Monroe Doctrine

• The U.S. action against Venezuela and the capture of its president has been justified by Donald Trump by invoking the Monroe Doctrine, a 19th-century U.S. policy.

Monroe Doctrine:

• The Monroe Doctrine is a U.S. foreign policy principle asserting that the Western Hemisphere is the exclusive sphere of influence of the United States, and that any external (especially European) interference would be treated as a hostile act against the U.S.

Established in:

• Proclaimed on December 2, 1823 by James Monroe, the 5th President of the United States.
• Announced during his State of the Union address to the U.S. Congress.

Core features of the doctrine

• No new European colonisation: European powers should not establish new colonies in North or South America.
• Non-interference warning: Any European intervention in the Americas would be viewed as a threat to U.S. security.
• Reciprocal restraint: The U.S. promised not to interfere in existing European colonies or in European internal affairs.
• Separate spheres: The political systems of Europe and the Americas were to remain distinct.

Expansion through the Roosevelt Corollary:

• In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt added the Roosevelt Corollary, claiming a U.S. right to intervene in Latin American countries to prevent instability or European involvement—especially over debt crises.
• This transformed the doctrine from a defensive warning into a tool of active intervention.

Link to the recent Venezuela issue:

• In January 2026, after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Trump described the operation as a modern update of the Monroe Doctrine.
• The U.S. argued that instability in Venezuela and the presence of rival global powers justified American control during a “transition period”.
• Critics argue this represents neo-imperialism, reviving a doctrine historically used to justify U.S. interventions in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and now Venezuela.

Rah-Veer

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways reiterated protections and incentives under the Rah-Veer (Good Samaritan) Scheme to encourage bystanders to help road accident victims without fear of legal or procedural harassment.

About Rah-Veer:

• Rah-Veer is a Good Samaritan initiative notified under Section 134A of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, protecting citizens who help road accident victims during the Golden Hour from legal, police, or hospital-related harassment.

Key features

• Legal protection: No civil or criminal liability for helpers acting in good faith.
• Right to anonymity: Rah-Veers cannot be forced to disclose personal details or become witnesses.
• Limited police interaction: Only one voluntary statement, at a time and place convenient to the helper.
• Hospital safeguards: Hospitals must provide emergency care without demanding payment from the helper and issue an acknowledgement.
• Recognition & incentive: ₹25,000 reward and Certificate of Appreciation, up to five times a year for repeat acts.

Significance

• Addresses bystander hesitation, a key cause of preventable deaths during the Golden Hour.
• Helps reduce India’s high road accident fatalities, which impose an economic cost of ~3% of GDP.

China’s proposal of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI)

• Context: China has reiterated its four global initiatives—with the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the core—as a people-centred framework for peace, security, and development.

Global Governance Initiative (GGI):

• The Global Governance Initiative (GGI) is China’s proposal to reform and improve the existing global governance system so that it becomes more inclusive, representative, and people-centred, ensuring that all nations and peoples benefit from globalisation and international cooperation.

Four major proposals

1. Global Development Initiative (GDI): Focuses on shared and inclusive development, poverty reduction, livelihood protection, and equitable access to growth, ensuring development outcomes directly benefit people.
2. Global Security Initiative (GSI): Advocates common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, emphasising peaceful dialogue, respect for sovereignty, and non-interference to ensure stability.
3. Global Civilization Initiative (GCI): Promotes mutual respect among civilisations, cultural dialogue, and rejection of civilisational superiority, recognising diversity as a strength of humanity.
4. Global Governance Initiative (GGI): Calls for people-centred global governance, greater participation of developing countries, reform of international institutions, and cooperation on climate change, AI, finance, and trade.

Significance:

• Presents China’s alternative vision to Western-led global governance models.
• Emphasises sovereignty, inclusiveness, and non-interference, appealing to the Global South.
• Positions China as a provider of global public goods in development finance, climate action, and digital governance.

Suryastra rocket system

• The Indian Army has signed a ₹293-crore emergency procurement contract with NIBE Ltd., in collaboration with Elbit Systems, to induct the Suryastra rocket system, a long-range universal launcher with strike ranges up to 300 km.

Suryastra rocket system:

• Suryastra is India’s first indigenous universal multi-calibre long-range rocket launcher system, capable of conducting precision surface-to-surface strikes at 150 km and 300 km ranges. It is designed to integrate multiple rocket and missile types on a single launch platform.
• Manufacturer: NIBE Ltd. (India)
• Technology partner: Elbit Systems
• Technology base: Israeli PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System), adapted for Indian requirements under a Technology Collaboration Agreement (July 2025).

