Current Affairs, 25 March 2026

Venue and date

MC14 was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and closed on March 30, 2026.

Fisheries subsidies

Ministers agreed to keep negotiating, aiming to give recommendations to MC-15 on comprehensive disciplines under Article 12 of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.

IFD Agreement

India did not agree to bring the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement into the WTO as an Annex 4 (plurilateral) agreement.

E-commerce moratorium

No consensus was reached on extending the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions. The General Council in Geneva will take it up next.

Decision-making

The WTO takes decisions by consensus, and the Ministerial Conference meets at least once every two years.

Phase II focus

The Ministerial Decision sets the course of Phase II negotiations on fisheries subsidies relating to overcapacity and overfishing.

India's priorities

India sought a 25-year transition period for developing countries, stronger disciplines on distant-water fleets, a permanent carve-out for small-scale fishers, and per capita subsidy intensity as the basis.

Principles invoked

India grounded its stance in SDG 14.6, S&DT, CBDR-RC and the Polluter Pays Principle.

Status of the Conference

The Ministerial Conference is the WTO's highest decision-making body and meets at least once every two years.

Fisheries Subsidies Agreement

The opening session marked the entry into force of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 15 September 2025.

India's position on reform

India wants reform to be transparent, inclusive and Member-driven, keeping development at the core and upholding non-discrimination, consensus-based decision making and equity.

Ministerial Conference

It is the topmost decision-making body of the WTO, meeting at least once every two years. The General Council acts for it between sessions.

WTO

The WTO was established on 1 January 1995 and is headquartered in Geneva. It replaced GATT.

Dates and venue

MC14 is to be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 26 to 29 March 2026.

Chair

Cameroon's Trade Minister, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, chairs the conference.

Agenda

Items include WTO reform, the E-Commerce Work Programme and Moratorium, Investment Facilitation for Development, fisheries subsidies, and agriculture and development.

India's asks

India wants a permanent solution on public stockholding, effective S&DT, and a restored binding dispute settlement mechanism.

Legal basis

The WTO was set up by the Marrakesh Agreement (1994), in force from 1 January 1995, with headquarters in Geneva.

Don’t confuse with Ministerial Conference vs General Council: The Ministerial Conference is the top body and meets at least every two years. The General Council acts between sessions and will now take up the e-commerce moratorium.

Don’t confuse with Annex 4 (plurilateral) vs multilateral agreements: Plurilateral agreements in Annex 4 bind only members that accept them. Multilateral agreements bind all members.

Don’t confuse with Phase I vs Phase II: Phase I of the fisheries subsidies work covered the 2022 Agreement's core disciplines (e.g. on IUU fishing). Phase II deals with the remaining issues such as overcapacity and overfishing.

Don’t confuse with WTO vs GATT: GATT (1947) was a treaty with no institution. The WTO (1995) is a permanent organisation covering goods, services and intellectual property.

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.

1. 2014Mains GS2 · Q20WTO's mandate and binding nature of decisions; India's food security stand
2. 2016Mains GS2 · Q17Doha round deadlock from developed-developing differences; Indian perspective
3. 2018Mains GS2 · Q19Key WTO reforms needed amid trade war, keeping India's interests
4. 1997Prelims Q35Which agreement was reached at the 1996 WTO Ministerial Conference?
5. 2015Prelims Q31Which body deals with Agreement on Agriculture and SPS Agreement
6. 2017Prelims Q83Statements on TFA ratification, Bali package, and 2016 entry

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Emissions intensity target

India commits to cut the emissions intensity of its GDP by 47% by 2035 from the 2005 level.

First NDC (2015)

The 2015 NDC set 2030 targets of 33-35% emissions intensity cut and 40% non-fossil capacity. Both were met early.

How the NDC is carried out

It is operationalised through the NAPCC with its nine national missions, and through State Action Plans on Climate Change.

Process

Ten NITI Aayog working groups and wide consultations shaped the targets, which considered the first Global Stocktake and CBDR-RC.

Don’t confuse with Emissions intensity vs absolute emissions: India's target cuts emissions per unit of GDP. It does not cap total emissions, which can still rise.

Don’t confuse with NDC vs net-zero target: The NDC is a five-yearly national target under the Paris Agreement. Net-zero by 2070 is a long-term goal.

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.

1. 2025Mains GS3 · Q18Review India's Paris Agreement commitments, COP26 strengthening, and how first NDC was updated in 2022
2. 2021Mains GS3 · Q17Major COP26 outcomes and India's commitments made at the conference
3. 2022Mains GS2 · Q20Describe India's changing climate policy in international fora amid geopolitics
4. 2016Prelims Q97Statements on Paris Agreement's signatories, 2017 entry into force, temperature goals, developed countries' responsibility
5. 2025Prelims Q34Statements on Article 6 of Paris Agreement: carbon markets and non-market cooperation
6. 2010Prelims Q56Where the UNFCCC treaty was drawn up

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Scheme period and outlay

Ten years, FY 2026–27 to FY 2035–36, funded fully by budgetary support of the Government of India, ₹28,840 crore.

