Lohri is celebrated on January 13 every year. Which folk hero is central to Lohri traditions and songs?
Lohri songs celebrate Dulla Bhatti, a legendary Punjabi outlaw who revolted against the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century and is celebrated as a Robin Hood figure for rescuing abducted women.
💡 Concept Note
Lohri marks the end of the winter solstice season and is linked to sugarcane harvest and winter wheat sowing in Punjab. The bonfire offerings (rewar/sesame, peanuts, gur/jaggery) symbolise thanksgiving. The day after Lohri is Makar Sankranti.
India assumed BRICS Chairmanship in 2026 from which country? What is India's BRICS 2026 theme?
India assumed BRICS Chairmanship on January 1, 2026 from Brazil (which hosted the 17th BRICS Summit at Rio de Janeiro in 2025). India’s official theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” with four pillars: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, Environmental Sustainability. India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in 2026 — the fourth time India holds the BRICS Chair (previously 2012, 2016, 2021). The logo features a lotus with BRICS-member-coloured petals and a Namaste gesture at the centre.
💡 Concept Note
BRICS+ now has 10 members — the original 5 (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE (admitted at 15th BRICS Summit, Johannesburg, August 2023; effective January 1, 2024). Argentina was invited but declined after President Javier Milei rejected membership in December 2023. India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in 2026. BRICS+ represents ~36% of global GDP (PPP) and ~45% of world population.
The National Quantum Mission (NQM) was approved by India's Cabinet on April 19, 2023. Which ministry/department is the nodal agency for NQM?
NQM is under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology. The mission is overseen by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India.
💡 Concept Note
NQM budget: Rs 6,003 crore over 8 years (2023-2031). Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) announced in September 2024: Quantum Computing Hub at IISc Bengaluru; Quantum Communication Hub at IIT Madras + C-DOT (New Delhi); Quantum Sensing and Metrology Hub at IIT Bombay; Quantum Materials and Devices Hub at IIT Delhi. The Mission involves 152 researchers from 43 institutions across 17 States.
What is Shor's algorithm, and why is it strategically significant for national security?
Shor’s algorithm is a quantum computing algorithm that can factor large numbers exponentially faster than any known classical algorithm. Since RSA encryption (the global standard) relies on the difficulty of factoring large numbers, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer running Shor’s algorithm could break all current public-key cryptography.
💡 Concept Note
The ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ threat: adversaries can store encrypted communications today and decrypt them once quantum computers are powerful enough. India’s banking, UIDAI, defence, and nuclear communication systems use RSA/ECC. NIST standardised 4 post-quantum cryptographic algorithms in 2024 to replace vulnerable cryptography.
India-EU FTA negotiations launched in 2007 but collapsed in 2013. What was one of India's key demands that led to the collapse?
Mode 4 liberalisation — the movement of natural persons (skilled professionals such as IT workers and healthcare providers) to provide services — was a key Indian demand. The EU was reluctant to commit to this, contributing to the breakdown in 2013.
💡 Concept Note
Under GATS (WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services), Mode 4 refers to services delivered through the temporary movement of natural persons. India’s IT sector and services exports heavily depend on professional mobility. FTA negotiations resumed in June 2022 and cover three tracks: FTA + Investment Protection Agreement + GI Agreement.
The India-EU Security and Defence Partnership signed in January 2026 is the EU's third such partnership in Asia. Which two countries already have EU defence partnerships?
The EU had previously signed security and defence partnerships in Asia with Japan and South Korea. India’s partnership (signed at the 16th India-EU Summit, January 27, 2026) is the third.
💡 Concept Note
The EU’s willingness to sign a defence partnership with India reflects its post-Ukraine strategic awakening. Areas of cooperation include maritime security (Indian Ocean), cybersecurity, space (Galileo-NavIC interoperability), and defence industry. EU is traditionally a civilian power — this shift is significant.
The Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) in the Maldives is being built with Indian financing. What does it connect?
GMCP connects Male, Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi islands with a sea bridge. It is financed by India’s EXIM Bank (Rs 3,382 crore) and is India’s largest infrastructure project in the Maldivian archipelago.
💡 Concept Note
The Maldives is strategically significant for India — the island chain spans 900 km astride critical sea lines of communication. The Eight Degree Channel and Nine Degree Channel between India and the Maldives are critical shipping routes. India’s Neighbourhood First Policy prioritises connectivity and development in the region.
In India's BRICS+ grouping of 10 members, five new nations were admitted at the 15th BRICS Summit in 2023. Which country was admitted but has NOT yet formally joined as of early 2026?
Argentina was invited to join at the Johannesburg Summit 2023 but declined to join after the election of Javier Milei as President (who rejected BRICS membership in December 2023). The five nations that joined are Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.
💡 Concept Note
The BRICS+ expansion at the 15th Summit (Johannesburg, August 2023) added Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE effective January 1, 2024. Argentina was originally invited but declined. The 10-member BRICS+ represents ~36% of global GDP and ~45% of world population.
What is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), and why is it described as physically impossible to intercept undetected?
QKD uses quantum properties of individual photons to distribute cryptographic keys. The quantum no-cloning theorem means any attempt to intercept or copy the photons disturbs their quantum state, which is immediately detectable. This makes QKD theoretically eavesdrop-proof.
💡 Concept Note
India’s NQM targets satellite-based QKD by 2028 and a 2,000 km ground QKD network by 2031. China launched the Micius QKD satellite in 2016 and demonstrated intercontinental quantum communication. QKD can protect India’s nuclear command and control, diplomatic cables, and defence communications.
What is the significance of the e-Courts National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)?
NJDG provides real-time, publicly accessible data on pending cases across all courts — from the Supreme Court to district courts. As of January 2026, approximately 5 crore (50 million) cases were pending in Indian courts.
💡 Concept Note
NJDG was developed under e-Courts Phase II. e-Courts Phase III (2023-2027) focuses on cloud-based case management, AI assistance, paperless courts, and integration with police and prison systems. India’s judicial pendency crisis — 5 crore pending cases — makes digitisation essential for access to justice.
