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1. ISM 2.0 in Budget 2026–27 prioritises domestic semiconductor equipment and materials, full-stack Indian semiconductor IP, and stronger supply chains, backed by ₹1,000 crore for FY 2026–27 allocation nationwide.

2. India’s semiconductor market is estimated at $38 billion in 2023, $45–$50 billion in 2024–25, and projected to reach $100–$110 billion by 2030, driven by demand across value chains.

1. Union Budget 2026–27 reiterates Ease of Doing Business as a growth pillar, prioritising digitisation, tax certainty, investor access and litigation reduction to strengthen confidence across sectors nationwide.

2. An interconnected single digital window for cargo approvals is proposed, enabling streamlined customs clearances, reduced interface duplication, faster releases, and lower compliance friction for trade participants and paperwork.

1. Union Budget 2026–27 announced Dedicated Rare Earth Corridors in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, integrating mining, processing, research and REPM manufacturing to expand domestic capacity national.

2. In November 2025, the government approved a ₹7,280 crore REPM Manufacturing Scheme to create an end-to-end domestic ecosystem from rare-earth oxides to finished magnets ensuring national supply security.

1. India AI Impact Summit 2026 is scheduled from 16–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, as a five-day programme spanning policy, research, industry, and public engagement.

2. The Summit is described as the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South, bringing leaders, policymakers, companies, innovators, and experts together.

1. DRAP launched in November 2025 to achieve Lakshya: Zero Dumpsites by October 2026, accelerating scientific remediation of long-standing municipal legacy waste across cities nationwide.

2. India has identified about 2,479 legacy dumpsites with 1,000+ tonnes waste, containing roughly 25 crore metric tonnes spread across nearly 15,000 acres nationwide today.

1. India–EU ties gain strategic momentum ahead of New Delhi summit, aiming for a new Joint Strategic Agenda and revival of long-pending Free Trade Agreement negotiations across sectors rapidly.

2. EU became India’s largest goods trading partner, with bilateral merchandise trade about $136 billion in 2024–25, covering machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, metals, mineral products and textiles overall strength.

1. Chips to Start-up Programme is a national capacity-building initiative launched in 2022, with ₹250 crore over five years, expanding chip design education, fabrication exposure, and innovation across institutions.

2. It targets creation of 85,000 industry-ready professionals across UG, PG, and PhD levels nationwide, including 200 PhDs, 7,000 VLSI M.Tech, 8,800 allied M.Tech, and 69,000 B.Tech trainees overall.

Background and Vision

Amrit Sarovars plays an important role in increasing the availability of water, both on surface and under-ground. Development of Amrit Sarovars is also an important symbol of constructive actions, dedicated to the country on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, that create sustainable and long-term productive assets, beneficial to both the living beings and environment.

1. Seaweed is a nutrient rich marine plant containing vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and 54 trace elements, linked with reduced risks of diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, hypertension, and cancers.

2. Cultivation occurs in shallow coastal waters and needs no land, freshwater, fertilizers, or pesticides, positioning seaweed as an eco friendly crop suited for climate resilience, low input livelihoods.

1) UN Peacekeeping supports countries moving from conflict to peace through deployed missions under UN mandates, complementing peacemaking and peacebuilding, with tasks expanding beyond military observation into multidimensional governance support.

2) India is among the largest contributors, with over 2,90,000 peacekeepers serving in more than 50 UN missions since the 1950s, reflecting sustained operational commitment across continents.