UPSC Current Affairs 18 July 2026

 
Contents
1. NAMO Airport, Daman
2. Investment Friendliness Index
3. PARIVARTAN Scheme
4. Modified UDAN Scheme
5. Influenza A (H1N1)
6. MH-60R anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare
7. BIMSTEC
 
 

 
Why in News?
The newly constructed NAMO Airport in Daman is in the news because the first-ever scheduled commercial flight officially commenced operations.
 
Key Infrastructure & Specifications

• Dual-Purpose Facility: The airport operates out of the existing Indian Coast Guard Air Station (ICGAS) in Daman.
• Project Cost: Developed by the UT Administration at a total cost of ₹124 crore, with the Ministry of Civil Aviation providing a reimbursement support of ₹88 crore.
• Terminal Size: The modern civil terminal building spans 3,700 square metres across a 25-acre site.
• Capacity: Built to handle 14 ATR flights daily and serve approximately 3.67 lakh passengers annually.
• Passenger Amenities: Equipped with 12 check-in counters, passenger lounges, retail zones, and dining spaces.
• Current Runway: Employs an 1,800-metre runway suitable for regional ATR-type turboprop aircraft.

Flight Operations & Connectivity

• The Route: Regular flights are scheduled to fly on the Daman–Delhi–Daman route every Monday and Wednesday.
• Operator: The flights are exclusively managed by the government-owned regional carrier Alliance Air.
• UDAN Scheme Funding: The project was executed under the central government’s regional connectivity UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme.

Economic, Strategic Impact & Future Expansion

• Industrial Benefit: Offers logistical ease for over 7,000 industries in the UT and another 15,000+ businesses in neighbouring Vapi and Valsad industrial belts.
• Boost to Tourism: Facilitates easier weekend and commercial travel for nearly 20 lakh tourists visiting Daman's coastal destination every year.
• Blue Economy: Expected to give a direct logistical boost to Daman’s local fisheries, marine products, and pharmaceutical sectors by linking them directly to national markets.

• Runway Extension: Plans are underway to lengthen the runway to accommodate larger commercial aircraft like the Airbus A320.
• More Destinations: The Ministry of Civil Aviation intends to expand future direct flights from NAMO airport to other key hubs like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Patna.

 
 
   
Why in News?
NITI Aayog has released India’s first Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026, ranking all 28 states and 8 UTs on how conducive their ecosystems are for investment.
 
Large States Category

• Top Performer: Gujarat secured the 1st rank nationally with an overall score of 56.6.
• Follow-up Leaders: Maharashtra (2nd) and Tamil Nadu (3rd) completed the top three slots.
• Other Top Tiers: Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka feature prominently in the top tier.
• Lowest Performers: Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal ranked at the bottom of this category.

Hilly and North-Eastern States

• Top Performer: Uttarakhand emerged as the highest-ranked state.
• Follow-up Leaders: Assam secured the 2nd position in this group, followed closely by Himachal Pradesh.

City States and Union Territories (UTs)

• Top Performer: Goa claimed the top position.
• Follow-up Leaders: Delhi took the 2nd spot, followed by Chandigarh in 3rd.
• Lowest Performers: Lakshadweep, Ladakh, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands recorded the lowest overall scores.

Objectives & Economic Impact

• Promoting Competitive Federalism: Uses transparent peer pressure to motivate state governments to actively compete to attract private capital.
• Investor Decision Matrix: Serves as an authoritative, objective reference handbook for domestic and global corporations trying to identify optimal expansion hubs.
• Integrating Ground Realities: Melds secondary macroeconomic statistics with investor perception surveys covering over 1,850 active businesses.
• Targeting "Viksit Bharat @2047": Positions state-level economic progress as a primary growth engine needed to transition India into a fully developed economy.

The Eight Core Evaluation Pillars
The evaluation methodology, built in collaboration with CRISIL as a knowledge partner, assesses regions across 84 distinct indicators divided into eight pillars:

• Infrastructure: Focuses on physical connectivity, digital infrastructure, port operations, and power supply stability.
• Business Climate: Measures funding access, market depth, and private equity/venture capital attraction.
• Resources: Tracks the availability of industrial land, skilled labour, and raw materials.
• Government Policy: Evaluates long-term policy predictability, stability, and sector-specific incentives.
• Regulatory Ease: Assesses single-window clearance mechanisms, timelines, and bureaucratic hurdles.
• Institutional Environment: Examines contract enforcement capabilities, law and order, and local economic governance.
• Financial Health: Audits fiscal discipline, state-level revenue mobilization, and budgetary health.
• Environmental Resilience: Judges green investment practices, climate vulnerability, and ESG compliance standards.

