🗞️ Why in News The Indian Army formally unveiled the ‘Bhairav’ drone force with over 1 lakh operatives across 15 battalions, signalling a major doctrinal shift toward autonomous warfare. Simultaneously, a new reed snake species was discovered in Mizoram, CSIR-NPL inaugurated Asia’s first National Environmental Standard Laboratory, and Tamil Nadu signed an MoU with UN Women for gender-responsive governance.

Indian Army ‘Bhairav’ Modern Warfare Force — 1 Lakh Drone Operatives

The Indian Army unveiled the ‘Bhairav’ force — a dedicated drone warfare unit:

  • Operatives: Over 1 lakh drone operatives trained and inducted
  • Battalions: 15 battalions raised; 25 more planned for future expansion
  • First public appearance: Army Day Parade, Jaipur, January 15, 2026
  • Capability: Counter-drone, surveillance, logistics drones, and offensive UAV operations
  • Context: Part of Army’s “Year of Networking and Data Centricity” 2026 initiative; Bhairav (a fierce form of Lord Shiva) symbolises the force’s offensive doctrine

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Security & Defence — India’s drone warfare doctrine; NCW (Network-Centric Warfare); force modernisation; Make in India in defence.

Suryastra Rocket Launcher — Rs 293 Crore Contract

The Indian Army signed an Emergency Procurement contract for the Suryastra precision-guided rocket system:

  • Contract value: Rs 293 crore with NIBE Limited
  • Technology partner: Israel’s Elbit Systems (co-development)
  • Range: 150–300 km
  • Circular Error Probable (CEP): Less than 5 meters (high precision)
  • Significance: Enhances long-range precision strike capability; useful for both the Western (Pakistan) and Northern (China) fronts

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Defence — Emergency Procurement provisions; India-Israel defence cooperation; precision-guided munitions; Make in India vs import.

Calamaria mizoramensis — New Reed Snake in Mizoram

Scientists at Mizoram University discovered a new species of reed snake:

  • Scientific name: Calamaria mizoramensis
  • Published in: Zootaxa (peer-reviewed zoological journal)
  • Characteristics: Non-venomous; nocturnal and semi-fossorial (lives partly underground); dark brown to blackish colouring with faint stripes; yellow underside
  • Elevation: Inhabits humid forested hills at 670–1,295 metres
  • Global count: Brings global Calamaria genus total to 70 species
  • Mizoram biodiversity: Brings state’s herpetofauna total to 169 species (reptiles + amphibians)

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Biodiversity — species discovery; Mizoram biodiversity; herpetofauna; role of regional universities in scientific research.

CSIR-NPL World-Class Laboratories Inaugurated

Dr. Jitendra Singh (Minister for Science & Technology) inaugurated two world-class labs at CSIR-NPL (National Physical Laboratory), New Delhi on January 5, 2026:

  1. National Environmental Standard Laboratory (NESL): Asia’s first and the world’s second such facility — provides primary reference standards for air quality monitors, enabling calibration of India’s entire pollution monitoring network
  2. National Primary Standard Facility for Solar Cell Calibration: World’s fifth such facility — enables precise calibration of solar PV cells and panels, critical for India’s 500 GW renewable energy target
  • CSIR-NPL role: India’s apex measurement standards laboratory; custodian of Indian national standards (Mass, Length, Time, Temperature, Electrical units)
  • Collaboration: NESL developed with Germany (PTB — Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)

UPSC Angle: GS-3 S&T — CSIR institutions; metrological standards; air quality monitoring; solar energy infrastructure.

Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) Rates — Rabi 2025-26

The Government of India approved NBS rates for Rabi 2025-26 (October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026):

  • Total budget allocation: Rs 37,952.29 crore (Rs 736 crore higher than Kharif 2025)
  • DAP subsidy: Raised to Rs 29,805/MT (from Rs 21,911/MT)
  • Domestic P&K fertilizer production: Increased 50% since 2014
  • Purpose: Ensure affordable fertilizers for farmers; reduce import dependence; incentivise domestic manufacturing

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Agriculture/Economy — NBS scheme mechanism; fertiliser subsidy vs MSP; PM PRANAM scheme for reducing fertiliser use; urea pricing.

