Current Affairs – May 19, 2026

{GS2 – Governance} India Amidst Global Erosion of Press Freedom **

Context (TH): Global press freedom hit a 50-year low, according to a 2025 report by the International IDEA, while the World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) 2026 shows a 25-year low.

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), founded in 1995 and based in Stockholm, Sweden, is an intergovernmental organisation with 35 members that supports democratic reform. It has held UNGA Observer status since 2003.
World Press Freedom Index is compiled annually by Reporters Without Borders to evaluate 180 countries across five indicators measuring the independence of journalism.

Global Trends in Press Freedom

52.2% of countries and territories fall under “difficult” or “very serious” press freedom categories. (RSF)
Global self-censorship among journalists rose by 63% since 2012, averaging 5% per year. (UNESCO).
Press freedom declined in democracies like Serbia and Hungary due to ownership consolidation and legal pressures. The MENA region is the deadliest, with over 220 journalists killed in Gaza since 2023. South Asia faces crises, with Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India ranked poorly. (RSF)

Press Freedom in India

Constitutional Basis: Freedom of press is implicit under Article 19(1)(a), while Article 361A protects substantially true reports of legislative proceedings.
Judicial Basis: Supreme Court rulings in Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras, 1950 and Indian Express Newspapers v. Union of India, 1985 linked press freedom to Article 19(1)(a).
India’s ranked 157^th among 180 countries in WPFI 2026. It falls in the “very serious” category, but the government often dismisses such rankings as biased.

Key Challenges of Press Freedom in India

Legal Misuse: India faces misuse of laws like the UAPA, colonial-era provisions, IT Rules, and the Telecommunications Act, fueling self-censorship.
Media Ownership is concentrated within major networks controlled by a few politically aligned corporate groups, thereby diluting pluralism.
Journalist Safety: Regional and local investigative journalists covering sand mafias, corruption, or communal tensions face physical threats and online harassment.
Funding Dependence: The decline in advertising revenue led to greater reliance on government ads or corporate funding, compromising editorial independence.
Weak Regulator: Print media is regulated by the Press Council of India under the Press Council Act, 1978, but it lacks punitive powers.

{GS2 – IR} India-Nordic Relations **

Context (TH): PM Modi was awarded Norway’s highest civilian honour, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, during his official visit to Oslo for the 3^rd India-Nordic Summit.

India-Nordic Summit is a Prime Minister-level plurilateral platform convening India and the five Nordic nations for geopolitical, economic, and environmental cooperation.
The Nordic countries are a Northern European group comprising five sovereign nations and three autonomous territories:
- 5 Sovereign Nations: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
- 3 Autonomous Territories: Faroe Islands and Greenland (under Denmark), Åland (under Finland)

Overview of India-Nordic Relations

Summit Status: India is the only country with which all five Nordic nations hold a dedicated multilateral summit format outside the United States.
Trade Volume: Bilateral trade between both countries reached $19 billion, with the overall trade balance being roughly equal.
- Trade Basket: India exports refined petroleum products, organic chemicals, and ready-made textiles, while importing pulp and paper, specialised engineering machinery, and electronics.
Clean Energy: Green Strategic Partnerships were formalised with Denmark and Norway to accelerate bilateral funding for India’s clean energy targets.
- Industry Transition: India and Sweden jointly spearhead the UN-backed Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) to decarbonise heavy, hard-to-abate global industries.
Defence FDI: Sweden’s Saab became the first foreign entity to secure 100% FDI clearance in the defence sector to manufacture the Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon system under the Make in India framework.
Tech Links: Bilateral innovation bridges like the Indo-Finnish Digital Partnership drive joint commercialisation in next-generation quantum computing and 6G telecommunications.
Polar Research: India’s polar research cooperation with Norway at Himadri Station, Svalbard, helps analyse how Arctic ice melt affects the Indian monsoon.

Read More > India–Finland Relations

{GS2 – IR} Prime Minister’s Visit to UAE

Context (IE): India and the UAE signed a series of major agreements in the areas of energy, defence, trade, shipping and advanced technology during PM’s visit to UAE.

Key Outcomes

ISPRL–ADNOC Agreement: Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company signed a pact to increase UAE participation in India’s strategic petroleum reserves to 30 million barrels.
Long-term LPG Supply Pact: A separate agreement between Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and ADNOC ensures stable, long-term supply of cooking gas.
Framework for Strategic Defence Partnership: Focused on defence industrial collaboration, technology sharing, innovation and regional security cooperation.
Ship Repair Centre: Agreements for setting up a ship repair centre at Vadinar, Gujarat, and cooperation in ports and coastal infrastructure.
Investments: UAE announced USD 5 billion in investments in India, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s confidence in India’s growth trajectory.

