UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 6 February 2026
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 6 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:
• Infertility in India
Infertility in India
GS Paper 3:
• Illegal Mining Crisis
Illegal Mining Crisis
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):
• Watsuji Tetsurō and the philosophy of “Being-in-Betweenness”
Watsuji Tetsurō and the philosophy of “Being-in-Betweenness”
Facts for Prelims (FFP):
• Sodium-ion battery technology
Sodium-ion battery technology
• Serengsia Battle
Serengsia Battle
• Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Guidelines
Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Guidelines
• The International Space Station (ISS)
The International Space Station (ISS)
• Tripartite Agreement for creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA)
Tripartite Agreement for creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA)
Mapping:
• Armenia
Armenia
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 6 February 2026
GS Paper 1:
Infertility in India
Source: TH
Subject: Demography and Associated issues
Context: Infertility is emerging as a critical public health challenge in India in 2026, with experts increasingly highlighting that mental health is not just a consequence but a physiological driver of reproductive failure for all genders.
About Infertility in India:
What it is?
• Infertility in India is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse. While traditionally viewed as a woman’s issue due to deep-seated patriarchal norms, contemporary data reveals a nearly equal split in male and female factor causes.
• In 2026, the conversation has shifted toward the silent crisis of male infertility and the biological impact of psychological stress on reproductive cells (gametes).
Key Trends and Data:
• National Prevalence: Approximately 15–20% of Indian couples (nearly 30 million) currently grapple with infertility, with rates significantly higher in urban centers.
• Falling TFR: India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has dipped to 1.9, well below the replacement level of 2.1, driven by both voluntary delays and involuntary infertility.
• Male Factor Rise: Men now account for nearly 40–50% of infertility cases, often linked to declining sperm quality due to environmental toxins and stress.
• Urban-Rural Divide: Urban areas report higher primary infertility (never conceived), while rural areas see higher secondary infertility, often due to untreated infections.
• IVF Growth: The Indian IVF market is projected to double from million in 2024 to billion by 2029, reflecting increased seeking of medical aid.
Causes of Rising Infertility in India:
• Delayed Parenthood: Career prioritization and financial stability goals are pushing the average age of first-time parents beyond the biological prime.
E.g. Data from urban hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai show a 25% increase in women seeking fertility treatments after the age of 35 in 2025-26.
• Environmental Pollution: High levels of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in air and water are sabotaging hormonal health.
E.g. Studies in Delhi have linked Poor air quality days to transient drops in sperm motility among healthy young males.
• Lifestyle-Related Disorders: Obesity and PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) have become epidemic due to sedentary routines and processed diets.
E.g. One in five Indian women is estimated to suffer from PCOS in 2026, a leading cause of anovulatory infertility.
• Chronic Psychological Stress: High cortisol levels from workplace pressure directly inhibit the HPA axis, disrupting ovulation and spermatogenesis.
E.g. Research published in Frontiers in Endocrinology (2024) confirmed that depression in Indian men is significantly associated with decreased semen concentration.
• Untreated Reproductive Infections: In rural areas, the stigma around STIs and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) leads to tubal blockages.
E.g. Cases of tubal factor infertility in states like Bihar are frequently traced back to untreated post-partum infections or tuberculosis.
Challenges Associated with Infertility:
• Social Stigma and Ostracization: Women are often branded with pejorative terms and excluded from social/religious gatherings if they fail to conceive.
E.g. In several rural clusters in Tamil Nadu, the term ‘Maladi’ is still used to socially isolate women, leading to severe identity fragmentation.
• Prohibitive Treatment Costs: IVF and ART procedures remain catastrophic expenses for the middle and lower classes.
E.g. An average IVF cycle in 2026 costs between ₹1.5–3 lakh, while over 90% of Indian insurance policies still exclude infertility coverage.
• The Silence of Male Infertility: Patriarchal norms prevent men from seeking semen analysis, often leading to unnecessary and invasive testing for their wives.
E.g. Clinical reviews in 2025 noted that men often wait 3-5 years longer than women to undergo their first fertility screening due to masculinity concerns.
