India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

• India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) signed a Joint Statement formally launching negotiations for the India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA):

• The India–GCC FTA is a proposed comprehensive trade agreement between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain).
• It aims to establish a structured framework to enhance bilateral trade, investment flows, and economic integration through reduced trade barriers and improved market access.

Key Features:

• Formal Launch of Negotiations: Joint Statement signed in February 2026, marking the beginning of structured negotiations for a broad-based trade pact.
• Comprehensive Economic Coverage: Expected to include trade in goods, services, investment facilitation, and regulatory cooperation for smoother business operations.
• Major Trade Partnership: GCC is India’s largest trading partner bloc, with bilateral trade of USD 178.56 billion (FY 2024–25), accounting for over 15% of India’s global trade.
• Sectoral Complementarity: India exports engineering goods, textiles, rice, gems & jewellery, while importing crude oil, LNG, petrochemicals and precious metals from GCC nations.
• Investment and Diaspora Linkages: GCC nations are major investors in India (over USD 31 billion FDI) and host nearly 10 million Indians, strengthening economic and social ties.

Union Cabinet approves renaming Kerala as Keralam

• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to rename the State of Kerala as Keralam, following resolutions passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2023 and 2024.

About Union Cabinet approves renaming Kerala as Keralam:

• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to alter the official name of the State of Kerala to Keralam.
• The change seeks to replace the English-adopted constitutional term “Kerala” with the traditional Malayalam usage “Keralam.”
• After Cabinet approval, the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 will follow the constitutional process before becoming law.

Articles associated:

• Article 3 of the Constitution: Empowers Parliament to form new states or alter areas, boundaries, or names of existing states.

Proviso to Article 3:

• A Bill altering a state’s name can be introduced only on the recommendation of the President.
• The President must refer the Bill to the concerned State Legislature to seek its views.
• First Schedule of the Constitution: Contains the list and names of states and Union Territories; amendment required here for renaming.

Procedure for renaming a state:

• State Legislature Resolution: Kerala Assembly passed resolutions requesting the name change.
• Examination by Union Government: Ministry of Home Affairs scrutinizes the proposal and consults relevant ministries/agencies.
• Union Cabinet Approval: Cabinet clears the proposal for legislative action.
• President’s Reference: President refers the Bill to the State Legislature for its opinion (Article 3 proviso).
• Parliamentary Approval: Bill introduced in Parliament after Presidential recommendation and passed by both Houses.
• Notification & Amendment: First Schedule amended; new name comes into legal effect.

Reason for the change:

• The state is called “Keralam” in Malayalam, while the Constitution records it as “Kerala.”
• The demand reflects linguistic identity and the legacy of the Aikya Kerala movement, which sought unification of Malayalam-speaking regions.
• The Assembly argued that states formed on linguistic lines (1956) should reflect native linguistic nomenclature.

75th Anniversary of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

• The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has commenced its 75th Foundation Year celebrations, marking seven decades of social security service to workers in India.

Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC):

• ESIC is a statutory social security body under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India.
• It manages the ESI Scheme, which provides comprehensive medical care and financial protection to employees against sickness, maternity, disablement, and death due to employment injury.

Established In:

• Act: The Employees’ State Insurance Act was promulgated in 1948.
• Inauguration: The scheme was officially launched on February 24, 1952 (celebrated annually as ESIC Foundation Day).

History:

• Genesis: The first document on social insurance in India was the Report on Health Insurance (1944) by Prof. B.P. Adarkar, who was known as Chhota Beveridge.
• Launch: Inaugurated in Kanpur and Delhi by then PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was the first honorary insured person of the scheme.
• Leadership: Dr. C.L. Katial served as the first Director General of ESIC.

Key Functions:

• Medical Benefit: Provides full medical care (from primary to tertiary) to insured persons and their families.
• Sickness & Maternity Benefit: Cash compensation for loss of wages during periods of certified sickness or pregnancy.
• Disablement Benefit: Monthly pension for permanent disability arising out of employment injury.
• Dependents’ Benefit: Financial support to the dependents of an insured person who dies due to employment-related injury or occupational disease.
• Preventive Care: Newly introduced annual health check-ups for workers aged 40 years and above under the new Labour Codes.

