Illegal Sand Mining in National Chambal Sanctuary

• The Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognisance of rampant illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary.
• Species Impact: The court noted that illegal mining is forcing the critically endangered Gharial and the endangered Gangetic River Dolphin to relocate from their habitats.

Impacts of Illegal Sand Mining

• Nesting Loss: Sand extraction removes the beaches that gharials and turtles require for egg-laying.
• Water Table: Sand acts as a natural sponge, recharging aquifers. Its removal lowers the water table and dries nearby community wells.
• Channel Change: Excessive extraction leads to channel incision (deepening) and bank erosion, destabilising public infrastructure like bridges.
• Turbidity: Mining increases turbidity, blocks sunlight, & reduces dissolved oxygen levels in the river.

About National Chambal Sanctuary

• Location: National Chambal Sanctuary is a 5,400 sq km riverine protected area located at the tri-junction of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Establishment: It was established in 1978-79 under Project Crocodile.
• Distinction: The sanctuary is India’s first and only tri-state riverine protected area, covering a 400-600 km stretch of the Chambal River.
• Ecosystem: It features a pristine lotic ecosystem with deep channels, vast sandy beaches, and rugged Chambal ravines.
• Gharial: The sanctuary hosts nearly 80% of the world’s remaining wild gharials.
• Other Fauna: Marsh crocodile (mugger), red-crowned roof turtle, smooth-coated otter, Gangetic river dolphin, etc.
• Avifauna: Recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA), the sanctuary shelters the Indian skimmer, black-bellied tern, Pallas’s fish eagle, black-necked stork, etc.
• Threats: Illegal sand mining, irrigation pressure, proposed river-linking projects, commercial fishing, etc.

Preparing India for a True Innovation-Led Economy

• India’s rising innovation rankings contrast with weak fundamentals, exposing structural gaps and the need for stronger private-sector participation.

Current status of India’s Innovation Landscape

• Rising Metrics: India ranked 38th among 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025.
• Patent Filing: Domestic applicants accounted for 62% of patent filings in 2024–25, but India’s filings lag behind China and the US.
• Low R&D: Gross Expenditure on Research and Development remained at 0.65% of GDP.
• Gender Gap: India ranks 101st among 119 economies for employment of women with advanced degrees.

Structural Challenges and Gaps

• Funding Imbalance: In advanced economies, industry funds over 70% of R&D, but in India, the government funds most research due to private-sector risk aversion.
• Commercialisation Gap: Weak linkages between laboratories and industry hinder technology transfer, venture creation, and market deployment.
• Capital Shortage: Deep-tech entrepreneurship needs long-term funding, which is limited in India’s venture capital landscape.
• Startup Orientation: Much of India’s startup ecosystem focuses on labour-intensive service delivery rather than creating IP-driven deep-technology advantages.
• Human Capital: Weak talent retention and diversity inclusion threaten the long-term sustainability of India’s innovation pipeline.

Recent Major Government Initiatives

• Capital Support: The government set up a ₹1,00,000 crore RDI Fund to offer long-term, low-interest financing for high-risk technologies.
• Deep-Tech Push: Union Budget 2026-27 confirmed a ₹20,000 crore fund for deep-tech startups and eliminated the three-year requirement for R&D schemes.
• Patent Reform: SHANTI Act, 2025, allows private patents for peaceful nuclear technologies, ending the previous state monopoly.
• Education Linkage: Funding for Atal Tinkering Labs increased from ₹500 crore to ₹3,200 crore to promote school innovation and industry-relevant skills.

Heightened Vulnerability of India’s LPG Supply

• Despite disruptions across India’s crude oil, LNG, and LPG imports due to the Iran-West Asia war, LPG supplies face the most severe stress.

