Weekly Roundup: Week 9 (Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2026)

A week dominated by technology milestones, energy breakthroughs, and defence indigenisation. Kerala’s renaming to Keralam kicked off a constitutional process. The Namo Bharat RRTS became India’s first complete rapid transit corridor. Waaree announced India’s largest battery gigafactory. Micron’s semiconductor clean room at Sanand, India’s first, began production. LCH Prachand and INS Anjadip highlighted defence indigenisation strides. India crossed 520 GW power capacity with the majority now from non-fossil fuels. The Congo peatlands carbon study raised fresh alarms on global warming. And Sulawesi rock art was dated to 67,800 years, the oldest in human history.

Economy & Development

Namo Bharat RRTS: India’s First Complete Rapid Transit Corridor

PM Modi inaugurated the complete 82 km Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, India’s first fully operational RRTS line: connecting New Ashok Nagar, Delhi to Meerut South.

Key specifications:

• Total length: 82 km (17 stations)
• Design speed: 160 km/h; operating speed: 100–120 km/h
• Journey time: ~55 minutes (vs. 3–4 hours by road)
• Train: Namo Bharat: semi-high-speed, air-conditioned trainsets; manufactured by Alstom-BHEL (India)

Implementing body: NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation): a Joint Venture of Government of India + UP + Delhi + Haryana + Rajasthan.

RRTS vs. Metro distinction:

• RRTS: Inter-city regional connectivity; fewer stops; higher speed (160 km/h vs. 80–90 km/h for Metro)
• Metro: Urban within-city connectivity; denser stop network; lower speed

Financing: World Bank (USD 500 million) + ADB (USD 1.03 billion) + JICA + NaBFID.

Two more RRTS corridors under construction: Delhi-Gurugram-SNB and Delhi-Panipat.

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Economy: NCRTC structure; NaBFID (National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development, est. 2021); Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policy; NCR Planning; GatiShakti integration; India’s Urban Transport Mission; comparison with French RER.

Waaree Battery Gigafactory: 16 GWh Energy Storage Manufacturing

Waaree Energies (India’s largest solar PV module manufacturer) announced a Rs 8,175 crore battery energy storage gigafactory in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh: with 16 GWh annual production capacity for LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery cells.

Why LFP?

• Safer than NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt), no thermal runaway risk
• Longer cycle life (3,000–5,000 cycles vs. ~1,500 for NMC)
• Lower energy density but better for grid-scale storage and commercial EVs
• No cobalt dependence (cobalt is geopolitically vulnerable: ~70% from DRC)

India’s battery storage gap: India needs 200–300 GWh of grid-scale battery storage by 2030 to manage intermittency from 500 GW renewable target. Current domestic battery manufacturing capacity: negligible.

PLI for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC): Rs 18,100 crore scheme, Waaree gigafactory is likely to leverage ACC PLI incentives.

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Economy + Environment: National Mission on Transformative Mobility; NITI Aayog battery swap policy; KABIL’s lithium mining (Argentina) → Waaree’s manufacturing → India’s battery self-sufficiency chain; FAME II subsidies; energy storage as a grid stability tool.

India Crosses 520 GW: Renewable Milestone

India’s total installed power capacity crossed 520 GW: with more than half now from non-fossil fuels: a landmark announced at the India Energy Transition Summit 2026 (FICCI, New Delhi).

Installed capacity breakdown (Feb 2026 estimates):

India’s renewable targets:

• 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030 (NDC commitment, updated at COP26)
• 50% of electricity from non-fossil sources by 2030
• India already ahead of schedule on installed capacity; storage and grid integration remain challenges

The storage gap: Solar and wind are intermittent; India needs 200–300 GWh of grid-scale storage by 2030 to balance the grid. Current grid storage: ~4 GWh (pumped hydro + batteries).

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Environment + Economy: India’s NDC; INDC vs. NDC evolution; Panchamrit (at COP26: 500 GW RE, 50% non-fossil electricity, 1B tonne carbon reduction, carbon intensity -45%, Net Zero 2070); ISTS (Inter-State Transmission System) waiver for RE; Green Energy Corridors; Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).

Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana: MP’s Price Deficiency Payment Model

Madhya Pradesh re-implemented the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (Price Difference Payment Scheme) for FY 2025-26, extending coverage to mustard and urad: a farm income support model that sidesteps the logistical difficulties of physical MSP procurement.

How it works:

• If a farmer sells produce at the mandi (mandated market) price below the MSP, the government pays the difference (the “bhavantar”, price gap) directly to the farmer’s bank account
• No government godown required; no procurement logistics; no risk of wastage

Advantages over physical MSP procurement:

• Physical procurement requires godowns, transportation, manpower, and creates government stockpile management burden
• Bhavantar pays only the gap, government outlay is targeted to those who actually need support
• Farmer retains flexibility to sell at market price + gets top-up

Limitations: Middlemen can manipulate mandi prices downward to increase the government’s liability; requires robust mandi price monitoring.

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Agriculture: MSP architecture (CACP recommendations); PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanrakHan Abhiyan), umbrella scheme including Price Support Scheme (PSS) + Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS); Bhavantar = state-level PDPS implementation; eNAM (electronic National Agriculture Market); Farmer Income doubling target (Swaminathan committee formula: C2+50%).

Science & Technology

Amaravati Quantum Valley: NQM Takes Shape

Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh was confirmed as the location of India’s first Quantum Valley: a dedicated technology park anchored by an IBM Quantum System Two facility, with TCS as a development partner.

National Quantum Mission (NQM), key facts:

• Approved: April 2023 by Cabinet; Rs 6,003 crore; 2023–31
• Led by: Department of Science and Technology (DST)
• Lead institutions: IISc Bengaluru + TIFR Mumbai

Targets:

IBM Quantum System Two: IBM’s latest quantum hardware system, superconducting qubits in a modular architecture allowing scaling to thousands of physical qubits. India’s access comes through India-US iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies, 2023).

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / S&T: Quantum supremacy vs. quantum advantage distinction; qubit (quantum bit), superposition + entanglement; QKD (Quantum Key Distribution), unhackable communication using quantum physics; post-quantum cryptography; India-US iCET framework; Amaravati’s significance (Andhra Pradesh greenfield capital).

Micron ATMP Sanand: India’s First Semiconductor Clean Room

Micron Technology (US-based memory chip giant) inaugurated India’s first advanced semiconductor ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) facility at Sanand, Gujarat: housing the world’s largest single semiconductor assembly clean room and delivering its first DRAM module to Dell Technologies.

Why this matters:

• First time a major US semiconductor company manufactures in India
• India Semiconductor Mission 1.0 (Rs 76,000 crore) provided 50% fiscal support to Micron
• ATMP ≠ Fab (fabrication): Micron packages memory chips made in Taiwan/Japan; India handles the packaging, testing, labelling

DRAM packaging: DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is the most widely used computer memory. Micron’s Sanand unit packages DRAM modules for laptops, servers, and data centres, increasingly a strategic product given China-Taiwan-US technology tensions.

Semiconductor supply chain:

• Design (India: Arm-based design companies, Qualcomm India R&D) → Fab (TSMC/Samsung/Intel) → ATMP (Micron Sanand, CG Power Sanand) → Packaging → OEM (Dell, HP, Apple)
• India currently in ATMP phase; Tata Electronics Dholera will be India’s first Fab (2028+ target)

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / S&T + Economy: ISM 1.0 (Rs 76,000 crore; 50% government support); ATMP vs. Fab distinction; Semiconductor = strategic product (US CHIPS Act implications); India Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme for chip design; EV + defence + telecom convergence demand for chips; India joining CHIP4 alliance discussions.

Lenacapavir: Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Injection

Zimbabwe became one of the first countries to begin a nationwide rollout of Lenacapavir (Yeztugo): the world’s first twice-yearly injectable PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) for HIV prevention, developed by Gilead Sciences.

Clinical evidence:

• PURPOSE 1 trial (Sub-Saharan African young women): ~99.9% reduction in HIV acquisition: near-complete protection
• PURPOSE 2 trial (broader population): ~96.4% reduction

How it works: Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor: blocks HIV’s capsid protein (the shell surrounding its genetic material), preventing the virus from entering and replicating in human cells. Administered as 2 injections every 6 months.

