Author: Ramvilas

South Korea Tests Indigenous Hypersonic Glide Vehicle

Defence

Context

• South Korea has successfully test-fired its first domestically developed Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV), marking a step towards acquiring a new high-speed strike capability amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

HYPERSONIC WEAPONS 

• Definition: Weapons that travel at Mach 5 or higher (five times the speed of sound).

Types:

1. Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs): Rocket boosters propel them to high altitudes; they then glide towards targets while manoeuvring at hypersonic speeds.
2. Hypersonic Cruise Missiles: Use high-speed, air-breathing engines such as scramjets to sustain hypersonic flight within the atmosphere.

INDIA’S HYPERSONIC PROGRAMMES

• HSTDV: Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle; demonstrated flight at approximately Mach 6.
• BrahMos-II: Proposed hypersonic cruise missile designed to achieve speeds of around Mach 7.

Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)

Environment and Ecology

Context

• The Union Government approved India’s accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), elevating its status from a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party to a full Contracting Party.

About

• Full Form: Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement.
• Objective: Conservation and management of fishery resources in the high seas of the Southern Indian Ocean.
• Coverage: Fish, molluscs, crustaceans and sedentary species, subject to specified exclusions under UNCLOS.
• Significance for India: Accession could expand fishing opportunities for Indian vessels beyond their traditional operating range of 60–80 nautical miles from the coast.

Additional Information – United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

•  It is a comprehensive international treaty that establishes the legal framework for governance of oceans and seas.
• Adopted in 1982 at Montego Bay, Jamaica and entered into force in 1994.

It defines:

• Maritime boundaries of coastal states

• Rights and duties of states in maritime zones

• Rules for navigation, resource exploitation, and environmental protection

1. Because of its extensive scope, it is commonly referred to as the “Constitution of the Oceans.”

• • Membership: 168 parties, including the European Union.

• Countries such as India, Japan, and China are parties.

• Note  – The United States has signed but not ratified the convention.

Maritime Zones under UNCLOS

• UNCLOS divides the oceans into several legal zones, each with different rights and responsibilities.
• Territorial Sea: Extends up to 12 nautical miles from a coastal state’s baseline. The coastal state has full sovereignty over these waters. Foreign ships enjoy the right of innocent passage.
• Contiguous Zone: Extends 12–24 nautical miles from the baseline. Coastal states can enforce laws relating to Customs, immigration, sanitation & security.
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): Extends up to 200 nautical miles. The coastal state has exclusive rights over natural resources. However, other states retain freedom of navigation and overflight.
• High Seas (International Waters): Areas beyond the EEZ of any state. No country has sovereignty over them. Governed by international law and UNCLOS principles.

Oman Replaces US as top LNG supplier to India

Economy

News

• Oman became India’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG), replacing the United States.

LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS (LNG) 

• Definition: Natural gas cooled to approximately −162°C to convert it into liquid form.
• Volume Reduction: Liquefaction reduces its volume to about 1/600th of its gaseous volume.
• Transport: Carried in insulated LNG ships and converted back into gas through regasification at import terminals.

USES OF LNG

• Power Generation and fertilizer production.
• City Gas Distribution: Domestic cooking and transport.
• Industrial and Commercial Applications.

REASONS FOR SUPPLIER RANKING CHANGES

• Geopolitical Disruptions: West Asian tensions affected energy supply routes.
• Global Competition: European demand for US LNG reduced cargo availability for India.
• Qatar Disruption: Reported damage at Ras Laffan Industrial City following an Iranian strike in March 2026 affected Qatari shipments.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR INDIA

• Energy Security: Diversifying suppliers reduces dependence on a few countries.
• Price Stability: Multiple sources improve supply flexibility.
• Import Vulnerability: India remains exposed to geopolitical tensions, global competition and international price fluctuations.

India’s Coir Sector

Economy

Context

• India’s coir sector is gaining importance as a sustainable, export-oriented industry that promotes rural livelihoods, women’s empowerment and value addition to agricultural waste.

COIR INDUSTRY 

• Definition: Coir is a natural fibre extracted from the outer husk of coconuts, used to make mats, ropes, brushes and mattresses.
• Global Position: India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of coir and coir products, accounting for around two-thirds of global production.
• Employment: Provides direct and indirect employment to over 7 lakh people, around 80% of whom are women.
• Exports: Reached ₹6,614.40 crore in FY 2025–26, compared with ₹1,630.33 crore in FY 2014–15.
• Udyam Registration: Over 21,000 coir units, employing around 2.3 lakh people.

COIR VIKAS YOJANA (CVY)

• Ministry: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
• Objective: Sustainable development and modernisation of the coir industry.
• Key Interventions:
  • Skill Development: Training for artisans, especially rural women.
  • Research and Technology: Improved machinery and production techniques.
  • Market Promotion: Domestic sales, exports and trade fair participation.
  • Financial Assistance: Support for production infrastructure.

Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana (PMSSY)

Government Scheme

News

• The Union Cabinet has renamed the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) as the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana (PMSSY)

NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (NSAP) 

• Launch: 15 August 1995.
• Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.
• Nature: Centrally Sponsored, non-contributory social assistance programme.
• Objective: Financial assistance to vulnerable BPL households, including elderly persons, widows, persons with disabilities and families losing their primary breadwinner.
• Constitutional Basis: Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).

KEY COMPONENTS

• Old-Age Pension: Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS).
• Widow Pension: Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS).
• Disability Pension: Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS).
• Family Benefit: National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) provides a one-time grant following the death of the primary breadwinner in an eligible BPL household.

DISABILITY PENSION — KEY PROVISIONS

• Eligibility: Benchmark disability of 40% or more, as stated in the supplied announcement.
• Age Requirement: The announcement states that the minimum age limit has been removed.
• Monthly Assistance: ₹375 for beneficiaries aged 0–79 years and ₹625 for those aged 80 years and above, as stated in the supplied announcement.
• Coverage: Approximately 3.20 crore beneficiaries, according to the announcement.

Mining Project Threatens Future of Rare Jeypore Ground Gecko

Environment

Context

• The bauxite mining project in the Odisha’s Balda hills threatens the future of rare Jeypore ground gecko.

• It was presumed extinct for 130 years until it was rediscovered in 2010 by an Indian scientist.

Jeypore Ground Gecko

• Scientific Name: Cyrtodactylus jeyporensis.
• Distribution: Endemic to the Eastern Ghats; recorded in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
• Features: Nocturnal gecko, originally described in 1878 by Richard Henry Beddome.
• Habitat: Moist semi-evergreen forests at elevations of around 1,200–1,300 metres.
• Threats: Habitat loss due to coffee plantations, hydropower projects and mining.
• IUCN Status: Endangered (EN), as per the cited assessment.
• CITES: Appendix II — regulates international trade to prevent unsustainable exploitation.

Deputy Election Commissioner

Polity and Governance

Context

• Prakash Rajpurohit has been appointed as a Deputy Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India (ECI).

DEPUTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER

• Role: Senior administrative officer assisting the Election Commission of India (ECI) in managing and supervising election-related work.
• Appointment: Generally appointed by the Central Government from among senior civil servants.
• Number: Usually five or six Deputy Election Commissioners and Director Generals assist the Commission.
• Status: Administrative officers functioning under the overall supervision of the ECI; they are not constitutional authorities.

ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA (ECI)

• Constitutional Basis: Article 324 of the Indian Constitution.
• Composition: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and such number of Election Commissioners (ECs) as the President may determine.
• Appointment: The President of India appoints the CEC and ECs, subject to applicable parliamentary law.
• Functions: Supervises, directs and controls:
  • Preparation of electoral rolls.
  • Conduct of elections to Parliament.
  • Conduct of elections to State Legislatures.
  • Conduct of elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President.

KEY DIFFERENCE

• CEC and Election Commissioners: Constitutional authorities under Article 324.
• Deputy Election Commissioners: Supporting administrative officers who assist the ECI in carrying out its functions; they are not constitutional authorities.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

Polity and Governance

Context

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day.

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (NHRC) 

• Nature: Statutory, autonomous body established on 12 October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993.
• Basis: Paris Principles (1991).
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Mandate: Protects rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity.

