Read the full summaries by date. For each item, note the event, the responsible institution and its status: proposal, announcement or implemented decision. Check the linked official source before adding it to your revision notes.
2026-11-04 · 8 items
The Union Cabinet has created a pathway for the absorption of all Agniveers into the Defence Forces, the Ministry of Defence said on 4 November 2026. As envisaged earlier, 25% of Agniveers will be offered regular employment in the Defence Forces on merit. For the remaining 75%, the Cabinet has approved, on the recommendations of the Indian Defence Forces, another engagement period of two years, based on their willingness; after completing this two-year period, all Agniveers will be offered enrolment as regular soldiers, subject to their willingness and their meeting the selection criteria. The Ministry said an objective assessment in terms of organisational requirements and operational efficiency had brought out the outstanding performance of Agniveers in skills, motivation levels, physical fitness and technological prowess, and that the additional engagement period was introduced after deliberate, reasoned and elaborate evaluation and feedback, with the aim of aligning the aspirations of Agniveers with organisational efficiency. Listing the achievements of the Agnipath scheme after four years of implementation - an increased footprint of recruitment across the country's districts, a more standardised and transparent recruitment process, very high levels of physical fitness, morale, motivation, competitive spirit and discipline, enhancement of skills, technological adaptability and education in service, and the opening up of various branches of the Defence Forces for women - the Ministry said the scheme shall continue. The second engagement period will carry higher remuneration, an enhanced Seva Nidhi package and seniority benefits.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 14 June 2022 the Union Cabinet approved AGNIPATH, a recruitment scheme under which the youth selected - known as Agniveers - serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years, enrolled under the respective Service Acts and forming a distinct rank, different from any other existing rank. The release said that on completing four years of service Agniveers would be offered an opportunity to apply for permanent enrolment; the applications would be considered centrally on objective criteria, including performance during the four-year engagement, and up to 25% of each specific batch would be enrolled in the regular cadre of the Armed Forces, with selection the exclusive jurisdiction of the Armed Forces. Those selected for the regular cadre would serve a further engagement period of a minimum of 15 years. On completing four years, Agniveers were to receive a one-time 'Seva Nidhi' package of approximately Rs 11.71 lakh, exempt from income tax, with no entitlement to gratuity or pension, and a non-contributory life insurance cover of Rs 48 lakh for their engagement period. Enrolment was to be on an 'All India All Class' basis through an online centralised system, with an eligible age of 17.5 to 21 years, and 46,000 Agniveers were to be recruited that year.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Defence), 'In a transformative reform, Cabinet clears 'AGNIPATH' scheme for recruitment of youth in the Armed Forces', 14 June 2022
Check yourself: under the AGNIPATH scheme approved on 14 June 2022, up to what share of each specific batch of Agniveers was to be enrolled in the regular cadre, and for what minimum further period would those selected serve?
Up to 25% of each specific batch; a further engagement period of a minimum of 15 years.
Revision task: from this release, note the share of Agniveers offered regular employment on merit, the share offered another engagement period and its length, the two conditions attached to enrolment as regular soldiers after it, the achievements listed and the benefits of the second engagement period; from the note, the date the scheme was approved, the original engagement period, the share to be enrolled in the regular cadre, the further minimum service, the Seva Nidhi and the eligible age range. Remember that enrolment after the second period is an offer, subject to willingness and the selection criteria.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Development of Grid-Scale Energy Storage Systems, with total financial support of Rs 14,500 crore for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, the Government said on 4 November 2026. The scheme aims to support the development of 92 GWh of energy storage capacity, yet to be commissioned, across the country: 60 GWh of Hydro Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) capacity, 30 GWh of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity and 2 GWh through alternative energy storage technologies, with a total estimated investment of Rs 97,600 crore. According to the release, it will support new capacities equivalent to 170% of the present-day grid-scale energy storage capacity in the country and help meet the required grid-scale energy storage capacity of 411 GWh by 2031-32. Capacity will be allocated through a tariff-based competitive bidding process; public and private sector electricity distribution companies will be eligible for VGF support for BESS and hydro PSP projects, while projects based on alternative storage technologies will be implemented by public and private sector entities. To promote indigenous manufacturing, BESS projects will be subject to a minimum Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) of 40%. The Government said the scheme will facilitate large-scale integration of renewable energy, address the variability of renewable energy generation, strengthen grid stability, support reliable, affordable and round-the-clock power supply and reduce import dependence.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 6 September 2023 the Ministry of Power announced that the Union Cabinet had approved a scheme for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the development of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). It envisaged the development of 4,000 MWh of BESS projects by 2030-31, with financial support of up to 40% of the capital cost as budgetary support in the form of VGF; the scheme had an initial outlay of Rs 9,400 crore, including budgetary support of Rs 3,760 crore. Through VGF it targeted a Levelized Cost of Storage (LCoS) of Rs 5.50-6.60 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), and the VGF was to be disbursed in five tranches linked to the stages of implementation of the projects. A minimum of 85% of the BESS project capacity was to be made available to distribution companies (Discoms), and BESS developers were to be selected through a transparent competitive bidding process, which the Ministry said would promote a level playing field for both public and private sector entities.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Power), 'Cabinet approves the Scheme titled Viability Gap Funding for development of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)', 6 September 2023
Check yourself: how much BESS capacity did the VGF scheme approved by the Cabinet in September 2023 envisage by 2030-31, and what minimum share of the BESS project capacity was to be made available to Discoms?
4,000 MWh of BESS projects; a minimum of 85%.
Revision task: from this release, note the scheme's financial support and period, the total capacity it supports and its three parts, the total estimated investment, the required capacity by 2031-32, who is eligible for VGF, how capacity will be allocated and the domestic content requirement for BESS; from the note, the capacity, support ceiling, outlay, tranches and Discom share of the 2023 BESS scheme. Note the units: storage capacity here is given in GWh (gigawatt-hours) and MWh (megawatt-hours).
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the 'Capex Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing' with a financial outlay of Rs 2,814 crore over five years, from FY 2026-27 to 2030-31, the Government said on 4 November 2026. According to the release, processing of critical minerals remains geographically concentrated in a few global locations, exposing supply chains to geopolitical disruptions, price volatility and potential supply restrictions, and India remains substantially dependent on imports for refined intermediates and high-purity materials because domestic beneficiation and processing infrastructure for critical minerals, including lithium, nickel and cobalt, is at a nascent stage. The scheme targets the processing of lithium and nickel ores/intermediary products into high-purity compounds; cobalt is also expected to be recovered as a by-product of nickel production. It will provide a capital subsidy of 30% of eligible investment for setting up four critical mineral processing plants - two lithium processing plants with a minimum capacity of 30 kt each and two nickel processing plants with a minimum capacity of 50 kt each - with maximum capital support capped at Rs 500 crore per lithium beneficiary and Rs 900 crore per nickel beneficiary. Beneficiaries will be selected in two stages: applications will first be assessed for technical qualification, and only technically qualified applicants will take part in financial bidding, with two beneficiaries per mineral chosen on the least-cost criterion, i.e. the lowest capex support sought. Incentives will be disbursed in three tranches linked to specified milestones. The Government said the scheme will support sectors such as electric mobility, battery energy storage systems, electronics, defence and speciality steel, and advance the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 3 September 2025 the Union Cabinet approved a Rs 1,500 crore Incentive Scheme to develop recycling capacity in the country for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources, as part of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). The scheme has a tenure of six years, from FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31. Eligible feedstock is e-waste, lithium-ion battery (LIB) scrap and other scrap such as catalytic converters in end-of-life vehicles; one-third of the scheme outlay is earmarked for small, new recyclers, including start-ups; and the incentive goes to the recycling value chain involved in actual extraction of critical minerals, not to the value chain involved only in black mass production. Incentives comprise a 20% capex subsidy on plant and machinery, equipment and associated utilities for starting production within a specified timeframe (a reduced subsidy applies after it) and an opex subsidy on incremental sales, with the total incentive per entity capped at Rs 50 crore for large entities and Rs 25 crore for small entities. The scheme was expected to develop at least 270 kilo ton of annual recycling capacity, resulting in around 40 kilo ton of annual critical mineral production, and to bring in about Rs 8,000 crore of investment and close to 70,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Reference: PIB (Cabinet), 'Cabinet approves Rs.1,500 crore Incentive Scheme to promote Critical Mineral Recycling in the country', 3 September 2025
Check yourself: what is the outlay of the critical mineral recycling incentive scheme approved on 3 September 2025, which mission is it part of, and what capex subsidy does it offer?
Rs 1,500 crore; the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM); 20% on plant and machinery, equipment and associated utilities.
Revision task: from this release, note the scheme's outlay and period, why domestic processing capacity is needed, the two minerals targeted and the expected by-product, the capital subsidy, the number and minimum capacity of the plants, the caps per beneficiary, the selection process and the number of tranches; from the note, the outlay, tenure, mission, feedstock, capex subsidy and expected outcomes of the 2025 recycling scheme. Compare the capex subsidy rates of the two schemes.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved on 4 November 2026 the 'Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research (VISTAR)', a central sector scheme for FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31 with an outlay of Rs 4,371.10 crore, which will encompass all statistical and data management activities of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). Aligned with the objective of Viksit Bharat 2047, VISTAR is designed to establish a dynamic, real-time and future-ready official statistical architecture with better timeliness, data granularity and interoperability; according to the release, it will play a crucial role in upgrading the country's official statistical system. It has three components. Under the first, Comprehensive Statistical Operations and Strengthening of Ecosystem, MoSPI proposes to conduct 59 surveys during the 16th Finance Commission cycle, compared with 43 major surveys conducted previously; it will focus on end-to-end digitalisation of statistical processes, plans to release new metrics including the Headline Index of Services Production and the Index of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises, and aims to use alternate sources such as mobile phone, scanner and e-commerce data to complement traditional surveys; an internship scheme for students is also planned. Under the second, Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS), funds will be provided to State/UT Governments through a redesigned, deliverable-linked framework (SSS 2.0) to build capacity to generate granular data at district and other disaggregated levels. Under the third, Economic Census, MoSPI will undertake the 8th Economic Census in collaboration with the States/UTs, covering all non-farm establishments and the workers hired in them down to Gram Panchayat and Ward level; it will serve as the baseline for developing a National Statistical Business Register (SBR).
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 16 February 2022 PIB reported that the Cabinet had approved the continuation of the Capacity Development (CD) Scheme, a central sector scheme of MoSPI, till 31.03.2026 or till further review, whichever was earlier, with an outlay of Rs 3,179 crore for the 15th Finance Commission cycle. The scheme's overall objective was to augment infrastructural, technical and manpower resources so that credible and timely official statistics are available. It comprised the Capacity Development (Main) Scheme and two sub-schemes: Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS), which aims to improve the statistical capacity and operations of State Statistical Systems, and the Economic Census (EC), which is conducted periodically and gives a complete count of all non-farm economic establishments within India's geographical boundary. The Ministry was to continue newly initiated surveys - the Annual Survey of Services Sector Enterprises (ASSSE), the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) and the Time Use Survey (TUS) - along with other activities such as the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES) and the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI).
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation), 'Continuation of Capacity Development Scheme, a Central Sector Scheme of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) Till 31.03.2026', 16 February 2022
Check yourself: which two sub-schemes did MoSPI's Capacity Development Scheme comprise, and what outlay was approved for its continuation during the 15th Finance Commission cycle?
Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) and Economic Census (EC); Rs 3,179 crore.