 
 
   
Why in News?
The PARIVARTAN Scheme has been in the news because the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), along with the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), has approved detailed guidelines and a ₹9,585 crore outlay to accelerate the replacement of old, polluting trucks and buses in the Delhi–NCR region with cleaner BS‑VI or electric commercial vehicles.
 
Meaning and Scope

• Full Form: PARIVARTAN stands for Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions.
• Primary Objective: To drastically curb severe winter smog and PM2.5 air pollution in the Delhi-NCR zone.
• Target Vehicles: Specifically aims to phase out and replace older, highly polluting commercial heavy vehicles (trucks and buses).
• The Green Shift: Replaces obsolete fleets with modern Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) compliant or zero-emission Electric Vehicles (EVs).

Budget and Administration

• Central Budgetary Support: The Government of India is directly contributing ₹5,041 crore to fund the program.
• Implementing Ministry: Executed directly by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• Funding Agency: Financed through the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) to ensure regional coordination.
• Geographic Coverage: Spans across the NCT of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Comprehensive Incentive Package

• Tax Concessions: A guaranteed 10-year Motor Vehicle Tax concession provided by the state governments.
• Fee Waivers: Complete waivers on registration fees for new eco-friendly commercial vehicles.
• Loan Subvention: A 5% interest subvention on bank loans taken to purchase replacement vehicles.
• Manufacturer Discounts: 11 major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), covering 95% of the market, signed MoUs to offer a minimum 8% direct discount.
• Fuel Support: Monthly fuel vouchers distributed to operators opting for clean CNG or diesel BS-VI models.
• EV Assistance: Direct, one-time financial grant assistance for upgrading to pure electric trucks or buses.
• Scrappage Bonuses: Built-in enablement for trading Certificates of Deposit (CoD) received after dismantling vehicles at registered scrap yards.

• Integrated Delivery Platform: The scheme will operate entirely through a centralized digital network to ensure corruption-free, end-to-end digital delivery.
• System Interfacing: The platform connects seamlessly with India's VAHAN registry, V-Scrap portal, DigiELV network, and the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for direct benefit transfers.

 
 
   
Why in News?
On 17 July 2026, the Union Cabinet approved the Modified UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme for a 10-year period with an outlay of about ₹28,840 crore.
 
Vision and Timeline

• Extended Duration: The modified scheme will be implemented over a 10-year period, spanning from FY 2026–27 to FY 2035–36.
• Strategic Target: Aims to integrate 120 new regional destinations into the national map and extend affordable flying to 4 crore passengers.
• Alignment with National Goals: Anchored to the central government's Viksit Bharat @2047 vision to boost domestic trade, medical access, and regional tourism.

Key Infrastructure Pillars

• Aerodrome Development: Allocates ₹12,159 crore to transform 100 unserved or underserved airstrips into fully functional commercial airports.
• Modern Helipad Expansion: Invests ₹3,661 crore to construct 200 modern helipads to bridge connectivity gaps in remote hilly terrains, island territories, and North-Eastern states.
• Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Support: Sets aside ₹2,577 crore to actively subsidize the day-to-day running costs of low-traffic regional airports for up to 3 years, preventing early-stage shutdowns.

Structural Reforms & Airline Incentives

• Extended Subsidy Blanket: Increases the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support window for regional airlines from 3 years to 5 years.
• Direct Exchequer Funding: Shifts the burden of VGF subsidies away from regional ticket levies, funding them directly out of the government treasury instead.
• Indigenization Push: Promotes Atmanirbhar Bharat by prioritizing the procurement of locally manufactured aircraft and helicopters, such as the HAL Dornier (Hindustan 228) and HAL Dhruv.

• Boosting Agriculture: Enhances the existing Krishi Udayan logistics chain, enabling rapid export of local perishable goods like organic produce directly to international markets.
• Spurring Local Economies: Expected to trigger real estate, infrastructure, and tourism growth around newly added aviation clusters.