• Psychological Feedback Loops: The stress of failing to conceive becomes a biological impediment, creating a cycle where stress prevents the very pregnancy being sought.
E.g. The monthly cycle of hope and grief in IVF patients has been linked to elevated salivary alpha-amylase, which reduces the probability of implantation.
• Regulatory Gaps in Tier II/III Cities: Rapidly mushrooming clinics in smaller towns often lack standardized protocols or transparent success rates.
E.g. Under the 2025 ART guidelines, several basement clinics in North India were shut down for misleading advertisements and donor exploitation.
Initiatives Taken by the Government:
• ART and Surrogacy (Regulation) Acts: Stringent 2025 guidelines mandate the registration of all clinics and protect donors from exploitation (e.g., limiting egg donation to once in a lifetime).
• Budget 2026 Health Focus: The 2026 Union Budget proposed NIMHANS-2 and the upgrade of regional mental health institutes to address the psychological toll of chronic conditions like infertility.
• Project Sanjivini: A collaborative pilot between the Indian Fertility Society and the government to disseminate reproductive health knowledge at the grassroots level in 5 states.
• National Registry: The establishment of a digital registry to track ART outcomes, ensuring clinics provide transparent and honest success rates to patients.
Way Ahead:
• Integrating Mental Health: Counseling should be a mandatory, non-optional component of every IVF cycle to manage the emotional rollercoaster of treatment.
• Insurance Inclusion: The IRDAI should mandate at least partial coverage for infertility under standard health insurance to prevent financial ruin.
• Workplace Sensitivity: Corporates should adopt Fertility Leave policies and insurance support for egg freezing to accommodate delayed parenthood.
• Male-Centric Campaigns: Public health messaging must de-stigmatize male factor infertility to ensure both partners are tested simultaneously from the start.
• Community Education: Utilizing ASHA workers to educate rural populations that infertility is a medical condition, not a moral failure or a curse.
Conclusion:
Infertility in 2026 is no longer just a biological hurdle but a profound social and psychological crisis that demands a gender-neutral approach. By bridging the gap between advanced reproductive science and empathetic social narratives, India can transform fertility care into a journey of dignity rather than one of quiet suffering. True healing will only occur when we treat the mind with the same urgency as the body.
Q. Examine the key lifestyle and behavioural factors contributing to rising infertility. How can public health systems respond proactively? (10 M)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 6 February 2026 GS Paper 3:
Illegal Mining Crisis
Source: NDTV
Subject: Economy/ Environment
Context: A massive explosion at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills killed at least 18 labourers, reigniting the national debate over the persistence of banned mining practices and lack of enforcement.
About Illegal Mining Crisis:
What is Rat-Hole Crisis?
• Illegal mining refers to extraction activities conducted without valid licenses, environmental clearances, or in violation of court-imposed bans. In Meghalaya, this primarily takes the form of rat-hole mining—a primitive method where miners dig narrow horizontal tunnels (3–4 feet high) into hillsides or vertical pits.
• Despite a 2014 ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and subsequent Supreme Court upholds, the high market value of low-ash coal continues to drive this unregulated and hazardous industry.
Key Trends and Data:
• Frequency of Mishaps: In the last two months alone, three major incidents occurred in East Jaintia Hills, including a blast in Dec 2025 and a death in Jan 2026.
• Economic Magnitude: Experts estimate that nearly 6 million tonnes of coal are still extracted annually in Meghalaya through illegal means.
• Surveillance Gap: RTI data reveals that state governments (Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh) ignore nearly 87% of satellite-generated alerts (MSS) regarding illegal mining.
• Vulnerable Workforce: Miners are often migrant labourers from Assam or Nepal, paid roughly ₹1,500–₹2,000 per day to risk their lives in unmapped tunnels.
• Persistence of Ban Violations: Over 30,000 illegal rat-hole mines are estimated to exist in Meghalaya as of 2026, twelve years after the initial NGT ban.
Implications of Illegal Mining in India:
• Loss of Human Life: The lack of structural support or ventilation leads to frequent collapses and toxic gas explosions.
