DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th October 2026

International Relations | International Awards | Human Rights

Why in the news?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials were awarded the European Parliament’s 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on 22 October 2026, recognising their work in upholding international law and justice. The award ceremony is scheduled for 16 December in Strasbourg, France. 

Key facts about the Sakharov Prize

• Awarded by: European Parliament.
• Established: 1988.
• Named after: Andrei Sakharov, Soviet physicist, dissident and human-rights advocate.
• Purpose: To recognise individuals, groups or organisations defending human rights, fundamental freedoms, freedom of thought and international law.
• Prize money: €50,000.
• First recipients (1988): Nelson Mandela and Anatoli Marchenko, jointly. 

International Criminal Court (ICC)

• Established: 2002 under the Rome Statute, which entered into force on 1 July 2002.
• Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands.
• Nature: Permanent and independent international criminal court.
• Jurisdiction: Four core crimes:
  1. Genocide
  2. Crimes against humanity
  3. War crimes
  4. Crime of aggression
• Function: Investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of these crimes, subject to its jurisdiction. It is not a court for resolving disputes between states. 

distinction: ICC vs ICJ

Sources: 

https://www.reuters.com/world/international-criminal-court-wins-eus-2026-sakharov-prize-2026-10-22/

International Relations | India’s Foreign Relations | Geopolitics

Why in the news?

India and Azerbaijan are seeking to reset bilateral relations following tensions over Azerbaijan’s response to Operation Sindoor (May 2025). External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Baku on 23 October 2026 and met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. Discussions covered trade, energy, connectivity and regional security. 

Key facts about Azerbaijan

• Capital: Baku
• Region: South Caucasus, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
• Borders: Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran and Türkiye; it lies along the Caspian Sea.
• Official language: Azerbaijani.
• Currency: Azerbaijani manat.
• Independence: Declared in 1918; restored in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
• International membership: United Nations since 2 March 1992. 

India–Azerbaijan relations

Causes of recent tensions

• During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, Azerbaijan criticised India’s military strikes on Pakistan, contributing to strained bilateral relations.
• Azerbaijan’s close relations with Pakistan and Türkiye have also complicated India’s regional diplomatic calculations. 

Recent efforts to improve ties

• Strengthening trade, investment, oil and energy cooperation.
• Improving air connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.
• Exploring greater cooperation in pharmaceuticals, digital services and mining.
• Coordinating more closely on the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
• Cooperation on counter-terrorism, regional stability and multilateral forums. 

Strategic importance for India

• Energy security: ONGC Videsh has invested in Azerbaijan’s Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli oil fields and the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline.
• Connectivity: Azerbaijan is an important transit country for the INSTC, linking India with Iran, the Caspian region, Russia and markets further into Europe.
• Eurasian geopolitics: Relations intersect with India’s engagement with Armenia, and with the regional partnerships of Pakistan and Türkiye.
• Consular cooperation: Azerbaijan has helped facilitate the evacuation of Indian nationals, including students, from Iran during regional conflict. 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-azerbaijan-diplomatic-reset-operation-sindoor-10934391/

Environment and Ecology | Climate Finance | International Institutions

Why in the news?

On 22 October 2026, the FRLD Board provisionally set aside US$21.6 million for Nepal following devastating Bhote Koshi flash floods in August 2026. This is the Fund’s first response to a specific disaster. Nepal’s estimated recovery and reconstruction needs are approximately US$4.77 billion, highlighting the gap between climate-related losses and available finance. 

Key facts about FRLD

• Full name: Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
• Established: At COP27 in 2022, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
• Operationalised: At COP28 in 2023, held in Dubai, UAE.
• Parent framework: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
• Purpose: To assist developing countries particularly vulnerable to climate change in addressing economic and non-economic loss and damage.
• Governance: A 26-member Board, comprising 12 members from developed countries and 14 from developing countries.
• Headquarters/hosting: The Philippines hosts the Board; the World Bank hosts the Secretariat and serves as interim trustee. 

What does “loss and damage” mean?

It refers to climate-related harm that occurs despite mitigation and adaptation efforts, including:

• Economic losses: Damage to homes, infrastructure, agriculture and livelihoods.
• Non-economic losses: Loss of life, cultural heritage, biodiversity, territory and community identity.
• Events covered: Extreme weather events, such as floods and cyclones, and slow-onset processes, such as sea-level rise and desertification. 

