UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 10 February 2026
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 10 February 2026 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 1:
• Artificial Intelligence for Culture and Languages
Artificial Intelligence for Culture and Languages
GS Paper 2 & 4:
• Digital Governance
Digital Governance
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):
• China’s Panda Diplomacy
China’s Panda Diplomacy
Facts for Prelims (FFP):
• Mangrove clam (Geloina erosa)
Mangrove clam (Geloina erosa)
• Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025
Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025
• Form 7 Controversy
Form 7 Controversy
• Kimberley Process
Kimberley Process
• *Lyriothemis keralensis*
*Lyriothemis keralensis*
Mapping:
• Seychelles
Seychelles
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 10 February 2026
GS Paper 1 :
Artificial Intelligence for Culture and Languages
Source: PIB
Subject: Indian Culture
Context: The PIB released a comprehensive update on India’s institutionalization of Artificial Intelligence for Culture and Languages, highlighting how national AI platforms are being leveraged to bridge the gap between heritage and modern participation
About Artificial Intelligence for Culture and Languages:
What it is?
• This initiative represents a strategic shift from merely preserving cultural resources to enabling active cultural participation. By leveraging AI, the Government of India aims to democratize technology, making manuscripts, monuments, and oral traditions accessible to citizens in their native languages.
• It positions AI as Technology for Humanity, aligning with the vision of Welfare for All and Happiness for All.
Role of AI in the Conservation of Culture and Language:
• Digitization and Discovery of Manuscripts: AI enables the high-speed scanning and cataloging of ancient scholarly works that were previously vulnerable to decay.
E.g. The Gyan Bharatam Mission has already documented over 44 lakh manuscripts, using AI for metadata extraction and intelligent cataloging.
• Multilingual and Voice-Based Access: AI removes literacy and language barriers by providing real-time speech-to-text and translation services for diverse dialects.
E.g. At Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0, PM Hindi speech was translated in real-time into Tamil using the BHASHINI platform for the attendees.
• Preservation of Tribal and Endangered Languages: AI helps revitalize languages that lack a script or are primarily oral by transcribing community narratives and folklore.
E.g. The Adi Vaani platform provides real-time translation and transcription for languages like Santali, Bhili, and Gondi, bringing them into the digital fold.
• Integration of Artisans into Digital Value Chains: AI-inclusive platforms allow craftspeople to showcase their products and stories globally without language being a constraint.
E.g. AI-based discovery tools currently help Indian artisans present GI-tagged products in multilingual catalogs, reducing their dependence on intermediaries.
• Scaling Cultural Events and Pilgrimages: AI enhances the visitor experience at large-scale heritage events by providing automated, multilingual assistance.
E.g. The Kumbh Sah’AI’yak chatbot provided navigation and event information in 11 languages to pilgrims during Maha Kumbh 2025.
Key Initiatives Taken:
• BHASHINI (National Language Translation Mission): A digital public infrastructure providing AI-led language services like translation and speech-to-text across 22 Scheduled languages.
• Anuvadini: An AI-based platform by AICTE that translates technical and academic textbooks into regional languages to ensure knowledge, not just communication.
• Gyan Bharatam Mission: A national mission (2024–31) with an outlay of ₹482.85 crore focused on the digitisation and dissemination of India’s manuscript heritage.
• Adi Vaani: A dedicated AI platform for tribal languages that supports subtitling for health advisories and government messages in native tribal tongues.
• Technology Development for Indian Languages (TDIL): A foundational program focused on standardizing OCR, machine translation, and handwriting recognition for Indian scripts.
Key Challenges Associated:
• The Literacy and Digital Barrier: Many cultural practitioners remain excluded from high-tech tools due to limited digital familiarity or formal literacy.
E.g. Despite BHASHINI’s reach, artisans in remote clusters still struggle to navigate complex digital storefronts without assisted voice-interfaces.
• Scattered and Undocumented Intellectual Wealth: A significant portion of India’s manuscript tradition is in private collections or mutts, making centralized AI-processing difficult.
E.g. Gyan Bharatam faces the challenge of surveying manuscripts held in private mutts and temples where custodians are wary of centralizing ownership.
