Food Waste Breakthrough (FWB)

FWB was launched at COP30 in Belem as a 2030 Climate Solution under Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action. 

Key Highlights

• About: Unites governments, cities, and civil society to act on an issue striking at the heart of global hunger and climate change.
• Target: Halving global food waste and Up to 7% reduction in methane emissions by 2030. 
• Funding Support: Global Environment Facility commits US$3 million. 
• Participation: Country champions include Brazil, Japan and the United Kingdom, along with multiple global cities and private-sector partners.

Tungsten Mining in Andhra Pradesh

• Hindustan Zinc Ltd. has received a composite licence from the Andhra Pradesh government to explore and potentially mine a tungsten mineral block.

• Licence Type: A composite licence grants both exploration and subsequent mining rights if commercially viable minerals are discovered.

Tungsten

• Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is a rare, dense, steel-grey transitional metal known for exceptional heat resistance and remarkable hardness.
• Major Mineral: It is classified as a major mineral under the Second Schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
• The MMDR Amendment Act 2023 lists tungsten as both a critical and strategic mineral in Part D of the First Schedule.
• Thermal Properties: Tungsten has the highest melting point among all metals at 3422°C and the lowest vapour pressure at high temperatures.
• Mechanical Strength: It possesses the highest tensile strength above 1650°C, while pure single-crystal tungsten remains ductile under controlled conditions.
• Natural Occurrence: This element is relatively rare and found mainly in wolframite and scheelite ores.
• Global Reserves: China holds over 50% of global tungsten reserves, with significant deposits also found in Russia, Canada, and Vietnam.
• China produces more than 80% of the tungsten output and supplies around 30% to global exports.
• Indian Deposits: Karnataka accounts for 42% of India’s tungsten resources, followed by Rajasthan with 27% and Andhra Pradesh with 17%.
• Health Aspect: It is generally non-toxic, though inhaled dust may cause respiratory issues. Soluble tungsten compounds pose higher risks than insoluble forms.
• Key Applications: Tungsten is widely used for hard cutting tools, incandescent filaments, high-strength alloys, radiation shielding, and specialised defence and aerospace components.

Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)

The progress of the India–Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement negotiations has been reviewed.

EAEU

• Overview: It is an international organization for regional economic integration. 
• Genesis: Established by the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (signed in 2014).
• Members: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
• Feature: Enables free movement of goods, services, capital and labour, supported by coordinated, harmonised and unified policies.

Systematic Observation Impact Bond

Systematic Observation Impact Bond, World’s first impact bond on weather and climate data recently opened for contributions.

• To be announced as part of COP30 (UNFCCC) Action Agenda.  
• Aim: Finance instrument to strengthen resilience and early warnings worldwide 
• Seeks initial capitalization of USD 200 million by end of 2026. 
• Pioneered by: Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), a United Nations fund created by UN Environment Programme (UNEP), World Meteorological Organization, and UN Development Programme (UNDP).
• Significance: Help 30 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) meet Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) standards.

Anegada Passage

Fighter jets and guided-missile destroyers, transited the Anegada Passage as a part of USA’s Operation Southern Spear against Narco Terrorism in the Caribbean.

Anegada Passage

• Location: Channel in the West Indies, connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Caribbean Sea. 
• It is 65 km wide and separates the British Virgin Islands (west) from the Leeward Islands (southeast). 
• It is one of the two passages through which subsurface water enters the Caribbean (other being the Windward Passage).

Creamy Layer in Scheduled Caste Reservation

• On Nov 2025, CJI B.R. Gavai reiterated that the creamy layer principle should apply to the Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation, similar to the Indra Sawhney (1992) ruling for OBCs.

Need for Creamy Layer in SC Quota

• Intra-Group Inequality: NSS & IHDS data show a clear socio-economic gap within SCs, where the top 10–15% households match near-national averages while the bottom remains in low-paid labour.
• Benefit Concentration: Research (TISS/ICSSR) indicates a small upwardly mobile SC segment repeatedly secures top jobs and seats, causing inter-generational capture rather than rotating gains to the poorest.
• Persistent Structural Deprivation: PLFS 2022–23 shows SC unemployment stays above national levels, with 50%+ workforce still in low-productivity sectors, proving uneven socio-economic progress.
• Access & Resource Gap: AISHE trends show weaker enrolment and completion among rural/low-income SC youth compared to urban/elite SC families, reflecting internal opportunity disparities.

