20 September 2025

• Geopolitics: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement attack on either equals attack on both.
• Environment: Karnataka enforced a single-use plastic ban from 2016 but enforcement dropped sharply: raids fell from 1.25 lakh (2022-23) to 18,000 (2024-25).
• Economy: India's manufacturing PMI hit 59.3 highest in 16 months. Merchandise exports (Apr-Aug 2025) reached $184.13 billion.
• Diplomacy: Chabahar Port US withdrew sanctions waiver in September 2025, ending the 2018 exemption.
• Science: New deep-sea coral species Iridogorgia chewbacca named after Star Wars character Chewbacca.

GS area: International Relations

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) in Riyadh in September 2025 committing both nations to mutual security cooperation.

• Key provision: An attack on either nation is treated as an attack on both a "mutual defence" commitment analogous (in spirit, though not legally equivalent) to NATO's Article 5.
• Scope: Covers conventional military cooperation, advisory roles, and potentially nuclear deterrence linkages (given Pakistan's nuclear capability and Saudi Arabia's publicly stated interest in acquiring nuclear capacity).
• Background: A 1982 bilateral security cooperation agreement existed but was much more limited. The 2025 SMDA is a substantial upgrade.
• Implications for India:
  • Pakistan could theoretically invoke SMDA in future India-Pakistan military crises to seek Saudi backing.
  • India-Saudi relations remain strong: bilateral trade of $42.9 billion; large Indian diaspora in the Kingdom (~2.6 million).
  • India needs to maintain diplomatic engagement with Riyadh to ensure Arab neutrality in South Asian crises.
• Saudi Arabia's nuclear ambitions: Saudi Crown Prince MBS has stated publicly that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia will pursue them too. A Pakistan-Saudi nuclear cooperation angle is a longstanding speculation.
• India-Saudi context: Saudi Arabia is India's fourth-largest trading partner. India imports ~17% of its crude oil from Saudi Arabia. The two countries upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023.

Static linkage: International relations (India's neighbourhood, Middle East, West Asia).

GS area: International Relations, Economy

The United States withdrew the sanctions waiver for Chabahar Port in September 2025, effectively ending India's exemption from Iran sanctions for port operations.

• Location: Gulf of Oman, southeastern Iran (Sistan-Baluchestan province). Two sub-ports: Shahid Beheshti (India's investment focus) and Shahid Kalantari.
• Strategic importance: Chabahar is India's gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia without transiting Pakistan. It anchors the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) linking India to Russia and Europe via Iran.
• Development history:
  • 2003: India-Iran development agreement.
  • 2016: India-Iran-Afghanistan Trilateral Agreement signed.
  • 2018: India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) took operational charge of Phase 1.
  • 2018 sanctions waiver: US granted India a specific exemption under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA) to operate Chabahar without penalty.
  • September 2025: US withdrew this waiver.
• Gwadar contrast: Chabahar (~170 km west of Pakistan's Gwadar) counters China's CPEC-linked Gwadar port, which gives China a potential strategic foothold in the Arabian Sea.
• India's options: India may seek a new waiver, operate through non-US-dollar transactions, or use third-party arrangements to continue Chabahar operations.
• Ultimate capacity: 82 million tonnes/year (planned). Current operational capacity: ~5.8 million tonnes.

Static linkage: International relations (India-Iran, India-US, Central Asia connectivity).

GS area: Economy

India's manufacturing sector showed strong growth momentum, with the Manufacturing PMI reaching 59.3 the highest in 16 months.

• PMI (Purchasing Managers' Index): A composite index of five components new orders, inventory, production, supplier deliveries, employment. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.
• July 2025 IIP growth: 3.5% year-on-year (up from 1.5% in June). Manufacturing grew 5.4%.
• Merchandise exports (Apr-Aug 2025): $184.13 billion up 2.52% year-on-year.
• Unemployment rate: 5.0% (male unemployment at 5-month low). Female WPR (Work Participation Rate): 32%.
• FDI inflows (FY25): $81.04 billion up 14% year-on-year. Manufacturing FDI: $19.04 billion (+18%).
• Electronics sector: Mobile manufacturing units increased 150x (from 2 to 300 units). Electronics exports crossed ₹2 lakh crore.
• PLI Scheme: ₹1.97 lakh crore approved across 14 sectors. Key sectors: mobile phones, medical devices, pharma, food processing, textiles.
• Targets: Manufacturing to contribute 25% of GDP by 2030 (current: ~17%); $1 trillion manufacturing economy by FY26.
• China+1 strategy: India benefits as global supply chains diversify away from China-only sourcing.

Static linkage: Economy (manufacturing, FDI, industrial policy).

GS area: Agriculture, Health

Indonesia suspended Indian groundnut imports over aflatoxin contamination highlighting India's food safety quality control challenges.

