Why is the India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership important for your UPSC exam? What significance do topics such as India–UK ties, India’s ‘Red List’ at the IUCN conference, and the US-proposed Gaza peace deal have for both the Preliminary and Main exams? You can learn more by reading the Indian Express UPSC Key for October 10, 2025.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his British counterpart Keir Starmer during the ‘Global Fintech Fest 2025’, at the Jio World Centre, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Know more in our UPSC Key. (PM India via PTI Photo)
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
What’s the ongoing story: Underlining that India and the UK are natural partners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the “growing partnership” between the two countries is emerging as a crucial foundation for “global stability and economic progress in the current era of global instability”—in an oblique reference to the US administration’s unpredictability in recent months since President Donald Trump assumed office.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are the key highlights of the ongoing India-UK meet?
— Learn about the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
— What are the major areas of cooperation between India and the UK?
Story continues below this ad
— What is the significance of this trade deal amidst the ongoing India-USA tariff issue?
— What is the impact of Trump’s tariff imposition on India in labour-intensive sectors and how this deal with the UK can act as a cushion?
— What is the issue regarding the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?
Key Takeaways:
— Modi and Starmer held bilateral talks in Mumbai on Thursday during the latter’s first visit to India after assuming charge as Prime Minister. Starmer is leading a trade mission with a 126-member delegation comprising business, academic and cultural leaders from the UK.
Story continues below this ad
— Stating that “India is a global player”, Starmer said, “We sit together in the Commonwealth, the G20, and we want to see India taking its rightful place on the UN Security Council too. So we are committed to strengthening our strategic partnership.”
— Calling the India-UK economic relations the “jewel in the crown”, Starmer said, “We want to be partners. That journey and my visit this week are about doubling down on the potential of our trade deal for the benefit of all of us.” The two countries signed a trade deal in July.
— Modi underlined one of the defence outcomes of the visit. “We have reached an agreement on cooperation in military training. Under this, flying instructors of the Indian Air Force will work as trainers in the UK’s Royal Air Force,” he said.
— Nine UK universities, Modi added, have decided to open their campuses in India. Starmer said that “the demand for the best quality higher education is very high, so I am really pleased that we are announcing today that all British universities will be setting up campuses right here.”
Story continues below this ad
— PM Modi affirmed India’s commitment to enhancing maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and also announced setting up an Industry Guild and Supply Chain Observatory for cooperation on critical minerals. “Its satellite campus will be at ISM Dhanbad,” he said.
— While counteracting the hit from US tariffs may take several years of export diversification efforts and absorption of Indian products by trade partners across the globe, with India standing to lose nearly $40 billion worth of US-bound exports annually, the UK deal could somewhat cushion India’s labour-intensive sectors.
— After the deal comes into force, Indian products will be potentially at par with competing countries, especially in the textile sector. The UK annually imports $27 billion worth of textile products, and India’s total exports to the UK in 2024 stood at $13.5 billion.
— With a 4 per cent duty relaxation under the trade deal, the gems and jewellery sector—a key labour-intensive sector for India—may not benefit much from the UK deal compared with the losses it suffers in the US market. India’s gems and jewellery sector exports to the US in FY25 stood at $9 billion and are facing steep tariffs, while India’s exports to the UK under this category are worth $941 million.
Story continues below this ad
— The UK is also a large market for engineering goods, being largely a services sector economy. With tariffs as high as 10 per cent on iron and steel products, Indian products could see exports rise in this category. The UK steel market size was approximately $32.13 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $42.74 billion by 2033, as per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
— The UK’s plans to impose a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) could restrict Indian exports despite the tariff reduction, but this could also offer an incentive for the Indian industry to decarbonise in line with broader global requirements. While large industries may manage this swiftly, Indian MSMEs, without government support, may not be able to.
— A key beneficiary of the India-UK deal could be the services sector. With the H-1B visa fee hike and US barriers being erected even in the services sector, the UK deal could help India partly offset the possible hit from changing US trade policy.