Why twice-yearly matters: Daily oral PrEP (Tenofovir/Emtricitabine) has high efficacy but requires strict daily adherence, a major challenge in high-burden settings. Twice-yearly injection removes adherence barriers.

India’s role:

• Gilead licensed generic production to Cipla, Aurobindo, Hetero (Indian generic manufacturers) for low/middle-income country supply
• India = world’s largest HIV treatment provider under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP); Lenacapavir access will be critical

UPSC Angle, GS-2 / Social Issues + Health: TRIPS flexibilities (compulsory licensing); Doha Declaration 2001 (public health flexibilities in TRIPS); India’s Section 3(d) patent law (Novartis case 2013); NACP; UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets; AIDS Healthcare Foundation India work; PM TB Free India Mission (TB-HIV co-infection).

TKDL and India-Brazil Biopiracy Deal

India’s CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) and Brazil’s INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property) signed a cooperation arrangement on the TKDL (Traditional Knowledge Digital Library): enabling Brazilian patent examiners to access India’s database as prior art to prevent biopiracy.

What is TKDL?

• India’s database of traditional knowledge, primarily from Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Yoga: catalogued in 5 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese) for use by global patent offices
• Contains 3.68 lakh formulations/practices from ancient Sanskrit/Arabic texts
• Launched: 2001 by CSIR + Department of AYUSH

Biopiracy examples TKDL has countered:

• Turmeric wound-healing patent (US, 1995) → India challenged + revoked
• Neem biopesticide patent (EPO, 1995) → revoked after India’s challenge
• Basmati rice patent (US, 1997, RiceTec) → partially revoked

TKDL’s legal basis: TKDL acts as prior art: if a traditional practice is documented, it proves the invention isn’t “novel” (a requirement for patentability), allowing patent offices to reject biopiracy applications.

India-Brazil significance: Brazil is a megadiverse nation (Amazon), TKDL-INPI cooperation strengthens South-South knowledge protection. Both nations champion the Nagoya Protocol (2010) on Access and Benefit Sharing under the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity).

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / S&T + IR: TRIPS Agreement (WTO); CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992 Rio Earth Summit); Nagoya Protocol (2010, entered force 2014); India’s Biological Diversity Act 2002; India’s National Biodiversity Authority (NBA); ABS (Access and Benefit Sharing) mechanism.

Defence & Security

Prahaar: India’s First Counter-Terrorism Policy Framework

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released “Prahaar”: India’s first comprehensive counter-terrorism policy framework, addressing threats across land, air, maritime, cyber, and CBRN domains.

Key pillars of Prahaar:

1. Prevention: Intelligence fusion (NIA + IB + RAW + state police); financial intelligence (FIU-IND); social media monitoring
2. Response: National Security Guard (NSG) deployment doctrine; NDRF-police coordination; hostage situations
3. Drone threats: Counter-drone (C-UAS) systems at critical infrastructure; anti-drone R&D fund
4. Cyber terrorism: Critical infrastructure protection (power grids, banking, defence); CERT-In escalation protocols
5. CBRN preparedness: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear threat response doctrine
6. Digital financing: Hawala, cryptocurrency, shell companies used to finance terror, FIU-IND mandate enhanced

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Security: NIA (National Investigation Agency, est. 2008 post-26/11); UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967); MHA’s internal security mandate; NSG’s counter-terrorism role (Black Cat Commandos); India’s global commitment (FATF member, combating terror financing); UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee.

LCH Prachand: World’s Only High-Altitude Attack Helicopter

The LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) Prachand: HAL-developed, inducted into the Indian Air Force and Army in 2023, came into focus as India expanded procurement following its superior performance in Ladakh operations.

LCH Prachand specifications:

• Developer: HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), Bengaluru
• Role: Attack helicopter for high-altitude operations
• Operating altitude: up to 4,000–5,000 metres: the only attack helicopter in the world designed for sustained combat at these altitudes
• Armament: 20mm turret gun, air-to-air missiles (Mistral 2), anti-tank guided missiles (Helina/Dhruvastra), rockets
• Weight advantage: Twin-engine design optimised for high-altitude thin air (reduced lift efficiency)

Strategic significance: The 2020 Galwan Valley standoff with China revealed India’s gap in high-altitude attack capability, Chinese Z-10 helicopters operate in Tibet. LCH Prachand directly fills this gap.