Significance:

• It acts as a cornerstone of India’s social protection architecture, preventing poverty by protecting the family’s breadwinners.
• Through MoUs with NHA (convergence with Ayushman Bharat) and NABL (quality standards), it is modernizing healthcare delivery.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination

• The Government of India is set to launch a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme to prevent cervical cancer among adolescent girls.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination:

• The HPV vaccine is a recombinant vaccine that uses virus-like genetic material to trigger an immune response without containing a live virus.
• It is a powerful preventive tool designed to protect against high-risk variants of the Human Papillomavirus, which are responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases globally.

Need for Vaccination:

• High Disease Burden: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India.
• High Mortality: India reports nearly 80,000 new cases and over 42,000 deaths annually—roughly one death every eight minutes.
• Global Impact: India accounts for about one-fifth of the world’s total cervical cancer burden.
• Preventability: According to the WHO, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer if vaccination and screening are widely accessible.

Vector for HPV:

• The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer.
• It is a common sexually transmitted infection that persistent infection with high-risk types (particularly 16 and 18) causes abnormal cell changes in the cervix.
• If left untreated, these pre-cancerous lesions can develop into cancer over 10 to 15 years.

Key Features of the Initiative:

• Target Group: Specifically girls who turn 14 years old, as the vaccine is most effective before potential exposure to the virus and generates a stronger immune response at this age.
• Vaccine Used: The programme will use Gardasil-4 (manufactured by Merck & Co.), which protects against four HPV types (16, 18, 6, and 11).
• Dosage Schedule: The government has opted for a single-dose schedule, which WHO research (2022) indicates provides protection comparable to multi-dose regimens for this age group.
• Cost & Access: The vaccine will be voluntary and free of cost at government healthcare facilities like Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and district hospitals.
• Digital Platform: Parents can register and book appointments through U-WIN, the government’s digital immunisation platform.

Significance:

• Vaccination can reduce the risk of developing pre-cancer and cervical cancer by approximately 90% to 95%.
• By providing the vaccine for free, the government removes the significant cost barrier associated with private market vaccines.

Congo Lakes (Mai Ndombe and Tumba)

• A recent scientific study has found that lakes (Mai Ndombe and Tumba) in the Congo Basin are releasing ancient carbon stored for thousands of years in surrounding peatlands, raising fresh climate concerns.

Congo Lakes (Mai Ndombe and Tumba):

• Lakes Mai Ndombe and Tumba are large, shallow blackwater lakes characterized by their dark, tea-like color. This unique appearance is caused by high concentrations of dissolved organic matter and humic acids leached from the surrounding dense swamp forests and peatlands.

Location

• Country: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• Region: Situated within the Cuvette Centrale (Central Basin), a vast depression in the heart of the Congo Basin.
• Wetland Status: They form part of the Tumba-Ngiri-Maindombe area, the world’s largest Wetland of International Importance recognized by the Ramsar Convention.

Formation:

• These lakes are primarily floodplain and wetland-origin lakes, formed through riverine processes associated with the Congo River system.
• Continuous waterlogging led to the accumulation of organic plant material over thousands of years, forming deep peat deposits around the lakes.
• Peat formation occurs when dead vegetation accumulates faster than decomposition under oxygen-poor conditions.

Key Features:

• Shallow Depth: Both lakes are extremely shallow, with average depths of only 3 to 5 meters.
• Blackwater Ecosystem: The high acidity (pH 4.0–5.5) and low oxygen levels in the surrounding flooded forests create a unique habitat for endemic fish species.
• Size Fluctuation: The lakes are highly dynamic, with Lake Mai Ndombe doubling or tripling in size during the rainy season.
• Carbon Reservoir: The surrounding peatlands cover only 0.3% of Earth’s land surface but hold one-third of all tropical peatland carbon (approx. 30 billion metric tons).