COMPOSITION AND TENURE

• Appointment: President appoints the Chairperson and members on the recommendation of a six-member committee headed by the Prime Minister.
• Tenure: 3 years or until 70 years of age, whichever is earlier.
• Reappointment: Permitted under the Act.

KEY FUNCTIONS

• Investigation: Inquires into human rights violations and negligence by public servants, suo motu or on complaints.
• Judicial Intervention: May intervene in court proceedings with court approval.
• Inspections: Visits jails and government-controlled institutions.
• Awareness and Research: Promotes human rights education and reviews legal safeguards.
• Recommendations: May recommend compensation, prosecution and remedial measures.
• Reports: Submits annual reports to Central and State Governments.

BIMSTEC’s Delhi Declaration

IR

Context

• The Delhi Declaration was adopted on 13 October 2026 during the inaugural BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting hosted by India in New Delhi

BIMSTEC

• Full Form: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
• Established: 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Members (7): Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• Founding Members: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• Objectives: Promote regional cooperation in economic growth, trade, connectivity, science and technology.
• Geographical Coverage: Countries in South and Southeast Asia around the Bay of Bengal.
• Significance: Strengthens regional connectivity, economic integration and security cooperation between South and Southeast Asia.

DELHI DECLARATION

• Adopted at: The first BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting hosted by India.
• Key Focus: Strengthening regional cooperation against terrorism, terror financing, drug trafficking, human trafficking and money laundering.

Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) Tax

Economy

News

• Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax is back in debate as investors, markets and economists question whether it helps or hurts capital formation.

LONG-TERM CAPITAL GAINS (LTCG) TAX 

• Meaning: Tax on profits earned from selling a capital asset held beyond the specified period.
• Holding Period: 12 months for listed equity shares; 24 months for property and unlisted shares.
• LTCG on Listed Equity: 12.5% on annual gains exceeding ₹1.25 lakh.

SHORT-TERM CAPITAL GAINS (STCG) TAX

• Meaning: Tax on profits earned from selling a capital asset held for a short period.
• Holding Period: For listed equity shares and equity-oriented mutual funds, 12 months or less.
• Tax Rate: 20% on specified short-term gains from listed equity shares and equity-oriented mutual funds, subject to applicable conditions.

Improved Soybean Varieties NRC 268 and NRC 270

Economy

News

• The ICAR–National Soybean Research Institute, Indore, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) showcased the yield potential of the improved soybean Varieties NRC 268 and NRC 270.

IMPROVED SOYBEAN VARIETIES — NRC 268 AND NRC 270

• Developed by: ICAR–National Soybean Research Institute, Indore.
• Yield: Around 20 quintals/hectare, potentially reaching 22–25 quintals/hectare under favourable conditions.
• NRC 270: Larger, heavier seeds with potentially better market prices.
• Resilience: Designed to withstand irregular rainfall, dry spells, pests and diseases.

SOYBEAN PRODUCTION IN INDIA

• Scientific Name: Glycine max; belongs to the Fabaceae family.
• Crop Type: Kharif oilseed, grown mainly during the southwest monsoon.
• Leading States: Madhya Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra.
• Climate: Warm conditions with adequate soil moisture.
• Nitrogen Fixation: Root nodules host Rhizobium bacteria, which fix atmospheric nitrogen.
• Government Support: MSP is announced for soybean; ICAR develops improved varieties to enhance productivity and resilience.

‘Nameri Wild Classroom’ Initiative

Environment

News

• The Assam Forest and Climate Change Department launched the ‘Nameri Wild Classroom’ initiative at Nameri Tiger Reserve to connect students with nature through hands-on learning.

NAMERI WILD CLASSROOM 

• Launched by: Assam Forest and Climate Change Department at Nameri Tiger Reserve.
• Objective: Promote environmental awareness, scientific curiosity and wildlife conservation among schoolchildren from Class 8 onwards.
• Programme: Residential 2–3 day field camps featuring birdwatching, biodiversity studies, ecosystem learning and traditional knowledge of forest-dwelling communities.

