Why in news?

The AI Impact Summit, held in New Delhi from February 16–20, drew massive participation, including leading AI executives and heads of state.

At the end of the summit, 88 countries and international organisations adopted the New Delhi Declaration on AI, emphasising that artificial intelligence must be democratised and made widely accessible to ensure it delivers meaningful global impact.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Evolution of Global AI Summits Since 2023
• India’s Priorities at the AI Impact Summit
• AI Impact Summit 2026: Key Outcomes and Controversies
• Major Investment Announcements at the AI Impact Summit
• New Delhi Declaration on AI: Key Provisions

Evolution of Global AI Summits Since 2023

• Global AI summits began in 2023 with a safety-focused dialogue at Bletchley Park in the UK. These gatherings are not convened by any formal international organisation; instead, host countries pass the responsibility to the next venue.
• The 2024 summit was held in Seoul, followed by the AI Action Summit in Paris in February 2025, co-chaired by PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
• The Paris edition marked a shift in tone, as US Vice-President J.D. Vance rejected a safety-first approach, advocating instead for rapid innovation and unrestricted investment in AI research and commercialisation.

India’s Priorities at the AI Impact Summit

• Democratising AI Access - India emphasised that artificial intelligence must be widely accessible, ensuring its benefits reach as many people as possible.
  • A key focus was expanding AI relevance for the Global South, particularly by improving language representation in large language models.
• Safe and Trusted Technology - The summit underscored the need for AI systems that are “safe and trusted”, balancing innovation with responsible development and risk mitigation.
• Boosting Domestic AI Ecosystem - On the home front, India aimed to position itself as a global hub for AI infrastructure and research. The government sought to attract investment and promote AI adoption in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and education.
• Thematic Working Groups - Dedicated working groups reflected these goals, covering areas such as human capital, inclusion and social empowerment, resilience, innovation and efficiency, democratising AI resources, and AI for economic development and social good.

AI Impact Summit 2026: Key Outcomes and Controversies

• The government reported over five lakh attendees, surpassing G20 2023 participation.
• Eighty-eight countries and international organisations — including the US, China, France, Australia, and the UK — signed the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, marking a major diplomatic success for India.
  • Unlike the Paris AI Summit, where the US and UK declined to sign, this time a wide spectrum of nations endorsed the framework.
• It announced $250 billion in overall investment commitments, including $20 billion for frontier deep-tech research, alongside more than 500 global discussions.
• Strategic and Diplomatic Gains
  • India joined the US-led Pax Silica initiative to diversify electronics and critical minerals supply chains.
  • The summit also secured consensus among 88 countries for the New Delhi Declaration on AI, with major powers like the US, China, and France signing on.
• Indigenous AI Milestone
  • Bengaluru-based Sarvam AI launched India’s first domestically trained multi-billion parameter large language models (LLMs).
  • Supported under the IndiaAI Mission, the firm announced open-source models and introduced a beta chatbot interface.
• Logistical and Political Setbacks
  • The summit faced operational challenges, including crowd mismanagement and traffic delays.
  • Controversy arose when an exhibitor misrepresented a Chinese-made robodog as an indigenous creation.
  • The event also witnessed a protest by Indian Youth Congress members, leading to police action.

Major Investment Announcements at the AI Impact Summit

• Big-Ticket Domestic Commitments - Reliance Industries pledged ₹10 lakh crore towards domestic AI infrastructure and development, closely matched by a similar-scale commitment from the Adani Group.
• Global Tech Investments - Google elaborated on its existing $15 billion investment in India’s AI and data centre ecosystem, including plans for a subsea cable directly linking India and the United States.
• Strategic AI Partnerships - OpenAI entered into a partnership with the Tata Group, leasing 100 megawatts of data centre capacity from Tata’s HyperVault and offering its advanced models to Tata employees.
  • Anthropic also signed an agreement with Infosys, marking a significant collaboration in AI deployment.
• Expanding Data Centre Capacity - Yotta Data Services announced a $2 billion expansion of data centre infrastructure, powered by Nvidia GPUs, reinforcing India’s growing AI compute ecosystem.