{GS2 – IR} Roadmap of India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership *

Context (PIB): India and Netherlands upgraded bilateral ties to Strategic Partnership with a five-year roadmap (2026–2030).

About Netherlands

Country in northwestern Europe bordering Germany, Belgium & the North Sea.
Amsterdam is the official capital; The Hague is the seat of government and parliament and hosts the International Courts (ICJ) & (ICC); Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the largest port in Europe.
Netherlands is a member of European Union (EU), NATO and the Schengen Area.

Key Features of the Roadmap

Semiconductor Cooperation: Dutch company ASML partnered with Tata Electronics to support India’s semiconductor fabrication ecosystem.
“Brain Bridge” Initiative: Dutch universities and Indian institutes such as IIT Delhi and IISC launched semiconductor research and talent partnerships.
Water & Climate Cooperation: Both countries agreed to deepen cooperation in flood control, water management and climate-resilient infrastructure, inspired by Dutch expertise.
Defence & Maritime Cooperation: India and the Netherlands will enhance naval exercises, defence industry cooperation and Indo-Pacific maritime security collaboration.
Green Energy Partnership: Cooperation will expand in green hydrogen, renewable energy, circular economy and sustainable maritime transport.
Counter-Terrorism: Both countries strongly condemned terrorism, supported a zero-tolerance approach and backed India’s proposal for the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).
Migration & Skilled Mobility: The partnership supports fair mobility of students, researchers and highly skilled professionals while addressing irregular migration.

Significance of Netherlands for India

Trade & Investment: The Netherlands is among India’s top foreign investors and an important gateway for Indian trade with Europe (through Rotterdam Port).
Technology Cooperation: Dutch expertise in semiconductors (ASML), AI and high-tech manufacturing supports India’s technological and industrial ambitions.
Water Management Expertise: The Netherlands is a global leader in flood control, coastal management and climate-resilient water infrastructure (Afsluitdijk Dam), useful for projects like Kalpasar.
Maritime Partner: Cooperation in ports, shipping, Indo-Pacific security and green maritime corridors strengthens India’s maritime connectivity and trade security.

{GS3 – S&T} Make in India in the Defence Sector **

Context (IE): Recent conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran have highlighted the importance of defence self-reliance and indigenous military technology.

While India’s defence production reached a record ₹1.54 lakh Cr in FY 2024–25, and defence exports touched an all-time high, marking a 62.66% increase over the previous fiscal year, it still remains the world’s second-largest arms importer (SIPRI).

Why India Depends on Defence Imports?

Historical Dependence: India historically relied on defence imports from the USSR, USA, UK and Israel due to a weak domestic defence industrial base after Independence.
Slow Manufacturing: Delays in R&D, bureaucratic procurement processes and limited private sector participation slow indigenous defence production.
Urgent Requirements: Ongoing security challenges with China and Pakistan often require immediate imports of advanced military systems.

Major Bottlenecks in India’s Defence Manufacturing

Technological Dependence: India still depends heavily on foreign technology for critical systems such as jet engines, advanced sensors, semiconductors and UAV components.
Delayed Procurement: Multiple layers of approval, complex procedures, and bureaucratic delays often slow defence acquisition and manufacturing projects.
Limited Private Sector Role: Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) still account for over 70% of defence manufacturing, while private firms face barriers such as delayed payments.
Weak R&D Ecosystem: Limited investment in defence research, innovation and technology commercialisation affects indigenous capability development.
Supply Chain Integration: India’s defence industrial ecosystem lacks strong MSME integration, depth in component manufacturing, and resilience in its supply chains.

Initiatives under Make in India in Defence Sector

Defence Acquisition Procedure, 2020 by Ministry of Defence to prioritise indigenous procurement under the “Buy Indian-IDDM” category.
Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2025 streamlined procurement procedures, improved transparency and promoted ease of doing business for domestic firms.
Positive Indigenisation Lists: Restrict import of several defence items to promote domestic manufacturing.
Liberalised FDI: FDI in defence was increased to 74% under the automatic route and up to 100% through government approval to attract global investment and technology transfer.
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) promotes startups, MSMEs and innovators working in AI, drones, robotics and defence technologies.
Defence Industrial Corridors established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for defence manufacturing.

{Prelims – Envi} Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis)

Context (TH): Two satellite-tagged Amur falcons from Manipur’s Tamenglong are returning to the Far-East breeding grounds through India.

