MAY 25 , 2026 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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BHAVYA Scheme Blueprint Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA) Scheme » Scheme Type: Central Sector Scheme » Ministry: Ministry of Commerce & Industry via DPIIT. » Objective: Transform the country into a globally competitive manufacturing hub by providing supportive industrial ecosystems that help investors easily ground their investments, thereby deepening domestic supply chains and increasing employment. » Target: Develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks in partnership with States, Central Public Sector Undertakings and private sector. o Plug-and-play industrial parks are ready-to-use manufacturing sites offering pre-built infrastructure. E.g., roads, power, water, and approvals, » Duration: 6 years (2026-27-2031-32) » Outlay: Rs 33,660 crore » Eligibility: Greenfield and eligible brownfield industrial parks » Minimum land requirements: 100 acres for non-hilly states and 25 acres for hilly states, NE states, Union Territories, and smaller states. o Also permits larger parks up to 1000 acres. » Funding Framework: Financial assistance is provided through the National Industrial Corridor Development and Investment Trust (NICDIT), primarily in the form of equity contribution. o Funds up to ₹ 1 crore per acre in equity mode for each project (except for private developer) for- Ø Core infrastructure (internal roads, ICT and administrative systems). Ø Value-added infrastructure (ready-built factory sheds, warehousing). Ø Social infrastructure (worker housing and support amenities). Ø Support for external infrastructure up to 25% of project cost would also be provided. |
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Bridging Classrooms to Careers About the committee » Origin: Union Budget 2026-27 proposed its establishment » Objective: to help India achieve a 10% share of the global services market by 2047 by aligning education, skilling, employment, and entrepreneurship with emerging economic opportunities. » Composition: chaired by CEO, NITI aayog, it has representation from Union and state government, Industry bodies and other experts. |
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Cross-Border Investments, Shared Prosperity Total FPI outflow from equity market crossed 2.22 lakh crore rupees so far in 2026. FPI » Meaning: Any investment made by person resident outside India through equity instruments where such investment is less than 10% of the post-issue paid-up share capital on a fully diluted basis of listed Indian company. o Or less than 10% of paid-up value of each series of an equity instrument of a listed Indian company. » Regulation: Securities and Exchange Board of India [(Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations, 2019 last amended in 2022] » Nature: Short-term investment done to diversify investment portfolio and unlike FDI, does not involve transfer of knowledge or technology. |
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Fisheries in the Chill Zone India’s cold-water fisheries sector is emerging as an important pillar of the country’s Blue Economy. About Cold Water Fisheries » They are practiced in high-altitude snow-fed rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs. » Regions: Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, etc., along with hill districts of West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. » Current Status: Contribute nearly 3 % of inland fish production in India. » Key Cold-Water Fishes: Mahaseer, Snow trout and Indian hill trout » Government Initiatives: It is supported under initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), etc. |
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Fueling the Future Recently, Oil India Limited discovered a new natural gas reserve in Rajasthan. » The discovery marks the first-ever confirmed gas presence in the Sanu Formation of the Dandewala field. Natural Gas in India » Composition: Mainly composed of methane (CH₄) with smaller amounts of natural gas liquids and nonhydrocarbon gases, like CO2 and water vapor » Estimated reserves: ~1,000 billion cubic meters, with largest reserves being in Western Offshore region followed by eastern offshore. o Enabling: Reduces startup costs by providing access to ISRO’s infrastructure and laboratories. o Authorization: Serves as the primary regulator for clearing private launches and ground operations. Etc. |
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Global Defence Hub Vision Observations were made by Defence Minister during the inauguration of Defence Manufacturing Complex of a private sector company, NIBE Group’ at Shirdi, Maharashtra. » ‘Suryastra’, India’s first 300 KM Universal Rocket Launching System was also flagged-off. Significance of Private Sector Participation in DefenceLaunched: » Fostering Economic Resilience and National Security: In present times of weaponisation of trade and supply chains to even rare earth minerals. » Empowerment and Employment: Boost MSMEs, small-scale industries and local economy along with empowering them with cutting edge technological skill sets. » Defence Research: Income, technological and production capabilities of the private sector could be leveraged in research and development activities. » Defence Entrepreneurship: It would avoid bureaucratic hurdles commonly encountered in government institution and state owned companies. » Promote Indigenisation: India targets ₹3 lakh crore in defence production by 2029. Key Reforms to Push Private Participation in Defence » Liberalized FDI Policy: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 74% FDI allowed through automatic route. » Priority for Domestic Procurement: Procuring capital items from domestic sources under Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)-2020. » Defence Industrial Corridors: Set up in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to boost defence manufacturing. » Industry as Partner: Promotes collaborative ecosystem involving private sector companies, start-ups, and MSMEs through initiatives like Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), etc. |
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Global Health Assembly 2025 Ends Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (GAP-AMR) for 2026–2036 » About: 2nd edition of GAP-AMR that builds on a decade of implementation of first GAP-AMR adopted in 2015. » Aim: Attainment of 2024 UN General Assembly target of 10% reduction in bacterial AMR-associated deaths in humans, reducing antimicrobial use in agrifood systems, and minimizing environmental pollution from resistant microbes by 2030. » Technical support and Coordination: Provided with WHO and Quadripartite partners, i.e., Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). AMR » Meaning: Occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents like antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, etc. » Burden: AMR can cause up to 39 million deaths by 2050. » Key Initiatives: o India: National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR); Red Line Awareness Campaign, etc. o Global: WHO’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) Other Key Resolutions Adopted at 79th WHA » First Resolution on Radiation and Health: Covering both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation to strengthen national systems for radiation protection. » Strategy on the economics of health for all (2026–2030): Outlines actions to ensure that health is systematically integrated into economic, fiscal and industrial policies. |
