Key Points to Ponder:
— What is the history of the Iran-Israel cooperation and conflict?
— What key events or factors led to the United States and Israel’s attack on Iran?
— What will be the impact of this conflict escalation?
— What are Operation ‘Lion’s Roar’, Operation “True Promise 4″, Operation “Epic Fury”?
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— What can be the impact of the Iran-Israel conflict on India?
(Thought Process: Build on the following points – India has invested in a strategic relationship with major Arab countries, Iran, and Israel- India’s economic interests are tied to energy security, the West Asia region contributes to India’s 80 percent of oil supplies- Risk to the Indian community that is based in the region.)
— Understand India’s relationship with countries in West Asia. What is India’s Middle East policy?
— How is India’s relations with Israel and Iran?
— What is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)?
— How do tensions in West Asia affect global energy security?
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— What diplomatic challenges India can face in balancing its ties with Israel, US and Iran?
— Know about the Strait of Hormuz and its importance for oil flows.
— What was the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)?
— Read about the Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah.
– Map work: Locate Iran, Bab el-Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Israel, Suez Canal, Nuclear facilities in Iran (Isfahan, Fordow, Haifa, Natanz etc.) on map.
Key Takeaways:
— President Donald Trump, who, in the biggest foreign-policy gamble of his presidency, launched the war against a foe Washington has jousted with for generations, said the strikes were aimed at ending a security threat and ensuring Iran could not develop a nuclear weapon.
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— He called on Iranian security forces to lay down their weapons and invited Iranians to topple their government once the bombing ended.
From the World Page- “From Iraq in 2003 to Iran in 2025-2026: Why US has chosen to play second fiddle to Israel despite progress on Iranian n-talks”
— Iran woke up this morning at war with Israel for the second time in less than a year. This also marked at least the third time in the last two-and-a-half decades that the United States has been prodded on to join a skirmish in west Asia, presumably on the coaxing of Israel.
— The 2003 America-led invasion of Iraq was predicated on claims that Saddam Hussein possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), though none were found later. Israel is cited by multiple Washington DC insiders as having strongly pushed the US to invade Iraq, while much of Israeli intelligence allegedly knew Iraq no longer had the capabilities to assemble WMDs.
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— The military offesive in Iran now comes despite credible progress by US and Iranian officials in the high-stakes nuclear talks that wrapped up earlier this week in Geneva.
— Oman’s foreign minister Badr Albusaidi, who was mediating between the two sides, said the draft agreement involved Iran expressing willingness to furnish some undertaking that it would not possess nuclear material that could be used to make a bomb. That, Albusaidi said on CBS News, was something that was not in the old deal negotiated during former President Barack Obama’s time, and marked a completely new concession from the Iranian side.
— That really rendered the enrichment argument against Iran less relevant, because zero stockpiling was now on the table. He also said part of the breakthrough was that Iran would give up its existing stockpile of enriched material, “down blended and restricted from enrichment”, while expressing confidence that Tehran would also allow in inspectors to look at its nuclear sites, including possibly the Americans.
— The problem for Donald Trump was that offering major sanctions relief to Iran could have been seen as him having chickened out, given that he has ordered the largest US military build-up in West Asia since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, while Iran had vowed to respond to an attack with force. Trump was also the one who jettisoned the deal inked during Obama’s time, and going back to something broadly similar after nearly a decade would have been construed as a defeat of sorts.
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— For the better part of the last two decades, the US and Israel have accused Iran of trying to secretly develop a nuclear weapon, something that Tehran has repeatedly denied. Iran has said its programme is only for peaceful purposes, though the country is the only non-nuclear-armed state to have stockpiles of enriched uranium at near weapons-grade levels.
— Iran had earlier turned down discussing limits to the country’s ballistic missile programme and ending support for its proxies in the region, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen. The American government considers Iran to be the biggest state sponsor of terrorism, spending more than one billion dollars on terrorist financing annually.
— In 2006, the UNSC adopted Resolution 1696, the first legally binding call for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program, the CFR noted. Over the next few years, the UNSC adopted a series of resolutions “imposing crippling economic sanctions on Iran for its failure to suspend its enrichment-related activities”.
