Current Affairs — 22 June 2026

The Ashtalakshmi Growth Model

In Indian tradition, Goddess Lakshmi symbolises eight distinct forms of prosperity. The Ashtalakshmi Growth Model borrows this powerful symbolism to frame the development narrative of India's eight North-Eastern states — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim. A detailed government backgrounder titled “Ashtalakshmi — The North-East at the Heart of India's Growth Story” highlights the region's sweeping transformation over the past twelve years.

Core Context and Background

The Northeast has historically faced dual disadvantages: extreme geographic isolation due to mountainous terrain and river systems, and chronic underfunding. The current policy push treats the region simultaneously as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia under the Act East Policy, and as an emerging engine of organic, green, and culturally rich economic growth.

Latest Developments

Over 3,700 projects have been sanctioned under the Central matrix, spanning infrastructure, housing, health, and connectivity. The PM-DevINE scheme — PM’s Development Initiative for North East — specifically targets high-impact connectivity and livelihood gaps that standard central schemes miss.

On railway connectivity, five states — Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, and Mizoram — have achieved 100% railway electrification. Aviation access grew from 9 to 17 operational airports (2014 to 2026), a 78% rise, largely due to UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik). Active National Waterways expanded from just 1 to 20, harnessing the Brahmaputra (NW-2) and Barak (NW-16) rivers.

Landmark engineering projects include the Bogibeel Bridge (2018, combined road-rail), the 9.15 km Dhola-Sadiya Bridge (2017, capable of carrying heavy military assets), and the Sela Tunnel (2024, at 13,000 feet). The 141-metre Noney Bridge in Manipur on the Jiribam–Imphal rail line will, once complete, be the world's tallest railway pier bridge.

On rural welfare, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram have achieved 100% tap water coverage; the entire region has achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status. PMAY housing, Ayushman Bharat health insurance, and BharatNet rural internet have together transformed living standards. The MOVCD-NER scheme promotes organic farming through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). The region holds 89 GI-registered products, including Tripura's agarwood and Assam's fisheries. Two major clean energy anchors are the 2,880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project and the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms to note: PM-DevINE scheme, UDAN, Bogibeel Bridge, Dhola-Sadiya Bridge, Sela Tunnel, Noney Bridge (world's tallest railway pier bridge, Manipur), Dibang Multipurpose Project, MOVCD-NER, National Waterway 2 (Brahmaputra), NW-16 (Barak).

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India's Evolving Space Architecture

India's space programme has undergone a dramatic transformation — shifting from a closed, state-run scientific endeavour to a vibrant dual-purpose ecosystem serving national growth and commercial ambitions alike.

Core Context

Driven by Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047, India's updated space architecture harnesses geospatial infrastructure for domestic governance, agricultural mapping, disaster management, and telecom. A comprehensive PIB report outlines this 12-year journey.

Latest Developments

Commercially, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) — the state’s commercial space arm — saw revenues surge from ₹321.77 crore (FY 2021-22) to ₹3,246.09 crore (FY 2024-25), a nearly tenfold jump. The domestic space startup ecosystem grew from just 1 venture in 2014 to over 400 by February 2026, attracting $500 million+ in private investments. India has commercially deployed 399 foreign satellites since 2014, compared to just 35 in the decade before.

The Indian Space Policy 2023 broke the state monopoly on space, legalising private participation across satellite manufacturing, payload launches, and geospatial services. IN-SPACe serves as the autonomous single-window regulator, having already cleared 71 ISRO technology transfers to domestic industry. FDI norms now permit 100% automatic route for component manufacturing, 74% for satellite operations, and 49% for launch vehicles and spaceports. The NGP 2024 (Norms, Guidelines, Procedures) adds further investor clarity.

NavIC — India’s indigenous regional navigation system — uses first and second-generation (NVS) satellites, covering India and up to 1,500 km beyond its borders. Aditya-L1, India’s solar observatory at the L1 Lagrange point, has released over 27 TB of solar data into the public domain.

