GK One-Liners

What: At Africa’s first G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, PM Modi proposed six major global initiatives covering traditional knowledge protection, skills development, healthcare access, satellite data sharing, critical minerals security, and combating the drug-terror nexus.

How: India, under its G20 Presidency in 2023, launched initiatives like the African Union’s G20 membership and Global Biofuels Alliance. At Johannesburg, India built on these foundations by proposing frameworks for Global South cooperation, technology transfer, and resource security that address developing nations’ priorities.

Why: G20 summits, India’s multilateral diplomacy, and global governance initiatives are important for UPSC GS-II (International Relations). Understanding G20 structure, India’s presidency outcomes (New Delhi Declaration), and continuing engagement with Global South helps in foreign policy questions.

What: India and Israel signed Terms of Reference (ToR) to formally begin Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. The FTA aims to enhance market access, boost bilateral investments, and improve ease of doing business between the two strategic partners.

How: FTA negotiations involve multiple rounds covering goods, services, investments, intellectual property, and dispute resolution. India-Israel bilateral trade stands at approximately $10 billion annually, with potential for growth in sectors like defence, agriculture technology, water management, and IT services through tariff reductions and regulatory harmonisation.

Why: FTAs, trade agreements, and India-Israel relations are important for UPSC GS-II (International Relations) and GS-III (Economy). Understanding India’s FTA strategy, existing agreements (ASEAN, Japan, UAE, Australia), and negotiation priorities helps in trade policy questions.

What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) commenced the realisation phase to integrate India’s UPI (Unified Payments Interface) with the EU’s TIPS (TARGET Instant Payment Settlement). This linkage will enable faster, cheaper, and more transparent cross-border payments between India and Eurozone countries.

How: TIPS is the European Central Bank’s instant payment system enabling real-time euro transfers. The UPI-TIPS linkage allows direct interoperability, eliminating intermediaries, reducing transaction costs, and enabling instant settlements. NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) coordinates India’s UPI internationalisation efforts.

Why: UPI internationalisation, cross-border payments, and financial technology are important for UPSC GS-III (Economy). Understanding UPI’s global expansion (Singapore, UAE, France, Mauritius), NPCI’s role, and digital payments diplomacy helps in fintech policy questions.

What: Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and UN Women signed an MoU to strengthen gender-responsive procurement and expand opportunities for women-led enterprises under the Womaniya initiative. The partnership aims to increase women entrepreneurs’ participation in government procurement.

How: GeM’s Womaniya initiative provides a dedicated marketplace for women entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to sell products directly to government buyers. UN Women will provide technical support for capacity building, market linkages, and advocacy. The MoU targets increased registration, training, and order volumes for women sellers.

Why: GeM, public procurement reforms, and women’s economic empowerment are relevant for UPSC GS-II (Governance) and GS-III (Economy). Understanding GeM’s role, procurement policy (3% reservation for women MSEs), and government-UN partnerships helps in governance questions.

What: India defeated Nepal in the final to become the first-ever Blind Women’s T20 World Cup champions. This historic victory marks a significant milestone in disability sports and women’s cricket, highlighting India’s growing strength in para-sports.

How: Blind cricket follows modified rules with audible balls containing bells, verbal cues from teammates, and classifications based on visual impairment levels (B1, B2, B3). The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) manages blind cricket, while the World Blind Cricket Council organises international tournaments.

Why: Para-sports achievements, disability inclusion, and sports governance are relevant for UPSC current affairs. Understanding India’s para-sports ecosystem, Paralympic performances, and efforts to mainstream disability sports helps in social justice and sports-related questions.

What: Punjab launched India’s first dedicated Scheduled Caste (SC) Commission courtroom with virtual access capabilities. The initiative aims to ensure faster case disposal and improved justice delivery for marginalised communities facing discrimination and atrocities.

How: The SC Commission, established under Article 338 of the Constitution, investigates complaints related to deprivation of SC rights. The dedicated courtroom with online hearing facilities reduces delays, improves accessibility for complainants from remote areas, and demonstrates Punjab’s commitment to social justice.

Why: Constitutional bodies, SC/ST welfare, and judicial reforms are important for UPSC GS-II (Polity, Social Justice). Understanding the role of National Commission for SCs (Article 338), Protection of Civil Rights Act, and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act helps in governance questions.