The Union Home Ministry has released "PRAHAAR," India's first-ever National Counter Terrorism Policy and Strategy. The policy highlights that India faces threats across water, land, and air from both state and non-state actors, including cyber-attacks and "sponsored terrorism." It emphasizes that terrorism is not linked to any specific religion or ethnicity. Key objectives include establishing a uniform anti-terrorism structure across states, criminalizing all terrorist acts, and denying access to funds and safe havens. It also addresses modern challenges like the use of drones, encrypted messaging, and CBRNED materials by terror groups to operate anonymously.
India faces multi-dimensional threats from global groups like al-Qaeda and IS, often operating through sleeper cells.
The policy aims to standardize anti-terrorism processes across all Indian states for a synergistic response.
It identifies the misuse of social media, dark web, and crypto wallets as major tools for anonymous terror operations.
Exam Points
Policy Name: PRAHAAR (National Counter Terrorism Policy and Strategy).
CBRNED stands for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive, and Digital materials.
The policy was uploaded on the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) website in February 2026.
The AI Impact Summit in New Delhi highlighted India's position as a massive user base for Artificial Intelligence. During the summit, 89 countries signed a voluntary declaration to share knowledge on AI democratization. However, India faces challenges such as high infrastructure costs, specifically the rising price of GPUs, and a reliance on foreign capital. The article suggests that while India is a hub for model deployment, it must focus on training and fine-tuning to mitigate risks. It calls for the Global South to lead in building safety standards and tools to exercise leverage over Large Language Models (LLMs).
India is currently the largest user base for AI technologies outside of the United States.
A total of 89 countries have committed to a voluntary framework for sharing AI knowledge and democratization.
High costs of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and electrical capacity are significant hurdles for domestic AI deployment.
Exam Points
89 countries signed the declaration on AI democratization at the summit.
India is cited as the largest AI user base outside the U.S.
India is facing a largely neglected crisis in adolescent mental health, exacerbated by an unregulated digital environment and the spread of low-priced internet. Findings from the National Mental Health Survey indicate that 7-10% of school-aged children have diagnosable conditions like ADHD, anxiety, or depression. The Economic Survey 2025-26 has officially acknowledged these challenges, proposing preventive strategies. The article advocates for school-based screening, training for frontline workers, and community-based counseling. It also highlights the severe shortage of specialized professionals, with fewer than 10,000 psychiatrists for a population of 1.4 billion.
The National Mental Health Survey shows high prevalence of ADHD and emotional disorders among Indian adolescents.
Excessive screen use is linked to sleep disruption, social withdrawal, and emotional regulation issues.
India suffers from a critical shortage of trained child and adolescent mental health professionals.
Exam Points
Economic Survey 2025-26 explicitly acknowledged rising mental health challenges among youth.
National Mental Health Survey suggests 7% to 10% of Indian adolescents have diagnosable mental health conditions.
There are fewer than 10,000 psychiatrists for India's 1.4 billion population.
At the India Energy Week 2026, Prime Minister Modi emphasized India's $500 billion investment opportunities in the energy sector, focusing on green hydrogen and its derivative, green ammonia. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) recently concluded a successful auction under the SIGHT programme, attracting 15 bidders. This auction model is seen as a global benchmark, achieving prices significantly lower than international standards. Green ammonia, produced by combining nitrogen with green hydrogen, is crucial for decarbonizing industries like fertilizers and marine fuel. The initiative aims to insulate India from global gas market volatility and currency risks.
Green ammonia is produced by combining nitrogen with green hydrogen, serving as a clean alternative for fertilizers and fuel.
SECI's auction under the SIGHT programme resulted in seven successful awardees for 7,24,000 tonnes of green ammonia.
The discovered prices for green ammonia in India range between ₹49.75 and ₹64.74 per kg.
Exam Points
SIGHT stands for Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition.
SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India) managed the green ammonia tender.
India's energy sector targets $500 billion in investments.
The Supreme Court recently upheld that the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, does not apply to Scheduled Tribes, reaffirming the legal principle of providing special protection to indigenous customs. In the case of Nawang v. Bahadur, the court overturned a High Court order that had granted inheritance rights to tribal women who had 'Hinduised.' The ruling confirms the constitutional validity of Section 2(2) of the Act, which excludes Scheduled Tribes. While this protects customary laws, it leaves many tribal women without absolute property rights, leading to calls for a separate enactment to ensure gender parity while preserving tribal identity.
Section 2(2) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, specifically excludes Scheduled Tribes from its purview.
The Supreme Court ruled that Parliament, not the judiciary, has the authority to extend the Act to tribal communities.
Customary laws in many tribal communities deny absolute property rights to women, creating a legal gap.
Exam Points
Case Name: Nawang v. Bahadur (Supreme Court, October 8, 2025).
Relevant Law: Section 2(2) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956.
Mizoram is cited as a state that has codified customary laws of succession.
India's trade delegation recently postponed a trip to Washington intended to finalize an Interim Agreement with the U.S. This delay comes amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, including U.S. court rulings affecting President Trump's ability to levy tariffs. India aims to import $500 billion worth of energy, aircraft, and technology from the U.S. over the next five years. Simultaneously, India's imports of Russian crude oil have fallen to a 38-month low as of December 2025, with Russia's share dropping below 25%. The article analyzes the complex interplay between tariff threats, energy security, and international trade agreements.
India has a target to import $500 billion in goods from the U.S., including energy and defense equipment.
Russian crude oil imports to India hit a 38-month low in late 2025 due to various market and geopolitical pressures.
U.S. legal experts suggest the President may lack executive authority to levy tariffs on India without Congressional backing.
Exam Points
Target: $500 billion U.S. imports over 5 years.
Russian oil share in India's imports fell to less than 25% in December 2025.
The value of Indian electronic parts exports grew 117% year-on-year to $2.1 billion.
The independence of the Election Commission (EC) is a bedrock of Indian democracy, protected by Article 324 of the Constitution. Recent controversies have emerged regarding the 2023 Act governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other ECs. Critics argue that the new selection committee, comprising the PM, a Union Minister, and the Leader of Opposition, undermines the SC's Anoop Baranwal judgment. The article discusses the constitutional mandate for a permanent EC and the rigorous removal process for the CEC, which is similar to that of a Supreme Court judge, ensuring protection from arbitrary executive action.
Article 324 provides for a permanent Election Commission with powers of superintendence, direction, and control of elections.
The CEC can only be removed from office in a manner similar to a Supreme Court judge (impeachment).
The 2023 Act changed the selection process for ECs, which is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court.
Exam Points
Article 324: Constitutional provision for the Election Commission.
Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India (2023): Landmark SC case on EC appointments.
The 2023 Act: Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act.
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