Current Affairs — 14 October 2026

1. First BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting: The Delhi Declaration

Basic Concept

BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is a regional grouping formed in 1997, linking South Asia and Southeast Asia through the Bay of Bengal. Its seven members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, and its Secretariat is located in Dhaka. Unlike SAARC, BIMSTEC has functioned relatively smoothly because it excludes Pakistan and focuses on connectivity, security, and economic cooperation among Bay of Bengal littoral and near-littoral states. Security cooperation, especially against terrorism and transnational crime, is one of BIMSTEC's core sectors, making ministerial-level meetings on internal security an important, if under-studied, dimension of the grouping for GS2 International Relations.

Core Context

On 14 October 2026, India hosted the first-ever BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi. At the end of the meeting, member states adopted the 'Delhi Declaration 2026', a joint commitment to deepen cooperation on internal security and counter-terrorism. The idea for such a meeting was first proposed at the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu (2018) and was formally welcomed at the 6th Summit in Bangkok (2025), making this meeting the culmination of an eight-year process.

Latest Developments

• The Delhi Declaration condemns all forms of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, explicitly referencing the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee regime on terrorist individuals and entities.

• It commits members to joint action against terror financing, money laundering, radicalisation, and the misuse of cyberspace for extremist propaganda.

• A specific focus is on dismantling cross-border scam centres and human trafficking networks operating in the region, a growing concern in parts of Southeast Asia.

• Members agreed to work towards early finalisation of pending BIMSTEC conventions on extradition, transfer of sentenced persons, and human trafficking.

• The declaration calls for strengthening the BIMSTEC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk and deepening cooperation with global bodies such as UNODC, INTERPOL, FATF, and the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG).

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing the meeting, said terror networks must not be allowed safe havens in the region.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• BIMSTEC was formed in 1997; its Secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

• BIMSTEC has seven members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

• The 'Delhi Declaration 2026' was adopted at the first-ever BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting, held in New Delhi.

• UNSC Resolution 1267 established the Sanctions Committee dealing with entities associated with Al-Qaida and ISIL (Da'esh).

2. Preventive Detention and Constitutional Safeguards

Basic Concept

Preventive detention is the confinement of a person to prevent an anticipated future threat to public order or security, rather than to punish a crime already committed. It is a colonial-era tool retained in independent India's Constitution as an exception to ordinary personal-liberty guarantees, making it a recurring, high-value topic in GS2 Polity, especially around Articles 21 and 22.

Core Context

In a special hearing, the Supreme Court directed the Centre and the Delhi Police to ensure that lawful protests are not met with unlawful detentions, and that citizens' freedom of movement is protected. The directions came in the context of protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the conduct of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), reviving debate on how preventive detention powers are used against protestors.

Latest Developments

• Article 22(3) of the Constitution exempts preventive detention from the ordinary arrest safeguards available under Articles 22(1) and 22(2), such as the right to be informed of grounds of arrest and to consult a lawyer.

• Article 22(4) generally bars detention beyond three months unless an Advisory Board (of persons qualified to be High Court judges) has reported sufficient cause.

• Article 22(5) requires that the grounds of detention be communicated to the detainee as soon as possible, along with the earliest opportunity to make a representation against the order.

• Article 22(6) allows the detaining authority to withhold facts it considers against the public interest to disclose, while Article 22(7) allows Parliament to prescribe circumstances and procedures for longer detention.

• Preventive detention legislation draws on Entry 9 of the Union List (defence, foreign affairs, security of India) and Entry 3 of the Concurrent List (public order, security, persons subject to preventive detention).

• In Ameena Begum v. State of Telangana (2023), the Supreme Court held that preventive detention powers must be scrutinised strictly since they curtail liberty without trial; in Shaik Nazneen v. State of Telangana (2022), it held that ordinary law-and-order problems cannot justify preventive detention, which is meant for threats to public order or security of the State.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Preventive detention prevents an anticipated offence; punitive detention follows a proven offence.

• Article 22(4): maximum detention without an Advisory Board opinion is three months.

• BNSS Section 163 (successor to CrPC Section 144) empowers restriction of assemblies/activities, but it is distinct from preventive detention, which confines specific individuals.

• Preventive detention features in both the Union List (Entry 9) and the Concurrent List (Entry 3) of the Seventh Schedule.