Revision task: from this release, note the scheme's full name, its outlay and period, its three components, the number of surveys proposed for the 16th Finance Commission cycle against the number conducted previously, the new indices planned, what SSS 2.0 funds and which Economic Census will be held; from the note, the earlier scheme's name, its sub-schemes, its outlay for the 15th Finance Commission cycle and the surveys it named. Compare the components of the two schemes.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO Courts, for a further period of five years, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031 (FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31), the government said on 4 November 2026. The scheme has a total financial outlay of Rs 3,788.04 crore - a Central Share of Rs 2,353.15 crore and a State/UT Share of Rs 1,434.89 crore - and the Central Share will be funded from the Nirbhaya Fund. The scheme provides for operationalising 850 FTSCs, including exclusive POCSO Courts, across participating States/UTs - an expansion from the current 779, so that coverage extends to additional districts to be identified on the basis of the pendency of rape and POCSO Act cases - with a dedicated Judicial Officer, a Special Public Prosecutor and 6 support staff for each court, and financial assistance to participating States/UTs for operational expenditure in accordance with the CSS funding pattern. It will be implemented by the Department of Justice in coordination with State Governments and UT Administrations; the Department will monitor the courts' performance through the FTSC Dashboard, periodic progress reports and the States' expenditure statements. According to the release, the scheme has been operational since October 2019 and 29 States/UTs participate in it; 779 FTSCs, including 399 exclusive POCSO Courts, are functional, and 4,02,457 cases have been disposed of since its inception. It was launched in pursuance of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 and in compliance with the Supreme Court's directions in Suo Motu Writ (Criminal) No. 1/2019, which directed exclusive Special Courts in districts having more than 100 pending cases under the POCSO Act. The primary beneficiaries are women and children who are victims of rape and of offences under the POCSO Act, 2012; the scheme also encourages the establishment of Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centres (VWDCs) and child-friendly court spaces. Initially launched for one year, the scheme had been extended up to 31 March 2026.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 29 November 2023, PIB reported that the Union Cabinet had approved the continuation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for a further three years, from April 2023 to March 2026, with a financial implication of Rs 1952.23 crore (Rs 1207.24 crore as Central Share and Rs 744.99 crore as State share), the Central Share to be funded from the Nirbhaya Fund. The release recalled that the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, which included stringent punishment including the death penalty for rape offenders, led to the creation of FTSCs; that the Centrally Sponsored Scheme was formulated in August 2019 and, following the Supreme Court's directions in suo motu Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 1/2019, mandated exclusive POCSO Courts for districts with over 100 POCSO Act cases; and that, initially commenced in October 2019 for one year, the scheme had been extended for an additional two years. Implemented by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice, the scheme augments State Government resources for establishing FTSCs. By then thirty States/UTs had participated in it, operationalising 761 FTSCs, including 414 exclusive POCSO Courts, which had resolved over 1,95,000 cases.
Reference: PIB (Cabinet), 'Cabinet approves continuation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Fast Track Special Courts for further three years', 29 November 2023
Check yourself: in November 2023, for which period and with what financial implication did the Cabinet continue the FTSC scheme, and how many FTSCs had been operationalised by then?
From April 2023 to March 2026, with Rs 1952.23 crore; 761 FTSCs, including 414 exclusive POCSO Courts.
Revision task: from this release, note the new period, the total outlay and its Central and State/UT shares, the fund for the Central Share, the number of FTSCs provided for and the current number, the staff for each court, the implementing department and the scheme's status figures (participating States/UTs, exclusive POCSO Courts, cases disposed of); from the note, the previous period and outlay, the Act and the Supreme Court case behind the scheme, and the number of courts in November 2023. Compare the two outlays and the two court numbers.
Indian Railways achieved its highest-ever freight loading for October, transporting 145.07 million tonnes of freight in October 2026 compared to 133.93 million tonnes in October 2025, a growth of 8.32 per cent, the Ministry of Railways said on 4 November 2026. Among the major commodities, loading of food grains increased by 26.3 per cent, domestic coal by 16.0 per cent, balance other goods by 11.0 per cent, clinker by 10.4 per cent, domestic containers by 6.3 per cent, iron ore by 5.0 per cent, mineral oil by 1.9 per cent and finished steel by 0.5 per cent. To meet the increased requirement of power houses, the Railways stepped up domestic coal transportation, supplying an average of 469.8 rakes per day in October 2026 compared to 393.2 rakes per day in the corresponding month last year, a growth of 19.5 per cent. During the first seven months of FY 2026-27 (April-October), Indian Railways loaded 978.78 million tonnes of freight, compared to 935.10 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year, a growth of 4.67 per cent. Passenger traffic also grew: the Railways carried 64.72 crore passengers in October 2026 against 63.52 crore in the corresponding month last year, and 443.8 crore passengers in April-October 2026 against 431.4 crore in the corresponding period last year, with growth of 4.2 per cent in the non-suburban segment and 1.7 per cent in the suburban segment. The Ministry said the growth in freight loading reflects Indian Railways' commitment to strengthening logistics and supporting India's economic growth.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 1 April 2026 the Ministry of Railways reported that Indian Railways had carried a record 1670 million tonnes (MT) of freight in 2025-26, a growth of 3.25% over the previous year, while the number of wagons handled rose by 4.56%, from 2,79,12,271 in 2024-25 to 2,91,86,475 in 2025-26. The growth was largely driven by Fertilisers (13.49%) and 'Pig Iron and Steel' (13.11%); Iron Ore transportation increased by 6.74% to 190.12 MT and Cement loading by 4.74% to 157.17 MT. Among the zones, South Western Railway recorded the highest increase in loading, 14.89%, and North Central Railway (12.62%), East Coast Railway (10.42%) and West Central Railway (10.06%) also registered double-digit growth. Freight earnings reached approximately Rs 1,77,754 crore in 2025-26, a 1.44% increase over Rs 1,75,302 crore in 2024-25, with Iron Ore the highest revenue contributor (Rs 14,600.51 crore). On the passenger side, the number of passengers carried rose to 741 crore in 2025-26, a 3.54% increase over 716 crore in 2024-25.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Railways), 'Railways Sets New Record in Passenger Traffic as well as Cargo Transport in 2025–26', 1 April 2026
Check yourself: how much freight did Indian Railways carry in 2025-26, and which zone recorded the highest increase in freight loading that year?
A record 1670 million tonnes (3.25% more than the previous year); South Western Railway (14.89%).
Revision task: from this release, note the October 2026 loading and the October 2025 figure it is compared with, the growth of each commodity listed, the coal rakes supplied per day to power houses, the April-October totals for both years and the passenger figures; from the note, the freight carried in 2025-26 and its growth, the two commodities that drove it, the zone with the highest increase and the freight earnings. Do not work out growth rates that the releases do not state.
The inaugural edition of the India–Canada Defence Dialogue was held virtually on 3 November 2026, the Ministry of Defence said on 4 November 2026. It was co-chaired by Dr Amit Telang, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence, and Mr Scott Millar, Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy), Department of National Defence, Canada. The two sides exchanged views on their respective defence policies and strategic outlooks and explored avenues for enhancing bilateral defence cooperation. According to the Ministry, defence industrial cooperation emerged as an important area of engagement, alongside military-technical cooperation and defence research and development, which were identified as priority areas for further collaboration. The Dialogue reaffirmed the shared commitment at the leadership level to expand defence and strategic engagement between the two countries, as reflected in the Joint Statement issued on 2 March 2026 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mark Carney. The two sides also discussed specific deliverables to advance and strengthen the partnership in a comprehensive manner, exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues, and agreed to remain in touch to take forward the discussions and proposals for enhancing bilateral defence cooperation.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
The India-Canada Joint Leaders' Statement of 2 March 2026 was issued during Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to India from February 27 to March 2, 2026 - his first visit to India after taking over as Prime Minister of Canada, and the first bilateral visit to India by a Canadian Prime Minister since 2018. Commemorating 79 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Leaders reaffirmed the importance of the Canada-India relationship; Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Carney also agreed to structure the renewed India-Canada Strategic Partnership around two foundational layers, the first being Security and Defence Cooperation. Under defence cooperation, the Leaders welcomed a new Maritime Security Partnership in areas such as Defence Material Cooperation, Supply Chain Resilience, and Training and Exercises, and both countries agreed to institutionalise an India-Canada Defence Dialogue that would exchange views on respective defence policies, regional and global security developments and strategic outlooks in order to identify opportunities for greater defence collaboration. They welcomed Canada's appointment of a Defence Attaché to India and India's concurrent accreditation of its Defence Attaché in Washington D.C. to Canada. On security, the Leaders welcomed the progress made under the regular bilateral security dialogue at the level of the National Security Advisors. India also welcomed Canada's interest in joining the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as a Dialogue Partner.
Reference: PIB (Prime Minister's Office), 'India-Canada Joint Leaders' Statement', 2 March 2026
Check yourself: in their Joint Leaders' Statement of 2 March 2026, what dialogue did India and Canada agree to institutionalise, and what new partnership did the Leaders welcome under defence cooperation?
An India-Canada Defence Dialogue; a new Maritime Security Partnership (in areas such as Defence Material Cooperation, Supply Chain Resilience, and Training and Exercises).
Revision task: from this release, note the date and format of the first Dialogue, the two co-chairs and their posts, the areas named for cooperation and the date of the Joint Statement it recalls; from the note, the dates of Prime Minister Carney's visit, the years of diplomatic relations commemorated, the two defence steps agreed in the Joint Statement and the Defence Attaché arrangements.
Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have demonstrated a silicon chip that lets terahertz waves pass through an engineered barrier with little loss while carrying data at up to 100 gigabits per second (Gbit/s), the Ministry of Science and Technology said on 4 November 2026; according to the release, the result points to compact terahertz circuits for future sixth-generation (6G) communication technologies. 6G wireless networks are expected to use terahertz frequencies, which lie between microwaves and infrared light and offer wide bandwidth, but guiding these waves through compact circuits is challenging because bends, junctions and abrupt changes in a waveguide can scatter or reflect part of the signal. Using topological photonics, the team designed a silicon photonic crystal - triangular holes arranged in a silicon slab in a pattern that mimics the honeycomb lattice of graphene - and created a barrier by changing the sizes of the triangular holes over a short section of the waveguide. A single barrier added only about 1–2% loss and two barriers in sequence about 2–3%, whereas in a conventional, non-topological waveguide a comparable barrier markedly reduces transmission; transmission stayed close to its barrier-free level as long as the barrier strength stayed below a characteristic coupling strength of the crystal. The concept was tested in three devices fabricated on high-resistivity silicon, a material compatible with established semiconductor manufacturing: one with two barriers in sequence, one with an omega-shaped route containing four sharp bends and a central barrier, and a power splitter with a barrier in one of its two branches. Measurements across 310–360 GHz agreed closely with simulations. In high-speed data tests the double-barrier and omega-shaped devices carried 48 and 60 Gbit/s respectively, and the splitter supported 100 Gbit/s using QAM-32 modulation. The study, published in the journal Advanced Materials, was led by Dr Abhishek Kumar, Assistant Professor at JNCASR, who heads its Meta Optics Laboratory (MetoLab), with Samina Mulla and Sangram Kumar Sadhu of JNCASR as joint first authors; the release's figure captions call the effect photonic Klein tunnelling. The team next plans to tune the barriers electrically, thermally or mechanically, which could allow a device to redirect signals between paths on demand.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 3 July 2023 the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced the formation of the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA), a collaborative platform of public and private companies, academia, research institutions and standards development organisations; the announcement was made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The alliance's primary objective is to understand the business and societal needs of 6G beyond technology requirements, foster consensus on these needs and promote high-impact open research and development (R&D) initiatives; it also seeks to accelerate standards-related patent creation within the country and to contribute actively to international standardisation organisations such as 3GPP and ITU. The same day, with a grant of Rs 240.51 crore under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF), two agreements were signed for projects: a 6G THz (terahertz) Testbed with Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) and Multiplexing, through a consortium of SAMEER, IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati and IIT Patna, and an Advance Optical Communication Test Bed. The TTDF scheme was launched by DoT/USOF on 1 October 2022, and 5% of USOF's annual collections is to be available for it to fund research and development of technologies, products and services.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Communications), 'DoT Launches Bharat 6G Alliance to Drive Innovation and Collaboration in Next-Generation Wireless Technology', 3 July 2023
Check yourself: when was the Bharat 6G Alliance formed, and through which consortium was the 6G THz testbed funded under the TTDF to be built?
