Daily Current Affairs 2025  

13/08/2025

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Why in news?
India's retail inflation hit an eight-year low of 1.55% in July 2025, dropping from 2.1% in June 2025. This is the lowest consumer price index (CPI)-based retail inflation recorded since June 2017. 
 
Key points:

• Retail inflation below 2% for the first time in 8 years.
• Food inflation slumped further, with prices of essential staples falling sharply.
• The Reserve Bank of India's comfort zone for inflation was breached on the lower side.
• Core inflation (excluding food and fuel) also moderated to around 4%.
• The trend was aided by a favorable base effect and sustained moderation in key categories.

Major Factors Behind India’s 8-Year Low Retail Inflation
India’s retail inflation hitting an eight-year low of 1.55% in July 2025 was shaped primarily by the following factors:

• Steep Decline in Food Prices: Food inflation, which makes up nearly half of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket, fell into negative territory at -1.76%. Prices of essentials such as pulses, vegetables, cereals, eggs, sugar, and related products dropped sharply. This trend was driven by a strong harvest and robust supply, especially of pulses and vegetables, which saw price contractions of 13.8% and 20.7% respectively. The fall in food and beverages inflation also played a central role.
• Favorable Base Effect: The statistical base effect—where the prior year saw higher inflation—amplified the apparent reduction in CPI, making the current year’s annual inflation rate especially low. This effect was dominant for both headline and food inflation numbers.
• Easing in Non-food Categories: Prices in other categories like transport and communication, education, and housing witnessed further moderation, contributing to the overall decline in inflation. These categories saw less inflationary pressure owing to benign input costs and reduced demand.
• Soft Core Inflation: Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel prices, stayed subdued, falling below 4% for the first time in six months, reflecting contained price rises in commodities outside the food and fuel segment.
• Continued Neutral Monetary Policy: The Reserve Bank of India maintained interest rates at 5.5% following earlier cuts, citing a “benign” inflation outlook and choosing to wait rather than actively push further easing.

Additional Insights

• The deflationary food trend benefited rural and urban consumers, with rural inflation at 1.18% and urban at 2.05% in July 2025.
• Experts also noted that while the contraction was largely food-driven, the non-food side remains “sticky,” so the impact on disposable income and spending might be modest going forward.

The combination of plunging food prices led by strong agricultural output, a favorable statistical base, disciplined monetary policy, and subdued inflation in non-food sectors were the primary drivers behind the striking drop in India’s retail inflation.
 
 
   
Why in news?
On August 11, 2025, the Supreme Court directed Delhi-NCR authorities to remove all stray dogs from residential localities and house them in dedicated shelters within eight weeks.
The move was prompted by increasing dog bite incidents, deaths from rabies, and rising public safety concerns.
 
What the Supreme Court Ordered?

• The order covers Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram, and mandates shelters to be created for stray dogs by civic bodies. Captured dogs are not to be released back onto the streets.
• Strict warnings were issued against resistance from animal rights groups or individuals, with the court authorizing legal action against anyone blocking the implementation.

Concern regarding dog bite

• Dog bites and rabies remain a major public health issue, with millions of cases annually and hundreds of deaths.
• Urban surge: Larger cities including Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Chandigarh report tens of thousands of biting incidents each year.
• Most fatal cases involve children and marginalized groups, often due to lack of timely vaccination and medical attention.
• Despite government and court interventions, the problem shows little sign of abating, with numbers rising post-pandemic.

Stray Dog Bite Data
 
National Overview
Nearly 3.7–3.8 million (37–38 lakh) dog bite cases were reported nationwide in 2024, according to the National Centre for Disease Control and government sources.
In January 2025 alone, over 429,000 cases were reported across India.
 
Major states with highest monthly bite cases (January 2025):

• Maharashtra: 56,538 cases
• Gujarat: 53,942 cases
• Tamil Nadu: 48,931 cases
• Karnataka: 39,500 cases
• Bihar: Over 34,000 cases
• Delhi: 3,196 cases

City/State Trends

• Delhi: Over 26,000 dog bite cases reported so far in 2025; 68,090 cases in 2024.

• Delhi recorded 6,691 cases in 2022, 17,874 in 2023, 25,210 in 2024, and 3,196 in January 2025 alone.

• Karnataka: 286,000 cases this year (till August 2025), a significant rise from last year. 26 rabies deaths were recorded Jan-Aug 2025. State may cross 380,000 cases by year-end.
• Chandigarh: 23,198 cases from Jan–July 2025 (over 3,000 incidents per month); July alone saw 4,018 cases.

