{"id":3687,"date":"2025-12-23T09:15:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T09:15:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/?p=3687"},"modified":"2025-12-24T13:58:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T13:58:57","slug":"current-affairs-23rd-december-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/2025\/12\/23\/current-affairs-23rd-december-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Current Affairs 23rd December 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">1. India -New Zealand\u00a0 conclude\u00a0 trade talks<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GS paper II-IR<\/p>\n<p><strong>Context :<\/strong>India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to be signed in early 2026.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The pact aims to double bilateral trade to about USD 5 billion in five years.<\/li>\n<li>It also seeks to attract around USD 20 billion of investments from New Zealand over 15 years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Background and context<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Talks focused on giving Indian exports duty\u2011free or reduced\u2011tariff access to the New Zealand market.<\/li>\n<li>India protected politically sensitive farm sectors like rice, wheat, dairy and several other agri\u2011products.<\/li>\n<li>The agreement comes when Indian exporters face high tariffs (around 50%) in the U.S., so diversification to Oceania is strategic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An FTA is a treaty between two or more countries to reduce or eliminate tariffs and non\u2011tariff barriers on selected goods and services.<\/li>\n<li>It aims to boost trade, investment and economic integration while allowing each side to protect \u201csensitive\u201d sectors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Major benefits for India<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Duty\u2011free or cheaper access to about 95% of New Zealand\u2019s tariff lines, including many industrial products.<\/li>\n<li>Better market access for Indian textiles, leather, rubber, footwear, home\u2011decor, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods.<\/li>\n<li>Opportunities for labour\u2011intensive sectors and MSMEs to expand exports in a new market.<\/li>\n<li>Temporary employment visas for up to 5,000 Indian professionals annually in skilled occupations, with stays up to three years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Benefits for New Zealand<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tariff\u2011free access for exports such as sheep meat, wool, coal and most forestry and wood products to India.<\/li>\n<li>Concessions on high\u2011value items like kiwi fruit, wine, seafood, cherries, avocados, persimmons, bulk infant formula, Manuka honey and milk albumins.<\/li>\n<li>Better access to India\u2019s fast\u2011growing consumer market and potential for job creation in New Zealand\u2019s export sectors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Products not covered under the FTA<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>No concessions for Indian imports of dairy products from New Zealand.<\/li>\n<li>No opening for sensitive farm items such as rice, wheat and many other agricultural commodities.<\/li>\n<li>On the New Zealand side, no concessions in dairy sector exports are offered under this agreement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2. Reforming the fertilizer subsidy demands political courage, offers high rewards<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GS PAPER III-Economy -agriculture<\/p>\n<p><strong>CONTEXT :<\/strong>The fertiliser subsidy has come into sharp focus as part of the broader debate on rationalising India\u2019s farm support system.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>With the fertiliser subsidy expected to touch \u20b92 lakh crore in FY26 \u2014 making it the second-largest subsidy after food subsidy and bigger than the entire agriculture ministry\u2019s budget \u2014 economists and policymakers are warning that the current regime is fiscally unsustainable and environmentally damaging.<\/li>\n<li>Amid ongoing reforms in GST, labour laws, and rural employment, experts argue that agriculture, especially the fertiliser subsidy, is overdue for structural reform.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What is the fertiliser subsidy?<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-3688 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144252-300x170.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"341\" height=\"193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144252-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144252.png 628w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 341px) 100vw, 341px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Government support to keep retail prices of fertilisers (especially urea) artificially low for farmers.<\/li>\n<li>It compensates manufacturers\/importers for the gap between cost and controlled retail price.<\/li>\n<li>Aim: ensure affordable inputs, boost foodgrain output, and shield farmers from global price volatility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Current status and trends<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fertiliser subsidy to reach ~\u20b92 lakh crore in FY26, second-largest after food subsidy.<\/li>\n<li>Exceeds total budget of Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers\u2019 Welfare (\u20b91.37 lakh crore in FY26).<\/li>\n<li>Urea dominates subsidy: ~two-thirds of total, sold at \u20b9242 per 45-kg bag (among world\u2019s cheapest).<\/li>\n<li>High import dependence: ~78% natural gas (urea), ~90% phosphatic inputs, ~100% potash.<\/li>\n<li>Makes subsidy vulnerable to global energy and commodity price shocks.<\/li>\n<li>Severe nutrient imbalance: N:P:K ratio is 10.9:4.4:1, far from ideal 4:2:1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why is the subsidy needed in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Food security: Key to Green Revolution; helped achieve self-sufficiency in cereals.<\/li>\n<li>Strong fertiliser\u2013grain response ratio (1:10 in 1970s) boosted production.<\/li>\n<li>Protects small\/marginal farmers (85% of farmers) from volatile global prices.<\/li>\n<li>Sudden removal could sharply raise input costs and reduce fertiliser use.<\/li>\n<li>Keeps per-acre cultivation costs manageable, especially for cereal farmers.