Indigenous procurement

Two HAL Dhruv helicopters for Pawan Hans and two HAL Dornier aircraft for Alliance Air.

Don’t confuse with UDAN vs Modified UDAN: UDAN (2016) is the original scheme linking routes; Modified UDAN adds airport building in Challenge Mode, helipads and O&M support.

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.

1. 2024Mains GS3 · Q12Need for regional air connectivity; evaluate UDAN scheme achievements.
2. 2017Mains GS3 · Q3Examine airport development in India via PPP joint ventures; challenges.
3. 2022Mains GS2 · Q6Gati-Shakti needs government-private coordination to achieve connectivity; discuss.

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Satellites launched and working

Eleven NavIC satellites have been launched and eight are functional.

Signal status

Three satellites broadcast navigation signals. Five can broadcast signals for one-way messaging only.

Coverage

NavIC provides PNT services over India and a region extending up to 1500 km beyond the Indian land mass.

GAGAN

GAGAN is India's space-based augmentation system and is operational for air navigation services.

Roadmap

The plan includes completing the NavIC base layer constellation and inducting indigenous technologies such as a space-grade atomic clock.

Developer

NavIC was developed by ISRO and is also called IRNSS.

Don’t confuse with NavIC vs GAGAN: NavIC is an independent regional navigation constellation. GAGAN only augments GPS signals for better accuracy, mainly for aviation.

Don’t confuse with NavIC vs GPS: GPS is the US global system. NavIC is India's regional system.

Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

1. 2018Mains GS1 · Q4Why is IRNSS needed, and how does it help in navigation?
2. 2015Mains GS3 · Q11Explain standard versus precision positioning and advantages of IRNSS's seven satellites.
3. 2025Prelims Q94Which statements about GAGAN's accuracy, air traffic benefits, and scope are correct?
4. 2018Prelims Q61Which statements on IRNSS satellite orbits, coverage, and global reach are correct?

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Configuration

The station has five modules; the design was reviewed by the National Level Review Committee.

Cabinet approval

In September 2024 the Cabinet approved the first module, BAS-01, by 2028, as a revision in scope of Gaganyaan.

Cost

The approval covers only the first module, estimated at ₹1763 crore for 2025 to 2028.

Timeline

Fully operational station with all five modules is targeted by 2035.

Technology goals

Goals include rendezvous and docking, robotics, in-orbit refuelling, crew quarters, intra-vehicular suit and microgravity racks.

Industry role

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has invited Indian industry through an Expression of Interest to build the structure of the first module.

First module

The Union Cabinet approved development and launch of BAS-01 by 2028 in September 2024.

Collaboration

There are currently no specific technical collaboration agreements with other space agencies for BAS.

Purpose

Advanced life support systems will enable long-duration human habitation in Low Earth Orbit.

Don’t confuse with BAS vs ISS: BAS is India's planned station of five modules; the International Space Station is a multinational station already in orbit.

Don’t confuse with BAS-01 vs Gaganyaan: Gaganyaan is the crewed flight programme; BAS-01 is the first station module, added through its revised scope.

Don’t confuse with BAS vs International Space Station: BAS is India's planned national station with five modules; the ISS is a multinational station run by NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA and CSA.

Don’t confuse with BAS vs Gaganyaan: Gaganyaan is the crewed flight programme to LEO; BAS is the long-term orbital station whose first module is funded within Gaganyaan's revised scope.

Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

1. 2019Mains GS3 · Q6India's plan for its own space station and programme benefits.
2. 2017Mains GS3 · Q7Technological and logistical obstacles to India's manned space mission.
3. 2007Prelims Q129Which pair is incorrect, e.g. Atlantis as space station?
4. 2025Prelims Q83Statements on Axiom-4, SpaDeX and Gaganyaan missions; how many correct?
5. 1998Prelims Q5Cause of damage to Russian space station Mir's Spektr module.

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Approval

The Union Cabinet approved Bio-RIDE on 18 September 2024 by combining existing DBT schemes with a new component.

Implementing bodies

DBT and its public sector undertaking BIRAC implement support for biotech research and startups.

Bioeconomy target

DBT's vision is a US$300 billion bioeconomy by 2030.

BIG

The Biotechnology Ignition Grant gives up to ₹50 lakh for 18 months to establish proof of concept.

SEED Fund

The SEED Fund gives first equity-based support of up to ₹30 lakh per startup.

LEAP Fund

The LEAP Fund gives equity-based support of up to ₹100 lakh per startup for scale-up.

Don’t confuse with BIRAC vs DBT: DBT is the government department under the Ministry of Science and Technology. BIRAC is its public sector undertaking that funds and mentors biotech startups.

