Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Indian Air Force successfully flight tested the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile on June 2, 2026.
Key Highlights
Missile was launched from: An airborne platform under extreme release conditions.
Successfully:
Followed intended trajectory
Hit the predefined target accurately.
Trials validated:
Critical subsystems
Flight parameters
Precision strike capability.
About RudraM-II
RudraM-II is an indigenous air-to-surface missile.
Designed for Precision strike missions.
Capable of destroying enemy ground-based targets.
[2023] Consider the following statements 1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their fights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of fight. 2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Several indicators that were part of the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) have been omitted from the newly released NFHS-6 factsheet. The government stated that the move was aimed at “data harmonisation”.
What is NFHS?
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is:
A large scale nationwide household survey.
Conducted to collect data on:
Health
Nutrition
Family welfare
Population trends.
Conducted by: International Institute for Population Sciences
Under: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
NFHS Timeline
First NFHS conducted in 1992-93.
NFHS-5 Conducted during 2019-21.
NFHS-6 Conducted during 2023-24.
Major Changes in NFHS-6
NFHS-5 factsheet contained 131 key indicators.
NFHS-6 factsheet contains: 101 indicators.
Indicators Removed
Population Indicators
Sex ratio
Sex ratio at birth
Mortality rates
Birth and death registration data
Women’s Health Indicators
Adolescent fertility rate
Contraceptive methods used
Family planning counselling
Information on contraceptive side effects
Out of pocket expenditure during delivery
Child and Public Health Indicators
ORS and zinc treatment for diarrhoea
HIV awareness indicators
Waist to hip ratio data
Cancer Screening Indicators
Data related to screening for:
Cervical cancer
Breast cancer
Oral cancer was removed.
Anaemia Data Excluded
Anaemia prevalence data was also excluded from NFHS-6.
Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s first SkyCast System at Indira Gandhi International Airport under Mission Mausam.
What is SkyCast?
SkyCast is an advanced integrated aviation weather monitoring and forecasting system that provides:
Real-time weather intelligence
Fog monitoring
Turbulence detection
High-impact weather forecasting
Key Features
Helps reduce:
Flight delays
Diversions
Cancellations
Provides short-term weather alerts to pilots and air traffic controllers
Monitors atmosphere up to nearly 3 km above airport
Technologies Used
SkyCast integrates:
Radar Wind Profiler
SODAR
Microwave Radiometer
Ground-based Fog Aerosol Spectrometer (GFAS)
Lidar-based Ceilometer
[2025] GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) uses a system of ground stations to provide necessary augmentation. Which of the following statements is/are correct in respect of GAGAN? I. It is designed to provide additional accuracy and integrity. II. It will allow more uniform and high quality air traffic management. III. It will provide benefits only in aviation but not in other modes of transportation. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Amit Shah inaugurated the G-7 and G-13 Border Out Posts (BOPs) in Bhuj, Gujarat, and highlighted plans to strengthen border security through advanced technology and CISF-style security grids.
Key Highlights
New BOPs inaugurated along the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat
Focus on:
Technological fencing
Smart border security
Territorial security concept
Leak-proof security grid
About BSF (Border Security Force):
India’s “First Line of Defence”
Comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs
Guards borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh
Operates in extreme conditions from:
Desert regions
Marshlands
Forests
High-altitude areas
Strategic Areas
Sir Creek
The marshy disputed region between India and Pakistan
Security-sensitive coastal area
Harami Nala
Creek area near Sir Creek
Vulnerable to infiltration and smuggling
[2023] Which one of the following is the best example of repeated falls in sea level, giving rise to present-day extensive marshland?
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6), showing major improvements in maternal health, child nutrition, immunisation, and financial protection.
About NFHS
Conducted by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai
Covers population, health, nutrition, and family welfare indicators
NFHS-6 surveyed about 6.79 lakh households across 715 districts
Scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) used data from Chandrayaan-2’s Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR) to discover strong evidence of subsurface water-ice near the Moon’s South Pole.
