🇮🇳 National News
The Ministry of Finance has launched Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima, an optional health insurance plan designed to supplement the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) for its beneficiaries.
The scheme offers coverage of ₹10 lakh or ₹20 lakh, with up to six family members covered under a single policy. It provides 70:30 or 50:50 co-sharing options between insurers and subscribers, and premiums are exempt from GST.
CGHS was established in 1954 to provide healthcare services to Central Government employees and pensioners.
India’s peak power demand reached a record 245 GW on 9 January 2026, surpassing the summer 2025 peak of 242 GW. This marks a historic shift where winter demand exceeded summer peak for the first time.
The surge was driven by unusually cold conditions across large parts of India. Peak demand crossed 240 GW on three days in January — the 9th, 12th, and 13th.
Beyond heating needs, other factors include EV charging growth and increased use of glass-heavy commercial buildings requiring climate control. The first half of January saw demand 3% higher year-on-year.
India’s renewable energy sector has raised strong objections to a proposed CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission) regulatory framework that could lead to forfeiture of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) connectivity.
The framework proposes penalties if developers fail to execute long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) within stipulated timeframes.
Nearly 31.8 GW of renewable capacity has connectivity but lacks PPAs, while around 42 GW of RE capacity remains entirely without PPAs. Industry stakeholders argue that PPA delays are primarily due to DISCOM inefficiencies, not developer inaction.
The issue is critical for India’s ambitious target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
Nearly six years after the 2019 amendment, the Government has still not constituted the Arbitration Council of India (ACI), a body envisaged under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
The ACI was designed to promote institutional arbitration and reduce dependency on courts for dispute resolution.
Key responsibilities include grading arbitral institutions and accrediting arbitrators to ensure quality standards in arbitration proceedings.
The prolonged delay undermines India’s efforts to become an international arbitration hub.
India’s fish production has risen by approximately 106% over the past decade, reaching ~197.75-198 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, up from ~95.79 lakh tonnes in 2013-14.
India is the world’s 2nd-largest fish producer, contributing approximately 8% of global output. Average aquaculture productivity has improved to ~4.77 tonnes/hectare.
Seafood exports touched an all-time high of ₹62,408 crore. This remarkable growth has been driven by aquaculture expansion and supportive policy push from the government.
A 90-day intensive wildlife census has begun at Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar. The census will assess whether the prey base is adequate to sustain tigers, a prerequisite for declaring Kaimur as Bihar’s second tiger reserve.
Kaimur WLS is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Bihar, spanning over 1,500 sq km. It is a tropical dry deciduous forest bordering Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, forming part of the Vindhya Range.
The sanctuary is a vital catchment area for the Son and Tamsa rivers. Currently, Valmiki Tiger Reserve is Bihar’s only tiger reserve.
A 2025 study has found that Earth’s oceans absorbed the highest amount of heat since measurements began in the 1960s. Oceans absorbed +23 zettajoules of heat in 2025, significantly higher than +16 ZJ recorded in 2024.
Heat content was estimated for the top 2,000 metres of ocean depth. Oceans absorb approximately 90% of excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
Global average sea-surface temperature was approximately 0.5°C above baseline, ranking as the third-highest on record. Key impacts include stratification rise, coral bleaching, and storm intensification.
The global water cycle is becoming increasingly destabilised, amplifying extreme weather events worldwide. Key drivers include a warmer atmosphere, ocean warming, and cryosphere instability.
Higher temperatures accelerate evaporation from soil, vegetation, and inland waters, leading to more intense precipitation events followed by prolonged dry spells.
This destabilisation amplifies flood extremes, drought intensification, and climate whiplash. Cyclones are now appearing in historically uncommon regions like the Indonesia-Malaysia belt.
A recent example: Queensland received over 1,000 mm rainfall within a few days, triggering widespread floods and disease outbreaks.
💼 Business & Economy
SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has granted in-principle approval to settlement applications by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in the long-pending co-location and dark fibre cases.
