Current Affairs – April 27, 2026

{GS2 – Polity} SC Upholds Reproductive Choice of Minor as Fundamental Right **

Context (IE): Supreme Court allowed a 15-year-old to terminate a seven-month pregnancy, prioritising reproductive autonomy over statutory limits.

The Court held that a woman’s choice to terminate a pregnancy forms part of personal liberty and privacy under Article 21.
It established that no court can force a minor to continue an unwanted pregnancy against her will.

About Reproductive Autonomy in India

Reproductive autonomy is the right to make informed decisions about reproductive health, free from coercion or discrimination.
Legal Framework: The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Amendment (MTP) Act 2021 allows abortions up to 24 weeks for special categories like minors, with doctor approval.
Landmark Judgements: Suchita Srivastava (2009) and K.S. Puttaswamy Case (2017) recognised reproductive choice as part of personal liberty and privacy.
Equal Rights: In 2022, the Supreme Court struck down marital status distinctions for abortion access, ensuring equal rights. under Article 14.
Global Alignment: Reproductive autonomy supports India’s commitments to SDG 3.7 (universal sexual health access) and SDG 5.6 (reproductive rights and gender equality).

Key Challenges

Medical Gatekeeping: The MTP Act shifts decision-making power from women to Registered Medical Practitioners, making doctors gatekeepers.
Social Stigma: Unmarried women often face “extra-legal” requirements like spousal or parental consent, despite the law requiring only the woman’s consent.
Patriarchal Coercion: Societal norms limit women’s reproductive choices; NFHS-5 shows that only 18% decide independently on their health.
Legal Gap: Not criminalising marital rape undermines bodily autonomy & enables forced pregnancies.
Safety & Access: Rural health centres face a 70-75% shortage of obstetricians and gynaecologists, pushing women toward unsafe abortion procedures.

{GS2 – Polity} Anti-Defection Law under the Tenth Schedule

Context (IE): Seven out of ten Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MPs officially broke away from the party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Legal Basis: They invoked the Tenth Schedule‘s merger provision as protection against disqualification.

About Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution

The Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, known as the Anti-Defection Law, was introduced by the 52nd Amendment Act, 1985.
Objective: It aims to curb the “Aaya Ram Gaya Ram” culture of frequent party-switching that historically destabilised governments.
Grounds: An MP or MLA is disqualified under the following conditions:
- Voluntary Resignation: Formally resigning, or conduct implying abandonment of party membership.
- Defying the Whip: Voting against or abstaining contrary to party directions without permission, provided that such action has not been condoned by the party within 15 days.
- Independent Members: Joining any political party after the election.
- Nominated Members: Joining a political party after six months of taking their seat.
Merger Exception: Members are protected if the original political party merges at the organisational level, provided two-thirds of the members of the legislature party agree to the merger.
Presidential Election: Anti-defection provisions do not apply during presidential and vice-presidential elections, as political parties are prohibited by the Election Commission from issuing whips.
Presiding Officer: Speaker (Lok Sabha/Assemblies) or Chairman (Rajya Sabha/Councils) acts as the sole adjudicating authority for disqualification petitions within the House.
Timely Adjudication: To prevent “pocketing” of petitions, the Supreme Court has mandated a three-month deadline for Presiding Officers to reach a decision.
Judicial Review: Kihoto Hollohan (1992) ruled that the Presiding Officer acts as a quasi-judicial tribunal, and its decision is subject to review by the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

{GS2 – Governance} Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) 2.0 App*

Context (PIB): Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) 2.0 App strengthens India’s drug-free mission through digital awareness, outreach, and community engagement nationwide.

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA)

Aim: To create a drug-free society through awareness, digital monitoring, and coordinated demand reduction efforts across India.
Launched: On 15^th August 2020 by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
Mass Outreach: Over 26 crore people, including youth and women, sensitised across all districts through over 8.3 lakh activities and over 28,000 Nasha Mukti Mitras.
Digital Platform: NMBA 2.0 App launched in 2026 as a centralised tool for real-time monitoring, reporting, and coordination under NAPDDR.