E.g. The explosion in Thangsku killed 18 workers instantly, suspected to be caused by unscientific dynamite use in a rat-hole.
• Severe Environmental Degradation: Mining waste and acid mine drainage turn local rivers toxic and acidic.
E.g. The Kopili River in Meghalaya and Assam has seen its water turn bright blue/orange and highly acidic (pH as low as 2-3), killing all aquatic life.
• Revenue Leakage: Illegal operations bypass royalties and taxes, causing massive losses to the state exchequer.
E.g. A 2025 CAG report on mining in Uttar Pradesh identified a financial implication of over ₹784 crore due to illegal extraction and tax evasion.
• Funding Organized Crime: Unregulated mining is often controlled by local coal mafias who use the proceeds to fuel further criminal activities.
E.g. Activists in Meghalaya, like Agnes Kharshiing, have frequently been attacked by coal syndicates for documenting the illegal transport of coal in 2025.
• Ecological Destabilization: Unscientific digging causes land subsidence and deforestation in biodiversity-hotspots.
E.g. Significant land sinking was reported in Jharia (Jharkhand) in 2025, where illegal scavenging of coal in abandoned mines caused several houses to collapse.
Challenges in Controlling Illegal Mining:
• Politico-Criminal Nexus: Mine owners are often influential figures or backed by local politicians, making local enforcement difficult.
E.g. The High Court-appointed Katakey Committee (2025) noted that periodic reports on illegal mining in Meghalaya were largely ignored by the executive.
• Difficult Terrain and Remote Locations: Many mines are hidden deep in forested hills where drones and satellite surveillance have limited visibility.
E.g. The site of the 2026 Thangsku blast was in a remote, densely forested area, delaying the arrival of NDRF teams by several hours.
• Socio-Economic Dependence: For many local communities, coal is the only viable source of income in the absence of alternative livelihoods.
E.g. Despite the ban, thousands of families in East Jaintia Hills continue to support illegal mining as daily wages are 3x higher than agriculture.
• Ineffective Technological Adoption: While systems like the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) exist, ground-level verification is slow and often compromised.
E.g. RTI records for 2025 showed that out of 56 MSS triggers in Meghalaya, zero resulted in successful prosecution due to lack of ground staff.
• Legal Ambiguity and Grandfathering: Ongoing litigation over pre-ban coal stocks allows illegal miners to pass off fresh coal as old, legally extracted stock.
E.g. The illegal transportation of coal under the guise of old stock was a major point of contention in the Meghalaya High Court hearings in late 2025.
Initiatives Taken:
• Mining Surveillance System (MSS): A satellite-based monitoring system launched to detect unauthorized mining within a 500m radius of existing leases.
• Draft MMDR Amendment Bill 2026: Proposed legislation to introduce stricter penalties and categorize certain illegal mining activities as strategic security threats.
• Justice Katakey Committee: A one-man panel appointed by the High Court to monitor environmental restoration and stop illegal coal transport in the Northeast.
• Ex-Gratia Compensation: Immediate relief of ₹2 lakh (PMNRF) and ₹3 lakh (State Govt) announced for families of the 2026 blast victims to mitigate immediate distress.
Way Ahead:
• Satellite-to-Action Mandate: Legally require state police to act on MSS alerts within 48 hours or face departmental inquiries for negligence.
• Scientific Mining Policy: Fast-track the transition to regulated, scientific mining that follows safety norms, as suggested by the Supreme Court.
• Alternative Livelihoods: Invest in Meghalaya’s Bioeconomy (2024–2026) and tourism to reduce the local population’s dependency on the blood coal economy.
• Use of IoT and Smart Sensors: Install Smart Weighbridges and GPS-tracked trucks to ensure no coal can be transported without a digital transit pass.
• Special Environmental Courts: Establish fast-track courts dedicated to mining violations to break the legal deadlock and penalize coal mafias swiftly.
Conclusion:
The tragic loss of 18 lives in 2026 serves as a grim reminder that bans alone cannot stop illegal mining without rigorous, technology-backed enforcement and political will. India must move beyond post-disaster compensation toward a proactive strategy that replaces hazardous rat-holes with scientific, sustainable, and safe mining practices. The silence of the hills must no longer be broken by the sound of illegal dynamite.
