Current Context: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has retained India on the ‘Priority Watch List’ in its 2024 Special 301 Report, citing ongoing concerns over intellectual property rights protection and enforcement.

About Special 301 Report:

• Purpose: An annual review by the USTR identifying countries that do not provide adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs).
• Categories: Countries are designated as ‘Priority Foreign Country’, ‘Priority Watch List’, or ‘Watch List’ based on the severity of IPR issues.
• Designation as a priority foreign country initiates an investigation and possible application of sanctions on the foreign country, while designation on a Priority Watchlist suggests serious IPR deficiencies that require greater US attention.
• Implications: Designation can lead to investigations and potential trade sanctions.

India’s Status:

• Concerns: Persistent issues with patent protection, high rates of online piracy, trademark counterfeiting, and inadequate trade secret protection.
• Recent Developments: India has finalized the Patents (Amendments) Rules, 2024, aiming to reduce burdens on patent applicants.
• USTR’s Stance: Despite some progress, India remains one of the most challenging major economies regarding IP protection and enforcement.

Current Context: Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have developed a stable BCI that enabled a paralyzed man to control a robotic arm using only his thoughts for seven months without recalibration.

About Brain-Computer Interface (BCI):

• A system enabling direct communication between the brain and external devices, translating neural signals into commands to control machines.
• Functionality: Decodes brain signals to restore functions in individuals with neurological disorders.

How It Works:

• Sensor Implantation: Electrodes are surgically placed on the motor cortex to detect neural signals.
• Signal Interpretation: Machine learning algorithms decode imagined movements, adapting to changes in brain activity over time.
• Virtual Training: Users train with virtual interfaces to refine control before real-world application.
• Real-World Application: Users can perform tasks like grasping objects, indicating precise and consistent control.

Current Context: Mark Carney led Canada’s Liberal Party to victory in the 2025 federal election, marking a significant political shift amid tensions with the United States under President Donald Trump.

• Liberal Party Victory: Secured 169 out of 343 seats in Parliament.

Background:

• Professional Experience:
  • Former Governor of the Bank of Canada.
  • Former Governor of the Bank of England.
  • Experience in managing the 2008 financial crisis and the Brexit referendum.
• Political Milestone: First Canadian Prime Minister without prior Cabinet experience.

India-Canada Relations:

• Past Strains:
  • Trudeau’s comments on India’s farmer protests (2020).
  • Khalistan issue and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (2023).
  • India rejected Trudeau’s claims and accused him of vote bank politics.

Indian Diaspora in Canada:

• Population: Approximately 3 million Indians reside in Canada.
• Students: Around 427,000 Indian students, mainly from Punjab, study in Canada.
• Economic Contribution: Indian students contribute between $8–20 billion annually to the Canadian economy.

India-Canada Trade Relations:

• Free Trade Agreement (CEPA):
  • Talks initiated in 2008.
  • Progress halted after the Nijjar incident in 2023.
  • Carney’s leadership may help restart and complete CEPA talks.
• Trade Figures:
  • Total trade in 2023–24: $8.4 billion (up from $8.3 billion).
  • India’s imports from Canada: $4.6 billion.
  • Exports to Canada: $3.8 billion.

Current Context: The Government of India appointed ex-RAW chief Alok Joshi as Chairman of the revamped National Security Advisory Board following heightened security concerns post the Pahalgam terror attack.

About the Appointment:

• Appointed As: Chairman of revamped NSAB in 2024.
• Previous Role: Chief of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), 2012–2014.
• Reason for Restructure: Rising terror threats (e.g., Pahalgam attack); need for better strategic oversight.
• Role of NSAB: Advises National Security Council on security and strategic matters.
• Key Focus Areas: Counter-terrorism, national defense policy, and intelligence integration.
• Significance: Enhances India’s strategic readiness and security decision-making.

Current Context: Amazon launched the first 27 satellites under its Project Kuiper initiative to establish a global broadband satellite network and compete with Starlink.

