Current Affairs – April 14, 2026

{GS1 – Geo} El Niño and Monsoon Deficit in India **

Context (IE | DTE | TH): India Meteorological Department has forecast ‘below-normal’ monsoon rainfall at 92% of Long Period Average (LPA).

LPA Benchmark: LPA for India’s southwest monsoon (June–September) is 87 cm, based on the 1971–2020 average.
El Niño Influence: A developing El Niño, marked by warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean, is likely to suppress monsoon rainfall.
Trend Shift: The forecast signals a likely end to two consecutive years (2024–25) of above-normal rainfall.
Offsetting Factors: A positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and lower northern hemisphere snow cover may partially offset El Niño’s negative impact.
Drought: IMD classifies rainfall below 90% of LPA as “deficient,” often associated with drought conditions.

Long Period Average is the average rainfall calculated over a long period (30 or 50 years), used as a benchmark to assess monsoon performance.

Impacts of Below-Normal Monsoon

Agricultural Stress: ~60% farmers dependent on the monsoon face risk to Kharif crop productivity.
Income Shock: Poor rainfall can reduce rural incomes and weaken consumption demand.
Water Scarcity: Deficient rainfall can reduce groundwater recharge and drinking water availability.
Energy Impact: Lower reservoir levels may affect hydropower generation.
Food Inflation: Reduced crop output can push up food prices and inflation.

Climatic Drivers of Monsoon in India

ENSO Effect: The El Niño phase of ENSO generally weakens the Indian monsoon by disrupting atmospheric circulation.
La Niña: La Niña conditions usually strengthen monsoon rainfall due to enhanced convection over the Indian region.
Indian Ocean Dipole: Positive IOD supports stronger monsoon rainfall; negative IOD suppresses it.
Snow Cover Impact: Lower Eurasian snow cover is associated with a stronger monsoon, whereas higher snow cover weakens it.
Walker Circulation: Changes in east–west atmospheric circulation influence moisture transport and monsoon intensity.
Jet Streams: Position and strength of subtropical jet streams affect the onset, distribution, and withdrawal of the monsoon.
Global Warming: Climate change alters moisture availability and increases variability, causing extreme rainfall events.

About El Niño

El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterised by abnormal warming of surface waters in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean.
Part of ENSO: It is one phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a global climate system affecting weather patterns.
Mechanism:
- El Niño occurs when weakened trade winds allow warm Pacific waters to move eastward, disrupting normal ocean circulation.
- This alters pressure systems (e.g., the Walker Circulation), leading to changes in global rainfall and temperature patterns.
Global Impact: It disrupts weather patterns worldwide, causing floods in South America, droughts in Australia and Asia, weaker Indian monsoons, and rising global temperatures.
Impact on India: It is generally associated with a weaker southwest monsoon & reduced rainfall in India.

El Niño–Southern Oscillation: ENSO is a periodic climate phenomenon involving warming (El Niño) and cooling (La Niña) of the central-eastern Pacific Ocean, influencing global weather patterns.
Walker Circulation: It is the atmospheric circulation over the equatorial Pacific, in which air rises over warm waters in the west & sinks over cooler waters in the east, driving trade winds.
Indian Ocean Dipole: IOD is a climate phenomenon where sea surface temperature differences between the western and eastern Indian Ocean influence monsoon rainfall in India.

{GS2 – Governance} Workers’ Protest in Noida

Context (TH | IE | TH): Large-scale workers’ protests in Noida over wage hikes turned violent, involving arson, stone-pelting, and clashes with police.

Industrial Spread: Protests were reported across Noida and Greater Noida industrial hubs, affecting traffic and factory operations.

