Union Cabinet extended the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) until the fiscal year 2030β31. This move aims to ensure long-term social security for India’s unorganized workforce.
About Scheme:
Atal Pension Yojana (APY)Β is a government-backed pension scheme in India primarily targeted at workers in the unorganised sector. Launched in 2015, it provides aΒ guaranteed minimum monthly pensionΒ of βΉ1,000 to βΉ5,000 after the age of 60, depending on the subscriber’s contribution and age of joining
Age: Must be betweenΒ 18 and 40 years.
Citizenship: Must be anΒ Indian citizen.
Regulatory Body: The scheme is administered and regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
The Government of India has officially issued the notification for the 16th National Census, originally delayed from 2021 due to the pandemic. This exercise is critical as it marks a historic shift in Indiaβs demographic data collection, introducing digital-first methodology and the first nationwide caste count since 1931.
Key Highlights of Census 2027:
The Census will be executed in two distinct phases to ensure comprehensive data accuracy
Phase I: House-listing & Housing Census (April β September 2026): Each State and Union Territory will designate a 30-day window within this period to identify and list residential structures across the country.
Phase II: Population Enumeration (February 2027): The actual counting of individuals and collection of socio-economic data will occur during this month.
Major Policy Shifts:
Digital Transformation: This is India’s first “Paperless Census.” Data will be collected via mobile applications.
Caste-Based Enumeration: In a landmark decision, the 2027 Census will include a specific count of castes. While the 1931 Census was the last to do this nationwide, this is the first time in Independent India that such data will be collected during the general census
Static General Knowledge Link: Key Facts
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
Governed by the Census Act, 1948
1872: The first non-synchronous census was conducted under Lord Mayo.
1881: The first synchronous (complete and simultaneous) census was held under Lord Ripon.
2027 Edition: This will be the 16th Census of India overall and the 8th Census since Independence.
Seventh Schedule: The Census is a Union Subject listed under Entry 69 of List I.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved $372 million funding for 36 environmental projects in developing countries. The move supports global efforts to achieve biodiversity targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022)
Global Environment Facility:
Established in 1991, theΒ Global Environment Facility (GEF)Β isΒ the worldβs largest multilateral fund dedicated to the environment. It serves as an independent financial mechanism for several major international conventions, helping developing countries and transition economies address urgent environmental challenges.Β
GEF Supports 5 Major International Conventions:
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Minamata Convention on Mercury
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF):
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), also known as The Biodiversity Plan, is a landmark international agreement adopted on 19 December 2022 during the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It is often described as the “Paris Agreement for Nature,” serving as the global roadmap to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030
It has four global goals:
Restore and protect ecosystems & species
Ensure sustainable use of biodiversity
Fair and equitable sharing of genetic resource benefits
Mobilize finance, technology, and capacity-building
The High Seas Treaty, officially called the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, came into force on 17 January 2026. It is the first legally binding global agreement aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement:
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, is a legally binding international treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) designed to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine life in international waters
The agreement has four main pillars:
Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs): Ensures fair sharing of benefits (monetary and non-monetary) from marine resources in international waters.
Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs): Enables creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to help achieve the 30% ocean protection target by 2030.
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs): Establishes global norms to assess environmental impacts of activities in the high seas.
Capacity Building & Technology Transfer: Supports developing countries in marine research and sustainable use of ocean resources.
United States of America has withdrawn from the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an India-backed global initiative. This move is part of a broader decision by the US to exit multiple international organizations
Key Highlights:
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization.
It was launched in 2015 by India and France during the COP21 Paris Climate Summit.
The ISA headquarters is located in Gurugram, Haryana β making it the first international organization headquartered in India.
The alliance focuses on promoting solar energy adoption globally, especially in tropical countries.
India is developing a joint Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) grid to tackle rising threats from hostile and rogue drones. This initiative is part of the broader Mission Sudarshan Chakra, aimed at strengthening Indiaβs air defence network.
Mission Sudarshan Chakra:
Mission Sudarshan ChakraΒ isΒ a comprehensive 10-year national security initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2025, during the 79th Independence Day address. It aims to build an indigenous, AI-enabled, multi-layered air and missile defence shield for India by 2035.
It consists of Multi-Layer Interceptor Systems. They are
Project Kusha:Β An indigenous Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) system featuring three missile variantsβM1 (150 km),Β M2 (250 km), andΒ M3 (350β400 km)βdesigned to rival the S-400.
Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD):Β A two-tier system for tracking and destroying ballistic missiles both inside (endo) and outside (exo) the atmosphere.
Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS):Β A tactical layer consisting ofΒ QRSAMΒ (Quick Reaction SAM),Β VSHORADSΒ (Very Short Range), and 5 kW laser-basedΒ Directed Energy Weapons (DEW).
Exam Tip:
Mission Sudarshan Chakra = Indiaβs version of multi-layered air defence shield
President Droupadi Murmu undertook a historic submarine sortie aboard INS Vagsheer at Karwar Naval Base. She became only the second Indian President after Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (2006) to experience a submarine dive.
INS Vagsheer:
Sixth and final submarine of Project-75 (Kalvari-class).
Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai Technology collaboration with Naval Group, France
Project-75 (P-75) is a major Indian Navy program for the indigenous construction of six Kalvari-class diesel-electric attack submarines. These vessels are based on the Scorpène-class design from the French firm Naval Group (formerly DCNS) and were built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai through a Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a βΉ292.69 crore deal to procure Suryastra Multi-Calibre Rocket Launcher Systems. The move aims to strengthen Indiaβs long-range artillery and deep-strike capabilities.
Suryastra Multi-Calibre Rocket Launcher
SuryastraΒ is Indiaβs first indigenousΒ universal multi-calibre long-range rocket launcher system, officially inducted into the Indian Army in January 2026. It is designed for high-precision, surface-to-surface strikes at ranges betweenΒ 150 km and 300 km, significantly extending the reach of Indiaβs artillery.
Manufacturer: NIBE Limited (Pune-based company)
Developed in collaboration with Israelβs Elbit Systems.
Range: Up to 300 km
Type: Multi-calibre rocket launcher system Can launch different types of rockets from a single platform