Factors for Increased Vulnerability of India’s LPG Sector

• Concentration Risk: Nearly 90% of India’s LPG imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint.
• Reserve Deficit: India maintains only a two-day LPG buffer stock of 1.4 lakh tonnes, compared to a 74-day combined national reserve for crude oil.
• Asymmetric Reliance: Despite diversifying crude sources to Russia and Africa, 92% of LPG imports come from only four Persian Gulf nations – the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
• Supply-Demand Gap: Domestic LPG production remains stagnant at 40% of demand, while household connections have more than doubled from 150 million in 2015 to over 330 million.
• Fixed Infrastructure: Specialised pressurised infrastructure, such as “gas bullet” tankers, makes LPG sourcing more difficult to diversify than with standard oil tankers.

LPG Landscape in India

• Consumption Scale: India is the world’s second-largest LPG consumer (after China), with 332 million active domestic connections.
• Structural Deficit: Domestic production meets only 40% of national demand, requiring annual imports of nearly 20 million tonnes of LPG.
• Household Dominance: Households account for over 85% of total LPG consumption, followed by commercial and industrial sectors; transport contributes less than 1%.
• Welfare Expansion: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has provided deposit-free LPG connections to over 100 million BPL households, reaching near-universal access.
• Urban Transition: The City Gas Distribution (CGD) network aims to shift urban users to Piped Natural Gas (PNG), freeing up LPG supply for remote rural areas.
• Cluster Bias: LPG consumption remains concentrated in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar, which together account for nearly half of India’s total demand.

New Chemical Reaction Opens Pathways for Drug Development

• An international team of scientists discovered the ‘Trisulfide Metathesis Reaction’, a new chemical process that can advance drug development.
• Mechanism: In this process, organic trisulfides (molecules containing three sulfur atoms) spontaneously break sulfur-sulfur bonds and exchange molecular parts.
• Conditions: The sulphur–sulphur (S–S) bonds break and recombine when molecules are immersed in specific solvents at room temperature.
• Key Advantage: Conventional sulphur-bond modification requires heat, light, or catalysts, but this reaction occurs naturally and rapidly.
• S–S bonds are fundamental building blocks found in proteins, peptides, medicinal drugs, and polymers like rubber. They determine how a protein folds and maintains its 3D structure.

Key Applications

• Drug Development: Allows scientists to modify and improve complex drug molecules, like anti-cancer and anti-tumour compounds.
• Protein Science: Facilitates the selective modification of biomolecules and advances in protein engineering for biotechnology.
• Medicinal Chemistry: Its rapid speed enables the creation of chemical libraries (large collections of molecules) to screen new medicines faster.
• Sustainable Materials: Allows synthetic materials to be broken down into their original chemical components for recycling.

Bhutan’s “Pay-to-Protect” Approach for Sustainable Tourism in the Himalayas

• Bhutan’s “pay-to-protect” model offers a policy template to address ecological stress from mass tourism in the Himalayan Region.

Key Impacts of Tourism on Himalayan Ecology

• Capacity Breach: Mass tourism surpasses ecological carrying capacity, causing terrain destabilisation and land subsidence, as seen in Joshimath.
• Water Stress: Tourism shifts water use from essential agriculture to luxury consumption, intensifying scarcity in hill towns such as Shimla and Leh.
• Waste Burden: Weak recycling systems turn rising tourist waste into dump sites (Rohtang Pass landfill) and pollute Ganga and Indus headwaters.
• Infrastructure Pressure: Rapid, unplanned roads and rail expansion fragments habitats, disrupts migration corridors, and increases landslide risks.
• Glacial Impact: Black carbon from tourist vehicles settles on glaciers like Gangotri, lowering albedo and speeding up Himalayan glacial melt.

About Bhutan’s “Pay-to-Protect” Tourism Model

• This model treats access to the Himalayas as a priced privilege to prevent Tragedy of the Commons and prioritise ecological protection.
• Sustainable Development Fee: Bhutan imposes an SDF ($100 per person per night) on most international visitors to encourage ecological responsibility.
• High Value, Low Volume: The fee limits the number of tourists while increasing revenue per visitor.
• Revenue Use: SDF revenue is mandated for reinvestment into conservation programmes and providing free healthcare to citizens.
• Carbon Control: Tourist caps via high prices limit vehicle emissions, helping Bhutan remain one of the world’s few carbon-negative countries.

