1 . Micro and Small Gas Turbine Engines
Syllabus Mapping: GS III: Science & Technology • Defence Technology • Aerospace Technology • Indigenisation of Defence Technology
- CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) unveiled three indigenous Micro and Small Gas Turbine Engines — NJ-05 (5 kg thrust), NJ-50 (50 kg thrust) and NJ-100 (100 kg thrust).
- The engines are envisaged for tactical UAVs, drone interceptors and compact missile systems, addressing the need for indigenous propulsion in emerging unmanned defence platforms.
- Gas Turbine Engine: A propulsion system in which fuel combustion produces high-temperature, high-pressure gases that drive a turbine and generate thrust/power.
- Development involved advances in high-RPM turbomachinery and high-temperature combustion, both critical for compact aerospace propulsion.
- Propulsion is a critical and technologically complex subsystem of aerospace platforms; indigenous capability reduces dependence on imported technologies and strengthens strategic autonomy.
- UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles): Aircraft operated without an onboard human pilot; widely used for surveillance, reconnaissance, communication, logistics and combat roles.
- Drone interceptors can form part of counter-UAS (C-UAS) systems designed to detect, track and neutralise hostile drones, making compact propulsion technologies relevant to emerging drone warfare.
- Defence-industrial ecosystem: CSIR-NAL’s R&D can be translated into large-scale production through Indian industry and aerospace start-ups, linking public-sector scientific research with domestic manufacturing.
- Thrust: It is the propulsive force produced by an engine; hence the NJ series can be remembered directly by their approximate thrust classes — 5 kg, 50 kg and 100 kg.
- Why gas turbines for UAVs/missiles? Their high power-to-weight ratio, compactness and suitability for high-speed flight make them useful for several unmanned and expendable aerial platforms.
2. National Shipping Board (NSB) – ‘Sagar Samvad’ & Indian Shipping Capacity
Syllabus Mapping: GS3: Infrastructure | Indian Economy | Blue Economy | Employment
- National Shipping Board (NSB) organised its first ‘Sagar Samvad’ on the theme “Maritime India Vision 2030 & Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047”.
- NSB: A statutory advisory body constituted in 1958; advises the Government on shipping policy, tonnage, seafarer welfare and maritime development. Its mandate has been strengthened under the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025.
- Key concern: India pays nearly $75 billion annually as freight to foreign shipping lines for transporting commodities such as crude oil, gas, coal and urea.
- Target: Add 100 Indian-flagged vessels in 5 years to reduce dependence on foreign shipping and strengthen India’s maritime self-reliance.
- Competitiveness gap: Indian-flagged ships are estimated to be 16–20% costlier than foreign-flagged vessels due to taxation, financing and regulatory costs.
- NSB’s 5-pillar roadmap: Fiscal reforms + Assured cargo support + Competitive financing + Regulatory streamlining + Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).
- Strategic objective: Increase Indian tonnage and move towards the top 5 ship-owning nations by 2047, aligned with Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
- Right of First Refusal (RoFR): Indian-flagged vessels can receive preference in specified cargo opportunities, subject to the applicable rules.
- Indian tonnage: Refers to the shipping capacity/vessels owned or controlled by Indian interests; increasing domestic tonnage reduces dependence on foreign carriers and can improve freight retention within India.
- Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme: ₹10,000 crore scheme to promote domestic container manufacturing; Maersk has placed orders for containers manufactured in India.
- Maritime India Vision 2030: Long-term roadmap for making India a global maritime hub through port modernisation, shipping, shipbuilding, logistics, maritime skilling and green shipping.
3. India’s Shift from Drought Response to Drought Resilience – UNCCD CoP17
Syllabus Mapping: GS3: Environment | Disaster Management | Agriculture | Climate Change
- India called for a shift from drought response to drought resilience at the 17th Conference of Parties (CoP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- The approach emphasises “Preparedness over response, prevention over crisis management, resilience over recovery”, treating drought as a predictable and preventable risk rather than merely a recurring disaster.
- Remote sensing + meteorological data + ground observations can enable early identification of rainfall deficiency, vegetation stress and water stress.
- Catchment/riverscape forestry helps reduce soil erosion, improve water retention and enhance groundwater recharge — linking forest conservation with water security.
- Watershed development follows a ridge-to-valley approach, beginning with treatment of upper catchments and gradually moving towards lower drainage areas.
- UNCCD was established in 1994 and is one of the three Rio Conventions, alongside UNFCCC and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
- UNCCD is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, while its Conference of the Parties (COP) is its supreme decision-making body.
- The Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) framework seeks to maintain or enhance the quantity and quality of land resources required to support ecosystem functions and food security.
4. 5 years of e-Shram Portal
Syllabus Mapping: GS II: Welfare Schemes • Vulnerable Sections • Social Security • E-Governance • Inclusive Development
GS III: Employment • Formalisation of Economy • Digitalisation
- e-Shram Portal was launched on 26 August 2021 by the Ministry of Labour & Employment to create the National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) and provide each registered worker a 12-digit Universal Account Number (UAN).
- It is Aadhaar-authenticated and covers workers such as agricultural labourers, construction workers, domestic workers, street vendors, migrant workers and gig/platform workers who are outside the conventional formal social-security system.
- As of August 2026: over 89 crore workers are registered; women constitute 54.28% of registrations. Around 11.5 lakh gig/platform workers have also been registered.
- It integrates access to 15 welfare/social-security schemes, including PM-SYM, PMSBY, PMJJBY, NSAP, ONORC and PMAY-G, while linking workers with National Career Service (NCS), Skill India Digital Hub and myScheme.
- PM-SYM: eligible unorganised workers can receive a minimum assured pension of ₹3,000/month after 60 years, subject to scheme conditions. PMSBY provides accidental insurance cover, while PMJJBY provides life insurance cover.
- Construction workers: e-Shram data can be shared with States/UTs to facilitate registration with Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Boards.
- Unorganised worker includes a home-based, self-employed or wage worker in the unorganised sector; it can also include an organised-sector worker who is not covered by EPFO/ESIC and is not a government employee.
5. India–Japan Cooperation in Semiconductors & Artificial Intelligence
Syllabus Mapping: GS II: India–Japan Relations • Bilateral Economic Cooperation | GS III: Semiconductors • AI • Manufacturing • Technology • Supply Chain Resilience
- India and Japan are strengthening cooperation in Semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as key pillars of their economic security partnership.
- India’s domestic semiconductor demand is projected to reach USD 150 billion by 2032, creating opportunities for investment, manufacturing and technology partnerships.
- India’s semiconductor strategy covers the entire ecosystem — chip design, semiconductor machinery & materials, fabrication, ATMP/OSAT, R&D and talent development.
- Government support includes USD 10 billion under Semicon India 1.0 and an additional USD 15 billion under Semicon India 2.0 to catalyse investment and build a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem.
- India’s skilled talent pool complements Japan’s advanced technology, engineering capabilities and industrial expertise, creating scope for joint investment, innovation, manufacturing and technology partnerships.
- Around 21 leading Japanese companies participated in the India–Japan industry roundtable, reaffirming interest in Make in India, Design in India and Develop in India.
- The cooperation is significant for economic security, resilient supply chains and next-generation manufacturing, particularly in strategically important technologies.
- Both sides noted progress towards the target of JPY 10 trillion in private Japanese investment in India, strengthening the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