Workers’ Grievances & Issues

Wage Insecurity: Workers face low and stagnant wages (₹11–₹13,000/month) that fail to keep pace with inflation and rising living costs.
High informalisation: Over 90% of India’s workforce is informal (ILO), lacking contracts & protections.
Poor Working Conditions: Long working hours, unsafe workplaces, and a lack of occupational safety measures remain widespread.
Weak Social Security: Limited access to benefits like provident fund, insurance, and healthcare exposes workers to vulnerabilities.
Implementation Gaps: Labour laws & codes are poorly enforced, leading to denial of statutory rights.
Lack of Representation: Declining unionisation and limited collective bargaining reduce workers’ ability to negotiate fair conditions.

Government Response

High-Level Committee: The UP government constituted a multi-stakeholder committee to investigate the unrest and facilitate dialogue between workers and employers.
Wage Revision: The state government announced an increase in minimum wages to address workers’ core demands.
Stakeholder Consultation: Authorities engaged with labour unions and industrial associations.

Minimum wage is the legally mandated lowest remuneration that employers must pay workers.
Minimum wages in India are legally enforceable under the Code on Wages, 2019.

Measures to Strengthen Labour Welfare

Wage Framework: Ensure timely revision and strict enforcement of minimum wages under the Code on Wages, 2019, to address income insecurity.
Formalisation: Promote formal employment through incentives, digital registration (e-Shram), and compliance mechanisms for MSMEs.
Social Security: Expand coverage of schemes like ESI, EPF, & pensions to include informal & gig workers.
Improve Law Enforcement: Strengthen inspection systems using technology and data-driven monitoring to curb violations.
Collective Bargaining: Encourage institutional dialogue platforms between workers, employers, and government.
Grievance Redressal: Set up fast-track labour dispute resolution systems and revive tripartite dialogue (govt–employer–workers).
Skill Development: Invest in skilling, reskilling, and upskilling to improve wages, employability, and industrial competitiveness.

Government Initiatives & Schemes for Unorganised Workers

e-Shram Portal: National database of unorganised workers providing a UAN card to access multiple welfare schemes and benefits.
PM Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM): Provides ₹3,000/month pension after age 60 with equal contribution by government and worker.
Labour Codes Reform: The four labour codes aim to simplify and modernise labour laws while ensuring wage security and social protection.
Skill India Mission: Enhances the employability of workers through skill development and vocational training programmes.
One Nation One Ration Card: Ensures food security portability for migrant workers across states.

{GS2 – IR} US Begins Blockade on Iranian Ports

Context (IE): The United States initiated a blockade on Iran’s ports following diplomatic failure, raising risks to global energy and shipping routes.

About Blockade

Meaning: It is a military operation by a belligerent state to prevent all vessels or aircraft from entering or leaving an enemy’s ports or coasts.
Types of Blockades:
- Close Blockade: Ships deployed near the enemy coast.
- Distant Blockade: Ships deployed farther due to the threat of enemy weapons.
US Blockade Protocols:
- Impartial Enforcement: US Central Command (CENTCOM) enforces the blockade impartially on all vessels entering or leaving Iran’s ports, including the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
- Navigation Freedom: It will not restrict navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels travelling to and from non-Iranian ports.

Legal Compliance of Blockade

Formal Declaration: Must be officially declared & notified to all states, including the start & termination.
Continuous Enforcement: Must be maintained continuously and applied impartially to all vessels.
Lawful Objective: Must serve a legitimate military aim, not target civilian survival.
Effective Control: Must be enforceable with sufficient force, avoiding symbolic or unenforceable “paper blockades.

Implications of Blockade on India’s Trade

Trade Hit: India–Iran trade (~$1.1–1.2 billion) may face disruptions, affecting export continuity.
Export Risk: Key exports like rice and pharmaceuticals could face delays and market uncertainty.
Cost Surge: Shipping and insurance costs may rise due to risks in the Strait of Hormuz.
Import Disruption: Supplies of bitumen and methanol may be affected, impacting construction and energy sectors.

{GS2 – IR} 9^th Indian Ocean Conference Concluded in Mauritius *

Context (ET): The 9^th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC 2026) was held in Mauritius under the theme “Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance.”

