Current Affairs – April 06, 2026

{GS2 – Governance} Gujarat Passes Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026

Context (DDN): Gujarat Legislative Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, making it the second Indian state after Uttarakhand to enact a UCC.

Coverage: The code replaces diverse religious statutes with a standardised civil framework for marriage, divorce, and inheritance.
Gender Parity: It mandates that sons and daughters hold identical legal rights regarding the inheritance of all property.
Registration Deadline: All marriages must be officially registered within 60 days, and live-in relationships within 30 days.
Monogamous Mandate: The legislation strictly prohibits polygamy and bigamy, enforcing a one-spouse rule across all faith groups.
Judicial Exclusivity: All separations must be processed through civil courts, effectively abolishing all forms of out-of-court or customary divorce.
Tribal Exemption: The state’s Scheduled Tribes are exempted from the code’s application to protect their specific customary identities.

About Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

Constitutional Mandate: Article 44 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) places a non-justiciable directive on the State to secure a uniform civil code nationwide.
Rights Conflict: UCC seeks to resolve the conflict between Article 25 (Religious Freedom) and Article 14 (Equality before Law) through uniform civil procedures.
Judicial Consistency: Courts have consistently endorsed a UCC from Shah Bano (1985) to recent 2026 rulings as central to secular national identity.
First State: Uttarakhand became the first state to pass its own UCC legislation in 2024.

Read More> Uniform Civil Code

{GS2 – Polity} Right to be Considered for Promotion **

Context (IE): The Punjab & Haryana High Court has reaffirmed that government employees have a fundamental right to be considered for promotion.

Constitutional Basis: The right is derived from Articles 14 & 16(1) ensuring equality and equal opportunity in public employment.
There is no fundamental right to actual promotion, only a right to be evaluated.

Kulwant Singh Case

A junior engineer was excluded from a DPC due to a misinterpretation of eligibility rules, denying him consideration for promotion.
The P&H High Court held this as a violation of his fundamental right to be considered for promotion.
The Court ordered notional retrospective promotion and mandated regular DPC meetings.

Key Supreme Court Principles

In Ajit Singh vs State of Punjab (1999), the SC recognised the right to be considered for promotion.
In Bihar State Electricity Board vs Dharamdeo Das (2024), the court reaffirmed that consideration does not mean guaranteed promotion.

Departmental Promotion Committees are official panels that assess eligible employees for promotion based on merit, seniority, and service rules.

Challenges in Implementation of the Right to be Considered for Promotion

Administrative Delays: Irregular DPC meetings prevent the timely consideration of eligible employees.
Procedural Lapses: Errors in interpreting eligibility or in record-keeping lead to wrongful exclusion from promotion processes.
Bureaucratic Inefficiency: Lack of coordination & accountability within departments delays decision-making.
Arbitrary Decisions: Discretionary or biased actions by authorities can undermine fair consideration.
Lack of Monitoring Mechanisms: Absence of strict oversight systems allows violations of the right.

Strengthening of the Right to be Considered for Promotion

Regular DPCs: Time-bound & periodic Departmental Promotion Committee meetings to avoid delays.
Transparent Systems: Use digital tracking and clear eligibility criteria to minimise errors and arbitrariness.
Monitoring: Strengthen oversight mechanisms and fix responsibility for administrative lapses.
Grievance Redressal: Establish efficient grievance mechanisms for timely correction of violations.

{GS2 – Governance} Parliament Passed Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Context (IE): Parliament passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to designate Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Amendment: It replaces placeholder text in Section 5(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, with “Amaravati shall be the capital.”
Historical Precedent: This marks the first instance where Parliament has enacted a law explicitly naming a specific city as a state capital.
Retrospective Effect: The amendment is deemed effective from 2 June 2024, ensuring continuity after Hyderabad ceased to be the joint capital.
- Joint Capital: Hyderabad served as the common capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from June 2, 2014, to June 2, 2024.
Policy Override: The Bill nullifies the earlier “three-capital” model proposing Visakhapatnam as executive, Kurnool as judicial, and Amaravati as legislative capital.

{GS2 – IR} India and Azerbaijan Initiate Diplomatic Reset **

Context (TH): India and Azerbaijan initiated a diplomatic reset following years of strained relations triggered by Operation Sindoor.

Condemnation: Azerbaijan condemned India’s military action in Operation Sindoor as part of the “Three Brothers” alliance with Turkey and Pakistan.
Armenia Factor: Relations were further complicated by India’s deepening defence ties with Armenia, Azerbaijan’s adversary.

