🗞️ Why in News February 27, 2026 is a rich day for UPSC content — covering defence milestones, renewable energy achievements, biodiversity discoveries, geopolitical conflict, climate science, and social policy.
President Murmu Flies LCH Prachand — First President in an Attack Helicopter
President Droupadi Murmu became the first Indian President to fly in an attack helicopter, undertaking a 25-minute sortie in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand from Jaisalmer Air Force Station, Rajasthan.
Key Details:
- She flew as co-pilot in an olive-green flying suit and helmet
- LCH Prachand: India’s first indigenously designed and developed combat helicopter, built by HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited)
- Equipped with: advanced avionics, stealth features, night-attack capability, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, rockets, 20mm turret gun; designed for high-altitude Himalayan warfare
- Earlier sorties: April 2023 — Sukhoi-30MKI (Tezpur); October 2023 — Rafale (Ambala)
- Context: Coincided with IAF’s “Vayu Shakti” exercise preparations
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: LCH Prachand, HAL, Jaisalmer, Vayu Shakti exercise. Mains GS-3: Indigenous defence manufacturing; HAL’s role; high-altitude warfare capability.
India Crosses 520 GW Installed Power Capacity
Union Minister of State for Power Shripad Yesso Naik announced India’s installed power capacity has exceeded 520 GW, with more than half from non-fossil fuel sources.
Key Details:
- Announced at: India Energy Transition Summit 2026 (organised by FICCI)
- Solar capacity has more than tripled in recent years
- Government initiatives: competitive bidding, Green Energy Corridors, ultra-mega renewable parks, PM Surya Ghar Yojana (rooftop solar)
- India’s 2030 target: 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity
- Net-zero target: 2070
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: 520 GW milestone, FICCI, PM Surya Ghar Yojana, Green Energy Corridors, Shripad Naik. Mains GS-3: India’s renewable energy transition; energy security; climate commitments.
New Plant Species Impatiens nagorum Found in Nagaland
Botanists formally described Impatiens nagorum — a new flowering plant found in Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Kiphire district, Nagaland. Published in Phytotaxa by researchers from Kohima Science College, Nagaland University, University of Warsaw, and Botanical Survey of India (BSI).
Key Details:
- Features: striking purple flowers; height up to 35 cm; elevation 2,336 m; moist temperate broadleaf forests
- Only ~20 individuals observed — indicating rarity and vulnerability
- Confirmed by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) pollen and seed analysis
- Genus Impatiens: commonly called “balsams” or “touch-me-nots”
- Eastern Himalayas + Northeast India: global hotspot for Impatiens diversity
- Species name honours Naga indigenous communities
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Impatiens nagorum, Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, BSI, Phytotaxa, Kiphire Nagaland. Mains GS-3: Biodiversity; Northeast as biodiversity hotspot; new species discovery process.
Congo Basin Peatlands Release Ancient Carbon
Research from ETH Zurich (published in Nature Geoscience) found lakes in the Democratic Republic of Congo — Lake Mai-Ndombe and Lake Tumba — are releasing carbon trapped for thousands of years in surrounding tropical peatlands.
Key Details:
- Up to 40% of CO₂ emissions from these lakes originates from peat >3,000 years old
- Congo Basin peatlands: cover only 0.3% of Earth’s land surface but store ~one-third of global tropical peatland carbon
- Threats: climate change, deforestation, conversion to cropland → accelerates peat drying → carbon release
- Congo Basin: world’s second-largest rainforest (after Amazon); least-studied major forest ecosystem
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Congo Basin, Lake Mai-Ndombe, peatlands, ETH Zurich, Nature Geoscience. Mains GS-3: Carbon sinks; tropical forests; climate feedback loops; peatland ecology.
Rare Smew Sighted at Kaziranga for First Time
A Smew (Mergellus albellus) — a striking white diving duck — was documented for the first time at Kaziranga National Park during the 7th Waterbird Census at Rowmari-Donduwa beels (Laokhowa buffer zone).
Key Details:
- Over 105,000 waterbirds documented across the park’s wetlands
- Smew: winter migrant from Eurasian taiga; males — distinctive black mask + white plumage
- Global population: ~130,000 mature individuals; declining due to habitat degradation
- Census: January 4–11; 120+ enumerators + 50 volunteers
- Kaziranga: UNESCO World Heritage Site; part of Central Asian Flyway; hosts 500+ bird species
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Smew (Mergellus albellus), Kaziranga, Central Asian Flyway, Laokhowa WLS. Mains GS-3: Biodiversity; wetland conservation; bird census significance.
BRO Restores Chungthang–Lachen Axis in North Sikkim
Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth inaugurated the restored Chungthang–Lachen road (28 km) and Taram Chu Bridge (400-foot Bailey suspension bridge) in North Sikkim, rebuilt by BRO under Project Swastik.
Key Details:
- Damaged by: cloudburst (May–June 2025), Cyclone Remal (June 2024), Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) — October 2023
- BRO cleared 96 landslides; built 4 major bridges; 8 km fresh formation cutting
- Sikkim borders: China, Bhutan, Nepal; strategic proximity to international borders
- Bailey bridges: portable, prefabricated truss structures for rapid military deployment
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: BRO, Project Swastik, GLOF, Bailey bridge, Chungthang, Taram Chu. Mains GS-3: Border infrastructure; disaster resilience; BRO’s strategic role. GS-1: GLOF risk in Himalayan states.