3. The Debate Over Reforming UAPA, 1967

Basic Concept

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 is India's primary anti-terrorism and anti-extremism law, empowering the State to declare organisations (and, since 2019, individuals) as 'terrorist' and to prosecute offences related to unlawful and terrorist activities. Its stringent bail provisions, intended to prevent the release of dangerous accused persons, are frequently criticised for resulting in long pre-trial incarceration even where conviction rates are low — a core GS2 tension between national security and civil liberties.

Core Context

Legal commentators and civil-society groups have renewed calls to reform the UAPA, citing prolonged trials, extended police custody, and low eventual conviction rates as evidence that the law's stringent provisions are being used disproportionately relative to actual terrorism convictions.

Latest Developments

• Section 43D(5) of the UAPA restricts bail: courts must deny bail if, on a prima facie reading of the case diary, the accusation appears 'true'; Section 43E further presumes guilt in cases involving recovery of arms, explosives, or unlawful possession in a notified area.

• Police custody can extend up to 30 days (against 15 days under ordinary criminal law), and the chargesheet filing deadline can be extended up to 180 days from the usual 90 days, with court permission.

• The Act has been amended in 2004 (to explicitly cover terrorism after POTA's repeal), 2008, 2012 (adding offences threatening economic security), and 2019 (empowering the Centre to designate individuals, not just organisations, as terrorists, and giving the NIA power to attach properties).

• Key judgments include NIA v. Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali (2019), which set a low threshold for denying bail; Arup Bhuyan v. State of Assam (2023), which overruled an earlier 2011 judgment and held that mere membership of a banned organisation is not itself an offence without incitement to violence; K.A. Najeeb (2021), where the Supreme Court invoked Article 21 to grant bail despite Section 43D(5) after prolonged incarceration (sometimes called the 'Meltdown Doctrine' of statutory bail bars yielding to constitutional rights); and Thwaha Fasal (2021).

• NCRB data cited by reform advocates shows UAPA conviction rates are often below 3%, fuelling the argument that the law's harshness is disproportionate to its conviction outcomes.

• Proposed reforms include a more precise statutory definition of terrorism, restoring greater judicial discretion on bail, independent periodic review committees (on the model of safeguards once built into POTA), statutory compensation for wrongful prolonged detention (drawing on the compensatory-justice principle from Rudul Sah v. State of Bihar), and time-bound trials with a default/statutory bail mechanism if deadlines are missed.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• UAPA, 1967 allows the Centre to designate both organisations and (since the 2019 amendment) individuals as terrorists.

• Section 43D(5) and 43E are the key UAPA provisions restricting bail for accused persons.

• K.A. Najeeb (2021) is a landmark case where the Supreme Court granted bail under UAPA citing the fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21.

• NIA (National Investigation Agency) is the central agency empowered to investigate and prosecute scheduled offences, including many UAPA cases.

4. Towards a TB-Free India: The JOSH Campaign

Basic Concept

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and one of India's leading infectious-disease burdens, making its control central to GS2 health-policy questions and GS3 science-based public-health strategy. India's National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) aims to eliminate TB five years ahead of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 target of 2030, i.e., by 2025, through a mix of active case-finding, free treatment, nutritional support, and community mobilisation.

Core Context

The Union Health Ministry launched the JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) campaign in 11 states and 55 districts to intensify the final push toward the 2025 TB elimination goal, mobilising youth networks, NCC cadets, and grassroots community volunteers in case-finding and awareness work.

Latest Developments

• Between 2015 and 2024, India's new TB cases fell by 21% against a global decline of only 12%, while TB mortality fell by 28% over the same period.

• India's treatment coverage stands at 92%, well above the global baseline of 78%; treatment success under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan is 90%, against a global average of 88%.

• Over 46,118 Gram Panchayats have received 'TB-Free Panchayat' certification for meeting elimination benchmarks.

• Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana provides ₹1,000 per month in nutritional support to notified TB patients; more than ₹4,454 crore has been disbursed to 1.38 crore beneficiaries since 2018.

• Ni-kshay Mitra enlists over 6.77 lakh community volunteers (individuals, NGOs, corporates) to 'adopt' TB patients and provide nutritional baskets.

• BPaLM is a newer, fully-oral six-month regimen for drug-resistant TB, replacing older, longer, more toxic treatment regimens.

