Daily Current Affairs - 28th August 2025

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BioE3 Policy Marks One Year with Launch of National Biofoundry Network to Boost Bioeconomy

1. The BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) completed one year since its launch.

2. To mark the occasion, the Union Minister of Science and Technology launched India’s first National Biofoundry Network.

3. The National Biofoundry Network consists of six institutions and aims to scale up proof-of-concept biotech developments, boost indigenous biomanufacturing, and generate employment opportunities.

   • The BioE3 Policy is a national strategy to accelerate the development and commercialization of bio-based products.

   • It focuses on creating enabling ecosystems called BioEnablers, which include Bio-Artificial (Bio-AI) Intelligence Hubs, Biofoundries, and Biomanufacturing Hubs.

4. The policy is being implemented by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

5. The policy prioritizes six thematic sectors:

   • Bio-based chemicals and enzymes

   • Functional foods and smart proteins

   • Precision biotherapeutics

   • Climate-resilient agriculture

   • Carbon capture and utilization

   • Futuristic marine and space research

6. Within one year of its launch, several achievements have been made under the policy.

7. These include the inauguration of India’s first Biomanufacturing Institute at Mohali, Punjab.

8. Also, more than a dozen joint research calls have been launched, covering advanced areas like cell and gene therapy, climate-smart agriculture, carbon capture, and functional foods.

9. The DBT has initiated centre-state partnerships, such as signing an MoU with Assam to establish a BioE3 Cell in the state.

10. The BioE3 Policy contributes to India's bioeconomy, which is the use of renewable biological resources to produce food, energy, and industrial goods.

11. This concept supports both sustainability and economic growth, especially in sectors like BioPharma & BioMedical, BioAgriculture, BioIndustrial, and BioResearch.

12. According to the India Bioeconomy Report 2025, India’s bioeconomy has grown from $10 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2024.

    • India is now targeting a bioeconomy size of $300 billion by 2030.

    • The bioeconomy currently contributes 4.25% to India’s GDP, demonstrating its strategic importance.

India, Developing Nations Urge Focus on Climate Finance Under Article 9.1 Ahead of COP30

1. India and several developing countries are pushing to re-center Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement in climate negotiations at COP30, to be held in Belém, Brazil.

2. Article 9.1 is a core provision of the Paris Agreement that deals with climate finance commitments by developed countries.

3. It clearly states that developed countries "shall provide financial resources" to assist developing countries in their efforts related to mitigation and adaptation.

   • Mitigation refers to actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while adaptation involves building resilience against climate change impacts.

4. This article is not a voluntary commitment but a continuation of binding obligations that already exist under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

5. Article 9.1 is anchored in the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).

   • CBDR-RC recognizes that developed countries bear historical responsibility for climate change and therefore must lead in providing financial and technological support.

6. The renewed emphasis on Article 9.1 reflects the growing demand from the Global South for equity and climate justice in global climate policy.

DAHD Releases Revised National Action Plan to Combat Glanders, a Life-Threatening Zoonotic Disease

1. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) has released the Revised National Action Plan on Glanders.

2. This move aims to strengthen surveillance, prevention, and control measures against the disease.

3. Glanders is a highly infectious disease that primarily affects horses, donkeys, and mules.

4. The disease is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei.

5. Glanders is notifiable under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals (PCICDA) Act, 2009, meaning its detection must be reported to authorities.

6. The disease is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans.

7. Glanders is life-threatening for both animals and humans, and no vaccines currently exist for its prevention.

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UIDAI and Education Ministry Integrate Aadhaar Biometric Updates with UDISE+ to Enhance Student Data Accuracy

1. UIDAI and the Ministry of Education have partnered to enable the completion of pending Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBU) in Aadhaar through the UDISE+ application.

2. This integration aims to streamline student authentication and improve data accuracy in the national education database.

   • UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) is an educational management information system developed by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education.

   • Its primary objective is to collect credible, consistent, and comparable education-related data across India.

3. Data is collected through a standardized tool called ‘Data Capture Format’, which ensures uniformity and accuracy.

4. The system operates in online, real-time mode, enabling efficient and transparent data entry and access.

5. UDISE+ serves as a central platform for schools to record and submit details about their infrastructure, facilities, students, and teachers.

6. This helps policymakers and stakeholders in evidence-based planning, monitoring, and implementation of education policies.

India to Join Multilateral Exercise Bright Star 2025

1. The Indian Armed Forces and Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff will participate in Multilateral Exercise Bright Star 2025.

2. This participation reflects India’s growing engagement in large-scale international military cooperation.

3. Exercise Bright Star was originally conceived as a bilateral military exercise between the United States and Egypt.

4. It was initiated in the aftermath of the Camp David Accord (1977), which was a historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel brokered by the USA.

   • The first edition of Bright Star was held in 1980 in Egypt, establishing the foundation for regional military collaboration.

   • Since 1995, the exercise has expanded into a multilateral format, involving participation from multiple nations.

5. It is now considered one of the largest Tri-Service (Army, Navy, Air Force) multilateral exercises in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region.

6. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, joint planning, and operational coordination among participating armed forces.

India Projected to Become World’s Second-Largest Economy by PPP: EY Study

According to a recent study by EY, India is on track to become the world’s second-largest economy when measured by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).

What is PPP?

1. Purchasing Power Parity is an economic metric that compares the relative value of currencies by assessing the cost of a standardized “basket of goods” across countries.

2. It reflects the amount of currency required in each country to buy the same goods and services, providing a more accurate measure of living standards and productivity than nominal exchange rates.

3. PPP assumes that, in the absence of trade barriers like tariffs or quotas, exchange rates will adjust so that identical products have the same price worldwide in a common currency.

This projection underscores India’s rapid economic growth and rising domestic consumption, highlighting its increasing significance on the global economic stage.

3I/ATLAS: Third Interstellar Comet Discovered in 2025

1. 3I/ATLAS is a comet discovered in 2025 by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey telescope located in Rio Hurtado, Chile.

2. It is the third known object from outside our solar system to be discovered by astronomers.

3. The first interstellar object was 1I/’Oumuamua, discovered in 2017, followed by Comet 2I/Borisov in 2019.

4. 3I/ATLAS is categorized as interstellar due to the hyperbolic shape of its orbital path, meaning it does not follow a closed orbit around the Sun.

5. A hyperbolic orbit indicates that the comet is passing through the solar system only once and is not gravitationally bound to the Sun.

Hierarchical Reasoning Model (HRM): A Brain-Inspired AI for Enhanced Sequential Reasoning

1. Sapient’s scientists have developed a new AI called the Hierarchical Reasoning Model (HRM), inspired by the human brain.

2. Current Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT face limitations due to their reliance on Chain-of-Thought (CoT) reasoning.

3. The HRM is modeled on the human brain’s hierarchical, multi-time scale processing, which mimics how different brain regions integrate information over varying durations.

4. HRM performs sequential reasoning tasks in a single forward pass without explicit supervision of the intermediate steps.

5. It uses two key modules: a high-level module responsible for slow, abstract planning, and a low-level module that handles fast, detailed computations.

Gangotri Glacier Loses 10% Snow Melt Flow in Four Decades, Impacting Ganga’s Source

1. A recent study reveals that the Gangotri Glacier has lost 10 percent of its snow melt flow over the past four decades.

2. The Gangotri Glacier is located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand and stretches about 30 km in length.

3. This glacier is the source of the Bhagirathi River, which is one of the primary headstreams of the Ganges River.

4. The Bhagirathi River flows downstream and merges with the Alaknanda River at Devprayag to form the Ganga River.

5. Gangotri Glacier lies within the Gangotri National Park, a protected area known for its diverse wildlife.

6. Key fauna in the park include the Snow Leopard, Himalayan Blue Sheep (also called Bharal), and the Himalayan Monal, which is the state bird of Uttarakhand.

CDS Releases Three Joint Doctrines to Boost Integration and Theatreisation in Indian Armed Forces

1. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has released three joint doctrines for the Indian armed forces to enhance jointness, integration, and theaterisation.

   • Theatreisation refers to organizing military operations and command based on specific geographical areas or theatres of operation.

2. These doctrines aim to improve coordination and operational synergy among the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

3. The first is the Joint Doctrine for Special Forces (SF) Operations, designed to create a common understanding, terminologies, and basic procedures among the Army's Para-SF, Navy's Marine Commandos (MARCOS), and IAF's Garuds.

   • Para-SF are elite Army special forces trained for unconventional warfare; MARCOS are the Navy's marine commandos; Garuds are the Air Force’s special forces.

   • This doctrine includes joint training to minimize duplication of efforts and covers future weapon profiles along with command and control strategies across land, maritime, and air domains.

4. The second doctrine is the Joint Doctrine for Airborne (AB) and Heliborne (HB) Operations, aiming for seamless coordination between the three services.

   • Airborne operations involve deploying troops by parachute from aircraft; Heliborne operations involve troop deployment using helicopters.

   • This doctrine focuses on bridging doctrinal gaps by standardizing planning and execution procedures.

   • It also integrates advanced air mobility assets and unmanned systems to enhance operational capabilities.

5. The third is the Joint Doctrine for Multi Domain Operations (MDO), which covers employing military and non-military national capabilities across Land, Sea, Air, Cyber, Space, and Cognitive domains.

   • Multi Domain Operations mean coordinated military efforts across various domains including emerging areas like cyber, space, and cognitive warfare, which involves influencing perceptions and decision-making.

   • This doctrine emphasizes a whole-of-nation approach (WONA), integrating both military and civilian partners to achieve politico-military objectives.

6. The significance of these joint operations lies in improving joint operational capability, which boosts coordination and effectiveness across the armed forces.