• Low-Resource Language Datasets: Endangered tribal languages lack the massive text-corpora required to train accurate Large Language Models (LLMs).
E.g. Languages like Kui and Garo are still in the beta development phase under Adi Vaani because of a lack of existing digital documentation.
• Authenticity and Provenance Issues: As cultural content is digitized, ensuring the trust and authenticity of GI-tagged heritage products remains an uphill task.
E.g. The misuse of traditional designs by mass-producers necessitates AI-supported tagging systems that are not yet fully standardized across all craft clusters.
• Offline Access and Infrastructure Gaps: AI models often require high compute power or stable internet, which is absent in many heritage sites and tribal belts.
E.g. NITI Aayog recently highlighted that AI systems must be redesigned to work offline to benefit the last-mile cultural workers in areas with poor connectivity.
Way Ahead:
• Building Language as Digital Public Infrastructure: Expanding the Language Layer so that startups and government bodies can build inclusive apps without starting from scratch.
• Verifiable Digital Credentials: Issuing reliable, AI-tracked skill certificates for artisans to improve their formal employability and market trust.
• Encouraging Local Innovation: Establishing Digital Work Hubs at the district level to support local language content creation and digital skilling.
• Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: Linking academia (IITs/IIITs), industry, and community organizations to ensure AI solutions remain inclusive-by-design.
• Democratization of Technology: Shifting toward Open-Source AI models to ensure that cultural preservation tools remain a public good rather than proprietary tech.
Conclusion:
India is positioning AI not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a guardian of its civilizational identity through initiatives like BHASHINI and Gyan Bharatam. By aligning technological progress with social empowerment and linguistic inclusion, the nation ensures that its rich heritage becomes a living asset for the digital age.
Q. “India’s AI ambition will be constrained less by talent and more by compute, energy and institutional capacity”. Discuss. (15 M)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 10 February 2026 GS Paper 2 & 4:
Digital Governance
- •Source: DH*
Subject: Governance
Context: India’s draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 have reignited debate in February 2026 over how to effectively curb deepfakes and synthetically generated content.
• The discussion has now shifted from platform takedowns to the urgent need for content provenance, mandating traceable digital tags or watermarks on all AI-generated media.
About Digital Governance:
What it is?
• Digital governance is the application of digital technologies (like AI, blockchain, and cloud computing) and constitutional principles (like transparency, accountability, and the rule of law) to transform public administration.
• It is not just about digitizing paperwork; it is a fundamental shift in how the state, market, and citizens interact to ensure services are fast, inclusive, and future-ready.
Data & Facts on Digital Governance:
• Economic Impact: The digital economy contributed 13.42% to India’s national income in 2024–25 and is projected to reach nearly one-fifth of the GDP by 2030.
• Infrastructure Reach: As of 2025, over 97% of Indian villages are covered by mobile connectivity, with 4.74 lakh 5G towers installed across 99.6% of districts.
• Digital Identity: 142 crore Aadhaar IDs have been generated as of April 2025, forming the backbone of the world’s largest biometric-based service delivery system.
• Fast Payments: India is a global leader in real-time payments; UPI processed ₹24.03 lakh crore via 18.39 billion transactions in June 2025 alone.
• e-Governance Scale: The DigiLocker platform reached 53.92 crore users by mid-2025, significantly reducing physical paperwork for essential services.
Need for Digital Governance in India:
• Ensuring Democratic Integrity: AI-generated deepfakes can skew public discourse and incite unrest during elections.
E.g. During the 2025 state elections, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) had to intervene when fabricated videos of political figures were used to incite communal tension.
• Combating Gendered Cyber-Abuse: Synthetic media is disproportionately used for non-consensual sexual content targeting women.
E.g. In 2025, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal saw a sharp rise in deepfake-related complaints, with over 90% of global deepfakes being pornographic, a trend reflected in India.
• Financial Security & Fraud Prevention: Deepfakes and synthetic identities are being used for direct monetization through banking fraud.
E.g. Reports from early 2026 show that one in five biometric fraud attempts in India now involve animated selfies or face swaps designed to bypass remote KYC systems.
