Weekly Roundup — Week 6 (Feb 2–8, 2026)

A high-intensity week for India’s trade, defence, and diplomatic fronts. The India-US Trade Framework 2026 committed India to $500 billion in US purchases but set a contentious Russian oil conditionality — testing India’s strategic autonomy. India’s Ramsar wetland count crossed 98 sites on World Wetlands Day. DRDO validated the SFDR ramjet propulsion for Astra Mk-3 — a breakthrough for India’s beyond-visual-range missile programme. Bharat Taxi launched as a cooperative challenge to Ola/Uber. The Meghalaya rat-hole mining disaster killed 27 workers despite a 2014 NGT ban. India and the GCC signed FTA Terms of Reference after 20 years of stalled talks. RBI held repo rate at 5.25% in a neutral stance. The FNTA agreement gave six eastern Nagaland districts institutional autonomy without creating a new state.

Economy & Development

India-US Trade Framework 2026 — $500 Billion Commitment

The India-US Trade Framework 2026 was announced following PM Modi–President Trump bilateral talks. India committed to purchasing $500 billion in US products over 5 years — spanning defence hardware, energy (LNG, crude oil), semiconductors, and civil nuclear equipment.

Tariff reset:

• US reciprocal tariff reduced: 25% → 18% (conditional on India reducing barriers on US goods)
• Additional 25% energy tariff removed — conditional on India reducing Russian crude oil imports

Strategic autonomy tension:

• India sources ~35–40% of crude from Russia (significantly up since 2022 post-Ukraine sanctions)
• US condition: divert Russian crude purchases to US/Gulf suppliers — conflicts with India’s “strategic autonomy” and energy cost optimisation
• India agreed in principle but implementation timeline kept deliberately vague

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / IR + GS-3 / Economy: India-US Comprehensive Global & Strategic Partnership; India’s import diversification; US-China trade war spillover to India; CAATSA waiver implications; India’s oil import bill (India’s single largest import item); energy security vs. geopolitical alignment.

India-GCC FTA — Terms of Reference Signed

India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) signed Terms of Reference (ToR) for a comprehensive FTA — reviving negotiations that stalled in 2006 after 20 years.

GCC Members: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman.

India-GCC trade: USD 178.56 billion (FY25) — 15.42% of India’s global trade; 5-year CAGR 15.3%.

Three pillars of engagement:

1. Energy: India’s crude imports — 35–40% from GCC nations; GCC’s LNG as India’s transition fuel
2. Diaspora: 10 million Indians in GCC; USD 40–45 billion annual remittances (India’s single largest remittance corridor)
3. Trade: Engineering goods + textiles + rice (India) vs. crude + petrochemicals + gold (GCC)

India-UAE CEPA precedent: Signed February 2022 in just 88 days — fastest FTA India ever negotiated; currently being used as template.

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / IR: CEPA vs. FTA vs. PTA distinction; GCC structure (1981); India-Gulf Cooperation; IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Corridor) synergy with FTA; Kafala system labour concerns; India’s FTA track record.

RBI MPC — Repo Rate Held at 5.25%

The RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held the repo rate at 5.25% in its February 2026 review — second consecutive hold after a 25 bps cut in December 2025.

Key data:

• FY26 GDP revised upward: 7.4%
• CPI inflation December 2025: 1.33% (well below 4% target)
• Easing cycle: cumulative 125 bps cut from 6.50% peak (June 2024–December 2025)
• Stance: Neutral (neither tightening nor easing bias)

Why hold despite low inflation? GDP growth is healthy (7.4%), credit growth solid (~14% YoY), global uncertainty (US tariffs, Fed pause) — MPC signalled no urgency to cut further.

Key rates (Prelims):

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Economy: FIT (Flexible Inflation Targeting) framework; MPC composition (6 members: 3 RBI + 3 external); RBI Act Section 45ZB; monetary transmission (MCLR vs. RLLR); liquidity corridor; global monetary policy divergence.

Bharat Taxi — Cooperative Ride-Hailing

Bharat Taxi was formally launched — a cooperative ride-hailing platform under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 — offering zero commission to the company and 80% of fares to drivers.

Key metrics at launch: 2.31 lakh registered drivers; 21.34 lakh users; operational in Delhi-NCR + Gujarat.