About Project Kuiper:

• Launched By:
• Objective: Provide global broadband internet to unserved and underserved regions via satellite.
• Orbit: Operates in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – up to 2,000 km above Earth.
• Key Components: Satellite constellation, ground stations, customer terminals.
• Deadline: 50% satellite deployment by July 2026 as per U.S. FCC rules.
• Named After: Kuiper Belt – a region of the solar system beyond Neptune.
• Competitor: SpaceX’s Starlink.
• India Entry: Amazon applied for GMPCS license to offer services in India.

Observed annually on 03 May.

• Aim : To evaluate press freedom worldwide, defend media independence, and honor journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty
• Theme 2025: Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.
• Established by: United Nations General Assembly in 1993.
• Significance: Highlights the role of journalism in promoting transparency, democracy, and human rights.

Current Context: The Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying awarded the first-ever Aqua Insurance to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY), aiming to provide financial support to aquaculture farmers.

Key Features:

• Objective: To offer financial assistance to small and marginalized aquaculture farmers, ensuring risk mitigation in aquaculture activities.
• Beneficiaries: Registered aquafarmers, firms, companies, societies, cooperatives, and Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs).
• Incentive Details: A one-time incentive is provided at 40% of the insurance premium cost, subject to a ceiling of ₹25,000 per hectare of water spread area, with a maximum of ₹1 lakh per farmer for up to 4 hectares. 
• Inclusivity: An additional 10% incentive is available for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women beneficiaries.
• Coverage: The insurance covers one crop cycle and is applicable to various aquaculture systems, including intensive forms like Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS) and bio-floc.

Current Context: In April 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded Geographical Indication (GI) certificates to 21 traditional products from Uttar Pradesh, including the Banarasi Shehnai and Banarasi Tabla, recognizing their unique cultural heritage.

About Banarasi Shehnai:

• Instrument Details: A traditional Indian wind instrument, the Shehnai is akin to the oboe and is integral to temple music and auspicious ceremonies, especially weddings. 
• Cultural Significance: The instrument gained global recognition through the legendary Ustad Bismillah Khan, who hailed from Varanasi and was instrumental in popularizing the Shehnai worldwide.

About Banarasi Tabla:

• Gharana: The Banaras tabla gharana was established over 200 years ago by Pandit Ram Sahai and is one of the six principal tabla gharanas in Indian classical music.
• Notable Artists: Padma Vibhushan Pandit Kishan Maharaj, a renowned tabla player, belonged to this gharana, contributing significantly to its prominence.

Significance of GI Tag:

• Protection: The GI tag ensures that only authorized users or those residing in the region can use the name, preserving the authenticity and heritage of these instruments.

Current Context: Following the suspension of visa services to Pakistani nationals after the Pahalgam terror attack, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that Long-Term Visas (LTVs) already issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals remain valid.

About LTVs

• LTVs permit foreign nationals to reside in India for more than 180 days, primarily issued on humanitarian grounds.
• Eligibility: Typically granted to minority community members from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, with or without valid travel documents.
• Recent Developments: Despite the blanket suspension of visas for Pakistani nationals, LTVs for Hindu Pakistani nationals are exempted from this decision.
• Community Impact: The clarification provided relief to over 250 Pakistani Sindhi Hindus residing in Pimpri, Maharashtra, who were concerned about their visa status.

Current Context: Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam has made history by becoming the first Urban Local Body (ULB) in India to issue a Certified Green Municipal Bond, raising ₹150 crore for establishing an advanced Tertiary Sewage Treatment Plant (TSTP) under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban.

About the Green Municipal Bond Initiative

• Purpose of the Bond: To fund the development of a state-of-the-art Tertiary Sewage Treatment Plant (TSTP) aimed at promoting sustainable water management in Ghaziabad.
• Tertiary Sewage Treatment Plant (TSTP):
  • Capacity: 40 Million Litres per Day (MLD).
  • Technologies Used: Microfiltration, Ultrafiltration, Nanofiltration, and Reverse Osmosis (RO).

Recognition: Awarded the Best Municipal Treated Water Reuse Award by Water Digest for 2024–25.

About Green Municipal Bonds (GMBs)

• Green Municipal Bonds are non-convertible debt securities issued by municipal bodies to raise funds specifically for projects that have positive environmental and/or climate impacts, such as renewable energy, sustainable water management, and pollution control.