UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | January 5 to January 11, 2026

— The report is prepared by the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the five United Nations regional commissions.

— According to the UN report, the increase in global military expenditure in 2024 to $2.7 trillion reflects “the steepest annual increase since at least 1988”. The rise has been driven by the world’s 10 largest spenders, which make up nearly 75 per cent of the total, the UN said.

 

Events

• First International Spice Routes Conference

— The first International Spice Routes Conference was organised in Kochi, Kerala, from January 6 to 8, 2026.

— The event was held at the historic Bolgatty Palace, Ernakulam, a site intrinsically linked to centuries of maritime trade and cultural encounters. The Muziris Heritage Project organized it in collaboration with the Kerala Tourism Department.

— It highlighted the deep cosmopolitan ethos of spice route regions and examined how these shared histories continue to shape our contemporary world.

— Between the 1st century BC and 4th century AD, the port town of Muziris, located on the mouth of the delta of the Periyar river, was a hub of trade, linking Southeast Asia, Africa, West Asia and Europe, exporting pepper, beads and silk and importing gold coins and grain among other things.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P T Usha, Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi and others during the ‘Sports Governance Conclave’, in Ahmedabad. (@sanghaviharsh/X via PTI Photo)

• Sports Governance Conclave

—  The Sports Governance Conclave was organised by the Government of India, in association with the Government of Gujarat and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on 9th January, 2026.

— Sports secretary Hari Ranjan Rao laid out the country’s 10-year medal strategy that has Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approval. Outlining the strategy, he said, “In 2036, we must get 12 to 14 gold medals and 30 to 35 total medals to be in the top 10 and in the 2048 Olympics, 35-40 gold medals and around 100 total medals.”

— At the conclave, Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, also cited key initiatives such as the National Sports Governance Act (NSGA), Khelo Bharat Niti, reforms in ANSF norms, and improvements in coach recruitment systems.

• National Sports Governance Act (NSGA)

— The National Sports Governance Act partially came into effect from January 1, 2026. The Act was notified in the Official Gazette on August 18, 2025.

— The provisions being brought into effect relate to the establishment and governance framework of National Sports Bodies, including the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations (NSFs), and Regional Sports Federations.

— This Act establishes the National Olympic Committee, the National Paralympic Committee, and the National and Regional Sports Federations for each sport. Each of these bodies has also been mandated to establish a code of conduct in line with the international best practices prevailing in each sport.

— The Act also mandates that the Executive Committee for every sporting federation must consist of up to 15 members, with at least two outstanding sportspersons and four women.

— A National Sports Tribunal will be constituted to adjudicate disputes pertaining to sporting federations.

 

Polity

After the verdict, Umar’s father, S Qasim Ilyas, called the top court’s decision “very unfortunate.” (PTI File, AP)

• Supreme Court expansive statutory definition of a “terrorist act”

— In denying bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case, the Supreme Court relied on an expansive statutory definition of a “terrorist act” under the provision of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

— Section 15 of the UAPA defines a terrorist act as an act done “with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security, economic security, or sovereignty of India or with intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India.”

— However, the provision qualifies that striking terror is by use of “bombs, dynamite or other explosive substances or inflammable substances or firearms…or any other means.”

— In denying bail, the SC relied on the prosecution’s interpretation that a “chakka jam” that Khalid and the other accused allegedly conspired to organise would fall under the definition of “any other means.”

— The Court also identifies the hierarchy of roles in denying their bail. Essentially, the ruling created a hierarchy of offenders, even when all the accused are booked under similar charges and examined their roles individually.

• Indian National Cine Academy

— The Indian National Cine Academy (INCA) was launched in Mumbai, leading to the formation of an umbrella film body, which will bridge the gap between 12 regional film industries from across the country. It was founded by producer Vishnu Vardhan Induri, who has backed films across languages under his banner Vibri Media.

— INCA attempts to bridge the gap between Hindi cinema and these South Indian film industries by facilitating cross-pollination of talent and pan-India access to regional films, projecting the Indian film industry as one whole unit.

— The Producers Guild of India, led by Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO of Reliance Entertainment, also serves as a “chief patron” of INCA.

— INCA will hold its inaugural awards show on March 9 in Mumbai, in which the categories and participation will cut across languages and regions. It also plans to organize an annual Cinema Conclave, featuring representation of film professionals from across India.

• India- Largest producer of Rice

— Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that India has become the world’s largest rice producer, surpassing China, with a total output of 150.18 million tonnes during 2024-25.

