Current Affairs

During a bilateral visit, India–UAE set a target to raise trade to >US$200 billion by 2032; CEPA (2022) has lifted trade to nearly US$100 billion by FY2024–25. Initiatives: Bharat Mart, Virtual Trade Corridor, Bharat-Africa Setu. Cooperation: SMRs and nuclear safety (SHANTI Act 2025), digital/data embassies (offshore sovereign data storage), AI India Mission supercomputing, defence MoU/LoI, and LNG SPA: ADNOC Gas to HPCL 0.5 MTPA for 10 years. UAE is India’s 3rd-largest partner; supports SPR.

RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India (Priority Sector Lending–Targets and Classification) Directions, 2025, revising PSL classifications and targets. Banks must obtain external audit certification (CAG-empanelled auditors for specified entities like NCDC) to prevent double-counting of the same underlying exposure by originating banks and intermediaries (NBFCs/cooperatives). PSL target for Small Finance Banks reduced to 60% of ANBC from 75%. Loans to NCDC for on-lending qualify as PSL; co-lending permitted; export credit to agriculture and MSMEs treated as PSL.

Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Environmental (Protection) Fund Rules, 2026, operationalising utilisation, allocation and oversight of the Environmental Protection Fund constituted under Section 16 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The fund lies in the Public Account of India, sourced from fines under Air (1981), Water (1974) and Environment (1986) Acts; 75% remitted to States/UTs, 25% retained by Centre for monitoring networks, remediation, clean-tech R&D, and strengthening CPCB/SPCBs, managed by a PMU and audited by CAG.

India launched the Responsible Nations Index (RNI) framework to assess countries on responsibility metrics beyond economic strength. Developed by the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF) with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and IIM Mumbai, it evaluates 154 countries. It uses 58 indicators from international data sources to assess ethical governance, social well-being, environmental stewardship and global responsibility. Top ranks: Singapore, Switzerland, Denmark. India ranked 16th, ahead of US (66) and China (68).

The Government has increased the Central Silk Board’s approval limit to speed up project clearances in the silk sector. The Central Silk Board is a statutory body set up in 1948 through an Act of Parliament and functions under the Ministry of Textiles. India is the world’s second-largest silk producer and largest consumer; it produces Mulberry, Oak/Tropical Tasar, Muga and Eri, with Mulberry at 92% of raw silk output; major states/UTs include Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Public Sector Banks have sanctioned over ₹52,300 crore to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises under the Credit Assessment Model (CAM), 2025. CAM uses borrowers’ digital footprints and digitally fetched, verifiable information to enable faster, data-driven and objective MSME loan appraisal and automated loan processing. Applications are sourced through the Jan Samarth Portal, a common platform linking beneficiaries, financial institutions, Central/State government agencies and nodal agencies.

A powerful winter storm paralysed Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East, burying streets and homes under heavy snow. Kamchatka is part of the Russian Federation’s Far Eastern Federal District and is sparsely populated (about 3 lakh). It lies between the Sea of Okhotsk (west) and the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (east), with Sredinny and Vostochny ranges and the Kamchatka River; climate is mostly tundra.

China recorded 7.92 million births in 2025, while its population fell by 3.39 million to 1.405 billion, highlighting “Demographic Winter” as a growing global issue with implications for 21st-century economy and social structure. Demographic Winter denotes persistent, structural decline in population growth, marked by fertility below replacement (2.1) and an inverted, ageing population pyramid, driven by delayed milestones, urbanisation, sociocultural shifts, family planning access, and legacy policies like China’s One Child Policy.

