Daily Current Affairs – 06-10-2025
National News
Sir Creek: Flashpoint in India-Pakistan Border Dispute
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warned Pakistan that any “misadventure” in Sir Creek would elicit a decisive response. Speaking at the Bhuj military station in Gujarat, Singh highlighted the recent expansion of Pakistani military infrastructure near the disputed area, emphasizing that Karachi’s security depends on Sir Creek.
Why Sir Creek is Critical:
Strategic Importance: Sir Creek is a 96-km tidal estuary along the India-Pakistan border, with Gujarat to the east and Sindh province to the west. Though sparsely populated and marshy, it is vital for Pakistan’s defence of Karachi. Pakistan has established bunkers, radars, and forward bases, capable of drone strikes and infantry operations, while India maintains a strong military presence. The creek could also be used for terror attacks or by drug smugglers.
Economic Importance: The area reportedly has untapped oil and gas reserves, important for India’s diversification of energy imports. The creek also supports fishing communities on both sides. Unclear boundaries frequently lead to arrests of fishermen and affect the delimitation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in the Arabian Sea.
The Boundary Dispute:
Pakistan claims the entire creek, while India argues for the mid-channel (Thalweg principle) as the boundary. India maintains that Sir Creek is navigable and falls under this principle; Pakistan disagrees, claiming it is not navigable.
The dispute traces back to early 20th-century disagreements between Kutch and Sindh rulers over land along the creek. Post 1965 India-Pakistan war, Pakistan claimed half of the Rann of Kutch. In 1968, a tribunal granted 90% of Rann to India, leaving the Sir Creek section unresolved.
Diplomatic Talks:
Multiple rounds of bilateral talks have occurred: first in 1989 (Islamabad), several in 1990-1992 (New Delhi and Rawalpindi), and Sir Creek-specific talks in 1998. India opposed Pakistan’s attempts to internationalize the dispute, insisting on bilateral resolution post-Simla Accord.
The last formal discussion was in June 2012, covering land and maritime boundaries. A Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue was agreed in December 2015 but terror attacks and cross-border terrorism from Pakistan have stalled structured talks.
Significance: Sir Creek remains a sensitive flashpoint, with both strategic and economic stakes, making it central to India-Pakistan security dynamics and regional diplomacy.
Government to Launch Mission to Protect Declining Camel Population
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is planning a national initiative to halt and reverse the rapid decline in India’s camel population. The initiative, called the National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI), was outlined in a draft policy prepared with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and circulated for public feedback on September 29.
The draft emphasizes the urgent need for a multi-dimensional strategy to restore the camel’s economic and ecological significance. NCSI aims to coordinate actions across the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministries of Environment, Rural Development, Tourism, and State governments.
The policy highlights a sharp decline in camel numbers, particularly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, traditionally camel-rearing states. According to the 20th Livestock Census, the camel population dropped from 11 lakh in 1977 to 4 lakh in 2013, and further to 2.52 lakh in 2019, a 77% decline, with nearly 90% concentrated in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Rajnath Singh to Visit Australia on October 9–10 to Strengthen Defence Partnership
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will embark on a two-day official visit to Australia on October 9 and 10, at the invitation of Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. According to the Ministry of Defence, the visit holds special significance as India and Australia mark five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) — a milestone reflecting their deepening defence and strategic ties.
This will also be the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia in more than a decade. During the visit, both nations are expected to sign three key agreements aimed at enhancing information sharing, maritime collaboration, and joint defence activities, further strengthening the Indo-Pacific security cooperation.
Indian Navy to Induct INS Androth on October 6, Boosting Maritime Capabilities
The Indian Navy will commission INS Androth, its second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on October 6 (Monday). The event will be led by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command.
Constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, INS Androth represents another significant milestone in India’s drive towards maritime self-reliance and indigenous shipbuilding. This induction comes close on the heels of other recent additions like INS Arnala, INS Nistar, INS Udaygiri, and INS Nilgiri, underscoring the Navy’s balanced and progressive modernisation across all platforms.
International News
India’s IT Services Exports Surge 30% Post-ChatGPT Launch: World Bank
India’s computer services exports have grown by 30% since the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022, according to Franziska Ohnsorge, World Bank Chief Economist for South Asia. Speaking at the Fourth Kautilya Economic Conclave organized by the Ministry of Finance and the Institute of Economic Growth, she noted that the country’s IT and BPO sectors have particularly benefited from the AI revolution.
Key Data:
RBI data shows India’s software services exports in April-June 2025 reached $47.32 billion, a 13% increase YoY.
Before ChatGPT’s release (July-Sept 2022), exports stood at $36.23 billion.
The BPO sector has rapidly adopted AI, with 12% of job postings now requiring AI skills—double the pre-ChatGPT level and triple compared to other sectors.
