India's Participation in the 51st G7 Summit

India participated as an Outreach Country in the 51st G7 Summit held in Kananaskis, Canada in 2025. Key Outcomes of the 51st G7 Summit (2025): Kananaskis Wildfire Charter: A "whole of society" approach was adopted to tackle wildfires, incorporating Indigenous knowledge, sustainable forest management, and awareness campaigns. India endorsed this approach, refl

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

India's refusal to sign the joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China has been a significant diplomatic development. Why Did India Refuse to Sign the Joint Declaration? Double Standard on Terrorism: The joint declaration did not include a mention of the Pahalgam attack that occurred in India, y

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty

Recently, Russia officially declared that it no longer considers itself bound by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. About the INF Treaty The INF Treaty was a pivotal arms control agreement signed between the United States and the Soviet Union (now Russia) in 1987. The agreement aimed to address the growing concerns of nuclear proliferation in Europe and the escalating a

BIMSTEC First-Ever Traditional Music Festival

Recently, the first-ever BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the BIMSTEC member countries. About BIMSTEC Formation and Purpose: Full Name: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Inception: BIMSTEC came into existence on June 6, 1997, follow

India Hosts 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave

India recently hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave in Visakhapatnam, focusing on enhancing maritime connectivity and sustainable development across the Bay of Bengal region. This event underscores India's growing leadership in the maritime sector, aligns with the Sagarmala initiative aimed at port-led growth, and strengthens its position in the Indo-Pacific. Theme of the 2025 BIMSTEC

WHO Launches 'Global Specs 2030' Initiative

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a global initiative called 'Global Specs 2030' with the ambitious goal of ensuring that everyone has access to affordable eyecare services by 2030. Key Features of the Global Specs 2030 Initiative The Global Specs 2030 initiative seeks to address the growing need for eye care across the world by focusing on five critical areas:

Codex Alimentarius Commission

India’s role in global food standard development has recently been recognized at the 88th session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC 88), which took place at the FAO Headquarters in Rome. About the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC): Overview: The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is an international body responsible for se

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an important player in global trade, especially with respect to Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and economic cooperation. What is the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)? Established: 1960, under the Stockholm Convention. Objective: EFTA aims to promote free trade and economic integration between its member countries and global

Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025

Talisman Sabre is a large-scale bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States. It is conducted biennially, with the 2025 iteration being the largest and most sophisticated of all previous exercises. Key Details about Talisman Sabre 2025: Origin and Frequency: The exercise started in 2005 and has been held biennially since then. It is pri

BRICS Grouping

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 10% tariffs on members of the BRICS grouping, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.. Implications of U.S. Tariff Threats: Economic Impact: A 10% tariff could have serious economic implications, especially for countries like China and India, which are significant trading partners with the United States. I

Quad Critical Minerals Initiative

The Quad Critical Minerals Initiative launched by the United States, India, Australia, and Japan marks a significant shift in global geopolitics and economic strategy, especially with regard to critical mineral supply chains. The backdrop of this initiative stems from the growing concern over China's dominant position in the production and processing of rare earth elements (REEs) and other

Erasmus+ Programme

The Erasmus+ programme is a major initiative by the European Union aimed at fostering international academic mobility. Recently, 101 Indian students (including 50 women) were awarded the Erasmus+ scholarship for pursuing master's programs in Europe, marking a significant milestone for academic exchange and global cooperation. About Erasmus+ Programme Launched in 1987, the Erasmus+ p

QUAD ‘At Sea Observer Mission’

QUAD ‘At Sea Observer Mission’ A first-ever maritime cross-embarkation initiative involving Coast Guards of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia. It is a Part of broader QUAD efforts to ensure a Free, Open, Inclusive, and Rules-Based Indo-Pacific.Two officers, including women officers from each country have embarked on board US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Stratton, whi

Global Wage Report 2024-25: ILO

Global Wage Report 2024-25: ILO The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released its Global Wage Report 2024-25, offering an in-depth analysis of global wage trends, wage inequality, and real wage growth across different regions and countries. Key Highlights of the Global Wage Report 2024-25: Decrease in Wage Inequality: Wage inequality has decreased globally at

Warm vaccine for COVID-19

Context: A team of scientists from IISc has completed pre-clinical trials and is now gearing up for human testing of the heat-tolerant Covid-19 vaccine About: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed a heat-tolerant vaccine called RS2 against COVID-19, which can be stored at high temperatures for extended periods of time, making it easier to transport and distribute to re

World Employment and Social Outlook

Context: Recently ILO has released its ‘World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024’ report. Key findings: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) released the 'World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024' report, indicating a projected increase in the global unemployment rate in 2024. Both joblessness and the jobs gap have fallen below pre-pandemic lev

Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit- Kampala

The Non-Aligned Movement was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral. The basic concept for the group originated in 1955 during discussions that took place at the Asia-Africa Bandung Conference held in Indonesia. The fi

