Descriptive Prep: Brajesh Mohan

India's push for critical mineral Issues which India face Some good suggestions mentioned Article link 🔗 https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/critical-minerals-india-rare-earth-magnet-processing-ncmm-2025-lithium-sx-ew-extraction-hpal-technology-indian-quad-11750344308511.html

How Prada-Kolhapuri controversy exposes the continued exploitation of artisan communities? What if something that your grandfather wore as footwear, costing Rs 500, turned up on an international luxury runway as a contemporary sandal, which is priced at more than Rs 1 lakh — with no mention of where it actually came from? That’s exactly what happened as Italian luxury fashion brand Prada recently listed a pair of flat leather sandals for about a lakh on their website. These sandals have a striking resemblance to India’s age-old iconic Kolhapuris. The development has sparked debates about cultural appropriation, the economic struggles of Indian artisan communities, and the limits of global intellectual property (IP) protections. Kolhapuri chappals are handcrafted unisex leather sandals traditionally made by artisans in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district and parts of Karnataka.

GVO is the total value of all goods and services produced in an economic activity (like agriculture), calculated at constant prices to remove inflation effects. It reflects real production output. Decline in Crop Sector’s Share — In 2011-12, crops contributed 62.4% of agri GVO. - By 2023-24, it dropped to 54.1%. - While still the largest component, the crop sector is losing share to faster-growing sub-sectors. Rise of Livestock Sector — Livestock GVO increased from ₹4.88 lakh crore (2011-12) to ₹9.19 lakh crore (2023-24). - Share in agri GVO rose from 25.6% to 31.2%. - Livestock is now the second-largest contributor and one of the fastest-growing segments. Fishing & Aquaculture — Its share rose from 4.2% to 7% during 2011-12 to 2023-24. -- Share of marine fish rose from 42.3% to 49.8%. - Share of inland fish declined from 57.7% to 50.2%. Forestry & Logging: Remained relatively stable around 7–8% over the years. Bananas became the most valuable fruit crop in 2023-24 in terms of contribution to fruit GVO. Overall Growth in Agricultural GVO — Total agriculture & allied GVO at constant prices rose from: ₹19.08 trillion in 2011-12 ➝ ₹29.49 trillion in 2023-24 - Crop sector GVO alone: ₹15.95 trillion in 2023-24 Structural Shift in Agriculture: From being crop-dominated, Indian agriculture is now increasingly diversified.

Total External Debt: — India’s external debt rose to $736.3 billion, which is 19.1% of GDP at the end of March 2025. — This is up from $668.8 billion or 18.5% of GDP a year ago (March 2024). Impact of Dollar Appreciation (Valuation Effect): — The rise is partly due to the appreciation of the US dollar vs. Indian Rupee and other currencies. — This valuation effect alone added $5.3 billion. — Without this effect, the debt would have increased only to $729.1 billion. Long-term debt (maturity over 1 year): $601.9 billion (up by $60.6 billion from March 2024) Currency Composition: US Dollar-denominated debt: Largest chunk, 54.2% Indian Rupee – 31.1% Japanese Yen – 6.2% Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) – 4.6% Euro – 3.2% What is External Debt? External debt refers to the total debt a country owes to foreign creditors. It includes: - Government borrowings from foreign entities (bilateral or multilateral) - External commercial borrowings (ECBs) - NRI deposits - Trade credits - IMF borrowings

The Current Account is a key component of a country’s Balance of Payments (BoP). It measures the flow of goods, services, income, and transfer payments between residents of a country and the rest of the world. It consists of: Trade Balance = Exports – Imports of goods Net Services Receipts = Export – Import of services (e.g. IT, tourism) Primary Income = Income from investments abroad (e.g., dividends, interest) Secondary Income = Remittances, grants, gifts What caused this surplus? — Surge in services exports: Net services receipts (mainly from IT and business services) rose to $53.3 billion in Q4 FY25, much higher than the previous year. — Moderation in primary income outflows: Net outflows from investment income dropped to $11.9 billion, down from $14.8 billion last year. — Private transfers (Remittances): Transfers (like NRI remittances) increased to $33.9 billion, up from $30 billion. — Forex Reserves: Accretion to forex reserves was $8.8 billion in Q4.

Slowdown in Credit Growth — Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) saw credit growth fall to 8.97% (YoY) in the fortnight ending May 30, 2025. — This is a three-year low and indicates continued sluggishness, with the growth remaining in single digits (9.46%) as of June 14, 2025. — This is sharply down from the 20%+ growth seen in March 2024. Banks were advised to: — Proactively identify emerging credit demands — Deepen their penetration in underserved sectors — Invest more in productive sectors, including MSMEs, infrastructure, and agriculture. Capital Position of PSBs — As per data compiled by Business Standard, most state-owned banks have Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) well above the regulatory minimum of 11.5%. This suggests they are well-capitalized and capable of expanding credit without raising new capital immediately. Credit vs Deposit Growth — Deposit growth is at 10.37%, still higher than credit growth at 9.62%.

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India’s Unlikely Export Boom: Cow Dung! India has exported ₹400 crore worth of cow dung—and the biggest buyers are in the Gulf countries including Kuwait, UAE, and Saudi Arabia!

India's Shubhanshu Shukla is travelling to the International Space Station on an American commercial mission with three other astronauts, carrying the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians to send a second 'Gaganyatri' to space after a gap of over 40 years. Shukla, who is the mission pilot, is India's second astronaut going into space -- four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made history in 1984. The 39-year-old fighter pilot was chosen by ISRO as the prime astronaut for this historic flight. A US commercial mission carrying astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary lifted off to the International Space Station Wednesday, taking people from these countries to space for the first time in decades.

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1. Strait of Hormuz Location: Between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, bordered by Iran to the north and Oman and the UAE to the south. It is approximately 167 km long and 33 km at its narrowest point. Current Data: Oil and LNG Flows: In 2023, the strait handled ~20.9 million barrels per day (b/d) of oil, ~20% of global petroleum liquids consumption, and ~20% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. Destinations: ~82% of crude oil and condensate through the strait in 2022 went to Asian markets, with India, China, Japan, and South Korea as top destinations. India accounted for a significant portion of these flows. 2. Cape of Good Hope Location: Southern tip of Africa, along South Africa’s coast, connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Current Data: Trade Volume: Not a chokepoint but a major alternative route. In 2023-2024, Red Sea disruptions (Houthi attacks) diverted ~444,000 b/d of crude oil and ~455,000 b/d of oil products from the Middle East and India to Europe via the Cape, adding ~6,000 miles to transit. India’s exports to Europe (e.g., pharmaceuticals, textiles) and imports (e.g., machinery) increasingly use the Cape due to Red Sea disruptions 3. Strait of Malacca Location: Between Indonesia’s Sumatra and Malaysia/Singapore, connecting the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. It is ~800 km long, narrowing to 2.8 km at the Phillips Channel. The strait is critical for India’s trade with East Asia (China, Japan, South Korea), which accounts for ~30% of its exports (e.g., pharmaceuticals, textiles) and imports (e.g., electronics, machinery). Strategic Role: India’s Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) near the strait’s western entrance provides surveillance and rapid-response capabilities. India’s navy conducts Malabar exercises and anti-piracy patrols. Geopolitical Context: China’s “String of Pearls” strategy (ports encircling India) heightens competition. India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and Quad partnerships counterbalance China’s influence.