The US 20-point Gaza Peace Plan, titled “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict”, proposes a “Board of Peace” as a transitional Gaza administration and international organisation, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025). It oversees the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) and International Stabilization Force (ISF), mobilises resources and ensures accountability. Chair: US President Donald Trump; Executive Board includes World Bank President Ajay Banga; invitations sent to India, Argentina, Canada, Egypt and Turkey. Members may serve 3-year terms without contribution; paid permanent membership reportedly requires $1 billion.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, released findings of its inquiry committee on large-scale IndiGo flight delays and cancellations. It flagged over-optimised operations prioritising commercial utilisation, inadequate aircraft and crew buffers, non-compliance with revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, and weak crisis management/internal escalation. DGCA, headquartered in New Delhi, levied financial penalties and coordinates regulatory functions with ICAO.

French President urged the first-time use of the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), dubbed the trade “Bazooka”, to counter US tariffs on European countries amid a standoff over Greenland. ACI applies when a non-EU country interferes in EU or Member State policy choices by applying or threatening trade/investment measures. It enables deterrence via import/export restrictions, IPR and FDI-related measures, and limiting access to the EU market.

Child trafficking involves recruitment/transport/harbouring/receipt of children for exploitation (forced labour, sexual exploitation, slavery/servitude, organ removal); under Palermo Protocol, consent is irrelevant, and its principle is reflected domestically. BNS 2023 defines trafficking via coercion/deception/abuse/inducement and recognises physical, sexual, economic and organ exploitation. Constitutional safeguards: Articles 23, 24, 39(e)-(f). Key laws: ITPA 1956, JJ Act 2015 (rehabilitation), POCSO 2012 (gender-neutral, fast-track; stringent penalties). Supreme Court treats trafficking as violating life/dignity (Vishal Jeet, M.C. Mehta, Bachpan Bachao); recent guidelines stress victim-centric, coordinated accountability. Issues: low convictions, vulnerabilities, digital recruitment, inter-State networks; law and order is a State subject.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak was reported in Neemuch district, Madhya Pradesh, with two deaths in Manasa town. GBS is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder where the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system; also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP). Often follows infection, vaccination or surgery; can progress to paralysis, is life-threatening, has no cure, but treatments aid recovery.

The 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) was held in Lucknow, highlighting presiding officers’ roles in Parliament, State legislatures and polling stations. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has served since 17 June 2019; Speaker decides Money Bill and disqualification under anti-defection law. State Assembly Speaker/Deputy (Article 178) and Council Chairman/Deputy (Article 182) are elected. Polling presiding officers, appointed by District Election Officer, are bound by Representation of the People Act, 1951, and maintain a Presiding Officer’s Diary.

Odisha’s 2026 annual census in and around Bhitarkanika National Park recorded an increase in saltwater/estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), the world’s largest reptile, tolerant of salinity (coastal/riverine; also freshwater swamps). Largest population occurs in Odisha; also in Andaman and Nicobar mangroves. Major concentration: Kanika, then Rajnagar, Mahakalpada (Mahanadi delta) and Gahirmatha ranges. Carnivorous; adults >8 ft. Protected under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (Schedule I); IUCN: Least Concern; threats: illegal hunting, habitat loss, negative attitudes. World Crocodile Day: June 17; Crocodile Conservation Project started April 1, 1975.

Delhi High Court permitted Zydus Lifesciences to manufacture and sell a biosimilar of Nivolumab, a monoclonal antibody immunotherapy drug. Nivolumab enhances immune response by blocking the PD-1 receptor, enabling recognition and destruction of cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies are lab-produced molecules for targeted action. Used for lung, renal, head and neck, melanoma, urothelial, oesophageal and gastric cancers; adult dosing 240 mg biweekly or 480 mg every 4 weeks. Brands: Opdivo (outside India), Opdyta (India).

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh released two books, ‘Gen V Bano’ and ‘Mahatma’, at the first NAMO Book Fest in New Delhi. The two-day festival featured a curated exhibition of books on PM Narendra Modi’s life, ideas and leadership, and provided a platform for dialogue among authors, intellectuals and youth on governance, nation-building and innovation, highlighting inspiration, leadership and ethical living.

