Current Affairs – April 13, 2026

{GS2 – IR} Iran-US Peace Talk Concluded without Agreement

• Context (IE): High-level peace talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad, mediated by Pakistan, ended without an agreement.

• Historic First: The discussions were the first direct, highest-level negotiations between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
• Core Dispute: Iran refused to dismantle its domestic uranium enrichment programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
• Hormuz Demand: The US rejected Iran’s demand to regulate vessel traffic and collect transit tolls through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Ceasefire Scope: The US and Israel exclude Lebanon from the ceasefire’s scope, while Iran and Pakistan insist it applies to Lebanon.
• US Response: Following the collapse, President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy to impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran’s Position: Iran has categorised the US naval blockade as an act of piracy and has threatened a proportional military response against American assets.
• Ceasefire Status: The two-week ceasefire technically remains in place, but the naval blockade has placed the regional truce under extreme strain.

{GS2 – Social Sector} Keytruda and India’s Cancer Fight **

• Context (IE): Keytruda drug by Merck & Co. is transforming cancer care globally, but high cost and access issues limit its impact in India.

Keytruda

• Keytruda is the brand name of Pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody used in cancer immunotherapy.
• Drug Class: It belongs to checkpoint inhibitors, a class of drugs that enhance the immune system activity against cancer cells.
• Approval: It was first approved by the US FDA in 2014 for advanced melanoma (skin cancer).
• Scope of Use: It is used for multiple cancers, including lung, cervical, renal, and aggressive breast cancers.
• Clinical Significance: It has shown effectiveness in advanced-stage cancers, improving survival and sometimes eliminating tumours.
• Availability in India: Advanced immunotherapies like Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) are available mainly in tertiary care hospitals, limiting access for most patients due to cost and infrastructure constraints.

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Mechanism of Action of Keytruda

• PD-1 Blockade: Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) binds to PD-1 receptors on T-cells, blocking their interaction with PD-L1 on cancer cells.
• Immune Activation: This removes inhibitory signals (“immune checkpoints”), enabling T-cells to recognise and attack cancer cells effectively.
• Therapeutic Effect: It enhances targeted immune response, leading to tumour reduction and improved survival in advanced cancers.

Immunotherapy

• Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment approach that uses the body’s immune system to recognise and destroy abnormal cells.
• Types: Major forms include checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, CAR-T cell therapy, and cancer vaccines.
  • Checkpoint Inhibitors: These drugs block proteins that prevent T-cells from attacking cancer cells, boosting the immune response.
  • CAR-T Therapy: Involves genetically engineering a patient’s T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells.
  • mRNA Vaccines: Experimental therapies train the immune system to recognise cancer-specific antigens and prevent recurrence.
• Advantage: Unlike chemotherapy, it targets cancer cells precisely while sparing most healthy cells.
• Clinical Impact: It has shown significant success in treating advanced and previously untreatable cancers.
• Limitation: High cost, limited accessibility, and potential immune-related side effects.

{GS3 – IE} UPI Completes 10 Years

• Context (AIR): UPI has completed 10 years of its operations since its launch in 2016.

• Network: It has grown significantly, with participating banks increasing from 216 in 2021 to 691 by 2026.
• Global Presence: UPI is now live in over eight countries, including the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius and Qatar.
• Financial Inclusion: UPI has enhanced inclusion by providing low-cost, easy digital payment access across urban and rural areas.

Unified Payments Interface

• UPI is a real-time digital payment system that enables instant bank-to-bank transfers via mobile phone.
• Regulator: Operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Interoperability: UPI allows seamless transactions across multiple banks and apps using a single interface (UPI ID).
• Key Features: Supports instant payments, 24×7 availability, QR code payments, and peer-to-peer (P2P) and peer-to-merchant (P2M) transactions.
• Security Framework: Uses two-factor authentication & secure protocols to ensure safe transactions.

National Payments Corporation of India

• NPCI was set up in 2008 as a not-for-profit entity under RBI and Indian Banks Association to consolidate retail payment systems.
• Regulatory Oversight: NPCI operates under the supervision of the RBI and provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• Key Products: NPCI has developed major payment systems including UPI, RuPay, IMPS, AePS, FASTag, and National Automated Clearing House (NACH).

{GS3 – IE} RBI Proposes Measures to Curb Frauds in Digital Payments **

• Context (IE): Reserve Bank of India released a discussion paper, “Exploring Safeguards in Digital Payments to Curb Frauds“, to address the surge in digital payment scams.

