Makhana (Fox Nut)
Context: India’s makhana sector is witnessing rapid growth due to rising demand for health-focused, clean-label and plant-based foods, higher prices and improvements in cultivation.
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About Makhana (Euryale ferox)
- Makhana is an aquatic crop belonging to the Nymphaeaceae (water-lily) family.
- The edible part is the popped seed, commonly consumed as a snack.
- Traditional Cultivation: Traditionally cultivated in ponds, wetlands, and other water bodies.
- Farmers harvest the seeds from submerged fruits.
- Cultivation has traditionally been labor-intensive.
- Modern cultivation is increasingly shifting towards field-system farming.
- Leading producer: India is the world’s leading producer of makhana.
- India produced 63,910 MT in 2024–25, with production estimated at 80,590 MT in 2025–26.
- Bihar accounts for the dominant share (90%), with production estimated at 60,000 MT in 2025–26.
- Other producing states include West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, and Manipur.
- Important varieties: Swarna Vaidehi, Sabour Makhana-1.
GISAT-1A (Geo Imaging Satellite-1A)
Context: After a seven-month pause, ISRO is set to resume launches with GISAT-1A, an Earth-observation satellite (EOS).
About GISAT-1A
- GISAT-1A (Geo Imaging Satellite-1A) is an Earth-observation satellite developed by ISRO.
- It is also referred to as EOS-05 under ISRO’s new nomenclature.
- It is a replacement for GISAT-1 (EOS-03), whose 2021 launch failed.
- Mission life: About 10 years.
- Purpose: Frequent imaging of large areas for disaster monitoring, agriculture, and forestry.
India–Japan Maritime Security Pact
Context: Recently, the Defence Ministers of India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on Maritime Security Cooperation to deepen naval cooperation.
About the Maritime Security Pact
- The MoA provides for a framework for strengthening cooperation between the naval forces of the two countries on information sharing.
- Objective: To strengthen maritime security, operational coordination and a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
- It opposes unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force or coercion.
- Key Components
- Maritime Domain Awareness: It provides for greater information sharing and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
- Cooperation will also cover search and rescue and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
- Naval & Logistics Cooperation: The two sides will enhance reciprocal naval visits, joint exercises, personnel exchanges and logistical support.
- They will work towards reciprocal access to port, ship-repair and maintenance facilities and protection of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs).
- Defence-Industrial Cooperation: India and Japan will explore cooperation in mine countermeasures, naval shipbuilding and design, leveraging Japanese technology and Indian production capabilities.
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) of Japan will deepen cooperation in advanced defence technologies.
About India–Japan Relations
- India and Japan share a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, founded on democratic values and a shared vision of a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
- Evolution: Diplomatic relations were established in 1952, and ties have progressively expanded from economic cooperation to strategic, maritime and defence partnerships.
- The relationship was elevated to a Global and Strategic Partnership in 2014.
- Defence & Strategic Cooperation: Institutional mechanisms include 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue, annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue and NSA-level consultations.
- Major exercises include Dharma Guardian (Army), JIMEX (Navy), Veer Guardian (Air Force) and multilateral Malabar.
- Economic & Infrastructure Cooperation: Japan is an important investor and development partner for India, supporting projects such as the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail.
- Cooperation increasingly covers semiconductors, AI, clean energy and resilient supply chains.
- Indo-Pacific & Multilateral Cooperation: Both countries cooperate through the Quad with the U.S. and Australia and support a rules-based maritime order.
Their partnership is increasingly important for regional stability, connectivity and resilient supply chains.
Satkosia Tiger Reserve & Village Relocation
Context: Odisha has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to examine alleged irregularities and forced relocation of villages from Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
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Key Highlights of Relocation Issue in STR
- Inquiry Committee: The committee, headed by the Revenue and Disaster Management Secretary, will examine the village-wise relocation process, excluding Raiguda, where procedures were reportedly followed properly.
- Scope of Inquiry: It will verify compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Forest Rights Act, 2006 and NTCA guidelines.
- It will examine beneficiary identification, compensation, rehabilitation and allegations of procedural violations.
- Tiger Conservation Context: STR’s tiger population declined from 12 in 2007 to zero in the 2022 census.
- The 2018 inter-State reintroduction programme brought tigers from Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves, but faced poaching, human-wildlife conflict and local resistance.
Laws Governing Habitation Around Tiger Reserves
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Tiger reserves consist of core/critical tiger habitats and buffer areas, with stricter protection in core areas.
- Forest Rights Act, 2006: Recognises the forest rights of eligible forest-dwelling communities and requires due process before relocation or settlement of rights.
- Relocation Principles: Relocation from critical tiger habitats requires legal compliance, identification of rights-holders, informed consent, compensation and rehabilitation rather than coercive eviction.
About Satkosia Tiger Reserve
- Location: It is located in Odisha, spanning Angul, Cuttack, Boudh and Nayagarh districts.
- Establishment : STR was established in 2007 by combining Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary (1976) and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary (1981).
- Geography: It covers about 1,136.70 sq. km and represents a transitional zone between the Eastern Ghats and Deccan Plateau.
- Biodiversity: It supports elephants, leopards, mugger crocodiles, wild dogs and diverse bird species, along with Sal, Mahua and bamboo.
- Ramsar Site: The Satkosia Gorge within STR is recognised as a Ramsar wetland of international importance, highlighting its ecological significance.
31st Southern Zonal Council Meeting
Context: The 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, focusing on cooperative federalism.
31st Southern Zonal Council Meeting
- Venue & Participants: The meeting was held in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, and attended by Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors/Administrators and two senior ministers from each member State.
- Southern Zonal Council: The Council comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, along with the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
- Key Focus
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- The meeting emphasised resolving inter-State water disputes through Centre-State coordination and cooperative federalism.
- Issues proposed by States are first examined by the Standing Committee of Chief Secretaries, with unresolved matters placed before the full Council.
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About Zonal Councils
- Zonal Councils are statutory and advisory bodies established under Sections 15–22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
- The idea was mooted by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to promote inter-State cooperation after reorganisation of States.
- Five Zonal Councils: India has five Zonal Councils: Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern.
- The North Eastern Council (NEC) was separately established in 1972 under the North Eastern Council Act, 1972.
- Composition: The Union Home Minister is the ex-officio Chairman, while a Chief Minister of a member State serves as Vice-Chairman by annual rotation.
- Members include Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors/Administrators and two ministers from each State.
- Key Functions
- Zonal Councils provide a platform for discussing inter-State disputes, regional development and Centre-State issues, thereby strengthening cooperative federalism.
- Their Standing Committees of Chief Secretaries scrutinise issues before they are placed before the full Council.
21 Aug 2026