On 3 July 2023; a consortium of SAMEER, IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati and IIT Patna.
Revision task: from this release, note the institute and its parent department, what the chip does, the lattice its photonic crystal mimics, the loss added by one and by two barriers, the three test devices, the frequency range measured, the data rates achieved, the modulation used, the journal and who led the study; from the note, the date and objectives of the Bharat 6G Alliance, the TTDF grant and its two projects, and when the TTDF scheme was launched. Remember that the release says the chip could enable 6G networks, not that it already does.
2026-11-03 · 13 items
The Indian Navy has liberated the fishing vessel Azini from armed pirates off the coast of Somalia in a swift, well-coordinated operation spanning over 48 hours, and all 20 crew members were rescued safely with no casualties or injuries, the Ministry of Defence said on 3 November 2026. Azini had been reported hijacked by an armed pirate group last month off the north-eastern coast of Somalia; the Ministry said the hijacking was a significant maritime security threat, since the vessel could have been used as a 'mother ship' for launching further pirate attacks against merchant shipping in the region. The Navy tasked a mission-deployed warship, supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft; working in close coordination, these platforms located the vessel after persistent surveillance, tracked its movements and used calibrated non-kinetic measures to contain its movement and prevent its escape. Marine Commandos were augmented through a precision airdrop by an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft, after which the Navy secured the vessel, overcame the pirate threat and ensured the safe release of all 20 crew members. The Ministry said the operation reflects the Navy's high operational preparedness and its ability to undertake complex maritime security operations through seamless inter-service coordination, and underscores India's commitment to remaining the First Responder and Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 23 March 2024, PIB reported that the Indian Navy had completed 100 days of its maritime security operations under 'Op Sankalp', which it had re-oriented and significantly enhanced since mid-December 2023 in response to the manifestation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in the maritime domain; the Navy took proactive actions during the hijacking of the Malta-flagged bulk carrier MV Ruen on 14 December 2023. In those 100 days the Navy responded to 18 incidents in three areas of operations - the Gulf of Aden and adjoining areas, the Arabian Sea and off the East Coast of Somalia - deploying over 5000 personnel at sea and over 21 ships (over 450 ship days), with 900 hours of flying by maritime surveillance aircraft. The release reported over 110 lives saved, including 45 Indian seafarers, and described the Navy's role as the 'First Responder' and 'Preferred Security Partner' in the Indian Ocean Region, with the Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram serving as a principal hub for information exchange.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Defence), 'Indian Navy's ongoing maritime security operations ('Op Sankalp') 14 Dec 23 to 23 Mar 24', 23 March 2024
Check yourself: how many incidents did the Indian Navy respond to during its maritime security operations under 'Op Sankalp' in the 100 days from 14 December 2023 to 23 March 2024, and in which three areas were these operations conducted?
18 incidents; the Gulf of Aden and adjoining areas, the Arabian Sea and off the East Coast of Somalia.
Revision task: from this release, note the vessel's name, where it was hijacked, the duration of the operation, the number of crew rescued, the platforms used (a warship, a maritime reconnaissance aircraft and the IAF aircraft that airdropped Marine Commandos) and the roles India claims in the Indian Ocean Region; from the note, the operation's name, the vessel hijacked on 14 December 2023, the number of incidents, the three areas of operations and the lives saved.
The opening ceremony of Tiger Triumph 2026, the 5th edition of the India–US Bilateral Tri-Service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise, was held at the Maritime Warfare Centre (MWC), Visakhapatnam, on 2 November 2026, the Ministry of Defence said. This year the exercise is being conducted as a Tabletop Exercise (TTX); it aims to enhance coordination, joint planning and interoperability between the Armed Forces of both countries during large-scale HADR operations, and the present edition also aims to facilitate the conduct of Combined Joint All-Domain Operations. The ceremony was presided over by Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, and Rear Admiral Joaquin J Martinez de Pinillos, Vice Commander, US Pacific Fleet. The Indian side includes specialists from all domains of maritime operations from the Indian Navy, ground forces from the Indian Army, representatives from various units of the Indian Air Force and Special Forces personnel from all three Services, and a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will participate for the first time. The US Joint Force comprises specialist representatives from the US Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as specialists in Space, Cyber, Medical and Explosive Ordnance Disposal. The Ministry said the exercise reflects the deepening convergence of India–US strategic maritime interests and the growing defence partnership between the two nations.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
PIB's curtain raiser of 31 March 2025 described the fourth edition of Exercise Tiger Triumph, the bilateral tri-service India-US HADR exercise, as scheduled on the Eastern Seaboard from 1 to 13 April 2025. It was aimed at developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations and at formulating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to establish a Combined Coordination Center (CCC) for rapid and smooth coordination between Indian and US Joint Task Forces during exercises and crises or contingencies. The Indian side was to be represented by Indian Naval Ships Jalashwa, Gharial, Mumbai and Shakti, the Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I, Army troops, Air Force C-130 aircraft and MI-17 helicopters and the Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT), and the US side by US Navy Ships Comstock and Ralph Johnson with troops of the US Marine Division embarked. A Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam, with an opening ceremony onboard INS Jalashwa on 1 April 2025, was to be followed by a Sea Phase of maritime, amphibious and HADR operations off Kakinada, where the Indian Army and US Marines would establish a joint command and control center at the Kakinada Naval Enclave.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Defence), 'Curtain Raiser: Ex Tiger Triumph - 25', 31 March 2025
Check yourself: onboard which ship was the opening ceremony of Tiger Triumph's fourth edition scheduled, and off which place was its Sea Phase to be held?
Onboard INS Jalashwa at Visakhapatnam, on 1 April 2025; off Kakinada.
Revision task: from this release, note the edition number, the venue and date of the opening ceremony, the format of this year's exercise, the two officers who presided, the Indian and US participants and the organisation taking part for the first time; from the note, the dates and aims of the fourth edition, the ships named, the two phases and where each was to be held. Compare the format of the two editions.
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have used data from the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) on board Aditya-L1 to show that a solar eruption, or coronal mass ejection (CME), did not expand outward from the Sun like a simple symmetric bubble, as previously thought, but underwent non-uniform expansion and developed an asymmetric shape, the Ministry of Science and Technology said on 3 November 2026; according to the release, the study, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, showed this for the first time. The scientists combined VELC data with complementary observations from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and three-dimensional modelling to reconstruct the full 3-D geometry and dynamics of the eruption, observing the CME of 5 August 2024, which was launched from an active region near the western limb of the Sun. VELC, the primary payload among Aditya-L1's 7 payloads, is an internally occulted coronagraph that studies nascent CMEs through spectroscopy in the 530.3 nm green emission line of highly ionised iron in the corona, which captures hot coronal plasma at around 1.8 million Kelvin; its data showed blue-shifted and red-shifted emission from plasma moving towards and away from the observer. A model with symmetric expansion could not reproduce this pattern, while a model with an inclined CME axis and asymmetric lateral expansion did. The researchers said such differences in expansion can affect a CME's speed and its arrival time at Earth, which matters for space weather. Aditya-L1, India's first space-based solar observatory, was launched in September 2023 and is operational at the Sun–Earth L1 point; VELC was designed and fabricated by IIA at its MGK Menon Lab for Space Sciences on the CREST campus in Hosakote, with substantial support from ISRO.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
An ISRO article of 10 December 2024 describes VELC's observations of a CME. Aditya-L1, India's first space-based solar mission, was launched on 2 September 2023 and placed on 6 January 2024 in a halo orbit around the first Sun-Earth Lagrange Point L1, about 1.5 million km from the Earth. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics used VELC to study a CME observed on 16 July 2024, focusing on the green emission line at 5303 Å produced by iron atoms at very high temperatures in the corona, and reported their results in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. In the affected region the corona's brightness dropped by about 50%, a 'coronal dimming' that lasted about 6 hours; the region's temperature was enhanced by about 30% and it became more turbulent; and Doppler measurements showed the ejected plasma moving away from the observer at about 10 km per second, indicating a deflection of the CME by the Sun's magnetic field. ISRO explains that when a CME reaches Earth it can disrupt satellite communications, GPS systems and power grids.
Reference: ISRO, 'Unlocking the Mysteries of the Sun: Aditya-L1's Observations of a Coronal Mass Ejection', 10 December 2024
Check yourself: when was Aditya-L1 placed in its halo orbit around L1, and by about how much did the corona's brightness drop during the CME of 16 July 2024 observed by VELC?
On 6 January 2024; by about 50% (a coronal dimming lasting about 6 hours).
Revision task: from this release, note the institute and department behind the study, the journal, the date of the CME observed, the finding about its shape, VELC's wavelength and the plasma temperature it captures, the number of Aditya-L1's payloads and why the finding matters for space weather; from the note, Aditya-L1's launch and halo-orbit dates, L1's distance from Earth, and the dimming, temperature and Doppler findings on the CME of 16 July 2024.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed an amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 to expand the network of authorised entry points for the import of drugs, medical devices and cosmetics, the Ministry said on 3 November 2026. Rule 43A specifies the authorised ports, airports, railway stations, road crossings and other entry points through which drugs may be imported into India. The proposed additions are Inland Container Depots (ICDs) at Sonipat, Piyala and Harsaru in Haryana, Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhidham/Mundra in Gujarat, Sanath Nagar and Thimmapur in Hyderabad (Telangana) and Whitefield in Bengaluru (Karnataka); the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Bommasandra in Karnataka; and Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh for the import of drugs by air. These would be added to the existing network of authorised import gateways, which includes ICDs at Dhannad and Tihi in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and the airports already notified for the import of drugs. The Ministry expects the proposal to let importers clear consignments closer to their manufacturing facilities, warehouses and distribution centres, reducing inland transportation distances, logistics costs and delays, and to promote ease of doing business. The draft notification containing the proposed amendment is available in the Official Gazette, and objections and suggestions may be sent to the Under Secretary (Drugs Regulation), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Kartavya Bhawan-1, New Delhi, or by email.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 8 July 2026 the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced that it had amended Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 to include the recently inaugurated Navi Mumbai Airport in Maharashtra in the list of airports through which drugs may be imported into the country. The notification was issued after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. With that addition, the Ministry said, the total number of ports of entry (road, rail, ship and air) for the import of drugs became 42. It said the amendment was expected to facilitate smoother movement of pharmaceutical consignments, strengthen logistics infrastructure and give importers a new alternative for importing medicines, in line with the Government's efforts to promote Ease of Doing Business while ensuring effective regulatory oversight of imported drugs.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), 'Government Notifies Navi Mumbai Airport as a Port for Import of Drugs under the Drugs Rules, 1945', 8 July 2026
Check yourself: which airport was added to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 in July 2026, which body was consulted before the notification, and what did the total number of ports of entry for the import of drugs become?