Nepal allocation: Important facts

• The Board provisionally set aside US$21.6 million, including US$1.6 million for oversight costs.
• It adopted a pilot approach allowing Nepal to submit a funding request under the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM) outside the standard submission period.
• The allocation remains subject to consideration and approval of Nepal’s funding request.
• The amount is less than 0.5% of Nepal’s estimated recovery needs. 

Sources: 

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/loss-and-damage-fund-sets-aside-216-million-for-nepal-floods-a-fraction-of-recovery-needs

Science & Technology | Road Safety | Government Policies

Why in the news?

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) proposed making the Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) mandatory in all new passenger-car models from 1 October 2030 and in all existing and new models from 1 October 2032. The proposal is part of a draft amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, published in October 2026. 

What is AEBS?

• Definition: An active vehicle-safety technology that detects potential collisions and automatically applies brakes if the driver fails to respond adequately.
• Technology: Uses cameras, radar and, in some systems, LiDAR to monitor the road and identify obstacles.
• Objective: Prevent collisions or reduce their severity.
• Classification: A component of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

How does it work?

1. Detection: Sensors identify a vehicle, pedestrian or other obstacle ahead.
2. Warning: The system alerts the driver through visual or audible signals.
3. Braking: If the driver does not react, the system automatically applies the brakes to avoid or mitigate a collision. 

Proposed implementation timeline in India

• M1 category: Passenger vehicles with up to eight seats besides the driver.
• N1 category: Goods vehicles with a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
• AIS-185: Automotive Industry Standard governing AEBS for M1 and N1 vehicles.

Note: These dates are part of a draft proposal and may change after consultation. 

Benefits and limitations

Benefits

• Reduces rear-end collisions and collision severity.
• Improves protection for drivers and vulnerable road users.
• Adds a safety layer without depending entirely on driver reaction time.

Limitations

• Heavy rain, fog, poor lighting or dirty sensors may affect detection.
• False alerts or braking can occur in certain conditions.
• Performance varies with speed, road layout and the type of obstacle.

Sources: 

https://www.business-standard.com/industry/auto/what-is-aebs-the-auto-braking-system-govt-wants-in-all-new-cars-from-2030-126102300739_1.html

Art and Culture | Ancient Manuscripts | India–Sri Lanka Relations

Why in the news?

The SAMHiTA Project was launched at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to preserve and digitise ancient manuscripts reflecting the shared Buddhist and cultural heritage of India and Sri Lanka. The temple is the first Sri Lankan institution to partner with the initiative. The first phase covers 100 ancient palm-leaf manuscripts. 

Key facts about SAMHiTA

• Full form: South Asian Manuscript Histories and Textual Archive.
• Implementing institution: India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi.
• Support: Government of India, with support from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
• Objective: Create a digital archive and relational database of Indian and South Asian manuscripts preserved in libraries, archives and repositories outside India.
• Digital platform: Information collected will be shared through PANDiT — Prosopographical Database of Indic Texts and Records, which documents South Asian intellectual history.
• Meaning: Samhita is a Sanskrit word meaning a collection or compilation. 

Significance of the project

1. Cultural preservation: Protects fragile palm-leaf manuscripts from deterioration and loss.
2. Research and scholarship: Improves access to historical, religious, philosophical and linguistic material.
3. Buddhist heritage: Strengthens India–Sri Lanka civilisational links.
4. Cultural diplomacy: Encourages collaboration between institutions and scholars across South Asia.
5. Digital humanities: Uses digital cataloguing and archiving to preserve and make historical knowledge more accessible.

India–Sri Lanka cultural relations

• The two countries share more than 2,500 years of historical and religious connections, particularly through Buddhism.
• The Cultural Cooperation Agreement was signed on 29 November 1977.
• India announced a dedicated US$15 million grant in 2020 to support the promotion and protection of Buddhist ties with Sri Lanka. 

Sources:

https://ddnews.gov.in/en/samhita-project-strengthening-india-sri-lanka-cultural-ties/

Science & Technology | Green Transport | Clean Energy

Why in the news?

The China Zorrilla, described as the world’s largest battery-electric ship, entered commercial service in October 2026. Built by Australia’s Incat Tasmania for South American ferry operator Buquebus, it operates between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, across the Río de la Plata. 

Key facts

• Type: High-speed, battery-electric passenger and vehicle ferry.
• Builder: Incat Tasmania, Australia.
• Operator: Buquebus.
• Flag: Uruguay.
• Name: Honours China Zorrilla, the celebrated Uruguayan actress and theatre personality.
• Dimensions: Approximately 130 metres long and 32 metres wide.
• Capacity: Up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles.
• Battery system: More than 40 MWh of energy storage, using over 250 tonnes of batteries.
• Propulsion: Eight electric motors powering waterjets.
• Speed: Approximately 25 knots. 