Q. “Illegal sand mining has emerged as a major threat to river ecosystems in India”. Analyze the factors driving illegal sand mining and its implications for sustainable river management. (15 M)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 6 February 2026 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
Watsuji Tetsurō and the philosophy of “Being-in-Betweenness”
Context: Japanese philosopher Watsuji Tetsurō is being widely revisited in contemporary philosophy for offering a non-Western ethical framework that challenges individualistic notions of the self.
About Watsuji Tetsurō and the philosophy of “Being-in-Betweenness”:
Who he was?
• Watsuji Tetsurō (1889–1960) was a leading Japanese philosopher and ethicist of the 20th century.
• He was among the earliest Japanese scholars to critically engage with Western existentialism, writing on Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, and Hegel.
• His major works include Fūdo (Climate and Culture) and Rinrigaku (Ethics), which laid the foundation of Japanese environmental and relational ethics.
Core philosophy:
• Critique of the Western self: Watsuji rejected the Western idea of the atomised, autonomous individual. He argued that Western ethics universalised a culturally specific European subject, often ignoring social, cultural, and ecological embeddedness.
• Watsuji rejected the Western idea of the atomised, autonomous individual.
• He argued that Western ethics universalised a culturally specific European subject, often ignoring social, cultural, and ecological embeddedness.
• Concept of ‘Ningen’: Humans are not isolated individuals but beings of “betweenness” (aida) — constituted through relationships with others, society, history, and nature. The self is simultaneously individual and collective, singular and plural.
• Humans are not isolated individuals but beings of “betweenness” (aida) — constituted through relationships with others, society, history, and nature.
• The self is simultaneously individual and collective, singular and plural.
• Emptiness and self-negation: Drawing from Mahayana Buddhism, Watsuji emphasised emptiness (śūnyatā) — the absence of a fixed essence. Ethical life requires self-negation, allowing space for others to exist and flourish.
• Drawing from Mahayana Buddhism, Watsuji emphasised emptiness (śūnyatā) — the absence of a fixed essence.
• Ethical life requires self-negation, allowing space for others to exist and flourish.
• Ethics as lived practice (Rinrigaku) Ethics is not abstract moral law but the study of how humans live relationally. Moral values emerge from concrete social practices, traditions, climate, and shared life.
• Ethics is not abstract moral law but the study of how humans live relationally.
• Moral values emerge from concrete social practices, traditions, climate, and shared life.
• Human–Nature relationship (Fūdo) Humans and environment are co-constitutive. Climate, geography, and culture shape ethical life — a precursor to environmental ethics.
• Humans and environment are co-constitutive.
• Climate, geography, and culture shape ethical life — a precursor to environmental ethics.
Relevance in the modern world:
• Environmental crisis: Counters anthropocentrism by stressing human embeddedness in nature.
• Mental health & alienation: Offers a relational view of self, opposing hyper-individualism.
• Decolonial philosophy: Challenges Western universalism and validates plural ethical traditions.
• Social ethics: Emphasises community, compassion, and mutual responsibility over egoism.
Relevance in UPSC Examination Syllabus:
• GS Paper IV – Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
• Ethics and Human Interface: Relational self vs individualistic self Moral Thinkers: Non-Western ethical frameworks Values: Compassion, self-restraint, empathy, social responsibility Applied ethics: Environmental ethics, community-centric governance
• Ethics and Human Interface: Relational self vs individualistic self
• Moral Thinkers: Non-Western ethical frameworks
• Values: Compassion, self-restraint, empathy, social responsibility
• Applied ethics: Environmental ethics, community-centric governance
• Essay Paper:
• Themes like: “Man is a social being” “Development without ecological harmony is self-defeating” “Ethics rooted in culture rather than abstraction”
• Themes like: “Man is a social being” “Development without ecological harmony is self-defeating” “Ethics rooted in culture rather than abstraction”
• “Man is a social being”
• “Development without ecological harmony is self-defeating”
• “Ethics rooted in culture rather than abstraction”
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 6 February 2026 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Sodium-ion battery technology
Source: TH
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: India is re-evaluating its battery strategy amid rising concerns over critical mineral dependence, import vulnerability, and supply security linked to lithium-ion batteries.