Aim:

1. To enhance deep-strike and stand-off firepower of the Indian Army.
2. To provide a single, flexible rocket artillery platform capable of both area saturation and high-precision strikes.
3. To advance Make in India and reduce dependence on imported long-range artillery systems.

Key features

• Range: 150 km and 300 km (tactical deep-strike capability).
• Universal launcher: Can fire multiple calibres (122 mm, 160 mm, 306 mm) and compatible tactical missiles.
• High precision: Circular Error Probable (CEP) of < 5 metres in trials.
• Multi-target engagement: Simultaneous strikes at different ranges.
• Mobility: Adaptable to 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 wheeled chassis.
• Emergency procurement: Acquired under EP powers for rapid induction without prolonged approvals.

Significance

• Major leap over Pinaka: Surpasses existing indigenous rocket systems in range and precision.
• Deterrence enhancement: Strengthens India’s conventional deterrence against China and Pakistan through long-range precision fires.
• Joint firepower: Improves integration across Army strike formations and joint operations.

India becomes world’s largest rice producer

• Union Agriculture Minister said India has become the world’s largest rice producer, with output at 150.18 million tonnes, overtaking China at 145.28 million tonnes.

World’s largest rice producer - India:

• India has overtaken China to become the No. 1 rice-producing country globally, as per the minister’s statement (2024–25 output: 150.18 MT).
• India’s status: Global ranking
• India – world’s largest producer.
• China – second.

State-wise ranking:

As per Economic Survey (Statistical Appendix) for 2023–24, the three largest rice-producing states were:

1. Telangana – 16.63 MT (≈ 12.17% share)
2. Uttar Pradesh – 15.72 MT (≈ 11.50% share)
3. West Bengal – 15.12 MT (≈ 11.06% share)

(Other consistently major rice producers include Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Assam)

Geographical features of rice production in India

• Climate belt: Rice thrives in hot, humid conditions—hence concentration in eastern, southern, and north-eastern India.
• Water geography: Strong presence in river deltas and floodplains (Ganga–Brahmaputra plains; Krishna–Godavari–Cauvery deltas) where water availability and alluvium support paddy.
• Irrigation-driven expansion: In lower rainfall zones, rice is sustained via canals/tube-wells, enabling high yields but raising water-stress concerns.
• Terrain adaptation: In hilly regions, rice is grown via terraced cultivation with controlled water flow.

Significance:

• Reinforces India’s position as a high-buffer food grain economy (recent official estimates also show record rice output in earlier years).
• Higher production supports exports and stabilises global rice markets, especially for importing countries.

Army set to deploy ramjet-powered shells for 155 mm artillery guns

• The Indian Army is set to become the first armed force in the world to operationally deploy ramjet-powered artillery shells for its 155 mm guns.

About ramjet-powered shells artillery guns:

• Ramjet-powered artillery shells are advanced 155 mm projectiles fitted with an air-breathing ramjet propulsion module, allowing them to sustain thrust after being fired from a conventional artillery gun.

Key features

• Extended range: Enhances the reach of standard 155 mm shells by 30–50% without increasing gun barrel length.
• Compatibility: Can be retrofitted onto existing 155 mm shells, making them usable across the Army’s current artillery inventory, including the M777 ultra-light howitzer.
• High efficiency: Uses air-breathing propulsion, providing a higher specific impulse (>4000 Ns/kg) compared to solid rocket-assisted projectiles.
• Operational flexibility: Enables deeper precision strikes while retaining the destructive power of conventional artillery ammunition.
• Indigenous innovation: Developed jointly by IIT Madras with support from the Army Technology Board (ATB).

About Ramjet technology:

• A ramjet is a type of air-breathing jet engine with no moving parts, designed to operate efficiently at supersonic speeds. Unlike rockets, it does not carry its own oxidiser and instead uses atmospheric oxygen for combustion.

How it works?

• The shell is first launched from an artillery gun at ~Mach 2.
• At this speed, incoming air is naturally compressed (ram compression) as it enters the intake.
• Fuel injected into the compressed air ignites, producing thrust.
• The continuous thrust allows the shell to maintain velocity and extend range far beyond conventional ballistic limits.

