GK One-Liners

What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Semicon India 2025 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, a landmark event aimed at positioning India as a global semiconductor manufacturing hub. The conference brought together leaders from over 48 countries and representatives from major global chip manufacturers, showcasing India’s semiconductor ecosystem development and attracting investment. The event coincided with the announcement that India’s first quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth reached 7.8%, surpassing international forecasts.

How: India’s semiconductor strategy includes the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), offering fiscal incentives of up to ₹76,000 crore for chip manufacturing, design, and packaging facilities. Companies like Tata Electronics, Micron Technology, and CG Power have announced major investments. The partnership between Tata Electronics and Merck focuses on advanced materials and resilient supply chain development. The government aims to reduce import dependence and build a complete semiconductor value chain—from design to fabrication.

Why: Semiconductors are critical for national security, economic growth, and technological sovereignty. Questions on semiconductor policy, India Semiconductor Mission, Atmanirbhar Bharat in electronics, and global supply chain dynamics appear in UPSC Prelims (Economy, Science & Tech) and Mains GS3 (Industrial Development). This topic connects to Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, China Plus One strategy, and India’s digital infrastructure ambitions.

What: The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), operating under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, launched Niveshak Didi Phase II in Hyderabad to promote women-led financial literacy across rural India. This initiative empowers rural women to become financial educators, teaching their communities about digital banking, safe investing practices, investor rights, and protection against financial fraud.

How: The program trains selected women volunteers from rural areas to conduct awareness sessions, workshops, and one-on-one counseling in their villages and neighborhoods. Topics covered include unclaimed dividends and shares, provident fund claims, mutual fund investments, stock market basics, and digital payment safety. The women educators, called “Niveshak Didis,” use simplified materials in regional languages, making financial concepts accessible to first-time investors and economically marginalized communities.

Why: Financial inclusion and women’s empowerment are priority areas under India’s development agenda. Questions on IEPFA, investor protection mechanisms, financial literacy schemes, and women-led development initiatives appear in UPSC Prelims (Economy, Social Issues) and Mains GS2 (Welfare Schemes). This topic connects to Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, gender budgeting, and financial inclusion targets under the Sustainable Development Goals.

What: An Indian Army contingent departed for Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, the 21st edition of the India-United States joint military training exercise, to be conducted in Alaska. This bilateral exercise focuses on high-altitude and arctic warfare, heliborne operations, artificial intelligence-assisted combat tactics, and interoperability between the two armies in extreme cold weather conditions.

How: The exercise involves tactical drills, counter-terrorism operations, disaster response scenarios, and joint planning in sub-zero temperatures. Participating units will train on advanced equipment, share best practices in mountain and cold-weather warfare, and conduct integrated operations using drones, AI-powered surveillance systems, and real-time intelligence sharing. The exercise strengthens military-to-military cooperation and enhances India’s operational readiness along its northern borders, particularly in the Himalayan region.

Why: India-US defense cooperation is a cornerstone of India’s strategic partnership with the United States. Questions on bilateral military exercises, defense technology sharing, Major Defense Partner status, and Indo-Pacific security architecture appear in UPSC Prelims (International Relations, Defence) and Mains GS2 and GS3 (India’s Foreign Policy, Security). This topic connects to foundational defense agreements like LEMOA, COMCASA, and BECA, and India’s Quad partnership.

What: The Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru developed a tiny single-board computer for the PRATUSH (Probing ReionizAtion of The Universe using Signal from Hydrogen) lunar mission. This mission aims to detect faint radio signals from neutral hydrogen atoms that existed during the Cosmic Dawn era, approximately 13 billion years ago. The Moon’s far side, shielded from Earth’s radio interference, provides an ideal location for these sensitive observations.

How: The PRATUSH mission will deploy a low-frequency radio telescope on the far side of the Moon to capture signals from the universe’s earliest hydrogen clouds formed after the Big Bang. The single-board computer designed by RRI will control the telescope’s operations, process incoming data, and transmit findings back to Earth. The mission requires extreme miniaturization and radiation-hardened components to survive the harsh lunar environment while maintaining precision measurements in the 40-200 MHz frequency range.

Why: This mission represents India’s growing capabilities in space science and astrophysics research. Questions on lunar missions, Cosmic Dawn, radio astronomy, and ISRO’s scientific objectives appear in UPSC Prelims (Science & Tech) and Mains GS3 (Space Technology). The topic connects to Chandrayaan missions, international collaborations in space research, and India’s pursuit of cutting-edge scientific discoveries beyond routine satellite launches.

What: The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit was held in Tianjin, China, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined India’s vision on regional security, connectivity, and cooperation among member states. The summit adopted the Tianjin Declaration, which specifically condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and urged international collaboration against terrorism, extremist financing, and cross-border radicalization.

How: During the summit, PM Modi advocated for zero tolerance toward terrorism, emphasized the importance of SCO reforms for greater inclusivity, and highlighted connectivity projects that respect sovereignty. China announced a $2 billion pledge in grants and loans to SCO member states, along with AI technical support and 10,000 vocational training opportunities. The Tianjin Declaration reinforced collective action against the “three evil forces” (terrorism, separatism, and extremism) and called for enhanced intelligence sharing among member nations.

Why: The SCO is a critical multilateral platform for India’s regional diplomacy and security cooperation. Questions on SCO membership, India’s role in regional organizations, counter-terrorism frameworks, and connectivity initiatives like International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) appear in UPSC Prelims (International Relations) and Mains GS2 (Regional Groupings). This topic connects to India’s multi-alignment foreign policy, relations with Central Asia, and balancing ties between Russia and China within regional forums.

What: Rajit Punhani, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, assumed charge as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). FSSAI is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, responsible for regulating and supervising food safety standards across India, from manufacturing to retail distribution.

How: As CEO, Punhani will oversee the implementation of food safety regulations, conduct inspections and audits, enforce compliance among food businesses, and promote consumer awareness about safe food practices. FSSAI works to harmonize food standards with international benchmarks set by Codex Alimentarius, implements the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, manages the FSSAI licensing and registration system, and coordinates with state food safety authorities for effective enforcement.

Why: Food safety and public health regulation are important governance topics in competitive exams. Questions on FSSAI, food safety laws, statutory bodies under various ministries, and regulatory frameworks appear in UPSC Prelims (Polity, Governance) and Mains GS2 (Health Policy). This topic connects to food adulteration issues, nutrition labeling mandates, the Eat Right India movement, and India’s efforts to strengthen food safety infrastructure as per WHO recommendations.