• The Indian Air Force (IAF) is upgrading its MiG-29 UPG fleet with the United Kingdom made ASRAAM (Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile).

• ASRAAM has a range of over 25 km (doubling the R-73's 10–15 km range) and travels at speeds over Mach 3.

• Integration is supported by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). ASRAAM is already operational on LCA Tejas and Jaguar aircraft.

• ASRAAM replaces the Russian R-73 missile.

Adani Defence and Aerospace delivered the first batch of 2,000 Prahar Light Machine Guns (LMGs) to the Indian Army.

• Prahar Light Machine Guns are produced at a facility in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, in collaboration with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI).

• The project features over 90% indigenous content under the 'Make in India' initiative.

VB-G RAM G Act (2026) & State Minimum Wages : 

• The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G Act) allows the Central Government to notify a specific "wage rate" for the scheme. This rate is often lower than the "State Minimum Wage" set by individual states (like Tamil Nadu) for agricultural or scheduled labor.

• In Sanjit Roy vs. Rajasthan (1983) case,  the Supreme Court ruled that paying less than minimum wage violates Article 23 (Prohibition of forced labor).

• Currently, the VB-G RAM G wage rate is a Centrally notified flat rate, whereas State Minimum Wages are higher and adjusted for local inflation (VDA). If a worker in Tamil Nadu is paid ₹310 under VB-G RAM G while the State Minimum Wage is ₹540, it creates a "Sanjit Roy" violation.

About VB-G RAM G Act : 

• The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (popularly known as the VB–G RAM G Act) officially came into force on December 21, 2025, the day it received the President’s assent. It is the successor to MGNREGA. It represents a fundamental shift from a demand-driven "welfare" model to an infrastructure-led "mission" model.

• Core Changes & Features : 

• Increased Work Guarantee: The statutory entitlement has been raised from 100 days to 125 days of wage employment per rural household per year.

• Funding Shift (60:40 Ratio): Unlike MGNREGA (where the Centre paid 100% of unskilled wages), the new Act mandates a 60% (Centre) : 40% (State) cost-sharing for all components. For Himalayan/NE states, the ratio is 90:10.

• Seasonal "Statutory Pause": States must notify a period aggregating to 60 days per year (during peak sowing/harvesting) where public works are suspended to ensure labor availability for agriculture.

• Four Priority Verticals: All works must now fall under: Water Security (groundwater recharge, etc.) Core Rural Infrastructure (roads, connectivity) Livelihood Infrastructure (storage, work sheds, markets) Extreme Weather Mitigation (climate resilience)

• Digital Governance: Mandatory use of AI-based fraud detection, biometric authentication, and GPS-linked real-time monitoring.

Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026:

• Mandatory 60-day prior notice to the District Magistrate for conversion.

• Complaints can be filed by the individual, parents, siblings, or any relative by blood/marriage.

• Penalties up to 7 years imprisonment and a ₹5 lakh fine for converting minors, women, or SC/ST individuals.

World’s First Electrified Road 

• Sweden has made World’s First Electrified Road specifically a 2 km stretch on public road 893 near Stockholm, connecting Arlanda Airport to a logistics terminal.

• It is the world's first electrified road that allows electric vehicles (EVs) to recharge their batteries while driving (Dynamic Charging).

• How the Technology Works : The system uses two tracks of electric rail embedded in the asphalt.Vehicles (trucks and cars) are fitted with a movable arm on their undercarriage. When the vehicle is above the rail, the arm automatically lowers and connects to the track. If the vehicle overtakes or leaves the lane, the arm automatically disconnects.

Extension of PM E-DRIVE Scheme Subsidies

• The Central Government has extended the deadline for receiving subsidies (incentives) for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers under the PM E-DRIVE scheme to ensure full utilization of the allocated budget.

• Revised Deadlines (Terminal Dates) : Electric Two-Wheelers (e-2W) :  from March 31, 2026 to July 31, 2026, Electric Three-Wheelers (e-3W) : from March 31, 2026 to March 31, 2028

 "Bhavasagara" Referral Centre Designated as National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna

• Officially designated as the National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

• Operated by the Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

• Houses over 3,500 taxonomically identified and geo-referenced voucher specimens, including invertebrates (cnidarians, molluscs, echinoderms) and vertebrates (elasmobranchs, teleostean fishes).

• Acts as the official custodian for new deep-sea species (Type Specimens) discovered within Indian waters and maintains associated genetic data (DNA sequences).

• Aligns with the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and strengthens India’s Blue Economy framework.

 Water Consumption and Growth Trends in Indian Data Centres

• India's data centre capacity has expanded significantly from 375 MW in 2020 to over 1500 MW in 2025.

• Industry adoption of advanced cooling technologies like direct-to-chip liquid cooling, adiabatic cooling, and immersion cooling to enhance water efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

• Deployment of high-density racks to support high-performance computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) workloads while minimizing resource usage.

• Groundwater extraction for these centres is regulated by the Ministry of Jal Shakti under specific notifications from 2020 and 2023.

9th India Pharma Conference 2026

• Scheduled for April 13-14, 2026, in New Delhi, organized by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with FICCI and the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA).

• Theme: "Discover in India: Leapfrogging Life-Sciences Innovation," aimed at making India a global hub for R&D.