Current Affairs – September 18, 2025

{GS2 – Governance – Issues} Narcotics Control Bureau Annual Report **

Context (TH): The Ministry of Home Affairs published the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Annual Report 2024, highlighting unprecedented seizures and evolving trafficking trends.

Recently, US President Donald Trump designated 23 countries, including India, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, as major drug transit or illicit drug-producing nations.

Current Illicit Drug Landscape in India

Record Volume: The 13,306 quintals seized in 2024 mainly consisted of cannabis (41%) and opiates (39%), together making up almost four-fifths of the seizures.
Drone Proliferation: The number of drone-borne smuggling cases increased from 3 in 2021 to 179 in 2024, with Punjab being the primary aerial trafficking gateway.
Coastal Vulnerability: Maritime narcotics seizures have increased by 500 times since 2019, reaching 10,564 kg in 2024, highlighting traffickers’ dependence on poorly monitored western harbours.
Synthetic Shift: A six-fold rise in synthetic drug seizures to 11,994 kg in 2024 was fuelled by clandestine labs, emphasizing India’s shift to domestic lab production.
Enforcement Efficacy: Operations resulted in 1.22 lakh arrests with a low conviction rate, indicating strong enforcement but also a heavy judicial backlog.

Factors Behind Rising Narcotics Growth

Geographic Exposure: India’s position between the ‘Golden Crescent’ and ‘Death Triangle’ facilitates the inflow of heroin and methamphetamine, exploiting its porous land and maritime borders.
Technology Abuse: Traffickers use drones, encrypted apps, and cryptocurrencies, surpassing traditional enforcement and complicating financial investigations.
Clandestine Labs: Concealed laboratories in states like Maharashtra & Punjab are increasingly producing synthetic drugs, reducing reliance on plant-based drugs & boosting local drug supplies.
Pharmaceutical Diversion: The confiscation of 2,43,000 kg of pharmaceuticals in 2024 indicates a rising trend of diverting controlled medications into illegal drug markets.
Narco-Terror Nexus: Profits from drugs often finance terrorism, left-wing extremism, and hawala money laundering, thereby linking the narcotics trade with internal security concerns.

Golden Crescent: Including Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, it is a major global zone for opium production, supplying heroin throughout South Asia and to international markets.
Death Triangle: Including Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, it is Southeast Asia’s narcotics hub, producing methamphetamine and synthetic drugs trafficked into India through the Northeast borders.

Way Forward

Tiered Targeting: Develop a multi-layered strategy that includes NCB, CBI, and law enforcement agencies to dismantle cartels at entry points, distribution channels, and local retail sectors.
Demand Reduction: Expand the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’s rehabilitation and community outreach to lower addiction-driven demand.
Financial Intelligence Units: Establish state-level squads to investigate hawala and cryptocurrency trails under PMLA, disrupting narcotics financing networks.
Integrated Surveillance: Deploy AI surveillance, drone jammers, and blockchain tracking to safeguard vulnerable border and maritime routes exploited for trafficking.
International Frameworks: Leverage INTERPOL and BIMSTEC treaties for extradition and joint maritime patrols to curb drug flow from the ‘Golden Crescent’ and ‘Death Triangle’.

Read More > Drugs and Alcohol Abuse

{GS2 – Governance – Laws} Centre Unveils Draft Civil Drones Bill 2025

Context (NIE): The Draft Civil Drone Bill, 2025, aims to supersede the Drone Rules, 2021, and create a stringent legal framework to regulate India’s civil drone ecosystem.

Key Features of the Bill

Scope and Governance

Broad Applicability: Applies to citizens, foreigners, and all persons designing, manufacturing, importing, operating, selling, or maintaining drones within Indian jurisdiction.
Security Exclusion: Military, paramilitary, and notified security drones are exempt; drones over 500 kg are regulated by Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam (BVA) 2024.
DGCA Oversight: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the primary authority for certification, safety oversight, compliance monitoring, and enforcement actions.