Counterarguments Against CJI View

• Untouchability Effects: Social discrimination may not disappear for affluent SCs, unlike OBC groups, hence economic filters alone may be insufficient.
• Constitutional Interpretation: SC quota is historically based on caste-based discrimination and stigma, not just economic backwardness.
• Administrative Complexity: Identifying the creamy layer within SCs & STs is more complex because caste-based exclusion operates universally, not selectively.

Hidden Hunger in India

• Millions of children and adults in India endure severe undernutrition and hidden hunger, highlighting a persistent and deeply rooted national crisis.

• Hidden hunger, or micronutrient deficiency, is a form of undernutrition in which a person does not receive enough essential vitamins and minerals despite adequate calorie intake.

India’s Hidden Hunger Landscape

• National Burden: India hosts one quarter of the world’s hungry population, with over 190 million undernourished and nearly half of the global burden of wasting.
• Child Undernutrition: About 35.5% of children under five are stunted (low height for age), and 18.7% are wasted (low weight for height).
• Adolescent Deficits: Around 24% of Indian adolescents remain thin (below healthy body mass), and nearly 80% face multiple micronutrient deficiencies.
• Gender Impact: Women and children are disproportionately impacted. According to NFHS-5, 57% of women and 67% of children aged 6-59 months are anaemic.
• State Hotspot: Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Bihar record significantly higher malnutrition levels than the national average.

Consequences of Hidden Hunger

• Intergenerational Cycle: Maternal malnutrition raises the risk of low-birth-weight babies and initiates a cycle of nutritional deficiencies across generations.
• Early Damage: Micronutrient deficiencies in the first 1,000 days cause permanent losses in physical growth and permanently limit cognitive development.
• Productivity Loss: Weakness, fatigue, and frequent illnesses can reduce an adult’s work capacity. India loses about 4% of its GDP due to micronutrient malnutrition.
• Dividend Threat: Hidden hunger weakens the health, learning, and skills of youth, and lowers the productive potential of India’s demographic dividend.
• Health Burden: Weakened immunity increases infection risks and leads to higher hospitalisations, which in turn raise household and public healthcare costs.

Undertrial Injustice in India

• Justice Vikram Nath of the Supreme Court stressed that many prisoners languish behind bars due to systemic failures like poor legal aid, procedural delays, and inability to furnish bail.

Need for Undertrial Justice in India

• Out of India’s 5.6 lakh prisoners, nearly 4 lakh (70%) are undertrials (NCRB, 2023).
• Many undertrials spend more time in jail than the maximum sentence for their alleged offences. E.g. In Maharashtra, 11% of undertrials have been incarcerated beyond the prescribed sentence (NCRB, 2023).
• Around 25% of undertrials remain in custody for not affording bail bonds (India Justice Report, 2022).
• Over 60% of prisoners are unaware of their right to free legal aid (NALSA-UNDP Report, 2023).
• SC/ST and OBC communities form 66% of all undertrials, showing a socio-economic bias.
• Only 1 legal aid lawyer per 55 prisoners, leading to poor case follow-up. NALSA audit (2023).

Way Forward

• Fast-Track Trial: Prioritise undertrial review committees and special courts for long-pending cases. E.g. The Delhi High Court’s 2023 initiative disposed of 2,000 petty undertrial cases within six months.
• Effective Legal Aid Delivery: Expand NALSA’s mandate for quality assurance of legal aid lawyers. E.g., the UK’s Legal Aid Quality Mark System to rate performance and effectiveness.
• Bail Reform: Implement automatic bail for bailable offences and release where detention exceeds half the maximum sentence (Law Commission of India Report No. 268).
• Integration of Technology: Use AI-based dashboards to track undertrial detention, legal representation, and case status. E.g. Telangana’s e-Prison Project (2024) reduced detention errors by 25%.
• Law School Engagement: Institutionalise legal aid clinics under BCI guidelines for hands-on learning. E.g. NALSAR models linking students with district legal services authorities.
• Targeted Vulnerability Programs: Provide legal aid, healthcare, and rehabilitation for women, SC/ST inmates, and prisoners with mental illness. E.g. Kerala’s Parivarthanam Prison Outreach.

Senkaku Island 

Recently, a formation of China Coast Guard ships passed through the waters around the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands.

• Japan and China have long-running disputes over these islands.
• Located in the East China Sea
• They are part of Okinawa Prefecture.
• Also known as Diaoyu in Chinese.

Raulane Festival

Himachal Pradesh’s Raulane Festival preserves its ancient faith and tradition. 

