Food Processing Industries
Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
Articles for this syllabus topic(4)
India-UK CETA Explained: July 15 Rollout, Steel Deal & Double Contribution Convention
The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will come into force on 15 July 2026, after both sides resolved a dispute over the UK's new steel safeguard measures that had delayed the rollout. Signed in July 2025, the deal grants duty-free access to 99% of India's exports and takes effect alongside the Double Contribution Convention (DCC) on social security. This article explains what CETA is, the gains for India's exporters and professionals, the steel compromise, the concessions to the UK, how the pact fits India's wider FTA strategy, and the concerns it raises.
Explained: Tripura Queen Pineapple Mission and the Push to Build a Global Agri Brand
Tripura is preparing to showcase its GI-tagged Tripura Queen Pineapple at a Global Pineapple Festival in Delhi, while the Centre and the State have launched Mission Queen Pineapple to strengthen cultivation, processing, branding and exports of the state fruit. The issue is important for UPSC because it links horticulture, Geographical Indications, tribal livelihoods, food processing, agri-exports and North East regional development.
Great Nicobar Coral Translocation: Galathea Bay Port and Ecology Explained
The Zoological Survey of India has identified four sites on the west coast of Great Nicobar Island for translocating coral colonies and giant clams likely to be affected by the proposed Galathea Bay transshipment port under the Great Nicobar mega project. The development has revived UPSC-relevant questions on coral reef conservation, environmental clearance, ICRZ rules, Schedule-I species, tribal safeguards and the balance between strategic infrastructure and fragile island ecology.
Helium Shortage Triggered by West Asia Conflict Now Disrupting Global Tech Supply Chains and Chip Production
On March 27, 2026, industry experts speaking at Semicon China in Shanghai warned that the ongoing conflict in West Asia has tightened global helium supply, and this shortage has already started affecting tech supply chains. Helium is critical for chipmaking, and companies are now facing delays in production, longer delivery times and higher costs. The news comes as Qatar, which supplies nearly one-third of the world’s helium, faces disruptions, leaving the semiconductor, electronics, automobile and medical device industries scrambling for alternatives.