RBI Forex-Swap Window
Why in News?
• RBI opened a concessional forex-swap window till 30 Sept 2026 to attract foreign currency inflows.
What has RBI done?
• Reduced hedging cost for PSUs raising External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs).
• Provided full hedging support for banks mobilising FCNR(B) deposits from NRIs.
Concepts
• ECB= Foreign-currency loans raised by Indian entities; part of the Capital Account of BoP.
• FCNR(B)= Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) deposit account for NRIs/OCIs; maintained in foreign currency.
• Forex Swap= Exchange of currencies now with reverse exchange at a future date.
• Hedging= Protection against exchange-rate fluctuations.
Why is it important?
• Encourages cheaper overseas borrowing by PSUs.
• Attracts NRI dollar deposits into Indian banks.
• Increases foreign-currency liquidity.
• Supports rupee stability and external sector resilience.
Facts:
• Similar FCNR(B)-swap scheme in 2013 (Taper Tantrum) helped mobilise nearly $30 billion and stabilise the rupee.
Why in News?
• RBI opened a concessional forex-swap window till 30 Sept 2026 to attract foreign currency inflows.
What has RBI done?
• Reduced hedging cost for PSUs raising External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs).
• Provided full hedging support for banks mobilising FCNR(B) deposits from NRIs.
Concepts
• ECB= Foreign-currency loans raised by Indian entities; part of the Capital Account of BoP.
• FCNR(B)= Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) deposit account for NRIs/OCIs; maintained in foreign currency.
• Forex Swap= Exchange of currencies now with reverse exchange at a future date.
• Hedging= Protection against exchange-rate fluctuations.
Why is it important?
• Encourages cheaper overseas borrowing by PSUs.
• Attracts NRI dollar deposits into Indian banks.
• Increases foreign-currency liquidity.
• Supports rupee stability and external sector resilience.
Facts:
• Similar FCNR(B)-swap scheme in 2013 (Taper Tantrum) helped mobilise nearly $30 billion and stabilise the rupee.
• London, United Kingdom hosted the 4th International Conference on Arbitrating Indo–UK Commercial Disputes on 5 June 2026, organised by the Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA).
• Theme: “ADR as a Catalyst for Strengthening India–UK Economic Partnership.”
• India’s representation: Addressed by CJI Surya Kant and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Fact: ICA = India’s apex arbitral institution, established in 1965.
#CA2026
• Theme: “ADR as a Catalyst for Strengthening India–UK Economic Partnership.”
• India’s representation: Addressed by CJI Surya Kant and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Fact: ICA = India’s apex arbitral institution, established in 1965.
#CA2026
Current Context
Barkatullah University, Bhopal, has proposed renaming itself as Vagdevi Bhojpal University.
Maulana Barkatullah (1854–1927)
• Revolutionary nationalist from Bhopal; died in Sacramento, USA.
• Served as the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of India, established at Kabul (Afghanistan) on 1 December 1915.
The Provisional govt of India(1915, Kabul) is regarded as India’s first Government-in-Exile.
• President: Raja Mahendra Pratap
• Prime Minister: Maulana Barkatullah
• Home Minister: Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi
• Worked to secure support from Germany, Ottoman Turkey and Afghanistan against British rule during World War I.
• Closely associated with the Ghadar Movement and overseas revolutionary networks.
• Among the first Indian revolutionaries to establish contacts with Soviet Russia after the Russian Revolution and met Lenin.
• Advocated Hindu-Muslim unity and international cooperation against colonialism.
#CA2026
#HISTORY
Barkatullah University, Bhopal, has proposed renaming itself as Vagdevi Bhojpal University.
Maulana Barkatullah (1854–1927)
• Revolutionary nationalist from Bhopal; died in Sacramento, USA.
• Served as the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of India, established at Kabul (Afghanistan) on 1 December 1915.
The Provisional govt of India(1915, Kabul) is regarded as India’s first Government-in-Exile.
• President: Raja Mahendra Pratap
• Prime Minister: Maulana Barkatullah
• Home Minister: Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi
• Worked to secure support from Germany, Ottoman Turkey and Afghanistan against British rule during World War I.
• Closely associated with the Ghadar Movement and overseas revolutionary networks.