Do You Know:
—- During PM Modi’s visit to the UK in July, a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Vision 2035 document, as well as a new Defence Industrial Roadmap were signed.
Story continues below this ad
— The key pillars of India-UK Vision 2035 include growth and jobs in the UK and India, education and skills partnership to nurture the next generation of global talent, developing cutting-edge technology and research, and strengthening resilience, defence and security co-operation.
— Economic Cooperation: The India–UK FTA brings together the world’s 5th and 6th largest economies.
— Bilateral trade (both goods and services) stood at around USD 56 billion during 2024 with imports at around 17 billion and exports at around 26 billion pounds. Total bilateral trade in goods is around 18 billion pounds while trade in services is around 25 billion pounds in 2024. Now, the bilateral trade is projected to double by 2030.
— The UK is India’s second largest international research and innovation partner with a joint research programme pegged at £300-400 million. An MoU was signed in April 2023 for wider cooperation, especially in quantum technology, clean energy, pandemic preparedness, AI and machine learning.
UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
(1) Consider the following statements:
Story continues below this ad
Statement 1: The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) ensures comprehensive market access for goods across all sectors, covering all of India’s export interests.
Statement 2: India will benefit from tariff elimination on approximately 99 per cent of tariff lines, covering nearly 100 per cent of trade value.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.
Story continues below this ad
(b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1.
(c) Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is incorrect.
(d) Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora
What’s the ongoing story: US President Donald Trump has announced on Thursday that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of the US-proposed Gaza peace deal, allowing for the release of all the hostages very soon.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What is Trump’s 20 point Gaza peace plan?
— Know about the historical background of the Israel-Palestine conflict?
— What is the Abraham Accord?
— What is the significance of peace in the region from India’s perspective?
— What is the reaction of India about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement?
— What is the significance of this ceasefire agreement for the geopolitics of the region?
Key Takeaways:
— The agreement, in the initial stage, resulted from Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza during indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt, just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel that triggered Israel’s devastating war against Gaza.
— The US-backed Gaza peace talks began in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh a couple of days ago with delegations from Egypt, Qatar and the United States as intermediaries.
— The US president announced that both Israel and Hamas have signed off the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan and that it would bring the release of all the hostages, alive and dead “very soon”.
— The war has deepened Israel’s international isolation and upended the Middle East, having evolved into a regional conflict that has drawn in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon. It also tested the U.S.-Israeli relationship, with Trump seeming to lose patience with Netanyahu and pressuring him to reach a dea
— The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.
— Much could still go wrong. Even after the deal was signed, a Palestinian source said the list of hundreds of Palestinians to be released was not finalised. The group is seeking freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli jails, as well as hundreds of people detained during Israel’s assault.
— Further steps in Trump’s 20-point plan have yet to be discussed. Those include how the shattered Gaza Strip is to be ruled when the fighting ends and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel’s demands it disarm.
— Netanyahu also faces skepticism from within his governing coalition, as many have long opposed any deal with Hamas. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would vote to bring down the government if Hamas is not dismantled.
— The history of the region suggests that working out peace accords to end conflicts is a little like cleaning up after volcanic eruptions: There is a certainty it will happen again. It is just hard to know when, or how ferociously.
Do You Know:
— Trump knows that by far, the best international accomplishment of his first term was the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the first Arab states to recognize Israel in a quarter of a century.
— But in many ways, stopping the carnage of this war — which destroyed Hamas’ leadership, 90% of the homes in Gaza, and ultimately tore at Israel’s global standing — is an even bigger accomplishment.
Highlights of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan
— The 20-point document released by White House calls for an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament and a transitional government led by an international body.
— According to the plan, Hamas would have no part in administering Gaza, and all its military infrastructure — including tunnels – would be dismantled. Hamas members who pledge to live peacefully would be granted amnesty, and those who wish to leave Gaza would be allowed to do so.
