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🔆 SOUTHERN INDIAN OCEAN FISHERIES AGREEMENT (SIOFA) 📍 Why in News? 🟢 The Central Government has approved India’s accession to SIOFA to strengthen its presence in high-seas fisheries, expand access to valuable marine resources and enhance participation in global fisheries governance. 🔆 KEY FEATURES 🟢 Regional Framework: SIOFA is a fisheries agreement governing specified fishery resources in the Southern Indian Ocean. 🟢 High-Seas Fishing: Indian-flagged vessels can undertake authorised fishing of squids, toothfish, alfonsino and other non-migratory fish stocks within its jurisdiction. 🟢 Sustainable Fisheries: Promotes scientific assessment, sustainable harvesting and prevention of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. 🟢 Maritime Cooperation: Provides for participation in the High Seas Boarding and Inspection (HSBI) Scheme. 🔆 SIGNIFICANCE FOR INDIA 🟢 Full Participation: India can participate in the SIOFA Scientific Committee and Compliance Committee, unlike its earlier limited role as a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party. 🟢 Blue Economy: Creates opportunities for Indian fishers, fishing enterprises and marine-resource development. 🟢 Scientific Research: Improves access to scientific data, research programmes and fish-stock assessments. 🟢 Coastal Security: Strengthens cooperation in monitoring and inspection of high-seas fishing activities. 🔆 IMPORTANT FACTS FOR PRELIMS 🟢 India’s SIOFA status: Cooperating Non-Contracting Party since 2022; accession has now been approved. 🟢 IOTC: India has been a Contracting Party to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) since 1996. It regulates highly migratory tuna and tuna-like species. 🟢 High Seas: Approximately 65% of the global ocean, according to the PIB release. 🟢 UNCLOS connection: SIOFA excludes highly migratory species covered under Annex I of UNCLOS and sedentary species under the fishery jurisdiction of coastal States as specified in Article 77(4). 🔆 WAY FORWARD 🟢 Build India’s distant-water fishing capacity and strengthen scientific monitoring. 🟢 Ensure sustainable harvesting, prevent IUU fishing and protect marine biodiversity. 🟢 Support fishers and enterprises through technology, training and responsible fishing practices. 🔆 UPSC MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION 📍 Examine the significance of India’s accession to SIOFA for the Blue Economy, sustainable fisheries and maritime security. #BlueEconomy

🔆 WOMEN, WORK & ENTERPRISE: INDIA’S PUSH FOR BETTER LIVELIHOODS 📍 Why in News? 🟢 A PIB backgrounder highlights India’s efforts to improve women’s employment, entrepreneurship, access to credit, market linkages, skilling and workplace safety. 🔆 WOMEN’S WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION 🟢 Female LFPR: Increased from 23.3% (2017–18) to 40% (2025). 🟢 Female WPR: Rose from 22% to 38.8% during the same period. 🟢 Around 20 crore women aged 15 years and above were employed in 2025. 📍 LFPR: Share of the population working or seeking/available for work. 📍 WPR: Proportion of the population that is employed. 🔆 WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP 🟢 Women-owned MSMEs: Approximately 3.69 crore, around 38% of registered MSMEs (October 2026). 🟢 Startups: Over 1.07 lakh recognised startups had at least one woman director or partner by March 2026, accounting for approximately 48% of recognised startups. 🔆 MAJOR GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES 📍 1. Formalisation & Enterprise Development 🟢 Swavalambini Scheme (2025): Entrepreneurship training, finance, market guidance and 21 weeks of mentorship. 🟢 Yashasvini Campaign (2024): Promotes women’s entrepreneurship and gender parity on Udyam platforms by 2029; facilitated over 22 lakh women-owned MSME registrations by July 2026. 📍 2. Credit & Financial Support 🟢 PM Mudra Yojana (PMMY): Collateral-free loans up to ₹20 lakh; women accounted for two-thirds of loans sanctioned by April 2026. 🟢 Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSEs: Women-led MSEs receive 90% guarantee coverage and a 10% concession on the guarantee fee. 🟢 PMEGP: Women are eligible for subsidies of 25% in urban areas and 35% in rural areas. 📍 3. Startup Funding 🟢 Fund of Funds for Startups: Supported AIFs invested approximately ₹2,995 crore in women-led startups from 2025 onwards, as of January 2026. 🟢 Startup India Seed Fund Scheme: Incubators approved around ₹294 crore for women-led startups. 🟢 Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups: Around ₹39 crore in loans to women-led startups had been guaranteed by January 2026. 📍 4. Market Access 🟢 Womaniya Initiative (GeM): Connects women-owned MSEs and SHGs with government buyers. 🟢 Women-owned MSEs received contracts worth over ₹28,000 crore in FY 2025–26. 🟢 Procurement & Marketing Support Scheme: Offers a 100% subsidy on built-up space rent at trade fairs for eligible women-owned MSEs. 🟢 MSME TEAM Initiative: Promotes digital market access through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). 🔆 WOMEN IN EMERGING SECTORS 🟢 Mobile phone manufacturing: Nearly 70% of the direct workforce comprised women (July 2026). 🟢 Semiconductors: Women represented around 25% of the workforce (March 2025). 🟢 Civil aviation: Women accounted for 15% of pilots in India. 🟢 STEM research: Women’s participation rose from 13% in 2000–01 to 29% in 2023–24. 🔆 SKILLING & RESEARCH 🟢 NAVYA: Targets skilling 3,850 adolescent girls in non-traditional and future-oriented roles. 🟢 AI Careers for Women: Plans 30 Centres of Excellence in women’s colleges across six states, supported by 150 spoke centres. 🟢 WISE-KIRAN: Supports women’s participation in science and technology research through fellowships and institutional programmes. 🔆 LABOUR REFORMS & WORKPLACE SAFETY 🟢 The backgrounder highlights the consolidation of 29 labour laws into four Labour Codes. 🟢 Eligible women receive up to 26 weeks of paid maternity leave. 🟢 Women may work night shifts with consent and prescribed safeguards 🟢 Establishments with at least 50 workers must provide crèche facilities 🟢 Gender discrimination in recruitment, wages and employment conditions is prohibited 🟢 Women must be represented proportionately in workplace grievance committees and constitute one-third of Central/State Advisory Boards 🟢 Move from increased workforce participation towards better-quality, secure and adequately paid employment. 🟢 Strengthen women’s access to skills, affordable finance, digital markets and business networks. 🟢 Ensure safe workplaces, social protection and greater representation in emerging sectors. 🟢 Promote women-led development as a driver of inclusive growth and Viksit Bharat.