Significance:

• First-ever practical application of ramjet propulsion in artillery shells.
• Achieves long-range capability without developing entirely new missile systems.
• Enhances India’s deep-strike and counter-battery firepower against adversaries.

Live Events Development Cell

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting established the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC) to formalise and accelerate India’s ‘concert economy’.
• The LEDC functions as a single-window mechanism to streamline approvals and regulatory processes for large-scale live events.
• The initiative aims to position India among the world’s top five live entertainment hubs by 2030.
• India’s organised live events market was valued at ₹20,861 crore in 2024, with a 15% annual growth rate; the industry supports about 10 million jobs.
• The concert economy forms a core pillar of the Orange Economy, also known as the Creative Economy.
• Orange Economy refers to the group of economic activities that transform ideas into cultural goods and services, with their value primarily determined by intellectual property (IP).

Battery Pack Aadhaar Number for EV Batteries

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways released draft guidelines proposing a Battery Pack Aadhaar Number (BPAN) system for electric vehicle batteries.

Battery Pack Aadhaar (BPA) Number System

• Digital Identity: Battery Pack Aadhaar (BPA) assigns each EV battery a unique 21-character alphanumeric number with a QR code.
• Mandatory Coverage: It will apply to EV batteries in categories L, M, and N, and industrial batteries above 2 kWh.
• Data Storage: The BPAN links each battery to a central digital portal storing verified lifecycle and compliance data.
• Static Data: Manufacturer details, specifications, material composition, and carbon footprint will be publicly available.
• Dynamic Data: A secure server will store real-time metrics like state of health (SoH), charge cycles, and thermal incident history for authorised access.
• Producer Responsibility: Battery producers and importers will be responsible for creating and assigning the BPAN.

Primary Objectives

• Lifecycle Traceability: Tracks batteries from raw material sourcing through recycling and final disposal.
• Quality Control: Prevents the circulation of counterfeit, substandard, or unsafe refurbished batteries.
• PLI Verification: Enables verification of domestic value addition under the PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells.

Significance

• Enables systematic recycling and second-life applications of batteries.
• Reduces risks from improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries.
• Strengthens enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

India’s Seafood Exports

• Despite steep US tariffs on shrimp, India’s seafood exports recorded 16% growth in value and 12% in volume during April–October FY26, driven by rapid diversification.

Indian Seafood Exports to the US

• Tariff Disadvantage: Indian shrimp faces an effective duty of ~59.7% in the US, compared to 15–20% for Ecuador, Vietnam, and Thailand, eroding price competitiveness.
• Market Dependence: The US accounted for 35% of India’s seafood exports ($2.8 billion) in FY25, making tariff shocks disproportionately damaging.

Drivers of Export Resilience

• Market Diversification: Non-US markets offset losses, with seafood exports to China rising to 19% and Vietnam surging 110% in value during April–October FY26.
• European Push: The EU approved 102 additional Indian fishery units, strengthening access to a market that already absorbs 15.1% of India’s seafood exports ($1.12 billion in FY25).
• Product Strength: Frozen shrimp, especially Vannamei shrimp, continues to anchor exports due to scale, quality consistency, and competitive production costs.
• Asia-Europe Pivot: Buyers in Asia and Europe increasingly source from India amid supply rebalancing, helping compensate for a 4% value decline in exports to the US in FY26 (April–October).

Key Concerns Ahead

• US Demand Cliff: After January 2026, exporters report an almost empty US order pipeline, which is critical as the US still absorbed ~35% of India’s seafood exports ($2.8 billion) in FY25.
• Shrimp Overdependence: Frozen shrimp contributes over 70% of India’s marine export earnings, exposing exporters to tariff shocks like the effective US duty of ~59.7%.
• Compliance & Cost Pressures: Non-tariff barriers are rising, as SPS compliance and certification costs can add 8–12% to export costs, disproportionately impacting MSME exporters.

Way Forward

• Value Addition: Shift from raw frozen shrimp to processed and ready-to-eat seafood to improve margins and absorb tariff shocks; E.g., expansion of cooked shrimp segments under MPEDA support.
• Product Basket Expansion: Promote exports of cuttlefish, squid, and finfish to reduce shrimp concentration; E.g., EU demand where non-shrimp products already contribute ~15% of India’s seafood exports.
• Farmer & Exporter Support: Strengthen aquaculture insurance, disease surveillance, and cold-chain infrastructure; E.g., PMMSY interventions to stabilise farm incomes and reduce production risks.

