The Indian Express

Divyang Sahara Yojana and Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana

Context: During a post-Budget webinar following the Union Budget 2026–27, the Prime Minister highlighted two new initiatives aimed at strengthening support for persons with disabilities (Divyangjan): Divyang Sahara Yojana and Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana. Both schemes are introduced under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) to promote accessibility, dignity, and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities.

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Divyang Sahara Yojana

The Divyang Sahara Yojana focuses on improving access to modern assistive technologies for Divyangjan so that they can live independently and participate actively in society.

Key Features

  • Affordable Assistive Devices: The scheme aims to provide advanced assistive devices such as prosthetics, mobility aids, hearing devices, and other adaptive technologies at affordable prices.
  • Support to ALIMCO: It will strengthen the capacity of the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) to expand manufacturing and adopt AI-enabled and advanced technologies for better assistive products.
  • Assistive Marts: Retail-style centres will be established where beneficiaries can see, test, and select suitable devices based on their specific needs.
  • Service Hubs: Existing Pradhan Mantri Divyasha–Vayoshri Kendras (PMDVKs) will be upgraded into service hubs to provide assessment, customisation, repairs, and maintenance of assistive devices.

Through these measures, the scheme aims to improve accessibility, mobility, and the quality of life of persons with disabilities.

Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana

The Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana aims to strengthen the employability of Divyangjan by providing industry-relevant skill training aligned with emerging sectors of the economy.

Key Features

  • Skill Development: The scheme focuses on equipping Divyangjan with job-oriented skills to enable dignified livelihood opportunities.
  • Target Sectors: Training will be provided in high-growth sectors such as Information Technology (IT), Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC), Hospitality, and Food & Beverage services.
  • Digital Integration: Skill training registration will be integrated with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) through the PM-DAKSH Portal, ensuring transparency and improved monitoring.
  • Industry Linkages: The programme aims to connect trained candidates with employers, thereby promoting inclusive workforce participation.

Significance

Together, these two schemes represent a holistic approach toward disability empowerment:

  • Accessibility: Provision of modern assistive devices improves independence and mobility.
  • Economic Empowerment: Skill training enhances employability and financial independence.
  • Technology Integration: Use of AI and digital platforms strengthens delivery and monitoring of welfare schemes.
  • Inclusive Development: Aligns with the government’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.”

By combining technological support with skill development, these initiatives aim to ensure that Divyangjan can participate more fully in India’s socio-economic growth.

RBI’s Inflation Targeting Framework and the Debate on Continuity

Context: The existing flexible inflation targeting framework of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to expire in March 2026. RBI had sought views from economists, market participants and other stakeholders on whether the current target, band, and measure should continue. Most respondents back the continuation of the existing structure. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key Features of the 2015 Monetary Policy Framework. 

The monetary policy framework in India has evolved over the years. From relying on multiple indicators such as money supply and wholesale prices, the RBI shifted its focus to retail inflation in 2014. 

In February 2015, a new Monetary Policy Framework Agreement was signed between the Government of India and the RBI, which institutionalised inflation targeting in India.

Key Features of the 2015 Monetary Policy Framework

  • The primary objective of monetary policy is to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth.
  • The framework is operated by the RBI, which uses instruments such as the repo rate to achieve the target.
  • The inflation target is fixed at 4% CPI inflation, with a tolerance band of +/-2 % (2-6%).
  • The inflation target is decided by the Government of India in consultation with the RBI, and is to be set once every five years. The current target has been notified till March 31, 2026.
  • The relevant measure of inflation is the Consumer Price Index (CPI-Combined) published by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 
  • The RBI is deemed to have failed in its mandate if inflation remains above 6% or below 2% for three consecutive quarters.
  • In case of such failure, the RBI must submit a written report to the Government explaining the reasons for the failure, remedial measures, and the time frame within which inflation will be brought back to the target.

Role of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)

  • The MPC was constituted in 2016 as a statutory body to set the policy repo rate required to achieve the inflation target.
  • It comprises six members: RBI Governor (Chairperson), the Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy, one RBI officer nominated by the RBI Board, and three external members appointed by the Government.
  • Decisions are taken by majority vote, with the Governor having a casting vote in case of a tie.
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Performance of the Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) Regime (2016-2025)

  • Inflation has declined significantly since the adoption of FIT: from nearly 10% in 2012-13, CPI inflation is projected to average 3.1% in 2025-26, the lowest in the FIT era.
  • The framework has anchored inflation expectations of households and markets, thereby improving monetary policy credibility.
  • It has enhanced macroeconomic stability by reducing uncertainty for consumers and investors.
  • Low and stable inflation has supported sustainable growth, as extreme price fluctuations erode consumer purchasing power and discourage investment.
  • India’s adoption of FIT has brought it in line with global best practices, where most modern central banks follow inflation targeting frameworks.

