Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The Ministry of Electronics and IT released a report titled “Estimation and Measurement of India’s Digital Economy.” India’s digital economy was 11.74% of national income in 2022-23, expected to rise to 13.42% by 2024-25. It may grow twice as fast as the overall economy, contributing nearly 20% of national income by 2029-30. The digital economy employed 14.67 million workers (2.55% of the workforce) in 2022-23. India is the second-largest market for 5G and mobile subscriptions globally. India led global contributions to AI projects (23%) on GitHub and had 1644 billion digital payments in FY 2023-24.

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The World Economic Forum (WEF) released the “Navigating Global Financial System Fragmentation” report, urging policymakers to promote an integrated financial system. Fragmentation of Global Financial Systems (GFS) refers to differences in asset prices or capital movement across borders, leading to increased tariffs, sanctions, and export controls. The World Economic Forum’s report highlights that geopolitical actions, such as sanctions and industrial policies, are driving this fragmentation. The impact could reduce trade, cross-border capital flows, and economic efficiencies, and increase global inflation by over 5% in extreme cases.

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The Global Investment Trends Monitor report was recently released by UNCTAD. Global Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) increased by 11% to $1.4 trillion in 2024. However, FDI dropped 8% when excluding flows through European conduit economies. FDI to developing countries fell by 2%, marking a second consecutive decline for the Global South. Investments in SDG-related sectors dropped by 11% globally in 2024. India saw a 13% rise in FDI and growth in greenfield project announcements.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Payment System Report for December 2024, analyzing payment transaction trends over the last five years. Digital payment transactions increased 94 times in volume and 3.5 times in value since 2013. UPI transactions saw a 74.03% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in volume and 68.14% CAGR in value over the last five years. Credit card numbers doubled, while debit cards remained stable. India joined Project Nexus for cross-border retail payments linking ASEAN nations with India. Payment systems in India facilitate monetary and financial transaction settlements.

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The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) released the report titled “Leveraging Space Technology for Agricultural Development and Food Security.” It highlights how space technologies can improve agriculture and food security amid global challenges. The report aligns with discussions in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). It promotes agriculture-space partnerships for sustainable development under the 2030 Agenda. The publication serves as a key resource for stakeholders aiming to use space technology for food security.

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NITI Aayog released a policy report titled ‘Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities’. It provides quantitative analysis of quality, funding, governance, and employability over the past decade. 80% of India’s higher education happens in SPUs, making reforms crucial for Viksit Bharat 2047. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to double higher education enrolment to 9 crore students by 2035. The report includes 80 policy recommendations and 125 performance indicators for reforms in research, curriculum, funding, and governance.

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India ranked 22nd in International Shipments and 38th in the overall Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2023. Indian Ports’ “Turn Around Time” is 0.9 days, better than countries like the USA, Australia, and Singapore. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 aligns with the blue economy and aims to transform India’s maritime sector. Key initiatives include expanding port capacity, enhancing operational efficiency, sustainability through green projects, and promoting coastal tourism. The vision also focuses on shipbuilding, workforce training, and enhancing India’s global maritime presence.

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The International Energy Agency (IEA) released the “India Gas Market Report: Outlook to 2030.” India aims to increase natural gas share in its energy mix from 6% to 15% by 2030. Gas consumption will grow by 60%, with the City Gas Distribution (CGD) sector driving demand. CGD supplies natural gas to households, industries, and other sectors through pipelines. India produced 35 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in 2023, with the Krishna-Godavari deepwater fields contributing 25%. India is the world’s fourth-largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) importer, with imports set to more than double by 2030. Compressed Biogas (CBG) potential remains largely untapped, with current capacity below 1%.

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The Ministry of Panchayati Raj released the report “Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States – An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking.” The Devolution Index analyzes decentralization progress across States and Union Territories. Top five states are Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh improved from 15th to 5th due to enhanced accountability, transparency initiatives, and anti-corruption measures.

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The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025 report, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), shows a 45% surge in terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan in 2024. Pakistan is now the second-most terrorism-affected country, moving up from fourth place. Terrorism deaths rose from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, marking one of the highest global increases. Terrorist attacks more than doubled, from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024, crossing 1,000 for the first time. A recent attack on Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed five soldiers and 13 civilians. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intensified operations, linked to the Afghan Taliban’s rise in Kabul.