1 . Strategy for Environmental Economic Accounts in India: 2026–2030
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Environment & Ecology | Environmental Governance | Natural Resource Accounting
- MoSPI, through the National Statistical Office (NSO), has released the “Strategy for Environmental Economic Accounts in India: 2026–2030” as a forward-looking roadmap for strengthening environmental-economic accounting in India.
- The strategy builds upon the earlier Strategy for Environmental-Economic Accounts in India 2022–2026, under which MoSPI initiated work on areas such as Material Flow Accounts, Ocean Accounts, Energy Accounts and thematic accounts for biodiversity and urban areas.
- Since 2018, MoSPI has undertaken environmental-accounting work covering forests, biodiversity, wetlands, ocean accounts, soil, water quality, croplands, energy, residuals, urban ecosystems and pollination services.
- The 2026–2030 strategy seeks to address data gaps, expand the coverage of environmental accounts, identify priority areas and milestones, and establish an action plan for systematic development of environmental-economic accounting.
- The new roadmap proposes enhanced or new coverage of forests, minerals, soil resources, land, water, carbon stock, environment-related activities, biodiversity and environment statistics.
- The priority areas have been selected with reference to the “Green National Account in India: A Framework” and the SEEA Central Framework (SEEA-CF).
- The strategy identifies potential data sources and policy implications and aims to strengthen the statistical and accounting ecosystem through better coordination and improved availability of environmental data.
- Developments under the System of National Accounts 2025, particularly the recognition of natural resource accounting within the national accounting framework, further strengthen the importance of environmental-economic accounting.
- The strategy is also intended as a guidance framework for States and Union Territories that wish to initiate or strengthen environmental accounting, while remaining self-evolving according to emerging requirements.
- SEEA (System of Environmental-Economic Accounting) is the internationally recognised statistical framework endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission for integrating environmental information with economic statistics.
- SEEA-CF provides a framework for recording the interaction between the economy and the environment, including information on environmental assets, natural-resource flows and economic activities related to the environment.
- Environmental-economic accounting complements conventional national accounting by bringing natural resources and environmental dimensions into statistical analysis, allowing policymakers to examine links between economic activity, resource use and environmental change.
- Material Flow Accounts (MFA) track the physical flows of materials entering, circulating within and leaving an economy, thereby helping assess resource use, material productivity and resource efficiency.
2. Chhattisgarh’s Cultural Heritage – Dhokra, Tribal Art & Devotional Traditions
Syllabus Mapping: GS-I: Indian Culture | Art Forms | Tribal Culture | Traditional Crafts | Cultural Heritage
- The 8th PM Mementos collection features 16 mementos from Chhattisgarh, representing the state’s tribal heritage, traditional crafts, devotional traditions and contemporary cultural identity.
- Dhokra is the highlight of the collection and represents an ancient metal-casting tradition based on the lost-wax technique, with a history of more than 4,000 years in India.
- The Dhokra works displayed include Elephant Head Nandi, Standing Nandi and Madia-Madin Tribal Couple Bust, demonstrating the use of the craft for religious as well as tribal-cultural representations.
- The collection also showcases tribal Chhattisgarh through a traditional ceremonial headgear decorated with peacock-feather clusters, cowrie shells, metallic discs and brass bells.
- The Madia-Madin Tribal Couple Bust represents the tribal cultural identity of Chhattisgarh through Dhokra metalwork, demonstrating how traditional craft is used to preserve community and cultural memory.
- Dhokra is a traditional lost-wax metal-casting technique, in which a wax model forms the basis of the mould and is replaced by molten metal during casting.
- The cire perdue/lost-wax process enables artisans to create individually crafted objects rather than relying on identical mass-produced moulds, giving Dhokra its distinctive handcrafted character.
- Dhokra is closely associated with traditional artisan and tribal communities, where craft knowledge and techniques are transmitted across generations.
- Dhokra is particularly associated with the tribal belts of eastern and central India, including Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and parts of Madhya Pradesh, although individual regional traditions differ in design and practice.
3. High-Altitude Platform (HAPS)
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Defence Technology | Aerospace Technology | Unmanned Platforms | Indigenous Defence Technology
- DRDO successfully conducted a flight trial of an indigenously developed High-Altitude Platform (HAPS), demonstrating India’s progress towards long-endurance stratospheric aerial platforms.
- The experimental flight reached 21 km above mean sea level (AMSL) and remained at approximately 20 km AMSL for more than 30 minutes before being commanded to descend.
- The platform was successfully recovered, while real-time video and vehicle-performance parameters were transmitted to the Ground Control Station throughout the flight.
- The system carried an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), GPS receiver, onboard cameras and altitude-control mechanism, along with other instrumentation and control electronics.
- The trial was conducted in coordination with the Indian Air Force, CEMILAC, DGCA, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other civil authorities, reflecting the need for coordination in high-altitude flight operations.
- The HAPS is being designed and developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, under DRDO.
- The platform is described as a lighter-than-air system intended to operate as a long-endurance stratospheric aerial surveillance platform.
- HAPS (High-Altitude Platform System) refers to an aerial platform designed to operate for extended periods at high altitude, generally in the stratosphere, providing persistent coverage over a designated area.
- Unlike conventional aircraft that continuously operate through powered flight and satellites operating in space, HAPS occupies an intermediate operational layer between terrestrial systems and satellites, making it useful for persistent surveillance and communication applications.
4. Additive Manufacturing (AM) in India
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Science & Technology | Emerging Technologies | 3D Printing | Advanced Manufacturing |
- Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a 3D-printing technology in which a digital file controls the layer-by-layer deposition of material to create a physical object; India is developing AM as a next-generation digital manufacturing capability.
- The National Strategy for Additive Manufacturing (NSAM) was released by MeitY in February 2022 to create an indigenous AM ecosystem covering technology, materials, machines, processes, software, skilling and startups.
- NSAM initially targeted 5% of the global AM market, nearly US$1 billion additional contribution to GDP, 50 India-specific AM technologies, 100 startups, 500 new products and 1 lakh skilled workers, along with AM capabilities across 10 manufacturing sectors.
- More than 54 lakh individuals have been trained, 56 AM startups supported and 65 India-specific technologies developed under the NSAM ecosystem, including materials, machines, Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) and printed products.
- NSAM 2.0 is being conceptualised to accelerate market development, IPR generation, digital integration, globally competitive technologies, affordable machines and materials, AM-electronics value chains, defence applications and international cooperation on standards and joint research.
- Seven specialised Development and Deployment Centres have been established to support AM R&D, skilling and hands-on access to the technology, while NAMS provides a national platform connecting government, industry, academia, startups and researchers.
- AM is being applied in space and aerospace, defence, healthcare, electronics and construction; examples include an AM-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine, 3D-printed defence structures, customised medical implants/bone grafts and printed electronic components.
- In construction, 3D printing is being explored for faster and potentially more resource-efficient construction, including low-carbon geopolymer-based structures and reduced material and logistics requirements.
- AM is also being linked with Industry 5.0, distributed and flexible manufacturing, resource efficiency and localised production, supporting the broader objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.
- ESTIC-2026, organised by CSIR from 27–29 October 2026, identifies Additive Manufacturing among emerging science and technology areas with potential for transformative applications.
5. AI-Enabled Filmmaking – IICT & YouTube ‘Create with AI’
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Science & Technology | Artificial Intelligence | Generative AI | Emerging Technologies | Creative Economy
- Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and YouTube have unveiled the first four AI-enabled short films under the ‘Create with AI’ programme, announced in November 2025 to develop AI-led creative capabilities in India.
- The programme combines Google and YouTube’s AI technologies, IICT’s infrastructure and faculty mentorship, enabling Indian filmmakers and creative studios to experiment with AI-based filmmaking workflows.
- The four films cover diverse themes: ‘Chekavar’ draws on the Battle of Colachel (1741), ‘CHANAKYA – The Mind of an Empire’ explores Chanakya and the Mauryan Empire, ‘DEVI: The Nine Astras’ presents Shakti and cosmic balance, while ‘Laika’ explores human–animal bonds against the backdrop of space exploration.
- The initiative seeks to demonstrate that AI can expand creative possibilities while keeping the filmmaker at the centre of storytelling, rather than replacing the creative role of filmmakers.
- The programme is part of India’s effort to build an AI filmmaking ecosystem through technology access, institutional mentorship, experimentation and development of new production workflows.
- A Gen Media India report cited in the PIB release estimates that generative-media tools can provide a 20% productivity boost for creative workers in India, potentially saving around 390 hours annually.