Reason for carbon emission:

• Research shows up to 40% of CO₂ emissions from these lakes originate from ancient peat carbon (over 3,000 years old).
• Carbon likely moves from peatlands into lake water and escapes into the atmosphere.

Key contributing factors include:

• Drying of peatlands, which reactivates decomposition processes.
• Climate change, increasing drought and temperature stress.
• Land-use change, such as deforestation and conversion to cropland.

Evolving Architecture of Contemporary Trade Agreements

• Recent trade agreements signed by the United States under the “Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ART)” framework signal a structural shift in global trade governance.
• Reciprocal Tariffs Policy: A trade policy matching import duties with export tariffs to counter trade imbalances, reduce deficits, pressure foreign governments to lower tariffs, and secure market access.

Multilateral Trade Foundation

• Non-Discrimination Principle: Multilateral trading system, anchored in GATT and the WTO, institutionalised the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) rule, ensuring equal tariff treatment across member states.
• Institutional Architecture: The WTO (1995) expanded trade governance beyond goods into services (GATS) & intellectual property (TRIPS) while introducing a rules-based dispute settlement mechanism.
• Developing Country Agency: WTO’s one-country-one-vote structure provides smaller economies with bargaining space despite asymmetries in economic power.

Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs)

• MFN Exception Logic: Article XXIV of GATT permits FTAs and Customs Unions as controlled deviations from non-discrimination norms.
• Coverage Discipline: FTAs must cover “substantially all trade,” ensuring such arrangements function as trade-expansion mechanisms rather than protectionist tools.
• WTO-Plus Expansion: Modern FTAs increasingly incorporate labour, environmental, and investment provisions beyond WTO disciplines.
• Transparency: Mandatory WTO notification allows affected countries to scrutinise PTA provisions.

Erosion of Multilateral Norms in Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ARTs)

• Legal Ambiguity: ARTs operate outside Article XXIV of GATT disciplines, weakening their institutional linkage with WTO oversight and established multilateral compliance frameworks.
• Asymmetric Reciprocity: ART structures frequently combine tariff pressure by dominant economies with expectations of accelerated market access concessions from partner countries.
• Strategic Conditionalities: Several ART provisions embed policy-linked obligations connecting trade concessions with national security or economic safeguard measures.
• Data Governance Concerns: Digital trade clauses restricting customs duties on electronic transmissions may constrain regulatory autonomy.

Implications of Agreements on Reciprocal Trade

• Rule Fragmentation: The rise of ARTs contributes to the diversification of global trade-agreement typologies, complicating coherence within the rules-based multilateral trading system.
• Multilateral Erosion Risk: Parallel bilateral frameworks weaken WTO centrality, increasing the likelihood of power-driven trade arrangements replacing consensus-based governance structures.
• Power Asymmetry Expansion: Smaller economies face heightened vulnerability as trade negotiations increasingly reflect geopolitical leverage rather than efficiency-driven economic integration logic.
• Regulatory Spillover Effects: One-sided or WTO-plus obligations embedded within ARTs may reshape domestic policy flexibility across tariffs, digital trade, and industrial regulation.
• Predictability Challenges: Increased heterogeneity of trade frameworks reduces global trade stability, complicating long-term investment decisions and supply-chain risk assessments.

India’s Rising Dependence on Imported Crude Oil

• India’s crude oil import dependency crossed 88.5% during FY26 (April–January), reflecting widening divergence between domestic demand growth and stagnant domestic production.

Crude Oil

• Crude oil is a naturally occurring, unrefined fossil fuel composed mainly of hydrocarbons.
• It is formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years.

Drivers of Rising Import Dependence

• Demand Expansion: India remains a major growth centre of global oil demand due to rising transport, industry, aviation and petrochemical use.
• Stagnant Domestic Production: Domestic crude oil production continues to remain subdued, with output declining marginally to about 23.5 million tonnes in FY26 (April–January).
• Refinery Capacity Dynamics: India has about 258 MMTPA refining capacity, with utilisation often above 100%, reflecting strong downstream demand and complex refining capability.

