National Bioenergy Programme 

• India added 2,362 MW of biomass and 228 MW of waste-to-energy capacity in Last 10 years
• Apart from this 2.88 lakh biogas plants were also installed at various locations in the country.
• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy supports installation of Bioenergy Projects in the country under National Bioenergy Programme (NBP), Phase-I (Notified in 2022).

National Bioenergy Programme

• Period: Phase 1 - (2021-22 to 2025-26)
• Objective: Utilize surplus biomass (primarily from rural areas) for power generation, while providing additional income for rural households.

Program comprise of the following sub-schemes:

• Waste to Energy Programme (Programme on Energy from Urban, Industrial and Agricultural Wastes /Residues)
• Biomass Programme (Scheme to Support Manufacturing of Briquettes & Pellets and Promotion of Biomass (non-bagasse) based cogeneration in Industries)
• Biogas Programme: Biogas is primarily CH₄ and CO₂ with traces of N₂, H₂, H₂S, and O₂.

Bioenergy and its status in India

• Bioenergy is a source of energy from the organic material that makes up plants, known as biomass (e.g. wood, dung or charcoal).
• Modern bioenergy involves processed biomass and advanced technologies to produce cleaner and more efficient energy. e.g. liquid biofuels, biogas, etc.
• Total Installed capacity: 11.6GW (Nov. 2025)
• Modern bioenergy today accounts for 13% of India''s total final energy consumption and is expected to grow by up to 45% between 2023 and 2030.

Parliamentary Select Committee Report on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025

• IBC (Amendment) Bill 2025 was introduced as the implementation of IBC faces critical challenges.
• These include protracted delays at insolvency admission stage, delays impacting the finality of resolution plans, erosion of asset values and absence of clear frameworks to manage complex modern corporate structures like cross-border insolvency issues.

Key Features of Amendment Bill

• Introduction of a “Creditor Initiated Insolvency Resolution Process (CIIRP)” featuring an out-of-court initiation mechanism specifically targeted at resolving cases of genuine business failures.

Introduces two crucial frameworks –

1. Group Insolvency Framework to resolve insolvencies involving complex corporate group structures.
2. Cross-Border Insolvency Framework to for addressing situations where debtors or assets are located in multiple jurisdictions.

Key Recommendations of the Committee

• Clean Slate Principle: Codify clean slate (extinguishment of all prior claims) providing protection to successful resolution applicant against past claims.
• Avoid conflict of interest: Resolution Professional (RP) who conducted insolvency resolution process for corporate debtor shall be ineligible to be appointed as the Liquidator if process fails.
• Timeline: A specific statutory timeline of 3 months to be prescribed for National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
• Corporate Debtor: Clarify the term corporate debtor to include any person incorporated with limited liability outside India to ensure cross-border provisions legally apply to foreign company with assets, creditors, or operations connected to India. 

Marital Rape Law Reform

• The debate on criminalising marital rape has resurfaced after the introduction of a Private Member’s Bill seeking the removal of the marital rape exception under Section 63 of the BNS (2023).
• According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), around 30% of married women have experienced spousal violence, yet marital rape is still legally exempt.

Legal Status of Marital Rape in India

• Current position: Non-consensual sexual intercourse by a husband with his adult wife is not treated as rape under Indian criminal law due to an explicit statutory exception.
• Statutory source: The exception of marital rape earlier in Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been retained in Section 63, BNS, 2023, except when the wife is below 18 years of age.
• Related remedies: Married women may seek relief under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, but this is civil protection, not criminal accountability for rape.

Why the Marital Rape Exception is a Colonial Relic?

• Colonial Patriarchal Logic: Rooted in British common law, which treated wives as the property of husbands, presuming permanent sexual consent after marriage (Doctrine of Coverture).
• Doctrine of Implied Consent: Based on the outdated idea that marriage constitutes irrevocable consent, now rejected in modern constitutional democracies.
• Incompatible With Constitution: Contradicts Article 14 (equality) and Article 21 (life, dignity, bodily autonomy) as interpreted by the Supreme Court.
• Rejected Elsewhere: The United Kingdom itself abolished the marital rape exception in 1991, exposing the anachronistic nature of India’s retention.
• Ignored Expert Advice: The Justice Verma Committee (2013) categorically recommended removal of the exception, calling it legally indefensible.

Rising Security Concerns in Bangladesh

• India summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to convey strong concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Bangladesh.
• The move followed a radical group in Dhaka announcing a march to the Indian High Commission over alleged Indian interference.

