Current Affairs – May 07, 2026

{GS2 – IR} India-Vietnam ‘Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’

Context (IE): India and Vietnam elevated their ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership following President To Lam’s state visit, setting a trade target of $25 billion by 2030.

Vietnam formally joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and signed a UPI linkage agreement for cross-border transactions.

Overview of India-Vietnam Relations

Trade: Vietnam is India’s 4th-largest trading partner in ASEAN, with bilateral trade reaching $16.46 billion in 2025. The balance of trade is in favour of Vietnam.
Trade Basket: India mainly exports frozen bovine meat, engineering goods, and pharmaceuticals, while importing electrical and electronic equipment, machinery, and inorganic chemicals.
Defence: The Joint Vision Statement for 2030 aims to drive joint development of advanced defence platforms. India has extended a $500 million defence credit line to strengthen maritime security.
- Joint Exercises: VINBAX (Army) and Sahyog (Coast Guard).
Cultural Link: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been restoring My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a 4^th-13th-century Champa Hindu temple complex in Vietnam.
Strategic Convergence: Rules-based Indo-Pacific order, freedom of navigation, and deeper ASEAN-India and Quad-adjacent cooperation.

{GS2 – MoES} Urban Testbed & Aerosol Observatory

Context (PIB): Ministry of Earth Sciences inaugurated India’s first Urban Testbed and Aerosol Observatory in Chennai under Mission Mausam.

It is an integrated atmospheric monitoring system tracking multiple parameters (weather, wind, temperature, aerosols) using advanced instruments.
Developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology at SRM Institute of Science and Technology.
Key Feature: Integrates advanced systems like Automatic Weather Stations, radars, and aerosol profilers to enable real-time urban weather and atmospheric monitoring.

Mission Mausam is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It aims to make India “weather-ready and climate-smart” by improving forecasting, modelling, and disaster preparedness systems.

{GS2 – Polity} SC Rules on Appointment of CEC and ECs *

Context (TH): Supreme Court stated that Chief Justice of India’s (CJI) inclusion on the panel to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) was temporary.

Judicial Background

Appointment of the CEC and ECs lacked a legal basis; President appointed them on the PM’s advice.
In the Anoop Baranwal Case, 2023, the SC ruled that a panel of the PM, Leader of Opposition (LoP), and CJI would select CEC and ECs until Parliament passes a law.
Accordingly, Parliament enacted the CEC and Other ECs (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, replacing the CJI with a Union Cabinet Minister.
Multiple petitions challenged the Act for giving the government a 2-1 majority on the Selection Committee, undermining the Election Commission’s independence.

About Appointment of CEC and ECs

Art 324(2) provides for the appointment of the CEC and ECs by the President, subject to parliamentary law.
Under the CEC and Other ECs Act, 2023, appointments follow a two-tier committee process-
1. Search Committee: Headed by Law Minister and comprising two other members (Secretary level or above), it shortlists 5 candidates.
2. Selection Committee: Recommends candidates to the President and may consider names outside the Search Committee list. It includes the PM as Chairperson, the LoP (or leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha), and a PM-nominated Union Cabinet Minister.
Eligibility: Candidates must hold or have held a post equivalent to the rank of Secretary to the Govt of India, and must possess knowledge and experience in election management.
Tenure: They serve for 6 years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier, and cannot be reappointed.

Read More > Bill for the Appointment of CEC and ECs

{GS2 – Polity} Governor’s Role in a Hung Assembly *

Context (IE): In Tamil Nadu, TVK has emerged as the single largest party but fell short of a majority, resulting in a hung Assembly.

Hung Assembly: A situation where no political party or alliance secures a clear majority in the legislature.

Constitutional & Legal Framework

Sarkaria Commission: Laid down the priority order for inviting parties in a hung Assembly.
Punchhi Commission: Emphasised Governor’s neutrality and the need for an early floor test and priority order for invitation.
S R Bommai Case: Established that majority must be proven on the Assembly floor, not decided by the Governor.