• Persistent challenges include under-notification by private practitioners, patient undernutrition, social stigma (especially affecting women), and poor access in tribal, hilly, and conflict-affected regions.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• India's TB elimination target is 2025, five years ahead of the global SDG 3.3 target of 2030.

• Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana gives ₹1,000/month nutritional support to notified TB patients.

• BPaLM is a six-month, fully oral regimen used for drug-resistant TB.

• NTEP (National TB Elimination Programme) functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

5. Lakshadweep Achieves 100% Literacy Under ULLAS

Basic Concept

ULLAS — Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society, also called the Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram — is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, aimed at achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy among non-literate citizens aged 15 and above. Literacy schemes form a recurring GS2 governance theme, testing both scheme architecture and outcome indicators.

Core Context

Lakshadweep's Administrator, Praful K. Patel, declared the Union Territory 100% literate, crediting the ULLAS programme's outreach for closing the territory's remaining literacy gap.

Latest Developments

• ULLAS runs for FY 2022–27 with a target of educating 5 crore learners nationally (roughly 1 crore per year), covering non-literate citizens aged 15 and above.

• The scheme rests on five pillars: foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, basic education, vocational skills, and continuing education.

• Implementation uses volunteer teachers, the ULLAS mobile app and web portal (integrated with the DIKSHA platform), and learning primers available in 27 languages.

• Learners are assessed twice a year through FLNAT (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test); certificates are jointly issued by DoSEL and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• ULLAS is also known as the Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, implemented for FY 2022–27.

• ULLAS targets non-literate persons aged 15 years and above.

• The ULLAS app/portal is linked with the DIKSHA platform; learner assessment is via FLNAT.

• ULLAS certificates are jointly issued by DoSEL and NIOS.

6. India's High Share of Undertrials in Prisons

Basic Concept

An 'undertrial' is a person held in judicial custody while their criminal trial is still ongoing, as opposed to a 'convict' who has been found guilty. A high proportion of undertrials relative to convicts is widely read as an indicator of delays in the criminal justice system, excessive remand, and difficulties in accessing bail — a frequently tested GS2 topic connecting criminal procedure, prison reform, and the right to a speedy trial under Article 21.

Core Context

Citing recent prison statistics, commentary this week highlighted that India imprisons about 41 people per 1,00,000 population, a relatively low rate by international comparison, but that over three-quarters of these prisoners are undertrials awaiting the conclusion of their cases — placing India fourth in the world by the share of undertrials in its total prison population.

Latest Developments

• NCRB's Prison Statistics India data shows the undertrial share of the total prison population has been rising over the past decade, straining prison capacity and raising human-rights concerns.

• Common causes cited include poverty-driven inability to furnish bail or sureties, procedural delays, a shortage of judges relative to caseload, and inconsistent application of the Supreme Court's bail-not-jail jurisprudence.

• Reform proposals include wider use of the 2023 Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita's provisions for undertrials who have served half the maximum sentence for their alleged offence, stronger legal-aid access, and fast-track special courts.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• An undertrial is a person in custody whose trial is still pending; the data agency for prison statistics in India is the NCRB.

• India's incarceration rate is relatively low globally (about 41 per 1,00,000), but its undertrial share of total prisoners is among the highest.

• The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and carries provisions on undertrial release.

7. Funding Uncertainty Clouds the Urban Livelihood Mission

Basic Concept

DAY-NULM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission) was a centrally sponsored scheme (2014–2024) aimed at reducing urban poverty by organising the urban poor, especially women, into Self-Help Groups (SHGs), enabling skill development, and promoting self-employment and wage-employment opportunities. Its expiry without an announced, funded successor raises GS2/GS3 questions about continuity in social-protection schemes for the urban poor.

Core Context

At least five states have written to the Union Government seeking urgent and immediate funding clarity for the women's urban livelihood mission, warning that the funding gap could disrupt frontline support for urban poor households even as no formal word has come on a 'NULM 2.0' successor scheme.

Latest Developments

• DAY-NULM, which ran from 2014 to 2024, is credited with having created and supported over 10 lakh women's self-help groups in urban areas.

• States argue the funding uncertainty threatens social protection and income-support infrastructure built up over the scheme's decade of operation.