India’s Security Concerns in Bangladesh

• Provocative Rhetoric: Bangladeshi leaders threatening to isolate India’s Northeastern states raise territorial concerns.
• Radical Networks: Expanding influence of groups linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan’s ISI heightens security risks.
• Minority Violence: Violence against Hindus and other minorities creates humanitarian concern for India.
• Safe Haven: Bangladesh risks becoming a refuge for anti-India forces & Northeast separatist groups.

Other Evolving Pain-Points for India

• Trilateral Axis: First-ever China-Pakistan-Bangladesh trilateral meetings signal coordinated strategic pressure on India.
• Defence Rapprochement: Dhaka-Islamabad defence engagement reverses earlier security cooperation with India.
• Teesta Project: China’s push into the Teesta River Management Project raises debt-trap concerns near Indian borders.
• Extradition Dilemma: Sheikh Hasina’s extradition issue reflects tension between sovereignty obligations and bilateral relations.

Overview of India-Bangladesh Bilateral Relations

• Readjustment: India-Bangladesh relations are undergoing readjustment following the August 2024 resignation of PM Sheikh Hasina.
• Trade: Bangladesh is India’s largest trade partner in South Asia. Bilateral trade reached $14 billion in 2023-24.
• It is heavily skewed toward India, with exports over $11 billion.
• Power Cooperation: Bangladesh imports over 1,160 MW of electricity from India.
• ‘Friendship Pipeline’: A 131 km pipeline transports High-Speed Diesel from India to Bangladesh.
• Key Challenges: Teesta water sharing, border fencing dispute, expanding Chinese influence, etc.

UNESCO Makes A Strong Case for Mother-Tongue Instruction

• UNESCO released its flagship report “Bhasha Matters: The State of the Education Report for India 2025”, strongly advocating mother-tongue based instruction in India.
• The report calls for a national mission on Mother-Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) to improve equity, learning outcomes and linguistic inclusion.

Key recommendations of UNESCO (India Education Report 2025)

• National mission on MTB-MLE: Establish a coordinated national framework with strong Centre–State institutional alignment.
• State-level language-in-education policies: Operationalise clear MTB-MLE policies adapted to local linguistic realities.
• Teacher capacity building: Recruit and train teachers with multilingual competence; reform pre-service and in-service teacher education.
• Learner-centred pedagogy: Design flexible language pathways responsive to students’ linguistic backgrounds.
• Community and indigenous knowledge integration: Institutionalise community participation and local knowledge systems in schooling.
• Multilingual learning materials: Develop quality textbooks, assessments and resources in multiple languages across grades.
• Gender-responsive approach: Embed MTB-MLE across middle, secondary and alternative schooling with gender sensitivity.
• Digital public infrastructure: Use digital platforms to support multilingual teaching, learning and teacher mentoring.
• Inclusive language technologies: Invest in translation tools, speech technologies and AI while bridging the digital divide.
• Sustainable financing: Ensure equitable funding for multilingual education and language-responsive technologies.

Rhinoceros Dehorning

• A recent international study shows that rhino dehorning has reduced poaching by nearly 75–78% in African reserves, offering a cost-effective conservation tool.

About Rhinoceros (Rhino):

• The rhinoceros is a large, herbivorous mammal belonging to the family Rhinocerotidae.
• It is one of the oldest surviving megafauna, dating back millions of years.

Habitat:

• Rhinos occupy diverse ecosystems depending on species:
• Grasslands and savannahs
• Tropical and subtropical forests
• Swamps, riverine areas, and shrublands

Types of rhinos (5 species):

1. White rhino (Ceratotherium simum): Africa
2. Black rhino (Diceros bicornis): Africa
3. Greater one-horned (Indian) rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis): India & Nepal
4. Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus): Indonesia
5. Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis): Indonesia

Key characteristics:

• Horn made of keratin, not bone (same protein as hair and nails)
• Herbivorous, feeding on grasses, leaves, shoots, and roots
• Poor eyesight but strong hearing and smell
• Semi-aquatic behaviour in some species (Indian rhino)
• Slow reproduction, making recovery difficult after population loss

Significance

• Biodiversity value: Rhinos are keystone species, shaping grassland and forest ecosystems through grazing and seed dispersal.
• Ecological balance: Their feeding behaviour maintains habitat heterogeneity, supporting smaller species.
• Cultural and heritage value: The Indian rhino features in Assam’s natural heritage, especially Kaziranga National Park.
• Indicator of governance: Rhino conservation reflects state capacity, anti-poaching enforcement, and community participation.
• Global conservation symbol: Rhino protection is central to global efforts against illegal wildlife trade, alongside elephants and tigers.

