Author: instakas

Bactrian Camels

Syllabus: GS3/Environemet

Context

• Two majestic Bactrian camels named ‘Galwan’ and ‘Nubra’, were showcased at the Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path.
• ‘Galwan’ and ‘Nubra’ are named after places in the cold desert of Ladakh, the only place in India where this species is found.

Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus)

• The name “Bactrian” comes from a region (former kingdom conquered by Alexander the Great) located between Afghanistan, Iran, and Kazakhstan.
• It is a double-humped camel, also called the Asian or Mongolian camel and is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• It is mainly found in Northern Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, India, with the largest domestic population in China.
• Bactrian camels are considered omnivorous; however, they are primarily herbivorous, feeding on a wide selection of vegetation, even those that other animals might refuse, such as thorny, tough, or dry plants.
• Bactrian camels, known as the ‘Ships of the Silk Road’, were crucial for crossing the harsh trade routes of Central Asia.

Congestion Index

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• According to the latest 2025 TomTom Traffic Index, ranked India as the fifth most traffic-congested country globally and second in Asia.

Congestion Index

• The index evaluates cities worldwide based on average travel time, congestion levels and vehicle speeds.
• The index is widely used to track changes in urban mobility and compare congestion trends across regions and countries.
• Bengaluru emerged as India’s most traffic-congested city, recording an average congestion level of 74.4%
• Bengaluru and Kolkata were both listed among the world’s five slowest cities.
• Of the top 10 cities with the highest congestion in Asia, six were from India: Bengaluru (1), Pune (2), Mumbai (6), New Delhi (7), Kolkata (9), and Jaipur (10).

Shri Narayan Ramachandran Committee

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) constituted a high-level expert committee formally known as the Committee for Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance (SAARG).
• It was chaired by Shri Narayan Ramachandran,
• Mandate – The committee is tasked with a comprehensive review to modernise the investment framework of the National Pension System (NPS).

National Pension System (NPS)

• It is a voluntary, market-linked retirement savings scheme regulated by PFRDA for Indian citizens aged 18-70.
• It encourages systematic savings to provide a regular pension income post-retirement.

Agarwood

In News

• The Union Minister laid the foundation stone of the ₹80 crore Agarwood Value Chain Development Scheme in Tripura.

Agarwood

• Agarwood is a rare, highly fragrant wood that forms inside certain trees (Aquilaria) when they get infected or wounded, and the tree produces a special dark resin as a defence.
• This resin‑rich wood is then used to make high‑value perfume oils (oud), incense and traditional medicines, and is traded globally, especially in West Asia and East Asia.
• It is mainly found in tropical, high‑rainfall regions of South and Southeast Asia, including Tripura and other parts of Northeast India, where the climate and soils suit Aquilaria trees.
• Only a small share of trees naturally develop resin, and it can take decades, which is why agarwood is rare and expensive.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Syllabus: GS1/History

Context

• The President of India, paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary, observed as Parakram Diwas.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

• Early Life: He was an Indian nationalist leader who played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence against British rule.
• He was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Odisha
• He studied at the University of Calcutta and later went to England for the Indian Civil Services (ICS) exam.
• Political career : He abandoned ICS aspirations to join the Indian National Congress (INC), advocating for complete independence rather than moderate reforms.
• He was Elected INC President in 1938 and 1939 but resigned due to differences with Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders over non-violent strategies.
• Contributions in Freedom struggle: Bose’s vision for India’s freedom was to leverage the support of Axis powers during World War II.
• He escaped from house arrest in India in 1941, travelling through Afghanistan to Germany, where he sought support from Adolf Hitler.
• In 1943, he went to Japan, where he took command of the Indian National Army (INA), which had been formed by Indian prisoners of war and expatriates.
• The INA’s actions and post-war trials had a strong psychological impact, weakening British authority.
• Death: He died in a plane crash in Taiwan in August 1945; circumstances remain mysterious and controversial.
• Legacy: He is remembered as a symbol of courage and determination; numerous institutions, monuments, and awards are named after him.
• In 2018, The Government of India, renamed three islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. They are:

1. Ross Island → Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island
2. Neil Island → Shaheed Dweep
3. Havelock Island → Swaraj Dweep
4. This was done to honor Netaji, who hoisted the tricolour flag on Havelock Island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago and declared it as India’s first free territory.

