• The Oilfield (Regulatory and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024 was passed by Lok Sabha after Rajya Sabha’s approval on December 3, 2024.
• Objective: Aims to reform the legal framework, enhance investor confidence, boost oil and gas exploration, and support India’s energy security.
• Key Reforms:

1. 1. Shift from multiple licenses to a single petroleum lease permit.
   2. Supports Ease of Doing Business and resource-sharing for small operators.
   3. Strengthens dispute resolution and stabilizes investor operations.
   4. Enables adoption of new technologies like Carbon Capture, Green Hydrogen.

• Enforcement & Penalties:
• Increased penalties: ₹25 lakh + ₹10 lakh per day for continued violations.
• Establishes an adjudication and appellate authority for penalty enforcement.
• Federalism & Future Impact: The Bill retains State rights, ensures regulatory efficiency, and strengthens India’s energy sector, contributing to Viksit Bharat 2047.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres introduced the UN80 Initiative to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness within the United Nations amid ongoing financial and operational challenges.

A reform strategy launched on the 80th anniversary of the United Nations

Objectives:

• Financial Sustainability – Address shrinking global contributions.
• Structural Reforms – Improve implementation of UN mandates.
• Strategic Planning – Optimize resources and enhance cost-effectiveness.

Key Targets:

• Operational Efficiencies – Streamline UN activities to reduce redundancy.
• Mandate Review – Align UN programs with global priorities.
• Program Restructuring – Optimize financial and human resources.
• Collaboration – Strengthen coordination between different UN bodies.

Transparency – Improve budget allocation and expenditure oversight.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mauritius (March 11-12, 2025) as the chief guest for its National Day, reaffirming India’s support for Mauritius’ claim over the Chagos Archipelago in line with its decolonization policy.

About Chagos Archipelago

• A group of seven atolls with over 60 islands in the Indian Ocean, located 500 km south of the Maldives.
• Historically part of France’s Indian Ocean territories (1715-1810), ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Paris (1814).
• Mauritius gained independence in 1968, but in 1965, Britain separated Chagos Archipelago to create the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
• Diego Garcia, the largest island, has housed a joint UK-US military base since the 1970s.
• The UK has agreed to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while maintaining the base.

• Observed annually on March 16 to emphasize the significance of immunization, marking the first oral polio vaccine administration in India in 1995.
• India continues its efforts to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases through initiatives like Mission Indradhanush, which aims to achieve full immunization coverage for all children and pregnant women.

• The Ministry of Education launched PM-YUVA 3.0 (Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors) on March 11, 2025, to mentor young authors (below 30 years) and promote reading, writing, and book culture in India.
• Objective: To develop a new generation of writers who can articulate India’s heritage, knowledge systems, and contemporary progress while projecting Indian writings globally.
• Themes: Young writers will focus on:
• Contribution of Indian Diaspora in Nation Building
• Indian Knowledge System
• Makers of Modern India (1950-2025)
• Implementation: National Book Trust, India will execute the scheme, publish selected works, and facilitate mentorship, literary engagements, and cultural exchange.

Significance: The scheme aligns with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aiming to empower youth, build capacity, and promote India’s literary and cultural richness on a global platform.

On March 1, 2025, Prince Frederik of Luxembourg passed away in Paris at the age of 22 after a long battle with POLG (Polymerase Gamma) mitochondrial disease.

About Disease

• Genetic Disorder: Caused by mutations in the POLG (Polymerase Gamma) gene, essential for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication.
• Impact on Cells: Leads to impaired energy production, affecting multiple organ systems.
• Progressive & Fatal: Results in multi-organ dysfunction and failure over time.
• Symptoms & Diagnosis: Symptoms vary but commonly include:

1. Muscle weakness & seizures
2. Visual impairment
3. Neurological decline
4. Liver dysfunction

• Diagnosis is often delayed due to wide-ranging symptoms and complexity in identifying the disease.

Challenges in Treatment

• No Cure Available: POLG disease has no definitive cure or reversal therapy.
• Symptom Management: Treatment focuses on alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life.
• Multi-Systemic Complexity: Each patient experiences different effects based on specific gene mutations.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 57th National Day celebrations of Mauritius as the Chief Guest.
• Mauritius President H.E. Dharambeer Gokhool conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (G.C.S.K), the highest civilian honor of Mauritius, on PM Narender Modi.
• This is the first time an Indian leader has received this prestigious award.

1.

Jayshree Vencatesan, co-founder of Care Earth Trust, recently became the first Indian to receive the Ramsar Award for ‘Wetland Wise Use’ for her outstanding contributions to sustainable wetland management.

Award Significance:

• Recognizes contributions to sustainable wetland management.
• Established under the Convention on Wetlands.
• Categories: Wise Use of Wetlands, Innovation, and Influencing Policy.

Key Contributions of Jayshree Vencatesan:

• Led conservation of Pallikaranai Marsh, Chennai.
• Documented 337+ species of flora and fauna.
• Transformed wetlands from wastelands to ecological assets.

Recognition & Impact:

• Awarded on International Women’s Day, highlighting women’s role in environmental conservation.
• Strengthens global efforts in wetland protection and sustainability.

India is the world’s second-largest arms importer (2020-24), after Ukraine, as per Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report..

Key Findings:

• Ukraine: Largest importer due to war (100-fold rise in imports).
• India: 2nd largest importer, despite a 9.3% decline (vs. 2015-19).
• China: Dropped out of the top 10 importers for the first time since 1990-94.
• Pakistan: Imports up 61%, with 81% from China.

Europe: Imports surged 155% due to geopolitical tensions.

India’s Defense Imports:

• Russia: Still top supplier, but share fell to 36% (from 55% in 2015-19).
• France: Major supplier, with 28% of its exports to India.

Key deals:

• 36 Rafale jets, 6 Scorpene submarines
• Upcoming: 26 Rafale-M jets, 3 more submarines

Global Arms Export Trends:

• USA: Dominates with 43% global share.
• Russia: Exports down 64%, now at 7.8% (behind France’s 9.6%).
• Italy: 6th largest exporter (4.8% share).
• 35 nations supplied arms to Ukraine since 2022.

About SIPRI:

• Established: 1966, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Focus: Research on arms trade, conflict, security.
• Significance: Analyzes military trends & global defense policies.

The 6th edition of Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) and the 4th edition of Exercise BONGOSAGAR between the Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy commenced on March 10, 2025, in the Bay of Bengal and will continue until March 12, 2025.

Background

• India and Bangladesh have conducted joint naval exercises since 2018, strengthening regional maritime security.
• Previous BONGOSAGAR-23 & CORPAT-23 were held in November 2023, featuring patrolling, tactical drills, and humanitarian assistance exercises.

Participating Naval Forces

• Bangladesh Navy: BNS ABU UBAIDAH (warship) & maritime patrol aircraft
• Indian Navy: INS RANVIR (warship) & helicopter

Objectives

• The exercises aim to enhance maritime security, combat illegal activities, and strengthen operational coordination between the Indian and Bangladesh navies.
• They also focus on intelligence sharing, tactical drills, and humanitarian assistance (HADR) operations to ensure regional stability..