ONGC-MOL Ethane Shipping JVs at GIFT City

ONGC and Japan’s MOL (Mitsui OSK Lines) established two joint ventures for ethane shipping:

  • JV names: Bharat Ethane One IFSC Private Limited and Bharat Ethane Two IFSC Private Limited
  • Registered at: GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (IFSC — International Financial Services Centre)
  • Ownership: 50:50 between ONGC and MOL
  • Vessels: Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLECs) — one vessel per JV — transporting ethane from USA to India
  • Destination use: OPaL (ONGC Petro Additions Limited, Dahej, Gujarat) — uses ethane as feedstock for petrochemical production
  • Policy alignment: Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (India’s long-term maritime sector roadmap)
  • MOL (Mitsui OSK Lines): Japan’s largest shipping company; one of the world’s top 3 shipping conglomerates by fleet size

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Economy — GIFT City IFSC; petrochemical industry; India-Japan strategic economic ties; Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047; ethane as petrochemical feedstock; VLEC shipping technology.

Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary — Part of Melghat TR

Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary in the news:

  • Location: Buldhana district, Maharashtra; near Dnyanganga River
  • Area: ~205 sq km
  • Significance: Forms part of Melghat Tiger Reserve buffer zone
  • Landscape: Western Ghats-adjacent; contains two lakes; tiger corridor

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Biodiversity — Maharashtra wildlife; Melghat TR (Maharashtra’s first TR; 1974); Project Tiger.

Tamil Nadu–UN Women MoU

Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin signed an MoU with UN Women in Chennai:

  • Focus: Gender-responsive governance; implementation of gender-based budgeting
  • Significance: Tamil Nadu selected as India’s first state for UNICEF Innovation Initiative
  • Previous achievement: TN has strong track record on women-centric governance (SHG movement, noon meal scheme, Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam)

UPSC Angle: GS-2 Social Issues — Gender-responsive budgeting; UN Women mandate; SDG 5 (Gender Equality); TN governance model.

ONGC-NSTFDC MoU for 144 EMRS Schools

ONGC signed an MoU with NSTFDC (National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA):

  • Date: January 5, 2026 | Location: New Delhi
  • CSR commitment: Rs 28 crore
  • Coverage: 144 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across 11 states and UTs
  • Areas supported: Digital learning infrastructure, career mentorship programmes, teacher capacity building, health facilities, entrepreneurship development
  • EMRS scheme: Launched FY 1997-98 to provide quality education to ST students in tribal areas; based on Navodaya Vidyalaya model; target: at least one EMRS per block with 50% or more ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons; fully funded by Central Government
  • NSTFDC: National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation; under MoTA; provides concessional loans and financial assistance to STs for income-generating activities

UPSC Angle: GS-2 Social Issues — Tribal welfare; EMRS scheme; CSR under Companies Act 2013 (Section 135); Scheduled Tribe welfare policies; Article 46 (DPSP — promotion of educational and economic interests of SC/ST).

India Ratings Projects 6.9% GDP Growth for FY2026-27

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) projected India’s GDP growth:

  • FY2026-27 projection: 6.9% — lower than FY26 estimate of 7.4%
  • Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) growth for FY27: 7.6% Y-o-Y
  • PFCE share in GDP (Q2 FY26): 55.9% (largest demand-side component)
  • Downside risks cited:
    • El Niño weather pattern (mid-2026) — threat to agriculture and kharif output
    • Weak private investment recovery
    • Sluggish global trade conditions
    • Base-year revision for GDP and CPI (may affect growth optics)
  • Inflation outlook: Benign for Q4 FY26 and FY27 (food inflation expected to ease)
  • India Ratings (Ind-Ra): Indian credit rating agency; established 1995; subsidiary of Fitch Ratings; headquartered in Mumbai; rates bonds, banks, corporates

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Economy — GDP growth projections; private consumption as growth engine; El Niño economic impact; India’s credit rating landscape (CRISIL, ICRA, CARE, India Ratings + Moody’s, S&P, Fitch globally).