Indian Railways Deploys Humanoid Robot ‘ASC ARJUN’

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

In Context

• Indian Railways has deployed a humanoid robot named ‘ASC ARJUN’ at Visakhapatnam Railway Station.

About

• ASC ARJUN is a humanoid robot that works with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) for security, surveillance and assistance at the station.
• It is fully designed and developed in Visakhapatnam using indigenous, home-grown technology by a dedicated technical team.

Significance

• Enhance safety and security of passengers at a busy station.
• Optimise manpower by taking over routine patrolling and monitoring tasks so RPF staff can focus on critical work.
• Use emerging technologies (AI, IoT, robotics) to improve service delivery and modernise rail operations.

One District One Product (ODOP)

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

Context

• The One District One Product (ODOP) initiative has completed 8 years of transformative impact by promoting traditional industries.

One District One Product (ODOP)

• It is a flagship initiative of the Government of India designed to foster balanced regional development by identifying and promoting at least one unique product from each distric
• It is inspired by Japan’s “One Village One Product” model.
• Objective – it seeks to transform every district into an export hub and boost local economies.
• Nationwide Scale: Spearheaded by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the initiative has identified 1,241 products from 777 districts as of early 2026.
• Product Diversity: Covers a wide range of sectors including agriculture (e.g., Alphonso mangoes), handicrafts (e.g., Banarasi silk), textiles, metalware, and food processing.
• Financial Support: The PMFME Scheme provides credit-linked subsidies (up to 35% of project cost) for micro food processing units focusing on ODOP products.
• Infrastructure: The government is establishing PM Ekta Malls (Unity Malls) in every state to provide dedicated retail space for ODOP and Geographical Indication (GI) products.

Granth Kutir

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• The President of India inaugurated Granth Kutir.

About

• Granth Kutir is a library at the Rashtrapati Bhawan which has the collection of around 2,300 books and about 50 manuscripts in 11 Indian classical languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.
• The collection reflects India’s cultural, philosophical, literary, and intellectual heritage.
• Subjects include epics, philosophy, linguistics, history, governance, science, devotional literature, and the Constitution of India in classical languages.
• Several manuscripts are handwritten on traditional materials such as palm leaf, paper, bark, and cloth.
• Granth Kutir supports the vision of the Gyan Bharatam Mission, which aims to preserve, digitise, and disseminate India’s manuscript heritage, blending tradition with modern technology.

India welcomes Spain joining Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• India has welcomed Spain joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)

• It was launched by India in November 2019 at the ASEAN-led East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok.
• It draws on existing regional cooperation architecture and mechanisms to focus on seven thematic areas, viz. :

1. Maritime Security;
2. Maritime Ecology;
3. Maritime Resources;
4. Capacity Building and Resource Sharing;
5. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
6. Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation; and
7. Trade, Connectivity and Maritime Transport.
8. Objectives : Its objective was to promote cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific and the rules-based regional order, which will contribute towards strengthening safety, stability and development in the maritime domain.

Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM)

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• The DRDO will showcase the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) along with its launcher during the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path.

Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM)

• Developed by – DRDO,
• It is a Hypersonic Glide Missile designed to meet the coastal defence and strike requirements of the Indian Navy.
• It is a first-of-its-kind indigenous system, equipped with indigenous avionics and high-accuracy sensor packages.
• It achieves speeds up to Mach 10, with an average hypersonic speed of Mach 5.
• Significance – Low-altitude flight, high speed, and manoeuvrability significantly reduce detection by enemy ground- and ship-based radars.