Overview of India-Azerbaijan Relations

Trade: India is currently Azerbaijan’s seventh-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching a peak of $1.88 billion in 2022.
Trade Skew: Historically, the balance of trade is heavily skewed in favour of Azerbaijan due to India’s significant imports of crude oil.
- Key Export: Basmati rice, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and electronics.
- Key Import: Crude oil accounts for roughly 98% of total imports.
Strategic Role: Azerbaijan serves as India’s gateway to the South Caucasus and a key node in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
OVL Stakes: ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) holds a ~2.9% stake in the ACG oil fields and a ~3.1% stake in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.
Strategic Divergence: Azerbaijan’s “Three Brothers” alliance with Pakistan and Turkey, and India’s defence ties with Armenia.
Historical Link: 18th-century Ateshgah Fire Temple near Baku features stone inscriptions in Devanagari and Gurmukhi.

{GS2 – IR} USA Imposes Tariff on Imported Patented Drugs and Active Ingredients

Context (IE): President Trump invoked Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to impose a 100% ad valorem duty on imported patented drugs and active ingredients.

National Security: The administration cited dependence on foreign-made patented drugs (53%) and active ingredients (85%) as a threat to the U.S. supply chain.
Compliance Timeline: Large firms have 120 days (until July 31, 2026) and smaller firms 180 days to reach compliance agreements before full tariffs apply.
Pricing Safe-Harbour: Companies can secure a 0% tariff until 2029 by entering Most Favoured Nation pricing deals and committing to onshore production.
Generic Exemption: Non-patented generic medicines and biosimilars remain exempt, though the Secretary of Commerce will reassess this status within one year.
Medical Carve-outs: Orphan drugs and cell therapies are excluded to prevent shortages of critical speciality treatments.
Indian Insulation: 90% of India’s shipments to the U.S. are low-cost generics, which are excluded from this tariff.

Ad valorem duty is an import tax calculated as a fixed percentage of a product’s total assessed value.

{GS3 – Infra} Major Indian Ports Handled over 915 MT of Cargo in FY2025-26 **

Context (TH): Major ports handled a record 915.17 million tonnes (MT) of cargo in FY2025-26, exceeding the 904 MT target with a 7.06% year-on-year increase.

Top Performers: Deendayal Port (Gujarat) led major ports with 160.11 MT, followed by Paradip Port (Odisha) and JNPA (Maharashtra).
Growth Leader: Mormugao Port (Goa) recorded the highest growth rate among major ports at 15.91%.
Efficiency Metrics: Average vessel turnaround at major ports improved to 48.86 hours. JNPA led the container segment at 23.82 hours.
Cargo Handled: Non-Major Ports handled an estimated 739 MT, bringing India’s total cargo volume to over 1,654 MT.
Capacity Expansion: India’s total port capacity reached 2,762 MTPA, comprising 1,617 MTPA at Major Ports and 1,145 MTPA at Non-Major Ports.

Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 aims to raise India’s total port capacity to 10,000 MTPA by 2047, quadrupling the current level.

Strategic Growth Drivers of Indian Port Sector

Digital Integration: NLP-Marine (National Logistics Portal) and the Sagar-Setu app slashed gate-in times by digitising all port-led documentation.
Connectivity Focus: PM Gatishakti National Master Plan integrated 101 port-connectivity projects, removing chronic last-mile bottlenecks for hinterland cargo flow.
Regulatory Autonomy: Major Port Authorities Act granted port boards greater autonomy over land leasing and asset monetisation decisions.
Logistics Efficiency: Direct Port Delivery (DPD) bypassed traditional inland container depots, saving shippers up to ₹5,000 per container.
Infrastructure Privatisation: PPP models for 100% berth mechanisation at major hubs reduced bulk handling losses and improved loading speeds.
Performance Incentives: Sagar Aankalan guidelines pushed major ports toward global benchmarks, achieving record daily berth productivity.

Challenges in India’s Maritime Sector

Modal Imbalance: Road handles 60% of hinterland cargo despite rail being six times more economical, inflating overall port logistics costs.
Draft Limitations: Shallow 14-metre channels at major ports divert 75% of India’s transhipment cargo to foreign hubs like Colombo or Singapore.
Turnaround Gap: The average vessel turnaround of 48 hours remains four times slower than leading global benchmarks.
Fleet Dependency: Inadequate domestic ship ownership drains $75 billion annually in freight payments to foreign-flagged vessels.
Evacuation Logjam: Unfinished rail-linked projects under PM Gatishakti National Master Plan leave 25% of planned port-to-hinterland infrastructure incomplete.