SWaDeS — DRDO’s Field Seawater Desalination System

DRDO’s Defence Lab Jodhpur (DLRL) developed SWaDeS (Saline Water Desalination System) for field military use:

  • Technology: Reverse Osmosis (RO) — converts saline seawater (35,000 mg/L TDS) to drinking water (<500 mg/L TDS per WHO standards)
  • CBRN Module: Specially designed to operate even in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) contaminated zones — the first such system for Indian armed forces
  • Variants:
    • Manual operation: 10–12 personnel required; 600 litres/hour output
    • Engine-operated: 20–25 personnel; higher capacity; self-contained power
  • Application: Coastal operations (amphibious landings), island territories, arid coastal regions; critical for Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep operations
  • Strategic significance: Reduces military dependence on water logistics chains; enables sustained island and coastal warfare operations

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Defence/S&T — DRDO indigenisation; CBRN preparedness; India’s Andaman & Nicobar Command (tri-service); water security in military operations.

Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project — Alaknanda River

The Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project on the Alaknanda River, Uttarakhand:

  • Capacity: 444 MW (run-of-river project)
  • Developer: THDC India Limited (THDCIL) — a CPSU under Ministry of Power
  • Location: Chamoli district, Uttarakhand; on the Alaknanda River (tributary of Ganga)
  • Construction delays: Project faced multiple setbacks due to geological challenges (tunnelling through unstable Himalayan geology) and environmental concerns
  • Environmentalist view: Run-of-river projects have lower ecological impact than storage dams but still affect minimum ecological flow in rivers

Alaknanda River facts:

  • Originates at Satopanth glacier (near Badrinath, Uttarakhand)
  • Joins Bhagirathi at Devprayag to form the Ganga
  • Five Prayags (river confluences) on Alaknanda: Vishnu Prayag (Dhauliganga), Nanda Prayag (Nandakini), Karna Prayag (Pindar), Rudra Prayag (Mandakini), Deva Prayag (Bhagirathi)

UPSC Angle: GS-3 Environment/Economy — Himalayan river hydrology; run-of-river vs storage dams; THDCIL mandate; Ganga river system; Prayags as geographic landmarks.

Jallikattu — Tamil Nadu Traditional Bull-Taming Sport

Jallikattu (also called Sallikkattu) in the news following Tamil Nadu government’s annual regulatory orders:

  • What it is: Traditional Tamil bull-taming sport held during Pongal festival (mid-January); young men attempt to hug the bull’s hump and ride or stop it
  • Location: Primarily practised in Madurai, Pudukkottai, Salem, Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu
  • Legal history:
    • 2014: Supreme Court banned Jallikattu — classified bulls as performing animals under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act 1960
    • 2017: Massive protests in Marina Beach, Chennai — sustained for 15+ days; eventually Tamil Nadu promulgated an Ordinance allowing Jallikattu
    • 2017: Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act passed — exempted Jallikattu, bullock cart races from PCA Act
    • 2023: Supreme Court 5-judge bench upheld Tamil Nadu’s 2017 amendment — ruled states have power to legislate on cultural practices; Jallikattu has a long cultural history predating central PCA Act
  • Breeds involved: Kangayam, Pulikulam, Umbalachery, Bargur — indigenous draught breeds; Jallikattu serves a conservation function by ensuring economic value of these breeds

UPSC Angle: GS-1 Cultural Heritage; GS-2 Polity — Centre-State legislative conflict; animal rights vs cultural rights; Article 48 (DPSP — preservation of cow breeds); 7th Schedule; Supreme Court federalism judgments.

Persons in News

Suresh Kalmadi — Former Union Minister of State for Railways; former IOA President (1996–2012); Chairman, 2010 Commonwealth Games; passed away January 6, 2026, aged 81. Controversially associated with the CWG scam.

