Current Context: Recently, China hosted the first trilateral dialogue with Pakistan and Bangladesh in Kunming, marking its deepening strategic influence in South Asia.

ABOUT THE MEETING:

• Genesis & Purpose: Follow-up to China–Pakistan–Afghanistan dialogue; aimed to build a “working group” for cooperation.
• Strategic Concern: Reflects Beijing’s strategy of cultivating a ring of aligned states around India.
• India’s Key Concerns:
  • Expansion of BRI (e.g., CPEC through PoK, potential new ports in Bangladesh).
  • “String of Pearls” maritime policy potentially encircling India.
  • Parallel regionalism might undercut India-led forums like BIMSTEC.
  • Undermines India’s Neighbourhood First policy—China filling regional leadership gaps.

Current Context: The Ministry of Education has formed a nine-member Vineet Joshi Panel, chaired by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, to examine the reliance on coaching centres and the fairness of entrance exams.

 ABOUT VINEET JOSHI PANEL:

• Composition: Includes CBSE Chair, Joint Secretaries (school & higher ed), reps from IITs (Madras, Kanpur), NIT Trichy, NCERT, principals (KV, NV, private school)
• Mandate:
  • Reduce dependency on coaching, target “dummy schools.”
  • Identify schooling gaps limiting critical thinking and encouraging rote-learning.
  • Assess fairness of JEE/NEET and entrance procedures.
  • Review misleading coaching advertisements and selective success claims.
  • Suggest improved career counselling availability.
• Focus Areas: Aligns with systemic educational reforms targeting holistic development and equitable entrance access.

Current Context: India’s first epigraphical mention of the comet to appear is that found on a copper-plate inscription dated June 28, 1456 CE in the Mallikarjunaswamy temple in Srisailam.

ABOUT MALLIKARJUNASWAMY TEMPLE:

• Location: Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, in the Nallamalai Hills alongside the Krishna River.
• Divine Reverence: It holds both a Jyotirlinga (Shiva) and a Shakti Peetha (Parvati), marking high spiritual significance.
• Historical Patrons: Initially by the Satavahanas, later Rashtrakuta and Vijayanagara dynasties.
• Archaeological Importance:
  • The Sanskrit inscription in Nagari script records a land grant by Vijayanagara ruler Mallikarjuna to a Vedic scholar.
  • Documents advanced observational astronomy by medieval Indian scholars.

Current Context: Taiwan reported over 70 Chinese military aircraft (74 warplanes) operating near its territory, 61 crossing the median line—just days after the UK’s HMS Spey transit through the Strait

 ABOUT TAIWAN STRAIT:

• Definition: A narrow sea channel linking the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
• Historical Name: Term coined by Portuguese explorers in the 16th century; Taiwan then known as “Formosa.”
• Geography: Flows include runoff from China’s Jiulong and Min Rivers.
• Economic Significance: Conduit for over 40% of global container ship traffic.
• Median Line (Davis Line): Thinly drawn line traditionally separating Chinese and Taiwanese military zones.

Current Context: From starting July 1, 2025, CAQM will prohibit fuel refills for end‑of‑life diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi—using ANPR cameras to enforce—to curb air pollution

 ABOUT CAQM:

• Genesis: Formed under the Commission for Air Quality Management Act, 2021, to oversee air quality in NCR and adjoining Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh.
• Objective: Enhance coordination, research, and enforcement to address air pollution challenges.
• Leadership: The Chairperson must have ≥15 years of environmental protection/pollution control or ≥25 years of administrative experience.
• Key Powers: CAQM’s directives are binding, overriding state governments, CPCB, SPCBs, and other bodies in conflicts.

Current Context: Finland’s Parliament voted 157–18 to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, following similar moves by Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.

 ABOUT OTTAWA CONVENTION:

• Genesis : Adopted in 1997 at Oslo/Ottawa; came into force in 1999.
• Objectives : Seeks to ban production, stockpiling, use, and transfer of anti‑personnel mines; mandates destruction of stockpiles and clearing minefields.
• As of March 2025, 165 countries are parties; India is not a member

Current Context: IPPB won the Finance Ministry’s Digital Payments Award 2024–25, topping the DFS index among payment banks for its inclusive, tech-led outreach.