Navi Mumbai Airport (Maharashtra); the Drugs Technical Advisory Board; 42.
Revision task: from this release, note the rule and the Rules being amended, what Rule 43A specifies, the proposed new ICDs with their states, the SEZ, the airport, the existing ICDs in Indore, the expected benefits and how objections can be sent; from the note, the airport added in July 2026, the body consulted, the parent Act and the total number of ports of entry it gave. Remember that the new change is still only a proposal.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released the Telecommunication Interconnection (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on 3 November 2026; they will take effect from 1 January 2027. Interconnection refers to the technical, operational and commercial arrangements that connect two or more telecom networks, allowing traffic to flow between them and enabling users of different service providers to communicate seamlessly; Section 11(1)(b) of the TRAI Act, 1997 empowers TRAI to prescribe the terms and conditions of interconnection between service providers. TRAI began its review with a Pre-Consultation Paper on the 'Review of the existing TRAI Regulations on Interconnection matters' in April 2025 and followed it with a Consultation Paper in November 2025, on which seventeen stakeholders submitted comments and nine submitted counter-comments; an Open House Discussion was held in January 2026. The amendment lets interconnection providers and seekers mutually agree on locations for handing over or taking over traffic, and facilitates a transition from interconnection at the Long Distance Charging Area (LDCA) and Short Distance Charging Area (SDCA) level to the Licensed Service Area (LSA) level; TRAI said shifting traffic to LSA-level points of interconnection (POIs) would simplify routing, support more efficient management of scarce numbering resources, lower latency and enhance service reliability. Existing traffic at LDCA/SDCA-level POIs is to be migrated to LSA-level POIs within three years in a phased manner. All new interconnections established after the regulations come into force will be IP-based, and all existing POIs working on E1/TDM-based interconnection are to be migrated to IP-based interconnection within three years in a phased manner. Other changes include a framework for the voluntary surrender of a POI by a service provider for its own operational requirements (earlier the regulations provided only for disconnection of a POI); extension of the validity of bank guarantees furnished on reassessment, and of the interval for such reassessment, from six months to twelve months; interest on delayed payment of interconnection charges or interconnection usage charges at a rate mutually agreed between service providers, subject to a ceiling of the State Bank of India's one-year Marginal Cost of Funds-based Lending Rate (MCLR) plus two percent; reporting requirements to monitor the shift of traffic to LSA-level POIs and the migration to IP-based interconnection; and a graded framework of financial disincentives for contravention of the regulations.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
Releasing its Consultation Paper on the 'Review of existing TRAI Regulations on Interconnection matters' on 10 November 2025, TRAI said that, in accordance with Section 11(1)(b) of the TRAI Act, 1997, it was undertaking a comprehensive review of all nine existing interconnection regulations, so that the framework takes into account the evolution of technology and changes in the telecom sector. It said the framework had evolved over more than two decades, from 'The Register of Interconnect Agreements Regulations, 1999' to 'The Telecommunication Interconnection Regulations, 2018', and that the latest amendment was 'The Telecommunication Interconnection (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2020', notified on 10 July 2020. The review focused, among other things, on IP-based interconnection, which TRAI said becomes more pertinent as the accelerating 4G/5G rollout requires IP-based interconnection for better service quality, and on the levels of interconnection, then at the LSA level for mobile network interconnections and at District/Tehsil level for fixed-line telephone network interconnections. It also covered interconnection issues for satellite-based telecommunication networks, including the nature and location of Points of Interconnect involving satellite earth station gateways, as well as interconnection charges, interconnection usage charges and the Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO) framework. A pre-consultation paper had been released on 3 April 2025.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Communications), 'TRAI releases a consultation paper on "Review of existing TRAI Regulations on Interconnection matters"', 10 November 2025
Check yourself: how many existing interconnection regulations did TRAI say it was reviewing in November 2025, which regulation began the framework, and which amendment did it describe as the latest?
All nine; The Register of Interconnect Agreements Regulations, 1999; The Telecommunication Interconnection (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2020, notified on 10 July 2020.
Revision task: from this release, note the date the regulations take effect, the TRAI Act provision cited, the consultation dates and response numbers, the change in the level of interconnection and its deadline, the rule for IP-based interconnection, the bank-guarantee change, the ceiling on interest for delayed payment and the enforcement provisions; from the note, the number of regulations under review, the first and the 2018 regulations, the amendment then described as the latest, and the issues the review covered.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for Pune Metro projects worth around ₹21,800 crore through video conferencing on 3 November 2026, the Prime Minister's Office said. Recalling that he had laid the foundation stone for the first phase of the Pune Metro ten years ago, he said the inauguration of the Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar corridor will provide superior connectivity to a major IT hub, while the new line initiated that day will further link the old and new parts of the city. He noted that the newly inaugurated corridor has been constructed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model through the combined efforts of the government and the private sector. The Prime Minister said that over the past 12 years India's metro network has expanded to nearly 1,200 kilometres across 26 cities, serving over one crore daily commuters, and that it is counted among the top three metro networks in the world. In Maharashtra, he said, only 10 to 11 kilometres of metro lines were operational in 2014, while nearly 175 kilometres are now in service and construction is under way on over 680 kilometres with an investment exceeding ₹2.5 lakh crore. He referred to the approval of the Urban Challenge Fund in February 2026, backed by one lakh crore rupees in Central assistance to mobilise lakhs of crores in urban investment, and urged local bodies and private sector partners to join the effort in mission mode. He said India had maintained the world's fastest growth rate amid difficult international conditions and, according to the latest World Bank report, had lifted 50 crore citizens out of extreme poverty within 10 to 12 years.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
PIB's release of 2 November 2026 announcing the event said the Prime Minister would inaugurate Pune Metro Line 3, also known as the Pink Line, built at a cost of over ₹8,300 crore. Spanning approximately 23 kilometres, it connects Maan to District Court Metro station and will provide Metro connectivity between the Hinjewadi IT hub and Shivajinagar. The line is to be operated entirely by women train operators, which the release called a first-of-its-kind initiative, and approximately 30% of its total electricity requirements are envisaged to be met through solar power. The Prime Minister was also to lay the foundation stone of Phase-II of Pune Metro, at an estimated cost of around ₹13,500 crore, comprising Lines 2A and 2B (around 12.75 kilometres in total; Line 2A from Vanaz to Chandani Chowk and Line 2B from Ramwadi to Vitthalwadi, extending the existing east-west network), Line 4 (around 25.52 kilometres, Kharadi to Khadakwasla) and Line 4A (6.12 kilometres, Nal Stop to Manik Baug). The new corridors are to integrate with intercity bus services and the existing Pune Metro network through interchange facilities at Swargate, Nal Stop and Kharadi Bypass.
Reference: PIB (Prime Minister's Office), 'PM to Inaugurate and Lay Foundation Stone of Pune Metro Projects Worth Around ₹21,800 Crore on 3rd November', 2 November 2026
Check yourself: by what other name is Pune Metro Line 3 known, which two stations does it connect, and which four lines make up Phase-II of Pune Metro?
The Pink Line; Maan and District Court Metro station; Lines 2A, 2B, 4 and 4A.
Revision task: from this release, note the total value of the projects, the corridor inaugurated and the model it was built under, the national and Maharashtra metro figures the Prime Minister cited, and the Urban Challenge Fund; from the note, Line 3's other name, cost, length, end stations, operators and solar share, and the estimated cost of Phase-II and its four lines with their end points.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav outlined India's priorities for COP31 of the UNFCCC, to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026, at a media briefing in New Delhi on 3 November 2026, and highlighted the outcomes of India's participation in CBD COP17 and UNCCD COP17. He said India will approach COP31 with a solution-oriented vision, bringing practical solutions for the Global South with capacity building, knowledge sharing and geography-specific solutions at the core, and will work closely with G-77 and China, LMDC and BASIC. According to the Minister, climate finance will be a key priority, with India seeking a COP31 decision to commence the Climate Finance Work Programme; he said finance is an obligation of developed countries under Article 9.1 and must be predictable, largely public and concessional, and should not add to the debt burden. He said India will also press for mitigation and the Global Stocktake to remain Party-driven, facilitative and non-punitive, respecting the nationally determined nature of NDCs and ruling out new top-down targets. The Minister said adaptation will remain a priority, with Global Goal on Adaptation indicators being voluntary and not conditioning access to finance, alongside scaled-up adaptation finance; that India will support continuation of the Just Transition Work Programme through a Party-driven mechanism; that technology transfer is an obligation of developed countries and barriers related to cost, IPR and trade must be addressed; and that participation in carbon markets should remain voluntary. India's engagements at COP31 will include LeadIT 3.0 with Sweden, high-level side events on coastal resilience and panels on IBCA and forests, and the Minister said India will play a constructive, bridge-building role in Antalya, seeking an outcome that moves from commitments to implementation and support. Reporting on UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), he said India, after being elected Chair of the Asia-Pacific Regional Group, reiterated its commitment to restore over 26 million hectares by 2030 and launched its first Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems of India; at CBD COP17 in Yerevan (Armenia), he said, India reaffirmed its commitment to the effective and equitable implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
At a Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) event at COP-28 on 1 December 2023, co-hosted with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described LeadIT, launched in 2019, as a joint effort to strengthen industry transition and a successful example of partnership between governments and industry. He said that in its first phase LeadIT focused on transition roadmaps and knowledge sharing in sectors such as iron and steel, cement, aluminium and transport, and that 18 countries and 20 companies were members of the group. He announced the launch of LeadIT 2.0, with three main focuses: inclusive and just industry transition; co-development and transfer of low-carbon technology; and financial support for industry transition in emerging economies. An India-Sweden Industry Transition Platform was also launched to connect the governments, industries, technology providers, researchers and think-tanks of the two countries. He added that low-carbon technology and innovation should be accelerated and delivered to the Global South as quickly and easily as possible.
Reference: Prime Minister's Office (pmindia.gov.in), 'PM's remarks at the Leadership Group for Industry Transition event at COP-28', 1 December 2023
Check yourself: in which year was LeadIT launched, with which country's Prime Minister did India co-host the LeadIT event at COP-28, and what are the three focuses of LeadIT 2.0?
2019; Sweden (Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson); inclusive and just industry transition, co-development and transfer of low-carbon technology, and financial support for industry transition in emerging economies.
Revision task: from this release, note COP31's venue and dates, the groupings India will work with, India's positions on climate finance (and the Article cited), mitigation and the Global Stocktake, adaptation, just transition, technology transfer and carbon markets, its planned engagements at COP31, and what it reported from UNCCD COP17 and CBD COP17; from the note, when LeadIT was launched, its first-phase sectors and membership, the three focuses of LeadIT 2.0 and the platform launched with it.
The Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) under the Ministry of Coal has developed SUVIKALP – Mine Repurposing Tool, a digital decision-support platform aligned with the Mining Plan Guidelines for Coal and Lignite Mine, 2025, to help transform closed and abandoned mines into productive assets, the Ministry said on 3 November 2026. SUVIKALP aims to establish a scientific, transparent and standardised framework for identifying suitable post-mining land-use opportunities. It brings together geo-mining characteristics, environmental conditions, infrastructure availability, resource constraints, financial considerations and socio-economic factors on a unified digital platform; users create a site profile by entering mine-specific information, and potential repurposing options are evaluated and ranked using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodology based on TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution). The assessment follows a sequence of factor selection, generation of potential options, integration of community priorities, suitability assessment and final ranking. SUVIKALP integrates RECLAIM – Community Engagement and Development Framework to bring local priorities into project evaluation, and its PRISM (Post-Mining Repurposing Implementation Strategic Model) extends the platform to implementation pathways, supported by a knowledge repository of project concept notes, national and international case studies, sample tender documents, details of implementation agencies and best-practice resources. The Ministry said the next phase will focus on wider adoption across closed and abandoned coal and lignite mines, converting recommendations into site-specific feasibility studies, concept notes and DPRs, institutional convergence, investment mobilisation, knowledge and capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation; the long-term vision is to evolve SUVIKALP into a scalable national knowledge and decision-support ecosystem.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 6 August 2025, Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy said that closure and repurposing of coal mines in India are now undertaken as per the Guidelines for Preparation of Mining Plan and Mine Closure Plan for Coal and Lignite Blocks-2025. These emphasise scientific and socially responsible mine closure, including land reclamation, environmental restoration and post-mining use for community and economic benefit; they provide directions for integrating activities such as agriculture, pisciculture, eco-parks, waterbody restoration, green energy projects and cultural or heritage promotion, and encourage local communities to take part in operating and maintaining public spaces. The guidelines mandate that a minimum of 25% of the five-yearly escrow amount deposited for mine closure be used for community development and livelihood activities, and earmark 10% of the final mine closure cost for Just Transformation, to be used in consultation with the district administration and stakeholders. The reply said coal and lignite PSUs have taken up repurposing initiatives such as eco-parks, mine tourism sites, recreational parks, pisciculture in mine voids and solar power projects, citing among others Saoner Eco Park in Western Coalfields Limited, Kayakalp Vatika and pisciculture at the Kerketta mine void in Central Coalfields Limited, and Parasnath Udyan in Bharat Coking Coal Limited; abroad, a few closed coal mines in Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia have been repurposed into tourist spots, cultural centres, reservoirs or for industrial purposes.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Coal), 'Development of Closed Coal Mines as Tourist Places', 6 August 2025
Check yourself: under the 2025 guidelines described in the reply, what share of the five-yearly escrow amount deposited for mine closure must go to community development and livelihood activities, and what share of the final mine closure cost is earmarked for Just Transformation?
A minimum of 25%; 10%.
Revision task: from this release, note who developed SUVIKALP, the guidelines it is aligned with, the factors it brings together, the method it uses to rank options, the steps of its assessment, what RECLAIM and PRISM do, and the priorities for its next phase; from the note, the name of the 2025 guidelines, what they emphasise, the shares of the escrow amount and closure cost set aside, and examples of repurposed mines in India and abroad.
NITI Aayog launched the 'India S&T Scoreboard' on 3 November 2026 at the Civil Services Officer's Institute (CSOI), KG Marg, New Delhi; it was unveiled by Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog. Developed as a key NITI Aayog initiative, the Scoreboard is an interactive platform that provides an integrated view of the science and technology landscape of Indian States and UTs, and is designed to facilitate evidence-based policymaking and benchmarking across States/UTs. It brings together data on the S&T ecosystem - higher education institutions, R&D institutions, deep tech startups and incubators - along with S&T outputs such as research publications and patents. Going beyond the volume of output, it presents indicators of research quality, impact, collaboration and open access across priority research areas and three sectors, namely Academia, Government R&D Labs and Industry; it also enables side-by-side comparison of States/UTs and provides detailed State profiles, including State policies and best practices. Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Member (S&T), NITI Aayog, said data on research and innovation had so far remained fragmented across multiple sources, making it difficult for States to assess where they stand, and that the Scoreboard addresses this gap by bringing ecosystem, publication and patent data together on a single interactive dashboard, with trends over years. Prof. Umesh V. Waghmare, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, said it adds a valuable State-level picture to the national evidence base on science and technology. The Vice Chairman said that, guided by the principle of cooperative and competitive federalism, the Scoreboard will help States identify their strengths and gaps, learn from one another and design better programmes and policies in science and technology, and urged all States and UTs to make full use of the platform, which is available at www.sts.niti.gov.in.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 21 July 2022, NITI Aayog released the third edition of its India Innovation Index - the India Innovation Index 2021 - prepared with the Institute for Competitiveness. PIB described the index as a comprehensive tool for the evaluation and development of the country's innovation ecosystem: it ranks the states and union territories on their innovation performance to build healthy competition amongst them. Karnataka topped the 'Major States' category again, Manipur led the 'North East and Hill States' category and Chandigarh was the top performer in the 'Union Territories and City States' category. Drawing on the framework of the Global Innovation Index, the number of indicators rose from 36 in the India Innovation Index 2020 to 66, distributed across 16 sub-pillars that in turn form seven key pillars: five 'Enabler' pillars measure inputs and two 'Performance' pillars measure output. The index was released by the then NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery, and it contributes to the Global Indices to drive Reform and Growth (GIRG) mechanism, for which NITI Aayog is the nodal organisation.
Reference: PIB (NITI Aayog), 'Karnataka, Manipur and Chandigarh Top NITI Aayog's India Innovation Index 2021', 21 July 2022
Check yourself: which State topped the 'Major States' category of NITI Aayog's India Innovation Index 2021, and how many indicators did that edition use?
Karnataka; 66 indicators (up from 36 in the India Innovation Index 2020).
Revision task: from this release, note who launched the India S&T Scoreboard, where and on what date, who unveiled it, the data it brings together, the three sectors it covers, what it is meant to help States/UTs do and its web address; from the note, the edition of the India Innovation Index released in July 2022, the institute it was prepared with, the three category toppers and the numbers of indicators, sub-pillars and pillars. Compare what the two tools set out to measure.
NITI Aayog and TEXMiN (Technology Translation Research Park), an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, have signed a Joint Statement of Intent (SoI) to strengthen collaboration in the critical and strategic minerals sector, NITI Aayog said on 3 November 2026. The collaboration aims to advance indigenous technological capabilities, promote research and innovation and support the development of resilient and sustainable critical mineral value chains in India, and aligns with the objectives of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). The SoI envisages cooperation in four key areas: collaborative research and technology development; technical and strategic studies; policy and institutional support; and capacity building and knowledge exchange. It was signed during the visit of Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member, NITI Aayog, to IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, where he inaugurated the National Symposium on Critical Minerals and Rare Earths (CMRE 2026) on 31 October 2026, organised as part of the 45th Annual National Conference of the Indian Council of Chemists. Addressing the symposium, Prof. Das described critical minerals as strategic enablers of national security, technological self-reliance and India's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, stressed the need to move beyond a mine-centric approach towards an integrated value chain encompassing exploration, processing, refining, advanced materials and recycling, and highlighted the potential of recovering critical minerals from secondary resources such as coal fly ash, red mud, mine tailings and electronic waste.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 29 January 2025 the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with an expenditure of Rs 16,300 crore and expected investment of Rs 18,000 crore by PSUs, etc. - which the PMO's page headlines as an outlay of Rs 34,300 crore over seven years. The Finance Minister had announced the setting up of the Mission in the Union Budget for 2024-25 on 23 July 2024. The NCMM will encompass all stages of the value chain, including mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing and recovery from end-of-life products. It will intensify exploration within the country and in its offshore areas, aims to create a fast-track regulatory approval process for critical mineral mining projects, and will offer financial incentives for exploration and promote recovery of these minerals from overburden and tailings; it also aims to encourage Indian PSUs and private companies to acquire critical mineral assets abroad, proposes a stockpile of critical minerals within the country and a Centre of Excellence on Critical Minerals, and includes provisions for mineral processing parks and support for recycling. The page adds that KABIL, a JV of the Ministry of Mines, has acquired an area of about 15703 ha in the Catamarca province of Argentina for exploration and mining of lithium.
Reference: PMIndia (Prime Minister's Office), 'Cabinet Approves 'National Critical Mineral Mission' to build a resilient Value Chain for critical mineral resources vital to Green Technologies, with an outlay of Rs.34,300 crore over seven years', 29 January 2025
Check yourself: on what date did the Union Cabinet approve the National Critical Mineral Mission, and with what expenditure and what expected investment by PSUs?
On 29 January 2025; an expenditure of Rs 16,300 crore and expected investment of Rs 18,000 crore by PSUs, etc.
Revision task: from this release, note the two parties to the Statement of Intent, how the release expands TEXMiN and where it is based, the four areas of cooperation, the mission it aligns with, the symposium Prof. Gobardhan Das inaugurated and the secondary resources he named; from the note, the date of the Cabinet's approval of the NCMM, its expenditure and expected PSU investment, when it was announced, the stages of the value chain it covers and the lithium asset KABIL acquired abroad.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, facilitated the trial export of 1.5 metric tonnes (MT) of kiwi from Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Ministry said on 3 November 2026. The consignment reached Dubai and was showcased at LuLu Hypermarket, Al Qusais; the Ministry said the initiative has moved beyond the flag-off stage to retail-level market assessment, with consumer tasting and feedback to help evaluate the fruit's acceptability and potential demand and to provide insights into consumer preferences, quality expectations, packaging and presentation requirements for future commercial shipments. The initiative, undertaken under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), seeks to promote and strengthen Arunachal Pradesh's kiwi sector under the branding initiative 'Kiwi: USP of Arunachal Pradesh', and was implemented in collaboration with the Department of Trade & Commerce and the Department of Horticulture, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. According to the release, the state's high-altitude growing conditions and natural environment support kiwi with distinctive fruit quality and flavour; the major varieties grown include Hayward, Monty, Allison and Bruno, with Hayward showing good demand in international markets. The flag-off ceremony was attended by Gabriel D. Wangsu, Arunachal Pradesh's Minister of Agriculture & Allied Departments; representatives of the Kiwi Growers Cooperative Society and Fair Exports India Pvt. Ltd. also took part, along with APEDA officials and kiwi farmers accompanying the consignment.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 20 May 2026, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched the Mission on 'Arunachal Kiwi: The USP of Arunachal Pradesh', a cluster-based kiwi cultivation and value chain development mission for the State with an outlay of approximately ₹167 crore. Anchored by MDoNER, it was designed to converge with the schemes of the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Food Processing Industries, along with NABARD, ICAR-CITH, APEDA, NERAMAC and private investors. Six integrated cluster-level Post-Harvest Management Hubs were identified across Ziro Valley (Lower Subansiri), Dirang and Kalaktang (West Kameng), Shi Yomi and Dibang Valley. The Minister said Arunachal Pradesh contributes over 50 percent of India's kiwi production, with more than 7,050 MT annually, and listed targets including creating 2,000 MT of cold-chain capacity and positioning Arunachal Organic Kiwi in international export markets by FY 2028; the Mission rests on four strategic pillars - Convergence, Value Addition, Branding and Market Integration. Chief Minister Pema Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh is India's largest kiwi-producing State and the first State to receive organic kiwi certification under MOVCD-NER (2020), and the MDoNER Secretary said kiwi cultivation has expanded across 13 districts of the State, spanning more than 3,582 hectares and engaging over 1,500 farmers.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Development of North-East Region), 'Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launches the Mission on "Arunachal Kiwi: The USP of Arunachal Pradesh"', 20 May 2026
Check yourself: what is the approximate outlay of the Mission on 'Arunachal Kiwi: The USP of Arunachal Pradesh' launched on 20 May 2026, and what share of India's kiwi production did the Minister say Arunachal Pradesh contributes?
About ₹167 crore; over 50 percent (more than 7,050 MT annually).
