DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th February 2026

Category: International Organisations

Context:

• French President Emmanuel Macron recently invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the 52nd G7 Summit, which will be presided over by France in 2026.

About G7 Summit:

• • Nature: The G7 (Group of Seven) is an informal forum of the world’s most advanced economies such as US, UK, France and Germany.
  • Origin: It was established in 1975 (as G6) in response to the 1973 oil crisis and global financial instability.
  • Evolution: Canada joined in 1976 to form the G7. It became G8 in 1997 with the inclusion of Russia, but reverted to G7 in 2014 after Russia’s expulsion over the annexation of Crimea.

• Significance: It consists of 40% of the global economy and represents 10% of the world’s population.

• Member countries: Present member countries include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The European Union (EU) participates as a “non-enumerated member” and attends all working sessions but does not hold the rotating presidency.
• Role of India: India is not a member but has been a regular “Outreach” partner since 2019. India uses the forum to represent the interests of developing nations, particularly on debt relief and climate finance.
• Informal grouping: It has no permanent secretariat or legal status; its decisions are non-binding but carry significant political weight.
• Rotating Presidency: Each member hosts and leads discussions in turn. 
• Decisions: It has no binding laws (no legislative authority), but significant global influence due to members’ economic and political strength.

Source:

• • • News on AIR

Category: History and Culture

Context:

• February 18, 2026 marked the 80th anniversary of the 1946 Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Revolt, a major uprising against British rule.

About Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Revolt:

• • Nature: It was a five-day armed uprising (18-23 February, 1946) by Indian naval ratings against British colonial authority.
  • Historical background: It was inspired by the Quit India Movement (1942) and the trials of the Indian National Army (INA). Appointment of openly racist officers, such as Arthur Frederick King at HMIS Talwar, further fuelled anger.

• Causes of the revolt:

• Racial Discrimination: Egregious pay gaps and abusive treatment by British officers (e.g., Commander Arthur Frederick King calling Indian sailors “black bastards”).

• • • Poor Conditions: Unpalatable food (often described as “inedible”) and substandard living quarters.

• Arrest of B.C. Dutt: A rating on HMIS Talwar was arrested for scrawling “Quit India” on the ship’s walls.

• • • INA Trials: The public trials of Indian National Army (INA) officers (Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Sahgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon) at the Red Fort radicalised the ratings.

• Leadership: A Naval Central Strike Committee was formed, led by M.S. Khan (President) and Madan Singh (Vice-President).

• • Rapid spread: It was spread to 78 ships and 20 shore establishments across Bombay, Karachi, Madras, Vishakhapatnam, Kolkata, and the Andamans. Nearly 20,000 naval ratings participated in this revolt.
  • Demands of the mutineers: The sailors presented a “Charter of Demands” that mixed service issues with national politics:
    • Release of all INA prisoners and other political detainees.
    • Withdrawal of Indian troops from Indonesia and Egypt.
    • Equality in pay and allowances with British counterparts in the Royal Navy.
    • Better food and more civilised treatment from superior officers.

• Political response and support:

• • • Indian National Congress & Muslim League: Both parties condemned the mutiny. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel feared that an undisciplined armed revolt would lead to chaos and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.
    • Individual Support: Aruna Asaf Ali and Achyut Patwardhan were among the few mainstream leaders who supported the sailors.

• Significance and impacts:

• • British departure: The revolt shattered British confidence in the loyalty of the Indian military, leading Prime Minister Clement Attlee to dispatch the Cabinet Mission to India shortly after.
  • Hindu-Muslim unity: The mutineers hoisted the flags of the Congress (Tricolour), Muslim League (Crescent), and Communist Party (Red Flag) together on ship masts, showing communal harmony despite the looming Partition.
  • Public Support: In Bombay, nearly 300,000 workers went on strike, and over 200 civilians were killed in clashes with British troops.
• End of the revolt: The revolt ended on 23 February 1946, following an intervention by Sardar Patel, who assured the sailors that they would not be persecuted—a promise that was largely unfulfilled as hundreds were later court-martialled or dismissed.

Source:

• • • The Hindu

Category: Geography

Context:

• India is now set to block the excess water flow from the Ravi River with the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage by March 31.