— Between 2011 and 2015, the compounding effects of international sanctions led Iran’s economy to contract by 20% and unemployment to rise to 20%, the CFR report noted. In 2013, Hassan Rouhani, a moderate, won Iran’s presidential election, campaigning on a promise to lift sanctions and restore the economy. Over the next two years, the US convened several rounds of bilateral talks and led the other P5+1 coalition members—China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom—in negotiations with Iran’s new leadership.
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— These efforts culminated in the adoption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that was spearheded by President Obama in 2015. Once key parties signed the agreement, the UNSC approved UN Resolution 2231, paving the way for sanctions relief.
— Because the JCPOA only addressed Iran’s nuclear programme, and not its ballistic missile programmes, the first Trump administration withdrew the US from the agreement, pledging to seek a more comprehensive deal. In 2018, the Trump administration began reimposing sanctions on Iran and demanded that European countries withdraw from the JCPOA as part of a new containment strategy.
From the Front Page- “Delhi calls for dialogue but its diplomatic tightrope gets tighter”
— Less than 40 hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi left Israel, India was confronted with a familiar but challenging diplomatic test. As US and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran’s retaliation against US bases in Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE widened the theatre of conflict in a region where India has deep strategic and economic stakes and diaspora interests, New Delhi asked “all sides” to exercise “restraint”, “avoid escalation” and pursue “dialogue and diplomacy” to de-escalate tension.
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— External Affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to both his Israeli and Iranian counterparts on Saturday. After speaking with Israel Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in the afternoon, he said he reiterated “India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions”. And, later, after talking to Iran’s Seyed Abbas Araghchi, he said he shared “India’s deep concern at the recent developments in Iran and the region.”
— Jaishankar also dialled all the regional partners – UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, which have been targeted in Iran’s retaliatory strikes – and underlined the welfare and safety of the Indian community in these countries.
— The attack came when Iran was engaged in negotiations and Oman had indicated that a deal was within reach. This puts India in a really difficult position — with strategic partner Israel on one side, and Iran, India’s near-neighbourhood and a historical partner, on the other.
— In its statement, therefore, Delhi made three broad points: Firstly, it expressed concern and asked all sides to prioritise safety of civilians — a key Indian interest.
— Secondly, it made a statement that called for “respect” for sovereignty and territorial integrity— a thinly veiled reference to violation of Iran’s sovereignty — and asked for “dialogue and diplomacy”.
— This framing is seen as being supportive of Iran’s position, which — in its official statement —strongly condemned the attacks carried out by Israel and the US against the “sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Iran. And thirdly, it gave primacy to the safety and welfare of Indians.
— While the safety of about 9 million Indians in the region is the primary concern for the Indian government, a more strategic impact is how it affects energy supply from the region – India imports almost 60 per cent of its energy from there. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow choke-point for maritime traffic with oil tankers, which the Iranians have threatened to close.
— In a way, the predicament mirrors India’s navigation of the Russia-Ukraine war — where it balanced ties with Moscow and the West, abstained on critical votes, prioritised evacuations, and secured discounted energy supplies while urging diplomacy even as Trump slapped a Russia penalty. In both theatres, India’s approach hinges on strategic autonomy: avoiding public censure, preserving relationships across divides, and insulating core interests.
— But as the Middle East conflict widens — and with the US directly involved — the space for calibrated ambiguity may narrow. Much will depend on how Iran’s regime counters after the most intense US pressure in two decades.
From Politics Page- “We have right to self-defence, will use all options, says Iranian envoy”
— Iran’s Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali on Saturday said his country has the right to self-defence and will use all options to protect itself.
— This comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi spoke to his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, asking them to prevent the US and Israel from using their territories against Tehran.
— Meanwhile Aragchi, in telephone conversations with his counterparts in West Asia, described the military aggression as a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and a clear crime against international peace and security, as per a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
— Referring to Iran’s firm determination to continue its policy of good neighbourliness and friendship with all countries in the region, he underscored the fundamental principle of international law prohibiting any participation in an act of aggression against another state.
