Author: ForumIAS

Time for caution:  Context Last week, the current account deficit (CAD) widened to a four-year high of $14.3 billion in the first quarter of the current financial year, standing at 2.4% of gross domestic product, compared to 0.1% last year. Causes of widening Current Account Deficit The widening CAD was driven by a  number of… Continue reading Time for caution: 

Decoding shell companies:  Context Recently, the Centre has initiated action against more than two lakh shell companies as part of Operation Clean Money. Also, SEBI has identified 331 companies and initiated action against them. Here is all you need to know about shell companies. What are shell companies? The Companies Act, 2013 has not defined… Continue reading Decoding shell companies: 

India-Japan relations in good health: Context Visit of Japanese PM Shinzo Abe to India and the bonhomie between the two leaders. Reaffirmation of special ties. Factors that lead to the bonhomie The rise of China. The joint statement calls for “a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and… Continue reading India-Japan relations in good health:

Reading the tea leaves:  Context: The emerging India-Japan alignment sets the stage for the reordering of the Asian strategic landscape Two trend lines The shift of the geopolitical centre of gravity from the Euro-Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific region and the rise of China. Most of the rivalries are being played out in the crowded geopolitical… Continue reading Reading the tea leaves: 

PDS digitisation moving at snail’s pace:  Context: The progress of the digitization of Public Distribution System What is the project all about? It was launched in 2012 at a cost of 884 crore to complete the automation of Public Distribution System – All fair price or ration shop To enable online monitoring of stock positions.… Continue reading PDS digitisation moving at snail’s pace: 

Tweaks to pact with S. Korea mooted: Context India is looking to plug loopholes in its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea following concerns over a recent sudden surge in imports of gold and related articles from that country. What is the issue? There is a probability of ‘criminal angle’ behind the recent rapid… Continue reading Tweaks to pact with S. Korea mooted:

India under U.S. pressure to scale down ties with North Korea:  Context Following the North Korean missile tests, visiting U.S. officials have asked India to cut down ties with Pyongyang. Why such pressure? American pressure on the issue has been rising over the last few months even as India joined Japan last week in describing… Continue reading India under U.S. pressure to scale down ties with North Korea: 

Liberalization’s impact on gender discrimination:  Context Economic reforms have not reduced gender discrimination. What is the issue? Conventional wisdom suggests that gender discrimination should have declined in India because of the economic liberalization in early 1990s. Increased market competition forces firms to eliminate inefficient discriminatory practices, including gender discrimination. The room for hiring their own… Continue reading Liberalization’s impact on gender discrimination: 

How Tez works:  Context: Google’s entry into India’s payment wallet app market What is Google Tez? Google Tez is a mobile wallet based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform built by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). How does it work? It permits users to transfer money without the recipient’s bank account details.… Continue reading How Tez works: 

Norms eased for fund raising by REITs, InvITs:  Context: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has relaxed the guidelines for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) What do REITs and InvITs do? REITs allow investors to invest in real estate InvITs allow one to invest in infrastructure projects. Which… Continue reading Norms eased for fund raising by REITs, InvITs: