UPSC

India is observing AI Appreciation Day on July 16 to celebrate its dynamic advancements in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across multiple sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, and industry. This observance reflects India’s commitment to leveraging AI not just for technological progress but for inclusive development, economic resilience, and social transformation. Background: India’s journey with AI dates back to the 1960s, rooted in early computer science research. A pivotal milestone was the Knowledge-Based Computer Systems (KBCS) project launched in 1986. In the 1990s, institutions like C-DAC played a critical role in supercomputing and AI applications. By the early 2000s, private IT giants such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro began investing heavily in AI R&D. The Digital India mission (2015) and NITI Aayog’s National AI Strategy (2018) provided strong policy frameworks that accelerated AI adoption across the country. Significance: AI Ap...

  A 90-member Indian Army contingent, led by troops from the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, has departed for France to take part in the eighth edition of the India-France joint military exercise ‘Shakti’, scheduled from June 18 to July 1, 2025, at Camp Larzac, La Cavalerie. This biennial engagement between the two nations focuses on enhancing counter-terror cooperation, sub-conventional operations, and military interoperability in semi-urban terrain, under the UN Charter’s Chapter VII mandate. Why in News: The eighth edition of the bilateral Indo-French military exercise ‘Shakti’ begins on June 18, 2025, in France. Indian Army contingent has left for the 15-day-long operation hosted at Camp Larzac. The exercise aims to simulate UN Chapter VII peacekeeping operations in semi-urban environments. What is Exercise Shakti: Exercise Shakti is a biennial Indo-French military drill aimed at fostering joint training, tactical coordination, and mutual trust. Conducted a...

Gold: Gold is not only an investment avenue but is considered precious in India. The yellow metal symbolizes wealth, prosperity, good health, and wealth. Gold has been and will be the holy grail for the people of India in terms of jewelry and investment. India is considered one of the largest markets for gold, and thus, the Indian gold market plays a significant role in the global economy of gold. Gold Price in India, Significance, and Relation to the Economy: While gold is the first choice for jewelry among Indians, investors consider some other forms of it as a safe haven such as gold coins, bars, gold ETFs, etc. Buying gold during some of the Indian festivals such as Dhanteras, Akshay Tritiya, and Diwali is considered auspicious and placed in high regard. Also, gold tops the list when it comes to shopping for Indian weddings; no wedding shopping list is considered complete without buying gold. The best thing about buying gold is that it can act as a hedge against inflation whe...

Income tax Budget 2025 Highlights:  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced new tax slabs in the new tax regime 2025, so there will be no income tax for those drawing  ₹ 12 lakh and less. Income tax slab changes budget 2025:   The tax slabs and rates are as follows 0-4 lakh rupees: Nil 4-8 lakh rupees: 5% 8-12 lakh rupees: 10% 12-16 lakh rupees: 15% 16-20 lakh rupees: 20% 20-24 lakh rupees: 25% Above 24 lakh rupees: 30% Budget 2025 Important Points Explained Highlights:  Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman  unveiled her eighth consecutive Union Budget  on Saturday (February 1). The income tax rebates she announced have been the biggest talking point. Schemes for the MSME sector, women, farmers, the education sector, boosting exports, etc. have also been announced. The initiatives announced aim to boost self-reliance, with an eye on Atmanirbhar Bharat. Given the widespread discontent among the middle class, the announcement of...

Ind & SL Relation: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India, also his first overseas trip in keeping with tradition, marks a continuity in India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations. The joint statement, after his meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, covered aspects similar to the one subsequent to the visit of his predecessor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, in 2023. Mr. Dissanayake’s assurance that Sri Lanka will not permit its territory to be used in any manner inimical to India’s security and regional stability, on the face of it, appears to be a reiteration of Colombo’s long-standing position, but it was significant in view of a perception that Mr. Dissanayake’s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is a Left-leaning pro-China party. India viewed his observation as one that could have a bearing on the clearance for Chinese ships visiting Sri Lanka in the light of the Wickremesinghe government’s one-year moratorium (after India’s concerns) on all “foreign research vessels” vi...