From Economy Page- “Israel, US strike Iran: Impact on oil, energy flow via Strait of Hormuz”
— With Israel and the US launching military strikes on Iran on Saturday, the global oil market is expected to see significant volatility, much of which will be contingent on how the conflict shapes up. This includes the nature and scale of Tehran’s response, and whether the conflict will remain contained to within Iran or will spill over to hit critical oil supply routes from the Gulf.
— On Friday, oil prices hit a seven-month high as indirect talks between the US and Iran dragged on without a breakthrough amid growing US military presence in the region. With Saturday morning’s strikes across Iran marking a major escalation in the conflict, the war premium in oil prices could jump when markets open after the weekend break.
— From softening in the event of a US-Iran agreement to reaching triple digits in the worst-case scenario of a regional conflict and oil flow disruption, nothing seems off the table when it comes to oil prices in the current circumstances.
— For India, one of the top oil importers globally, higher oil prices are never good news. Given India imports around 2 billion barrels of oil annually, every $1 increase in oil prices could increase the country’s already hefty oil import bill by around $2 billion on an annualised basis.
— The reason why oil markets appear jittery is the apprehension that the conflict could choke oil supplies from the wider Gulf region, which accounts for the lion’s share in global oil exports. At the heart of the anxiety is the risk that the regime in Tehran, if cornered and posed with an existential threat, could disrupt energy flows via the Strait of Hormuz—a narrow but vital waterway that is a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas flows.
— Iran has, time and again, threatened a blockade of the Strait and strikes against tankers transiting it. Moreover, there is also the lurking threat of strikes by Iran’s proxies in Yemen against tankers transiting the Bab el-Mandeb, another important maritime chokepoint in the region that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, and is a critical artery for global energy flows that transit the Suez Canal.
— While Iran frequently threatens to close the Strait when under pressure, it has actually never done it. Analysts believe a full blockade would be politically self-destructive for Tehran as the move could alienate key allies like China, which is the destination for most of Iran’s own oil.
— A blockade would also infringe upon Oman’s territorial waters, souring relations with a neighbour that serves as a vital back-channel for diplomacy with the US. Moreover, Iran would almost certainly face international military retaliation if it attempted to halt global energy shipments.
From the Front Page- “Strikes, missiles, closure of airspace hit flight ops to and from India”
— With Israel and US striking Iran and Tehran responding with missiles targeting US military facilities across West Asia, numerous West-bound flights of Indian airlines were impacted Saturday due to airspace closures in the region and the increased risk of operating through it.
— For the time being, most Indian carriers have suspended flights to the region until midnight Sunday. But there may be further disruption given the evolving situation.
— A number of international airlines have also announced suspension of operations in the region, and are being forced to take alternative routes to bypass much of West Asia. Flying in conflict zones is a major risk to civil aviation safety and most airlines proactively avoid transiting such regions even when their airspace is available.
— The Directorate General of Civil Aviation advisory listed the airspace of 11 countries as a “high-risk zone”: Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar.
From the World Page- “Ahead of strikes, Trump was told attack on Iran is high risk, high reward”
— Ahead of the U.S. attack on Iran, President Donald Trump received briefings that not only delivered blunt assessments about the risk of major U.S. casualties but also touted the prospect of a geopolitical shift in the Middle East in favor of U.S. interests, a U.S. official told Reuters.
— The launch of what the Pentagon called Operation Epic Fury on Saturday plunged the Middle East into a new and unpredictable conflict. The U.S. and Israeli militaries struck sites across Iran, triggering retaliatory Iranian attacks against Israel and nearby Gulf Arab countries.
— The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the briefers described the operation to the president as a high-risk, high-reward scenario that could present a once-in-a-generation opportunity for change in the region.
— Trump himself appeared to echo that sentiment when he acknowledged the stakes at the onset of the operation, saying “the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost.” “But we’re doing this not for now, we’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission,” Trump said in a video address announcing the start of major combat operations.
— A second U.S. official said that before the strikes, the White House had been briefed on risks associated with operations against Iran, including retaliatory strikes on multiple U.S. bases in the region by Iranian missiles that could overwhelm defenses, as well as Iranian proxies attacking U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.
