Current Affairs – February 23, 2026

{GS2 – Social Sector} India Recorded a Fourfold Increase in Organ Transplants **

• Context (PIB): India has witnessed a fourfold increase in organ transplants, rising from under 5,000 procedures in 2013 to nearly 20,000 in 2025.

• Donation Gap: Despite this growth, India’s deceased organ donor rate remains below 1 per million, far behind Spain’s ~48 donors per million.

Organ Donation and Transplantation Framework in India

• Foundational Law: The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, regulates organ removal and transplantation.
• National Programme: The National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) promotes deceased donation through a three-tier national, regional, and state network.
• Consent Barrier: India operates an opt-in system where explicit family approval is legally mandatory for deceased donation, regardless of prior individual pledges.
• Digital Registry: The Aadhaar-linked National Organ and Tissue Transplant Registry facilitates transparent, secure registration of donation pledges nationwide.
• Eligibility Reforms: Under the 2023 reforms, the upper age limit and the state domicile requirement for recipient registration were both removed.

Organ Donation and Transplantation Landscape in India

• Transplant Volume: India ranks third globally (after the U.S. and China) in total organ transplants, with nearly 20,000 procedures in 2025.
• Deceased Share: Only 18% of transplants use deceased donor organs. India depends on living donors for the remaining 82%.
• Regional Skew: Of India’s 1,128 deceased donors in 2024, the vast majority were from southern and western states. Tamil Nadu has the highest share.
• Registration Surge: Over 4.8 lakh citizens have registered their intent to donate organs after death since September 2023.
• Surgical Leadership: India leads the world in the number of hand transplants performed. It has achieved competence in complex heart, lung, and pancreas procedures.

Read More> Organ Transplantation in India

{GS2 – IR} India-Brazil Increases Bilateral Trade Target to $30 Billion **

• Context (HT): PM Modi and Brazilian President Lula da Silva met on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi to elevate strategic ties against rising global trade protectionism.

Key Outcomes of the Meeting

• Trade Target: India and Brazil set a bilateral trade target of $30 billion by 2030, doubling the current $15 billion in trade.
• Aviation Facility: Brazilian aviation firm Embraer, in partnership with Adani Defence & Aerospace, will set up an assembly line and an MRO facility in India for its E175 regional jets.
• Naval MoU: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, the Indian Navy, and the Brazilian Navy signed a tripartite agreement to exchange technical data about the shared fleet of Scorpene-class submarines.
• Regulator MoU: India’s CDSCO and Brazil’s ANVISA signed an MoU to increase affordable Indian generic medicine supply to Brazil.

About Critical Mineral Pact

• Supply Diversification: India signed a critical minerals MoU with Brazil to diversify the supply of rare earths, lithium, graphite, niobium, and nickel for its steel, defence, and EV sectors.
• Resource Leverage: Brazil holds 94% of global niobium reserves, is the world’s second-largest iron ore producer, and has major manganese and rare earth deposits.
• Steel Supply: A dedicated steel-sector MoU will channel Brazilian iron ore, manganese, and nickel to help India achieve a 300 MT steel production target by 2030.
• Upstream Access: The mineral pact allows Indian firms to acquire mining assets, develop processing hubs, and conduct joint geoscientific exploration in Brazil.
• Battery Security: It seeks to secure a long-term supply of lithium and graphite to insulate India’s electric vehicle ecosystem from global price volatility.

Read More> India-Brazil Relations

{GS2 – IR} U.S. Supreme Court Struck Down President Trump’s Global Tariffs

• Context (TH): The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

U.S. Supreme Court Judgement

• Core Verdict: A 6-3 majority ruled that using IEEPA to impose global tariffs exceeded the executive branch’s constitutional authority.
• Constitutional Bar: The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the sole power to levy tariffs; the President cannot bypass this via emergency declarations.
• Statutory Limit: IEEPA permits regulating imports during emergencies, but does not grant authority to impose tariffs as revenue-raising instruments.
• False Emergency: Chronic trade deficits are a structural economic condition, not a foreign emergency that justifies IEEPA activation.
• Refund Mandate: Domestic importers are entitled to reclaim duties paid, exposing U.S. Customs and Treasury to refunds exceeding $175 billion.

