Current Affairs — 24 September 2026

1. India and the European Union to Sign Landmark Free Trade Agreement

Basic Concept

India and the European Union (EU) have been negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) since 2007, with talks resuming in 2021 after a long hiatus. An FTA is a treaty between two or more countries to reduce or eliminate tariffs, quotas, and other trade barriers on goods and services traded between them. The EU is India's largest trading partner in goods, and a comprehensive deal has been billed by trade experts as one of the most consequential trade agreements India has pursued, given the EU's combined market of 27 member states and over 450 million consumers.

Core Context

India and the EU have announced that they will formally sign a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement in Brussels on 16 December 2026, following the conclusion of over a decade of negotiations spread across multiple rounds. The deal is expected to eliminate EU tariffs on nearly all Indian exports, while India retains protection for select sensitive sectors.

Latest Developments

• The EU will eliminate tariffs on 99.5% of Indian exports under the agreement, covering textiles, leather, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, and marine products.

• India has secured carve-outs and phased tariff reductions for sensitive domestic sectors such as dairy and certain agricultural products to protect small farmers.

• The agreement's rollout is expected to begin in early 2027 after ratification procedures in both jurisdictions are completed.

• The deal follows India's other recent trade agreements, including the one with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the UK, reflecting India's broader push to diversify and deepen trade ties with the West amid global supply-chain realignment.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The European Union comprises 27 member states; India-EU trade negotiations for a comprehensive FTA began in 2007.

• India's FTA with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) — Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland — came into force earlier and is a related but separate agreement.

• An FTA differs from a Customs Union in that FTA members retain independent external tariffs toward non-members, while a Customs Union applies a common external tariff.

2. India Rejects OIC Remarks on Kashmir

Basic Concept

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an inter-governmental body established in 1969, comprising 57 member states, with its headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It positions itself as the collective voice of the Muslim world and periodically issues statements on Jammu and Kashmir through its Contact Group on Kashmir, a standing body within the OIC. India has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India and that its internal affairs are not a legitimate subject for third-party or multilateral commentary.

Core Context

India strongly rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir made in a communique issued by the OIC's Contact Group on Kashmir, terming the remarks factually incorrect, unwarranted, and an interference in India's internal affairs.

Latest Developments

• The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is, and will remain, an integral part of India, and that no external body has locus standi to comment on it.

• India has repeatedly pointed out that several OIC member states themselves have poor track records on minority rights, questioning the organisation's moral authority to comment on India.

• The episode is part of a recurring pattern where the OIC's Kashmir-focused statements draw formal Indian objections, reflecting a long-standing diplomatic friction point.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• OIC was established in 1969 and has 57 member states; its headquarters is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

• The OIC Contact Group on Kashmir is a subsidiary body that periodically issues statements on Jammu and Kashmir.

• India is not a member of the OIC, though it has the world's second/third-largest Muslim population.

3. Gaza Board of Peace Unveils $2.45 Billion Recovery Plan

Basic Concept

The Board of Peace is an international body established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), which endorsed a US-backed framework for the post-conflict governance, security, and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. It operates through the Office of the High Representative for Gaza and is intended to oversee transitional governance and coordinate international recovery efforts until a durable political settlement is reached. This falls under GS Paper 2's coverage of important international institutions and India's engagement with West Asian geopolitics.

Core Context

The Board of Peace has unveiled a $2.45 billion recovery and reconstruction programme for Gaza, to be implemented with the participation of founding member nations and coordinated through the UN Security Council framework.

Latest Developments

• The plan is expected to fund early-stage humanitarian relief, rubble clearance, and rebuilding of critical infrastructure such as water, health, and housing in Gaza.

• Eight founding nations are part of the Board's membership structure, reflecting a coalition-based approach to Gaza's reconstruction.

• The initiative follows UN Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted in 2025, which set out the legal and institutional basis for post-war governance arrangements in Gaza.

• India has consistently supported a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and has contributed humanitarian assistance to Gaza in the past.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025) established the framework for the Board of Peace's mandate over Gaza.

• The Board of Peace functions through the Office of the High Representative for Gaza.

• The recovery programme unveiled is valued at $2.45 billion.