• Overview: Ancient 5,000-year-old festival of Kinnaur, HP that honours mystical celestial fairies known as Saunis.
• Key Ritual: Two men act as a symbolic groom and bride (Raula and Raulane), fully covered in Kinnauri woollens, representing a link to the divine.
• Procession: The pair walks to the Nagin Narayan Temple and performs a slow devotional dance.

India’s Retail Inflation and Consumer Price Index (CPI)

• India’s retail inflation in October 2025 declined to a historic low following GST rate reductions and food-price corrections.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a composite indicator that tracks short-term changes in retail prices for a representative household consumption basket.
• CPI Variants: The National Statistical Office (NSO) publishes CPI-Rural (CPI-R), CPI-Urban (CPI-U), and CPI-Combined (CPI-C) to measure household retail inflation.
• Labour Indices: The Labour Bureau publishes CPI-Industrial Workers (CPI-IW), CPI-Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL), and CPI-Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) for wage indexation and policy planning.
• Base Year: The current base year is 2012, but MoSPI is planning to revise it to 2024 to reflect the latest consumption patterns.
• Methodology: CPI is calculated using the Modified Laspeyres fixed-base formula, applying base-year expenditure weights to measure changes in household consumption.
• Coverage: Price data are collected from 1,181 villages and 1,114 urban markets, covering six major consumption groups.
• Six Groups: (1) Food & Beverages, (2) Pan-Tobacco-Intoxicants, (3) Clothing & Footwear, (4) Housing, (5) Fuel & Light, and (6) Miscellaneous.
• Weight Structure: Food & Beverages carries the highest weight in CPI-Rural (54.18%) and CPI-Combined (45.86%), while Miscellaneous has the highest weight in CPI-Urban (29.53%).

• Frequency: The index is released monthly, with weekly price collection for perishables and monthly collection for non-perishables and services.
• Policy Relevance: CPI-Combined is India’s official inflation indicator for monetary policy under the Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework mandated by the amended RBI Act, 1934.

Current Issues with the Consumer Price Index

• Outdated Base Year: The CPI still uses 2012 as its base year, which no longer reflects current consumer behaviour or prevailing economic reality.
• Skewed Weightages: Food holds a disproportionately high weight (45.86% in CPI-Combined), even though households now spend more on health, education, and services.
• Substitution Bias: The fixed-basket approach assumes consumers do not shift to cheaper substitutes when prices rise, which can exaggerate the increase in living costs.
• Quality Adjustment: The CPI often cannot separate genuine inflation from higher prices caused by improved product quality or newly introduced goods.
• Data Gaps: Price information from the vast informal sector remains difficult to collect, which weakens the accuracy and reliability of CPI estimates.

India’s Farm Export Resilience

• India’s Agri-exports grew 8.8% (Apr–Sep 2025) to $25.9bn versus 2.9% growth in overall merchandise exports despite high US tariffs (“Trump tariffs”) and global price softening.

Drivers of India’s Agri Export Growth

• Policy Relaxation: Gradual easing of non-basmati export bans & duties revived supply, aiming to cross $6.5Bn, supported through export promotion under the APEDA.
• Commodity-Specific Tailwinds: 17.4% rise in marine exports (H1 FY25-26) due to global demand and quality compliance enabled by Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) certification.
• Price Windfall Effect: Coffee export value doubled (2019-20 → 2024-25) due to 25-year-low global stocks, aided by value-addition initiatives under the Coffee Board of India.
• Domestic Production Support: Consecutive good monsoons + high FCI stocks ensured exportable surplus with risk protection supported through the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
• Private Sector Agility: Exporters quickly diversified to China, Vietnam, the EU, Japan & Canada to bypass the 58% US seafood tariff, reducing overdependence on a single market.
• Trade Infrastructure Upgrades: Better pack-houses, reefer logistics & Mega Food Parks strengthened perishables export capacity through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).
• Value-Added Processing: Processed fruits & vegetables exports grew $958M → $1.8B, supported by incentives under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Food Processing.
• Digital Market Linkages: e-NAM integration improved farm-gate aggregation, traceability and market connectivity for export-grade commodities.

Ambaji Marble and Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.

Recently, Ambaji Marble received the GI Tag. 

Ambaji Marble

• Production: Banaskantha district, Gujarat.
• Key Feature:Milky white colour, natural beauty and durability, used widely in temples, memorials and grand buildings.

GI Tag

• Meaning: Certification given to products that originate from a specific region and have inherent qualities, reputation, and characteristics contributing to their origin. 
• Granted Under: Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. 
• Validity: 10 years. 
• Nodal Department: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 

Kartar Singh Sarabha

Eminent freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha was remembered on his death anniversary.

