Current Context : The Spear Corps of Eastern Command of the Indian Army conducted Exercise Drone Kavach in the forward areas of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh to test combat readiness against drone warfare.

ABOUT EXERCISE DRONE KAVACH

• Conducted By – Indian Army’s Spear Corps under Eastern Command.
• Duration – Four days.
• Participants – Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
• Purpose – To validate next-gen drone technologies, tactical manoeuvres, and multi-domain battlefield readiness.

Current Context : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently warned Pakistan against any aggression in the Sir Creek region, stating India would give a “resounding and decisive response.”

ABOUT SIR CREEK

• Location – 96 km tidal estuary in the marshy Rann of Kutch, between Gujarat (India) and Sindh (Pakistan).
• Flows Into – Arabian Sea.
• Importance – Strategic security zone, fishing rights, oil & gas exploration, and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

NATURE OF THE DISPUTE

• Origin – 1914 Bombay Resolution between Sindh (then British India) and the Ruler of Kutch.
• Pakistan’s Claim – Boundary lies on eastern bank (giving full creek to Sindh).
• India’s Claim – Boundary follows thalweg principle (mid-channel line).
• Counter-point – Pakistan says creek is non-navigable; India says it is navigable at high tide, hence international maritime law applies.

Current Context : India lost a legendary classical musician with the demise of Pandit Chhannulal Mishra (1936–2025), Padma Vibhushan awardee and one of the last great exponents of the Purab Ang of Banaras Gharana in Thumri music.

ABOUT THUMRI MUSIC

• Form – Semi-classical vocal form of Hindustani music, called the lyric of Indian classical music.
• Origin – Eastern Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow & Banaras) in the 18th century CE.
• Themes – Love, devotion, Radha-Krishna stories.
• Languages – Braj Bhasha, Awadhi, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit.
• Distinct Feature – Emphasis on bhava (emotion) and improvisation.
• Associated Dance Form – Kathak.
• Types – Purbi Thumri (Banaras Gharana, slow, emotional) & Punjabi Thumri (Patiala Gharana, fast, lively).
• Major Exponents – Girija Devi, Begum Akhtar, Rasoolan Bai, Siddheshwari Devi, Chhannulal Mishra.

Observed on the first Monday of October every year.

• Purpose – To reflect on the state of towns and cities and the basic right to adequate shelter.
• It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1985 and was celebrated for the first time in 1986.

Celebrated on 5 October every year

• Purpose – To recognize the contributions of teachers and to improve the status of the teaching profession globally.
• Declared By – UNESCO and ILO
• First Observed – 1994

Current Context : The Tata Group, in partnership with Airbus, is setting up India’s first private-sector helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Vemagal, Karnataka, to produce Airbus H125 helicopters.

ABOUT THE HELICOPTER ASSEMBLY LINE

• Nature of Project
  • Facility will assemble, test, and deliver civil and military versions of H125.
  • Will address domestic needs and South Asian export markets.
• Partnership Background
  • Based on Airbus–Tata agreement signed in January 2024 during French President Macron’s visit.
  • Follows earlier Airbus–Tata collaboration on the C295 military aircraft facility in Vadodara, Gujarat.
  • Marks Airbus’ second major manufacturing venture in India.

ABOUT H125 HELICOPTER

• Global Recognition
  • Member of Airbus’ Ecureuil family with 40 million+ flight hours.
  • Only helicopter to land on Mount Everest.
  • Widely used in civil, para-public, and military operations.

INDIA’S POSITION IN GLOBAL AVIATION MARKET

• Airbus sourcing from India: $1.4 billion annually (aerostructures, systems).
• Aircraft orders: Airbus and Boeing have combined 1,100 aircraft orders from Indian carriers.
• Significance: Project may act as a catalyst for India’s civil helicopter market, which has struggled with policy hurdles and high costs.

Current Context : Tesla CEO Elon Musk has officially become the first person in history to reach a net worth of $500.1 billion (October 2025), according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires tracker, making him the world’s richest individual.

ABOUT ELON MUSK’S WEALTH MILESTONE

• Historical Firsts
  • Crossed $400 billion in December 2024.
  • Crossed $500 billion in October 2025.
• Comparison
  • Musk is $150 billion ahead of Larry Ellison (Oracle co-founder), the world’s second-richest person.
• Major Companies Driving Wealth
  • Tesla (electric vehicles and clean energy).
  • SpaceX (space exploration and satellite launches).
  • xAI (artificial intelligence venture).

Current Context : The Indian Navy and Indian Army successfully conducted the ‘Jal Prahar 2025’ joint amphibious exercise along the eastern seaboard to boost operational readiness.

ABOUT JAL PRAHAR 2025

• Nature
  • A biannual joint amphibious exercise.
  • Focus on coordination, interoperability, and maritime security.
• Phases
  • Harbour Phase (Visakhapatnam): Training, safety briefings, onboard induction of troops, camaraderie activities.
  • Sea Phase (Kakinada): Execution of amphibious operations, hard beaching, launch of LCAs (Landing Craft Assault) and BMPs, validation of SOPs.

Current Context : India has been re-elected to Part II of the ICAO Council, strengthening its role in shaping global aviation policies.

ABOUT ICAO

• Establishment: 1944, under the Chicago Convention.
• Type: Specialized UN agency for safe and efficient international aviation.
• Headquarters: Montreal, Canada.
• Members: 193 countries.

GOVERNANCE

• Assembly: Meets once in 3 years, includes all 193 States.
• Council: 36 members, elected for 3 years, acts as the governing body.

FUNCTIONS

• Sets aviation safety and security standards.
• Promotes efficient and eco-friendly aviation.
• Acts as a platform for discussion and agreements among countries.
• Works on aviation law and regulations to ensure safety and cooperation.

Current Context : The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported that more than 1.73 lakh people were killed and 4.47 lakh injured in 4.64 lakh road accidents across India in 2023, showing an increase compared to 2022.

ABOUT NCRB DATA ON ROAD ACCIDENTS

• Overall Numbers
  • Total accidents: 4,64,029 (17,261 more than 2022).
  • Deaths: 73 lakh+.
  • Injuries: 47 lakh.
• Time of Accidents
  • 6–9 p.m.: 7% of total accidents (highest).
  • 3–6 p.m.: 3%.
  • 12 noon–3 p.m.: 15%.
• Vehicle Involvement
  • Two-wheelers: 79,533 deaths (45.8%).
  • Pedestrians: 27,586 deaths (15.9%).
  • SUV/Car/Jeep: 24,776 deaths (14.3%).
  • Tamil Nadu (11,490) and Uttar Pradesh (8,370) reported the highest two-wheeler deaths.
• Cause-wise Analysis
  • Speeding: 58.6% (1,01,841 deaths).
  • Dangerous/Overtaking: 23.6% (41,035 deaths).
  • Other causes: Poor weather, alcohol/drugs, animal crossings (4,952 deaths).
• Location of Fatalities
  • National Highways: 6% deaths.
  • State Highways: 4% deaths.
  • Maximum highway fatalities: Uttar Pradesh, followed by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.
• Megacities Data
  • Total traffic accidents: 69,910.
  • Delhi: 5,715 accidents (highest), with 1,457 deaths.
  • Bengaluru: 4,980 accidents, 915 deaths.
  • Chennai: 3,653 accidents.
  • Jaipur: 848 deaths (ranked third in fatalities).