About Trade and Development Report (TDR):

• First launched in 1981, it is issued every year by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
• The report analyses current economic trends and major policy issues of international concern and makes suggestions for addressing these issues at various levels.
• TDR 2026 Highlights:
  • Global trade is projected to grow by 4% in 2026, slower than the previous year’s 4%, but well above what was anticipated when the conflict in the Middle East began.
  • Global trade reached a record $35 trillion in 2025.
  • The report indicates higher trade values resulting from energy price increases and export controls.
  • While trade between China and the US has fallen by more than 20% since 2024, East Asia has expanded trade with both China and North America.
  • Developing economies, particularly India, are expected to drive notable growth despite overall global economic slowdowns.
  • Global economic growth will likely slow to 2.6% in 2026, down from 2.9% last year, but developing economies are projected to grow 4% this year, down from 4.7% in 2025.
  • Asia is projected to contribute 59% of global growth in 2026.
  • The report showed that governments increasingly use industrial, trade, financial, and technology policies to pursue economic and national security objectives.
  • Artificial intelligence products, comprising advanced computing equipment deployed primarily in new data centres, have become the main driver of merchandise trade; 82% of value added accrues to four supplier segments in this category.
  • From 2020 to 2025, strategic sectors grew from 16% to 44% of global greenfield investment.
    • Among these strategic sectors, artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and related technologies attracted the largest share of 12.4% of the $845.7 billion of overall global greenfield investment that took place within this period.
    • AI infrastructure was followed by the semiconductor value chain (8.1%) and energy transition technologies and services (7.8%).
  • Strategic investment is concentrated in Europe (28.4%) and North America (28%). Even among developing economies, capital is primarily funnelled into developing Asia (26.5%) with China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore as leading jurisdictions for new investments.
  • India Specific Findings:
    • India accounted for 7% of global greenfield investments during 2020 to 2025, followed by Malaysia (4%), Indonesia (3.8%), and China (2.8%).
    • India ranks high in terms of the number of industrial policies it has implemented over the last two decades or so.
    • India is the fastest-growing major economy, with GDP projected to expand by 7.3% in 2026 and 8% in 2027 due to robust domestic demand, increasing manufacturing capacity, and public infrastructure programmes.
    • It added that these factors are together sustaining growth despite India’s heavy reliance on oil imports.
    • India continues to post dynamic growth in household consumption, estimated at 9% this year and 5.6% next.

About Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM):

• It is an indigenously developed Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM).
• It is designed and developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy.
• It is primarily a ship-based weapon for neutralising various aerial threats at close ranges.
• Its primary mission is to intercept "sea-skimming" targets—missiles or drones that fly just above the ocean surface to evade early radar detection.
• Features:
  • Powered by a solid-propellant motor, the missile can hit top speeds of Mach 4.
  • It is capable of engaging threats up to an operational range of 80 km and an altitude of 16 km.
  • The system's vertical launch capability is one of its most crucial operational advantages.
  • By firing straight up from canister-based launchers before turning toward its target, the missile provides 360-degree coverage.
  • This means a warship can intercept an incoming threat from any direction without needing to physically rotate the vessel or adjust a mechanical launcher.
  • It relies on a state-of-the-art Multi-Function Radar (MFR).
  • This Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar scans the sky, identifies threats, assigns priority, and feeds this critical data to the onboard Weapon Control Computer (WCC).
  • As the missile approaches its target in the final phase of flight, an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker takes over to ensure pinpoint accuracy.

About Pong Dam:

• The Pong Dam, also known as the Beas Dam, is an earth-fill embankment dam constructed on the river Beas in the wetland of Shivalik hills in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
• The construction of the dam began in the year 1961 and was completed in 1974, and at that time it was known as the tallest of its type in the country.
• It was constructed for generating hydroelectricity and for irrigation purposes.
• The dam’s spillway is controlled by six radial gates affixed on the southern side of it. The base of the dam contains a powerhouse.
• The construction of a dam created an artificial lake called the Maharana Pratap Sagar, after the great ruler of Mewar.
  • Known widely as the Pong Reservoir or the Pong Dam Lake, it was declared a bird sanctuary in 1983 due to its waterfowl diversity.
  • Over time, the reservoir emerged as a sanctuary for migratory birds, leading to its designation as a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2002.
  • It is home to several species of avifauna, some of which include Barheaded Geese, Red-neck Grebe, northern lapwing, common teal, spot-billed duck, Eurasian coot, black stork, egrests, etc.
  • The lake is also an important fish reservoir that acts as a fish breeding ground for commercial purposes.
  • The Dhauladhar mountains ensconce the Pong Dam lake from all sides.
  • Since the lake is an extension of the perennial Beas river that flows from the Rohtang Pass, it contains water throughout the year.
  • Also, the Pong Dam ensures adequate water levels in the lake at all times.

