Current Affairs – February 14, 2026

{GS2 – IR} Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secures Victory in Parliamentary Election **

• Context (IE): The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, secured a decisive victory in Bangladesh’s 2026 General Elections.

• Political Shift: The Awami League, previously led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, remained barred from participating as its registration stayed suspended.
• Referendum Outcome: Held alongside the elections, a referendum on the “July Charter” received a “Yes” vote from approximately 70-73% of voters; proposed reforms include –
  1. Imposing a two-term limit for the Prime Minister.
  2. Restructuring parliament into a bicameral legislature.
  3. Establishing a neutral caretaker system to oversee future elections.
  4. Increasing women’s representation and strengthening judicial independence

Key Implications for India

• Security Risks: Northeast India’s internal security is at renewed risk as the new regime may adopt an accommodative stance toward dormant insurgent groups.
• Extradition Crisis: Bilateral diplomatic channels will be strained by the new government’s formal pursuit of Sheikh Hasina’s extradition.
• Connectivity Projects: Regional integration faces setbacks as the administration plans a strategic review of key transit agreements, including energy pipelines and port access.
• Border Friction: Operational tension is expected along the frontier, as the BNP manifesto mandates a “zero-tolerance” policy on border killings and alleged “push-ins.”
• Water Diplomacy: Negotiations may become contentious as Dhaka prioritises “equitable redistribution” for the Teesta and Padma rivers, ahead of the Ganga Water Treaty’s 2026 expiry.
• Geopolitical Shift: India’s regional influence may wane as Bangladesh recalibrates its foreign policy towards a “diversified partnership,” deepening ties with China and Pakistan.

Read More> India-Bangladesh Relations

{GS3 – Infra} Aerospace Manufacturing in India **

• Context (TH): Despite record growth and strategic opportunities, a significant engineering skills gap could hinder India’s aerospace manufacturing ambitions.

India’s Aerospace Manufacturing Landscape

• Market Position: India is the world’s third-largest aviation market, with a domestic requirement of ~3,300 new aircraft by 2044.
• Component Manufacturing: The market for aerospace parts manufacturing in India is expected to reach $21.5 billion by 2030.
• MRO Sector: The Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector is projected to be a $4 billion industry by 2031, transitioning from a service-import model to a domestic service hub.
• Private Assembly: The Tata-Airbus consortium established India’s first private Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Vadodara to manufacture 40 C-295 aircraft.

Govt. Initiatives for Aerospace Manufacturing

• Indigenisation List: The Ministry of Defence issued five Positive Indigenisation Lists, comprising over 5,000 items, to embargo imports and ensure a domestic market.
• Infrastructure Support: Two dedicated Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu offer subsidised land and “plug-and-play” infrastructure for aviation units.
• Fiscal Incentives: The Centre reduced the GST rate on MRO services from 18% to 5% and aligned place-of-supply rules to make Indian MROs globally competitive.
• Investment Policy: The government now permits up to 74% FDI in defence manufacturing under the automatic route to encourage foreign OEMs to set up manufacturing units.
• Digital Interface: The SRIJAN Portal lists aviation items previously imported by Defence PSUs, helping private industries identify parts for reverse engineering.
• Procurement Norms: The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) and Public Procurement orders mandate domestic manufacturing clauses in major procurements.

Read More > Aerospace Manufacturing in India

{GS3 – S&T} Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Welfare

• Context (IE): India is hosting the fourth AI Impact Summit, shifting focus from AI safety to sarvajana hitaya, sarvajana sukhaya, welfare and happiness for all.

AI as Welfare Transformation Tool

• Food Security: AI tools enhance the productivity of smallholders who supply ~70% of global food. E.g., Kisan E-Mitra handles ~20,000 farmer queries daily in 11 languages.
• Income Growth: Precision AI can raise farm incomes while reducing chemical inputs. E.g., Telangana’s Saagu Baagu doubled chilli farmers’ earnings with lower fertiliser and pesticide use.
• Care Access: AI-enabled telemedicine offsets doctor shortage. E.G., eSanjeevani completed ~389 million virtual consultations by mid-2025.
• Skill Scale: AI platforms scale education and skilling. E.g., DIKSHA reached ~275 million users, with ~70% of users in rural areas.

Need for AI for Welfare in India

• Food Security: With ~70% of food produced by smallholders facing low productivity, AI advisories improve yields, input efficiency, and climate resilience.
• Health Access: India’s public doctor–patient ratio (~1:11,000) makes AI-enabled telemedicine and diagnostics essential for universal healthcare.
• Skill Deficit: Only ~5% of India’s 950 million workforce has formal training; AI platforms enable large-scale, personalised skilling.
• Inclusive Growth: With rural internet access at ~24% versus 66% urban, welfare-oriented AI can reduce regional and gender inequalities.