New Delhi Declaration on AI: Key Provisions

• The New Delhi Declaration aligns with India’s multilateral priorities, with commitments described as voluntary and non-binding to encourage broad global participation.
• A central feature is a charter promoting the “democratic diffusion” of AI, ensuring wider access and preventing concentration of technological power.
• Institutional and Knowledge Platforms
  • The declaration proposes several collaborative mechanisms, including:
    • Global AI Impact Commons – a shared database of AI use cases.
    • Trusted AI Commons – a repository of tools, benchmarks, and best practices for secure and trustworthy AI.
    • International Network of AI for Science Institutions – linking technical institutes worldwide.
• Social and Workforce Focus
  • It also introduces:
    • AI for Social Empowerment Platform
    • AI Workforce Development Playbook and Reskilling Principles
    • Guiding Principles on Resilient and Efficient AI
  • The declaration underscores broad global consensus on leveraging AI for economic growth and social good, aiming to catalyse long-term international partnerships.

Why in news?

Recently, the Centre signed a tripartite agreement with the Nagaland Government and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) to establish the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA).

The FNTA is designed as a model of “devolutionary autonomy”, granting substantial administrative and financial powers to six relatively underdeveloped eastern districts — Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang. The aim of this devolution is to address long-standing demands for greater self-governance and focused development.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• ENPO’s Demand for a Separate Frontier Nagaland
• Why the Centre Accepted the Eastern Nagaland Autonomy Demand?
• Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA): Powers and Provisions
• Can the FNTA Model Address the Kuki-Zo Demand in Manipur

ENPO’s Demand for a Separate Frontier Nagaland

• ENPO has long demanded the creation of a separate State called Frontier Nagaland, carved out of existing Nagaland.
• First formally conveyed to the Centre in 2010, the demand stems from historical neglect dating back to British-era policies that left the eastern hills largely unadministered.
• After Nagaland became a State in 1963, eight Naga tribes in the eastern districts felt politically and economically marginalised compared to western tribes.
• This perceived developmental and administrative imbalance gradually intensified into a sustained movement for greater autonomy and, ultimately, statehood.

Why the Centre Accepted the Eastern Nagaland Autonomy Demand?

• The Centre’s move to grant autonomy through the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) was shaped by both political pressure and strategic concerns.
• Earlier measures, including a ₹500-crore package and standard operating procedures, failed to address the deeper political aspirations of the ENPO region.
• Tensions peaked in 2024 when ENPO leaders called for a Lok Sabha election boycott, highlighting their significant political leverage.
• Additionally, eastern Nagaland’s location along the sensitive Myanmar border made prolonged unrest a security risk, given the presence of armed groups across the porous frontier.
• The FNTA is thus viewed as a stabilising measure — a way to address regional grievances while safeguarding a strategically vital border region.

Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA): Powers and Provisions

• Semi-Autonomous Governance Structure - The FNTA grants semi-autonomous status to six eastern Nagaland districts. A mini-Secretariat, headed by a senior officer, will function within the region to decentralise administration and reduce reliance on Kohima.
• Financial and Administrative Devolution - Development funds will be allocated proportionately based on population and area, with the Ministry of Home Affairs supporting initial establishment costs. This ensures direct financial empowerment of the region.
• Legislative and Executive Authority - The FNTA will exercise powers over 46 subjects, enabling local decision-making in areas such as land use, agriculture, rural development, and infrastructure, tailored to local needs.
• Safeguarding Constitutional Protections - Importantly, the arrangement does not alter Article 371(A), preserving Nagaland’s special constitutional safeguards related to customary laws and social practices.

Can the FNTA Model Address the Kuki-Zo Demand in Manipur

• The FNTA demonstrates that the Centre can create territorial authorities as a compromise between full statehood and regular district administration.
• Structurally, it resembles Manipur’s Hill Areas Committee under Article 371(C), designed to protect tribal interests.
• The model suggests that constitutional innovation can grant autonomy without redrawing State boundaries.
• This raises the possibility that a similar territorial arrangement could address the Kuki-Zo demand for a separate administrative setup.
• However, conditions differ sharply. In Nagaland, negotiations occurred without violent conflict and had the cooperation of Chief Minister. In Manipur, deep ethnic tensions persist, and the Meitei-dominated state government strongly opposes administrative separation.
• The presence of other groups, including the Tangkhul Naga-influenced NSCN, with overlapping claims in hill districts complicates any clean administrative restructuring, making replication of the FNTA model far more challenging.

