The Centre officially disclosed the names of six armed forces personnel, five from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Air Force, who laid down their lives during the cross-border Operation Sindoor in May 2025. Their names have been included in the Roll of Honour on the National War Memorial website and will be inscribed on the Tyag Chakra (Circle of Sacrifice) at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. This marks the first official disclosure of casualties from this specific operation.
The government officially disclosed the names of six armed forces personnel killed in Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
Five personnel were from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Air Force.
Their names are added to the Roll of Honour on the National War Memorial website.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court declared a 2024 G.O. unconstitutional, which allowed converts to Islam to claim Backward Class (BC) status. The court reiterated its 1951 verdict, stating that a Hindu converting to Islam becomes 'just a Mussalman' and loses their previous caste status in Muslim society, which is considered egalitarian. The ruling emphasized the doctrine of separation of powers, asserting that a government order cannot override a court's final judgment. The court also noted the arbitrariness of the G.O. in accommodating various caste converts into BC Muslim categories.
The Madras High Court struck down a 2024 G.O. allowing converts to Islam to claim Backward Class Muslim status.
The court reaffirmed its 1951 ruling that a Hindu convert to Islam becomes 'just a Mussalman' and loses prior caste identity, as Islam promotes an egalitarian society.
The ruling underscored the doctrine of separation of powers, stating that government orders cannot nullify court judgments.
Exam Points
Madurai Bench of Madras High Court issued the ruling.
A 2024 G.O. was declared unconstitutional.
The ruling cited a 1951 Madras High Court verdict.
Two powerful earthquakes, magnitudes 7.1 and 7.5, struck Venezuela, causing significant destruction and casualties, underscoring the critical importance of disaster preparedness. The article notes India's own vulnerability, criticizing the shelving of revised seismic standards that had indicated higher risks along the Himalayan front. It argues that while earthquake prediction remains uncertain, building safe and resilient structures is the only effective strategy to mitigate the impact of natural disasters. Nearly 79% of Indians live under moderate to severe seismic threat, with most earthquake deaths occurring in un-coded one-to-three-storey houses.
Venezuela experienced a devastating 'doublet' earthquake, revealing the severe consequences of inadequate preparedness.
The article criticizes India's decision to shelve revised seismic standards that had indicated higher risks in the Himalayan region.
Despite advancements in prediction, the focus must remain on building resilient infrastructure to protect inhabitants.
Exam Points
Venezuela earthquakes: magnitudes 7.1 and 7.5.
Türkiye-Syria earthquakes of 2023 killed over 55,000 people.
US Geological Survey (USGS) identifies 'doublet' quakes.
The proposed India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) aims to boost bilateral trade, which has historically been modest despite untapped potential. Beyond traditional tariff reductions, the FTA emphasizes addressing non-tariff barriers, trade facilitation measures, and robust compliance mechanisms. India offers duty-free access across 100% of its tariff lines to New Zealand, while cautiously protecting sensitive domestic sectors like dairy. The agreement is also expected to significantly benefit India's services sector, including technology and healthcare, through improved market access and mobility provisions. Businesses are urged to prioritize compliance with Rules of Origin (RoO) and strengthen supply-chain documentation to maximize benefits.
The India-New Zealand FTA seeks to enhance bilateral trade, which has been modest despite untapped potential.
Modern FTAs, like this one, go beyond tariff reductions to include trade facilitation, non-tariff barrier resolution, and robust compliance mechanisms.
India provides duty-free access for 100% of New Zealand's tariff lines but protects sensitive domestic sectors.
Exam Points
Bilateral merchandise trade between India and New Zealand was $1.3 billion in FY 2024-25.
India's exports to New Zealand accounted for $711 million in FY 2024-25.
The FTA incorporates detailed product-specific Rules of Origin (RoO) framework.
This article critiques the narrative of India as the world's fastest-growing major economy, arguing that deep structural weaknesses and external shocks threaten its long-term prospects. It highlights India's heavy reliance on imported energy and fertilizers, leading to trade deficits and rupee depreciation. The author points to the weakening of rural safety nets like MGNREGA, cautious international investor sentiment, and India's marginal presence in critical 21st-century technologies (AI, semiconductors). The piece concludes that the promised manufacturing revolution and demographic dividend utilization have not materialized, leading to concentrated wealth and socialized burdens, urging for a shift towards public investment and social protection.