— On this occasion, Chouhan also released 184 new varieties of 25 crops. These include 122 of cereals, 24 of cotton (including 22 Bt cotton), 13 of oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, six each of pulses and sugarcane, and one each of jute and tobacco.

• National IED Data Management System (NIDMS)

— Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the operationalisation of the National IED Data Management System (NIDMS), a centralised and secure national platform for the management of data related to Improvised Explosive Device (IED) incidents.

— Developed under the aegis of the National Security Guard (NSG), NIDMS is designed to serve as a single, authoritative repository of IED-related information across the country.

— The system aims to support prevention, investigation, and response mechanisms by enabling systematic data collection, analysis, and dissemination among authorised stakeholders.

— NIDMS is a comprehensive digital platform enabling standardised recording and analysis of IED incident data, including details related to explosive materials, initiation mechanisms, locations, forensic findings, and operational patterns.

 

International 

OPEC supplied 54% of India’s imported oil in January, according to industry sources. (Reuters)

• OPEC +

— The January 4 OPEC+ meeting came after oil prices fell more than 18% in 2025 — their steepest yearly drop since 2020 — amid growing oversupply concerns. After a quick meeting, they decided to keep oil output unchanged.

— Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE flared last month over a decade-long conflict in Yemen, when a UAE-aligned group seized territory from the Saudi-backed government. The crisis triggered the biggest split in decades between the former close allies.

— It was established in 1960 by the founding members Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, OPEC has since expanded and now has 12 member states. Angola is the recent country to withdraw its membership effective 1 January 2024.

— In 2016, OPEC countries signed a Declaration of Cooperation with non-OPEC oil-producing countries. It included Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Equatorial Guinea (which later joined OPEC), Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, the Russian Federation, Sudan and South Sudan. This grouping is known as OPEC+.

— The objective of the organisation is to “coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure the stabilisation of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry,” according to the OPEC website.

• ‘Donroe Doctrine’

— In the wake of the U.S.’s operation to depose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President Donald Trump has coined a new term to describe his approach to foreign policy: the “Donroe Doctrine.”

— The “Donroe Doctrine” owes its name to two parents: The nineteenth-century “Monroe Doctrine” and the twenty-first-century worldview of Donald Trump.

— According to Amitabh Mattoo, the Monroe Doctrine, which comes with the assertion that the Western Hemisphere constitutes a special strategic space in which external powers have no legitimate role.

— Donald Trump’s doctrine comes with unapologetic primacy, readiness to use force, and the belief that the United States may not only intervene but also supervise political outcomes. This fusion produces the Donroe Doctrine: An explicit claim not just to influence, but to guardianship.

About the Monroe Doctrine

— It was articulated by the 5th US President, James Monroe, in 1823 to ward off European powers from interfering in the affairs of countries in the Western Hemisphere, specifically those located in North and South America.

— At the time, many Latin American countries had just gained independence from European empires. The doctrine was meant to prevent Europe from reclaiming influence while also asserting the United States as the dominant power in the region.

Trump’s decision Thursday targeted over 60 organisations, broadly in two major baskets. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

• US pulls out of 66 global bodies

— Signing a memorandum titled ‘Withdrawing the United States from International Organisations, Conventions, and Treaties that Are Contrary to the Interests of the United States’, Donald Trump directed all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to put into effect the US withdrawal from 66 international organisations.

— Some of the most prominent organisations in the list are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Also on the list is the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is headquartered in India.

— The ISA was conceptualised on the sidelines of the COP21 in Paris in 2015, when the landmark Paris Agreement was signed to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and limit the rise in average global temperature.

— Primarily, the ISA was envisaged as a facilitator in the adoption and growth of solar power. A 2020 amendment led to all UN member states becoming eligible to join the alliance.

 

Environment

• Darth Vader super bug

— One of the latest discoveries is a giant sea bug called Bathynomus vaderi, found in the cold waters near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The angular-headed bug is being called the Darth Vader superbug, thanks to its striking similarity to the iconic villain’s helmet.

— The superbug belongs to a genus of giant isopods called Bathynomus, which live in deep, chilly waters. This new species is impressively large, weighing over 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) and growing up to 12.8 inches (32.5 centimetres) long.

— Besides its Darth Vader-like appearance, the species has a unique narrowing and slight backward curve at the last segment of its back legs, which distinguishes it from typical isopods.

 

Science and Technology

The European Space Agency (ESA) officials shared about this development during the annual media briefing held in Paris on Thursday. (Photo – NASA)

• Mars Return Sample mission

— The ambitious and first-of-its-kind Mars Return Sample mission, planned between Europe and the US, has been officially called off.