Compliance Requirements

UIN Mandate: Every unmanned aircraft must obtain a DGCA-issued Unique Identification Number (UIN) before ownership, operation, sale, purchase, transfer, or deregistration.
Anti-Tampering Clause: Drones must include government-notified safety (airworthiness) and security (traceability) features; tampering or disabling such safeguards constitutes a punishable offence.
Third-Party Cover: Operating a drone requires a mandatory third-party insurance policy to cover potential damages, unless specifically exempted by the Central Government.
Pilot Certification: No individual can operate a drone without a valid remote pilot certificate issued by the DGCA, and training can only be imparted by DGCA-authorised organisations.
Zonal Classification: Digital Sky map categorises airspace into Green (permitted), Yellow (ATC clearance), and Red (government permission) to ensure operational discipline.

Liability and Enforcement

Fixed Liability: The Bill mandates a no-fault liability compensation of ₹2.5 lakh for death and ₹1 lakh for grievous hurt resulting from a drone-related accident, irrespective of negligence proof.
Tribunal Jurisdiction: Motor Accident Claims Tribunals claims under BNSS 2023 adjudicate drone accident claims; appeals can be made to the High Courts within ninety days.
Legal Sanctions: Violations invite imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to ₹1 lakh, with possible device confiscation by authorities.

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act)

Context (DH): The Supreme Court has ruled that political parties cannot be treated as “workplaces”, excluding them from the POSH Act.

Workplace (as per the Act)

Includes government & private organisations, NGOs, educational institutions, hospitals, households with domestic workers, and places visited during employment (including transport).
Extends to virtual/remote work setups, ensuring protection across both formal & informal sectors.

About the POSH Act

The POSH Act was enacted in 2013 to give statutory backing to the Vishakha guidelines (1997) laid down by the Supreme Court.
Aim: To ensure a safe & secure working environment for women across both public & private sectors.
Mandates Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in establishments with more than 10 employees.
It allows complaints to be filed within 3 months of the incident (extendable by the ICC).

Read More in Details > POSH Act

Context (TH): WHO added GLP-1 class of drugs to its Essential Medicines List, recognising their role in treating type-2 diabetes and related conditions.

Diabetes and obesity affect over 800 million people, while high prices restrict accessibility of these medicines in low- and middle-income countries.

Essential medicines address priority healthcare needs, chosen for safety, effectiveness, and affordability.

About GLP-1 Drugs

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are medications that lower blood sugar and support weight loss.
- These drugs imitate the natural GLP-1 hormone, stimulating insulin release, slowing stomach emptying, reducing appetite, and decreasing glucagon.
Beneficiaries: Adults with diabetes, especially those with obesity, heart problems, or kidney disease.

About the WHO Essential Medicines List

The WHO Essential Medicines List identifies priority medicines, guides national policies, and is updated every two years by the WHO Expert Committee.
Key Feature: Follows evidence-based selection, including only medicines proven to be effective, safe, and cost-efficient.

Essential Medicines in India

In India, medicines listed in Schedule I of the Drugs Prices Control Order (DPCO) 2013 are considered essential and are regulated for price control by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority.
India has its own National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, updated periodically (last in 2022) to reflect evolving health priorities.
Accessibility: Essential medicines are distributed through Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.

{GS3 – IE – Exports} Smartphone Export Crossed ₹1 trillion

Context (BS): India’s smartphone exports crossed ₹1 trillion in Apr–Aug FY26, a 55% YoY growth, demonstrating Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme-led manufacturing competitiveness.

Smartphone Manufacturing Landscape in India

Global Rank: By FY25, India became the world’s second-largest mobile producer, with 300+ manufacturing plants compared to only two in 2014.
Domestic Self-Sufficiency: Local production supplied 99.2% of India’s mobile demand in FY24, up from 26% in 2014-15, thereby releasing capacity for exports.
Production Value: Output expanded from ₹18,900 crore in FY14 to ₹4.22 lakh crore in FY24, sustaining 24% CAGR and generating nearly 12 lakh jobs.
Export Growth: Smartphone exports rose from almost non-existent levels in 2014 to ₹1.29 lakh crore in FY24, with FY26’s first five months alone exceeding ₹1 trillion.
Value Addition: Domestic value addition improved from 5–6% in 2021 to 19% in FY25, supported by growth in component and sub-assembly manufacturing.

