UPSC Current Affairs 29 September 2026

• Dates: 28 September to 11 October 2026.
• Location: Oskemen, Kazakhstan.
• Edition: 9th edition of the bilateral exercise.

• Indian Contingent: Includes 60 personnel mainly from the Garhwal Rifles and the Indian Air Force.
• Kazakhstan Contingent: Comprises 60 personnel from its Land Forces.

• Mandate: Joint counter-terrorism operations under a United Nations mandate in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
• Interoperability: Boosting tactical coordination and mutual trust.

• Tactical Drills & Operations: Focuses on raids, cordon-and-search missions, and heliborne operations.
• Technology & Command: Employs Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and establishes a Joint Command Post and surveillance center.
• Culmination: Ends with validation phase testing combined tactics.

• Origin: Began in 2016 as "Prabal Dostyk" before being renamed "KAZIND".
• Evolution: Expanded into a bi-service exercise with Air Force participation in 2023.

• Nature of the Scheme: It is a Central Sector Sub-scheme launched under the flagship umbrella scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
• Implementation Period: Operational for four years from Financial Year 2023-24 to FY 2026-27 across all States and Union Territories.
• Financial Outlay: Implemented with a total estimated investment of ₹6,000 crore.
• Funding Mix: Financed 50% through public finance (including external funding from the World Bank and the French Development Agency - AFD) and 50% from private sector beneficiaries.

• Sector Formalisation: Aims to gradually bring the highly unorganised fisheries sector into the formal economy.
• Digital Identity: Creating work-based digital identities for fish workers to streamline service delivery and target governance benefits directly.
• Institutional Credit Access: Easing access to working capital and institutional finance to help micro and small enterprises lower their capital costs.
• Value Chain Efficiency: Incentivising micro-enterprises to adopt fish safety and quality assurance protocols while creating and maintaining jobs, with a special emphasis on employment for women.

• Premium Incentive: Eligible aquaculture farmers receive a 40% subsidy on their insurance premium for one crop cycle to guard against disease outbreaks and climate disasters.
• Pond-Based Aquaculture Caps: The premium subsidy is capped at ₹25,000 per hectare of water-spread area, up to a maximum limit of ₹1 lakh per farmer (covering up to 4 hectares). Farms below 1 hectare get benefits on a pro-rata basis.
• Advanced Systems: For advanced systems like Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), Biofloc, cage culture, and raceways, a 40% incentive applies up to a maximum cap of ₹1 lakh per unit.

• National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP): The primary digital highway launched to facilitate self-registration and process insurance benefits directly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Registration Milestones: The National Fisheries Digital Platform has registered over 37.23 lakh individual fishers and micro-enterprises.
• Fast-Track Settlements: The framework mandates a tight timeline for insurance claim evaluation and payouts—within 30 days for shrimp culture and within 45 days for other aquaculture activities.

• P – Prevention: Preventing terror attacks to robustly safeguard Indian citizens, assets, and national interests.
• R – Responses: Ensuring swift, highly coordinated, and legally proportionate responses to neutralise imminent threats.
• A – Aggregating Internal Capacities: Creating operational synergy using a "whole-of-government" approach across central and state networks.
• H – Human Rights: Adhering strictly to the "Rule of Law" and fundamental human rights during threat mitigation.
• A – Attenuating Conditions: Actively diluting the baseline conditions that enable terrorism, with a special focus on youth radicalisation.
• A – Aligning International Efforts: Directing and shaping global diplomatic and strategic consensus to completely counter transnational terrorism.
• R – Recovery and Resilience: Establishing quick post-crisis recovery protocols through a unified, "whole-of-society" approach.

• Paradigm Shift to Proactiveness: It formally transitions India's defensive mechanisms to an intelligence-led prevention model. Security forces will no longer just wait and react; they are mandated to proactively dismantle the entire logistical ecosystem of terror networks.
• Uniform Anti-Terror Grid: The policy mandates an interconnected national anti-terror grid. This links central intelligence databases directly to district-level law enforcement consoles in real time.
• Empowered First Responders: Local police stations will be heavily equipped with specialized combat gear and communication arrays to serve as immediate first responders, backed seamlessly by State Counter-Terrorism units and the National Security Guard (NSG).
• Seamless Investigations: Once an active tactical combat operation concludes, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will automatically assume administrative control over the crime scene. This avoids jurisdictional delays and ensures higher judicial conviction rates.
• Choking Modern Terror Financing: The strategy relies on advanced financial tracking software to explicitly isolate and freeze crypto wallets, dismantle dark web crowdsourcing, and choke cash streams used by financiers.
• Technological Border Overhaul: To counter hybrid warfare, borders will see widespread deployment of automated anti-drone systems, thermal surveillance equipment, and deep ground sensors across land, sea, and airspace.
• Zero-Tolerance & Diplomatic Clarity: The framework reiterates a strict "Zero Tolerance" approach. It explicitly separates terrorism from any specific religion, nationality, or ethnicity—drawing a clear strategic boundary between sponsoring foreign regimes and their citizens.