About Ravi River:

• • Nature: The Ravi River is one of the five rivers of the Indus River system, which give Punjab its name (“Land of Five Rivers”).

• Part of Indus Waters Treaty, 1960: It is an eastern river under the Indus Waters Treaty, allocated exclusively to India.

• Origin: It originates near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh. It rises at an elevation of around 4,400 metres above sea level. It initially flows as two streams — Budhil and Tantgari — which later merge.
• Course: It flows through India and Pakistan. And, within India, it flows through Himachal Pradesh (mainly Chamba district) and Punjab (Gurdaspur, Amritsar districts). In Pakistan, it Flows past Lahore and eventually joins the Chenab River.
• Tributaries: The right bank tributaries include Siul River, Baira River, Budhil River, and Tant Gari, and the left bank tributaries include Ujh River and Chirchind Nala.
• Total length: The length of the river is approx. 720 km (about 320 km in India). The catchment area in India is around 5,957 sq km.
• Perennial river: Flow is sustained by Himalayan snowmelt in summer and intensified by heavy monsoon rains from June to September. Intense rainfall often leads to high discharge levels, causing seasonal flooding in downstream areas.
• Flood control: Major dams like Chamera I, II, III and Ranjit Sagar Dam regulate water flow for hydropower generation, irrigation, and flood management.
• Shahpur Kandi Dam: It is a multipurpose project on the Ravi River near the Punjab–J&K border. It is aimed at utilising surplus eastern river waters for irrigation and reducing flow into Pakistan.

Source:

• • • India Today

Category: Defence and Security

Context:

• Recently, Prime Minister of India and French President inaugurated the Final Assembly Line of the Airbus H-125 Light Utility Helicopter, located at Vemagal, Karnataka.

About H-125 Helicopter:

• • Nature: It is a single‑engine light utility helicopter from the legendary Ecureuil family. It is valued for its reliability, low maintenance and adaptability.

• Uniqueness: The H125 is the only helicopter in history to have landed on the summit of Mount Everest.

• • Engine & design: It is powered by a single Safran Arriel 2D turboshaft engine, featuring a dual-channel FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control).
  • Uses: It is capable of performing diverse missions including law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS), firefighting, aerial filming, tourism, civil transport and high-altitude logistics.
  • High‑Altitude Performance: It can operate efficiently in “hot and high” environments — meaning high mountains or hot desert conditions.

• Adaptability: Its reliable engine and aerodynamics make it easier to maintain and operate in varied conditions.

• Range: With speeds up to around 252 km/h and a range of approximately 662 km, it’s capable of covering long distances without compromising performance.
• Significance to India: It provides edge in high-altitude logistics, ensuring the delivery of vital supplies to remote frontline outposts, and serves as a rapid-response asset for search and rescue or medical evacuation operations.

Source:

• • • PIB

Category: Environment and Ecology

Context:

• Recently, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced a first-of-its-kind initiative to develop pollinator or bee corridors along National Highways.

About Bee Corridors:

• Nature: Bee Corridors are linear stretches of pollinator-friendly vegetation developed along National Highways.

• • Composition: They will consist of flowering trees and plants that provide year-round nectar and pollen support to honeybees and other pollinators.
  • Objective: It aims to reduce ecological stress on pollinators and ensure sustained availability of nectar sources, thereby strengthening agricultural productivity and ecological balance through climate-sensitive highway plantation planning.
  • Scientific design: Flowering plants will be strategically placed at intervals matching the foraging range of bees (500 metres to 1 km).
  • Species selection: Native species like Neem, Karanj, Mahua, and others will be utilized.
  • Staggered flowering: The selection ensures continuous food availability by using plants that bloom at different times.

• Habitat conservation: The project incorporates natural elements for nesting, such as flowering weeds and dead wood.

• Significance:

• Pollinator conservation: It aims to combat the decline of pollinator populations.

• • • Agricultural productivity: The corridors can boost crop yields for nearby farms.

• Ecological balance: The initiative helps connect fragmented habitats and enhance biodiversity.

• Sustainable infrastructure: It aligns highway development with Sustainable Development Goals and climate resilience.

