Daily Current Affairs 2025  

12/01/2026

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CA-12/01/2026

• Central Repository: Functions as a unified database for all IED incidents.
• AI-Powered Analysis: Uses advanced analytics to identify patterns, modus operandi, and explosive materials used in past attacks.
• Forensic Support: Enhances the quality of forensic evidence, speeding up prosecution and strengthening cases.
• Inter-Agency Coordination: Facilitates seamless information sharing among state police, CAPFs, intelligence agencies, and NSG.
• Security Shield: Designed as a next-generation shield against terrorism, helping anticipate and prevent future attacks.

Benefit	Impact
Unified Data Repository	Eliminates fragmented records, ensuring consistency
Faster Investigations	Provides single-click access to historical IED data
Pattern Recognition	Helps agencies predict and prevent future attacks
Stronger Prosecution	Improves forensic evidence quality for courts
National Coordination	Enhances collaboration across police, CAPFs, and intelligence

• Data Security: As a national repository, safeguarding against cyber threats is critical.
• Training Needs: Agencies must be trained to effectively use the system.
• Interoperability: Ensuring smooth integration with existing state and central databases.
• Continuous Updates: Regular input of new incidents and forensic findings is essential to keep the system relevant.

• Species Identified:
  • Leptobrachium somani (named in honor of late journalist E. Somanath).
  • Leptobrachium mechuka (named after the Mechuka region in Arunachal Pradesh).
• Genus: Leptobrachium (slender-armed frogs). Globally, 39 species are recognized; India now has six.
• Publication: Findings published in the peer-reviewed journal PeerJ on January 9, 2026.
• Location: Remote mountain habitats of Arunachal Pradesh, surveyed over three years across five northeastern states.

• Biodiversity Hotspot: Arunachal Pradesh is part of the Eastern Himalayas, a global biodiversity hotspot. The discovery highlights the region’s rich but underexplored amphibian diversity.
• Conservation Importance: Frogs are sensitive indicators of environmental health. Identifying new species helps in ecosystem monitoring and conservation planning.
• Cultural Recognition: Naming Leptobrachium somani after journalist E. Somanath honors his contributions to environmental reporting, linking science with social awareness.

• Habitat Loss: Deforestation and infrastructure projects threaten fragile ecosystems.
• Climate Change: Amphibians are highly vulnerable to temperature and rainfall shifts.
• Limited Awareness: Many species remain undocumented, making them invisible in conservation policy.

• Scientific name: Loris lydekkerianus
• Family: Loridae (part of the prosimian group, the oldest primates)
• Appearance: Slender body, grey-brown fur, large forward-facing eyes adapted for night vision, and small ears.
• Habitat: Tropical rainforests, dry deciduous forests, scrublands, bamboo thickets, and montane cloud forests.
• Distribution: Found mainly in southern India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka.
• Subspecies: Includes Malabar slender loris, Mysore slender loris (India), Northern Ceylonese slender loris, and Highland slender loris (Sri Lanka).

• Threats: Habitat loss due to deforestation, agriculture, and urbanization; hunting for traditional medicine and pet trade.
• Conservation efforts: Kerala and Tamil Nadu have recently launched habitat restoration and monitoring programs to protect populations.
• IUCN status: Near Threatened, with populations declining in many areas.

• Origin & Naming: Announced on 26 July 2025 (Kargil Vijay Diwas), named after Lord Shiva’s fierce manifestation Bhairav, symbolizing speed and ferocity.
• Structure: Each battalion has about 250 personnel, much smaller than standard infantry units, enabling agility.
• Numbers: Around 15 battalions are already operational, with plans to expand to 25.
• Deployment: Strategically positioned along northern and western borders to counter hybrid warfare.
• Specialization: Every soldier is trained in drone operations, capable of precision strikes deep inside enemy territory.
• Debut: Publicly showcased at the Republic Day Parade (26 Jan 2026) and Army Day Parade (15 Jan 2026, Jaipur).

Feature	Bhairav Battalions	Para SF (Special Forces)	Conventional Infantry
Size per unit	~250 personnel	~600–700 personnel	~800–1000 personnel
Primary Role	High-speed, drone-enabled offensive ops	Deep penetration, covert missions	Holding ground, large-scale combat
Technology Use	Heavy reliance on drones & AI systems	Specialized weapons, limited drone use	Standard weapons, minimal drones
Deployment	Borders (North & West)	Across theaters, including foreign ops	Nationwide
Flexibility	Rapid, light, hybrid warfare	Elite, covert, specialized	Large-scale, slower maneuver

• Hybrid Warfare Readiness: Bhairav units are India’s answer to drone-centric conflicts seen globally (Ukraine, Middle East).
• Force Multiplier: With 100,000+ drone operatives trained across the Army, Bhairav battalions act as the spearhead of unmanned warfare.
• Symbolic Power: Their war cries (e.g., “Raja Ramchandra ki Jai” for 2 Bhairav Battalion) highlight morale and cultural identity.

• Core Idea: Plants are not passive organisms; they can perceive mechanical vibrations from sound waves and adjust their physiology accordingly.

• Sound Perception: Plants can detect vibrations from environmental sounds such as pollinators buzzing, wind, or herbivores chewing.
• Stress Signals: Experiments show stressed plants (e.g., drought conditions) emit ultrasonic clicks, which can be detected by sensitive microphones.
• Growth & Development: Exposure to certain sound frequencies has been linked to enhanced germination, faster growth, and improved nutrient uptake.
• Defense Mechanisms: Some studies suggest plants exposed to sounds of herbivores chewing may increase chemical defenses preemptively.