CBIC Launches SWIFT 2.0 on International Customs Day
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) announced SWIFT 2.0 (upgraded Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade), a Digital Travellers Guide, and revamped Atithi app on International Customs Day 2026.
- International Customs Day: Observed annually on January 26
- CBIC under: Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
- SWIFT 2.0: End-to-end digital trade compliance; transparency; trust-based customs
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: SWIFT (trade), CBIC, International Customs Day, Atithi app. Mains GS-3: Ease of doing business; trade facilitation; digital governance.
India-Germany Climate Adaptation Partnership Deepened
India and Germany committed EUR 20 million (new Large Grant under IKI — International Climate Initiative) for climate adaptation, focusing on ecosystem-based approaches in the Himalayas, Western Ghats, island territories, Northeast, and Lower Gangetic floodplains.
Key Details:
- Germany’s representative: State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth (Federal Environment Ministry)
- India’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP): under MoEFCC
- Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA): Using biodiversity and ecosystem services for climate resilience
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: IKI, EbA, NAP, Jochen Flasbarth, India-Germany climate partnership. Mains GS-3: Climate change adaptation; international climate finance; India’s NAP.
Persons in News
President Droupadi Murmu — First Indian President to fly in an attack helicopter; flew LCH Prachand at Jaisalmer.
Shripad Yesso Naik — Union MoS Power; announced India’s 520 GW power milestone.
Sanjay Seth — Raksha Rajya Mantri; inaugurated BRO’s restored Chungthang-Lachen axis.
Park Chan-wook — South Korean filmmaker; named jury president of 79th Cannes Film Festival (first Korean in this role). His films: Oldboy (Grand Prix 2004), Thirst (Jury Prize 2009), Decision to Leave (Best Director 2022).
UPSC Relevance (Combined)
Prelims: LCH Prachand, HAL, 520 GW, Impatiens nagorum, Fakim WLS, Congo peatlands, Durand Line, Smew, Central Asian Flyway, BRO/GLOF, SWIFT 2.0, IKI. Mains GS-2: South Asian security; diplomacy. GS-3: Renewable energy; biodiversity; climate adaptation; border infrastructure.
📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia
LCH Prachand:
- Developer/Builder: HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited)
- Type: India’s first indigenous combat/attack helicopter
- Features: Night-attack, stealth, high-altitude capability; 20mm turret gun, missiles, rockets
- President Murmu’s sortie: 25 min, Jaisalmer, as co-pilot
- Previous President sorties: Su-30MKI (April 2023, Tezpur), Rafale (October 2023, Ambala)
India’s Power Capacity:
- Total installed: >520 GW (February 2026)
- Non-fossil share: >50%
- Solar: more than tripled in recent years
- 2030 target: 500 GW non-fossil (already exceeded in total; target for specifically non-fossil)
- Net-zero target: 2070
- Key scheme: PM Surya Ghar Yojana (rooftop solar for 1 crore homes)
Impatiens nagorum:
- Location: Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Kiphire district, Nagaland
- Published: Phytotaxa journal
- Teams: Kohima Science College, Nagaland University, University of Warsaw, BSI
- Elevation: 2,336 m; individuals: ~20 (very rare)
- SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy): confirmed species identity
- Named after: Naga indigenous communities
Congo Peatlands:
- Lakes: Lake Mai-Ndombe + Lake Tumba (DRC)
- Peat age releasing: >3,000 years
- Peatland global share: 0.3% of Earth’s land but ~1/3 of tropical peatland carbon
- Congo Basin: world’s 2nd largest rainforest (after Amazon)
- Study: ETH Zurich in Nature Geoscience
Smew at Kaziranga:
- Scientific name: Mergellus albellus
- Type: Diving duck; winter migrant from Eurasian taiga
- Global population: ~130,000
- Census: 7th Waterbird Census (Jan 4–11, 2026); 105,000+ waterbirds at Kaziranga
- Kaziranga: UNESCO World Heritage Site; Central Asian Flyway; 500+ bird species
BRO — North Sikkim:
- Project: Project Swastik
- Infrastructure: 28 km Chungthang–Lachen road + 400-ft Taram Chu Bailey Suspension Bridge
- Cleared: 96 landslides; built 4 major bridges
- Disasters: GLOF (Oct 2023), Cyclone Remal (June 2024), cloudburst (May–June 2025)
- Sikkim borders: China, Bhutan, Nepal
CBIC / SWIFT 2.0:
- CBIC: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
- Under: Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
- International Customs Day: January 26 annually
- SWIFT = Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade
Other Relevant Facts:
- Park Chan-wook: 79th Cannes Film Festival jury president (2026); first Korean to hold this role
- South Korea’s Parasite (Bong Joon-ho) won Palme d’Or in 2019
- Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV): Human Herpesvirus 4; ~95% global population carries it; linked to MS, lymphoma
- BSISO advance heatwave forecast: 2–4 weeks ahead (published in Climate Dynamics)
- IndiaAI Mission + Sweden signed: SITAC (Sweden-India Technology and AI Corridor)