— The cancellation of this collaborative mission between ESA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) comes in the aftermath of the Donald Trump administration’s heavy budgetary sanctions imposed on NASA since the return of the Republicans in 2025.

— Projected to be lifted-off sometime in the early 2030s, the Mars Return Mission was one of the most strategic missions, involving the return of scientifically selected samples from another planet ( Mars) and the first to be launched from the surface of another planet (Mars) back to Earth.

• Gait Pattern analysis

— For the first time, the Delhi Police has used Gait analysis to crack a case where a UPSC aspirant was murdered.

— In Gait analysis, a systematic study of walking to understand movement, or identify individuals, examining temporal (speed, step length) and spatial (joint angles, foot placement) features using tools like motion sensors or cameras are conducted.

— It detects abnormalities from conditions or for forensic identification via footprints/CCTV. It breaks down the gait cycle (stance/swing phases) to assess criminal investigation by identifying unique deviations.

 

Defence

Singh said platforms such as ‘Samudra Pratap’ give confidence that India understands its maritime responsibilities and is fully prepared to fulfil them.(@rajnathsingh/X)

• Samudra Pratap

— Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the pollution control vessel Samudra Pratap at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

— Samudra Pratap, meaning “Majesty of the Seas”, is the first indigenously designed and built Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), and is also the largest ship in the ICG fleet.

— Though designed primarily for pollution control, the vessel integrates multiple capabilities on a single platform, making it effective for coastal patrol and maritime safety operations.

— The PCV is the first Indian Coast Guard ship with Dynamic Positioning capability (DP-1) and holds FiFi-2/FFV-2 notation certification.

— It features advanced oil spill detection and response systems such as an oil fingerprinting machine, a gyro-stabilised standoff active chemical detector, and specialised pollution control laboratory equipment, enabling comprehensive pollution response operations within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and beyond.

Diseases

(Just FYI: UPSC has consistently included questions on health and diseases in its examinations over the years. For instance, in 2014, a question about the Ebola virus appeared in the Prelims, and in 2017, a question about the Zika virus was featured. Therefore, it is crucial to stay updated on diseases that are currently in the news.)

• Rabies a ‘notifiable disease’

— The Delhi government is set to declare human rabies a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act. It is in line with the government’s plan to achieve zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies.

— A notifiable disease in India is any disease, often infectious like dengue, tuberculosis, or COVID-19, that healthcare providers are legally required to report to public health authorities for monitoring, outbreak prevention, and control.

— The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, provides the framework, with the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) managing data collection and response, enabling early intervention and resource allocation.

— So far, 20 states have declared human rabies a notifiable disease, as per the official website of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s National Rabies Control Program.

 

Persons in News

(Just FYI: Noting historical personalities’ anniversaries aids UPSC prep. UPSC often includes such personalities in questions, so revisiting their lives refreshes your static syllabus.)

• Madhav Gadgil

— A pioneer in ecological sciences, Madhav Gadgil, 83, died on 7th January in Pune after a brief illness. He was one of India’s foremost voices on ecology and environmental protection.

— In a storied career as an ecologist, his seminal work as chairman of the Western Ghats Experts Ecology Panel (WGEEP) stands out. In March 2010, the WGEEP was constituted in view of the region’s environmental sensitivity and ecological significance, its complex geography, and the threat of climate change.

— Gadgil panel designated the entire 1,29,037 sq km extent of Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). It assigned three levels of sensitivity for various zones, categorising them as Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

— It also recommended the creation of a 24-member Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA), a statutory authority appointed by the Environment Ministry under the Environment Protection Act, to oversee the protection of the ESZs.

— The report was strongly opposed, especially by the governments of Kerala and Maharashtra. Following the opposition to the report, the Environment Ministry constituted a High-Level Working Group (HLWG) under the space scientist K Kasturirangan.

— Subsequently, the HLWG report of 2013 proposed to demarcate 56,825 sq km of the Ghats region as ecologically sensitive.

 

Places in News

(Just FYI: The location of the place is important, considering that UPSC has asked several questions about places that were in the news, such as Aleppo and Kirkuk, in the 2018 UPSC Prelims. The best way to remember them is to plot them on a world map.)

The illuminated Somnath Temple amid preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit, in Gir Somnath district, Gujarat, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (PTI Photo)

• Somnath Swabhiman Parv

— Somnath Swabhiman Parv is organised from January 8 to January 11 to mark 1,000 years since the first major attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026. The temple is located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval, in Gujarat.