Review of Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) Regime: 

The FIT regime requires a review every five years. The current review must be completed by March 2026. The RBI’s recent discussion paper has sought comments on key issues:

  • Whether monetary policy should target headline inflation or core inflation.
  • Whether the 4% inflation target remains optimal.
  • Whether the tolerance band (2-6%) should be revised.
  • Whether the target should be a point (4%) or a range only.

Former members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) are largely in favour of retaining the targets as per the existing Flexible Inflation Target (FIT) regime and want to continue to focus on keeping headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 4% in the medium term.

Also Read: Time to Review Inflation Targeting 

Queer Couples’ Rights in India 

Context: Recently, a same-sex couple moved the Bombay High Court challenging the discriminatory levy of gift tax under the Income Tax Act.

Relevance of the Topic : Mains: Evolution of Rights of Transgenders/ Queer Couples’ and related issues. 

Under the Income Tax Act, no such tax on gifts is levied on heterosexual couples. No such exemption exists for queer couples, which violates Articles 14 and Article 15 of the Constitution.

The case highlights the persistent problem of how to operationalise queer rights recognised in court verdicts and government advisories without a legal framework of relationship recognition.

Who are Queer Couples?

  • Queer couples are partners where one or both identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or other non-heteronormative identities.
  • Such couples do not fall within the conventional legal framework of marriage in India, as the marriage laws (like the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 or Special Marriage Act, 1954) recognise only heterosexual unions.
  • They may cohabit, share financial and emotional responsibilities, and live as families, but the state does not currently grant them the same legal status and protections as heterosexual couples.

Evolution of Queer Rights in India: 

  • Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018): The SC decriminalised consensual same-sex relations by striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
  • Deepika Singh v. Central Administrative Tribunal (2022): The SC expanded the definition of family beyond marital ties to include non-traditional households. ​​The legal understanding of “family” may include manifestations like queer families as well as single parents.
  • Supriya Chakraborty v. Union of India (2023): The SC upheld the validity of the Special Marriage Act, 1954, and held that the right to marry is not a fundamental right for queer persons. There is no unqualified fundamental right to marry under the Constitution. But it unanimously recognised that queer persons have the right to relationship, cohabitation, and choice of partner. The SC also directed the Union Government to set up a Cabinet Secretary-led committee to identify entitlements of queer couples in the absence of marriage recognition.

Right To Marry in India:

  • As per Article 21 of Indian Constitution, Marriage is an element of the Right to Life. Article 21 guarantees the Right to Marry the person of one's choice.
  • For Queers: The government has already acknowledged the right to love, right to cohabit, right to choose one’s partner, right to one’s sexual orientation as fundamental rights under Article 21.

Policy Measures after the 2023 Verdict

  • The Department of Food and Public Distribution issued an advisory directing states to treat queer partners as members of the same household for ration cards.
  • The Department of Financial Services issued an advisory clarifying that queer persons can open joint bank accounts and nominate their partners.
  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued guidelines prohibiting discrimination in hospitals and allowing queer partners to claim the body of a deceased partner.

These measures are steps forward, but they remain limited to advisories and face challenges in practical implementation.

Challenges in Realising Queer Rights: 

  • Even if courts or government issue favourable orders, queer couples require a recognised mechanism to prove that they are in a partnership.
  • Departments and authorities lack a uniform way to identify queer couples who should receive entitlements.
  • Without a recognised proof of association, advisories and court verdicts risk remaining ineffective in practice.

The Bombay High Court admitted the petition of the same-sex couple challenging discriminatory taxation of gifts. A favourable ruling could extend equality in tax treatment to queer couples. However, implementation of such a verdict will still require a credible method to verify who qualifies as a partner in a queer relationship.

The Deed of Familial Association (DoFA) as a Possible Solution

  • In 2023, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court suggested that the Tamil Nadu government should consider recognising a Deed of Familial Association (DoFA).
  • A DoFA would allow queer partners to submit affidavits of their free will to a District Magistrate or other authorised officer to register their association.
  • The issuance of a DoFA would give official proof of a queer relationship that could be presented before departments or institutions.
  • It could help operationalise court orders, advisories, and government circulars by creating a uniform recognition of queer partnerships.

