Daily Current Affairs 2025  

10/10/2025

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CA-10/10/2025

 
Why in news?
The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 9, 2025) ruled that the age limits under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, do not apply to couples who had frozen their embryos and initiated the surrogacy process before the law came into force on January 25, 2022.
 
Key Provisions of Surrogacy Act, 2021

• Surrogacy in India is regulated to prevent exploitation and promote ethical, altruistic surrogacy; commercial surrogacy is strictly prohibited.
• Only Indian citizens (or some OCI cardholders), married couples, and women aged 23–50 and men aged 26–55 are eligible (prospective applications only).
• The surrogate mother must be a married woman aged 25–35 years with at least one child.
• The surrogate child is deemed the biological child of the intending couple, with full legal rights.
• Surrogacy clinics must be registered and comply with ethical and legal standards.

Objectives

• Designed to stop the exploitation of women in commercial surrogacy,
• Seeks to uphold dignity and safety of surrogate mothers and children
• Includes provisions for insurance cover, prohibits abandonment.

Recent Amendments (2024 and Onward)

• The rules were amended in 2024 to allow donor gametes if one partner has a certified medical condition—reversing a previous rule that banned all donor gametes except in rare cases.
• This amendment does not permit surrogacy if both partners require donor gametes.
• Commercial surrogacy remains banned and attracts stringent penalties (up to 10 years' imprisonment and ?10 lakh fine).

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 marks a significant shift towards ethical, regulated, and socially sensitive surrogacy practices in India, with an emphasis on altruism, prevention of exploitation, and strict eligibility norms.
 
 
   
Why in news?
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced the transfer of technology developed under AgriEnIcs programme for agricultural and environmental solutions. 

Key points of AgriEnIcs Programme

• National initiative by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) focused on agriculture and environment using electronics and IT.
• Integrates AI, IoT, machine vision, and sensor networks for precision agriculture and environmental monitoring.
• Implemented by C-DAC, Kolkata, with participation from IITs, ICAR, and industry partners.
• Supports R&D, deployment, demonstration, and commercialization of tech solutions.
• Technologies developed include cattle health monitoring, crop quality estimation, and odour detection for waste management.
• Encourages innovation via the AgriEnIcs Grand Challenge, supporting collaborative R&D projects.
• Aims for affordable, scalable solutions to improve farmers’ productivity and environmental sustainability.
• Aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital India visions.

Centre for Development of Advanced Computing

• The C-DAC is a premier autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.
• It was established in 1988 with a focus on research and development in IT, electronics, and associated areas.
• C-DAC gained prominence for developing India's first supercomputer, the PARAM 8000, after import restrictions on supercomputers led India to build its own.
• Apart from supercomputing, C-DAC's research domains include cloud computing, information security, big data analytics, bioinformatics, and quantum computing.
• It also conducts advanced computing training programs through the Advanced Computing Training School (ACTS) nationwide. 

 
 
   
Why in news?
Indian Army has initiated the procurement and induction of this indigenous Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) Grid designed to detect, track, identify, and neutralize hostile drones in real time. 
 
Purpose

• SAKSHAM's primary purpose is to provide real-time detection, tracking, identification, and neutralization of hostile drones and unmanned aerial systems in operational zones.
• It ensures airspace security across the expanded battlefield space, responding to emerging threats revealed during operations like Operation Sindoor, where drones posed significant challenges.

Key Features

• Modular Command and Control System: Integrates multiple counter-drone weapons and sensors for flexible deployment.
• Real-time Detection and Tracking: Utilizes radar, radio-frequency, electro-optical, and infrared sensors for continuous surveillance.
• Integrated Recognised UAS Picture (RUASP): Creates a comprehensive real-time view of friendly, neutral, and hostile aerial assets for commanders.
• AI-enabled Predictive Analysis: Employs artificial intelligence for threat prediction and automated decision support.
• Sensor-Weapon Fusion: Synchronizes soft-kill (jammers, electronic warfare) and hard-kill (kinetic interceptors) measures.
• 3D Battlefield Visualization: Provides commanders with dynamic visualization of the airspace.
• Network Integration: Operates securely on the Army Data Network and links with the Akashteer Air Defence Control for unified airspace control.
• Scalability and Mobility: Compact, scalable, and rapidly deployable system adaptable to evolving drone threats.
• Indigenous Innovation: Aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the Army's Decade of Transformation roadmap for a technologically advanced force.