Govt. Initiatives for India’s Port Sector

Fleet Modernisation: Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP) replaces diesel harbour tugs with hybrid-electric models, targeting 50% green tug coverage by 2030.
Fund Outlay: Maritime Development Fund (MDF) provides ₹25,000 crore in low-cost, long-term financing for domestic shipbuilding and port-led industrialisation.
Operational Standardisation: One Nation-One Port (ONOP) standardises operational and data protocols to eliminate procedural variations for global shipping lines.
Tourism Expansion: Cruise Bharat Mission expands international sea cruise terminals from 2 to 10 to double passenger traffic to 1 million by 2029.
Sustainable Bunkering: Harit Sagar Guidelines and the National Green Hydrogen Mission construct green hydrogen and ammonia bunkers at major ports to supply sustainable fuel.

{GS3 – Envi} Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026 **

Context (TH): Government has notified the amendment to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Objective: The amendment aims to promote a circular economy by mandating recycled plastic use, strengthening compliance, improving transparency, and reducing plastic pollution.

Key Provisions of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026

Recycling Targets: The amendment mandates progressively increasing recycled plastic content in packaging, especially for rigid plastics (30% to 60% by 2028–29).
Mandatory Recycled Content: Producers must use recycled plastic in packaging, making circularity legally binding.
Carry-Forward of Targets: Companies can carry forward unmet recycling targets for up to three years, instead of strict annual compliance.
Tradable Plastic Certificates: The amendment formalises a tradable certificate system, allowing companies to purchase credits from those exceeding targets.
End-of-Life Disposal: The rules allow burning and other end-of-life disposal methods such as waste-to-energy, co-processing, and waste-to-oil conversion.
Category-Based Classification: Plastics are classified into rigid (easy to recycle), flexible, and multi-layered (hardest to recycle) with separate compliance targets.

Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016

Legal Basis: Notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, providing statutory backing for plastic waste regulation in India.
Objective: To minimise plastic waste generation, promote recycling and reuse, and ensure environmentally sound disposal of plastic waste.
Extended Producer Responsibility: Introduces EPR, making producers, importers, and brand owners responsible for the collection and management of plastic waste.
Waste Segregation: Mandates segregation of waste at source & establishment of collection systems.
Single-Use Plastics Ban: The 2022 Amendment to the rules prohibited identified single-use plastic.
Role of Local Bodies: Urban and rural local bodies are responsible for segregation, collection, processing, and disposal of plastic waste.

{GS3 – S&T} India Commissions Nuclear-Powered Submarine ‘INS Aridaman’ **

Context (IE | HT): Indian Navy commissioned the indigenous, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Aridaman and the stealth frigate INS Taragiri at Visakhapatnam.

INS Taragiri is the fourth stealth guided-missile frigate of the Nilgiri-class under Project 17A, built with over 75% indigenous content.

About INS Aridaman

INS Aridaman (or INS Aridhaman) is India’s 3^rd indigenous Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN).
It is an upgraded version of the Arihant-class submarine, succeeding INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.
The submarine was built at the Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam as part of the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme.

ATV Project began in the 1980s to develop India’s indigenous SSBN fleet, with technical assistance from Russia, and is managed by DRDO, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and the Indian Navy.

Displacement: It has a larger hull displacing ~7,000 tonnes, allowing heavier payloads and longer underwater endurance.
Propulsion: Uses an upgraded 83 MW pressurised compact light-water reactor (CLWR), allowing quiet operation, better stealth, and survivability.
Armament: 8 Vertical Launch System (VLS), double the capacity of its predecessors; can carry 24 K-15 (~750 km range) or 8 K-4 (~3,500 km range) ballistic missiles.

Significance for India

Nuclear Triad: Induction completes India’s Nuclear Triad, allowing nuclear weapon delivery from land, air, and sea.
Second Strike Capability: Enables a sustained underwater presence for retaliation, supporting India’s “No First Use” (NFU) doctrine.
Deterrence: Extended missile range and payload capacity strengthen India’s deterrence in the Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific.
Global Status: India joins a select group of nations with a fully operational nuclear triad, including the USA, Russia, and China.

India’s Three Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Submarine	Displacement	Armament	Significance
INS Arihant (2016)	~6,000 tonnes	4 VLS; 12 K-15 or 4 K-4	First indigenous SSBN
INS Arighaat (2024)	~6,000 tonnes	4 VLS; 12 K-15 or 4 K-4	Enhanced survivability and stealth
INS Aridaman (2026)	~7,000 tonnes	8 VLS; 8 K-4 or 24 K-15	Doubles missile capacity

About Nuclear Submarines

Nuclear submarines use pressurised water reactors, allowing long endurance without surfacing, unlike diesel-electric subs that rely on batteries.
Primary Classifications:
- SSBNs carry nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, designed for stealth deployment to ensure a nuclear deterrence capability.
- Ship Submersible Nuclear (SSN) are fast-attack submarines carrying torpedoes and cruise missiles, for anti-submarine and carrier protection roles.
- Ship Submersible Guided Missile Nuclear (SSGN) carry large cruise missiles, enabling precision land-attack missions from underwater platforms.