Source:

• • • PIB

(GS Paper III – Internal Security; Inclusive Development; Border Area Management)

Context (Introduction)

The April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, which led to the temporary closure of 48 government-approved tourist sites, demonstrated how quickly security disruptions can unsettle Kashmir’s tourism-led recovery, even after record tourist arrivals of over 2 crore visitors in 2023–24. The phased reopening of 14 sites in February 2026 signalled administrative caution, but also highlighted that sustained tourism depends on predictable security, institutional clarity and tangible benefits for local communities.

Major Issues in Kashmir

• Security Volatility: Despite a decline in large-scale violence since 2019, sporadic targeted attacks continue to create high-perception risk, affecting investor confidence and long-term tourism planning.
• Youth Unemployment: With unemployment rates among youth in Jammu and Kashmir consistently above the national average, limited private sector opportunities intensify economic frustration.
• Trust Deficit and Political Uncertainty: Periodic administrative changes and prolonged central rule have contributed to feelings of political distance among sections of the population.
• Over-Securitised Environment: While security deployment remains essential, excessive visible militarisation can affect civilian mobility and tourism experience.
• Ecological Fragility: Destinations such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam face pressure from unregulated construction, waste accumulation and traffic congestion, threatening alpine ecosystems.
• Administrative Inconsistency: Absence of publicly codified criteria for site closures and reopenings reduces predictability, which is critical for tourism-dependent economies.

How Tourism Can Help Stabilise the Region

• Livelihood Expansion: Tourism directly and indirectly supports lakhs of households through hospitality, transport, handicrafts and homestays, with the sector contributing significantly to J&K’s service economy.
• Economic Stake in Stability: When household incomes depend on visitor inflows, communities acquire a material incentive to discourage disruption and protect tourist infrastructure.
• Youth Skilling and Entrepreneurship: Adventure tourism, eco-guiding, digital promotion and hospitality training can create employable skills aligned with the region’s comparative advantage.
• National Integration: Increased inter-state visitor movement fosters social familiarity and commercial interdependence, reducing psychological isolation.
• Institutional Strengthening: Development of formalised mountain trails with permits, ranger systems and ticketing improves regulatory oversight and reduces ecological damage.
• Community-Based Governance: Structured roles in trail maintenance, waste management and forest protection, modelled on Forest Protection Committees, can embed civilian participation in stability.

Limitations of Tourism as a Stabilisation Tool

• Shock Sensitivity: Even isolated incidents can sharply reduce tourist inflows, as seen in previous downturns following security events.
• Seasonal Volatility: Tourism income peaks in summer and winter seasons, limiting year-round employment security.
• Unequal Distribution of Gains: Without inclusive frameworks, benefits may accrue disproportionately to larger operators rather than small local entrepreneurs.
• Environmental Degradation Risk: High tourist density without infrastructure upgrades can damage fragile Himalayan ecosystems, undermining sustainability.
• Structural Issues Beyond Tourism: Deep-rooted political and governance challenges cannot be addressed solely through economic instruments.

Conclusion

Tourism is not a substitute for political reconciliation or institutional reform, but it can function as a stabilising economic pillar when designed around local participation, ecological safeguards and transparent governance. By aligning livelihoods with peace and embedding predictability in security and administration, Kashmir can gradually transform tourism from a fragile revenue stream into a durable instrument of social resilience.

Mains Question

1. “Tourism can function as a tool of socio-economic stabilisation in conflict-prone regions.” Examine this statement in the context of Jammu & Kashmir. (250 words)

Source: The Hindu

(GS Paper II – Judiciary; Separation of Powers; Constitutional Bodies; Access to Justice)

Context (Introduction)

A private member’s Bill introduced by DMK MP P. Wilson seeks constitutional amendments to mandate social diversity in judicial appointments and establish regional benches of the Supreme Court. The proposal emerges against concerns of under-representation in the higher judiciary and persistent barriers to access to the apex court.

Constitutional Framework and Judicial Appointments

• Article 124: Provides that Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• Article 217: Mandates High Court judge appointments by the President after consultation with the CJI, the concerned High Court Chief Justice, and the Governor.
• Article 130: Provides that the Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or such other place(s) as decided by the CJI with presidential approval, enabling regional benches without constitutional amendment.
• Original Constitutional Practice: Until the 1980s, the executive enjoyed primacy in appointments subject to consultation.
• Judicial Reinterpretation: Through constitutional adjudication, primacy shifted to the judiciary to safeguard independence.