How does it work?

1. Energy storage: Large onboard battery banks store electrical energy.
2. Electric propulsion: Batteries supply electricity to electric motors.
3. Waterjet propulsion: The motors drive waterjets that propel the vessel through the water.
4. Charging: Port-side charging infrastructure supports the ferry’s operations.

Environmental significance

• Lower operational emissions: Battery-electric propulsion eliminates exhaust emissions from onboard fossil-fuel combustion during operation.
• Reduced noise and vibration: Electric motors offer a quieter passenger experience.
• Decarbonising shipping: Demonstrates the potential of electrification for high-capacity, short-distance ferry routes.
• Important limitation: Overall climate benefits depend on the electricity source, battery production and lifecycle impacts. Battery-electric vessels are particularly suited to routes where charging infrastructure and turnaround times are manageable.

Sources: 

https://www.marineinsight.com/worlds-largest-battery-electric-ship-china-zorrilla-enters-service-on-river-plate-for-buquebus/

GS III – Environment / GS II – Governance
Air Pollution, Agricultural Policy, and Federal Responsibility

Introduction

Every autumn, Delhi’s toxic air is blamed largely on Punjab’s stubble burning. While crop fires worsen winter pollution, this narrative oversimplifies a regional crisis involving transport, construction, and other emission sources. Accountability must be based on evidence across all sources, not just the most visible culprit.

The Numbers: A Substantial Decline

Stubble Fire Events

• 2021: 71,304 (Punjab, officially recorded).
• 2025: 5,114.
• Decline: ~93% (satellite-detected events under ISRO monitoring protocol).
• Caveat: These are events, not a measure of how much stubble was burnt or how much pollution reached Delhi.
• Significance: Farmers’ practices have changed—though the figures cannot isolate which intervention made the difference.

The Politics of Blame

• Disproportionate Moral Burden: Punjab’s farmers carry a disproportionate burden for a regional crisis.
• First Victims: Farmers and families breathe the smoke closest to the fields.
• Health Evidence: PGIMER Chandigarh research documented poorer regional air quality during burning; field studies reported more respiratory symptoms and poorer lung function.

Why Burning Persists: The Structural Roots

The Rice-Wheat Economy

• Shaped By: India’s food security strategy—assured procurement, MSP, irrigation, high-yielding varieties, mechanisation.
• Success: Punjab became a major supplier of foodgrains to the national pool.
• Costs: Groundwater depletion, narrowing crop diversity, mechanised harvesting leaving stubble standing, short interval between paddy harvest and wheat sowing.
• Burning: Cheapest way out of a compressed calendar.

The Missing Market for Stubble

• Grain Has a Market: Mandis, procurement agencies, mills, warehouses, PDS.
• Stubble Has No Assured Destination: A baler can make it transportable but cannot create a buyer; a Happy Seeder can avoid burning but cannot alter paddy economics.
• CEEW Report (2024; 2023 survey of 1,478 farmers, 11 districts):
  • 33% used ex situ residue management.
  • Only 3% received payment for stubble.
  • 69% gave it away; 28% paid to have it removed.
• Implication: Farmers regard stubble as a disposal cost, not a crop with value.

What Policy Has Done

• Crop Residue Management Scheme (since 2018): Subsidised machinery and Custom Hiring Centres; monitoring and enforcement expanded.
• Limitation: Machinery can change how residue is handled; it cannot guarantee collection, storage, transport, or a buyer willing to pay.

The Stigma Problem

Punitive Approach

• Police Cases; Environmental Compensation; Adverse Entries in Land Records.
• Research: Punitive approaches can deepen distrust between farmers and the state.
• Enforcement: Has a place, but is less durable when compliance carries an uncertain bill.

The Alternative

• Value for Stubble: A farmer who receives value from stubble needs less policing than one who loses money removing it.

Delhi’s Pollution: A Wider View

Sources

• Transport, Industry, Power, Construction, Road Dust, Waste Burning, Seasonal Agricultural Fires.
• Responsibility: Should follow the evidence across these sources—not just the visible burning field.

The 2027 Punjab Assembly Election

• Political Pressure: Enforcement imposes immediate costs on cultivators; gains from cleaner air are shared across a much larger population.
• Implication: Affordable compliance is all the more necessary.