Manoj Kothari — Former World Billiards Champion; won IBSF World titles in 1990 and 1997 (doubles); received Major Dhyan Chand Award (2005); served as national coach 2011 onwards; passed away aged 67.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Bhairav drone force (1 lakh operatives; 15 battalions; Army Day Jaipur 2026; Rudra Brigades); Suryastra (Rs 293 crore; NIBE Ltd; Elbit Systems PULS technology; 150-300 km; CEP <5m; BEML 6x6 truck); Calamaria mizoramensis (reed snake; Mizoram University; 70 global Calamaria spp; 169 Mizoram herpetofauna; Zootaxa); CSIR-NPL (NESL — Asia’s 1st/world’s 2nd; Solar Cell Calibration — world’s 5th; Germany PTB; 0.35% calibration uncertainty); NBS Rabi 2025-26 (Rs 37,952 crore; DAP Rs 29,805/MT; N Rs 43.02/kg; P Rs 47.96/kg); ONGC-MOL JVs (Bharat Ethane One & Two IFSC; MOL = Mitsui OSK Lines Japan; VLECs; OPaL Dahej; Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047); Dnyanganga WS (Buldhana, Maharashtra; 205 sq km; Melghat TR buffer); TN-UN Women MoU (gender-responsive governance; SDG 5; UNICEF Innovation Initiative — TN India’s first); EMRS (Eklavya Model Residential Schools; est. FY 1997-98; 144 EMRS; ONGC-NSTFDC Rs 28 crore; Article 46 DPSP); India Ratings FY27 GDP 6.9% (PFCE 55.9% share; El Nino risk; Ind-Ra = Fitch subsidiary); SWaDeS (DRDO Jodhpur; RO desalination; 35,000 mg/L → <500 mg/L; CBRN module); Vishnugad-Pipalkoti HEP (444 MW; Alaknanda River; Chamoli; THDCIL; five Prayags); Jallikattu (PCA Act 1960; SC ban 2014; TN amendment 2017; SC upheld 2023; Kangayam/Pulikulam breeds); Major Dhyan Chand Award (Manoj Kothari 2005) Mains GS-3: India’s drone warfare doctrine — significance of Bhairav force; India’s precision-strike capability (Suryastra context); CSIR-NPL’s role in India’s measurement infrastructure; NBS scheme — does fertiliser subsidy reform increase domestic production? | Himalayan hydrology and run-of-river hydro projects — ecological balance and energy needs Mains GS-2: Tamil Nadu’s gender-responsive governance model; India’s partnerships with UN agencies for SDG implementation | Jallikattu — Centre-State conflict, animal rights vs cultural practices, 7th Schedule

📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia

Indian Army Bhairav Drone Force:

  • Operatives: 1 lakh+ drone operatives inducted
  • Battalions: 15 raised; 25 more planned
  • First appearance: Army Day Parade, Jaipur, January 15, 2026
  • Named after: Bhairav (fierce form of Lord Shiva)
  • Part of: “Year of Networking and Data Centricity” 2026

Suryastra Rocket Launcher:

  • Contract: Rs 293 crore, Emergency Procurement
  • Contractor: NIBE Limited (India)
  • Technology partner: Elbit Systems (Israel)
  • Range: 150–300 km
  • CEP: < 5 meters (precision strike)

Calamaria mizoramensis:

  • Family: Colubridae; Genus: Calamaria (reed snakes)
  • Discovered by: Mizoram University researchers
  • Published in: Zootaxa (international zoological journal)
  • Non-venomous; semi-fossorial; nocturnal
  • Elevation: 670–1,295 m; humid forested hills
  • Global Calamaria count: 70 species (after discovery)
  • Mizoram herpetofauna: 169 species total

CSIR-NPL Laboratories (inaugurated Jan 5, 2026):

  • NESL (National Environmental Standard Laboratory): Asia’s 1st, world’s 2nd; collaborator: Germany PTB; calibrates air quality monitors
  • National Primary Standard Facility for Solar Cell Calibration: world’s 5th; critical for India’s 500 GW solar target
  • CSIR-NPL: custodian of India’s national measurement standards (Mass, Length, Temperature, Electrical); est. 1947, New Delhi

NBS (Nutrient-Based Subsidy) Scheme:

  • Coverage: P&K fertilizers (DAP, MOP, SSP, NPK complexes); NOT urea (separately controlled)
  • Rabi 2025-26 allocation: Rs 37,952.29 crore
  • DAP subsidy: Rs 29,805/MT
  • Domestic P&K production growth: 50% since 2014

ONGC-MOL JVs:

  • JV names: Bharat Ethane One IFSC Private Ltd, Bharat Ethane Two IFSC Private Ltd
  • Registered: GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (IFSC jurisdiction)
  • Ownership: 50:50 ONGC + MOL (Mitsui OSK Lines, Japan — not Hungary’s MOL Group)
  • Vessels: VLECs (Very Large Ethane Carriers) — one vessel per JV
  • Route: USA → India (ethane feedstock for OPaL)
  • OPaL: ONGC Petro Additions Limited, Dahej, Gujarat; uses ethane as cracker feedstock
  • Policy: Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047