Key Solutions for India

• Capacity Assessment: Conduct seasonal carrying-capacity audits in hill stations and link entry permits, hotel approvals, and vehicle access to real-time limits.
• Green Charges: Impose ecological surcharges on vehicles entering fragile high-altitude zones and ring-fence proceeds for local restoration.
• LiFE Alignment: Build tourism systems where sustainable choices become the default option, in line with India’s Lifestyle for Environment initiative.
• Nature Solutions: Prioritise springshed restoration through ‘Dhara Vikas’ and enforce zero-waste hotel rules with on-site composting and plastic processing.
• Policy Shift: Incentivise homestays and promote certified Green Hotels under the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, 2022.

Forest Finance Mechanisms Introduced in COP30 at Belém

• COP30 in Belém, Brazil, introduced new forest finance mechanisms to safeguard forests and strengthen Indigenous and community stewardship.
• 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, known as the “Amazon COP”, emphasised implementation and “Mutirão” (collective effort) in global climate action.

Key Forest Finance Initiatives from COP30

• TFFF: Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) is a $125 billion fund that pays over 70 tropical nations $4/hectare annually to maintain forest canopy, verified by satellite.
• ILTC: Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment (ILTC) commits $1.8 billion to legally secure 160 million hectares of Indigenous and community lands by 2030.
• J-REDD+: Scaling J-REDD+ is a coalition that seeks to mobilise $3-6 billion annually by 2030 through high-integrity carbon credit sales at the jurisdictional scale.
• RAIZ: The RAIZ Accelerator leverages public de-risking capital to attract private investment for restoring degraded lands and scaling sustainable agroforestry.
• Baku-to-Belém: Jointly prepared by the COP29 and COP30 presidencies, the roadmap targets $1.3 trillion in annual climate finance for developing nations by 2035.
• Amazonia Forever: It is an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) program that offers technical and financial support for sustainable development across eight Amazonian nations.

Key Indian Forest Finance Initiatives

• Horizontal Devolution: 15th Finance Commission assigned 10% weightage to ‘Forest and Ecology’ in the Centre-to-State tax devolution formula.
• GCP: Green Credit Programme, under Mission LiFE, awards Green Credits to individuals and corporations for tree plantation on degraded lands.
• CAMPA: Compensatory Afforestation Fund transfers 90% of environmental compensations to states for afforestation and wildlife management.
• GIM: Green India Mission, under the NAPCC, aims to restore ~25 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, creating an additional carbon sink of 3.4 billion tonnes CO₂e.
• PMVDY: Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana funds Van Dhan Vikas Kendras at ₹15 lakh per centre to help tribal communities process and market Minor Forest Produce (MFP).
• MISHTI: With a ₹100 crore outlay, Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) targets restoration of 540 sq km of mangroves by 2028.

India China Trade Deficit

• India’s trade deficit with China crossed $100 billion for the first time, reaching about $102 billion during April–February FY2025-26.

India China Trade Deficit:

• A trade deficit occurs when the value of a country’s imports exceeds the value of its exports over a given period.
• In India’s case with China, imports such as electronic components, telecom equipment, machinery, and APIs significantly exceed Indian exports like petroleum products, copper items, and electronics.

Features:

• Persistent Import Dependence – India imports high-value manufacturing inputs (electronics, machinery, chemicals) from China to sustain domestic production.
• Sectoral Imbalance – Imports are concentrated in capital goods and intermediate goods, while exports remain relatively low-value commodities or limited manufactured goods.
• Market Access Asymmetry – China maintains strict regulatory standards and inspection barriers, limiting the entry of Indian products into its market.

Implications:

• A large trade deficit contributes to current account deficits, affecting foreign exchange stability.
• Heavy reliance on Chinese imports in electronics, pharma APIs, and machinery creates vulnerabilities during geopolitical tensions.

Total Shutdown Observed in Ladakh Over Four-Point Demands

• A total shutdown was observed across Ladakh, marking the first major demonstration since violent clashes in September 2025.
• Trigger: The protest took place two days after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was released from National Security Act (NSA) detention.
• Agenda: The ongoing agitation concerns a four-point charter under negotiation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA);
• Full statehood for Ladakh in place of its current status as a UT without a legislature.
• Inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to protect tribal land, culture, and identity.
• Job reservations for local youth and a separate Public Service Commission for Ladakh.
• Creation of two separate Lok Sabha constituencies for the Leh and Kargil districts.

