25 Important General Awareness Topics 2025 PDF

2025 25 IMPORTANT TOPICS Page 1 General Awareness : Important Topics Contents 1. ‘One Nation One Election’ proposal gets Cabinet nod........................................................................................ 4 2. Three New Criminal Laws came into effect............................................................................................................. 6 3. Paris Olympics 2024........................................................................................................................................................... 9 4. Bangladesh’s ‘Gen Z revolution’ toppled a veteran leader............................................................................ 14 5. Chandrayaan-4 mission expansion gets Centre’s approval.......................................................................... 20 6. Fifth anniversary of Article 370 abrogation........................................................................................................ 25 7. Supreme Court’s verdict on sub-classification of SCs and STs.................................................................... 30 8. Operation Sadbhav: India sends 53 tonnes of emergency flood relief assistance worth US $1 million to Myanmar........................................... 35 9. 85th death anniversary of Udham Singh............................................................................................................... 38 10. What is e-rupee and why do Google Pay, PhonePe want to join RBI’s digital rupee project?..... 40 11. Government notifies reconstitution of Monetary Policy Committee under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934............................................................................................... 43 12. Ukraine’s Kursk operation in Russia....................................................................................................................... 47 13. Three more Ramsar wetland sites now in India, taking total to 85......................................................... 53 14. WHO declares mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency...................................................... 56 15. Moidams – The Mound-Burial System of Ahom Dynasty Inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as India’s 43rd Entry.............................................................................. 63 16. The Wilmington Declaration Joint Statement from the Leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.......................................................................................... 66 17. India signs first-of-its-kind agreements focused on Clean Economy, Fair Economy, and the IPEF Overarching arrangement..................................................................... 70 General Awareness : Important Topics Page 2 18. Kerala Assembly’s demand to rename state as Keralam............................................................................... 72 19. ICC convicts Mali insurgency chief of war crimes............................................................................................. 78 20. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit: What the grouping is, why it matters...................... 81 21. Mithun Chakraborty to get Dadasaheb Phalke Award.................................................................................... 84 22. Sixth Schedule for Ladakh............................................................................................................................................ 86 23. India’s Strategic Investment in Chabahar............................................................................................................. 91 24. New Council of Ministers sworn-in: What are the functions of Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State?................................................................................................. 94 25. India and Nepal Border Dispute................................................................................................................................ 96 Page 3 General Awareness : Important Topics 1. ‘One Nation One Election’ proposal gets Cabinet nod · The Union cabinet has accepted a high-level committee’s recommendations on ‘One Nation, One Election’ for holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies in a phased manner after a countrywide consensus-building exercise. · Information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said an implementation group would be formed to take forward the recommendations of the panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind and detailed discussions would be held on various for across the country over the next few months. · Ashwini Vaishnaw said the move to simultaneous elections would be effected in two phases — in the first phase, Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be aligned and in the second phase, which will be held within 100 days of the first, local body elections will be covered. · The Ram Nath Kovind committee has recommended 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by state assemblies. · However, these would require certain Constitution amendment bills that would have to be passed by Parliament. · Some proposed regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card would need ratification by at least half of the states. · Separately, the law commission is also likely to come up soon with its own report on simultaneous elections, of which Prime Minister Modi has been a strong votary. · The law commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of the government – the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats – starting 2029 and a provision for a unity government in cases like a hung house. Simultaneous elections in the past · India had simultaneous elections between 1951 and 1967. · The peak occurred in 1967, with elections in 20 states coinciding with the national elections for the Lower House of Parliament. In 1977, this number was 17, while in 1980 and 1985, 14 states held simultaneous elections. · Thereafter, polls started getting dispersed due to various reasons, including mid-term elections. Differing tenures of various state assemblies · Holding all elections simultaneously will require a lot of manoeuvring, including advancing some polls and delaying some others. · While the Lok Sabha polls were held in May-June this year, states such as Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh also went to polls along with the parliamentary election. · The assembly election process for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana is currently underway, while Maharashtra and Jharkhand are also scheduled to go to polls later this year. · Delhi and Bihar are among the states that are scheduled to go to polls in 2025. · The terms of the current assemblies in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry will end in 2026, while the terms of the Goa, Gujarat, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assemblies will end in 2027. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 4 · The terms of the state assemblies in Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Telangana will end in 2028. · The terms of the current Lok Sabha and the state assemblies that went to polls together this year will end in 2029. What comes next? · The success of the One Nation, One Election initiative depends on Parliament passing two Constitution Amendment Bills, which will require broad support from various political parties. · Since the BJP doesn’t have a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha, it will need to engage not only its NDA allies but also opposition parties. · One way to build the necessary consensus is by referring the Amendment Bills to a parliamentary committee, such as a standing committee or a joint parliamentary committee. These panels include opposition members, and discussions there could lead to a consensus. · The Centre will also need to involve the states. For local bodies to be part of the simultaneous elections plan, at least half of the states must ratify the required Constitutional amendment, it added. Amendments in Articles 83 and Article 172 recommended · To ensure that simultaneous elections do not conflict with the Constitution, the Kovind committee has proposed amendments to Article 83, which governs the term of the Lok Sabha, and Article 172, which covers the tenure of state assemblies. · The committee suggested a one-time transitory measure to synchronise all elections and proposed when Lok Sabha is constituted after the general elections, the President would by notification on the same date as that of the first sitting bring into force the provisions for transition. This date would be called the appointed date. · Irrespective of whether a state assembly has completed its five-year term or not, a clause under proposed Article 82A stated that all the state assemblies constituted in any general election held after the “appointed date” shall come to an end on the expiry of the full term of the Lok Sabha. Effect of the provision · The effect of this provision can be understood with an example. The next assembly elections in West Bengal (2026) and Karnataka (2028) would conclude these assemblies’ terms in May or June 2029, coinciding with the next Lok Sabha’s term. · If the One Nation, One Election policy becomes a reality, potentially by 2029, and either the Lok Sabha or a state assembly is dissolved before its five-year term due to a loss of majority after the “appointed date”, the committee has recommended holding fresh elections. · These would be considered “midterm elections”, and the new government would serve only the remaining portion of the term, referred to as the “unexpired term”. · The transition to simultaneous elections could also discourage no-confidence motions, as opposition parties may see little benefit in toppling a government, given that the next government would not serve a full five-year term. Ram Nath Kovind committee major proposals § The High-Level Committee (Chair: Former President Mr Ram Nath Kovind) constituted by the central government submitted its report on simultaneous elections. The committee was constituted in September 2023. Its terms of reference included examining feasibility and suggesting a framework for conducting elections of Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies at the same time. Key observations and recommendations of the Committee include: Page 5 General Awareness : Important Topics § Rationale for simultaneous election: The Committee recommended that simultaneous election be held in the country. It observed that frequent elections create an atmosphere of uncertainty. Simultaneous election will ensure stability and predictability in governance by minimising disruption and policy paralysis. Simultaneous election will help reduce costs, and increase voter participation. It cited a research paper which observed that simultaneous elections lead to a higher economic growth, a lower inflation, increased investments, and improved quality of government expenditure. § Implementation of simultaneous election: The Committee recommended a framework for holding simultaneous election which will require constitutional amendments. At the time of the next election for Lok Sabha, all state assemblies and