 

   
Why in News?
Influenza A (H1N1), commonly known as Swine Flu, is actively in the news due to a significant, rain-induced surge in cases and fatalities across several states in India during the current monsoon season.
 
About Influenza A (H1N1)

• Viral Definition: It is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a specific subtype of the Influenza A virus.
• The "Swine Flu" Origin: It gained global prominence during the 2009 global pandemic when a novel strain emerged from the genetic reassortment of avian, human, and swine flu viruses.
• Current Status: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the pandemic over in 2010; it is now classified as a regularly circulating seasonal flu.
• Transmission Mode: It spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets released during coughing or sneezing, or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching one's face.

Key Symptoms

• High Fever: Sudden onset of high body temperature, often accompanied by severe chills or sweating.
• Respiratory Issues: Persistent dry cough, sore throat, running nose, and severe breathlessness.
• Physical Pain: Intense body aches, muscle pain, constant headaches, and extreme fatigue.
• Gastrointestinal Distress: Unlike standard seasonal flu, H1N1 frequently causes loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea.

High-Risk Groups

• The Elderly: Senior citizens (aged 55–65 and above) face a significantly higher risk of critical complications and death.
• Young Children: Toddlers and children under the age of 5 possess developing immune systems that struggle with severe strains.
• Pregnant Women: Changes in the body make pregnant individuals highly susceptible to severe H1N1 pneumonia and respiratory failure.
• Co-morbidities: People with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, asthma, chronic lung diseases, heart issues, or compromised immunity.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• The Gold-Standard Test: A nasopharyngeal or throat swab tested via RT-PCR is required to formally distinguish H1N1 from COVID-19 or common colds.
• Antiviral Drugs: Prescription medications like Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are highly effective if administered within 48 hours of symptom onset.
• Symptomatic Relief: Supportive care including complete bed rest, high fluid intake for hydration, and paracetamol for fever reduction.
• Immediate Hospitalization: Required only if emergency warning signs appear, such as sudden chest pain, blue lips, drop in oxygen levels, or persistent dizziness.

Prevention Measures

• Annual Vaccination: Getting the annual quadrivalival seasonal flu shot, which specifically updates defenses against circulating H1N1 strains.
• Respiratory Hygiene: Masking up in crowded, indoor, or poorly ventilated spaces—especially during the peak monsoon months.
• Hand Sanitation: Washing hands frequently with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
• Isolation: Staying home and avoiding public contact if you exhibit flu-like symptoms to break the chain of household transmission.

 
 
 
Why in News?
The MH-60R (Romeo) Seahawk helicopter is actively in the news because the U.S. Embassy announced the fresh arrival of these advanced sub-hunters to India, bringing the Indian Navy's delivered fleet size to 21 out of 24 ordered aircraft.
 
About

• The Manufacturer: Developed and manufactured by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company.
• Platform Origin: It is a heavily modified, all-weather, twin-engine maritime variant of the iconic UH-60 Blackhawk utility helicopter.
• Primary Missions: Purpose-built for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW).
• Secondary Roles: Capable of executing search and rescue (SAR), vertical replenishment (VERTREP), medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), and communications relay.

Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)

• Dipping Sonar: Uses the advanced AN/AQS-22 low-frequency dipping sonar, lowered directly into the sea from a hover to spot hidden submarines.
• Sonobuoys: Drops acoustic floating sensors across wide ocean patches to track subsurface movements continuously.
• The Kill Weapon: Armed with Mk 54 lightweight torpedoes designed to destroy fast, deep-diving conventional and nuclear submarines.

Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW)

• Multi-Mode Radar: Employs the AN/APS-153 radar system, which automatically singles out surface threats, tiny targets, and submarine periscopes out of rough sea clutter.
• Missile Armament: Equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and precision-guided rockets to strike fast attack craft, frigates, or destroyers.
• Close Range Defense: Fitted with crew-served .50 calibre or 7.62 mm machine guns for tackling asymmetric threats like sea pirates.

Avionics & Platform Specifications

• Flying Speed: Powered by twin General Electric engines, cruising at 267 km/h with a maximum speed of 333 km/h.
• Operational Reach: Features a combat range of roughly 830 km with an endurance of up to four hours.
• Electronic Self-Protection: Features automated sensors that deploy chaff and infrared flares to deflect incoming enemy missiles.

