GK One-Liners

What: India will showcase its indigenous Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LR-AShM) at the 77th Republic Day parade on 26th January 2026. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile can achieve speeds up to Mach 10 (approximately 12,000 km/h) with a strike range of around 1,500 km.

How: The LR-AShM uses hypersonic glide vehicle technology, combining ballistic trajectory with unpredictable manoeuvrability in terminal phase. This makes interception extremely difficult for enemy defence systems. The missile is designed primarily for anti-ship warfare, significantly enhancing India’s naval strike capability in the Indian Ocean Region.

Why: This development places India in an elite club alongside the US, Russia, and China with operational hypersonic missile capability. Questions on DRDO projects, hypersonic technology, and India’s indigenous defence capabilities frequently appear in UPSC Prelims and State PSC examinations under Science & Technology and Defence sections.

What: The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) until Financial Year 2030-31. Launched in 2015, APY has enrolled over 8.66 crore subscribers and provides guaranteed monthly pension ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 after the age of 60, depending on contribution and entry age.

How: Public Sector Banks (PSBs) account for 70.44% of total APY enrolments, demonstrating their crucial role in financial inclusion. The scheme targets unorganised sector workers aged 18-40 years who contribute monthly premiums to receive guaranteed pension benefits, with the government co-contributing and guaranteeing minimum returns.

Why: APY is a flagship social security scheme under the National Pension System architecture, directly relevant to UPSC topics on pension reforms, financial inclusion, and government welfare schemes. Questions on scheme features, subscriber statistics, and comparison with other pension schemes are common in banking and civil services examinations.

What: The Cabinet has approved ₹5,000 crore equity infusion into the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to be disbursed in three tranches over FY 2025-26 to FY 2027-28. This capital boost aims to add 25.74 lakh new MSMEs to the formal credit ecosystem and generate 1.12 crore new jobs.

How: The infusion will strengthen SIDBI’s lending capacity, enabling expanded digital lending and collateral-free credit to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). SIDBI, established in 1990, serves as the principal development financial institution for the MSME sector, providing refinance and direct lending support.

Why: MSMEs contribute approximately 30% to India’s GDP and 45% to manufacturing output, making SIDBI’s role critical for economic growth. This topic connects to UPSC questions on development finance institutions, MSME policy, and credit flow to priority sectors—frequently tested in Economics and Current Affairs sections.

What: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has released India’s Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework, establishing a structured approach to integrating quantum technologies into defence applications. The framework identifies four strategic pillars: quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum sensing & metrology, and quantum materials & devices.

How: The policy emphasises tri-services jointness, ensuring coordinated development across Army, Navy, and Air Force. Quantum communication will enable ultra-secure military communications immune to conventional interception, while quantum sensing will enhance navigation, detection, and targeting systems with unprecedented precision.

Why: Quantum technology represents a paradigm shift in defence capabilities globally. This framework aligns with India’s National Quantum Mission and demonstrates strategic foresight in emerging technologies. UPSC Science & Technology sections frequently test concepts of quantum computing, cryptography, and India’s technology missions—making this highly exam-relevant.

What: The United States has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO) following a one-year notice period. This withdrawal results in the WHO losing approximately 18% of its total funding, significantly impacting the organisation’s operational capacity for pandemic preparedness and global disease surveillance programmes.

How: The WHO, established in 1948 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, currently has 194 Member States. The US was the largest contributor to WHO’s budget. The withdrawal affects funding for critical programmes including vaccination campaigns, disease outbreak monitoring, and health emergency responses worldwide.

Why: This development has major implications for global health governance and international cooperation. Questions on UN specialised agencies, their headquarters, functions, and India’s role in international organisations are staples in UPSC Prelims and Mains. Understanding WHO’s structure and funding mechanisms helps answer questions on global health diplomacy.

What: NITI Aayog has released comprehensive decarbonization roadmaps for three key sectors: cement, aluminium, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). These roadmaps are aligned with India’s Net Zero 2070 commitment and provide sector-specific pathways to reduce carbon emissions systematically.

How: For the cement sector, the roadmap targets reducing carbon intensity from the current 0.63 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of cement to 0.09-0.13 tonnes CO2/tonne through fuel switching, alternative raw materials, carbon capture technologies, and energy efficiency improvements. Similar detailed pathways exist for aluminium and MSME sectors.

Why: India’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Net Zero 2070 target are frequently tested in UPSC Environment sections. Understanding sector-specific decarbonization strategies, NITI Aayog’s role in policy formulation, and India’s approach to balancing development with environmental sustainability is essential for Mains answer writing.