— The official said that despite the massive military buildup by the United States, there were limits to the air defense systems that had been rushed into the region.
Do You Know:
— Described by the US Energy Information Administration as the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea—handles approximately one-fifth of global liquid petroleum consumption and global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. Roughly 15 million barrels of crude and 20% of global LNG volumes pass through the Strait every day.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | How did the Israel-Iran conflict escalate? A look from history to its impact
📍Knowledge Nugget: Red Sea shipping route and Suez canal — What you must know for UPSC Exam
📍Why US, Israel attacked Iran: What we know so far
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(1) The term “two-state solution” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of (UPSC CSE 2018)
(a) China
(b) Israel
(c) Iraq
(d) Yemen
(2) What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India? (UPSC CSE 2017)
(a) India’s trade with African countries will increase enormously.
(b) India’s relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened.
(c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
(d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India.
Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
“India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2018)
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government Policies, indigenization of technology and developing new technology, Awareness in the fields of IT, Economic Development.
What’s the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the country’s first semiconductor plant at Sanand in Gujarat, and said a “loud and clear” message has gone out to the world that “India is capable, India is competitive and India is committed.”
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are semiconductors?
— What is the significance of the semiconductor?
— What is the India Semiconductor Mission?
— What are the issues concerning domestic manufacturing of semiconductors?
— Know about India’s agreement with other countries (USA, Taiwan, EU) on cooperation in the semiconductor ecosystem.
(Thought process: Highlight the significance of indiginisation of the semiconductor ecosystem–connect it with economy-import bills-India’s mission to atmanirbhar Bharat–look at the semiconductor materials imported from other countries–look at government schemes and various agreements signed by the government).
— What are the areas of cooperation between India and the United States?
— What are the challenges related to supply chain management for semiconductors?
Key Takeaways:
— He said India’s message for global investors was that “India is ready, India is reliable, and India delivers” and that both dynamic market and global opportunities await investors in the country. “India, long known for its software strength, is now firmly establishing its identity in the hardware sector as well,” he said.
— The PM said the US-based Micron Technology’s ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) plant also reflected a deep partnership between India and the United States. India is “becoming an integral part of the global semiconductor value chain” and securing this as well as the supply of critical minerals was a goal of both India and the US, he said.
— Speaking at the event, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who was on his first visit to Gujarat after taking over in January this year, said US-India partnership is seen as crucial for shared prosperity and security.
— Gor also hailed “India’s entry into the global semiconductor supply chain as a manufacturing nation”, and said it was just the beginning. “That is a direct testament to your Prime Minister’s leadership, to his vision and to his ability to secure the future for India and for our global partners.”
— A government release said the Micron facility will manufacture SSD (Solid State Drive) storage devices as well as RAM type DRAM and NAND products, and that the company had invested Rs 22,516 crore for its Sanand plant.
— Emphasising cooperation and collaboration in the areas of AI and chip technologies between India and the US, Modi said that during the Industrial Revolution, “countries that were ahead in factories, machines and mass production made rapid progress”. “But this is the century of the AI revolution, and semiconductors are the bridge to this change.”
— India announced its Semiconductor Mission at a time when the world was still battling Covid, Modi said, adding that this was now bearing fruit. He said his government had approved 10 projects under the Semicon India programme, and besides the Micron plant, three more would start production very soon, in Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Assam, Odisha and Punjab.
Do You Know:
— Most modern-day semiconductors are integrated circuits, also referred to as ‘chips’ — essentially a set of minute electronic circuits comprising transistors and diodes, as well as capacitors and resistors, and the myriad interconnections between them. Semiconductors are majorly made up of silicon and consist of millions or billions of transistors that act like miniature electrical switches that flip on and off to process data such as images, radio waves, and sounds.
— Semiconductors are an essential component of electronic devices, enabling advances in communications, computing, healthcare, military systems, transportation, clean energy, and countless other applications. They are highly complex products to design and manufacture, that provide the essential functionality for electronic devices to process, store and transmit data.
— The India Semiconductor Mission was launched in 2021. It is a strategic initiative undertaken by the government of India to promote the domestic semiconductor industry. Its goal is to improve semiconductor design and manufacturing capabilities domestically and to encourage innovation, employment, and economic growth.
