13 October 2025 Current Affairs (With PDF)

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Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Visits India

Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister recently met India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi — marking the first high-level engagement between India and the Taliban regime since it assumed power in 2021.

About the Visit

• The visit followed the Taliban minister’s participation in a regional conference on Afghanistan in Russia, attended by India, China, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian nations.
• During the talks, Afghanistan assured India that its territory would not be used by any terror group against other countries, addressing India’s key security concern.
• India announced plans to reopen its full embassy in Kabul, upgrading the existing technical mission (set up in 2022) which has been facilitating humanitarian aid and trade.

Diplomatic Context

• Around a dozen countries, including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, already maintain embassies in Kabul.
• India’s decision reflects a calibrated re-engagement strategy aimed at safeguarding strategic, security, and economic interests in Afghanistan.

Significance of the Engagement

1. Strategic Balancing:

Reinforces India’s presence in Afghanistan amid growing Chinese and Pakistani influence.

2. Counterterrorism Focus:

India’s insistence on Afghan soil not being used for terrorism directly targets threats from groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

3. Pragmatic Diplomacy:

Though India has not officially recognized the Taliban regime, the interaction signifies de facto acknowledgment of its authority over Kabul.

4. Regional Cooperation:

India’s active participation in the Moscow Format showcases its commitment to a multi-stakeholder approach for Afghan stability.

Why India is Engaging with the Taliban

• Strategic Realism: With the Taliban firmly in control since 2021, non-engagement would marginalize India’s influence and concede ground to regional rivals.
• Security Imperatives: India seeks assurances against cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan’s territory.
• Safeguarding Investments: India has invested over USD 3 billion in Afghan infrastructure — including the Salma Dam, Zaranj–Delaram Highway, and Afghan Parliament building — which require diplomatic continuity for protection and revival.
• Regional Dynamics: China, Russia, and Iran are deepening engagement with Kabul through infrastructure, trade, and energy initiatives. India’s presence ensures it remains part of the evolving regional equation.
• Connectivity Interests: Afghanistan remains critical to India’s Central Asia outreach, particularly through the Chabahar Port in Iran, serving as a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Supreme Court Upholds Reproductive Autonomy in Surrogacy Cases

The Supreme Court ruled that the age restrictions prescribed under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 cannot be applied retrospectively to couples who had initiated the surrogacy process before the Act came into force in January 2022.

Key Constitutional Basis

• The judgment drew upon the landmark case Suchita Srivastava v. Chandigarh Administration (2009), which recognized a woman’s reproductive choice as an inseparable aspect of her bodily integrity and autonomy.
• The Court reaffirmed that reproductive rights are protected under Article 21 of the Constitution — encompassing privacy, dignity, and personal liberty.

Key Takeaways from the Judgment

1. Reproductive Autonomy as a Fundamental Right

The Court reiterated that decisions related to reproduction — including surrogacy and assisted reproductive techniques — fall within the ambit of personal liberty under Article 21.

2. Equality in Parenthood

It noted that adoption laws impose no age restrictions, questioning the logic of imposing age bars in assisted reproduction.

The ruling promotes equal access to parenthood, irrespective of biological limitations linked to age.

3. State’s Regulatory Role

The State may regulate surrogacy for medical safety and ethical concerns, but such regulation cannot retrospectively invalidate lawful reproductive choices already made.

4. Protection of Legitimate Expectations

Couples who began surrogacy before the Act’s commencement retain their legal rights and expectations, as the new law cannot alter prior arrangements.

About Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

Objective: To prohibit commercial surrogacy and permit only altruistic surrogacy (without monetary compensation).

Significance of the Judgment

• Strengthens the constitutional protection of reproductive autonomy.
• Prevents retrospective penalization of couples acting under previous lawful conditions.
• Promotes a balanced approach between State regulation and individual liberty.
• Reflects the judiciary’s evolving understanding of family, parenthood, and reproductive rights in modern India.

Shram Shakti Niti 2025: Draft National Labour & Employment Policy

• The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) has released the draft National Labour & Employment Policy — Shram Shakti Niti 2025 for public consultation.
• The policy envisions an inclusive, secure, and productive labour ecosystem grounded in the philosophy of Śrama Dharma — emphasizing the dignity and moral value of work.

Vision and Objectives

• Core Pillars: Protection, Productivity, and Participation for every worker.
• Goal: Build a resilient labour market that integrates formal and informal sectors, ensuring decent work, fair wages, and universal social security.

Key Digital Reforms and Platforms

1. National Career Service (NCS) 2.0

• To be developed as India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for employment.
• Provides AI-driven job matching, skill alignment, and multilingual access to opportunities.
• Envisions a centralized Employment Exchange 2.0 connecting job seekers and employers across Tier-II & III cities, rural districts, and MSME clusters.