• Inclusive Service Delivery: Breaking language barriers is essential for a multilingual population to access their rights.
E.g. The BHASHINI platform now supports 35+ languages, enabling pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh 2025 to navigate the event using AI voice-assistants in their own dialects.
• Administrative Efficiency & Accountability: Digital tools reduce leakages and middleman corruption in welfare schemes.
E.g. The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system saved crores by eliminating ghost beneficiaries in PM-KISAN and other social sector schemes throughout 2025.
Challenges Associated with Digital Governance:
• Algorithmic Opacity: Automated decisions in welfare or policing often lack transparency, making it hard for citizens to appeal.
E.g. In January 2026, concerns were raised over black-box AI systems used for predictive policing that could potentially entrench social biases.
• Surveillance & Privacy Erosion: Constant monitoring through biometrics and facial recognition can create a chilling effect on free speech.
E.g. The 2026 Digital Constitutionalism debate was sparked by fears that excessive data collection under new security apps could lead to state overreach.
• The Digital & Literacy Divide: Structural inequality arises when those without high-speed internet or digital skills are excluded from essential services.
E.g. Despite 5G expansion, rural pockets in 2025 still faced technological exclusion where elderly citizens struggled with biometric-only ration distributions.
• Concentration of Power: A few Big-Tech platforms now act as quasi-sovereign powers, regulating speech and economic access without democratic oversight.
E.g. The Digital Competition Bill, 2024–25 was proposed specifically to curb the dominance of tech giants over the Indian app ecosystem.
• High Infrastructure & Maintenance Costs: Constantly updating systems to stay ahead of cybercriminals is an expensive, perpetual cycle.
E.g. The National Cyber Security Strategy aims to cut cybercrime by 50% by 2026, but requires massive investments in state-of-the-art forensic labs.
Ethical Principles Associated:
• Accountability (*Dharma*): Every AI-assisted decision must trace back to a responsible human decision-maker.
• Justice (*Nyaya*): Systems must be fair, explainable, and respect India’s diversity in language and culture.
• Transparency: Citizens have the right to know when they are interacting with synthetic media or an algorithm.
• Decisional Autonomy: Technology should empower individuals to make informed choices, not manipulate their perceptions through deepfakes.
Way Ahead:
• Designate a Lead Regulator: Create an autonomous AI/Digital regulator to unify fragmented oversight across MeitY and other ministries.
• Implement ‘CrediMark’: Mandatory persistent digital tags for all synthetic content (provenance) that cannot be easily stripped.
• Risk-Tiered Obligations: Stricter duties for high-impact zones like elections, government comms, and financial markets.
• Regulatory Sandboxes: Allow startups to test advanced watermarking and detection tools under supervision to foster safe-innovation.
• Public Awareness & Infrastructure: Launch national media-forensics labs and large-scale digital literacy campaigns to help citizens identify synthetic content.
Conclusion:
India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047 relies on a digital governance model that balances rapid innovation with constitutional guardrails. By moving from platform moderation to systemic integrity through provenance and lead regulation, India can ensure that technology remains a tool for human dignity rather than an instrument of deception. This layered vision for 2026 positions India as a global leader in responsible AI and trusted digital infrastructure.
Q. e-governance is not just about the routine application of digital technology in service delivery process. It is as much about multifarious interactions for ensuring transparency and accountability. In this context evaluate the role of the ‘Interactive Service Model’ of e-governance. (Answer in 250 words)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 10 February 2026 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
China’s Panda Diplomacy
Context: China recalled its giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei from Japan ahead of schedule amid rising bilateral tensions, highlighting how panda diplomacy is increasingly constrained by geopolitics, nationalism, and animal-welfare controversies.
About China’s Panda Diplomacy:
What it is?
• Panda diplomacy refers to the practice by China of gifting (earlier) or long-term leasing (now) giant pandas to foreign countries to build goodwill, enhance cultural influence, and symbolise friendly ties.
• Project soft power and a benign global image
• Strengthen bilateral relationships and strategic partnerships
• Promote cultural diplomacy and people-to-people ties
• Support conservation through fees and research collaboration
Key features:
• Shift from gifts to leases (post-1984): Pandas are loaned for up to 10–15 years with annual “conservation fees” (often ~US$1 million per pair).