7. They foster synergy, maximizing operational efficiency through collaboration among services.

8. The doctrines provide strategic flexibility, allowing the forces to adapt to diverse security environments.

9. They also enhance technological capability by integrating advanced military technologies into defense strategies.

10. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) serves as the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CDS acts as the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister on all tri-service matters, ensuring unified military guidance.

MoSPI Releases Annual Survey of Industries 2023-24: Manufacturing Sector Shows 11.9% GVA Growth

1. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) Results for 2023-24.

2. The ASI aims to provide meaningful insights into changes in the composition, growth, and structure of manufacturing industries.

3. These insights include data on output, value added, employment, and capital formation within the manufacturing sector.

4. The ASI is conducted annually under the Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Act, 2017.

5. It covers factories registered under the Factories Act, 1948, bidi and cigar units under the Bidi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966, and electricity undertakings not registered with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

6. Certain sectors such as defence establishments, oil storage and distribution depots, and departmental units like railway workshops and gas storage are excluded from the ASI coverage.

7. The results of the survey are prepared at both the state level and major industry level for detailed analysis.

8. The survey highlights that the top 5 industries by Gross Value Added (GVA) are Basic metal, Motor vehicles, Chemical and Chemical products, Food Products, and Pharmaceutical products.

9. The top 5 states in terms of employment are Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.

10. The Gross Value Added (GVA) grew by 11.89% compared to the previous year.

11. Industrial output increased by more than 5.80% over the previous year, showing positive industrial growth.

12. The average emoluments per person engaged rose by 5.6% compared to 2022-23, indicating better wage growth.

    • Gross Value Added (GVA) is defined as the additional value created by the production process, calculated by deducting the value of total input from total output.

    • Net Value Added (NVA) is derived by deducting total input and depreciation from total output.

    • Fixed Capital represents the depreciated value of fixed assets owned by a factory on the closing day of the accounting year.

    • Fixed capital involves investments in long-term assets or projects such as buildings, machines, or land.

13. In contrast, Working Capital is the investment used to facilitate day-to-day operations of the business.

Cabinet Extends and Restructures PM SVANidhi Scheme, Boosts Loan Limits & Digital Benefits for Street Vendors

1. The Cabinet has approved the restructuring and extension of the PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme.

2. The lending period of the scheme has been extended from December 31, 2024, to March 31, 2030.

3. The restructured scheme aims to benefit 1.15 crore beneficiaries, including 50 lakh new beneficiaries.

4. A key new feature is the enhanced loan limits for street vendors under the scheme.

5. The first tranche loan limit has increased to ₹15,000 from the earlier ₹10,000.

6. The second tranche loan limit has been raised to ₹25,000 from ₹20,000.

7. The third tranche loan limit remains unchanged at ₹50,000.

8. The scheme now offers a UPI-linked RuPay Credit Card to vendors after repaying their second loan, facilitating quick access to emergency credit.

   • UPI (Unified Payments Interface) is a real-time payment system facilitating inter-bank transactions through mobile devices.

   • RuPay is an Indian domestic card scheme similar to Visa or Mastercard.

9. Another feature includes digital cashback incentives of up to ₹1,600 for retail and wholesale UPI transactions.

10. The scheme also emphasizes capacity building through financial literacy, entrepreneurship, digital skills, marketing support, and hygiene & safety training in partnership with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

11. The PM SVANidhi is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

12. The Department of Financial Services (DFS) facilitates loans and credit cards through banks and financial institutions.

13. The primary objective of PM SVANidhi is to provide working capital loans to street vendors, promote financial inclusion, encourage digital payments, and offer identity and recognition to street vendors.

14. The targeted beneficiaries are street vendors and hawkers operating in urban areas as on or before March 24, 2020.

WHO-UNICEF Report Highlights Global and India’s Progress and Inequalities in WASH Access

1. The WHO and UNICEF have released a report on Progress on Household Drinking Water and Sanitation 2000–2024, focusing on inequalities in access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).

2. These inequalities are major barriers to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which aims to ensure access to water and sanitation for all.

3. Globally, open defecation rates in low-income countries remain four times higher than the global average.

4. Access to safe sanitation worldwide has increased to 58%.

5. Coverage of safely managed drinking water has risen from 68% in 2015 to 74% in 2024.

6. The report highlights a gendered burden, as women spend more time fetching water, impacting their daily lives.

7. Data from 70 countries reveal widespread gaps in menstrual health across all income levels.

8. In India, there has been significant progress in reducing open defecation, though challenges remain in rural areas and among marginalized groups.

9. India has achieved near universal access to basic sanitation, but issues persist with the use and quality of waste management.

10. Household tap water connections have expanded, but safely managed drinking water still falls short of universal coverage.

11. There are ongoing equity issues, with marginalized groups like tribal populations and the poorest lagging in access to water and sanitation.

12. India's Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) successfully eliminated open defecation, empowered women, enhanced safety, and reduced child mortality.

13. The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all rural households.

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