International Developments
Henley Passport Index 2026:
Context: The Henley Passport Index 2026 has been released, ranking global passports on travel freedom, with India’s passport improving its position compared to last year.
1. What the Index Measures: The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 national passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without a prior visa, including visa‑free, visa‑on‑arrival, and electronic travel authorisation access, using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
2. Top Positions Globally: In 2026, Singapore retained the top position with visa‑free access to 192 destinations, while Japan and South Korea followed closely, each with access to 188 countries, keeping Asian nations dominant among the strongest passports.
3. India’s Improved Ranking: The Indian passport rose to 80th place in 2026, climbing five places from 85th last year, and now allows holders access to 55 destinations without a prior visa, marking an incremental improvement in travel mobility.
4. Global Mobility Implications: Despite the rise, Indian passport holders still enjoy limited global mobility compared to top‑ranked countries, reflecting ongoing challenges in visa agreements and diplomatic reach.
(IE)
Economy
Export Preparedness Index 2024:
Context: NITI Aayog released the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024, ranking Indian States and Union Territories on their readiness to promote and sustain exports based on a data‑driven framework of four pillars.
1. Purpose & Alignment: The Export Preparedness Index 2024 offers an evidence‑based assessment of how well states and UTs in India are positioned to enhance export competitiveness, aligned with the national goal of reaching USD 1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030 and the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
2. Framework & Methodology: The Index evaluates export readiness across four core pillars – Export Infrastructure, Business Ecosystem, Policy & Governance, and Export Performance, further broken into 13 sub‑pillars and 70 indicators to capture structural strengths and gaps for policy action.
3. Top Performers Among Large States: Among large states, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat emerged as the leading performers, reflecting strong infrastructure, supportive policies, and robust export ecosystems. Other notable performers include Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
4. Small States & UTs Leaders: In the category of small states, north‑eastern states and UTs, Uttarakhand ranks first, followed by Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Goa, underscoring widening export readiness beyond traditional hubs.
(PIB)
NPS Vatsalya Scheme:
Context: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has issued the NPS Vatsalya Scheme Guidelines 2025 to operationalise and strengthen the National Pension System‑based plan aimed at long‑term financial security for minors.
1. Purpose & Launch: NPS Vatsalya is a contributory savings and pension scheme designed exclusively for minors, announced in the Union Budget 2024–25 and formally launched in September 2024 to enable parents and guardians to build long‑term financial security for children from an early age.
2. Eligibility & Contributions: The scheme is open to all Indian citizens (including NRI/OCI) below 18 years. A guardian opens the account in the minor’s name with a minimum initial and annual contribution of ₹250, and no upper limit on contribution, which can also be gifted by relatives/friends.
3. Withdrawal & Transition Provisions: Partial withdrawals of up to 25% of own contributions are permitted after three years for purposes such as education and medical needs. Upon attaining majority (18 years), the subscriber can continue under NPS Vatsalya, transfer to an NPS Tier‑I account, or exit with up to 80% lump sum (minimum 20% annuitised); full withdrawal is allowed if the corpus is ₹8 lakh or less.
4. Broader Objectives: Beyond retirement savings, the scheme aims to instil a culture of early financial planning, improve financial literacy, and contribute to the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 by fostering long‑term savings habits among future generations.
(PIB)
Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS) 2026:
Context: The Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS) 2026, released as part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026, highlights the foremost global and country‑specific risks perceived by experts over short‑term (to 2028) and long‑term (to 2036) horizons.
1. Overview & Methodology: The GRPS 2026 gathers perceptions from over 1,300 global experts, leaders, and decision‑makers across government, business, academia, civil society and international organisations, assessing 33 major risks based on likelihood and severity over multiple time horizons.
2. Top Global Risk in Short‑Term: Geoeconomic confrontation characterised by the use of economic tools (like tariffs, investment restrictions and supply‑chain weaponisation) in strategic competition among nations has emerged as the most likely trigger of a global crisis in 2026‑28.
3. Other Short‑Term Risks: Following geoeconomic confrontation, state‑based armed conflict, misinformation/disinformation, societal polarisation, and extreme weather events rank among the most severe risks in the near‑term risk landscape.
4. India‑Specific Risk Profile: For India, the GRPS highlights cyber insecurity as the top domestic risk for 2026 due to deepening reliance on digital systems, followed by income inequality, insufficient public services/social protection, economic downturn, and state‑based armed conflict.
(TH)
Science & Technology
Molecular clouds, the birthplaces of stars:
Context: Astronomers have traced how magnetic fields influence the collapse of molecular clouds the birthplaces of stars providing new insights into star formation processes.
1. What Molecular Clouds Are: Molecular clouds are cold (below ~40 K), dense regions of gas and dust in space, primarily composed of molecular hydrogen (H₂) and other molecules, serving as stellar nurseries where new stars are born.
2. Role in Star Formation: Within these clouds, regions of higher density can collapse under gravity, overcoming internal pressures and initiating the formation of protostars that eventually evolve into stars.
3. Magnetic Fields and Turbulence: Recent studies (e.g., on the L328 molecular cloud) show that magnetic fields remain coherent across scales and interact with gravity and turbulence, significantly affecting whether cloud cores collapse to form stars.
4. Scientific Insight: Mapping magnetic fields from the scale of the entire cloud down to dense cores helps astronomers understand the relative importance of gravity, magnetic pressure, and turbulence in star formation dynamics.
(PIB)
SVASTIK Portal Launched:
Context: The SVASTIK web portal was launched by CSIR‑National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR‑NIScPR) on its 5th Foundation Day to provide a centralized platform for multilingual dissemination of India’s scientifically validated traditional knowledge.
1. What SVASTIK Stands For: SVASTIK is an acronym for Scientifically Validated Societal Traditional Knowledge, a national initiative aimed at communicating India’s traditional knowledge that has been examined and validated scientifically, enhancing public trust and awareness.
2. Portal Launch & Purpose: The SVASTIK web portal was launched on 14 January 2026 during the 5th Foundation Day of CSIR‑NIScPR in New Delhi. It provides a single integrated platform for accessing all SVASTIK content, thereby strengthening outreach, accessibility, and sustained engagement with stakeholders across the world.
3. Multilingual Outreach: The portal disseminates content in English, 19 Indian languages, and five foreign languages, making India’s scientifically validated traditional knowledge widely accessible to diverse audiences including researchers, educators, policymakers, and the general public.
4. Institutional Backing & Vision: Implemented by CSIR‑NIScPR upon the clarion call of the Prime Minister, the initiative reinforces India’s science communication ecosystem and underscores the importance of validating and preserving traditional knowledge in a scientific framework.
(PIB)
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