What should the Governor do in a Hung Assembly?

In a hung Assembly, the Governor acts under Article 164 to ensure government formation.
He must call the party/alliance most likely to command a majority as per Sarkaria Commission and Punchhi Commission guidelines.
Order of Preference:
- Largest pre-poll alliance with majority
- Single largest party with support
- Post-poll coalition (all partners in government)
- Post-poll alliance with outside support
Ensure Floor Test: Mandate an early floor test in the Assembly to objectively determine majority.
Act Neutrally: Exercise constitutional discretion impartially, without political bias, ensuring fairness to all parties.
If no stable government emerges, the Governor may recommend President’s Rule (Article 356) and fresh elections if instability continues.

Floor Test: The majority is determined by the MLAs present and voting (not the total strength) in the House, so abstentions can lower the effective majority required.

{GS3 – Envi} Methane Alert and Response System (MARS)

Context (DTE): UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) is expanding MARS to cover coal mines and waste facilities. Previously, MARS focused exclusively on the oil and gas sector.

Rationale: The expansion follows recent analyses indicating that 22 of the top 50 global methane emitters were coal mines and 11 were waste facilities.

About MARS

It is the UN’s first satellite-based system for detecting and mitigating methane super-emitter events.
MARS, launched at COP27 climate summit, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (2022), integrates data from over 30 satellite instruments to notify governments and companies of massive leaks.
The system provides data to support the Global Methane Pledge target of a 30% reduction in emissions by 2030. (India is not a formal member of the Global Methane Pledge).

China, the U.S., and India rank among the top methane emitters. Enteric fermentation, manure management, and rice cultivation account for 40% of human-caused emissions.

{GS3 – IE} Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises 2025 **

Context (PIB): Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the key results of the ASUSE 2025 for the reference period of January 2025 to December 2025.

MoSPI has transitioned to calendar year (Jan–Dec) starting with this round, replacing the previous Oct–Sept cycle.

Unincorporated Sector: It comprises of all those enterprises that are not registered with the Companies Act, 1956 or Companies Act, 2013 or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Act, 2008.

What is ASUSE?

ASUSE is a comprehensive annual survey of unincorporated non-agricultural enterprises. It has been conducted by MoSPI annually from 2021-22.
Objective: To provides comprehensive and timely information on the vast unincorporated non-agricultural sector of the Indian economy.
Coverage: Rural and urban areas of whole of India (except the villages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands).

Key Highlights of ASUSE 2025

Total Establishments: Increased substantially to 7.92 crore in, representing a healthy 7.97% growth.
Gross Value Added (GVA): Rose by 10.87% at current prices, driven by trade sector (16.77% growth) followed by manufacturing sector (8.52%).
Capital Investment: Average fixed assets per unincorporated non-agricultural establishment increased indicating improved capital investment in the sector.
Employment: The unincorporated sector employed about 12.81 crore workers.
Regional Concentration: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra together account for more than 1/3^rd of the total employment in the sector.
Women Empowerment: The share of female-owned proprietary establishments rose to 26.93% and they accounted for about 29% of the total workforce in the sector.

{GS3 – IE} Electronic Gold Receipts

Context (NOA): National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) announced Electronic Gold Receipts (EGRs) to improve transparency and formalisation in India’s gold market.

EGRs are SEBI-regulated dematerialised securities representing ownership of physical gold. They are legal financial securities under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956.
Gold Standard: Must meet the guaranteed purity of the London Bullion Market Association Good Delivery Standard or the India Good Delivery Standard.
Redemption: EGRs can be held indefinitely or converted into physical gold in small denominations, unlike SGBs (cash-only) and Gold ETFs (limited to large institutional sizes).
Tax Exemptions: Trading EGRs is exempt from GST; 3% GST applies only on physical gold withdrawal.