NAMERI TIGER RESERVE

• Location: Sonitpur district, Assam, in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.
• River: Jia-Bharali (known as the Kameng River in Arunachal Pradesh).
• CA|TS Status: Received Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) approved status in September 2026.
• CA|TS: Global framework to assess tiger conservation and protected-area management effectiveness; launched at the 1st Asian Parks Congress, Japan (2013).

UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2026

International

News – 

• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), released its ‘Trade and Development Report 2026: The Geoeconomics of Development’.

Key Findings

• Global Growth: Projected at 2.6% in 2026, down from 2.9% in 2025.
• Global Trade: Expected to grow by around 4% in real terms in 2026; global trade reached a record $35 trillion in 2025.
• Developing Economies: Growth projected to slow to 4% in 2026, from 4.7% in 2025.
• Asia: Expected to contribute 59% of global growth in 2026; India’s growth is projected at 7.3%.

Additional Information – United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

• Established: 1964.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Parent Body: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• Objective: Promote trade, investment and development, particularly in developing countries.
• Key Functions:
  • Supports developing countries in integrating into the global economy.
  • Analyses international trade, investment, finance and technology.
  • Provides research, policy advice and technical assistance.
• Major Reports: Trade and Development Report, World Investment Report and Technology and Innovation Report.
• Membership: 195 member States.

JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Initiative

Government Scheme

News – 

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Initiative under Tuberculosis (TB) Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.

JOSH Initiative

• Implementation: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Ministry of Defence and Government of NCT of Delhi.
• Objective: Strengthen community-level outreach and public participation in India’s TB elimination programme.
• Team Composition: Five MY Bharat Volunteers and five NCC Cadets, led by a designated Class-I officer at the block/ward level.
• Key Stakeholders: Government functionaries, health workers, Panchayati Raj Institutions and local communities.
• Coverage: First phase launched across 55 districts in 11 States/Union Territories.
• Significance: Promotes Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation) through regular outreach and field-level activities to support TB elimination.

Additional Information – World Tuberculosis Day

• The day is observed to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. Robert Koch’s discovery of the TB bacteria in 1882.
• 2026 Theme – Yes! We can end TB

Tuberculosis

• Caused by  – It is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Transmission – It spreads from person to person through the air when people cough, sneeze or spit.
• Symptoms – Cough, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
• Treatment – TB is a treatable and curable disease by antimicrobial drugs. 
• Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs. MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.

Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026

International

News – 

• The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the 19th Global Innovation Index 2026.

Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 — UPSC

• Published by: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

• First Published: 2007.

• Objective: Measures the innovation capabilities and performance of economies, including research capacity, technological development and innovation ecosystems.

• Coverage: Evaluates 139 economies and identifies the world’s top 100 innovation clusters.

Key Highlights of GII 2026

• Global Leader: Switzerland retained the top position for the 16th consecutive year, followed by Sweden and the United States.

• European Performance: Europe accounted for 14 of the world’s top 25 innovation economies.

• India’s Rank:

  38th among 139 economies.

Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)

Environment

News – 

• A rare hatchling discovered at a protected nesting site on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, exhibited bicephaly—a developmental abnormality often caused by incomplete separation of identical twins, resulting in two heads with separate brains but shared internal organs.

Diamondback Terrapin

• Identification: Coastal turtle named after the diamond-shaped concentric growth rings on its upper shell (carapace); has pale, grey-spotted skin.
• Adaptation: Possesses specialised salt glands near the eyes that excrete excess salt, enabling it to tolerate varying salinity levels.
• Habitat: Salt marshes, estuaries, tidal creeks and shallow bays.
• Distribution: Native to the United States; found along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Florida and the Gulf Coast to southern Texas.
• Ecological Role: Controls snail populations in salt marshes, helping protect coastal cordgrass habitats.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable.
• CITES: Appendix II.

Nanaji Deshmukh

History & Culture

News – 

• PM paid homage to Nanaji Deshmukh on his 110th birth anniversary (11 October).

Nanaji Deshmukh (1916–2010) 

• Known For: Social reformer and Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader; champion of rural development and self-reliance.

• Mass Movements: Participated in Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement and supported Jayaprakash Narayan’s Total Revolution.