India's economic growth narrative is undermined by vulnerabilities such as heavy dependence on imported energy and fertilizers.
Rising fuel costs and a weak monsoon threaten to exacerbate inflation and reduce rural incomes, weakening domestic consumption.
The government's weakening of rural safety nets like MGNREGA has increased economic uncertainty for millions.
Exam Points
India imports nearly 90% of crude oil and about half of its natural gas requirements.
RBI sold over $53 billion in FY2025-26 to support the rupee.
The rupee has fallen to a historic low of about ₹95 against the U.S. dollar.
Following the Taliban's 2022 ban on drugs in Afghanistan, Myanmar has become a primary global opium source, significantly impacting India's eastern borders. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) 2026 annual report highlights that Myanmar's illicit opium cultivation expanded by 56% between 2021-2023, reaching 45,200 hectares. Manipur and Mizoram, with their porous borders and Free Movement Regime, serve as direct entry points for drugs like heroin and methamphetamine into India. Drone-based trafficking from Pakistan also saw a 100-fold increase in incidents over five years, particularly affecting Punjab, indicating the growing operational maturity of trafficking networks using UAVs.
Myanmar has emerged as a major global opium source after the Taliban's drug ban in Afghanistan.
Myanmar's illicit opium cultivation expanded by 56% between 2021 and 2023, reaching 45,200 hectares.
India's eastern borders, particularly through Manipur and Mizoram, are direct and porous entry points for drug trafficking.
Exam Points
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) 2026 annual report.
Myanmar's opium cultivation increased by 56% (2021-2023).
45,200 hectares under poppy cultivation in Myanmar.
The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has instructed State governments to direct registered organ transplant hospitals to publish post-transplant survival data on their websites. This initiative aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and empower patients to make informed choices regarding transplant procedures. The data, collected for the first time on such a scale, will cover survival rates for kidney, lung, and heart transplants. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), under the Directorate-General of Health Services, maintains a registry of kidney donors and recipients and will use this data to strengthen monitoring and policy decisions, despite challenges in data collation and authentication.
The Union Health Ministry mandated registered organ transplant hospitals to publish post-transplant survival data on their websites.
This move aims to increase transparency, accountability, and empower patients to make informed decisions about transplant procedures.
The data will cover survival rates for various organ transplants, including kidney, lung, and heart.
Exam Points
Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry issued the directive.
National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) is responsible for the registry.
NOTTO functions under the Directorate-General of Health Services.
The Union Food and Public Distribution Department has proposed amendments to the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, revising foodgrain allocation for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households. The new provision entitles each person in an AAY household to 7 kg of foodgrains per month, with a maximum of 35 kg per household, free of charge. This replaces the previous norm of a flat 35 kg per AAY household, irrespective of size. The government states this aims to remove intra-category inequities and align entitlements with nutritional requirements, though critics argue it may reduce overall allocation for smaller families and create a 'North-South divide.'
The Union government proposed amendments to the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, regarding foodgrain allocation for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households.
The new rule allocates 7 kg of foodgrains per person per month, with a maximum of 35 kg per AAY household, free of cost.
This replaces the previous flat 35 kg per household allocation, aiming to address inequities based on household size.
Exam Points
National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, is being amended.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households are affected.
Proposed allocation: 7 kg per person, max 35 kg per household.
The Union Health Ministry has proposed amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, to simplify the procedure for importing drugs for examination, test, or analysis. An acknowledgement-based system will replace licensing for importing small quantities of drugs for analytical and non-clinical testing, except for certain sensitive categories. This deregulation aims to boost the R&D sector and promote ease of doing business in the pharma sector. Additionally, the Ministry proposes revising the minimum residual shelf-life norm for imported drugs to 12 months, ensuring sufficient time for distribution and consumption, though biological products and radiopharmaceuticals retain the 60% norm due to their specialized nature.
The Union Health Ministry proposes amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, to simplify drug import procedures for testing and R&D.
An acknowledgement-based system will be introduced for importing small quantities of drugs, replacing the need for licenses, except for specific sensitive drug categories.
This deregulation is intended to boost the pharmaceutical R&D sector and improve ease of doing business.
Exam Points
Drugs Rules, 1945, are being amended.
New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, were amended in January 2026.