Such a mechanism would reduce arbitrariness, help protect rights, and ensure that entitlements already granted are actually accessible.

Also Read: Embracing Diversity: Paving the Way for Transgender Inclusivity and Equality 

Issues with Sikh Marriage Registration

Context: The Supreme Court has directed 17 States and 8 Union Territories to frame rules for the registration of Sikh marriages under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, within four months. 

Till then, Sikh couples can register their marriages under existing laws. This ensures legal recognition of Anand Karaj marriages, but it does not solve deeper problems with the Act.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Anand Marriage Act. 

What is Anand Karaj?

  • Anand Karaj, literally “blissful union”, is the prescribed form of marriage in the Sikh faith. 
  • The ceremony is conducted in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of the Sikhs. 

Anand Marriage Act 1909: 

  • In the early 20th century, efforts by the Sikh community for legal recognition of their distinct marriage ceremony (specifically to differentiate it from Hindu rituals) led to the enactment of the Anand Marriage Act in 1909. 
  • The Act legally sanctifies all marriages solemnised through the Anand Karaj ceremony. However, the original Act did not include provisions for the registration of these marriages. This gap was addressed over a century later with the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012. 

Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012: 

  • The Amendment introduced Section 6, which directed state governments to create rules for the registration of Anand Karaj marriages. 
  • Once registered under the Act, a couple would not need to register their marriage under any other law.

Issues with Anand Marriage Act

  • The Act only provides for recognition and registration of marriages but does not cover divorce, custody, or other matrimonial disputes.
  • Sikh couples seeking divorce must still rely on the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which undermines the distinct identity of Sikh personal law.
  • Most States and Union Territories have still not framed rules for the registration of Anand Karaj marriages, despite the 2012 amendment.
  • The failure to notify rules has denied Sikh couples a statutory facility and created uneven access to their legal rights.
  • Without a marriage certificate, Sikh couples face hurdles in matters of residence, maintenance, inheritance, and succession.
  • This inaction has effectively disenfranchised a large section of the Sikh community from the benefits of a central law.

The SC recently addressed this gap and issued a comprehensive set of directions to all States and Union Territories to frame rules for registration of Anand Karaj marriages within four months and held that no application can be refused in the meantime.

Limitations of Supreme Court recent directions:  

  • The order only addresses the problem of registration and does not resolve deeper legal gaps such as provisions for divorce, custody, or other matrimonial disputes.

As a result, Sikh couples must still rely on the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 for matters beyond registration, leaving the larger demand for a comprehensive Sikh Marriage Code unaddressed. 

The problem with Low Inflation 

Context: Inflation in India has fallen sharply in recent months. CPI inflation was at just 2.07% in August 2025 and WPI inflation at 0.52%. While this trend is positive for consumers, it poses challenges for the Union Government’s fiscal arithmetic and Budget management.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Concept of Inflation; Low Inflation: Issues and Implications.

Inflation refers to the sustained rise in the general price level of goods and services. While high inflation erodes purchasing power, moderate inflation is considered desirable as it supports growth and helps maintain fiscal balance. 

However, persistently low inflation, as seen in India in 2025 with CPI inflation at 2.07% and WPI inflation at 0.52%, poses distinct challenges for the economy and government finances.

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Issues with Low Inflation

  • Slower Nominal GDP Growth: The government’s fiscal calculations depend on nominal GDP, which includes both real growth and inflation. With prices barely rising (stagnant) due to lower inflation, nominal GDP growth has slowed falling below the 10.1% assumed in the Union Budget 2025-26.
  • Weaker Tax Revenues: Tax collections are directly linked to nominal GDP growth. Lower inflation means slower growth in the value of goods and services i.e., weak GST and excise revenues. In April-July 2025, gross tax revenue grew by only 1% year-on-year, while net tax revenue declined by 7.5%.
  • Fiscal Deficit Ratios Under Strain: The fiscal deficit and debt are measured as a share of nominal GDP. With a lower GDP base, deficit and debt ratios look worse even if the government’s borrowing remains constant. This risks India’s FRBM targets (3% fiscal deficit in the medium term, 60% debt-GDP ceiling).

