Government allows blending ethanol and synthetic hydrocarbons into Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).

• ATF, widely recognised as jet fuel, is primarily produced by refining crude oil.

About Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

• SAF is a liquid fuel that can be produced from a number of sources (feedstock) including waste oil and fats, municipal waste, and non-food crops.
• Significance: Reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%. 
• SAF can be blended at different levels with limits between 10% and 50%, depending on the feedstock and how the fuel is produced. 
• India is targeting to blend 1 per cent SAF into jet fuel for international flights by 2027, rising to 2 per cent by 2028 and 5 per cent by 2030 in line with the CORSIA mandate.
  • Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is led by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
  • No targets for fuel used in domestic flights have been set so far.

India is considering transition to FFVs to reduce dependence on imported crude.

About FFVs

• FFVs are modified vehicles, currently capable of operating entirely on gasoline or any blend of gasoline and ethanol (up to 83% or E83). 
  • Modern FFVs are increasingly designed to operate on higher blends, including E100 (pure ethanol).
• They have a conventional internal combustion engine similar to the existing gasoline-only vehicles except for their ethanol-compatible fuel system and a different powertrain calibration.
• They display improved acceleration performance when operating on higher ethanol blends.

A study in the Nature Reviews Earth & Environment journal highlights that the global drought in 2025 affected nearly 30% of the land area.

• Study highlighted that droughts are increasingly driven by high evaporative demand rather than just rainfall deficits.

About Evaporative Demand

• Meaning: It can be defined as near maximum water that can evaporate if sufficient moisture is available.
  • It measures the thirst of the atmosphere.
• Drivers: Controlled by temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation.
• Mechanism: Higher temperatures raise evapotranspiration, drying soils and vegetation even under adequate irrigation or moderate rainfall

Union Minister of Communications released revised guidelines for the Technology Development and Investment Promotion (TDIP) Scheme for 2026-31.

• Revised guidelines expanded the scope of the scheme to include startups, MSMEs, academia, research institutions, telecom service providers.

About TDIP Scheme

• Objective: designed as a comprehensive supportframework to enable Indian telecom entities to actively contribute to promote innovation, and enhance India’s competitiveness in next-generation telecommunications technologies, including 5G Advanced and 6G.
• Implementation Agency: Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI), Telecom Centres of Excellence, India (TCoE) and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL).

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a draft paper proposing the introduction of prepaid wallets for special use cases such as foreign nationals or non-resident Indians (NRIs) in India.

About Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs)

• PPIs are instruments that facilitate purchase of goods and services, conduct of financial services, enable remittance facilities, etc., against the value stored therein.
  • E.g. Digital Wallet
• Issuers: It can be issued by banks and non-banks.

Several international organisations have warned that the Loss and Damage Fund may run dry without fresh financial contributions.

About FRLD

• Establishment: Created under United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at COP27 (Sharm el-Sheikh 2022) and operationalized at COP28 (Dubai 2023).
• Mandate: Assist vulnerable developing countries in addressing economic and non-economic loss and damage from climate change.
  • It supports Finance recovery, rebuilding and adaptation from climate-induced impacts like extreme and slow-onset events.
• Functioning: Promotes country-led, locally driven solutions
• Financing: Mobilizes funds via government contributions, private sector and innovative mechanisms.
•  Its Secretariat is hosted by the World Bank, which also serves as the fund trustee.

Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary becomes India’s 99th Ramsar site.

• Ramsar sites refer to sites listed on the List of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention (1971). 

About Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary

• Location:  Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh)
• It is a freshwater perennial water body that came into existence after the formation of the Upper Ganges Canal in 1852.
• Notable birds: Indian river tern (Sterna aurantia) and sarus crane (Grus antigone).
• It is designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLifeInternational.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has expanded the eligibility criteria for PMIS to include final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students. 

About PMIS

• Objective: Provide structured, paid internship opportunities in top companies to youth across the country.
  • Interns receive a minimum financial assistance of ₹9,000 per month. 
  • Internship Duration: Either 6 or 9 months depending on the nature of internship. 
• Beneficiaries: Youth aged between 18 and 25 who are not employed full-time.