ABOUT IPPB:

• Ownership: Fully government-owned under Dept. of Posts, Ministry of Communications.
• Setup : Established via RBI license in August 2015; started operations from January‐September 2017–18
• Reach & Significance:
• Operates through ~1.55 lakh post offices and over 3 lakh postmen/Gramin Dak Sewaks.
• As of March 2024, it serves over 90 million customers
• Provides doorstep banking, multilingual interfaces (13 languages), and performs vital role in digital & financial inclusion.

Current Context: India imposed five-year anti-dumping duties on imports from China, Russia, and Taiwan, targeting aluminium foil, Pretilachlor, and Acetonitrile, to protect domestic industries.

ABOUT ANTI-DUMPING DUTY:

• Concept:
  • Legally, dumping means selling products abroad at prices lower than those in the exporter’s home market.
  • To counter this, India and WTO/GATT allow anti-dumping duties—tariffs that level the price playing field.
• Products & Origin:
  • Aluminium foil (5.5–80 microns) from China
  • Pretilachlor (agricultural herbicide) from China
  • Acetonitrile (pharma/agrochemical solvent) from China, Taiwan, Russia

Current Context: The US Senate has passed the GENIUS Act, setting the stage for federal regulation of stablecoins.

ABOUT STABLECOINS:

• Definition : Stablecoins are crypto-assets pegged to stable assets like the US dollar or gold. They aim to reduce the volatility seen in coins like Bitcoin, making them more suitable for transactions and savings.
• Why Stable?:
• They maintain a steady value, making them reliable for everyday use, remittances, and as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto ecosystems.
• GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act):
• Passed by the Senate on June 17, 2025, with a 68–30 vote
• Requires full backing of each stablecoin with liquid assets (cash, T‑bills) at a 1:1 ratio, monthly reserve disclosures, AML compliance, and annual audits for issuers above $50 billion caps
• Market Significance: The stablecoin market is valued at approximately $240 billion and may reach $1.6 trillion by 2030, potentially holding up to $1.2 trillion in short-term US Treasuries

Current Context: The Sahitya Akademi announced 23 Yuva Puraskar winners—young authors honoured for outstanding works across Indian languages.

ABOUT YUVA PURASKAR

• Award Body: Sahitya Akademi, under the Ministry of Culture.
• Prize: ₹50,000 and a citation for authors ≤ 35

Languages & Winners:

1. Assamese – Kushiyarama (Short Stories) – Supraksam Bhuyan
2. Bengali – Ekadha Chinish Toliami (Poetry) – Sudeshna Moitra
3. Bodo – Ang Aisu (Poetry) – Amar Khungur Boro
4. English – Siddhartha – The Boy Who Became the Buddha (Novel) – Advait Kolarkar
5. Gujarati – Naranch Tekari (Essays) – Mayur Kharadi
6. Hindi – Phir Ugna (Poetry) – Parvati Tirkey
7. Kannada – Paccheya Jagat (Criticism) – R. Deepkumar
8. Kashmiri – Harfas Harfas Zaagi (Criticism) – Saiba Sehar
9. Konkani – Gaavgaamhas (Short Stories) – Glynis Dias
10. Maithili – Banaras Aa Hum (Poetry) – Neha Jha Maini
11. Malayalam – Ram Oru Anandhi (Novel) – Akhil P. Dharmajan
12. Manipuri – Khoyum Nongdan Coy (Epic) – A.  Jiten
13. Marathi – Khel Khel Dukhana Dele (Novel) – Pradeep Kokane
14. Nepali – Junko Aansu (Poetry) – Subash Thakuri
15. Odia – Kademsabana (Short Stories) – Subrat Kumar Senapati
16. Punjabi – Girka Hostel (Poetry) – Mandeep Aulakh
17. Rajasthani – Ankhs ni sangmat (Poetry) – Poonam Chand Godara
18. Sanskrit – Panchbhautikshahol-swavasyam (Criticism) – Dhiresna Kumar Pandey
19. Santali – Ara Sajo te (Poetry) – Fagui Baaskey
20. Sindhi – Pandhyado (Poetry) – Manjham Bachani
21. Tamil – Kuttaaru Kuthuvi (Short Stories) – Latarhinhar
22. Telugu – Maralawatha (Novel) – Prasad Suri
23. Urdu – Maulard Haqeqat, Thereek-e-Azadi, Hindi Jihad Ka Farmonsuti Kardah Qasaid (Novel) – Neetu Rubabi.