Structural Barriers to AI

• Digital Divide: With only 24% rural households online and low digital gender parity, large populations remain excluded from AI benefits.
• Talent Shortage: A 1:10 ratio of skilled professionals to AI roles reflects gaps in advanced training, slowing innovation and scale.
• Supply Dependence: Over 90% import reliance for semiconductors and critical inputs makes AI ecosystems vulnerable to US–China tech rivalries.

Way Forward

• Welfare-Centric AI: Define AI success by outcomes, farm yield, disease detection, literacy gains, not model size or geopolitical power.
• DPI Scaling: Deploy AI through Digital Public Infrastructure to reach scale, as shown by 389 million e-health consultations and 275 million digital learners.
• Infrastructure Sync: Align AI growth with broadband, energy grids and domestic hardware capacity, given only 24% rural internet access and heavy chip import dependence.
• Lean Governance: Simplify AI regulation and promote “good-enough” AI to reduce compliance friction while accelerating innovation for the public good.

{GS3 – S&T} SHANTI Act & Nuclear Liability Debate

• Context (TH): SHANTI Act, passed in Winter Session, opens nuclear sector to private participation and modifies liability provisions under Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA).

• Liability dilution combined with private entry may disproportionately favour corporate profitability over systemic risk allocation.

Key Features of the SHANTI Act

• Private Sector Entry: Ends the Union government’s exclusive control by permitting private entities to operate nuclear power plants, marking a major policy shift.
• Supplier Indemnity: Channels liability primarily to operators by removing the “right of recourse,” preventing operators from suing suppliers for defective equipment.
• Liability Caps: Operator liability capped between ₹100 crore – ₹3,000 crore, while total accident liability capped at 300 million SDR (~₹3,900 crore).
• Clause 46 Omission: Omission of Clause 46 of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010 removes victims’ ability to seek remedies under other civil or criminal laws.
• Regulatory Framework: The Act provides a legislative basis for the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) but links member selection to a committee constituted by the Atomic Energy Commission.

Liability & Safety Concerns

Supplier Indemnity Debate

• Design Defect Evidence: Major nuclear accidents globally have been linked to design flaws. E.g. Fukushima (containment weakness), Chernobyl (reactor instability), Three Mile Island (control room failures).
• Safety Incentive Distortion: Supplier indemnity weakens accountability pressures that normally enforce stringent quality assurance and engineering safeguards.
• Risk Transfer Mechanism: Liability burden effectively shifts from suppliers → operators → state/victims, diluting the polluter-pays principle.

Liability Cap vs Potential Damage

• Scale Mismatch: SHANTI Act caps total liability at ~₹3,900 crore, while Fukushima damages are estimated at ~₹46 lakh crore.
• Compensation Deficit: Even the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC) pools are unlikely to cover >1% of catastrophic loss scenarios.
• Absolute Liability Dilution: Indemnification for “grave natural disasters” softens India’s traditionally strict hazardous industry liability framework.

Way Forward

• Liability Rebalancing: Restore calibrated supplier accountability to preserve safety incentives. E.g., Hybrid liability frameworks used in select OECD nuclear regimes.
• Regulatory Independence: Strengthen AERB autonomy to avoid regulatory capture risks. E.g., Independent nuclear regulators in the US (NRC) & France (ASN).
• Safety Investment Mandate: Enforce stricter plant resilience and multi-hazard disaster preparedness requirements for nuclear installations. E.g., Post-Fukushima global safety upgrades.

{GS3 – S&T} Rafale Jet *

• Context (TH): The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has cleared the proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

• Indigenisation: Ninety-six jets will be produced domestically through a strategic partnership, and the fleet will integrate indigenous weapons like Astra and BrahMos-NG missiles.

About Rafale Fighter Jet

• The Rafale is a 4.5-generation, canard-delta-wing, multirole combat aircraft manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France.
• Operational Role: It operates as an “Omnirole” platform capable of executing air superiority, ground support, and nuclear deterrence missions in a single sortie.
• Engine Capabilities: It has a twin-engine configuration that enables Supercruise, enabling supersonic flight without afterburners.
• Speed & Altitude: It has a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and maintains a service ceiling of 50,000 ft.
• Radar System: It features the RBE2 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar for simultaneous detection and tracking of multiple targets.
• Electronic Warfare: The SPECTRA (Self-Protection Equipment Countering Threats to Rafale Aircraft) suite provides long-range detection and jamming capabilities.
• Enhancements: The fleet incorporates 13 India-specific enhancements, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, low-band jammers, and cold-start capability for high-altitude bases.

