Topic 1: Prime Minister’s Participation in the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit
GS Paper Relevance
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- GS Paper II – International Relations, Bilateral & Multilateral Groupings, India and its Neighbourhood
Context:
The 22nd ASEAN-India Summit was held virtually on 26 October 2025, with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participating. The Summit focused on reviewing the progress of ASEAN-India relations and strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Key Highlights
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- Timor Leste welcomed as the 11th Member of ASEAN; India extended support for its human development.
- PM reaffirmed India’s commitment to ASEAN Unity, Centrality, and the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific.
- Congratulated ASEAN on adopting the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
- Called for early review of the ASEAN-India FTA (AITIGA) to unlock economic potential.
- Stressed unity against terrorism as a global imperative.
Major Announcements:
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- Support for ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026–2030).
- Adoption of Joint Leaders’ Statement on Sustainable Tourism.
- Declaration of 2026 as ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
- Proposal for:
- Second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Meeting
- Second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise
- India to continue as First Responder in regional crises; enhanced cooperation in Disaster Preparedness and HADR.
- Training of 400 professionals in renewable energy to support ASEAN Power Grid.
- Extension of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) to Timor Leste.
- Proposal to establish a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nalanda University.
- Continued cooperation in education, energy, S&T, fintech, cultural preservation, and expansion into infrastructure, semiconductors, emerging tech, rare earths, and critical minerals.
- Hosting of East Asia Summit Maritime Heritage Festival at Lothal, Gujarat, and a conference on Maritime Security Cooperation.
Strategic Significance
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- Reinforces India’s Act East Policy and its role as a trusted regional partner.
- Deepens economic, security, and cultural ties with ASEAN.
- Promotes blue economy, maritime security, and sustainable tourism.
- Strengthens India’s image as a developmental and humanitarian leader in the Indo-Pacific.
- Enhances India’s soft power through education, cultural diplomacy, and regional capacity-building.
Conclusion:
Through 22nd ASEAN-India Summit, India continues to play a pivotal role in shaping a secure, inclusive, and sustainable Indo-Pacific.
Topic 2: LBSNAA and Department of Land Resources Organise National Workshop on NAKSHA Programme
GS Paper Relevance
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- GS Paper II – Governance, Land Reforms, E-Governance
- GS Paper III – Infrastructure, Technology in Governance
Context:
The Department of Land Resources (DoLR), in collaboration with LBSNAA’s B N Yugandhar Centre for Rural Studies (BNYCRS), is conducting a two-day national workshop on NAKSHA (National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations) for District Magistrates and Collectors on 27–28 October 2025 in Mussoorie. The workshop aims to build administrative and technical readiness for NAKSHA’s pilot implementation across 28 states and 3 UTs.
Key Highlights
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- Programme Overview: Presented by Shri Kunal Satyarthi, Joint Secretary, DoLR.
- Technical Sessions:
- Workflow and data acquisition led by Shri S K Sinha, Additional Surveyor General of India.
- Web-GIS portal demo by MPSEDC.
- State-Level Experience Sharing:
- Presentations by senior officials from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh.
- Legal and Administrative Framework:
- Sessions by Shri N. K. Sudhanshu (DG, YASHADA) and Shri S. Chockalingam (CEO, Maharashtra).
- Ground-Truthing Demo: Conducted by the Survey of India.
Strategic Significance
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- Prepares District Collectors for nationwide rollout of NAKSHA, enhancing urban land record modernization.
- Promotes technical capacity-building in GIS and modern survey techniques.
- Facilitates inter-state learning through best practice sharing.
- Strengthens legal and administrative frameworks for geospatial land governance.
- Aligns with Digital India, Ease of Doing Business, and urban planning reforms.