Way Forward

Build a Market for Stubble

• Buyers Who Commit Before Harvest: Biomass plants, compressed biogas facilities, industrial boilers—where technology and logistics work.
• Local Collection and Storage: Infrastructure for aggregation.
• Transport Support: Logistics for moving residue.
• Price Reaching the Farmer: Benefit must reach the cultivator.

Crop Diversification with Marketing Reform

• Punjab Asked to Move Away from Paddy: Yet assured procurement makes paddy safer.
• Need: Equally credible markets for maize, pulses, oilseeds.
• Key Point: Diversification without marketing reform is advice, not policy.

Federal Responsibility

• National Food Security System: Punjab’s agriculture has served it; ecological costs have remained local.
• Cost-Sharing: A system built partly for national purposes cannot ask cultivators or one State alone to bear the full cost of changing it.

Affordable Compliance

• Machinery Subsidies: Continue, but link to market creation.
• Enforcement: Necessary, but must be paired with reliable alternatives.

Conclusion

Delhi’s air pollution cannot be reduced to Punjab’s stubble burning. Fire incidents fell nearly 93% between 2021 and 2025, yet burning persists because stubble lacks assured markets and disposal remains costly. Delhi’s pollution also stems from transport, industry, construction, power and waste burning. The solution lies in reliable markets, collection and transport support, crop diversification, and shared Centre–State responsibility—not punitive action alone.

Practice Question

1. Delhi’s air pollution problem cannot be reduced to stubble burning; responsibility must follow the evidence across all sources, and Punjab’s farmers need a market for stubble, not just blame. Critically examine the structural roots of stubble burning and suggest a comprehensive policy response. (250 words, 15 marks)

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/for-delhis-air-pollution-problem-stop-blaming-punjabs-farmers-10936089/

GS III – Environment / GS II – Governance
Wetland Conservation, Biodiversity, and Climate Resilience

Introduction

India’s Ramsar sites have grown nearly fourfold since 2014, from 26 to 103, covering over 13.87 lakh hectares. Ranking first in Asia and third globally, India’s wetlands support biodiversity, flood control, groundwater recharge and livelihoods. Conservation is guided by the Wetlands Rules, 2017, NPCA, Amrit Dharohar, MISHTI and Mission Sahbhagita.

Understanding Ramsar Sites

The Ramsar Convention

• Adopted: 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran; entered into force 1975.
• As of October 2026: 172 Contracting Parties; 2,536+ designated Ramsar Sites worldwide.
• India: Became a Party on 1 February 1982.

Three Pillars

• Wise use of all wetlands.
• Designation and effective management of Ramsar Sites.
• International cooperation on wetland conservation.

Designation Process in India

• State/UT Administration: Identifies suitable wetland.
• MoEFCC: Coordinates approval; forwards proposal to Ramsar Secretariat.

Criteria (Nine Criteria; Must Meet at Least One)

• Group A (Wetland Types): Criterion 1—representative, rare, or unique example.
• Group B (Biodiversity):
  • Criteria 2-4: Species and ecological communities.
  • Criteria 5-6: Waterbirds (20,000+; 1% of population).
  • Criteria 7-8: Fish.
  • Criterion 9: Other taxa.

Benefits of Ramsar Designation

• International Representation: Platform to voice concerns; India introduced a Resolution on ‘Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles for the Wise Use of Wetlands’ at Ramsar COP15 (Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe), adopted with overwhelming support.
• Visibility and Recognition: Enhances international profile; strengthens conservation support.
• Access to Standards: Latest information on internationally accepted standards and management planning.
• Expert Assistance: Ramsar Secretariat, collaborators, Advisory Missions.
• International Cooperation: Small-grant programmes; multilateral and bilateral funding links.

Commitments After Designation

• Wise Use: State/UT committed to wise use of wetland and resources.
• Notification: Deemed notified under Wetlands Rules, 2017; Integrated Management Plan recommended.
• Ramsar Information Sheet: Updated every six years.
• Monitoring: Ecological character monitored regularly.

India’s Ramsar Sites: Growth and Diversity

Growth Trajectory

• 2014: 26 sites.
• 2025: 11 wetlands added; total 96.
• June 2026: Surha Tal (UP)—100th site.
• August 2026: Glaw Lake—101st.
• October 15, 2026: Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (UP)—total 103.

State-Wise Distribution

• Tamil Nadu: 20 sites (highest).
• Uttar Pradesh: 14 sites.
• Others: Spread across 28 States/UTs.

