3 issues picked from 25 PIB releases · about 2 minutes each · written by UPSC Grade, each fact checked against its PIB release or by a second model
How to readRead “Why in news” and “What it is” for every issue. Open For Prelims or For Mains for the exam you’re preparing for, then Test yourself at the foot of each card. Half the news questions in Prelims are answered from background, not the news itself.
BRICS and India's 2026 Chairship.BRICS agriculture ministers adopt Indore Declaration under India's chairship, launching four farm networks and forums.
GS2 Welfare schemes for women and childrenGS1 Women's issuesPrelims and Mains
Why in news
On 13 June 2026 the Ministry of Women and Child Development released a note on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, citing a rise in Sex Ratio at Birth to 929 in 2024-25 and in girls' secondary enrolment to 80.2%.
What it is
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a central scheme begun to check the falling Child Sex Ratio and gender-based discrimination. It works through advocacy, awareness and convergence among three ministries, not mainly through cash transfers. It is a lifecycle approach from birth to education.
Launch date
BBBP was launched on 22 January 2015 in response to the declining Child Sex Ratio.
Implementing ministries
It is a joint initiative of the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Education.
Sex Ratio at Birth
SRB rose from 918 in 2014-15 to 929 in 2024-25, per HMIS data of the Health Ministry.
Girls' secondary enrolment
Enrolment rose from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 80.2% in 2024-25, per UDISE data of the Education Ministry.
Launch place
The scheme was launched at Panipat, Haryana.
Don’t confuse with BBBP vs Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: BBBP is an advocacy and convergence scheme for the girl child; Sukanya Samriddhi is a small savings account scheme for a girl's future expenses.
Don’t confuse with Child Sex Ratio vs Sex Ratio at Birth: CSR counts girls per 1000 boys in ages 0-6 (Census); SRB counts girls per 1000 boys born (HMIS/SRS).
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
Targets the root of gender-biased sex selection through behavioural change.
Links birth, health and education through ministry convergence.
Problems
Gains in SRB are modest and uneven across States; sex selection persists.
Heavy spend on advertising and weak outcome monitoring have drawn criticism.
Way forward
Strengthen enforcement of the PC-PNDT Act and track district-level outcomes.
Shift funds toward education, health and safety of girls, with community engagement.
Put in your answer
SRB trend: SRB improved from 918 (2014-15) to 929 (2024-25) per HMIS.
Girls' secondary enrolment: Girls' secondary enrolment rose from 75.51% to 80.2% over 2014-15 to 2024-25 per UDISE.
GS2 International relations · GroupingsPrelims and Mains
Why in news
On 12 June 2026 the BRICS Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in Indore adopted the 'Indore Declaration' and announced four new agriculture initiatives. India holds the BRICS Chairship in 2026.
What it is
BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that works through three pillars: political and security, economic and financial, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges. The chair rotates yearly and sets the agenda and theme. The BRICS Parliamentary Forum brings together legislatures of member countries for parliamentary diplomacy alongside the leaders' summit.
Forum and theme
The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in New Delhi on 26-27 October 2026 under the theme of people-centric development.
India's chairship
India's 2026 chairship carries the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit on 12-13 September 2026.
Three pillars
Cooperation runs across political and security, economic and financial, and cultural and people-to-people pillars.
IPU and BRICS Plus
Members noted Russia's initiative to consider a BRICS Plus geopolitical group within the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Next chair
China will chair BRICS in 2027.
Counter-terrorism machinery
The declaration welcomes the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group and its five subgroups, and calls for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN.
Event
The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2026 was inaugurated by the Lok Sabha Speaker at Samvidhan Sadan, Parliament House Complex, New Delhi.
Theme
The theme is 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development'.
Four pillars
The two-day Forum discusses four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
Summit link
The BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government in New Delhi, chaired by PM Modi, unanimously adopted a Joint Statement.
Modi's vision
PM Modi's vision is to make BRICS an 'ecosystem of solutions'.
Members at the meeting
Ten BRICS tax administrations took part: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the UAE.
New working groups
Two India-led Working Groups were set up: International Taxation and Transfer Pricing, and Revenue Statistics. They will continue beyond the Chairship.
Host body
The meeting was hosted by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, Ministry of Finance.
Next tax-track Chair
China is the incoming Chair of the BRICS tax cooperation track for 2027.
Institutional outcomes
The Young Tax Professionals programme became an annual feature. The Tax Cross-Learning Lab was launched. Terms of Reference of the BRICS Tax Support Network were approved.
UN tax negotiations
India stressed that BRICS views matter in the negotiations on the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.
Summit and host
The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi, with India as chair in 2026.
Outcome document
The summit adopted the New Delhi BRICS Leaders' Declaration, setting shared priorities and direction for BRICS cooperation.
Reform of the UN
India's PM called for greater representation in global institutions, especially the UN Security Council.
BRICS financial institutions
BRICS has the New Development Bank (HQ Shanghai) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement.
Summit and theme
The XVIII BRICS Summit met in New Delhi on 12-13 September 2026. Its theme was Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
UNSC reform stand
China and Russia reiterated support for the aspirations of Brazil and India to play a greater role in the UN, including its Security Council.
WTO dispute settlement
BRICS called for immediate restoration of a fully functioning two-tier binding WTO dispute settlement system and appointment of new Appellate Body members.
Share of global trade
BRICS accounts for nearly one-fourth of global trade, according to the Commerce Minister.
Intra-BRICS trade growth
Trade among BRICS countries rose from USD 84 billion in 2003 to nearly USD 1.2 trillion in 2024.
Strategy document
The BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy 2030 guides economic integration among members. The Jaipur Consensus was cited as a basis for a common BRICS mechanism to support MSMEs.
Startup and business bodies
India's Chairship has pushed the BRICS incubator network and the BRICS Startup Innovation Fund. The BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Women's Business Alliance bring business into the BRICS process.
Original members
The original BRIC grouping was Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined in 2010, making it BRICS.
India's earlier Chairships
India chaired BRICS in 2012, 2016 and 2021. The 2012 Delhi Summit proposed a development bank and laid the basis of the Contingent Reserve Arrangement.
Share of world
Members hold 49.5% of world population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade.
Host office
The meeting was hosted by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks under DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Main outcome
The meeting adopted Updated Operational Guidelines to guide result-oriented cooperation and joint efforts on global IP standards.
Patent cooperation study
Progress was noted on a study on reinforced patent examination cooperation to reduce backlogs and improve exchange of search results.
Traditional knowledge
The IP heads recognised the importance of protecting and preserving traditional knowledge and traditional systems of medicine.
Meeting
The 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting was held in New Delhi under India's 2026 Chairship, led by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
Chairship theme
India's chairship redefines BRICS as 'Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability', with a people-centric approach and the spirit of 'Humanity First'.
Four priorities
The environment track priorities are sustainable lifestyles; afforestation, forest fire management and disaster resilience; circular economy; and adaptation.
Outcome
The meeting adopted the Joint Ministerial Statement by consensus. It has four Outcome Documents, and four Knowledge Compendiums were launched.
