Current Affairs – June 13, 2026

{GS3 – DM} Glacial Lake Outburst Floods **

• Context (DTE): A study identified five glacial lakes in the Kashmir Himalaya as highly susceptible to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).

Key Findings of the Study

• High-Risk Lakes: Gangabal and Nundkol lakes below the Harmukh peak in Ganderbal district are among the five lakes classified as highly susceptible to GLOFs.
• Rapid Glacier Retreat: Glaciers feeding these lakes are thinning at about 0.66 metres/ year, while ice-contact glacial lakes have expanded by 26% (1992–2024).
• No Early Warning System: No sirens, sensors, monitoring stations, or community alert systems exist around the identified high-risk lakes.
• Climate Change & Seismic Risk: Average maximum temperatures in the Kashmir Himalaya have increased by 1.4°C in 4 decades. The region lies in Seismic Zone V, India’s highest earthquake-risk category.

Challenges in GLOF Risk Management

• Limited Monitoring: Many Himalayan lakes lack sensors, cameras, & early warning systems.
• Low Awareness: The 2023 South Lhonak GLOF (Sikkim) exposed gaps in local preparedness, evacuation planning, and risk communication.
• Difficult Himalayan Terrain: Remote locations hinder real-time monitoring, emergency response, and infrastructure deployment.
• Weak Coordination: Multiple agencies (NDMA, IMD, SDMAs, and local administrations) are involved, but data sharing, hazard mapping, and response mechanisms remain fragmented.

Measures for GLOF Risk Management

• Establish community-based early warning systems (NDMA has tested an indigenous GLOF alert system at Sissu, Himachal Pradesh).
• Regular monitoring of glacial lakes using satellite (ISRO Glacial Lake Atlas) and field observations.
• Restrict construction in identified flood corridors (2023 Sikkim GLOF highlighted exposure of downstream assets).
• Conduct awareness campaigns and evacuation drills in local languages and integrate GLOF risk management into Himalayan climate adaptation strategies.

{GS3 – Infra} Infrastructure at the Core of India’s Development **

• Context (PIB): India has accelerated infrastructure development through integrated planning and record public investment to drive growth and connectivity.

• Public capital expenditure increased from ₹2 lakh crore (FY15) to ₹12.2 lakh crore (FY27 BE), reflecting sustained infrastructure investment.

Major Infrastructure Initiatives in India

{GS3 – S&T} India’s R&D Underspending: Structural and Cultural Challenges

• Context (IE): Recently, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) argued that India’s low spending on R&D is the result of both structural and cultural factors rather than a single cause.

Status of Research and Development (R&D) in India

• India’s Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) remains around 0.6–0.7% of GDP, significantly lower than nations like the US (2.8%) and South Korea (4.2%).
• Government sector contributes around 64% of total GERD, while the private sector accounts for about 36%.

Reasons for Low R&D Investment in India

• Captive Market Effect: India’s vast domestic market allows firms to grow without facing intense global competition. Thus, the incentive to invest in innovation & technological upgrading remains limited.
• Colonial Legacy: Colonial-era deindustrialisation weakened India’s manufacturing base and encouraged a greater focus on trade and commerce. This historical legacy continues to influence business preferences away from innovation-led manufacturing.
• Premature Financialization: Many firms prioritize short-term shareholder returns, dividends, and stock market performance over long-term investments. Consequently, R&D expenditure is often viewed as costly and uncertain.
• Democratic Uncertainty: Policy, regulatory, and economic uncertainties in a large democracy make businesses cautious about long-term investments. Since R&D generates returns only after several years, firms often prefer projects with quicker payoffs.

Way Forward

• Increase R&D Expenditure: India should gradually raise public and private R&D spending toward the long-standing target of 2% of GDP, comparable to leading innovation driven economies.
• Industry-Academia Collaboration: Cooperation between universities, research institutions and industries, supported by bodies like ANRF, can accelerate innovation & improve commercialisation of research outcomes.
• Encourage Private Sector Participation: Tax incentives, innovation grants and instruments such as the RDI Fund can motivate businesses to invest more in long term research and technological development.
• Foster a Culture of Innovation: Promoting scientific temper, entrepreneurship, and risk-taking can create an ecosystem that supports experimentation and breakthrough innovations.
• Improve Research Infrastructure: Expanding world class laboratories, research facilities and digital infrastructure can enhance the quality and effectiveness of R&D activities across sectors.

Read More> India’s R&D Architecture

{Prelims – Envi} First UN Carbon Credits Under Paris Agreement

• Context (DTE): The first carbon credits issued under the Paris Agreement in Myanmar are facing scrutiny over alleged links to the military junta, human rights concerns, & overstated emissions reductions.

• The project operates in Sagaing Region, one of Myanmar’s most conflict-affected areas, marked by displacement, violence, and humanitarian challenges. Credits may be overstated by 7–14 times, with audits conducted remotely due to security concerns.

Carbon Credits under the Paris Agreement

• Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement establishes a UN-regulated global carbon market in which verified emission reductions generate tradable carbon credits.
• Intended to replace the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) with stronger transparency and environmental safeguards.
• Each carbon credit represents 1 tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced, avoided, or removed from the atmosphere.

{Prelims – Envi} Agave americana (Century Plant) *

• Context (BBC): India is harvesting Agave americana varieties across the Deccan Plateau to develop a domestic agave spirit industry known as the country’s “blue gold”.

• Agave americana is a drought-tolerant Mexican succulent used to produce regional spirits and thrives in arid and semi-arid climates with minimal irrigation.
• It is a ‘Century Plant’, meaning it grows for 7 to 12 years and flowers only once in its lifetime.

• Key Benefits: Produces low-glycemic agave nectar, prebiotic inulin, and bioethanol; supports wasteland use, rural income, and carbon sequestration through CAM photosynthesis.

{Prelims – Infra} Container Port Performance Index 2025

• Context (BS): Three Indian ports featured in the global top 100 of the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025, published by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.

• Seven of the top 10 ports in CPPI 2025 are Chinese, with the Port of Fuzhou ranked 1^st globally.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), Maharashtra, retained its position as India’s best-performing container port, ranking 22nd globally in CPPI 2025.
• Pipavav Port, Gujarat, ranked 28^th globally, is India’s top-performing private container port and the 2^nd most efficient overall. Mundra Port, Gujarat, slipped five places to 30^th.

{Prelims – Misc} One Liners

• Agri – Oilseeds Kisaan Mitra (PIB): Developed by ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Oilseeds Kisaan Mitra is India’s first WhatsApp-based multilingual AI chatbot providing free 24×7 research-backed advisory services to oilseed farmers across the country.

• Polity – 11^th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog (PIB): Chaired by the Prime Minister on the theme “Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat@2047,” the meeting recorded 100% attendance from states, with all 28 State Chief Ministers present for the first time.
  • The Council comprises Chief Ministers of all states, CMs of UTs with legislatures, and Lieutenant Governors of other UTs, to develop a unified framework and to resolve inter-sectoral, inter-departmental, and federal-state coordination issues.