Revision task: from this release, note the quantity exported, the place of origin, the destination and the store where it was showcased, the ministry under which the initiative was undertaken, the branding initiative, the state departments involved and the major kiwi varieties named; from the note, the date and outlay of the kiwi mission, the number and locations of its post-harvest hubs, Arunachal Pradesh's share of India's kiwi production, the cold-chain and export targets and the scheme under which the State received organic kiwi certification.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said at a Consultative Committee meeting in Puri, Odisha, that the government is working to double the share of coastal and inland waterway shipping in India's freight movement from 6% to 12% by 2047, and to attract one million sea cruise passengers by 2029, through the Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme and the Cruise Bharat Mission, the Ministry said on 3 November 2026; these are targets, not achievements. The Minister also announced that the Puri International Cruise Terminal will be developed by Paradip Port Authority (PPA) in partnership with the Government of Odisha, at a likely cost of Rs 1,500 crore. Sonowal said coastal cargo at Indian ports has grown from 74 million metric tons to 177 million metric tons over the past 12 years, growth of about 140%; India has more than 11,000 km of coastline. The Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme, announced in the 2026-27 budget, will offer incentives to cargo owners, coastal vessel operators and multimodal transport operators. On cruises, Sonowal said India recorded 462,661 ocean cruise passengers and 212 vessel calls in the 2025-26 fiscal year, a 5.5-fold rise in passenger traffic and a 2.1-fold rise in vessel calls since 2013-14; the Cruise Bharat Mission, launched in September 2024, targets one million sea cruise passengers and 400,000 jobs by March 2029. Sonowal said 143 river cruise terminals and landing points are operational, and that the two initiatives together are expected to generate more than 560,000 jobs and save 16 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. He also highlighted the development of National Waterway No. 5 in Odisha, estimated to cost more than Rs 13,000 crore, which is meant to link the state's industrial and mining centres, including Talcher and Kalinganagar, with ports on the east coast. Minister of State Shantanu Thakur and eight members of Parliament attended the meeting.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 30 September 2024, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal launched the 'Cruise Bharat Mission' from onboard the cruise ship 'Empress' at Mumbai port, saying it aims to double cruise passenger traffic within five years, i.e. by 2029. The Mission is to be implemented in three phases from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2029: Phase 1 focuses on studies, master planning and forming cruise alliances with neighbouring countries; Phase 2 on developing new cruise terminals, marinas and destinations; and Phase 3 on integrating all cruise circuits across the Indian Subcontinent. Its key performance targets include raising sea cruise passengers from 0.5 million in Phase 1 to 1 million by Phase 3 and sea cruise calls from 125 to 500, river cruise passengers from 0.5 million to 1.5 million, international cruise terminals from 2 to 10, river cruise terminals from 50 to 100 and marinas from 1 to 5, with employment generated rising from 0.1 million to 0.4 million by the final phase. The Mission targets three cruise segments - Ocean & Harbour, River & Inland, and Island cruises - and sets out initiatives under five strategic pillars.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways), 'The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal Launches 'Cruise Bharat Mission,' to Double Cruise Calls and Passengers within Five years', 30 September 2024
Check yourself: from onboard which cruise ship and at which port was the Cruise Bharat Mission launched on 30 September 2024, and over what period is it to be implemented?
Onboard the cruise ship 'Empress' at Mumbai port; in three phases from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2029.
Revision task: from this release, note the freight-share target, the share it starts from and the target year, the sea cruise passenger target, the cruise terminal to be developed at Puri, by whom and at what likely cost, the growth in coastal cargo, the scheme announced in the 2026-27 budget, the cruise figures for 2025-26, the expected jobs and emission savings and National Waterway No. 5; from the note, the launch date, venue and phases of the Cruise Bharat Mission and its targets for sea cruise passengers and employment. Remember that the freight-share figure is a target, not an achievement.
The 9th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) was held at Mirissa, Sri Lanka, on 3 November 2026, the Ministry of Defence said. The Indian delegation was led by Director General Paramesh Sivamani of the Indian Coast Guard, and the Sri Lankan delegation by Rear Admiral Ruwan Rupasena, Director General, Sri Lanka Coast Guard. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including Marine Pollution Response, Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) and Maritime Law Enforcement, and also explored avenues for enhancing capacity building and technical assistance initiatives to further strengthen operational cooperation between the two Coast Guards. Both delegations reaffirmed their commitment to working closely to address emerging maritime challenges and to enhance cooperation in ensuring maritime safety, security and environmental protection across the shared maritime domain. The Ministry said the meeting highlighted the two Coast Guards' shared resolve to further strengthen bilateral engagement, promote coordinated responses to maritime contingencies and advance regional cooperation for a safe, secure and clean maritime environment in the Indian Ocean Region.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 11 August 2025, the 8th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) was held in New Delhi; PIB described it as another milestone in the maritime partnership between the two countries. The discussions centred on strengthening cooperative engagements in marine pollution response, maritime search and rescue and maritime law enforcement, along with enhanced capacity building and technical assistance initiatives. The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Director General SLCG Rear Admiral Y.R. Serasinghe and the Indian delegation by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani; both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work closely in addressing contemporary maritime challenges and ensuring safety, security and environmental stewardship in the shared maritime domain. PIB said the SLCG delegation was visiting India from 10 to 14 August 2025 for the HLM and other professional interactions under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the ICG and the SLCG in 2018.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Defence), '8th High-Level Meeting between ICG and SLCG held in New Delhi', 11 August 2025
Check yourself: where and on what date was the 8th High-Level Meeting between the ICG and the SLCG held, who led the Sri Lankan delegation, and in which year was the ICG-SLCG Memorandum of Understanding signed?
In New Delhi, on 11 August 2025; Rear Admiral Y.R. Serasinghe, Director General SLCG; 2018.
Revision task: from this release, note the meeting's number, venue and date, who led each delegation, the three key areas of cooperation and the other avenues discussed; from the note, the venue and date of the 8th meeting, who led the Sri Lankan side then, and the year of the ICG-SLCG MoU. Compare the venues and the Sri Lankan leaders of the two meetings.
2026-11-02 · 11 items
The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth Rs 53,866.50 crore with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the acquisition of eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy, in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, on 2 November 2026. Under the contracts, GRSE will construct five corvettes and GSL the remaining three. The Ministry said it is the first project in which the ships will be indigenously designed by the Indian Navy and constructed by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive process. Equipped with advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites, the NGCs will be able to undertake missions across the air, surface and sub-surface domains, including safeguarding maritime trade routes, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations, coastal defence, littoral combat operations, and maritime presence and surveillance missions. Their construction is expected to generate approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment in the shipyards and 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and MSMEs over the next ten years. A separate PIB release from Panaji added that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had approved the proposal, that GSL secured its three corvettes through a competitive bidding process, and that the NGC project is the largest order ever secured by GSL in its history.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 6 June 2022, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals of the Armed Forces amounting to Rs 76,390 crore. For the Indian Navy, it accorded AoN for the procurement of Next Generation Corvettes (NGC) at an estimated cost of approx. Rs 36,000 crore, describing them as versatile platforms for surveillance missions, escort operations, deterrence, Surface Action Group (SAG) operations, search and attack, and coastal defence. They were to be constructed on a new in-house design of the Indian Navy using the latest shipbuilding technology and to contribute to the Government's SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative. At the same meeting the DAC accorded AoNs for the manufacture of Dornier aircraft and Su-30 MKI aero-engines by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and approved a 'Digital Coast Guard' project.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Defence), 'Defence Acquisition Council, headed by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, clears proposals worth Rs 76,390 crore, in major boost to Aatmanirbhar Bharat', 6 June 2022
Check yourself: when did the Defence Acquisition Council accord AoN for the Next Generation Corvettes, at what estimated cost, and which government initiative were they to contribute to?
On 6 June 2022; approx. Rs 36,000 crore; SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
Revision task: from this release, note the contract value, the two shipyards and how many corvettes each will build, the date and venue of signing, what makes the project a first, the roles of the NGCs and the employment estimates; from the note, the date of the DAC's AoN for the NGCs, the estimated cost then, the roles listed and the initiative named.
The Holy Relics of Shakyamuni Buddha from the National Museum, New Delhi, were ceremonially received by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu at Tawang on 31 October 2026 and accorded a traditional religious reception at the historic Gaden Namgyal Lhatse (Tawang Monastery), in the presence of Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Ministry of Culture said on 2 November 2026. The exposition is organised by the Ministry of Culture with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) and the National Museum across three centres of Buddhist faith: Tawang Monastery from 1 to 7 November, TGL Monastery (Lower Gompa), Bomdila, from 8 to 13 November and the Golden Pagoda, Namsai, from 14 to 20 November 2026; the relics are scheduled to return to the National Museum on 21 November 2026. The relics originate from Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh, an archaeological site associated with ancient Kapilavastu and the Shakya tradition of Lord Buddha. In his message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the homecoming of the sacred Piprahwa Relics after more than a century as a moment of pride and joy. The exposition coincides with Lhabab Duchen, an occasion in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition commemorating the Buddha's descent from the heavenly realm. An accompanying exhibition, 'Unearthing the Sacred Piprahwa: The Story of the Holy Buddha Relics and Their Discovery', will present the history of the archaeological discoveries at Piprahwa and the journey of the Piprahwa heritage, including its repatriation to India, and the IBC, with the state government, is organising an international conference, 'Buddhism: Dissemination in the Himalayan Region and Beyond', at the Kalawangpo Convention Hall, Tawang, on 2 November 2026.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
PIB's release of 30 October 2026 on the exposition says the relics come from Piprahwa in present-day Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, a site associated with ancient Kapilavastu and the Shakya tradition of Lord Buddha. In 1898, William Claxton Peppé excavated a stupa there and discovered reliquaries containing bone fragments and precious objects. The Archaeological Survey of India excavated further between 1971 and 1977 under archaeologist K. M. Srivastava and found two more reliquary caskets: the larger contained 12 sacred bone fragments and the smaller 10, a total of 22 relics, of which 20 are preserved at the National Museum, New Delhi, and two at the Indian Museum, Kolkata. The Piprahwa jewel collection associated with the 1898 discovery was returned to India in 2025, after approximately 127 years, following efforts by the Ministry of Culture after a proposed international auction of the collection.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Culture), 'Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to be Exposed for Public Veneration in Arunachal Pradesh from 31 October to 21 November 2026', 30 October 2026
Check yourself: who excavated the stupa at Piprahwa in 1898, and how many sacred bone relics did the Archaeological Survey of India's later excavations recover?
William Claxton Peppé; 22 (12 in the larger casket and 10 in the smaller).
Revision task: from this release, note who received the relics, where and when, the organisers, the three venues with their dates, where the relics come from, the occasion the exposition coincides with, and the exhibition and conference; from the note, Piprahwa's district, the two excavations and who led them, the number of relics found and where they are kept, and the return of the jewel collection.
