Economy
Digital Economy
The Digital Economy is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day reality profoundly reshaping global and national landscapes. For an aspiring civil servant, understanding this dynamic domain is not merely academic;
85 articles in this topic
Articles on Digital Economy
RBI Proposes Linking BRICS Digital Currencies to Ease Cross-Border Trade
Context Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recommended that the linkage of BRICS Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) be placed on the agenda of the 2026 BRICS Summit to simplify cross-border trade, tourism, and payment settlements, which India will host later this year. Background: Linking CBDCs to BRICS Nations Rio de Janeiro BRICS Declaration (2025): It emphasized interoperability among member nations’ payment systems. India has long advocated for digital payment integration thr
A Decade of Startup India
Context PM Modi participated in a programme marking a decade of the Startup India initiative on National Startup Day. India’s Startup Ecosystem India has rapidly evolved into one of the world’s largest startup ecosystems, with more than 2 lakh startups as of 2025 . India has the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world.
India Tightens Regulatory Oversight of Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Context The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), has issued revised Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) guidelines for cryptocurrency exchanges. Regulatory Status of Cryptocurrencies in India Cryptocurrencies are not recognised as legal tender in India. Transactions involving crypto assets are taxed under the Income-tax Act.
Digitalizing India’s Dairy Sector
In News India is increasingly using digital tools to enhance productivity, transparency, and support for farmers in Dairy Sector Digitalizing India’s Dairy Sector India is the world’s largest producer of milk, accounting for 25% of global output. It is modernizing its dairy sector through digital tools that boost productivity, transparency, and farmer welfare. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) leads these efforts by connecting farmers, cooperatives, and stakeholders, improving operatio
10-Minute Delivery Model In India’s Quick-Commerce Sector
Context The rise of the 10-minute delivery model in India’s quick-commerce sector promises unparalleled convenience for consumers, questioning its necessity and sustainability. About Quick Commerce Sector The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recognizes quick-commerce as a ‘transformative innovation in last-mile logistics and urban consumer retail’. It has evolved rapidly, blending e-commerce, logistics tech, and gig economy structures to deliver essentials within 1
India’s Emerging Concert Economy
Context The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has established a Live Events Development Cell (LEDC) to facilitate the expansion of “concert economy”, boosting employment and tourism in the country. What is the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC)? The LEDC was constituted in July 2025 under the direction of the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting.
Expansion of India’s Lab Grown Diamond Market
Context India’s lab-grown diamond market is entering a high-growth phase as demand accelerates and funding surges amid the expansion. Lab-grown Diamonds Lab-grown diamonds (also called synthetic or cultured diamonds) are real diamonds that are manufactured in laboratories using advanced technology that replicates the natural conditions under which diamonds form inside the Earth. Composition: Pure carbon Crystal structure: Same as natural diamonds (cubic crystal lattice) Read More
MSMEs & Their Economic Footprint in India's Journey to Viksit Bharat
Published on: 02 January, 2026 As India envisions itself as a Viksit Bharat (developed nation) by 2047, the role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has emerged as both foundational and transformative, that act as engines of employment, critical drivers of innovation, exports, and inclusive growth.
Issues with Gig Workers in India
In Context Gig and platform worker unions have called for a strike, protesting the denial of basic labour rights and alleged exploitation by food delivery and taxi platforms. What is the Gig Economy? According to the World Economic Forum, The gig economy involves short-term, task-based work facilitated by digital platforms connecting workers with customers.
Global Capability Centres Sustain Tech Jobs Amid IT Hiring Slowdown
Context As India’s IT services industry has entered a hiring slowdown, the Global Capability Centres continue to expand employment, highlighting a structural shift from client-driven outsourcing to enterprise-led capability building. What Are Global Capability Centres (GCCs)? Global Capability Centres are offshore subsidiaries of multinational corporations that perform critical business and technology functions for their parent organisations.
India’s creator economy set to drive over $1 trillion in consumer spending by 2030: Report
Context As per Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report, India’s rapidly expanding creator economy is projected to influence over one trillion dollars in annual consumer spending by 2030. Key Highlights India currently has around 2 to 2.5 million monetised digital creators who influence more than 30% of consumer purchase decisions. At present, creator-led influence already shapes an estimated 350 to 400 billion dollars in annual consumer spending, a figure expected to grow sharply over the next five
AI–copyright Overhaul with ‘One Nation, One Licence, One Payment’ Model
Context The DPIIT-led committee has released a working paper titled ‘One Nation, One License, One Payment: Balancing AI Innovation and Copyright’. About The DPIIT-led committee has recommended a “hybrid model” of compensation for use of copyrighted content in AI training. If implemented, India would become the only country to prescribe a statutory licensing regime for AI developers, with royalty rates prescribed by a government-appointed committee.
India’s Bioeconomic Opportunity & Future Potential
Published on: 5th December, 2025 India’s bioeconomy needs capital-market innovation, regulatory modernisation and strategic blend of innovation toachieve $1.2 trillion by 2047.
Amul Ranked World’s Number 1 Cooperative, Iffco Second
Context Amuls parent company, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, is ranked as the top co-operative in the world in the ICA World Cooperative Monitor 2025 rankings. About The ranking is based on the ratio of turnover over gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Amul has a three-tier cooperative structure, encompassing more than 18,600 village dairy cooperatives and 36 lakh milk producers, the majority of whom are women.
India’s IT Dream Is at a Crossroads
The ongoing wave of layoffs in India’s IT sector, often described as ‘silent exits’, reflects deeper structural changes, as IT giants like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro are aligning their workforces with a new digital reality driven by AI and automation.
Draft Rules for Online Gaming
Context The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has released draft rules for online gaming. About They are intended to operationalise the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025. It bans real money gaming (RMG) platforms such as online poker, rummy and fantasy sports while permitting only social games and e-sports.
Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025
Context The 18th edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, was released by the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO). Major Finding Decline of RD: Growth fell to 2.9% in 2024, a slowdown from the 4.4% increase in the year prior and the lowest growth since the financial crisis of 2010. Growth is projected by WIPO to slow further in 2025 (2.3%).
India’s Electric Leap for Green Mobility
Context India has registered 56.75 lakh electric vehicles by February 2025, reflecting the rapid adoption of clean mobility. About Electric two-wheeler (e-2W) sales hit 11.49 lakh units, up 21% from the previous year’s 9.48 lakh. The Government of India has set a vision to achieve 30% EV penetration by 2030, aligning with the global EV30@30 initiative.
Free Market Capitalism & State Capitalism Models
Context Recently, the US decided to acquire about a 10% equity stake in Intel, using funds originally allocated under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Contemporary Global Relevance China vs. US rivalry embodies the clash between state-led and free-market approaches.
Sci-Hub Ban and the One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS) Scheme
In News The Delhi High Court has ordered authorities to block access to so-called online shadow libraries Sci-Hub, Sci-Net and their mirror domains, in a copyright infringement case. About Sci-Hub (founded in 2011 by Alexandra Elbakyan (Kazakhstan)), despite being illegal, has been a crucial resource for many researchers lacking affordable access to scientific papers due to expensive journal subscriptions. Against this backdrop, the government’s One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS) scheme is bein