Why in news:

The blood moon atop Bhubaneswar during the lunar eclipse on Sunday. The total eclipse phase began at 11.01 p.m. and sky watchers across India and other nations, turned their gaze towards the moon.

UPSC Relevance:

This kind of phenomena is important for Prelims.

UPSC PYQ:

Q1. On 21st June, the Sun (2019)

(a) does not set below the horizon at the Arctic Circle

(b) does not set below the horizon at Antarctic Circle

(c) shines vertically overhead at noon on the Equator

(d) shines vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn

About Blood Moon:

• A blood moon occurs when Earth comes directly between the Sun and the moon.
• The moon enters the Earth’s penumbral shadow, marking the beginning of the eclipse. And, as the moon moves further into the umbra, a dark shadow is cast across the lunar surface until totality, which brings a reddish-orange hue. The colour of the moon is largely dependent on the atmospheric conditions on Earth during the eclipse. 
• The total lunar eclipse will be visible to the naked eye whenever it happens above the horizon. 
• Rayleigh scattering (the elastic scattering of electromagnetic radiation, such as light, by particles that are much smaller than the radiation’s wavelength)causes the moon to appear red instead of dark.

Why in news:

Russia launched the largest aerial assault on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv since the war began. The attack involved 810 drones and decoys, 13 missiles, and other weaponry.

UPSC Relevance:

UPSC has asked questions on world location which are in news every year.

UPSC PYQ:

Consider the following pairs:

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 1 and 4 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) 3 and 4 only

Kyiv Location:

Ukraine:

Nuclear Power plants in Ukraine:

Ukraine Surrounding by:

• Belarus
• Russia
• Moldova
• Romania
• Hungry
• Slovakia
• Poland

Practice Question:

Match the Following

Which of the following pairs are correct?

a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None of the above

Why in news:

The article highlights the changing dynamics of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India — while inflows are rising in numbers, outflows, disinvestments, and the nature of investments raise concerns about long-term growth, sustainability, and economic stability.

UPSC Relevance:

CSE in prelims as well as in mains examination has focused on FDI. A case in point is a following PYQ.

Mains PYQ 2013

Q1: Though India allowed foreign direct investment (FDI) in what is called multi brand retail through joint venture route in September 2012, the FDI ,even after a year, has not picket up. Discuss the reasons.(2013)

Mains PYQ 2014

Q1: Foreign direct investment in the defence sector is now set to be liberalized. What influence this is expected to have on Indian defence and economy in the short and long run?

Key Highlights:

Divergence between Inflows and Outflows:

• FDI inflows touched $81 billion in FY 2024-25, a rise from the previous year.
• However, outflows and repatriations surged, leading to a decline in net FDI inflows.

Sectoral Trends:

• Manufacturing sector: Weak participation, falling from 25% to just 12% of total FDI.
• E-commerce & IT hardware: Still attracting large FDI.

The Paradox: Why inflows dipped despite growth?

• FPI (Foreign Portfolio Investment): Net equity inflows turned negative in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Inflows shifted to developed economies (US, EU) where bond yields rose and risks were lower.

• FDI (Foreign Direct Investment): Net inflows fell from $44.4 billion (2022-23) to $33 billion (2023-24). Lack of sustained manufacturing investment weakens India’s industrial base.

• Global factors: Tight monetary policy & higher interest rates in US/EU attract capital away from emerging markets.

• Domestic factors: Policy and regulatory unpredictability. High valuations in Indian stock markets, limiting new FPI entry. FDI not aligned with India’s manufacturing push (Make in India, PLI schemes).

For more details:

Note: https://anantamias.com/current-affairs/foreign-direct-investment/