Topic 1: Union Minister Scindia Inaugurates SATCOM Summit and International 6G Symposium at IMC 2025
GS Paper 3: Science & Technology| GS Paper 2: Governance
Context: Union Minister for Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, inaugurated the Satcom Summit and the International 6G Symposium at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 (Theme: “Innovate to Transform”). The events emphasized India’s role as a global leader in digital transformation and next-generation connectivity.
Part A: SATCOM Summit (Space Networks for Universal Connectivity)
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- Vision: India aims to redefine satellite communications (SATCOM) to extend digital inclusion, making SATCOM a “right” and a “form of justice” for the remotest corners.
- Rural Mission: The government is using the Digital Bharat Nidhi (USOF) with a ₹40,000 crore investment to connect 38,260 remote villages in challenging terrains (75% already connected).
- Policy Reforms:
- Introduced administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, aligning with global best practices.
- GMPCS licenses granted to OneWeb and Jio Satellite; Letter of Intent to Starlink.
- Economic Potential: The Indian SATCOM market is projected to triple from $4.3 billion (2024) to $14.8 billion by 2033.
- Security: Announced a ₹900 crore National SATCOM Monitoring Facility to safeguard spectrum assets and satellite gateways.
- Leadership Role: India has transformed from a space follower to a global leader (Aryabhata to Chandrayaan-3, Gaganyaan), aiming to be a hub and exporter of SATCOM technology.
Part B: International 6G Symposium
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- Ambition: India aims to be the “architects of the future of technology,” co-leading the 6G revolution.
- Economic Impact: 6G is projected to contribute $1.2 trillion to India’s GDP by 2035.
- Collaboration: Bharat 6G Alliance signed MoUs with NASSCOM and the European Space Agency for joint technology development.
- Key Publications: Released four whitepapers on crucial areas like the Spectrum Roadmap for 6G in India and AI and Network evolution to 5G.
- Technological Self-Reliance: Highlighted the success of the Made-in-India 4G stack (1 lakh towers) as a precursor to the India 6G Vision 2030.
Strategic Significance
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- The SATCOM push ensures that digital connectivity reaches the last mile (38,260 villages), transforming the lives of farmers and remote populations, and solidifying the promise of Digital India.
- Aggressive policy reforms in SATCOM and the clear ambition for a co-leadership role in 6G (aiming for 10% of global 6G patents) cement India’s position as a global technology superpower and an exporter of solutions.
- The focus on indigenous technology (Made-in-India 4G stack), the new Telecommunications Act (for faster approvals), and the National SATCOM Monitoring Facility collectively ensure digital sovereignty and enhanced cyber resilience.
- The projected tripling of the SATCOM market and the massive $1.2 trillion 6G contribution to GDP demonstrate the sector’s strategic importance as a powerful engine for national economic growth, driven by the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
Topic 2: MoHUA Observes World Habitat Day 2025
GS Paper 2: Governance | GS Paper 1: Geography
Context: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) observed World Habitat Day 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The theme was ‘Urban Solutions to Crisis’, focusing on making cities resilient, inclusive, and sustainable to respond to challenges like climate change, migration, and rapid urbanisation.
Key Highlights
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- Theme Focus: Reaffirms India’s commitment to building cities that are resilient, inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready.
- MoS Message (Shri Tokhan Sahu): Stressed the need to make every city secure, inclusive, dignified, and opportunity-worthy.
- Strategy: Wise investment in resilience, empowerment of local governments, and leveraging Public-Private–People Partnerships (PPPP) will make cities strong engines of growth.
- MoHUA Secretary’s View: Policy response must focus on strengthening cities’ infrastructure, social systems, and economies to make them resilient and adaptable.
- Flagship Schemes (Integrated Approach): Schemes like PMAY-Urban, AMRUT, PM SVANidhi, and Swachh Bharat Mission represent a multi-pronged strategy combining infrastructure development with social inclusion and climate action.
- Publication: The Housing for All (HFA) Division released a ‘Compendium of Good Practices’, showcasing successful implementations of PMAY-U across States/UTs.
- Panel Discussions: Focused on key issues like ‘Urban and Peri-urban Areas Integration’ and ‘Understanding and Responding to Urban Flooding’.
Strategic Significance
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- The focus on resilience and integrated development aligns directly with the vision of creating future-ready, equitable, and liveable cities that act as powerful economic engines for Viksit Bharat.
- The theme and discussions underscore the importance of climate-smart urban planning and strengthening infrastructure to withstand crises like urban flooding, a critical challenge for sustainability.
- Flagship schemes (e.g., PMAY-U, PM SVANidhi) ensure that urban development is marked by social inclusion, focusing on vulnerable and marginalised sections so that “no citizen is left behind”.
- The release of the Compendium of Good Practices facilitates the sharing of successful models across States/UTs, promoting evidence-based policymaking and cooperative learning in urban governance.
Topic 3: e-NAM Platform Expanded with 09 New Commodities
GS Paper 3: Indian Economy | GS Paper 2: Governance
Context: The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare expanded the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) by adding 09 new commodities. This increases the total number of tradable agricultural commodities on the platform to 247, in response to stakeholder demand for wider market integration.
Key Highlights
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- Total Commodities: Rises from 238 to 247 on the e-NAM platform (enam.gov.in).
- New Commodities Added (09): Includes highly demanded and specialty products like Green Tea, Tea, Aswagandha Dry Roots, Mustard Oil, Lavender Oil, Mentha Oil, Virgin Olive Oil, Lavender Dried Flower, and Broken Rice.
- Mechanism: The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) developed tradable parameters for these commodities after consulting with state agencies and experts.
- Price & Quality Linkage: The tradable parameters introduce standardized grades or ranges, ensuring that prices are linked directly to quality (quality-driven marketplace).
- Benefit: Enhances opportunities for farmers to access a transparent, competitive digital platform, reducing reliance on middlemen and strengthening their bargaining power.
Strategic Significance
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- Strengthens farmer interests by empowering them with transparent digital tools to realize better value for their produce, leading to greater economic resilience.
- The expansion facilitates deep market integration across India, promoting inclusive growth in the agricultural sector by opening doors for farmers to reach broader, quality-driven markets.
- Underscores the government’s commitment to transforming agriculture through e-Governance and digital technology, ensuring a transparent trading ecosystem and fostering long-term growth.
- The inclusion of items like Lavender Oil and Ashwagandha recognizes and promotes high-value, niche agricultural products, supporting diversification of farmer income.