About Sodium-ion battery technology:
What it is?
• Sodium-ion batteries (SiBs) are rechargeable batteries that store and release energy using sodium ions (Na⁺) as charge carriers instead of lithium ions. They belong to the same family of rocking-chair batteries as lithium-ion cells but rely on more abundant raw materials.
How it works?
• Charging: Sodium ions move from the cathode to the anode through the electrolyte, while electrons flow through the external circuit.
• Discharging: Sodium ions migrate back to the cathode, releasing stored electrical energy.
• Aluminium is used as the current collector on both electrodes, unlike lithium-ion batteries that require copper on the anode side.
Key features / advantages:
• Lower material risk: Sodium is abundantly available (from soda ash, salt), reducing dependence on scarce critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
• Improved safety: Lower thermal runaway risk; cells can be transported and stored safely at 0% state of charge.
• Manufacturing compatibility: Can be produced on existing lithium-ion manufacturing lines with minor modifications.
• Cost potential: Expected to become cheaper than lithium-ion batteries in the long term due to material abundance and simplified logistics.
• Strategic suitability for India: Enhances energy security and aligns with domestic manufacturing and grid-scale storage needs.
Limitations / challenges
• Lower energy density: Specific and volumetric energy density remain below high-performance lithium-ion chemistries, limiting use in long-range EVs.
• Technology maturity: Still at an early commercial scale compared to lithium-ion; performance optimisation is ongoing.
• Moisture sensitivity: Requires stricter drying and vacuum conditions during manufacturing, slightly increasing process complexity.
• Application constraints: Currently better suited for stationary storage, two-/three-wheelers, and short-range mobility rather than premium EV segments.
Serengsia Battle
Source: IE
Subject: History
Context: The Jharkhand government recently commemorated the Serengsia battle (1837) as a landmark Adivasi resistance against British rule, with the Chief Minister attending a state event.
About Serengsia Battle (1837):
What it is?
• The Serengsia battle was a fierce armed resistance by Ho Adivasis against the East India Company in 1837, fought in the Serengsia valley of present-day Jharkhand (West Singhbhum).
• It represents one of the earliest organised tribal military challenges to British expansion in eastern India.
Historical background:
• The Kolhan region (East & West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan) was traditionally governed by the Ho community.
• In 1820–21, the British brought Kolhan under the Bengal Presidency to secure trade routes between Bengal and Madras.
• British policies imposed taxes, allowed non-tribal settlement, and enforced alien languages and authority systems.
• Exploitation by zamindars and officials led to repeated unrest, including the Kol uprising of 1831.
• By 1836, British forces established the Kolhan Estate Government, capturing Ho villages and pirhs, intensifying resistance.
Causes of the battle:
• Loss of autonomy: Imposition of British administration over sacred Ho land believed to be granted by Sing-Bonga (supreme deity).
• Economic exploitation: Forced taxation and land alienation.
• Cultural suppression: Linguistic imposition and social domination.
• Military repression: Arrests, village occupations, and coercive policing by British forces.
Leaders involved:
• The Ho resistance was led by: Poto Ho (principal leader, from Rajabasa), Berai Ho, Punduva (Pandua) Ho, Badai Ho, Nara Ho, Devi Ho, and Sugni Ho.
The battle (1837):
• Ho strategy: Guerrilla-style warfare using terrain advantage in the narrow Serengsia valley.
• Weapons & tactics: Bows and arrows, obstacles on valley paths, burning cow dung mixed with ash and chilli powder, and coordinated attacks from hill slopes.
• Outcome: Over 100 British soldiers killed; about 26 Ho fighters lost their lives. British forces were forced to retreat initially.
Outcomes and aftermath:
• British retaliation followed with village burnings, mass arrests, and collective punishment.
• By December 8, 1837, all major Ho leaders were captured.
• Executions: January 1, 1838: Poto Ho, Berai Ho, and Nara Ho hanged publicly at Jagannathpur. January 2, 1838: Bora Ho and Pandua Ho hanged near Mundasai, Serengsia.