Outcome documents
They cover a network of institutions on sustainable lifestyles, landscape management against desertification, forest fire preparedness, and community-based climate adaptation.
Decision-making
BRICS works by consensus and has no secretariat or charter; the chair rotates annually.
BRICS CONNECT
An India-proposed platform for technical cooperation, knowledge exchange and capacity building among BRICS members, covering labour market intelligence, skills forecasting and social security.
Declaration priorities
The Declaration has four priorities: social security and formalisation, women's participation, employability and skills mapping, and digital technologies for all workers including gig and platform workers.
ILO occupations study
The ILO, with India and Brazil, is running a feasibility study on an International Reference Classification of Occupations; members are encouraged to join a pilot in Digital, Care and Green sectors.
Knowledge partners
ILO, the International Social Security Association and the UN Resident Coordinator's Office supported the technical deliberations.
Social protection coverage
ILO running estimates put India's social protection reach at 1 billion people.
Meeting and place
The 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers' Meeting was held in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 11 July 2026 under India's chairship.
Working Group role
The Transport Working Group's senior officials finalised the agenda outcomes and the draft Declaration before ministers adopted it.
Declaration themes
The Declaration covers circularity in infrastructure, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, transport decarbonisation, urban mobility hubs, logistics supply chain cooperation and a BRICS Railway Research Network.
Decision by consensus
The Declaration was adopted unanimously, reflecting BRICS' consensus-based way of working.
Chair rotation
The BRICS chair rotates annually, and India will hand over these initiatives to the next chair.
New centre
The BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage was launched under the Energy Research Cooperation Platform. It is a voluntary platform for knowledge sharing and capacity building.
Guiding principles
The BRICS Guiding Principles on Smart Grids and Energy Storage were adopted.
Other bodies present
The International Solar Alliance, the Global Biofuels Alliance and the New Development Bank took part in the deliberations.
Energy Track theme
India's Energy Track theme was "Sarveshaam Urjam" (Energy for All), with three priorities: energy security, energy access and equity, and technology and innovation.
Indore Declaration
The BRICS agriculture ministers adopted the joint declaration unanimously. It covers food security, farmer welfare, climate-resilient farming, trade and digital agriculture.
BRICS weight in agriculture
BRICS has nearly half the world's population, about 42% of global agricultural land and about 42% of global foodgrain output (as stated by the Minister).
Digital Agriculture Network
A BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture will cover AI, geospatial technology and digital public infrastructure. IIT Delhi will coordinate it.
Agro-Ecology Centres of Excellence
A BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Agro-Ecology and Regenerative Agriculture was set up. India's centre is the Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram.
Seed forum and AgriN
A Global Forum on Farmers' Rights in Seed Systems and BRICS AgriN (Agro Inputs, Genetic Resources and Information Network) were announced.
Research platform
The existing BRICS Agricultural Research Platform is to be developed into a 'Knowledge-to-Action Hub'.
Don’t confuse with BRICS Summit vs BRICS Parliamentary Forum: The Summit is the leaders' executive-level meeting; the Parliamentary Forum is a meeting of legislature presiding officers and delegations.
Don’t confuse with Member vs partner countries: Members sign the declaration; partner countries are welcomed to take part in engagements but are a separate category.
Don’t confuse with BRICS tax track vs BRICS Summit: The Heads of Tax Authorities meeting is a sectoral track meeting under the Chair. The Summit is the leaders' annual meeting.
Don’t confuse with CBDT vs Department of Revenue: CBDT is a statutory body within the Department of Revenue. The Department sits in the Ministry of Finance.
Don’t confuse with New Development Bank vs Contingent Reserve Arrangement: The NDB funds infrastructure and sustainable development projects. The CRA is a liquidity backstop for members facing balance-of-payments pressure.
Don’t confuse with BRICS vs BRICS Plus/Partner countries: Members are the full BRICS grouping. Partner countries and Outreach/BRICS Plus invitees take part in engagements but are not full members.
Don’t confuse with BRICS vs New Development Bank: BRICS is the political-economic forum. The New Development Bank is its multilateral lender, headquartered in Shanghai.
Don’t confuse with BRICS Business Council vs BRICS Business Forum: The Business Council is a standing body of business leaders. The Business Forum is an event held during the Chairship.
Don’t confuse with Full member vs Partner Country: Full members (11) take part in the core structure. Partner countries such as Vietnam and Nigeria have a separate, structured engagement channel.
Don’t confuse with BRICS vs BIMSTEC: BIMSTEC is a Bay of Bengal regional grouping. It was invited to the 2016 Goa BRICS Outreach Summit but is a separate body.
Don’t confuse with IP BRICS vs WIPO: IP BRICS is a cooperation track among five or more member IP offices. WIPO is the UN agency that sets global IP rules and treaties.
Don’t confuse with Mission LiFE vs Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam: Mission LiFE promotes sustainable lifestyles and behaviour change. Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam is a tree-planting campaign. Both were cited as examples of public participation.
Don’t confuse with ILO vs ISSA: The International Labour Organisation is a UN specialised agency on labour standards. The International Social Security Association is a separate body of social security institutions.
Don’t confuse with BRICS vs BRICS+: BRICS refers to the core member grouping; 'BRICS+' is used for its wider outreach with partner and invited countries.
Don’t confuse with Ministerial Meeting vs Senior Officials' Meeting: Officials negotiate and finalise the text; ministers adopt it.
Don’t confuse with ISA vs GBA: The International Solar Alliance promotes solar energy. The Global Biofuels Alliance promotes biofuels. Both are India-backed bodies, and neither is a BRICS body.
Don’t confuse with NDB vs ERCP: The New Development Bank is the BRICS bank that finances projects. The Energy Research Cooperation Platform is a research and knowledge forum on energy.
Don’t confuse with Existing platform vs new networks: The Agricultural Research Platform is old and is being upgraded. The four networks and forums (agro-ecology centres, digital agriculture, seed rights forum, AgriN) are new.
Don’t confuse with Members vs partners: Delegates came from BRICS member and partner countries. Partner countries are not full members.
International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.
Why it matters
Parliamentary diplomacy adds a legislative layer to India's engagement with the Global South.
Shared positions on UN Security Council reform and terrorism, including the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam attack, support India's foreign policy goals.
Digital public infrastructure and AI cooperation let India share its technology model.
Parliamentary diplomacy adds a legislative layer to BRICS and helps turn summit commitments into laws and budgets.
It supports India's push to voice Global South concerns.
Permanent working groups let India shape BRICS positions on transfer pricing and tax data beyond its own year as Chair.
A common BRICS voice strengthens the Global South's say in global tax rules such as the UN tax convention talks.
Gives India a platform to push Global South concerns and UN Security Council reform.
Shows India's role in shaping multilateral rules through a non-Western-led grouping.
Gives the Global South a joint platform to push reform of the UN, IMF, World Bank and WTO.
Shows backing from China and Russia for India's UNSC aspirations.
Lets India shape agendas on health, digital public infrastructure, AI, disaster resilience and climate.
Gives India a platform to push for Global South priorities and a reformed multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.