Co-location allows brokers to place servers inside exchange data centres to minimise latency for high-frequency trading. Dark fibre refers to unused fibre-optic cables leased for private, high-speed networks.
The co-location case, originating in 2015, alleged preferential server access to select brokers. This approval is expected to expedite NSE’s long-pending IPO application.
FIU-India (Financial Intelligence Unit) has strengthened KYC (Know Your Customer) norms for cryptocurrency exchanges operating in India. The updated guidelines codify AML-CFT rules (Anti-Money Laundering – Countering Financing of Terrorism).
Customer details now collected include: identity, occupation, income, selfie with liveness detection, geo-location, and bank verification. Exchanges use DigiLocker for instant KYC via Aadhaar and PAN.
Decentralised exchanges (DEXs) often allow anonymous trading, posing ongoing regulatory challenges. In India, virtual digital assets are taxed at 30% on capital gains with 1% TDS.
A growing number of Indians are turning to high-protein foods and supplements, driven by increasing health consciousness. Approximately 73% of Indians are protein-deficient, highlighting a significant nutritional gap.
India’s protein market stands at $1.52 billion (2025) and is projected to reach $2.08 billion by 2030. Key drivers include fitness awareness, lifestyle diseases, and ICMR warnings on carb-heavy diets.
Protein is now being added to everyday foods like cereals, snacks, bread, and dosa batter. The recommended protein intake is approximately 0.8-1.2 g/kg body weight/day. However, concerns remain about gimmick foods, contamination risks, and nutrition trade-offs.
🔬 Science & Technology
Data from the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) has revealed that the Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module underwent an orbit-altering encounter due to lunar gravity.
After mission completion, ISRO placed the module in an elliptical Earth orbit of approximately 125,000 km perigee and 305,000 km apogee.
The module entered the Moon’s sphere of influence from 4-14 November. Two close lunar flybys occurred at approximately 3,740 km and 4,537 km from the lunar surface. Lunar gravity reshaped its orbit, with apogee rising to ~727,000 km.
The orbit was tilted by approximately 22°, demonstrating the complex dynamics of the three-body problem (Earth-Moon-spacecraft interactions).
Technology firms and space agencies are exploring space-based datacentres as a potential solution to the massive energy demands of AI workloads. The concept involves placing datacentres in low-Earth orbit, powered entirely by solar energy.
Google Research’s Project Suncatcher proposes deploying satellite clusters for AI processing. Satellites would operate in sun-synchronous orbits ensuring constant sunlight exposure for power generation.
Key challenges include radiation exposure, thermal management, and maintenance in the harsh space environment. Google estimates launch costs could fall to $200/kg by mid-2030s, making the concept economically viable.
ISRO is reportedly studying space-based datacentre technologies as part of its future space infrastructure initiatives.
📝 Quick Revision
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima | ₹10 lakh or ₹20 lakh coverage; GST exempt |
| Peak Power Demand | 245 GW (9 Jan 2026) – record winter peak |
| CGHS Established | 1954 |
| RE Capacity without PPAs | ~42 GW |
| India’s Non-Fossil Target | 500 GW by 2030 |
| ACI Pending Since | 2019 Amendment |
| Fish Production 2024-25 | ~198 lakh tonnes (106% growth in decade) |
| Seafood Exports | ₹62,408 crore (all-time high) |
| Kaimur WLS | Largest in Bihar; 1,500+ sq km |
| Bihar’s Only Tiger Reserve | Valmiki Tiger Reserve |
| Ocean Heat Absorbed (2025) | +23 zettajoules |
| NSE Cases | Co-location (since 2015) & Dark Fibre |
| Crypto Tax in India | 30% capital gains + 1% TDS |
| Indians Protein-Deficient | ~73% |
| Protein Market (2030) | $2.08 billion (projected) |
| Chandrayaan-3 Module Apogee | ~727,000 km (after lunar encounter) |
| Space DC Launch Cost (2030s) | $200/kg (Google estimate) |
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