A Vault Manager is a SEBI-registered Body Corporate in India with at least ₹50 crore net worth.

{GS3 – S&T} Unchecked Rise of Artificial Intelligence **

Context (TH): AI’s rapid rise in warfare, surveillance, and economy is outpacing regulation, raising risks to democracy, rights, and global equality.

Key Concerns with Unregulated Rise of AI

Concentration of Power: Big Tech firms like Anthropic and OpenAI are consolidating control over data and AI systems, raising risks of monopolies and weakening democratic accountability.
Militarisation of AI: AI-driven defence tools (e.g., Palantir’s systems reportedly used in Venezuela & Iran) raise ethical concerns over civilian harm.
Privacy Risks: AI-enabled systems used by agencies like US ICE for profiling and predictive policing have shown bias and privacy violations.
Socio-economic Disruption: AI is reshaping labour markets, with reports suggesting millions of jobs globally are at risk due to AI. 30–40% of jobs are in occupations with high exposure to AI (UNICEF).

International Efforts Towards AI Regulation

OpenAI has called for “people-first” policies and regulations while Anthropic has introduced internal ethical frameworks like “AI constitutions”.
The EU Artificial Intelligence Act provides a risk-based regulatory model.
In 2023, the UNGA adopted its first AI resolution, promoting safe, secure, trustworthy, and human rights-based AI globally.

Way Forward for Inclusive AI Governance

Regulation: Move beyond voluntary guidelines to binding legal frameworks (e.g., EU Artificial Intelligence Act) to ensure accountability of Big Tech.
Human Centric Governance: Align AI policies with privacy and rights frameworks (e.g. Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023) to curb misuse of personal data.
Audits: Mandate independent audits of AI systems, especially in defence and policing, to prevent bias and errors (e.g., predictive policing bias in the U.S.).
Ethical AI Ecosystem: Encourage “responsible AI” frameworks in industry with enforceable standards, rather than voluntary codes.

{GS3 – S&T} Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life (ANEEL) **

Context (IE): US-based Clean Core Thorium Energy has successfully completed high burnup irradiation of its ANEEL fuel at Idaho National Laboratory.

ANEEL is a thorium-based fuel blended with HALEU (high-assay low-enriched uranium) for use in heavy-water reactors.
It achieves very high burnup, extracting significantly more energy than conventional fuels.
Benefits: Reduced nuclear waste, improved reactor efficiency, enhanced safety, better proliferation resistance.
Compatibility: Can be deployed in existing reactors (PHWRs) without major design changes.
It supports India’s thorium-based energy strategy, reducing dependence on imported uranium.
- It will help accelerate India’s third-stage thorium cycle without waiting for the slow deployment of Fast Breeder Reactors.

HALEU: A type of uranium fuel enriched to about 5–20% U-235, offering higher efficiency for advanced nuclear reactors.

{Prelims – Envi} Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary

Context (DTE): Research has found microplastics across sampled sites in Bhitarkanika WLS, Odisha.

Established in 1975, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary is often called India’s ‘Mini-Amazon’.
Location: Kendrapara district, Odisha, at the confluence of Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, & Mahanadi rivers.
It was designated a National Park in 1998 and a Ramsar Site in 2002. It is the 2^nd largest mangrove ecosystem in India after the Sundarbans.
Fauna: Home to India’s largest population of Saltwater Crocodiles, the world’s largest living reptile.
- Olive Ridley Sea Turtles nest at the nearby Gahirmatha Beach (world’s largest Olive Ridley rookery).

{Prelims – Envi} Peacock Tarantula *

Context (DH): Andhra Pradesh launched the 1^st scientific survey of Peacock Tarantulas (Poecilotheria metallica) in Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve.

Peacock Tarantula, also called the Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula and Blue Ornamental Tarantula, is a rare, large arboreal spider.
Habitat: Crevices & hollows within dry deciduous forests of Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh.
Diet: Flying insects such as moths and beetles, arthropods, and occasional small reptiles.
IUCN: Critically Endangered; WPA: Sch II; CITES: Appendix II.