About International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)

• Emergency Powers: Enacted in 1977, IEEPA empowers the U.S. President to regulate international commerce and freeze foreign assets upon declaring a national emergency.
• Restraint Design: It was enacted to rein in unchecked presidential trade powers previously granted under the Trading with the Enemy Act, 1917.
• Narrow Application: Administrations have routinely used it for targeted sanctions against specific adversaries, including Iran and terrorist networks, but never for broad tariff regimes.
• Renewal Requirement: Each national emergency declared under IEEPA requires mandatory annual Presidential renewal to remain legally valid.
  • Legislative Oversight: Congress must convene every six months to decide whether to end the declared emergency.
• Operational Reach: IEEPA forms the statutory foundation for U.S. sanctions and export controls, administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Read More> US Tariff Hike on India’s Imports

{GS2 – IR} President Trump Imposes 15% Global Import Surcharge under Trade Act, 1974 **

• Context (IE): Following the US Supreme Court’s invalidation of IEEPA tariffs, President Trump invoked the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a temporary 15% global import surcharge.

About New Global Tariff

• Implementation: Effective 24 February 2026, a 15% ad valorem tariff will be imposed globally under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
  • Ad Valorem: An ad valorem tariff is a trade tax calculated as a fixed percentage of an imported good’s estimated value, not its weight or physical quantity.
• Strategic Exemptions: Critical minerals, agricultural goods, pharmaceuticals, and select vehicles are exempt to shield domestic supply chains from sudden import-driven inflation.
• Uniform Baseline: Unlike country-specific rates under IEEPA, the new directive imposes a flat, non-discriminatory surcharge on imports from all trading nations.
• India Impact: Indian exporters will now face a flat 15% tariff, a reduction from the 18% reciprocal rate previously set under IEEPA.

Read More > USA’s Reciprocal Tariffs & Its Impact

{GS2 – IR} India Joins Board of Peace as an Observer

• Context (TH): India participated as an observer at the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-led Board of Peace in Washington, D.C.

• Observer Limits: As an observer, it can monitor proceedings and join discussions but cannot vote on resolutions or binding decisions.
• Strategic Calculus: India chose a calibrated observer role to maintain strategic autonomy without formally endorsing a platform that bypasses UN multilateralism.

About Board of Peace

• Davos Origin: The Board of Peace is a 27-member diplomatic bloc formally established at the January 2026 Davos summit.
• UN Bypass: It operates outside UN frameworks under Donald Trump’s permanent chairmanship.
• Membership Cost: Nations seeking permanent membership must make a mandatory $1 billion membership contribution.
• Gaza Mandate: Initially aligned with UNSC Resolution 2803 to oversee the Gaza peace plan, its mandate has since expanded to address broader global conflicts.
• Force Deployment: Member states contribute to an International Stabilisation Force comprising 20,000 soldiers and 12,000 police officers; the initial deployment is planned for Rafah.

Read More > Board of Peace

{GS3 – IE} Export Promotion Mission (EPM)

• Context (PIB | TOI | LM): Government launched seven additional interventions under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) to enhance MSME export competitiveness.

About Export Promotion Mission (EPM)

• Nature: A flagship central-sector scheme of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to improve export competitiveness with a targeted focus on MSMEs.
• Financial Outlay & Duration: Backed by a total allocation of ₹25,060 crore, it is structured as a five-year programme (2025–26 to 2030–31) with phased and targeted implementation.
• Nodal Agency: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) serves as the implementing authority.
• Export Targets: The mission aims to achieve USD 2 trillion in total exports by 2030 and increase the export-to-GDP ratio to 15%.
• Scheme Integration: It consolidates fragmented export schemes, such as the Interest Equalisation Scheme (IES) and the Market Access Initiative (MAI), into a unified framework.
• Operational Structure: Two coordinated sub-schemes, NIRYAT PROTSAHAN and NIRYAT DISHA.
  • NIRYAT PROTSAHAN: Expands exporters’ access to affordable trade finance.
  • NIRYAT DISHA: Provides non-financial support to strengthen exporters’ trade competitiveness

New Interventions in Niryat Protsahan (Financial Support)

• Export Factoring Support: Interest subvention of 2.75%, capped at ₹50 lakh per MSME annually, easing working capital constraints and improving short-term export liquidity management.
• E-Commerce Credit Facilities: Direct credit up to ₹50 lakh (90% guarantee coverage) and Overseas inventory credit up to ₹5 crore (75% guarantee coverage).
• Emerging Market Support: Shared-risk and structured credit instruments to encourage MSMEs’ strategic entry into new, non-traditional, and relatively high-risk export destinations.