Rabies-Related Deaths

• India accounts for 36% of global rabies deaths, with estimated 18,000–20,000 deaths annually due to dog bites, though many cases go unreported.
• Reported fatalities: 54 rabies deaths in 2024, up from 50 in 2023; 21 deaths in 2022.
• Delhi reported 49 rabies cases till July 31, 2025, but no recent confirmed deaths.

Implementation Plan & Challenges

• The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) plans to start by picking up rabid or aggressive dogs, followed by other strays, with NGO involvement. Existing shelters, however, are vastly insufficient: MCD runs about 20 centers that can house roughly 5,000 dogs, while estimated strays number about 1 million.

• Creating the required 2,000 shelters is a huge logistical and financial challenge. Existing infrastructure, manpower for catching dogs, feeding, veterinary care, and space constraints pose significant hurdles.
• Animal rights activists argue that the plan is both inhumane and impractical, predicting problems like culling, territorial fights, and inadequate care.

Public Reaction

• The order has triggered widespread public debate. Animal lovers and activists have protested, claiming forced displacement is cruel and ineffective regarding population control or rabies reduction. Celebrities and NGOs have also voiced opposition.
• Supporters cite the urgency for public safety and cite increasing dog attacks and rabies cases.

Past & International Context

• Previous government policies and court rulings favored in situ management — sterilization and immunization — with strays released back to their territories. The new order reverses this policy.
• Experts and critics highlight global examples (e.g., Netherlands, Bhutan, Singapore) where humane, long-term population management was prioritized over sudden removals.

Legal and Ethical Challenges of Removing All Stray Dogs in Delhi
 
Legal Challenges

• Animal Welfare Laws: India’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and various Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules mandate humane treatment of stray animals. Mass removal can be challenged as violating these protections, especially if strays face neglect, poor shelter conditions, or risk of culling.
• Judicial Precedents: Past Supreme Court and High Court decisions have favored in situ management (sterilization, vaccination, and return of strays) over capture and confinement. Abrupt reversals of existing policies can prompt legal action from NGOs or citizens citing breach of previous orders.
• Fundamental Rights: Article 21 of the Indian Constitution (Right to Life) is often invoked in animal welfare litigation. Forcing animals into overcrowded or unsafe shelters could be construed as denial of their right to a dignified life.
• Public Interest Litigations (PILs): Animal rights groups are likely to file PILs challenging the order on grounds of cruelty, practicality, and risks of culling or starvation in shelters, potentially leading to stays, amendments, or protracted legal battles.

Ethical Challenges

• Animal Rights: Forcibly relocating hundreds of thousands of dogs disrupts their packs, territories, and ability to survive, raising questions about cruelty and stress inflicted by massive confinement.
• Shelter Conditions: Insufficient infrastructure risks overcrowding, disease, poor nutrition, inadequate veterinary care, and high mortality rates, which many consider ethically indefensible.
• Community Impact: Sudden disappearance of strays can increase rodent populations and disrupt urban ecological balance. Untrained catchers might resort to violent or cruel methods, amplifying ethical concerns.
• Long-Term Welfare: The risk of mass euthanasia, indirect killing by starvation or neglect, and the psychological trauma of dogs separated from familiar environments are major points of ethical contention.
• Societal Debate: Balancing human safety concerns (dog bites, rabies) with animal rights fuels a broader ethical dilemma—whether public security justifies what many see as inhumane practices.

Overall the Supreme Court’s mandate faces serious legal hurdles from existing animal protection laws and previous judicial rulings, and is opposed on ethical grounds due to potential cruelty, poor shelter conditions, and disruption to animal and urban life. Legal battles and social unrest from activists and communities are likely, as animal welfare groups challenge both the practical and moral legitimacy of forcibly removing all stray dogs.
 
 
   
Why in news?
The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has issued a new 10-point advisory in 2025 focusing on improving organ donation and transplantation in India.
 
Key highlights of this advisory:

• Giving additional priority points in organ allocation to women patients on waiting lists to address longstanding gender disparities.
• Prioritizing near relatives of deceased donors who need organ transplants, encouraging more deceased donations.
• Honoring deceased donors with dignified funerals and public felicitation of their families at state and district level ceremonies.
• Mandating states to establish permanent posts for transplant coordinators in hospitals performing transplants or retrievals.
• Expanding organ and tissue retrieval facilities in trauma centers and medical colleges progressively.
• Training emergency responders and ambulance staff to identify potential deceased donors early, especially accident and stroke victims.
• Strengthening the national digital registry of donors and recipients with mandatory data submission by all transplant centers. Non-compliance could lead to legal action under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
• Promoting public awareness through state-level brand ambassadors and an Aadhaar-based online organ donor pledge system.
• Emphasizing healthy lifestyles via Ayurveda and Yoga guidelines to reduce organ failure risk.