Supports India's export push in engineering goods, electronics and pharmaceuticals, and promotes UPI and digital public infrastructure abroad.
Gives India a platform to voice Global South concerns and push reform of the IMF, World Bank and WTO.
Chairing lets India set the agenda on practical cooperation such as digital public infrastructure, health, MSMEs and counter-terrorism.
The NDB and CRA offer alternatives to Western-led financing.
Shared IP cooperation helps members shape global IP standards and voice Global South concerns.
Work on GIs and traditional knowledge supports protection and commercialisation of such products in BRICS markets.
Lets India push Global South concerns on climate finance, adaptation and equity.
Shares India's community-based models such as Mission LiFE across emerging economies.
Shows India using its chair to push a Global South, people-centric labour agenda.
BRICS CONNECT moves cooperation from policy dialogue to practical capacity building.
Sectoral tracks like transport give India a chance to shape BRICS' agenda on sustainable infrastructure and logistics.
Cooperation on SAF and decarbonisation links trade and connectivity with climate goals.
Lets India push the Global South view that countries need policy space and their own energy pathways.
Showcases India's clean energy and biofuel leadership and builds cooperation on smart grids, storage and hydrogen.
Gives India agenda-setting power on food security and Global South farm concerns during its chairship.
Links research, digital tools and seed conservation to climate-resilient farming across a bloc with large farmland and foodgrain share.
Problems
Members hold different views, with several in tension (for example, over West Asia and sanctions), so declarations stay general and consensus-based.
Expanded membership dilutes cohesion and makes common positions harder.
Members differ in political systems and national priorities, so parliamentary outcomes stay non-binding and hard to turn into action.
Members differ in tax systems, capacity and geopolitical interests, which makes common positions hard.
BRICS outcomes are non-binding and depend on each chair's follow-through.
Members differ in interests and geopolitical positions, which makes consensus hard.
Expansion of membership can dilute focus and cohesion.
Consensus is hard in a larger BRICS with diverse and sometimes conflicting interests.
India and China differ on some issues, and a BRICS stance on de-dollarisation and sanctions can strain India's ties with the West.
Many outcomes are voluntary and non-binding, so follow-through is uneven.
Non-tariff measures and regulatory barriers raise export costs and limit intra-BRICS trade.
Members differ in size, interests and geopolitics, which makes consensus on common payment or currency mechanisms hard.
A larger, more diverse membership makes consensus harder, as members have differing interests and rivalries.
Divergent positions among members, for example India and China, limit common stands on issues like terrorism and UN reform.
Most cooperation is voluntary and non-binding, so delivery depends on follow-through.
Members differ in IP regimes and in priorities, such as public health access versus patent protection.
Backlogs and uneven examination capacity slow cooperation.
Outcome documents are consensual and non-binding, so implementation depends on members.
Members differ on climate finance, energy transition and emission priorities.
The Declaration is non-binding; social protection expansion is left to nationally determined levels.
Members differ widely in labour markets and capacity, making common standards hard.
Consensus-based declarations are often broad and non-binding.
Members differ in economic structure and priorities, which makes implementation uneven.
BRICS members differ in energy mix and interests, so outcomes are consensus-based and voluntary.
The new centre is voluntary and non-binding, so impact depends on member participation and funding.
BRICS declarations are non-binding, so implementation depends on members' will and funding.
Members differ on trade, subsidies and seed or intellectual property rules, which may slow the Grain Exchange and seed forum.
Way forward
Turn declarations into concrete work such as the digital public infrastructure repository and pilot projects.
Use the IPU and the 2027 Chinese chairship to carry forward Global South priorities, while managing differences through consensus.
Use legislatures' oversight and budget roles to track Joint Statement commitments, and share best practices among parliaments.
Continue the work through the working groups and hand over smoothly to China in 2027.
Use shared tools such as peer learning and the Support Network to build capacity in member tax administrations.
Focus on concrete, deliverable outcomes such as capacity building and the proposed seafarers network.
Build consensus on institutional reform through coordinated positions in the UN and other forums.
Turn declarations into funded, time-bound projects through the NDB and working groups.
Use the chairship to link BRICS positions with G20 and other fora for reform.
Keep a balanced stance, including local-currency payments without hurting multilateral ties.
Simplify regulatory procedures, speed up customs clearance and recognise professional qualifications.
Link payment systems step by step and expand local-currency settlement.
Strengthen institutional mechanisms and turn declarations into funded, time-bound projects.
Settle a clear rotation formula and criteria for members and partners.
Use the Chairship to build consensus on reformed multilateralism and local-currency trade.
Use patent examination cooperation and shared search results to cut backlogs.
Review projects periodically so cooperation continues across chairships.
Turn principles into funded joint projects, training and technology exchange.
Track delivery through the knowledge network and the next chair's agenda.
Turn BRICS CONNECT into funded, time-bound programmes with measurable outcomes.
Extend the occupation classification pilot and share India's digital platforms such as e-Shram with partners.
Convert declaration themes into funded joint projects, such as the Railway Research Network.
Ensure continuity by handing over initiatives to the next chair with clear timelines.
Turn the guiding principles into pilot projects and shared standards.
Use the NDB and other bodies for affordable financing of clean energy in developing economies.
Set timelines, funding and national focal institutions for each network.
Link the networks to existing national schemes and farmer groups so that research reaches small farmers.
Put in your answer
Counter-terrorism stance: The declaration condemns the 22 April 2025 attack in Jammu and Kashmir and calls for zero tolerance and no double standards.
UN reform: Members support comprehensive UN reform, including the Security Council, to make it more representative.
Digital public infrastructure: A proposal to launch a DPI repository and pilot projects for BRICS countries was noted.
Institutional continuity: India-led working groups and an annual training programme show how a chair can leave lasting mechanisms in BRICS.
Global South rule-shaper: The PM said BRICS can train young diplomats and policymakers from the Global South in negotiation skills and legal expertise, so they move from rule-taker to rule-shaper.
Partnership, not privilege: The PM urged turning the pyramid of privilege into a platform of partnership in global governance.
Terrorism stand: The Declaration condemns the 22 April 2025 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, and rejects double standards on terrorism.
IMF quota reform: BRICS urged the 16th General Review of Quotas increases to take effect and quota realignment under the 17th review.
Opposition to unilateral sanctions and CBAM: BRICS opposes unilateral measures such as carbon border adjustment mechanisms.
Non-tariff barriers: Non-tariff measures impose higher export costs than tariffs for 88 per cent of countries. Useful to argue for regulatory simplification.
IP BRICS projects: New projects include an IP Awareness Series, a FinTech Innovation Monitor and a Industrial Property Commercialisation Forum, plus work on IP policies for public health.
India's new NDC: India's new Nationally Determined Contribution for 2031-2035 was cited as combining climate action with inclusive development and energy security.
Mission LiFE and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam: Cited as examples of combining ecological restoration, public participation and community ownership.
Labour Codes: India merged 29 labour laws into four Labour Codes in November 2025, cited as a worker-centric reform.
e-Shram: The portal gives unique identification and benefit access to over 317 million registered unorganised workers.
