The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a suo motu case regarding the definition of the Aravalli Hills and Range. This judicial intervention follows concerns that a narrow definition could facilitate unregulated mining and cause severe ecological damage. Previously, the court accepted a definition from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which identifies 'Aravalli Hills' as landforms with an elevation of 100 meters or more above local relief. An 'Aravalli Range' is defined as a collection of two or more such hills within 500 meters of each other. The court aims to identify permissible mining areas while strictly protecting restoration priority zones.
The Supreme Court is taking suo motu cognizance to prevent ecological harm from unbridled mining in the Aravalli region.
The Ministry of Environment defines Aravalli Hills based on a minimum elevation of 100 meters above local relief.
The Aravalli Range is categorized as a cluster of hills located within 500 meters of one another.
Exam Points
Aravalli Hills definition requires an elevation of 100 metres or more above local relief.
Aravalli Range is defined as a collection of two or more hills within 500 metres of each other.
The Special Vacation Bench is headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
The West Bengal police have registered a 'Zero FIR' at the Suti police station concerning the murder of a migrant worker in Sambalpur, Odisha. The victim, a 19-year-old from Jangipur, was allegedly killed by a local group on suspicion of being Bangladeshi. A Zero FIR allows a police station to register a complaint regardless of the jurisdiction where the crime occurred, which is then transferred to the appropriate station. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee highlighted the incident as a case of oppression against migrant workers, and a police team has been dispatched to Odisha to investigate the matter.
A Zero FIR can be filed at any police station irrespective of the place of incident to ensure immediate investigation.
The case involves the killing of a West Bengal migrant worker in Sambalpur, Odisha, allegedly over linguistic identity.
Six persons have been arrested so far in connection with the incident by local authorities.
Exam Points
The Zero FIR was filed at Suti police station in West Bengal for a crime committed in Sambalpur, Odisha.
The victim was a 19-year-old migrant laborer from Jangipur.
Six arrests have been made in the case as of the report date.
Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has withdrawn a counterfeit batch of its human anti-rabies vaccine, Abhayrab, from the market. This action follows an advisory from Australian health authorities warning travelers about a fake batch (No. KA 24014) circulating in India since November 2023. IIL clarified that the counterfeit batch was an isolated incident and that all genuine batches are tested and released by the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) in Kasauli. Rabies is a fatal viral zoonotic disease affecting the central nervous system, and the firm emphasized that its legitimate supplies remain safe and of standard quality for both pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis.
A counterfeit batch of Abhayrab vaccine (Batch # KA 24014) was identified and pulled from shelves following international alerts.
The Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) is the national authority responsible for testing and releasing vaccine batches in India.
Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, making vaccine integrity critical.
Exam Points
The counterfeit batch number is KA 24014 with an expiry date of February 2027.
The Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) is a WHO-Geneva pre-qualified laboratory under the National Regulatory Authority.
Rabies affects the central nervous system and is nearly 100% fatal upon symptom onset.
A panel under the Ministry of Environment has granted approval for the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage 2 hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. Located on the Chenab river, this run-of-the-river project is estimated to cost over ₹3,200 crore. The approval comes at a time when India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (1960) with Pakistan following regional tensions. Consequently, India is accelerating several hydroelectric projects in the Indus basin, including Sawalkote, Ratle, and Pakal Dul. Dulhasti Stage 2 is an extension of the existing 390-MW Stage 1 project operated by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
The 260-MW Dulhasti Stage 2 project is located on the Chenab river in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir.
India is pushing ahead with Indus basin projects as the Indus Waters Treaty is currently in abeyance.
The project is a run-of-the-river type, estimated to cost approximately ₹3,200 crore and requiring 60.3 hectares of land.
Exam Points
The project capacity is 260 megawatts and is located in the Kishtwar district.
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960.
The project is an extension of the 390-MW Dulhasti Stage I power station which has operated since 2007.
The Indian Railways has missed its second deadline for installing the indigenous 'Kavach' automatic train protection system on the high-traffic Mumbai-Delhi-Kolkata routes. Originally targeted for March 2025 and then December 2025, the new operational goal is now set for 2026. Kavach is a high-technology system designed to prevent collisions by automatically applying brakes if a loco pilot fails to do so. Currently, about 25% of the work on these routes is commissioned, with major components for the remaining 75% already installed. The system has been successfully commissioned on 738 route kilometers so far, with extensive trials of Version 4.0 completed.
Kavach is an indigenous automatic train protection (ATP) system developed by Indian Railways to enhance safety.
