1. INDIA UNVEILS FIRST COMPREHENSIVE ANTI-TERROR POLICY ‘PRAHAAR’
SUBJECT: POLITY / NATIONAL SECURITY
- The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officially released “PRAHAAR”, India’s first-ever integrated anti-terror policy, designed to provide a unified framework for state and central agencies.
- The policy identifies a “Triple Threat” model, asserting that India faces coordinated terrorist challenges across land, water, and air frontiers.
- A significant portion of the policy is dedicated to Cyber-Terrorism, categorizing “nation-state actors” and “criminal hackers” as primary threats to India’s critical infrastructure.
- It mandates the development of specialized capacities to protect “High-Value Targets” including atomic energy plants, space research centers, and the national power grid.
- The policy emphasizes Legal Harmonization, suggesting that state-level anti-terror laws be aligned with the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to ensure seamless prosecution.
- Concepts: Seventh Schedule – Governance of “Public Order” (State list) vs “National Security” (Union list); Article 21 – Balancing state security with individual liberty during anti-terror operations.
2. CENTRAL FORCES DEPLOYED IN TAMIL NADU AHEAD OF ASSEMBLY POLLS
SUBJECT: NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU
- The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has allotted an initial batch of 50 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to Tamil Nadu to ensure a secure environment for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections.
- Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik confirmed that these personnel would be inducted starting March 10, 2026, for area domination and confidence-building measures among voters.
- The deployment follows a security assessment identifying “vulnerable” and “critical” polling stations across districts like Chennai, Madurai, and Coimbatore.
- On the economic front, Tamil Nadu has been recognized as the fastest-growing State economy in India, recording a real growth rate of 11.19% for the current cycle.
- The state government has also intensified its Industrial Leadership programs, focusing on EV manufacturing and AI-driven electronics to maintain its top-tier investment status.
- Concepts: Article 324 – Powers of the Election Commission to oversee and conduct free and fair elections; Model Code of Conduct (MCC) – Regulatory guidelines for political parties post-election notification.
3. NEW DELHI DECLARATION ADOPTED AT INDIA AI IMPACT SUMMIT
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL / TECHNOLOGY GOVERNANCE
- The India AI Impact Summit 2026 concluded in New Delhi with 88 nations, including the US, Russia, and China, endorsing the “New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact.”
- The declaration advocates for “AI for All,” emphasizing that the benefits of artificial intelligence must be equitably shared with the Global South to prevent a digital divide.
- A key pillar of the declaration is “Sovereign AI,” where nations are encouraged to develop indigenous AI infrastructure rather than relying on a few global tech giants.
- India secured investment commitments worth over $250 billion for AI infrastructure and approximately $20 billion for deep-tech venture capital during the summit.
- The summit also highlighted “Human-Centric AI,” ensuring that automation augments human capabilities rather than displacing the workforce in developing economies.
- Concepts: Digital Diplomacy – Use of technology as a tool for international soft power; Global South Advocacy – India’s role as a bridge between developed and developing nations in tech regulation.
4. SBI REPORT FORECASTS 8.1% GDP GROWTH AMID BASE YEAR REVISION
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- A Research Report by the State Bank of India (SBI) has “nowcast” India’s Q3 FY26 real GDP growth at 8.1%, citing resilient domestic demand despite global economic volatility.
- The report indicates a “Broad-based Recovery,” with 87% of high-frequency indicators (like GST collections and e-way bills) showing acceleration compared to 80% in the previous quarter.
- India is set to transition its GDP base year from 2011-12 to 2022-23, with the new series scheduled for official release on February 27, 2026.
- The revision aims to better capture the Digital Economy and the informal sector’s transition to the formal fold through GST data and e-Vahan registrations.
- The Consumer Price Index (CPI) base year has also been updated to 2024, providing a more accurate measure of inflation based on modern consumption patterns (e.g., higher spending on services/tech).
- Concepts: Base Year Effect – How changing the reference year alters growth statistics; Double Deflation – A new methodology in the 2022-23 series to measure manufacturing value addition accurately.
5. DRAFT DEFENCE ACQUISITION PROCEDURE (DAP) 2026 RELEASED
SUBJECT: DEFENCE / INDIGENIZATION
- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has released the Draft DAP 2026, which aims to replace the 2020 version to accelerate “Atmanirbhar Bharat” in the military sector.
- The new draft proposes increasing the Minimum Indigenous Content (IC) requirement in the “Buy (Indian-IDDM)” category from 50% to 60%.
- A new “Owned by India” philosophy has been introduced, prioritizing Indian ownership of Intellectual Property (IP), source codes, and critical design data over just “Made in India” assembly.
- The draft introduces “Long-Term Bulk Acquisition,” providing private players with a 10-year demand visibility to encourage high-capital investment in R&D.
- To speed up procurement, the draft proposes a “Fast Track Procedure” for emerging technologies like loitering munitions, swarm drones, and AI-driven surveillance.
- Concepts: Positive Indigenisation List – A list of items that the armed forces are prohibited from importing; TRL (Technology Readiness Level) – A scale used to assess the maturity of a technology for military deployment.