BRICS Transport Declaration 2026: Example of India using its chairship to push sustainable transport themes such as SAF, decarbonisation and logistics.
India's solar growth: Solar capacity rose from about 3 GW in 2014 to over 154 GW, per the Power Minister.
India's energy targets: India aims for over 400 GWh of energy storage by 2032 and 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047.
BRICS share of agriculture: About 42% of global farmland and foodgrain production, and nearly half the world's population, as stated by the Minister.
Seed rights forum: The Global Forum on Farmers' Rights in Seed Systems focuses on protecting farmers' seed rights and indigenous seed diversity.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Test yourself
Prelims practice · Single answer
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements about BRICS and the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum held in New Delhi in October 2026:
1.The declaration of the Forum names ten BRICS member countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
2.BRICS cooperation rests on four pillars, one of which is a separate defence pillar.
3.The declaration takes note of an Indian initiative to set up a BRICS Plus geopolitical group within the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
4.The BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group operates through five subgroups.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
True or false?
1 of 28
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.BRICS cooperation rests on four pillars, including a separate defence pillar.
False. It rests on three pillars: political and security, economic and financial, cultural and people-to-people.
2.India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026.
True. The 18th Summit was on 12-13 September 2026 in India.
3.Russia is to chair BRICS in 2027.
False. China will hold the 2027 chairship.
4.The declaration takes note of a proposal to set up a BRICS Plus geopolitical group within the Inter-Parliamentary Union, put forward by India.
False. The initiative was Russia's.
5.The BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group operates through five subgroups.
True. The CTWG has five subgroups.
6.The BRICS chair rotates every five years.
False. The chair rotates annually.
7.The XVIII BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi in September 2026.
True. New Delhi, 12-13 September 2026.
8.The Declaration says BRICS cooperation rests on two pillars: political and security, and economic and financial.
False. There are three pillars; the third is cultural and people-to-people cooperation.
9.China and Russia reiterated support for Brazil's and India's aspirations to play a greater role in the UN, including its Security Council.
True. China and Russia, as permanent members, backed Brazil and India.
10.India will chair BRICS in 2027 and host the XIX Summit.
False. China will chair BRICS in 2027 and host the XIX Summit.
11.BRICS called for restoring a two-tier binding WTO dispute settlement mechanism and appointing new Appellate Body members.
True. BRICS wants the two-tier WTO dispute settlement system restored.
12.The Declaration supports Ethiopia's and Iran's bid for accession to the WTO.
True. BRICS strongly supports the WTO accession of Ethiopia and Iran.
13.The Declaration welcomes India's Chairship of the Kimberley Process in 2026.
True. India chairs the Kimberley Process in 2026.
14.The New Development Bank is headquartered in New Delhi.
False. The NDB is headquartered in Shanghai.
15.The BRICS Presidency rotates annually according to the alphabetical order of member countries' names.
False. It rotates according to the letters of the acronym BRICS.
16.Indonesia joined as the eleventh full member of BRICS in January 2025.
True. Indonesia became the eleventh full member in January 2025.
17.The Partner Country category gives partner countries full membership rights in BRICS.
False. The framework broadens outreach without altering the full-membership structure.
18.The acronym 'BRIC' was coined in 2001 by Goldman Sachs.
True. Goldman Sachs coined BRIC in a 2001 economics paper.
19.The New Development Bank has its headquarters in New Delhi.
False. The NDB is headquartered in Shanghai.
20.The Contingent Reserve Arrangement is meant to give short-term liquidity support to members facing financial instability.
True. The CRA is a financial safety mechanism for short-term liquidity support.
21.The 13th BRICS Summit, hosted by India in 2021, was held in person in New Delhi.
False. It was held virtually on 9 September 2021.
22.The Indore Declaration was adopted unanimously by the BRICS agriculture ministers.
True. The declaration was adopted unanimously.
23.The BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture will be coordinated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research headquarters in New Delhi.
False. IIT Delhi will coordinate it.
24.The Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, is India's Centre of Excellence under the new BRICS agro-ecology network.
True. IIFSR Modipuram is India's centre.
25.BRICS countries together hold about 42 per cent of global agricultural land, according to the Union Minister.
True. About 42% of agricultural land.
26.The BRICS Agricultural Research Platform was newly created at the Indore meeting.
False. It already existed; Indore agreed to strengthen it into a Knowledge-to-Action Hub.
27.The chair of BRICS rotates every year and sets the agenda for that year.
True. Annual rotating chair sets the agenda.
28.The BRICS Grain Exchange was formally established at the Indore meeting.
False. Discussions on a BRICS Grain Exchange only gained fresh momentum through a special dialogue; it was not established.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi in October 2026, held under India's BRICS Chairship, adopted a Joint Declaration that covers terrorism, UN reform, global governance and digital cooperation. Examine the significance of BRICS for India's foreign policy objectives and discuss the challenges India faces in using the grouping to advance its interests.
GS3 Environment · BiodiversityGS2 Statutory bodiesPrelims and Mains
Why in news
On 13 June 2026 the National Biodiversity Authority reconstituted its Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity for one year, with Padma Shri Dr P. L. Gautam as Chair.
What it is
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, headquartered in Chennai. It regulates access to India's biological resources and associated knowledge by commercial users and foreign entities. Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) requires users to share benefits with the providers and local communities, in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol.
Amount and recipients
Rs 1.19 crore went to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and one UT Biodiversity Council.
Basis of allocation
Because resources were bought through markets or traders, individual benefit claimers could not be identified. Shares were set in proportion to estimated cultivation areas.
Use of funds
Funds must be used only for activities under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Legal basis and seat
NBA was set up under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and is headquartered in Chennai.
COP 17
COP 17 of the CBD is scheduled for 19-30 October 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia.
Top sector
The agri-seed sector gave the largest share, Rs 7.16 crore, followed by food and beverages.
Cumulative since 2008
NBA has realised about Rs 278 crore through ABS and disbursed over Rs 200 crore for conservation and benefit claimers.
Disbursal route
Funds go through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils to support People's Biodiversity Registers and Biodiversity Management Committees.
Legal basis and HQ
NBA is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, headquartered in Chennai.
Amended framework
The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 have strengthened the framework under the 2002 Act. States are urged to align their rules with it.
ABS funds shared
The NBA has shared over ₹200 crore of ABS funds with farmers, communities, BMCs, SBBs, UTBCs and research institutions.
Local bodies
The Minister called for making the more than 2.76 lakh Biodiversity Management Committees functional.
International reporting
India submitted its 7th National Report to the CBD and its 1st National Report on the Nagoya Protocol.
NBA basis and seat
The NBA is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, headquartered in Chennai.
Amount sanctioned
₹8.23 crore was sanctioned to 27 State Biodiversity Boards and 5 UT Biodiversity Councils, from bitter gourd, okra, chilli and onion.
Distribution basis
The resources came from the open market or traders, so no individual providers could be traced. Shares go to States by area under cultivation, as published by the Agriculture Ministry.
Legal basis
The NBA was established in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and is headquartered in Chennai. It is a statutory, autonomous body.
Three-tier structure
The Act sets up the NBA at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards in States, and Biodiversity Management Committees at local body level.