The National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) is a centrally sponsored scheme that aims to reduce drug abuse in India through coordinated efforts in prevention, awareness generation, treatment, and rehabilitation of affected individuals and families.

Key Features NMBA 2.0

Citizen Access: Provides e-Pledge, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, helpline support, and de-addiction centre details for public awareness and participation.
Institutional Monitoring: Enables Grant-in-Aid Institutions (GIAs) with role-based access for real-time reporting and monitoring of de-addiction facility activities.
Transparency Tools: Includes grant status tracking, nearest de-addiction centre locator, and feedback system for improved accountability and services.

{GS3 – IE} RBI Revoked Banking License of Paytm Payments Bank *

Context (TH): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled Paytm Payments Bank’s licence, citing detriment to depositors and the public.

Restrictions: No fresh deposits, credit transactions, or top-ups are allowed into any Paytm Payments Bank accounts or FASTags.
Availability: The Paytm app and its UPI services remain fully functional, operating through partnerships with other major commercial banks.

About Payments Bank

Payments Banks are a specialised type of bank introduced in 2025 to advance financial inclusion for underserved populations.
Foundation: This banking model was established based on the recommendations of the Nachiket Mor Committee in 2014.
Legal Status: They are registered as public limited companies under the Companies Act, 2013 and licensed under Section 22, Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Deposit Limit: Payments Banks can only accept demand deposits, currently capped at a maximum of ₹2 lakh per individual customer.
Permitted Services: They can offer remittance services, ATM and debit cards, mobile payments, and third-party products such as insurance and mutual funds.
Credit Bar: These institutions are prohibited from lending money or providing any form of credit, including credit cards.

Regulation of Payments Banks

Regulatory Acts: The RBI regulates Payments Banks under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, RBI Act, 1934, the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, and FEMA, 1999.
CRAR Requirement: Payments Banks are required to maintain a minimum Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of 15% to buffer against operational risks.
Paid-up Capital: Every bank must have a minimum paid-up voting equity capital of ₹100 crore.
Reserve Ratios: Like regular banks, they maintain a CRR with the RBI on their outside demand and time liabilities.
Investment Mandate: At least 75% of demand deposits must be invested in SLR-eligible Government Securities or Treasury Bills maturing within one year.

Read More> Payment Banks

{GS3 – Envi} Compound Climate Extremes Threaten 36% Terrestrial Habitats by 2085

Context (IE): A recent study found 36% of terrestrial vertebrate habitats could face overlapping extreme weather events by 2085.

Compound Threat: Compounded disasters, such as drought followed by wildfire, pose a faster and more lethal threat than gradual warming.

Key Findings of the Study

Ecoregion Risk: The number of ecoregions with at least 50% of their area exposed to at least two types of extreme events is projected to increase from 22 in 2050 to 236 by 2085.
Threat Hierarchy: Heatwaves are the primary projected threats, affecting 93% of species’ ranges, followed by wildfires (25%), droughts (14%), and floods (5%).
Vulnerable Group: Amphibians are the most vulnerable group due to their sensitivity to shifting moisture and temperature levels.
High-Risk Regions: Tropical regions, including the Amazon, Africa and Southeast Asia, face highest risk of biodiversity loss.
Beneficial Impact: Extreme events can occasionally benefit some species, such as the ornate chorus frog, which experiences lower predation pressure during droughts.
Paris Targets: Meeting the Paris Agreement targets could reduce high-risk habitats from 36% to 9%.

Read More > Extreme Weather Events

{GS2 – IR} International Waters Governance and Maritime Security **

Context (TH): Escalating Iran–US maritime confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz, including ship seizures & detentions, strain international waters governance under UNCLOS.