• Research indicates musical stimuli can positively affect plant growth. Classical or rhythmic music sometimes enhances leaf size, flowering, or yield.

• Mechanism Unclear: Unlike animals, plants lack ears or nervous systems, so how they "hear" is still debated.
• Experimental Variability: Results differ across species, sound types, and experimental setups.
• Practical Applications: While promising for agriculture (e.g., sound-based growth stimulation), large-scale use needs more validation.

• Developing sound-based farming techniques to boost yields.
• Monitoring plant health via acoustic emissions.
• Understanding plant communication networks in ecosystems.

• Location: Raisen & Sehore districts, Madhya Pradesh, close to Bhopal.
• Area: ~1,271 sq. km, spread across Vindhya hills.
• Boundaries: Runs parallel to the northern side of the Narmada River; Kolar River forms the western boundary.
• History:
  • Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1976.
  • Upgraded to tiger reserve in 2024, making it MP’s 8th tiger reserve.

• Fauna:
  • Tigers (main attraction, including “city tigers” occasionally seen near Bhopal’s outskirts).
  • Leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, hyenas, and herbivores like chital, sambar, and nilgai.
• Birdlife: Rich avifauna, making it a hotspot for birdwatchers.
• Flora: Dry deciduous forests with teak, sal, and mixed vegetation typical of Vindhya ranges.

• Urban Pressure: Expansion of Bhopal and human activity near reserve boundaries.
• Conservation Needs: Strict monitoring of tiger corridors, minimizing human-wildlife conflict, and eco-tourism regulation.
• Positive Step: Its designation as a tiger reserve strengthens Madhya Pradesh’s role as India’s “Tiger State.”

• Launch & Location: Inaugurated at IIT Madras by MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan on January 3, 2026.
• Performance: Delivers 3.1 petaflops, enabling massive simulations and data-intensive workloads.
• Indigenous Development: Built entirely in India by C-DAC using the RUDRA series of servers and open-source platforms like AlmaLinux.
• Mission Backing: Part of the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), jointly steered by MeitY and DST.
• Applications: Supports research in aerospace, materials science, climate modeling, drug discovery, advanced manufacturing, and more.
• Software Stack: Runs on C-DAC’s indigenously developed system software stack, reinforcing technological self-reliance.

• Energy & Cooling Needs: Supercomputers consume massive power; efficient cooling systems are critical.
• Continuous Upgrades: To remain globally competitive, India must scale beyond petaflop systems toward exascale computing.
• Talent & Training: Researchers need specialized skills to fully leverage HPC capabilities.
• Global Benchmarking: While powerful in India, Param Shakti still trails global leaders like Japan’s Fugaku or the US’s Frontier (exascale systems).

• Mandatory cybersecurity audits
  VDA firms must now undergo CERT-In accredited cybersecurity audits. This ensures stronger protection against hacks and fraud. Enhanced transaction monitoring aligned with the “Travel Rule” will improve traceability of digital asset transfers.
• Live selfies & location tracking for crypto users
  India is mandating live selfies and geolocation tracking for users of crypto exchanges. These exchanges are formally categorized as VDA service providers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This move aims to curb illicit activity and improve transparency.
• Third-party reporting from April 2026
  India may require third-party reporting of crypto trades starting April 1, 2026. Already, over 4,500 suspected VDA-related cases are under scrutiny by authorities.

• Definition under Indian law: As per the Income Tax Act, a VDA includes any information, code, number, or token (not being Indian or foreign currency) created through cryptographic means or otherwise.
• Examples: Cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin, Ethereum), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and other blockchain-based tokens.
• Functions:
  • Store of value (similar to gold or currency).
  • Medium of exchange (though not legal tender).
  • Unit of account in digital ecosystems.
• Exclusions: Loyalty points, mileage rewards, or similar tokens given without direct monetary consideration are not considered VDAs.

• Finance Act 2022 introduced taxation on VDAs.
• 30% tax on income from transfer of VDAs, with no set-off of losses allowed against other income.
• 1% TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) on transactions above a certain threshold.
• VDAs are recognized for taxation but not as currency—they remain assets only.

• High volatility: Prices of cryptocurrencies and NFTs can swing dramatically.
• Regulatory uncertainty: Governments worldwide are still framing rules.
• Security risks: Wallet hacks, phishing scams, and fraud are common.
• No intrinsic value: Unlike gold or government-backed currency, VDAs derive value from demand and trust.

• Location: Zehanpora village, Baramulla district, North Kashmir
• Age: Estimated to be over 2,000 years old, dating to the Kushan period (1st–3rd century CE)
• Structures Found:
  • Multiple stupas (Buddhist reliquary mounds)
  • Apsidal chaityas (prayer halls)
  • Viharas (monk residences)
  • Urban-style settlements and artefacts
• Historical Importance:
  • Linked to rulers like Kanishka and Huvishka, who promoted Buddhism in Kashmir
  • Shows Gandharan architectural influence, indicating cultural exchange with north-western Buddhist regions
  • Possibly connected to Huvishkapura, an ancient Kushan capital
• Strategic Role: Situated on the Silk Route corridor, enabling the movement of monks, merchants, and religious ideas between Kashmir and Gandhara (Afghanistan–Pakistan region)

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