Upcoming missions: Gaganyaan (3 astronauts to 400 km orbit for 3 days, fully indigenous life-support); BAS-01 (first module of Bharatiya Antariksh Station, approved for 2028); Chandrayaan-4 (lunar sample return, 2027); Venus Orbiter (March 2028); Chandrayaan-5/LUPEX (ISRO-JAXA collaborative mission, 2027-28, to drill for lunar water ice); NGLV Next Generation Launch Vehicle (30 tons to LEO, partially reusable 14-ton variant); and TRISHNA (joint thermal infrared satellite with France’s CNES, 2026). A second spaceport at Kulasekarapattinam (for small satellites) and a Third Launch Pad at Sriharikota (₹3,984.86 crore) are in pipeline. India’s space economy currently stands at $8 billion (2-3% global share), with a target of 8% by 2030.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: IN-SPACe, Indian Space Policy 2023, NSIL, NavIC, NVS satellites, Gaganyaan, BAS (Bharatiya Antariksh Station), Chandrayaan-4, Venus Orbiter, LUPEX, NGLV, Aditya-L1, TRISHNA, Kulasekarapattinam second spaceport, Third Launch Pad Sriharikota, FDI caps in space, NGP 2024.

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Nirbhay Chetna

Nirbhay Chetna is a nationwide gender-sensitization initiative under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, funded through the Nirbhaya Fund. It is being called the world’s largest campaign specifically aimed at sensitizing elected male representatives on issues of women’s safety, dignity, and equality.

Core Context

Launched under the broader Nirbhay Raho Initiative (March 2026), Nirbhay Chetna starts from a key insight: achieving gender-responsive governance at the village level requires changing not just policy but also the attitudes of the men who hold elected power in Panchayati Raj Institutions. A three-day Training of Trainers programme was recently conducted in New Delhi to set the cascade in motion.

Key Features

The initiative aims to train over 5 lakh elected male representatives across rural India. It will develop a cadre of 28,500 master trainers at state, district, and block levels through a cascading Training of Trainers (ToT) approach, beginning with pilot states before national rollout. The broader Nirbhay Raho framework also includes Nirbhay Netri (legal awareness and capacity-building for elected women representatives) and Nirbhay Drishti (CCTV camera installation at strategic rural locations to improve physical safety infrastructure).

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: Nirbhaya Fund, Nirbhay Raho Initiative, Nirbhay Chetna, Nirbhay Netri, Nirbhay Drishti, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Training of Trainers (ToT).

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Project Nimbus

Project Nimbus is a large-scale cloud computing contract between the Israeli government and two of the world’s largest tech companies — Google and Amazon. It has become a flashpoint for global debates on Big Tech ethics, digital sovereignty, and military-industrial complicity.

Core Context

Over 100 students staged a walkout at Stanford University during a keynote by Google’s CEO, carrying Palestinian flags and protesting Google’s participation in Project Nimbus. The protests reflect broader concerns over whether commercial tech infrastructure can enable or facilitate state-sponsored surveillance and military operations.

Key Features

The contract is jointly executed by Google (Google Cloud Platform) and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Valued at over $1 billion, it has a 7-year operational baseline extendable up to 23 years. Its core objective is to digitize Israel’s public sector by migrating government data and applications to commercial cloud environments, with integrated Artificial Intelligence and machine-learning capabilities.

A notable Sovereign Non-Restriction Clause prevents Google and Amazon from shutting down or restricting cloud services to Israeli governmental units, even if those units violate standard corporate terms of service. Since October 2023, Israeli army units have significantly scaled up AI and data storage demands from cloud providers. Critics allege this infrastructure may indirectly facilitate surveillance operations. The controversy has triggered employee sit-ins and large-scale student boycotts in multiple countries.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: Project Nimbus, Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, AI ethics in governance, cloud sovereignty, Sovereign Non-Restriction Clause, Big Tech and conflict zones.

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Tri-Commissioning: INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray

The Prime Minister presided over a historic tri-commissioning ceremony in Kolkata — the simultaneous induction of three distinct naval platforms into the Indian Navy. This event is significant both for its scale and for the fact that all three vessels were built domestically by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata — a testament to India’s growing indigenisation in defence manufacturing.

INS Dunagiri — The Blue-Water Combatant

INS Dunagiri is a stealth guided-missile frigate under Project 17A. Designed for deep-ocean blue-water warfare, it is armed with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles and a Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) system. It carries the MFSTAR (Multi-Function Surveillance, Track And Guidance Radar), anti-submarine warfare rockets, and integrated sonar hulls. Its structural stealth geometry makes it extremely difficult for enemy sensors to detect. Sister ships include INS Nilgiri, Himgiri, Taragiri, Udaygiri, and Vindhyagiri.