local bodies should be dissolved, irrespective of the remaining term as a one-time measure. This will synchronise all elections. The Committee recommended holding elections for Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies at the same time, and that of local bodies within 100 days from then. § Currently, a legislature is elected for the term of five years. Hence, a hung legislature at any point of time would render them out of synchronisation for the next simultaneous election. To address this, the Committee recommended that fresh election should be held for a hung legislature or a local body for a reduced term. The reduced term will be equivalent to the remaining period of the five-year cycle for the simultaneous election. This implies that if fresh election for a state assembly or Lok Sabha is held two years after the simultaneous election, its term will be only three years. This will synchronise all elections every five years. § Need for ratification by states: The Committee observed that constitutional amendments in relation to terms of Parliament and state assemblies will not require ratification by states. However, constitutional amendments in relation to local bodies will be required to be passed with ratification by at least half of the states. § Single electoral roll: Supervision of elections are entrusted with two constitutional authorities: (I) Election Commission of India (ECI) for both Houses of Parliament, State Legislative Assemblies and Councils, President, and Vice-President, and (ii) State Election Commission (SECs) for local bodies. Preparation of electoral roll by SECs is governed by respective state laws. Some state laws allow SECs to prepare separate electoral rolls, while others require them to utilise the electoral roll prepared by ECI. § The Committee recommended that a single electoral roll should be adopted. This will reduce redundancy and duplication across multiple agencies. The Committee recommended empowering ECI to prepare the single electoral roll in consultation with SECs. To give effect to this single electoral roll, a constitutional amendment will be required. The Committee observed that these amendments will also require ratification by at least half of the states. § Logistical requirements: The Committee recommended that ECI and SECs should carry out planning and estimation for logistical arrangements around the time of the rollout. 2. Three New Criminal Laws came into effect · In a move that will completely overhaul the criminal justice system in the country, three new criminal laws come into effect from July 1, 2024. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), passed in Parliament last December, will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 respectively. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 6 · Several new provisions have been incorporated in the three new criminal laws to suit contemporary times and technologies in vogue. The three new laws received Parliament’s nod on December 21, 2023. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on December 25, 2023, and was published in the official gazette on the same day. · As per the notification, the three laws will focus on justice rather than punishment and are aimed at providing speedy justice, all the way, strengthening the judicial and court management system emphasising ‘access to justice by all’. · Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will have 358 sections (instead of 511 sections in the IPC). A total of 20 new crimes have been added to the bill, and the imprisonment sentence has been increased for 33 of them. · The amount of the fine has been increased in 83 crimes and mandatory minimum punishment has been introduced in 23 crimes. The penalty of community service has been introduced for six crimes and 19 sections have been repealed or removed from the bill. · Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has introduced a new chapter titled ‘Crimes against Women and Children’ to deal with sexual crimes. Provisions related to the gang rape of a minor woman will become consistent with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), and a provision has been made for life imprisonment or death penalty in the case of girls below 18 years of age. · There is the provision of 20 years imprisonment or life imprisonment in all cases of gang rape and the new crime category of gang rape of a woman under 18 years of age in the Sanhita. The Sanhita provides targeted penalties for persons fraudulently engaging in sexual intercourse or promising to marry without true intention to marry. · Terrorism has been defined for the first time in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and it has been made a punishable offence. · The new provisions include armed rebellion, subversive activities, separatist activities or any act threatening the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India. Small organized crimes have also been criminalized, punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years. · Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita will have 531 sections (in place of 484 sections of CrPC). A total of 177 provisions have been changed in the bill, and nine new sections as well as 39 new sub-sections have been added to it. The draft act has added 44 new provisions and clarifications. Timelines have been added to 35 sections and audio-video provision has been added at 35 places. A total of 14 sections have been repealed and removed in the Sanhita. · The timeline has been added to 35 sections of Bharatiya Nagrik Sukraksha Sanhita, which will make the speedy delivery of justice possible. The Bill prescribes a time limit for initiation of criminal proceedings, arrest, investigation, charge sheet, proceedings before magistrate, cognizance, charges, plea bargaining, appointment of Assistant Public Prosecutor, trial, bail, judgment and punishment, and mercy petition. · Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will have 170 provisions (instead of the original 167 provisions, and a total of 24 provisions have been changed. Two new provisions and six sub-provisions have been added and six provisions have been repealed or deleted in the Adhiniyam. · The complete implementation of new criminal laws will ensure an end to ‘tareekh pe tareekh’ era and justice will be given in three years as earlier informed in the Parliament by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. · This process of reform in the three laws of the criminal justice system was started in 2019 and 3,200 suggestions in this regard were received from various stakeholders. · Speaking on the three new laws on June 29, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the three laws of the British era that were governing the Indian Judicial system have been changed on the concept of delivering speedy justice. Page 7 General Awareness : Important Topics · Several legal experts say there are big challenges ahead for law-enforcing agencies, judicial officers, and legal professionals as the new laws come into force. · The passing of the three criminal law bills in Parliament last year sparked a series of debates regarding the need to take such steps towards evolution in the field of law with the introduction of new criminal laws. · “The way the government rushed to bring these laws in Parliament and the way it implemented rushed to, is not desirable in a democracy. These laws were neither adequately discussed in the Parliament committee nor extensively discussed in the House, even no consultation held with the stakeholders,” former Union Law Minister and Congress leader Ashwini Kumar told ANI. · “Now, the opposition parties demanding a change in the legal architecture of criminal laws should be preceded by meaningful deliberations between all the stakeholders that appears not to have been done. It is the only grievance of the opposition parties that should be addressed by the ruling party,” he added. · “In the New Criminal Laws, law enforcement agencies have been given unfettered powers without checks and balances and safeguards and safety provisions have been ignored, which will be prone to misuse. Under the New Criminal Laws, there will be potential violations of civil liberties,” Advocate Sumit Gehlot told ANI. · He said that Sedition Law under Section 150 of BNS, the offence has been made Draconian adding that the insertion of the Sedition Law as a backdoor entry seems to be for political reasons. · “Section 150 will surely be challenged, as will other provisions, which will result in being struck down by constitutional courts. Why is terrorism inserted as a general penal law offence when it is already punishable under special legislation? Why has police custody been extended from 15 days to 90 days?” he asked. · “The three laws were passed in a hurry and at a time when 25% of the members of Lok Sabha were suspended and had no opportunity to participate in the debate. More consultation with various stakeholders would have allowed the Government to rectify some of the deficiencies, which are now becoming a cause of concern,” Former Union Law Secretary PK Malhotra said. · Senior Advocate, Supreme Court, NS Nappinai said that the new criminal laws are here to stay and the sooner we adapt to it, the better. · “Resistance to change is natural but it can only be assuaged through transparency and effective implementation. For this reason, the shortening of the initial timeline proposed for implementation appears to be a bit of a hasty act. The changes to the procedural aspect in particular needed more time for effective adaptation. One can only hope that an escalated process has been adapted to bring the system to speed,” she said. · Taking a step ahead, the Delhi Police on January 17 this year, commenced a focused training program for its officers to adapt to the new criminal laws. · “Delhi Police Academy being a training institute of Delhi Police which is an executing authority, has commenced a focused training program for its officers to adapt to the new criminal laws passed by the Parliament of India i.e. According to a notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the three laws will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973; and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. Several new provisions have been incorporated in the three new criminal laws to suit contemporary times and technologies in vogue.2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023,” an official statement said. · The Delhi Police Academy, in collaboration with the National Law University, Dwarka, has meticulously designed its training modules to cover all its officers from Spl CsP to the Constables of Delhi Police in a phased manner. Experts from the National Law University conducted the sessions, ensuring that officers at all levels were proficient in the application of the new laws. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 8 Know more about history of three laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita · The Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the official criminal code in the Republic of India, inherited from British India after independence, until it was repealed and replaced by Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in December 2023, which came into effect on 1 July 2024. It was a comprehensive code intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. The code was drafted on the recommendations of the first Law Commission of India established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833 under the chairmanship of Thomas Babington Macaulay. It came into force in the subcontinent during the British rule in 1862. However, it did not apply automatically in the Princely states, which had their own courts and legal systems until the 1940s. While in force, the IPC was amended several times and was supplemented by other criminal provisions. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (‘Indian Justice Code’) is the official criminal code in India. It came into effect on 1 July, 2024 after being passed by the parliament in December 2023 to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) · The Code of Criminal Procedure, commonly called Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), was the main legislation on procedure for administration of substantive criminal law in India. It was enacted in 1973 and came into force on 1 April 1974. It provides the machinery for the investigation of crime, apprehension of suspected criminals, collection of evidence, determination of guilt or innocence of the accused person and the determination of punishment of the guilty. It also deals with public nuisance, prevention of offences and maintenance of wife, child and parents. On 11 August 2023, a Bill to replace the CrPC with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was introduced in the Lok Sabha. On 26 December 2023, it was replaced with Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). It came into force on 1 July 2024. Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam · The Indian Evidence Act originally passed in India by the Imperial Legislative Council in 1872, during the British Raj, contains a set of rules and allied issues governing admissibility of evidence in the Indian courts of law. The India Evidence Act was replaced by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam on 1 st July 2024. 3. Paris Olympics 2024 · The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad and branded as Paris 2024, were an international multi-sport event held from 26 July to 11 August 2024 in France, with several events started from 24 July. Paris was the host city, with events (mainly football) held in 16 additional cities spread across metropolitan France, including the sailing centre in the second-largest city of France, Marseille, on the Mediterranean Sea, as well as one sub site for surfing in Tahiti, French Polynesia. · Paris was awarded the Games at the 131 st IOC Session in Lima, Peru, on 13 September 2017. After multiple withdrawals that left only Paris and Los Angeles in contention, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a process to concurrently award the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics to the two remaining candidate cities; both bids were praised for their high technical plans and innovative ways to use a record-breaking number of existing and temporary facilities. Having previously hosted in 1900 and 1924, Paris became the second city ever to host the Summer Olympics three times (after London, which hosted the games in 1908, 1948, and 2012). Paris 2024 marked the centenary of Paris 1924 and Chamonix 1924 (the first Winter Olympics), as well as the sixth Olympic Games hosted by France (three Summer Olympics and three Winter Olympics) and the first with this distinction since the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville. The Summer Games returned to the traditional four-year Olympiad cycle, after the 2020 edition was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Page 9 General Awareness : Important Topics · The mascots of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are a duo and are called the Phryges (the Olympic Phryge and the Paralympic Phryge, recognisable by its running prosthetic). Their name and form are based on the phrygian cap. This item of clothing, a symbol of freedom, was widely popularized by French revolutionaries and is now a well-known popular French image. It covers the head of busts of Marianne (symbolic figure of the French Republic) at town halls across the country and also appears on postal stamps. The official motto/slogan of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is “Games Wide Open”. Paris 2024 featured the debut of breaking as an Olympic sport, and was the final Olympic Games held during the IOC presidency of Thomas Bach. The 2024 Games were expected to cost €9 billion. The opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium for the first time in modern Olympic history, as athletes were paraded by boat along the Seine. Paris 2024 was the first Olympics in history to reach full gender parity on the field of play, with equal numbers of male and female athletes. · The United States topped the medal table for the fourth consecutive Summer Games and 19 th time overall, with 40 gold and 126 total medals. China tied with the United States on gold (40), but finished second due to having fewer silvers; the nation won 91 medals overall. This is the first time a gold medal tie among the two most successful nations has occurred in Summer Olympic history. Japan finished third with 20 gold medals and sixth in the overall medal count. Australia finished fourth with 18 gold medals and fifth in the overall medal count. The host nation, France, finished fifth with 16 gold and 64 total medals, and fourth in the overall medal count. Dominica, Saint Lucia, Cape Verde and Albania won their first-ever Olympic medals, the former two both being gold, with Botswana and Guatemala also winning their first-ever gold medals. The Refugee Olympic Team also won their first-ever medal, a bronze in boxing. At the conclusion of the games, despite some controversies throughout relating to politics, logistics and conditions in the Olympic Village, the Games were considered a success by the press and observers. Paris 2024 Olympics: India medals tally and winners list · A total of 117 Indian athletes made up the contingent that went on the hunt for medals and sporting immortality at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which ran from July 26 to August 11. In all, India won six medals - a silver and five bronze - at the Paris 2024 Olympics. · Manu Bhaker won the first medal for India at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She bagged a bronze and became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal. She then created history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympics after she clinched a mixed team 10m air pistol bronze with Sarabjot Singh. Swapnil Kusale added a third medal in shooting to make it India’s biggest haul in a sport in a single edition of the Olympics. · The Indian men’s hockey team matched their Tokyo 2020 success with the bronze in Paris while Neeraj Chopra became the most successful individual Olympian after he claimed a silver medal in the javelin throw. Later, Aman Sehrawat became India’s youngest Olympic medallist when he won bronze in wrestling. · However, India left the Paris 2024 Olympics with more heartbreaks than cheers. India missed out on six potential medals, most by a whisker, with the athletes finishing fourth in their respective events. This included Lakshya Sen, Mirabai Chanu and Manu Bhaker, who could have bagged her third medal at the Games. Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification ahead of a historic final also added to India’s woes. · There was Indian interest in a total of 69 medal events across 16 sports - archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis and tennis - at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Neeraj Chopra, badminton ace PV Sindhu, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, boxer Lovlina Borgohain and select members of the Harmanpreet Singh-led Indian men’s hockey team were the other returning Olympic medallists in the Indian contingent to Paris 2024. · Overall, India have won 41 medals at the Olympics to date. Interestingly, it was Norman Pritchard’s dual silver which opened India’s account in Paris 1900. KD Jadhav, with a wrestling bronze at Helsinki General Awareness : Important Topics Page 10 1952, was the first individual athlete from independent India to get on the Olympic medal winners list. Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari became the first woman to win an Olympic medal at Sydney 2000. · Rifle shooter Abhinav Bindra was the first Indian to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual event at Beijing 2008 and was the only one to do so for over a decade before Neeraj’s javelin triumph at Tokyo 2020. Men’s hockey, with 13 medals including eight golds, has been the biggest contributor to India’s Olympic medals tally followed by wrestling with eight medals. India returned with its best-ever haul of seven medals, including one gold, from Tokyo 2020. Tokyo Gold, Paris Silver: Neeraj Chopra achieves another Olympic first for India · Neeraj Chopra made history by becoming the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win medals at consecutive Olympics. · At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Neeraj secured a silver medal with a season-best throw of 89.45 meters in the javelin final, adding to his historic gold medal from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. · This achievement places Neeraj in an elite group of Indian athletes who have won multiple individual medals at the Olympics. · Before him, only Sushil Kumar (Wrestling) and P.V. Sindhu (Badminton) had managed to win medals in back-to-back Olympic Games. · Neeraj is also the fifth Indian to win multiple individual medals at the Olympics, joining the ranks of Norman Pritchard, Sushil Kumar, P.V. Sindhu, and Manu Bhaker. Indians with Multiple Individual Olympic Medals · Neeraj Chopra: 2024 Silver, 2020 Gold - Athletics · Norman Pritchard: 1900 (two silver medals in the same edition) - Athletics · Manu Bhaker: 2024 (two bronze medals in the same edition) - Shooting · Sushil Kumar: 2008 Bronze, 2012 Silver - Wrestling · P. V. Sindhu: 2016 Silver, 2020 Bronze - Badminton · Meanwhile, Arshad Nadeem made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by setting an Olympic record with a massive 92.97m throw on his second attempt, securing the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw. · This achievement marks Pakistan’s first Olympic medal since 1992. Nadeem capped off the night with another impressive throw of 91.79m on his final attempt, further solidifying his dominance. · Nadeem’s final throw alone would have been enough to break the previous Olympic record of 90.57m, set by Denmark’s Andreas Thorkildsen in Beijing 2008. · However, his earlier throw in the final had already surpassed this mark. · Despite Neeraj Chopra’s valiant effort with a season-best throw of 89.45m, the second-best of his career, it wasn’t enough to secure back-to-back golds as Nadeem’s record-breaking performance led the field. Javelin throw · The Javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in length, is thrown as far as possible. · The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men’s decathlon and the women’s heptathlon. · The javelin throw was added to the Ancient Olympic Games as part of the pentathlon in 708 BC. · It included two events, one for distance and the other for accuracy in hitting a target. Page 11 General Awareness : Important Topics · The javelin was thrown with the aid of a thong (ankyle in Greek) that was wound around the middle of the shaft. · Athletes held the javelin by the ankyle, a leather strap around the shaft, so when they released the javelin, the unwinding of the thong gave the javelin a spiral trajectory. · Throwing javelin-like poles into targets was revived in Germany and Sweden in the early 1870s. · In Sweden, these poles developed into the modern javelin, and throwing them for distance became a common event there and in Finland in the 1880s. · The rules continued to evolve over the next decades; originally, javelins were thrown with no run-up, and holding them by the grip at the center of gravity was not always mandatory. · Limited run-ups were introduced in the late 1890s, and soon developed into the modern unlimited run- up. · The first known women’s javelin marks were recorded in Finland in 1909. · Originally, women threw the same implement as men; a lighter, shorter javelin for women was introduced in the 1920s. · Women’s javelin throw was added to the Olympic program in 1932; Mildred “Babe” Didrikson of the United States became the first champion. Summer Olympic Games · The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi- sport event normally held once every four years. · The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece, and the current Games are being held in 2024 in Paris, France. · This was the first international multi-sport event of its kind, organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) founded by Pierre de Coubertin. · The tradition of awarding medals began in 1904; in each Olympic event, gold medals are awarded for first place, silver medals for second place, and bronze medals for third place. · The Winter Olympic Games were created out of the success of the Summer Olympic Games, which are regarded as the largest and most prestigious multi-sport international event in the world. · The Summer Olympics have increased in scope from a 42-event competition programme in 1896 with fewer than 250 male competitors from 14 nations, to 339 events in 2021 with 11,420 competitors (almost half of whom were women) from 206 nations. · The Games have been held in nineteen countries over five continents: four times in the United States (1904, 1932, 1984, and 1996), three times in Great Britain (1908, 1948, and 2012) and in France (1900, 1924, and 2024), twice each in Greece (1896 and 2004), Germany (1936 and 1972), Australia (1956 and 2000), and Japan (1964 and 2020), and once each in Sweden (1912), Belgium (1920), the Netherlands (1928), Finland (1952), Italy (1960), Mexico (1968), Canada (1976), Russia (1980), South Korea (1988), Spain (1992), China (2008), and Brazil (2016). · London was the first city to host the Summer Olympic Games three times. Paris hosted for the third time in 2024. · As of 2024, Los Angeles, Athens, and Tokyo have each hosted twice; Los Angeles will host the Games for the third time in 2028. · Only five countries have participated in every Summer Olympic Games: Australia, France, Great Britain, Greece, and Switzerland. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 12 · Australia, France, and Great Britain have won at least a medal at every edition of the Games, with Great Britain as the only one that never failed to win at least a gold medal. · The United States leads the all-time medal count at the Summer Olympics, and has topped the medal table on 18 separate occasions—followed by the USSR (six times), and France, Great Britain, Germany, China, and the ex-Soviet ‘Unified Team’ (once each). 2024 Summer Paralympics · The 2024 Summer Paralympics, also known as the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and branded as Paris 2024, were the 17th Summer Paralympic Games, an international multi-sport parasports event governed by the International Paralympic Committee. The Games were held in Paris, France, from 28 August to 8 September 2024, and featured 549 medal events across 22 sports. These games marked the first time Paris hosted the Summer Paralympics and the second time France hosted the Paralympic Games, following the 1992 Winter Paralympics in Tignes and Albertville. France also hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics. · China topped the medal table for the sixth consecutive Paralympics, winning 94 golds and 221 total medals. Great Britain finished second for the tenth time, with 49 golds and 124 total medals. The United States finished third, with 36 golds, and 105 total medals. Additionally, Mauritius, Nepal, and the Refugee Paralympic Team won their first-ever Paralympic medals. The host nation, France, finished eighth with 19 gold and 75 total medals. Paris 2024 Paralympics: India medals tally and winners list · India achieved their most successful performance in Paralympic history at the Paris 2024 Games, securing a total of 29 medals - seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze. This achievement surpasses the 19-medal haul from Tokyo 2020, which included five golds. The record haul also meant that India crossed the 50-medal mark in their Paralympic history. · A record 84 para-athletes represented India at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, held in the French capital from August 28 to September 8. India competed across 12 disciplines, three more than at Tokyo 2020. Indian para-athletes participated in three new sports at Paris 2024—para cycling, para rowing, and blind judo. · India had some impressive performances at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Avani Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals at the Paralympic Games, defending her title in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 shooting event with a world record score. · India recorded a one-two in athletics for the first time, with Dharambir and Parnav Soorma clinching gold and silver, respectively, in the men’s club throw F51 event. Dharambir also set a new Asian record of 34.92m. Later, Praveen Kumar also logged an Asian record to win the high jump T64 title and fetched India’s sixth gold, their highest ever at the Paralympics. · Javelin ace Sumit Antil too made history as the first Indian man to defend his title at the Paralympics, winning gold in the men’s javelin throw F64 with a stunning throw of 70.59m —a new Paralympic record. Remarkably, Sumit broke his own previous record, set at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, not just once, but three times during the competition. · With a bronze in the high jump T42 class, Mariyappan Thangavelu became the first Indian to win medals at three consecutive Paralympics. He won the gold medal at Rio 2016 and silver at Tokyo 2020. · Preethi Pal secured her bronze in the women’s 100m T35 race with a personal best time. It was India’s first-ever medal in a track event at the Paralympics. Her bronze in the 200m made her India’s most successful athlete at the Games, as she was the only one to secure two medals. · In all, India won four medals in track events at Paris 2024. It included Deepthi Jeevanji, who became the first intellectually impaired Indian athlete to win a Paralympic medal with a bronze in the women’s 400m T20 class. Page 13 General Awareness : Important Topics · Records were set in archery too. Armless archer Sheetal Devi briefly set a world record in the ranking round before finishing in second place. But she teamed up with Rakesh Kumar later to achieve a world record score in the compound mixed team qualification event. At just 17 years old, Sheetal went on to make history as India’s youngest Paralympic medallist, securing bronze in the mixed team event alongside Rakesh. Later, India found their first-ever Paralympic archery champion in Harvinder Singh. 4. Bangladesh’s ‘Gen Z revolution’ toppled a veteran leader · Inside Bangladesh it’s being dubbed a Gen Z revolution – a protest movement that pitted mostly young student demonstrators against a 76-year-old leader who had dominated her nation for decades and turned increasingly authoritarian in recent years. · There was jubilation on the streets of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country by helicopter following weeks of deadly anti-government unrest. · Hasina’s abrupt exit ends 15 years in power that has been marked by a stifling of civil freedoms and the heavy-handed use of security forces to crush dissent, critics and rights groups say. · An interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus will now lead the country at the request of student protest leaders. · The Bangladesh protests of 2022–2024 was a series of protests against the government of Sheikh Hasina between 2022 and 2024. Anti-government protests broke out in Bangladesh on 10 December 2022. · The protests were initiated by the Bangladeshi opposition, which vowed to continue protests despite “autocratic” crackdown. · The protests remained low-level, with some vandalisation occurring in November and December 2023. Later in July 2024, it accelerated to the quota reform movement and finally the non-cooperation movement, leading to Hasina fleeing the country after resigning. · In December 2022, tens of thousands marched in Dhaka demanding the resignation of Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina. · The protests were linked to rising commodity costs and inflation as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. More violence escalated during October and November 2023, resulting in the deaths of two people. · In 2024, the Supreme Court announced that reinstated the pre-2018 quota system in government jobs, triggering the massive protests due to limited opportunity based on merit. Violent suppression angered the public further, resulting in thousands more casualities and hundreds killed. This lasted until the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina government. Quota Reform Movement · The 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement was an anti-government and pro-democracy protest in Bangladesh, spearheaded primarily by university students. Initially focused on restructuring discriminatory traditional and quota-based systems for government job recruitment, the movement expanded against what many perceive as an authoritarian government when hundreds of protestors and civilians, most of whom were students, were killed. · The majority of the fatalities were caused by gunshots fired by the police and other government forces, using lethal and deadly weapons, against unarmed protestors and non-protesting civilians, including children and pedestrians. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 14 · The protest began in June 2024, in response to the Supreme Court of Bangladesh reinstating a 30% quota for descendants of freedom fighters, reversing the government decision made in response to the 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement. Students began to feel like they have a limited opportunity based on merit. · The protest, which initially began as a response to the reestablished quota system for government jobs, quickly spread throughout the entire country because of the government’s violent response, as well as growing public dissatisfaction against an oppressive government. · The situation was further complicated by many other ongoing issues, like the government’s inability to manage a prolonged economic downturn, reports of rampant corruption and human rights violations, and the absence of democratic channels for initiating changes. · The government sought to suppress the protests by shutting down all educational institutions. They deployed their student wing, the Chhatra League, along with other factions of the Awami League party, such as the Jubo League and the Swechasebak League. These groups resorted to using firearms and sharp weapons against the demonstrators. · The government then deployed Police, Rapid Action Battalion, border guards and Bangladesh Military, declaring a nationwide shoot-at-sight curfew amid an unprecedented government-ordered nationwide internet and mobile connectivity blackout that effectively isolated Bangladesh from the rest of the world. · Later, the government also blocked social media in Bangladesh, including Facebook, TikTok, and WhatsApp. · UNICEF reported that at least 32 children were killed during July’s protests, with many more injured and detained. · Determining the exact number of deaths has been difficult because the government reportedly restricted hospitals from sharing information with the media without police permission, hospital CCTV footage was confiscated, and numerous individuals with gunshot wounds were buried without identification. · The Awami League government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have suggested that political opponents have co-opted the protest. · As of August 2024, the movement remains ongoing as it has expanded its demands to include accountability for violence, a ban on the student wing of the government Chhatra League, and resignation of certain government officials, including the resignation of Prime Minister Hasina. · The government’s ongoing use of widespread violence against the general public has turned the student protest into a people’s uprising known as the non-cooperation movement. · The movement calls for nationwide civil disobedience and for Hasina and her cabinet to step down and take responsibility for the deaths. Despite this, the government denied that any protestors were killed by its security forces. · On 3 August, as a last resort to quell the protests, Sheikh Hasina proposed peaceful talks with the protesters, stating that her office was open and expressing a desire to “sit with the quota protesters and listen to them.” · However, central coordinator Nahid Islam announced that the protesters had no plans to negotiate with the government due to having endured torture while in police custody and having resorted to a hunger strike while detained by police and the Detective Branch. · This marked the end of the movement. Non Cooperation Movement · The non-cooperation movement was a protest against the government of Bangladesh, initiated within the framework of the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement. Page 15 General Awareness : Important Topics · The sole demand of this movement was the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet. · Although initially limited to the goal of reforming quotas in government jobs, the movement snowballed into a mass anti-government uprising after the deaths of several protesters. · The movement was also fueled by ongoing socio-economic and political issues, including the government’s mismanagement of the national economy, rampant corruption by government officials, human rights violations, allegations of undermining the country’s sovereignty by Sheikh Hasina, and increasing authoritarianism and democratic backsliding. · On 3 August 2024, coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement announced a one-point demand for the resignation and called for “comprehensive non-cooperation”. · The coordinators called for a long march to Dhaka to force Hasina out of power on 5 August. · Widespread celebrations and violence occurred following her removal, resulting in hundreds of deaths, while the military and President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced the formation of an interim government to be led by economist and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Muhammad Yunus · Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi entrepreneur, banker, economist, politician and civil society leader, who has been serving as the Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh since August 2024. · Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance. · He received the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010. · Yunus is one of just seven individuals who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal. · In 2012, he became Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, a position he held until 2018. · Previously, he was a professor of economics at Chittagong University in Bangladesh. · He published several books related to his finance work. He is a founding board member of Grameen America and Grameen Foundation, which support microcredit. · Yunus also served on the board of directors of the United Nations Foundation, a public charity to support UN causes, from 1998 to 2021. · After dissolving parliament on 6 August 2024, Bangladeshi president Mohammed Shahabuddin nominated Yunus to serve as the head of the interim government of Bangladesh in accordance with student demands following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. · His acquittal on appeal the following day of charges of labor code violations viewed as politically motivated facilitated his return to the country and appointment. · He assumed the office as the Chief Advisor to the Interim government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 8 August 2024. St Martin’s Island, its geopolitical importance amid Bangladesh crisis · Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, said that his mother did not make any statements before fleeing Dhaka amid the protests. · His comments followed reports that Hasina was denied the opportunity to address the nation by the army and in her prepared speech, she had allegedly accused the US of playing a role in her ouster. · “The recent resignation statement attributed to my mother published in a newspaper is completely false and fabricated. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 16 Location of St Martin · St Martin’s Island, located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, is a small coral island approximately nine kilometres south of the tip of Bangladesh’s southernmost peninsula, Cox’s Bazar- Teknaf, near Myanmar. · It is Bangladesh’s sole coral island. · The island has a surface area of only three square kilometres and is home to around 3,700 residents who primarily engage in fishing, rice cultivation, coconut farming, and seaweed harvesting, which is dried and exported to Myanmar. · The island received significant attention recently, with allegations that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, had planned to sell it to the US to build a military base in exchange for help in winning elections. · However, these claims were rejected by the US State Department, which emphasised its commitment to respecting Bangladesh’s sovereignty and promoting democracy through free and fair elections. History of St Martin Island · The island is also known as ‘Narikel Jinjira’ or Coconut Island in Bengali, due to the abundance of coconut trees there. It is also known as ‘Daruchini Dwip’ or Cinnamon Island. · The island was once an extension of the Teknaf peninsula but was separated due to the submergence of a portion of the peninsula. · However, this transformed the southernmost part of the peninsula into an island, disconnected from the Bangladesh mainland. · The island has a rich history, dating back to the eighteenth century when it was first settled by Arabian merchants who named it ‘Jazira’. · In 1900, a British land survey team included St Martin’s Island as part of British India and named it after a Christian priest called Saint Martin. · However, there are reports that the island has been named after the then Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong, Mr Martin. · In 1937, the island remained a part of British India after Myanmar was separated from it. It remained so until the Partition of 1947, when it went into Pakistan’s control. · Later on, the coral island became a part of Bangladesh after the Liberation War of 1971, Bangladesh’s Daily Star reported. · In 1974, Bangladesh and Myanmar reached an agreement that the coral island would be a part of Bangladeshi territory. Maritime Boundary Issue with Myanmar · Despite the 1974 agreement recognising St Martin’s Island as a Bangladeshi territory, there were issues over the delimitation of the maritime boundary of the island. Bangladeshi fishermen often use their boats to the island, a major fishing hub, and faced detentions and firing warnings from Myanmar’s naval forces. · The island, till date, has not faced any questions about Bangladeshi ownership. · But, it was the delimitation of the maritime boundary that threatened to spark a sovereignty war in the region, given its strategic location near the Bay of Bengal. · In 2012, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), in a landmark judgment, affirmed Bangladesh’s sovereignty over the coral island, in a ruling that had significant implications for the country’s territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Page 17 General Awareness : Important Topics Rohingya in Bangladesh · A violent military crackdown by Myanmar forced over seven lakh Rohingyas, who are primarily Muslims, to flee into neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017. · Thousands of them are camped in Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp. · And with Cox’s Bazar located very close to St Martin’s Island, there are reports that members of the Arakan Army, an outfit banned by Myanmar, are trying to stake claim to the island, though Bangladesh has denied it repeatedly. · There have been sporadic incidents of firing of shots between Myanmar’s junta and the Arakan Army in the past few years. · This has prompted the Bangladeshi Navy to deploy warships around St Martin’s Island. St Martin Geopolitical Significance · St Martin’s Island has dominated Bangladesh politics since the country came into existence in 1971. · Its proximity to the Bay of Bengal and the maritime boundary with Myanmar have led to international interest, particularly from the US and China, in using the island to strengthen their presence in the region. · In June last year, Sheikh Hasina alleged that the US had intended to acquire St Martin’s Island and build a military base in exchange for the BNP’s victory in elections. · She also claimed that the BNP, if voted to power, would sell the island to the US. · Her allegations drew a flat rebuttal from US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, who called them “not accurate” and said that “no discussions” on taking over the island were discussed with the Sheikh Hasina-led government. · Bangladesh’s claims of St Martin’s Island being taken over by the US came following unconfirmed reports that the US was unhappy with Dhaka cosying up to China and wanted to take counter steps to diminish Beijing’s influence in South Asia. · It also came at a time when China is locked in several territorial disputes with several Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea, another strategic location like the Bay of Bengal. India-Bangladesh Relations · The foundation of India’s relationship with Bangladesh was laid in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. · India provided critical military and material support to assist Bangladesh in its fight for independence from Pakistan. · Despite this, relations soured within a few years as military regimes took control. There was a rise in anti-India sentiment in the mid-1970s over issues ranging from boundary disputes and insurgency to the sharing of water. · The instability continued for a few decades until Sheikh Hasina came to power in 1996 and scripted a new chapter in bilateral ties with a treaty on the sharing of Ganga waters. · Since then, India and Bangladesh have built cooperation in Trade, Energy, Infrastructure, Connectivity and Defence. Economic Cooperation · Bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh has grown steadily over the last decade. · Bangladesh has emerged as India’s largest trade partner in South Asia, with bilateral trade reaching USD 18 billion in 2021-2022 from USD 10.8 billion in 2020-21, though there was a dip in 2022-23 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine War. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 18 · India is also the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh, with exports amounting to USD 2 billion in Indian markets. · In 2022, both nations concluded a joint feasibility study on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The CEPA gains additional significance as Bangladesh is set to lose its Least Developed Country (LDC) status after 2026, thereby losing its duty-free and quota-free market access in India. · Bangladesh will be eager to finalize a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India, and also pursue the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). This dual approach raises concerns for India. Infrastructure · Since 2010, India has extended Lines of Credit to Bangladesh worth over USD 7 billion. · India and Bangladesh have successfully resolved long-pending issues, like the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) in 2015 and a maritime dispute over territorial waters. · India and Bangladesh in 2023 inaugurated the Akhaura-Agartala Rail Link that connects Bangladesh and the northeast through Tripura. · The link has given India access to Chattogram and Mongla ports in Bangladesh for the movement of cargo. · It is likely to boost small-scale industries and development in Assam and Tripura. · The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity focuses on connecting major transport projects in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand, thereby establishing a shipping network. · India will focus on the Matarbari Port, 100 km from Tripura, being built by Bangladesh. This port will create a vital industrial corridor connecting Dhaka and Northeast India. Energy · In the energy sector, Bangladesh imports nearly 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from India. · In 2018, Russia, Bangladesh and India signed a memorandum on cooperation in the implementation of the Rooppur Nuclear power plant project, Bangladesh’s first nuclear power reactor. Defence Cooperation · India and Bangladesh share 4096.7 km of border; the longest land boundary that India shares with any of its neighbors. · Assam, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura share borders with Bangladesh. · The two also conduct Joint Exercises - Army (Exercise Sampriti) and Navy (Exercise Bongo Sagar). Multilateral Cooperation · India and Bangladesh are also engaged in regional cooperation through multilateral forums such as SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). What are the Points of Tensions Between India and Bangladesh? Sharing of Transboundary River Waters · India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers, but only two treaties have been signed so far of Ganga Waters Treaty and The Kushiyara River Treaty. · The other major rivers, such as the Teesta and Feni are still under negotiation. Page 19 General Awareness : Important Topics Illegal Migration · The issue of illegal migration from Bangladesh to India, encompassing both refugees and economic migrants, continues to be a significant concern. · This influx strains Indian border states, impacting resources and security. The problem intensified with Rohingya refugees entering India through Bangladesh. · The National Register of Citizens (NRC), aimed at curbing such migration, has raised concerns in Bangladesh. · Bangladesh seeks Indian support in persuading Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas who were forced to take refuge in Bangladesh. Drug Smuggling & Trafficking · There have been many incidences of cross border drug smuggling & trafficking. Humans (especially children & women) are trafficked & various animal & bird species are poached through these borders. Growing Chinese Influence in Bangladesh · At present, Bangladesh is an active partner in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (India is not a part of BRI). · China’s increasing involvement with Bangladesh could potentially undermine India’s regional standing and impede its strategic aspirations. 5. Chandrayaan-4 mission expansion gets Centre’s approval · Union Cabinet approved expansion of Chandrayaan-4 Mission to include preparatory measures for eventual manned moon mission. · It also approved Venus Orbiter Mission. · The decision was confirmed by Union Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. · The Cabinet approved Venus Orbiter Mission, expansion of Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-4 missions, said Mr. Vaishnaw. · The Union Cabinet also approved development of India’s first space station, and NextGen launch vehicles. · The upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to collect rocks and soil from the lunar surface and ensure their safe return to Earth. Chandrayaan-4 Mission & Chandrayaan-5 Mission · Chandrayaan-4 is a planned lunar sample return mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the fourth iteration in its Chandrayaan lunar exploration programme. · The mission is currently under conceptualization and expected to launch around 2027. · The plan for a lunar sample return mission was revealed by the director of Space Application Centre (SAC), Nilesh M Desai on 17 November, 2023 during the 62nd foundation ceremony of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune. · This was confirmed by S. Somanath, the chairman of ISRO during the National Space Science Symposium held in Goa on 26 February, 2024. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 20 · He expressed the confidence buildup over the success of ‘hop’ operation of the lander and Earth return operation performed by the propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3. · After the launch of INSAT-3DS, the chairman stated the insufficiency of the rocket capability leading to a ‘novel design’ for this mission and the secretary of the Department of Space (DoS) said that the mission incorporates ‘high-end technology’ and it is pending government approval for him to have a final word. · Somanath stated that the mission demands docking capability both in Earth and lunar orbits and the agency is planning to demonstrate this capability through Space Docking Experiment (Spadex) which is slated for launch by year end. · On 20 August 2024, S Somanath announced that ISRO had finished designing Chandrayaan-4, and LUPEX which is now designated as Chandrayaan-5. · ISRO is now requesting for government approval. · Chandrayaan-5, on the other hand, is a collaborative effort with the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). · This mission will involve an Indian lander and a Japanese rover, weighing 350 kilograms, designed to explore the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions. · The collaboration with JAXA marks a significant step in international cooperation for India’s space program. · The joint mission will leverage the strengths of both agencies, with ISRO providing the lander and JAXA developing the rover. · Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 represent not only technological milestones but also opportunities for international collaboration and the pursuit of new scientific discoveries on the Moon. Venus Orbiter Mission · The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), marking a major step in India’s space exploration efforts. · This mission aims to explore Venus, the planet closest to Earth, which is thought to have formed under conditions similar to our own planet. · The Venus Orbiter Mission, managed by the Department of Space, will deploy a spacecraft to orbit Venus. · This mission aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Venusian surface, its subsurface, atmospheric processes, and the impact of the Sun on its atmosphere. · The study will help scientists learn more about why Venus, once thought to be habitable, transformed into a planet so different from Earth. Insights gained could shed light on the evolution of both Venus and Earth. · The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is responsible for developing and launching the spacecraft. · The total budget for the Venus Orbiter Mission is Rs. 1236 Crore, with Rs. 824 Crore allocated specifically for the spacecraft. · This funding covers the development, payloads, global ground station support, and the launch vehicle. · ISRO’s established practices will ensure effective project management and monitoring throughout the mission. · The mission is scheduled to launch in March 2028 and is expected to provide answers to several significant scientific questions. · The development of the spacecraft and launch vehicle will involve various industries, offering substantial employment opportunities and potential technology advancements for other sectors. Page 21 General Awareness : Important Topics · Additionally, the mission will engage academic institutions and provide training for students involved in design, development, and testing. · India’s Venus Orbiter Mission is not only a landmark in planetary exploration but also a step towards future missions with larger payloads and advanced orbital techniques. · The mission’s unique instruments will generate valuable data for the Indian scientific community, opening up new research opportunities and contributing to the broader understanding of planetary science. Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram Lander Successfully Lands on Moon · India has created history as it became the first country to land on the South Pole of lunar surface. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Indians and space scientists for the achievement. ‘India will remember this day forever’ PM Narendra Modi said. The real test of the mission began at the last leg of the landing. Prior to 20 minutes before landing, ISRO initiated Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS). It enabled Vikram LM to take charge and use its on-board computers and logic to identify a favourable spot and make a soft-landing on the lunar surface. · Experts say that the final 15 to 20 minutes were highly crucial for the success of the mission when Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander descended down to its soft landing. Indians throughout the country and across the world are prayed for Chandrayaan-3’s Successful Landing. Given the history of India’s second lunar mission, which failed during the last 20 minutes before landing, ISRO was extra-cautious this time in the process. Due to high risk to the spacecraft minutes before moon landing, the duration is dubbed by many as “20 or 17 minutes of terror”. During this phase, the whole process became autonomous, where Vikram lander ignited its own engines at the right times and altitudes. · Chandrayaan-3 completed all three phases successfully and completed the successful landing on the surface of the moon. Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander softly landed on the Moon around 6:04 pm on August 23, 2023. India created history by becoming the first nation to land the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft on the Moon’s South Pole. Historic Moment for India · Chandrayaan 3 successfully touched lunar soil which consists of an indigenous propulsion module, a lander module and a rover module with the objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for interplanetary missions. After a 40-day journey starting from the Sathish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission has landed successfully. The Vikram lander softly landed on the Moon’s South Pole, landing at 6.04 PM IST on August 23. ISRO started the automatic landing sequence at 5.44 PM IST. The Vikram lander is now using its onboard computers and logic to try to make a soft landing on the Moon. While mission controllers at ISTRAC will monitor it closely, the onboard systems of the lander will be doing all the heavy lifting. · The final 15 to 20 minutes determined the success of the mission when Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander with rover Pragyan made its soft landing. India will be the fourth country in the world to achieve this feat with a successful soft landing. ISRO believes this achievement will spark interest and curiosity in the youth about space exploration. · Chandrayaan-3’s successful lunar descent consisted of four main phases: “rough braking,” “attitude hold,” “fine braking,” and “terminal descent.” In the rough braking phase, the spacecraft’s main engines were fired to reduce horizontal velocity by about 80% at a 7-km altitude. During attitude hold, the lander stabilized itself using smaller thrusters for accurate sensor readings. The spacecraft’s redundant altimetry was crucial due to past issues with laser altimetry. · Chandrayaan-2 faced challenges during attitude hold due to navigation errors. Chandrayaan-3 addressed this by using a laser doppler velocimeter (LDV) for precise navigation. In the fine braking phase, the lander hovered at 850 meters, capturing surface images to compare with preloaded satellite images for General Awareness : Important Topics Page 22 accurate landing determination. Chandrayaan-3’s landing zone was divided into subsections, assessing safety levels for landing. In the terminal descent phase, the lander hovered at 150 meters to assess landing hazards. The processing system for hazard detection and avoidance was sped up for faster decision-making. · On touchdown, the lander’s legs absorbed mechanical shock, ensuring a smooth landing. Chandrayaan-3 landed near the lunar South Pole shortly after local sunrise. Doing so maximizes the mission’s surface operations lifetime to an entire period of lunar daylight (14 Earth days) because the lander and the rover it will deploy are both solar-powered. To begin Chandrayaan-3’s surface science mission, Vikram will activate its four onboard instruments and deploy the rover via a ramp to start exploring the geologically rich landing region. · India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, carrying the hopes of an entire nation, has launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh in a magnificent demonstration of ambition and tenacity. India joined the United States, China, and Russia as the fourth nation to successfully conduct a controlled landing on the moon. · India’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, is a continuation of Chandrayaan-2, which was launched in July 2019 and has as its goal to place a rover on the lunar South Pole. The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota has launched the mission on July 14, 2023, using a Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s delay in its production, India is ready to launch Chandrayaan 3 in 2022. The powerful Mark 3 heavy-lift launch vehicle, commonly known as the Bahubali rocket, is holding the lunar lander, Vikram, in place. Vikram will function on the lunar surface for one lunar day, which is equal to 14 days on Earth. This spacecraft was designed by ISRO to showcase India’s expertise in soft landings on stellar bodies. Only a rover and lander will be present, and it will only connect with the Earth through an orbiter from Chandrayaan 2. This expansive purpose includes integration, cognition, and a number of permutations. In addition, the spacecraft still needs to undergo a number of other thorough tests. The orbiter, rover, and lander were all included in the design of the Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft by ISRO. This spacecraft was launched using the GSLV-Mk 3, one of the most powerful geosynchronous launchers. · The rover Pragyaan’s attempt to travel on the Moon was hampered by the lander Vikram’s failure to make a smooth landing. In order to demonstrate India’s landing skills needed for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, another mission was attempted as a result. In 2024, this Moon South Pole mission will be carried out in cooperation with Japan. India will contribute a lander, and Japan will contribute a rover and rocket. Chandrayaan 3 Details · Four throttle-able engines will power the lander of ISRO’s Chandrayaan 3 mission. A Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) will also be added to it. Up to a 100 km lunar orbit, the propulsion module will support the lander and rover combination. The Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload aboard the propulsion module allows researchers to examine spectral and Polarimetric observations of Earth from the lunar orbit. · Lander payloads: Langmuir Probe (LP) to calculate the plasma density and its changes; Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure thermal conductivity and temperature; Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) to measure seismicity around the landing site. For lunar laser ranging research, a NASA passive Laser Retroreflector Array is available. · Rover payloads: Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of landing site. · Chandra Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE): While the Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) measures the seismicity at the landing site, it will measure thermal conductivity and temperature. Page 23 General Awareness : Important Topics Chandrayaan 3 Mission Objective · Chandrayaan 3 mission is to explore the far side of the Moon. The primary objective will be to demonstrate soft landing capability on the Moon. Chandrayaan-3 Budget · With a Rs. 615 million budget, India’s Chandrayaan-3 project seeks to deploy a rover and place a lander on the moon’s surface. It will research the moon’s characteristics, seismicity, plasma environment, and composition after launching on 14th of July. Chandrayaan 3 Mission: Reason to Target Moon’s South Pole · Chandrayaan 3 will primarily target the Moon’s southern pole because it has more shadowed space than the northern pole. These regions of the lunar surface may have a constant supply of water, according to scientists. Additionally, the craters found at the southern pole are of great interest to scientists. They think the cryptic fossil records of the early planetary system may be present in these cold traps. A Tribute to Chandrayaan-2 · The names Vikram and Pragyan will be carried over to the Chandrayaan-3 mission, according to ISRO Chairman. This choice honours the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission and highlights India’s dedication to its space exploration tradition. Chandrayaan-3 Improved upon Chandrayaan-2 Simplified payload · Chandrayaan-3 will just have a lander and a rover, as opposed to Chandrayaan-2, which also had an orbiter, the Pragyan rover, and the Vikram lander. During the mission, the orbiter that was launched with Chandrayaan-2 will be used for communication and terrain mapping needs. Chandrayaan-3’s propulsion module will house a single instrument called ‘Spectro-polarimetry of habitable planet Earth’ (SHAPE), as opposed to Chandrayaan-2’s orbiter, which carried nine in-situ instruments. Enhanced Lander capabilities · ‘Lander danger identification & avoidance cameras’ are a feature of Chandrayaan-3 that let mission control, the orbiter, and the lander communicate when the lander is descending to the lunar surface. Compared to its predecessor’s single camera, Chandrayaan-3 will have two of these cameras. Chandrayaan 3 Mission: Overcoming Past Challenges · When a failed attempt at a soft landing resulted in the loss of the lander-rover combo and the payloads, the Chandrayaan-2 programme suffered setbacks. Unfazed by the failure of the first mission, ISRO revealed its intentions for Chandrayaan-3, which aims for a successful lunar landing. What is Pragyan rover? · The word Pragyan is derived from Sanskrit word which means wisdom. Pragyan is a six-wheeled rover designed to carry out series of experiments on the surface of the Moon. As per NASA, The rover has a rectangular chassis, 91.7 x 75.0 x 39.7 cm in size, mounted on a six-wheel rocker-bogie wheel drive assembly. It has navigation cameras and a solar panel that can generate 50 W and communicates directly with the lander via Rx/Tx antennas. What next after Pragyan rover landing? · ISRO Chairman S Somnath had earlier informed, “After powered descent (of lander) on to the landing site, there will be deployment of ramp and rover coming out. After this all the experiments will take place one after the other – all of which have to be completed in just one day on the moon, which is 14 days.” General Awareness : Important Topics Page 24 What happens to Pragyaan rover and Vikram lander after 14 days? · In the next 14 days, the six-wheeled Pragyan lander and rover module of Chandrayaan-3 will provide data to the scientific community. After 14 days, there will be night on the moon for the next 14 days and since Vikram and Pragyan can only work in the sun, they will become inactive there. However, ISRO scientists have not ruled out the possibility of the duo coming back to life when the sun rises again. Chandrayaan-3 landing livestream creates history on YouTube · Chandrayaan-3 Mission livestream by ISRO captured the attention of over 80 lakh peak concurrent viewers (PCVs) took the top spot in terms of peak concurrent views on YouTube, as per Sacnilk.com data. The Chandrayaan-3 Mission took the top spot by beating the Brazil vs Croatia football match from the FIFA World Cup 2022 that had 61 lakh PCVs and the the Brazil vs South Korea football match from the same tournament with 52 lakh PCVs. Russia LUNA-25 Mission Failed · Recently on 20th August 2023, a dismal conclusion to the mission was revealed by Roscosmos afternoon Luna-25 Mission had crashed-landed on the Moon’s surface. Luna 25, also designated the Luna-Glob- Lander, was a Russian lunar lander mission that launched on 10 August 2023. This mission