Read Current Affairs
- Why in News?
- The 60th ratification of the High Seas Treaty has cleared the path for its enforcement, marking a major step in safeguarding marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Adopted in 2023 by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity, the treaty stipulated that it would become operational 120 days after 60 nations ratified it.
- Key Provisions:-
- Formally called the Agreement on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), it is a legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It represents the third implementing agreement of UNCLOS, following the 1994 Implementation Agreement and the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement.
- The treaty focuses on the high seas—global commons open for lawful uses such as navigation and laying submarine cables. India joined this global effort when the Union Cabinet approved its signing in 2024, with the Ministry of Earth Sciences designated as the implementing authority.
- Why in News?
- Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of India’s first PM MITRA Park in Bhainsola village of Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh. The park, developed under the PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (MITRA) Scheme, is designed with state-of-the-art facilities and is expected to significantly benefit cotton growers and the textile industry.
- Key Provisions:-
- Launched by the Ministry of Textiles in 2021, the PM MITRA Scheme seeks to establish modern, large-scale integrated textile parks, covering the full value chain from farm to foreign markets, in line with the 5F vision—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign. The scheme will run till 2027-28 and will be implemented through Special Purpose Vehicles jointly owned by the Centre and respective State governments.
- Each park will receive up to ₹500 crore as Development Capital Support and ₹300 crore as Competitive Incentive Support. Overall, seven such parks are planned nationwide, aiming to attract ₹70,000 crore in investments and generate 20 lakh jobs.
- Why in News?
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has announced plans to set up 500 data labs across the country under the India AI Mission, a key step to accelerate the nation’s artificial intelligence ecosystem. These labs are intended to strengthen research, training, and innovation in AI while expanding accessibility to advanced computing resources.
- Key Provisions:-
- The India AI Mission, launched in 2024 by MeitY, is aimed at fostering indigenous AI capabilities and ensuring that innovation in this field benefits a wide range of stakeholders. Its objectives include democratizing computing access, improving the quality of datasets, and creating a robust AI talent pool. The mission is implemented through IndiaAI, an Independent Business Division established under MeitY.
- Structured around seven foundational pillars, such as the IndiaAI Innovation Centre and national AI compute capacity, the initiative seeks to position India as a global hub for responsible, scalable, and inclusive AI development.