SNIPPETS: 10 -11 DECEMBER 2025

POLITY

• Supreme Court clarifies that an ICC of one department can hear a POSH complaint against an employee of another department + interpretation of Section 11 rejects restrictive reading that ICC must belong to respondent’s workplace + protects complainants from alien workplaces, intimidation & procedural hurdles + mandates inter-departmental cooperation under Section 19(f) for providing documents & assistance + ruling arose from case involving IRS officer (2010 batch) and IAS officer (2004 batch) + strengthens victim-centric justice, enhances POSH compliance, addresses lapses like underreporting & poor ICC formation + promotes safer workplaces, administrative accountability and improved governance.

ECONOMY

• World Inequality Report 2026 edited by Lucas Chancel, Ricardo Gómez-Carrera, Rowaida Moshrif & Thomas Piketty highlights rising income & wealth inequality in India + top 10% earn 58% of national income while bottom 50% get 15% + wealth gap sharper with top 10% owning 65% and top 1% owning 40% + majority of Indians now in bottom 50% globally + gender pay gap stark as women earn 61% of men’s hourly income (32% incl. unpaid labour) + climate inequality severe with top 10% causing 77% of private capital emissions vs bottom 50% only 3% + globally top 10% own 75% of wealth while bottom 50% own 2% + Gini Index 25.5 indicates moderate inequality (scale 0–100) + rising inequality harms social cohesion, growth & sustainable development + demands progressive taxation, redistribution, social spending & gender-sensitive policies to ensure inclusive development.
• India faces a structural Current Account Deficit (CAD) + surpluses occurred only in 2001–04 and 2020–21 + current account covers goods, services, remittances & investment income while capital account covers FDI/FPI, ECBs, external assistance & NRI deposits + merchandise trade deficit large at $286.9B (2024–25) but invisibles (software, services, remittances) keep CAD manageable + CAD peaked at $78.2B (2011–12) and $88.2B (2012–13) + recent rupee depreciation driven by capital account pressures, not CAD + foreign capital inflows fell to $18B (2024–25) vs CAD $23.1B with FDI/FPI dropping to $4.5B from $54.2B + despite ~8% GDP growth, investor inflows weakened + policy must target FDI attraction, service exports & BoP stability since capital account shortfall, not trade deficit, is causing rupee volatility.

ENVIRONMENT

• Western tragopan (Critically Endangered Himalayan pheasant & Himachal’s state bird) now survives in fragmented pockets with only 3,000–9,500 individuals + climate change & human disturbance worsen decline + surveys from Kazinag & Limber (J&K) and rare sightings in GHNP show habitat persists but is threatened + Sarahan Pheasantry achieved world’s first captive breeding success with 46 captive birds today, retaining 87% genetic diversity + captive breeding acts only as an insurance policy, not a substitute for in-situ conservation + climate variability disrupting breeding–insect synchrony risks chick starvation + rewilding stalled since 2023 due to budget & protocol gaps after initial promise in 2020–21 + long-term survival requires habitat protection, climate-adaptive models, phased rewilding, and community-led conservation through eco-tourism + overall, the species remains on the edge of survival despite ex-situ successes.
• Govt says offshore mining blocks exclude Marine Protected Areas + 130 MPAs & 106 ICMBAs already notified for conservation + Kerala saw major protests over proposed sand, lime mud & polymetallic nodule mining + no companies selected yet after 2024 auction proposal + operations require environmental management plans under 2024 rules + Offshore Areas Mineral Trust to fund research & mitigation for ecological impacts

INTERNATIONAL

• US NDAA 2026 outlines Indo-Pacific defence priorities reflecting rising India–US alignment amid China’s assertiveness + expands alliances & partnerships to strengthen US comparative advantage + deepens engagement with India via Quad cooperation, military exercises, defence trade, HADR, and maritime security coordination + supports India’s role in maintaining a free & open Indo-Pacific + creates a new Defence Industrial Base Cooperation initiative to boost industrial linkages, supply-chain resilience & interoperability with partners including India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Philippines & New Zealand + proposes a joint consultative mechanism under the US–India Strategic Security Dialogue for regular high-level exchanges + enhances India’s strategic leverage, technology access, and maritime capabilities in countering China.

MISCELLANEOUS

• UNESCO inscribes Deepavali on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the 2003 ICH Convention + celebrates victory of light over darkness, regional diversity, and universal values of hope & harmony + selected for its mythological depth, community continuity, and cultural significance + inclusion announced during UNESCO event at Red Fort, New Delhi + Deepavali becomes India’s 16th ICH element alongside Yoga, Garba, Ramlila, Vedic chanting, etc. + enhances India’s soft power, boosts cultural diplomacy, and promotes heritage preservation, traditional arts, community pride, and cultural tourism.