It is the longest-distance migrating raptor, named after the Amur River in its breeding region.
Distribution: It breeds in Siberia, Mongolia, and northern China, then returns to Africa for winter, stopping in north-east India (Manipur, Nagaland).
- In Manipur, it is known locally as Kahuaipuina. It roosts in large numbers at the Doyang Reservoir, making Nagaland the “Falcon Capital.”
Habitat: Open landscapes, including grasslands, agricultural fields, wetlands, and open forest edges.
Nesting: Does not build its own nests; instead, reuses abandoned nests of other birds, especially magpies.
IUCN: Least Concern; CMS: Appendix II; WPA: Sch I Part B.

{Prelims – Envi} Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock)

Context (IE): A Western Hoolock Gibbon has been recorded using an artificial canopy bridge to cross a railway line in Assam’s Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary.

Hoolock Gibbon is the only ape native to India, comprising both the Western and Eastern species, and is one of the smallest of all apes.
Distribution: They live primarily in the upper canopy of undisturbed tropical evergreen forests. The species is found south of the Brahmaputra River across Northeast India, Bangladesh, and northwestern Myanmar.
Mated pairs form socially monogamous bonds and defend their territories by singing loud, synchronised morning duets.
They lack tails and possess exceptionally long arms adapted for swinging through tree canopies.
IUCN: Endangered; CITES: Appendix I; WPA: Schedule I

Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary is an isolated rainforest patch in Jorhat, Assam, renowned for harbouring seven distinct primate species, including India’s only apes (Western Hoolock Gibbons) and the region’s only nocturnal primate (the Bengal slow loris).

Read More > Hoolock Gibbon

{Prelims – Geo – PG – Geomorphology} Mount Dukono

Context (NOA): Mount Dukono, on Halmahera Island in North Maluku, Indonesia, erupted recently.

It is a complex volcano with overlapping craters and a main active vent, Malupang Warirang, erupting almost continuously since 1933.
It lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Molucca Sea Plate subducts beneath the Halmahera Plate.
Eruption Type: Strombolian and Vulcanian eruptions, with ash, gas, and incandescent volcanic bombs.

Halmahera Island

Halmahera is K-shaped with four peninsulas surrounding Kau, Buli, and Weda bays. It is a key EV supply chain hub, anchored by Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP).
It lies in a collision zone involving Indo-Australian, Eurasian, Pacific, and Philippine Sea Plates and hosts active volcanoes like Mount Dukono and Mount Ibu.

{Prelims – IE} Withholding Tax

Context (IE): Government is considering reducing/removing withholding tax on government bonds for foreign investors to attract foreign capital inflows, conserve foreign exchange reserves and stabilise the rupee.

Withholding tax is a tax deducted at source from income earned by a person or entity before the payment is made. It is commonly levied on interest, dividends, royalties and technical service payments.
In India, foreign investors pay up to 20% withholding tax on income such as interest earned from govt. bonds.
Impact: Higher withholding tax reduces investor returns and may discourage foreign investment inflows.

Earlier Government has raised gold import duties and promoted austerity to ease pressure from falling forex reserves and rupee depreciation.

{Prelims – IR} Euphrates River

Context (IT): Data from NASA’s GRACE satellites has confirmed that the Tigris-Euphrates river basin is losing freshwater reserves at the second-fastest rate in the world, trailing only northern India.

About Euphrates River

Euphrates River, the longest in Western Asia, flows ~2,800 km through Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, running parallel to the Tigris River.
The river originated in the mountains of eastern Turkey, at the confluence of the Karasu and Murat rivers. It joins the Tigris in southern Iraq to form the Shatt al-Arab, which flows into the Persian Gulf.
The Euphrates formed the western boundary of Mesopotamia and sustained the imperial capitals of Babylon, Ur, Uruk, and Nippur.
Atatürk Dam in Turkey, one of the world’s largest earth-and-rock fill embankment dams, is built on the River.

{Prelims – IS} Captagon *

Context (PIB): Narcotics Control Bureau launched “Operation RAGEPILL” against an international Captagon trafficking network, which led to India’s first-ever seizure of Captagon.

Captagon is a synthetic stimulant drug originally developed for medical use to treat conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy. It is classified as a psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act, 1985.
It mainly contains Fenetylline, which breaks down into amphetamine and theophylline in the body.
It is often called the “Jihadi Drug” because it has reportedly been used by extremist groups in West Asia to reduce fatigue and increase alertness.
It can cause addiction, hyperactivity, aggression, hallucinations, insomnia and severe mental health problems.