• Landlocked in Europe: Located in Central-Western Europe, bordered by France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Italy.
• Three Main Regions: Divided into the towering Alps (60%), the central Swiss Plateau (30%), and the Jura Mountains (10%).
• The Population Hub: Most people and major cities—like Zurich and Geneva—live on the flatter, central Swiss Plateau.
• Bern is the de facto capital of Switzerland. It is officially designated as the "federal city" (Bundesstadt) because Swiss law does not declare an official capital, but Bern serves as the seat of the federal government.

• Banned Independent Sanctions: Switzerland would be legally blocked from enacting economic or diplomatic sanctions against warring nations unless explicitly mandated by the United Nations (UN).
• Blocked NATO Cooperation: It would have forbidden peacetime security or military cooperation with alliances like NATO unless Switzerland itself came under direct military attack.
• Limited Foreign Policy: It would have restricted the government's ability to politically respond to modern geopolitical crises.

• The Final Tally: 70.15% of voters rejected the proposal, while only 29.85% voted in favour.
• Voter Turnout: Voter participation stood at 47.06%.
• Status Quo Preserved: The vote does not abolish Swiss neutrality, which remains enshrined in the constitution since 1848. Instead, it preserves the government's authority to practice a "flexible neutrality"—allowing it to cooperate on European security issues and maintain active sanctions.

• Fear of Isolation: The Swiss government, parliament, and major centrist/left parties heavily opposed the initiative. They argued an absolute ban on sanctions would alienate Switzerland from its European neighbours and leave it diplomatically isolated.
• Security Dependence: Military leaders warned that Switzerland is no longer insulated from broader European threats. Becoming completely walled off would prevent vital defence integration and data-sharing with neighbouring countries.
• The "UN Veto" Flaw: Because the initiative required UN approval for sanctions, critics noted it would effectively grant countries like Russia—a permanent UN Security Council member with veto power—the ability to block Swiss humanitarian and economic responses.
• Defending Human Rights: A majority of voters agreed that standing strictly aloof during flagrant violations of international law would make Switzerland appear indifferent to victims of aggression.

• Co-Chairs: The alliance is jointly led by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Liberia’s Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti.
• Member Nations: The inaugural ministerial meeting brought together representatives from 25 member countries.
• Diverse Stakeholders: The coalition represents an inclusive mix of major flag registries, ship-owning nations, and seafaring workforce suppliers.

• Diplomatic Elevation: The group seeks to elevate the safety of merchant crews into a central, permanent talking point within United Nations diplomatic forums.
• Working within Global Bodies: It is designed to complement—not replace—existing maritime frameworks, operating strictly alongside the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
• Actionable Cooperation: Focus areas include advanced information-sharing, operational security collaboration, and standardized responses to maritime crises.

• Crew Welfare: Beyond physical protection from drone or missile strikes, the group addresses systemic issues like prolonged confinement aboard vessels, delayed crew repatriations, mental stress, and unfair working conditions in active conflict zones.
• Safeguarding Global Trade: With commercial shipping handling roughly 90% of global trade, protecting these pathways is deemed legally, morally, and economically essential to secure the supply chains for energy, food, and industrial goods.
• Emergency Support Proposed: The initiative builds on a proposal made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a Seafarers Emergency Support Network, which aims to link maritime authorities and embassies directly to fast-track distress alerts, medical evacuations, and family communications.

• Gradual Handover: The withdrawal followed a phased plan. Federal facilities like the major Ain al-Asad Air Base and the Baghdad International Airport headquarters were transferred to Iraqi control earlier in 2026.
• Final Phase: In September 2026, U.S. forces removed their last remaining vehicles, heavy weaponry, and air defense equipment from the semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan region.
• Troop Numbers: At its peak in 2003, the U.S. deployment exceeded 170,000 troops. In recent years, that number sat at approximately 2,500 personnel focused entirely on training and advisory operations.

• Not a Complete Exit from the Region: The end of the permanent military mission does not mean the U.S. is abandoning West Asia.
• Force Redeployment: Departing troops and critical air defence installations are being relocated to neighbouring hubs, primarily Jordan, to maintain rapid operational capabilities in regional flashpoints.
• Future U.S.-Iraq Ties: Moving forward, security cooperation will transition into a standard bilateral security arrangement focused on intelligence-sharing, joint exercises, and non-combat advice.