4. BRICS Pushes for Coordinated Action on Global Tax Architecture

Basic Concept

BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and newer members) has increasingly used its platform to advocate reforms in global economic governance, including international taxation. Transfer pricing refers to the pricing of transactions between related entities of a multinational enterprise across borders; disputes arise when tax authorities in different countries disagree on whether such prices reflect fair market value, often resulting in double taxation and prolonged litigation — a particular burden for developing economies with limited administrative capacity. India has been an active participant in global tax coordination efforts, including under the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) framework and the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.

Core Context

India's Finance Minister called for BRICS nations to work together and present a coordinated voice on transfer-pricing disputes, arguing that fragmented approaches disproportionately burden developing countries in their dealings with multinational corporations.

Latest Developments

• The call was made in the context of BRICS tax administration heads coordinating positions ahead of engagement with the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.

• India has proposed working groups and capacity-building programmes among BRICS members to share expertise on handling complex transfer-pricing disputes.

• The push builds on discussions from the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi, where India sought to project the grouping as a platform for the strategic and economic autonomy of the Global South.

• Greater coordination on tax matters is seen as strengthening the bargaining position of developing economies relative to that of multinational corporations and advanced economies in global tax rule-setting.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) is an OECD/G20 framework addressing tax avoidance strategies that exploit gaps in international tax rules.

• The UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation is a relatively new initiative to shift more tax rule-making authority to the UN from OECD-dominated forums.

• The 18th BRICS Summit was hosted by India in New Delhi in 2026.

5. OECD and Other Global Agencies Upgrade India's Growth Forecast

Basic Concept

Multilateral agencies such as the OECD, IMF, World Bank, and rating agencies like S&P and Fitch periodically publish growth forecasts for major economies based on macroeconomic indicators including GDP growth, investment trends, inflation, and external conditions. These forecasts influence investor sentiment, capital flows, and India's borrowing costs internationally, and are a recurring feature of GS Paper 3's economy segment.

Core Context

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) raised India's growth forecast for FY 2026-27 sharply to 7.1%, up from its earlier estimate of 6.3%, citing resilient domestic demand, effective policy support, and India's ability to absorb external shocks from disruptions in West Asia.

Latest Developments

• Other agencies followed suit: the Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised its estimate from 6.6% to 7%, S&P Global Ratings from 6.6% to 7%, and Fitch Ratings from 6.4% to 6.9%.

• The revisions were supported by strong Q1 FY27 data — GDP growth of 7.8% in the June quarter, an 11.9% rise in gross fixed capital formation, 21.3% growth in corporate sales, and 15.9% export growth.

• India's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) touched a seven-month high of 55.7, signalling expanding factory activity.

• Analysts attributed the upgrades to strong domestic demand, robust tax collections, low interest rates, and anticipated government salary revisions boosting consumption.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• OECD raised India's FY27 growth forecast from 6.3% to 7.1%, the highest among major economies.

• A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion in manufacturing activity; India's manufacturing PMI hit a seven-month high of 55.7.

• Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) is a key indicator of investment activity in the economy.

6. Naoero: Nauru's Restored Name Reaffirmed at the United Nations

Basic Concept

Nauru is the world's smallest island nation by area (about 21 sq. km), located in Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean, and was historically exploited for its phosphate reserves during colonial administration. Reclaiming pre-colonial or indigenous names is part of a broader global trend of decolonisation and cultural reclamation among small island states, similar to Swaziland's renaming to Eswatini. Such name changes carry significance for GS Paper 1's Places in the News coverage as well as broader discussions of post-colonial identity.

Core Context

The Pacific island nation of Nauru formally reaffirmed its restored ancestral name, Naoero, at the United Nations, with its leadership publicly asking the international community and UN records to recognise the new name going forward.

Latest Developments

• The country's international two-letter/three-letter codes are being updated from NRU to NRO, and the demonym is officially changing to 'dei-Naoero.'

• Naoero's leadership described the renaming as restoring a name that was displaced by colonial administrators, framing it as an act of cultural reclamation post-independence.

• The country gained independence in 1968 and became a UN member in 1999; it remains among the world's smallest sovereign states by both population and land area.

• The move follows other small nations updating official nomenclature at multilateral forums to reflect indigenous identity.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Naoero (formerly Nauru) is located in Micronesia, in the Pacific Ocean, and is the world's smallest island nation by area.

• Nauru's economy was historically dependent on phosphate mining.

• Comparable renamings: Swaziland to Eswatini (2018); Naoero's case involves the same country retaining its seat but updating its official name at the UN.