SAKSHAM represents a critical leap in India's defence technology to maintain operational superiority by controlling the increasingly contested airspace above ground forces, effectively countering hostile UAV threats in modern warfare.
 
 
   
Why in news?

Myanmar maintains administrative control and has recently reaffirmed to India that there are no Chinese installations on the islands, amidst ongoing strategic discussions.
 
Location and Geography

• The Coco Islands are located about 18 km north of India's North Andaman Island, in the Bay of Bengal.
• The main islands in the group are Great Coco Island, Little Coco Island, Table Island, Slipper Island, Rat Island, Binnacle Rock, and Jerry Island.

Historical Background

• Historically, the islands were on ancient trade routes linking India, Burma, and Southeast Asia.
• In the 16th century, Portuguese sailors named them after the word for coconut.
• The islands fell under British administration, being part of British Burma from 1882, and remained with Myanmar (Burma) after its independence in 1948.
• A penal colony for political prisoners was established there in 1959 and later converted for Burmese Navy use after the prison’s closure in 1971.

Strategic Importance

• The islands' proximity to the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago of India makes them crucial in regional military and surveillance dynamics.
• There have been recurring concerns about foreign military presence, especially rumored Chinese activity, but Myanmar has recently assured India of no Chinese presence on the Coco Islands, though Indian naval access remains restricted by Myanmar.
• Their location at the crossroads of major sea lanes enhances their value for maritime monitoring and regional security.

These aspects make the Coco Islands an enduring subject of regional geostrategic interest and occasional diplomatic friction, especially between India, Myanmar, and China.
 
 
 
   
Why in news?
The India-UK Connectivity & Innovation Centre (CIC) is a new flagship strategic partnership between India and the United Kingdom launched in October 2025 to advance innovative digital connectivity and telecommunications. 
 
Key Features

• The Centre is co-implemented by India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and forms a major part of the UK-India Technology Security Initiative.
• Private sector stakeholders like BT, Ericsson, and Nokia are also involved, along with top academic and research institutions from both countries.
• The CIC aims to position India and the UK as global leaders in future telecom standards and secure, resilient network infrastructure.
• It supports both countries’ objectives for universal broadband access, creating commercial opportunities for startups and established firms both domestically and internationally.

Strategic Objectives

• AI in Telecommunications: Drive research and adoption of artificial intelligence to optimize network operations, boost efficiency, and develop autonomous telecom systems.
• Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs): Pioneer satellite, airborne, and hybrid network architectures to provide high-speed connectivity in remote and underserved areas, enhancing digital inclusion for both nations.
• Telecom Cybersecurity & Interoperability: Develop robust, open, and secure frameworks and protocols to safeguard communications against evolving threats and ensure resilience.

 
 
   
Why in news?
The IUCN World Conservation Congress is the world’s largest gathering focused on global nature conservation, shaping priorities and decision-making for biodiversity protection every four years. The latest Congress is being held from 9–15 October 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
 
Historical Background

• Established in 1948, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has convened the Congress since then, influencing global conservation policies, including World Heritage protection and international treaties like CITES.

Key Features and Objectives

• The Congress helps shape global policy on conservation and climate change, with interactive sessions, art exhibits, and networking events.
• Themes this year include scaling up resilient conservation, reducing climate overshoot risks, equity in conservation, transitioning to nature-positive economies, and disruptive innovation for conservation leadership.
• The IUCN Members’ Assembly serves as the core decision-making forum, where new motions, policy updates, and priorities for IUCN’s work are finalized.
• The IUCN Congress also updates the Red List for threatened species and sets strategic conservation targets for the coming term, including post-pandemic recovery and climate action.

Indian context

• India launched its National Red List Roadmap (2025–2030) at the IUCN World Conservation Congress to establish a nationally coordinated red-listing system and aims to assess approximately 11,000 species (7,000 flora and 4,000 fauna).
• Notable Indian species that are critically endangered or endangered include the Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Red Panda, Dhole (Indian wild dog), Great Indian Bustard, Himalayan Quail, and several birds of prey and hornbill species.
• India aims to publish National Red Data Books for flora and fauna by 2030 to support conservation planning and policy.

 
 

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