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- India became the 123rd WTO member to ratify the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. - The agreement bans subsidies for Illegal, Unreported & Unregulated (IUU) fishing, fishing of overfished stocks, and unregulated high-seas fishing. - Adopted at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), Geneva (2022). - Developing countries & LDCs get transition periods; India has sought a 25-year transition window in the second-phase fisheries subsidy negotiations. - 37.7% of global fish stocks are overfished (up from about 10% in 1974). #CA2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mission Sudarshan Chakra or anti-ballistic missile shield is rapidly gaining momentum with DRDO expected to test-fire three interceptors under Project Kusha from 120 km to 400 km range in the next 12 months. DRDO conducted maiden test-firing of the Kusha M-1 interceptor with a range of 120 kilometers off the coast of Odisha. Next to follow is the test firing of the M-2 interceptor with a range of 150 km and M-3 interceptor with the target range of 400 km. Link:

Student Protests, Governance & Democratic Legitimacy -Competitive examinations are the backbone of meritocracy; recurring paper leaks undermine equality of opportunity (Article 16) and public trust in institutions. -Youth protests reflect governance deficits rather than merely law-and-order concerns; timely institutional reforms are more effective than coercive responses. -Political legitimacy depends not only on electoral mandate but also on fairness, accountability and responsiveness in public administration. -Excessive use of force during peaceful protests can deepen public distrust and raise concerns regarding democratic freedoms under Article 19. -Transparent recruitment, swift punishment of offenders and technology-driven examination reforms are essential to restore institutional credibility. Quote: “Authority is best sustained by legitimacy, not merely by legality.” Way Forward -End-to-end encrypted digital examination ecosystem. -Time-bound probe and exemplary punishment for paper leak networks. -Independent oversight of recruitment agencies with social audits. -Institutional dialogue with aspirants and periodic recruitment calendar. -Balance rule of law with constitutional right to peaceful dissent. #GS2mains

Temple Governance in India: Constitutional Debate Arguments for State Regulation of Temples Constitutional basis: Articles 25(2) & 26 permit State intervention in secular/administrative aspects of religious institutions while protecting religious freedom. Social reform: State intervention is justified to eliminate discrimination, untouchability and exclusionary practices. Financial accountability: Prevents misappropriation of temple funds, corruption and ensures transparency. Public character: Large temples manage substantial public donations and perform public functions, warranting regulatory oversight. Judicial support: Supreme Court’s Essential Religious Practices (ERP) doctrine distinguishes protected religious practices from secular administration. Arguments Against State Control Religious autonomy: Articles 25 & 26 guarantee denominations the right to manage their own religious affairs. State neutrality: A secular State should regulate, not administer, religious institutions. Community-led governance: Devotees and independent boards can ensure accountability with audits and transparent management. Unequal treatment: Critics argue that disproportionate State control over Hindu temples raises concerns about equality among religions. Administrative inefficiency: Excessive bureaucracy may reduce autonomy and responsiveness. Balanced Way Forward Separate religion from administration: Protect religious practices while professionally regulating finances and public assets. Independent Temple Management Boards with representation of devotees, experts and priests. Mandatory audits, digital accounting and public disclosure of temple finances. Uniform principles of transparency, accountability and legality for all religious institutions without discrimination. #GS2 | Polity & Governance

India’s Industrial Policy 2.0 – From Manufacturing to Value Ownership One Value Chain —> One Value Capture: India must move beyond assembling products to owning high-value segments such as design, IP, brands and core technologies. Manufacturing Alone Is Not Enough: Export growth is important, but long-term gains depend on retaining economic value through domestic ownership. Semicon 2.0 Vision: Expand from fabrication to the entire semiconductor ecosystem—chip design, components, advanced packaging, testing and capital equipment. Ownership Over Royalties: Large royalty and licence fee outflows reduce domestic value capture; indigenous patents and processor designs can minimise this dependence. Deep-Tech Capital: Create patient domestic capital, government equity support and faster exit mechanisms for semiconductor and AI startups. Sovereign AI: Build AI on Indian-owned chips, models, compute infrastructure and intellectual property rather than relying only on imported hardware or hosted models. Innovation Ecosystem: Strengthen design centres, research institutions, supplier networks, skilled manpower and MSMEs alongside manufacturing. Strategic FDI: Foreign investment should prioritise technology transfer, co-development, local supplier development and capability creation- not merely assembly. Government as Market Creator: Strategic procurement in defence, telecom, electronics, mobility and energy can provide the first large domestic market for Indian technologies. Core Message: India’s next industrial revolution will be determined not merely by what it manufactures, but by who owns the technology and captures the value.

#PYQ

#CA2026 #DISCOVERY