First Ramsar Sites

• Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan): Designated 1 October 1981.
• Chilika: Removed from Montreux Record in 2002 after successful restoration; Chilika Development Authority won Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award.

Montreux Record

• Definition: Register of Ramsar Sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur.
• Purpose: Priority conservation attention; guides monitoring, remedial action, resource allocation.
• Removal: Once successful remedial measures documented or threat no longer exists.

Latest Additions

• Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh): Human-made reservoir (1958) at Shivalik foothills; shelters Pallas’s fish eagle, common pochard, black pond turtle; migratory birds on Central Asian Flyway.
• Sauj Jheel (UP): Shallow floodplain lake in Mainpuri; hosts 30,000+ waterbirds; nesting/foraging for sarus crane and greater spotted eagle; sacred lotus and wild sugarcane beds.

Largest Ramsar Site

• Sundarban Wetland (West Bengal): 4,23,000 hectares; over 60% of India’s mangrove area; tiger population with unique aquatic hunting skills.

How Ramsar Sites Aid Conservation

Restoring Ecosystems

• Chilika Lake: Sustained restoration revived wetland and communities; supports 118 fish species; breeding, wintering, staging ground for waterbirds.

Sustaining Livelihoods

• East Kolkata Wetlands: Treats city’s wastewater naturally through ~4,000 hectares of fish ponds; yields ~10,500 tonnes of fish annually; supports ~50,000 people.

Building Climate Resilience

• Sundarban Mangroves: Shield inland areas from storms, cyclones, tidal surges, saltwater intrusion; nurseries for fish and shellfish.

Reviving Threatened Species

• Beas Conservation Reserve (Punjab): India’s only known population of endangered Indus River dolphin; reintroduction programme (2017) released 47 gharials; 185-km stretch supports 500+ bird species and 90+ fish species.

Community Stewardship

• Khichan Wetland (Rajasthan): Hosts 22,000+ wintering demoiselle cranes on just 54 hectares; residents protect birds from power line collisions and stray dog attacks.

Government Initiatives

Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017

• Notified Under: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Framework: State/UT Wetlands Authorities; prohibits encroachment, waste dumping, untreated effluent discharge.

National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)

• Merged: National programmes for lake and wetland conservation.
• Updated Guidelines (2024): Integrated and scientific framework for managing wetlands.

Amrit Dharohar

• Focus: Species and habitat conservation, nature tourism, wetland livelihoods, carbon assessment.
• Studies: Inventory of flora and fauna of 75 Ramsar Sites (BSI and ZSI).
• Carbon Stock: SOP released; assessed for 39 Ramsar Sites.

Mission Sahbhagita and Save Wetlands Campaign

• Participatory Conservation: Save Wetlands Campaign began 4 February 2023 (Goa).
• Volunteers: 2 million+ citizen volunteers mapped 1.7 lakh+ wetlands.

MISHTI

• Target: Mangrove restoration over 540 sq km in 9 States and 4 UTs.
• Progress: ₹88.44 crore released to restore 9,949.5 hectares.

Wetlands of India Portal

• Inaugurated: 2 October 2021.
• Function: Dynamic knowledge repository; single-point access to information on sites, projects, initiatives, training.

Wetland City Accreditation

• Indore and Udaipur: India’s first Ramsar-accredited Wetland Cities (January 2025).

Way Forward

Translating Recognition into Outcomes

• Regular Monitoring: Ecological character tracking.
• Evidence-Based Planning: Integrated Management Plans.
• Coordination: Governments, institutions, local communities.

Integrating with Development Planning

• Local Stewardship: Strengthen community participation.
• Data and Knowledge Sharing: Improve accessibility.
• Sustainable Livelihoods: Link conservation with community needs.

Climate Resilience

• Mangroves: MISHTI expansion.
• Flood Buffering: Wetland restoration.
• Carbon Stock: Expand assessments beyond 39 sites.

Conclusion

India’s Ramsar network has grown from 26 sites in 2014 to 103, covering 13.87 lakh hectares. Wetlands such as Chilika, East Kolkata and Sundarbans support biodiversity, livelihoods and climate resilience. Initiatives like the Wetlands Rules, 2017, NPCA, Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI strengthen conservation. The priority is effective monitoring, community participation and integrating wetland protection into development planning.

Practice Question

1. India’s Ramsar network has expanded nearly fourfold since 2014, from 26 to 103 sites, safeguarding biodiversity, water security, and climate resilience. Critically examine the significance, achievements, and challenges of wetland conservation in India. (250 words, 15 marks)

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2328132&reg=3&lang=1