• What is aflatoxin: Toxic secondary metabolites produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus.
• Conditions for growth: Hot, humid climates; poor post-harvest storage; grain moisture above 14%.
• Contamination sources: Groundnuts, maize, rice, spices (chillies, turmeric), tree nuts, dried figs.
• Types: B1 (most common, most toxic a Group 1A carcinogen), B2, G1, G2. M1 is found in milk of animals that consumed contaminated feed it is heat-stable and survives pasteurisation.
• Health impact: Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), immune suppression, aflatoxicosis (acute poisoning at high doses). Children are most vulnerable.
• Regulatory standards: Codex Alimentarius sets maximum limits for B1 (2-20 ppb depending on product). India follows FSSAI standards. Export violations trigger rejections and bans.
• India's challenge: Poor post-harvest infrastructure, inadequate drying facilities, and lack of temperature-controlled storage lead to aflatoxin growth before export.
• Why undetectable by senses: Aflatoxins are invisible, odourless, and tasteless routine visual inspection cannot detect them. Laboratory testing (HPLC, ELISA) is required.

Static linkage: Agriculture (food safety), health.

GS area: Internal Security, Science and Technology

INS Androth the second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) was inducted into the Indian Navy.

• Shipbuilder: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata a Defence PSU.
• Series: Second of an 8-ship series of ASW-SWCs.
• Specifications:
  • Length: approximately 77 metres.
  • Propulsion: Diesel engine with waterjet propulsion (waterjet is more manoeuvrable in shallow water than propeller).
  • Indigenous content: Over 80 per cent.
• Weapon systems: Indigenous lightweight torpedoes; anti-submarine warfare rockets.
• Mission: Coastal and shallow-water anti-submarine patrols; sonar-based detection of submarines; coastal security; EEZ surveillance.
• Significance: India's coastline (7,516 km) and shallow continental shelf require dedicated shallow-water ASW capability. Pakistan's Navy operates conventional submarines (Agosta, Khalid class) in the Arabian Sea.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat: 80%+ indigenous content represents a significant milestone for Make in India in defence.

Static linkage: Internal security (naval capability, maritime), defence industry.

GS area: International Relations

India was re-elected to the Council of Administration (CA) and Postal Operations Council (POC) at the 28th UPU Congress (Dubai).

• Founded: 1874 (Treaty of Bern, Switzerland). Second oldest international organisation (after ITU).
• Headquarters: Berne, Switzerland.
• UN specialised agency: Yes since 1948.
• Members: 192 nations.
• Congress: Supreme authority; meets every 4 years.
• Council of Administration (CA): 41 elected members; handles policy, regulatory, legal issues.
• Postal Operations Council (POC): 48 elected members; handles technical and operational standards.
• India Post: One of the world's largest postal networks approximately 1.5 lakh post offices (89% in rural areas). Provides banking (India Post Payments Bank), insurance, and logistic services.
• Relevance: UPU sets the terminal dues system (international delivery charges between postal operators) important for India's e-commerce exports.

Static linkage: International relations (international organisations), governance.

GS area: Environment, Governance

Karnataka's experience with single-use plastic (SUP) ban enforcement illustrates the implementation gap between policy intent and outcomes.

• Original ban: Karnataka, 2016 one of India's first state-level SUP bans.
• National ban: July 2022 Ministry of Environment notified a ban on 19 categories of single-use plastics (cutlery, straws, ear buds, plastic bags <75 micron, etc.) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Karnataka enforcement data:
  • Inspected 1.65 lakh establishments (2021-2024).
  • Seized 1,012 tonnes of banned plastic.
  • But: Raids fell from 1.25 lakh (2022-23) to 18,000 (2024-25) a 85% drop.
• Karnataka generation: 3.45-5.28 lakh tonnes annually; Bengaluru alone generates 500 tonnes daily, with only 40% processed.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Producers, importers, and brand-owners must collect and recycle equivalent quantities of plastic waste. Only 129 registered recyclers vs 1,200+ producers compliance gap.
• Root causes of enforcement failure: Proliferation of 300+ unregistered producers, weak penalty deterrence, low public awareness.

Static linkage: Environment (pollution), governance (enforcement).

• Iridogorgia chewbacca: New deep-sea coral species identified in the western Pacific Ocean, named after Star Wars character Chewbacca due to its "hairy, curly, shiny branches." First observed 2006; formally confirmed via genetic analysis. Published in Zootaxa journal.
• One-In, One-Out scheme (UK-France): Pilot migration scheme (August 2025 to June 2026) UK returns illegal migrants who crossed the English Channel back to France; France accepts one legal asylum seeker from France for each returned. Aims to break Channel-crossing smuggling networks.