[Newsbits] 26.1.2026 – Daily Current Affairs Notes & Mindmap

1. Agarwood

• Context: The Union Minister laid the foundation for an ₹80 crore Agarwood Value Chain Development Scheme in Tripura to boost the sector.
• Definition: Also known as oud or gaharu, it is a fragrant, resinous heartwood formed in Aquilaria trees as a defense mechanism against fungal infection.
• Key Characteristics:
  • Rarity: Natural resin formation occurs in only ~10% of wild trees.
  • Timeframe: Takes 20–50 years to develop naturally, leading to the use of artificial induction methods.
  • Status: Listed under CITES Appendix II due to overexploitation.
• Uses: High-end perfumery, religious rituals (incense), and traditional medicine (Ayurveda/Unani).

2. The Padma Awards

• Context: For 2026, 131 awards were approved by the President on the eve of Republic Day.
• Overview: Established in 1954, these are among India’s highest civilian honors recognizing “exceptional and distinguished service.”
• Categories:
  1. Padma Vibhushan: Exceptional and distinguished service.
  2. Padma Bhushan: Distinguished service of a high order.
  3. Padma Shri: Distinguished service in any field.
• Rules:
  • Total awards are capped at 120 per year (excluding posthumous and foreign/NRI awardees).
  • Government servants are generally ineligible (except doctors and scientists).
  • Selection is based on the Padma Awards Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary.

3. Narayan Ramachandran Committee (SAARG)

• Context: Constituted by the PFRDA to review the National Pension System (NPS).
• Full Name: Committee for Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance (SAARG).
• Mandate: The committee, chaired by Narayan Ramachandran, must submit recommendations within 9 months.
• Objectives:
  • Review existing asset classes and suggest new ones for diversification.
  • Align NPS guidelines with global pension best practices.
  • Integrate sustainability (climate transition risks) into investment decisions.
  • Reform benchmarking and evaluation methods for Pension Funds.

4. Bactrian Camel

• Context: Two camels, ‘Galwan’ and ‘Nubra’, are featuring in the 2026 Republic Day Parade to highlight Ladakh’s heritage.
• Description: A double-humped camel native to the cold deserts of Central Asia.
• Status:
  • Wild Bactrian Camel (Camelus ferus): Critically Endangered.
  • Domestic Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus): Common.
• Habitat in India: Found only in the Nubra Valley, Ladakh.
• Adaptations:
  • Two Humps: Store fat (not water) for energy during food scarcity.
  • Tolerance: Can survive sub-zero temperatures and drink saline water (~35 gallons at once).
• History: Known as the “ships of the Silk Road,” facilitating trade between India, Central Asia, and China.

5. Elimination of Malaria in India

• Context: India reduced malaria cases and deaths by over 80% between 2015 and 2023.
• Key Statistics:
  • Cases: Dropped from 11.69 lakh (2015) to 2.27 lakh (2023).
  • Deaths: Fell by 78.3% to a historic low of 83 in 2023.
  • Zero Indigenous Cases: Maintained by 160 districts across 23 States/UTs for three consecutive years (2022–2024).
• Challenges:
  • Species Shift:Plasmodium vivax now accounts for nearly 40% of cases and causes relapses due to dormant liver stages.
  • Geography: Over 85% of cases are concentrated in states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
  • Urban Malaria: Vectors like Anopheles stephensi breeding in man-made containers in cities like Chennai.
• Targets: The National Strategic Plan aims for zero indigenous cases by 2027.

6. Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards

• Context: The President approved awards for 30 individuals (including 6 posthumous) for the year 2025.
• Purpose: To recognize meritorious acts of humane nature involving personal risk to save a life (drowning, fire, accidents, etc.).
• Categories & Monetary Allowance:
  1. Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak:₹2 lakh (Conspicuous courage under very great danger).
  2. Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak:₹1.5 lakh (Courage under great danger).
  3. Jeevan Raksha Padak:₹1 lakh (Courage involving grave bodily injury risk).
• Establishment: Instituted in 1961 as an offshoot of the Ashoka Chakra series.

7. Lakkundi Excavation

• Context: ASI excavations at the Kote Veerabhadreshwar Temple in Karnataka uncovered Neolithic artifacts.
• Location: Lakkundi village, Gadag district, Karnataka.
• Significance:
  • Findings include a broken grey clay pot and stone axe, confirming human occupation from the Neolithic period.
  • Strengthens the bid to include Lakkundi in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
• Historical Background: A major center during the Kalyana Chalukya and Hoysala periods (10th–13th centuries), known as the “village of a hundred wells and temples.”

8. India–EU Partnership

• Context: Leaders from the EU served as chief guests for India’s 77th Republic Day to finalize an FTA and Defence Partnership.
• Trade Statistics:
  • Goods: EU is India’s largest trading partner, with trade reaching ~$136 billion (2024–25).
  • Services: Hit a record high of $53 billion in 2023.
  • Investment: EU FDI stock in India reached €140 billion in 2023.
• Opportunities:
  • Textiles: Removal of the 10% EU tariff could boost Indian garment exports.
  • Defence: Shift from buyer-seller to co-producers (e.g., ammunition exports to Poland/Germany).
• Challenges:
  • CBAM: The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (20%–35% carbon tax) threatens Indian metal exports.
  • Data Sovereignty: Conflicts over India’s data localization vs. EU privacy laws.