Strategic Deployment in India

• Dual-Coast Strategy: The aircraft are organized into two active squadrons to cover both sides of the peninsula.
• INAS 334 ("Seahawks"): The first squadron, commissioned in March 2024 at INS Garuda in Kochi, guarding the eastern seaboard.
• INAS 335 ("Ospreys"): The second squadron, raised in December 2025 at INS Hansa in Goa, securing the western seaboard.
• Warship Integration: Operating directly from the decks of aircraft carriers like INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, as well as stealth destroyers and guided-missile frigates.

 
 
   
Why in News?
BIMSTEC in news because on July 16, 2026 (30th anniversary) India hosted the 5th Meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs in New Delhi, Chaired by NSA Ajit Doval.
 
About

• Full Form: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
• Establishment: Founded in 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration, initially as BIST-EC.
• The Charter: Its formal institutional mechanism, the BIMSTEC Charter, was officially signed and adopted in March 2022.
• Headquarters: Permanently located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Global Weight: Represents over 1.7 billion people (around 22% of the world's population) with a collective GDP nearing $5 trillion.
• The Seven Member States:

• South Asia (5): India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
• Southeast Asia (2): Myanmar and Thailand.

Pillars of Cooperation (Rationalized Sectors)
To increase efficiency, BIMSTEC reduced its focus areas from 14 to 7 core pillars, with each nation leading one specific domain:

1. Security: Led by India (includes Counter-Terrorism, Cyber Security, and Transnational Crime).
2. Trade, Investment & Development: Led by Bangladesh.
3. Connectivity (Transport & Communication): Led by Thailand.
4. Science, Technology & Innovation: Led by Sri Lanka.
5. Environment & Climate Change: Led by Bhutan.
6. Agriculture & Food Security: Led by Myanmar.
7. People-to-People Contact: Led by Nepal.

Strategic Significance for India

• Alternative to SAARC: Allows India to bypass SAARC, which has remained largely stagnant and dysfunctional due to Pakistan's non-cooperation and support of cross-border terrorism.
• Foreign Policy Convergence: Intersects perfectly with India’s Neighbourhood First policy, Act East policy, and the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) maritime vision.
• Countering China: Acts as a vital strategic platform to offer sustainable regional alternatives to China's growing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) footprint in the Indian Ocean.

Challenges Facing the Grouping

• Stalled Economic Pacts: The foundational BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement (FTA), first conceptualized in 2004, remains unresolved after decades of negotiations.
• Political Instability: Ongoing internal crises, such as the civil war in Myanmar and political changes in Bangladesh, slow down sub-regional project implementation.
• Poor Interconnectivity: Low baseline physical and digital infrastructure continues to limit intra-regional trade to a very small fraction of its actual potential.

 
 
 
Question & Answer
 
Q1. The newly operational NAMO Airport in Daman functions from which existing facility?
a) Indian Air Force Station
b) Indian Coast Guard Air Station (ICGAS)
c) Naval Air Station INS Hansa
d) Border Security Force Air Wing

Answer: b) Indian Coast Guard Air Station (ICGAS)
 
 
Q2. Which state secured the 1st rank in the Large States category of the Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026?
a) Maharashtra
b) Karnataka
c) Gujarat
d) Tamil Nadu

Answer: c) Gujarat
 
 
Q3. The PARIVARTAN Scheme primarily aims to replace old polluting commercial vehicles with:
a) CNG vehicles only
b) Hydrogen-powered vehicles only
c) BS-VI compliant or Electric Vehicles (EVs)
d) Diesel vehicles with higher capacity engines

Answer: c) BS-VI compliant or Electric Vehicles (EVs)
 
 
Q4. Under the Modified UDAN Scheme, the implementation period extends from:
a) FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31
b) FY 2026–27 to FY 2035–36
c) FY 2024–25 to FY 2034–35
d) FY 2027–28 to FY 2036–37

Answer: b) FY 2026–27 to FY 2035–36
 

Q5. Which antiviral drug is considered highly effective against Influenza A (H1N1) when administered within 48 hours of symptom onset?
a) Remdesivir
b) Favipiravir
c) Oseltamivir (Tamiflu)
d) Ribavirin

Answer: c) Oseltamivir (Tamiflu)
 

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