Organisers: It was jointly organised by the India Foundation, the Government of Mauritius, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Key Outcome: Over 30 nations committed to the ‘Collective Stewardship’ vision for securing maritime chokepoints and building economic resilience.
Format: The conference is an annual flagship Track 1.5 diplomatic forum, engaging both government officials and non-government experts.
SAGAR Vision: It promotes India’s SAGAR vision, which aims for a stable, secure, and sustainable maritime order in the Indian Ocean Region.

Importance of the Indian Ocean Region

Trade Lifeline: 95% of India’s trade volume and 68% of its total trade value pass through the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Energy Transit: IOR serves as the transit corridor for 80% of India’s crude oil imports and 50% of its liquefied natural gas supplies.
Seabed Rights: Exclusive mining rights to 75,000 sq km of the IOR seabed for polymetallic nodules are critical to India’s green energy transition.
Hydrocarbon Reserves: India’s offshore region in IOR holds 51% of its proven oil reserves and 66% of its natural gas reserves.
Strategic Depth: Control over IOR chokepoints (e.g., Strait of Malacca, the Strait of Hormuz) is essential for India’s national defence and territorial integrity.
Coastal Fisheries: IOR supports more than 4 million coastal fishers and accounts for 23% of India’s total fish production.
Renewable Potential: The region has a combined offshore renewable energy potential of over 125 GW from wind, tidal, and wave resources.

{GS3 – IE} Consequences of Persistent Rupee Depreciation **

Context (IE): For a developing economy like India, currency depreciation rarely triggers an export boom but more often erodes purchasing power and undermines investor confidence.

Advantages of Rupee Depreciation

Export Competitiveness: A falling rupee lowers the dollar price of Indian exports, giving domestic goods a price advantage in global markets.
Remittance Incentive: The rising rupee value of foreign earnings incentivises NRIs to increase remittances. Inflows grew by 14% to reach a record $135.46 billion in FY25.
Import Substitution: Rising cost of imported goods channels consumer demand toward local manufacturers, reinforcing the Make in India push.
Export Margin: Every 1% depreciation in the rupee raises the operating margins of IT exporters by approximately 20-30 basis points.
FDI Attractiveness: A weaker rupee lowers the dollar cost of acquiring Indian assets. FDI inflows rose by 14% to $81.04 billion in FY25.

Disadvantages of Rupee Depreciation

Imported Inflation: Every ₹1 of depreciation adds roughly 0.2-0.3% to retail inflation, directly increasing the cost of essential imports like crude oil.
Debt Burden: Indian companies with dollar-denominated loans face higher repayment expenses as the rupee depreciates.
Trade Deficit: Higher import bills for energy and electronics widened the trade deficit to a record $41.7 billion in October 2025.
Reserve Depletion: RBI dollar sales to stabilise the rupee caused forex reserves to fall by nearly $30 billion in early 2026.
Capital Outflow: Persistent currency weakness prompted FIIs to withdraw a record $18 billion from Indian equities by mid-2026.
Margin Squeeze: Companies reliant on imported raw materials experienced an 8-11% contraction in earnings per share.

Government Measures to Stabilise the Rupee

Forex Intervention: The RBI sells dollars from its reserves to provide immediate liquidity and prevent a disorderly depreciation.
Monetary Tightening: Higher interest rates draw foreign capital into Indian bonds, reducing dollar demand pressure on the rupee.
Rupee Settlement: Settling trade in INR via Special Vostro Rupee Accounts bypasses dollar demand.
Speculation Curbs: RBI restrictions on banks’ participation in the offshore Non-Deliverable Forward (NDF) market prevent speculative attacks on the rupee.
Deposit Incentive: Eased rules on FCNR(B) deposits and External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) attract high-value foreign currency.
Import Duties: Tariff hikes on non-essential imports, such as gold, reduce foreign exchange outflows and narrow the trade deficit.

Dornbusch’s Overshooting Model: Since exchange rates adjust instantly while goods prices are slow to change, the currency must over-depreciate in the short run to maintain equilibrium.
Mundell-Fleming Model: An economy cannot simultaneously maintain a fixed exchange rate, free capital movement, and an independent monetary policy (‘Impossible Trinity’).

