GK One-Liners

What: All four Labour Codes came into force, replacing 29 existing labour laws with simplified compliance frameworks. The codes cover wages, social security, industrial relations, and occupational safety, health & working conditions, extending protections to gig and platform workers for the first time.

How: The four codes are: Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), Code on Social Security (2020), and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020). They consolidate complex laws, mandate universal social security, ensure timely wage payments, and regulate working hours across organised and unorganised sectors.

Why: Labour reforms, labour codes, and worker welfare are high-frequency topics for UPSC GS-II (Governance) and GS-III (Economy). Understanding key provisions of each code, gig economy regulations, and impact on ease of doing business helps in governance and economic policy questions.

What: India achieved its highest-ever defence production valued at ₹1.54 lakh crore, along with record defence exports. This milestone was driven by Make in India initiatives, increased MSME participation, and new procurement reforms favouring indigenous manufacturing.

How: Defence production growth comes from indigenous platforms like Tejas fighter jets, Arjun tanks, and naval vessels built in Indian shipyards. DPSUs (Defence Public Sector Undertakings), private sector participation under Strategic Partnership model, and iDEX start-ups contribute to the ecosystem. Positive Indigenisation Lists mandate domestic sourcing.

Why: Defence production, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and self-reliance in defence are important for UPSC GS-III (Security). Understanding DPP/DAP provisions, Strategic Partnership model, positive indigenisation lists, and defence export destinations helps in security and economy questions.

What: The Supreme Court ruled that no fixed judicial deadlines can be imposed on Governors or the President for giving assent to bills. However, the Court emphasised that decisions must be taken within a reasonable time frame and cannot be indefinitely delayed.

How: Under Articles 200-201 of the Constitution, Governors can assent, withhold assent, or reserve bills for Presidential consideration. Recent controversies over delayed assent in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Punjab prompted judicial intervention. The SC balanced executive discretion with constitutional duty to act reasonably.

Why: Governor’s role, Centre-State relations, and constitutional provisions are crucial for UPSC GS-II (Polity). Understanding Articles 200-201, Punchhi/Sarkaria Commission recommendations, and recent judicial pronouncements on Governor’s discretionary powers helps in polity questions.

What: Turkey was selected to host COP31 (31st Conference of Parties to UNFCCC), while Australia will lead negotiations as COP President. A pre-COP meeting is planned in the Pacific region to ensure balanced climate diplomacy and representation of vulnerable island nations.

How: COP hosting rotates among UN regional groups. The unique arrangement with Turkey hosting and Australia leading reflects compromise between developed and developing nation blocs. Pacific pre-COP ensures Small Island Developing States (SIDS) concerns on sea-level rise and climate finance are prioritised in negotiations.

Why: UNFCCC processes, COP summits, and climate negotiations are important for UPSC GS-III (Environment). Understanding COP chronology (Paris COP21, Glasgow COP26, Dubai COP28, Baku COP29, Belém COP30), key outcomes, and India’s positions helps in environment questions.

What: Seychelles was inducted as a new member of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC), expanding the grouping’s Indian Ocean footprint. The CSC meeting focused on maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber safety, and disaster response cooperation among member nations.

How: CSC, initiated in 2011 with India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives, has expanded to include Mauritius and Bangladesh as members. Seychelles’ inclusion strengthens the conclave’s reach in the western Indian Ocean. Working groups coordinate on maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance, and transnational crime prevention.

Why: Regional security groupings, Indian Ocean strategy, and maritime cooperation are important for UPSC GS-II (International Relations). Understanding CSC, IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association), and India’s SAGAR doctrine (Security and Growth for All in the Region) helps in geopolitics questions.

What: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and TPG launched a joint venture – HyperVault AI Data Centre Ltd. – with ₹18,000 crore investment to build sovereign AI-focused data centres. The initiative aims to scale India’s AI infrastructure and ensure data sovereignty for critical applications.

How: The data centres will house high-performance computing clusters with GPU/TPU infrastructure for AI model training and inference. Sovereign data centres ensure sensitive government and enterprise data remains within Indian borders, complying with data localisation requirements under DPDP Act and sectoral regulations.

Why: Data centres, AI infrastructure, and digital sovereignty are relevant for UPSC GS-III (Science & Tech). Understanding data localisation debates, India’s data centre policy, IndiaAI Mission, and the role of private sector in AI ecosystem development helps in technology governance questions.