About Plan Bee System:

• It is an innovative acoustic deterrent system developed by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).
• It is developed to prevent wild elephants from straying onto railway tracks and being hit by trains.
• Working: The system uses amplified honeybee sounds to discourage elephants from approaching railway tracks.
• Other measures: The NFR has deployed an AI-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) using Distributed Acoustic System (DAS) technology, which provides real-time alerts about elephant movement near railway tracks in vulnerable areas.

Key Facts about Northeast Frontier Railway:

• It is headquartered at Maligaon near Guwahati, Assam.
• It operates across the Northeastern states, as well as seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.

About Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in Tripura.
• Lakes: It also has two natural lakes, namely Abasarika and Amrit Sagar.
• The Clouded Leopard National Park was established in 2007 as a core zone inside this sanctuary.
• Vegetation: It mainly consists of moist deciduous forest.
• Flora: 
  • There are trees of Sal, Chamal, Garjan, and Kanak. The secondary species consist of Pichla, Kurcha, Awla, Bahera, Hargaja, Amlaki, Bamboos and grasses, are also found here. 
• Fauna:
  • It is the habitat of different species of primates like the Rhesus macaque, Pigtailed macaque, Capped langur, Spectacled monkey, Slow loris and several other wild animals like Leopard, Clouded leopard, Jungle fowl, Civets, Barking, Deer, Wild pig, etc.
  • The crab-eating mongoose (which was last seen in the 1930s) has also been revived here.
  • The avian population of the sanctuary is also rich, with a variety of winged stork, Whistling teal, and the White ibis.

About Diamondback Terrapin:          

• The Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a species of turtle.
• Habitat: It inhabits saltwater habitats, including brackish channels, lagoons, tidal flats, marshes, estuarine areas, and coastlines.
• Distribution:
  • It is native to the Northeastern and southern United States, and in
  • It occurs along parts of the eastern coast of the United States from as far north as Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to the southernmost Florida Keys.
• Characteristics:
  • These terrapins have large webbed feet are very strong swimmers.
  • These turtles spend the majority of their life in water, however, they do leave the water to bask and lay eggs.
  • Adult Diamondback terrapins hibernate in the colder months in most of their range, in the mud of creeks and marshes.
  • Food Habit: These terrapins are carnivores. They typically feed on fish, marine snails clams, mussels, and other mollusks.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

About SAREX-2026:

• It is a multi-agency exercise aim to strengthen maritime safety and rescue operations aligned with “India's 'SAGAR' and 'Mahasagar' visions.”
• It is being conducted by the Indian Coast Guard.
• SAREX-2026 Theme: “Leveraging Technology to Strengthen SAR Preparedness and Maritime Safety.” 
• It had participants from 30 countries. Their participation facilitated exchange of best practices, enhanced global interoperability and reaffirmed India’s role as a dependable maritime Search and Rescue partner in the region.
• Participating forces and Assets: The assets deployed included Coast Guard ships, three Dornier aircraft, three Advance Light Helicopters, one Chetak helicopter, IAF C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, two Indian Navy ships, along with civil and state resources and shore-based support units.

About Living Planet Report 2026:

• It is published biennially by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). 
• It is a comprehensive study of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet. 
• This year it is the 16th edition of the report.
• It utilises the Living Planet Index (LPI) to track average trends in wildlife populations.
  • The LPI is a measure of the state of the world’s biological diversity based on population trends of vertebrate species from terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats.
  • It measures the average rate of change in population size across the species monitored.

Key Highlights of Living Planet Report 2026

• Global Trend: The average size of monitored vertebrate populations declined 73% over 52 years between 1970 and 2022.
• Ecosystem-wise Decline: The strongest declines were seen in freshwater ecosystems with average population sizes plunging 85%, followed by terrestrial ecosystems, at 69% and marine ecosystems at 59%.
• Region wise decline: At a regional level, the steepest declines since 1970 have been recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean (-95%), Africa (-80%), and Asia and the Pacific (-49%).
• Recovery of Biodiversity: The report highlights recoveries in populations of green turtles, bluefin tuna, tigers and southern African elephants,
  • The report noted rise in global wild tiger numbers between 2010 and 2025 — from 3,200 to around 5,700 individuals.
• Causes of Wildlife Decline: Habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation of resources, climate change, and impact of invasive species, pollution and disease are some of the dominant drivers of changes across ecosystems and wildlife populations.

About Mali:    

• Location: It is a landlocked country in West Africa.
• Bordering Countries: It shares its border with Algeria (north), Niger and Burkina Faso (east), Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea (south), and Senegal and Mauritania (west).
• Capital City: Bamako
• Geographical Features of Mali:
  • Climate: It experiences a tropical savanna climate in the south becoming a desert climate in the north. 
  • Topography: Approximately 65% of the country is covered by desert or semi-desert.
  • The Sahara Desert makes up a large portion of Mali’s total land area. 
  • The landscape transitions from the Sahara Desert in the north through the Sahel to the zone of Sudanian savanna in the south.
  • River: The Niger River flows through its interior, serving as its main source of water. 
  • Highest point: Hombori Tondo  
  • Natural Resources: It includes gold, uranium, diamonds, copper, iron ore, precious stones, zinc, manganese, bauxite etc.