Why in News?

• Following the judicial setback to his tariff policy, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a temporary blanket tariff surcharge of 15% (from 10% earlier) on global imports for 150 days, invoking powers under the Trade Act of 1974.
• The move came a day after the Supreme Court of the United States invalidated his sweeping reciprocal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
• The decision has significant implications for India–U.S. trade relations, global trade flows, and the ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background
• Legal Basis and Exemptions
• Impact on India
• Global Trade Implications
• Challenges
• Way Forward
• Conclusion

Background:

• Supreme Court verdict:
  • The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the administration’s reciprocal tariff regime under IEEPA, ruling that the legal basis for broad tariff imposition was inadequate.
  • The verdict would have reduced the average U.S. tariff rate from 15.3% to 8.3%.
  • To circumvent the ruling, the U.S. administration invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act, 1974, which allows temporary import surcharges to address international payments imbalances.
• New tariff regime:
  • 15% ad valorem surcharge on imports, to be effective from February 24, and valid for 150 days.
  • It applies uniformly to all countries, including India.

Legal Basis and Exemptions:

• Section 122 of the Trade Act, 1974:
  • It empowers the U.S. President to impose temporary import surcharges, restrict imports, and address balance-of-payments problems.
  • The proclamation justified the tariffs as necessary to correct global trade imbalances.
• Goods exempted from tariffs:
  • Certain sectors were excluded due to domestic economic needs, For example,
    • Strategic, industrial, and technology goods
    • Critical minerals and metals
    • Energy and energy products
    • Natural resources and fertilizers
    • Aerospace products
    • Certain electronics
    • Pharmaceuticals and ingredients
    • Vehicles and vehicle components
    • Agricultural products
    • Beef, Tomatoes, Oranges
  • These exemptions reflect U.S. supply-chain dependencies and industrial priorities.

Impact on India:

• Tariff changes:
  • The new tariff rate (15%) is lower as compared to the previous rate (18%).
  • Earlier effective tariff under IEEPA (~22.3%).
  • Potential tariff after court verdict (without surcharge) - ~8.2%.
  • Thus, India benefits compared to earlier tariffs, but loses potential gains from the court ruling.
• Government response: India’s Commerce Ministry stated that it is studying implications, assessing impact on exports and trade negotiations.
• Implications for India–U.S. trade deal:
  • Changing negotiation dynamics: India and the U.S. are negotiating an interim trade agreement. The Supreme Court ruling has altered tariff expectations. The U.S. administration has signalled -
    • India will continue to pay tariffs
    • The U.S. expects market access concessions
  • Strategic significance: The tariff policy may influence market access negotiations, rules of origin, supply-chain diversification, and strategic economic alignment.

Global Trade Implications:

• Major exporters such as China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam would have seen double-digit reductions in tariff burden.
• Smaller economies like Myanmar, Laos, Serbia, and Tunisia would have experienced over 20 percentage point reductions.
• The surcharge therefore preserves higher U.S. tariff protection levels.

Challenges:

• Trade uncertainty: Frequent policy changes increase unpredictability for exporters. Temporary tariffs complicate long-term contracts.
• Protectionism: Expansion of tariff tools indicates rising economic nationalism. Risks fragmentation of global trade.
• Impact on Indian exporters: Affected sectors may include engineering goods, textiles, chemicals, and auto components.
• Legal and institutional concerns: Tension between executive power and judicial oversight in U.S. trade policy.
• Negotiation pressure: Tariffs may be used as leverage in India–U.S. trade negotiations. 

Way Forward:

• For India: Accelerate conclusion of India–U.S. trade agreement. Diversify export markets (EU, ASEAN, Africa). Strengthen domestic manufacturing competitiveness. Use WTO-compatible trade diplomacy.
• For global trade: Strengthen rules-based trade order. Reduce unilateral tariff actions. Enhance multilateral cooperation through WTO reform.

Conclusion:

• The U.S. administration’s decision to impose a temporary 15% global tariff surcharge after the Supreme Court verdict reflects the growing use of domestic legal tools to pursue protectionist trade policies.
• While India faces a lower tariff rate than before, it loses the opportunity for significantly reduced duties.
• The development underscores the increasing role of geopolitics and economic nationalism in shaping global trade, making strategic trade diplomacy essential for India’s economic interests.