Melghat Tiger Reserve:

  • Location: Amravati district, Maharashtra (Satpura hills)
  • First TR of Maharashtra (1974); one of India’s first 9 TRs under Project Tiger (1973)
  • Area: ~1,677 sq km (core + buffer)
  • Dnyanganga WS: part of buffer zone; 205 sq km; Buldhana district

Major Dhyan Chand Award:

  • India’s highest sports award for lifetime achievement in sports
  • Given to: Manoj Kothari (Billiards) — 2005
  • Other notable awardees: Bhim Singh (Wrestling), Aparna Ghosh (Basketball)

EMRS (Eklavya Model Residential Schools):

  • Launched: FY 1997-98
  • Model: Based on Navodaya Vidyalaya; fully Central Government funded
  • Eligibility: Blocks with 50%+ ST population and 20,000+ tribal persons get one EMRS
  • ONGC-NSTFDC MoU: Rs 28 crore; 144 EMRS; 11 states/UTs (signed Jan 5, 2026)
  • NSTFDC: National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation; under MoTA
  • Constitutional basis: Article 46 (DPSP); Fifth and Sixth Schedules (tribal area governance)

India Ratings (Ind-Ra) FY27 GDP Projection:

  • Projected FY27 GDP growth: 6.9% (FY26 estimate: 7.4%)
  • PFCE growth FY27: 7.6% Y-o-Y; PFCE share in GDP (Q2 FY26): 55.9%
  • Risks: El Nino (mid-2026), weak private investment, sluggish global trade, GDP base-year revision
  • India Ratings: subsidiary of Fitch Ratings; est. 1995; Mumbai; Indian CRA
  • Indian CRAs: CRISIL (S&P affiliate), ICRA (Moody’s affiliate), CARE Ratings, India Ratings (Fitch), Brickwork, Acuite

SWaDeS (DRDO Seawater Desalination System):

  • Developer: Defence Lab Jodhpur (DLRL), DRDO
  • Technology: Reverse Osmosis (RO); converts 35,000 mg/L saline water to <500 mg/L
  • Special feature: CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) module — first such for Indian forces
  • Variants: Manual (10-12 personnel; 600 L/hr) and Engine-operated
  • Application: Coastal ops, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep island territories

Vishnugad-Pipalkoti HEP:

  • Capacity: 444 MW (run-of-river)
  • River: Alaknanda River
  • Location: Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
  • Developer: THDCIL (THDC India Limited); Ministry of Power
  • Alaknanda origin: Satopanth glacier (near Badrinath)
  • Five Prayags on Alaknanda: Vishnu Prayag (Dhauliganga), Nanda Prayag (Nandakini), Karna Prayag (Pindar), Rudra Prayag (Mandakini), Deva Prayag (Bhagirathi = Ganga formed)

Jallikattu — Legal Timeline:

  • 2014: Supreme Court banned Jallikattu (bulls = performing animals under PCA Act 1960)
  • 2017: Marina Beach protests (15+ days); TN Ordinance + Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TN Amendment) Act 2017
  • 2023: SC 5-judge bench upheld TN amendment — states can legislate on cultural practices
  • Breeds: Kangayam, Pulikulam, Umbalachery, Bargur (indigenous draught breeds)
  • Celebrated during: Pongal (mid-January); Madurai, Pudukkottai, Salem, Dindigul

Other Relevant Facts:

  • GIFT City IFSC: India’s first International Financial Services Centre; established under SEZ Act; regulated by IFSCA (International Financial Services Centres Authority)
  • India-Israel defence cooperation: covers fighter jets (Barak), drones (Heron, Searcher), artillery (Soltam), rocket systems; India’s largest missile/artillery procurement partner
  • Tejas LCA 25th Anniversary: Maiden flight January 4, 2001 by Wing Commander Rajiv Kothiyal; HAL order for 97 Mk-1A jets (Rs 62,370 crore)

Sources: AffairsCloud, PIB, Indian Army, CSIR-NPL