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

• India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has rejected the latest report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, calling it biased and based on selective narratives.

About USCIRF:

• The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan agency of the S. legislative branch that monitors religious freedom worldwide and provides policy recommendations to the U.S. government.

Established in:

• Created in 1998 under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Aim:

• To monitor and promote freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) globally.
• To ensure international adherence to religious freedom standards based on global human rights principles, including Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Key Functions:

• Monitoring Religious Freedom Globally: The commission studies conditions related to religious freedom in different countries through research, travel, consultations with governments, NGOs, and victims of persecution.
• Advising the U.S. Government: It provides policy recommendations to the U.S. President, Secretary of State, and Congress regarding actions on countries violating religious freedom.
• Engagement with Government Institutions: USCIRF works with Congressional committees and executive branch officials through briefings, hearings, and consultations.
• Raising Public Awareness: The commission organizes public events, reports, statements, and advocacy initiatives to highlight violations of religious freedom.
• Annual Reports and Publications: USCIRF publishes annual reports and thematic studies assessing countries where religious freedom is systematically violated, and recommends U.S. policy responses.

Issues in Recent Times:

• The commission has repeatedly criticised India’s religious freedom situation in its reports.
• India has rejected these assessments, arguing that USCIRF relies on questionable sources and selective narratives and lacks credibility.

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)

• The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan for three months instead of the usual one-year period.

About United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA):

• The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan is a United Nations Special Political Mission established to support the Afghan people through peacebuilding, political outreach, development coordination, and humanitarian assistance.

Established in:

• Created on 28 March 2002 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1401.
• It was established after the Taliban regime was removed following the 2001 US-led intervention.

Aim:

1. To promote peace, stability, and political reconciliation in Afghanistan.
2. To coordinate humanitarian aid and development assistance.
3. To support human rights, rule of law, and inclusive governance in Afghanistan.

Key Functions:

• Political Outreach and Peacebuilding: UNAMA supports political dialogue, conflict resolution, and regional cooperation to stabilize Afghanistan.
• Humanitarian Assistance Coordination: The mission coordinates the work of UN agencies, international donors, and humanitarian organisations delivering aid to Afghan citizens.
• Development and Capacity Building: It helps strengthen national institutions and governance structures through technical support and development programs.
• Monitoring Human Rights: UNAMA monitors and reports on human rights conditions, including the situation of women and minorities under Taliban rule.
• Reporting to the UN Security Council: The mission regularly provides assessments and recommendations to the UN Security Council regarding political, security, and humanitarian developments.

Significance:

• UNAMA coordinates international assistance for millions of Afghans facing food insecurity and economic crisis.
• It serves as a key international diplomatic platform to engage with the Taliban authorities.

Exercise Sea Dragon

• The Indian Navy has deployed a P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to Guam to participate in the Exercise Sea Dragon.

About Exercise Sea Dragon:

• Exercise Sea Dragon is a US-led multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise conducted in the Western Pacific Ocean near Guam.

Established in:

• Initiated by the United States Navy as an annual multinational ASW training exercise to strengthen Indo-Pacific maritime security cooperation.

Aim:

1. Enhance anti-submarine warfare proficiency among participating navies.
2. Improve interoperability and coordination between maritime patrol aircraft.
3. Strengthen cooperation to ensure a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific maritime domain.

Member Nations:

• Participants typically include maritime forces from key Indo-Pacific partners:

1. Indian Navy
2. United States Navy
3. Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force
4. Royal Australian Air Force
5. Royal New Zealand Air Force

Key Features:

• Anti-Submarine Warfare Training: Participants conduct tracking and detection of simulated and live submarines, strengthening underwater surveillance capabilities.
• Maritime Patrol Aircraft Operations: The exercise primarily uses long-range maritime patrol aircraft such as the P-8 Poseidon and P-1 aircraft equipped with advanced sensors and data-link systems.
• Integrated Tactical Planning: Aircrews conduct tabletop planning sessions and coordinated missions to develop joint ASW tactics.
• Performance Evaluation: Participating teams are assessed on speed, accuracy, and operational coordination, with the best-performing team awarded the Dragon Belt.
• Extensive Flight Training: The exercise includes over 200 hours of cumulative in-flight training, improving operational readiness.