Marine scientists on a Victoria University of Wellington-led deep-sea expedition found a giant black coral in deep waters off Fiordland, New Zealand. It is over 13 ft tall and nearly 15 ft wide, ~300–400 years old, and grows a few mm/year in deep, cold waters; living tissue looks pale though the skeleton is black. It provides habitat and records ocean conditions, is vulnerable to fishing gear/anchoring/seabed activity, and is protected under New Zealand’s Wildlife Act; mapping colonies aids conservation.

On 17 January 2026, the Supreme Court (Bench: M. M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma) held that unreserved seats in public recruitment are open to all on merit; SC/ST/OBC candidates qualifying without relaxations (lower cut-off, age or fee concessions) must be counted against unreserved seats under the “merit-induced shift” doctrine. Citing Articles 14 and 16, it set aside the Kerala High Court (2020) verdict in a 2013 AAI Junior Assistant (Fire Service) recruitment dispute, guiding central and state agencies.

In January 2026, the Government of India blocked 242 illegal betting and gambling website links, taking total enforcement takedowns to 7,800+ platforms. Action was strengthened after the Online Gaming Act, which distinguishes permissible online games from illegal betting/wagering and enables coordination with ISPs, payment gateways and digital intermediaries for domain-level blocking. Outcomes include quicker takedowns, disrupted transactions and reduced re-emergence; risks flagged include tax evasion, money laundering and youth addiction. Skill-based games are allowed, while betting/gambling remains largely prohibited except limited state-specific contexts.

INS Sagardhwani (A74) was flagged off from Kochi for the fifth Sagar Maitri mission (SM-5) for scientific ocean research and international collaboration. Built by GRSE and commissioned in 1994, it is operated by the Indian Navy and owned by NPOL, Kochi (DRDO). A MARS, it has eight acoustically isolated labs, HAL Chetak helipad, cranes/gantry, low-noise design; it supports DRDO’s Underwater Domain Awareness, retracing INS Kistna’s IIOE (1962–65) routes, strengthening IOR cooperation.

PM Narendra Modi addressed the Bagurumba Dwhou 2026 cultural programme at Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati, Assam, featuring a mass, synchronised Bagurumba (“butterfly”) dance of the Bodo community by 10,000+ artists. The nature-inspired dance uses Dokhna, Jwmgra (Fasra) and Aronai attire, and Sifung, Kham, Serja and Tharkha music; linked to Bwisagu/Domasi and enabled by the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord.

PM performed Bhoomi Pujan of the Kaziranga Elevated Wildlife Corridor Project, Assam. Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 1 October 2025, it covers the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715 across Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat, linking Kaziranga National Park with Karbi Anglong Hills. Implemented in EPC mode, it includes a 35 km elevated corridor, 21 km greenfield bypasses and 30 km widening to four lanes, enabling flood-time wildlife movement, reducing conflict, decongesting Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat, improving safety, and protecting the UNESCO site.

Indiaphonte bijoyi, a microscopic crustacean from sediments of Kavaratti lagoon, Lakshadweep (south-eastern Arabian Sea off India’s south-west coast), has been formally recognised as a new genus and new species. The genus name honours India; the species name honours S. Bijoy Nandan, Dean, Faculty of Marine Sciences, CUSAT. A <1 mm meiofauna, it supports ecosystem health, produces omega-3s (EPA, DHA), serves as a pollution-sensitive bio-indicator, and is used as live feed for fish larvae.

The 18th India–Japan Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi reaffirmed the Special Strategic and Global Partnership (upgraded 2014). Key outcomes included a private-sector economic security dialogue on semiconductors, critical minerals, ICT, clean energy and pharmaceuticals; a Japan–India AI Strategic Dialogue under JAI; early convening of a Joint Working Group on Mineral Resources; and Japan’s plan to invite 500 highly skilled Indian AI professionals by 2030. Cooperation continues under CEPA (2011), the 2+2 defence dialogue and the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail project.