Current Status of Marine Fisheries in India

• Global Standing: India contributes ~8% of global fish production, ranks 3rd in total fish output, 2nd in aquaculture, and 4th in global seafood exports.
• Production & Potential: Marine capture fisheries output remains largely stagnant at ~3.6–3.8 million tonnes annually, against an estimated sustainable potential of ~5.31 million tonnes.
• Growth & Exports: The fisheries sector recorded ~10% average annual growth in recent years; marine exports stood at ~USD 7.45 billion in FY25.
• Geographical Spread & Employment: India has an 11,098 km coastline and a ~2.37 million sq. km EEZ supporting the livelihoods of ~16 million people.

India Becomes the World’s Largest Rice Producer

• The Union Minister of Agriculture announced that India has become the world’s largest rice producer, surpassing China.

About Rice

• Rice is mainly a Kharif crop (sown in June–July and harvested in Nov–Dec), but it is also grown as Rabi and Zaid crops in Southern and Eastern India.
• Climate: Rice requires temperatures of 25–35°C, high humidity, and annual rainfall above 100 cm.
• Soil: It grows best in deep, clayey, and loamy soils with high water-holding capacity.
• Cultivation Methods: Indian farmers mainly use transplantation, broadcasting, & drilling methods.
• New methods such as Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) and Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) are promoted to conserve groundwater.

Rice Production in India

• Global Share: India produced a record 150.18 MT in 2024-25, accounting for over 28% of global output.
• Area Coverage: Rice occupies largest cropped area in India, covering about 51–52 million hectares.
• Key States: West Bengal is the leading producer (about 15%), followed by Uttar Pradesh (~12%) and Punjab (~10%).
• Punjab has the highest yield due to full irrigation and mechanisation, followed by Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
• Export: India is the world’s largest rice exporter, accounting for nearly 40% of global trade.
• Basmati rice is exported to West Asia; non-Basmati rice is exported to Africa and Southeast Asia.
• Major Varieties: GI-tagged rice includes Basmati, Gobindobhog (West Bengal), Joha Rice (Assam), and Navara Rice (Kerala). ICAR-developed climate-resilient varieties include Kamala and Pusa DST Rice-1.

Key Government Initiatives

• NFSNM: The National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) increases rice production through targeted productivity growth in low-yield rice districts.
• RKVY: Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana allows states to design region-specific rice projects, including irrigation infrastructure and local processing facilities.
• Rice Fortification: The Rice Fortification Initiative ensures that rice distributed through the PDS, PMGKAY, and PM-POSHAN is fortified with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12.
• PMDDKY: PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, launched for 2025–26, targets 100 low-productivity districts to strengthen irrigation, credit access, and post-harvest infrastructure.
• PKVY: Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana promotes organic rice farming through cluster-based support and certification for premium domestic and export markets.
• CCTS: Carbon Credit Trading Scheme enables rice farmers to earn carbon credits by adopting methane-reducing practices such as AWD.
• Digital Support:  Depot Darpan (2025) and Digital Agri-Stack with Unified Farmer Service Platform enable depot monitoring, input geotagging, and transparent MSP procurement.

Study Finds Superbugs in Delhi Air

• A recent study by researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru University reveals that Delhi’s air is a significant carrier of “superbugs”.
• A superbug is a microorganism that has evolved antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to multiple drugs or “last-resort” antibiotics.

Key Findings

• Drug Resistance: About 73% of isolated airborne bacterial strains were single-drug resistant, while 36% showed multidrug resistance.
• Bacterial Types: The study identified eight species of airborne staphylococci, including methicillin-resistant staphylococci.
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, a “superbug,” has developed resistance to antibiotics like penicillin and methicillin, making treatment very difficult.
• Key Concern: The concentration of staphylococci at all tested sites exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended safety limits.
• Seasonal Pattern: Bacterial abundance rises during winter as cooler temperatures and poor air quality aid survival.

About staphylococci

• Staphylococci are Gram-positive bacteria characterised by their spherical shape (cocci).
• They are facultative anaerobes, meaning they can grow in both the presence and absence of oxygen.
• Common Species: Staphylococcus aureus usually lives on skin and in nasal passages but can become pathogenic if it enters the bloodstream or tissues.
• Disease Caused: Infections range from minor skin conditions to severe diseases like pneumonia, endocarditis, and sepsis.