UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 12th October 2026

Solution (b)
Explanation: Plan Bee was developed by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to discourage elephants from approaching railway tracks and reduce train–elephant collisions. Its working principle is that devices emit amplified honeybee-buzzing sounds; since elephants tend to avoid swarms of bees, the sound acts as an acoustic deterrent. The system has been installed at vulnerable locations, including level crossings in elephant habitats. Option (c) describes AI-enabled Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), which are a complementary measure, not Plan Bee — IDS detects elephant movement and alerts railway personnel, whereas Plan Bee uses sound to deter elephants from approaching tracks. This distinction between detection (IDS) and deterrence (Plan Bee) is the key discriminator. Options (a) and (d) misdescribe it as a pollination or livelihood programme. The Northeast Frontier Railway, headquartered at Maligaon, Guwahati, reported that 255 elephants were saved from potential train collisions between January and September 2026 through combined measures including Plan Bee, AI-based alerts, patrolling and coordination with forest officials. The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and listed in CITES Appendix I.
Why this question? The deterrence-vs-detection distinction (Plan Bee vs. AI-based IDS) is the conceptual core, with acoustic principles adding depth.
Why important for UPSC? Human-wildlife conflict, linear infrastructure and technological interventions in conservation are emerging environment prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to one-liner questions identifying technological interventions by their operating principle and conservation purpose.

Solution (d)
Explanation: The UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2026: The Geoeconomics of Development was released on 9 October 2026 by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), whose annual report series began in 1981. India’s share of global greenfield investment during 2020–2025 was 5.7%, compared with China’s 2.8%, Malaysia’s 4% and Indonesia’s 3.8% — meaning India’s share was indeed more than double China’s during this period. Greenfield investment involves establishing new productive facilities abroad, unlike brownfield investment, which acquires or expands existing facilities; such investment can support employment, technology transfer and manufacturing capacity. Global trade reached a record US$35 trillion in 2025 and was projected to grow by 4% in 2026, while global economic growth was projected at 2.6% in 2026 (down from 2.9% in 2025) and India’s growth was projected at 7.3% in 2026. The share of strategic sectors in global greenfield investment increased from 16% in 2020 to 44% in 2025, with major investment areas being AI infrastructure, semiconductors, critical minerals and energy-transition technologies. All three statements are accurate. Note the prelims angle: UNCTAD must be distinguished from the WTO, and rising investment shares do not necessarily measure total FDI inflows.
Why this question? Tests report-specific data plus the greenfield/brownfield conceptual distinction—two independent fact layers in one stem.
Why important for UPSC? International organisations, FDI concepts and global trade trends are recurring economy prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on UNCTAD/WTO distinctions, FDI types and international report findings.

Solution (d)
Explanation: INS Mangrol is a Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, with over 80% indigenous content, supporting Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It is the third ASW-SWC delivered under the CSL project and was scheduled for commissioning on 12 October 2026 at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Its primary role is detecting, tracking and countering submarines in shallow coastal waters, where larger warships may face operational constraints. Key equipment includes Abhay (hull-mounted sonar for underwater detection), lightweight torpedoes and indigenous anti-submarine rockets, and Maareech (advanced torpedo decoy system to counter incoming torpedoes). It uses three diesel engines with waterjet propulsion, enabling high manoeuvrability in shallow waters, and has additional roles in underwater surveillance, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and mine-warfare-related tasks. It is named after Mangrol, a coastal town and fishing harbour in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, honouring the legacy of the former INS Mangrol (M85), a minesweeper that served until 2004. The vessel is part of the Navy’s broader ASW-SWC programme, which includes construction by CSL and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). All three statements are accurate. Prelims angle: sonar detects underwater objects; torpedoes attack underwater targets; torpedo decoys mislead incoming torpedoes.
Why this question? Tests platform class, equipment-suite functions and propulsion specifics—a precision-oriented defence question.
Why important for UPSC? Indigenous naval shipbuilding, anti-submarine warfare and coastal defence are recurring defence prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on naval platforms, their class, builder and equipment fit.

