UPSC Civil Services Current Affairs Articles

Economic Advisory Council Meeting Highlights - June 2026

1. Foreign Investment Attraction:

   • Government measures likely to attract $70 billion in foreign funds.
   • Tax removal on long-term and short-term capital gains for Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) in government bonds.
   • Removal of withholding tax on interest income for FIIs.

2. RBI Measures:

   • Easier mobil

India-Nepal Bilateral Relations Summary

Key Figures & Events:

• Date of Meeting: Official talks held on June 6, 2026.
• Indian Officials: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
• Nepali Officials: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Chairperson of Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

Opportunities for Bilateral Relations:

• Both m

Land Port Management System (LPMS) Overview

Launch Details:

• Inauguration Date: June 9, 2026
• Inaugurated by: Amit Shah, Union Home and Cooperation Minister

Objectives of LPMS:

• Enhance smart border management.
• Ensure secure movement of cross-border trade and passengers.
• Integrate land ports into a unified digital platform.

Key Features of LPMS:

• **End-to-End Dig

Exam-Focused Summary

Military Engagements and Casualties:

• Israeli Military Operations:
  • Two Israeli soldiers killed in combat with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon: Captain Shahar Gamla (23) and Sergeant Ohad Yaari (21).
  • Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed nine individuals, including three Lebanese military personnel (a Brigadier General, a captain, and another soldi

Key Highlights from the National Workshop on Marine Food Exports

Event Overview

• Dates: June 5-6, 2026
• Location: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
• Organizers: Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Participants

• Key Attendees:

Supreme Court Rulings on Online Gaming Industry (May 27, 2026)

1. Judicial Rulings:

   • Upholding 28% retrospective GST on online gaming companies.
   • Affirmation of State laws prohibiting real-money gaming.

2. Constitutional References:

   • Entry 34, List II of the Seventh Schedule: Allows States to legislate on betting and gambling.
   • **Central Goods and Services

• Thirukkural: A classic text of Tamil literature by Thiruvalluvar, composed during the Sangam era (circa 3rd BCE to 3rd CE). It consists of 1,330 couplets (kurals) divided into three categories: aram (virtues), porul (wealth), and inbam (love life), emphasizing universal values such as honesty, learning, kindness, and social responsibilities.

• Medical Insights: The text

Exam-Focused Notes on the Panama Canal

Geographic and Historical Context

• Isthmus Definition: A narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses, surrounded by water on both sides. Example: Isthmus of Panama (77 km long).
• Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI): Historical migratory events facilitated by the Isthmus of Panama.

Engineering and Construction

• **Pana

Exam-Focused Notes on e-Jagriti and National e-Governance Award 2026

Overview:

• e-Jagriti: A digital platform for consumer grievance redressal launched on January 1, 2025.
• Award: Received the Silver Award in the National e-Governance Award 2026 for the category of "Use of Technology for Digital Transformation in Government Process Reengineering".

Key Facts:

• **Awards Co

Exam-Focused Notes on Tuberculosis Vaccine Research

Disease Overview

• Tuberculosis (TB) is the deadliest infectious disease, outpacing COVID-19 at its peak.
• TB can present as Pulmonary TB (PTB) (infectious) or Extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) (harder to diagnose, more debilitating, and sometimes fatal).
• In low- and middle-income countries, TB incidence ranges between **200 to 30

EV Battery Safety and Infrastructure

1. Testing Ecosystem Development:

   • The Government of India is enhancing the battery safety testing infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs).
   • National Test House (NTH) centers in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kolkata are expanding state-of-the-art facilities for testing:
     • Lithium-ion cells.
     • Battery packs.
     • EV chargers.

2. **I

Key Facts and Data

1. Great Nicobar Island Project Allegations:
   • Rahul Gandhi claims the BJP’s narrative of the project being strategic for defense purposes is misleading, suggesting it primarily serves private commercial interests, particularly benefitting industrialist Gautam Adani.
   • The project includes plans for a transhipment hub, airport, and tourist township.
   • Environme

Summary of the Nilgiri Tahr Population Estimation and Conservation Efforts

Population and Growth Statistics:

• Current Population Estimate: 1,364 Nilgiri Tahr individuals (April 2026).
• Percentage Increase: 4.68% from the previous year (1,303 in 2025; 1,031 in 2024).
• Confidence Interval: 95% confidence range of 869 to 2,465 individuals.

