India’s GDP Trend

Context: India’s GDP grew 8.2% in Q2 FY26, the fastest in the last six quarters, driven by strong manufacturing and services momentum.

Key Highlights of the Growth Trend

• Strong Overall Expansion: Real GDP grew 8.2%, beating forecasts of ~7.3% and marking the fourth consecutive quarter of acceleration.
• Manufacturing and Industry Push: Manufacturing GVA rose 9.1%, the highest in six quarters, supported by improved capacity utilisation and demand.
  • Industry overall posted 7.7% growth, with construction maintaining above 7% expansion.
• Services Sector Dominance: Services grew over 9%, led by Financial, Real Estate & Professional Services (10.2%) and Public Administration & Defence (9.7%).
• Consumption-led Recovery: Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) increased 7.9%, aided by low inflation, GST rate cuts, and rural demand recovery.
• Investment growth : Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) grew 7.3%, driven by a 31% rise in government capital expenditure and early signs of private capex revival.

Implications of the GDP Growth Trend

• Policy Space for RBI: Recent Ultra-low inflation (~0.25%) increases room for monetary easing despite strong growth.
• Fiscal Challenges: Nominal GDP at 8.7% raises concerns for revenue mobilisation and fiscal deficit targets.
• Demand Resilience: Consumption revival indicates durable domestic demand momentum.
• Global Headwinds: US tariffs, trade tightening, and geopolitical risks may moderate H2 growth.

Operation Sagar Bandhu

Context: India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread deaths, flooding, and destruction.

About ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’

• Operation Sagar Bandhu is India’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) mission launched to support Sri Lanka during the Cyclone Ditwah crisis.
• Conducted By: It is executed by the Government of India through the Indian Navy, under the broad framework of the Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR.
• Contributions: India dispatched essential relief supplies, medical stores, food, tents, and emergency materials to Sri Lanka.
• Naval Deployment: The first tranche of aid was delivered by INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, and INS Udaigiri, an indigenously built stealth frigate.
• Strategic Significance: The operation underscores India’s commitment to regional solidarity, maritime cooperation, and rapid-response capacity for neighbouring countries.

Other Similar Operations and  Exercises Under Mission MAHASAGAR 

• Operation Sadbhav (2024): In response to Typhoon Yagi, India launched this operation to provide support to Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
• INS Sharda deployment (May 2025): The Indian Navy deployed INS Sharda to the Maafilaafushi Atoll for a HADR exercise with the Maldives, in line with the MAHASAGAR vision. 
• AIKEYME exercise (April 2025): This exercise with ten African nations included search and rescue operations, demonstrating a focus on collaborative humanitarian response.
• INS Sandhayak deployment (July 2025): The survey vessel visited a Malaysian port, with its capabilities for humanitarian operations being highlighted.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK)

Context: A national review meeting on PMJVK was held by the Ministry of Minority Affairs to assess progress, strengthen transparency, and accelerate project implementation in minority-concentrated regions.

About PMJVK

• It is a Centrally Sponsored area development scheme aimed at improving infrastructure and basic amenities in minority-concentrated areas.
• Origin and Evolution: PMJVK, launched in 2018–19, is a restructured version of the Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) initiated in 2008–09; restructuring took effect from 1 April 2018.
• Implementing Mechanism: Implemented through State Governments and Union Territory Administrations under a defined fund-sharing pattern.
  • Projects are executed, monitored, and maintained by the respective State/UT agencies in coordination with the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
• Objectives
  • Bridge development gaps in minority-concentration areas.
  • Create community assets such as schools, health centres, skill facilities, and civic amenities.
  • Promote inclusive growth, social cohesion, and improved access to public services.
• Significance
  • Enhances equal development opportunities for marginalised minority communities.
  • Supports India’s broader agenda of inclusive governance and contributes directly to the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
  • Strengthens regional equity by directing targeted development funds to underserved districts and blocks.

Syntactic Foam

Context: A delay in procuring syntactic foam from France has pushed crucial test timelines for Samudrayaan, India’s first manned submersible mission designed to reach 6,000 metres below sea level.

About Syntactic Foam 

• Syntactic foam is a lightweight, high-strength composite material made by embedding hollow microspheres (usually glass, ceramic, or polymer) into a polymer resin matrix.
• It is called “syntactic” because the hollow spheres are uniformly and syntactically arranged within the resin.
• The “foam” term relates to the cellular nature of the material. 

Properties

• High Buoyancy: Due to its low density, syntactic foam is particularly suitable for subsea applications, offering superior buoyancy where flotation is critical.
• High Strength-to-Weight Ratio: It withstands high pressures at great ocean depths.
• Low Water Absorption: The closed-cell structure of syntactic foam prevents water absorption, enhancing its longevity in harsh environments like saltwater and chemically aggressive surroundings.
• Thermal Insulation: Syntactic foam is effective in reducing thermal conductivity and dampening noise, making it highly valuable in marine and aerospace environments.
• Durability & Corrosion Resistance: It performs reliably in harsh, corrosive, or deep-ocean environments.