Key Proposed Safeguards

• Cooling-Off Period: A mandatory one-hour delay for transfers exceeding ₹10,000 to new beneficiaries can allow users to cancel fraudulent transactions.
• Trusted Person: High-value payments (over ₹50,000) by senior citizens or persons with disabilities may require secondary approval from a trusted individual.
• Kill Switch: A Kill Switch lets users disable all payment channels instantly from a single point during an emergency.
• Whitelisting: Users can pre-approve frequent payees to bypass ‘friction’ measures such as mandatory delays or extra verification.
• Shadow Credits: Excess inflows over ₹25 lakh annual credit would be held as shadow credits and released only after verification.

Read More> Combating ‘Digital Arrest’ Scams | Scam Hubs in Southeast Asia

{GS3 – IE} RBI Proposes New Rule to Identify Upper Layer NBFCs **

• Context (ET): Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed replacing its parametric scoring model with a single, absolute asset threshold to identify NBFC-Upper Layer (NBFC-UL) entities.

Key Proposal for NBFC-UL Classification

• Size Criterion: NBFCs with total assets of ₹1 lakh crore or more will automatically qualify for Upper Layer.
• Govt Inclusion: For the first time, large government-owned entities will be included in the NBFC-UL category if they meet the asset threshold.
  • Most PSU NBFCs currently resides in the Middle Layer (NBFC-ML) or Base Layer (NBFC-BL).
• Threshold Review: RBI will formally review the asset size threshold every five years to account for economic growth and inflation.
• Risk Transfer: NBFC-UL entities may use State Government guarantees as credit risk transfer instruments without any quantitative cap.

About Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC)

• An NBFC is a financial institution registered under the Companies Act that provides banking-like services without holding a full banking licence.
• Regulator: RBI primarily regulates these entities under the RBI Act, 1934.
• Deposit Bar: NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits or issue cheques drawn on themselves.
• Deposit Insurance: The DICGC deposit insurance facility does not cover NBFC depositors.
• FDI Limit: Most NBFC activities permit 100% Foreign Direct Investment under the automatic route.
• SBR Framework: RBI classifies NBFCs into four layers under a Scale-Based Regulation (SBR) framework based on size, activity, and perceived riskiness: Base Layer, Middle Layer, Upper Layer, and Top Layer.

{GS3 – IS} Reptile Deterrence Proposal for India-Bangladesh Border Policing

• Context (TH | TW): Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) instructed Border Security Force (BSF) to evaluate deploying reptiles in riverine gaps along the Bangladesh border.

• Objective: To prevent illegal infiltration and smuggling through unfenced marshy and riverine terrain.

Key Issues and Concerns of the New Proposal

• Safety Risk: Releasing dangerous reptiles could endanger fishing and farming communities living near densely populated riverine areas.
• Ecological Risk: Artificially increasing top predators could disrupt local food chains and fragile riverine ecosystems along the border.
• Legal Hurdle: Moving protected reptiles, such as crocodiles, requires strict scrutiny under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Existing Border Surveillance Measures

• Aerial Watch: BSF is using drones with night-vision to monitor dark, inaccessible riverine stretches.
• Smart Fencing: Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) uses sensors, radars, and cameras to monitor areas unsuitable for physical fencing.
• Water Patrol: Interceptor boats and floating Border Outposts (BOPs) are operational and periodically upgraded for riverine border management.

Read More > India-Bangladesh Relations

{Prelims – IR} Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project *

• Context (PIB): Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the investment to construct the Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project.

• The Project is proposed on the Lohit River in Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh.

• Capacity: It has an installed capacity of 1,200 MW, comprising six 190 MW units and a 60 MW unit.
• Technology: It uses run-of-river with pondage, featuring a 128.5-metre concrete gravity dam and an underground powerhouse.
• Energy Share: The project will generate clean electricity, with Arunachal Pradesh receiving 12% of the power free of charge.
• Social Benefits: It involves developing roads and bridges, creating local jobs, and allocating an additional 1% of power to the Local Area Development Fund.
• Key Concern: The Environmental Impact Assessment overlooked its impact on the critically endangered white-bellied heron in the Lohit River basin.

{Prelims – IR} Punatsangchhu-I Hydropower Project *

• Context (NDTV): Work on the Punatsangchhu-I Hydropower Project in Bhutan resumed after a seven-year suspension due to geological instability.

• It is the largest India-Bhutan hydropower project to date, fully funded by India (40% grant, 60% loan).
• The project is a run-of-river hydroelectric facility on the Punatsangchhu River in Wangdue Phodrang district in western Bhutan.
• It features a concrete dam with an installed capacity of 1,200 MW for clean electricity generation.
• Power Export: All surplus electricity will be exported to India at a mutually agreed price.
• Key Challenges: Construction was halted in 2019 due to slope destabilisation on the right bank, requiring geological stabilisation interventions.
• Significance for Bhutan: The project will increase Bhutan’s hydropower capacity by about 30%.

