📝 Tariff on Indian Exports to the U.S.[1]
🚀 The U.S. has revised the import duties imposed on India from 27% to 26%.
💡💰 From 2021-22 to 2023-24, the U.S. was India’s largest trading partner.
💡🚢 The U.S. accounts for about 18% of India’s total goods exports.
💡🤝 India and the U.S. are negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
📝 Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve[2][3]
🚀 Established in 2001 ⇒ Southernmost end of the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu ⇒ Became part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2016.
🤔 How many biosphere reserves does India have? How many of them are part of UNESCO’s global network? And wait — which one was India’s very first? Feel free to discuss HERE.
👉🏽 Includes ⇒ 3 wildlife sanctuaries (Shendurney, Peppara and Neyyar) + 1 Tiger reserve (Kalakad Mundanthurai)
👉🏽 It is also home to the Kanikaran (Kani) tribe.
💡🌳 Forests: Tropical wet evergreen, South Western Ghats moist deciduous, South Western Ghats montane rain forests, and Shola.
💡🫎 Animals: Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and Nilgiri tahr.
📝 HANSA-3 NG[4]
🚀 Indigenously designed/developed by CSIR-NAL ⇒ 2-seater trainer aircraft (civil) ⇒ latest version of HANSA planes (made by CSIR-NAL since 1998).
👉🏽 Empty weight: 550 kg; Load carrying capacity: up to 200 kg; flies at an altitude of 8,000 ft.
💡🤝 CSIR-NAL has signed a technology transfer agreement with Pioneer Clean AMPS Pvt Limited to manufacture HANSA-3 NG in India ⇒ 1st indigenously designed/developed civil aircraft transferred to an industry partner for manufacturing.
📝 National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP)[5]
🚀 Launched in 2022 to ensure universal access to equitable, affordable, high-quality mental health care.
👉🏽 Tele MANAS Mobile Application: Launched on World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2024.
👉🏽 A dedicated Tele-MANAS Cell has been set up at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.
👉🏽 District Mental Health Programme (DMHP): Implemented under the NTMHP ⇒ Focuses on early detection, management, and treatment of mental illnesses at the district hospital level ⇒ extends its services to Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
📝 Stand-Up India Scheme[6]
🚀 Launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Finance ⇒ To empower SC, ST, and women entrepreneurs by facilitating bank loans for setting up new enterprises.
🤔 Are there other government schemes that promote entrepreneurship? How well have these schemes performed so far? Feel free to discuss HERE.
📝 Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025[7]
🚀 Seeks to regulate the immigration, entry, and stay of foreigners in India.
👉🏽 Repeals the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.
🚀 Using forged passport/visa for entering/exiting India or staying in India ⇒ Jail term of up to 7 years and a fine up to ₹10 lakh.
👉🏽 Entering India without valid documents (that are required) ⇒ Jail term up to 5 years or fine up to ₹5 lakh or both.
🚀 Provides for mandatory reporting of information about foreigners by hotels, universities, other educational institutions, hospitals and nursing homes.
🚀 International airlines/ships will also be required to provide the advance information of passengers and crew.
📝 Miscellaneous
🚀 Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden: Srinagar [8]
🚀 The Constitutional Court of South Korea ruled to remove impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office. [9]