Current Affairs – May 01, 2026

{GS2 – Governance} Supreme Court Seeks Abortion Law Reform for Minor Rape Survivors

Context (LL | TH): Supreme Court dismissed a curative petition against terminating a 15-year-old rape survivor’s 30-week pregnancy.

Key Directives and Observations

Time Limits: Supreme Court urged amending the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act to remove abortion limits for minor rape survivors.
Survivor Choice: The Court reaffirmed reproductive autonomy, bodily integrity, and dignity under Article 21, ruling that the State cannot force motherhood.
Key Rationale: The bench held abortion law should evolve as delayed discovery and survivor trauma outweigh foetal viability objections.

Legal Framework for Minor Abortion in India

MTP (Amendment) Act, 2021: It allows abortion up to 24 weeks for minors and rape survivors, requiring written guardian consent under Section 3(4)(a).
- After 24 weeks, abortion is permitted for significant foetal abnormalities certified by a Medical Board.
POCSO Act: Section 19 of the Act mandates reporting a minor pregnancy to the police, initiating an automatic criminal investigation.
Constitutional Relief: The Supreme Court invokes Article 142 when statutory limits prevent relief in late-term survivor pregnancies.

Key Judicial Precedents on Abortion of Minors

Murugan Nayakkar v. Union of India (2017) permitted abortion for a 13-year-old rape survivor, prioritising the survivor’s trauma over foetal viability.
X v. Principal Secretary, Health, Delhi (2022) protected minors’ privacy by limiting identity disclosure during abortion-linked POCSO reporting.
Medical Board: S v. State of Haryana (2024) prioritised survivor age and psychological condition over foetal health alone.

{GS2 – MoSPI} Gender Trends in India Women and Men Report 2025 **

Context (PIB): The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has released the 27^th edition of Women and Men in India 2025.

The report provides an assessment of gender status in India using indicators across population, education, health, economy, governance, and violence.
Gender Analysis: Presents separate data for women and men across themes, enabling a better understanding of gender gaps.

Major Findings of the Women and Men in India 2025

Sex Ratio at Birth: Improved from 904 (2017–19) to 917 (2021–23), indicating better survival of girls.
Highest Sex Ratio: Arunachal leads with 1085 females/1000 males, followed by Nagaland (1007).
Lowest Sex Ratio: Jharkhand (899) and Bihar (900) are the worst performers.
Infant Mortality: Both male and female infant mortality rates have steadily decreased (2008–2023).
Maternal Mortality: MMR reduced significantly from 254 (2004–06) to 88 (2021–23), indicating major improvements in maternal healthcare.
Dominant Contraceptive: Female sterilisation is the most widely used family planning method, accounting for 37.9% among married women (15–49 years).
School Education: Gender parity achieved across all levels from primary to higher secondary education.
Higher Education Enrolment: Female GER increased from 28.5 to 30.2 (2021–23), surpassing male enrolment.
Rising LFPR: Labour Force Participation Rate (15+) has increased for both men and women, indicating improved workforce engagement.
Rural Female Growth: Rural female LFPR saw a sharp rise from 37.5% to 45.9% (2022–2025).
Share of Crimes: Crimes against women accounted for 7.18% of total crimes in 2023, indicating a significant proportion.
- Cruelty by husband & relatives was the largest category, comprising 29.82% of crimes against women.

{GS2 – IR} India-Italy Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan

Context (DDN): India and Italy have formalised a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026-27.

It is a formal agreement to coordinate military-to-military interactions and training exercises.
Defence Co-production: The plan focuses on moving from a buyer-seller relationship to joint development and co-production of advanced defence equipment.

Overview of India-Italy Bilateral Relations

Bilateral ties were elevated to a “Strategic Partnership” in 2023, during Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s state visit to India.
Action Plan: Joint Strategic Action Plan (2025-2029) guides collaboration across 10 key pillars, including defence, energy transition, space, and migration.
Trade Relation: Italy is India’s 4^th largest trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral trade reaching $13.7 billion in FY 2024-25.
Trade Balance: The balance of trade has consistently remained in India’s favour.
- Key Exports: Ready-made garments, iron and steel, organic chemicals, refined petroleum products.
- Key Imports: Industrial machinery, metallurgical products, and precision engineering items.
Defence Relation: Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2023 to formalise defence relations.
Diaspora: Italy has the third largest Indian diaspora in the EU, estimated at over 2,00,000 people.
Multilateral Ties: Both nations are founding members of the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

Read More> India-Italy Relations

{GS3 – Infra} MoRTH Introduces Stricter Eligibility Norms for HAM Projects **

Context (IE): Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has introduced stricter disqualification and eligibility norms for Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) projects.

Objective: The reform aims to prevent catastrophic failures from construction defects, curb aggressive underbidding, and reduce chronic project delays.

Stricter Eligibility Provisions

Catastrophic Failure: Bidders are disqualified if involved in a major structural collapse or fatal construction defect within the last two years.
- Score Penalty: Such firms face a mandatory 30-mark deduction in the technical score for future project evaluations.
Net Worth: Developers must now meet a minimum net worth of 20% of the estimated project cost, up from 15%.
Security Restrictions: Third-party financial instruments for bid or performance security are prohibited to strengthen developer accountability.
Certification Standards: Bidders must now obtain technical experience certified by senior NHAI or Ministry officials, in addition to statutory auditors.