Evolution of the Collegium System

• First Judges Case (1981): Upheld executive primacy, citing democratic accountability.
• Second Judges Case (1993): Established the collegium system, granting judicial primacy in appointments to preserve independence.
• Third Judges Case (1998): Clarified composition — CJI plus four senior-most judges for Supreme Court appointments and CJI plus two senior judges for High Court appointments.
• Reiteration Principle: If the collegium reiterates a recommendation returned by the Centre, the executive is constitutionally bound to accept it.
• Purpose: To insulate judicial appointments from political interference and protect the Basic Structure doctrine.

NJAC and the Basic Structure Doctrine

• 99th Constitutional Amendment (2014): Created the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), comprising the CJI, two senior judges, the Union Law Minister, and two eminent persons.
• Fourth Judges Case (2015): The Supreme Court struck down NJAC as violative of the Basic Structure, particularly judicial independence.
• Judicial Reasoning: Executive presence and the ambiguous role of “eminent persons” could undermine decisional autonomy.
• Post-Judgment Reform: Court acknowledged flaws in collegium functioning and sought improvements in transparency through a revised Memorandum of Procedure.

Empirical Gaps in Social Diversity

• SC/ST/OBC Representation: Between 2018 and 2024, only around 20% of judges appointed to the higher judiciary belonged to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
• Gender Imbalance: Women constitute less than 15% of judges in the higher judiciary, despite forming nearly half of India’s population.
• Religious Minority Representation: Less than 5% of recent appointees belonged to religious minorities.
• Merit-Centric Model: Collegium emphasises “merit” without formal diversity benchmarks, leading to criticism of homogeneity.
• Perception of Legitimacy: A judiciary not reflective of India’s social diversity risks weakening institutional credibility in a plural society.

Access to Justice and Regional Benches

• Centralised Seat in Delhi: Supreme Court functioning solely in Delhi creates significant financial and logistical barriers for litigants from southern, eastern and northeastern States.
• Pendency Crisis: As of January 2026, over 90,000 cases are pending before the Supreme Court.
• Law Commission Recommendations (1988 & 2009): Suggested splitting the Court into a Constitution Bench in Delhi and regional Cassation Benches for routine appeals.
• Article 130 Flexibility: Constitution already permits relocation or regional sittings, making reform administratively feasible.
• Federal Sensitivity: Regional benches in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai could reduce litigation costs, enhance federal balance, and improve timely justice delivery.

Key Proposals in the Private Member’s Bill

• Proportional Representation Mandate: Seeks due representation to SC, ST, OBC, women and minorities in proportion to population in appointments to Supreme Court and High Courts.
• Time-bound Executive Action: Mandates a 90-day limit for the Central government to notify collegium recommendations.
• Regional Benches with Full Jurisdiction: Proposes benches in New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, with constitutional matters reserved for a Constitution Bench in Delhi.

Way Forward

• Judicial Self-Reform: The collegium can institutionalise diversity metrics without compromising merit or independence.
• Revamped NJAC Model: A restructured appointments commission including representatives from legislature, Bar Council and academia — as seen in South Africa and the UK — may provide broader consultation while preserving judicial primacy.
• Transparency Measures: Publication of diversity data, selection criteria and reasons for elevation can enhance accountability.
• Phased Regional Bench Implementation: Pilot one regional bench under Article 130 before national expansion.
• Balancing Independence and Inclusivity: Reforms must preserve judicial independence while enhancing representativeness and accessibility.

Conclusion

The debate over diversity and regional benches is fundamentally about constitutional legitimacy in a vast and diverse democracy. While the collegium has safeguarded judicial independence, empirical evidence of under-representation and persistent access barriers necessitates structural reform. A calibrated approach — protecting the Basic Structure while deepening inclusion and access — can strengthen both institutional credibility and democratic justice.

Mains Question

1. “To what extent should the composition of constitutional institutions reflect the social diversity of the society they serve? Critically examine this proposition with specific reference to the Indian higher judiciary.” (250 words)

Source: The Hindu