{Prelims – Initiatives} National AI Skilling Programme for Creative Sector

Context (PIB): Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies launched a national AI skilling initiative for the creative sector.

Partnership: The programme was developed in partnership with Google and YouTube.
Implemented by: Indian Institute of Creative Technologies.
Objective: Build industry-ready AI skills in the creative sector & strengthen India’s creative economy.
Provides 15,000 AI skill scholarships for creative fields like media, animation, gaming, and digital storytelling.
Covers Generative AI, prompting, workflow automation, and responsible AI, aligned with industry needs.

{Prelims – IR} India-EU EV Battery Recycling Initiative

Context (PIB): India and the EU launched a €15.2 million joint initiative under the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) to advance electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling.

The initiative is funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and India’s Ministry of Heavy Industries.

India-EU TTC: Established in 2023, it is a bilateral framework comprising 3 dedicated working groups to align digital technologies, green energy technologies, and resilient trade value chains.

{Prelims – S&T} Semiconductor Plants in Gujarat

Context (IE): Union Cabinet approved two new semiconductor plants in Gujarat, including the first commercial Gallium Nitride (GaN) Mini/Micro-LED display facility at Dholera.

Under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), 12 projects have been approved, including 1 commercial-grade wafer fab, 2 compound semiconductor and display fabs, and 9 packaging units (ATMP/OSAT).
Gujarat leads with 6 approved semiconductor projects, followed by Odisha (2) and Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh (1 each).
Tata Electronics semiconductor foundry (Dholera, Gujarat): India’s first commercial-grade wafer fabrication facility, in partnership with Taiwan’s PSMC.
India’s first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging unit is in Odisha.

Union Budget 2026-27 announced ISM 2.0 to move beyond basic assembly and achieve 70-75% semiconductor self-sufficiency by 2029.

Context (DTE): 3 people died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship sailing in Atlantic Ocean.

Hantavirus infection is a rare zoonotic disease. The term Hantavirus is derived from Hantan River region in South Korea, where it was first identified in the 1970s.
Transmission: Spread mainly through rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, with very limited human-to-human transmission. Unlike other hantaviruses, the Andes strain (Argentina/Chile) can also spread person-to-person in close-contact settings — making it harder to trace and contain.
2 Types: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) affects the lungs, and Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) affects the kidneys.
Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, muscle pain, progressing to breathing difficulty or kidney failure in severe cases.
Treatment: No specific cure, but early supportive care improves survival.

{Prelims – Misc} One Liners

Governance – Central Prabhari Officer Portal (PIB): Launched by NITI Aayog to strengthen real-time governance in Aspirational Districts and Blocks. It provides a unified digital interface for direct coordination between Central Prabhari Officers (CBOs), districts, and states.
- CBOs are senior officials assigned to mentor aspirational districts and blocks. They link Central Ministries with district administrations to support effective implementation of last-mile development initiatives.
Envi – Common Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Portal (DTE): Launched by Central Pollution Control Board to streamline India’s EPR system by integrating multiple waste streams, improving real-time tracking, digital auditing of annual returns, secure digital trading of EPR certificates & supporting circular economy.
Health – Swasth Bharat Portal (PIB): Launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to integrate India’s fragmented health systems into a single interface. It aims to ease the workload of frontline workers (ASHAs, ANMs, CHOs, and Medical Officers) by eliminating multiple logins and repetitive data entry.
Awards – Pulitzer Prize (TH): Anand RK and Suparna Sharma won the Pulitzer Prize in the ‘Illustrated Reporting and Commentary’ category for their report “trAPPed”, which exposed the psychological and financial toll of “digital arrest” scams.
- The Pulitzer Prize, administered by Columbia University, is the United States’ highest national honour for journalism, literature, and musical composition.