📝The United States’ reciprocal tariffs[1]
🚀 The USA announced reciprocal tariffs, ranging from 10% to 49% (10% baseline tariff + individualised reciprocal tariff), on imports from its trading partners ⇒ 27% for India (lower than other Asian and South Asian countries that are Indian rivals for exports to the U.S.) ⇒ Highest tariff (50%) on Lesotho[2]
Locate Lesotho on map✏️🗺️
👉🏽 April 2: Reciprocal tariffs announced ⇒ Dubbed as the Liberation Day for the U.S.
👉🏽 Some goods, including copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and lumber articles, are exempt from reciprocal tariffs.[3]
💡The U.S. accounts for over 30% of India’s gems and jewellery exports, 28.5%[4] of textile and apparel exports.
💡India is the largest seafood exporter to the U.S., with a 35%[5] market share.
💡📈 India aims to raise bilateral trade with the U.S. to $500 billion by 2030.
🤔 In what ways might the U.S.’s reciprocal tariffs influence India’s trade dynamics and economic growth? What strategic responses can India consider to safeguard its interests?
Feel free to discuss HERE.
📝 Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission[6][7]
🚀 Ax-4: A private spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by Axiom Space ⇒ will carry astronauts from the US, India, Poland, and Hungary ⇒ focused on scientific research, technology demonstrations, and educational outreach.
👉🏽 India’s Shubhanshu Shukla will be the pilot ⇒ will become the first Indian astronaut to the ISS and the 1st Indian to go to space in the last 40 years.
📝 Kannadippaya[8]
🚀 Kannadippaya has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag ⇒ A unique tribal handicraft (bamboo mat) from Kerala ⇒ 1st tribal handicraft product from Kerala to receive the GI tag.
🤔What exactly is a GI tag? What special benefits come with getting this tag? Who has the authority to decide which item gets it — and can you guess what was the very first product in India to receive a GI tag?
Feel free to discuss HERE.
📝 Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024[9]
🚀 The bill provides a framework for the next 25 years of coastal economic growth under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 ⇒ To develop a coastal fleet owned and operated by Indian entities, leading to reduced dependence on foreign vessels for coastal shipping.
🚀 Key provisions: Removal of the general trading license requirement for Indian ships; Foreign vessels can engage in coastal trade only under a license issued by the Director General of Shipping; National Database of Coastal Shipping; National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan.
👉🏽 The bill addresses gaps in the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.
💡📈 India’s coastal cargo traffic has surged 119% in the last decade, from 74 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 162 million tonnes in 2023-24, with a target of 230 million tonnes by 2030.
📝 Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025[10][11]
🚀 The Bill aims to update the Waqf Act, 1995, to fix issues in managing Waqf properties.
🚀 See the Key features of the bill HERE.
💡 Waqf: A permanent dedication by any person of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by Muslim Law as pious, religious or charitable.
💡 Waqf properties are currently regulated by the Waqf Act of 1995, with the help of three administrative bodies:
1. Central Waqf Council: Established in 1964 under the Wakf Act, 1954 ⇒ Consists of a Chairperson + max 20 members (Union Minister of Minority Affairs is the ex-officio Chairperson) ⇒ Advises the govt and State Waqf Boards, but does not directly control Waqf properties.
2. State Waqf Boards: Manage and protect Waqf properties in each state.
3. Waqf Tribunals: Exclusive judicial bodies that handle disputes related to Waqf properties.
📝 Miscellaneous
🚀 Kancha Gachibowli: Forested area near the University of Hyderabad, Telangana ⇒ protests against deforestation by the government.[12]
🚀 India and Thailand upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership.[13]
Citations
- India holds fire as Trump slaps tariffs
- African kingdom Lesotho is among those hardest hit by Trump tariffs
- Semiconductors escape US tariffs, easing concerns for chip industry
- Tariff to hit Indian engineering exports to the U.S.; textile sector sees ray of hope despite high vulnerability
- Indian seafood exporters get the ‘sinking’ feeling
- Axiom space mission: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to fly to International Space Station in May 2025
- Axiom Mission 4
- Kannadippaya gets GI tag, anchoring tribal craft on global map
- Lok Sabha Passes the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024
- Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025: The History of Waqf in India
- Background and the Statutory provision under Waqf Act
- Supreme Court stays clearing of 400-acre green cover near Hyderabad University, seeks report from HC registrar
- India, Thailand upgrade ties to strategic partnership