Legal Framework of International Waters

UNCLOS Basis: International waters are governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), which treats oceans as a global common beyond national jurisdiction.
High Seas: Areas beyond Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where all states enjoy freedom of navigation without sovereign control.
Territorial Waters: Extending up to 12 nautical miles, where coastal states exercise sovereignty but allow “innocent passage” of foreign vessels.
International Straits: Strategic waterways governed by the transit passage regime ensuring continuous and unhindered navigation.

Strait of Hormuz Maritime Crisis Escalation

Traffic Control: Post-war ship movement collapsed sharply as Iran imposed transit restrictions and high tolls, driven by geopolitical considerations.
India Benefit: India gained an advantage as Iran allowed selected Indian-flagged energy shipments to pass without reported toll payments.
US Action: The U.S. enforced a de facto blockade by issuing warnings and seizing vessels targeting Iranian-linked ships in international waters.
Iran Response: Iran retaliated by firing at, detaining, and capturing commercial vessels, escalating maritime tensions in the Strait.
Legal Conflict: Unilateral sanctions and seizures under domestic law created major disputes with international maritime law and UNCLOS principles.

Maritime Security Threats

Selective Enforcement: Powerful states apply maritime laws unevenly, weakening UNCLOS despite governing over 60% of global trade.
Economic Coercion: Sanctions and blockades affect nearly 30% of oil trade routes, increasing geopolitical and supply risks.
Maritime Incidents: Over 150 naval confrontations and ship seizures have been reported globally in disputed waters recently.
Chokepoint Risks: The Strait of Hormuz alone carries ~20% of global oil trade, making it highly vulnerable to disruptions from conflict.

Enhancing Ocean Governance Mechanisms

Rules-Based Order: Strengthen UNCLOS compliance as ~80% of global trade moves by sea, ensuring freedom of navigation in chokepoints.
Multilateral Action: Empower the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) & UN mechanisms, overseeing the safety of over 100,000 merchant ships globally, to mediate maritime disputes effectively.
De-escalation Measures: Promote diplomacy as Strait of Hormuz disruptions can impact 17–20 million barrels of oil daily, affecting global energy stability.
Legal Enforcement: Strengthen UNCLOS arbitration using precedents like the 2016 South China Sea ruling to curb unlawful blockades and seizures.

{GS3 – IE} Heat-Induced Income Shock for Gig Workers **

Context (TH): India’s 12 million gig workers are facing a “climate-income trap” as rising summer heat reduces both their working hours and earnings.

Summer Vulnerabilities of Gig Workers in India

Income Losses: A one-degree rise in mean temperature can reduce net earnings by 16%. Intense heatwaves can cut earnings by up to 40%.
Output Loss: Extreme heat forces workers to cut active hours by ~1.2 hours daily, resulting in 9.2 fewer deliveries per week.
Heat Illness: 52% of gig workers suffer heat exhaustion, and 30% experience heatstroke, including symptoms like dizziness and fainting.
Gender Impact: Women gig workers face worsened menstrual health and increased urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to dehydration and toilet inaccessibility.
Tech Downtime: High ambient temperatures cause smartphones and electric vehicle (EV) batteries to overheat, creating uncompensated technical downtime for workers.

Factors Behind Heightened Vulnerabilities

Platform Pressure: “10-minute delivery” mandates and log-off penalties during peak hours (12 PM–4 PM) discourage workers’ necessary cooling breaks.
Wage Trap: With 40% of workers earning below ₹15,000 monthly, the “no work, no pay” model compels them to ignore health risks.
Heat Exposure: Delivery riders on two-wheelers face magnified heat from tarmac, traffic, and the urban heat island effect, well above ambient city readings.
Amenity Denial: Over 40% of workers lack cold drinking water, and 44% rely on paid public toilets while on duty.