{Prelims – PAN} 25 Vulture Carcasses Found in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

• Context (TOI): 25 vultures have been found dead in the buffer zone of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh.

• Species: Most of the deceased birds were Himalayan Griffon vultures.
• Cause: Preliminary investigations indicate deaths resulted from secondary poisoning after scavenging stray dog remains.

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About Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR)

• Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is a moist deciduous forest in Uttar Pradesh comprising Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur WLS and Katarniaghat WLS.
• Location: It lies along the Indo-Nepal border and represents one of the last remaining Terai-Bhabar ecosystems in India.
• Hydrology: Suheli and Mohana rivers feed the reserve. The Sharda and Girwa rivers flow through the Kishanpur and Katarniaghat WLS, respectively.
• Vegetation: It is dominated by Sal trees interspersed with swamp forests and tall grasslands.
• Key Fauna: Bengal Tiger, Indian Rhinoceros, Asian Elephant, Swamp Deer.
  • DTR reintroduced the Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros from Assam and Nepal in 1984-85.
  • It has about 50% of the world’s Swamp Deer (Barasingha) population.

{Prelims – Species} Sentinel Species *

• Context (TH): Emperor Penguins, a sentinel species for climate change in the Antarctic, have been uplisted to Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

About Sentinel Species

• Sentinel species are organisms (usually animals) that help identify environmental hazards by providing early warning of potential threats.
• Biological Smoke-Detector: They are more susceptible to hazards, have greater exposure, or respond faster to environmental changes.

Characteristics of Sentinel Species

• High Sensitivity: Sentinel species respond to small amounts of toxins or pathogens before significant harm occurs to other organisms.
• Measurable Response: Their reactions (e.g., illness, behavioural changes, or death) are readily observable and quantifiable.
• Territorial Overlap: They inhabit the area under observation to reflect local environmental conditions.
• Commonality: Ideal sentinels are non-endangered and abundant, making them easier to study without affecting the overall population.

Common Examples of Sentinel Species

• Canaries: Historically used in coal mines to detect carbon monoxide.
• Frogs and Amphibians: Highly sensitive to contaminants like pesticides due to their permeable skin.
• Honeybees: Used for tracking air pollution and agricultural chemical loads.
• Emperor Penguins: Sentinels for climate change in the Antarctic.

{Prelims – Disease} Hib Disease *

• Context (TN): Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease is resurfacing in the United States due to declining childhood vaccination coverage in recent years.

• Hib disease is caused by the gram-negative bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type b (not by a virus).
• Transmission: Through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, and through prolonged close physical contact with infected individuals.
• Symptoms: Hib infection leads to meningitis, epiglottitis, pneumonia, and septicaemia.
• Vulnerable Group: Children under five face the highest risk, while adults with weakened immune systems are also vulnerable.
• Prevention & Treatment: Treated with antibiotics, but resistance reduces effectiveness; Hib conjugate vaccine prevents infection via infant immunisation.
• India’s Initiative: Hib vaccine is provided for free under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

{Prelims – S&T} Claude Mythos

• Context (TH | IE): Anthropic, an AI startup, withheld the public release of its most powerful AI model, Claude Mythos, due to global cybersecurity risk.

• Claude Mythos is an advanced Large Language Model (LLM) designed for coding, reasoning, and complex problem-solving.
• Key Capability: The model can autonomously discover and exploit Zero-Day Vulnerabilities (previously unknown and unpatched software flaws).
• Exploitation Ability: It chains multiple minor vulnerabilities to create sophisticated exploits, enabling complete network attack simulations without human intervention.
• Key Concern: It can be misused to launch large-scale cyberattacks on digital and financial systems.
• Access Control: Public access is blocked. Anthropic launched Project Glasswing for controlled defensive access to select major technology firms.
• Implication for India: India’s IT sector depends on the global software ecosystem; exclusion from international cybersecurity coalitions increases exposure to risk.

{Prelims – Exercise} Exercise DUSTLIK

• Context (PIB): Indian Army contingent has departed to participate in the 7^th edition of Exercise DUSTLIK being held in Uzbekistan.

• It is an annual joint military exercise between India and Uzbekistan, held alternately in each country.
• Objective: Enhance military cooperation and joint operational capability in semi-mountainous terrain.
• Participants: About 60 personnel from each side, with India represented by the Indian Air Force and the Mahar Regiment of the Indian Army.
• Focus: Tactical drills, joint planning, and the establishment of a unified command-and-control framework.
• Significance: The exercise strengthens defence cooperation by improving interoperability and deepening ties between India and Uzbekistan.

Read More > About Uzbekistan