22 July 2025 Current Affairs (With PDF)

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India-EFTA TEPA to Come into Effect from October 1, 2025

India’s Commerce Minister has announced that the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will come into force from October 1, 2025. The agreement was signed in March 2024, marking a significant milestone in India's trade diplomacy.

About TEPA (Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement)

1. Nature:

• A comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and EFTA nations.

2. Signed on:

• March 2024

3. Effective from:

• October 1, 2025

4. Focus Areas:

• Market access for goods
• Rules of origin
• Trade facilitation
• Trade remedies
• Sanitary and phytosanitary measures
• Technical barriers to trade

Key Provisions of TEPA

1. Historic Investment Commitment:

• First FTA to include a binding commitment of $100 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and creation of 1 million direct jobs in India over 15 years by EFTA.

2. Tariff Reductions:

• EFTA will remove/reduce tariffs on 99.6% of Indian exports.
• India will eliminate/reduce tariffs on 95.3% of EFTA’s exports.
• Indian concessions include select luxury imports like: Swiss watches, Chocolates, Cut and polished diamonds

3. Market Access Benefits:

• EFTA provides 100% tariff concessions on non-agricultural goods.
• Includes Processed Agricultural Products (PAPs).
• Sensitive sectors like dairy, soya, coal, and some agricultural products are excluded.

4. Other Notable Commitments:

• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protections
• Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) in professional services (e.g., nursing qualifications)

About EFTA (European Free Trade Association)

• Established: 1960 (by the Stockholm Convention)
• Original Members: Austria, Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland
• Current Members: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein
• Nature: An intergovernmental organization promoting free trade and economic integration among non-EU European countries.

India-EFTA Trade Snapshot (2024–25)

• Total Trade: USD 24.4 billion
• Trade Imbalance: India faces a significant trade deficit, largely due to gold imports from Switzerland.
• Top Trading Partner (within EFTA): Switzerland, Norway

Significance of TEPA

• Boosts investment confidence through legally binding FDI targets
• Promotes employment generation and industrial growth in India
• Expands market access for Indian exporters to high-income economies
• Reflects India’s calibrated approach to balancing market opening with protection of sensitive sectors

Kashi Declaration Adopted at Youth Spiritual Summit for Drug-Free India

The Youth Spiritual Summit, organized under the Mera Yuva (MY) Bharat framework, culminated in the adoption of the Kashi Declaration, which outlines a youth-led national strategy to combat substance abuse.

About Mera Yuva (MY) Bharat

• An autonomous body launched by the Government of India.
• Aims to provide a tech-driven institutional platform for: Youth development and Youth-led participatory governance

Kashi Declaration: Key Highlights

• Objective: Lay a five-year strategic roadmap for a Drug-Free India.
• Core Philosophy: Substance abuse is a public health and social issue requiring an integrated approach.

Key Provisions

• Formation of a Joint National Committee for multi-ministerial coordination.
• Establishment of a national digital platform to connect affected individuals with support services.
• Annual reporting on progress and impact.
• Leverages spirituality, culture, education, and technology to address root causes and prevent relapse.

Other Key Anti-Drug Initiatives in India

Drug Use in India: Key Findings

(Based on the National Survey on Substance Use, 2019)

• Alcohol: 14.6% (ages 10–75) are current users
• Cannabis and opioids (e.g., heroin) follow as the most misused substances
• Youth and young adults are among the most vulnerable groups

China Begins Construction of World’s Largest Dam on the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo)

China has commenced the construction of what is set to become the world’s largest hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra in India), near the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. The scale of this dam could potentially exceed that of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River.

Key Highlights

• Strategic Location: The dam is being built in a geologically sensitive region of the Himalayas, where the Yarlung Tsangpo takes a dramatic U-turn near India's Arunachal Pradesh.
• Geographical Significance: The river carves out the deepest canyon in the world across the Tibetan Plateau.
• Hydropower Ambition: Once completed, the dam could generate more energy than the Three Gorges Dam, making it the largest hydropower project globally.
• Bilateral Mechanism: India and China have an Expert-Level Mechanism (ELM) established in 2006 to share hydrological data on trans-boundary rivers like the Brahmaputra and Sutlej, especially during flood seasons.
• India’s Response: India is also developing its own hydropower infrastructure on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh to safeguard downstream interests.
• Legal Vacuum: Neither India nor China is a signatory to the 1997 UN Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, which governs transboundary river management.

Key Concerns and Implications

1. Seismic Vulnerability

• The Tibetan Plateau lies in a highly earthquake-prone zone due to active tectonic plates.
• Large dams in such regions elevate the risk of disaster.
• E.g., The 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake had devastating impacts on both regions.

2. Environmental Disruption

• Potential changes in river flow, ecosystem fragmentation, and biodiversity loss.
• Threatens agriculture and natural habitats downstream in Northeast India.

3. Geopolitical and Strategic Risks

• Raises fears that China could weaponize water as a strategic tool.
• In conflict scenarios, sudden water discharge from the dam could cause catastrophic flooding in downstream areas.

4. Socio-Cultural Impact

• Indigenous communities like the Adi Tribe in the Siang Valley (Arunachal Pradesh) face existential threats due to possible submergence of their lands and cultural erosion.