Implications of Persistently Low Inflation: 

  • Budgetary Stress: Lower tax revenues make it harder for the government to meet Budget targets and maintain fiscal discipline. Budget credibility is undermined if revenue projections repeatedly fall short.
  • Borrowing vs. Spending Cuts: The government may struggle to meet its revenue targets, which could force either higher borrowing or cuts in planned spending.
  • Weak Demand and Employment: Persistently low inflation often reflects weak demand, which can delay job creation and wage growth.
  • Discouraged Private Investment: Weak demand discourages private investment despite high corporate profits.
  • Vicious Cycle Risk: In the long run, prolonged low inflation can create a vicious cycle of weak demand, lower revenues, and constrained fiscal space.
  • Monetary Policy Challenge: RBI has an inflation targeting mandate (4% ±2%). Too-low inflation limits its ability to cut rates (real interest rates rise when inflation falls).
  • Agricultural distress: India’s CPI is food-heavy (~45%). Weak food inflation reflects rural distress and falling farm incomes.

Is Low Inflation always Bad?

  • Low inflation is not always harmful. If it is driven by productivity gains, technological innovation or supply-side efficiencies, it benefits consumers by reducing costs without damaging fiscal health.
  • If caused by weak demand and poor investment sentiment or agricultural distress, it signals structural weakness, reduces revenues, squeezes fiscal space, and slows down both growth and revenues.

For sustainable growth, India requires moderate inflation driven by healthy demand and productivity improvements. 

Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project 

Context: The stalled Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project is under renewed consideration. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Environment Ministry is set to review its clearance amidst the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) being in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project (HEP). 

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Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project (HEP): 

  • Sawalkote HEP is located on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir.
  • It has a planned installed capacity of 1865 MW (1406 MW in Stage I and 450 MW in Stage II).
  • The project involves a 192.5-metre-high concrete gravity dam with a reservoir capacity of 530 MCM spread over 1,159 hectares.
  • It is officially termed a run-of-river scheme, but experts contest this due to its large reservoir.

Delays surrounding the Project: 

  • Originally conceived in 1984, the project has faced delays due to Centre-State disagreements and restrictions imposed by the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that limited India’s use of western rivers.
  • In 2017, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommended environmental clearance, but final approval was withheld due to pending forest clearance.
  • After the suspension of the IWT in 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, the project was revived as a strategic priority for India.

The government views it as critical for strengthening energy security in Jammu & Kashmir and for enhancing India’s strategic leverage over the Chenab River.

Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement 

Context: Recently, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement which formalised the defence and security partnership between the countries. 

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Key provisions of the pact; Implications for India’s strategic interests.

The pact comes in the aftermath of Israel’s strike in Qatar and amid growing regional instability in West Asia, including threats from Iran, Yemen’s Houthis, and Israel’s assertiveness.

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Key Feature of the Defence Pact

  • Mutual Defence Clause: Any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.
  • Strategic Objectives: 
    • To enhance defence cooperation, joint training, and military exchanges.
    • To strengthen joint deterrence against regional adversaries.

Pakistan has announced that its nuclear programme will be made available to Saudi Arabia, if needed, under the new defence pact.

Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Defence Partnership: 

The partnership has deep historical roots shaped by shared security concerns and sustained military cooperation since the 1960s.

Historical Background of Defence Cooperation: 

  • 1960s:  Pakistani troops were stationed in Saudi Arabia to bolster internal and regional security.
  • 1979: Pakistan’s special forces assisted during the Grand Mosque seizure in Mecca.
  • 1982: A Bilateral Security Cooperation Agreement institutionalised defence ties, enabling training, advisory roles, and Pakistani arms supply to Saudi Arabia.

Historically, the Saudi-Pakistan defence equation, underpinned by religious commonality, has been defined by Saudi economic support and Pakistani military assistance. Pakistani military personnel have trained Saudi forces, while Riyadh has provided crucial financial and energy support.

Implications of the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Defence Pact: 

For Saudi Arabia: 

  • Strategic Security: Strengthens deterrence against Iran and its proxies like Houthis, militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon.
  • Regional Balancing: It demonstrates Riyadh’s strategic autonomy, diversifying its defence alignments beyond exclusive reliance on the United States. 

For Pakistan: 

  • Military Benefits: Access to advanced weaponry (possibly via Saudi financing of the US arms purchases).
  • Economic Relief: Strengthens Pakistan’s bargaining power for financial aid and investments from Riyadh.
  • Geopolitical Leverage: Reinforces Pakistan’s role in Muslim world security architecture.
  • Domestic Prestige: Enhances the political capital of Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership.