Comparison: US AH-64 Apache cannot sustain operations above ~3,000 m effectively. LCH Prachand’s design is unique globally for high-altitude performance.

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Security: HAL’s helicopter portfolio (Dhruv ALH → LCH Prachand → IMRH → multi-role); Helina (Helicopter-launched NAG) anti-tank missile; Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence; India-China LAC standoff locations (Galwan, Depsang, Demchok); High-altitude warfare doctrine.

INS Anjadip: 4th Indigenous ASW Shallow Water Craft

INS Anjadip, the 4th vessel of India’s ASW-SWC (Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft) programme, was commissioned at Chennai Port by CNS Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.

ASW-SWC programme:

• 8 vessels planned; built by L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli, Chennai
• Designed for anti-submarine warfare in shallow coastal waters: hunting enemy submarines in India’s EEZ and near-shore zones
• Sensors: Bow-mounted sonar + towed array sonar; equipped with torpedoes and depth charges

Strategic context: China’s submarine fleet (70+ submarines) increasingly patrols the Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Shallow-water ASW capability is critical for defending India’s 7,517 km coastline and offshore infrastructure.

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Security + Economy: India’s shipbuilding indigenisation; P75 submarines (Scorpene class); P75I (AIP submarines); Make in India defence; L&T’s role in naval shipbuilding; Indian Ocean submarine threat environment; India’s maritime doctrine.

Environment & Ecology

Congo Peatlands: Ancient Carbon Release

Research published in Nature Geoscience (ETH Zurich) found that lakes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Mai-Ndombe and Lake Tumba: are releasing carbon trapped for over 3,000 years from surrounding tropical peatlands, raising alarm about the Congo Basin as a potential carbon bomb under climate stress.

What are peatlands?

• Waterlogged terrestrial ecosystems where dead organic material (sphagnum moss, grasses, trees) accumulates faster than it decomposes
• Result: ancient carbon stored as dense, compressed organic matter (peat)
• The Congo Basin holds the world’s largest tropical peatland (~145,000 sq km), storing ~30 billion tonnes of carbon (equivalent to ~3 years of global CO₂ emissions)

Why the lakes are releasing carbon:

• Climate warming + reduced rainfall → peatlands drying
• Drying peatlands oxidise → CO₂ and methane released
• Carbon stored for millennia is entering the atmosphere rapidly

Global implications:

• Tropical peatlands are not adequately represented in global climate models
• Congo peatland release could accelerate warming by an additional 0.5–1°C if not addressed
• REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) mechanism should prioritise Congo peatland conservation

UPSC Angle, GS-3 / Environment: REDD+; Paris Agreement 1.5°C target; methane as greenhouse gas (GWP 25× CO₂ over 100 years); carbon sink vs. carbon source dynamics; Congo Basin as the “second lung of the Earth” (Amazon = first); COP27 Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh Action Plan.

International Relations

CM-302 Anti-Ship Missile: China-Iran Deal and Gulf Security

Iran was finalising procurement of China’s CM-302 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile: raising alarms about the naval balance of power in the Persian Gulf, directly relevant to India’s energy security given India’s reliance on Gulf crude oil.

CM-302 specifications:

• Range: ~290 km; speed: Mach 3 (supersonic); terminal manoeuvre for evasion
• Sea-skimming flight profile: flies at wave-top level to avoid radar detection
• Primary threat to: US carrier battle groups, Saudi/UAE frigates, commercial tankers

India’s exposure:

• ~35–40% of India’s crude oil from GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq); 40–45% more from Iran + Russia combined
• Any escalation shutting the Strait of Hormuz (at Iran’s doorstep) would cut ~20% of global oil trade
• 9 million Indians in Gulf; USD 40 billion annual remittances at risk

UPSC Angle, GS-2 / IR + GS-3 / Economy: Iran-China 25-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2021); China arms Iran as strategic counter to US; India-Iran Chabahar Port (India’s answer to Gwadar); Hormuz Strait (width ~56 km, navigable ~5 km each way); India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) at ~9.5 days of consumption.