This advisory aims to create a more equitable, transparent, and robust organ transplant system in India by integrating social justice with medical need, improving recruitment of donors, and balancing gender representation among recipients.
 
About National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)

• The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) is a national-level organization under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• It serves as the apex body coordinating the procurement and distribution of organs and tissues for transplantation across the country.
• NOTTO is mandated by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Act, 2011, and it maintains the national registry of organ donors and recipients to ensure transparent allocation.
• NOTTO operates from its headquarters in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, and functions through a network that includes five Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTOs) and multiple State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (SOTTOs). This hierarchical system facilitates organ donation and transplantation activities throughout India.

The key roles of NOTTO:

• Coordinating and networking for organ and tissue procurement and distribution at the national level.
• Laying down policy guidelines and protocols related to transplantation.
• Maintaining a comprehensive national database of donors, recipients, and transplant activities.
• Monitoring and facilitating effective organ transplantation practices across different regions.
• Conducting awareness campaigns to promote organ donation.
• Operating registries for organ donor pledges and transplantation data.
• Providing consultancy on legal and non-legal aspects related to transplantation.

Since its establishment, NOTTO has significantly contributed to increasing organ donation rates in India by streamlining the system and improving transparency. It also organizes events like Indian Organ Donation Day to recognize donors and outstanding contributors to transplantation efforts.
 
 
  Satellite internet is a type of internet connectivity that uses communication satellites orbiting the Earth to provide internet access to users. Instead of relying on traditional ground-based cables or fiber optics, satellite internet transmits and receives data signals via satellites in space.
 
Working of satellite internet
Satellite internet works by transmitting and receiving data signals between a user's equipment on Earth and communication satellites orbiting the Earth. Here is a detailed explanation of how it functions:

• User Equipment: The user has a satellite dish (also called a VSAT dish) installed at their location. This dish is equipped with a transceiver that can send and receive radio signals to and from the satellite.

• Data Transmission:

• When a user sends a request (e.g., loading a webpage), the data is transmitted from their computer through a modem and then sent to the satellite dish.
• The dish sends the request signal up to a communication satellite in space.

• Satellites:

• The satellite receives the request and relays it to a ground station on Earth.
• These satellites can be in geostationary orbit (about 22,000 miles above Earth), low Earth orbit (around 600 miles), or medium Earth orbit.
• Geostationary satellites stay fixed relative to a point on Earth and cover vast areas.
• Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are closer, reducing latency (signal delay) but require larger constellations to cover the Earth.

• Ground Stations and Internet Backbone:

• The ground station relays the data request to a centralized internet infrastructure, the global internet backbone, which processes the request.
• The requested data (e.g., website content) is sent back to the ground station.

• Returning Data to the User:

• The ground station sends the data back to the satellite, which then relays it down to the user’s satellite dish.

• The dish receives the data signal and passes it through the modem to the user’s device.

Key points about satellite internet:

• Satellites can be in geostationary orbit (about 22,000 miles above Earth) or in low Earth orbit (LEO) which is closer and can reduce latency.
• Latency, or signal delay, is generally higher than wired internet due to the long distance signals travel.
• Satellite internet is ideal for providing connectivity in rural, remote, or underserved areas where wired infrastructure is unavailable.
• Weather conditions can temporarily affect signal quality.
• Modern satellite internet speeds have improved substantially and can be comparable to cable internet.

Applications of satellite internet
Satellite internet has a wide range of applications across various sectors, primarily driven by its ability to provide reliable internet connectivity in areas where traditional infrastructure is limited or unavailable. Here are the key applications of satellite internet:

• Rural and Remote Connectivity: Satellite internet is crucial for delivering high-speed internet to rural, remote, and underserved areas where laying cables or fiber optics is impractical. It helps bridge the digital divide by enabling access to education, healthcare, government services, and economic opportunities.
• Disaster Management and Emergency Response: During natural disasters or emergencies, terrestrial communication infrastructure often gets damaged or overloaded. Satellite internet provides an essential backup, ensuring continuous communication for emergency management teams, first responders, and affected communities. It supports real-time coordination, monitoring, and dissemination of information.
• Military and Defense: Satellite internet supports secure communications, battlefield coordination, and navigation for military operations in remote or hostile environments, where terrestrial networks are unavailable.
• Transportation and Mobility: It is used for inflight Wi-Fi connectivity on commercial and private aircraft, internet access on ships and boats, and communication for long-distance vehicles, enhancing passenger experience and operational efficiency.
• Agriculture: Satellite internet aids precision agriculture by enabling remote monitoring of crops, weather forecasting, and access to agricultural management applications, thereby improving productivity.
• Education and Healthcare: It facilitates online learning and telemedicine services in underserved areas, providing access to quality education and healthcare resources.
• Environmental Monitoring and Weather Forecasting: Satellites help monitor environmental conditions, natural resources, and weather patterns, crucial for research and disaster preparedness.
• Media and Entertainment: It enables live broadcasting from remote locations and supports gaming and other internet-based entertainment services.
• Internet of Things (IoT) Applications: Satellite connectivity is increasingly used for IoT deployments in remote areas, supporting asset tracking, environmental sensing, and smart infrastructure projects.

Satellite internet's global coverage and ability to function independently of terrestrial infrastructure make it indispensable for these applications, helping improve connectivity, resilience, and operational capabilities across diverse fields worldwide.
 
Limitations of satellite internet
Satellite internet has several notable disadvantages and limitations, despite its advantages of providing connectivity in remote and underserved areas. The main disadvantages include:

• High Cost: Establishing and maintaining satellite internet infrastructure is expensive. Launching and operating satellites require millions of dollars, which typically translates into higher costs for users. Equipment and installation costs can also be higher than for terrestrial internet services.
• Latency (Signal Delay): Because satellites, especially geostationary ones, orbit far from the Earth (about 22,000 miles), the time taken for signals to travel back and forth causes noticeable delays. This high latency can affect real-time activities like video calls, online gaming, and interactive applications.
• Weather Sensitivity: Satellite signals are susceptible to interference from weather conditions such as heavy rain, storms, snow, and solar flares. This can cause temporary disruptions or slowdowns in internet connectivity, a phenomenon commonly called "rain fade."
• Limited Bandwidth and Data Caps: Satellite internet generally offers limited bandwidth compared to cable or fiber optic connections. Providers often impose data caps, and exceeding these limits can result in throttled speeds or extra charges. This can be restrictive for heavy internet users.
• Line-of-Sight and Obstruction Issues: A clear line of sight to the satellite is crucial. Physical obstructions like trees, buildings, mountains, or harsh terrain can block signals and reduce service quality.
• Lower Speeds Compared to Cable or Fiber: While satellite internet speeds have improved, they typically remain slower than wired connections like cable or fiber, especially during peak usage times.
• Space Debris and Maintenance Risks: Increasing numbers of satellites in orbit contribute to space debris, which raises the risk of collision and requires stringent maintenance and regulation.
• Coverage Limitations of LEO Satellites: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, while reducing latency, cover smaller areas and move quickly in orbit, requiring large constellations for continuous service and complex tracking systems on Earth.
• Vulnerable to Service Interruptions: Satellites can suffer from technical failures or become non-operational; replacement can take time, causing service disruptions.
• VPN Compatibility and Contract Terms: Some satellite internet services may not support VPNs well, and providers may require long contract commitments.

 
 
   
Why in news?
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha on August 12, 2025.
 
About:
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025 is a recent legislative update to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, aimed at strengthening and modernizing the mining sector in India.
 
Inclusion of Other Minerals in Mining Leases:

• Leaseholders can now apply to add other minerals to an existing mining lease.
• For critical and strategic minerals such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, gold, and silver, no additional payment is required.
• For other minerals, royalty and auction premium (if applicable) must be paid.

 
Expanded Scope of National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT):

• The existing National Mineral Exploration Trust is renamed to include "Development."
• The Trust can now fund mineral exploration and development in offshore areas and even outside India.
• Contribution from lessees to the Trust increased from 2% to 3% of royalty.

Removal of Limit on Sale from Captive Mines:

• The previous limit allowing sale of only 50% of minerals produced from captive mines has been removed.
• State governments can authorize sale of mineral dumps stacked in leased areas up to a date specified by the central government.

One-Time Extension of Lease Area for Deep-Seated Minerals:

• Allowed extension of mining or composite lease area by up to 10% for mining leases and 30% for composite licenses.
• This applies to minerals found at depths greater than 200 meters.