Comparison with Ola/Uber model:

• Ola/Uber: venture-backed, commission extraction 20–30%, surge pricing, algorithmic control
• Bharat Taxi: surplus redistributed to member-drivers; democratic governance by “Sarathis” (driver-members); no external shareholder pressure

Cooperative analogues: Amul (dairy), IFFCO (fertilisers), Sahakar Taxi (Maharashtra, smaller scale).

Policy context: Code on Social Security, 2020 includes “aggregator” definition and mandates welfare fund for gig/platform workers — implementation still pending in most states.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Economy: Platform economy and gig workers; MSCS Act 2002 vs. Companies Act; cooperative surplus distribution; Articles 43, 43B (DPSP — cooperative promotion, added by 97th Amendment 2011); Ministry of Cooperation (est. 2021).

NITI Aayog Circular Economy — ELV and E-Waste Reports

NITI Aayog released three Circular Economy reports on End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), e-waste, and Li-ion batteries at the India Material Recycling Conference (IMRC), Jaipur.

Key projections:

Key policy instruments:

• Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2021: RVSF (Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility) + ATS (Automated Testing Station) framework
• EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility): Manufacturers bear cost of product end-of-life management
• 6Rs framework: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refurbish, Recover, Repair
• GACERE (Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency): India member

Challenge: 85–90% of ELVs dismantled in the informal sector — hazardous to workers, no material recovery efficiency, no environmental compliance.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Environment + Economy: Circular economy principles; EPR under E-Waste Rules 2022; Battery Waste Management Rules 2022; critical mineral recovery from e-waste; India’s formal recycling capacity gap.

Science & Technology

DRDO SFDR Validated — Astra Mk-3 Propulsion Breakthrough

DRDO successfully validated the SFDR (Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet) propulsion system at ITR (Integrated Test Range), Chandipur, Odisha — a critical milestone for the Astra Mk-3 Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM).

How SFDR works:

• Uses atmospheric oxygen as oxidiser — no need to carry onboard oxidiser (unlike rockets)
• Boron-based solid fuel — high energy density, simple storage
• Achieves sustained Mach 2–3.8 cruise throughout flight
• No onboard compressor (unlike turbojets) — air enters via intake, compressed by forward motion

Astra family evolution:

Global context: India is only the 4th nation (after France/UK via Meteor, China via PL-15, Russia via R-77M) to validate this class of propulsion. Meteor missile (in service with Rafale) has 150+ km range; China’s PL-15 reaches ~200 km.

DRDO labs involved: DRDL (Hyderabad), HEMRL (Pune), RCI (Hyderabad).

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / S&T + Security: Ramjet vs. scramjet vs. rocket distinction; IGMDP programme (1983, Dr. Kalam); MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) — India member since 2016; Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme legacy; ADA vs. DRDO distinction; BVR missile gap in Indo-Pak + India-China context.

Kavach 4.0 — Railway Safety Commissioning Record

India set a record for Kavach ATP (Automatic Train Protection) deployment: 472.3 km in a single day (February 6), bringing the total commissioned network to 1,306.3 km across 5 railway zones.

How Kavach works:

• Real-time communication between Loco Unit, Station Unit, Tower Unit, and Route Relay Interlocking (RRI)
• Automatically applies brakes if a signal is passed at danger (SPAD), overspeed, or collision threat detected
• Uses UHF radio + GPS for positioning
• SIL-4 certified — Safety Integrity Level 4 (highest; failure probability <10⁻⁸ per hour)

Scale challenge: 1,306 km deployed vs. 68,000+ km total network — coverage still <2%. Full rollout estimated at Rs 30,000–35,000 crore over 5–7 years.

Bahanaga Bazar context: June 2, 2023 Odisha train accident (290+ deaths) — signalling failure + altered interlocking. Kavach would have prevented it.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / S&T + Economy: RDSO (Research Designs & Standards Organisation, Lucknow) mandate; European ETCS Level 2 comparison (GSM-R, moving block signalling); Indian Railways modernisation budget; CAG reports on railway safety; Mission 100% Kavach timeline challenges.

Environment & Ecology

India Crosses 98 Ramsar Wetland Sites

On World Wetlands Day (February 2), India added two new Ramsar sites, taking the total to 98 — the highest in South Asia.

New additions:

1. Patna Bird Sanctuary — Etah district, Uttar Pradesh; shallow freshwater lake; migratory waterfowl
2. Chhari-Dhand — Kutch, Gujarat; seasonal saline wetland; flamingo breeding site; Desert Fox; Indian Wild Ass

Ramsar Convention: Signed February 2, 1971 at Ramsar, Iran — named after the city. India acceded in 1982. As of 2026: 172 contracting parties; 2,400+ Ramsar sites globally.

India wetland status:

• 98 Ramsar sites; total area: ~13.98 lakh hectares
• World Wetlands Day 2026 theme: “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing”
• India’s Ramsar sites expanded 276% since 2014 (from 26 sites)

Five major threats to Indian wetlands: Encroachment, untreated sewage/industrial effluent, invasive alien species (Eichhornia, Salvinia), sand mining, altered hydrology (dams/diversions).

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Environment: Ramsar criteria (9 criteria; at least 1 must be met); India’s Wetlands Rules 2017; National Wetland Conservation Programme; Montreux Record (sites at risk — Loktak Lake, Keoladeo NP earlier); Wetland International vs. Ramsar Secretariat distinction.

Meghalaya Rat-Hole Mining Explosion

A methane explosion at an illegal rat-hole coal mine at Thangkso/Mynsngat village, East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya killed at least 27 workers — mostly migrant labourers from Assam.

Rat-hole mining defined: Narrow tunnels (~3–4 ft wide; 1 person) dug horizontally (side-cutting) or vertically (box-cut) into hillsides — no machinery, no ventilation, no structural support.

NGT ban (2014): National Green Tribunal banned rat-hole mining on grounds of:

• Violation of MMDR Act 1957 (no valid mining leases)
• No Environmental Clearances
• Child labour
• Catastrophic safety standards

Why the ban fails — Sixth Schedule conflict:

• Coal found under privately owned tribal land in Meghalaya
• Sixth Schedule (Articles 244(2), 275(1)): ADCs (Autonomous District Councils — Khasi, Garo, Jaintia Hills) have legislative powers over land and forests
• MMDR Act 1957 (central law) vs. customary Sixth Schedule land ownership rights — enforcement ambiguity persists

Previous disaster: Ksan mine, December 2018 — 15 miners trapped; 140-day rescue; all confirmed dead.

Environmental damage: Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) from unregulated workings — Lukha River pH 2.0–4.0 (strongly acidic; normal river pH 6.5–8.5).

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Environment + GS-2 / Polity: Sixth Schedule autonomy vs. central environmental law; MMDR Act 1957 vs. Mines Act 1952; ADC powers vs. Central Pollution Control Board jurisdiction; tribal land rights; inter-state migrant worker vulnerability; NDRF rescue limitations in flooded narrow shafts.

Turtle Trails — Olive Ridley Conservation Controversy

Budget 2026-27 proposed a “Turtle Trails” ecotourism initiative for Olive Ridley nesting beaches — sparking debate between tourism revenue and conservation needs.

Olive Ridley basics:

• Lepidochelys olivacea — IUCN Vulnerable; WPA Schedule I
• Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary (Odisha) — world’s largest Olive Ridley rookery; 300,000–600,000 females nest in mass arribada (synchronised nesting event)
• Eggs: 100–120 per clutch; incubation ~55–65 days; natural sex determination by sand temperature

Conservation objections to ecotourism at nesting beaches:

• Light pollution: hatchlings navigate to sea using moonlight/starlight reflection; artificial lights cause disorientation → predation
• Noise and vibration: false crawls (females abort nesting and return to sea), nest site abandonment
• CRZ-IA violation: nesting beaches are Coastal Regulation Zone-IA — no construction/activity permitted
• Bycatch: 10,000–30,000 turtles die annually in fishing nets; TED (Turtle Excluder Device) compliance only 30–40%

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Environment: Arribada phenomenon; CRZ notifications; Wildlife Protection Act Schedule I provisions; Olive Ridley vs. Leatherback distinction; Gahirmatha Marine WLS; Operation Olivia (Odisha fishermen seasonal patrolling).

Defence & Security

Agni-III Ballistic Missile Test

India successfully test-fired the Agni-III Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) from ITR Chandipur, Odisha — demonstrating the 3,000–5,000 km range capability, covering all major cities in China and entire Pakistan.

Agni programme overview (Prelims):

Strategic architecture:

• Supervised by SFC (Strategic Forces Command) — established January 2003; under CDS
• Nuclear Command Authority (NCA): Political Council (PM as chair) + Executive Council (NSA as chair)
• India’s nuclear doctrine: NFU (No First Use) + Minimum Credible Deterrence + Massive Retaliation (if NFU violated)

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Security: IGMDP (1983, Dr. Kalam); India’s CTBT position (moratorium since 1998 test, non-signatory); NPT non-signatory; MTCR membership 2016; Agni-III payload 1.5 tonnes, 2-stage solid fuel, road-mobile TEL.

FNTA — Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority

The Centre signed a tripartite agreement creating the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) with the Nagaland State Government and ENPO (Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation) — representing 8 tribes (Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir, Yimchunger, Zeliang) from 6 eastern districts.

Six FNTA districts: Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak, Shamator.

What FNTA gives:

• 46 state subjects transferred (education, health, agriculture, roads, water supply)
• Dedicated financial mechanism — direct fund flow bypassing Nagaland state government
• Institutional autonomy without creating a new state (avoids Article 3 amendment)

Article 371(A) fully preserved — Nagaland’s special protections (customary law, land rights, religious/social practices exempt from Parliamentary laws) remain intact.

Not a separate state: ENPO originally demanded a separate “Frontier Nagaland” state. FNTA is a middle path — asymmetric sub-state autonomy, analogous to Bodoland Territorial Council (Assam, 2003 accord).

NSCN(IM) context: The August 2015 Framework Agreement between India and NSCN(IM) remains unimplemented (NSCN demands separate Naga flag + Constitution). FNTA is a separate track dealing with the eastern districts’ marginalisation grievance.

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / Polity + IR: Sixth Schedule vs. Fifth Schedule distinction; Article 371(A) special protections; India’s Northeast peace track record (12+ accords since 2019: Bodo 2020, NLFT 2019, Karbi Anglong 2021); Mon district Myanmar border; NSCN(IM) Framework Agreement dynamics.

International Relations

Delhi Declaration 2026 — India-Arab League Summit

India hosted the India-Arab League Foreign Ministers Summit in New Delhi — resulting in the Delhi Declaration 2026.

Arab League: 22-member organisation; HQ Cairo; founded 1945; covers Arab world from Mauritania to Oman.

Key outcomes:

• Explicit Houthi condemnation — significant policy shift for India (previously avoided naming non-state actors in Arab conflicts)
• Arab Peace Initiative endorsed — 2002 Saudi plan (Israel withdrawal to 1967 borders + Palestinian state → normalisation)
• Rejection of Trump “Board of Peace” (alternative Gaza solution)
• Affirmation of sovereignty of Sudan, Libya, Somalia

Five pillars of India-Arab engagement: Energy security, Indian diaspora (10 million+), remittances (USD 35–40 billion/year), trade (USD 150 billion+), counter-terrorism/security cooperation.

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / IR: India’s West Asia policy evolution; IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Corridor); Gaza two-state solution; India’s two-way engagement with Israel + Arab states; Red Sea shipping disruption (Houthi attacks → Suez Canal traffic -35%); India’s energy security exposure to West Asian instability.

Bangladesh 13th Jatiya Sangsad Elections

Bangladesh scheduled its 13th Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) elections for February 12, 2026 — first polls after the August 2024 ouster of Sheikh Hasina (who fled to India) and the formation of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

Context:

• Hasina’s Awami League removed from power following mass student protests against quota system that escalated into calls against authoritarianism
• Awami League barred from participating in elections
• BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) and Jamaat-e-Islami main contestants
• 2,034 candidates from 51 parties + 275 independents

India’s stakes:

• Bilateral trade: USD 12 billion+ (India is Bangladesh’s largest neighbour-trade partner)
• 1,160 MW electricity exports to Bangladesh
• Northeast connectivity: Kolkata–Agartala via Bangladesh — 560 km vs. 1,600 km via chicken’s neck
• 750,000–800,000 Hindu minority safety (communal violence since August 2024)
• Security cooperation — northeast insurgent groups (ULFA, NDFB) using Bangladesh territory

China’s footprint: Largest import source for Bangladesh; Padma Bridge rail link; multiple SEZs under construction.

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / IR: India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement 2015; Farakka Barrage + Teesta Water Treaty (pending); Ganges Water Treaty 1996; Bangladesh as India’s development diplomacy success; SAARC; BIMSTEC; India’s neighbourhood-first policy stakes.

Social Issues & Polity

PM-SETU — World Bank $830 Million ITI Upgrade

The World Bank approved USD 830 million for PM-SETU (Skill, Education, Training, and Upskilling) to upgrade 1,000 ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) across India.

Structure: 200 hub ITIs + 800 spoke ITIs; connected to local industry clusters (automotive, electronics, construction, logistics).

Loan terms: 19.5-year maturity; 5-year grace period; World Bank IBRD lending rate.

Key targets:

• 25% women enrollment in upgraded ITIs (against current ~10%)
• Mobilise USD 680 million in private capital through PPP
• Industry-linked Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for informal workers

Skill gap context: India’s formal TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) system chronically underperforms. STRIVE (2018), PMKVY, and DDU-GKY had significant implementation gaps. ITIs: ~15,000 government + ~14,000 private; annual intake ~24 lakh but quality poor.

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / Social Issues + Economy: Demographic dividend and skill development; SDG 4 (Quality Education); India-World Bank borrowing relationship; IBRD vs. IDA distinction; National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC); Skill India Mission 2015; Amul/IFFCO cooperative governance model for ITIs.

📌 Facts Corner — Week 6 Knowledgepedia (Feb 2–8, 2026)

India-US Trade Framework 2026:

• Commitment: USD 500 billion US products over 5 years (defence, energy, semiconductors, nuclear)
• Tariff: reciprocal reduced 25%→18%; energy tariff 25% removed (conditional on reducing Russian crude)
• India sources ~35–40% crude from Russia; USD 1.3 trillion India-US bilateral trade target

India-GCC FTA:

• GCC members: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman (est. 1981; HQ Riyadh)
• India-GCC trade: USD 178.56 billion (FY25); 15.42% of India’s global trade; 5-yr CAGR 15.3%
• Talks stalled since 2006; ToR signing = breakthrough after 20 years
• India-UAE CEPA: Feb 2022; fastest FTA in 88 days; current ~$85B trade; target $200B by 2032
• 10 million Indians in GCC; USD 40–45 billion annual remittances from GCC

Ramsar/Wetlands:

• World Wetlands Day: February 2 (Ramsar Convention signed Feb 2, 1971, Ramsar, Iran)
• India Ramsar sites: 98 (highest in South Asia); India acceded 1982
• New additions: Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah, UP) + Chhari-Dhand (Kutch, Gujarat — flamingo, Wild Ass)
• India’s total Ramsar area: ~13.98 lakh hectares; 276% expansion since 2014 (from 26 sites)
• Montreux Record: sites needing urgent attention (Loktak Lake on record)

DRDO SFDR / Astra Mk-3:

• SFDR: Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet; boron-based fuel; atmospheric oxygen oxidiser; Mach 2–3.8; 50–340 km
• Astra Mk-1: 110 km, inducted IAF; Mk-2: 160 km, testing; Mk-3: 340 km, SFDR-enabled
• India = 4th nation with SFDR capability (after France/UK Meteor, China PL-15, Russia R-77M)
• Labs: DRDL Hyderabad, HEMRL Pune, RCI Hyderabad; test site: ITR Chandipur (PXE, Balasore)
• MTCR: India member since 2016

RBI MPC Feb 2026:

• Repo: 5.25% (hold); Reverse Repo: ~3.35%; MSF: 5.50%; CRR: 4%; SLR: 18%
• Cumulative cut cycle: 125 bps from 6.50% (Jun 2024 peak) to 5.25%
• FIT target: 4% CPI; band: 2–6%; MPC: 6 members (3 RBI + 3 external, nominated by Govt)
• Dec 2025 CPI: 1.33% (lowest in years); FY26 GDP: 7.4% (upward revision)
• Stance: Neutral (was Withdrawal of Accommodation earlier in cycle)

Kavach:

• Kavach ATP: SIL-4 certified; prevents SPAD, overspeeding, collision; UHF radio + GPS
• Components: Loco Unit + Station Unit + Tower Unit + RRI
• Feb 6 record: 472.3 km single-day; cumulative: 1,306.3 km; full network: 68,000+ km
• RDSO HQ: Lucknow; full rollout cost: Rs 30,000–35,000 crore over 5–7 years
• Developed by: RDSO (CORE + KERNEX + Medha vendors); started 2012; SIL-4 since 2016

Bharat Taxi:

• Act: MSCS Act 2002 (Multi-State Cooperative Societies); zero commission; 80% fare to driver
• Launch stats: 2.31 lakh drivers; 21.34 lakh users; Delhi-NCR + Gujarat
• Code on Social Security 2020: defines “aggregator” (Sec 2(1)); gig worker welfare fund provisions
• Article 43B (DPSP): State shall promote cooperative societies (added by 97th Constitutional Amendment, 2011)
• Ministry of Cooperation: est. 2021; Amit Shah (first minister)

Meghalaya Rat-Hole Mining:

• Thangkso/Mynsngat blast, East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya; 27 dead (mostly Assam migrants)
• NGT ban: April 2014; basis: MMDR Act 1957 + Mines Act 1952 violations, child labour, no ECs
• Sixth Schedule: Articles 244(2), 275(1); ADCs (Khasi/Garo/Jaintia Hills) — legislative authority over land
• Ksan mine Dec 2018: 15 miners trapped → all dead; 140-day rescue attempt
• Lukha River: pH 2.0–4.0 (AMD from coal mining; severe ecological damage)

FNTA:

• Parties: Union Govt + Nagaland Govt + ENPO (8 tribes); signed Feb 7, 2026
• Districts: Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak, Shamator (6 eastern Nagaland)
• 46 subjects transferred; own financial mechanism; Article 371(A) fully preserved
• Not a separate state; analogous to Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC, Assam, 2003)
• NSCN(IM) Framework Agreement (Aug 2015): still unimplemented; separate track from FNTA

Agni-III:

• Type: IRBM; range: 3,000–5,000 km; payload: 1.5 tonnes; 2-stage solid fuel; road-mobile TEL
• Inducted: ~2011–12; covers all Pakistan + major Chinese cities (Beijing ~3,500 km)
• SFC (Strategic Forces Command): est. Jan 2003; under NCA
• NCA: Political Council (PM, chair) + Executive Council (NSA, chair)
• India nuclear doctrine: NFU + Minimum Credible Deterrence + Massive Retaliation
• India: non-NPT + non-CTBT (moratorium 1998); MTCR member 2016

Bangladesh Elections:

• 13th Jatiya Sangsad; Feb 12, 2026; 350 seats (300 FPTP + 50 women reserved)
• Context: Hasina ousted Aug 2024; fled to India; Muhammad Yunus Chief Adviser (Nobel 2006)
• Awami League banned; BNP + Jamaat-e-Islami main parties
• India stakes: USD 12B+ trade; 1,160 MW power exports; 750–800K Hindu minority; NE insurgent cooperation

Delhi Declaration 2026 (India-Arab League):

• Arab League: 22 members; est. 1945; HQ Cairo; founded by Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Yemen
• Houthi condemnation (India policy shift); Arab Peace Initiative (2002 Saudi plan) endorsed
• Red Sea: Houthi attacks → Suez Canal traffic -35%; India-Europe shipping disrupted; freight rates surged

Other Relevant Facts:

• Yantra India Miniratna-I: OFB corporatised Oct 2021 → 7 DPSUs; revenue Rs 956 Cr H2 FY22 → Rs 3,108 Cr FY25; exports zero → Rs 321.77 crore
• DRDO 24th India-US JTG Plenary (Feb 3-4): new EW, Cyber, AI project agreements; DIU-DRDO Innovation Bridge; USD 20B defence trade context
• India-Arab League: India has 10 million+ diaspora in Arab world; oil imports 35-40% from Arab GCC states
• Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea): IUCN Vulnerable; WPA Schedule I; Gahirmatha rookery: 300K-600K females; arrivals = global largest
• PM-SETU: 1,000 ITIs; USD 830M World Bank loan; 25% women target; USD 680M private capital mobilisation

Sources: PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, DD News