Significance:

• Strengthens Indo-Pacific maritime security cooperation among allied nations.
• Enhances the Indian Navy’s submarine detection and surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.

24 Speed Post

• The Department of Posts is launching 24 Speed Post on 17 March 2026 to provide next-day guaranteed delivery services.
• The premium service will initially be introduced in six major metro cities to strengthen India Post’s express delivery capabilities.

About 24 Speed Post:

• 24 Speed Post is a premium next-day guaranteed delivery service introduced by India Post for urgent and time-sensitive consignments.
• It offers assured D+1 delivery timelines with enhanced tracking and secure delivery features.
• Department Involved: The service is launched by the Department of Posts, functioning under the Ministry of Communications.

Aim:

• Provide fast, reliable, and guaranteed next-day delivery for urgent consignments.
• Strengthen India Post’s premium express logistics services.
• Support businesses and individuals with time-sensitive shipments.

Cities Available (First Phase):

• The service will initially be available across all PIN codes of six metro cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad

Key Features:

• Guaranteed Next-Day Delivery: Assured D+1 delivery timeline for urgent consignments.
• OTP-Based Secure Delivery: Delivery confirmation through OTP verification to ensure secure handover.
• Real-Time Tracking: End-to-end online tracking with SMS alerts for booking and delivery status.
• Money-Back Guarantee: Full postage refund if next-day delivery is delayed.
• Dedicated Logistics Support: Enabled through priority air transmission and dedicated processing windows.
• Corporate Services: Includes BNPL credit facility, API integration, centralized billing, and free pickup for bulk bookings.
• Parcel Capacity: Supports parcels up to 5 kg.
• Seven-Day Delivery: Service operates seven days a week including Sundays.

Significance:

• Enhances India Post’s competitiveness with private courier services.
• Improves logistics efficiency and express delivery infrastructure.

India’s First National Report on Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol

• India has submitted its First National Report (NR1) on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat.

What it is?

• India’s First National Report (NR1) is an official submission to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) detailing the country’s implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS).
• The report was prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Authority.

Key Summary:

• Reporting Period: The report covers the period from 1 November 2017 to 31 December 2025.

Community Participation:

• 2,76,653 Biodiversity Management Committees have been established across India.

ABS Approvals:

• 12,830 approvals issued during 2017–2025.
• 5,913 approvals by NBA (research, commercial use, IPR etc.).
• 6,917 approvals by SBBs/UTBCs for commercial utilisation.

Benefit Sharing:

• ₹216.31 crore mobilised through NBA approvals.
• ₹139.69 crore distributed to local communities, farmers and traditional knowledge holders.

About Nagoya Protocol:

• The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• It provides a legal framework for access to genetic resources and fair sharing of benefits arising from their use.

Launched / Adopted in:

• Adopted: 29 October 2010 in Nagoya
• Entered into force: 12 October 2014

Aim:

• Ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.
• Promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
• Protect traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources.

Key Features:

• Access to Genetic Resources: Countries must establish clear rules and procedures for accessing genetic resources.
• Prior Informed Consent (PIC): Users must obtain prior informed consent from the provider country before using genetic resources.
• Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT): Benefit-sharing must occur based on mutually agreed contractual terms.
• Benefit Sharing Mechanism: Benefits may be monetary (royalties, payments) or non-monetary (technology transfer, research collaboration).
• Compliance Mechanisms: Countries must monitor the utilisation of genetic resources across the research and commercialization chain.
• Protection of Traditional Knowledge: Ensures indigenous and local communities receive benefits when their knowledge is used.

Cuba

• Cuba’s national electricity grid recently collapsed, leaving nearly 10 million people without power amid fuel shortages and infrastructure problems.