— The India Semiconductor Mission operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and other relevant government bodies.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍 India’s Semiconductor Push: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
📍How India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant can help plug in to global value chain
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(3) Which one of the following laser types is used in a laser printer? (UPSC CSE 2008)
(a) Dye laser
(b) Gas laser
(c) Semiconductor laser
(d) Excimer laser
POLITICS
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Government policies and interventions.
What’s the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign for 14-year-old girls from Ajmer in Rajasthan.
Key Points to Ponder:
— Know about the Human Papillomavirus and cervical cancers.
— What is HPV infection?
— How common is cervical cancer in India?
— How does the vaccine prevent cancers?
— Why is an HPV vaccination campaign important?
— What vaccine is being used?
— What is the U-win portal?
— Read about the GAVI vaccine alliance.
Key Takeaways:
— According to officials, a single-dose ‘Gardasil 4’ vaccine, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine, will be used under the campaign. The injection provides protection against HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11.
— The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth Rs 16,680 crore spanning the sectors of urban development, drinking water supply, roads, irrigation, energy and industrial infrastructure. He also distributed appointment letters to 21,800 youths.
— He said earlier women had to face a lot of disrespect in the absence of toilets and girls had to drop out of schools. Underprivileged girls lacked access to sanitary napkins. He said the government provides Rs 5,000 direct benefit transfer support to pregnant mothers to address their nutritional needs.
Do You Know:
— Cervical cancer is preventable, but kills one woman every eight minutes in the country, said Dr Smita Joshi, senior scientist with Prayas health group, a public charitable trust working on sexuality, gender, and HIV/AIDS. It is preventable as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. It is a common sexually transmitted infection. Long-lasting infection with certain types of HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer.
— More than 95% of all cervical cancer cases are linked to persistent infection with certain high-risk strains of HPV. What this essentially means is vaccination can be effectively used to prevent the infection and thereby cervical cancer cases. This is especially necessary in a country like India that accounts for nearly a fifth of the cervical cancer cases globally. India reports around 1.25 lakh cases and about 75,000 deaths each year.
— While the effect of a vaccination drive will be most pronounced for cervical cancer, with HPV infection linked to cancers of anus, vagina and oropharynx, there is likely to be a drop in the incidence of these as well.
— Notably, states such as Sikkim, Punjab, and Delhi have previously attempted to introduce the HPV vaccine. Sikkim was the first to roll out a state-wide campaign in 2018, achieving more than 95% coverage for two doses.
— Gavi is a public-private partnership including WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation and the World Bank, and it is estimated that the vaccination programs have saved 18 million lives.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍HPV vaccine drive is key to battling cervical cancer
UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
(4) Consider the following statements:
1. Cervical cancer is a common sexually transmitted infection.
2. Long-lasting infection with certain types of HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer.
3. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer type.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
NATION
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change.
Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
What’s the ongoing story: It began with a formal handover ceremony at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone, and ended with the creak of crate handles being turned open in the forests of Sheopur. On Saturday, nine cheetahs — six females and three males — completed a transcontinental journey from Botswana to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, becoming the third batch of African cheetahs to be reintroduced to India under Project Cheetah.
Key Points to Ponder:
— Know about the Cheetahs and their conservation status.
— Why are Cheetahs considered a keystone species?
— What is Project Cheetah?
— How was the Reintroduction of the cheetah in India executed?
— Cheetah Project Steering Committee and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): Know their role, vision and powers.
— What is the significance of the Project Cheetah?
— What are the threats to the existence of cheetahs?
— Map work (World): Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.
— Map work (India): Kuno Palpur National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Key Takeaways:
— Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav was present at Kuno to receive them, symbolically releasing the cheetahs into specially prepared quarantine enclosures. “After eight cheetahs from Namibia were first reintroduced to India on September 17, 2022, and 12 were brought from South Africa in February 2023, I am thrilled to announce the arrival of nine cheetahs from Botswana — 6 females and 3 males — at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park,” Yadav said.