• Among the first Indian revolutionaries to establish contacts with Soviet Russia after the Russian Revolution and met Lenin.
• Advocated Hindu-Muslim unity and international cooperation against colonialism.
#CA2026
#HISTORY
National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2026
• 29th National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2026: 16 projects selected (10 Gold + 6 Silver).
• Awards administered by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances under the Ministry of Personnel.
Important Winners
Agri Stack (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare)
• Digital public infrastructure for agriculture.
• Creates Farmer ID, land-linked farmer database, crop & farm data integration.
e-Jagriti (Department of Consumer Affairs)
• National consumer grievance platform.
• Handles complaints related to banking, insurance, housing, electricity, healthcare, automobiles, etc.
Mahakumbh 2025 (Prayagraj Mela Authority)
• Recognised for large-scale use of e-governance tools in crowd management, service delivery and event administration.
#CA2026
#AWARD
• 29th National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2026: 16 projects selected (10 Gold + 6 Silver).
• Awards administered by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances under the Ministry of Personnel.
Important Winners
Agri Stack (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare)
• Digital public infrastructure for agriculture.
• Creates Farmer ID, land-linked farmer database, crop & farm data integration.
e-Jagriti (Department of Consumer Affairs)
• National consumer grievance platform.
• Handles complaints related to banking, insurance, housing, electricity, healthcare, automobiles, etc.
Mahakumbh 2025 (Prayagraj Mela Authority)
• Recognised for large-scale use of e-governance tools in crowd management, service delivery and event administration.
#CA2026
#AWARD
Justice P. S. Narasimha-led Supreme Court AI Committee (Draft Regulations, 2026) proposed that AI must remain subordinate to human judicial authority and cannot be used for verdicts, sentencing, bail decisions, risk scoring, or assessing witness credibility. AI may be used only as an assistive tool under human judicial control.
#CA2026
#COMMITTEE
#CA2026
#COMMITTEE
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Operation Dudula is a South African anti-immigrant movement whose name means "to push out
#CA2026
#OPERATION
#CA2026
#OPERATION
Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Bihar) —> At 15 years 71 days, became the youngest-ever cricketer selected for the Indian senior men’s team, breaking the previous record of Sachin Tendulkar; selected for the India–Ireland T20I series (2026).
#BIHARspecial
#BIHARspecial
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Gharial Conservation
• Gandak River (Bihar) has India’s 2nd largest gharial population after the Chambal River.
• 31 gharial hatchlings released in West Champaran by Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) authorities.
• Survey (2024): 372 gharials found between Gandak Barrage–Rewaghat (284 km stretch); only about 30 in 2014.
• India has 3 crocodilian species: Gharial, Mugger (Marsh Crocodile), Saltwater Crocodile.
• Crocodile Conservation Programme launched in 1975.
• Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) —> IUCN: Critically Endangered.
• National Chambal Sanctuary (MP–UP–Rajasthan) is India’s most important gharial habitat.
• India ranks 1st in gharial conservation in South Asia; Nepal ranks 2nd.
• Valmiki Tiger Reserve —> Bihar’s only Tiger Reserve.
#BIHARspecial
• Gandak River (Bihar) has India’s 2nd largest gharial population after the Chambal River.
• 31 gharial hatchlings released in West Champaran by Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) authorities.
• Survey (2024): 372 gharials found between Gandak Barrage–Rewaghat (284 km stretch); only about 30 in 2014.
• India has 3 crocodilian species: Gharial, Mugger (Marsh Crocodile), Saltwater Crocodile.
• Crocodile Conservation Programme launched in 1975.
• Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) —> IUCN: Critically Endangered.
• National Chambal Sanctuary (MP–UP–Rajasthan) is India’s most important gharial habitat.
• India ranks 1st in gharial conservation in South Asia; Nepal ranks 2nd.
• Valmiki Tiger Reserve —> Bihar’s only Tiger Reserve.
#BIHARspecial
Talipot Palm
• Native to Sri Lanka, Southern India (Western Ghats) and Southeast Asia.
• World’s largest inflorescence (flower cluster), reaching about 6–8 m (up to 25 ft).
• Flowers only once in 30–80 years, then fruits and dies (monocarpic species).