Nuclear Energy Mission

• Government informed Parliament that India will operationalise at least 5 indigenously designed Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033 under the Nuclear Energy Mission, backed by ₹20,000 crore.

Nuclear Energy Mission:

• A national mission framework to scale up nuclear power through advanced and indigenous technologies, with a strong thrust on SMR R&D and deployment alongside large reactors.
• Announced in: Union Budget 2025–26 as a dedicated push for R&D and deployment of SMRs, with a clear 2033 milestone.
• Scale-up target: Reach about 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047 to support India’s long-term energy transition.
• SMR target: At least 5 indigenous SMRs by 2033 for clean, reliable, decentralised nuclear power.

Key features

• Big R&D push: ₹20,000 crore for research, design, development and deployment of SMRs (FY 2025–26).
• Indigenous SMR pipeline: BARC has initiated design work on BSMR-200 (200 MWe), SMR-55 (55 MWe), and a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (~5 MW) for hydrogen generation.
• Industrial decarbonisation focus: SMRs are positioned for captive power, repowering retiring fossil units, and remote/off-grid applications.
• Capacity roadmap with roles: Public sector expected to contribute ~58–60 GW, with the remainder envisaged via public/private participation under the evolving policy framework.
• NPCIL-led rollout + partnerships: NPCIL’s roadmap includes indigenous PHWRs and foreign cooperation; and the NTPC–NPCIL JV is part of enabling nuclear expansion.

Significance

• Clean baseload power: Nuclear provides 24×7 firm electricity, supporting grid stability as renewables scale up.
• Net Zero pathway: Helps India progress toward Net Zero 2070 by cutting lifecycle emissions compared to fossil generation.

India’s BRICS presidency 2026

• Brazil has formally handed over the BRICS (18th) presidency to India for 2026, amid global trade frictions and geopolitical tensions.

India’s BRICS presidency 2026:

• India will serve as the rotating (pro tempore) Chair of BRICS in 2026. As Chair, India will set priorities, convene meetings, and host the annual summit for the year.

Established in:

• Origins (BRIC): Political dialogue began with the BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in 2006 (UNGA sidelines).
• Leaders’ summit start: The first summit of heads of state/government took place in 2009 (Yekaterinburg).
• BRICS formed: South Africa joined in 2011, turning BRIC into BRICS.
• Headquarters: No permanent HQ and it works as an informal coordination platform with a rotating presidency.
• The New Development Bank (NDB) is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
• Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia.

How is the BRICS Presidency decided?

• Not elected by voting. The BRICS presidency is rotational, not chosen through an election.
• Rotation principle: The chairmanship rotates annually among member countries, traditionally following the alphabetical order of the acronym “BRICS”.
• Tenure: Each presidency runs from 1 January to 31 December of the year.

Role of the President country:

• Sets the annual agenda and priorities
• Chairs meetings at all levels (Sherpas, Ministers, Leaders)
• Hosts the BRICS Summit
• Official language of BRICS: No single official language is prescribed in the BRICS Charter.

Key functions of BRICS

• Political coordination: Builds common positions on major global issues and pushes for a fairer world order.
• Economic and financial cooperation: Promotes trade, investment coordination, and reform of global financial governance.
• Development finance: Uses institutions like the NDB to fund infrastructure and sustainable development in EMDCs.
• People-to-people pillar: Expands cultural, academic, youth and civil society engagement across members.
• Bridge-building for Global South: Provides a platform where developing countries amplify shared priorities.

Significance of India’s BRICS presidency

• India can steer agendas on development finance, health, and technology equity.
• India can strengthen calls for reform of institutions like UN, IMF, World Bank, WTO.

Exercise DESERT CYCLONE–II 2025

• An Indian Army contingent has departed for the India–UAE Joint Military Exercise DESERT CYCLONE–II (2025) to be held in Abu Dhabi.

Exercise DESERT CYCLONE–II :

• DESERT CYCLONE–II is the second edition of the bilateral joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the UAE Land Forces, aimed at enhancing operational cooperation.
• Host country: United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi)

Participating nations

• India: 45 personnel from a battalion of The Mechanised Infantry Regiment
• UAE: Personnel from 53 Mechanised Infantry Battalion, UAE Land Forces

Aim

• To train jointly for sub-conventional operations under a UN mandate.
• To prepare forces for peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and stability operations in urban environments.