History, Art & Culture

Sulawesi Rock Art: World’s Oldest at 67,800 Years

A hand stencil in a limestone cave on Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia was dated to at least 67,800 years ago: making it the world’s oldest confirmed rock art, surpassing the previous record by over 16,000 years.

Dating method: Uranium-series (U-series) disequilibrium dating: measures the decay of uranium-234 into thorium-230 in calcium carbonate (flowstone) deposits overlying the artwork; provides minimum age of the art underneath.

What this means for human evolution:

• Previously, symbolic/abstract art was considered a marker of cognitive modernity (~40,000–50,000 years ago, Europe’s Chauvet Cave)
• Sulawesi’s 67,800-year-old art predates modern humans’ arrival in Europe
• Suggests symbolic thinking and artistic capability were present in humans who left Africa before the European migration, rewriting the “cognitive revolution” timeline

Indonesia’s Sulawesi cave art: The island has multiple cave sites with ancient figurative art, Sus celebensis (Sulawesi warty pig) paintings at ~45,500 years previously held the record for oldest figurative art. This hand stencil is even older and simpler.

India connection: Similar “cave art tradition” at Bhimbetka Rock Shelters (Madhya Pradesh): UNESCO World Heritage Site with rock paintings from 30,000+ years ago; potentially older layers under study.

UPSC Angle, GS-1 / History + Art & Culture: Bhimbetka Rock Shelters (MP; UNESCO 2003; Mesolithic + later periods); Mesolithic vs. Palaeolithic rock art in India; Out of Africa migration theory; Homo sapiens migration timeline (2 waves: 60,000–70,000 years ago through Southeast Asia; 45,000 years ago to Europe); prehistoric art as evidence of symbolic cognition.

📌 Facts Corner: Week 9 Knowledgepedia (Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2026)

Namo Bharat RRTS:

• 82 km; 17 stations; Sahibabad, Delhi ↔ Meerut South; India’s first complete RRTS line
• Design speed: 160 km/h; journey time: ~55 min; NCRTC (GoI + UP + Delhi + Haryana + Rajasthan JV)
• Finance: World Bank USD 500M + ADB USD 1.03B + JICA; RRTS vs. Metro: inter-city vs. intra-city
• 2 more RRTS: Delhi-Gurugram-SNB + Delhi-Panipat (under construction)

India 520 GW Power:

• Solar: ~220 GW; Wind: ~85 GW; Hydro+biomass: ~60 GW; Nuclear: 8.2 GW; Non-fossil: ~373 GW (~72%)
• NDC target: 500 GW non-fossil by 2030 (on track); 50% electricity from non-fossil by 2030
• Storage gap: ~4 GWh current (pumped hydro + batteries) vs. 200–300 GWh needed by 2030
• Panchamrit (COP26): 500 GW RE; 50% non-fossil electricity; 1B tonne carbon reduction; -45% carbon intensity; Net Zero 2070

Waaree Battery Gigafactory:

• Rs 8,175 crore; 16 GWh; Anakapalli, AP; LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells
• LFP: safer (no thermal runaway), longer cycles (3,000–5,000), no cobalt; preferred for grid storage + commercial EVs
• PLI for ACC (Advanced Chemistry Cell): Rs 18,100 crore scheme

Kerala → Keralam:

• Union Cabinet approved renaming; constitutional route: Parliament amends First Schedule via simple majority (Art. 3)
• Article 3: Parliament may by law form a new state, alter boundaries, or rename; state legislature’s view must be obtained (but not binding on Parliament)
• Kerala Assembly 2023 resolution; “Keralam” = traditional Malayalam name

Prahaar Counter-Terrorism Framework:

• India’s first comprehensive CT policy framework; released by MHA
• 6 pillars: prevention, response, drones, cyber terrorism, CBRN, digital financing
• NIA: est. 2008 (post 26/11); headquartered New Delhi; handles terror cases across India
• FATF: India member since 2010; assessed as “Compliant/Largely Compliant” (2024 evaluation)