7. SAT-SAAW: India Boosts Indigenous Precision-Strike Capability

Basic Concept

The Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) is an indigenously developed precision-guided glide bomb designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to destroy hardened targets such as airstrips, radar installations, and bunkers with minimal collateral damage. 'Indigenisation' of defence production is a key GS Paper 3 theme under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative, aimed at reducing India's historical dependence on imported weapons systems.

Core Context

The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹810.79 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the supply of 160 Satellite-Guided Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) to the Indian Air Force.

Latest Developments

• SAT-SAAW is an upgraded, satellite-guided variant of the SAAW glide bomb, offering improved precision through GPS/NavIC-aided guidance in addition to inertial navigation.

• The weapons will have over 60% indigenous content, in line with the Ministry of Defence's positive indigenisation lists that progressively restrict imports of specified defence platforms and components.

• Deliveries are scheduled between 2027 and 2029, and the weapon will be integrated onto Indian Air Force fighter aircraft for stand-off precision strikes.

• The contract reinforces India's push to reduce import dependence in precision-guided munitions, a category India has historically sourced heavily from foreign suppliers.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• SAT-SAAW is manufactured with support from DRDO and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a defence public sector undertaking.

• The contract value is ₹810.79 crore for 160 units, with over 60% indigenous content.

• NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India's indigenous satellite navigation system, relevant to guided-munition precision.

8. Siang Upper Multipurpose Project Gets a High-Level Coordination Panel

Basic Concept

The Siang (Upper Siang) Multipurpose Project is a proposed hydroelectric project on the Siang river (the Indian name for the Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra as it enters Arunachal Pradesh) with an envisaged capacity of around 11,000 MW, making it potentially one of India's largest hydropower projects if completed. It was declared a project of national importance in 2008. The project has strategic significance because it is partly conceived as a counter-measure to China's mega-dam construction upstream on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, in addition to being a source of clean energy and flood-moderation infrastructure — relevant to GS Paper 1 (river systems), GS Paper 3 (infrastructure, energy security), and India-China relations.

Core Context

The Arunachal Pradesh government approved the constitution of a high-level committee to coordinate and oversee the pre-feasibility survey process for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, amid continuing local concerns from affected communities.

Latest Developments

• The committee is tasked with ensuring smooth coordination between state agencies, project surveyors, and local stakeholders as the pre-feasibility survey proceeds across Siang and Upper Siang districts.

• The project has faced protests from local residents over displacement and ecological concerns, and the state government has sought to address misinformation around the project, including fears about sudden water release from upstream Chinese dams.

• The project is viewed strategically as helping India establish 'first-user' rights and create a buffer against the flow variability risks posed by China's upstream dam-building activity on the Yarlung Tsangpo.

• If developed at its full envisaged capacity, the project would substantially add to India's hydropower capacity and Arunachal Pradesh's contribution to the national grid.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The Siang river is the name given to the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet) as it flows through Arunachal Pradesh, before being called the Brahmaputra in Assam.

• The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project was declared a project of national importance in 2008 and has an envisaged capacity of about 11,000 MW.

• The project is located in the Siang and Upper Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

9. Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) Crosses 3 Crore Registered Youth

Basic Concept

Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) is a technology-driven platform launched by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 31 October 2023 to serve as a one-stop digital ecosystem connecting India's youth with volunteering, skilling, leadership, and government scheme opportunities. It aims to operationalise the vision of youth-led development under the Viksit Bharat @2047 framework, aligning with GS Paper 2's governance and welfare-scheme themes.

Core Context

The MY Bharat platform has crossed a landmark milestone of over 3 crore registered youth in under three years of its launch, according to a review shared by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Latest Developments

• Over 1.22 lakh youth have been enrolled across approximately 25,000 experiential learning programmes conducted through the platform.

• The platform serves as a single-window gateway for youth to access volunteering opportunities, skilling programmes, government internships, and leadership initiatives.

• Officials described MY Bharat as instrumental in creating a pipeline of future leaders aligned with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision of a developed India by the 100th year of independence.

• The milestone reflects the government's continuing push to formalise and digitise youth engagement, similar to other flagship digital-governance platforms.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• MY Bharat was launched on 31 October 2023 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

• MY Bharat has crossed 3 crore registered youth as of September 2026.

• Viksit Bharat @2047 is the government's vision framework targeting India becoming a developed nation by 2047, its centenary of independence.

