Typing Test – English
NTPC English Typing
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President Donald Trump announced jointly that both nations would move towards a Bilateral Trade Agreement, essentially a free trade arrangement, by the autumn of this year. During the same period, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled Budget 2025, introducing multiple revisions to income tax slabs and rates that effectively eased the tax burden for a majority of taxpayers. This measure was similarly welcomed as a decisive step to stimulate demand. While the Budget sought to raise disposable incomes through lower income taxation, the GST Council in September tackled the issue through a different route. The Council eliminated the 12% and 28% GST slabs, shifting most goods previously placed under these categories to the immediately lower slabs. In effect, a majority of items under the 12% slab were moved to 5%, while most from the 28% slab were reassigned to 18%. Beyond this, in November the Centre also declared the rollout of the four Labour Codes, enhancing social security coverage for workers, including contractual and gig workers, and extending multiple benefits such as increased minimum wages. Which trade agreements were finalised or put into effect this year? Another encouraging aspect of 2025 has been the volume of trade agreements that India has finalised, operationalised, or significantly advanced. The India–U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was executed in July 2025, granting India duty-free access to a large portion of the U.K. market, along with improved provisions for the movement of Indian labour. The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (with several dignitaries in attendance, including Liechtenstein), signed in March 2024, formally entered into force on October 1, 2025. In addition to tariff concessions, EFTA nations committed to invest 100 billion dollars in India over a span of 15 years. Speaking in an interview, Iceland’s Ambassador to India, Benedikt Hoskuldsson, stated that the 100 billion dollars investment goal would likely be met well before the 15-year timeframe. In December, India and Oman concluded a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), while India and New Zealand announced the successful conclusion of negotiations on a free trade pact, under which India would enjoy duty-free access for all items exported to New Zealand. Moreover, New Zealand pledged investments worth 20 billion dollars in India over 15 years. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has lately reiterated that India’s trade negotiations with the European Union are approaching their final phase. However, uncertainty remains over whether these talks will conclude before the informal deadline of December 31. What failed to deliver in 2025? The most significant factor undermining India’s position in 2025 has been the United States. Following the early bonhomie surrounding the February announcement