— According to the temple’s website, it is “the holy place of the First Aadi Jyotirling Shree Somnath Mahadev.” There are a total of 12 Jyotirlingas in India.

— The temple was attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in January of 1026. According to the temple website, In 1782, Maratha queen Ahalyabai Holkar built a small temple at the site.

— According to the NCERT book, In later centuries, the Somanātha temple was rebuilt and destroyed again several times; the existing temple was built in 1950 and inaugurated the next year by the then President of India, Rajendra Prasad.

• Hadramout Province

— Saudi-backed forces spread across Yemen’s Mukalla after retaking the port city, which was seized by southern separatists last month.

— Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout province, was retaken by Yemen’s Saudi-backed and internationally recognised government following days of Saudi airstrikes

— Hadramout, which borders Saudi Arabia, holds cultural and historical significance for the kingdom, with many prominent Saudis tracing their origins to the province.

• Virat Ramayana Temple

— The formal installation of 33-ft-long and 210-tonne Shiva Lingam for underconstruction ‘Virat Ramayana Temple’ in Kaithwalia in East Champaran, Bihar will be installed on January 17.

— The Lingam has traveled more than 3,000 km from Tamil Nadu to reach East Champaran.

— The Lingam has been made from a single black granite rock, obtained from hills near Mahabalipuram, with a group of local artistes chiselling it into shape and carving 1,008 Shiva Lingams on it — the whole process taking over three years.

— The Lingam will stand 51-ft high from the ground once installed, with the Virat Ramayana Temple, conceptualised by Kishore Kunal – the late head of the Bihar State Religious Trust Council – as a sprawling 125-acre, Rs 500-crore project.

— The temple design includes a 270-feet-tall main structure, with 18 towers and 22 temples dedicated to different deities on the premises.

Demolition of some encroached portions continued on Thursday at Turkman Gate area. (Amit Mehra)

• Turkman Gate

— The Turkman Gate area in old Delhi has been roiled by controversy over the past few days after a demolition drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) turned violent.

— Turkman Gate was constructed in the 17th century during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, when he founded his new capital at Shahjahanabad. Yet the site’s historical significance predates the Mughal city and is rooted in a period when Delhi was a thriving centre of Sufism.

— The gate survived the upheavals of rebellion, colonial rule and Partition. After the uprising of 1857, British authorities demolished sections of the city walls on either side of the gate to prevent the walled city from sealing itself off.

— In the early 20th century, further portions of the walls were removed to facilitate commercial expansion. The gate itself, however, remained standing.

• Greenland

— Soon after the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, key officials of the United States President Donald Trump administration stated that Greenland should be part of the US territory. Currently, Greenland belongs to Denmark, which has shown no interest in ceding the territory to the US.

— Located in the Northern Hemisphere, Greenland is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean in the north, the North Atlantic Ocean in the south, Baffin Bay in the west and the Greenland Sea in the east.

— Greenland spans approximately 2,166,086 km², making it larger than many countries combined. About 80% of its surface is covered by ice caps and glaciers, making it the second largest ice-sheet covering after Antarctica.

— Despite its massive size, Greenland has one of the smallest populations of any country or territory. It has a population of about 56,000 people, out of which around 20,000 live in the capital city, Nuuk, as per World Bank data.

— Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) is the official language, while Danish and English are also widely spoken. June 21st is the longest day of the year and is celebrated as Greenland’s National Day.

— Politically, Greenland gained home rule in 1979 and expanded self-government in 2009, giving it authority over domestic affairs like healthcare and education. Denmark retains control over defense, foreign policy and monetary policy.

— The Greenlandic parliament operates under a democratic system, with 31 members serving every four years. The Prime Minister of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, is the head of government, while the Danish monarch, King Frederick X, remains the Head of State.

— Notably, Pituffik Space Base (formerly the Thule Air Base) in Greenland is the U.S. Space Force’s northernmost installation, established after an agreements between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark to address mutual defense.

 

Test Your Knowledge

(Note: The best way to remember facts for UPSC and other competitive exams is to recall them through MCQs. Try to solve the following questions on your own.)

(1) ‘Gadgil Committee Report’ and ‘Kasturirangan Committee Report’, sometimes seen in the news, are related to (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) constitutional reforms 

(b) Ganga Action Plan 

(c) linking of rivers 

(d) protection of Western Ghats 

(2) Consider the following statements about the location of Greenland:

1. Surrounded by the Arctic Ocean in the north

2. North Atlantic Ocean in the south

3. Baffin Bay in the west

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

(3) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016)

1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015.

2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Prelims Answer Key

1. (d)     2. (c)    3. (a)

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