• The episode highlights a broader governance issue of scheme-to-scheme transition gaps, where an expiring Centrally Sponsored Scheme's successor is delayed, leaving state machinery and beneficiaries in limbo.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• DAY-NULM ran from 2014 to 2024 and focused on urban poverty alleviation through Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

• DAY-NULM is the urban counterpart of DAY-NRLM (rural livelihoods mission).

• 'NULM 2.0', a potential successor scheme, has not yet been formally announced with funding details.

8. Khajuraho's Javari Temple: Missing Idol Head Recovered

Basic Concept

Khajuraho, in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, is home to a group of temples built mainly under the Chandela dynasty (c. 950–1050 CE), inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 for its exceptional temple architecture and sculpture. The monuments are grouped into Western, Eastern, and Southern clusters, and are a recurring GS1 Art & Culture examination theme covering Nagara-style temple architecture, iconography, and conservation issues.

Core Context

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) found the missing head of the 11th-century Vishnu idol installed in the Javari Temple's sanctum, discovering it in its own store — a resolution that ended a long-running legal dispute over the idol's custody that had gone up to the Supreme Court.

Latest Developments

• The Javari Temple, in Khajuraho's Eastern Group of monuments, was built between approximately 1075 and 1100 CE under Chandela patronage.

• It follows a compact 'nirandhara' plan, meaning it lacks a circumambulatory passage (pradakshina patha) around the sanctum, unlike larger Khajuraho temples such as Kandariya Mahadeva.

• Architectural features include a makara-torana (an ornamental arch with crocodile-head motifs) over the entrance, a curvilinear shikhara (tower), intricately carved sculptural bands, and lintel carvings depicting the Hindu Trinity and the Navagrahas (nine celestial bodies).

• The Khajuraho Group of Monuments was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Khajuraho temples were primarily built under the Chandela dynasty; the site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

• A 'nirandhara' temple plan lacks a circumambulatory passage around the sanctum.

• A 'makara-torana' is an ornamental entrance arch featuring crocodile-head (makara) motifs.

• The Navagrahas refer to the nine celestial bodies in traditional Indian astronomy/astrology, often depicted on temple lintels.

9. India Opens a Resident Diplomatic Mission in Costa Rica

Basic Concept

India has been steadily expanding its diplomatic presence in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its outreach to the Global South, a theme tested under GS1 (physical/political geography) and GS2 (India's bilateral and regional relations). Central America, a narrow isthmus linking North and South America, hosts the Central American Integration System (SICA), a regional bloc India increasingly engages for trade and development partnerships.

Core Context

India's resident diplomatic mission in San José, the capital of Costa Rica, became operational from 10 October 2026, extending India's institutional presence in Central America and improving its platform for engagement with the Central American Integration System (SICA) region.

Latest Developments

• Costa Rica abolished its standing army under its 1949 Constitution and has a literacy rate exceeding 90%.

• Its terrain includes the volcanic Cordillera Central (with Poás, Irazú, and Arenal volcanoes) and the Cordillera de Talamanca; its highest peak is Mount Chirripó (3,819 m).

• The Central Valley (Meseta Central) is Costa Rica's main population centre and its principal coffee-growing region.

• Costa Rica sits on the Central American continental divide: the Reventazón River flows towards the Caribbean Sea, while the Grande de Tárcoles flows towards the Pacific Ocean.

• Over 25% of Costa Rica's territory is under some form of environmental protection, reflecting its global reputation for biodiversity conservation and ecotourism.

• The new mission is expected to anchor Indian engagement with SICA on renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, IT, and trade.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Costa Rica abolished its army in 1949 and borders Nicaragua and Panama.

• Costa Rica's highest peak is Mount Chirripó (3,819 m), part of the Cordillera de Talamanca.

• SICA (Central American Integration System) is the regional bloc for Central American states.

• The Meseta Central (Central Valley) is Costa Rica's principal coffee-growing and population centre.

10. RIS Report Highlights Ayush Sector's Economic and Employment Role

Basic Concept

'Ayush' refers to India's traditional and non-allopathic systems of medicine — Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy — promoted through a dedicated Ministry of Ayush. Mainstreaming and economically valuing traditional medicine systems is a recurring GS2 (health policy) and GS3 (economy, employment) theme, especially around medical value travel and the 'wellness economy'.

Core Context

A report by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), released by the Ministry of Ayush at the 11th Ayurveda Day event in Nagpur, quantifies the size, growth, and women's-employment contribution of India's Ayush services sector, based on a survey of 15,914 establishments.