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Guardians of Knowledge in the Age of Misinformation Recently, Google unveiled Information Agents, a feature built into Search to monitor the web. » Apart from Google, Microsoft and Meta are also working on it. Information Agents (IA) » Refers to persistent, background processes that continuously scan the web, social media, news outlets, finance data, and real-time sources on user’s behalf, and alerts them when something relevant surfaces. » Key Concerns: Type of agentic feature that works best when fed with a lot of user data; can use user data as feed for ad tech industry; accelerate automated traffic on internet, etc. |
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India’s First Geothermal Plant Ladakh’s Lt. Governor approved a five-year extension to MoU with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to set up this plant at an altitude of 14, 000 feet in Puga Valley. » Under the revised MoU, ONGC will establish a 1-MWe pilot geothermal power plant and prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for large-scale commercial exploitation of geothermal resources in Ladakh. » About Geothermal Energy » Meaning: It harnesses heat stored within Earth''s crust. o Geothermal system consists of multiple components including production and reinjection (wells, pumps), transport (pipelines), distribution (heat exchangers) and end-use application. » Sources o High-enthalpy resources: Volcanic regions, geysers and hot springs primarily for electricity generation. o Low- to medium-enthalpy resources: Like hot rocks and shallow ground layers, better suited for direct-use applications (e.g. heating and cooling, agri-food, aquaculture), etc. » Potential In India o Geological Survey of India (GSI) identified 381 hot springs with surface temperatures ranging from 35°C to 89°C. o It has also identified 10 geothermal provinces in India including Himalayan Geothermal Province; Andaman Nicobar Islands, etc. o A potential of about 10,600 MW of geothermal power has been estimated with Puga and Chumathang areas appearing to be most promising. » National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025): Establishing geothermal energy as major pillars of India’s renewable energy landscape, contributing to 2070 Net Zero Goal, and energy security. |
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NPT and the Future of Global Peace The eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) concluded without agreement on a consensus outcome document. NPT » It is international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament. » Treaty establishes a safeguards system under the responsibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). o Safeguards are used to verify compliance with the Treaty through inspections conducted by the IAEA. » It is binding in nature. » Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970. » Members: 191 (including five nuclear-weapon States i.e. USA, Russia, China, UK and France). o India has not joined NPT. |
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The Silent Sentinel of the South China Sea Chinese Coast Guard ship was recently spotted near Taiwan''s strategically located Pratas Islands at top of South China Sea. Pratas Island » Also known as Dongsha Island, are a small group of three islands forming a coral atoll located in the South China Sea, governed by Taiwan. » Characterized by circular atoll structure, with Dongsha Island being only island above sea level, while other two (North Vereker Bank and South Vereker Bank) are submerged. » Contested between China and Taiwan. » Other Islands of South China Sea: Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, and Scarborough Shoal. |
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Trends in Peace Operations 2025 In it, the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) highlighted the key challenges confronting multilateral peace operations. Key Challenges faced by Peacekeeping Operations » Funding Shortfall: Unpaid donor contributions (from countries like the USA) caused a $2 billion UN shortfall, forcing deep cuts to peace personnel numbers. » Geopolitical Gridlock: UN Security Council veto threats complicate mandate renewals. E.g., U.S. is pushing for the termination of missions like the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) » Defunding of Regional Missions: E.g., EU redirecting its European Peace Facility (EPF) funding from Africa towards Ukraine and West Asia. » Rise of Ad Hoc Interventions: E.g., Middle powers (like UAE) are using bilateral military agreements that prioritize short-term security over long-term conflict resolution. » Unequal Burden on the Global South: All top 10 military and police-contributing nations including India are from the Global South. » Historic Lows in Personnel Deployments: There were 58 active peacekeeping operations in 34 countries in 2025, dropping below the threshold of 60 for the first time since 2016. Strengthening peacekeeping operations requires predictable funding, greater burden-sharing by developed countries, and stronger cooperation with regional organizations to address evolving global security challenges. UN Peacekeeping » Genesis: Began in 1948 with the establishment of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in the Middle East. » Principles of Peacekeeping: Consent of the parties, Impartiality and Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate » Deployment: UN Peacekeeping Missions are deployed, by the UN Security Council, to support ceasefires and peace agreements. Key Peacekeeping Missions: » UNMISET (UN Mission of Support in East Timor): Operated from 2002 to 2005 » MINUSTAH (UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti): Operated from 2004 to 2017 » MINURCAT (UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad): Operated from 2007 to 2010 » UNMIL (UN Mission in Liberia): Operated from 2003 to 2018 » UNMOGIP: (UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan): Started in 1949 |
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Uniform Civil Code Explained The government has highlighted that special provisions have been made to exclude all tribal communities from the ambit of the UCC, thereby ensuring full protection of their customary rights and cultural traditions. UCC » It seeks to replace religion-based personal laws with a common law applicable to all, irrespective of religion, caste, creed, gender, or sexual orientation. » Constitutional provision: Article 44 (Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV)) Provides that State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a UCC throughout the territory of India. » Current Status: No nationwide implementation, but only applicable in some states. E.g., Gujrat, Uttarakhand (1st in Independent India), and Goa o Goa follows a form of common civil code based on the Portuguese Civil Code. |