— The international security force would ensure Hamas’ disarmament and keep order. It would also train Palestinian police to take over law enforcement.
— Humanitarian aid would be allowed to flow into Gaza in large amounts and would be run by “neutral international bodies”, including the UN and the Red Crescent.
— The US, Arab and international partners will develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to deploy immediately in Gaza.
— The plan envisages the governance structure of Gaza — what is doctrinally called the “The Day After plan”. This says that Gaza will be governed under the “temporary transitional governance” of a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee”, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza.
— The plan says that a guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas and its factions comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbours or its people.
— In this context, eight Arab and Muslim nations — Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt — on Tuesday issued a joint statement welcoming Trump’s proposal. China and Russia have also welcomed the plan.
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation
Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
What’s the ongoing story: THE CENTRE will for the first time assess the extinction risk of approximately 11,000 species, including 7,000 kinds of flora and 4,000 types of fauna — across the country to prepare a ‘national red list’, as part of its global commitment towards biodiversity protection.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are the global efforts towards protecting vulnerable species?
— What is the significance of this move of preparing a ‘national red list’ by India?
— What is the role and function of IUCN?
— What is the IUCN Red list?
— Know about the various categories of IUCN Red List: Vulnerable, Endangered, Extinct
— Know about the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Where is it held?
Key Takeaways:
— Union Minister of State for Environment,Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh unveiled the roadmap for the national-level five-year (2025-2030) assessment on Thursday, the first day of the World Congress of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at Abu Dhabi.
— According to the assessment plan, the aim is to establish a nationally coordinated, participatory and upgradable ‘Red Listing’ system that accurately reflects the conservation status of India’s biodiversity.
— The IUCN is a global organization comprising 160 member countries and hundreds of civil society groups which work together towards environment and biodiversity protection. The World Conservation Congress convenes once every four years to set priorities on matters of conservation.
— The IUCN periodically examines the health of species and their extinction risks, and this is known as the IUCN Red List. Based on the assessment of their conservation status, the species are put into extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, least concern, data deficient, and not evaluated list.
— This assessment helps policymakers and wildlife biologists shape conservation recovery plans for those on the brink of extinction and focus resources on such species.
— India has 55,726 recorded plant species, including algae, fungi, and microbes. Of these 6.33%, comprising 3,501 plant species and 27 fungi species have been assessed for the IUCN Red List (Global).
— There are 1,04,561 documented fauna species, and the IUCN Red List assessment has been done for 7,516 of them, which is 7.2% of the recorded faunal diversity of India. The assessment results are alarming: 1,012 species (13.4%) of the total assessed are in the threatened category, and additionally, 289 species are near threatened.
— In terms of Indian species assessed by IUCN for Red List, 1,582 out of 6,568 species are endemic to the country, with high endemism in amphibians (79%) and reptiles (54.9%). Endemism means that these species are native to the respective country’s wild habitats.
— The project to create a ‘national red list’ to examine the threats to the country’s flora and fauna will be spearheaded by the Union Environment Ministry and will include the Botanical Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India and non-profit organisation Wildlife Institute of India.
Do You Know:
— The IUCN World Conservation Congress is taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 9 to 15 October 2025.
— Held every four years, the Congress enables IUCN’s more than 1,400 Member organisations to democratically determine the most pressing issues in nature conservation and actions to address them to help guide humanity’s relationship with our planet
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(3) With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE 2015)
1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.
2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.
Select the correct answer thing the code given below.
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
What’s the ongoing story: After Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles held bilateral talks in Canberra, both countries signed three key pacts, including on information sharing, submarine search and rescue cooperation and terms of reference on the establishment of Joint Staff Talks.
Key Points to Ponder:
— Know about the historical background of the India-Australia relationship?
— What is the significance of India-Australia bilateral relations?
— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Australia?
— What are the challenges in the India-Australia relationship?
— Know about defence cooperation between India and Australia
— What is the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership?
Key Takeaways:
— A Defence Ministry statement said the meeting marked five years of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with both sides reaffirming their shared commitment to “deepening defence cooperation across a wide spectrum,”
— According to a joint statement issued following the meeting, both ministers advanced their Prime Ministers’ long-term vision for collaboration to enhance collective strength, contribute to security of both countries, and make a significant contribution to regional peace and security.
— Both sides also committed to expand bilateral defence architecture and enhance consultation and cooperation by conducting an annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue and welcomed the signing of the Australia-India Implementing Arrangement on Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation.
— Both ministers welcomed the establishment of Joint Staff Talks as a forum to progress joint exercises, operations and interoperability across all domains.
— The ministers appreciated the growing frequency and complexity of defence exercises and exchanges and the increasing interoperability through the implementation of the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement.
— The joint statement noted that both sides also agreed to pursue defence collaboration in contemporary technology, including through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research and Materiel.
— Both sides affirmed the importance of enhancing cooperation with regional partners to help maintain a free, open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
— Stating that the ministers were pleased with the collaborative maritime domain awareness and anti-submarine warfare activities by Australian and Indian maritime patrol aircraft in the Indian Ocean, the joint statement noted that they also agreed to continue aircraft deployment from each other’s territories to build operational familiarity.
— They also welcomed the ongoing progress in defence cooperation among Australia, India, Japan and the US, underscoring the growing strategic convergence among the partners.
— Earlier in the day, Singh’s engagements included a live air-to-air refuelling demonstration onboard the KC-30A Multirole Transport and Tanker Aircraft (MRTT), refuelling an F-35 aircraft en route to Canberra.
Do You Know:
— The India-Australia bilateral relationship has been underpinned by the shared values of pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth traditions, expanding economic engagement, and increasing high-level interaction.
— Several common traits, including strong, vibrant, secular, and multicultural democracies, a free press, an independent judicial system, and English language, serve as the foundation for closer co-operation and multifaceted interaction between the two countries.
— The end of the Cold War and beginning of India’s economic reforms in 1991 provided the impetus for the development of closer ties between the two nations. Theever-increasing numbers of Indian students travelling to Australia for higher education, and the growing tourism and sporting links, have played a significant role in strengthening bilateral relations.
— With the passage of time, ties evolved in the direction of a strategic relationship, alongside the existing economic engagement. In recent years, the relationship has charted a new trajectory of transformational growth.
— With greater convergence of views on issues such as international terrorism, and a shared commitment to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region, the two democracies have taken their cooperation to plurilateral formats, including the Quad (with the United States and Japan).
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(4) With reference to “India – Australia Economic Co-operation and Trade Agreement (Ind – Aus ECTA),” which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPPSC 2024)
1. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative of FTAS.
2. The meeting was attended by the Commerce Secretary of India, Shri Sunil Barthwal.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) Only 1
(c) Only 2
(d) Both 1 and 2
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
The newly tri-nation partnership AUKUS is aimed at countering China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. Is it going to supersede the existing partnerships in the region? Discuss the strength and impact of AUKUS in the present scenario. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation
Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
What’s the ongoing story: Punjab experienced one of its worst floods in recent memory this year. All 23 districts were flood-affected, and some two lakh hectares of cultivable farmland experienced flooding and waterlogging.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What is the impact of flood on soil productivity?
— What is the process of soil formation?
— How did floods lead to soil erosion?
— What are the various types of soil?
— How to maintain soil health?
Key Takeaways:
— Ahead of the wheat-sowing season, this has led to questions being raised about soil fertility, and the impact of the floods on Punjab’s agricultural productivity.
— How do floods affect soil? There is no simple answer to this question; the exact impacts vary depending on the kind of flooding, duration, nature of the soil, among other things. But broadly, two kinds of flood impacts can be observed.