NDMA Advisory for Informal and Gig Workers

Work Suspension: Platforms must suspend mandatory work between 11 AM and 4 PM during IMD-declared Orange and Red Alerts.
Radius Reduction: Task allocation should be capped at a 3 km radius from workers’ locations during heat alerts.
Emergency Leave: Workers will receive at least two emergency summer leave days, extended to three for women, with no penalties.
Opt-Out Rights: Platforms are directed to allow workers to log off during extreme heat hours without affecting ratings, incentives, or account status.
Emergency Button: Apps should include a one-tap emergency button to connect workers to medical help and nearby hospitals.

{GS3 – S&T} India’s Bio-Economy Projected to Reach $1 Trillion by 2047 *

Context (NOA | PIB): India’s bio-economy sector is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2047.

About Bio-Economy

The bio-economy includes activities that use biological research to convert renewable resources into high-value products.
It integrates sustainable agriculture, biopharmaceuticals, biomanufacturing, and bio-energy to reduce fossil fuel dependence.
India’s Goal: India aims to expand its bio-economy to $300 billion by 2030.

Current Status of India’s Bio-Economy

Market Size: It reached $195.3 billion in 2025, growing at a record 18% year-on-year.
GDP Share: It now accounts for nearly 5% of India’s national GDP.
Sector Share: The bio-industrial sector contributes ~47%, mainly through biofuels, bioplastics, and bio-based chemicals.
Innovation Ecosystem: Biotech startup ecosystem expanded to over 11,000 active ventures by 2025.
Energy Integration: India achieved 20% ethanol blending in 2025, five years ahead of target.

Key Government Policies Driving India’s Bio-Economy

BioE3 Policy (2024): Integrates biotechnology, engineering, and AI to build domestic biomanufacturing hubs and promote a circular bio-economy.
Bio-RIDE Scheme (2024): Supports biomanufacturing and biofoundries to bridge the lab-to-market gap for deep-tech biotechnology startups.
Biopharma SHAKTI: Announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, it aims to position India as a global hub for biologics and biosimilars.
ANRF Funding: Anusandhan National Research Foundation oversees a ₹50,000 crore fund to boost industry-academia research and development intensity.
National Biopharma Mission: Launched in 2017, it supports indigenous vaccines, biosimilars, and medical devices with 50% co-funding from the World Bank.

Read More > India’s Bioeconomy Sector

{GS3 – S&T – AI} AI Cyber Threats to India’s Financial Sector **

Context (FI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman convened a meeting with bank and regulator heads to address cybersecurity risks from Claude Mythos.

Claude Mythos is a frontier AI model by Anthropic, built with cybersecurity capabilities that surpass human performance in certain domains.
Zero-Day Discovery: Mythos autonomously identified thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities across Linux, Windows, macOS, and major web browsers in pre-release testing.
Access Control: Due to misuse potential, Mythos remains publicly unreleased, restricted to select partners, including Apple and JPMorgan, under Project Glasswing.

AI Vulnerabilities in Indian Financial Institutions

Legacy Code: Many Public Sector Banks (PSBs) rely on ageing core banking software with decades-old, unpatched code that AI agents can exploit within seconds.
API Interconnectivity: India’s highly integrated Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) creates a vast attack surface, where a single API vulnerability can trigger systemic failure.
Response Gap: The velocity of AI-led attacks far exceeds the reaction time of traditional human-monitored Security Operations Centres (SOCs).
Identity Spoofing: AI’s ability to generate hyper-realistic synthetic identities and deepfakes can circumvent current video-KYC protocols.
Vendor Risk: Increased outsourcing to third-party fintech and cloud providers creates a fragmented security perimeter, in which a single vendor can compromise major banks.
Regulatory Lag: India’s IT and banking laws lack frameworks for ‘algorithmic liability,’ leaving institutions and consumers vulnerable to autonomous AI-driven fraud.