Okra component
The largest part is for okra: Rs. 3.51 crore released to 32 SBBs and UTBCs, from money paid by Nunhems India.
Distribution modality
Since the resources came from markets and traders, the share is split among States and UTs where the resource is cultivated, as recommended by an Expert Committee and approved by the Authority.
Cumulative total
Total ABS disbursed by the NBA has crossed Rs. 191 crore.
Amount and source
Rs. 15.52 crore came from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, which developed ten mustard hybrids using Indian biological resources.
Intermediary rule
Where the resource came through intermediaries, ABS is shared among the SBBs/UTBCs of the areas where it is cultivated.
Unidentified source of access
Where resources were accessed via markets, traders or intermediaries, the source could not be identified, so the NBA used benefit-sharing modalities prepared by an Expert Committee.
Basis of distribution
Money was shared among SBBs/UTBCs of States where the crops are grown, using cultivation-area data of the Agriculture Ministry.
Local structures
State Biodiversity Boards and Biodiversity Management Committees are set up under the Act; the NBA is at the national level.
Payer
The money came from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, an international seed company that used Indian rice varieties to develop hybrids.
State share basis
Rs 5.75 crore went to 33 State Biodiversity Boards and UT Councils, allocated by each State's rice-growing area. Uttar Pradesh got the most.
Global link
The initiative contributes to Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, on fair and equitable benefit sharing.
Headquarters
The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
Where the money goes
If the geographical source of a resource can be established, the ABS amount goes to the State Biodiversity Boards. If not, it stays in the National Biodiversity Fund under Section 27 of the Act.
Basis of State shares
State allocation is proportional to each State's area under cotton, using AICRP (ICAR) data.
Total released
Total ABS funds released by the NBA have reached Rs 152.24 crore.
Effect of notification
Notification regulates or prohibits collection of the species and provides for its rehabilitation and conservation. The Centre may delegate the power to States.
Numbers notified
159 plant and 173 animal species notified as threatened, across 17 States and 3 UTs.
Who the SOP helps
It assists State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils, which recommend species to the State Government for notification.
Link to ABS Regulations
The 2025 ABS Regulations treat benefit-sharing differently where the resource belongs to a species notified as threatened under Section 38.
Money realized
NBA has realized over Rs 266 crore through ABS since 2008, including Rs 21.26 crore in FY 2025-26.
Transfer rule
Under the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024, NBA transfers 85-90 per cent of the ABS amount to State Biodiversity Boards for disbursal.
Reach
Benefits reached over 10,500 Biodiversity Management Committees across 23 States and 4 Union Territories.
Leadership
Dr P. L. Gautam, a former head of the NBA and PPVFRA, chairs the committee. The PPVFRA Chairperson is Co-Chair.
Age of the committee
It has been an advisory body of the NBA since 2005 and is reconstituted periodically.
Scope of work
It examines seed sector issues, reviews guidelines for international collaborative research, and recommends measures to conserve threatened native crop varieties and livestock breeds.
International link
The committee gives inputs on India's engagement with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).
NBA headquarters
The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
People's Biodiversity Register
A BMC prepares the PBR in consultation with local people. It records resources, habitats, landraces and traditional knowledge.
National Biodiversity Authority Fund
The NBAF is a statutory fund created under section 27 of the Act. It supports benefit sharing and conservation.
Section 39 repositories
The Central Government can designate institutions as repositories for biological resources. Twenty institutions have been designated so far.
Nagoya Protocol
It is a legally binding supplementary agreement to the CBD, adopted in October 2010 at COP-10 in Nagoya, on fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
Prior registration for IPR
Applicants covered under Section 7 must get a Certificate of Registration from the NBA before seeking IPR, including patents, based on Indian biological resources.
2025-26 numbers
The NBA received 1,077 IPR applications and issued 885 CoRs between April 2025 and March 2026.
2024-25 numbers
Around 857 IPR applications were received and 792 CoRs issued from April 2024 to March 2025.
International basis
The Act implements the Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992; the Nagoya Protocol (2010) deals with access and benefit sharing.
Who got the money
Biodiversity Management Committees in 24 districts across nine States and one Union Territory received the current release. One Haryana dairy farmer was also paid for supplying Murrah buffalo.
Cumulative ABS
Total ABS disbursements at the national level have crossed ₹145 crore, about USD 16 million.
Resources behind the funds
The funds came from commercial use of microorganisms, marine microalgae and seaweed, among others, plus plants such as Tulsi, Moringa, neem and ashwagandha.
International commitments
The NBA implements India's obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol, and contributes to the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Who receives benefits
Benefits go to institutes, local communities, farmers and Biodiversity Management Committees that provided the parental lines of seeds.
Payout
NBA released Rs 45.05 lakh through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils to benefit claimers.
Resources used
Benefits came from insects, soil and water microorganisms and cultivated Red Sanders.
International links
NBA advances India's obligations under the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol on ABS.
Amount released
The NBA released Rs 17 lakh to the Mumbai civic body's Biodiversity Management Committee, routed through the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board.
Source of benefit
The money comes from the commercial use of soil micro-organisms of the Bacillus genus in probiotic products.
National total
Cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed Rs 144.37 crore, about USD 16 million.
Maharashtra's position
Maharashtra is the second major beneficiary State, next to Andhra Pradesh, whose figure is driven by Red Sanders.
Global frameworks
The outcomes are linked to Targets 13 and 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Latest payout
The NBA released ₹45 lakh to Andhra Pradesh farmers through the State Biodiversity Board.
Statutory status and seat
The NBA is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, with headquarters in Chennai.
Red Sanders share
Over ₹104 crore of the total has gone to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders conservation, protection and benefit claimers.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs SBB vs BMC: NBA is the national body. State Biodiversity Boards work at State level. Biodiversity Management Committees are local bodies under the same Act.
Don’t confuse with CBD vs Nagoya Protocol: The CBD is the parent treaty. The Nagoya Protocol is its supplementary agreement on access and fair benefit sharing.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs State Biodiversity Board: NBA is the national regulator at Chennai. State Biodiversity Boards regulate use by Indians at the state level and channel benefits.
Don’t confuse with Nagoya Protocol vs Cartagena Protocol: Nagoya concerns access and benefit sharing of genetic resources. Cartagena concerns the biosafety of living modified organisms.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs National Green Tribunal: The NBA is a regulator under the Biological Diversity Act. The NGT is a judicial body under the NGT Act, 2010.
Don’t confuse with Nagoya Protocol vs Kunming-Montreal Framework: Nagoya is a legal protocol on ABS under the CBD; the Kunming-Montreal Framework is a 2022 global target set, with Target 13 on benefit sharing.
Don’t confuse with Section 38 vs IUCN Red List: Section 38 notification is a legal act under Indian law that restricts collection. The IUCN Red List is a global assessment with no legal force in India.
Don’t confuse with Section 38 vs Wild Life (Protection) Act Schedules: Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act covers threatened species and regulates collection; the Wild Life (Protection) Act uses Schedules to protect wild animals and plants.