• January 1, 1838: Poto Ho, Berai Ho, and Nara Ho hanged publicly at Jagannathpur.
• January 2, 1838: Bora Ho and Pandua Ho hanged near Mundasai, Serengsia.
• Around 79 Ho fighters were imprisoned.
• Despite repression, the resistance influenced later recognition of Kolhan’s distinct administrative status and tribal self-governance traditions.
Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Guidelines
Source: IE
Subject: Miscellaneous
Context: India has released its first-ever national guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) to address persistent gaps in identifying victims of mass fatality disasters.
About Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Guidelines:
What it is?
• Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) is a scientific, systematic process used to identify deceased persons in mass fatality incidents such as air crashes, earthquakes, floods, fires, industrial accidents, and terror attacks, and to ensure dignified handover of remains to families.
Organisations involved:
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) – Nodal agency that issued the guidelines
• National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) – Technical and forensic expertise, drafting support
• State police, health departments, forensic laboratories, emergency responders
• Guidelines aligned with global best practices of Interpol DVI framework
Aim of the guidelines:
• To ensure accurate identification, legal certification, and humane, timely handover of human remains.
• To create a uniform national protocol for mass fatality management.
• To integrate modern forensic science and digital tools into disaster response.
Key features of the DVI rules:
• Four-stage DVI process:
• Scene phase: Systematic recovery, tagging, documentation, and preservation of human remains.
• Post-mortem data collection: Medico-legal examination, forensic profiling, DNA, dental records.
• Ante-mortem data collection: Medical, dental, biometric, personal records and family DNA.
• Reconciliation: Scientific matching, certification, and release of remains.
• Unified command structure:
• Emphasises the need for an Operational DVI Incident Commander.
• Clear role allocation among police, forensic experts, health officials, and disaster responders.
• Scientific identification standards:
• Recognises three primary identifiers: Fingerprints Forensic odontology (dental records) DNA profiling
• Fingerprints
• Forensic odontology (dental records)
• DNA profiling
• Secondary identifiers (tattoos, scars, ornaments) treated as supporting evidence only.
• Digital and advanced forensics:
• Use of digital biometrics from mobile phones recovered at disaster sites.
• Inclusion of virtual autopsy, forensic anthropology, and forensic archaeology.
• Special relevance for disasters involving fragmentation, commingling, or buried remains.
• National Dental Data Registry:
• Recommends creation of a National Dental Data Registry.
• Enables rapid ante-mortem vs post-mortem dental comparison, especially in burnt or decomposed bodies.
• Climate and disaster realities addressed:
• Acknowledges climate change as a risk multiplier.
• Addresses challenges posed by floods, landslides, earthquakes, fires, high temperatures, and difficult terrain.
• Notes risks from chemical, biological, or radiological exposure.
Significance:
• Human dignity: Ensures respectful treatment of the dead and closure for families.
• Legal clarity: Faster death certification, compensation, and inheritance processes.
• Disaster preparedness: Strengthens India’s mass fatality response capacity.
The International Space Station (ISS)
Source: ET
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: The International Space Station (ISS) is planned to be de-orbited in 2030 in a controlled re-entry over a remote ocean area, bringing an end to the longest-running era of continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.
About The International Space Station (ISS):
What it is?
• The ISS is a permanently crewed, modular space laboratory in low Earth orbit, used for microgravity research, technology testing, and long-duration human spaceflight studies. Humans have continuously lived aboard the station since November 2000.
Launched in:
• Assembly began in 1998 with the launch of the first module Zarya on 20 November 1998.
• Continuous habitation started with Expedition 1 in November 2000.
Nations / agencies involved
The ISS is operated through an international partnership of five space agencies:
• NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada).
• Enable cutting-edge scientific research in microgravity.
• Test technologies and human systems needed for deeper space exploration
• Serve as a platform for international cooperation and an evolving low Earth orbit economy.
Key features:
• Modular architecture: Built from multiple modules contributed by partner agencies, assembled in orbit over years.
