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