Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Recently, Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), India’s only International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), climbed three ranks to 43rd in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI 38). In the FinTech Index, it rose five places to 35th, showing strong growth in innovation and regulation. The GFCI 38, released by the Z/Yen Group, assessed 135 financial centres using 140 global indicators from the World Bank, OECD, and the United Nations. GIFT City remains among the top 15 centres in the Asia-Pacific and is the only Indian city in the list. It is also featured among the “15 centres likely to become more significant” globally, reflecting India’s rising influence in international finance.

Notes:
The global economy is shifting from resilience (2022–2024) to economic unilateralism in 2025, driven by rising tariffs between long-standing trade partners. In the Hinrich-IMD Sustainable Trade Index (STI) 2025, the United Kingdom ranks No. 1, ending New Zealand’s three-year lead. Australia and Singapore retained No. 3 and No. 4, while South Korea and Hong Kong (SAR) climbed, and Japan slipped two places. The United States is No. 9, showing reduced reliance on natural resource exports and lower per capita carbon emissions. India ranks 23rd overall with a score of 33.2/100. India shows moderate economic strength, modest social progress, and ongoing environmental challenges in sustainability.

Notes:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025. In 2023, one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide were resistant to antibiotic treatments. Data from over 100 countries through the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) shows resistance rose in 40% of pathogen-antibiotic combinations between 2018–2023. The report covers eight bacterial pathogens including E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, affecting bloodstream, urinary, gastrointestinal infections, and gonorrhoea. Resistance is highest in South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean, with Gram-negative bacteria like E. coli and K. pneumoniae posing the greatest threat.

Notes:
The Mercer–Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Global Pension Index 2025 shows India’s pension system covers less than 25% of the workforce. Key schemes like the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), National Pension System (NPS), and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) have limited reach, especially among informal and gig workers. India ranks 45th out of 47 countries, retaining a ‘D’ grade with a score of 43.8, slightly lower than 44 in 2024. The drop reflects weaknesses in sustainability, inclusiveness, and resilience to ageing and climate challenges. India’s pension system now stands among the world’s weakest, alongside Türkiye, Argentina, and the Philippines.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has overtaken China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) to rank 3rd globally in the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) 2025 rankings. The United States Air Force (USAF) ranks 1st, followed by Russia (2nd), while India (3rd) surpasses China (4th). The Indian Naval Aviation ranks 27th globally. The ranking reflects India’s growing air dominance and strategic strength in the Indo-Pacific region.

Notes:
India moved up to 9th position in the world for total forest area and retained 3rd spot for annual forest gains, according to the United Nations’ Global Forest Resource Assessment (GFRA) 2025. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav credited government conservation policies and state-led plantation efforts for this achievement. GFRA, released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), analysed 35 years of data (1990-2025) from 236 countries. India has 72.74 million hectares of forests, about 2% of global forest cover. Russia leads with 832.63 million hectares, followed by Brazil, Canada, and the US. India added approximately 191,000 hectares per year between 2015-2025, behind China (1.69 million) and Russia (942,000).

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the 2025 Adaptation Gap Report titled “Running on Empty” ahead of COP30 in Brazil. The report warns that wealthy nations have failed to meet their climate finance promises, leaving developing countries vulnerable. It highlights that adaptation finance needs of developing nations will reach US$310–365 billion per year by 2035, while current flows are only US$26 billion (2023). Adaptation aims to help countries adjust to climate impacts like floods, heatwaves, and rising seas. The report calls adaptation a lifeline, not a cost, as global climate risks intensify. India supports making COP30 the “COP of Adaptation,” stressing finance and technology sharing.

Notes:
The International Migration Outlook 2025 report was recently released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 2023, about 2,25,000 Indian citizens acquired the nationality of OECD countries. India and China together accounted for one-third of all international students studying in OECD member countries. The report highlights India’s growing global mobility in terms of both citizenship acquisition and educational migration.

Notes:
The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2025 report was released on November 3, 2025, by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The report revealed that 1.7 billion people live in regions where agricultural output is shrinking due to human-induced land degradation. India is among the countries with the highest yield loss caused by land degradation. Agricultural expansion remains the main cause of global deforestation, responsible for 90% of forest loss. Between 2001 and 2023, cropland expanded by 78 million hectares (mha), while pastures shrank by 151 mha. The world has 570 million farms, and 85% are smaller than 2 hectares, cultivating only 9% of farmland.

Notes:
Madurai drew public attention after Swachh Survekshan 2025 rankings went viral, labelling it among India’s dirtiest cities. As per the Swachh Survekshan 2025 report, Madurai in Tamil Nadu (TN) was ranked the dirtiest city among Indian cities with a population above 10 lakh. The city scored well in cleanliness of markets, water bodies, and residential zones but fared poorly in waste processing (4%), toilet cleanliness (3%), door-to-door collection (37%), segregation (26%), and dumpsite remediation (25%). Madurai generates 850–900 tonnes of waste daily, with 60% wet waste. 30 micro compost centres and a biogas plant at Vellakkal yard are being developed.