About Cuba:

• Cuba is a socialist island nation in the Caribbean region and the largest island in the Greater Antilles of the West Indies.
• It is politically organised as a unitary socialist republic with its capital at Havana.

Located in:

• Cuba lies at the intersection of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, just south of the Tropic of Cancer.
• The country consists of around 1,600 islands, islets, and cays, forming an important part of the Antilles island chain.

Key Geological Features:

• Mountain Ranges: The Sierra Maestra is the most rugged range and contains Turquino Peak (1,974 m), the highest point in Cuba.
• Plains and Agricultural Lands: About two-thirds of the island consists of plains, widely used for sugarcane and tobacco cultivation.
• Unique Karst Landscapes: Central-western Cuba has limestone hill formations known as mogotes, covered with vegetation.
• Wetlands and Swamps: The Zapata Peninsula contains extensive swamps including the Zapata Swamp, one of the largest wetlands in the Caribbean.
• Extensive Coastline: Cuba has around 5,745 km of coastline with bays, coral reefs, mangrove swamps, and cliffs.

Implications:

• Cuba lies near major maritime routes between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, giving it geopolitical significance in the Caribbean.
• Fertile soils and plains support crops such as sugarcane and tobacco, historically central to Cuba’s economy.

Dual-Sex Biological Traits Recorded in Vela carli Crabs

• Scientists recorded gynandromorphy in the Vela carli crab at Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, where an individual exhibits both male and female traits.
• This is the first instance of gynandromorphy reported in the freshwater crab family Gecarcinucidae.

About Vela carli

• Vela carli is a tiny nocturnal freshwater crab belonging to the family Gecarcinucidae.
• Appearance: It has an inflated box-like carapace with a brown-yellow dorsal and a pale underside.
• Habitat Preference: The species inhabits damp, shaded microhabitats like rocky streams, wet leaf litter, and waterlogged tree cavities.
• Distribution: It is strictly endemic to the Central Western Ghats, with major populations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Ecological Role: The crab acts as a bioindicator of unpolluted freshwater ecosystems and supports local benthic nutrient recycling.

About Silent Valley National Park

• Silent Valley National Park is a tropical moist evergreen forest in Palakkad district, Kerala.
• Status: It is part of the Western Ghats UNESCO World Heritage Site and forms the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Origin: The park was established after the Save Silent Valley movement of the 1970s that halted a proposed hydroelectric dam.
• Flagship: The endangered Lion-tailed Macaque is the park’s flagship species.
• Faunal Diversity: Nilgiri langur, Malabar giant squirrel, Nilgiri tahr, tiger, leopard, Travancore flying squirrel, Malabar grey hornbill, etc.
• River: Kunthipuzha River, a tributary of the Bharathappuzha, originates and flows through the park.
• Relief: High-altitude ridges like Anginda Peak (2,383 m) create a unique microclimate supporting Shola-grassland ecosystems.

Gajapati Empire Inscription Discovered in Guntur

• A 15th-century Telugu inscription associated with the Gajapati rulers of Odisha was recently discovered in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

About Gajapati Empire

• Gajapati Empire (c. 1434–1541 CE) was a medieval Hindu monarchy founded by Kapilendra Deva in Odisha. The name “Gajapati” literally means “Lord of the Elephants.”
• At its peak in the 15th century, it extended from the Ganges in the north to the Kaveri in the south.
• They patronised the Odia language; Sarala Das wrote the first Odia Mahabharata during this era.
• Architectural Legacy: They expanded the Jagannath Temple at Puri and constructed the Kapilesvara Temple, Bhubaneswar.
• Religious Practice: Primarily Vaishnavites, they follow the Hari-Hara tradition, which combines worship of Shiva and Vishnu.
• Prataparudra Deva: The last major Gajapati ruler whose reign witnessed the arrival of the Vaishnava saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Samarth Incubation Programme

• Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) organised a Demo Day in New Delhi for 18 startups under the Samarth Incubation Programme.
• C-DOT is an autonomous telecommunications research and development centre founded in 1984 under the Ministry of Communications.
• The Programme, launched by C-DOT in 2025, offers financial aid and infrastructure support to DPIIT-recognised startups.
• Implementation: Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) assist in programme execution.
• Objective: To promote indigenous innovation and support early-stage startups in transitioning from ideation to commercialisation.
• Target Sectors: It focuses on Telecom Software, Cybersecurity, 5G/6G networks, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Quantum Technologies.

Jnanpith Award 2025

• Tamil poet & lyricist R. Vairamuthu has been chosen for the 60th Jnanpith Award for 2025.
• Vairamuthu becomes the third Tamil writer to receive it and the first primarily honoured for poetry.

Jnanpith Award

• It is the oldest and highest Indian literary award, presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to authors for their outstanding contributions towards literature.
• It is bestowed upon Indian writers for their work in Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, as well as in English.
• The award was instituted in 1961 and first awarded in 1965 to G. Sankara Kurup, a Malayalam writer.
• The award includes a cash prize (₹11 lakh), a bronze Saraswati statuette, and a citation.
• The award is not conferred posthumously.
• In 1976, Ashapoorna Devi, a Bengali novelist, became the first woman to win the Jnanpith award for her novel Prothom Protishruti.

Oscars Awards 2026

• The 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) were recently held in Los Angeles.
• Key Winners: One Battle After Another won Best Picture; Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Director.
• Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman and woman of colour to win an Oscar (Best Cinematography).

About Oscar Award

• Oscar Awards, first presented in 1929, are regarded as most prestigious honours in global film industry.
• They are held annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), a professional honorary organisation in the United States.
• Indian Milestones: Bhanu Athaiya was India’s first Oscar winner for ‘Gandhi’.
• In 2023, RRR won Best Original Song for “Naatu Naatu”, and The Elephant Whisperers won Best Documentary Short Film.

Instagram to Stop End-to-End Encrypted Messaging

• Meta has announced that end-to-end (E2E) encrypted messaging on Instagram will be discontinued. Users will lose encrypted chat access, lowering Instagram messaging privacy.

End-to-End Encryption (E2E)

• E2E is a security method where only the sender and receiver can read the message, and no third party (including the platform) can access it.
• Messages are encrypted using unique cryptographic keys on the sender’s device and can only be decrypted on the recipient’s device.
• Privacy Protection: Ensures high level of privacy and confidentiality, preventing interception, hacking, or surveillance.

FSSAI Directs Mandatory Registration for Milk Producers and Vendors

• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed milk producers and vendors to obtain mandatory registration or licence to operate legally.
• The directive mainly targets milk producers who are not part of dairy cooperative societies and independent milk vendors.
• The move aims to ensure food safety, improve regulatory compliance, and strengthen oversight of the milk supply chain.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

• Established in 2008, FSSAI is the national food safety regulator of India.
• It is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Food Regulation: It regulates manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, & import of food products in India.
• Consumer Awareness Initiatives: Runs campaigns like Eat Right India to promote healthy eating habits.

ISRO and AIIMS Sign MoU for Space Medicine Research

• ISRO and AIIMS New Delhi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on space medicine and research.
• The partnership will utilise both ground-based simulations and space-based studies to generate mission-relevant human health data.
• Objective: To address medical challenges in long-duration missions like the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and future crewed Moon missions.
• Focus Areas: Includes human physiology, microgravity, immunology, and psychological health in isolated confinement conditions.
• Significance: The findings will enhance astronaut safety and advance terrestrial healthcare innovations.

Fujairah

• Iranian drone strikes on the UAE’s Fujairah have raised concerns over potential disruptions to critical energy supply routes.
• Location: Fujairah is the only UAE emirate located entirely on the eastern coast along the Gulf of Oman.
• It is the only emirate without a coastline on the Persian Gulf.
• Mountain: The Hajar Mountains separate Fujairah from the rest of the UAE.
• Port: The Port of Fujairah is the world’s fourth-largest marine refuelling (bunkering) hub after Singapore, Rotterdam, and Zhoushan.
• Pipeline: The 360-km Habshan–Fujairah Pipeline can export about 1.5 million barrels per day directly to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.