Way Forward

• Enhance diplomatic engagement through the ELM to ensure transparency and data sharing.
• India should advocate for a regional water-sharing agreement or join efforts to evolve a multilateral framework.
• Strengthen hydrological monitoring and early warning systems in Northeast India.
• Conduct environmental impact assessments and community consultations for domestic dam projects.

ICMR Develops Indigenous Dual-Stage Malaria Vaccine - 'AdFalciVax'

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology-National Institute of Immunology, has initiated the development of a novel indigenous malaria vaccine — AdFalciVax. This marks India’s strategic entry into advanced malaria vaccine research and development on a global scale.

About AdFalciVax Vaccine

1. Dual-Stage Protection

• Targets two critical life stages of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite:
  - Pre-erythrocytic (liver) stage
  - Transmission (sexual) stage
• This multi-stage approach is designed to enhance protection by interrupting both infection and transmission cycles.

2 .Chimeric Recombinant Vaccine

• A chimeric vaccine combines antigens from different stages of the parasite's life cycle into a single immunogen.
• Developed using recombinant DNA technology, which integrates DNA segments from various sources to create targeted immunity.

3. Production Platform

• Produced using Lactococcus lactis, a safe and scalable bacterial system.
• Offers advantages in cost-effective and efficient manufacturing.

Key Advantages over Existing Vaccines

About Malaria

• Cause: Life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites; not directly transmitted person-to-person.
• Transmission: Spread via bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Geographical Focus: Predominantly tropical and subtropical regions.
• Five Infecting Species:
  - Plasmodium falciparum (most lethal)
  - P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, P. knowlesi

Significance of AdFalciVax

• Strengthens India's capacity in vaccine innovation and biotechnological self-reliance.
• Supports global malaria elimination goals by offering a next-generation solution.
• Could significantly improve public health outcomes in malaria-endemic regions, especially in Africa and South Asia.

National Sample Survey (NSS) Celebrates 75 Years of Statistical Excellence

The National Sample Survey (NSS), India’s largest and most significant socio-economic data-gathering mechanism, marks its 75th year since inception. Established in 1950 by the eminent statistician Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis, the NSS has played a foundational role in shaping evidence-based policymaking in India.

Overview of NSS

Scope of Surveys Conducted

• Household-Level Surveys: Population, birth & death rates, migration, fertility, family planning, etc.
• Agricultural & Land Use Surveys: Landholding patterns, livestock census, crop cultivation.
• Enterprise & Establishment Surveys: Non-agricultural enterprises in the unorganized sector, workforce statistics, and rural retail prices.
• Village-Level Surveys: Infrastructure availability (e.g., roads, schools, medical services) in Indian villages.

Organizational Structure: Four Key Divisions of NSS

Significance of NSS

• Backbone of India’s statistical system and central to national policy formulation.
• Enables periodic monitoring of developmental indicators such as unemployment, consumer expenditure, education, and health.
• Supports budget preparation, targeted welfare schemes, and SDG monitoring.

M23 Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Ceasefire Declared

A permanent ceasefire agreement has been reached between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group, which is believed to be supported by Rwanda. This ceasefire aims to reduce ongoing hostilities in the conflict-ridden eastern region of Congo.

Who are the M23 Rebels?

• Full Form: March 23 Movement (M23)
• Ethnic Composition: Predominantly ethnic Tutsis
• Area of Activity: Mineral-rich regions of Eastern DRC
• Objective: Originally formed to protest the failure of a peace agreement meant to integrate Tutsi rebels into the Congolese army.

Historical Background

1. Origins:

• M23 traces its roots to the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), a Tutsi-dominated rebel group.
• In March 2009, the CNDP signed a peace agreement with the DRC government to end their insurgency.

2. Formation of M23:

• The M23 movement was formed in 2012 by former CNDP members.
• The name "March 23" commemorates the date of the 2009 peace accord.
• The group accused the DRC government of failing to honor key terms of the agreement, particularly concerning political integration and protection of ethnic Tutsis.

Geopolitical Dimension

Rwanda’s Alleged Role:

• The M23 rebels are widely believed to have tacit support from Rwanda, although the Rwandan government denies direct involvement.
• The issue has strained regional diplomatic ties, especially between DRC and Rwanda.

Strategic Importance of Eastern DRC

1. The eastern provinces of the DRC are rich in natural resources, including:

• Gold
• Coltan (used in electronics)
• Cobalt (vital for batteries and electric vehicles)

2. These regions are often the epicenters of violent conflict due to competition for control over resources.

India’s Leadership on Millets Recognized at Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)

India’s active role in developing global standards for millets received international appreciation during the 88th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy.

About Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)

1. Established:

• 1963

2. Founding Organizations:

• Jointly created by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

3. Purpose:

• To implement the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
• To develop international food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice to protect consumer health and ensure fair trade practices in the global food market.

What is Codex Alimentarius?

1. It refers to a collection of globally recognized food standards and related texts.

2. It ensures:

• Food safety
• Product quality
• Fair practices in the international food trade.

3. Acts as a reference standard under the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework, especially in resolving trade disputes.

Membership

Total Members: 189

• 188 countries
• 1 regional organization - the European Union (EU)

India’s Role in CAC

India has played a leading role in advocating for:

• The global promotion of millets as nutritious and climate-resilient crops.
• The formulation of international food standards for millets, aligning with India’s efforts during the International Year of Millets (2023).

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