Latest Developments

• The Ayush services sector was valued at approximately US$36.92 billion in FY 2024-25, growing at a 16.91% CAGR since FY 2022-23.

• The sector supports about 1.76 million livelihoods; women make up 43% of its workforce overall, and over 50% in several organised segments.

• Standalone Ayush clinics form the largest revenue segment (about US$16.21 billion), and Ayurveda is the largest individual system by revenue share (roughly 48%).

• Medical value travel (foreign patients seeking Ayush treatment in India) generated an estimated US$1.77 billion.

• The report projects the sector could grow to between US$216 billion and US$318 billion by 2047, coinciding with India's centenary of independence.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Ayush stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy.

• The Ministry of Ayush is the nodal ministry for traditional medicine systems in India.

• Ayurveda Day is observed around Dhanteras; the 11th edition in 2026 was marked at Nagpur.

• RIS (Research and Information System for Developing Countries) is a New Delhi-based autonomous think tank focused on development economics and South-South cooperation.

11. The Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) Tax Debate

Basic Concept

Capital gains tax is levied on profit from the sale of a capital asset (such as listed equity shares or mutual fund units). 'Long-term' gains arise when the asset is held beyond a specified period (one year for listed equity), while 'short-term' gains arise from holding below that period. Capital-gains policy is a recurring GS3 Economy theme linking taxation, financial-market depth, and savings/investment behaviour.

Core Context

Responding to continuing debate over India's capital-gains tax structure, the Finance Minister said the government would keenly consider stakeholder feedback on the Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax and the Securities Transaction Tax (STT), calling the ongoing debate 'healthy'.

Latest Developments

• Under Budget 2024 changes, LTCG on listed equity above ₹1.25 lakh in a financial year is taxed at 12.5%, while short-term capital gains on such equity are taxed at 20%.

• Arguments for easing the LTCG regime include concerns about double taxation (since corporate profits are already taxed before distribution as dividends or price appreciation), a potentially weaker incentive for long-term retail investing, and competitiveness, since financial hubs such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and the UAE levy no capital-gains tax on equity investments.

• Counter-arguments favour retaining or even raising capital-gains tax to improve vertical equity in taxation and because capital markets have continued to see strong participation despite the current rates.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Under Budget 2024 rules, LTCG on listed equity above ₹1.25 lakh/year is taxed at 12.5%; STCG on such equity is taxed at 20%.

• For listed equity, the dividing line between 'short-term' and 'long-term' holding is one year.

• Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is levied on transactions in listed securities on recognised stock exchanges.

12. Starlink vs Reliance Jio: Regulating Satellite Internet in India

Basic Concept

Satellite internet (satcom) uses a constellation of satellites, often in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), to beam broadband connectivity directly to ground terminals, bypassing the need for terrestrial fibre or towers — valuable for remote and underserved areas. Telecom spectrum can be allocated either administratively (assigned by the government, as is now the global norm for satellite spectrum under ITU practice) or through auctions (as historically used for terrestrial mobile spectrum in India). This administrative-versus-auction question is a key GS3 Science & Technology / Economy debate.

Core Context

As Starlink (SpaceX's satellite broadband arm) moves toward entering the Indian market, Reliance Jio has pushed back, arguing for a more competition-neutral allocation process, intensifying what commentators have cast as a stand-off between Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani over how satellite spectrum should be assigned in India.

Latest Developments

• India's telecom regulator (TRAI) and the Department of Telecommunications have favoured administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, aligning with international practice under ITU norms, rather than auctioning it as is done for terrestrial mobile spectrum.

• Reliance Jio has argued that administrative allocation could give foreign satellite players an unfair cost advantage over Indian telecom operators that paid large sums for terrestrial spectrum through auctions.

• The dispute reflects a broader global pattern of major satellite-internet players (Starlink, Amazon's Kuiper, Eutelsat OneWeb) seeking market entry into India's underserved rural and remote connectivity segment.

• Resolution of the dispute will shape pricing, market structure, and the pace of satellite-based rural broadband rollout in India.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Starlink is a satellite-internet constellation operated by SpaceX; its competitors in India include Eutelsat OneWeb and Amazon's Project Kuiper.

• TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) regulate spectrum allocation in India.