— With the arrival of the Botswana batch, India’s cheetah count now stands at 48. That number includes 29 Indian-born cubs, a figure that has become the most closely watched indicator of the programme’s long-term success. Since 2023, as many as 30 cubs have been born at Kuno, of which 28 have survived.
— The partnership between Botswana and India is recent in formal terms but grounded in a broader commitment to global wildlife conservation. It took shape in November 2025, when Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko committed to supporting India’s cheetah reintroduction effort through the donation of animals. The agreement was formalised as a government-to-government arrangement, eventually leading to Saturday’s transfer.
— Before the cheetahs were cleared for travel, they were subjected to a mandatory minimum quarantine period of 30 days in Botswana — standard protocol for international wildlife transfers — along with thorough veterinary assessments. A team of Botswana forest veterinarians and wildlife experts also travelled to India alongside the animals and will assist Indian officials through the initial monitoring period at Kuno.
— Botswana’s Chief Veterinary Officer at the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Mmadi Reuben, confirmed the animals were in good health when they departed.
— The nine cheetahs have been placed in large, fenced quarantine enclosures at Kuno, where they will remain for between 15 and 30 days. During this period, wildlife veterinarians and forest officials will monitor their feeding behaviour, movement, response to Indian prey species and terrain, and any signs of stress or disease. Regular monitoring health parameters will be undertaken on a regular basis. Once health is confirmed, the animals will be fitted with GPS satellite collars for real-time tracking ahead of their eventual release into soft-release forest areas.
— Project Cheetah Director Uttam Kumar Sharma said the Cheetahs will will be kept under quarantine for a month before they are finally released. The nine animals come from a country that holds one of the world’s most significant cheetah populations.
— According to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Botswana and the 2023 Conservation Status report on Southern African cheetahs, Botswana hosts an estimated 1,694 adult and independent adolescent cheetahs — roughly 24 percent of the global cheetah population of approximately 7,100 individuals. Their range covers around 459,567 square kilometres, or about 79 percent of the country.
— Crucially, roughly 76.9 percent of Botswana’s cheetahs live not in formally protected areas but on community and commercial farmlands, making them uniquely adapted to sharing landscapes with human activity and livestock. The Botswana population is also connected to cheetah populations in neighbouring Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, forming a critical component of the broader Southern African cheetah population.
— The 2023 report notes that while Botswana’s population has remained relatively stable over the past two decades, a notable achievement given the species’ decline globally, the population is under pressure from declining prey species, particularly springbok and impala, habitat degradation through overgrazing and veterinary fences, and the broader fragmentation of the Southern African range. Fragmentation, the report warns, risks genetic inbreeding and could further threaten the species’ viability.
Do You Know:
— Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are well-known for their tawny coats speckled with black dots, which are placed in a distinctive pattern to aid in animal identification.
— India was home to Asiatic cheetahs. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, in 1952, the cheetah bid farewell to India, succumbing to a culmination of threats. Now, the Asiatic cheetah is believed to survive only in Iran.
— Conservation Status of Cheetahs: IUCN Red List- Asiatic cheetah “critically endangered”, African Cheetah is listed as a vulnerable (VU).
— Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Asiatic cheetah-Schedule 1, African Cheetah-Schedule 1.
— Project Cheetah was launched in September 2022 with the intercontinental translocation of African cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Knowledge Nugget | Translocation of Cheetahs — What you must know for the UPSC Exam
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(5) Consider the following: (UPSC CSE 2012)
1. Black-necked crane
2. Cheetah
3. Flying squirrel
4. Snow leopard
Which of the above are naturally found in India?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
ECONOMY
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Main Examination: General Studies-II, III: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests, Effects of liberalisation on the economy.
What’s the ongoing story: Even as India and the European Union (EU) have agreed to ‘most favoured nation’ (MFN) treatment on the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) in an effort to get a concession on the EU’s most controversial regulation, the trade deal stops short of recognising independent Indian accreditation bodies that could have given immediate relief to Indian exporters.
Key Points to Ponder:
— Know about the EU in detail.
— How have India-EU relations evolved?
— What is the significance of the India-EU trade deal?
— What are the deals signed between India and the EU recently?