Solution (b)
Explanation: VL-SRSAM is a ship-based air-defence system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with the Indian Navy and Indian defence industry. Its purpose is ship-based air defence against aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles and other aerial threats, including sea-skimming targets. Its vertical launch mechanism enables rapid engagement of threats approaching from different directions. It uses an indigenous radio-frequency seeker and integrates a Multi-Function Radar and Weapon Control System, with high agility, all-weather capability and electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM). Specifications include approximately 170 kg weight, 3.93 metres length and solid-propellant propulsion. Option (a) incorrectly describes it as an anti-submarine missile. Option (c) incorrectly describes it as a ballistic missile interceptor for exo-atmospheric engagement. Option (d) incorrectly describes it as a land-based cruise missile. The system was successfully flight-tested by DRDO and the Indian Navy on 26 March 2025 off the Odisha coast, demonstrating engagement of a high-speed target at very close range and low altitude, establishing near-boundary, low-altitude interception capability. The Indian Navy is preparing for further trials. Prelims angle: a surface-to-air missile intercepts aerial targets; VL-SRSAM is primarily a naval air-defence system, not an anti-submarine or ballistic missile. Sea-skimming missiles fly close to the sea surface to reduce radar detection time, making rapid reaction and manoeuvrability crucial.
Why this question? The air-defence vs. anti-submarine vs. ballistic-interceptor distinction is the primary trap, with the sea-skimming threat rationale adding analytical depth.
Why important for UPSC? Indigenous missile systems, layered air defence and Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence are recurring prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to one-liner questions classifying missiles by their launch platform, target type and operational role.

Q.5) Solution (c)
Explanation: The Living Planet Report 2026 was released by WWF (formerly World Wildlife Fund; international name World Wide Fund for Nature) on 8 October 2026, reporting that the average size of monitored wildlife populations declined by 73% between 1970 and 2022. The data covers 35,803 population trends covering 5,790 vertebrate species. Ecosystem-wise declines were freshwater 85%, terrestrial 69% and marine 59%, with Latin America and the Caribbean recording the steepest decline at approximately 95%. Major threats include habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease. The Living Planet Index (LPI) is produced by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and tracks changes in the abundance of monitored vertebrate populations; the report is biennial. India recorded conservation gains, with recovery reported in tigers, Asiatic lions and rhinoceroses. Critically, a 73% decline in the average size of monitored populations does not mean 73% of all individual wild animals have disappeared — this is a key conceptual distinction. SAREX-2026 was the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise, conducted by the Indian Coast Guard off Paradip, Odisha, on 8 October 2026, organised under the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB), with the theme “Leveraging Technology to Strengthen SAR Preparedness and Maritime Safety.” It involved 32 observers from 30 countries and participating agencies including the Indian Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, shipping and port authorities, Marine Police, Customs, Fisheries and civil agencies, with assets including Coast Guard ships, Dornier aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopters, Chetak helicopter, IAF C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, and Indian Navy ships. The simulated scenario involved a passenger aircraft carrying 228 people ditching at sea and colliding with a container vessel, with operations demonstrating firefighting, helicopter evacuation, life-raft deployment, rescue-basket operations, survivor recovery and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) capabilities. The 24th NMSARB meeting reviewed preparedness across India’s 4.6-million-sq-km Indian Search and Rescue Region (ISRR). SAREX supports India’s SAGAR vision and the broader MAHASAGAR vision.
Why this question? Combines environment (report findings and the LPI vs. individual-animal distinction) with internal security (SAREX’s institutional character and non-combat nature) in a two-part format testing breadth.
Why important for UPSC? Biodiversity monitoring, global environmental reports, maritime search and rescue, and disaster management are recurring prelims themes across environment and security.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on Living Planet Index findings, WWF reports, and maritime exercises distinguished by their conducting agency and purpose.