Export Growth Drivers

PLI Scheme: The Production-Linked Incentive disbursed ₹11,600 crore by FY25, offsetting cost disadvantages and supporting mass production for global exports.
China+1 Strategy: Apple’s diversification moved major assembly lines to India, increasing shipments by 240% and making India the leading smartphone supplier to the US in 2025.
Supportive Policies: 100% FDI under the automatic route, tariff calibrations, and duty exemptions fostered a stable policy environment, attracting sustained investment in electronics manufacturing.
Domestic Saturation: By FY24, nearly all of India’s demand was fulfilled domestically, redirecting excess capacity to exports and reinforcing India’s position in global smartphone supply chains.

{GS3 – IE – Taxes} Pink Tax

Context (TH): India’s National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) recently ruled that firms must ensure fair pricing and avoid gender-based price discrimination.

The NCDRC is a quasi-judicial commission in India, set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. It functions as the apex consumer dispute redressal forum in India.

About Pink Tax

Pink Tax is not an official tax or government-imposed levy, but a pricing phenomenon where women pay more for similar goods or services compared to men.
Firms often exploit gender-based product differentiation (like packaging, design, or “women-specific” branding) to charge higher prices without legal prohibition.

Pink Tax in India: No specific legal prohibition exists, allowing market-driven pricing practices that result in women paying disproportionately higher costs for equivalent products and services.

Lifetime Burden: Women pay thousands more over their lifetime for equivalent products, despite often earning less than men.
Economic Divide: This widens the gendered economic gap, especially in households where women do not participate in the workforce.
Market Fairness: Beyond cost, it undermines principles of equality & fairness in marketplaces.

{GS3 – Envi – RE} India’s Renewable Energy Capacity *

Context (IE | BS): India added 23 GW of renewable capacity in the first five months of the current fiscal year and aims to double that in the remaining months, making it the fastest scale-up globally.

Other Key Achievements

NDC Achievement: India reached 50% non-fossil capacity five years early, becoming the only G20 nation to meet its 2030 Paris Agreement target by 2021.
Halfway Milestone: India has achieved about 252 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, surpassing the halfway point toward the 500 GW goal set for 2030.
Manufacturing Capacity: Solar module production increased significantly to 100 GW by March 2025.
PV Cell Expansion: India’s photovoltaic cell output rose from 9 GW in 2024 to 27 GW in 2025, tripling within a single year.
Rooftop Solarisation: 2 million homes solarised under PM Surya Ghar, nearing the 10 million goal; beneficiaries outnumber populations of nations like Austria or Israel.

Read More About > Clean Energy Transition in India

{GS3 – Envi – Water Conservation} Wastewater Management for Sustainable Water Crisis **

Context (IE): India, a water-stressed nation with per capita freshwater availability below the international threshold, requires a paradigm shift with wastewater reuse to bridge the demand–supply gaps.

National Water Scarcity Landscape

Demand–Supply Gap: India sustains 18% of the global population with only 4% freshwater resources,
Intensifying Scarcity: Per capita availability has decreased by approximately 73% since 1951.
Vulnerability: Nearly 600 million Indians experience high to extreme water stress nationwide. (NITI)
Aquifer Depletion: 21 major cities, including Delhi and Chennai, may exhaust groundwater by 2030.
Seasonal Fragility: Reservoir storage fell to 40% in March 2024, the lowest in five years.

Read More > Water Crisis in India

About Wastewater

Wastewater is the used water from domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources that contains physical, chemical, and biological pollutants.

Sources and Impacts of Wastewater

Industrial Effluents: Around 3,519 industries discharge toxic waste, polluting the Ganga basin (CPCB).
Urban Discharge: Indian cities generate over 72,000 MLD of wastewater daily, polluting nearly 70% of water sources (NITI Aayog CWMI).
Agricultural Runoff: Nutrient pollution causes eutrophication, seen in declining fish at Vembanad Lake.
Public Health: Only 28% of wastewater in India is treated, impacting 37.7 million people annually through waterborne diseases.
Ecological Impact: Yamuna receives 641 MLD of wastewater, harming aquatic life ecosystems. (CPCB)

Role of Wastewater Treatment in Water Security

NITI Aayog’s CWMI (2019) noted that India has the potential to treat and reuse nearly 80% of wastewater.
Augmenting Supply: Reuse in irrigation (the largest water consumer) and industry substitutes freshwater, preserving it for drinking and other critical needs.
Pollution Abatement: Treatment prevents toxic sewage and industrial effluents from entering and destroying rivers and aquifers, improving overall water quality.
Resource Recovery: Modern plants can extract nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) for fertiliser and generate biogas, transforming a waste problem into an energy and agricultural opportunity.
Groundwater Recharge: Proven models, such as Kolar, Karnataka, demonstrate that treated wastewater can effectively recharge depleted aquifers, restoring water security.

