1 July 2025

• Economy: India marks 8 years of GST. Monthly collections averaged 1.65 lakh crore in FY25. The taxpayer base crossed 1.45 crore.
• International: PM Modi makes a historic state visit to Ghana, the first by an Indian PM in 30-plus years.
• Defence: The Akash air defence system drew fresh export interest from Brazil ahead of the 17th BRICS Summit.
• Science: JAXA launched the GOSAT-GW satellite on the 50th and final H-2A rocket mission to monitor greenhouse gases.
• Biodiversity: A new begonia species named after the Nyishi tribe was discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.

GS area: Economy (indirect taxation)

India's Goods and Services Tax completed eight years on 1 July 2025. The anniversary is a moment to read the data rather than the rhetoric.

• Monthly collection average: 1.65 lakh crore rupees in FY25. The record single-month figure was 2.10 lakh crore in April 2025.
• Taxpayer base: Crossed 1.45 crore registered taxpayers by 2025.
• IGST refund speed: Automated refunds via the Customs ICEGATE portal now settle within one week. Officer-processed refunds take up to 90 days. The gap is a governance problem.
• FY25 IGST refunds: 1.18 lakh crore rupees disbursed in the year.
• Unified market: GST replaced a web of central and state levies. One nation, one tax was the constitutional promise behind Article 279A, which created the GST Council.

The friction that remains is institutional. Customs and GST systems do not talk to each other seamlessly. Exporters caught between the two wait longest. Eight years in, the plumbing still leaks at the joints.

Static linkage: Indian economy (indirect taxes, GST Council, Article 279A).

GS area: Economy (intellectual property), Governance

Prada showcased Kolhapuri chappal-inspired footwear at Milan Fashion Week in June 2025 without crediting the Indian origin. The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999 is the relevant law.

• Act and commencement: The GI Act of 1999 came into effect in 2003.
• Protection period: A GI tag lasts 10 years and is renewable indefinitely.
• The gap: GI tags under this Act protect only within India. They carry no automatic international protection. A product misappropriated abroad requires the registrant to pursue each jurisdiction separately.
• Precedents: The Basmati patent dispute (1997), the turmeric patent (1995) and the Neem case (2000) showed the same vulnerability. Traditional knowledge and origin-linked products need TRIPS-compatible international mechanisms.
• Who benefits: A GI tag primarily protects rural artisans and producers. It also anchors export premiums when enforced.

Static linkage: Intellectual property (GS3), governance and protection of traditional knowledge.

GS area: Environment (air pollution)

A Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) study found that secondary pollutants account for nearly 34 per cent of PM2.5 pollution in India. Ammonium sulphate is the chief culprit.

• What secondary pollutants are: They are not emitted directly. They form when sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react in the atmosphere. Ammonium sulphate is the dominant product.
• Proximity to coal plants: Ammonium sulphate concentration is 2.5 times higher within 10 km of coal-fired power plants.
• NCAP cities: 114 of 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme show more than 30 per cent of their PM2.5 load from ammonium sulphate.
• Thermal power plants: They contribute over 60 per cent of India's sulphur dioxide emissions.
• FGD gap: Only 8 per cent of coal plants have flue gas desulphurisation systems installed. FGD is the technology that captures SO2 before it leaves the stack.

The health arithmetic is straightforward. PM2.5 particles penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. Chronic exposure causes respiratory and cardiovascular disease and premature death. Addressing only primary emissions misses one-third of the problem.

Static linkage: Environment (air pollution, PM2.5, NCAP).

GS area: International Relations (Indo-Pacific security)

The first QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission was launched under the Wilmington Declaration framework. India's Coast Guard participated alongside Japan, the United States and Australia.

• Purpose: Cross-embarkation of maritime officers across partner vessels for coordination and interoperability.
• Features: The mission includes women officers. It covers humanitarian assistance and disaster response as stated objectives.
• Strategic frame: The mission sits inside the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
• Wilmington Declaration: Adopted at the Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware in September 2024. It set out a range of maritime security, health and technology commitments.

Static linkage: International relations (QUAD, Indo-Pacific, SAGAR).

GS area: Defence, Science and Technology

The Akash surface-to-air missile system was deployed during Operation Sindoor (May 2025). Brazil expressed interest in acquiring it ahead of the 17th BRICS Summit.

• Developer: DRDO, with Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited for production.
• Classification: Medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile system.
• Range: 4.5 to 25 km. Altitude coverage: 100 metres to 20 km.
• Speed: Supersonic, Mach 1.8 to 2.5.
• Guidance: Command guidance integrated with radar.
• Strategic significance: Indigenous development and combat validation together make Akash a credible export proposition. It supports both Aatmanirbhar Bharat and defence diplomacy.

Static linkage: Science and technology (indigenous defence), security (Operation Sindoor).

GS area: Environment (climate science, space technology)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the GOSAT-GW satellite on the 50th and final flight of Japan's H-2A rocket from Tanegashima Space Centre.

• Full name: Global Observing Satellite for Greenhouse Gases and Water Cycle.
• What it monitors: Carbon dioxide, methane, sea surface temperature, cloud cover and precipitation globally.
• Data access: Open model with real-time sharing expected within one year of launch.
• Paris Agreement link: The data feeds directly into national greenhouse gas inventory assessments.
• H-2A retirement: The 50th flight was the rocket's final mission before retirement. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries built both satellite and launch vehicle.

Static linkage: Environment (climate monitoring, Paris Agreement, satellite technology).

GS area: Environment (biodiversity)

Researchers discovered a new begonia species in East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. The species was named Begonia nyishiorum after the Nyishi tribe.

• Elevation range: Found between 1,500 and 3,000 metres.
• What makes it distinct: Crimson-fringed petioles not recorded in any Asian begonia species. A dense hair-like covering called indumentum that has no equivalent among the 2,150-plus known global begonia species.
• Endemic: Found only in two forest patches in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Nyishi tribe: The largest indigenous community in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Significance: The discovery reinforces Arunachal Pradesh's status as a biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern Himalayan region.

Static linkage: Biodiversity (endemic species, Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalayas).

GS area: International Relations

PM Modi made a state visit to Ghana, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in more than 30 years.

• Location: Gulf of Guinea, West Africa. Neighbours are Burkina Faso, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire and the Atlantic Ocean.
• Capital: Accra.
• Water bodies: The Volta River system dominates. Lake Volta is one of the world's largest artificial lakes at 8,500 sq km, created by the Akosombo Dam. Tributaries include the Black Volta, White Volta and Oti rivers.
• Diplomatic purpose: Strengthening India's engagement with African nations and the Global South agenda.
• Geography note for prelims: Mount Afadjato (885 m) is Ghana's highest peak, in the Akwapim-Togo Ranges.

Static linkage: International relations (India-Africa ties, Global South), world geography (West Africa).

• Altermagnet discovery: S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences identified chromium antimonide (CrSb) as the first altermagnet with direction-dependent conduction polarity. It shows both p-type and n-type conduction within a single crystal. Applications span spintronics and compact electronics.
• Kombucha research: A Journal of Nutrition study found that kombucha (fermented tea from SCOBY) positively modulates gut microbiota in individuals with obesity by increasing beneficial bacteria.