Key Findings
Target Location: Four “doubly shadowed craters” located inside Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) at the lunar south pole.
Extreme Thermal Environment: These locations are permanently shielded from solar radiation, maintaining temperatures around 25 Kelvin (-248°C), acting as ideal cold traps to preserve volatiles.
The Prime Candidate: A 1.1 km diameter micro-crater located within the larger Faustini Crater showed the highest probability of containing clean subsurface ice.
Geomorphological Evidence
Lobate-Rim Morphology: The highly-evident 1.1 km crater exhibits flow-like, lobed patterns along its rim.
Geological Meaning: This indicates that the initial meteoroid impact likely penetrated a layer of subsurface ice, melting it briefly to create a slurry-like, fluid ejecta pattern before re-freezing.
About Chandrayaan-2 & DFSAR
Mission Context: Launched in July 2019; while its Vikram lander failed to make a soft landing, the orbiter remains fully functional in lunar orbit.
DFSAR Instrument: Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar.
Capabilities: It is the first fully polarimetric radar sent to the Moon, operating across L-band and S-band microwave frequencies to penetrate deep into the lunar regolith.
Significance
In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): Essential for future crewed bases (such as Artemis or India’s planned lunar base) to harvest local water for life support and rocket fuel production.
Strategic Mapping: Provides high-fidelity targeting data for future landing and excavation missions, including India’s upcoming Chandrayaan missions.
Challenges
Accessing Cold Traps: Operating mechanical equipment in permanent darkness at 25 Kelvin presents immense engineering challenges.
Regolith Depth Overburden: The ice is subsurface, requiring specialized drilling and extraction systems rather than surface scraping.
[2017] The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of
[A] Observation and understanding of the Universe
[B] Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses
[C] Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth
[D] Origin and evolution of living organisms on the earth
Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute discovered a new evergreen tree species, Humboldtia nairiana, in Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
About the Species
Belongs to the genus Humboldtia
Found in riparian forests of the southern Western Ghats
Named in honour of plant biotechnologist G.M. Nair
Discovery
First collected during a 2010 floristic survey along the Cheenikkala-Pandimotta forest trail
Seedlings were conserved ex-situ at the JNTBGRI Arboretum
Flowering and fruiting observed in 2022
Morphological studies confirmed it as a new species
Distribution
Strictly endemic to Kerala
Known only from the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve
Conservation Status
Wild population is fragile and limited
Categorised as “Data Deficient” under IUCN criteria
Highlights need for habitat protection and field monitoring
Ecological Importance
Adds to the biodiversity significance of the Western Ghats
Shows importance of riparian forest ecosystems
Strengthens conservation value of Agasthyamala region
About Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve
Part of the Western Ghats
UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve
Known for high endemism and rich biodiversity
[2019] “Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries” are part of which of the following?
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released insights from India’s first national report on the Nagoya Protocol related to Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), highlighting India’s progress in ensuring equitable sharing of benefits arising from biological resources.
About the Nagoya Protocol
Adopted Under: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Objective: To ensure Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.
What is Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)?
ABS means: Users of biological resources must share benefits with:
Local communities
Indigenous groups
Traditional knowledge holders
Benefits can include:
Monetary compensation
Technology transfer
Community development
Conservation support
Key Findings of the Report
Large-Scale Implementation Between 2017 and 2025: 12,830 ABS approvals granted.
India’s Global Contribution
India issued:
3,556 Internationally Recognised Certificates of Compliance (IRCCs)
Around 60% of global issuance.
Revenue Generated: ₹216.31 crore realised by: National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
Community Benefit: ₹139.69 crore disbursed to benefit claimers and local communities.
[2023] Consider the following statements: 1. In Biodiversity the India, Management Committees are key to the realization of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol. 2. The Biodiversity Management Committees have important functions in determining access and benefit sharing, including the power to levy collection fees on the access of biological resources within its jurisdiction. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
