28 January 2026

• Culture: Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara begins, Medaram, Telangana. Asia's largest tribal festival.
• Economy: Commerce Ministry released Annual Trade Statistics FY25: merchandise exports 437 billion USD; imports 677 billion USD.
• Environment: World Mangrove Day (26 July) preview coverage; India's mangrove area at 4,992 sq km; Bhitarkanika and Sundarbans reviewed.
• Governance: Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth anniversary (2 October) deferred, but Shastri's legacy reviewed in January for upsc months ahead.
• Defence: Prime Minister inaugurated Exercise Cyclone-I: India-Egypt joint military exercise.

GS area: Economy

Commerce Ministry released Annual Trade Statistics for FY25 (April 2024-March 2025).

• Merchandise exports: 437 billion USD. Growth: 6.5% year-on-year.
• Merchandise imports: 677 billion USD. Growth: 8.5% year-on-year.
• Merchandise trade deficit: 240 billion USD.
• Top export commodities: Petroleum products (largest at approximately 86 billion USD), engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, cotton yarn.
• Top export destinations: USA (largest at 77 billion USD), UAE, Netherlands, China, UK.
• Top imports: Crude oil (largest), electronic goods, gold, machinery.
• China imports concern: India's trade deficit with China was approximately 85 billion USD in FY25. Electronic goods, APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) and engineering components dominate.

Static linkage: Balance of trade, exports, APEDA.

GS area: International Relations, Defence

Exercise Cyclone-I was inaugurated; it is a joint military exercise between India and Egypt.

• Location: Rajasthan (Indian desert terrain).
• Focus areas: Counter-terrorism, desert warfare and joint tactical operations.
• India-Egypt relations: Egypt is part of India's strategic West Asia engagement. Egypt is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement. India supported Egypt during the Suez Crisis (1956) in the UNGA.
• India-Egypt defence: Egypt is transitioning from US-Russian military hardware to a mixed fleet; India's DRDO products (including the AK-203 rifle variant) are under evaluation.
• Egypt's strategic position: Controls the Suez Canal (connecting Mediterranean and Red Sea); significant for India's trade route security (approximately 30% of India's trade transits the Red Sea-Suez route).

Static linkage: India-Egypt relations, defence exercises, Suez Canal.

GS area: Environment and Biodiversity

India's mangrove area stood at 4,992 sq km as of the ISFR 2023.

• Rank: India is 3rd in mangrove extent in Asia; 2nd globally in terms of mangroves added in the last decade.
• Distribution: Sundarbans (West Bengal and Bangladesh) holds the world's largest mangrove forest. India's Sundarbans portion: approximately 2,050 sq km. Bhitarkanika (Odisha): second largest mangrove system in India.
• Ecological functions: Coastal protection against storm surges and tsunamis; nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans; blue carbon storage (mangroves store 3-5 times more carbon per unit area than tropical rainforests); water filtration.
• Threats: Sea level rise, cyclone intensification, shrimp aquaculture encroachment, sedimentation changes.
• MISHTI scheme: Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI), launched 2023 Budget. Target: Mangrove plantation along India's entire 7,516 km coastline.

Static linkage: Mangroves, coastal ecosystems, MISHTI scheme.

GS area: Art and Culture, Society

The biennial Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara began 28 January 2026 at Medaram, Mulugu district, Telangana.

• Scale: Asia's largest tribal festival; second largest human gathering in India after the Kumbh Mela.
• Participants: Approximately 1 crore devotees over 4 days.
• Community: Koya Adivasi community.
• Venue: Medaram village, within Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary. The festival within a wildlife sanctuary requires special administrative permissions.
• Cultural character: Animistic, kinship-based ritual. Sammakka and Saralamma are mythological warrior figures venerated as mother goddesses. The "Bangaram" (jaggery offering) practice reflects non-monetised devotion.
• Biennial cycle: Held every two years in the Hindu month of Magha (January-February).

Static linkage: Tribal culture, festivals, Telangana geography.

GS area: Economy, International Relations

India's services trade surplus partially offsets the merchandise deficit.

• Services exports FY25: 341 billion USD (a record high).
• Services imports FY25: 219 billion USD.
• Services surplus: 122 billion USD.
• Combined current account: Merchandise deficit (240 billion USD) offset by services surplus (122 billion USD) and net transfers/remittances (125 billion USD). Net current account: approximately +7 billion USD surplus.
• Key service exports: IT software (approximately 194 billion USD from NASSCOM data), tourism, education services, financial services.
• WTO Trade in Services: India is the 7th largest exporter of commercial services globally.

Static linkage: Services exports, IT industry, balance of payments.

GS area: Polity

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the One Nation One Election (ONOE) Constitution Amendment Bills submitted its report.

• Bills under review:
  • Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill 2024: Simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies.
  • Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024: Aligns UT assembly election schedules.
• Key issue: If a government collapses mid-term, elections would be held for remainder of the 5-year term only (not full fresh 5 years).
• Arguments for: Cost savings (election cycle costs approximately 1,500 crore rupees per state election); policy continuity; bureaucratic neutrality; reduced voter fatigue.
• Arguments against: Marginalises regional parties; federalism concern (Centre can manipulate elections); voter could vote for different parties at different levels if elections are simultaneous.
• Constitutional changes needed: Amendments to Articles 83, 85, 172, 174 and 356.

Static linkage: Electoral reform, federalism, constitutional amendments.

GS area: Social Justice, Education

The PM POSHAN (formerly Mid Day Meal Scheme) annual review showed:

• Coverage: 11.8 crore students in 11.2 lakh government and government-aided schools.
• Objective: Improve school attendance and nutritional status of children.
• Nutritional standards: Meals must provide minimum 450 calories and 12 g protein for primary (Classes I-V) and 700 calories and 20 g protein for upper primary (Classes VI-VIII).
• Funding: 60:40 Centre-State for general states; 90:10 for NE and hill states.
• Issues flagged: Egg inclusion in meals remains contentious (states' choice); infrastructure gaps in kitchen sheds; leakage in grain procurement.
• Constitutional basis: Right to Food derived from Article 21 (right to life).

Static linkage: Nutrition, education schemes.

• Coral Triangle: Covering 6 million sq km across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. Hosts 76% of all coral species; called the "Amazon of the sea." India's ANC (Andaman and Nicobar Command) is adjacent to this zone. Climate bleaching events threaten 50% of coral cover by 2050.
• India's Blue Flag beaches: India has 13 Blue Flag certified beaches (as of 2025). Blue Flag is an eco-label for beaches with clean water, safety and environmental management.