Key features

• Training in fighting in built-up areas (FIBUA).
• Heliborne operations and detailed joint mission planning.
• Integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS techniques.
• Focus on urban warfare scenarios and joint tactical drills.

Significance

• Strengthens bilateral defence ties and military diplomacy between India and the UAE.
• Enhances mutual understanding of tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs).

India & Argentina Signed Work Plan 2025–27

• India and Argentina signed the Work Plan 2025–27 to deepen cooperation in agricultural research, capacity building, and technology exchange.
• It was signed between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA).
• The plan establishes collaboration across natural resource management, sustainable agronomy, animal biotechnology, and value chain development.
• Implementation: It will be executed through joint research projects, germplasm exchange, expert engagements, training programmes, and study visits.

India-Argentina Relations:

• It dates to 1848, when Argentine traveller Lucio V. Mansilla visited India; Rabindranath Tagore’s 1924 Buenos Aires visit initiated cultural links.
• India opened its embassy in Buenos Aires in 1949; PM Modi visited Argentina in 2025, marking the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM in 57 years.
• Diplomatic Milestones: The two countries marked 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024; ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2019.
• Economic Relations: India and Argentina are working to expand the India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to reduce tariffs on a wider range of goods.
• Trade Ties: India is Argentina’s 4th largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching about USD 5.2 billion in 2024.
• India imports vegetable oils, cereals, pulses, leather, and chemicals, while exporting petroleum products, agrochemicals, textiles, drugs, and two-wheelers.

Key Areas of Cooperation

• Minerals: Argentina, part of the Lithium Triangle (with Chile and Bolivia); India’s PSU KABIL has secured lithium exploration and mining concessions in Argentina.
• Energy: India’s Heavy Water Board signed a 2024 agreement to supply heavy water to Argentina.
• Defence: A MoU was signed between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Argentine Air Force in 2023 for helicopter spare parts supply and maintenance
• Space: ISRO and Argentina’s CONAE cooperate on satellite data sharing, ground station support; Argentina has participated in ISRO’s UNNATI training program.
• Multilateral Platforms: Both are members of the G20 and G77; Argentina supports India’s UNSC permanent membership bid, while India backs Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands.

National Pension System Reforms 2025

• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority has revised National Pension System norms in 2025 to enhance flexibility for non-government subscribers.

About National Pension System (NPS)

• Launch: Introduced in 2004 for government employees; opened to all citizens in 2009.
• Objective: Ensure long-term retirement income security and reduce old-age dependency.
• Nature: Voluntary, defined-contribution pension scheme with market-linked returns.
• Coverage: Government employees, corporate sector employees and all citizens of India.
• Structure: Contributions invested through professional Pension Fund Managers (PFMs) across equity, corporate debt and government securities.

Key Changes Made in NPS 2025

• Enhanced Lump-sum Withdrawal: Up to 80% withdrawal allowed at exit for non-government subscribers. The earlier limit was 60% lump sum + 40% annuity.
• Government Subscribers: 60% lump-sum withdrawal continues without any change.

Corpus-Based Withdrawal Rules

1. Corpus ≤ ₹5 lakh: 100% lump-sum withdrawal permitted.
2. Corpus ≤ ₹8 lakh: Full withdrawal (100%) allowed at superannuation.
3. Corpus ₹8–12 lakh: ₹6 lakh lump sum, remaining amount used for annuity / structured withdrawal.
4. Corpus > ₹12 lakh: For Non-government Subscribers Up to 80% lump sum + 20% annuity, and for Government Subscribers Up to 60% lump sum + 40% annuity

Exit & Deferment Provisions

• Normal Exit: Allowed after 15 years of subscription or on attaining 60 years, whichever is earlier.
• Deferment Option: Subscribers may defer lump-sum withdrawal or annuity purchase up to age 85.
• Premature Exit: At least 80% of corpus must be annuitised. If corpus ≤ ₹5 lakh, full withdrawal allowed.

Special Situations

• Death of Subscriber: Entire accumulated corpus paid to nominee / legal heir.
• Missing Subscriber: 20% interim relief to nominees. The remaining amount paid after the legal presumption of death under Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.
• Renunciation of Citizenship: Full lump-sum withdrawal permitted after closing the NPS account.
• Disability: For ≥75% disability, exit is allowed with medical certification from a government doctor.
• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)
• Establishment: Statutory body under the PFRDA Act, 2013.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Mandate: Regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the pension sector in India.