Overview of the Crude Oil Sector in India

• Import Dependence: India imports ~85-89% of its crude oil requirements.
• Global Ranking: India is the 3rd largest oil consumer (and major importer).
• Refining Strength: India is a net exporter of petroleum products (e.g., diesel, petrol).
• Top Suppliers: Russia (the largest supplier in recent years), Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA.
• Key Hubs: Jamnagar (Gujarat) houses the world’s largest refining complex.

Structural & Economic Implications

• External Sector Vulnerability: Elevated crude import dependency exceeding 88% significantly amplifies India’s exposure to global oil price volatility and exchange-rate fluctuations.
• Trade Deficit Intensification: Crude oil consistently constitutes nearly 25–30% of India’s total merchandise import bill, exerting persistent pressure on the current account deficit (CAD).
• Inflationary Transmission Risks: Fuel and energy components carry a weight of roughly 6.8% in CPI & over 13% in WPI, allowing crude price shocks to propagate across the broader price system.

Way Forward

• Domestic Exploration Push: Accelerating upstream investments to enhance domestic production resilience. E.g., Expansion of Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) rounds.
• Energy Diversification Strategy: Scaling alternative fuels & renewable integration to reduce long-term hydrocarbon dependency. E.g., National Green Hydrogen Mission & EV ecosystem incentives.
• Demand-Side Efficiency: Strengthening fuel efficiency norms and modal shifts in transport lowers structural petroleum intensity. E.g., Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFÉ) standards & rail electrification.

Military Exercises in News

• India has commenced two major joint military exercises — Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN (India–Japan) and Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR (India–US) — aimed at strengthening defence cooperation and interoperability.

Military Exercises:

• Military exercises are joint training operations conducted between armed forces of two or more countries to enhance interoperability, operational readiness, and strategic cooperation.
• They help participating nations share best practices, improve tactical coordination, and strengthen defence partnerships through realistic combat simulations.

About Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN:

• A bilateral annual military exercise between the Indian Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).
• The exercise focuses on joint operations in semi-urban environments and improving coordinated military responses.
• Host: Foreign Training Node, Chaubattia, Uttarakhand (India)
• Nations involved: India and Japan

Key features:

• Focus on joint tactical drills including cordon-and-search operations and house intervention.
• Emphasis on modern technology and interoperability, including ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance) grid development.
• Training includes heliborne operations and temporary operating base establishment for realistic combat simulation.

About Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR:

• A joint Special Forces exercise between India and the United States aimed at enhancing cooperation in special operations.
• Designed to improve joint operational capability in mountainous terrain.
• Host: Special Forces Training School, Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh (India)
• Nations involved: India and United States (US Green Berets)

Key features:

• Focus on special operations tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
• Intensive joint mission planning and physical conditioning.
• Enhances interoperability, mutual trust, and professional exchange between Special Forces.

Blockchain-based Digital Governance

• MeitY and C-DAC launched ‘Blockchain India Challenge’ to encourage Indian startups to pitch & pilot cutting-edge Blockchain-based digital governance solutions.
• Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed ledger technology that ensures tamper-proof, transparent, and auditable record-keeping.
• It operates on principles of immutability, consensus, and cryptographic security, making data manipulation virtually impossible.

Role of Blockchain in Governance

• Certificates and Document: To address fraudulent documents and delays, NIC developed ‘Certificate Chain’ for secure storage and retrieval of records.
• Logistics: E.g. Karnataka’s Aushada system tracks medicine movement from manufacturer to hospitals, including quality checks.
• Patients can verify manufacturer, expiry, and quality, reducing spurious drugs and increasing transparency.
• Judiciary: E.g. Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) integrates criminal justice ecosystem on a unified digital platform for case records, evidence, and documents.
• Property: E.g. ‘Blockchain-powered Property Management System’ records all property transactions verifying ownership, rights, and liabilities, reducing litigation and speeding dispute resolution.
• Other: Additional Proof of Concepts are being developed for Remote Voting, GST monitoring, Blood Banks, and the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Other Key Blockchain Initiatives by Government

• National Blockchain Framework (NBF): Developed by MeitY, it provides a unified architecture for deploying blockchain solutions for public service delivery, with components like Vishvasya stack, NBFLite, and Praamaanik.
• Centre of Excellence in Blockchain Technology (CoE): Established to offer blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) infrastructure for government departments.
• Land Records Management: States like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra have piloted blockchain for land title registration.