• Conditional diplomacy: Extensions or new loans are influenced by the state of bilateral relations.
• National symbolism: Pandas are viewed domestically as a national treasure, amplifying nationalist sensitivities.
• Conservation framing: Host zoos fund research, though critics question conservation outcomes as the species remains listed as Vulnerable by International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• Public scrutiny: Welfare incidents abroad can trigger backlash at home, forcing diplomatic recalibration.
Relevance for the UPSC Exam Syllabus:
• GS Paper II (International Relations): Soft power tools, public diplomacy, and the limits of cultural diplomacy East Asia geopolitics; impact of nationalism on foreign policy
• Soft power tools, public diplomacy, and the limits of cultural diplomacy
• East Asia geopolitics; impact of nationalism on foreign policy
• GS Paper III (Environment & Conservation): Wildlife conservation ethics, captive breeding debates, and international cooperation Evaluating conservation finance vs. outcomes
• Wildlife conservation ethics, captive breeding debates, and international cooperation
• Evaluating conservation finance vs. outcomes
• Essay / Ethics (GS IV): Ethics of using animals as diplomatic instruments Tension between national interest, public sentiment, and global responsibility
• Ethics of using animals as diplomatic instruments
• Tension between national interest, public sentiment, and global responsibility
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS –10 February 2026 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Mangrove clam (Geloina erosa)
Source: DD News
Subject: Environment
Context: The ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has successfully achieved induced breeding of the mangrove clam under captive conditions, a rare global scientific feat.
About Mangrove clam (Geloina erosa):
What it is?
• An ecologically important bivalve (mud/mangrove clam) found in mangrove and estuarine ecosystems of South and Southeast Asia; locally called “Kandal Kakka” in northern Kerala.
Scientific name: Geloina erosa (also placed under the genus Polymesoda in some literature).
Habitat:
• Organic-rich muddy substrates of intertidal mangrove zones.
• Tolerates a wide salinity range (brackish to near-freshwater).
• Deep-burrowing, semi-infaunal species; adults often landward, juveniles more tide-independent.
Key characteristics:
• Large-sized mud clam: One of the world’s largest mangrove clams, reaching ~10 cm shell width, making it valuable both ecologically and as a food resource.
• Efficient filter feeder: Filters suspended particles and plankton from water, recycling nutrients and improving estuarine water quality.
• Distinct gonadal identification: Sexes are identified by gonad colour and structure, not external organs, aiding reproductive studies and broodstock selection.
• Ecosystem stabiliser: Burrowing behaviour stabilises sediments, enhances nutrient cycling and strengthens overall mangrove ecosystem resilience.
Method used to restore / conserve:
• Induced breeding in hatchery: CMFRI achieved controlled spawning under captive conditions, overcoming dependence on wild seed collection.
• Complete life-cycle closure: Successful rearing from embryo to larva to spat (from ~18th day) proves hatchery-scale feasibility.
• Hatchery seed production for multiple uses: Grow-out farming: Enables estuarine aquaculture with minimal external inputs. Mangrove ranching: Seeds can be released into degraded mangroves to restore natural populations. Stock enhancement: Reduces harvesting pressure on wild clam beds by replenishing natural stocks.
• Grow-out farming: Enables estuarine aquaculture with minimal external inputs.
• Mangrove ranching: Seeds can be released into degraded mangroves to restore natural populations.
• Stock enhancement: Reduces harvesting pressure on wild clam beds by replenishing natural stocks.
Significance:
• Requires minimal feed and infrastructure, making it environment-friendly and climate-resilient.
• Integrates aquaculture with ecosystem regeneration, reinforcing mangrove–benthic linkages.
• Provides an affordable high-protein seafood source for coastal and estuarine communities.
Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025
Source: PIB
Subject: Miscellaneous
Context: India improved its rank to 45th (4 places improvement) in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025, while also increasing its score to 54.43/100, reflecting stronger digital and network preparedness.
About Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025:
What it is?