• In December 2025, Talipot palms planted in the 1960s bloomed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attracting global attention
• Native to Sri Lanka, Southern India (Western Ghats) and Southeast Asia.
• World’s largest inflorescence (flower cluster), reaching about 6–8 m (up to 25 ft).
• Flowers only once in 30–80 years, then fruits and dies (monocarpic species).
• In December 2025, Talipot palms planted in the 1960s bloomed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attracting global attention
Current Context: Lakshadweep Administration plans to acquire ~30 acres (121,359 sq m) of private land on Agatti Island for beachfront facilities and a peripheral road, raising environmental and tribal concerns.
About Lakshadweep :–
• Lakshadweep is India’s smallest Union Territory by land area (≈32 sq km).
• Consists of 36 islands; only 10 islands are inhabited.
• Lakshadweep’s lagoon area is about 4,200 sq km, far larger than its land area.
• Agatti Island is the only Lakshadweep island having a civilian airport.
• Agatti covers only about 3.84 sq km and is one of the most densely inhabited islands of the UT.
• Lakshadweep islands are coral atolls formed on submerged volcanic seamounts.
• Major coral types found include Staghorn, Brain, Mushroom and Table corals.
• Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel symbiotic zooxanthellae algae due to heat stress.
• Lakshadweep witnessed severe coral bleaching during the 2024 marine heatwave event.
• Marine heatwaves are prolonged periods of abnormally high sea-surface temperature.
• Minicoy Island is the southernmost inhabited island of Lakshadweep and lies closest to the Maldives.
• Nine Degree Channel separates Minicoy from the rest of Lakshadweep.
• Eight Degree Channel separates Lakshadweep from the Maldives.
• Kavaratti is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep.
• Pitti (Bird) Island is an uninhabited island known for nesting seabirds.
• Lakshadweep lies in the Arabian Sea, off the Kerala coast.
• Coconut cultivation and tuna fishing are the traditional economic activities of Lakshadweep.
Concepts:- Types of Coral Reef
• Atoll: Ring-shaped coral island or reef enclosing a lagoon.
• Fringing Reef: Coral reef attached directly to the coastline.
• Barrier Reef: Coral reef separated from land by a lagoon.
• Staghorn Coral: Fast-growing branching coral highly vulnerable to bleaching and ocean warming.
#PYQ
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About Lakshadweep :–
• Lakshadweep is India’s smallest Union Territory by land area (≈32 sq km).
• Consists of 36 islands; only 10 islands are inhabited.
• Lakshadweep’s lagoon area is about 4,200 sq km, far larger than its land area.
• Agatti Island is the only Lakshadweep island having a civilian airport.
• Agatti covers only about 3.84 sq km and is one of the most densely inhabited islands of the UT.
• Lakshadweep islands are coral atolls formed on submerged volcanic seamounts.
• Major coral types found include Staghorn, Brain, Mushroom and Table corals.
• Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel symbiotic zooxanthellae algae due to heat stress.
• Lakshadweep witnessed severe coral bleaching during the 2024 marine heatwave event.
• Marine heatwaves are prolonged periods of abnormally high sea-surface temperature.
• Minicoy Island is the southernmost inhabited island of Lakshadweep and lies closest to the Maldives.
• Nine Degree Channel separates Minicoy from the rest of Lakshadweep.
• Eight Degree Channel separates Lakshadweep from the Maldives.
• Kavaratti is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep.
• Pitti (Bird) Island is an uninhabited island known for nesting seabirds.
• Lakshadweep lies in the Arabian Sea, off the Kerala coast.
• Coconut cultivation and tuna fishing are the traditional economic activities of Lakshadweep.
Concepts:- Types of Coral Reef
• Atoll: Ring-shaped coral island or reef enclosing a lagoon.
• Fringing Reef: Coral reef attached directly to the coastline.
• Barrier Reef: Coral reef separated from land by a lagoon.
• Staghorn Coral: Fast-growing branching coral highly vulnerable to bleaching and ocean warming.
#PYQ
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IKEA just launched their first Product Development Centre in Mumbai (India Development Centre).
#CA2026
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#CA2026
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In August 2018, Sweden’s leading global home furnishing retailer ‘IKEA’ opened its first showroom in Hyderabad.
#PYQ
#PYQ