• Satellite spectrum is internationally allocated administratively (not via auction) under ITU conventions, unlike terrestrial mobile spectrum in India.

13. National Biodiversity Authority Disburses Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) Funds

Basic Concept

Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a principle under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its Nagoya Protocol, requiring that when biological resources (such as plant genetic material) are commercially accessed or used, a fair share of resulting benefits must flow back to the country/community of origin. In India, this is implemented through the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, administered by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the national level and State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at the state level — a frequently tested GS3 Environment and Biodiversity theme.

Core Context

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed ₹2.02 crore under the ABS mechanism to 27 State Biodiversity Boards and 3 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, drawing on funds contributed by seed-sector companies for commercially using parental varieties and hybrids of crops such as rice, tomato, and okra.

Latest Developments

• Cumulative ABS disbursement by the NBA has now reached approximately ₹202 crore since the mechanism's rollout.

• Allocation among states in this tranche was based on area under cultivation of the relevant crop varieties; Madhya Pradesh received the largest share, followed by West Bengal.

• The disbursed funds support Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level, the preparation of People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs), and habitat restoration activities.

• The disbursement comes against the backdrop of the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) to the CBD held in Yerevan, Armenia in October 2026, where ABS implementation was discussed globally.

• The legal and policy framework includes the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the Nagoya Protocol on ABS, India's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2024–2030 (particularly Targets 13 and 19), and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The NBA was established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and is headquartered in Chennai.

• The Nagoya Protocol (2010) operationalises Access and Benefit Sharing under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

• Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) prepare People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) at the local-body level.

• KMGBF (Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) was adopted at CBD COP 15 and includes the '30 by 30' conservation target.

14. India's Water Treatment Plants and 'Forever Chemicals' (PFAS)

Basic Concept

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals used since the mid-20th century in non-stick cookware, waterproof textiles, firefighting foam, and food packaging. They are called 'forever chemicals' because their carbon-fluorine bonds are extremely stable and resist natural environmental breakdown, allowing them to persist and bioaccumulate in water, soil, and living tissue — an emerging GS3 Science & Technology / Environment topic linking industrial chemistry to public-health risk.

Core Context

Reports flag that conventional water treatment technology used across most of India's drinking-water plants is not designed to filter out PFAS compounds, which are increasingly being detected in rivers and groundwater, raising long-term exposure concerns.

Latest Developments

• Standard treatment steps such as coagulation, sedimentation, and chlorination do not effectively remove PFAS; specialised methods like granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis, or ion-exchange resins are needed, which few Indian treatment plants currently deploy.

• PFAS exposure has been linked in international studies to health effects including impacts on the immune system, thyroid function, and increased cancer risk with chronic, high-level exposure.

• Globally, countries such as the United States have moved toward binding drinking-water limits for certain PFAS compounds; India currently lacks a dedicated regulatory standard specifically for PFAS in drinking water.

• Experts argue India should not wait for decades of accumulated harm (as happened in some developed countries) before acting, and have called for monitoring, source-control regulation on PFAS-using industries, and investment in advanced treatment technology.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• PFAS stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, nicknamed 'forever chemicals' for their environmental persistence.

• Conventional water treatment (coagulation, sedimentation, chlorination) does not remove PFAS; advanced methods like activated carbon or reverse osmosis are needed.

• PFAS are commonly found in non-stick cookware, firefighting foam, and waterproof textiles.

15. New Climate-Resilient Soybean Varieties: NRC 268 and NRC 270

Basic Concept

Soybean is India's leading oilseed crop by area, grown predominantly in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan during the kharif season, and is a key input for both edible oil and animal feed (soymeal). India imports a large share of its edible oil needs, making domestic oilseed productivity a priority GS3 theme linking agricultural science to food and trade security, tied to the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds).

Core Context

At a Soybean Harvest Day event, scientists from ICAR's National Soybean Research Institute (NRC Soybean), Indore, showcased two new varieties — NRC 268 and NRC 270 — bred for higher yield and resilience to erratic rainfall.

Latest Developments

• Both varieties recorded preliminary yields of around 20 quintals per hectare under field conditions, with a potential yield of 22–25 quintals per hectare under favourable management, compared to the current national average of roughly 10–11 quintals per hectare.

• NRC 270 is a bold-seeded variety with larger grains, giving it a market-price advantage over standard varieties.