New Interventions in Niryat Disha (Non-Financial Support)

• TRACE: Trade Regulations, Accreditation & Compliance Enablement supports exporters in meeting international Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) requirements.
• FLOW: Facilitating Logistics, Overseas Warehousing & Fulfilment enables access to overseas warehousing infrastructure and supports the development of e-commerce export hubs.
• LIFT: Logistics Interventions for Freight & Transport mitigates geographical disadvantages by providing partial reimbursement of eligible freight costs.
• INSIGHT: Integrated Support for Trade Intelligence & Facilitation strengthens exporter capacity-building, district-level facilitation under the Districts as Export Hubs initiative.

Read More > Initiatives for Export Promotion

{GS3 – Envi} Supreme Court Directions on Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 **

• Context (TI | LL): SC issued pan-India directions for implementation of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, recognising a clean environment as integral to Right to Life (Article 21).

• The Court emphasised that poor municipal waste management directly threatens public health, groundwater quality, air quality, and urban sustainability.

Key Directions Issued by the Supreme Court

• Four-Stream Segregation: Authorities directed to accelerate segregation into Wet, Dry, Sanitary & Special Care waste, & ensure communication of SWM Rules, 2026 to Bulk Waste Generators.
• Role of Elected Representatives: Councillors, Mayors, Corporators & Ward Members designated as lead facilitators of source-segregation awareness.
• Legacy Waste Action: Separate time-bound remediation plans mandated for existing dump sites.

Institutional Accountability Framework

• Direction Power: MoEFCC is instructed to issue binding directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Oversight: District Collectors are tasked with conducting solid waste infrastructure audits.
• Compliance Deadlines: Every local body is required to declare an outer time limit for 100% compliance.
• Escalating Enforcement: Non-compliance is subject to fines and accountability of responsible officials.

Three-Tier Enforcement Mechanism

• Tier 1 – Financial Penalties: Immediate fines for initial regulatory violations.
• Tier 2 – Criminal Liability: Persistent violations trigger prosecution under environmental statutes.
• Tier 3 – Extended Accountability: Liability extends to officials failing oversight duties.

Read More > Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026

{GS3 – S&T} New Delhi Declaration and Outcomes of the AI Impact Summit 2026 **

• Context (IE |TH): The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact.

About New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact

• The declaration establishes a voluntary, non-binding framework to harness AI as a shared global good for economic growth and social empowerment.
• It was endorsed by 89 countries and international organisations, including the United States, China, and the United Kingdom.
• The framework relies on the principle of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” (Welfare for all, Happiness for all) to prioritise equitable access to AI.
• It is based on Seven Chakras — democratise resources, foster social good, build trusted systems, advance science, empower communities, develop human capital, and create resilient infrastructure.

Key Initiatives in the Declaration

• Charter for Democratic Diffusion of AI ensures affordable access to computing resources, datasets, and foundational models for developing nations.
• Global AI Impact Commons facilitates cross-country replication of scalable AI use cases across governance and development.
• Trusted AI Commons curates tools, benchmarks, and best practices to strengthen culturally adaptable and secure AI systems.
• AI Workforce Development Playbook outlines global reskilling frameworks to prepare labour markets for artificial intelligence-driven transitions.
• AI for Social Empowerment Platform promotes knowledge exchange to scale inclusive AI solutions across public service delivery.
• International Network of AI for Science Institutions connects global research centres to accelerate AI-enabled scientific discovery.
• Guiding Principles on Resilient and Efficient AI aim to reduce the environmental and energy footprint of large-scale computing systems.

Other Key Outcomes of the Summit

• Investment Commitments: The summit secured total investment of $250 billion, and an additional $20 billion for frontier deep-tech research and for large-scale data infrastructure.
• Strategic Alignment: India joined the United States-led Pax Silica coalition to strengthen semiconductor supply chains and secure critical computing hardware.
• Innovation Compendium: Policymakers released an AI Compendium documenting over 170 scalable innovations spanning the agriculture, healthcare, and governance sectors.
• Indigenous Models: India unveiled BharatGen, Sarvam AI, and Gnani.ai, along with the MANAV Governance Framework, to reduce dependence on foreign technologies.

{Prelims – Geo} Baglihar Hydropower Project

• Context (TOI): Stage-I operations at the Baglihar hydropower project were temporarily suspended following minor flooding in the machine room.