India ranks 46th in Oxford Insights’ Government AI Readiness Index, ahead of many emerging markets and nearly on par with advanced economies.
Services Trade vs Goods Trade:
Services exports are crucial as India runs a goods trade deficit, partly offset by a services trade surplus:
April-August 2025: Goods deficit $122B, services surplus $81B
April-August 2024: Goods deficit $121B, services surplus $68B
Private Investment & FDI Trends:
Private investment growth is slow by Indian standards but not by global standards. Public investment is growing faster.
Net FDI remains weak despite gross inflows rising to $11.11B in July 2025; net FDI stood at $5.05B after accounting for repatriated funds and Indian overseas investments.
2024-25 saw net FDI of only $959M, due to large repatriations ($51.49B) by foreign companies and increased overseas investments ($28.17B) by Indian firms.
Ohnsorge emphasized that India is well-positioned to benefit from AI and the digital services boom, but net FDI inflows need strengthening to fully capitalize on these opportunities.
Elon Musk Announces Grokpedia — A New Rival to Wikipedia
ech billionaire Elon Musk has announced plans to launch a new online knowledge platform called Grokpedia, which will serve as a direct competitor to Wikipedia.
Since its launch in 2001, Wikipedia has been one of the world’s largest information repositories, managed by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, offering content in over 300 languages and hosting more than 65 million articles.
Now, Musk’s xAI company — founded in March 2023 — is preparing to introduce Grokpedia, expected to go live within two weeks, as announced by Musk on social media. The new platform follows xAI’s earlier creation of Grok, an AI-powered chatbot launched in November 2023.
In its first phase, Grokpedia will feature over 6.8 million English-language articles, along with sections on dictionaries, books, news, general knowledge, and tourist destinations.
India–UK Naval Forces Launch Four-Day ‘Konkan’ Maritime Exercise in Indian Ocean
The United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, has begun the four-day bilateral maritime exercise ‘Konkan’ with the Indian Navy in the Western Indian Ocean.
The exercise, which started on Sunday, aims to strengthen joint maritime and aerial operational capabilities between the two navies. While Exercise Konkan has been held biennially since 2004, this year’s edition marks the first-ever participation of both nations’ Carrier Strike Groups — the U.K.’s HMS Prince of Wales and India’s INS Vikrant.
The U.K. CSG, currently on its eight-month global deployment under “Operation Highmast,” has teamed up with the Indian Navy’s carrier task force to conduct multi-domain operations, including anti-submarine warfare, cross-deck flying drills, and air defence exercises.
After completing the drill, the British warships will make port calls at Mumbai and Goa, underscoring the growing defence cooperation between the two nations, while also promoting bilateral trade, industry ties, and cultural exchange — referred to as the “living bridge” between India and the U.K.
British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, highlighted that both nations are committed to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, and share a vision for a modern defence and security partnership under the India–U.K. Vision 2035. The joint engagements between the two CSGs reflect their shared commitment to a rules-based international order and future collaboration in regional security.
Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the U.K. CSG, added that the partnership reinforces mutual goals of security and stability across the Indo-Pacific region.
Following the port visits, the U.K. CSG will also participate in an aerial defence exercise with the Indian Air Force, providing both sides an opportunity to test tactical coordination and enhance interoperability.
Operation Highmast, led by the U.K. CSG, is a multinational deployment involving 12 partner nations, allowing the U.K. Armed Forces to conduct complex maritime operations alongside regional allies and strengthen global defence partnerships.
Sports News
Amanda Anisimova Clinches China Open Title; Bhavani-Sara Win Doubles
Amanda Anisimova of the United States emerged victorious in the women’s singles category at the China Open tennis tournament, defeating Linda Nosková of the Czech Republic 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 in a 1 hour 46-minute final. Ranked 3rd in the tournament, Anisimova beat the 26th-ranked Nosková to claim her first China Open title and her second WTA 1000 series title of the season, marking her fourth career singles title overall.
Anisimova became only the third American to win the China Open, joining Serena Williams (2004, 2013) and Coco Gauff (2024). She is also the first American since 2015 to win more than one WTA 1000 title in a single season.
In women’s doubles, the Indian pair Bhavani/Sara triumphed over the American duo Stephens/Collins 6-7(1/7), 6-3, 10-2, securing the doubles crown at the tournament.
India Achieves Historic 22-Medal Haul at World Para Athletics Championships
India created history at the 12th World Para Athletics Championships, finishing 10th overall with an unprecedented 22 medals — including 6 gold, 9 silver, and 7 bronze. This marks India’s highest-ever medal tally in the tournament’s history, surpassing last year’s record of 17 medals (6 gold, 5 silver, and 6 bronze) achieved in Dubai.
The championships, held in New Delhi from September 27 to October 5, witnessed participation from 2,200 athletes representing 28 countries, competing in 184 events.