• Both varieties are designed to be climate-resilient, tolerating irregular rainfall and dry spells, and are suited to the kharif soybean belt of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.

• Raising national soybean yields from the present 10–11 quintals/hectare toward the 15–20 quintals/hectare range achieved by these new varieties could meaningfully cut India's edible-oil import bill and support the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds).

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• NRC 268 and NRC 270 are new soybean varieties developed by ICAR's National Soybean Research Institute, Indore.

• Soybean in India is predominantly a kharif crop, concentrated in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.

• NMEO-Oilseeds (National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds) aims to raise India's domestic oilseed production and cut edible-oil import dependence.

16. Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems (GI-AI4FS)

Basic Concept

Artificial Intelligence applications in agriculture — precision farming, pest and disease detection, climate advisories, and crop-insurance assessment — are an increasingly important GS3 Science & Technology theme, intersecting with food security (SDG 2) and sustainable production/consumption (SDG 12). India's own digital agriculture push is anchored in AgriStack, a federated farmer and farm-land database intended to enable targeted scheme delivery and data-driven agri-services.

Core Context

The second meeting of the Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems (GI-AI4FS) — a platform coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) along with the FAO, IFAD, and WFP — was held at the India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi, co-hosted by India's Telecommunication Engineering Centre (under the Department of Telecommunications) and ICAR.

Latest Developments

• The initiative's first meeting was held at FAO headquarters in June 2026; GI-AI4FS aligns its goals with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

• India's National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) was showcased as an AI application, covering 66 crops and over 432 pest types for early detection and advisory.

• The 'Project Farm Vibes' pilot in Maharashtra was cited as reportedly raising crop yields by about 40% while cutting fertiliser use by around 25% through precision-farming techniques.

• AgriStack, India's digital farmer-and-farmland database, has generated 7.63 crore Farmer IDs against a target of 11 crore by 2026-27.

• Kisan e-Mitra, a multilingual (11 languages) voice-based chatbot for farmers, has answered over 93 lakh farmer queries to date.

• Challenges flagged at the meeting include the dominance of smallholder farms (86% of Indian landholdings are small/marginal), data-privacy concerns in agri-data platforms, high capital costs of AI deployment, and AI's own water and e-waste footprint.

• India's 'IMPACT AI' framework (Enable, Create, Deliver) draws on the October 2025 'Future Farming in India' AI Playbook released by the government.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• GI-AI4FS is coordinated by the ITU along with FAO, IFAD, and WFP, aligned with SDG 2 and SDG 12.

• AgriStack is India's federated digital database of farmers and farmland records.

• India's National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) covers 66 crops and 432+ pest types.

• India Mobile Congress is an annual flagship telecom/digital technology event held in New Delhi.

17. Strengthening Naval Capability: Exercise IBSAMAR IX and New Warship Inductions

Basic Concept

India's blue-water naval capability and its participation in multilateral maritime exercises are regularly tested under GS3 Internal Security/Defence, alongside progress in indigenous (Atmanirbhar) warship building under the 'Make in India' defence framework. The IBSA Dialogue Forum, grouping India, Brazil, and South Africa as large Southern-Hemisphere-oriented democracies, has run a trilateral naval exercise since 2008 to build interoperability among its navies.

Core Context

The Indian Navy's guided-missile stealth frigate INS Tarkash took part in Exercise IBSAMAR IX, the ninth edition of the biennial India-Brazil-South Africa trilateral maritime exercise, hosted this year by South Africa, even as the Navy moves toward commissioning two new indigenously-built vessels, INS Mangrol and the multi-purpose warship Samarthak, to reinforce anti-submarine and support capabilities.

Latest Developments

• IBSAMAR has been held biennially since 2008 under the IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) Dialogue Forum; IBSAMAR IX was hosted by South Africa.

• Exercise activities included surface and anti-air gunnery firings, anti-submarine warfare drills (including tracking South Africa's Type 209 submarine SAS Manthatisi), Visit-Board-Search-and-Seizure (VBSS) boarding drills, anti-piracy simulations, search-and-rescue operations, and damage-control exercises.

• INS Mangrol, a new platform reinforcing India's anti-submarine warfare capability, is set to help plug operational gaps in undersea surveillance along India's coastline.

