30 August 2025

• Economy: India's five-pillar energy sovereignty framework : renewables, nuclear, clean coal, hydrogen, efficiency.
• Polity: GST two-tier slab rationalisation debate : Diwali 2025 target for Council decision.
• Diplomacy: SCO 25th anniversary summit at Tianjin : India's position at the July 2025 meeting and ahead of August 31 summit.
• History: Guru Tegh Bahadur's 350th martyrdom anniversary : 1675 sacrifice and the ninth Sikh Guru's legacy.
• Governance: SEEI 2024 (State Energy Efficiency Index) : Maharashtra tops; Rajasthan improves most.

GS area: Economy (Energy), Environment

India's Energy Ministry articulated a five-pillar framework for energy sovereignty : the goal of meeting domestic energy needs from domestic and secured sources.

• Pillar 1 : Renewable Energy: Target of 500 GW renewable capacity by 2030 (solar, wind, small hydro). India's renewable installed capacity crossed 200 GW in 2024.
• Pillar 2 : Nuclear Energy: Target of 100 GW nuclear by 2047 (from 7.48 GW today). Requires three pressurised water reactor parks : Jaitapur (France/EDF), Kovvada (US/Westinghouse), Gorakhpur (domestic AHWR).
• Pillar 3 : Clean Coal: Super-critical and ultra-super-critical thermal plants. Coal gasification for industrial use. India has 100 billion tonnes of coal reserves : the world's fourth largest.
• Pillar 4 : Green Hydrogen: 5 MMT annual production by 2030 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• Pillar 5 : Energy Efficiency: Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme for industrial efficiency. Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for buildings. BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) star ratings.
• India's per capita energy consumption: 1,090 kWh (2023-24) versus the world average of 3,131 kWh. India has headroom to grow consumption while improving efficiency.

Static linkage: Energy, environment, economy.

GS area: Economy (Taxation), Governance

The GST Council's Rate Rationalisation Committee was expected to present proposals for a simpler two-tier or three-tier rate structure before Diwali 2025.

• Current structure: 0 per cent, 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent, 28 per cent plus cess. Critics say the multiplicity creates classification disputes and compliance burden.
• Two-tier proposal: A standard rate (approximately 15-16 per cent) and a merit/essential rate (approximately 8 per cent). Sin goods at 28 per cent retained.
• Revenue neutrality concern: Any restructuring must maintain revenue : GST revenue was Rs 21.98 lakh crore in FY25 (full year). Reducing rates without broadening the base risks a revenue shortfall.
• Items outside GST: Petroleum products (petrol, diesel, ATF, natural gas), alcohol for human consumption and electricity remain outside GST : states collect their own taxes on these. Bringing petroleum into GST is a long-standing demand.
• GST Council's track record: Over 1,900 rate changes since 2017. The Council has proven it can adapt, but a structural overhaul requires political consensus across states.

Static linkage: Economy, taxation, GST.

GS area: International Relations

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held its 25th anniversary summit at Tianjin, China on August 31-September 1, 2025.

• SCO founding: June 15, 2001, in Shanghai : by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined in 2017. Iran joined in 2023. Belarus joined 2024.
• Original name: The "Shanghai Five" (1996-2001) before becoming the SCO.
• India's relationship with SCO: India joined for connectivity (INSTC : International North-South Transport Corridor) and counter-terrorism cooperation. India has been cautious about being locked into China-Russia frameworks on strategic and political issues.
• India at the 2025 summit: India participated at the level of External Affairs Minister (not PM). India objected to language in the final declaration that India perceived as favourable to Pakistan on terrorism.
• RATS: Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure : SCO's counter-terrorism body based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Static linkage: International relations, SCO, diplomacy.

GS area: History (Medieval India, Sikhism)

The 350th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur : the ninth Sikh Guru : fell on November 24, 2025. Commemorations began in August.

• Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675): Ninth of the ten Sikh Gurus. Son of Guru Hargobind. Father of Guru Gobind Singh (10th Guru who founded the Khalsa).
• Martyrdom: Executed on November 24, 1675, in Delhi's Chandni Chowk on orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He had refused to convert to Islam and was protecting the right of Kashmiri Pandits to practise their faith.
• "Hind di Chadar": Guru Tegh Bahadur is honoured as the "Shield of India" (Hind di Chadar) for his sacrifice to protect religious freedom.
• Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib: Built in Chandni Chowk at the site of his martyrdom. One of the Nine Historical Gurdwaras of Delhi.
• Mughal-Sikh relations: Guru Arjan Dev (5th Guru) was also executed by the Mughals (1606, Jahangir). The martyrdoms transformed the Sikh Panth's relationship with Mughal authority.

Static linkage: Medieval Indian history, Sikhism, religious freedom.

GS area: Governance (Energy)

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) released the State Energy Efficiency Index 2024.

• Top performer: Maharashtra : for its industrial energy efficiency, building energy codes and state energy efficiency action plan.
• Most improved: Rajasthan : for rapid improvement in energy efficiency in its industrial sector and completion of the state energy audit programme.
• SEEI categories: Four groups : Front Runner, Achiever, Contender and Aspirant. Most states are in Contender and Aspirant.
• BEE: Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Ministry of Power. Established under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Oversees the PAT scheme, UJALA scheme, BEE star labels.
• UJALA scheme: Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All : distributed 370 million LED bulbs. Saves approximately 47 billion kWh per year.

Static linkage: Energy efficiency, governance, BEE.

GS area: Governance (Telecommunications)

TRAI proposed a Digital Communications Regulatory Architecture (DCRA) with eight functional agencies to manage India's complex telecom and digital ecosystem.

• TRAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, established 1997 under the TRAI Act. Regulates tariffs, quality of service and interconnection.
• Problem: India's digital ecosystem now spans telecom, internet, OTT platforms, satellite communication, AI applications and spectrum management : all governed by fragmented regulations.
• DCRA proposal: Eight specialised agencies covering: spectrum management, cybersecurity, data protection, satellite communications, infrastructure standards, consumer protection, competition regulation and content moderation.
• Digital India framework: India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 created the Data Protection Board. TRAI's DCRA would be a broader reform of the entire regulatory architecture.
• Telecom Act 2023: The new Telecom Act replaced the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933. It provides the statutory basis for the new regulatory framework.

Static linkage: Governance, telecommunications, technology.

• JCM (Joint Crediting Mechanism): India-Japan bilateral carbon credit mechanism. Indian companies implement energy efficiency and clean technology projects in India. Japan gets carbon credits. The mechanism is separate from the Paris Agreement Article 6 framework.
• Ravi River flooding at Kartarpur: The Ravi River flooded, temporarily affecting access to Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. The Kartarpur Corridor opened in November 2019 : allowing Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (Ranjit Singh's final resting place in Pakistan) visa-free.
• World Heritage Cities Programme: UNESCO's programme for cities with World Heritage Sites. Jaipur was inscribed in 2019. Ahmedabad was inscribed in 2017 : India's first city-level World Heritage inscription.