GK One-Liners

What: Operation Urja Suraksha (Energy Security) is an Indian Navy (IN) mission launched to escort India-bound energy vessels — carrying Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), and crude oil — through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint. A total of 22 vessels were identified as needing protection, of which 20 were classified high-priority.

How: The Indian Navy deployed 5+ frontline warships to provide continuous escort cover. Named vessels escorted include Pine Gas, Jag Vasant, Shivalik, Nanda Devi (LPG carriers), and Jag Laadki (crude tanker). The Strait of Hormuz, located between Oman and Iran, carries roughly 20% of global oil trade, making it strategically vital to India’s energy security.

Why: This operation demonstrates India’s naval power-projection capability and its resolve to secure energy supply lines — a core GS-III (Internal Security & Defence) theme. For Mains, it connects to India’s blue-water navy doctrine, Indian Ocean Region (IOR) strategy, and dependence on West Asian energy imports. Prelims: note the operational name, vessel types, and the Strait of Hormuz geography.

What: Project Vayu Baan is India’s first helicopter-launched Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), developed under the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Directorate of Aerospace Design (DAD). A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued in March 2026. The system involves a drone being dropped mid-flight from a helicopter, after which it unfolds its wings and operates autonomously.

How: The drone is designed to operate at a stand-off distance of 50+ kilometres, placing it safely outside the effective range of Man-Portable Air-Defence Systems (MANPADS). This “launch and loiter” concept significantly reduces risk to crewed aircraft in contested airspace. With this capability, India joins the United States and China as the only countries operating helicopter-launched UAS platforms.

Why: Vayu Baan is a landmark in India’s drone indigenisation effort, relevant to GS-III (Science & Technology / Defence). For Prelims: remember the launching platform (helicopter), the agency (IAF’s DAD), and the MANPADS stand-off significance. Mains angle: connect to India’s Drone Policy 2021, Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence, and asymmetric warfare doctrine.

What: The Government of India has retained the Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation target at 4% for the five-year period 2026–31, with an upper tolerance band of 6% and a lower tolerance band of 2%. This is the second consecutive five-year period at this target. The notification was issued by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

How: The legal basis is Section 45ZA of the RBI Act, 1934, which empowers the Central Government to set the inflation target in consultation with the RBI every five years. The framework used is Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT), introduced in 2016 with the formation of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). If inflation breaches the band for three consecutive quarters, the RBI must submit a report to the government explaining the failure and a remedial path.

Why: FIT and inflation targeting are perennial UPSC topics across GS-III (Indian Economy) and Prelims. Key facts to lock in: 4% target, 2–6% band, Section 45ZA, DEA notification, MPC-RBI framework, and the 2016 origin of FIT. Mains angle: debate on whether 4% remains appropriate given structural food inflation and global supply shocks.

What: Balendra Shah, age 35, was sworn in as Nepal’s 47th Prime Minister on 27 March 2026 by President Ram Chandra Paudel at Sheetal Niwas, Kathmandu. He leads the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which is barely four years old, and won a commanding 182 of 275 seats in the House of Representatives. He is Nepal’s youngest-ever elected PM and the first from the Madhesi community.

How: Shah’s rise is rooted in his non-traditional political journey: he was a rapper and structural engineer before serving as the 15th Mayor of Kathmandu (2022–2026), becoming the first independent mayor of the city. He resigned as mayor in January 2026 ahead of elections. His immediate predecessor, Sushila Karki (former Chief Justice), had served as interim PM for six months after Gen Z-led protests in 2025 ousted KP Sharma Oli’s government (76 protesters were killed). Shah’s RSP swept the polls on an anti-establishment wave.

Why: Nepal’s political transitions are a recurring GS-II (India’s Neighbourhood) theme. Key facts: Article 76(1) oath, “Madhesi first PM” tag, Gen Z protest context, and the RSP party. Mains angle: India–Nepal relations, political instability in South Asia, and the role of youth movements in democratic change.

What: PRISM-SG stands for Portal for Rail-Road Inspection & Stages Management – Steel Girders. It was jointly launched by Nitin Gadkari (Minister of Road Transport & Highways, MoRTH) and Ashwini Vaishnaw (Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT). The portal digitises the approval process for Road Over Bridges (ROB) using railway steel girders, which previously required interdepartmental coordination between MoRTH and Indian Railways.

How: PRISM-SG dramatically reduces the approval timeline from approximately 12 months to 3–4 months by digitising inspection stages and creating a real-time tracking system. It features three key modules: EEDW (Electronic Engineering Drawing Workflow), RTMS (Real-Time Monitoring System), and MSI (Multi-Stage Inspection). The portal creates a single-window interface for project promoters, railway divisions, and MoRTH officials.

Why: This is relevant to GS-II (E-Governance) and GS-III (Infrastructure). It exemplifies inter-ministerial digital coordination for infrastructure delivery — a Mains favourite. Prelims: remember the full form of PRISM-SG, the 12-months-to-3–4-months reduction, and the two ministers involved. Connect to India’s push for faster ROB construction under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

What: Spanish badminton player Carolina Marín announced retirement at age 32 due to a third serious knee injury. She is the only woman to have won three Badminton World Championship titles (2014 in Copenhagen, 2015 in Jakarta, 2018 in Nanjing) and was the first non-Asian woman to win the Olympic singles gold (2016 Rio Olympics). She was ranked World No. 1 for a record 66 weeks. Separately, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) unveiled a new Female Category Protection Policy, effective from the Los Angeles 2028 Games (14–30 July 2028).

How: The IOC policy mandates SRY (Sex-determining Region Y Gene) screening for eligibility in female events. Athletes must be SRY-negative to compete in the women’s category. SRY-positive athletes — including XY transgender individuals and those with androgen-sensitive Differences of Sex Development (DSD) — are ineligible, with exceptions carved out for Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) and certain DSD cases where no testosterone advantage exists. This policy replaces the 2021 IOC framework.

Why: Carolina Marín’s records are direct Prelims facts (3 World titles, 2016 Olympic gold, non-Asian first). The IOC gender policy is a GS-II (Social Justice/International Institutions) topic — it touches on inclusion, biological definitions of sex in sport, and international governance. For Mains: debate on fairness vs. inclusivity in competitive sport, with the DSD exception as nuance.