Daily PIB Highlights (2nd March 2026)

Topic 1: India–Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

GS Paper 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context: In a major diplomatic and economic breakthrough, India and Canada signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during the state visit of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to New Delhi.

Strategic Vision and Bilateral Targets

The agreement marks a “new ambition” in the partnership between two of the world’s leading economies.

• • Trade Goal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a target of US$50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
  • The ToR Framework: Signed by Shri Piyush Goyal (India) and Mr. Maninder Sidhu (Canada), the ToR defines the format, frequency, and approach for future negotiations to ensure they are ambitious and balanced.
  • Evolution: This follows a leaders’ statement on the sidelines of the G7 Kananaskis Summit in October 2025, signaling a rapid diplomatic pivot to resolve long-standing trade barriers.

Economic Profile: India and Canada (FY 2024-25)

The CEPA is intended to bridge the gap between the current trade levels and the actual potential of the two markets.

• • Total Bilateral Trade: USD 8.66 billion.
    • India’s Exports: USD 4.22 billion.
    • India’s Imports: USD 4.44 billion.
  • Market Potential: Canada offers a high-spending market of 41.65 million people with a GDP (PPP) of US$ 2.34 trillion.

Key Sectors for Goods and Services

The negotiations will cover goods, services, and other mutually agreed policy areas.

India's Key Exports to Canada	India's Key Imports from Canada
Drugs & Pharmaceuticals	Pulses (Critical for India's food security)
Iron & Steel	Fertilizers (Potash)
Seafood and Cotton Garments	Coal and Petroleum Crude
Electronic Goods	Pearls & Semi-precious stones

Services Focus: India expects a significant surge in telecommunications, computer, and information services (IT/ITeS) and other professional business services following the CEPA conclusion.

Social and Diaspora Pillars

• • The “One Family” Connection: Canada is a primary destination for Indian talent, hosting over 425,000 Indian students and a massive Indian diaspora.
  • Reinforcing Ties: The CEPA is viewed not just as a trade deal but as a mechanism to further reinforce people-to-people ties and ease the movement of professionals between the two nations.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
CEPA	Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Covers Goods, Services, Investment, and Intellectual Property).
G7 Kananaskis (2025)	The venue where the leaders initially agreed to restart trade talks.
India's Main Import	Pulses and Fertilizers remain the strategic backbone of imports from Canada.
Trade Target	US$50 Billion by 2030.

Conclusion:

The India-Canada CEPA ToR signing represents a critical shift in bilateral relations, moving away from past frictions toward a pragmatic, economic-led partnership.

 

Topic 2: 70th Foundation Day of Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)

GS Paper 3: Storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; Public Distribution System – objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security.

Context: The Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) celebrated its 70th Foundation Day on March 2, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi outlined a major roadmap for the organization’s evolution from a warehouse provider to a global logistics leader.

Institutional Evolution and “Maharatna” Vision

The government has signaled a fundamental shift in CWC’s corporate structure and operational scope:

• • Transition to Company: A proposal is being moved to transform CWC from a statutory body into a Company to provide it with greater commercial flexibility.
  • Maharatna Ambition: The Minister urged CWC to strive for Maharatna status, aiming to place India among the top 25 global logistics performers.
  • Beyond Warehousing: CWC has expanded its role into integrated logistics, focusing on reducing India’s overall logistics cost as a percentage of GDP.

Financial Performance (FY 2024–25)

CWC recorded its highest-ever financial growth during the previous fiscal year, reflecting a robust demand for professional warehousing:

• • Turnover: ₹2,776.88 crore (up from ₹2,303.81 crore in FY 23-24).
  • Profit Before Tax (PBT): ₹711.60 crore (up from ₹590.36 crore in FY 23-24).
  • Dividend: A dividend of ₹160.10 crore was paid to the Government of India.
  • Projections: The Corporation is poised to surpass these records in FY 2025–26.

Strategic Focus Areas

CWC’s roadmap for the next decade centers on four technological and operational pillars:

1. Infrastructure Augmentation: Building multi-modal logistics parks (MMLPs) and specialized cold chains for perishable goods.

2. Digital Transformation: Implementing AI-driven inventory management and blockchain for real-time tracking of foodgrains.

3. Operational Efficiency: Reducing “turnaround time” at warehouses to support the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.

4. Supply Chain Integration: Providing end-to-end services from farm-gate to the public distribution system (PDS).

Contribution to National Food Security

CWC remains the backbone of the Food Security Framework by:

• • Providing scientific storage to minimize post-harvest losses of foodgrains.
  • Acting as a primary storage agent for the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and various state agencies.
  • Managing over 450 warehouses nationwide with a total storage capacity exceeding 10 million tonnes.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
Foundation Year	Established in 1957 (Statutory body under the Warehousing Corporations Act, 1962).
Nodal Ministry	Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
Status	A Mini-Ratna Category-I CPSE (Moving toward Maharatna).
Key Role	Scientific storage for 400+ commodities including agricultural products, chemicals, and industrial goods.

Conclusion:

Seven decades in, the CWC is shifting from being a “silent custodian” of foodgrains to a “proactive driver” of India’s logistics economy.

 

Topic 3: Wide Band Gap (WBG)–Based Integrated Drive System for EVs

GS Paper 3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications; Indigenization of technology and developing new technology; Infrastructure: Energy, Roads.

Context: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched an indigenously developed 30 kW Wide Band Gap (WBG)-based Integrated Drive System (IDS) at IIT Madras. This marks a major breakthrough in India’s pursuit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the electric vehicle (EV) powertrain segment.

Technical Innovation: WBG and Integration

The system represents a shift from conventional separated motor-drive configurations to a more efficient, compact unit.

• • The WBG Advantage: Unlike traditional silicon-based semiconductors, Wide Band Gap materials (like Silicon Carbide or Gallium Nitride) allow devices to operate at higher voltages, temperatures, and frequencies. This leads to:
    • Higher power density.
    • Reduced thermal management requirements.
    • Greater energy efficiency, extending the range of EVs.
  • Integrated Design: The 30 kW IDS integrates the electric motor and inverter into a single compact unit. This replaces the conventional configuration where the motor and drive are separate, leading to weight reduction and space saving.

Strategic Significance for the EV Sector

The 30 kW power class is a “sweet spot” for the Indian automotive market.

• • Target Segment: Specifically designed for India’s fast-growing electric passenger vehicle segment, including compact cars and fleet mobility (cabs) platforms.
  • Reducing Import Dependency: Currently, high-performance EV powertrains and critical semiconductor drive components are largely imported. Localizing this technology reduces costs and secures the supply chain against global disruptions.
  • Manufacturing Ecosystem: The technology is expected to create opportunities for MSMEs in power electronics manufacturing, thermal systems, and control hardware.

Collaborative Framework: NaMPET

The project was developed under the National Mission on Power Electronics Technology (NaMPET), a MeitY initiative.

• • Partners: * R&D: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Thiruvananthapuram.
    • Academia: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.
    • Industry: Lucas TVS, which collaborated on design, fabrication, and validation.
  • Commercialization: The technology has been validated and is now ready for large-scale deployment and commercialization, supported by national initiatives like PLI schemes.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
Technology	30 kW WBG-based Integrated Drive System (IDS).
Nodal Mission	National Mission on Power Electronics Technology (NaMPET).
Material	Wide Band Gap (WBG) semiconductors (replaces traditional Silicon).
Integration	Combines the Electric Motor and Inverter into one unit.

Conclusion:

The launch of the 30 kW IDS signifies India’s transition from a “technology-importing” nation to a “technology-developing” hub in the EV sector.

 

Topic 4: India AI Impact Summit 2026

GS Paper 3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications; IT & Electronics; Investment models.

Context: The India AI Impact Summit 2026, held in New Delhi (16–21 February), has positioned India as the “Gravity Centre” of global AI governance and infrastructure. The summit concluded with a record-breaking USD 200 billion in investment commitments and landmark global declarations.

Infrastructure: Sovereign Compute & Sovereign AI

India is aggressively building its physical “compute” muscle to ensure strategic autonomy in artificial intelligence.

• • GPU Expansion: In addition to the existing 38,000+ GPUs under the IndiaAI Mission, the government announced the procurement of 20,000 additional GPUs in the coming weeks.
  • National AI Infrastructure: This compute capacity is designed to support Indian startups and researchers, reducing dependency on foreign cloud providers.

Global Declarations & Strategic Frameworks

The Summit served as a diplomatic platform to define the “Rules of the Road” for AI:

• • India AI Impact Summit Declaration: Endorsed by 92 countries and international organizations, focusing on responsible and inclusive AI adoption.
  • New Delhi Frontier AI Impact Commitments: Signed by 13 global frontier model developers to promote trustworthy and transparent AI deployment.
  • Global AI Impact Commons: A digital repository (aiimpactcommons.global) featuring 80+ impact stories from 30+ countries to enable cross-border replication of successful AI use cases.
  • Key Playbooks & Charters:
    • Equitable AI Transition Playbook: (with ILO) To prepare the global workforce for AI-driven changes.
    • Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI: Supported by 22 countries to ensure equitable access to technology.
    • Trusted AI Commons: A partnership of 22 countries for safety-aligned AI development.

Innovation & Grassroots Adoption

The Summit showcased how AI is transitioning from “lab to field” in India:

• • Assistive Device Prototype: A handheld, open-source device developed by BHASHINI and Current AI. It uses voice queries to visually recognize environments in multiple languages, aiding the visually impaired.
  • Casebooks for Impact: Six global casebooks were released covering AI in Health (WHO), Energy (IEA), Gender (UN Women), Agriculture, Education, and Accessibility.
  • Digital Maturity: Demonstrating the pervasiveness of India’s DPI, 80% of food court transactions during the event were conducted via UPI.

Landmark Investment Commitments

The Summit catalysed a massive USD 200 billion in planned investments:

Investor	Commitment	Focus Area
Reliance Industries	USD 110 Billion	AI-focused infrastructure over 7 years.
Adani Enterprises	USD 100 Billion	AI and data center investments by 2035.
Google	USD 15 Billion	AI Hub in Visakhapatnam; new subsea cable routes.
OpenAI & Tata	Strategic Partnership	Scaling AI-ready data centers.
Venture Capital	USD 15 Billion	Combined commitment from General Catalyst & Lightspeed.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
Guinness World Record	Most pledges for an AI responsibility campaign in 24 hours" (2.5 lakh pledges).
Bhashini	India’s AI-led language translation platform.
Global AI Impact Commons	Web portal for sharing global AI successful use cases.
Visakhapatnam AI Hub	New $15 billion project announced by Google.

Conclusion:

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 marks the shift of the AI narrative from “Fear” to “Impact.” By combining massive capital (USD 200bn) with global consensus (92 countries), India has successfully established that the future of AI must be Democratic, Resilient, and Inclusive.

Spread the Word