The UN Launches Road Safety Financing Project in Four States of India

• Project:  Sustainable Financing for Road Safety in India: A Collaborative Approach
• Funding: UN Road Safety Fund.
• Technical support: WHO, UNICEF, and the UNESCAP.
• States: Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.
• Focus Area: Building national and sub-national capacities for the effective implementation of road safety action plans.
• On reducing road fatalities and serious injuries that lead to disabilities.
• Road Safety Scenario in India (As per the latest Road Accidents in India data (MoRTH))
• ~1.68 lakh fatalities were reported in 2022-23.
• Majority of victims: 18-45 years age group.
• Largest share: Two-wheelers
• Leading cause: Over-speeding.
• India loses around 3% of GDP annually due to road crashes.

Road Safety Initiatives by the Government

• Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019: enhancing governance, accountability, and penalties for traffic violations.
• National Road Safety Strategy 2018-2030: Sets a framework targeting a 50% reduction in road fatalities by 2030.
• Integrated Road Accident Database (IRAD): A unified crash data management system, launched by MoRTH and MHA.
• State Support Programme for Strengthening Road Safety: A centrally sponsored 6-year programme implemented in 14 high-fatalities states backed by ₹7,270 crore from the World Bank, ADB, and the Government of India.

About the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF)

• Established in 2018 to mobilise financing for road safety in low- and middle-income countries.
• Supports evidence-based policy, legislation, and capacity-building projects.
• Works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners.
• Other Global effort: Declaration of Marrakesh
• Adopted at the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety (2025).
• Calls for political commitment, sustainable financing, and safe-system approach.

Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO-India)

• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has won the deal from India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to build a LIGO at Aundha in Hingoli district, Maharashtra.

About LIGO

• Objective: It is interferometer based observatory, designed to detect Gravitational Waves.
• Gravitational waves are ''ripples'' in space-time caused by some of the most violent and energetic processes (like neutron stars or black holes colliding or orbiting each other) in the Universe.
• These cosmic ripples would then travel at the speed of light, carrying with them information about their origins, as well as clues to the nature of gravity itself.
• Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916 in his general theory of relativity.
• Principle: LIGO exploits the physical properties of light and of space itself to detect and understand the origins of gravitational waves.
• LIGO detects gravitational waves by using laser interferometry to measure miniscule changes in space caused by passing waves.
• It uses twin 4-km-long L-shaped vacuum tunnels to split a laser beam, reflect it off mirrors, and recombine them, creating an interference pattern that reveals stretching or compressing of space.

LIGO India

• Approved by the Government of India in 2016, it is part of the worldwide network of Gravitational Wave Observatory to further enhance the knowledge about gravitational waves, first detected at LIGO-USA in 2015.
• Development: By the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF), USA, under a Memorandum of Understanding.
• Institutes from India: Institute of Plasma Research (IPR) Gandhinagar, Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune and Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore.
• Other Global Gravitational Wave Observatory: LIGO (USA), VIRGO (Italy), KAGRA (Japan) etc.
• Significance for India: development of Astrophysical Research Leadership; Technological Advancement; Industrial Collaboration; International Prestige & Diplomacy, etc.

Five OTT Platforms were Blocked for Streaming Obscene Content

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) blocked five OTT platforms for streaming content deemed obscene and vulgar.
• Legal Basis: The blocking was exercised under IT Rules, 2021 and Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000.
• Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 empowers Central Government to block digital content in the interest of sovereignty, defence, security, or friendly relations with foreign states, or to preserve public order or prevent incitement to a cognizable offence. It does not explicitly mention ‘obscene’ or ‘vulgar’ content.