10. PB-SHABD: Prasar Bharati's Free News-Sharing Platform Expands Reach

Basic Concept

PB-SHABD is a digital news-sharing service operated by Prasar Bharati (India's public broadcaster, which runs Doordarshan and All India Radio) that provides logo-free, ready-to-use news content — text, audio, video, and photos — free of cost to media organisations, particularly smaller and regional outlets that otherwise cannot afford wire-service subscriptions. It falls under GS Paper 2's governance theme concerning public-service media and support for the small/regional press ecosystem.

Core Context

Prasar Bharati announced that its PB-SHABD platform has expanded to serve over 3,600 media organisations within two years of launch, and that free access to the service has been extended through March 2027.

Latest Developments

• PB-SHABD offers content across 50 categories in 15 Indian languages, supporting the diversity of India's regional media landscape.

• The free-access extension is aimed at supporting smaller media organisations, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, that lack the resources for paid wire-service subscriptions.

• The initiative aligns with the government's broader push to democratise access to credible, verified news content and counter misinformation in regional media ecosystems.

• Prasar Bharati functions as India's public broadcaster under the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, operating both Doordarshan (television) and All India Radio.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Prasar Bharati was constituted under the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990.

• PB-SHABD provides free, logo-free news content to media organisations; free access has been extended till March 2027.

• PB-SHABD content is available in 15 Indian languages across 50 categories.

11. Tokay Gecko Seizure in Assam Exposes Wildlife Trafficking Networks

Basic Concept

The Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) is one of the largest gecko species, native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed under Schedule I of India's Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (India's highest protection category) and under Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which regulates trade in species that may become threatened without such controls. Despite legal protection, the species faces high demand driven by unproven traditional-medicine claims and the exotic pet trade, making it a recurring subject of wildlife-trafficking enforcement news relevant to GS Paper 3's environment and internal-security themes.

Core Context

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 86 live Tokay Geckos in Mariani, Assam, on 22 September 2026, as part of a wider crackdown that also uncovered a cross-border wildlife trafficking network spanning Assam and Meghalaya.

Latest Developments

• The broader DRI operation across Assam and Meghalaya also recovered other protected wildlife products, including pangolin scales and tiger bone, pointing to an organised trafficking network rather than isolated incidents.

• Tokay Geckos are trafficked largely due to unsubstantiated claims about medicinal properties (particularly in some East and Southeast Asian traditional medicine markets) and demand from exotic pet collectors.

• DRI functions under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and is India's premier anti-smuggling intelligence and investigation agency.

• The seizure highlights the Northeast's status as a key transit corridor for wildlife smuggling towards Southeast Asian markets, given its long, porous international borders.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The Tokay Gecko is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and Appendix II of CITES.

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) functions under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Ministry of Finance.

• 86 live Tokay Geckos were seized in Mariani, Assam, on 22 September 2026.

12. Monsoon Withdrawal 2026 and Spreading Drought Conditions Across India

Basic Concept

The southwest monsoon's withdrawal, typically beginning in September from northwest India and progressing southeastward, marks the transition to the post-monsoon season. The timing and pattern of withdrawal significantly affect rabi (winter) sowing decisions, reservoir levels, and water availability going into the dry months. A deep depression is a low-pressure weather system in the Bay of Bengal/Arabian Sea with sustained wind speeds of 51–61 km/h, one step below a cyclonic storm in the India Meteorological Department's classification, and such systems typically bring heavy rainfall to affected coastal states as they make landfall. These themes are core to GS Paper 1 (Indian geography/climatology) and GS Paper 3 (agriculture, disaster management).

Core Context

As the southwest monsoon's withdrawal progresses, over half of India is now under dry or drought conditions, even as a deep depression forming in the Bay of Bengal is forecast to bring extremely heavy rainfall to parts of India and Nepal in the coming days.

Latest Developments

• Multiple states are reporting delayed paddy transplantation, with some farmers shifting to alternative, less water-intensive crops as monsoon withdrawal advances and soil moisture depletes.

• The uneven pattern — drought in some regions alongside a heavy-rainfall system approaching from the Bay of Bengal — illustrates the increasingly erratic post-monsoon weather India has witnessed in recent years, an area linked to climate-change-driven variability.

• Reservoir storage and rabi-season sowing plans are likely to be affected differently across states depending on which side of this drought-versus-deluge divide they fall on.

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) continues to track the monsoon withdrawal line and issues periodic bulletins guiding state-level agricultural and disaster-management responses.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The southwest monsoon typically begins withdrawing from northwest India around mid-September, progressing southeastward.