2. Integrated Labour Stack

• A unified, interoperable digital framework combining databases from:
• EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation)
• ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation)
• e-Shram portal
• National Career Service (NCS)

Objective: Enable seamless social protection, lifelong learning, and income security for every worker through data interoperability and portable entitlements.

Constitutional Framework

• Labour falls under the Concurrent List (List III) of the Seventh Schedule, empowering both Union and State governments to legislate on labour and employment matters.
• The policy seeks to enhance centre–state coordination for consistent implementation of labour reforms.

Key Focus Areas

1. Universal Social Security Expansion

• Extends coverage to informal, gig, and platform workers.
• Promotes portability of benefits and integrated welfare delivery.

2. Women’s Labour Force Participation

• Aims to increase women’s participation rate to 35% by 2030.
• Proposes entrepreneurship promotion, childcare infrastructure, flexible work arrangements, and equal pay initiatives.

3. Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

• Strengthens OSH codes and ensures safe, healthy, and dignified workplaces across industries.
• Encourages adoption of safety certification systems and digital monitoring mechanisms.

4. Green and Technology-Driven Employment

• Promotes climate-resilient and green jobs aligned with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Focuses on future-ready skilling in sectors like renewable energy, electric mobility, and digital manufacturing.

5. Formalization and Skill Ecosystem

• Incentivizes formal employment through simplified compliance and digital integration.
• Expands the Skill India Mission for continuous skilling–reskilling–upskilling cycles.

Securities Transaction Tax (STT): Constitutional Validity Under Review

The Supreme Court of India is hearing a petition questioning the constitutional validity of the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) — arguing that it imposes an unequal burden on investors and violates the right to trade and equality under Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.

About Securities Transaction Tax (STT)

• Nature: A direct tax levied on the purchase and sale of securities listed on recognised stock exchanges in India.
• Introduced: In 2004 through the Finance Act, later codified under the Securities Transaction Tax Act, 2004.
• Mandatory & Non-Refundable: Payable irrespective of profit or loss on a transaction.
• Collection Mechanism: Automatically deducted at source by stock exchanges, mutual funds, or merchant bankers.

Purpose of STT

• Simplify capital gains taxation and reduce tax evasion.
• Enhance transparency and ease of collection through digital automation.
• Ensure a steady revenue source for the government without administrative burden.

Scope & Coverage

1. Applies to:

• Equity shares
• Equity-oriented mutual funds
• Derivatives (futures and options)

2. Exemptions:

• Off-market transactions and select debt instruments.

3. Rate Structure (Illustrative):

• 0.1% on delivery-based equity trades
• 0.02% on futures
• 0.1% on options (on premium)

Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project Gets Fresh Environmental Clearance

An apex committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted fresh environmental clearance to the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project in Jammu & Kashmir.

About Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project

• Type: Run-of-the-River Hydroelectric Project
• River: Chenab River
• Location: Ramban District, Jammu & Kashmir
• Executing Agency: National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd
• Installed Capacity: 1,856 MW poised to be among India’s largest hydropower projects in Indus Basin.

Project Background

• Proposed: 1984
• Initial Clearance: Granted in 2017 under the Jammu & Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC).
• Transfer of Control: In 2021, JKPDC handed over the project to NHPC, which will operate it till 2061.
• Environmental Reassessment: The new clearance ensures compliance with updated EIA norms, seismic safety, and biodiversity protection in the Himalayan ecosystem.

CCRAS Launches SPARK 4.0

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), operating under the Ministry of Ayush, has launched the fourth edition of its flagship Studentship Program for Ayurveda Research Ken (SPARK) for the academic year 2025–26.

About SPARK 4.0

• Objective: To nurture scientific temperament and research aptitude among undergraduate Ayurveda students across India.
• Beneficiaries: 300 students pursuing Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from institutions recognised by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM).
• Financial Support: Each selected student will receive a studentship of ₹50,000, provided in two instalments of ₹25,000 per month over a two-month research period.
• Nature of Program: Participants will undertake short-term, independent research projects under expert guidance.
• Certification: Upon successful completion, students will be awarded a certificate of participation and completion from CCRAS.

Bharat Taxi

India is set to launch Bharat Taxi, a cooperative-driven national ride-hailing platform, with strategic and technical guidance from the National e-Governance Division (NeGD).

About the Initiative

• Implementing Agency: NeGD, under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), has signed an MoU with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited (Bharat Taxi) to provide strategic and technical advisory support.
• Promoters & Partners: The initiative is supported by leading cooperative and development institutions, including NCDC, IFFCO, AMUL, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NABARD, NDDB, and NCEL.
• Digital Integration: Bharat Taxi will be linked with government digital platforms such as DigiLocker, UMANG, and API Setu, ensuring seamless access to digital services.

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