Read More > INS Taragiri

{GS3 – S&T} Multi-Hazard Early Warning Decision Support System (MHEW-DSS)

Context (PIB): Multi-Hazard Early Warning Decision Support System (MHEW-DSS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) represents a transformation in India’s approach to weather forecasting.

It is an integrated digital platform delivering real-time, impact-based weather alerts across India.
Developer: India Meteorological Department (IMD) built it under the Mission Mausam to modernise weather forecasting infrastructure.
Data Integration: It integrates satellites, radars, and weather station datasets into a single WebGIS-based platform to generate colour-coded warnings.
Impact Modelling: Advanced algorithms convert weather data into sector-specific risks for agriculture, health, transport, and energy systems.
Hyper Granularity: It delivers forecasts for over 1.5 lakh pin codes and 6.2 lakh villages via the Mausamgram portal.
Dissemination: The dashboard uses Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) to send real-time alerts via SMS, WhatsApp, and Mausam App.

Significance of MHEW-DSS

Automation: MHEW-DSS automates over 90% of data processing and quality checks, reducing manual intervention and forecast delays.
Time Efficiency: Streamlined workflows have cut forecast preparation time from 6 hours to 3 hours.
Precision: The system uses improved numerical models to increase forecast accuracy by 30% and extend lead times to 7 days.
Regional Coordination: It facilitates data sharing with 12 nations, serving as a centralised hub for North Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific weather safety.

{Prelims – IR} United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) *

Context (TH): India condemned the killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers deployed under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

United Nations Security Council (UNSC) created UNIFIL in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and to restore peace.
Core Mandate: Under UNSC Resolution 1701, UNIFIL monitors ceasefire, patrols the Blue Line, and ensures humanitarian access for civilians.
India’s Role: India is the fourth-largest contributor of troops to UNIFIL.
Timeline: UNSC has extended its mandate for the final time, aiming for withdrawal by the end of 2026.

Blue Line is a UN-established temporary boundary between Lebanon and Israel, created in 2000 to verify the withdrawal of Israeli Forces.

Read More > Israel- Lebanon Ceasefire Deal

{Prelims – Initiatives} FAO Food Price Index *

Context (DDN): The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) increased by 2.4% in March, driven by rising energy costs amid escalating Middle East conflict.

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation, headquartered in Rome, is a UN agency founded in 1945 to combat hunger and promote sustainable agriculture.

FFPI measures monthly international export price changes of key food commodities, reflecting food security and inflation trends.
Methodology: It uses a trade-weighted Laspeyres formula, combining export prices of 24 basic food commodities with the base period set as 2014–2016.
Composition: The index has five sub-indices — Cereals, Vegetable Oils, Dairy, Meat, and Sugar, weighted by their importance in global export trade.

Read More > FAO

{Prelims – Defence} Project Chetak

Context (DDN): Border Roads Organisation (BRO) marked the 47^th Raising Day of Project Chetak in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

Project Chetak manages, develops, and maintains over 4,000 km of roads and 214 km of Ditch-cum-Bund for defence infrastructure.
It is one of the largest BRO projects, stretching across Rajasthan, Punjab, and northern Gujarat along India’s western border.
Key Infrastructure: The permanent Kasowal Bridge (484 m) over Ravi River in Punjab offers all-weather connectivity to the region.
Strategic Roads: Over 300 km of desert roads are being upgraded to National Highway standards, including double lanes, to handle heavier traffic.
Significance: It provides logistical support to the Armed Forces through feeder roads to the International Border, while strengthening regional development and tourism.

BRO, established in 1960, is India’s leading executive agency for constructing and maintaining strategic roads in remote border areas. It operates under the Ministry of Defence.

{Prelims – S&T} Calcium Carbide

Context (IE): Hyderabad police and municipal authorities have begun inspections on the use of calcium carbide for artificial mango ripening.

Calcium carbide is a greyish-black industrial chemical used in welding but exploited as a cheap, quick artificial fruit-ripening agent.
Ripening Mechanism: It reacts with moisture to release acetylene gas, which imitates ethylene, the natural fruit-ripening hormone.
Health Hazards: Commercial-grade calcium carbide contains arsenic and phosphorus, causing vomiting, ulcers, neurological disorders, and increased cancer risk.
Regulation: India prohibits its use for fruit ripening under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011.
Alternatives: FSSAI allows ethylene gas up to 100 ppm; Ethephon 39% Soluble Liquid (SL) is also approved, providing more uniform and natural ripening than carbide.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is the top food regulator, operating under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Read More > Calcium Carbide