<\/li>\n<li>Helps control food prices and cost-push inflation in agriculture.<\/li>\n<li>Acts as income buffer in climate-vulnerable, monsoon-dependent farming.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Challenges with the current regime<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Low nutrient use efficiency: only 35\u201340% of nitrogen absorbed; rest lost or pollutes.<\/li>\n<li>Reflects inefficient, excessive urea use with diminishing yield returns.<\/li>\n<li>Environmental damage: nitrate pollution of groundwater, soil carbon loss, degraded fertility.<\/li>\n<li>Nitrous oxide emissions (278\u00d7 more potent than CO\u2082) from excess nitrogen.<\/li>\n<li>Productivity stagnation: fertiliser\u2013grain response ratio fell from ~1:10 (1970s) to ~1:2.7 (2015).<\/li>\n<li>Leakages and diversion: 20\u201325% of subsidised urea diverted to non-agri uses or smuggled.<\/li>\n<li>Fiscal strain: import dependence exposes subsidy bill to global price shocks.<\/li>\n<li>Geopolitical risk: spikes in gas\/potash prices directly inflate subsidy outgo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Way forward: Key reform options<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Gradual price decontrol with income support: shift from price subsidy to direct income transfers (e.g., expanded PM-KISAN).<\/li>\n<li>Allow market-based fertiliser prices while protecting farmer incomes.<\/li>\n<li>Bring urea under Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) regime (currently for DAP, MOP).<\/li>\n<li>Link subsidy to nutrient content, not fixed retail price.<\/li>\n<li>Reduce nitrogen subsidy, rebalance support towards phosphorus and potassium.<\/li>\n<li>Use digital agriculture: integrate land records, PM-KISAN, sowing data, satellite imagery.<\/li>\n<li>Apply AI\/ML to target subsidies and cap fertiliser quantity per land size and crop.<\/li>\n<li>Promote balanced and precision farming: complex fertilisers, micronutrients, fertigation, custom blends.<\/li>\n<li>Learn from China: ~60% complex fertiliser use vs ~17% in India; higher productivity.<\/li>\n<li>Digitise distribution: e-vouchers or PoS-based delivery (e.g., e-RUPI style) redeemable only at authorised dealers.<\/li>\n<li>Reduce diversion, improve accountability, ensure subsidies reach genuine farmers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Reform is not about withdrawing support, but making it smarter, greener, and more equitable.<\/li>\n<li>Correcting price distortions (e.g., urea under NBS, shift to income support) can save ~\u20b940,000 crore annually.<\/li>\n<li>Savings can be redirected to agri-R&amp;D, irrigation, and high-value agriculture value chains.<\/li>\n<li>India\u2019s current \u201cGoldilocks\u201d phase (high growth, low inflation) offers ideal window for reform.<\/li>\n<li>Goal: long-term soil health, higher productivity, and sustainable farm incomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">3. Anjadip ,indigenous anti submarine<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GS PAPER III-science and technology<\/p>\n<p><strong>Context :<\/strong>Indian Navy has inducted\u00a0<strong>INS Anjadip<\/strong>, the third vessel in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) series.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It has been\u00a0<strong>indigenously designed and built<\/strong>\u00a0by Garden Reach Shipbuilders &amp; Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ASW SWC project is a key part of India\u2019s push for\u00a0<strong>self-reliance in naval shipbuilding<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The series is being built under a\u00a0<strong>public\u2013private partnership<\/strong>, involving GRSE and L&amp;T Shipyard, Kattupalli.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What are ASW Shallow Water Craft?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Specialized small\u2011displacement naval vessels for\u00a0<strong>anti\u2011submarine warfare in coastal and shallow waters<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Optimised for\u00a0<strong>littoral operations<\/strong>, harbour defence and protection of offshore assets and sea lanes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Design, construction and collaboration<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Designed to conform to\u00a0<strong>Indian Register of Shipping (IRS)<\/strong>\u00a0naval classification norms.<\/li>\n<li>Built using an\u00a0<strong>indigenous design<\/strong>\u00a0with active involvement of Indian industry and partner yards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Technical features of INS Anjadip \/ ASW SWC<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Approx.\u00a0<strong>77 m in length<\/strong>, making them among the largest Indian naval ships with water\u2011jet propulsion.<\/li>\n<li>Fitted with\u00a0<strong>state\u2011of\u2011the\u2011art lightweight torpedoes, anti\u2011submarine rockets and sonar<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Capable of\u00a0<strong>coastal surveillance, mine\u2011laying support and engagement of underwater threats<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Strategic importance for India<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Strengthens India\u2019s\u00a0<strong>anti\u2011submarine warfare capability<\/strong>\u00a0in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.<\/li>\n<li>Enhances protection of\u00a0<strong>coastal infrastructure, ports, sea lanes and offshore assets<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Indigenous content and Atmanirbhar Bharat<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High indigenous content (reported above\u00a0<strong>80%<\/strong>\u00a0in the series) showcases local design and manufacturing.<\/li>\n<li>Supports\u00a0<strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat<\/strong>\u00a0by building advanced combat platforms within India and nurturing MSMEs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Symbolism and naval tradition<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Named\u00a0<strong>Anjadip<\/strong>\u00a0after Anjadip Island off Karwar, reflecting tradition of naming ships after islands.<\/li>\n<li>Continues legacy of the earlier\u00a0<strong>INS Anjadip<\/strong>, a Petya\u2011class corvette decommissioned in 2003.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>GRSE achievements<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>With this delivery, GRSE has delivered\u00a0<strong>five warships to the Navy in a single year<\/strong>, a rare feat.