Karatar Singh Sarabha (1896 - 1915)

• He was an Indian revolutionary born in Punjab.

Key Contributions

• He became a member of Ghadar Party at a young age. 
• He played key role in publishing Punjabi issue of the Ghadar newspaper.
• In 1913, Ghadar Party was formed by the Indians in Oregon (US) with the aim to oust the British from India
• On returning to India, he focused on mobilising Indian soldiers to revolt and set up a small scale arms manufacturing unit in Ludhiana. 
• He was charged with sedition in Lahore Conspiracy Case and was executed in 1915.

Values 

• Bravery, Courage, Commitment, etc.

Explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar

• A recent explosion caused by seized explosives at Srinagar’s Nowgam police station raises concerns about failures in following explosive-handling protocols.
• Accidental Detonation: The blast resulted from the accidental ignition of ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and other explosives seized in Faridabad.
• • Module Link: The explosives were linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammed “white-collar” terror module involved in the Red Fort blast.
• Claim Rejected: A claim of responsibility by the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (a JeM proxy outfit) was dismissed, and officials classified the incident as an ‘accident during evidence handling’.

Standard Protocols for Handling Seized Explosives

• Legal Basis: The handling of seized explosives is governed by the Explosives Act 1884, the Explosives Rules 2008, and guidelines issued by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
• Qualified Personnel: Only authorised Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts trained under the Explosives Act are permitted to handle, sample, transport, or destroy seized explosives.
• Sealed Inventory: All seized explosives must be recorded in a sealed inventory in the presence of police or a magistrate.
• They are stored in the police station malkhana (storage room) or transferred to the court if the storage is deemed unsafe.
• Forensic Timeline: Agencies must send seized explosives for forensic analysis within twenty-four hours, and the police retain custody until the sampling is completed.
• Destruction Approval: The police require a court’s permission to destroy seized explosives, and destruction is allowed only after approval from the appropriate government authority.

ESCAPADE Mission to Mars

• NASA’s twin-spacecraft Mars mission ESCAPADE was launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

ESCAPADE Mission

• ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) is a twin-spacecraft Mars mission by NASA to study how the solar wind strips away the Martian atmosphere.
• It is part of NASA’s SIMPLEx programme for independent planetary science missions using small, low-cost spacecraft.
• Core Objective: It aims to examine Mars’ hybrid magnetosphere and explain how solar-wind interaction drives long-term atmospheric loss into space.
• Twin Spacecraft: The mission deploys two identical small satellites, Blue and Gold, launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.
• ‘Launch and Loiter’: The spacecrafts were placed early into a fuel-efficient holding orbit around the Earth-Sun Lagrange point 2 (L2) to wait for the correct Earth-Mars alignment.
• Gravity Assist: Once Earth and Mars align correctly, they will use an Earth gravity-assist manoeuvre (“slingshot“) to propel toward Mars with minimal fuel use.
• Science Timeline: The main science mission will begin in mid-2028 and will last for about eleven months. It is divided into two phases:

1. String of Pearls:Both satellites will fly in nearly identical orbits to capture short-timescale variations in Mars’ environment.
2. Complementary Phase:Each spacecraft will shift to different orbits to study distinct regions of Mars’ magnetosphere simultaneously.

• Key Instruments: Each spacecraft is equipped with the EMAG magnetometer, EESA electrostatic analyser, and ELP suite to measure plasma density and temperature.

India Needs to Include Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) in the UIP

• Bangladesh recently introduced the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV), while India, a major supplier of the vaccine, has not included it in the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

Typhoid

• Typhoid is a water-borne disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. It mainly spreads in areas with poor water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure.
• Disease Burden: WHO estimates show 9–12 million global infections and over 100,000 deaths annually, with India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh as hotspots; Children are significantly impacted.
• Transmission: Mainly through the faecal-oral route via ingestion of contaminated food or water; it also spreads through the faeces or urine of an infected person or an asymptomatic carrier.
• Symptoms: Prolonged high fever with headache and non-specific symptoms, which make early diagnosis difficult.

