Prelims Current Affairs includes International Tiger Day 2026 , India, China To Resume Nathu La Border Trade, Right To Protest In India, National Investment Policy For Urea (Nipu)-2026, Kosi-Mechi Link Project Approved, Nasa Praxis Mission & Dark Eagle Hypersonic Missile

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY 2026

Current Context: International Tiger Day is observed on 29 July to raise awareness about tiger conservation and declining tiger numbers.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY

• International Tiger Day is observed every year on 29 July to raise awareness about tiger conservation, protect tiger habitats, and promote global efforts to reverse the decline in wild tiger populations.
• Purpose: To promote the conservation of wild tigers and their natural habitats.
• Established:2010 at Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit, Russia
• Theme 2026:“Securing the future of Tigers with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at the heart”

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. INDIA, CHINA TO RESUME NATHU LA BORDER TRADE

Current Context: India and China are set to resume border trade through Nathu La Pass from 1 August 2026.

ABOUT NATHU LA PASS

• India and China are set to resume border trade through the Nathu La Pass from 1 August 2026, marking the restoration of cross-border commerce after a prolonged suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent border tensions.
• The move follows efforts to improve bilateral relations and confidence-building along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• Border trade through Nathu La was reopened in 2006 after remaining closed since the 1962 India-China War.
• Located in the Eastern Himalayas.
• Connects Sikkim (India) with the Tibet Autonomous Region (China).
• Elevation: Approximately 4,310 metres (14,140 feet).
• Part of the historic Silk Route connecting India and Tibet.
• One of the three officially designated border trading points between India and China.

IMPORTANT DAYS

POLITY

3.  RIGHT TO PROTEST IN INDIA

Current Context: Recent events have sparked debate on legality of protests and balance between civil liberties and public order.

ABOUT RIGHT TO PROTEST

• The Right to Protest is a constitutional right in India and is considered an essential feature of a democratic society. However, it is not an absolute right and is subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order, sovereignty, security, and morality.
• Derived from:Article 19 of the Constitution
• Article 19(1)(a):Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression
• Article 19(1)(b):Right to Assemble Peacefully and without arms

Reasonable Restrictions (Article 19(2) & 19(3)):

• Sovereignty and integrity of India
• Security of the State
• Public order
• Contempt of court
• Defamation
• Prevention of incitement to crime

Key Supreme Court Judgments:

LEGAL PROVISIONS USED TO REGULATE PROTESTS

• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023: Empowers authorities to issue prohibitory orders to prevent threats to public order (replacing provisions under the earlier CrPC).
• Police Acts and local municipal laws regulate permissions for public assemblies.
• Disaster management or emergency laws may also temporarily restrict gatherings during exceptional situations.

IMPORTANT DAYS

ECONOMY

4. NATIONAL INVESTMENT POLICY FOR UREA (NIPU)-2026

Current Context: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved NIPU-2026 to boost domestic urea production and reduce import dependence.

ABOUT NIPU-2026

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026) to encourage fresh investment in gas-based urea manufacturing plants, enhance domestic production, and reduce India’s dependence on imported urea.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Implementing Department: Department of Fertilizers.
• Nature: Investment promotion policy for establishing new gas-based urea plants.
• Purpose:Encourage investment in new gas-based urea manufacturing plants
• India’s annual urea demand is about 40 million metric tonnes (MMT).Domestic production is around 30 MMT.
• Nearly 10 MMT is met through imports, making India one of the world’s largest urea importers.
• Objective:Enhance domestic production, reduce import dependence, ensure fertilizer security

Key Features:

• Separation of fixed and variable costs for pricing transparency
• Return on Equity (RoE):Minimum 12%, maximum 16%
• Foreign exchange risk mitigation (fixed costs converted to INR after 4 years)
• Investment-friendly framework for public and private sector participation

IMPORTANT DAYS

POLITY

5. KOSI-MECHI LINK PROJECT APPROVED

Current Context: Union Government approved Kosi-Mechi intra-state link project in Bihar under PMKSY-AIBP.

ABOUT KOSI-MECHI LINK PROJECT

• The Union Government approved the Kosi-Mechi Intra-State Link Project in Bihar under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (PMKSY-AIBP) to improve irrigation, reduce flood impacts, and enhance agricultural productivity in north-eastern Bihar.
• Executing Agency: Water Resources Department, Government of Bihar.

OBJECTIVES

• Transfer surplus water from the Kosi River to the Mechi River
• Expand irrigation facilities in water-deficit regions.
• Reduce recurring floods and waterlogging.
• Total Cost:~₹6,143.22 crore
• Central Assistance:₹3,652.56 crore (>50%)
• Target Completion:March 2029
• Project Components:Remodelling Eastern Kosi main canal (0-41.30 km)

About PMKSY-AIBP

• Launched:
• Objective: Achieve “Har Khet Ko Pani” and improve water-use efficiency through “Per Drop More Crop.”
• Funds major and medium irrigation projects

About KOSI RIVER

• Originates in the Tibet-Nepal Himalayas. Major tributary of the Ganga River. Flows through Nepal and Bihar. Known as the “Sorrow of Bihar” due to frequent floods and channel shifts.

About MECHI RIVER

• Originates in the Mahabharat Range of Nepal. Forms part of the India-Nepal border. Flows through Bihar before joining the Mahananda River. The Mahananda is a tributary of the Ganga.

IMPORTANT DAYS

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

6. NASA PRAXIS MISSION

Current Context: NASA proposed PRAXIS mission on 26 July 2026 for direct study of planetary ring particles.

ABOUT PRAXIS

• NASA has selected the PRAXIS (Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling) mission for NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) 2026 Phase-I funding.
• The mission proposes the first-ever in-situ exploration and sampling of planetary ring particles, particularly those of Saturn.
• Target:Saturn’s rings (millimetre to centimetre-scale particles)
• Technology:AI-powered, bio-inspired robotic system with long deployable boom
• Sampling Method:Touch-and-go sampling (avoiding direct collision)
• Saturn’s rings are believed to preserve clues about the early Solar System.
• Direct sampling has never been attempted
• Existing missions, such as Cassini, mainly relied on remote sensing.
• In-situ analysis will provide more accurate information on ring formation and evolution.

About SATURN’S RINGS

• Saturn has the largest and most prominent ring system in the Solar System.
• Rings are composed mainly of water-ice particles, along with rock and dust.
• They are divided into several major rings: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
• Scientists continue to debate whether the rings formed with Saturn or from the breakup of moons or comets.

IMPORTANT DAYS

DEFENCE

7. DARK EAGLE HYPERSONIC MISSILE

Current Context: United States deployed Dark Eagle hypersonic missile in Guam for the first time.

ABOUT DARK EAGLE

• The United States has deployed the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile system in Guam for the first time, significantly strengthening its long-range strike capability in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing strategic competition with China.
• Official Name: Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW).
• Type: Ground-launched hypersonic boost-glide missile.
• Speed: Mach 5 or above.
• Range: Approximately 2,775 km (1,725 miles).
• Carries a Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) that separates from the booster and glides at hypersonic speed toward the target.

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