Establishment of Mineral Exchanges:

• The Bill provides for the creation of regulatory authority to register and regulate mineral exchanges, which are electronic platforms for trading minerals and metals.
• The central government will formulate rules covering registration, fees, market conduct, and grievance redressal.

Other Provisions:

• The Bill aims to support India's National Critical Mineral Mission to secure supply chains for critical minerals.
• It simplifies the inclusion of new minerals into leases, especially for critical minerals, to encourage exploration and mining.
• Promotes transparency in price discovery with mineral exchanges.

This amendment is part of efforts to boost mining sector growth, enhance exploration, and reduce import dependency on critical minerals by enabling easier and more efficient mining regulations and expanding the role and capabilities of the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust.
 
 
   
Why in news?
The latest news on the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 highlights its passage by the Lok Sabha on August 12, 2025. 

About:
The Indian Ports Bill, 2025 is a new legislation that replaces the Indian Ports Act, 1908. Its main objectives are to consolidate and modernize port-related laws in India, promote integrated port development, facilitate ease of doing business, and optimize the use of India’s coastline.

Key points:

• The Bill is designed to reduce logistics costs by speeding up cargo movement, enhancing connectivity, and promoting integrated port development.
• It provides the establishment of State Maritime Boards with authority over non-major ports in states and creates a Maritime State Development Council to coordinate national port strategies.
• The Bill emphasizes sustainability with stringent environmental safeguards, including compliance with global maritime conventions like MARPOL and ballast water management, waste reception facilities, pollution control, and disaster preparedness plans.
• It seeks to enhance ease of doing business and digitalize port procedures to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness.
• Greater autonomy is given to ports for tariff-setting within a transparent framework, boosting investment through Public-Private Partnerships and foreign participation.
• Dispute Resolution Committees will expedite conflict resolution among ports, users, and service providers.
• The legislation supports coastal shipping's growth by integrating ports with inland waterways and multimodal transport systems.
• The Bill is part of the government’s vision to make India a top global maritime nation by 2047, advancing initiatives like the Sagarmala Programme and Maritime India Vision 2030.
• Employment opportunities in port operations, logistics, and related industries are expected to rise due to the Bill.
• The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, underscored that the Bill represents a decisive step towards a future-ready maritime sector fostering prosperity, environmental sustainability, and cooperative federalism.

The Indian Ports Bill, 2025 marks a landmark reform to modernize port governance, streamline trade processes, enforce environmental protections, and position India's maritime sector for sustainable growth and global competitiveness. It is seen as a foundational framework for India's emerging role as a maritime leader.
 
 
   
Why in news?
India has recently approved four new semiconductor manufacturing plants as part of its India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), bringing the total number of approved semiconductor projects in the country to 10.
 
These plants are located in three states:
Odisha (2 plants), Punjab (1 plant), Andhra Pradesh (1 plant)
 
Here are the details of the four plants:
 
SiCSem Private Limited (Odisha)

• Collaboration with Clas-SiC Wafer Fab Ltd., UK
• First commercial compound semiconductor fabrication facility in India
• Focus on Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices
• Annual capacity: 60,000 wafers and packaging capacity of 96 million units
• Applications: Missiles, defense equipment, electric vehicles, railways, fast chargers, data center racks, consumer appliances, solar power inverters

3D Glass Solutions Inc. (Odisha)

• Advanced packaging and embedded glass substrate unit
• World's most advanced packaging technology
• Annual capacity: 69,600 glass panel substrates, 50 million assembled units, and 13,200 3D heterogeneous integration modules
• Applications: Defense, AI, high-performance computing, RF and automotive, photonics, co-packaged optics

Continental Device India Private Limited (CDIL) (Punjab)

• Expansion of discrete semiconductor manufacturing facility
• Production of high-power discrete semiconductor devices like MOSFETs, IGBTs, Schottky bypass diodes, and transistors (silicon and silicon carbide)
• Annual capacity: 158.38 million units
• Applications: Automotive electronics including EVs and charging infrastructure, renewable energy systems, power conversion, industrial applications, communication infrastructure

Advanced System in Package Technologies (ASIP) (Andhra Pradesh)

• Semiconductor manufacturing unit under technology tie-up with APACT Co. Ltd., South Korea
• Annual capacity: 96 million units
• Applications: Mobile phones, set-top boxes, automobile applications, consumer electronics

The combined investment for these projects is around ?4,600 crore (approximately USD 524 million), and they are expected to generate over 2,000 skilled jobs directly along with many indirect jobs. These projects mark significant technological advancements for India's semiconductor ecosystem, including the country's first commercial compound fab and a cutting-edge glass-based semiconductor packaging unit. The production timelines are projected within 2-3 years.
 