• The Baglihar project is a major run-of-the-river power project on the Chenab River in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The facility has a total capacity of 900 MW, developed in two 450 MW stages utilising natural river flows.
• It comprises a concrete gravity dam with about 475 million cubic metres of reservoir storage.
• The dam uses drawdown flushing technology to continuously remove heavy Himalayan silt.

{Prelims – MoSDE} SANKALP Scheme *

• Context (TH): The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticised slow implementation and underutilisation of funds for the SANKALP scheme, based on a recent CAG report.

• Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• Launched in 2018 and originally scheduled to conclude in March 2023, the programme was extended to March 2025 to address implementation delays.
• Objective: Strengthen institutional frameworks for short-term skill training and ensure stronger industry linkages.
• Funding Mechanism: It is a World Bank-assisted project using the “Program for Results” (PforR) instrument to disburse funds only after achieving pre-agreed Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs).
• Target Beneficiaries: The scheme trains unemployed youth while mandating inclusion of marginalised communities like women, SCs, STs, and Persons with Disabilities.
• Key Features:
  • Decentralised Planning: Mahatma Gandhi National Fellows assist District Skill Committees (DSCs) in formulating market-relevant District Skill Development Plans.
  • Quality Assurance: Standardised training through a Unified National Accreditation Board and an independent National Skill Certification Body.
  • Trainer Capacity: Rigorous certification modules for trainers through specialised Trainer and Assessor Academies to upgrade the pedagogical infrastructure.
• Significance: It transforms India’s vocational ecosystem into an outcome-driven framework and operationalises the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).

{Prelims – IR} International Energy Agency (IEA) *

• Context (DTE): The International Energy Agency (IEA) has recently released the ‘State of Energy Innovation 2026′ report.

• The IEA is an autonomous intergovernmental organisation established in 1974 in response to the global oil crisis.
• It operates within the framework of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Its permanent headquarters are located in Paris, France.
• Its primary mandate to ensure oil supply security has expanded to include renewable energy, critical minerals, and the transition to net-zero emissions.
• Key Function: The agency coordinates the Collective Response System to mitigate oil supply disruptions by releasing emergency stocks into the market.
• Members: The organisation comprises 32 full member countries (Colombia joined in 2026), along with various accession and association nations.
  • India joined as an Association country in 2017 and is currently negotiating for full membership.
• Membership Criteria: A country must be an OECD member and have strategic oil reserves equivalent to 90 days of the previous year’s net imports.
• Structure: It is governed by a Governing Board (the highest decision-making body) and an administrative Secretariat led by an Executive Director.
• Flagship Reports: It publishes the World Energy Outlook and Energy Technology Perspectives to guide global clean-energy transitions.

{Prelims – Infra} India’s First Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)*

• Context (DDN | TH): PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated India’s first Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).

• It is an 82 km high-speed, high-frequency rail corridor connecting Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut.
• Implementing Agency: The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC)—a joint venture of the Centre and the States of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and UP.
• Speed: The corridor has a design speed of 180 kmph and an operational speed of 160 kmph, reducing commute time to under an hour.
• Technology: It uses an advanced radio signalling system enabling real-time train control, closer headways, and better passenger safety without traditional signals.
• Multimodal Integration: It physically links to Indian Railways, local metros, and interstate bus terminals at hubs like Sarai Kale Khan.
• Interoperability: The design allows trains from different corridors (e.g., Alwar to Meerut) to share the same tracks without requiring passenger transfers.
• Operational Distinction: Unlike intra-city metros, the RRTS serves longer-distance regional commutes (up to 100 km) with significantly fewer stops.
• Significance: The project promotes polycentric development, reduces annual CO₂ emissions by nearly 2.5 lakh tonnes, and advances ‘Nari Shakti’ by employing women as the majority of operators.

{Prelims – PIN} Vaan Island

• Context (NIE): The decade-long deployment of artificial reefs on Tamil Nadu’s Vaan Island has generated socio-ecological benefits exceeding twice the project’s cost.

• Vaan Island, also known as Van Tivu or Church Island, is a small, uninhabited coral island in the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu.
• It is one of the 21 islands within the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.
• Waters surrounding the island host rich marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and diverse fish species.
• Coastal Erosion: Between 1969 and 2015, the island shrank from 20 hectares to 1.53 hectares (a 92% loss) due to extensive coral mining and sea-level rise.
• Restoration: Since 2015, scientists have deployed more than ten thousand reef modules. The “Vaan Model” halted coastal erosion and increased the land area by over 2.3 hectares by early 2026.