About Tender Years Doctrine:

• It is a prominent common law principle in family law and custody jurisprudence.
• It presumes that children of "tender age" (generally under 5 years) should remain with their mother unless she is proven unfit.
• The doctrine rests on several presumptions:
  • Biological Bond: Infants have a natural attachment to mothers.
  • Nurturing Instinct: Mothers are presumed better caregivers for young children.
  • Developmental Needs: Early childhood requires maternal involvement.
  • Emotional Security: Mother's presence provides psychological stability.
• Recent Delhi High Court Ruling:
  • It held that the best interests and welfare of minor children are paramount and must override the application of the Tender Years Doctrine.
  • The court also held that custody disputes must be resolved based on a comprehensive evaluation of the child’s overall well-being rather than stereotypical assumptions regarding parental roles.

About Exercise Khanjar-XIII:

• It is the 13th edition of the annual India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise.
  • The exercise has been held alternatively in India and the Kyrgyz Republic every year.
• Khanjar-XIII Location: Misamari in the Sonitpur district of Assam.
• The exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the Special Forces of both nations.
• The 2026 exercise will focus on joint operations in urban warfare and counter-terrorism scenarios under the United Nations mandate.

About Dholpur–Karauli Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in the Rajasthan.
• It shares ecological continuity with the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve to the west and lies close to the Chambal River on the east, which serves as a natural boundary and water source for the region.
• Vegetation: The vegetation primarily consists of dry deciduous forests.
• Flora: Some of the common tree species found here include:
  • Dhok (Anogeissus pendula) – the dominant tree species across much of the reserve.
  • Khair (Acacia catechu)
  • Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon)
  • Babool (Acacia nilotica)
• Fauna:
  • The reserve hosts tiger, leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, striped hyena, herbivores such as spotted deer, sambar, nilgai, chinkara, and wild boar, and small mammals including Indian hare, porcupine and jungle cat.

About Project Himank:

• It is a project of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) in the Ladakh.
• Objective: Development of road communication in the Ladakh region.
• The entire area of responsibility of the project falls in high altitude with challenging working conditions and a limited working season.
• The Project ensures the maintenance of communication and access to strategic areas close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Key Facts about Border Roads Organization (BRO):

• It is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to the Indian Armed Forces.
• BRO was entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence in 2015.
• It develops and maintains road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
  • This includes infrastructure operations in 19 states and three union territories (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, and Sri Lanka.
  • BRO specialises in constructing and maintaining Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, Airfields and Marine Works across some of the world’s most challenging terrains.
• The BRO also has an operational role during national emergencies and the outbreak of hostilities, when it provides direct support to the Army in the maintenance of roads in the forward zones and executes other functions specified by the government.
• In order to ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Board and the Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.
• Motto: Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam (everything is achievable through hard work).

About Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power project.
• Location: It is located in Bhutan on the right bank of the Punatsangchhu River.
• The project is being developed under an Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India.
• It is funded by the Government of India (GoI).

Key Facts about Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a 2GW run-of-the-river hydroelectric power project.
• Location: It is located in Bhutan on the left bank of Punatsangchhu River.
• The project is being developed by Punatsangchhu I Hydroelectric Project Authority, an entity formed under a bilateral agreement signed by the Bhutanese government and the Government of India (GoI) in 2007.
• It is funded by the Government of India (GoI).

About Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Technology:

• It is an advanced air-breathing propulsion system using a solid fuel gas generator.
• Working:
  • It uses solid Fuel instead of liquid fuel that makes the system simpler, safer, and easier to store and transport.
  • Unlike conventional rockets, SFDR does not carry an oxidiser, making it lighter and more efficient.
  • SFDR provides sustained thrust over a longer duration and allows thrust modulation during flight.
  • The SFDR system allows missiles to fly faster, farther and remain manoeuvrable throughout their flight, unlike conventional rocket-powered missiles.
• It has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories.
• Significance of Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Technology
  • It significantly enhances long-range air-to-air missiles by providing sustained propulsion throughout much of the missile’s flight.
  • It places India into an elite league of nations possessing this technology that enables developing long-range air-to-air missiles to give tactical edge over the adversaries.

What is Ramjet?

• It is a propulsion system that relies on the missile’s high forward speed to compress incoming air, eliminating the need for a compressor and enabling efficient high-speed flight.

About Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in
• Vegetation: It has mixed deciduous forests.
• The Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary houses the Pakhal Lake which was excavated on the orders of King Ganapati Deva of the Kakatiya empire in 1213 AD.
• Flora: It consists of bamboo, teak, and diverse flora, including Terminalia, Pterocarpus, and Mohua. 
• Fauna: Leopard, wild boar, panthers, hyenas, sloth bear, chital, mountain gazelle, blackbuck etc.

Key Facts about Dicliptera pakhalica

• It is a flowering plant species, that belongs to the Acanthaceae family.
• Habitat: The plant was found growing along stream banks and rocky areas.
• It flowers between November and January, with fruiting extending from December to March. 
• The species occurs in association with other native plants such as Tarenna asiatica, Eranthemum purpurascens, Ruellia prostrata and Mallotus philippensis, among others.

About PM VIKAS Scheme:

• It is a Central Sector Scheme.
• It focuses on socio-economic empowerment of minority communities.
• It aims to ensure inclusive growth for not only the minority and artisan communities but also for the youth and women. 
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Minority Affairs
• Objectives of PM VIKAS Scheme:
  • Skill Development: To build capacity of minority communities through targeted interventions by providing skill training support in need-based courses and ensuring employment.
  • Cultural Preservation: To preserve and promote the cultural heritage including traditional arts and craft forms by propagation of literature/ documents/ manuscripts and showcasing their unique ICH.
  • Educational Support: To provide formal education and certification up to 8th, 10th, and 12th through open schooling to school dropouts from minority communities.
  • Leadership and Entrepreneurship: To empower women from minority communities and instil confidence amongst them by providing leadership and entrepreneurship support.
• Key Features of PM VIKAS Scheme:
  • The National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) has been given the responsibility of providing finance to the communities. 
  • School dropouts are given formal education as well as certification.
  • The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts provides market linkages in order to provide livelihood opportunities for beneficiaries. 
  • The ‘Hub and Spoke’ model is used to establish Vishwakarma Villages to support the artisans and their crafts.

About Armenia:

• Location: It is a landlocked country, located in the south of Caucasus mountain range.
• Bordering Countries: It is bounded by Georgia in the north, Azerbaijan in the east, Iran in the southeast and Turkey in the west. 
• Capital:
• Geographical Features of Armenia:
  • Terrain: The Lesser (or Little) Caucasus Mountains dominate much of Armenia’s landscape. 
  • Highest Peak: Mount Aragats
  • Climate: Highland continental, hot summers, cold winter climate.
  • Rivers:  Aras, Hrazdan, Arpa, and Vorotan, rivers which provide hydropower and irrigation facilities to the country.
  • Lakes: Lake Sevan is the largest lake of Armenia.
  • Natural resources: Small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite