are engaged in the investigation of the Ahmedabad Air[lane Crash.

Who Has the Right to Investigate?

• According to ICAO’s Annex 13, multiple states can be involved in an aviation accident investigation based on their relation to the aircraft. These include:
  • State of Occurrence: The country where the crash took place.
  • State of Registry: The country where the aircraft is registered.
  • State of Operator: The country from which the airline operates.
  • State of Design & Manufacture: Countries where the aircraft and its components were designed and manufactured (United States, since Boeing and General Electric are involved).

Why are Foreign Investigators involved?

• The Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), signed in 1944, governs global civil aviation safety.
• It is monitored by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a UN agency based in Montreal.
• Annex 13 of the Convention outlines procedures for investigating air accidents and incidents.
• It allows participation from foreign agencies to ensure transparency and safety improvements.
• Objective: The focus of such investigations is on identifying causes not assigning blame.

Roles of India, US, and UK in the Crash Investigation India: India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, leads the investigation as the “State of Occurrence.” US: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from the U.S. are full participants due to their stake in the aircraft’s design and manufacture. U.K: The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is also involved, since 53 British nationals were among the deceased.