Four major schemes under the ISM umbrella are:

• Semiconductor Fabs Scheme: Financial support for large-scale semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities.
• Display Fabs Scheme: Incentives for the setup of TFT LCD and AMOLED display manufacturing units.
• Compound Semiconductor and ATMP/OSAT Scheme: Support for compound semiconductors, silicon photonics, sensors, and semiconductor packaging/testing facilities.
• Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme: Financial and infrastructural support for semiconductor design companies working on ICs, chipsets, SoCs, and related technologies.

Initiatives like SEMICON India, organized in partnership with the global semiconductor industry association SEMI, provide a platform to foster investment, technology exchange, and partnerships.
Overall, ISM plays a crucial role in accelerating India’s emergence as a global semiconductor powerhouse by building a comprehensive, technology-driven ecosystem that spans manufacturing, design, research, and innovation with global collaboration and domestic capabilities at its core. It supports India’s goal of achieving self-reliance in electronics and expanding its participation in the global electronics value chain.
 
 
   
Why in news?
The Nirvik Scheme, also known as the Niryat Rin Vikas Yojana, is an export credit insurance scheme launched by the Indian government to support exporters, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
 
About:
It was announced in the Union Budget 2020-21 with the objective of boosting India's export sector by improving the availability and affordability of export credit.
 
Key Features of the Nirvik Scheme:

• Provides high insurance coverage up to 90% of the principal and interest on export credit loans.
• Covers both pre-shipment and post-shipment credit.
• Aims to reduce insurance premiums for small-scale exporters.
• Simplifies procedures for claim settlement, making it more exporter-friendly.
• Ensures that export credit interest rates are kept low: below 4% for foreign currency loans and below 8% for rupee loans.
• Premiums are moderated with lower rates for accounts below Rs. 80 crore and higher rates for certain high-risk sectors such as gems, jewellery, and diamonds with limits above Rs. 80 crore.

Benefits:

• Improves accessibility and affordability of credit for exporters, making Indian exports more competitive globally.
• Encourages banks to extend more credit by reducing their lending risk through higher insurance coverage.
• Offers financial protection against commercial and political risks.
• Focuses on supporting MSMEs by enhancing their ease of doing business.
• Facilitates faster claim settlements and reduces procedural delays.

Background and Significance:

• The scheme was launched in response to declining exports and concerns over credit availability among exporters.
• It is implemented by the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC), a government-owned entity established to promote exports by providing credit risk insurance.
• The enhanced insurance cover and reduced premiums are expected to incentivize higher export credit disbursement and improve India's export competitiveness on the global stage.

 
 
   
INS Sandhayak is an indigenously designed and built hydrographic survey ship of the Indian Navy, and the lead ship of the Sandhayak-class survey vessels. It was constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and commissioned on 3 February 2024 at Visakhapatnam.
 
Key details about INS Sandhayak:

• Displacement: Approximately 3,300 tonnes
• Length: 110 meters
• Speed: Cruising at 16 knots with a maximum speed of 18 knots
• Crew complement: Around 231 personnel
• Capabilities: Equipped with advanced hydrographic sensor equipment, it conducts comprehensive coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys of ports, navigational channels, Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), and collects oceanographic data for defense and civil applications.
• Secondary roles: It can perform search and rescue operations, ocean research, humanitarian aid, and function as a hospital ship during emergencies.
• Features: It has a hangar capable of accommodating one advanced light helicopter and can be fitted with a CRN 91 naval gun.
• Indigenous content: Over 80% by cost, aligning with India's Aatma Nirbhar Bharat initiative (self-reliant India).
• Operational range: 6,500 nautical miles at speeds of 14 to 16 knots.

The INS Sandhayak was launched on 5 December 2021 and delivered in December 2023. It has been active in regional hydrographic cooperation, including a maiden port call at Port Klang, Malaysia in July 2025, and a visit to Changi Naval Base, Singapore in August 2025, underscoring India's commitment to maritime cooperation in the region.
 
The vessel's primary mission is to ensure safe marine navigation through detailed surveys and oceanographic data collection and to support naval operations and humanitarian missions when required. It represents a significant asset for the Indian Navy's hydrographic and survey capabilities.
 

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