• 2003: The U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein.
• 2011: Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. withdrew its original combat troops.
• 2014: Following the rapid and violent rise of the Islamic State (ISIS), the Iraqi government requested international intervention, prompting U.S. troops to return under Operation Inherent Resolve.

• The Threat of ISIS Sleeper Cells: While ISIS has been stripped of territorial control, Kurdish commanders warn that sleeper cells are still active and could see a morale boost following the coalition's departure.
• Security Gaps: Experts fear that local Iraqi and Kurdish (Peshmerga) forces will experience significant gaps in advanced technologies, such as drone capabilities and high-level surveillance intelligence.
• Kurdish Vulnerability: The removal of U.S. Patriot missile batteries and air defence shields leaves the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region highly vulnerable to cross-border missile and drone strikes from Iran and allied factions.
• Iran-Aligned Militias: Though the Iraqi state aims to consolidate its monopoly on violence, heavily armed Iran-aligned proxy groups (commanding roughly 50,000 fighters) remain active in the country. The Iraqi government has set a deadline for June 2027 to disarm these groups.

• All 58 Tiger Reserves: The 6th cycle will evaluate all 58 tiger reserves across India, covering an area spanning over 85,000 square kilometres.
• Organising Bodies: The evaluation is jointly conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

• Governance Assessment: Unlike the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE)—which counts the physical tiger population—the MEE-TR focuses strictly on evaluating administrative, financial, and institutional governance quality.
• Objective: It is an evidence-based system that examines if the conservation planning, resources, and management actions are yielding actual field results.

• Solid Waste Management: For the first time, a dedicated, independent evaluation criterion has been added to address waste generated by tourism, forest check-posts (chowkis), and wildlife rescue centres.
• Community Integration: The 2026 cycle formally integrates local youth and community experts into the field evaluation teams.
• Advanced Monitoring: There is an increased focus on digital mapping, spatial data, and assessing emerging ecological threats like habitat fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict.

• Global Alignment: India’s MEE framework is adapted from the international IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) guidelines.
• Six Core Elements: The evaluation rates reserve continuously across six pillars:
  1. Context (Current status and threats)
  2. Planning (Management design)
  3. Inputs (Resources and staff)
  4. Processes (Day-to-day management)
  5. Outputs (Delivery of products/services)
  6. Outcomes (Achieving long-term conservation objectives)

• Timeline: The evaluation happens every four years. India has completed five previous cycles: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.
• Growth: The number of evaluated reserves has scaled drastically from 28 reserves in the 1st cycle (2006) to 58 reserves today.
• Previous Benchmark: In the 5th cycle (2022), India achieved a national mean management score of 78.01%, with the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala securing the highest individual rating at 94.38%.

• Predictive Capability: The system generates weekly district-level forecasts to predict future surges and incidence trends of dengue.
• Data Integration: It operates via a machine-learning platform that seamlessly integrates historical health data and real-time environmental factors.
• Public Accessibility: The official dashboard is deployed and accessible to health officials and the public at the Dengue Early Warning System Portal.

• The Baseline Model: The current AI model was meticulously trained using six years of continuous historical data spanning from March 2020 to February 2026.
• Health Metrics: It pulls localized epidemiological numbers directly from the State Surveillance Unit (SSU) under the Directorate of Health Services.
• Weather Metrics: It incorporates climate parameters—specifically daily temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity—provided by the India Meteorological Department.

• Independent Multi-Units: Rather than applying a single formula across a state, the system treats each district as an independent unit.
• Local Geography: It refines its accuracy by factoring in district-specific environmental characteristics like local drainage systems, density of water bodies, and geographical layouts.
• Four-Tier Alert System: For quick interpretation by public health workers, expected outbreaks are categorised into four distinct risk levels: Very High, High, Moderate, and Low.

• Pre-Outbreak Window: Traditional interventions only trigger once hospitals see a surge. DEWS provides a crucial "window to act" before numbers multiply.
• Targeted Mosquito Control: Authorities can intensify source-reduction and vector surveillance precisely where risk is elevated.
• Resource Optimization: It enables healthcare facilities to proactively stock diagnostic kits, ready laboratory testing capacities, and allocate medical staff strategically.

• Multidimensional Factors: Dengue remains exceptionally difficult to predict flawlessly. AI models can struggle with sudden spikes caused by non-climatic factors like human mobility, rapid urbanization, changing mosquito biology, and shifting population immunity.
• The Under-Reporting Blindspot: Because a massive percentage of dengue infections are mild or asymptomatic, inconsistent testing and reporting standards between districts can cause geographical bias in data mapping.

Download Pdf