Read More> Rupee Depreciation

{GS3 – Agri} Haryana Introduces Biometric Verification at Agri-Mandis

Context (IE): The Haryana government introduced an Aadhaar-based biometric verification system for crop procurement at mandis.

Biometric Mandate: Farmers or their nominated representatives must provide fingerprint or iris scans at mandis to authenticate identity before selling produce.
Portal Integration: Each crop arrival is matched against the farmer’s registration on the ‘Meri Fasal-Mera Byora’ portal to cross-verify land data.
Vehicle Tracking: Gate passes are issued only after recording the vehicle’s registration number and capturing a photograph of the load via the e-Kharid app.
Fraud Prevention: The system aims to stop the illegal sale of crops from other states under the names of local Haryana farmers.
Operational Concerns: Bureaucratic hurdles and digital glitches often cause long queues and technical barriers that disproportionately affect small-scale or elderly farmers.

Mandi System in India

Mandi system is a regulated marketplace framework governed by state governments through Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs).
Function: These are centralised market yards where farmers bring produce for weighing, grading, and auctioning to licensed traders.
Price Discovery: Sales are conducted through open auction or electronic bidding to ensure competitive price discovery for farmers.
Legal Basis: States establish mandis under the APMC Acts, requiring all agricultural trade in that notified area to take place only within these yards.
e-NAM: The e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) portal connects physical mandis across India into a single electronic network, enabling pan-India bidding.

{Prelims – MIH} Jallianwala Bagh Massacre *

Context (TP): President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

The massacre occurred on April 13, 1919, when troops under General Reginald Dyer opened fire on an unarmed gathering in Amritsar.
Background: The crowd gathered to celebrate Baisakhi and protest the arrests of Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal under the Rowlatt Act (1919).
- Rowlatt Act (1919) allowed detention without trial for up to two years on suspicion of terrorism.
Casualties: Official British records reported 379 deaths, while the Indian National Congress estimates exceeded 1,000 fatalities.
Protest: Rabindranath Tagore renounced Knighthood, while Mahatma Gandhi later returned the Kaiser-i-Hind medal, protesting the massacre and the Khilafat issue.
Inquiry Body: British government appointed the Hunter Commission (1919), which criticised Dyer’s actions but imposed no significant punishment.
Key Impact: The event completely eroded trust in British rule and catalysed the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) under Gandhi’s leadership.
Retribution: Udham Singh assassinated Michael O’Dwyer in London in 1940 for endorsing General Dyer’s actions.

{Prelims – Species} Morchella Mushrooms

Context (IE): Scientists at Sheri Kashmir University of Agriculture and Sciences (SKUAST) in Srinagar have cultivated Morchella mushrooms for the first time under controlled conditions.
Morchella mushrooms, commonly called morels and Kangaech, are edible sac fungi with a distinctive honeycomb appearance.
Cultivation: They are difficult to cultivate commercially and are mostly harvested from the wild.
Morphology: The entire fruiting body is hollow with conical or oval caps covered in pits and ridges.
Habitat Preference: These fungi often form symbiotic or saprobic relationships with trees such as ash, elm, and sycamore.
Soil Preference: They thrive in well-drained, alkaline to neutral soils, rich in organic matter and calcium, in limestone-rich areas.
Distribution: Morels are widely distributed across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean.
Indian Range: They grow in high-altitude Himalayan forests across Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Climate Requirement: Morels fruit in a spring window when daytime temperatures reach 15-20°C and nights remain cool.

{Prelims – Infra} Delhi–Dehradun Expressway

Context (IE): PM Modi inaugurated the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway to enhance regional connectivity.

The 213 km corridor was built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI),
It reduces travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from 6.5 hours to about 2.5 hours.
It features Asia’s longest elevated wildlife corridor (12 km) through the Shivalik forests and Rajaji National Park, for safe animal movement.
Ecological Measures: It integrates eight animal passes, two elephant underpasses, and eco-friendly stretches across protected forest zones.
Significance: It supports logistics efficiency, regional economic growth, and religious tourism by improving access to the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.

