1. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS PRIVACY IN BIOMETRIC DATA GOVERNANCE
SUBJECT: POLITY
- The Supreme Court of India, in a landmark 5-judge bench ruling, clarified that the right to “informational privacy” extends to metadata collected during biometric authentication, requiring stricter purging protocols by state agencies.
- The Data Protection Board (DPB) issued its first set of major penalties against three financial entities for failing to report “minor” data breaches within the 72-hour window mandated under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA).
- A private member’s bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha seeking to amend Article 164, proposing a mandatory minimum educational qualification for Cabinet Ministers at both Union and State levels.
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the successful pilot of Remote Voting Machines (RVMs) for domestic migrants in upcoming bye-elections, aiming to address the “voter apathy” seen in urban clusters.
- The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to reconsider the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, citing concerns over the erosion of the basic structure of federalism.
- Concepts: Article 21 (Right to Privacy); Doctrine of Proportionality (State’s interference in individual liberty must be justified by a legitimate aim).
2. INDIA LAUNCHES ‘MISSION AMRIT VAHINI’ FOR TRANS-BOUNDARY RIVER MANAGEMENT
SUBJECT: NATIONAL ISSUES
- The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Mission Amrit Vahini, an integrated real-time monitoring system for Himalayan rivers to predict GLOFs (Glacial Lake Outburst Floods) using indigenous satellite imagery.
- Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery Delta Zone has been declared a “Special Carbon Neutral Agriculture Hub,” receiving a federal grant to promote organic paddy cultivation and methane-reduction techniques.
- The National Health Authority (NHA) reported that over 85% of Indian households are now covered under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), integrating universal health IDs with local primary health centers.
- In a major conservation milestone, the Project Tiger 2026 mid-term report indicates a 12% rise in the tiger population in the Western Ghats, specifically within the Mudumalai-Sathyamangalam corridor.
- The Centre has approved the “Mega Coastal Economic Zone” (CEZ) in Tuticorin, aimed at creating a hub for green hydrogen production and export-oriented manufacturing.
- Concepts: Disaster Management Act, 2005; Article 262 (Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers).
3. INDIA-ASEAN SIGN UPDATED FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (AITIGA) IN JAKARTA
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- India and ASEAN nations finalized the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), introducing new “Rules of Origin” to prevent the routing of third-party goods through member nations.
- India joined the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) steering committee as the chair for 2026, pushing for a global mandate on 15% ethanol blending in aviation fuel.
- During a high-level bilateral meet in Colombo, India and Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a land bridge across the Palk Strait to enhance regional connectivity.
- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), under the presidency of a non-permanent member, debated India’s proposed “Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism” (CCIT) for the third time this session.
- India dispatched ‘Operation Maitri-II’—a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) mission—to assist island nations in the South Pacific following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake.
- Concepts: Act East Policy; Strategic Autonomy (India’s ability to pursue its national interests without being constrained by other states).
4. RBI RETAINS REPO RATE AT 6.25% AMID FALLING CORE INFLATION
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI voted to maintain the status quo on interest rates, citing a “wait and watch” approach as core inflation dipped to a 3-year low of 3.8%.
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced “T+0” instant settlement for all retail investors, making India the first major economy to implement real-time stock market settlement.
- India’s Direct Tax Collections for the current fiscal year have surpassed the budget estimates by 18%, driven by enhanced AI-based tax scrutiny and a wider corporate tax base.
- The Ministry of Finance announced a “Green Sovereign Bond” series worth ₹25,000 crore to fund offshore wind energy projects off the coast of Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu.
- The World Bank “Global Economic Prospects” report 2026 projected India to remain the fastest-growing major economy at 7.1%, despite global headwinds in the European energy sector.
- Concepts: Fiscal Deficit (The gap between government’s total expenditure and its total receipts); Quantitative Easing vs. Monetary Hawkishness.
5. INDIAN NAVY COMMISSIONS FIRST INDIGENOUS NUCLEAR SUBMARINE ‘INS ARIHANT-II’
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- The Indian Navy officially commissioned INS Arihant-II, significantly strengthening India’s Nuclear Triad and enhancing second-strike capability in the Indian Ocean Region.
- The DRDO successfully test-fired the ‘Agni-P’ (Agni-Prime) missile with a new Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MaRV) technology, designed to evade advanced anti-ballistic missile shields.
- A tri-services joint exercise, ‘Ex-Bharat Shakti 2026’, commenced in the Thar Desert, focusing on “Swarm Drone” operations and integrated electronic warfare (EW) tactics.
- The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹12,000 crore contract with a domestic private aerospace firm for the delivery of 60 Light Combat Helicopters (Prachand), marking a shift away from Russian imports.
- Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC) secured a major investment for a dedicated manufacturing plant for ‘Nirbhay’ cruise missile components in Coimbatore.
- Concepts: Nuclear Doctrine of India (No First Use policy); Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence (Reducing dependency on Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers).