Geographical Distribution:

• **P

Exam-Focused Notes on Electric Vehicles (EV) in Karnataka

Constitutional References

• Right to a Clean Environment: Under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, citizens have the right to a clean environment, which can be supported through cleaner mobility options such as electric vehicles.

Government Policies and Schemes

• FAME-II Scheme: The Faster Adoption and Manufactur

Summary of Key Points on Diminishing Tree Cover in Coimbatore

Environmental Concerns:

• Diminishing tree cover in Coimbatore is at risk due to illegal felling, particularly in public spaces.
• A case involving the illegal felling of a Kodukkapuli tree (Pithecellobium dulce) prompted concerns about regulatory gaps in safeguarding urban trees.

Legal and Regulatory Framework:

• Lack

Extreme Climate Events and Economic Impact on India: Exam-Focused Notes

1. Climate Event Prediction:

   • NOAA predicts an 82% chance of El Niño emerging between May-July 2026, with a 96% probability of continuation through winter 2026-27.

2. Monsoon Forecast:

   • IMD projects monsoon rainfall to be 92% of the long-period average, categorized as “below normal”.

3. **Economic Threat

Environmental Crisis in India: Key Facts and Figures

Air Pollution:

• Rank: India ranks as the sixth most polluted country globally.
• PM2.5 Levels: National average of PM2.5 is 48.9 µg/m³, almost 10 times the WHO's safe limit.
• Cities: Thirteen of the 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Delhi as the most polluted capital.
• Health Impact: PM2.5 pollution caused o

Summary of Environmental Concerns and Recommendations for India

Key Environmental Statistics:

• Survey Findings: A study by Yale School of the Environment involving 10,751 Indians indicated that:
  • 71% have experienced heat waves
  • 60% faced agricultural pests/diseases
  • 59% encountered power outages
  • 53% suffered from water pollution
  • 52% dealt with droughts and water sh

Summary of India's Renewable Energy Transformation

1. Renewable Energy Capacity:

• As of April 30, 2026:
  • Solar Capacity: 154.24 GW (up from 2.8 GW in 2014).
  • Total Renewable Energy Capacity: 279.25 GW.
  • Total Non-Fossil Capacity: 288.03 GW.
• Breakdown of Solar Generation:
  • Ground-mounted Projects: 117.36 GW.
  • Rooftop Systems: 26.75 GW.
• *Wind Energy

Climate Finance in India: Key Highlights

Financial Requirements

• Total Financing Need: India requires ₹162.5 trillion (approximately $2.5 trillion) by 2030 for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meet climate commitments.
• Net-Zero Goal: Estimated cost to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 is $10.1 trillion, nearly three times India's current GDP.
• Need for annual in

Summary of Key Points on Climate Action and Development Financing

Economic and Climate Investment

• Global SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) financing gap is approximately $4 trillion, with half attributed to energy transition challenges.
• India needs an additional 6% of GDP annually to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on energy, infrastructure, and health.

Summary of Proposed Draft Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Courts, 2026

1. Judicial Oversight of AI:

   • The Supreme Court's AI committee has drafted regulations prohibiting AI from independently determining judicial outcomes.
   • AI must function solely in support of human judgment, ensuring mandatory human oversight in sentencing and court processes.

2. **Judici

• Legislation Used: U.S. President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 to allocate $700 million for coal energy initiatives.

• Funding Allocation:

  • To maintain operations of over a dozen coal plants across 10 states and 42 mines.
  • Construction of two new coal plants, one in Maryland and another in Alaska and West Virginia.

Exam-Focused Summary of Key Points:

Economic and Investment Status:

• India as a Reliable Investment Destination: Central Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted India's emergence as the world's most trusted investment destination during the City India Conference 2026.
• Investment Confidence: Positive feedback from meetings with investors in Canada and the USA re