About Arisaema siahaense:

• It is a new species of Cobra Lily.
• It was discovered in the Siaha District of Mizoram.
• It is an evergreen herb.
• It belongs to a group of plants commonly known as Cobra Lilies because their flowering structure (the spathe) resembles a cobra's hood.
• What makes this specific species unique is its spadix appendix, a long, slender growth that emerges from the flower.
• Unlike its closest relatives found in China and Southeast Asia, this plant grows from a rounded tuber rather than a creeping rootstock and features leaves divided into exactly three segments.
• Although it is currently classified as Data Deficient by international standards, the scientists observed that its habitat is under pressure from road construction, grazing animals like goats and mithuns, and the spread of invasive weeds.

About Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is a significant wetland sanctuary located in the West Godavari and Krishna districts of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
• The sanctuary protects part of the Kolleru Lake wetland, which gained Ramsar Convention for International importance in 2002.
  • The lake is fed directly by the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru rivers and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari systems by inflowing drains and channels.
• It is a crucial wetland ecosystem and serves as a stopover point for migratory birds.
• Flora: The sanctuary’s flora includes various aquatic plants, submerged macrophytes, and wetland vegetation that provide essential food and shelter for the diverse bird species.
• Fauna:
  • It is home to many species of resident and migratory birds.
  • Commonly found birds in the sanctuary are: little egret, cattle egret, pied kingfisher, small blue kingfisher, blackcapped kingfisher, pond heron, reef heron, grey heron, night heron, etc.

About Bhavani River:

• It is a major tributary of the Cauvery River.
• It flows through the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• It is the second largest river in Tamil Nadu.
• Course:
  • The Bhavani River starts its journey in the Nilgiri hills, which are part of the Western Ghats mountain range.
  • From there, it flows into Kerala, passing through the beautiful Silent Valley National Park.
  • After flowing through Kerala, the river turns and flows back into Tamil Nadu.
  • Finally, the river merges with the Cauvery River in the town of Bhavani, at a location known as Bhavani Sangameshwarar Temple, a significant pilgrimage site for Hindus.
• It is a "perennial" river, which means it flows all year round and never dries up.
• The drainage basin of the Bhavani River spans across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka:
• Tributaries: The largest tributaries of the Bhavani River are West and East Varagar, which come from the Nilgiris.
• There are two major dams on the Bhavani River:
  • Bhavani Sagar Dam
  • Kodiveri Dam.

About Ottawa Convention:

• The Ottawa Convention, also referred to as the "Mine Ban Treaty," prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines (APLs).
• It requires states-parties to destroy their stockpiled APLs within four years and eliminate all APL holdings, including mines currently planted in the soil, within 10 years.
• Countries may request a renewable extension, which can be up to 10 years long, to fulfill their destruction obligations.
• States-parties are also required annually to report their total APL stockpiles, the technical characteristics of their APLs, the location of all mined areas, and the status of APL destruction programs.
• The convention, which is of unlimited duration and open to all nations, entered into force in 1999.
• The Treaty has 164 States Parties, including 34 out of the 50 States that produced mines before 1997, and 33 Signatories.
• However, six major countries remain outside the Convention: China, India, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and United States.
• States Party to the Ottawa Treaty commit to:
  • Never use APLs, nor “develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain, or transfer” them;
  • Clear mined areas in their territory within 10 years;
  • In mine-affected countries, conduct mine risk education and ensure that mine survivors, their families, and communities receive comprehensive assistance;
  • Offer assistance to other States Parties, for example, in providing for survivors or contributing to clearance programs;
  • Adopt national implementation measures (such as national legislation) in order to ensure that the terms of the treaty are upheld in their territory.

About INS Krishna:

• It is the first of three indigenously built cadet training ships (CTS) of the Indian Navy.
  • These CTS will be utilised for training officer cadets, including women, at sea after their basic training ashore, and cadets from friendly foreign countries.
  • These vessels function as “floating classrooms and living labs”, offering hands-on instruction in navigation, seamanship, and watch-keeping under real maritime conditions.
• Apart from serving as a training platform, the ship is designed to undertake non-combatant evacuations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and search-and-rescue operations.