Challenges in Wastewater Treatment

Policy Vacuum: India lacks a national mandate for wastewater reuse, as the Draft 2024 Rules await formalisation and enforcement.
Capacity Deficit: India produces 72,368 MLD of wastewater but has only 32,000 MLD (44%) treatment capacity, with just 36% operational, leaving most sewage untreated.
Infrastructure Deficit: The lack of sewage networks, with 55% of households unconnected, means wastewater cannot even be collected for treatment.
Financial Hurdles: Increasing costs of cutting-edge technologies, land scarcity, and outdated infrastructure limit scalability.
Social Hurdles: Farmers’ reluctance to use treated water for crops remains a significant barrier.

Key Government Initiatives

Water Act 1974: Established central and state pollution boards to regulate wastewater.
Policy Frameworks: National Water Policy 2012 and Reuse Framework emphasise recycling and reuse.
Flagship Missions: Programs like Namami Gange, AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, and Smart Cities aim to expand sewage treatment, wastewater reuse, and rejuvenate polluted urban water bodies.
Draft Rules 2024: Mandate bulk users to reuse 50% of wastewater by 2031.
Housing Mandate: Requires housing societies to reuse 20% wastewater by 2027–28.

Way Forward

National Standards: Enforce the Draft Liquid Waste Management Rules 2024 with penalties and create a market for treated wastewater through mandatory measures.
DEWATS: Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems provide localised treatment plants that handle wastewater at the community level, avoiding expensive sewer networks.
PPP Models: Public–Private Partnerships, like Nagpur’s ₹680 crore facility, can attract private investment and improve efficiency.
Technology Mix: Use technologies suited to the local needs, UASB for affordable treatment, and nano-filters or Reverse Osmosis (RO) for potable reuse.
Renewable Integration: Implement UP’s model of integrating solar energy into water purification.

Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB): An anaerobic treatment process where wastewater flows upward through a sludge blanket, effective where land is available.

Read More > Water Pollution Control Measures

{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Indian Army to Establish Drone Training Centres *

Context (IE): The Indian Army will set up drone training centres at 19 establishments after Operation Sindoor highlighted drones as key to future warfare.

Indian Army’s Drone Training Roadmap

Drone hubs will be integrated into Category A institutions across the country, making drone training a standard part of the Army’s curriculum for all ranks.
Nearly 1,000 drones (nano, micro, small, medium, FPVs) to be procured along with state-of-the-art simulators, 24×7 outdoor ranges, and indoor training facilities.
Training hubs to be operational by January 2026 across major academies.
Vendors to train 25 personnel each at four centres: Deolali, Mhow, Dehradun, and Bengaluru.
Army Training Command (ARTRAC) has set a target to ensure that all Indian Army soldiers are trained in drone operations by 2027.

Strategic Significance

Operational Preparedness: Drones will enhance real-time surveillance, intelligence gathering, and tactical strike capabilities.
Modernisation Drive: Aligns with the Army’s broader overhaul to integrate UAVs and counter-UAV systems at the battalion level.
Skill Development: Establishing a structured curriculum ensures every soldier is drone-proficient, reducing dependency on specialists.

{Prelims – In News} Global Innovation Index 2025 *

Context (IE): The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, ranking 139 economies based on their innovation capabilities and outputs.

Since 2007, the GII has been co-published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Cornell University, and INSEAD.

WIPO: Established in 1967, WIPO is a UN agency headquartered in Geneva with 193 members, guiding global intellectual property policy and cooperation.

Findings from the Global Innovation Index 2025

R&D Growth: Global R&D growth declined to 2.9% in 2024, with a projection of 2.3% in 2025, marking the weakest research expansion since 2010.
European Leadership: Fifteen European economies are in the top 25, with Switzerland ranked first and Sweden second, underscoring regional dominance.
SEAO Hub: Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania hold six countries in the top 25, challenging Western dominance in global innovation.
Other Ranks: The United States ranks third globally, while China is tenth, overtaking Switzerland in knowledge outputs; Bhutan, at 101st, is India’s closest neighbour by rank.