• A 'deep depression' (winds 51–61 km/h) is one classification step below a 'cyclonic storm' in the IMD's low-pressure system classification.

• Delayed monsoon withdrawal or drought conditions primarily affect rabi sowing and reservoir replenishment for the dry season.

13. IEA Report: India's Electrification Rate May Rise to 32% by 2035

Basic Concept

Electrification refers to the share of final energy consumption met directly by electricity (as opposed to fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel, or coal used directly). Rising electrification — especially in transport, heating, and industry — is considered central to decarbonisation strategies, since electricity can increasingly be generated from renewable sources. The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation that provides analysis and policy advice on global energy, of which India is an association country. This links to GS Paper 3's energy-security and climate-mitigation themes.

Core Context

A new IEA special report finds that cost-effective electrification could raise India's share of electricity in final energy consumption to around 32% by 2035, up from current levels, as part of a broader global trend where worldwide electrification could reach roughly 33-35% by the same year.

Latest Developments

• The report emphasises that electrification is increasingly cost-competitive compared to fossil-fuel alternatives across transport (electric vehicles), heating, and several industrial processes.

• Achieving this pace of electrification would require substantial investment in grids, storage infrastructure, and supply chains to handle rising electricity demand reliably.

• The IEA estimates that accelerated, cost-effective electrification globally could generate savings of around $400 billion by 2035 through efficiency gains and reduced fossil-fuel import dependence.

• For India, faster electrification aligns with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and its target of Net Zero emissions by 2070.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The International Energy Agency (IEA) is headquartered in Paris; India is an IEA association country (not a full member).

• The IEA report projects India's electrification share could reach around 32% by 2035, close to the projected global average of 33-35%.

• India has committed to a Net Zero emissions target by 2070, announced at COP26.

14. Methyl Parathion and the Rotterdam Convention's Prior Informed Consent Procedure

Basic Concept

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade is a multilateral environmental agreement that promotes shared responsibility between exporting and importing countries in the international trade of hazardous chemicals. Its Chemical Review Committee (CRC), a scientific subsidiary body, evaluates chemicals nominated for listing under the Convention's Annex III, which triggers the PIC procedure requiring exporting countries to obtain the importing country's explicit consent before shipment. This is relevant to GS Paper 3's environment and international-agreements coverage.

Core Context

The Rotterdam Convention's Chemical Review Committee has adopted guidance on methyl parathion, an organophosphate insecticide, moving it a step closer to potential listing under the Convention's PIC procedure, subject to final approval by the Conference of the Parties.

Latest Developments

• Methyl parathion is a highly toxic organophosphate insecticide long linked to acute poisoning incidents among agricultural workers, particularly in developing countries with less stringent safety protocols.

• Listing under Annex III would not ban methyl parathion outright but would require exporting countries to secure prior informed consent from importing countries, improving transparency and safety in its cross-border trade.

• The decision reflects the CRC's continuing scientific review process, which has previously faced criticism from public-health and environmental groups over delays in listing certain hazardous chemicals.

• India, as a party to the Rotterdam Convention, would need to factor in any final listing decision into its own pesticide import/export regulatory framework under the Insecticides Act, 1968.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The Rotterdam Convention's Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure requires exporter countries to obtain importer consent before trade in listed hazardous chemicals.

• The Chemical Review Committee (CRC) is the scientific body that evaluates and recommends chemicals for listing under Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention.

• Methyl parathion is an organophosphate insecticide under review for possible listing under the Convention.

15. Super El Niño Could Add 15,800 Heat-Related Deaths in India

Basic Concept

El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a periodic climate pattern involving above-average sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, which disrupts global weather patterns including India's monsoon. A 'Super El Niño' refers to an unusually strong episode, historically associated with major droughts, heatwaves, and monsoon disruption in India (as seen in 1997-98 and 2015-16). This links to GS Paper 1 (climatology) and GS Paper 3 (disaster management, public health impacts of climate change).

Core Context

A report by the Climate Impact Lab projects that a developing Super El Niño could contribute to around 15,800 additional heat-related deaths in India between September 2026 and February 2027, out of an estimated 2.39 lakh excess heat deaths projected worldwide during the same period.

Latest Developments

• The report warns that the mortality risk is compounded by simultaneous power-supply vulnerabilities, as extreme heat drives up electricity demand for cooling even as grid stress increases.