INS Sanshodhak — The Deep-Water Surveyor

INS Sanshodhak is a Survey Vessel – Large (SVL) and the fourth and final ship of the Sandhayak-class fleet. Its role is to map oceanographic terrain using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and multi-beam echo sounders. The hydrographic data it collects helps submarines safely plan routes, supports civilian shipping, and aids disaster relief operations.

INS Agray — The Coastal Submarine Hunter

INS Agray is an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) belonging to the Arnala-class. It is the smallest but most agile of the three. Optimized for littoral (shallow-water) environments, it can detect and neutralize hostile submarines hiding amid the acoustic noise of commercial shipping traffic and fishing boats. It carries lightweight anti-submarine torpedoes, hull sonars, and indigenous rocket launchers.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: Project 17A, GRSE Kolkata, BrahMos, MRSAM, MFSTAR, Sandhayak-class, Arnala-class, AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), ROV, ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare), INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, INS Agray.

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APEDA and India's Egg Powder Export Milestone

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated India’s first-ever commercial export of dried whole egg powder — from Balangir, Odisha to Austria.

About APEDA

APEDA is a statutory apex export-promotion body established under a Parliament Act of December 1985, functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Its mandate is to maximize India’s agricultural export potential by developing agro-processing industries, enforcing international food safety standards, and driving global market penetration.

Key functions include mandatory registration of exporters for scheduled products, setting quality benchmarks (certifications like FSSC 22000, HALAL, KOSHER), providing financial assistance for infrastructure upgrades, and coordinating international trade fairs and buyer-seller meets.

Significance of this Milestone

Converting eggs into spray-dried powder significantly increases shelf life and reduces transport costs. Successful export to an EU country like Austria demonstrates compliance with the European Union’s stringent food safety standards, opening doors to other regulated global markets. This represents a shift in India’s poultry sector from raw commodity exports to high-value processed goods.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: APEDA (established December 1985, under Ministry of Commerce and Industry), dried whole egg powder, Balangir (Odisha), Austria, EU food safety standards, FSSC 22000.

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Ammonia Gas

An ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing and export facility in Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, killed two migrant workers from Odisha and hospitalized more than 60 others. The tragedy brings industrial safety and the chemical properties of ammonia into UPSC focus.

What is Ammonia (NH₃)?

Ammonia is a colorless, highly reactive, and pungent inorganic compound composed of nitrogen and hydrogen. It occurs naturally during the nitrogen cycle through decomposition of organic matter by soil bacteria, and is produced industrially on a massive scale.

Industrial Synthesis — Haber-Bosch Process

Commercially, ammonia is produced by combining nitrogen (N₂) and hydrogen (H₂) at high pressure (150–250 atmospheres) and temperature (400–500°C) using an iron catalyst: N₂(g) + 3H₂(g) ⇌ 2NH₃(g). This process, known as the Haber-Bosch Process, underpins global fertilizer production.

Key Properties

Ammonia has a sharp, irritating smell detectable at very low concentrations. It dissolves readily in water to form ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), an alkaline solution that irritates the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. It can be liquefied under pressure and has high heat absorption capacity — making it a highly efficient refrigerant widely used in cold storage and seafood processing industries.

Major Uses

Ammonia is used as an industrial refrigerant (especially in seafood, dairy, and cold storage), as the primary feedstock for nitrogen-based fertilizers (urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate), in manufacturing nitric acid, plastics, synthetic fibers, and explosives, and in water treatment and industrial cleaning.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: Ammonia (NH₃), Haber-Bosch Process, ammonium hydroxide, nitrogen cycle, industrial refrigerant, urea, ammonium nitrate, occupational safety in industrial zones.

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Biochar

Biochar is emerging as a promising carbon-negative solution to India’s agricultural paradox — where vast quantities of valuable crop biomass are burned in open fields every year (stubble burning), releasing carbon and polluting air instead of enriching soil.

What is Biochar?