New Members of BRICS

Context: The five new candidates of BRICS formally became members on January 1, 2024. Introduction of New Members to BRICS: Expansion of BRICS: The inclusion of five new members, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, marks a significant enlargement of the BRICS alliance. Argentina's Withdrawal: Argentina has opted to retract its initia

Argentina Withdraws From BRICS

Context: The newly elected far-right President of Argentina, Javier Milei, pulled out of plans to join the BRICS bloc. Argentina was set to join on January 1, 2024. Reasons for withdrawal: The decision to join BRICS had been taken by the previous administration, and the new dispensation was reviewing such policies. Milei cited China's communist ideology as a p

Sweden moves a step closer to NATO membership after Turkey's parliamentary committee gives approval

Context: Sweden’s NATO bid had been stalled amid opposition from Turkiye and Hungary A crucial committee in the Turkish Parliament, on December 26, granted approval for Sweden's NATO membership bid after facing delays. The approval comes amid obstacles posed by Turkey and Hungary against Sweden's NATO accession. The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee gav

Growth charts — WHO standards versus India crafted

Background: Child undernutrition has been a persistent issue in India, and its determinants are diverse, encompassing factors such as food intake, dietary diversity, health, sanitation, women's status, and the overarching context of poverty. The primary measures for childhood undernutrition, including stunting (chronic undernutrition) and wasting (acute undernutrition), rely on anthropometric

Project PRAYAS to help Indian youth migrate abroad

Context: Recently, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) launched Project PRAYAS to help Indian workers and students migrate in a secure, orderly, and regular manner. PRAYAS Project PRAYAS, which stands for Promoting Regular Assisted Migration for Youth and Skilled Professionals, was initiated in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). It represents one

THE INDIAN OCEAN RIM ASSOCIATION

THE INDIAN OCEAN RIM ASSOCIATION     Why in the News? Recently, the Indian Ocean Rim Association’s (IORA) Council of Ministers (COM) was held in Colombo under the banner theme of ‘Reinforcing Indian Ocean Identity’. What is the IORA and how was it formed? IORA was formed in 1997 as Indian Ocean Region-Association for Regional Cooperatio

India’s statistical performance on the global stage                     

India’s statistical performance on the global stage                        Why in the News? India has been recently elected to the United Nations Statistical Commission which has raised the need to focus on India’s own official statistical system. India&rsq

At Delhi summit, demonstrate climate leadership

At Delhi summit, demonstrate climate leadership     Why in the News? The G-20 summit to be held in New Delhi is a crucial moment to show leadership ahead of the UN Secretary General’s Climate Ambition Summit and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP28, on cutting back of emissions and fossil fuel use. G20 countries and the world’

B20 Summit

B20 Summit     The Business 20 (B20) is an event which is part of the G20 Summit which is meant to express common views from the international business community. The main purpose is to develop recommendations and issue relevant commitments from the business leaders and business organizations to deal with present issues. B20 are gathered in 12 working groups which

BRICS Expansion

BRICS Expansion   Why in the News? Recently at the 15th BRICS summit, the five-member grouping of BRICS decided to expand by the inclusion of 6 more countries in a move to strengthen its claim of being a ‘voice of the Global South’. BRICS: BRICS consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In the Johannesburg Summit, BRICS has agreed to

At G20, agreeing to agree

At G20, agreeing to agree     Why in the news? With the leaders’ meeting approaching at the G20, India has its proposal for arriving at a convergence to address the most-pressing global problems. Probable areas of convergence: India’s proposal on LiFE, adopting a lifestyle that protects the environment Sharing of digital public infrastructure

India’s G-20 opportunity for an African Renaissance

India’s G-20 opportunity for an African Renaissance      Why in the News? South Africa is raising its demands on multilateral fora such as BRICS, G-20 and the UNGA in recent times, acting as an atypical representative of the Black continent with 54 countries- over a quarter of population of the “Global South”. Challenges and disruptors of the

G20 Finance Track

Why in the News? The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asked the global community to coordinate on restructuring the debt of Vulnerable low-and middle-income countries in the G20 Finance Track Seminar. G20 Finance Track: One of the two tracks of the G20 Summit (the other being Sherpa Track) focuses on global macroeconomic issues such as, Monitoring of global economic ri

Cluster Bomb use

Cluster Bomb use Why in the News? The US has decided to send cluster munitions or cluster bombs as a part of the new military aid package to Ukraine for its war efforts against Russia. Cluster bombs: Cluster munitions or cluster bombs are weapons that Releases multiple explosive submunitions/ bomblets into the air. Explodes as soon as they hit the ground and kills and inj

G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group

G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group   The Action Plan is guided by the political declaration of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) against corruption. The ACWG focuses on promotion of international cooperation in the areas of Asset recovery Law enforcement cooperation Information-sharing Technology Denial of safe haven/entry The ACWG also seeks to