20 April 2026

• Economy: The RBI released the draft Foreign Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Amendment Rules; FDI rules for insurance and satellite communication sectors were liberalised.
• Polity: The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 came into force after President's assent; seven opposition-ruled states announced they would not implement it.
• Environment: The Supreme Court directed the Centre to release Rs 1,200 crore from the CAMPA fund for afforestation in tiger corridors.
• International: The Iran-US ceasefire framework hit a new snag: Iran demanded the Strait of Hormuz remain fully open to all shipping, including to non-US vessels carrying goods to Russia.

GS area: Polity (minority affairs, federalism)

The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 came into force, amending the Waqf Act, 1995. Seven states, all with opposition governments, announced they would not implement its provisions regarding joint district-level committees with non-Muslim members.

• Waqf: A perpetual charitable endowment under Islamic law. Property donated as Waqf is held in trust for religious or charitable purposes and cannot be alienated. India has about 8.7 lakh registered Waqf properties.
• Central Waqf Council: Established under the Waqf Act, 1995. Advises the Central Government on Waqf affairs.
• The 2025 Amendment:
  • Renamed "Waqf" to "Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development" (UMEED)
  • Added non-Muslim representation to Waqf boards (the most contested provision)
  • Reduced Waqf's ability to claim property through adverse possession and self-declaration
  • Required digital registration of all Waqf properties within 24 months
• Constitutional challenge: Petitioners argued the amendment violates Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs of a religious denomination). The SC refers to SC Adambhai Sulaiman Miya case as precedent.
• Concurrent List: Waqf falls under Entry 10 of the Concurrent List (endowments, charities, etc.). A Central law on Waqf can override a state law. However, states can resist implementation through administrative non-compliance.
• Article 14 challenge: The selective inclusion of non-Muslim members only in Waqf boards, and not in Hindu endowment boards or Christian trusts, was cited as arbitrary treatment.

Static linkage: Minority rights, religious freedom, federalism.

GS area: Economy (investment, regulation)

The draft Foreign Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Amendment Rules liberalised the FDI ceiling in the insurance sector from 74 per cent to 100 per cent and opened satellite communication services to FDI up to 100 per cent (on the automatic route for some categories).

• Insurance FDI history: Pre-2015: 26 per cent. 2015: raised to 49 per cent. 2021: raised to 74 per cent. 2026 proposed: 100 per cent.
• Condition: 100 per cent FDI in insurance requires that the Indian insurance firm invest in Indian infrastructure. The Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF) or National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF) are the suggested channels.
• Insurance penetration: India's insurance penetration is about 4.2 per cent of GDP, against a global average of 7 per cent. The IRDA (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority) cited foreign capital as essential for expanding coverage.
• Satellite communication FDI: Entities like SpaceX's Starlink had been seeking to operate broadband satellite services in India. The 100 per cent FDI (automatic route for VSAT, some categories automatic, others approval) opens this sector.
• FEMA, 1999: The Foreign Exchange Management Act governs FDI rules. The Non-Debt Instruments Rules (under FEMA) set the sectoral caps and conditions.
• DPIIT (Dept. for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade): The nodal ministry for FDI policy. DPIIT issues the Consolidated FDI Policy; FEMA Rules are the statutory vehicle.

Static linkage: FDI, insurance regulation, FEMA, investment policy.

GS area: Environment (forests, biodiversity)

The Supreme Court directed the Centre to release Rs 1,200 crore from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for afforestation in identified tiger corridors, following the Wildlife Institute of India's 2026 corridor assessment.

• CAMPA: Established under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016. Collects Net Present Value (NPV) and compensatory afforestation deposits when forest land is diverted for non-forest uses.
• Fund size: CAMPA holds about Rs 55,000 crore across state accounts. Funds are released only when states submit utilisation certificates for previous tranches.
• Tiger corridors: Strips of forest connecting tiger reserves. Tigers are territorial; corridors enable gene flow between populations and reduce inbreeding. The Wildlife Institute of India identified 32 critical corridors in 2026, of which 14 needed urgent restoration.
• Project Tiger (1973): India's flagship tiger conservation programme. India has 54 tiger reserves and an estimated 3,682 tigers (2022 census), the largest wild tiger population globally.
• Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980: Requires Central government approval for any diversion of forest land. CAMPA collects the compensatory funds for each approved diversion.
• Habitat connectivity: Linear infrastructure (highways, railways, power lines) is the main threat to corridor connectivity. The SC's order came alongside directives for mandatory underpasses and wildlife crossings on new National Highway projects crossing tiger corridors.

Static linkage: Tiger conservation, CAMPA, forest law, biodiversity.

GS area: International Relations, Economy (energy)

Iran demanded that any ceasefire framework include a guarantee that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all shipping, including vessels carrying goods to Russia. This was rejected by the US.

• Strait of Hormuz geography: A 21-mile-wide strait at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, between Iran (to the north) and Oman (to the south). About 21 million barrels per day of oil pass through it.
• Iran's legal position: Iran claims rights over the strait under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and its own territorial waters law. Iran argues it can regulate traffic in the strait in times of national security threat.
• US 5th Fleet: Permanently stationed in the Gulf. Patrols the Strait to ensure freedom of navigation under UNCLOS Article 38 (transit passage).
• Russia-Iran nexus: Iran exports crude to Russia through the Caspian route (not through Hormuz). Russia exports weaponry to Iran. The US was demanding that ceasefire terms not legitimise Iran's use of the Strait to enforce sanctions on Russia's allies.
• India's stake: India is a major user of the Strait (20 per cent of crude imports pass through). Any disruption raises import costs. India's diplomatic position was to advocate for the Strait remaining open to civilian trade.

Static linkage: West Asia, energy security, UNCLOS, freedom of navigation.

GS area: Economy (IPR, agriculture)

The GI Registry approved 14 new Geographical Indication tags in the April 2026 batch, including Gir Kesar Mango (Gujarat), Tirupati Laddoo protection extension, Moirang Phee handloom (Manipur) and Dhokra craft (Chhattisgarh).

• GI tag: A sign used on products from a specific geographic origin that have qualities attributable to that origin. Examples: Darjeeling Tea, Champagne, Kanchipuram Silk.
• GI Act, 1999: India's domestic law for GI protection. The GI Registry (Chennai) issues GI certificates valid for 10 years (renewable indefinitely).
• TRIPS Agreement (WTO): India's GI Act implements Article 22-24 of TRIPS, which requires WTO members to provide legal protection for GIs.
• Significance of GI tags for farmers: A GI tag allows producers in the registered region to command a price premium. Gir Kesar Mango farmers had documented 15-30 per cent higher prices after the original 2011 GI registration.
• State GI policy: Odisha leads India with the most GI registrations, followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• Basmati rice controversy: India and Pakistan both claim GI rights over basmati rice at the international level. India's GI tag is domestic. The EU GI dispute over basmati remains unresolved.

Static linkage: IPR, agriculture, trade, Geographical Indications.

• Aadhaar-linked face authentication: UIDAI enabled face-authentication-only (no fingerprint) for persons above 70 years and persons with disabilities for DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) transactions, reducing exclusion errors caused by worn fingerprints.
• Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP): The Ministry of Petroleum announced OALP Bid Round XIV, offering 28 blocks covering 1.36 lakh sq km for exploration. OALP allows companies to identify their own exploration blocks, not wait for government-announced rounds.