On May 25, 2025, India and the world witnessed significant developments across various sectors. The Prime Minister, in the NITI Aayog meeting, urged states to boost growth by removing outdated laws and using trade opportunities. At the same time, the legacy of the Golaknath case reminds us of limits on Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution. On the global front, India plans to press for Pakistan’s return to the FATF grey list over terror funding. Meanwhile, protests in Arunachal Pradesh against the Siang dam raise concerns about displacement and environmental impact. 

Awareness regarding daily UPSC current affairs is crucial for cracking the UPSC Prelims, excelling in UPSC Mains. It helps perform well in the UPSC personality test, thus becoming an informed and effective UPSC civil servant.

Below are the current affairs and headlines of the day taken from The Hindu, Indian Express, Press Information Bureau & All India Radio as required for UPSC preparation:

Leverage FTAs, remove obsolete laws, PM tells states in NITI meeting

Source: The Indian Express

Syllabus: GS Paper III (Economy) 

In News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog.
• He called for enhanced cooperation between the Centre and States to fast-track development and achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047.

Key Highlights of the Meeting

• States were urged to review and repeal obsolete laws that hinder ease of doing business and governance efficiency.
• The PM encouraged states to leverage Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that India is entering into, in order to boost exports and attract foreign direct investment.
• A focus was placed on promoting manufacturing and service sectors as engines of growth.
• Citing Operation Sindoor, the PM emphasized that civil defence and disaster preparedness should be institutionalized across states.
• The meeting witnessed participation from key opposition Chief Ministers, indicating renewed Centre-State engagement.

Significance of the PM's Address

• Reinforces the importance of legal and regulatory reforms at the state level for economic transformation.
• Encourages active participation of states in India's international economic engagements through FTAs.
• Highlights the role of disaster management and preparedness in national governance.
• Showcases the utility of NITI Aayog as a platform for policy alignment between Union and State governments.

Parliament’s power to amend Constitution

Source: The Indian Express

Syllabus: GS Paper II (Polity) 

In News

• The story revisits the landmark case of I.C. Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967), where the Supreme Court ruled that Parliament cannot amend Fundamental Rights, setting a constitutional precedent.
• The backdrop of the case involves Golaknath Chatterjee, a 19th-century missionary whose descendants’ landholdings in Punjab were declared surplus under land reform laws.
• The family challenged the inclusion of land ceiling laws in the Ninth Schedule via the 17th Constitutional Amendment.

Key Constitutional Issues Raised

• Can Parliament amend or abridge Fundamental Rights under Article 368?
• Is there any limitation on the constituent power of Parliament?
• Do Constitutional Amendments fall under the scope of “law” under Article 13?

Significance of the Golaknath Judgment (1967)

• The Supreme Court (11-judge Bench) ruled that Fundamental Rights cannot be amended by Parliament.
• This ruling overturned earlier judgments in Sankari Prasad (1951) and Sajjan Singh (1964), which had allowed amendments affecting Fundamental Rights.
• The Court held that Article 13(2) bars Parliament from making any law — including constitutional amendments — that abridges or takes away Fundamental Rights.
• This decision marked a judicial assertion over parliamentary supremacy, introducing limits on the amending power under Article 368.
• It introduced the principle that Constitutional Amendments are subject to judicial review.

Broader Implications on Constitutional Law

• The Golaknath ruling laid the foundation for the Basic Structure Doctrine, later articulated in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973).
• It sparked a major debate over the balance of power between Parliament and Judiciary.
• It reaffirmed the Court’s role as the guardian of the Constitution and Fundamental Rights.
• It raised concerns about unfettered use of the Ninth Schedule to place laws beyond judicial review.

FATF’s June meet: India will hand dossier on Pak to get it back on grey list

Source: The Indian Express

Syllabus: GS Paper II (International Relations) 

In News:

• India will present evidence at the June 2025 plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), urging the global watchdog to relist Pakistan in the grey list due to its continued failure in effectively curbing terror financing.

Background

• Pakistan was removed from FATF's grey list in October 2022, but was placed in the "enhanced follow-up" category.
• This decision was based on partial compliance with Recommendation 38 — concerning mutual legal assistance for freezing and confiscation of proceeds of crime.

India’s Stand and Arguments

• India is set to highlight Pakistan’s non-compliance with the commitments made during its delisting from the grey list.
• Recommendation 38 requires countries to provide swift assistance to other jurisdictions in identifying and freezing proceeds of crime, including those stemming from terrorism.
• India will present instances where Pakistan failed to cooperate on Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests and did not act decisively to seize terror-related assets.
• The Indian dossier will also underscore how grey-listing Pakistan had earlier curbed illicit funding flows, particularly in sensitive regions like Jammu & Kashmir.

Pakistan’s Position and Related Concerns

• Pakistan is not a member of FATF but is part of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) — an FATF-Style Regional Body.
• India is a member of both FATF and APG, allowing it to raise objections at both forums.
• Despite guidelines issued by Pakistan, deficiencies remain in its legal framework for implementing FATF mandates.
• India is also likely to object to a World Bank funding review for Pakistan under the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for FY2026–35.

Upper Siang hydropower project

Source: The Indian Express

Syllabus: GS Paper I (Geography) 

In News

• Residents of Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh have resumed protests against the proposed Upper Siang Hydropower Project.
• The protests were triggered after central armed forces and drilling machinery were brought to the site for feasibility studies by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).

About the Project

• The Upper Siang Project is an 11,000 MW multipurpose hydroelectric project proposed by NHPC.
• It includes the construction of a 300-metre-high dam, which would be the tallest in the Indian subcontinent upon completion.
• It replaces earlier Stage-I (5,500 MW) and Stage-II (3,750 MW) projects.

Strategic and Environmental Dimensions

• The Indian government is pushing the Siang dam to counter China’s plan for a 60,000 MW mega-dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet.
• Environmentalists and indigenous groups warn of flood risks, biodiversity loss, and downstream impacts on the Brahmaputra basin.
• The project raises questions about sustainable development, tribal consent, and federal coordination.

Protest and Local Opposition

• Protests are being led by the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) at Beging village, the core site for drilling operations.
• Locals fear displacement, loss of farmland, ecological imbalance, and cultural disruption.
• The feasibility study had been stalled for a year due to local resistance, which intensified after deployment of 9 companies of CAPF and state police in late 2024.

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