Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs): Knowledge to Field (2025)
Agriculture is still the backbone of India’s economy, and it is essential to build farmer-oriented knowledge systems to improve productivity and sustainability.
Category Policy Update
India-Nepal: Border Security and Disaster Response
The India-Nepal open land border, which is approximately 1,751 km, is unique in South Asia for its free flow of people under the Treaty of Peace and Friendship 1950. That open nature has been both a security challenge and a source of connectivity. The Shastra Seema Bal is India's primary guiding force, which prevents crime and smuggling, and also coordinates with Nepal security agencies. Joint military exercises such as “Surya Kiran” also enhance collaboration for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
State Science & Technology Programme (SS&TP) 2025
The State Science & Technology Programme (SS&TP), initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) Government of India in 1971, aims to strengthen science, technology, and innovation (STI) capacity at the state level. Recognizing that states are vital units for decentralized development, the programme seeks to empower them to formulate and implement science and technology (S&T) plans tailored to their regional priorities.
Farmer Producer Organizations: A Pathway to Rural Prosperity (2025)
Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have evolved as collective institutions designed to empower small and marginal farmers with the aim of solving issues of fragmented landholdings, lack of credit and technology, and market access facilities.
National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) 2025
India emerged as a net importer of edible oil, with around 57 percent of the total edible oil requirement being met through imports from various countries. To cut down this import dependence and attain self-sufficiency, the Union Cabinet, on August 18, 2021, gave its approval to the launching of the National Mission on Edible Oils Oil Palm.
India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 2025: Impact on the Services Sector
The India–UK FTA is equally packed with opportunities to transform the services sector, which forms the backbone of the Indian economy. In addressing issues of mobility, regulatory recognition, and digital trade, the agreement can foster competitiveness, create jobs, and spur innovation. But an equilibrium between liberalization and capacity-building in domestic areas is still essential to be attained. If implemented, the FTA would be a model services-driven free trade agreement that strengthens India's position in the world services value chain and further consolidates its strategic engagement with the UK.
Digital Payments and UPI: Transformation in Banking Habits
For a long time, India’s financial system was dominated by traders, middlemen, and brokers who relied on old-school methods to track transactions.