India’s Position and Concerns: 

India is aware of the long-standing arrangement and will study its implications for national security and regional stability. The strategic concerns include: 

  • Saudi financing may indirectly bolster Pakistan’s military capabilities altering the regional balance of power to India’s disadvantage. 
  • The pact’s mutual defence clause could embolden Pakistan, complicating India’s security calculus in South Asia. 

For Saudi Arabia, its partnership with India continues to offer greater economic and strategic value. A core characteristic of India’s strategic autonomy has been to develop its own relationship with Saudi Arabia (and other countries) with a focus on leveraging India’s economic heft. 

Also Read: India-Saudi Arabia Relations 

Sarnath: India’s UNESCO Nomination for 2025-26

Context: India has officially nominated Sarnath for the UNESCO World Heritage List (2025-26 cycle) ending its 27-year wait on the tentative list. 

Ahead of a UNESCO team’s visit, the ASI will install a corrected plaque crediting Babu Jagat Singh (1787-88) a local ruler, instead of the British, for the rediscovery of the site. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Sarnath.

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Historical and Religious Significance

  • Sarnath is a major Buddhist pilgrimage site where the Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon around 528 BCE.
  • Located about 10 km from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
  • It is also the place where the Buddhist sangha (community) was first formed.
  • Ancient texts refer to the place as Mrigadava (Deer Park) or Rishipatana.
  • Emperor Ashoka (268-232 BCE) erected the famous Lion Capital Pillar at Sarnath, now the national emblem of India. He commissioned monastic structures including the Dhamek Stupa, which marks the spot of the first sermon.
  • Later dynasties, including the Kushanas (1st-4th century CE) and the Guptas (3rd-6th century CE) continued to patronise and expand the site.

Decline and Destruction: 

  • Sarnath flourished as a monastic centre until the 12th century CE, after which it was destroyed and abandoned.
  • Historical accounts attribute this decline to invasions by Qutb-ud-din Aibak (1193 CE) during Muhammad Ghor’s campaign, when temples and monasteries were sacked.
  • By the 13th century, Sarnath was in ruins coinciding with the decline of Buddhism in India.

Rediscovery and Modern Excavations: 

  • The site was rediscovered in 1787-88 when workers of Jagat Singh, Diwan of Raja Chait Singh of Benares, unearthed Buddhist relics while digging for construction materials.
  • In 1799, the site drew wider attention when Jonathan Duncan, a prominent indologist and founder of the Sanskrit College at Varanasi, described the discoveries in his writings. His account spurred interest among British scholars and laid the foundation for systematic excavations.
  • Alexander Cunningham (1835-36), founder of the Archaeological survey of India (ASI), carried out excavations and confirmed Sarnath as the site of the Buddha’s first sermon.
  • The most significant excavations, however, were carried out in 1904-05. They unearthed over 470 relics and 41 inscriptions giving the site its current archaeological identity.

Contemporary Significance: 

  • Today, Sarnath is recognised as one of the four holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites, along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, and Kushinagara.
  • In 2024-25, over 8.43 lakh visitors visited the site, according to ASI data.
  • Its nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List underscores India’s efforts to preserve and promote its Buddhist heritage globally.

Advanced Air Defence Radars

Context: The Indian Army has initiated the procurement of a new range of advanced Air Defence (AD) radars to strengthen its surveillance and strike capabilities along the Northern and Western borders.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About radar and its working.

This step comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor (May 2025) during which some Pakistani drones intruded into Indian airspace which exposed serious gaps in India’s air defence coverage. 

What is Radar? 

  • Radar is the acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging.
  • It is a specialised electronic system that uses radio waves to determine the direction, distance, and velocity of target objects. 
  • Air Defence radars are used by the military to search, detect, identify, and help destroy aerial threats.
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How Radar Works? 

  • A radar comprises two basic components: Transmitter and Receiver.
  • A transmitter sends out radio signals, and a receiver collects any reflected signals from the target. 
  • The angular direction of a target is determined based on the direction from which the reflected signals are received. The measurement of the location of a target at successive moments helps calculate its trajectory. 
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There are primarily two kinds of Air Defence Radars: Surveillance radars and Fire control radars.

  • Surveillance Radars: These constantly scan the skies to detect aerial objects. They provide early warning but are not directly linked to weapon systems.
  • Fire Control Radars: These provide precise tracking data to guide surface-to-air guns and missile systems for neutralising threats.

Current Air Defence Radar Capabilities in India: 

  • Both the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) operate surveillance and fire control radars. The IAF manages most High Power Radars (HPRs) and Medium Power Radars (MPRs).
    • They can detect and track aerial threats several hundred kilometres away, especially at higher altitudes.
    • These radars are essential against high-value threats such as fighter jets, enemy transport aircraft, and Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS).
  • Both the IAF and Army also operate Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLRs), which are designed to detect smaller aerial objects flying at low altitudes.
  • For fire control, the IAF uses the 3D Central Acquisition Radar and the Rajendra Radar, while the Army primarily employs Flycatchers (indigenously upgraded Super Fledermaus) and the Air Defence Tactical Control Radar.

Issues with the Existing Infrastructure: 

  • Many of the Army’s radars are aging and inadequate for detecting low-RCS drones and UAV swarms. 
    • The Radar Cross Section (RCS) is a measure of how detectable an object is to radar, usually expressed in square metres. A lower RCS makes an object harder to detect.
  • During Operation Sindoor (2025), Pakistan used hundreds of drones, including decoys and attack UAVs, to breach Indian airspace and expose system vulnerabilities.

Experiences from conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza show that traditional air defence systems are easily overwhelmed by swarms of drones and stealthy aerial objects, underscoring the urgent need for modernised detection and response systems in India.

The Army has sought to procure up to 45 Low Level Light Weight Radars (Enhanced), up to 48 Air Defence Fire Control Radar-Drone Detectors (ADFCR-DD), and 10 Low Level Light Weight Radars (Improved). 

Significance: 

  • These systems will specifically address challenges posed by small, low-flying, and low- Radar Cross Section (RCS drones) which older radars struggle to detect.
  • Enhanced LLLRs will provide accurate detection and transmit target data to weapons up to 10 km away.
  • ADFCR-DDs will allow identification, classification, and engagement of even the smallest drones, thereby making counter-drone operations more effective.

The procurement of advanced AD radars enhances India’s preparedness against emerging aerial threats and supports the creation of a seamless multi-layered defence shield envisioned under Mission Sudarshan Chakra.

Mars Rover Perseverance discovers Potential Biosignature in Mars 

Context: NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance (exploring the Martian surface since 2021) has found the strongest signs yet that some form of life may have existed on Mars in the past.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance findings; NASA’s Perseverance Mission.

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Perseverance’s Finding:

  • NASA's Perseverance rover discovered leopard spots on a reddish rock nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” in Mars' Jezero Crater in 2024.
  • The rock was found to contain clay and silt, which are known on Earth to preserve microbial life effectively.
  • The analysis also revealed the presence of organic carbon, sulphur, oxidised iron (rust), and phosphorus.
  • These minerals could have formed through biological activity but may also have resulted from purely chemical, non-biological processes.
  • The rock sample has been described as containing a “potential biosignature”, but not yet confirmed as evidence of life.

What are Biosignatures?

  • Biosignatures are objects, structures, or chemical compositions that may have a biological origin. They indicate the possible presence or activity of living organisms, either in the past or present.
  • A biosignature is any substance such as an element, isotope, or molecule or phenomenon that provides scientific evidence of past or present life.

Significance of the Finding

  • This is the closest NASA has ever come to detecting signs of life on Mars.
  • The discovery has the potential to revolutionise our understanding of Mars’s history and its capacity to host life.
  • The clay-rich nature of the sample is particularly important, as clay is known to be an excellent preserver of microbial signatures on Earth.

However, the finding does not conclusively prove the existence of life on Mars. The structures and chemical compositions detected could also be explained by non-living (abiotic) processes.

NASA’s Perseverance Mission (Mars 2020 Mission)

