26 January 2023

• Polity: 74th Republic Day celebrated. Chief Guest: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Egypt's 144-strong military contingent marched for the first time.
• Polity: The Supreme Court issued updated guidelines on living wills and passive euthanasia: notary signatures replace magistrate approval; medical boards must decide in 48 hours.
• International: India-Egypt strategic partnership covers defence, energy, education and economy. Bilateral trade at 26 billion dollars in 2021-22, a 75 per cent year-on-year rise.
• Technology: BharOS, developed by IIT Madras, is an Android-Open-Source-Project-based operating system without Google services, addressing data privacy.

GS area: Polity, International Relations

India celebrated its 74th Republic Day on 26 January 2023 on Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath), with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as the Chief Guest.

• Constitutional significance: Republic Day marks the commencement of the Constitution of India on 26 January 1950. India transitioned from a British Dominion to a Republic.
• Egypt as Chief Guest: First Egyptian head of state to attend Republic Day. The invitation reflects India's strategic partnership with Egypt and coincides with 75 years of diplomatic relations (established 18 August 1947).
• Egyptian military contingent: 144 soldiers from Egypt's armed forces participated in the parade, the first participation by Egyptian military.
• Notable feature: This was the first Republic Day parade without Russian weapons systems on display, reflecting India's push for indigenisation following the Ukraine conflict's impact on defence supply chains.
• Women leadership: Women officers led IAF and Navy contingents. Assam Rifles featured an equal ratio of Riflemen and Riflewomen in its 144-member contingent.
• Kartavya Path: The ceremonial boulevard formerly known as Rajpath, renamed in September 2022. Part of the Central Vista Redevelopment project.

Static linkage: Polity, international relations (GS Papers 1 and 2).

GS area: Polity (judiciary), Society

The Supreme Court issued updated guidelines on "living wills" (advance medical directives) and passive euthanasia, simplifying the process laid down in its 2018 ruling.

• Living will: A legal document by which an individual specifies in advance that they do not want extraordinary life-sustaining treatment if they become incapacitated.
• 2018 ruling (Common Cause v. Union of India): First recognised the right to die with dignity under Article 21 (right to life). Permitted passive euthanasia (withdrawal of life support) through a living will. Required magistrate countersignature, which proved cumbersome.
• 2023 updates: A notary or gazetted officer can now countersign the living will (replacing the magistrate requirement). Medical boards must decide on implementing the living will within 48 hours. If hospital medical boards refuse, the patient's family can approach the High Court.
• Passive vs active euthanasia: Passive euthanasia (withdrawal of treatment) is permitted. Active euthanasia (administering a lethal drug) is not.
• Article 21: The right to life has been interpreted to include the right to die with dignity, but not the right to be killed.

Static linkage: Judiciary, fundamental rights, social issues (GS Papers 2 and 4).

GS area: International Relations

The El-Sisi visit deepened India-Egypt relations, which are multidimensional.

• History: Diplomatic relations since 18 August 1947. Both were founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961.
• Trade: 26 billion dollars in 2021-22, a 75 per cent year-on-year increase. India exports wheat, automotive components, and pharmaceuticals. Egypt exports crude phosphate, nitrogenous fertilisers and LPG.
• Strategic partnership: Elevated to a strategic partnership during El-Sisi's state visit. Covers defence, security, energy and economic cooperation.
• Egypt's importance: Egypt controls the Suez Canal, through which a significant share of India's trade with Europe passes.
• Exercise Cyclone-I: First India-Egypt joint military exercise at Jaisalmer (14 January 2023).

Static linkage: International relations, Egypt (GS Paper 2).

GS area: Science and Technology, Governance

BharOS was developed by JandK Operations Private Limited, incubated at IIT Madras. It was unveiled in January 2023 as an alternative to Google's Android ecosystem for sensitive deployments.

• Base: Derived from Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which is open-source code underlying Android. However, BharOS removes all Google services (Gmail, Play Store, Maps) from the default installation.
• Key features: Native Over-The-Air (OTA) update capability, a private app store vetted for security, and user-level permission control.
• Target users: Government organisations, defence, financial institutions and any entity requiring greater data privacy.
• Context: Concerns about data flowing to US-based companies and the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act drive demand for sovereign operating systems.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat: BharOS is positioned as a digital sovereignty initiative.

Static linkage: Science and technology, data governance (GS Papers 2 and 3).

GS area: Environment, Governance

The United Nations Development Programme launched a campaign for an inclusive circular economy, targeting end-to-end plastic waste management.

• Model: Source segregation at household level (100,000 households targeted), collection, Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for sorting and recycling.
• Partnership: Hindustan Unilever Limited supports capacity building.
• Seven pillars of circular economy for plastics: Design, Produce, Consume, Collect, Sort, Process, Remanufacture.
• Monument Mitra Scheme: Also in news on 26 January. Transferred from Ministry of Tourism to Ministry of Culture in 2023. Covers all ASI-protected heritage properties for private-public partnerships providing quality amenities.
• Green Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF: A comet from the Oort Cloud making its closest approach to Earth after 50,000 years. Green colour from diatomic carbon molecules. Visible in the Northern Hemisphere below the Plough constellation.

Static linkage: Environment, international organisations (GS Paper 3).

• BIS USB Type-C standard: BIS notified standards making USB Type-C connectors mandatory for new smartphones, laptops and tablets sold in India from March 2025. Aligns with ISO and EU standards.
• Artificial Synapse: JNCASR researchers developed a scandium nitride-based artificial synapse compatible with CMOS semiconductor processes. Mimics biological neuron behaviour: short-term memory, long-term memory, learning and forgetting. Could enable brain-like (neuromorphic) computing.
• Railways AI: Ideal Train Profile: Indian Railways' AI system analyses historical booking data to automatically optimise quota distribution for waitlisted tickets across origin-destination pairs.