Manasbal Lake

Environment

Context

Manasbal Lake is on the path of ecological recovery with the return of migratory birds.

About –

Located in – Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district

It is India’s deepest natural freshwater lake, reaching depths of 13 meters (43 feet).
Known as – Supreme Gem of all Kashmir Lakes.
Uniqueness – It is famous for its crystal-clear waters, extensive summer lotus blooms, and bird-watching opportunities.

Features-

Location & Elevation: Situated in the Jhelum Valley at an altitude between 1,585 and 1,600 meters.
Hydrology: It is a warm monomictic lake (circulates completely only once a year).
Topography: The lake is flanked by the Baladar Mountains (east), the Karewa plateau (north), and the Ahtung Hills (south).
Biodiversity: It is a significant natural stamping ground for migratory aquatic birds in Kashmir, supporting dozens of species including Mallards, White-headed Ducks, and Golden Eagles.
Economic Value: It supports local livelihoods via fisheries and the harvesting of lotus rootstocks, locally known as Nadru.

World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO)

Polity

In News

China formally launched the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) in Shanghai, at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference.

WAICO

- It is an intergovernmental body for AI cooperation, capacity building, and shared governance standards among developing nations,

Headquarters – Shanghai.

- Uniqueness – It’s the first standing institution of its kind aimed squarely at the Global South.

Members – 29 countries.

Significance –

China will provide 5,000 AI training opportunities and establish joint AI cooperation centres with ASEAN, African Union, BRICS, SCO, League of Arab States.
It will promote open-source AI models, technology sharing, and collaborative AI development.
The platform will strengthen China’s influence in global AI governance with the Global South.

Investment Friendliness Index (IFI)

Polity

Context

NITI Aayog has released the report titled “Investment Friendliness Index (IFI)”.

About

Objective – It assesses how effectively States and Union Territories create, enable, and sustain an environment conducive to investments.
Parameters – Infrastructure, Business climate, Resources, Government policy, Regulatory Ease, Institutional Environment, Financial Health; and Environmental Resilience.
State Categorisation: States and Union Territories have been classified into four performance categories:

Top Performers (scores above 50).
Frontrunners (45–50).
Emerging Performers (≥40 – <45).
Aspiring States (below 40).

Among the Large States, Gujarat secured the first rank, followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, which are also the top three performers in the overall Index.
In the Hilly and North-Eastern States category, Uttarakhand emerged as the highest-ranked State, followed by Assam and Himachal Pradesh.
Among the City States and Union Territories, Goa secured the top position, followed by Delhi and Chandigarh.

National Commission for Minorities

Polity

Context

The Union government appointed Harjit Singh Grewal as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).

National Commission for Minorities (NCM)

- The Union Government set up the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
- The first Statutory National Commission was set up in 1993.
- Initially five religious communities, viz., Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities by the Union Government.

In 2014, Jains were also notified as another minority community.

Composition – The Commission consists of: A Chairperson, a Vice- Chairperson, and Five Members.
Objective: The organisation is set-up to safeguard and protect the interests of minorities as provided in the Constitution of India and laws enacted by the Parliament and the State Legislatures.

ICMR i-DRONE Initiative

Science & Technology

News

Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under its i-DRONE initiative has successfully demonstrated the use of drone-assisted transport of TB sputum samples to improve access to tuberculosis diagnosis in remote areas.

i-DRONE initiative

Full form – ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach for North East (i-DRONE)

- It was launched in 2021.
- Objective – It aimed to evaluate the use of drones to deliver vaccines and medical supplies to remote areas of Manipur and Nagaland.
- The i-DRONE project developed a hub and spoke drone network to connect 60 sub-centres, 11 primary health centres and four TB units in Telangana to transport sputum samples for TB diagnosis.

Outcomes: The median time to diagnosis was reduced from 15 days to 5 days.

Average out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) dropped from ₹9,451 to about ₹91 with a large number of patients having zero travel costs.

ASW Shallow Water Craft Malvan

Science & Technology

Context

The Indian Navy is set to commission Malvan, the second of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC).

About

Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi.
Malvan has more than 80 per cent indigenous content.
It reflects India’s growing self-reliance in warship design, construction and systems integration under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Function – to operate effectively in coastal and shallow waters, enhancing the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
The Mahe-class ASW-SWC vessels are being inducted to replace the ageing Abhay-class corvettes.