In India, tiger populations rose by 30% in 20 years, but decreased in areas with high levels of poverty and armed conflict.
Additionally, study discovered that although tigers consistently populated human-free areas and favored protected areas with abundant prey that covered 35,255 square kilometers, they also colonized habitats that were close to around 60 million people.

Union Budget 2025-26

Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament on 1st February 2025. Here is a detailed article on key takeaways of the budget 2025-26. The Finance Minister presented the Union Budget 2025-26 with the theme “Sabka Vikas” stimulating balanced growth of all regions. In line with…

https://www.clearias.com/union-budget-2025-26/

Trump announced that a 25% tax on imports from Canada and Mexico and an extra 10% duty on Chinese goods would take effect on Tuesday. The US president claimed that the action was a reaction to his worries over drug trafficking and illegal immigration, two of the primary platforms he ran on to win the presidency. China, Mexico, and Canada have promised to retaliate over President Donald Trump's announcement of broad new tariffs on their exports to the US.

Finance Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey stated that the Center's decision to drastically reduce the income tax payer's burden was intended to alleviate some "angst" that the government had observed in recent months and to provide a broad-based boost to demand, savings, and investments to bolster the economy's waning growth impulses.

In the midst of a collapse for the majority of emerging market currencies and stock markets throughout Asia and Europe on the first day of trading following President Donald Trump's imposition of higher tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, the Indian Rupee fell nearly 0.6%, or 49 paise, to break the 87 mark against the US dollar on Monday. Asian currencies and stocks also dropped due to the tariffs, which have raised concerns about a potential trade war.

A "Makhana Board" would be established in Bihar to promote the production and sale of fox nuts, according to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who introduced the Union Budget on February 1. FPOs will be used to organise the Makhana agriculture community. A Geographical Indication designation was given to "Mithila Makhana" in 2022. In India, around 90% of the makhana is produced in Bihar. Bihar is the biggest producer of Makhana, but it has struggled to capitalise on the growing demand for this product. This predicament results from Bihar's underdeveloped export infrastructure and undeveloped food processing industry which increases the need for a Makhana Board.

At a news conference with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the US president recommended that Palestinians relocate to nearby countries and does not rule out the possibility of sending US troops. "Any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region," Hamas Official Sami Abu Zuhri said, referring to Trump's comments regarding his desire to govern Gaza as "ridiculous and absurd."

The Supreme Court instructed the High Courts to consider writ petitions contesting the 2019 Amendment to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, but declined to consider petitions contesting the revisions. The revisions allow the Union government to declare certain people terrorists. Only organizations were eligible to be designated as such under the 1967 Act. The appeal stated that the amendments' "conferring of such discretionary, unfettered and unbound" power upon the Union government is the "antithesis" of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution.

The Framework Agreement on the formation of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) has formally entered into force, marking a significant milestone. The IBCA and its Secretariat evolved into a fully functional intergovernmental institution and international legal authority.
Five nations formally ratified the agreement: India, Somalia, Liberia, Nicaragua, and Eswatini.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, addressing the Rajya Sabha on February 6, 2025, stated that the Centre will take strict action against human traffickers involved in illegal migration. Emphasizing the need for a strong crackdown on unlawful migration, he assured that the government is actively engaging with U.S. authorities to ensure deported Indians are treated fairly. The statement comes amid rising concerns over the deportation of Indian migrants from the U.S. Jaishankar reiterated India’s commitment to curbing human trafficking networks and preventing illegal migration while safeguarding the rights and dignity of affected individuals.

Jitendra Singh, the minister of science and technology, announced that India would begin the Chandrayaan-4 mission in 2027 with the goal of returning samples of moon rocks to Earth. The heavy-lift LVM-3 rocket will be launched at least twice during the mission to transport and assemble the five components in orbit. Additionally, he announced that the Gaganyaan mission, which will launch Indian astronauts into low-Earth orbit, will take place next year. With the launch of Samudrayaan in 2026, India will send three scientists in a submersible to investigate the seafloor at 6,000-meter depths. This is in line with Gaganyaan, and other significant space projects of India.

The Reserve Bank of India's, six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) reduced the repo rate, or the rate at which the RBI lends to other banks, by 25 basis points to 6.25% on Friday. The RBI hasn't lowered interest rates in five years, with the most recent one occurring in May 2020. As of right now, the repo rate was 6.5%. The action was taken just one week after the Centre lowered personal income taxes in an effort to increase spending. The policy decision was announced by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, who stated that inflation was in line with the target.

India has strengthened its position as a global leader in renewable energy by surpassing 100 GW of installed solar generating capacity, marking a historic milestone. This outstanding accomplishment demonstrates the country's dedication to a greener, cleaner future and is a major step towards achieving PM Narendra Modi's ambitious goal of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by 2030. The capacity of India's solar power industry has increased by an astounding 3450% in the last ten years, from 2.82 GW in 2014 to 100 GW in 2025.

The indigenous CE20 cryogenic engine that powers the upper stage of the LVM3 underwent a successful ignition trial using a multi-element igniter under vacuum circumstances, simulating engine ignition in the vacuum conditions of space. This test was conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex's High Altitude Test Facility in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. In this test, a multi-element igniter was used to ignite the engine thrust chamber in vacuum under tank pressure circumstances that are anticipated to exist when the cryogenic engine is restarted in flight. During the test, the engine and the facility operated normally and according to expectations.

After Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, the three staunch Kyiv backers halted purchases of electricity from Russia, but they have depended on the Russian grid to stabilise networks and regulate frequencies to prevent disruptions. Following their separation from the IPS/UPS joint network, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will synchronise with the EU grid at 1200 GMT on Sunday, subject to final testing.

The first-ever BIMSTEC Youth Summit was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, by the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. Its purpose was to expand youth cooperation throughout the region and promote the sharing of youth-led projects among BIMSTEC Member Countries. In order to empower young leaders throughout the BIMSTEC countries, India has proposed the multi-sectoral "Youth Bridge" initiative. The Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre hosted the meeting, which was presided over by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports.

More than 1,100 dead olive ridley turtles have washed ashore on the beaches of Tamil Nadu state in southern India this month. With an adult weight of up to 45 kg, the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is the smallest species of sea turtle and is listed by the IUCN as vulnerable. On certain beaches, thousands of these turtles congregate to nest at once, a behaviour known as arribada. These massive nesting episodes are caused by the mating season, which normally lasts from November to April. The Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans' tropical waters are home to Olive Ridleys. Important nesting sites in India include Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Odisha (Gahirmatha, Devi, Rushikulya).

A press release from the Commerce Ministry states that India has become the seventh-largest producer of coffee in the world, with exports totalling $1.29 billion in FY 2023–24—nearly twice as much as the $719.42 million recorded in 2020–21. The environmentally diverse Western and Eastern Ghats, which are well-known for their biodiversity, are where India's coffee is mostly farmed. With a production contribution of 248,020 million tonnes in 2022–2023, Karnataka is the top producer, followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In addition to supporting the coffee business, these regions are home to shaded plantations that are essential to protecting the environment and keeping the biological balance of these hotspots for biodiversity.