Current Context: President Droupadi Murmu conferred six Kirti Chakras and 33 Shaurya Chakras to personnel from the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and State/Union Territory Police during the Defence Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi.

About Gallantry Awards:

• Wartime Gallantry Awards: Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra.
• Peacetime Gallantry Awards: Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra.
• Establishment: Wartime awards were established in 1950, while peacetime awards were established in 1952 and renamed in 1967.
• Announcement: Awards are announced twice a year, on Republic Day and Independence Day.
• Order of Precedence: Param Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra.
• Posthumous Awards: These awards can be conferred posthumously.

Highlights of 2025 Awards:

• Kirti Chakras: Six awarded, including four posthumously.
• Shaurya Chakras: Thirty-three awarded, including seven posthumously.

Current Context: The United Kingdom has signed a landmark agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, ending decades of dispute over the territory.

About Chagos Archipelago:

• Location: Central Indian Ocean, approximately 1,600 km south of the Indian subcontinent.
• Composition: Consists of seven atolls, with Diego Garcia being the largest and hosting a significant US military base.
• History: Purchased by Britain in 1965; Mauritius claims it was coerced into the deal for its independence.
• Biodiversity: Great Chagos Bank supports high-quality coral reefs.
• Strategic Importance: Home to a U.S. military base on Diego Garcia.
• Agreement: UK to pay Mauritius $136 million annually to lease back the base for at least 99 years.

Current Context: Algeria has officially joined the New Development Bank (NDB) as its ninth member, marking a significant expansion of the bank’s membership beyond the original BRICS nations.

About New Development Bank (NDB):

• Establishment: Founded in 2015 by the BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• Headquarters: Shanghai, China.
• Purpose: To mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs).
• Membership: Now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Algeria.
  • Uruguay has been admitted as a prospective member, pending the completion of formalities.
• Voting Power: Combined voting power of the founding members must not be less than 55%.

Current Context: Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, inaugurated the statues of Acharya Charaka and Sage Susruta at the premises of Raj Bhavan, Goa, honoring their monumental contributions to ancient Indian medicine.

About Acharya Charaka:

Contributions:

• Father of Medicine: Recognized as one of the principal contributors to Ayurveda.
• Charaka Samhita: Authored this foundational text, focusing on internal medicine, diagnostics, and the principles of Ayurveda.

Historical Significance:

• Era: Believed to have lived during the 2nd century CE.
• Legacy: His work laid the foundation for systematic study and practice of medicine in ancient India.

About Sage Susruta:

Contributions:

• Father of Surgery: Pioneered surgical techniques and procedures.
• Susruta Samhita: Authored this seminal text detailing surgical methods, instruments, and case studies.

Historical Significance:

• Era: Estimated to have lived around the 6th century BCE.
• Legacy: Introduced over 120 surgical instruments and described numerous surgical procedures, including plastic and cataract surgeries.

Current Context: The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) published the first-ever State of the World’s Animal Health Report, providing global insights into the status, risks, and management of animal diseases affecting public health, food security, and biodiversity.

About:

Objective of the Report:

• To provide evidence-based data on global animal health trends.
• To identify priority diseases and gaps in veterinary services.
• To support One Health strategies linking human, animal, and environmental health.

Key Findings:

• Over 300 animal diseases reported globally.
• Around 50% of WOAH Members reported high-impact animal diseases, including zoonoses.
• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is rising due to misuse of antibiotics in animals.
• Significant vaccine shortages for transboundary animal diseases like FMD and PPR.

Regional Trends:

• Africa & Asia reported higher cases of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases.
• Europe faces challenges with AMR and avian influenza outbreaks.
• Americas show strong veterinary services but uneven disease reporting.

Zoonotic Threats Identified:

• Rabies, avian influenza, brucellosis, and Rift Valley fever remain significant threats.
• Emphasis on early detection and rapid reporting

Data Coverage:

• Based on inputs from 180+ WOAH Member countries.
• Covers terrestrial and aquatic animals, disease surveillance, diagnostic capacity, and health system resilience.

WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health):

• Established: 1924 (formerly OIE)
• HQ: Paris, France
• Members: 183 countries (including India)
• Works globally to improve animal health and welfare.

Supports standard setting for veterinary health and international trade in animals.

Current Context: India has officially taken over the chairmanship of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) for the term 2025–26 during the 67^th Governing Body Meeting held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

About APO

• Establishment: Founded in 1961, the APO is an intergovernmental organization aimed at enhancing productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan.
• Membership: Includes 21 economies, such as India, Japan, South Korea, and several Southeast Asian nations.

Current Context: The Supreme Court of India has reserved its judgment on the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, after hearing arguments challenging the Act.

About Doctrine of Essentiality

• Definition: A principle established by the Supreme Court to determine which religious practices are essential to a religion and thus protected under Article 25 of the Constitution.
• Purpose: To balance the right to freedom of religion with other fundamental rights, ensuring that only essential religious practices receive constitutional protection.

Key Points in the Waqf Act Debate

• Government’s Stand: The Centre argued that Waqf is not an essential part of Islam and thus does not warrant constitutional protection as a fundamental right.
• Petitioners’ Argument: Opponents contended that Waqf represents a permanent dedication to God, integral to Islamic practice.

Supreme Court’s Observation: Chief Justice likened Waqf to the Hindu concept of ‘Moksha,’ indicating its spiritual significance but questioned its essentiality to the religion.

Current Context: China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, aiming to enhance regional connectivity and economic integration.

About CPEC

• Launch: Initiated in 2015 as a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Route: Approximately 3,000 km corridor linking China’s Xinjiang province to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.
• Strategic Importance: Serves as a convergence point for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

India’s Concerns

• Territorial Integrity: CPEC passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which India claims as its territory, raising sovereignty issues.
• Geopolitical Implications: The extension into Afghanistan could strengthen China’s influence in the region, potentially affecting India’s strategic interests and regional connectivity projects like the Chabahar Port.

Current Context: The 5^th State-Level Shirui Lily Festival commenced in Ukhrul district, Manipur, celebrating the 75^th anniversary of the Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae), the state flower.

About Shirui Lily Festival

• Organizer: Manipur’s Department of Tourism.
• Location: Ukhrul district, home to the Tangkhul Naga community.
• Significance: Honors the rare and endangered Shirui Lily, which blooms only in the Shirui Hills.

Current Context: India has been awarded the Certificate of Elimination of Trachoma as a Public Health Problem by the World Health Organization (WHO) during the 78^th World Health Assembly held in Geneva.

About Trachoma

• Cause: A contagious eye infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis; classified as a Neglected Tropical Disease by the WHO.
• Impact: Repeated infections can lead to irreversible blindness due to scarring of the inner eyelid and corneal damage.
• Transmission: Spread through personal contact, contaminated items, or flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.
• Indian Initiative: The Trachoma Control Programme was integrated under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) in 1976.