Current Affairs – October 29, 2025

{GS1 – A&C} Discovery of Dilmun Temple *

• Context (TOI): An archaeological team has unearthed a 4,000-year-old temple of the Bronze Age Dilmun Civilisation on Failaka Island, Kuwait.

• This marks the second Dilmun temple discovered at the same site, indicating two temples built successively between 1900-1800 BCE, a rare architectural phenomenon.
• The excavation revealed the complete temple layout, stone foundations, multi-room structures, and a central chamber resembling ritual sites in Bahrain and Eastern Arabia.
• Artefacts Recovered: Pottery sherds, seals and seal impressions, beads, and carved fragments.

Dilmun Civilisation

• Timeline: Flourished between 3000-1600 BCE.
• Region: Covered modern-day Kuwait, Bahrain, and parts of Eastern Saudi Arabia.
• Cultural Significance: Mentioned in Mesopotamian texts as a “land of purity, water, and prosperity.”
  • Served as a trading intermediary between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley.
• People: Settled communities of traders, sailors, and craftsmen who developed advanced administrative systems and spiritual practices.

{GS1 – Geo} Movement of the Cyclones **

• Context (TH): Cyclone Montha is moving north-northwest across the west-central Bay of Bengal toward making landfall along the Kakinada coast in Andhra Pradesh.

Factors Influencing the Movement of Cyclones

Atmospheric Circulation Influences

• Steering Effect: Cyclones move along the prevailing path of mid and upper troposphere winds (5-10 km), where large-scale horizontal atmospheric flow influences their speed and direction.
• Trade Winds: Easterly (east-to-west) trade winds in tropical regions steer cyclones westward, pushing them toward the eastern coasts of continents.
  • Example: Bay of Bengal cyclones commonly make landfall along India’s eastern coast.
• Westerlies Influence: Mid-latitude (30°-60°) westerly winds (west-to-east) steer poleward-moving mature cyclones toward the northeast.
  • Example: Atlantic hurricanes initially drift north from the tropics, then turn northeast toward Europe.
• Coriolis Effect: Earth’s rotation deflects moving air in cyclones counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, causing a slight poleward-westward beta drift.

Monsoon Wind Systems

• Southwest Monsoon: Southwest monsoon winds during June-September direct Arabian Sea cyclones north-eastward toward India’s western coast, especially Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Northeast Monsoon: Northeast monsoon winds from October to December drive Arabian Sea cyclones westward toward the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern African coast.

Pressure Systems and Interactions

• Subtropical Ridge: Strong high-pressure ridges act as atmospheric barriers, forcing cyclones to deflect around or move along their boundaries.
  • Example: The Bermuda-Azores High steers Atlantic cyclones westward toward the Caribbean or the southeastern US.
• Trough Interaction: Westerly troughs in mid-latitudes create low-pressure corridors that attract cyclones poleward and then north-eastward.
  • Example: Arabian Sea cyclones often recurve northward toward India under their influence.
• Fujiwhara Effect: Two nearby cyclones rotate around a shared centre, mutually altering their path and speed through angular momentum exchange.

Read More> Tropical Cyclones | Temperate Cyclones | Comparison of Tropical and Temperate Cyclones

{GS2 – MoE} Kerala to Implement the PM-SHRI Scheme

• Context (IE): Kerala has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme.

About PM-SHRI

• The PM-SHRI scheme, launched in 2022, is a centrally sponsored scheme to develop more than 14,500 existing schools across India.
• Objective: to transform existing government-run schools into model institutions exemplifying the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• Nodal Agency: The Department of School Education and Literacy, under the Ministry of Education.
• Implementation: It is implemented through the existing administrative structure available for Samagra Shiksha, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).

Key Features

• Green Schools: PM-SHRI schools incorporate eco-friendly features like solar panels, LED lights, water conservation, and waste management systems.
• Selection Method: Schools are chosen through a three-stage Challenge Mode, with schools self-applying through an online portal.
• Evaluation Framework: A School Quality Assessment Framework (SAQF) has been developed to monitor learning outcomes.

Read More > PM-SHRI

{GS2 – MeitY} Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme *

• Context (TH): The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) approved seven private investment projects worth ₹5,532 crore under Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS).

About Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme

• The objective is to build a robust component manufacturing ecosystem by attracting global and domestic investments and integrating India’s electronics industry with Global Value Chains (GVCs)
• Offers 1–10% production incentives for six years to boost local manufacturing and cut import dependence on critical materials like polypropylene film, copper laminates, and PCBs.
• The scheme runs for six years with a one-year gestation period, spanning FY2025-26 to FY2031-32.
• It complements PLI for Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing and Semicon India Programme.

{GS2 – Governance} 8^th Central Pay Commission *

• Context (TH | BS): The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 8^th Central Pay Commission (CPC).