India-Specific Findings

Consistent Climb: India rose to 38^th rank in 2025 from 48^thin 2020, securing the top rank among lower-middle-income economies and in Central and Southern Asia.
Science Clusters: With four science clusters in the top 100; Bengaluru (21^st), Delhi (26^th), Mumbai (46^th), and Chennai (84^th), India has an increasingly decentralised innovation footprint.
Sustained Outperformance: For the 15^th consecutive year, India, along with Vietnam, has surpassed its expected innovation capacity relative to its development level.
Key Strength: India performed best in Knowledge & Technology Outputs (#22), driven by a strong ICT service exports and a vibrant startup ecosystem.
Notable Weakness: Weaker rankings in Business Sophistication (#64) and Infrastructure (#61) reveal gaps in research-driven enterprises and logistical support.

India’s Science & Innovation Landscape

Scientific Output: India ranks as the third-highest producer of research papers globally, but its H-index (publication impact) is relatively low at 925.
Intellectual Property: In 2023, India ranked sixth with 64,480 patent applications, maintaining a five-year streak of double-digit growth.
Digital Readiness: India rose to the 49^th rank in the 2024 Network Readiness Index, while leading globally in AI research papers and ICT exports.
R&D Investment: Gross expenditure on R&D increased to ₹1.27 lakh crore by 2021 but stayed at 0.64% of GDP, constraining innovation potential.
Startup Ecosystem: India is the world’s third-largest startup hub, with 1.59 lakh DPIIT-recognised firms and a rapidly rising focus on deep technology.

Government Initiatives to Foster Innovation

Anusandhan National Research Foundation: Expands research capacity by funding basic and applied projects in universities, national laboratories, and R&D institutions.
VigyanDhara Scheme: Upgrades academic research infrastructure and builds thematic clusters to develop science-based solutions for societal challenges.
National Deep-Tech Startup Policy: Supports deep-tech ventures by improving early-stage funding, strengthening IP protection, and promoting academia–industry linkages.
Research, Development & Innovation Scheme: Incentivises private R&D with public funding and concessional finance in AI, quantum, biotechnology, energy, and other strategic fields.
Atal Innovation Mission: Nurtures an innovation culture through tinkering labs in schools, incubation centres in universities, and national mentoring networks.

{Prelims – Vulnerable Sections – STs} Manki-Munda System *

Context (IE): Adivasis of the Ho tribe in Jharkhand’s Kolhan protested against administrative interference in the hereditary Manki-Munda system.

About the Manki-Munda System

The Manki-Munda system is an ancient self-governance structure of the Ho tribe.
Structure: A Munda heads one village, while a Manki supervises a “pidh,” a cluster of 8–15 villages.
Scope: The system addresses customary disputes but does not manage revenue, taxation, or land rights.
British Codification: Captain Thomas Wilkinson codified the system between 1833 and 1837 under the “Wilkinson’s Rules”, integrating them into British administration.
Current Status: The Patna High Court (2000) held the system to be customary, not formal law, but allowed its continuation; many Manki and Munda posts currently remain vacant.

About the Ho Tribe

Identity: The Ho are an Adivasi (ST) group belonging to the Austroasiatic Munda language family.
Distribution: Mainly inhabit Jharkhand, also parts of Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
Language: The Ho language is part of the Munda group; it uses Devanagari, Latin, & Warang Citi scripts.
Historical Role: They led the Ho Revolt of 1821–22 and the Kol uprising of 1831–33 against the British.
Culture & Religion: They follow Sarnaism (nature-worship), and celebrate festivals such as Mage Parab (festival of the creator) and Sohrai (harvest), Ba Parab (flowers), and Jomnama Parab (harvest).

{Prelims} One Liners

In News – Vande Bharat Sleeper Express (N18): Indian Railways is set to launch the first sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat Express train between Delhi and Patna, covering the route in 11 hours.
Sci Bio – Protein SPIN90 (NOA): Researchers have found that the protein SPIN90 allows cells to reorganize their internal components, enabling them to relocate, reshape, & efficiently eliminate pathogens.