The system prevents accidents by maintaining specified speed limits and applying automatic brakes if the driver fails to act.
The deadline for the Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi-Howrah routes has been extended to 2026 due to installation delays.
Exam Points
Kavach Version 4.0 has been successfully commissioned on 738 route km.
Optical fibre cable has been laid along 7,129 km for the system installation.
Track-side equipment is installed on 5,672 route km and in 4,154 locomotives.
Following the conclusion of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with New Zealand, India has effectively achieved a "RCEP minus China" trade strategy. India withdrew from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2019 due to concerns over Chinese manufacturing dominance and potential trade deficits. By signing bilateral FTAs with 14 of the 15 RCEP members (excluding China), India secures market access without the risks of a multilateral pact that includes China. This approach allows India to maintain safeguards for sensitive sectors while integrating with the ASEAN-led economic bloc through individual agreements, avoiding systemic trade vulnerabilities.
India has secured trade deals with all RCEP nations except China by concluding an FTA with New Zealand.
India opted out of RCEP in 2019 to protect its domestic industry from duty-free Chinese imports.
The 'RCEP minus China' strategy provides market access while avoiding the risks of a China-centric multilateral pact.
Exam Points
India refused to join the RCEP in November 2019.
RCEP includes 10 ASEAN members plus Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.
The FTA with New Zealand was announced on December 22.
India's crude oil import strategy has undergone a major transformation, shifting from a heavy reliance on West Asian suppliers to Russia. Historically, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE accounted for two-thirds of India's imports. However, following the 2022 conflict in Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions on Moscow, India began purchasing Russian oil at discounted rates. Russian oil, which accounted for less than 2% of imports in 2021-22, surged to over 35% by 2024-25. Currently, oil from Moscow constitutes one-third of India's overall import basket, reflecting a strategic move to ensure energy security and economic viability amidst global geopolitical shifts.
Russia has emerged as India's top crude oil supplier, providing one-third of the total import basket.
Imports from Russia jumped from under 2% in 2021-22 to approximately 35.8% in 2024-25.
Sanctions on Iran in 2011 and 2018 previously forced India to reduce its Iranian oil share significantly.
Exam Points
Russian oil share in India's imports was 21.6% in 2022-23 and 35.8% in 2024-25.
Before 2005, 70% of India's crude came from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, and UAE.
India is currently the world's third-largest oil consumer.
India's foreign policy in 2025 was marked by significant shifts, including the return of Donald Trump as U.S. President and regional instability in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Key challenges for 2026 include navigating U.S. tariffs, immigration policies, and the "Neighborhood First" policy amidst anti-India sentiments in neighboring countries. Successes in 2025 included a turnaround in ties with Canada and a meeting with the Taliban. Looking ahead, India expects breakthroughs in FTAs with the UK and EU, and will host major events like the Artificial Intelligence Summit and potentially the Quad Summit, aiming for a more realistic assessment of diplomatic options.
The return of Donald Trump has introduced uncertainties regarding tariffs, visas, and immigration policies.
India's 'Neighborhood First' policy faces hurdles due to political turmoil in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Diplomatic successes in 2025 included improved ties with Canada and high-level engagement with the Taliban.
Exam Points
The India-EU free trade agreement is expected to be finalized by January 2026.
India will host the Artificial Intelligence Summit in February 2026.
The G-20 Summit in 2025 is scheduled to be held on a Trump property in Miami.
India's "health for all" initiative is struggling due to a persistent funding deficit, with health spending remaining below 2% of GDP against a target of 2.5%. The withdrawal of U.S. funding through USAID and PEPFAR in early 2025 has further strained key health programs. Major challenges include the rise of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the failure to meet the 2025 TB elimination goal, and critical quality control failures in the pharmaceutical industry, highlighted by deaths linked to contaminated cough syrups. While diagnostic access has improved, the gap between demand and supply in infrastructure remains significant, requiring urgent realignment of priorities.
India's health budget is currently below 2% of GDP, missing the National Health Policy target of 2.5%.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a growing concern, with high resistance rates in hospital-acquired infections like E.coli.
The target to eliminate Tuberculosis by 2025 remains unachieved despite advancements in home-grown molecular tests.
Exam Points
The National Health Policy sets a target of 2.5% of GDP for health spending.
25 children died in Madhya Pradesh due to contaminated cough syrup consumption.
The WHO's GLASS report highlights India's high rates of antimicrobial resistance compared to global averages.
Read more
Read it. Retain it. Recall it.
Get spaced-repetition flashcards, daily quizzes and offline access — free on Android.