Biochar is a highly porous, carbon-rich solid produced from biomass — wood chips, crop residues, manure, or biodegradable municipal waste — through a process called pyrolysis. Pyrolysis involves heating organic matter at high temperatures in low-oxygen or oxygen-free conditions. Unlike ordinary organic matter, biochar’s carbon molecules are tightly bonded, making it extraordinarily resistant to microbial decomposition. It can remain intact in soil for thousands of years.

Key Properties

Biochar’s high porosity makes it act like a physical sponge inside topsoil, improving water and nutrient retention. It has a high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), helping to bind loose minerals and improve soil fertility. Its specific pH, ash content, and nutrient profile vary depending on the feedstock (sugarcane bagasse, coconut stalks, manure, etc.) and pyrolysis temperature used.

Benefits and Applications

Biochar permanently sequesters carbon — locking CO₂ drawn from the atmosphere during photosynthesis into a stable, long-lasting form. This makes it a recognized Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technology, eligible for carbon credit markets. Farmers applying biochar can earn additional income through carbon credits. It also converts crop residues and organic waste into a value-added product, reducing stubble burning, landfill methane, and air pollution. It improves fertilizer efficiency by retaining key nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: Biochar, pyrolysis, pyrolysis process, carbon sequestration, Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), stubble burning, carbon credits, soil organic carbon, biomass.

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Fibre-Optic Drones

Following a ceasefire in southern Lebanon, the strategic deployment of low-cost fibre-optic drones by armed non-state actors has highlighted a dramatic shift in asymmetric warfare — one that exposes the limits of conventional Electronic Warfare (EW) systems.

What are Fibre-Optic Drones?

A fibre-optic drone is a specialised First-Person View (FPV) or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that replaces conventional wireless radio control with a physical tethered fibre-optic cable. Commands and real-time video feeds are transmitted as light pulses through ultra-thin glass or plastic strands wound on a spool mounted on the drone. As the drone flies forward, the cable smoothly unwinds behind it.

How It Works

Because all data travels through a physical wire rather than the airwaves, the drone emits zero Radio Frequency (RF) signals and does not rely on GPS for navigation. This makes it completely immune to RF jamming, GPS spoofing, and standard Electronic Warfare countermeasures — the primary tools modern militaries use against drones. It also provides high-bandwidth, zero-lag real-time video feedback. The main limitation is range — constrained by the length of cable on the spool.

Strategic Implications

Fibre-optic drones mark a new chapter in low-cost, high-impact asymmetric warfare. Being cheap, difficult to detect, unjammable by traditional systems, and practically invisible to radar, they pose a significant threat to conventional military vehicles, fixed installations, and armored platforms. Military forces worldwide, including India’s, are studying their offensive and defensive implications. This development is reshaping the doctrine of Electronic Warfare and counter-drone strategies globally.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: Fibre-optic drone, FPV (First-Person View) drone, UAV, tethered drone, Electronic Warfare (EW), RF jamming, GPS spoofing, asymmetric warfare, light pulse communication, fibre-optic cable.

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Western Ghats and the ESA Notification

The Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) notification continues to be a focus of environmental governance, representing India’s ongoing effort to protect one of the planet’s most biologically rich regions.

About the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats form a continuous mountain chain approximately 1,600 km long along the western edge of peninsular India, passing through six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. They are recognised as one of the world’s eight biodiversity hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2012). The Ghats function as a critical watershed, feeding numerous major rivers including the Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, and several shorter west-flowing rivers. They receive heavy rainfall from the southwest monsoon, and their forests regulate India’s climate, groundwater, and biodiversity.

Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) Notification

An ESA is designated under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986, creating buffer and protection zones around ecologically fragile areas. It restricts activities like mining, quarrying, large construction projects, and industrial polluting units within the notified zone. The Kasturirangan Committee (2013) recommended classifying approximately 37% of the Western Ghats area as ESA, covering around 59,940 sq km across the six states. This was a more measured position than the earlier Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011), which had recommended a much higher proportion. The ongoing notification process attempts to balance ecological conservation with the legitimate development needs of local communities.

UPSC Prelims Angle

Key terms: Western Ghats, Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), Environment Protection Act 1986, UNESCO World Heritage Site, biodiversity hotspot, Kasturirangan Committee (2013), Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011), six states of Western Ghats, 37% ESA coverage.