failed due to the crash on the moon’s surface. Japan Moon Mission successful · Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), dubbed “Moon Sniper”, was a lunar lander mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The lander’s initial launch date in 2021 was postponed until 2023 due to delays in its rideshare, the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). On 6 September 2023 at 23:42 UTC, XRISM launched, and SLIM separated from it later that day. On 1 October 2023, SLIM executed its trans-lunar orbit injection burns. The lander entered lunar orbit on 25 December 2023 and landed on 19 January 2024 at 15:20 UTC, making Japan the fifth country to soft- land a spacecraft on the Moon. 6. Fifth anniversary of Article 370 abrogation · Departing from the relatively muted response to the August 5 anniversary of the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir over the last five years. Among those who posted tweets included the official handle of the Jammu and Kashmir Police which ferreted out data on security situation in the Union Territory before and after August 5, 2019. · The special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution was revoked by the Parliament on August 5, 2019 and the former State was split into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. · In the past five years, the government has maintained a measured silence on the issue avoiding any major events or social media blitzkrieg. An official said Union ministers who were sent in batches to the newly created Union Territory in the past two years were asked to focus and speak only on issues of development. The data showed that from August 5, 2016-August 4, 2019 the number of law-and-order incidents reported in the Valley stood at 3,686 while 438 such incidents were reported from August 5, 2019-August 4, 2022. The post-2019 period includes the COVID-19 affected years of 2020 and 2021. Page 25 General Awareness : Important Topics What happened on 5th August 2019? · On 5th August 2019, President of India in the exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution had issued the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019. Through this, Government of India has made modifications in Article 370 itself (not revoked it). With this, the Government of India has dramatically altered the relationship between the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian Union. What is the Background? · On October 17, 1949, Article 370 was added to the Indian constitution, as a ‘temporary provision’, which exempted Jammu & Kashmir, permitting it to draft its own Constitution and restricting the Indian Parliament’s legislative powers in the state. It was introduced into the draft constitution by N Gopalaswami Ayyangar as Article 306 A. · Under Article 370: The Constituent Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir was empowered to recommend which articles of the Indian Constitution should apply to the state. The J&K Constituent Assembly was dissolved after it drafted the state’s constitution. Clause 3 of the article 370 gives the President of India the power to amend its provisions and scope. · Article 35A stems from Article 370 and was introduced through a Presidential Order in 1954, on the recommendation of the J&K Constituent Assembly. Article 35A empowers the Jammu & Kashmir legislature to define the permanent residents of the state, and their special rights and privileges. Key Changes · The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 has replaced Presidential Order of 1954. Subsequently, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, passed by Parliament divides the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two new Union Territories (UTs): Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. This is the first time that a state has been converted into a UT. The UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have an Assembly, like in Delhi and Puducherry. Instead of 29, India will now have 28 states. Kashmir will no longer have a Governor, rather a Lieutenant Governor like in Delhi or Puducherry. Status of J&K Union Territory · J&K Assembly will have a five-year term, not six, as was the earlier case. · Section 32 of the J&K 2019 Bill proposes that the Assembly can make laws on any subjects in the State and Concurrent lists except on state subjects relating to “public order” and “police”. · This is similar to Article 239 A of the Constitution that is applicable to Union Territories of Puducherry and Delhi. · However, by insertion of Article 239AA and by virtue of the 69 th Constitutional Amendment, the Delhi Assembly cannot legislate on matters in entry 18 of the State List, i.e. land. In the case of J&K, the Assembly can make laws on land. · The special status provided to J&K under Article 370 will be abolished. Jammu & Kashmir will no longer have the separate constitution, flag or anthem. The citizens of Jammu and Kashmir will not have dual citizenship. · As the new union territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be subject to the Indian Constitution, its citizens will now have the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Indian constitution. · Article 360, which can be used to declare a Financial Emergency, will now also be applicable. · All laws passed by Parliament will be applicable in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Right to Information Act and the Right to Education Act. · The Indian Penal Code will replace the Ranbir Penal Code of Jammu and Kashmir. General Awareness : Important Topics Page 26 · Article 35A, which originates from the provisions of Article 370 stands null and void. · Since Presidential Order has extended all provisions of the Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir, including the chapter on Fundamental Rights, the discriminatory provisions under Article 35A will now be unconstitutional. The Need for Changes · Article 370 was added in the Indian constitution to provide autonomy to J&K. However, it failed to address the well-being of Kashmiris who have now endured two generations of insurgency and violence. It contributed to the gap between Kashmir and the rest of the nation. · The situation emerging in the western neighbourhood and the possible re-ascendance of the Taliban in Afghanistan call for greater attention and care. More so, the emerging geopolitical dynamics in Afghanistan and the resultant United States-Pakistan rapprochement could have potentially led to more heat on the Kashmir situation in the months ahead. Challenges Constitutional challenges · Presidential order that sought to abrogate of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, according to Article 370 (3) the President would require the recommendation of the constituent assembly of Jammu and Kashmir to make such a change. · However, the 2019 Presidential order adds a sub-clause to Article 367, replacing the terms: “Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir” to mean “legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir”. “Government of Jammu and Kashmir” to mean “Governor of Jammu and Kashmir acting on the aid and advice of the council of ministers”. · The government sought to dilute the autonomy under Article 370 without bringing a Constitutional Amendment that would require a two-thirds majority in the Parliament. · In the reorganisation of the state, the Presidential order also requires the concurrence of the government of the state. However, since Jammu & Kashmir is currently under Governor’s rule, the Governor’s concurrence is deemed to be the government’s concurrence. · The President’s notification of the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order of 2019 of August 5 amends Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and scraps its 65-year-old predecessor, The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order of May 14, 1954. By junking the 1954 Order, the notification takes away the special rights and privileges enjoyed by the residents of Kashmir. It has effectively allowed the entire provisions of the Constitution, with all its amendments, exceptions and modifications, to apply to the area of Jammu and Kashmir. · Before August 5, 2019, when Article 35A was in force, only the permanent residents of J&K were eligible to government jobs in J&K. The 1954 Order had also brought into existence Article 35A. This Article gave the State Legislature of Jammu and Kashmir exclusive power to define classes of persons who are/shall be permanent residents of the State; to confer permanent residents special rights and privileges and impose restrictions upon other persons from outside the State; make laws and conditions for State government employment, acquisition of immovable property, settlement rights, scholarships and other forms of aid from the State government. · On 3 April 2018, the Supreme Court of India gave a similar opinion declaring that Article 370 has acquired a permanent status. It stated that, since the State Constituent Assembly has ceased to exist, the President of India would not be able to fulfill the mandatory provisions required for its abrogation. Page 27 General Awareness : Important Topics What did the Supreme Court Say? · On 11th December 2023, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India delivered a historic judgment on the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. Through its judgment, the Court has upheld the sovereignty and integrity of India, something that every Indian cherishes. The Supreme Court observed that the decision taken on 5th August 2019 to abrogate Article 370 which ended the special status of the erstwhile state of J&K, was done to enhance constitutional integration and not disintegration. The Court has also recognised the fact that Article 370 was not permanent in nature. · Article 370 was a Temporary Provision: The court held that Article 370 was a temporary provision and that the State of J&K had no internal sovereignty. The court held that Article 370 was meant to be a ‘temporary provision’ for two primary reasons. It served a transitional purpose which was to make an interim arrangement to establish a Constituent Assembly of J&K which would draft the State Constitution. It was meant to ease the integration of J&K into the Union of India in the light of the prevailing war-like situation in the State back in 1947. · Governor can Assume “all or any” Roles of the State Legislature: The court upheld the proclamations by referring to the landmark 1994 ruling in ‘SR Bommai v Union of India, 1994’ which dealt with the powers and limitations of the Governor under President’s rule. The CJI said that the governor (President in J&K’s case) can assume “all or any” roles of the state legislature and such action must be tested judicially only in extraordinary cases. · Concurrence of the State Government isn’t Required: The court ruled that the President in the exercise of powers under Article 370 (3) of the Constitution can unilaterally notify that Article 370 ceases to exist. It further said that there was no requirement for the President to secure the concurrence of the State government in this regard as mandated by the provisos to Article 370(1)(d). · Upheld the 2019 Law: The court upheld the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 to the extent it carved out the Union

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