CURRENT AFFAIRS
19 June, 2025
1. GDP BASE YEAR REVISED TO 2022-23 –
• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced that the government is revising the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) base year from 2011-12 to 2022-23. The revised data will be released on 27th February 2026.
• The base year for Index of Industrial Production (IIP) will also be revised to 2022-23 while the base year for Consumer Price Index will be revised to 2023-24.
• Note: In June 2024, MoSPI set up a 26-member Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS) to decide the base year for GDP data, under the chairmanship of Biswanath Goldar. It also focused on aligning GDP with other key macro indicators such as the WPI, CPI, and IIP.
What is the GDP Base Year?
• About GDP Base Year: GDP is the key metric for measuring a country’s annual economic growth or its overall economic size, and the “base year” serves as the reference point for these calculations.
• Currently, 2011-12 is the base year, meaning the GDP of 2011-12 is used as the benchmark to compute the growth of subsequent years.
• Need: The base year revision ensures the inclusion of new industries, removal of outdated ones, adoption of better data sources and methods, and more accurate measurement of real economic growth after adjusting for inflation.
• Features: The base year should be a normal year i.e., it must not experience any abnormal incidents such as droughts, floods, earthquakes, pandemic, etc. Also, it should not be too distant in the past.
• The base year should ideally be updated every 5 to 10 years to ensure national accounts reflect the most recent data.
• Frequency of GDP Base Year Revision: The upcoming 2026 revision will be the eighth base year update, following seven earlier revisions, starting from 1948-49 to 1960-61 in August 1967 and most recently from 2004-05 to 2011-12 on 30th January 2015.
• The first national income estimates for India were compiled by the National Income Committee (chaired by P.C. Mahalanobis) in 1949.
• 2017-18 Base Year Update Deferred: The plan to revise the base year to 2017-18 was dropped due to:
• Data quality concerns in Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) (showed 45-year high unemployment).
• Rejection of Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) 2017-18 data (indicated rising poverty).
• Impact of demonetisation (2016) and Goods and Services Tax (GST) introduction (2017) and Covid-19 made the subsequent years abnormal for economic assessment.
2. OPERATION SINDHU EVACUATION FROM IRAN –
• India announced launching ‘Operation Sindhu’ to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran through Armenia as fears of an all-out Israeli-American military strikes on Iran increased.
• It highlighted Armenia’s crucial role as a strategic and viable evacuation route, thanks to its geographic position and strong diplomatic ties with India.
• Iran borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north. It shares borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east, Iraq to the west, Turkey to the northwest, and has a southern coastline along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
3. INDIA’S ENERGY TRANSITION INDEX RANKING IN 2025 –
• India’s position in the global Energy Transition Index has shifted to 71st in 2025. This ranking was released by the World Economic Forum, which assesses the energy transition performance of 118 countries. Despite a drop from 63rd last year, alongside China, has shown improvements in energy access and transition readiness.
Global Rankings Overview
• Sweden leads the Energy Transition Index, followed by Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland. Other notable rankings include China at 12th and the United States at 17th. Pakistan ranks 101st, while Congo holds the last position. The top five economies play important role in shaping global energy transitions due to their substantial share of global GDP, population, and emissions.
India’s Progress in Energy Transition
• India has made considerable advancements in energy equity. Increased access to energy and clean fuels has been a priority. The country has also improved energy regulations and invested in renewable technologies. These efforts have been essential in enhancing energy security and equity.
4. HELICOPTER SAFETY ISSUES IN UTTARAKHAND’S CHAR DHAM –
• Recently, a tragic helicopter crash in Uttarakhand resulted in the deaths of five passengers and the pilot. This incident has drawn attention to the safety of helicopter operations during the Char Dham pilgrimage season.
• Helicopter rides in this region are already under scrutiny due to challenging terrain and unpredictable weather patterns. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been monitoring private operators closely, especially after a series of accidents.
Current Regulatory Framework
• The DGCA oversees aviation regulations in India. However, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) coordinates helicopter operations in the state. UCADA was established in 2013 to manage air traffic and safety. They set rules for operators, including landing fees and the number of flights. Despite these regulations, the absence of an Air Traffic Control system in the Kedarnath area raises concerns about safety.
5. CENTRE APPROVES ₹2,006.40 CRORE ASSISTANCE TO HIMACHAL PRADESH FOR 2023 DISASTER RECOVERY –
• The Union Government has approved a ₹2,006.40 crore recovery plan for Himachal Pradesh. The aid is meant to support reconstruction after severe natural disasters that struck during July–August 2023. Over 550 lives were lost, and extensive damage to infrastructure was recorded.
Total Sanctioned Amount
• ₹2,006.40 crore, out of which ₹1,504.80 crore is the Centre’s share from the Recovery and Reconstruction funding window of the NDRF.
• Purpose
• To carry out recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation activities in affected areas.
• Rebuilding damaged infrastructure, resettlement of victims, and strengthening disaster resilience.
Committee Involved
• Headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• Includes,
• Union Finance Minister
• Union Agriculture Minister
• Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme is an initiative of which ministry ?
a) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
b) Ministry of Women and Child Development
c) Ministry of Rural Development
d) Ministry of Home Affairs
Q2. Which two countries have the largest number of nuclear weapons, as per the SIPRI Yearbook 2025 ?
a) France and United Kingdom
b) Russia and United States
c) China and India
d) Israel and North Korea
Q3. The NISAR mission is a joint Earth-observing satellite mission between which two space agencies ?
a) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
b) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and European Space Agency (ESA)
c) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and China National Space Administration (CNSA)
d) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA)
Q4. Which of the following statements about India’s nuclear forces are correct ?
1. India has overtaken Pakistan in the number of nuclear warheads.
2. India has started deploying nuclear warheads on canisterised missiles.
3. India operates a nuclear triad.
How many of the above statements are correct ?
a) Only 1
b) Only 2
c) All three
d) None
Explanation-
• SIPRI confirms that as of January 2025, India has 180 warheads, overtaking Pakistan’s 170. It has begun integrating warheads with canisterised missiles, indicating a shift in doctrine.
• Additionally, India maintains a nuclear triad—land, air, and sea-based delivery systems—placing it among the few countries with such a capacity.
Q5. Consider the following statements about the Lokpal:
1. The Lokpal can supervise investigations by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
2. It has powers similar to a civil court during preliminary inquiries.
3. It can investigate complaints against the Prime Minister in all matters without restriction.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?
a) Only 2
b) Only 1 and 2
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation-
• The Lokpal can supervise investigations by the Directorate of Enforcement only indirectly through coordination but primarily supervises the DSPE (CBI). It does have civil court powers for conducting inquiries, as per the Code of Civil Procedure.
• However, its power to probe the Prime Minister is limited—matters of national security, international relations, and atomic energy are excluded. So only statement 2 is correct.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
A | B | A | C | A |