{Prelims – Envi} Project Him Sarovar

Context (ET): Project Him Sarovar was launched by Ladakh’s Lieutenant Governor to address worsening water scarcity in the UT.

Objective: It aims to ensure year-round water security in Ladakh through scientific snow harvesting and water conservation.
Implementation: Implemented by the Ladakh administration with support from the armed forces.
Interventions: It involves the construction of small water bodies to capture snowmelt and glacial runoff that otherwise goes unused.
Water Utility: Stored water will support irrigation, rural water supply, and agricultural sustainability.

{Prelims – S&T} India’s First Quantum Computing Testing Beds in Amaravati *

Context (TH): India’s first indigenous Quantum Computing Test and Reference Facilities are being inaugurated in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh.

These facilities are part of the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) initiative, designed to offer sovereign infrastructure for testing, certifying, and manufacturing quantum hardware.
Hardware Evaluation: The project features two test beds to evaluate quantum devices like cables, amplifiers, and control systems under extreme conditions
Thermal Parameter: They operate at temperatures near absolute zero (-273°C) to activate qubits and ensure reliable quantum operations.
White Box: Researchers will have full hardware transparency to prevent foreign backdoors and ensure sovereign security.
Ecosystem Catalyst: It aims to catalyse a domestic ecosystem for quantum-grade components like cryo-electronics and chips.

Read More> Quantum Computing

{Prelims – Festivals} India’s Spring Harvest Festivals

Context (PIB): President Droupadi Murmu extended greetings to citizens celebrating Baisakhi, Vishu, Vishuv, Bohag Bihu, Poila Boishakh, Meshadi, Vaishakhadi, and Puthandu.

These spring festivals mark the beginning of harvest season, reflecting India’s cultural diversity, agrarian traditions, and ethos of unity in diversity.
Baisakhi marks the Rabi harvest in Punjab and commemorates the founding of the Khalsa Panth (1699) by Guru Gobind Singh.
Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu) marks the Assamese New Year through folk dances, community feasts, and agricultural renewal rituals.
Poila Boishakh marks the Bengali New Year with processions, Haal Khata ledger opening, and community celebrations in West Bengal.
Puthandu marks Tamil New Year, while Vishu marks Malayalam New Year, featuring ritual Vishukkani viewing in Kerala.
Meshadi Vaishakhadi (Pana Sankranti) and Vaishakhadi align with the Sun’s transition into Aries (Mesha Sankranti) across regions.

Read More > Major Agriculture Festivals in India

{Prelims – In News} Birth Anniversary of Dr B. R. Ambedkar *

Context (NOA): The nation honoured Dr B. R. Ambedkar on his 136^th birth anniversary, April 14, 2026.

Born in 1891 in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, into a Mahar (Dalit) family, he was India’s first Law Minister.
He received the Bharat Ratna in 1990 posthumously for his contributions to social justice & democracy.

Major Contributions

Social Organisations: Founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha (1924) to promote education and the socio-economic upliftment of the depressed classes.
Civic Rights: Led Mahad Satyagraha (1927) to secure untouchables’ right to access public water sources.
Temple Entry: Launched the Kalaram Temple Satyagraha (1930) in Nashik to challenge caste-based religious exclusion.
Political Organisations: Founded the Independent Labour Party (1936) and the Scheduled Castes Federation (1942) to represent Dalit and labour interests.
Constitutional Role: He chaired the Drafting Committee, earning the title “Father of the Constitution”.
Religious Conversion: Embraced Buddhism in 1956, to seek a dignified Dalit identity, initiating a mass Dalit Buddhist movement.
Literary Works: Authored Annihilation of Caste, The Untouchables, Who Were the Shudras?, Buddha and His Dhamma; edited journals Mooknayak and Bahishkrit Bharat.