GK One-Liners

What: Sixty-three countries — including India, China, the European Union, Japan, and Brazil — agreed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London to the world’s first global carbon tax on shipping. The levy applies to vessels above 5,000 gross tonnage, which account for approximately 85% of shipping CO2 emissions. The fee is set at USD 100–380 per tonne of CO2 equivalent. Formal adoption is scheduled for October 2025, with the mechanism coming into effect in 2028. Projected revenue is USD 30–40 billion by 2030. The IMO is led by Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez.

How: International shipping contributes approximately 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — comparable to a major industrialised nation. Unlike land-based sectors, shipping had long escaped binding carbon pricing due to the complexity of cross-border jurisdiction. The IMO framework resolves this by applying the levy at the point of fuel purchase regardless of vessel flag or nationality. Revenue generated is intended to fund green shipping technology, support developing nations in decarbonising their fleets, and accelerate the transition to zero-emission fuels such as green ammonia and green methanol.

Why: This is a landmark multilateral climate agreement and is highly relevant for UPSC GS-III (climate change, international environmental agreements) and GS-II (multilateral institutions, IMO). Key MCQ anchors: number of signatory countries (63), vessel threshold (>5,000 gross tonnage), fee range (USD 100–380/tonne), formal adoption (Oct 2025), effective date (2028), projected revenue (USD 30–40 bn by 2030), shipping’s share of global GHGs (3%), IMO SG (Arsenio Dominguez). The ‘world’s first’ status and the 2028 effective date are the strongest exam triggers.

What: India signed a Headquarters (HQ) Agreement with the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) on April 17, 2025, confirming India as the permanent host for the IBCA secretariat in New Delhi. The agreement was signed by P. Kumaran (Ministry of External Affairs) and Dr. S.P. Yadav (Director General, IBCA). The Union Cabinet has approved Rs 150 crore over five years for this purpose. IBCA was launched by Prime Minister Modi on April 9, 2023, became a treaty-based intergovernmental organisation on January 23, 2025 with 5 founding countries, and currently has 27 member countries. It covers the conservation of 7 big cat species.

How: The IBCA provides a multilateral platform for range countries and interested nations to collaborate on protecting the world’s seven big cats: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma. By hosting the secretariat permanently, India cements its leadership role in global big cat conservation — building on its flagship Project Tiger (1973), Project Lion, and Project Cheetah (2022, Kuno NP). The HQ agreement gives IBCA legal personality under international law, enabling it to enter treaties, own property, and hire staff independently.

Why: IBCA is a high-yield topic for UPSC GS-III (biodiversity, conservation initiatives, international organisations) and GS-II (India’s environmental diplomacy). Key facts: IBCA launch date (Apr 9, 2023), treaty-based status date (Jan 23, 2025), founding countries (5), current members (27), big cats covered (7), HQ country (India, New Delhi), Cabinet approval (Rs 150 cr / 5 years), HQ Agreement signatories (P. Kumaran + Dr. SP Yadav). Knowing all 7 big cats and their conservation programmes is a UPSC Mains value-add.

What: Uttar Pradesh became India’s top state for Geographical Indication (GI) tags with a total of 77, surpassing Tamil Nadu which held 69 GI tags. Prime Minister Modi awarded 21 new GI certificates at an event in Mehndi Ganj, UP — the first time 21 GI certificates were given at a single PM-level event. New tags include Banarasi Shehnai, Tabla, and Bharwan Mirch. Varanasi alone holds 32 GI tags — the most for any single city in India — with 9 of the 21 new certificates going to Varanasi-based products. The GI Act has been in force since 2003.

How: A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is granted under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 (in force from 2003), administered by the GI Registry in Chennai under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). It certifies that a product originates from a specific geographic region and possesses qualities, reputation, or characteristics attributable to that origin. GI protection prevents misuse of the name by non-qualifying producers and supports artisans’ livelihoods and export premiums.

Why: GI tag records — especially state rankings and notable new tags — are standard content in Banking, SSC, and State PSC (especially UP PSC) exams. Key facts: UP’s total GI count (77, No. 1 state), previous leader Tamil Nadu (69), new tags awarded at single event (21, a first), notable new tags (Banarasi Shehnai, Tabla, Bharwan Mirch), Varanasi’s GI count (32), event location (Mehndi Ganj, UP), GI Act enforcement date (2003), GI Registry location (Chennai, under DPIIT). The UP-vs-Tamil Nadu overtake is the sharpest MCQ trigger.

What: S&P Global’s 2025 ranking of the world’s top 100 banks by total assets (year-end 2024) placed State Bank of India (SBI) at 43rd position (up 4 places) and HDFC Bank at 73rd position (up 1 place). They are the only two Indian banks in the global top 100. The top three positions were all occupied by Chinese state-owned banks: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) at 1st, Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) at 2nd, and China Construction Bank (CCB) at 3rd. S&P Global is headquartered in New York, was established in 1917, and is currently led by CEO Martina L. Cheung.

How: The S&P Global top 100 bank ranking uses total consolidated assets as the sole criterion — making it a measure of balance sheet size rather than profitability, efficiency, or capital strength. Chinese state-owned banks consistently dominate because of China’s government-directed credit expansion and the sheer scale of its domestic financial system. India’s two representatives — SBI (the largest public sector bank) and HDFC Bank (the largest private sector bank) — reflect India’s growing banking system, though both remain well below the top 10 in absolute asset size.

Why: Banking rankings are tested in every IBPS, RBI Grade B, and SBI exam cycle. Key facts: SBI rank (43rd, +4 places), HDFC Bank rank (73rd, +1), India’s count in top 100 (2), global top 3 (ICBC, ABC, CCB — all Chinese), ranking criterion (total assets, year-end 2024), S&P Global CEO (Martina L. Cheung), HQ (New York), established (1917). The ‘only two Indian banks’ and the all-China top-3 podium are the strongest MCQ anchors.

What: TIME magazine released its 22nd edition of the TIME 100 Most Influential People list for 2025. No Indian national featured on the list. However, Indian-origin Reshma Kewalramani — CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals — was included in the ‘Leaders’ category. Notable global names on the list include Demi Moore (Icons), Serena Williams (Titans), Snoop Dogg (Innovators), Ed Sheeran (Artists), and Demis Hassabis (Pioneers). The youngest person on the list is French swimmer Leon Marchand (age 22), and the oldest is Muhammad Yunus (age 84), Chief Adviser of Bangladesh.

How: The TIME 100 list is compiled annually across five categories — Icons, Pioneers, Titans, Artists, and Leaders — based on nominations from TIME editors and contributors, assessing the degree to which individuals have shaped global discourse, policy, culture, or innovation in the past year. Demis Hassabis — co-founder of Google DeepMind and 2024 Nobel Chemistry laureate — represents the AI-driven ‘Pioneers’ category, while Muhammad Yunus’s inclusion reflects Bangladesh’s political transition of 2024.

Why: TIME 100 inclusions, especially Indian-origin personalities and age-record holders, are tested in Banking current affairs GK and SSC Awareness. Key facts: edition (22nd), Indian on list (none), Indian-origin (Reshma Kewalramani, CEO Vertex Pharma, ‘Leaders’), youngest (Leon Marchand, 22, France), oldest (Muhammad Yunus, 84, Bangladesh), notable entries (Demis Hassabis — AI/DeepMind, Demi Moore — Icons, Serena Williams — Titans). The ‘no Indian’ but ‘Indian-origin’ distinction is a common MCQ trap that tests reading comprehension alongside factual recall.

What: Mission Amrit Sarovar, announced on April 24, 2022 — National Panchayati Raj Day — at Palli Gram Panchayat, Samba, Jammu & Kashmir, has achieved over 68,000 pond completions as of March 2025. Of these, 46,000 were built under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The mission targets 75 water bodies per district, with each pond requiring a minimum area of 1 acre and a storage capacity of 10,000 cubic metres. Groundwater recharge capacity has grown from 13.98 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM) in 2017 to 25.34 BCM in 2024. The mission is supported by the Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics — North (BISAG-N) for satellite-based monitoring.

How: The mission revives and creates water bodies at the Gram Panchayat level to improve groundwater recharge, provide irrigation support, and conserve rainwater in drought-prone and water-stressed districts. It was launched on the occasion of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ — India’s 75th Independence year — with a symbolic target of 75 ponds per district. BISAG-N, headquartered in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, uses satellite imagery to verify pond construction, monitor water levels, and track progress across all districts.

Why: Mission Amrit Sarovar is relevant for UPSC GS-III (water conservation, rural livelihoods, MGNREGS) and GS-II (Panchayati Raj, decentralised governance). Key MCQ facts: launch date (Apr 24, 2022), launch location (Palli GP, Samba, J&K), target (75 ponds/district), minimum specs (1 acre, 10,000 m³), completion count by Mar 2025 (68,000+), MGNREGS share (46,000), groundwater recharge growth (13.98 BCM 2017 → 25.34 BCM 2024), technology partner (BISAG-N). The BISAG-N satellite monitoring angle connects to digital governance and space applications — a multi-domain question trigger.