ASEAN–India Defence Think Tank Forum

International

Context –

India’s Defence Minister emphasised the need for greater India–ASEAN cooperation to promote a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific, at the 1st ASEAN–India Defence Think Tank Forum, held in New Delhi.

ASEAN–India Defence Think Tank Forum

Objective: Strengthen strategic dialogue, joint research and defence cooperation between India and ASEAN.
Announcement: By Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the 2nd ASEAN–India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting, Kuala Lumpur, 2025.

Indo-Pacific Region

Extent: From eastern Africa across the Indian and Pacific Oceans to the Americas.
Significance: Accounts for around 62% of global GDP and 50% of global maritime trade.
India’s Dependence: Around 90% of India’s trade by volume is maritime; approximately 80% of its oil imports are transported by sea.
India’s Vision: A free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, anchored in ASEAN centrality.

Varunastra Torpedoes and GSAT-7C

Defence

Context –

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts for the acquisition of the Varunastra Heavy Weight Torpedoes and GSAT-7C communication satellite.

Varunastra Torpedo

Type: Ship-launched heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo; 95% indigenous content.
Developer: Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), DRDO.
Warhead: 250 kg high-explosive.
Range: 40–50 km; Speed: Over 40 knots.
Operating Depth: Up to 600 metres.
Guidance: Active-passive acoustic homing, wire guidance and NavIC-enabled navigation.

GSAT-7C

- Type: Indigenous communication satellite for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
- Objective: Provide secure, resilient and seamless communication among IAF assets, enhancing operational effectiveness.

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2026

International

Context

According to the latest update of the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), the number of multidimensionally poor people increased by 51.5 million in 2025.

Global MPI

Published by – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford.
It was introduced in 2010 to measure poverty beyond monetary income.
Coverage: The index covers 108 countries, representing approximately 78% of the global population.

Key Findings of Global MPI 2026

Global Poverty: Approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide were multidimensionally poor in 2025.
Child Poverty: Nearly half of the world’s multidimensionally poor population consists of children.
Rural Concentration: More than four-fifths of multidimensionally poor people live in rural areas.
Regional Disparities: Sub-Saharan Africa records the highest levels of multidimensional poverty, while South Asia faces substantial deprivations in nutrition, housing and schooling.

10 Years of Kigali Amendment

Environment

Context (IE):

The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, adopted in Kigali (Rwanda) on 15 October 2016, has completed 10 years.

Kigali Amendment

Adopted:
2016, Kigali, Rwanda; entered into force on 1 January 2019.
Objective: Phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol.
Note – HFCs do not deplete ozone but have high global warming potential.
Origin: Micronesia and Mauritius proposed controlling HFCs in 2009.
Phase-down: Reduce HFC production and consumption by 80–85% by the late 2040s, with differentiated timelines for developed and developing countries.
Trade Controls: HFC import-export licensing; trade restrictions with non-Parties scheduled from 2033.
India: Ratified the amendment in 2021; phasedown begins in 2032.

Bharat Stage VII (BS-VII) Emission Norms

Environment

Context (TH):

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) issued a draft notification to introduce Bharat Stage (BS)-VII emission standards from April 1, 2029.

About

Context: MoRTH proposed new vehicle pollution rules (BS-VII) from April 2029.
Implementation: Cars (2029), light commercial vehicles (2030), trucks and buses (2031).
Objective: Reduce air pollution caused by vehicles.
EV Coverage: First Bharat Stage norms to include electric vehicles (EVs).
Pollution Control: Stricter limits on tiny particles released by vehicle exhaust, brakes and tyres.
Battery Durability: EVs must maintain a specified level of battery performance for a fixed period.
Environmental Vehicle Passport (EVP): Displays information on fuel use, battery health and vehicle emissions.

JWALA-India’s First Private-Sector Micro-Missile

Science & technology

Context (BS):

India’s first indigenously developed private-sector micro-missile, JWALA, is being prepared for its maiden experimental trial.

JWALA

Type: Short-range surface-to-air missile designed to destroy hostile drones.
Developer: IG Defence, an Indian private defence company.
Range: Approximately 2–5 km.
Propulsion: Dual-pulse solid rocket motor.
Warhead: High-explosive payload with proximity fuze.
Integration: Part of GRID Defend, an AI-based system connecting sensors, command systems and interceptors.

Measles

Health & Society

Context-

Context: 161 confirmed and 116 suspected cases reported in Kozhikode, Kerala.

About

Cause: Highly contagious viral disease caused by a virus of the genus Morbillivirus.
Transmission: Spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes.
Symptoms: High fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash.
Complications: Pneumonia and encephalitis, especially in children below 5 years.
Prevention: Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide about 97% protection.
India: Measles vaccination is included in the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

Ramesh Chand Committee

Economy

Context: The Union Government constituted a committee chaired by Professor Ramesh Chand, former NITI Aayog Member, to examine sugarcane farmers’ issues.
Mandate: Review the demand for increasing Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane and revising the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar at the ex-mill level.

Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)

Meaning: Minimum price that sugar mills are legally required to pay sugarcane farmers.
Determination: Fixed by the Central Government based on CACP recommendations, after consulting State Governments and stakeholders.
Legal Basis: Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

Sugar Production in India

India became the world’s top sugar producer in 2021-2022, surpassing Brazil.

Location of Sugar Industry in India: Sugar industry is broadly distributed over two major areas of production:

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab in the north and

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in the south.

Sugarcane – Uses

It belongs to the bamboo family of plants and is indigenous to India.

About two-third of the total sugarcane produced in India is consumed for making gur and khandsari and only one-third of it goes to sugar factories.

- It also provides raw material for manufacturing alcohol.
- Bagasse, the crushed cane residue, can be more beneficially used for manufacturing paper.
- Ethanol production – It is also an efficient substitute for petroleum products and a host of other chemical products.

India has become the 3rd largest country in the world in ethanol production after the USA and Brazil.

Conditions for growth

Crop duration: 10-15 months, and even 18 months to mature, depending upon geographical conditions.
Soil: Sugarcane can tolerate any kind of soil that can retain moisture. Examples – loams, clayey, black cotton soil, brown or reddish loam and laterites.
It should be rich in nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus.
Climate: Hot and Humid (21-27 °C of temperature and 75-150 cm of rainfall).