Don’t confuse with Rs 266 crore vs Rs 145 crore: Rs 266 crore is realized from users; Rs 145 crore is what has been disbursed to beneficiaries so far.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs PPVFRA: The NBA works under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and regulates access and benefit sharing. The PPVFRA works under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 and registers plant varieties and protects farmers' rights.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs State Biodiversity Boards: The NBA is the national body. State Biodiversity Boards regulate certain uses within their states, and Biodiversity Management Committees work at the local level.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs State Biodiversity Boards vs BMCs: The NBA is national, the SBBs work at state level, and BMCs are local bodies that prepare PBRs.
Don’t confuse with Convention on Biological Diversity vs Nagoya Protocol: The CBD is the parent treaty of 1992. The Nagoya Protocol is its supplementary agreement dealing specifically with access and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs SBB: NBA is the national regulator. State Biodiversity Boards regulate at State level, and BMCs work at local body level.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs Biodiversity Management Committees: Biodiversity Management Committees are local-level bodies that document local biodiversity. The NBA and State Boards sit above them.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
Channels commercial gains from biological resources back to conservation and local communities.
Shows agriculture as a new source of ABS funds, supporting agricultural biodiversity.
ABS ties commercial use of biological resources to conservation and local community benefit.
It operationalises India's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol.
ABS funds can give tangible benefits to communities and link livelihoods to conservation.
Aligned State rules help implement India's CBD and Nagoya Protocol commitments uniformly.
Turns the fair and equitable benefit-sharing principle into money reaching States for conservation and communities.
Supports India's commitments under the CBD, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Framework Target 13.
Channels commercial gains from biological resources back to conservation and communities.
Strengthens State-level institutions for biodiversity documentation and restoration.
Channels commercial gains from genetic resources to conservation and local communities.
Puts the Nagoya Protocol and Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Framework into practice.
Links commercial use of genetic resources to community welfare and conservation funding.
Supports India's commitments under the Nagoya Protocol and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Turns commercial use of genetic resources into funds for conservation and for research institutions.
Shows India applying the Nagoya Protocol's benefit-sharing principle in practice.
Reinvests commercial gains from biological resources into conservation and local livelihoods.
Gives a workable model for benefit sharing when resources come through traders and no claimant can be identified.
Uniform scientific method for States can reduce arbitrary or delayed listing of threatened species.
Supports India's NBSAP 2024-2030 Target 4 and the Kunming-Montreal Framework.
Links conservation to community income, backing the idea that those who protect biodiversity should gain from its use.
Helps India meet Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Target 13 commitments.
Links agricultural research and seed exports with biodiversity law and benefit sharing.
Supports conservation of native crop varieties and livestock breeds, which aids climate-resilient farming.
Gives a legal route for local communities to share in profits from their biological resources and knowledge.
Local registers and BMCs bring community participation into conservation.
Prior registration links patents to benefit sharing, checking biopiracy of India's biological resources and traditional knowledge.
Clear approval pathways ease research and industry access while keeping conservation aims.
ABS gives local communities a direct economic reason to conserve biodiversity.
It helps India meet its CBD, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming–Montreal commitments.
ABS payments give money to local communities and farmers who hold biological resources and knowledge, linking livelihoods to conservation.
It shows India implementing its Nagoya Protocol obligations through domestic law.
ABS payments give communities a share of commercial gains, which links livelihoods to conservation.
It supports India's commitments under the CBD, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Framework.
Links conservation with local livelihoods by returning a share of commercial gains to communities.
Shows microbial resources have commercial value, and strengthens India's case under the CBD and Nagoya Protocol.
Links conservation of an endangered, endemic species with direct income for farmers.
Puts into practice the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from biological resources.
Problems
When resources are bought through traders, actual providers cannot be identified, so area-based proxies are used.
Amounts are small relative to the commercial value of biological resources.
Receipts are small and concentrated in a few sectors and firms, mainly agri-seed.
Local communities and BMCs may have weak capacity to document knowledge and claim benefits.
Many Biodiversity Management Committees exist on paper but are not functional.
States and UTs need to align rules and build capacity, and People’s Biodiversity Registers need better quality.
When resources are bought on the open market, source communities cannot be identified, so area-based sharing may miss real knowledge holders.
State boards and local committees have uneven capacity to use funds and keep People's Biodiversity Registers updated.
Market-sourced resources cannot be traced to specific farmers or communities, so benefits reach States rather than holders of knowledge.
Capacity of SBBs and local committees to document and use funds well is uneven.
Where sources are traders and intermediaries, individual providers cannot be traced, so benefits reach States, not communities.
Funds may be poorly used by Boards and local committees if registers and Biodiversity Management Committees are weak.
Resources accessed through markets and traders make the original source hard to trace, forcing area-based sharing.
Small local bodies may lack capacity to use funds well or reach the actual custodian communities.
Few users come forward, so compliance depends on detecting unreported use of resources.
Funds may not reach local farmers and knowledge holders who conserved the varieties.
Tracing the source of resources that pass through traders and intermediaries is hard.
Individual conservers and communities may not receive direct benefit when funds go to State boards.
Many States lack taxonomic expertise and data to assess species; only 17 States and 3 UTs have notified species so far.
Notification may restrict local communities' collection of resources, risking livelihood conflicts.
Collections are concentrated: Red Sanders, seeds and pharma/AYUSH give about 91 per cent, so the base is narrow.
Rs 266 crore realized against Rs 145 crore disbursed shows a gap, and funds pass through several layers before reaching communities.
Balancing ABS compliance with the freedom of agricultural research and plant breeding.
The committee is advisory only, and its term is short at one year.
Many BMCs and PBRs may exist on paper only, with uneven quality and updating.
Balancing research and industry access against fair benefit sharing is difficult.
Balancing ease of doing business with strict benefit sharing to local communities.
Weak capacity of Biodiversity Management Committees and uneven documentation of traditional knowledge.
Not all applications get CoRs, so processing time and compliance burden remain concerns.
The amount paid so far is small compared with the scale of commercial use and the number of BMCs.
Many BMCs have weak capacity, thin documentation and poor People's Biodiversity Registers, which delays benefit claims.
Compliance depends on companies applying; the NBA itself urges all sectors to comply.
Benefits must actually reach grassroot providers through BMCs, and procedures must stay simple without weakening safeguards.
Many benefit claimers and BMCs are yet to document resources or receive payments.
Simplified rules for ease of doing business must not dilute community interests.
Payouts are uneven across States and depend on a few high-value resources such as Red Sanders.
Many Biodiversity Management Committees have limited capacity to document resources and use funds well.
Benefit claimers must be identified and reached, and delays in payouts can weaken trust.
Illegal trade in Red Sanders continues to threaten the species.
Way forward
Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and People's Biodiversity Registers to identify benefit claimers.
Improve compliance monitoring and transparent tracking of fund use by State Boards.
Strengthen BMCs and People's Biodiversity Registers so communities can claim benefits.
Widen compliance monitoring and tracking of users across sectors, including AYUSH and biotechnology.
Train and fund BMCs, and make People’s Biodiversity Registers dynamic inputs for local planning.
Ensure transparent ABS distribution so benefits reach local communities.
Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and PBRs so providers can be traced and paid directly.
Publish State-wise utilisation data and audit how funds are spent.
Ensure funds reach Biodiversity Management Committees and local communities, with public reporting of use.
Complete People's Biodiversity Registers and strengthen monitoring of ABS agreements.
Build capacity of State Boards and Biodiversity Management Committees and track fund use under Section 32.
Strengthen documentation through People's Biodiversity Registers so sources can be traced.
Strengthen People's Biodiversity Registers and BMCs so benefits reach local custodians directly.
Improve traceability and monitoring of how States use ABS funds.
Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and People's Biodiversity Registers so local holders can claim benefits.
Track fund use by State Boards and report it publicly.
Strengthen People's Biodiversity Registers and Biodiversity Management Committees so that sources can be documented.
Track how State Biodiversity Boards use the funds.
Build capacity of State Biodiversity Boards with BSI, ZSI and academic institutions, and involve Biodiversity Management Committees.
Follow notification with funded recovery plans, regular monitoring and periodic review.
Widen compliance across more sectors and users, and track unreported use of biological resources.
Speed up and publish disbursal to BMCs, and strengthen their capacity and People's Biodiversity Registers.
Give clear and consistent guidance on seed exports and collaborative research approvals.
Align ABS rules with the ITPGRFA and farmers' rights.
Update, verify and digitise PBRs and link them to the ABS portal.
Build capacity of BMCs so benefits reach communities.
Strengthen BMCs and People's Biodiversity Registers so benefits reach local communities.
Ensure timely, transparent disposal of applications and track benefit-sharing outcomes publicly.
Strengthen BMCs with training, funding and updated People's Biodiversity Registers.
Improve tracking of commercial users so that benefit-sharing is paid on time and transparently.
Strengthen BMCs and people's biodiversity registers so providers can be identified and paid.
Widen compliance across sectors while keeping procedures simple and transparent.
Strengthen BMCs and complete People's Biodiversity Registers with traditional knowledge.
Build awareness and capacity among communities and industry for timely ABS compliance.
Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and People's Biodiversity Registers to track resource use.
Improve monitoring of commercial users so that benefit-sharing agreements are enforced, and spread payouts more widely.
Widen benefit sharing to more States and communities, and make payouts timely.
Strengthen documentation of local biodiversity and traceability of lawful Red Sanders trade.
Put in your answer
Section 32(2) activities: Funds go to documentation, conservation, local governance, research, capacity building and livelihoods.
Cumulative ABS: About Rs 278 crore realised since 2008, with over Rs 200 crore disbursed to benefit claimers.
ABS distribution: The NBA has shared over ₹200 crore of ABS funds with communities, local bodies and institutions.
ABS milestone: Cumulative NBA ABS disbursement now exceeds ₹200 crore.
Example of area-based sharing: Maharashtra gets a large share because it holds over 49 per cent of India's onion area.
Global target: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 13 calls for fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
ABS total: NBA has disbursed over Rs. 191 crore of ABS funds so far.
Okra example: Okra: Rs. 3.51 crore released to 32 SBBs and UTBCs, showing the market-sourced distribution modality.
Expert Committee modality: For resources accessed via intermediaries, benefit is shared among States where the resource is cultivated.
Global framework: The release links ABS to Targets 13 and 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Rice ABS payment: Rs 8.22 crore was shared from one seed company's use of Indian rice varieties, split between research institutions and State Boards.
Total ABS disbursed: Total NBA ABS disbursements across all sectors have crossed Rs 162 crore.
Global Biodiversity Framework: The initiative contributes to Kunming-Montreal Target 13 on fair sharing of benefits and Target 4 on conserving genetic diversity.
Species notified so far: 159 plant and 173 animal species notified as threatened across 17 States and 3 UTs.
NBSAP 2024-2030 Target 4: Target 4 aims to halt human-induced extinction, promote species recovery and maintain genetic diversity.
Local use of funds: Funds support medicinal plant parks, community gene banks and updating People's Biodiversity Registers.
Expert committees under Section 13: The NBA uses Section 13(1) to set up expert committees for specialised advice, as with agrobiodiversity.
ABS benefits released: Nearly Rs 145 crore has been released to beneficiaries, reaching about 11,000 BMCs.
ABS disbursement: Cumulative ABS payouts have passed ₹145 crore, showing the mechanism works at a modest scale.
Biological Diversity Act, 2002: The Act is India's law implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity and creates the three-tier institutional structure.
ABS payments to date: Cumulative ABS payments have crossed Rs 145 crore, about USD 16 million.
ABS disbursement total: Cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed Rs 144.37 crore, which can be cited as evidence of the Act's working.
Biotechnology contribution: The biotechnology sector has contributed about Rs 10 crore to the accrued ABS fund.
ABS releases to date: India's cumulative ABS releases exceed ₹143.5 crore, with most going to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders.
Recent payouts: In three months, ₹5.35 crore went to over 220 Red Sanders farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Test yourself
Prelims practice · Single answer
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
With reference to the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism in India, consider the following statements:
1. The NBA is a statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
2. The headquarters of the NBA is in New Delhi.
3. In the latest disbursal, allocations to States were made in proportion to the estimated cultivation areas of the biological resources.
4. The funds disbursed to State Biodiversity Boards must be used exclusively for activities specified under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
How many of the above statements are correct?
How many of the above statements are correct?
True or false?
1 of 53
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The National Biodiversity Authority is a statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. NBA is created by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
2.The headquarters of the National Biodiversity Authority is in New Delhi.
False. NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
3.In the latest disbursal, allocations to States were made in proportion to the estimated cultivation areas of the biological resources.
True. Allocation followed estimated cultivation area, using official agricultural statistics.
4.The funds disbursed to State Biodiversity Boards must be used exclusively for activities specified under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. Use of funds is restricted to Section 32(2) activities.
5.The Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism of the NBA gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. The Nagoya Protocol on ABS is a protocol to the CBD; India's ABS regime implements it.
6.The seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD is scheduled to be held in India.
False. COP 17 is scheduled in Yerevan, Armenia, 19-30 October 2026.
7.The National Biodiversity Authority is headquartered in New Delhi.
False. NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
8.ABS funds are disbursed through State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils.
True. Disbursal goes through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils.
9.Biodiversity Management Committees are constituted at the local body level under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. The Act provides for BMCs at local body level to promote conservation and document biodiversity through People's Biodiversity Registers.
10.The ABS mechanism in India is meant to give effect to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.
True. The Nagoya Protocol, under the CBD, deals with access and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
11.The headquarters of the National Biodiversity Authority is in Bengaluru.
False. The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
12.In the latest disbursement, the benefit share was distributed among States according to the area under cultivation of the crops.
True. Distribution was based on area under cultivation published by the Agriculture Ministry.
13.The funds received by State Biodiversity Boards must be used for activities listed under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. Section 32(2) lists permitted uses such as PBRs, conservation and livelihoods.
14.The latest ABS proceeds were realised from farmers who had supplied the crops directly to seed companies.
False. The resources were accessed through the open market or traders, so individual farmers could not be traced.