• Permanent human-tended lab: Supports long-duration stays and continuous experimentation since 2000.
• Shared governance & interdependence: Each partner manages hardware it provides; station functions through integrated contributions.
• Planned end-of-life disposal: A dedicated U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will enable a controlled re-entry after 2030 operations conclude.
Significance:
• ISS research has advanced understanding of human health in space, materials, and Earth-observation-linked applications, while building operational experience for future missions.
• It remains a major symbol of peaceful international collaboration in space through decades of geopolitical shifts.
Tripartite Agreement for creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA)
Source: PIB
Subject: Polity
Context: A tripartite agreement was signed between the Centre, the Nagaland government, and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) to create the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), granting enhanced autonomy to six eastern districts of Nagaland.
About Tripartite Agreement for creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA):
What it is?
• The agreement provides for the establishment of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) — an autonomous territorial governance structure for six districts of eastern Nagaland, with substantial devolution of administrative and developmental powers while remaining within the state of Nagaland.
Parties involved:
• Government of India
• Government of Nagaland
• Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) — apex body representing eight recognised Naga tribes.
Districts covered: Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak, and Shamator
Aim of the agreement:
• To address long-standing political, economic, and developmental grievances of Eastern Nagaland.
• To ensure equitable development, local decision-making, and financial autonomy.
• To strengthen peace and stability in the North-East region.
Key features:
• Creation of FNTA: A new territorial authority with administrative autonomy for six districts.
• Devolution of powers: Transfer of authority over 46 subjects to FNTA.
• Financial autonomy: Development outlay to be shared proportionate to population and area Fixed annual allocation from the Centre. Initial establishment expenditure to be borne by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Development outlay to be shared proportionate to population and area
• Fixed annual allocation from the Centre.
• Initial establishment expenditure to be borne by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Administrative structure: FNTA to have a mini-Secretariat. Headed by an Additional Chief Secretary / Principal Secretary–level officer.
• FNTA to have a mini-Secretariat.
• Headed by an Additional Chief Secretary / Principal Secretary–level officer.
• Constitutional safeguard: The agreement does not dilute Article 371(A) of the Constitution, which protects Naga customary laws, land, and resources.
• Democratic resolution: Outcome of prolonged dialogue, negotiations, and confidence-building since 2021–22.
Significance:
• Inclusive federalism: Demonstrates flexible autonomy arrangements within the Indian Constitution.
• Peace-building: Reduces risk of political radicalisation and separatist demands in Eastern Nagaland.
• Development push: Enables faster infrastructure creation, better resource utilisation, and targeted welfare delivery.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 6 February 2026 Mapping:
Armenia
Source: TI
Subject: Mapping
Context: India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan visited Armenia to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation amid a sensitive regional security environment in the South Caucasus.
About Armenia:
What it is?
• Armenia is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus (Transcaucasia), located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is one of the world’s oldest centres of civilisation, with a long history shaped by empires, invasions, and modern geopolitical conflicts.
Capital: Yerevan
Neighbouring nations:
• Armenia shares borders with Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey
• It also borders Nakhchivan, an exclave of Azerbaijan, to the southwest.
Key geological and physical features:
• Mountainous terrain: Armenia lies on the Armenian Highland, with an average elevation of about 1,800 metres, making it one of the most mountainous countries in the region.
• Lesser Caucasus ranges: Multiple mountain chains (Bazum, Pambak, Vardenis, etc.) dominate the landscape, interspersed with volcanic plateaus and deep valleys.
• Volcanic origin: Much of the land is formed from ancient lava flows, resulting in mineral-rich but stone-heavy soils.
• Lake Sevan: One of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in Eurasia, crucial for irrigation, hydropower, and climate regulation.
• Seismic vulnerability: Armenia lies in an active seismic zone, highlighted by the devastating 1988 Spitak earthquake.
• Continental climate: Hot, dry summers and cold winters, with sharp climatic variation by altitude.
Significance:
• Armenia sits at the intersection of Europe, Asia, Russia, Iran, and Turkey, making it geopolitically sensitive.
• Ongoing tensions with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh shape its defence and foreign policy.
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