The Ministry of Rural Development has notified the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB–G RAM G – Grievance Redressal Rules, 2026, establishing a structured, multi-tier and time-bound mechanism for grievances relating to the implementation of the Scheme, the Ministry said on 2 November 2026. State Governments will set up the mechanism at the Gram Panchayat, Block and District levels, where designated Grievance Redressal Officers will receive, register, enquire into and dispose of grievances; the District Programme Coordinator will oversee grievance redressal at the district level. Any person may submit a grievance in person before the designated officer, by speed post with proof of delivery, through the Digital Public Infrastructure for Redressal of Grievances designated by the Central Government, or by telephone, designated helplines or any other mode decided by the State Government. Grievances received in physical form must be registered on the Digital Public Infrastructure on the day of receipt or, where this is not feasible, by the next working day, and the complainant receives an acknowledgement with the registration number, date of receipt and designation of the receiving authority. No grievance can be refused registration on the grounds of its format, language, manner of submission or any procedural deficiency. The enquiry must be completed within 7 working days and the grievance resolved within 15 days from the date of its receipt; a grievance not resolved within 15 days will be escalated to the next higher level and monitored electronically until it is resolved. Appeals against orders passed under the mechanism will be filed and disposed of in accordance with Schedule I to the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 11 May 2026, the Government of India notified the implementation of the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025, to be rolled out nationwide from 1 July 2026, with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 standing repealed from the same date. Under the Act, employment is to be provided against workers' demand for work within the prescribed timeframe, failing which they are entitled to an unemployment allowance, and wages are paid by Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into workers' bank or post office accounts on a weekly basis or within fifteen days from the closure of the muster roll, failing which workers are entitled to delay compensation. The Ministry said existing e-KYC verified MGNREGA Job Cards would remain valid until Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards are issued, and that various draft rules under the Act, among them the Grievance Redressal Rules, the Transitional Provisions Rules and the Rules on the Manner of Payment of Wages and Unemployment Allowance, were being prepared in consultation with the States and Union Territories.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Rural Development), 'Historic Commencement of Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Act Across Rural India from July 1st 2026', 11 May 2026
Check yourself: under the VB-G RAM G Act, within what period must wages be paid, and what is a worker entitled to if work is not provided against demand within the prescribed timeframe?
On a weekly basis or within fifteen days from the closure of the muster roll; an unemployment allowance.
Revision task: from this release, note the three levels of the grievance mechanism, who oversees it at district level, the channels for submitting grievances, the registration rule for physical grievances, the deadlines for enquiry and resolution, what happens to unresolved grievances and where appeals lie; from the note, the dates of notification and roll-out, the Act repealed, the wage-payment rule, the unemployment allowance and the rules listed as being drafted.
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh visited Mangan district, Sikkim, on 2 November 2026 to review fisheries development initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), in line with the structured mechanism for periodic visits of Union Ministers to the Northeastern Region, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said. During the programme he launched the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Organic Certification of Fisheries in the Northeastern region and inaugurated projects worth ₹375 lakh under PMMSY, covering fisheries infrastructure such as hatcheries, feed mills and cold storage facilities and production technologies such as Biofloc and the Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS). Kisan Credit Cards were distributed to fish farmers, cheques were given to five fish farmers under the Mukhya Mantri Matsya Uthpadhan Yojana (MMMUY), and fish feed was distributed to 15 fish farmers from two fisheries cooperative societies. The Ministry said 34 fisheries production and processing clusters have been notified under PMMSY across the country, including organic fisheries clusters in Sikkim and Meghalaya, and that Soreng district, Sikkim, is India's first organic fisheries cluster under PMMSY; it focuses on ecologically healthy fish farming without harmful chemicals, antibiotics and pesticides, with special emphasis on Amur carp, Indian Major Carps (IMC) and trout. The SOP is meant to provide a structured framework for organic production and to support traceability across the value chain. Sikkim has also entered into an MoU with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for institutional procurement of locally produced Rainbow Trout.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 6 January 2025, at the Northeastern Region States Meet 2025 in Guwahati, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh, in the presence of Ministers of State S.P. Singh Baghel and George Kurian, announced the launch of the Organic Fisheries Cluster in Soreng District, Sikkim, under PMMSY. The Ministry said an organic fisheries and aquaculture cluster in Sikkim with special focus on amur carp along with other carps fits Sikkim's pioneering reputation in organic farming, and that the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD), a key stakeholder, would provide financial and technical support for the fisheries infrastructure and capacity building and would help by engaging fishers' cooperatives and forming fisheries-based Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs). The Department of Fisheries had already notified four fisheries-related clusters: the Pearl Cluster in Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand, the Ornamental Fisheries Cluster in Madurai District of Tamil Nadu, the Seaweed Cluster in the UT of Lakshadweep and the Tuna Cluster in Andaman & Nicobar.
Reference: PIB Guwahati (Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying), 'Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh Launches Organic Fisheries Cluster in Sikkim Under PMMSY', 6 January 2025
Check yourself: at which event and in which city was the Soreng organic fisheries cluster launched, and where is the Pearl Cluster notified by the Department of Fisheries?
At the Northeastern Region States Meet 2025, in Guwahati; in Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand.
Revision task: from this release, note the district visited and the date, the SOP launched, the value and type of projects inaugurated, the number of clusters notified under PMMSY and the states with organic clusters, Soreng's focus species and the MoU with ITBP; from the note, the date, event and city of the Soreng cluster's launch, NABARD's role and the four clusters notified earlier.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated a new Seismological Observatory in the high seismic zone of Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, through the Ministry of Earth Sciences on 2 November 2026. Equipped with state-of-the-art digital seismic equipment, the observatory will transmit data in real time to the Earthquake Monitoring Centre of the National Centre for Seismology in New Delhi; with it, Jammu and Kashmir now has four Seismological Observatories, at Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur and Kishtwar. The Minister said there was earlier no Doppler Weather Radar coverage in the region, that after 2014 four Doppler Weather Radars have been installed at Banihal, Jot, Jammu and Srinagar, and that four more are set to be commissioned in 2027 at Doda, Kishtwar, Anantnag and Baramulla. From three Automatic Weather Stations earlier, at Udhampur, Kathua and Ramban, nine additional stations have been added, taking the total to 12; these include four stations in Kishtwar, two each in Doda and Ramban, and one in Kathua. Rain Gauge Stations have increased from nine to 15 across the five districts of the parliamentary constituency, weather forecasts are now disseminated at the Panchayat level across all Panchayats in the five districts, and the weather forecast and agromet advisory services have reached 5,467 beneficiaries. He also referred to the High-Altitude Cloud Physics Laboratory at Patnitop and the Regional Meteorological Centre established in Jammu, and urged citizens to act on scientific weather warnings: 'Information is important, but following the information is equally important.'
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 6 August 2025, Dr Jitendra Singh said that since the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) was established under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in August 2014, seismic observatories had increased from about 84 stations in 2014 to 168 operational observatories, with real-time data reporting via VSAT. The NCS issues monthly earthquake summary reports on its website (seismo.gov.in), and 39 reports of major/significant earthquakes had been issued since April 2020. Seismic microzonation data are produced by the MoES through the NCS: the cities of Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Guwahati, Jabalpur, Dehradun, Ahmedabad, Gandhidham and Gangtok have been covered, and around 30 cities have been taken up since 2018.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Earth Sciences), 'Parliament Question: National Seismological Network', 6 August 2025
Check yourself: when, and under which ministry, was the National Centre for Seismology established, and how many operational seismic observatories did the Minister report in that reply?
In August 2014, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences; 168 (from about 84 stations in 2014).
Revision task: from this release, note where the new observatory is and where its data go, the four observatories in Jammu and Kashmir, the Doppler Weather Radars installed since 2014 and those to be commissioned, and the Automatic Weather Station, rain gauge and beneficiary figures; from the note, when the NCS was set up, the growth in seismic observatories, and the cities covered by seismic microzonation.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said on 2 November 2026 that Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah has directed that Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs) be established in all state capitals by 2027, citing a substantial increase in the number of foreigners visiting India for tourism, medical and education purposes. Five new FRROs have been set up since 2025: Jaipur, Chandigarh and Guwahati in 2025 (earlier under the FRROs at Delhi, Amritsar and Kolkata respectively), and Aizawl (Mizoram) and Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) in 2026 (earlier under FRRO Kolkata and FRRO Hyderabad respectively). Three more FRRO offices, at Kohima (Nagaland), Agartala (Tripura) and Bhubaneswar (Odisha), have recently been notified. The Ministry said the total number of FRRO offices in the country has now gone up to 20, and that the Government is pursuing the setting up of FRROs in the remaining states. The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which consolidated four earlier laws relating to immigration and foreigners, provides a unified statutory framework for regulating the entry, stay, movement and exit of foreign nationals; under it, the Bureau of Immigration is to be assisted, among others, by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) as may be authorised by the Central Government. The FRRO administers post-arrival registration of eligible categories of foreigners and issues a Registration Certificate (RC)/Residential Permit, records changes in a foreigner's particulars, grants permission to visit protected and restricted areas and issues exit permits; 35 online services through e-FRRO facilitate registration, visa extensions, conversion and other eligible immigration-related services.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
On 27 March 2025 the Lok Sabha passed the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 after Union Home Minister Amit Shah replied to the discussion. He said the immigration system was then spread across four Acts with overlaps and many gaps, and that the single Bill would repeal these four Acts; three of the old laws dated from 1920, 1939 and 1946, before independence. The old laws had a total of 45 sections, while the new law would have 36 sections, 26 old and 10 new. He said the 'Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking' (IVFRT) system had been given a legal basis to monitor illegal immigrants and those staying beyond the designated time, and that the integration of all immigration posts with Indian Missions, FRROs and Foreigners Registration Offices (FROs) through an end-to-end integrated system had been completed.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Home Affairs), 'Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, replies to the discussion on the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, After the discussion, the lower house passed the Bill', 27 March 2025
Check yourself: when did the Lok Sabha pass the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, and how many sections did the Home Minister say the old laws and the new law have?
On 27 March 2025; 45 sections in the old laws and 36 in the new law (26 old and 10 new).
Revision task: from this release, note the deadline for FRROs in all state capitals, the cities that got new FRROs in 2025 and in 2026, the three recently notified, the Ministry's total, the law that consolidated four earlier laws and the FRRO's functions; from the note, the date the Lok Sabha passed the Bill, the years of the three old laws, the number of sections in the old and new law, and the IVFRT system.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued the Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on 2 November 2026, after a consultation paper on the draft released on 7 May 2026, on which 32 comments and 24 counter-comments were received, and an online Open House Discussion held on 17 July 2026. The amended regulations will apply to Internet Service Providers having more than ten thousand subscribers as on the last day of the preceding financial year; the existing alternative criterion based on annual financial turnover exceeding ₹5 crore has been dispensed with. Consumers can now register complaints and appeals, raise service requests and make service-related queries through the service provider's mobile application, in addition to the Complaint Centre, website and web portal. Complaint Centre support will be available round the clock on all days of the week instead of the existing 16-hour arrangement and may be provided through human representatives, automated systems, other customer-centric technological solutions or a combination of them, with human assistance available for at least sixteen hours daily; dedicated desks or helplines must be able to receive calls from persons with disabilities. The time limit for filing an appeal after disposal of a complaint has been revised from 30 days to 15 days, and the Appellate Authority, comprising one or more regular employees in the service provider's management with at least five years' experience, must communicate its final decision within 15 days of receipt of the appeal; the earlier resolution of appeals through an Advisory Committee has been dispensed with. New provisions include an online feedback survey on a five-point scale after a complaint or appeal is resolved or closed, with results published quarterly; a quarterly report to the CEO or Board of Directors; a Consumer Grievance Redressal Oversight Committee in every service provider, meeting at least once every year; periodic regulatory review by TRAI; and financial disincentives where complaints or appeals are disposed of in contravention of the regulations, as observed during audit, inspection, analysis or review, and for non-submission or delayed submission of the Quarterly Performance Report.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
TRAI notified the Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal Regulations, 2012 (TCCRR-2012) on 5 January 2012, and the regulations were amended three times, in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Releasing the draft Fourth Amendment on 7 May 2026, TRAI said modes of consumer engagement had evolved significantly since 2012: while IVRS remains relevant, consumers increasingly use mobile applications, web-based portals, chatbots and emails to register and track complaints. It added that the provisions on appeals against unsatisfactory handling of complaints needed changes from the perspective of accessibility, clarity, efficiency, effectiveness and consumer convenience. Written comments on the draft were initially invited by 5 June 2026.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Communications), 'TRAI releases Draft Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal (Fourth Amendment) Regulation, 2026', 7 May 2026
Check yourself: when did TRAI notify the original Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal Regulations, and in which years were they amended before the Fourth Amendment?