15.The ABS framework under the Biological Diversity Act gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing is a CBD protocol that India implements through the Act and ABS regulations.
16.Biodiversity Management Committees are constituted by the National Biodiversity Authority at the State level.
False. BMCs are set up by local bodies at village, panchayat or municipal level; State Biodiversity Boards operate at State level.
17.The funds disbursed to State Biodiversity Boards are to be utilised as per Section 32 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. Section 32 governs use of the benefit-sharing funds by SBBs and UTBCs.
18.The Access and Benefit-Sharing regime in India gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. ABS rules implement the CBD's Nagoya Protocol.
19.The largest ABS component in this disbursement relates to watermelon.
False. The largest component relates to okra (Rs. 3.51 crore).
20.Among the major recipients in this disbursement, Gujarat received the highest amount, followed by West Bengal.
True. Gujarat got Rs. 88.79 lakh and West Bengal Rs. 78.09 lakh.
21.In the mustard case, the ABS share of each State was calculated on the basis of the area under mustard cultivation in it.
True. Shares were based on each State's mustard cultivation area.
22.In the mustard case, the ABS amount was paid directly to the farmers who supplied the parental lines.
False. The parental lines came from the open market and traders, so no farmer or community could be identified; money went to State Boards and UT Councils.
23.Utilisation of ABS money by State Biodiversity Boards is governed by Section 32 of the Biological Diversity Act.
True. Section 32 governs use of the funds.
24.The Nagoya Protocol deals with fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
True. The Nagoya Protocol is the CBD's ABS protocol.
25.The cultivation-area data used to calculate the State shares was sourced from the National Biodiversity Authority's own survey.
False. The figures came from ICAR-Indian Institute of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur.
26.The National Biodiversity Authority is headquartered in Chennai.
True. NBA headquarters is in Chennai.
27.India's Access and Benefit Sharing framework is aligned with the Nagoya Protocol.
True. The ABS framework follows the Nagoya Protocol.
28.Where the original source of access cannot be identified, the benefit-sharing amount is retained by the NBA and not passed to State Biodiversity Boards.
False. The NBA adopted Expert Committee modalities and disbursed the amount among SBBs/UTBCs of crop-growing States.
29.In the latest release, the amount was shared among States in proportion to cultivation-area data published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
True. Distribution used cultivation-area data of the Agriculture Ministry.
30.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 gives effect to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
True. The CBD was opened for signature at Rio in 1992 and the Act implements it in India.
31.The recipient boards may use the funds only for cash payments to individual farmers and not for conservation work.
False. Funds go to People's Biodiversity Registers, in-situ and ex-situ conservation, Biodiversity Heritage Sites, BMC capacity building and community development.
32.The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's Target 13 deals with fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
True. Target 13 covers benefit sharing from genetic resources.
33.The National Biodiversity Authority is headquartered in Hyderabad.
False. The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
34.Where the geographical source of a biological resource cannot be established, the ABS funds are retained in the National Biodiversity Fund.
True. Such funds stay in the National Biodiversity Fund and are used under Section 27 of the Act.
35.The Nagoya Protocol deals with the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the utilisation of genetic resources.
True. The Nagoya Protocol, under the Convention on Biological Diversity, covers access and benefit sharing.
36.The National Biodiversity Authority functions under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
False. The NBA functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
37.Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 deals with the notification of threatened species.
True. Section 38 covers notification of threatened species.
38.The Central Government may delegate its power to notify threatened species to State Governments.
True. The Act allows delegation of this power to States.
39.Notification of a species as threatened can regulate or prohibit its collection.
True. Notification regulates or prohibits collection and provides for rehabilitation.
40.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 provides for State Biodiversity Boards and local Biodiversity Management Committees besides the NBA.
True. The Act has a three-tier structure: NBA, State Biodiversity Boards, Biodiversity Management Committees.
41.The 2025 ABS Regulations apply identical benefit-sharing obligations to all biological resources, including threatened species.
False. They provide differential treatment where resources belong to species notified as threatened under Section 38.
42.The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity dealing with access and benefit sharing.
True. Nagoya Protocol supplements the CBD on ABS.
43.Under the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024, NBA transfers 85-90 per cent of the ABS amount to State Biodiversity Boards for onward disbursal.
True. 85-90 per cent goes to State Biodiversity Boards.
44.Seeds accounted for the largest share of ABS realization, ahead of Red Sanders.
False. Red Sanders was largest at Rs 120 crore (45 per cent); seeds were second at 32.3 per cent.
45.The ABS framework contributes to Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on fair and equitable benefit sharing.
True. Target 13 of the KMGBF concerns benefit sharing.
46.Benefits under the ABS framework have so far reached Biodiversity Management Committees in all States and Union Territories.
False. They reached over 10,500 BMCs across 23 States and 4 Union Territories.
47.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 provides for Biodiversity Management Committees at the level of local bodies.
True. BMCs are the local-level tier under the Act.
48.The Nagoya Protocol, which the Biological Diversity Act helps implement, deals with the conservation of wetlands.
False. The Nagoya Protocol deals with access to genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits; wetlands fall under the Ramsar Convention.
49.Benefit-sharing payments reach Biodiversity Management Committees through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils.
True. NBA disbursed the amount through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils.
50.The Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism in India gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. NBA advances India's obligations under the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol on ABS.
51.Cumulative ABS payments made through the NBA have crossed Rs 145 crore.
52.Biodiversity Management Committees are constituted by the Central Government at the national level.
False. BMCs are constituted by local bodies under the Act.
53.The latest payout was generated only from wild-collected Red Sanders and did not involve microorganisms.
False. It also came from insects and microorganisms in soil and water, and Red Sanders was cultivated.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The National Biodiversity Authority received Rs 9.68 crore in Access and Benefit Sharing payments in April-September 2026, mostly from the agri-seed sector. Examine the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 on access and benefit sharing and discuss the challenges in ensuring that local communities benefit from the use of India's biological resources.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.
Quick facts
DRDO flight-tested multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (up to ICBM-class targets) and the maiden Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR) on 10-11 June 2026.
Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, now Vice Chief, becomes Chief of the Army Staff from 30 June 2026, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi.
Department of Posts began drone mail between Mandi and Rehardhar (Himachal Pradesh) on 12 June 2026, with about 150 routes planned in Himachal and Assam.
The first batch of 17 women trained at NDA (148th Course, joined August 2022) has been commissioned into the Army, Air Force and Navy.
Source: PIB, 13 Jun
What we left out: 18 of 25 releases
Visit schedules and statements (1)
Ceremonies and campaigns (7)
Speeches without a decision (4)
Routine notices (1)
Routine naval visits (1)
Same issue as another release (2)
Routine seizures (1)
Routine review meetings (1)
Practise the day’s news
In UPSC’s formats, inside each issue. The answer and why come after you choose.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has recently cited a rise in Sex Ratio at Birth from 918 to 929 and in girls' secondary enrolment to 80.2% as gains of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao over eleven years. Discuss the objectives and main features of the scheme, and critically examine the challenges in attributing these gains to it. Suggest a way forward.