{Prelims – S&T} Technology Services – Reimagination Ahead Roadmap

• Context (PIB): NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub has released a ten-year roadmap titled “Technology Services – Reimagination Ahead“.

• It is a strategic blueprint outlining a transition for India’s technology sector from a labour-arbitrage model to an AI-native, IP-led ecosystem.
• Objective: To scale the sector from $265 billion to $750–850 billion by 2035, supporting the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
• Growth Levers: The report identifies five priority areas — Agentic AI, Software and Products, Digital Infrastructure, Innovation-led Engineering, and “India-for-India” solutions.
• Infrastructure Targets: A key goal is to achieve at least 10 GW of data centre capacity by 2030 to support the AI ecosystem.
• Collaborative Action: It calls for government-industry coordination to accelerate enterprise AI adoption, scale IP investment, and ensure regulatory predictability.

{Prelims – S&T} Bodhan AI *

• Context (TH): The Ministry of Education launched Bodhan AI at the inaugural Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave 2026, held in New Delhi.

• It is a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Madras, dedicated to integrating Artificial Intelligence into the Indian education system.
• The initiative aims to build the “Bharat EduAI Stack” to integrate AI throughout India’s education system, from kindergarten to research.
• It is being developed in partnership with the Indian startup Sarvam AI to build Large Language Models (LLMs) tailored to local contexts.
• Linguistic Inclusivity: The AI models operate in all 22 scheduled languages to eliminate language barriers for rural students.
• Teacher Training: The system prioritises “Teacher Capacity Building“, positioning AI as an assistant to educators rather than replacements.
• Student Personalisation: The platform supports multimodal delivery and offers adaptive learning tailored to each student’s pace and style.
• Significance: The initiative operationalises the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 vision of achieving a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio by 2035.

{Prelims – Defence} Air-Ship Based High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) *

• Context (SW): Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of Air-Ship Based High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) for the Indian Air Force.

• They are named pseudo-satellites because they perform basic satellite functions, but they do not require a rocket for launching.

About High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS)

• Category: Solar-powered unmanned aerial platform operating in the stratosphere (~18–20 km altitude) with persistent satellite-like surveillance and communication capabilities.
• Operational Concept: Designed to remain airborne for months or even years, using daytime solar energy and high-density battery storage during night cycles.
• Pseudo-Satellite Role: Provides persistent regional coverage without costly rocket launches.

Key Applications

• Military Functions: Persistent Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) operations, Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), telecommunications, remote sensing.
• Communication Support: Functions as a “tower in the sky” for secure communication networks.
• Civilian Uses: Disaster management, 5G extension, precision agriculture, environmental monitoring.

Why India Needs HAPS?

• Doklam Lesson (2017): The Doklam standoff exposed the need for continuous, real-time surveillance to track mobilisation and infrastructure activity near sensitive border points.
• Persistent Surveillance Gap: Conventional UAVs typically offer 24–48 hours of endurance, while LEO satellites move on fixed paths and can’t “hover” over one spot continuously.
• Border Scale Challenge: India has ~15,000 km of land borders across high-altitude, desert and forest terrains, where ground-based sensors have blind spots.

{Prelims – Species} Tangkhul Hui and Kombai Dog Breeds to be Inducted in Assam Rifles

• Context (TH): Assam Rifles is set to induct two indigenous dog breeds, the Tangkhul Hui and the Kombai, into its canine unit by March 2027.

• Strategic Alignment: The move is part of the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative to reduce reliance on foreign breeds like Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds.

About Tangkhul Hui

• Tangkhul Hui, also known as Haofa, is an indigenous breed native to Manipur, traditionally reared by the Tangkhul Naga tribe.
• Physical Appearance: The dog is characterised by a black coat and a muzzle that resembles an Asiatic Black Bear.
• Operational Utility: It is an expert tracker capable of navigating the difficult, hilly terrain of the North East region.
• Key Traits: The breed exhibits extreme disease resistance and a sharp sense of smell suitable for narcotics detection.

About Kombai

• Kombai or Indian Boar Hound is a lean, muscular dog native to the foothills of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
• Physical Appearance: It has a short, reddish-brown coat and a distinct black, mask-like muzzle.
• Operational Utility: The breed was traditionally used for hunting wild boar and guarding farms.
• Key Traits: It is known for its exceptional pain tolerance and high adaptability to hot, humid climates.