<\/li>\n<li><strong>INS Anjadip<\/strong>\u00a0is the\u00a0<strong>115th warship built<\/strong>\u00a0by GRSE and the\u00a0<strong>77th delivered<\/strong>\u00a0to the Indian Navy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">4. Save Aravalli campaign&#8217;:<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GS paper I-Geography<\/p>\n<p><strong>Context :<\/strong>The Supreme Court recently accepted the Centre\u2019s new definition of the Aravalli Hills, limiting legal protection only to landforms that rise at least 100 metres above the surrounding local relief.<img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-3689 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144333-300x171.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"386\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144333-300x171.png 300w, https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144333.png 625w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 386px) 100vw, 386px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>This narrow, elevation\u2011based criterion has sparked a nationwide #SaveAravalli campaign, with experts warning it may open large parts of the Aravalli range to mining and ecological damage.<\/li>\n<li>Environmentalists, scientists and citizens are demanding comprehensive protection of the entire Aravalli landscape, not just high\u2011elevation ridges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What is the Save Aravalli campaign?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A citizen\u2011led, expert\u2011backed environmental movement to protect the Aravalli mountain range from ecological degradation.<\/li>\n<li>It opposes the dilution of legal safeguards for the Aravallis by a purely height\u2011based definition of what constitutes a \u201chill\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>The campaign mobilises public opinion, scientific evidence and civil society to demand holistic ecological protection for the entire Aravalli system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Key issues raised by the campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Redefinition risk<\/strong>: The 100\u2011metre rule may exclude low\u2011lying ridges, forested outcrops and catchment areas that are ecologically vital parts of the Aravalli system.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mining exposure<\/strong>: Experts estimate that up to ~60% of the Aravalli landscape could become vulnerable to mining and construction if only high ridges are protected.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hydrology and climate impacts<\/strong>: Loss of ridges threatens groundwater recharge, dust control and local temperature moderation, especially in the Delhi\u2011NCR region.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Biodiversity loss<\/strong>: Fragmentation of wildlife corridors (for leopards, birds, etc.) and degradation of common forest and scrubland areas.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Governance concern<\/strong>: A uniform geomorphological definition may ignore landscape ecology, cumulative impacts and the interconnectedness of hills, forests and aquifers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Ecological and strategic significance of the Aravallis<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ecological shield of North India<\/strong>: The Aravallis act as a natural barrier, blocking desert dust and sand from the Thar Desert and stabilising the regional climate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Water security<\/strong>: They are critical for groundwater recharge and feed important rivers like the Chambal, Sabarmati and Luni.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Climate resilience<\/strong>: Intact ridges help reduce heat extremes, drought risk and air pollution in densely populated areas like Delhi\u2011NCR.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ancient geological system<\/strong>: Among the world\u2019s oldest mountain ranges, with unique biodiversity and fragile ecosystems that are easily degraded.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">5. Right to Disconnect Bill<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GS paper II-polity<\/p>\n<p><strong>Context :<\/strong>A private member\u2019s\u00a0<strong>Right to Disconnect Bill<\/strong>\u00a0has been introduced in Parliament to regulate after\u2011hours work communication.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It seeks to address stress and constant connectivity in India\u2019s fast\u2011growing digital and platform economy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Indian labour law is built around fixed working hours, overtime rules and employer control over physical workplaces.<\/li>\n<li>Smartphones, emails and work apps have blurred boundaries between work time and personal time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What does the Bill propose?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Gives employees a legal right to\u00a0<strong>not respond<\/strong>\u00a0to calls, emails or messages outside prescribed working hours.<\/li>\n<li>Requires employers to frame policies and charters defining after\u2011hours communication norms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Core problem: What is \u201cwork\u201d in a digital economy?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Indian law does not clearly define whether digital engagement after office hours counts as \u201cwork\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>The Bill regulates after\u2011hours communication but does not clarify how this fits into the legal notion of working time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Conflict with existing labour laws<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Labour Codes regulate working hours, overtime and employer control, but treat\u00a0<strong>time<\/strong>\u00a0as the core metric.<\/li>\n<li>The Bill creates a parallel rule on communication without integrating it into working\u2011time calculations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Comparative perspectives<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>EU jurisprudence treats on\u2011call time, standby duty and availability where employer controls time as \u201cwork\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>France, Germany integrate digital communication and rest periods via collective bargaining and statutory rules.