— What is CBAM?
— What are the concerns related to CBAM?
— Read about the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies.
Key Takeaways:
— As per the trade deal’s text released late Friday, India and the EU can engage in a technical dialogue covering, the possibility of and, if relevant, conditions for “mutual recognition of accreditation bodies for the accreditation of verifiers, for the purpose of checking compliance with carbon border adjustment measures”.
— Earlier, the expectation was that the final text will recognise India’s independent accreditation process for CBAM. This would imply an extra compliance measure for Indian exporters to align with accreditation bodies recognised both by India and the EU.
— Though there are no National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies or NABCB-accredited Indian agencies recognised under EU regulations, there are certain validation and verification bodies in India for the EU’s CBAM scheme based on accreditation granted by other accreditation bodies.
— The NABCB is the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies that provides accreditation to inspection, certification, validation and verification bodies on assessment of their competence as per the Board’s criteria and in line with international standards and guidelines.
— However, the text said that the EU shall “endeavour to support” India’s greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts, in particular through the mobilisation of financial resources, tools, instruments and related investments, as appropriate. The use of the “endeavour” means that the EU will only try to support Indian efforts, but is not bound to do so.
— The text said India will also engage in technical exchanges with the 27-nation bloc on the implementation of carbon border adjustment measures, including their product scope and embedded emissions coverage; monitoring, reporting and verification processes.
— The deal also incorporates the clause for India and the EU to take into account the carbon price effectively paid in the other party under a carbon emissions reduction scheme, calculated on greenhouse gases covered by such a measure and released during the production of goods; exchanges of information and technical data to facilitate the establishment of default values under carbon border adjustment measures.
— The carbon tax ensures that imported carbon-intensive goods into the EU bear a cost starting January 2026, and is seen by several developing nations as discriminatory and in conflict with international environmental law.
— Brazil, China, India and South Africa have raised serious concerns about CBAM at forums of the WTO, and Russia initiated a formal dispute on May 12 last year.
— The Indian industry, however, stands to gain from the MFN clause in the India-EU deal on the CBAM measures. It will help the Indian industry receive the same concessions that the EU has promised the US under their trade deal signed earlier last year, a senior government official said.
Do You Know:
— The CBAM or Carbon Tax was first introduced by the European Union in 2021. It taxes certain products coming in from other countries based on their carbon emissions footprint in their production process. For instance, if the imported steel was produced through a process that entailed higher emissions than the emissions standards for that product in Europe, it would be taxed.
— CBAM allows industries in Europe to remain competitive while continuing to maintain high environmental standards. It prevents these industries from relocating their production to countries where the production might be cheap owing to less strict emission norms, a situation described as carbon leakage. In the process, it hopes to contribute to reducing global emissions.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | India and EU seal the deal: Trade, Mobility, Security—and major takeaways
📍Knowledge nugget of the day: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(6) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023)
The ‘Stability and Growth Pact’ of the European Union is a treaty that:
1. limits the levels of the budgetary deficit of the countries of the European Union
2. makes the countries of the European Union to share their infrastructure facilities
3. enables the countries of the European Union to share their technologies
How many of the above statements are correct
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
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| How discovery of a ‘pot of gold’ enthused a Karnataka village about its neglected heritage |
Situated just 80 km from Hampi, a popular UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the expansive ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire, Karnataka’s Lakkundi village is not on the tourist map. But it has a dozen temples, basadis (Jain temples), and stepwells strewn between houses and fields. Many of the protected monuments at Lakkundi, like the Brahma Basadi, share their front yards with actual homes. That the region had human habitation during the Neolithic period — lasting from 12,000 years to 4,000 years ago — was discovered during the excavation carried out in 2003, near Boodi Basaveshwara Temple. Historical evidence shows that Lakkundi was an important trade and cultural centre between the 10th and 13th centuries AD, during the rule of Kalyana Chalukyas, and was patronised by dynasties such as Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara kingdom. But what really captured the imagination of local residents recently was the discovery of a pot of gold coins by a teenager. |
| PRELIMS ANSWER KEY |
| 1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (b) 6. (a) |
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