• The Network Readiness Index (NRI) is a global assessment that evaluates how effectively countries use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to promote economic growth, innovation, governance quality and social development.
Published by: Prepared by the Portulans Institute, an independent, non-profit research and educational institute based in Washington, DC.
• To measure a country’s readiness to leverage digital networks and technologies.
• To assess how ICT adoption translates into inclusive growth, innovation, governance efficiency and societal impact.
Key features:
• Covers 127 economies worldwide.
• Based on 4 pillars: Technology – digital infrastructure, access and future technologies People – skills, digital inclusion and workforce readiness Governance – regulation, trust, security and policy environment Impact – economic, social and environmental outcomes
• Technology – digital infrastructure, access and future technologies
• People – skills, digital inclusion and workforce readiness
• Governance – regulation, trust, security and policy environment
• Impact – economic, social and environmental outcomes
• Uses 53 indicators including broadband penetration, AI research output, digital trade, legislation and market scale.
• Enables income-level comparison, highlighting countries performing above or below expectations.
About India and the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025:
• Rank & score: India climbed 4 places to 45th globally, with its score improving from 53.63 (2024) to 54.43 (2025).
• Global leadership: Ranked 1st in annual investment in telecommunication services, AI scientific publications, ICT services exports, and e-commerce legislation.
• Strong infrastructure & usage: Secured 2nd rank in FTTH/building internet subscriptions, mobile broadband traffic, and international internet bandwidth.
• Scale advantage: Placed 3rd in domestic market scale, underscoring India’s large, digitally active consumer base.
• Income-adjusted performance: The report notes India’s network readiness exceeds expectations for its income level; ranked 2nd among lower-middle-income countries.
Form 7 Controversy
Source: TH
Subject: Polity
Context: Form 7 has become controversial during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls after allegations of bulk, fraudulent deletion requests targeting eligible voters.
About Form 7 Controversy:
What it is?
• Form 7 is a statutory form used to object to the inclusion of a name (one’s own or another person’s) in the electoral roll on specified grounds such as death, duplication, shifting of residence, ineligibility by age or citizenship, or misrepresentation.
Legal basis:
• Governed by the Election Commission of India
• Prescribed under Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, framed under the Representation of the People Act, 1950
• As per Section 13(2), objections must be filed in Form 7 by a person whose name is already on the electoral roll
• Booth Level Agents (BLAs) are also permitted to file objections
• To maintain the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls.
• To remove ineligible, duplicate, shifted or deceased voters.
• To prevent electoral fraud and ensure free and fair elections.
How it works?
• Any registered elector of the constituency (including Booth Level Agents) can file Form 7.
• Objection can be raised against another voter or for self-deletion.
• On receipt, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) conducts physical verification (multiple visits if required).
• The concerned voter is issued a notice and hearing by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).
• Appeals against ERO’s decision lie with the District Magistrate within 15 days.
• Filing a false declaration is punishable under Section 32 of the RP Act, 1950.
Key features:
• Expanded scope (2022 amendment): Any voter in a constituency (not just same booth) can object
• Mandatory verification: Especially if an applicant files more than five objections
• Grounds-based deletion: Death, absent/shifted, duplicate entry, underage, non-citizenship
• Due process safeguards: Physical verification, notices, hearings, and appeal mechanism
• Legal deterrence: False claims attract imprisonment up to one year or fine or both
Issues / concerns:
• Alleged coordinated submissions seeking mass deletions.
• Reports of voters denying having filed Form 7 despite signed forms.
• About 6.5 crore names removed as ‘ASD’ (Absent, Shifted, Dead/Duplicate), with high numbers in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
Kimberley Process
Source: TH
Subject: International Relations
Context: India has been selected to assume the Chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process (KP) from 1 January 2026, marking the third time it will lead this global initiative.
About Kimberley Process:
What it is?
• The Kimberley Process (KP) is a tripartite international initiative involving governments, the global diamond industry and civil society to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds.
Established in: 2003, through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions.
• To eliminate conflict diamonds—rough diamonds used by rebel groups to finance armed conflicts that undermine legitimate governments—from the global supply chain.
Key functions:
• Certification mechanism (KPCS): Ensures all exports of rough diamonds carry a valid KP certificate confirming conflict-free origin.
• Regulatory enforcement: Member countries enforce domestic laws to control import and export of rough diamonds.
• Selective trading: Trade permitted only among KP-compliant participants, preventing entry of illicit diamonds.
• Transparency & data exchange: Regular sharing of statistical trade data to monitor compliance.
• Monitoring & review: Working groups and peer reviews assess adherence and address loopholes.
Significance:
• Covers 60 participants (EU counted as one), accounting for over 99% of global rough diamond trade.
• Has curtailed the conflict diamond trade to negligible levels globally, enhancing ethical sourcing.
• Strengthens consumer trust and industry credibility in the diamond value chain.
Lyriothemis keralensis
Source: TOI
Subject: Species in News
Context: Researchers have discovered and formally described a new dragonfly species from Kerala, named Lyriothemis keralensis, highlighting the State’s rich but underexplored biodiversity.
About *Lyriothemis keralensis*:
What it is?
• A newly described species of dragonfly (Order: Odonata) endemic to Kerala, scientifically identified and named to reflect the State’s biodiversity.
Habitat:
• Found in vegetated pools and irrigation canals.
• Occurs within shaded rubber and pineapple plantations.
• Recorded from Varapetty near Kothamangalam, Ernakulam district.
• Adults are visible only during the Southwest monsoon (May–August); rest of the year spent as aquatic larvae.
Key characters:
• Small-sized dragonfly with marked sexual dimorphism.
• Males: Bright blood-red with black markings, slender abdomen.
• Females: Yellow with black markings, bulkier body.
• Distinguished from Lyriothemis acigastra by microscopic traits, including slender abdomen, uniquely shaped anal appendages and genitalia.
Significance:
• Adds to the known odonate diversity of the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot.
• Highlights how human-modified landscapes like plantations can harbour unique species.
• Raises conservation concerns, as most populations lie outside protected areas.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 10 February 2026 Mapping:
Seychelles
Source: TN
Subject: Mapping
Context: India and Seychelles announced the Joint Vision “SESEL” during President Patrick Herminie’s State Visit to India, marking 50 years of Seychelles’ independence and India–Seychelles diplomatic ties.
About Seychelles:
What it is?
• A small island republic (SIDS) comprising ~115 islands in the western Indian Ocean.
Located in: Between 4°–11° S latitudes and 46°–56° E longitudes; about 1,600 km east of Kenya and 1,100 km northeast of Madagascar.
Capital: Victoria (on Mahé island).
Key geological features:
• Two island groups: Mahé group: over 40 granitic, mountainous islands with narrow coastal plains and a central hill range. Outer islands: over 70 low-lying coralline islands/atolls, flat and reef-based.
• Mahé group: over 40 granitic, mountainous islands with narrow coastal plains and a central hill range.
• Outer islands: over 70 low-lying coralline islands/atolls, flat and reef-based.
• Highest point: Morne Seychellois (905 m) on Mahé.
• Notable natural heritage: Aldabra Atoll and Vallée de Mai National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Sites); rich marine biodiversity and endemic flora like coco de mer.
Key features of the India–Seychelles Joint Declaration (SESEL):
• People-centric development partnership: Announcement of a USD 175 million Special Economic Package (USD 125 mn LoC + USD 50 mn Grant) to support infrastructure, capacity building, maritime security and inclusive growth.
• Maritime security & MAHASAGAR vision: Reaffirmation of Seychelles as a core pillar in India’s MAHASAGAR vision, with enhanced maritime domain awareness, joint surveillance, hydrography and defence capacity-building in the Western Indian Ocean.
• Digital & governance cooperation: Commitment to build Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in Seychelles, including digital payments and e-governance, leveraging India’s digital public goods.
• Climate action & sustainability focus: Deepened cooperation on renewable energy, climate resilience, Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems, support for CDRI, and advocacy for Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) for SIDS.
• Health, food security & human capacity: Support for affordable medicines (Indian Pharmacopoeia recognition), donation of ambulances and food grains, collaboration on a new hospital, and expanded training/ITEC-based capacity building across sectors.
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