About Catastrophic Failures

Component Collapse: Collapse of a bridge, flyover, underpass, tunnel, or launching girder during construction or operation.
Harm Criteria: Incidents causing loss of life, or any construction collapse trapping workers for more than 72 hours.
Road Defects: Road damage causing 50-metre or longer closures or diversions, and Pavement Quality Concrete defects requiring full-depth replacement for more than 2% of the carriageway area.
Force Majeure: The definition excludes incidents caused by Force Majeure events such as earthquakes or extreme natural disasters.

Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM)

HAM is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework blending the EPC model (upfront government funding) with the BOT-Annuity model (long-term private operation and deferred payment).
Funding Split: The government pays 40% of the project cost. The developer arranges the remaining 60% through equity and bank debt.
Revenue Recovery: After construction, the government repays the developer’s 60% share via semi-annual annuities over a concession period (usually 15 years).
Traffic Risk: Unlike BOT-Toll, the government collects all tolls and bears traffic risk, ensuring the developer is paid regardless of vehicle volume.
O&M Duty: The developer manages Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for the full concession period, with payments often linked to road maintenance quality.

{GS3 – Agri} India’s First Integrated Basmati and Organic Training Centre in Pilibhit *

Context (NOA): APEDA is establishing India’s first integrated Basmati and Organic Training Centre-cum-Demo Farm in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.

Purpose: It will house a laboratory, museum, and demonstration farm to train farmers, promote exports, and support organic Basmati production.
Scope: The centre will cover both conventional and organic Basmati cultivation techniques.
AICRP Role: It will serve as an All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP) hub for testing and evaluating new Basmati varieties.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, promotes the export of agricultural and processed food products.

About Basmati Rice

Basmati is a premium long-grain aromatic rice traditionally grown in the Indo-Gangetic Plains at the Himalayan foothills.
Characteristics: It has a nutty aroma, elongated grains, and a fluffy, non-sticky texture. Its signature scent comes from 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline.
Global Share: India accounts for over 70% of global Basmati production, followed by Pakistan.
State Share: Haryana leads India’s Basmati output at 44%, followed by Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Export: Top destinations for Indian Basmati are Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, UAE, and Yemen.
Nutritional Profile: Basmati has a low to medium Glycaemic Index (GI). It is gluten-free and rich in thiamine (Vitamin B1), folate, and iron.

Read More> India’s Basmati Exports | APEDA

{GS3 – Envi} Tiger Family Found Dead in the Kanha Tiger Reserve

Context (IE): A tigress and her four cubs died within nine days in the Sarhi range of Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Transmission: Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is believed to have been transmitted via contact with infected stray or domestic dogs.
CDV: It is a highly contagious, often fatal, multi-systemic viral disease affecting dogs and wildlife.
- Symptoms: The virus spreads primarily through airborne exposure and causes severe respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms, with no specific cure.

Tiger Deaths in India

Record Deaths: India recorded its second-highest annual tiger mortality in 2025, with 166 deaths, a 31.7% increase from 2024.
State Rank: Madhya Pradesh reported the highest tiger mortality (55 deaths), followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Outside Reserves: Between 2012 and 2025, approximately 47.5% of tiger deaths occurred outside protected tiger reserves.
Natural Causes: Natural causes, including old age and territorial fighting, account for nearly 70% of officially recorded tiger deaths.
Population Growth: India’s tiger population grew by 6% annually between 2018 and 2022, reaching an estimated 3,682 individuals.

About Kanha Tiger Reserve

Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh was established in 1973 as one of the first nine reserves under Project Tiger.
Geography: It lies within the Maikal range of the Satpura Hills, featuring a horseshoe-shaped valley and steep, rocky escarpments.
Connectivity: A wildlife corridor links it to the Pench and Achanakmar tiger reserves, forming part of the Central Indian Landscape.
Hydrology: Banjar and Halon rivers, both tributaries of the Narmada River, flow through the reserve.
Vegetation: Moist deciduous forests are dominated by Sal and bamboo, interspersed with highland meadows known as maidans.
Faunal Diversity: Tigers, Leopards, Indian Wild Dogs (Dhole), Sloth Bears, Gaur, Indian Pythons, etc.
Mascot: Kanha was the first National Park in India to introduce an official mascot, named ‘Bhoorsingh the Barasingha‘.
Endemic Species: Kanha is the only remaining natural habitat for the Hard-ground Barasingha, often known as the “Jewel of Kanha“.

Read More> Declining Number of Tigers

{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Short-Range Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR) *

Context (TN): Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy conducted the maiden salvo launch of Short-Range Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR).