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Mandatory right vs contractual right<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Bill seems to create a\u00a0<strong>statutory right<\/strong>, but leaves many details to employer\u2011employee agreements.<\/li>\n<li>It does not clearly state whether the right can be limited, waived or modified by contract.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Constitutional dimensions<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The freedom to disconnect is linked to\u00a0<strong>individual autonomy and privacy<\/strong>\u00a0under Article 21.<\/li>\n<li>The Bill does not explain how this right will be balanced against employer\u2019s business freedom and control.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Conclusion: Why is the Bill incomplete?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It recognises the harm of digital over\u2011work but does not redefine or align \u201cworking time\u201d with digital labour.<\/li>\n<li>It leaves unresolved whether the right is fundamental, statutory or purely contractual, inviting conflicting interpretations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">6. National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal in Gujarat<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GS PAPER I-Art &amp;Culture<\/p>\n<p><strong>CONTEXT ;<\/strong>India and the Netherlands have signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation in maritime heritage, giving a big boost to the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The MoU links NMHC, Lothal with the National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam, for knowledge exchange, museum design, curation and conservation.<\/li>\n<li>This collaboration is being highlighted as a major step to showcase India\u2019s 4,500\u20135,000\u2011year\u2011old maritime legacy on the global stage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What is the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal?<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3690 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144420-300x216.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144420-300x216.png 300w, https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-144420.png 303w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A flagship cultural and heritage project of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).<\/li>\n<li>Aimed at showcasing India\u2019s long maritime history (4,500\u20135,000 years) through a world\u2011class museum and cultural complex.<\/li>\n<li>Being developed as India\u2019s first comprehensive national institution dedicated exclusively to maritime heritage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Location and nodal ministry<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Located at Lothal, near Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat.<\/li>\n<li>Nodal ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Key features of NMHC<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>World\u2011class maritime museum with galleries on ancient navigation, shipbuilding, trade routes, naval history and coastal cultures.<\/li>\n<li>International collaboration with the National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam, for design, curation and conservation.<\/li>\n<li>Maritime research and training centre for scholars and professionals.<\/li>\n<li>Venue for global maritime fairs, exhibitions and cultural events.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on inclusive public outreach with affordable access for students, local communities and underprivileged groups.<\/li>\n<li>Use of modern technology and immersive experiences to enhance visitor engagement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>About Lothal (Harappan site)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Located at Lothal, near Ahmedabad, Gujarat.<\/li>\n<li>Part of the Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization cultural landscape.<\/li>\n<li>Excavated in 1957 by the Archaeological Survey of India; dates back to around 2400 BCE.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Key features and significance of Lothal<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Home to the world\u2019s earliest known man\u2011made dockyard, indicating advanced maritime engineering.<\/li>\n<li>The dockyard connected Lothal to ancient maritime trade routes with Sindh, Saurashtra, Mesopotamia, Egypt and beyond.<\/li>\n<li>Evidence of advanced town planning, tidal regulation and port management.<\/li>\n<li>A major port town that facilitated trade in goods as well as exchange of cultures, ideas and technologies.<\/li>\n<li>Demonstrates India\u2019s continuous maritime tradition spanning over 4,500\u20135,000 years, forming the historical basis for NMHC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1. India -New Zealand\u00a0 conclude\u00a0 trade talks GS paper II-IR Context :India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-current-affairs"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_.png",1024,1024,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_-300x300.png",300,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_-768x768.png",640,640,true],"large":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_.png",640,640,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_.png",1024,1024,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_.png",1024,1024,false],"morenews-large":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_-825x575.png",825,575,true],"morenews-medium":["https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a_India_-New_Zealand_-590x410.png",590,410,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"Nithin DTPoperator","author_link":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/author\/nithindtp\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/category\/daily-current-affairs\/\" rel=\"category tag\">DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS<\/a>","tag_info":"DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3687"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3691,"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687\/revisions\/3691"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkreflectionsias.com\/studentportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}