  • Launched: 2020. Landed in Mars: Feb 2021 
  • Rover: NASA’s 4th generation Mars Rover. It is the most advanced, most expensive & most sophisticated mobile laboratory sent to Mars till date. It is different from previous missions as it can drill & collect core samples of most promising rocks & soils. The rover landed at Jezero Crater - an ancient river delta that has rocks and minerals that could only form in water.
  • Ingenuity Helicopter: Autonomous helicopter that operated on Mars till January 2024. Travelled to Mars attached to the belly of the Perseverance rover and was deployed to the surface after landing in Jezero Crater. First aircraft to conduct a powered and controlled extra-terrestrial flight on a planet after Earth. 
  • Objectives:
    • To look for biosignatures in either the chemical measurements or morphological observations, in the dried-up lakebed at Jezero Crater. 
    • To demonstrate technology for future robotic and human exploration. Perseverance will produce oxygen on the Martian surface for the first time, using atmospheric CO2 from the Martian atmosphere.
  • Perseverance will drill and collect rock samples that will be returned to Earth by a subsequent European Space Agency/NASA mission in 2030s. Perseverance carries the Radar Imager for Mars’ Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX). RIMFAX will provide high resolution mapping of the subsurface structure at the landing site. 
  • Power source: It has a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) which converts heat from the natural radioactive decay of plutonium (Plutonium Dioxide) into electricity.

Why does India not import corn from the US?

Context: The US Commerce Secretary has questioned India for not opening up its market to American Corn. Differences over agricultural trade is at the heart of the trade dispute between India and the US.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: India-US Trade dispute: Agriculture Sector 

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Why does India not import corn from the US? 

There are three reasons why India does not buy American Corn:

  • Self-sufficiency in Corn production: India produces around 34-36 million tonnes of corn annually, making it the world’s fifth-largest producer of corn. 
  • Concerns over GM Corn: The US grows more than 90% of its corn from GM seeds. However, India does not permit the cultivation or import of genetically modified food or feed (with the exception of GM cotton). 
  • Protect farmers’ interest:
    • India needs to protect its fragile agricultural sector that employs 500 million people against imports from countries that heavily subsidise their agriculture. Allowing cheaper GM imports would undercut Indian farmers. 
    • Smallholders (backbone of India’s agricultural economy) fear that allowing GM corn would open the gates to multinational corporations controlling seed markets. Dependence on patented seed technology could erode centuries-old practices like seed saving, while also raising questions of consumer safety and environmental impact. 

Reasons the US is exploring alternate markets:

  • China has been a major buyer of US corn, taking nearly a third of America’s exports. After the recent US-China trade war, China has begun to buy corn and soyabeans from Brazil, throwing the US agriculture sector into a crisis.
  • With India’s rising corn consumption (particularly for ethanol-blended petrol programme), the US sees an enormous opportunity to export corn to India. 

Increased demand for corn in India:

  • Traditionally, corn is consumed into poultry feed, starch, and processed foods. 
  • In recent years, a growing share has been diverted toward ethanol production. In the latest cycle, India used 3.5 million tonnes of corn to produce around 1.35 billion litres of ethanol. 
  • With the government pushing for 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025-26, annual corn demand for biofuel alone could rise to 6-7 million tonnes.
  • In 2024-25, India imported 0.97 million tonnes of corn (most of which came from Myanmar and Ukraine which export non-GM corn that meets Indian standards). The imports from the US were miniscule (just 1100 tonnes). Thus, there is some scope for corn imports from the US for use in producing ethanol. 

However, importing GM corn even for ethanol production has been firmly rejected, with sugar mills and farmer unions warning it could marginalise sugarcane and disrupt the ethanol-blended petrol programme. 

Also Read: US’s Tariffs: Nature, Impacts, and Lessons for India 

The dispute reflects not just trade imbalances but a deeper clash over farming practices, food security, and agricultural sovereignty.   

Yudh Abhyas 2025: India-US Joint Exercise 

Context: The 21st edition of Yudh Abhyas 2025, India-US Joint Exercise, concluded in Alaska in the United States. 

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Yudh Abhyas 2025. 

Yudh Abhyas 2025: India-US Joint Exercise 

  • It is an annual bilateral army-to-army drill between India and the US. 
  • The exercise has steadily grown in scale and complexity alternating between locations in India and the US. 
  • Infantry units, artillery, aviation, electronic warfare and counter-drone systems were employed under joint command and control. The joint exercise provides valuable lessons in operational planning, command and control, precision, adaptability and joint targeting.

Yudh Abhyas is a hallmark of the growing military-to-military interaction between India and the US, aligned with the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between both countries. 

Important bilateral exercises between India and the US

India has the largest number of military exercises with the US, which are growing in scale and complexity. Important bilateral exercises include: 

  • Yudh Abhyas (Army)
  • Vajra Prahar (Special Forces)
  • Malabar (Navy)
  • Cope India (Air Force)
  • Tiger Triumph (tri-services)  

Also Read: US-India Defence Ties 

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