• Vulnerable populations — the elderly, outdoor workers, and those without access to cooling — are expected to bear a disproportionate share of the projected heat-related mortality.

• Past strong El Niño episodes (1997-98, 2015-16) were associated with significant weakening of the Indian summer monsoon and heatwave spikes, underscoring the recurring public-health stakes of ENSO variability for India.

• The findings add urgency to India's ongoing efforts to develop Heat Action Plans at the state and city level, coordinated by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• El Niño refers to warming of sea-surface temperatures in the central/eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

• The Climate Impact Lab projects around 15,800 additional heat deaths in India and roughly 2.39 lakh globally due to a developing Super El Niño (Sept 2026-Feb 2027).

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) coordinates Heat Action Plans across Indian states and cities.

16. Practice MCQs

Practice MCQs

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Board of Peace and Gaza's reconstruction:
1. The Board of Peace was established under a United Nations Security Council Resolution.
2. It functions through the Office of the High Representative for Gaza.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 only

• (b) 2 only

• (c) Both 1 and 2

• (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation: The Board of Peace was established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025) and operates through the Office of the High Representative for Gaza, which recently unveiled a $2.45 billion Gaza recovery plan.

Q2. The Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW), recently in the news in its satellite-guided SAT-SAAW variant, is developed by which of the following?

• (a) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

• (b) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

• (c) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

• (d) Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

Answer: (b) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

Explanation: SAAW/SAT-SAAW is a precision-guided glide bomb developed by DRDO and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL); a recent ₹810.79 crore contract covers 160 units for the Indian Air Force.

Q3. Consider the following statements about Naoero:
1. It is the new official name adopted by the Pacific island nation of Nauru.
2. It is located in the Melanesia sub-region of the Pacific Ocean.
3. Its economy has historically depended heavily on phosphate mining.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 and 3 only

• (b) 2 only

• (c) 1, 2 and 3

• (d) 1 only

Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Nauru's restored name, Naoero, was reaffirmed at the UN. Nauru/Naoero lies in Micronesia, not Melanesia, so statement 2 is incorrect. Its economy has historically relied on phosphate mining, making statement 3 correct.

Q4. With reference to India's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), which of the following statements is correct?

• (a) India and the EU will sign a comprehensive FTA in Brussels on 16 December 2026

• (b) The India-EU FTA negotiations began after 2015

• (c) The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Union (EU) are the same grouping

• (d) India's FTA with the EU eliminates all EU tariffs on Indian exports without exception

Answer: (a) India and the EU will sign a comprehensive FTA in Brussels on 16 December 2026

Explanation: India-EU FTA negotiations began in 2007; EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) is distinct from the 27-member EU; and while the EU will eliminate tariffs on 99.5% of Indian exports, sensitive sectors like dairy retain protection.

Q5. The Tokay Gecko, recently seized in large numbers in Assam, is placed under which Schedule of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and which CITES Appendix?

• (a) Schedule I; CITES Appendix I

• (b) Schedule I; CITES Appendix II

• (c) Schedule II; CITES Appendix II

• (d) Schedule IV; CITES Appendix III

Answer: (b) Schedule I; CITES Appendix II

Explanation: The Tokay Gecko enjoys the highest domestic protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and is listed under CITES Appendix II internationally, which regulates (rather than outright bans) trade in the species.

Q6. Which of the following best describes the Rotterdam Convention's Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure?

• (a) It bans the production of all hazardous chemicals globally

• (b) It requires exporting countries to obtain the importing country's consent before trading listed hazardous chemicals

• (c) It is a subsidiary body of the World Trade Organization

• (d) It applies only to chemical weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention

Answer: (b) It requires exporting countries to obtain the importing country's consent before trading listed hazardous chemicals

Explanation: The Rotterdam Convention's PIC procedure does not ban chemicals outright; it mandates that exporters secure the importing country's informed consent before shipment of chemicals listed in Annex III, such as the insecticide methyl parathion currently under review.

Q7. Consider the following statements regarding the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project:
1. It is located on a river that is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet before entering India.
2. It was declared a project of national importance in 2008.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 only

• (b) 2 only

• (c) Both 1 and 2

• (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation: The Siang river is the Indian stretch of the Yarlung Tsangpo (called Brahmaputra further downstream in Assam). The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, with an envisaged capacity of about 11,000 MW, was declared a project of national importance in 2008.