01International Relations·7 min read·Prelims · Mains
Operation Amistad: India's HADR Relief to Earthquake-Hit Venezuela
India's launch of Operation Amistad to assist earthquake-struck Venezuela is a textbook example of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) diplomacy, soft power and the "Vishwa Bandhu"/first-responder doctrine — a recurring International Relations theme that examiners pair with India's earlier named operations (Dost, Brahma, Karuna, Ganga, Kaveri).
- India launched Operation Amistad on 27 June 2026, dispatching two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft with a 41-member rescue-and-medical team to earthquake-hit Venezuela.
- Relief payload included 30 tonnes of relief supplies, 6 tonnes of medicines and medical equipment, an Indian Army Field Hospital unit and two BHISHM portable hospital cubes.
- The operation followed a devastating earthquake doublet (around magnitude 7.5) that struck off Venezuela's northern coast on 24 June 2026, causing heavy casualties and destruction.
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02Environment·7 min read·Prelims · Mains
India Charts Roadmap for Green Urea: Green Ammonia to Decarbonise Fertiliser and Cut Import Dependence
The Department of Fertilizers' green urea roadmap fuses three high-yield syllabus themes — the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the fertiliser subsidy/import burden, and climate mitigation — making it a versatile prelims fact-bank and GS-3 mains case study on clean-energy industrial transition.
- The Department of Fertilizers held a Pre-Expression of Interest (Pre-EOI) meeting at PDIL, Noida to build India's first commercial green urea roadmap, producing urea from green hydrogen and captured CO2 instead of natural gas.
- Under Mode 2A of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, SECI is to procure 7.24 lakh MT of green ammonia annually via an e-reverse auction, with MNRE financial support of Rs 19,744 crore (the NGHM outlay).
- A differential subsidy mechanism lets SECI supply green ammonia to fertiliser firms at grey-ammonia market prices, with the Department of Fertilizers covering the cost gap under 10-year Green Ammonia Procurement Agreements (GAPA).
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03International Relations·7 min read·Prelims · Mains
PM Modi's State Visit to Seychelles: Golden Jubilee, MAHASAGAR and the Indian Ocean
PM Modi's 27-29 June 2026 State visit to Seychelles—marking 50 years of independence and diplomatic ties—is a high-yield IR topic: it bundles the new MAHASAGAR vision, the Assumption Island/maritime-security debate, a USD 175 million economic package, UPI internationalisation, an extradition treaty and a first-of-its-kind honour. Examiners routinely test India's Indian Ocean Region (IOR) outreach, SIDS engagement and neighbourhood-first/SAGAR continuity.
- PM Modi made a State visit to Seychelles on 27-29 June 2026 as Guest of Honour at the Golden Jubilee (50th) National Day, marking 50 years of independence and 50 years of India-Seychelles diplomatic ties.
- He was conferred the 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon' Special Presidential Distinction, the highest honour Seychelles bestows on a foreign dignitary, for environmental and ocean-stewardship leadership, conferred for the first time.
- India announced a USD 175 million Special Economic Package: a USD 125 million rupee-denominated Line of Credit plus USD 50 million grant assistance.
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04Economy·6 min read·Prelims · Mains
International MSME Day 2026: ASPIRE Scheme Crosses 109 Livelihood Business Incubators
Around International MSME Day (27 June) 2026, the Ministry of MSME spotlighted the ASPIRE scheme, with 109 Livelihood Business Incubators now approved across 27 States/UTs. For aspirants this fuses static economy syllabus (MSME definition, Udyam, CGTMSE, PM Vishwakarma) with a fresh, factually-anchored current affairs hook on rural entrepreneurship.
- International MSME Day is observed every 27 June, designated by the UN General Assembly (resolution A/RES/71/279, adopted 6 April 2017) to recognise the role of small firms in inclusive, sustainable growth.
- Under the ASPIRE scheme (launched 2015), 109 Livelihood Business Incubators (LBIs) stand approved across 27 States/UTs, having trained 1.23 lakh+ beneficiaries and helped set up 1,200+ micro-enterprises since FY 2022-23.
- Revised MSME classification (effective 1 April 2025) raised investment limits 2.5x and turnover limits 2x: Micro (Rs 2.5 cr investment / Rs 10 cr turnover), Small (Rs 25 cr / Rs 100 cr), Medium (Rs 125 cr / Rs 500 cr).
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05Science & Technology·7 min read·Prelims · Mains
India Bans 16 Irrational Fixed-Dose Combination (FDC) Drugs Over Safety, Antibiotic-Resistance Risk
The Union Health Ministry's prohibition of 16 irrational FDC drugs under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 is a high-yield prelims and GS-2/GS-3 topic. It links drug regulation (CDSCO, DTAB), the Kokate Committee, the landmark Supreme Court FDC litigation, and antimicrobial resistance — a recurring intersection of health governance and science.
- The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare prohibited the manufacture, sale and distribution of 16 irrational fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs found to lack therapeutic justification and to pose risk to public health, via a gazette notification dated 11 June 2026.
- The ban was issued under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and based on recommendations of an Expert Committee constituted by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).
- The drugs span dermatological preparations, pain-relief medicines, antispasmodics and antibiotic formulations; the action followed a scientific review ordered in line with Supreme Court directions.
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