On 5 January 2012; in 2012, 2013 and 2014 (three amendments).
Revision task: from this release, note the consultation dates and response figures, the applicability clause, the new channel for complaints and appeals, the Complaint Centre hours, the old and new appeal time limits, the Appellate Authority's composition and deadline, and the new mechanisms introduced; from the note, when the original regulations were notified, the years of the earlier amendments and the reasons TRAI gave for the Fourth Amendment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 2 November 2026, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said. He noted that this year's summit takes place amid global energy shocks and that its scope is exceptionally broad, as it coincides with the Ninth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance and includes delegates from the Fourth Conference on Green Hydrogen. Saying that 'the future of Energy Security lies in Clean Energy', he urged startups, IITs, innovators and entrepreneurs to design round-the-clock, all-weather solar models capable of meeting maximum household needs, including rooftop solar cooking and home solar charging for electric two-wheelers and cars. Addressing the event, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said the Prime Minister had approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana with an outlay of more than ₹5,000 crore, under which 5,000 MW of floating solar capacity will be developed, and had recently approved the Green Energy Corridor Phase-III with an investment of ₹1.86 lakh crore. According to Shri Joshi, India's non-fossil fuel-based installed capacity, which had crossed 200 GW in September 2024, has reached 310 GW, and PM Surya Ghar has crossed 65 lakh installations. He also said India is number one in the world in green hydrogen offtake commitments, and invited investors from across the world with the words 'Invest in India. Innovate in India. Grow with India.'
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
MNRE's year-end review of 29 December 2025 said that, in line with the Prime Minister's vision outlined at COP-26, the Government is working to reach 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030. India achieved the milestone of 50% of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in June 2025, five years ahead of the 2030 target set under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, and crossed the 250 GW milestone of non-fossil installed capacity in August 2025. The review also recorded India's participation in the eighth International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly in New Delhi, which saw high-level participation from 137 nations and 36 organisations. It described PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, launched in February 2024, as aiming at rooftop solar installations in one crore households by FY 2026-27, with an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), '2025 Marks Highest-Ever Renewable Energy Expansion in India's Energy Transition Journey', 29 December 2025
Check yourself: in which month and year did India reach 50% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, and how far ahead of the 2030 NDC target was that?
In June 2025; five years ahead of the 2030 target.
Revision task: from this release, note the venue, the International Solar Alliance assembly the summit coincided with and the conference whose delegates attended, the PM's appeal to innovators, the scheme for floating solar with its outlay and capacity, the Green Energy Corridor phase approved, and the non-fossil capacity figures Shri Joshi gave; from the note, the COP-26 target, the month of the 50% milestone, participation at the eighth ISA Assembly, and PM Surya Ghar's aim and outlay.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) formally recognised 19 reputed institutions as Centres of Excellence-Skills (CoE-Skills) on 2 November 2026; MSDE Secretary Debashree Mukherjee presented the Certificates of Recognition at a ceremony at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi. The recognition is valid from 9 October 2026 to 8 October 2029. The institutions were empanelled through the Green Channel under the Guidelines for Empanelment of Centres of Excellence-Skills and Vocational Training Centres. The Green Channel is an expedited route for eligible institutions of established standing, including Institutes of National Importance, ITIs upgraded under PM-SETU, and Skilling Centres of Excellence operated or empanelled by Central Ministries, Departments and State Governments; their applications are placed directly before the Executive Committee for consideration, without nomination or the regular evaluation process. The Guidelines were unveiled on 15 July 2026 by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, during the World Youth Skills Day celebrations. A CoE-Skills is envisaged as a permanent, advanced and sector-focused training centre; its functions may span advanced and technology-enabled training, assessment, mentorship and career coaching, Training of Trainers and Assessors, industry engagement, and the achievement and tracking of post-training outcomes, and its empanelment is scheme-agnostic. The recognised institutions come from renewable energy (including IIT Roorkee's Hydro & Renewable Energy Department, the National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurugram, and the National Institute of Wind Energy at Chennai and Kayathar), chemicals and petrochemicals (CIPET centres at Guwahati, Sambhajinagar, Lucknow, Kochi and Bhubaneswar), construction (Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering, Pune), multi-sectoral, iron and steel, marine engineering (INS Shivaji, Pune), tourism and hospitality, and agriculture (National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, Hyderabad).
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
At the World Youth Skills Day 2026 celebrations organised by MSDE at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi, on 15 July 2026, the Ministry unveiled the Guidelines for the Creation of Centres of Excellence under Skill India, which aim to support the development of world-class, industry-aligned training facilities equipped with modern infrastructure, advanced technologies and strong industry partnerships. Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jayant Chaudhary also unveiled the IndiaSkills Competition 2026-27 Guidelines, covering 63 industry-relevant skill categories, and a Training Programme for Multi-Skilled Caregivers under PMKVY was introduced, in line with the Union Budget 2026-27 announcement to skill 1.5 lakh caregiving professionals. MSDE announced a proposed Skills Outcomes Fund, an outcomes-based financing platform of approximately ₹530 crore to support more than two lakh young people, and the constitution of a Committee on Gender Mainstreaming. MSDE Secretary Debashree Mukherjee referred to the theme 'Skills for a Shared Future'.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship), 'The Future Belongs to Those Who Learn, Adapt and Innovate: Shri Jayant Chaudhary at World Youth Skills Day 2026', 15 July 2026
Check yourself: under which scheme was the Training Programme for Multi-Skilled Caregivers introduced on World Youth Skills Day 2026, and how many skill categories do the IndiaSkills Competition 2026-27 Guidelines cover?
Under PMKVY; 63 industry-relevant skill categories.
Revision task: from this release, note the number of institutions recognised, who presented the certificates and where, the validity period, the route used and which institutions it is meant for, when and by whom the Guidelines were unveiled, what a CoE-Skills is envisaged to do, and the sectors, with the institutions named for them; from the note, the guidelines and other initiatives unveiled on World Youth Skills Day 2026, the number of IndiaSkills skill categories, the caregiver target and the size of the proposed Skills Outcomes Fund.
The Ministry of Coal hosted the Annual Star Rating Awards Ceremony for FY 2024-25 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on 2 November 2026, recognising excellence in India's coal and lignite mining sector; the ceremony was graced by Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey. A total of 50 coal mines received Five-Star Ratings for FY 2024-25; of these, 10 mines secured the first, second and third positions in their respective categories, with scores exceeding 93 per cent. Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and NTPC secured the First Prize in the Opencast category, and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) the First Prize in the Underground category. Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) received special appreciation for achieving the highest number of Five-Star Rated mines among all Coal India subsidiaries, while NCL and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) were appreciated for consistently maintaining high performance in Star Rating evaluations as well as production. The Minister of State described the programme as an important instrument for promoting healthy competition among coal mines, urged coal companies to see it as an opportunity for self-evaluation, learning and improvement, and called for wider and more active participation in the Star Rating Programme for FY 2025-26. In his welcome address, Coal Controller Satish Kumar of the Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) said the ceremony is a significant platform to recognise the exemplary performance of mines in safety, environmental management, scientific mining practices, productivity and community welfare.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
Announcing the ceremony for the previous assessment year, the Ministry of Coal said on 3 September 2025 that its Star Rating system evaluates coal and lignite mines through a structured framework covering seven modules: Mining Operations, Environmental Parameters, Adoption of Technology and Best Practices, Economic Performance, Rehabilitation & Resettlement, Worker-Related Compliance, and Safety & Security. Mines are rated on a scale from Five Star to No Star under three categories: Underground, Opencast and Mixed. For the assessment year 2023-24, 383 mines were selected for the Star Rating evaluation, of which 42 secured the Five Star Rating, scoring more than 93%; the awards for that year were to be presented at a ceremony in Mumbai on 4 September 2025.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Coal), 'Ministry of Coal to Host Star Rating Awards Ceremony for Coal & Lignite Mines on 4th September 2025 in Mumbai', 3 September 2025
Check yourself: how many modules does the Ministry of Coal's Star Rating framework cover, and under which three categories are mines rated?
Seven modules; Underground, Opencast and Mixed.
Revision task: from this release, note the venue and the financial year of the awards, the number of five-star mines and of top-three finishers with their score threshold, the first-prize winners in the Opencast and Underground categories, the company given special appreciation and the companies also appreciated, with the reasons, and the Minister of State's message; from the note, the seven modules, the rating scale and categories, and the FY 2023-24 participation and five-star figures.
The Indian Navy accorded a ceremonial welcome to INS Sudarshini on 2 November 2026, as the ship returned to Kochi on successful completion of Lokayan 26, a ten-month transoceanic sailing expedition spanning over 22,000 nautical miles; the homecoming was marked by a water cannon salute and a ceremonial welcome by the Naval Band. Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, presided over the Flag-in Ceremony. Flagged off from Kochi on 20 January 2026, the voyage included 17 distinct port calls in 11 countries spanning Asia, Europe, Africa and North America, and two transatlantic crossings. Its major highlights were the ship's participation in the Escale à Sète maritime heritage festival in France, and in SAIL 250 and the International Naval Review as part of the commemorative events in the United States. Amid challenging weather and sea conditions, a transatlantic passage covering 2,200 nautical miles over 19 days marked, according to the Navy, the longest distance covered exclusively under sail. The crew held professional interactions, training exchanges and cross-training activities with the Royal Moroccan Navy, Portuguese Navy, Italian Navy, Egyptian Navy and Spanish Navy. The Navy said the deployment reflected India's maritime vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) and the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, while remaining focused on its core objective of sail training for young officer trainees.
Official source: PIB ↗
Learning context
When Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena flagged off INS Sudarshini from Naval Base, Kochi, on 20 January 2026, the Ministry of Defence said the ship would traverse approximately 22,000 nautical miles during the ten-month deployment, visiting 18 ports in 13 countries; the plans included her debut at Escale à Sète in France in March-April 2026 and joining Sail 250 at New York during the International Parade of Sails, as part of the USA's 250th Independence Day celebrations in July 2026. Built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited, INS Sudarshini is a 54-metre sail training ship of the Indian Navy, a three-masted barque equipped with 20 sails covering a sail area of more than 1,000 square metres. At the flag-off, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief underscored the ship's role as India's 'Ambassador at Large'.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Defence), 'Indian Navy's Sail Training Ship Sudarshini Sets Sail for Lokayan 26', 20 January 2026
Check yourself: which shipyard built INS Sudarshini, how long is the ship, and how many sails does she carry?
Goa Shipyard Limited; 54 metres; 20 sails, with a sail area of more than 1,000 square metres.
Revision task: from this release, note the expedition's name, duration and distance, the return port and date, who presided over the Flag-in Ceremony, the flag-off date, the number of port calls and countries, the major highlights, the longest passage under sail, the navies engaged and the vision the deployment reflected; from the note, the planned distance, ports and countries, and the builder, length and sails of INS Sudarshini.
Pariksha Saathi