[Newsbits] 19.1.2026 – Daily Current Affairs Notes, Mindmap & Lecture

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Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme

• The Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme is a critical initiative aimed at building a strong national capacity in the semiconductor sector, specifically focusing on creating industry-ready talent and a supportive ecosystem for chip design.
• Launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the programme has a substantial outlay of ₹250 crore over five years to foster technological self-reliance.
• The primary aim is to generate a massive pipeline of skilled professionals, including 85,000 engineers at various levels (B.Tech, M.Tech, and PhDs), addressing the global skill gap in the semiconductor industry.
• A major achievement of the programme is the fabrication of 56 student-designed chips and the filing of over 75 patents, proving that India is moving from theoretical knowledge to practical execution.
• To support this, the government has provided access to state-of-the-art infrastructure like Shared EDA tools, HPC, and FPGA boards through the National ChipIN Centre operated by C-DAC in Bengaluru.
• Hands-on training is a key pillar, with shared wafer runs facilitated by the Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali, allowing students to test their designs in real-world conditions.
• The initiative effectively democratises access to expensive tools, enabling students from across the country to participate in high-end innovation and start-up incubation, contributing to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Second Range-wide Dolphin Survey

• The Second range-wide Dolphin Survey is a massive scientific exercise launched under Project Dolphin to assess the population and habitat status of both riverine and estuarine dolphins across India.
• This initiative serves as a follow-up to the 2021–23 survey, which recorded approximately 6,327 riverine dolphins, aiming to update data on their distribution and the threats they face.
• The survey is divided into two phases; Phase I covers the main stem of the Ganga River (from Bijnor to Ganga Sagar) and the Indus River, while Phase II covers the Brahmaputra, Ganga tributaries, Sundarbans, and Odisha.
• It employs advanced scientific methods, including standardised protocols and hydrophones for acoustic monitoring, ensuring accurate data collection on these elusive aquatic mammals.
• The project is coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India in collaboration with State Forest Departments, highlighting a unified national effort for conservation.
• A key goal is to understand the impact of habitat degradation, pollution, and flow alteration on dolphin populations, which are critical indicators of river ecosystem health.
• The survey also focuses on the small, isolated population of Indus River Dolphins found in the Beas system, ensuring that even vulnerable sub-groups are monitored.

BRICS Plus Naval Exercise

• The BRICS Plus naval exercise, titled "Will for Peace 2026", has garnered attention due to India's decision to skip the drill, signalling a strategic choice to separate economic cooperation from military alignment.
• This maritime drill is hosted by South Africa and conducted near Simon's Town, involving navies from China, Russia, Iran, and the UAE, with observers from nations like Brazil and Egypt.
• Clarified as a non-institutionalised activity, the exercise is not a formal mandate of the BRICS group but rather a host-led initiative involving select members and partners.
• The stated aim of the exercise is to ensure the safety of key shipping lanes and maritime economic activities, focusing on operations like counter-terrorism and search and rescue.
• India's non-participation reflects its emphasis on strategic autonomy, avoiding military blocs that may be perceived as anti-Western, while maintaining its own security engagement through other forums.
• The event highlights a divergence within BRICS, where some members push for security signalling, while others, like India, prefer to keep the platform focused on development and economic issues.

UN Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty

• The UN BBNJ Treaty, also known as the High Seas Treaty, has officially entered into force after securing the necessary 60 ratifications, establishing the first legally binding framework for international waters.
• Negotiated under UNCLOS, the treaty aims to protect marine life in the High Seas, which constitute two-thirds of the ocean and lie beyond the control of any single nation.
• A central target of the agreement is the global "30 by 30" goal, which seeks to protect 30% of the ocean by the year 2030 through effective conservation measures.
• The treaty enables the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in international waters, allowing for the preservation of fragile ecosystems that were previously unregulated and vulnerable to exploitation.
• It mandates Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for any activities in the high seas that could harm marine biodiversity, ensuring that commercial interests do not override ecological safety.
• The agreement also establishes a fair mechanism for sharing benefits from Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs) used in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, supporting developing countries through technology transfer.

80 Years of UN ECOSOC

• The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) celebrates its 80th anniversary on January 23, 2026, marking eight decades of leadership in global development policy.
• Established in 1945 as one of the six principal organs of the UN, ECOSOC serves as the central forum for coordinating economic, social, and environmental efforts.
• Its primary function is to advance sustainable development by integrating policies that foster economic growth while ensuring social inclusion and environmental protection.
• ECOSOC plays a vital role in reviewing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through mechanisms like the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF).
• The body is unique in its inclusive engagement, granting consultative status to over 6,500 NGOs, which allows civil society to have a direct voice in global decision-making.
• It also oversees various functional and regional commissions and elects board members for key UN agencies like UNICEF and UNDP, ensuring cohesive governance across the UN system.

Discovery of Microscopic Crustacean

• Researchers have discovered a new genus and species of microscopic crustacean, named Indiaphonte bijoyi, in the Kavaratti lagoon of the Lakshadweep islands.
• This tiny organism belongs to the family Laophontidae and is classified as meiofauna, which are minute invertebrates measuring less than 1 mm that live in aquatic sediments.
• The name pays tribute to the country, with "Indiaphonte" honouring India, and the species name "bijoyi" recognising the contributions of renowned marine scientist S. Bijoy Nandan.
• The species is distinguished by a semi-cylindrical body, antennae-like appendages, and specialised limbs adapted for life in the sediment, traits that required the establishment of a new genus.
• Despite their small size, such copepods are ecologically significant as they recycle nutrients and form the base of the aquatic food web, supporting larger marine life.
• The discovery underscores the rich and relatively unexplored marine biodiversity of India's coral lagoons and highlights the country's growing role in global taxonomy.

First Open-sea Marine Fish Farming Project

• India has launched its first open-sea marine fish farming project in the Andaman Sea, a pioneering initiative to boost the Blue Economy through sustainable resource utilisation.
• Located in North Bay near Sri Vijaya Puram, the project is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
• The project utilizes indigenously developed open-sea cages designed to withstand the rough conditions of the ocean, moving aquaculture away from the coast and into deeper waters.
• It focuses on cultivating high-value marine finfish and seaweed, aiming to create a scalable model that can generate sustainable livelihoods for local fishing communities.
• By proving the technical feasibility of open-sea farming, the initiative seeks to enhance marine food security and reduce pressure on wild fish stocks while promoting technological self-reliance.
• The project leverages the strategic location of the Andaman Sea, which features deep submarine valleys and a unique ecosystem influenced by the Indian Ocean and tectonic activity.