• Saraswati Shishu Mandir: Established the first school at Gorakhpur in 1950.

• Deendayal Research Institute (DRI): Promotes rural development and self-reliance based on Integral Humanism.

• Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya: Associated with establishing India’s first rural university.

• Honours:

  Padma Vibhushan (1999); Bharat Ratna posthumously (2019).

India’s Stakes in the Global Pandemic Agreement

International

News – 

• At the United Nations High Level Meeting (UN HLM), in New York, India made official remarks on the Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention Preparedness and Response (PPPR), part of the emerging global legal regime on pandemics led by WHO-Pandemic agreement (PA).

WHO Pandemic Agreement

• It was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2025. 
• Objective – The aim is to negotiate a WHO convention on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, that would culminate in a legally binding international instrument.
• Following its adoption, the next crucial step is for an Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the Pandemic Agreement to negotiate the details of the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system. 
• The Agreement will officially enter into force 30 days after 60 countries have ratified it.
• The PA was adopted by 124 member-states in 2025, including India.
• The PA is not yet open for ratification because negotiations are still ongoing for an annex concerning the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system.

Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS)

• It is a crucial, legally binding component of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. 
• It establishes a multilateral system designed to ensure the rapid, transparent sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential alongside the fair and equitable distribution of medical countermeasures like vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.

World Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day 2026

Science & Technology

News – 

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy celebrated the World Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day 2026. The day, October 8, is chosen as it corresponds to the atomic weight of hydrogen (1.008).

Hydrogen

• Symbol and Atomic number – Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. 
• Hydrogen is the lightest element and the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, constituting roughly 75% of all normal matter.
• It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly combustible gas.

Additional Information – Green Hydrogen

• Green Hydrogen: It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.
• Benefit: It is a clean burning element that can decarbonise a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation. 
• Hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time which can be used to produce electricity using fuel cells.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

• Aim: To make India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen.
• Implementing Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE)

Calibrated Tightening of Monetary Policy

Economy

Context (IE): 

• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI raised the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.5% and shifted its stance from neutral to calibrated tightening.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)

• Established under – The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) constituted by the Central Government under Section 45ZB  of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934.
• Meeting – The MPC is required to meet at least four times in a year. 
• Composition: The committee comprises six members. 

Out of the six members, three are internal -including the RBI governor who chairs the committee. 

• RBI’s deputy governor is the second internal member. 

• The third member is one RBI official who is nominated by the central board of RBI. Usually, it is the executive director in-charge of monetary policy. 
• The other three are external members who are appointed for four years.

• Voting: Each member of the MPC has one vote, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Governor has a second or casting vote.
• Significance of constituting the MPC: MPC was set up consequent to the agreement reached between Government and RBI to task RBI with the responsibility for price stability and inflation targeting. 
  • The Reserve Bank of India and Government of India signed the Monetary Policy Framework Agreement.
• Functions: The MPC determines the policy repo rate required to achieve the inflation target. It acts as a benchmark for all other interest rates in the economy.

Monetary Policy Tools in India

• Repo Rate: Rate at which RBI lends short-term funds to banks against collateral.
• Reverse Repo Rate: Rate at which RBI absorbs liquidity from banks.
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): Portion of deposits banks must keep with RBI in cash.
• Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): Portion of deposits kept in liquid assets (gold, cash, securities).
• Open Market Operations (OMO): Buying/selling of government securities to control liquidity.
• Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): Emergency borrowing by banks at a penal rate.
• Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF): Framework for repo/reverse repo operations.
• Market Stabilisation Scheme (MSS): Bonds issued to absorb excess liquidity.

India Mobile Congress 2026

Polity

Context (AIR): 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi.

About: 

• A digital technology forum comprising an international conference and technology exhibition.

• Organisers: Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• Objective: Provides a platform for industry, businesses, regulators and policymakers to discuss issues concerning the telecom and technology sectors.
• Started: 2017; held annually.
• Theme 2026: “Scale Without Boundaries”.
• Significance: Highlights India’s growing capabilities in digital innovation, next-generation connectivity and technology-led growth.

New Extinct Relative of Gharial (Herugavialis cairensis)

Environment