• Samarthak, an indigenously built multi-purpose warship, is set to be commissioned into the Indian Navy, adding to India's fleet of domestically designed and constructed vessels under the Atmanirbhar Bharat defence push.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• IBSAMAR is a trilateral naval exercise among India, Brazil, and South Africa, held biennially since 2008 under the IBSA Dialogue Forum.

• VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure) drills train navies for maritime interdiction operations such as anti-piracy and smuggling checks.

• INS Mangrol and Samarthak are indigenously built Indian Navy vessels reinforcing anti-submarine and multi-purpose operational capability.

18. Practice MCQs

Practice MCQs

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding BIMSTEC:
1. It was established in 1997 and groups seven South and Southeast Asian countries.
2. Its Secretariat is located in New Delhi.
3. Pakistan is not a member of BIMSTEC.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 1 and 3 only

• (c) 2 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: BIMSTEC was formed in 1997 and has seven members (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand); Pakistan is not a member, since BIMSTEC was partly conceived as an alternative regional grouping to SAARC. However, its Secretariat is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh, not New Delhi, making statement 2 incorrect.

Q2. With reference to preventive detention in India, consider the following statements:
1. Article 22 of the Constitution exempts preventive detention from the safeguards available to persons under ordinary arrest.
2. A person cannot be detained under preventive detention laws for more than three months unless an Advisory Board reports sufficient cause.
3. Preventive detention features exclusively in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Explanation: Article 22(3) exempts preventive detention from the Article 22(1)/(2) safeguards, and Article 22(4) bars detention beyond three months without an Advisory Board's report. Preventive detention appears in both the Union List (Entry 9) and the Concurrent List (Entry 3), so statement 3 is incorrect.

Q3. Which of the following statutory bail-restricting provisions are found in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967?
1. Section 43D(5)
2. Section 43E
3. Section 124A
Select the correct answer using the code below.

• (a) 1 only

• (b) 1 and 2 only

• (c) 2 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only

Explanation: Section 43D(5) restricts bail based on a prima facie reading of the case diary, and Section 43E creates a presumption of guilt in certain arms/explosives cases, both under the UAPA. Section 124A is the sedition provision of the Indian Penal Code (now reformulated under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita), not a UAPA provision.

Q4. The Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana and Ni-kshay Mitra initiative are associated with which of the following national programmes?

• (a) Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

• (b) National TB Elimination Programme

• (c) Mission Indradhanush

• (d) POSHAN Abhiyaan

Answer: (b) National TB Elimination Programme

Explanation: Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana provides monthly nutritional support to notified TB patients, and Ni-kshay Mitra mobilises volunteers/organisations to support TB patients with nutrition baskets — both are components of India's National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), which targets eliminating TB by 2025.

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding the Khajuraho Group of Monuments:
1. They were built primarily under the patronage of the Chandela dynasty.
2. A 'nirandhara' temple plan refers to a temple with a circumambulatory passage around the sanctum.
3. The site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 and 3 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 2 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Khajuraho's temples were built chiefly under the Chandela dynasty, and the site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. However, a 'nirandhara' plan refers to the absence of a circumambulatory passage (pradakshina patha), not its presence, making statement 2 incorrect.

Q6. 'Access and Benefit Sharing' (ABS), as implemented in India through the National Biodiversity Authority, is most directly linked to obligations under which international instrument?

• (a) The Ramsar Convention

• (b) The Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity

• (c) The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

• (d) The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol

Answer: (b) The Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Explanation: The Nagoya Protocol (2010), under the Convention on Biological Diversity, operationalises Access and Benefit Sharing. In India, this is implemented through the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, administered by the National Biodiversity Authority and State Biodiversity Boards.

Q7. With reference to 'PFAS' or 'forever chemicals', which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. They are called 'forever chemicals' because of their resistance to natural environmental breakdown.
2. Conventional water treatment methods such as chlorination effectively remove PFAS from drinking water.
3. They are commonly associated with products such as non-stick cookware and firefighting foam.
Select the correct answer using the code below.

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 1 and 3 only

• (c) 2 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: PFAS persist in the environment due to strong carbon-fluorine bonds, earning the 'forever chemicals' label, and are common in non-stick cookware and firefighting foam. However, conventional treatment methods like chlorination do NOT effectively remove PFAS; advanced methods such as activated carbon filtration or reverse osmosis are required, making statement 2 incorrect.