India’s consistent improvement over the past 12 years was reflected in this record-breaking performance. Among the notable achievements, Simran and Preethi Pal each secured two medals. Simran earned 1 gold and 1 silver, while Preethi Pal bagged 1 silver and 1 bronze.
On the final day, India added 5 medals — 3 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze — to its tally. In the women’s 200m T12 final, Simran clocked 24.46 seconds to win silver, just behind Croatia’s Preeti Pal (24.42), while Venezuela’s Sol (25.30) took bronze.
In the men’s F41 javelin throw, Navdeep secured silver with a season-best throw of 45.46m. In the men’s shot put F35, Arvind clinched gold with his best performance of the season, followed by China’s Fu (48.86m) and Uzbekistan’s Fayziev (43.60m).
Meanwhile, in the women’s 100m T35, Preethi Pal secured silver with a time of 14.33 seconds, while China’s Guo Keying (14.24s) and Zhou Xia (14.39s) won gold and bronze, respectively.
In the men’s 200m T44, Sandeep claimed bronze with a personal best of 23.60 seconds, behind Italy’s Marco Fitz (23.12s) and Ukraine’s Pavlo Bulev (23.17s).
At the top of the overall standings, Brazil led with 44 medals (15 gold, 20 silver, 9 bronze), followed by China (52 medals: 13 gold, 22 silver, 17 bronze) and Iran (16 medals: 9 gold, 2 silver, 5 bronze).
Amanda Anisimova wins China Open
At the China Open tennis tournament held in Beijing, world number 4 Amanda Anisimova from the United States emerged as the champion. In the final match, she displayed dominant form to defeat Linda Nosková of the Czech Republic, securing yet another major career victory. The win further strengthens Anisimova’s position among the world’s top women’s tennis players.
Shriyanshi Valishetty Claims Maiden BWF Super 100 Title at Al Ain Masters
India’s Shriyanshi Valishetty captured her first-ever BWF Super 100 title at the $120,000 Al Ain Masters tournament. In a thrilling final, she staged a remarkable comeback to defeat fellow Indian Tasnim Mir with scores of 15-21, 22-20, 21-7. The victory marks a major milestone in Shriyanshi’s career and highlights India’s growing dominance in international badminton.
In the men’s doubles event, the Indian pair Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun emerged champions, securing another title for India at the tournament.
Personalities, Awards and Events
Tamil Writer Ko. Ma. Kodandam Passes Away
Tamil writer and classical language scholar Ko. Ma. Kodandam, fondly known as Kunjichelvan, passed away, leaving a deep void in the literary world.
Ko. Ma. Kodandam made remarkable contributions to classical Tamil literature and served as an inspiration for today’s generation of writers.
His works, honoured with the Bal Sahitya Puraskar, the President’s Award, and the Tamil Nadu Government’s Ilakkiya Maamani Award, were nationalised earlier this month.
Alexander Smith Wins 2025 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize
Alexander Smith, Assistant Professor at Northwestern University, USA, has been selected for the prestigious 2025 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize. The annual $10,000 award recognizes exceptional contributions by mathematicians aged 32 or below in fields influenced by the legendary Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
Dr. Smith has made significant breakthroughs in number theory, addressing long-standing problems through innovative approaches involving combinatorics, analytic number theory, and probability. His research is seen as a major influence in modern mathematical studies.
He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in 2015 and completed his Ph.D. at Harvard University in 2020. He subsequently held an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship at MIT (2020–21) and was awarded the Clay Fellowship (2021–2025). In 2025, he joined Northwestern University as an Assistant Professor.
Reports and Indices
Telangana Leads India in UPI Transaction Intensity: RBI Study
According to a recent study published in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) bulletin, Telangana has recorded the highest per capita intensity of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions among all Indian states. The study used PhonePe transaction data as a benchmark to measure UPI usage. Other states with high transaction intensity include Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra.
The paper highlights that the rapid adoption of UPI has significantly contributed to a decline in cash demand across the economy. This trend is reflected in the steady drop in ATM withdrawals as a percentage of GDP. The growing preference for digital, low-value daily payments is evident from the rising share of peer-to-merchant (P2M) transactions, while the average value per UPI transaction has gradually decreased over time. Most P2M transactions now fall within the sub-₹500 range.
The RBI study, which relied on PhonePe data — representing 58% of UPI transaction volume and 53% of transaction value — found that southern and western states, along with Delhi, lead in UPI adoption. The paper attributes this trend to the presence of urban centres, strong economic activity, and high levels of migration in these regions.
In contrast, cash withdrawal intensity remains high in several north-eastern states, as well as in Kerala, Goa, and Delhi. The study suggests that this could be due to factors like tourism and service-led cash usage, remittance inflows, rural cash dependence, and limited digital infrastructure in some areas.