Applications

• Deep-Sea Exploration: Used in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), submersibles, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and ocean buoys.
• Space Sector: Employed in lightweight structures requiring thermal stability.
• Defense: Naval applications such as sonar domes and lightweight armor where low density and high compressive strength are necessary.
• Oil & Gas Industry: Ideal for underwater pipelines  and drilling equipment.
• Aerospace: In the aerospace industry, syntactic foam is employed in satellite components and structural parts, offering weight reduction without compromising on strength.

Ramayana Theme Park, Goa

Context: PM Modi inaugurated a 77-ft Lord Rama statue and the new Ramayana Theme Park in Goa during the 550th-year celebrations of the Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math.

About Ramayana Theme Park

• Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math has developed a thematic park dedicated to the Ramayana to visually depict episodes from the epic and promote cultural learning.
• Location: Situated within the premises of Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math at Canacona, South Goa, near the banks of the Kushavati River.
• Key Features
  • It houses the newly unveiled 77-ft bronze statue of Lord Rama.
  • Includes landscaped gardens, installations narrating Ramayana episodes, interpretive spaces, and pathways reflecting Vaishnava art traditions.
• Significance
  • Aims to reconnect younger generations with India’s epic heritage.
  • Enhances spiritual tourism under broader initiatives like the Ramayana Circuit.
  • Serves as a cultural hub celebrating devotion, art, and historical memory.

Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math

• It is Goa’s first Gaud Saraswat Brahmin Vaishnava Math and a historic spiritual centre influencing regional cultural preservation.
• Establishment: Founded in 1475 CE, marking 550 years of monastic and community service tradition.
• Discipline: 
  • Follows  philosophy of Jagadguru Madhvacharya, a 13th-century philosopher who founded the Dvaita (dualism) school of Vedanta, teaching that the individual soul (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman, identified as Lord Vishnu) are two fundamentally different, independent realities
  • Known for establishing temples, monasteries, shelters, and sustaining devotional traditions.
• Cultural Role
  • Played a crucial role in safeguarding Goan language, customs, and identity during historical upheavals.
  • Continues to guide community welfare and spiritual education.

MH-60 Romeo

Context: India and the US have signed a ₹7,995-crore sustainment support agreement for the Indian Navy’s MH-60R helicopters, enhancing long-term operational availability and maintenance capabilities.

• India purchased 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme in 2020; 15 have been inducted so far.

About MH-60 Romeo Navy Chopper

• The MH-60 Romeo is the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter and the US Navy’s primary platform for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.
• Manufactured by: Lockheed Martin, U.S.A
• Key Features
  • Advance equipment: Equipped with advanced airborne active sonar, multi-mode search radar, and a FLIR turret for enhanced detection and targeting.
  • Speed and Range: Powered by two 1,425-kW turboshaft engines, offering a maximum speed of 267 km/h and a range of about 454 km.
  • Carrying Capacity: Capable of carrying torpedoes, air-to-surface missiles, rockets, and crew-served guns.
  • Operation Condition: Designed for all-weather operations with state-of-the-art avionics and high survivability systems.
• Role
• • Performs anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), search-and-rescue (SAR), logistics, surveillance, communications relay, naval gunfire support, and VERTREP.
  • Operates from frigates, destroyers, cruisers, aircraft carriers, and amphibious ships, supporting littoral and open-ocean missions.

Significance of sustainment support agreement

• Enhanced Availability: Ensures long-term maintenance, repair, spares provisioning, and inspection facilities in India, improving operational readiness.
• Boost to Self-Reliance: Development of in-country repair and support systems aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat, reducing dependence on US government support.
• Industrial Capacity Building: Enables indigenous product and service development through Indian MSMEs, fostering defence-sector capability expansion.

Asia Power Index 2025

Context: India has secured the third position in the Asia Power Index 2025, with the U.S. and China occupying the first and second spots.

About Asia Power Index

• It is an annual ranking released by the Lowy Institute Australia, assessing the power and influence of countries in Asia based on various indicators.
• The seventh edition of the Asia Power Index evaluates the power of 27 countries and territories across Asia using 131 indicators across 8 thematic areas, which include military, economic, diplomatic, and cultural measures, along with resilience and future resources.
• Purpose & implications: The index provides insights into the relative influence of countries, assessing how they project power and shape outcomes in their region and beyond.

Significance for India

• India’s position signifies its growing influence in Asia, with projections suggesting that India will cross the threshold for major power status by 2025.
• Benefits: Enhanced global standing, improved diplomatic and economic relationships.
• Risks: Rising geopolitical competition, especially with China

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