Obscenity Laws in India

• Obscene Material: Sections 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 penalise the sale, distribution, or public exhibition of obscene books, objects, or digital content.
• Obscene Acts: Section 296 penalises doing obscene acts or singing obscene songs in public places to the annoyance of others.
• Electronic Obscenity: Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000 punishes publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form.
• Explicit Content: Sections 67A and 67B of the IT Act, 2000 prescribe stricter penalties for sexually explicit content and child sexual abuse material (CSAM), respectively.
• IT Rules, 2021: These rules mandate OTT platforms follow a Code of Ethics for their curated content. Intermediaries must perform due diligence or risk losing safe harbour protection.
• Women’s Depiction: The Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986, prohibits depictions of women in a derogatory manner that injures public morality.

Judicial Tests for Obscenity

• Community Standards Test: Established in Aveek Sarkar (2014), the test evaluates content from the perspective of an average, reasonable person applying contemporary societal norms.
• Holistic Assessment: Under this test, a work is judged as a whole, including its artistic or social value, rather than isolated excerpts.
• Vulgarity vs. Obscenity: Courts have held that vulgarity alone does not constitute obscenity – content must arouse lustful thoughts or be sexually explicit in a prurient manner.
• Proposed Amendment: MIB has proposed amendments to IT Rules, 2021 to explicitly define “obscene digital content” on the lines of the Cable TV Programme Code.

Imports under Trade Deals are Threatening Domestic Apple Producers

• Recent US and EU tariff concessions on apple imports jeopardise the livelihoods of seven lakh J&K farming families.
• US Duty Cut: Under the recent India-US deal, import duties on US apples fell from 50% to 25%. An ₹80/kg minimum price floor has been set to cushion domestic growers.
• EU Quota Regime: The India-EU Free Trade Agreement caps EU apple import duties at 20% for 50,000 tonnes annually. This quota doubles to 1,00,000 tonnes over a decade.

Vulnerabilities of Domestic Apple Cultivators

• Productivity Gap: Indian orchards yield 7-8 tonnes per hectare, far below 40-70 tonnes in technologically advanced Western farms.
• Fragmented Holdings: Most J&K orchards, averaging 0.40 hectares, are too small for mechanised harvesting or AI-based precision horticulture.
• Import Undercutting: Off-season imports depress domestic apple prices, compounded by inadequate cold-chain infrastructure that forces farmers into distress sales.
• Quality Deficit: Though India introduced globally preferred varieties like Gala, local produce has yet to match import-grade standards in yield, colour, and taste.

Apple Cultivation in India

• Global Rank: India is the world’s fifth-largest apple producer, with annual output around 2.5 million metric tonnes.
• Regional Concentration: Jammu & Kashmir contributes 70% of India’s total apple production, followed by Himachal Pradesh (20%) and Uttarakhand.
• Climatic Requisites: A temperate climate with winters below 7°C and summers of 21–24°C is optimal for apple cultivation.
• Soil Preferences: Well-drained, deep loamy soils with a slightly acidic pH of 5.5-6.5 are ideal; waterlogged or heavy clay soils are unsuitable.
• Altitude: Commercial cultivation thrives in Himalayan regions at 1,500-2,700 metres above sea level.
• Yield Deficit: Indian apple yields average 6-8 tonnes per hectare, far below the global standard of 40-60 tonnes per hectare.

Him-CONNECT in the World Sustainable Development Summit

• The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is organising ‘Him-CONNECT’ during the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2026 in New Delhi.

Him-CONNECT

• It is a platform connecting scientific research and entrepreneurship to scale innovations in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
• The initiative focuses on commercialising ecological innovations developed under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS).
• Key Sectors: Include waste-to-wealth, climate-resilient infrastructure, water management, bio-resource utilisation, and green energy.
• Significance: It repositions the Himalayas from vulnerability to green growth, advancing India’s solution-driven climate diplomacy and strengthening South-South cooperation.
• NMHS is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2015-16 by the MoEFCC to support innovative research and technological interventions for the sustainable development of the IHR.