Key Reasons for TCV Inclusion in UIP

• High Burden: SEFI modelling (2017–2020) estimates 4.5 million annual Indian cases with nearly 9,000 deaths. The incidence is highest in densely populated, low-income settlements lacking sanitation.
• AMR Threat: Salmonella Typhi shows growing resistance to common antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone, limiting treatment options.
• Vaccine Advantage: TCV significantly decreases typhoid cases, decreases antibiotic use, and prevents the development of new drug-resistant strains.
• Health Equity: High private-sector pricing (~₹2,000/dose) limits TCV access for vulnerable populations.
• National Guidance: National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) officially recommended the inclusion of TCV in UIP in 2022.
• Sanitation Gaps: Only 6% of urban households have a guaranteed safe water supply, despite initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• Regional Alignment: India’s neighbours, including Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, have already adopted TCVs in accordance with WHO guidance.

ISRO’s Production Expansion and Upcoming Missions

• ISRO aims to triple its annual spacecraft production within three years and boost India’s share in the global space economy from 2% to 8% by 2030.

Upcoming Missions of ISRO

• Industry PSLV: The first PSLV fully assembled by an industry consortium led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is scheduled for launch by February 2026.
• Gaganyaan: The crewed mission under Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight programme, is planned for launch in the first quarter of 2027.
• Chandrayaan-4: India’s first lunar sample-return mission is planned for 2028 under Chandrayaan-4.
• LUPEX: India’s joint lunar polar exploration with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) to investigate water ice in the moon’s shadowed regions is scheduled for launch in 2028.
• Indian Space Station: The first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station is scheduled to launch in 2028, with full operation expected by 2035.
• The endeavour would make India the third major nation to operate an independent space station.

Induction of Women Soldiers in the Territorial Army

• Women will soon be inducted into the ‘other ranks’ category of the Territorial Army (TA), allowing them to serve as soldiers for the first time.
• Women were first permitted to join the TA as officers and in limited roles within specific units in 2019.

Territorial Army (TA)

• The TA is a part-time volunteer military force that supports the Army during emergencies, natural disasters, and internal security threats.
• It is based on the “citizen soldier” principle, where employed civilians volunteer their spare time for national defence tasks.
• Origin: The Indian Territorial Force (1920), established by the British for volunteer service, developed into the TA under the Territorial Army Act of 1948. It was officially inaugurated in 1949.
• Eligibility: Indian citizens aged 18–42 with civilian occupations and medical fitness are eligible; they undergo annual training camps of about two months.
• Deployment: TA units were mobilised during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani Wars, and 1999 Kargil War to support logistics, protect infrastructure, and secure rear areas.

Exercise Garuda 25

• Exercise Garuda 25 has commenced at Mont-de-Marsan, France, between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF),
• This is the eighth edition of the bilateral air exercise between India and France.
• Objective: To improve interoperability and tactical refinement and strengthen defence cooperation between the two air forces.
• Aircrafts Involved: India deployed Su-30MKI fighters, C-17 transport aircraft, and IL-78 tankers to operate alongside French multirole fighters.
• Key Focus: Includes air-to-air combat, integrated air defence missions, and joint strike operations in realistic operational conditions.
• Significance: It highlights India’s commitment to structured air force cooperation and strengthens bilateral defence ties with France.

India announced a plan to develop a national platform for climate and nature finance

India, along with 13 other developing countries and regions, announced plans to establish country- or region-specific platforms during a ministerial event at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

• The initiative includes regional bodies such as the African Islands States Climate Commission (AISCC) and participating countries like Cambodia, Colombia, and others.

The Platform

•  Supported through the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.
• Readiness Programme supports country-driven initiatives to strengthen their institutional capacities, governance mechanisms, and planning towards a transformational long-term climate action agenda.
• Purpose: Strategic, country-driven mechanisms that translate climate priorities into programmatic investment approaches.
• It will replace a fragmented project approach based climate finance mobilisation.
•  And, provides platform for better coordination between the different public and private, international and local stakeholders. 

Green Climate Fund

• It is the world’s largest climate fund.
• Genesis: COP 16, UNFCCC Cancun, 2010.
• It serves the Paris Agreement in accordance with Article 9.
• Mandate: To support developing countries in raising and realizing their Nationally Determined Contributions ambitions towards low-emissions, climate-resilient pathways.
• Governance:  Fund is governed by the GCF Board and it is accountable to and functions under the guidance of the COP, UNFCCC. 
• HQ: Songdo, Incheon City, Republic of Korea

Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT)

Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT) launched at COP30

• Aim: To create a permanent, politically supported space where countries can address the increasingly contentious intersection between trade policies and climate action.
• It will be institutionally independent of both the WTO and the UNFCCC
• The Forum will be co-chaired by Brazil and a developed country partner, and is open to all parties to the UNFCCC. 
• Forum will not Negotiate binding outcomes or interpret existing agreements or adjudicate disputes or evaluate specific national measures.