1. SUPREME COURT CLARIFIES ‘GOVERNOR’S DISCRETION’ IN STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Supreme Court Landmark Ruling: A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that a Governor cannot indefinitely withhold assent to Bills passed by the State Legislature, emphasizing that “discretion” under Article 200 must be exercised in a manner that promotes constitutional productivity rather than stalling it.
- The ‘Return or Assent’ Rule: The Court clarified that if a Governor returns a Bill for reconsideration and the Assembly passes it again, the Governor is constitutionally bound to grant assent, reinforcing the supremacy of the elected legislature.
- Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Updates: Two more states have tabled draft UCC Bills in their respective assemblies today, following the Uttarakhand model, sparking debates on the preservation of tribal customary laws and Article 25.
- Delimitation Commission Preparations: The Ministry of Home Affairs initiated a preliminary data-mapping exercise for the upcoming Delimitation process, focusing on the 2021 Census data (released late) to reorganize parliamentary constituencies.
- Election Commission Modernization: The ECI announced the pilot launch of ‘Multi-Constituency Remote Electronic Voting Machines’ (RVMs) for domestic migrants in upcoming bye-elections to improve voter turnout.
- Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules: The government notified the final set of rules for the DPDP Act, 2023, mandating “Data Fiduciary” accountability and establishing the Data Protection Board’s functional headquarters in New Delhi.
Concepts: Article 200 – Powers of the Governor regarding Bills; Doctrine of Colorable Legislation – Ensuring the legislature does not overstep its bounds indirectly; Article 324 – Powers of the Election Commission for fair conduct.
2. TAMIL NADU LAUNCHES ‘GREEN ENERGY CORRIDOR 2.0’ ON PONGAL FESTIVAL
SUBJECT: NATIONAL ISSUES / TAMIL NADU
- Pongal Infrastructure Gift: On the occasion of Thai Pongal, the Tamil Nadu government inaugurated the first phase of the ‘Green Energy Corridor 2.0’ in Thoothukudi, aimed at integrating 5,000 MW of offshore wind energy into the state grid.
- Katchatheevu Retrieval Advocacy: The Tamil Nadu State Assembly passed a fresh resolution urging the Centre to initiate diplomatic talks with Sri Lanka regarding the retrieval of Katchatheevu to secure the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen.
- Inter-State River Disputes: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed Karnataka to ensure the monthly quota of water release for January to Tamil Nadu, citing improved reservoir levels in the upper riparian state.
- National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): India reported a 15% reduction in PM2.5 levels across 50 major cities compared to 2024 data, attributing the success to the transition of public transport to Electric Vehicles (EVs).
- Tribal Welfare Initiatives: The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the ‘Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission’ phase-II, focusing on the branding and global export of forest produce from the Nilgiris and Western Ghats.
Concepts: Seventh Schedule – Distribution of powers between Union and States (Water and Energy); Public Trust Doctrine – Legal principle for environmental protection.
3. INDIA-ASEAN SUMMIT FOCUSES ON MARITIME SECURITY IN SOUTH CHINA SEA
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- Freedom of Navigation: At the India-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation meet in Jakarta today, India reaffirmed its commitment to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and called for a “Code of Conduct” in the South China Sea that respects the sovereignty of all littoral nations.
- India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA): Negotiators in London reported that 24 out of 26 chapters of the FTA have been closed, with an expected signing date set for March 2026, focusing on whiskey tariffs and professional visas.
- G20 Troika Discussions: India, as part of the G20 Troika, proposed a “Global Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Fund” to help Global South nations implement digital payment systems similar to UPI.
- Middle East Stability: India dispatched its fourth consignment of humanitarian aid to Gaza via the Rafah crossing, emphasizing its stance on a “Two-State Solution” for lasting peace in the region.
- Indian Diaspora Engagement: The ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Samman’ portal for 2027 was opened today, with a new category added for “Technological Contributions to India’s Rural Economy” by NRIs.
Concepts: Act East Policy – Strategic shift to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia; UNCLOS – International law governing the world’s oceans.
4. RBI MAINTAINS STATUS QUO ON REPO RATE AMID STABLE INFLATION
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Outcome: The RBI kept the Repo Rate unchanged at 6.5% for the eighth consecutive time, citing that while retail inflation has cooled to 4.1%, food price volatility remains a risk due to unpredictable weather patterns.
- Rupee Internationalization: India and the UAE successfully settled a major oil transaction using the ‘Rupee-Dirham’ direct trade mechanism, bypassing the SWIFT-USD system to reduce transaction costs.
- Direct Tax Collection Surge: Net direct tax collections for the current fiscal year have surpassed the ₹15 lakh crore mark, showing a 20% year-on-year growth, driven by corporate tax compliance and improved AI-led auditing.
- Unicorn Rebound: India added 12 new ‘Unicorns’ (startups valued at $1 billion+) in the last quarter of 2025 and early 2026, marking a significant recovery in venture capital funding for Deep-Tech and Agritech sectors.
- Semiconductor Mission 2.0: The government announced a $5 billion incentive package for “OSAT” (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) plants to establish India as a global chip packaging hub.
Concepts: Fiscal Deficit Target – Aiming for 4.5% of GDP by FY26; Angel Tax Provisions – Impact on startup investments; Capital Expenditure (CapEx) – The driver for infrastructure growth.
5. DRDO SUCCESSFULLY TESTS ‘AGNI-VI’ WITH MIRV TECHNOLOGY
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- Strategic Deterrence: India successfully conducted the first pre-induction night trial of the Agni-VI Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). It features MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle) technology, capable of carrying multiple warheads to different targets simultaneously.
- Indo-French Jet Engine Deal: Safran and HAL finalized the technology transfer (ToT) agreement for the 110kN engines to power India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) fifth-generation fighter.
- Project 75-I Update: The Ministry of Defence shortlisted two global submarine builders for the construction of six conventional submarines with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) to be built under the “Strategic Partnership” model.
- Cyber Defence Agency (CDA): The CDA reported thwarting a major coordinated ‘Ransomware’ attack targeting India’s power grids, highlighting the need for indigenous operating systems in critical infrastructure.
- Border Infrastructure: The Border Roads Organization (BRO) completed the ‘SeLa-2’ tunnel, providing all-weather connectivity to the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh, significantly reducing troop mobilization time.
Concepts: No First Use (NFU) Policy – The cornerstone of India’s nuclear doctrine; MIRV Technology – Enhancing missile penetration against defense systems; AIP System – Allowing submarines to stay submerged longer.