World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2026

• The WSDS is an annual event organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to discuss sustainability and the environment.
• It is the only independently convened international sustainable development summit of Global South.
• The 2026 edition marks the Silver Jubilee (25th edition) of this international summit.
• Theme: “Parivartan | Transformations: Vision, Voices, and Values for Sustainable Development.”
• Focus Areas: It prioritises climate finance, just energy transitions, and alignment with India’s Net-Zero goals and the ‘Viksit Bharat‘ vision.
• Significance: The event mobilises world leaders to translate dialogue into on-the-ground policy implementation and equitable resource allocation.

Lok Sabha Speaker Constitutes Parliamentary Friendship Groups

• The Lok Sabha Speaker constituted 64 Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs) to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation.
• The newly formed groups include more than 700 Members of Parliament (MPs) from over 60 countries.
• Objective: To promote parliamentary diplomacy for continuous political, social, and cultural engagement between the Indian Parliament and foreign legislatures.
• Framework: The PFGs operate under the Indian Parliamentary Group (IPG); the Lok Sabha Speaker appoints the President of each Group.
• Composition: Each group comprises 11 sitting MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, representing various political parties.
• Significance: The mechanism enhances India’s soft power by facilitating candid legislative dialogue beyond traditional diplomatic channels.

About Indian Parliamentary Group (IPG)

• The IPG is an autonomous, non-statutory body, established in 1949 to foster inter-parliamentary relations worldwide.
• It serves as the official National Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the primary Indian branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
• IPG membership is voluntary and open to all sitting MPs from both Houses; former MPs can join as Associate Members.
• Lok Sabha Speaker is its ex officio President, while the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha serve as ex officio Vice-Presidents.

RoDTEP Scheme

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has reduced duty benefits under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme by 50% with immediate effect.

About Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme

• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) launched the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme in 2021.
• Policy Shift: It replaced the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), whose flat export subsidies were deemed trade-distorting under WTO norms.
• Core Principle: The scheme is built on the international trade principle that ‘taxes and duties should not be exported’. This ensures that Indian goods reach foreign markets at their true production costs.
• WTO Compliance: Unlike the subsidy-based MEIS, RoDTEP operates on a remission model. It refunds embedded taxes based on the notified average rates.
• Dual Administration: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under MoCI notifies eligible items and rates. The Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance disburses the rebates.
• E-Scrip: The government issues benefits as transferable e-scrips through the ICEGATE portal. Exporters can use these to pay Basic Customs Duty or sell them in the open market.

Contarinia icardiflores

• Scientists at ICAR-Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune, have identified a new midge species, Contarinia icardiflores.
• L.icardiflores is a blossom midge species that infests commercial jasmine crops.
• Key Traits: It measures 1.5-2 mm in length and completes a full life cycle within 16-21 days.
• Distribution: The midge has been reported from major jasmine-growing states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
• Larval Feeding: Hatched larvae burrow into the flower bud and feed on internal tissues. They remain beyond the reach of surface-applied pesticide sprays.

Ferruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca)

• A female Ferruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca) was sighted at Amoor Lake near Chennai, marking only the second recorded occurrence of the species in the region.
• Ferruginous Pochard, also known as the white-eyed pochard, is a migratory diving duck native to the Palearctic region.
• Appearance: Adults have rich chestnut plumage with a distinctive white triangular undertail patch.
• Dimorphism: Drakes have a piercing white iris, while females have a brown iris.
• Habitat: Unlike most diving ducks that favour open water, the Ferruginous Pochard prefers shallow freshwater bodies with dense submerged and floating vegetation.
• Breeding Range: Its range spans from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa through Europe and Central Asia to Western Mongolia.
• Winter Visitor: The species is a widespread winter visitor across India, especially in West Bengal and Rajasthan, but is rare in the extreme south.
• Behaviour: Unlike most other pochards, it is less gregarious and typically moves in small groups or pairs.
• Diet: The duck is omnivorous, feeding on aquatic plants, seeds, and tubers, supplemented by molluscs, aquatic insects, and small fish.
• Ecological Role: It contributes to nutrient cycling and regulates aquatic invertebrate populations.
• Key Threats: Habitat loss, water pollution, illegal hunting, and invasive grass carp.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Near Threatened; WPA: Schedule II.