Terms of Reference of the 8^th Pay Commission

• Pension Reform: Update pension and retirement benefits for serving and retired employees.
• Fiscal Prudence: Align pay revision with fiscal capacity and macroeconomic stability.
• Development Focus: Protect funds for welfare and infrastructure while revising pay scales.
• Legacy Pensions: Assess the unfunded burden of pre-NPS pension liabilities (new inclusion).
• Parity Across Sectors: Ensure balance with pay structures in states, CPSEs, and the private sector.
• State Impact: Evaluate financial implications on state budgets adopting CPC recommendations.

Significance and Challenges of the 8^th Pay Commission

• Significance of 8^th Pay Commission: Covers 1.2 crore beneficiaries, boosts demand like 7^th CPC’s ₹1 lakh crore payout (~0.4% GDP growth), raises morale in Defence (13.5 lakh) and Railways (12 lakh), ensures pay parity & social equity, and aligns revisions with FRBM targets (<4.5% fiscal deficit by FY26).
• Challenges Before 8^th Pay Commission: Adds ₹1.5–2 lakh crore annual fiscal burden (~0.5% GDP), risks inflationary rise and state fiscal stress (Punjab 3.5%, Rajasthan 3.3%), excludes OPS and welfare demands, and faces a productivity-pay mismatch with widening public–private wage gap.
• Way Forward: Adopt performance-linked pay, enable digital audits via iGOT Karmayogi, enforce a Wage–GDP cap for fiscal discipline, form a Pay Coordination Council, integrate equity audits, and ensure phased implementation to manage fiscal impact.

{GS2 – Governance} NITI Aayog Reports on the Service Sector **

• Context (PIB): NITI Aayog released two inaugural reports under the Services Thematic Series titled “Insights from GVA Trends and State-Level Dynamics” and “Insights from Employment Trends and State-Level Dynamics.”

• These mark India’s first dedicated macro-level assessment of the service sector through output and employment linkages.

Key Findings of the Reports

Growth and Regional Patterns

• Economic Pillar: The services sector contributed 55% to India’s Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2024-25, up from 51% in 2013-14.
• Income Correlation: States with higher service-sector shares in GSVA (i.e., Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Delhi, Chandigarh) show higher per capita incomes.
• Beta Convergence: Broad-based, spatially inclusive service-led growth is enabling lagging states to gradually catch up with advanced ones.
• Digital Expansion: The digital and knowledge-based economy leads the sector, with GVA from Computer and Information Services rising fourfold since 2011-12.
• External Strength: The services sector attracted the highest FDI share (19%) and contributed $387.5 billion to India’s total export earnings in 2024-25.

Employment and Urbanisation

• Workforce Share: The services sector employs around 188 million people, accounting for 29.7% of India’s total workforce. It generated nearly 40 million new jobs in six years.
• Global Lag: India’s service employment share remains below the global average of 50%.
• Labour Elasticity: Job responsiveness improved as employment elasticity rose from 0.35 before COVID to 0.63 after. More jobs are now created per unit of growth.
• Urban Dependence: Around 60% of urban workers are in services, while only 18.9% of rural workers depend on it.

Inequality and Disparities

• Gender Divide: Only 10.5% of rural women work in services, compared to 24% of rural men. Urban participation is roughly equal at 60% for both.
• Wage Gap: Rural women earn about 47-50% of men’s wages, compared to 84% in urban areas.

• Informal Dominance: Most service workers lack formal contracts, social protections, or benefits, especially in traditional sub-sectors like trade, repair, and transport.

Read More> Servicification in Manufacturing | Manufacturing vs Service led Growth

{GS2 – IR} 20^th East Asia Summit **

• Context (NOA): The 20^th East Asia Summit, held in Malaysia, adopted the Kuala Lumpur Declaration reaffirming its commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

About East Asia Summit (EAS)

• The East Asia Summit (EAS) is an ASEAN-led annual forum in the Indo-Pacific that addresses regional political, security, and economic issues.
• Formation: Established in 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, it remains the only leader-led forum in the Indo-Pacific dedicated to strategic dialogue.
• Members: 18 Countries; 10 ASEAN members and 8 dialogue partners (India, China, Japan, US, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea). Chairmanship rotates annually among ASEAN members.
  • Timor-Leste has become the 11^th member of ASEAN, bringing the total membership to 19.
• Objective: To promote regional peace, prosperity, and rule-based cooperation through open dialogue.
• Core Principles: Upholds openness, inclusivity, and respect for international law with ASEAN centrality.
• Six Focus Areas: (a) Environment and energy, (b) Education, (c) Finance, (d) Global health, (e) Natural disaster management, and (f) ASEAN connectivity.

20^th East Asia Summit

• The 20^th East Asia Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025 alongside the 47^th ASEAN Summit under Malaysia’s chairmanship.
• Theme: “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.
• Key Outcome: The summit adopted the ‘Kuala Lumpur Declaration’, reaffirming collective commitment to peace, stability, multilateralism, and ASEAN centrality.

Read More > ASEAN

{GS3 – Infra} SJ-100 Civil Aircraft *

• Context (ET): Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a MoU with Russia’s PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) for the domestic production of the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft.