— The first is erosion: floodwaters strip away enriched topsoil that farmers have spent time and resources to improve. Topsoil contains vital elements such phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon crucial for nurturing crops.
— The second is depositing of silt: floods bring with them deposits of silt which have covered the topsoil in many parts of Punjab, particularly areas located close to riverbanks or on river beds which are among the most fertile.
— That said, not all silt is “bad”. Flooding can also bring fertile alluvial silt which enhances soil productivity. Historically, many farmers with fields close to rivers have benefitted from natural replenishment due to floodwaters; the same is true this year.
An aerial view of an area partially submerged in floodwater at Ghanaur village, in Patiala district, Punjab, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (PTI Photo)
— Prolonged waterlogging may also lead to soil compaction, and affect soil aeration and the nutrient balance: all factors that harm productivity.
— Soil sampling by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, across half a dozen flood-affected districts shows that while the floods have affected the soil in some places, the situation is manageable.
— Waterlogging has led to leaching of nutrients like nitrogen and a temporary imbalance in soil pH. In areas where the topsoil was eroded, nutrient contents have reduced. But experts insist this can be corrected through deep ploughing, fertilisation based on soil test results, and organic amendments.
— Overall, the tests confirm that with proper restoration efforts, fertility levels can be maintained. The university and other institutions are encouraging farmers to conduct individual soil tests before applying fertilisers for the next season.
— The recovery strategy depends on the depth of silt and type of soil. In fields where silt is around two to three inches deep, normal ploughing is sufficient to mix it with native soil. In lighter soils, silt layers up to nine inches can be managed with deep chiselling.
— The use of compost or organic matter is also advised to restore soil texture. Most importantly, experts stress that early intervention will allow farmers to prepare their fields in time for the rabi crop cycle. Farmers are also encouraged to remain vigilant about weeds introduced by floodwaters, and undertake timely control measures.
— The Punjab government has announced that farmers can sell the sand or silt accumulated on their land under the policy ‘Jisda Khet Usdi Ret’ (literally, “the sand/silt belongs to the field’s owner’). This measure is particularly useful where sand deposition is heavy enough to interfere with cultivation.
— Agricultural experts believe that most farmers can resume their crop cycles on schedule in areas where silt deposits are not heavy. Even if the deposits are heavy, prompt action can allow farmers to meet the normal cycles.
Do You Know:
— Soil Classification concerns the grouping of soils with a similar range of properties (chemical, physical and biological) into units that can be geo-referenced and mapped. Soils are a very complex natural resource, much more so than air and water.
— Ashok Gulati writes: The soils have been damaged and are starving for organic carbon. The optimal level of soil organic carbon (SOC) as per the World Food Laureate, Rattan Lal, should be between 1.5 to 2 per cent. The reality of Indian soils, however, is that more than 60 per cent have SOC of less than 0.5 per cent.
For a writer who has spent decades cultivating his own difficult, unyielding form of literary soil — slow-growing, deeply rooted, indifferent to the pressures of the season — the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature to Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai, 71, awarded for his “singular prose that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art”, seems only befitting.
Krasznahorkai will receive the medal and diploma in a ceremony in December in Stockholm. He is the second Hungarian, after Imre Kertesz in 2002, to bag the award.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Haryana government not to undertake any work on the proposed Aravalli jungle safari, billed as the biggest zoo-safari project of its kind in the world, until the next hearing on October 15.
The project, announced by the Haryana government then led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar (who is now the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs) in 2022, aims to create the “world’s largest safari park” in the Aravallis in the districts of Gurugram and Nuh in the southern corner of the state.
PRELIMS ANSWER KEY
1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (b) 4. (d) 5. (c)
Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
🚨 Anniversary Special:Read the UPSC EssentialsSeptember 2025 special edition, celebrating two years of the magazine! Share your views and suggestions at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com 🚨
Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: khushboo.kumari@indianexpress.com ... Read More