Amaravati Quantum Valley:

• IBM Quantum System Two + TCS; Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh
• NQM: April 2023; Rs 6,003 crore; DST lead; IISc + TIFR
• 50-qubit (2028); 1,000-qubit (2031); satellite QKD (2027); QKD = unhackable quantum communication

Micron ATMP Sanand:

• Sanand, Gujarat; ISM 1.0 (50% government support); world’s largest single semiconductor assembly clean room
• ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking, Packaging) ≠ Fab; Micron DRAM (memory chips) packaged for Dell/others
• Also at Sanand: CG Power ATMP (Renesas/STARS JV); Tata Electronics (Dholera) = India’s first fab (2028+)

LCH Prachand:

• Developer: HAL Bengaluru; inducted: 2023 (IAF + Army); only attack helicopter designed for 4,000–5,000 m ops
• Armament: 20mm gun, Mistral-2 (AAM), Helina/Dhruvastra (ATGM), rockets
• Context: fills gap revealed in 2020 LAC standoff; Chinese Z-10 operates in Tibet

INS Anjadip:

• 4th of 8 ASW-SWC vessels; L&T Kattupalli, Chennai; commissioned by CNS Adm. Dinesh K. Tripathi
• ASW = Anti-Submarine Warfare; shallow coastal water operations; bow sonar + towed array sonar + torpedoes

Lenacapavir:

• Gilead Sciences (US); brand: Yeztugo; twice-yearly injectable PrEP (6-month interval)
• ~99.9% effectiveness (PURPOSE 1); ~96.4% (PURPOSE 2); capsid inhibitor (blocks HIV replication)
• Gilead licensed to India’s Cipla, Aurobindo, Hetero for LMICs; Zimbabwe first nationwide rollout
• Daily oral PrEP: Tenofovir+Emtricitabine (Truvada); adherence challenge solved by injectable

TKDL:

• CSIR + DPIIT + Department of AYUSH; launched 2001; 3.68 lakh traditional formulations/practices
• 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese; used as prior art in patent offices
• Biopiracy wins: Turmeric (US, 1995), Neem (EPO, 1995), Basmati (US, 1997, partial)
• India-Brazil: CSIR + INPI (Brazil’s patent office) cooperation; Nagoya Protocol + CBD framework

Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana:

• MP scheme (revived FY26); Price Difference Payment for mustard + urad
• Government pays MSP-market price gap directly to farmer’s bank; no physical procurement
• Under PM-AASHA umbrella: PSS (physical procurement) + PDPS (price deficiency) + PSF (Price Stabilisation Fund)

Congo Peatlands:

• Lake Mai-Ndombe + Lake Tumba, DRC; carbon from peatlands 3,000+ years old now releasing
• Congo Basin = world’s largest tropical peatland: ~145,000 sq km; ~30 billion tonnes stored carbon
• Method: lake sediment core + radiocarbon dating; study: ETH Zurich in Nature Geoscience
• REDD+ = mechanism to reduce deforestation + forest degradation emissions (under UNFCCC)

Sulawesi Rock Art:

• Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia; hand stencil; ≥67,800 years old (uranium-series dating)
• Oldest confirmed rock art globally; oldest figurative art: Sus celebensis pig, Sulawesi ~45,500 years
• India analogue: Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, MP (UNESCO 2003; 30,000+ years; Mesolithic + Palaeolithic)

CM-302 Missile:

• China-Iran deal; CM-302: Mach 3, ~290 km range, sea-skimming; anti-ship
• Hormuz Strait: ~56 km wide; ~5 km navigable; ~20% global oil trade; India crude import exposure ~85%
• India SPR: ~5.33 MMT (~9.5 days); locations: Vishakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur

Other Relevant Facts:

• Seva Teertha (completed context from Week 8): replaces South Block built 1930; PM RAHAT = road accident victim compensation scheme
• NCRTC RRTS corridors: Delhi-Meerut (82 km, complete); Delhi-Gurugram-SNB (under construction); Delhi-Panipat (under construction)
• PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanrakHan Abhiyan): umbrella for PSS + PDPS + PSF; Bhavantar = state implementation of PDPS model

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