About SJ-100

• The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body commuter aircraft, already in service with over 16 commercial airlines globally.
• Russia’s SJ-100 aircraft is a new-generation regional jet with a seating capacity of 103 passengers and a flight range of 3,530 km, designed for medium-haul routes.
• Key features are engineered for low operating costs and capable of functioning in extreme temperatures ranging from -55°C to +45°C, enhancing its adaptability for diverse climatic conditions.

Significance of the Collaboration

• HAL will now hold the manufacturing rights for the SJ-100 in India, marking the country’s first full-scale passenger aircraft production since the AVRO HS748 project (1961-1988).
• The aircraft is expected to become a “game changer” for short-haul and regional connectivity under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme, enhancing accessibility to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
• India’s aviation sector is projected to require over 200 aircraft of this category within the next decade, driven by expanding regional air networks.
• An additional 350 aircraft may be needed for the Indian Ocean region, catering to short international routes and tourism hubs.

{GS3 – S&T} United Nations Convention against Cybercrime **

• Context (IE): At least 72 of the 193 UN member states signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi, Vietnam, marking the first global treaty to combat cybercrime.

About the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime

• The UN Convention against Cybercrime is the first international treaty dedicated to preventing, investigating, and prosecuting cybercrimes globally.
• Adoption: Adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024 (Resolution 79/243) and opened for signature in October 2025 in Hanoi, Viet Nam.
  • It will become legally binding 90 days after 40 countries ratify it.
• Scope: Covers both cyber-dependent crimes like hacking and ransomware, and cyber-enabled crimes such as online fraud and trafficking.
• Secretariat: The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Key Provisions

• Privacy Protection: Makes the non-consensual sharing of intimate images a criminal offence under international law for the first time.
• Cross-Border Cooperation: Establishes a 24/7 global network for quick evidence sharing and coordination in cross-border investigations.
• Digital Evidence: Introduces uniform global standards for collecting, using, and sharing electronic evidence in serious cybercrime cases.
• Asset Recovery: Allows freezing, confiscation, and repatriation of cybercrime proceeds to dismantle illicit financial networks.
• Research Freedom: Exempts legitimate cybersecurity research from criminal liability to encourage innovation and capacity building.
• Capacity Building: Provides training and technical support, especially to developing countries, to strengthen national cybercrime response mechanisms.
• Rights Safeguards: Requires that all actions under the treaty comply with international human rights law and judicial oversight.

Implementation Measures

• Domestic Legislation: Countries must mandate national laws to criminalise offences such as hacking, malware, and online exploitation.
• Central Authority: Each member state will appoint a central authority to coordinate legal assistance and evidence-sharing requests.
• Victim Support: Parties must ensure protection, rehabilitation, and compensation mechanisms for victims of cybercrimes.
• Legal Cooperation: Member countries should extend maximum cooperation in investigations, prosecutions, and judicial processes.
  • States may refuse cooperation due to sovereignty, public order, or data protection concerns.

Read More > Cybercrime

{Prelims – Geo} Sunni Dam Hydroelectric Project

• Context (TT): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a complaint alleging illegal dumping into the Sutlej River during the Construction of the Sunni Dam Hydroelectric Project.

About Sunni Dam Hydroelectric Project

• The Sunni Dam Hydroelectric Project is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project under construction on the Sutlej River in the Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh.
• The project is being implemented by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), a joint venture between the Government of India and the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
• It forms a component of the broader Luhri Hydroelectric Project, which is being executed in three separate phases along the Sutlej River in Himachal Pradesh.

{Prelims – IR} South Korea, US, Japan to Hold Trilateral Diplomatic Talks at APEC

• Context (LT |NOA): South Korea, the US, and Japan will hold trilateral talks during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2025 in South Korea.

About Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

• APEC is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage and support the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies.​
• The headquarters of APEC is in Singapore.​
• It comprises 21 member economies from the Pacific Rim, including the US, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea, and others. However, India is not a member.​
• All decisions require consensus and are non-binding, and commitments are voluntary.
• APEC is home to over 2.9 billion people and accounts for over 60% of global GDP.

{Prelims – Sports} 69^th National School Games 2025

• Context (NOA): The 69^th National School Games 2025 (Under-17 Boys and Girls – Boxing) was inaugurated in Itanagar, marking Arunachal Pradesh’s first-ever hosting of the event.

• The 69^th National School Games (NSG) are being held across multiple cities in India, organised by the School Games Federation of India (SGFI).
• Objective: Promote sports and physical fitness among students, identify young talent, and foster national unity and harmony through sport.
• Significance: The NSG aligns with the Khelo India initiative and the Khelo Bharat Niti-2025 to revive India’s sports culture at the grassroots level.

{Prelims} One Liners

• Defence – President on Rafale (IE): Droupadi Murmu became the first President of India to take a sortie (flight) in a Rafale fighter jet from Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana. As the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, she reviewed the operational preparedness of the Rafale fleet.
• Sports Events – Asian Youth Games 2025 (NOA): The 3^rd Asian Youth Games 2025 was held in Manama, Bahrain, with 45 countries competing in 26 sports. Veer Bhadu made history by winning India’s first-ever medal (Bronze) in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) at the Asian Youth Games.