1. SUPREME COURT MANDATES RE-EVALUATION OF DELIMITATION FORMULA PRE-2026 CENSUS
SUBJECT: POLITY
- The Supreme Court of India has issued a landmark directive to the Union Government to establish a high-powered constitutional committee to finalize the methodology for the upcoming Delimitation exercise, ensuring that states successfully implementing population control are not penalized with fewer parliamentary seats.
- The Ministry of Law and Justice confirmed that the Constitutional (128th Amendment) Act, which reserves 33% seats for women, will be integrated into the new seat-sharing map following the completion of the 2026 Census.
- Several Southern states, including Tamil Nadu, submitted a joint memorandum to the Finance Commission and the Delimitation body, arguing for a “Federal Balance” that weighs economic contribution alongside population metrics.
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the successful rollout of Remote Voting Machines (RVMs) for internal migrants in upcoming state polls, aiming to increase the national voter turnout beyond 75%.
- Parliament’s Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice suggested a “Common Electoral Roll” for Local, State, and Central elections to reduce administrative redundancy and curb “ghost voters.”
- Concepts: Article 82 (Delimitation of Constituencies); Article 324 (Superintendence of Elections); Federalism – The tension between “Population-based representation” and “Performance-based incentives.”
2. INDIA LAUNCHES ‘MISSION AMRIT GANGA’ TO ADDRESS MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION
SUBJECT: NATIONAL ISSUES
- The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Mission Amrit Ganga 2.0, introducing advanced AI-monitored filtration systems across 50 major river ghats to tackle the rising levels of microplastics detected in the river ecosystem.
- In Tamil Nadu, the state government inaugurated the Ennore Wetland Restoration Project, aimed at reclaiming 1,000 acres of degraded mangroves to act as a natural carbon sink and a shield against rising sea levels.
- The NITI Aayog released the ‘State of Health Index 2026’, where Kerala and Tamil Nadu maintained top positions, while Uttar Pradesh showed the highest “incremental improvement” due to its decentralized digital health clinics.
- The Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Rail Mission, aiming to run the first hydrogen-powered passenger train on the Shimla-Kalka heritage circuit by late 2026.
- A new UNESCO World Heritage nomination was filed for the “Great Living Chola Temples Expansion”, seeking to include lesser-known peripheral structures in the Thanjavur and Ariyalur districts.
- Concepts: Article 48A (Protection of environment); Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 (Clean water and sanitation); Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
3. INDIA-ASEAN SIGN REVISED ‘SERVICES AND INVESTMENT’ TRADE PACT
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- India and the ASEAN bloc finalized the AITIGA (ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement) review, significantly lowering non-tariff barriers for Indian pharmaceutical and IT services while addressing the trade deficit.
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed India’s entry into the ‘Mineral Security Partnership’ (MSP) Plus, a Western-led alliance to secure supply chains for critical minerals like Lithium and Cobalt, bypassing traditional monopolies.
- During a bilateral visit to Tokyo, the Indian Foreign Minister discussed the “Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience” framework with Japan, focusing on joint semiconductor manufacturing hubs in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
- India sent its third consignments of disaster relief materials to Fiji and Papua New Guinea under its ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative following massive volcanic activity in the Pacific.
- The UN Security Council (UNSC) debated a permanent seat for the G4 nations (India, Japan, Germany, Brazil), with a majority of African Union members pledging support for India’s candidacy in exchange for technology transfers.
- Concepts: Act East Policy – Strengthening economic ties with SE Asia; Strategic Autonomy – Balancing Western mineral alliances with BRICS commitments.
4. RBI RETAINS REPO RATE AT 6.25% AMID ‘CORE INFLATION’ STABILITY
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI decided to maintain the status quo on the Repo Rate at 6.25%, citing that while food prices remain volatile due to climate shifts, core inflation has stabilized at 4%.
- India’s Direct Tax Collections for the current fiscal year hit a record ₹22 lakh crore, marking a 15% year-on-year growth, attributed to the deep integration of AI in tax auditing and widening the tax base.
- The SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) introduced ‘T+0’ settlement cycle for all blue-chip stocks, making India the first major economy to allow instant liquidity for retail investors in the secondary market.
- Apple and Foxconn announced a further $5 billion investment in their Tamil Nadu facilities to start production of high-end AI servers, marking a shift from mobile assembly to advanced computing hardware.
- The Finance Ministry reported that the Fiscal Deficit for FY26 is on track to hit 4.2%, outperforming the target of 4.5% due to robust GST collections and reduced subsidy burdens.
- Concepts: Monetary Policy Transmission; Fiscal Consolidation – The process of reducing the government’s deficit and debt; Direct Tax-to-GDP Ratio.
5. PROJECT ‘SHAKTI’ – INDIA TESTS INDIGENOUS HYPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- The DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) successfully flight-tested the ‘Shakti-H’, an indigenous Hypersonic Cruise Missile, capable of traveling at Mach 6 and evading current missile defense systems.
- The Indian Navy commissioned INS Arighat 2.0, its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), significantly strengthening India’s “Nuclear Triad” and second-strike capability in the Indian Ocean.
- A major joint military exercise, ‘Ex-Dharma Guardian 2026’, commenced between the Indian Army and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces in the deserts of Rajasthan, focusing on counter-drone warfare.
- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a ₹15,000 crore contract with a Chennai-based private firm for the mass production of Loitering Munitions (Kamikaze Drones) for the Eastern Command.
- The ‘Agnipath’ scheme saw its first batch of ‘Agniveers’ completing their 4-year tenure, with several Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and State Police forces (including Tamil Nadu) initiating lateral entry recruitments for them.
- Concepts: Nuclear Triad (Land, Air, and Sea launch capabilities); Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence – Reducing dependence on Russian and Western imports; Hypersonic Technology – Flight speeds exceeding 5 times the speed of sound.