NASM-SR is India’s first fully indigenous air-launched anti-ship missile. It is designed to replace ageing British-origin Sea Eagle missiles.
Developer: Research Centre Imarat (RCI), under DRDO, developed it.
It has a 55 km range, carries a 100 kg warhead, and flies at a high subsonic speed of Mach 0.8.
Propulsion System: It uses a two-stage solid-propellant system with an ejectable booster and long-burn sustainer engine for sustained flight.
Flight Profile: It has a 50-m to 3-km flight envelope and can perform terminal phase sea-skimming at 5 m to evade radar detection.
Operational Mode: It has fire-and-forget, lock-on-after-launch, and ‘man-in-the-loop’ capabilities with a two-way datalink for autonomous operations and retargeting.
Precision Guidance: It uses an indigenous Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) seeker for terminal guidance, making it highly resistant to jamming.
Launch Platforms: It is integrated with the Indian Navy’s Sea King Mk. 42B helicopters, with future integration planned for the MH-60R Seahawk and the HAL Dhruv naval variant.

{Prelims – Envi} India’s First Port-Based Green Methanol Plant *

Context (TH): India is developing its first port-based green methanol plant at Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) in Kandla, Gujarat.

The facility uses Prosopis juliflora, an invasive weed, as its main biomass to produce green methanol.
It integrates bunkering infrastructure, allowing ships to refuel at port, supporting International Maritime Organisation (IMO) decarbonisation goals.
Significance: It will help restore native grasslands while generating low-emission energy in line with the Harit Sagar Guidelines for greener ports.

About Prosopis Juliflora

It is a thorny Mexican-origin shrub or small tree native to Central and South America.
The British introduced it to India in the late 19^th century to combat desertification.
Local Names: It is called Vilayati Babul in North India and Gando Baval (crazy weed) in Gujarat.
Ecological Threat: It depletes groundwater, outcompetes native flora, destroys grasslands, and alters soil chemistry by increasing salinity.
Major Challenge: It damages Kutch’s Banni grasslands, threatening the Great Indian Bustard’s habitat and Maldhari livelihoods.

About Green Methanol

It is a low-carbon fuel produced through bio-methanol or e-methanol methods using renewable biomass, green hydrogen, or captured CO₂.

Methanol (CH₃OH) is a volatile, colourless, highly flammable liquid used as an industrial solvent and alternative marine fuel.

Emission Benefit: It reduces sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter compared with conventional marine fuels.

Storage Advantage: It remains liquid at room temperature, unlike gaseous green hydrogen, making it easier to use in existing fuel infrastructure.
Major Milestone: India’s first green methanol plant was commissioned at NTPC Vindhyachal (Madhya Pradesh), with its initial production beginning in 2025.

{Prelims – Envi} Ru-Soam Bridges of Sikkim *

Context (NIE): UNESCO has partnered with the Sikkim government to document indigenous Ru-Soam bridges in the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve.
The project will systematically document and analyse the environmental and engineering principles of the Ru-Soam cane bridges.
Ru-Soam are traditional cane suspension bridges built by the Lepcha community in Sikkim.
Materials & Design: Constructed using locally available bamboo, cane, and wood, reflecting eco-friendly and resource-efficient engineering.
Indigenous Knowledge: Built through traditional skills passed orally across generations, combining cultural practices with structural understanding.
Resilience & Utility: Known for durability and flexibility, these bridges withstand disasters (e.g., GLOF events) and provide connectivity in remote terrains.
Relevance: Offer insights for climate-resilient, sustainable infrastructure and disaster risk reduction.

The Lepcha (or Rongkup) are an indigenous, Tibeto-Burman-speaking people native to Sikkim, Darjeeling, Bhutan, and eastern Nepal.

{Prelims – In News} International Labour Day 2026

Context (WION | BS): May 1 is observed as International Labour Day, commonly known as May Day, to honour the contributions of the working class.

Origin: The day originates from the May 1, 1886, Chicago general strike demanding an eight-hour workday, which culminated in the historic Haymarket Riot.
Formal Declaration: The Marxist International Socialist Congress declared it an annual international event in 1889 in Paris.
Indian Context: India first observed Labour Day in 1923 in Madras (Chennai), organised by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan, led by M. Singaravelu Chettiar.
- India also observes it as Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas or Kamgar Din.
2026 Theme: Set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), it emphasises healthy psychosocial workplaces, mental well-being, stress control, and workload management.
Significance: The day supports securing fair wages, gig-worker protection, AI reskilling, social security, gender parity, and Labour Code implementation.

{Prelims – In News} Buddha Purnima

Context (DDN): President Murmu and PM Modi extended greetings on Buddha Purnima, highlighting Buddha’s teachings.

Buddha Purnima, or Vesak, commemorates three major events in the life of Gautama Buddha — birth, enlightenment, and death (Mahaparinirvana).
- Birth: Siddhartha Gautama was born into the Shakya Kshatriya clan at Lumbini, present-day Nepal, around 563 BCE.
- Enlightenment: He attained Nirvana under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya in Bihar.
- Mahaparinirvana: He attained final liberation at Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh at the age of 80.
It is celebrated on the first full moon of Vaisakha, usually in April or May.
Global Recognition: United Nations officially recognised Vesak in 1999, honouring Buddhism’s contribution to the spirituality of humanity.
Significance: The day promotes non-violence, compassion, inner peace, and mindfulness, while strengthening India-Nepal Buddhist diplomacy.