🔆 NAVIGATING INDIA’S WATERWAYS: A SAFER, SMARTER NETWORK 🔆 WHY IN NEWS? 🟢 The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways highlighted measures to improve inland waterway navigation through hydrographic surveys, fairway maintenance, riverine lighthouses and digital navigation systems. 🔆 INDIA’S NATIONAL WATERWAYS 🟢 India has 111 National Waterways, spanning 20,187 km across 23 States and 4 Union Territories. 🟢 32 National Waterways are currently operational. 🟢 Inland waterway cargo movement increased from 29 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2014–15 to 218 MMT in 2025–26 — a CAGR of 20.13%. 🟢 The growth has surpassed the 200 MMT target under Maritime India Vision 2030. 🟢 Water transport costs roughly one-third of road freight costs and half of rail freight costs, while generating fewer carbon emissions. 🔆 HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYS 🟢 Conducted by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to measure river depth, bed profiles, shoals, flow characteristics and changes affecting navigability. 🟢 Thalweg surveys identify and monitor the deepest navigable channel. 🟢 Terminal and jetty surveys assess water depth and approach conditions. 🟢 As of September 2026, regular thalweg surveys covered 22 National Waterways. 📍 Least Available Depth (LAD) 🟢 LAD is the minimum water depth available in a navigation channel for a particular stretch and period. 🟢 It influences vessel draft, cargo capacity, route planning and seasonal navigation. 🔆 AIDS TO NAVIGATION (AtoN) 🟢 Recognised under the Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021. 🟢 Includes buoys, radar beacons, channel markers and lighthouses. 🟢 The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) manages general aids to navigation along India’s coastline. 🟢 National Waterway-3 in Kerala has 312 solar-powered lighted FRP buoys and 17 beacon lamp posts, supporting 24×7 navigation. 🔆 INDIA’S FIRST RIVERINE LIGHTHOUSES 🟢 Announced in March 2026 on National Waterway-2 (Brahmaputra). 🟢 Four locations: Pandu, Bogibeel, Silghat and Biswanath Ghat. 🟢 Project cost: ₹74 crore. 🟢 The lighthouses will be 20 metres high, with a geographical range of 14 nautical miles and a luminous range of 8–10 nautical miles. 🟢 Solar-powered operations and weather-observation sensors will support safer navigation. 🟢 NW-2 connects Dhubri to Sadiya across 891 km. Cargo movement increased from 0.90 MMT in 2024–25 to 1.29 MMT in 2025–26. 🔆 DIGITAL NAVIGATION SYSTEMS 🟢 Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs): Prepared for 18 operational and tidal waterways as of September 2026; available through portals including PANI and IWAI Vessel Tracker. 🟢 PANI: Portal for Asset and Navigation Information; provides waterway, infrastructure, jetty-connectivity and emergency-service information. 🟢 IWAI Vessel Tracker: Supports real-time vessel tracking, route updates and depth information. 🟢 Naudarshika: National River Traffic and Navigation System launched in 2025, incorporating real-time LAD information. 🟢 River Information Services (RIS): Integrates vessel tracking, weather and water sensors, and communication with control centres. On NW-1, RIS covers three stretches: Haldia–Farakka, Farakka–Patna and Patna–Varanasi. 🔆 SIGNIFICANCE 🟢 Promotes low-cost, energy-efficient and cleaner freight transport. 🟢 Reduces pressure on highways and supports regional connectivity. 🟢 Improves navigation safety, cargo predictability and round-the-clock operations. 🟢 Digital systems enable better traffic management and faster operational decisions. 🔆 UPSC MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION 📍 “Inland waterways can contribute to sustainable and cost-efficient logistics in India, but their potential depends on navigational safety and reliable infrastructure.” Discuss. #InlandWaterways