Don’t confuse with NIDHI vs BIRAC schemes: NIDHI is run by the Department of Science and Technology for science-based startups. BioNEST, BIG, SEED and LEAP are BIRAC's schemes for biotech startups.

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.

1. 2018Mains GS3 · Q15Reasons for biotechnology activity in India and benefits to biopharma
2. 2021Mains GS3 · Q15Applied biotechnology R&D achievements and their benefit to poorer sections
3. 2024Mains GS3 · Q5World IPR on life materials; why few Indian patents commercialise
4. 2026Prelims Q48Correct statements about DBT-funded GenomeIndia Project genetic diversity catalogue
5. 2003Prelims Q55Matching Indian business figures like Mazumdar Shaw with their sectors

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Type of scheme

It is a demand-driven Centrally Sponsored Scheme; funds go to States/UTs, which assess local needs.

Approval

The Programme Approval Board approves proposals every year after discussion with States/UTs.

Funding support

Financial assistance covers running Shakti Sadan in rented premises.

Monitoring

A dedicated Mission Shakti Dashboard captures staff, beneficiaries, location, infrastructure and activities.

Don’t confuse with Shakti Sadan vs Sakhi Niwas: Shakti Sadan shelters women in distress including trafficked women; Sakhi Niwas is the working women's hostel component, also under Mission Shakti.

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.

1. 2013Mains GS2 · Q12Critically evaluate restructuring of centrally sponsored schemes for vulnerable sections
2. 2016Mains GS4 · Q11Officer's dilemma helping a destitute old woman lacking eligibility documents
3. 2014Mains GS4 · Q8Suggest innovative measures against rising sexual violence against women

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Unfair trade practice

Recovering business input costs through separate mandatory charges is treated as an unfair trade practice under Section 2(47) of the Act.

Menu price rule

The menu price must be the final price, excluding only applicable taxes.

Earlier guidelines

Default levy of such charges would violate the CCPA Guidelines dated 04.07.2022 on service charge.

Complaint routes

Consumers can call the National Consumer Helpline on 1915, use the NCH app, or file before a Consumer Commission through the e-Jagriti portal.

Establishment

The CCPA was set up in July 2020 under the 2019 Act and works under the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Don’t confuse with CCPA vs Consumer Commissions: The CCPA acts on consumers as a class and handles unfair trade practices. District, State and National Commissions adjudicate individual consumer disputes.

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.

1. 2015Mains GS2 · Q16Whether regulatory institutions must remain independent and autonomous, judged by recent experiences.
2. 2023Mains GS2 · Q7Role of Competition Commission in curbing dominant position abuse by MNCs.
3. 2021Mains GS4 · Q11Ethics of exporting food with better quality than domestic supply.

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Coverage

Covers 117 Immigration Posts, 15 FRROs and 854 FROs/SPs/DCPs.

Next phase focus

Three areas: emerging technology innovations, transformation of core infrastructure, and technology and service optimisation.

Don’t confuse with IVFRT vs Bureau of Immigration: IVFRT is the MHA technology scheme and platform; the Bureau of Immigration is the agency that enforces immigration control.

Don’t confuse with FRRO vs FRO: FRROs are regional registration officers in major centres; FROs are in districts, usually SPs or DCPs.

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.

1. 2014Mains GS3 · Q18How illegal transborder migration threatens India's security, and strategies to curb it
2. 2014Mains GS2 · Q15Whether Aadhaar and NPR schemes should run concurrently, and their developmental potential

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Issued by

A joint advisory from the Home Secretary and the Secretary of School Education and Literacy went to the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs.

Drug-free zone

The area within 500 metres of schools is to be declared a drug-free zone. The school head or nodal teacher must report violations to local authorities, including the police.

Origin of the plan

The plan follows directions at the 9th Apex Meeting of NCORD, chaired by the Union Home Minister. Departments were asked to prepare a roadmap up to 2029 with time-bound review.

Implementation machinery

States and UTs are to designate State and District Nodal Officers and set up monitoring with convergence across departments, including law enforcement.

Coverage

The plan is to be disseminated across both Government and Private schools.

Don’t confuse with NCORD vs NCB: NCORD is a coordination mechanism among drug law enforcement and related agencies. The Narcotics Control Bureau is the enforcement agency under the Home Ministry.

Don’t confuse with Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan vs NDPS Act: The Abhiyan is a demand-reduction awareness campaign. The NDPS Act, 1985 is the criminal law that prohibits narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

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.

1. 2019Mains GS4 · Q11Handling a frontier district's narcotics menace, linked to money laundering and poppy farming.
2. 2018Mains GS3 · Q20Linkages between drug trafficking, gunrunning, money laundering, human trafficking; counter-measures.
3. 2024Mains GS3 · Q9How narco-terrorism threatens the country and measures to counter it.

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.