Government Measures for Financial Resilience

IBA Coordination: The Ministry of Finance has directed the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to coordinate a bank-wide counter-strategy against AI-driven cyber threats.
Threat Telemetry: Banks are advised to establish a real-time threat-intelligence sharing mechanism with CERT-In against emerging AI exploits.
Dynamic 2FA: RBI has mandated dynamic Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for all digital payments. One factor must be unique per transaction to counter credential harvesting.
Domain Migration: RBI migrated all banks to the exclusive .bank.in domain and NBFCs to the .fin.in domain to eliminate fishing.
IDPIC: Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) is a new Section-8 company established for AI/ML-driven real-time fraud detection across the digital payments ecosystem.

{Prelims – A&C} Virli Khandar Megalithic Site *

Context (IE): Archaeologists recently excavated a 2,500-year-old burial site at Virli Khandar.

Virli Khandar is a megalithic site in Maharashtra, part of the eastern Vidarbha megalithic cluster.

Key Archaeological Findings

Composite Architecture: Excavations revealed a burial structure that combines menhirs with traditional circular boulder enclosures.
- Menhirs are tall, upright standing stones used as surface markers for Iron Age burial sites.
Unique Ritual: Archaeologists found nearly 50 earthen pots deliberately positioned upside down within the main burial site.
Stabilisation Technique: Red ware and black-and-red ware pottery were placed in sticky black cotton soil, preserving their position for over two millennia.
Grave Goods: Excavations uncovered a copper necklace, iron implements, carnelian beads, and a well-preserved gold earring.

{Prelims – S&T – Space} Jordan Becomes Artemis Accords Signatory *

Context (NASA): Jordan officially became the 63^rd country to sign the Artemis Accords.

Jordan is a Middle Eastern country bordered by Israel, the West Bank (Palestinian territory), Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria.

About Artemis Accords

Artemis Accords are a set of non-binding multilateral agreements governing the civil exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.
The U.S. established them in 2020, alongside 7 other founding members — Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the UAE, and the UK.
India joined the Artemis Accords in 2023, allowing data sharing for future space missions.
Legal Basis: The framework is grounded in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
Core Principles: Signatories commit to transparent operations, interoperable systems, emergency assistance for astronauts, and open release of scientific data.

Outer Space Treaty, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), bans weapons of mass destruction in space. It has 118 countries as parties, including India.

Read More > Artemis Accords

{Prelims – Defence} INS Kalpeni *

Context (TOI): INS Kalpeni recently arrived at Gan in Addu Atoll, strengthening the ongoing maritime engagement between India and the Maldives.

INS Kalpeni is a Car Nicobar-class Fast Attack Craft (FAC) named after Kalpeni Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.
It was built indigenously by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata, for the Indian Navy.
Operational Role: The vessel supports rapid offshore interception, coastal patrols and defends India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Propulsion: It uses waterjet propulsion, providing better manoeuvrability in shallow waters.
Speed: The craft can attain speeds over 35 knots.
Armament: It carries a 30 mm CRN-91 naval gun, Igla surface-to-air missiles, and 11 machine guns.

{Prelims – In News} Ashok Lahiri Appointed NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson

Context (FE): Ashok Kumar Lahiri was recently appointed Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, succeeding Suman K. Bery.

Ashok Lahiri is an economist from West Bengal and a sitting MLA in the state.
He has served as Chief Economic Adviser and as a member of the 15^th Finance Commission (FC).

About NITI Aayog

NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is India’s apex public policy think tank.
It is a non-constitutional, non-statutory body established in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission.
It follows Cooperative Federalism through decentralised, bottom-up policy formulation.
Composition: Chaired by Prime Minister, it includes a Vice Chairperson, full-time/part-time members, Ex officio Members, a Chief Executive Officer, a Governing Council, Special Invitees, and Regional Councils.
- The Vice-Chairperson is appointed by the Prime Minister.
Governance Pillars: Its 7 pillars are pro-people, pro-activity, participation, empowering, inclusion, equality, and transparency.