14 October 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian ballistic missile attack hit Darnytska CHP-4, a key energy facility supplying Kyiv with heating and electricity.
He said the strike came with "no early warning from our partners", after a second night of ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attacks knocked out power to parts of the city.
The strikes followed US President Donald Trump's statement two days earlier that Russia and Ukraine had agreed an energy ceasefire.
Zelensky said Ukraine had supported the energy ceasefire and urged the United States to see who is responsible for the war continuing.
Facility hit:
Darnytska CHP-4, Kyiv
Weapon:
Ballistic missiles
Kyiv Mayor:
Vitali Klitschko
Why it matters for exams: The war's effect on energy infrastructure and the diplomacy around ceasefires is a standing world-affairs topic.
UPSC
In plain words
CHP Combined Heat and Power plant — A plant that supplies both electricity and heating to a city.
Ballistic missile Missile that follows a high arc after launch — A missile guided in the early phase and then falling freely on a high arc.
14 October 2026
The trial of a Ukrainian former military officer, identified under German privacy rules as Serhii K., opened on 14 October 2026 at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court.
Prosecutors say he led a group that attached timer-controlled explosives to the Nord Stream pipelines on the seabed near the Danish island of Bornholm on 26 September 2022.
He is charged with offences that include being an accomplice to war crimes by attacking civilian infrastructure, and he and Ukraine deny involvement.
He was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany in November 2025.
The trial is expected to run into February 2027.
Court:
Hamburg Higher Regional Court
Blasts:
26 September 2022
Location:
Near Bornholm, Baltic Sea
Trial expected to run into:
February 2027
Why it matters for exams: Energy security, Baltic geography and the law of war meet in this case, a natural link question for world-affairs papers.
UPSC
In plain words
Nord Stream Russia-Germany gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea — Pipelines built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany.
14 October 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the maiden ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in New Delhi on 14 October 2026.
He said India seeks an Indo-Pacific where all countries, large and small, make their own choices, protect their interests and pursue development in peace.
He listed patrol vessels, radars, air-defence systems, helicopters, drones and other technologies as areas for cooperation, along with co-development, co-production, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and training.
He said 2026 has been designated as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation and called for sharing maritime information and closer cooperation among navies and coast guards.
He placed the Act East policy, SAGAR and MAHASAGAR at the centre of India's approach to the region.
Forum:
First ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum
Venue:
MP-IDSA, New Delhi
Theme year:
2026 is the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation
Why it matters for exams: India's Act East policy and its maritime doctrines SAGAR and MAHASAGAR are staple topics in international relations and defence questions.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
SAGAR Security and Growth for All in the Region — India's earlier vision for maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
MAHASAGAR Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — India's wider maritime vision that builds on SAGAR.
MRO Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul — Servicing work that keeps defence equipment in use over its life.
14 October 2026
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mangrol at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 12 October 2026.
She is the third ship of the Mahe class of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft.
The ship was designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi, with over 80 per cent indigenous content.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, presided over the commissioning.
Her roles include anti-submarine warfare, underwater surveillance, Low Intensity Maritime Operations and mine warfare related tasks.
She is propelled by three diesel engine driven waterjet units for manoeuvrability in shallow and confined waters.
The ship is named after Mangrol, a coastal town and fishing harbour in the Junagadh district of Gujarat.
Ship:
INS Mangrol
Class:
Mahe class ASW Shallow Water Craft (third ship)
Builder:
Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi
Indigenous content:
Over 80 per cent
Commissioned at:
Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, 12 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Ship names, their classes and their builders are routinely asked in defence current affairs, and Cochin Shipyard is of direct Kerala interest.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ASW Anti-Submarine Warfare — Naval operations to detect, track and destroy enemy submarines.
CSL Cochin Shipyard Limited — The public sector shipyard at Kochi that built India's first indigenous aircraft carrier.
Background
Turkiye is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO was created by 12 countries from Europe and North America on 4 April 1949, when the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington; Turkiye was not one of those founding members. Three years after the signing of the Washington Treaty, on 18 February 1952, Greece and Turkiye joined NATO. Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty sets out how countries can join the Alliance, membership being open to any European state in a position to further the principles of the Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area. As of 2026, NATO has 32 member countries.
Date Turkiye joined NATO:
18 February 1952
Joined on the same day as:
Greece
North Atlantic Treaty signed:
4 April 1949
Founding members:
12
Member countries (as of 2026):
32
Accession article of the Treaty:
Article 10
Why it matters for exams: Turkiye is the standard example of a NATO member that is not an EU member, so examiners use it to test whether a candidate can tell a security alliance apart from an economic and political union.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Washington Treaty North Atlantic Treaty — The founding treaty of NATO, signed on 4 April 1949 by 12 countries of Europe and North America.
Article 10 — The open door clause of the North Atlantic Treaty, which sets out how a European state can be invited to join the Alliance.
Candidate country — A state whose application to join the European Union has been accepted for negotiation but which is not yet a member; Turkiye applied in 1987, was declared a candidate at Helsinki in December 1999 and opened accession negotiations in 2005.
13 October 2026
Huang Xia, the United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, briefed the Security Council on 13 October 2026. He reported progress on resolving the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including on disarming the FDLR and on the work of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus. He warned that the situation continues to deteriorate, citing ongoing hostilities, rising regional tensions and the continued spread of Ebola. He called for building confidence, strengthening regional cooperation and making the peace processes more inclusive, including through meaningful participation by women and youth groups. Al Jazeera reported that Huang described the United States-led and Qatar-led peace processes as having made notable progress while the security and humanitarian situation in eastern DR Congo had continued to worsen, and that the United Nations will facilitate a meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, on 18 October between the defence ministers of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.
Special Envoy:
Huang Xia, Great Lakes Region
Briefing date:
13 October 2026, UN Security Council
Progress cited:
Disarming the FDLR; Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus
Concerns cited:
Ongoing hostilities, regional tensions, continued spread of Ebola
Lusaka meeting:
18 October, defence ministers of Burundi, DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania
Why it matters for exams: The Great Lakes region, the FDLR, the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism and the Security Council's reporting cycle on DR Congo make a compact question on African conflict institutions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
FDLR Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda — An armed group operating in eastern DR Congo whose disarmament is a long-standing demand in the region.
Great Lakes Region African Great Lakes Region — The area around Africa's great lakes, covering DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and neighbours.
Special Envoy UN Special Envoy — A senior official the Secretary-General appoints to handle a specific region or question.
13 October 2026
The Amir spoke at the opening of the Shura Council's 55th annual session.
He said the security of the region and the world is interconnected.
He described the security of GCC states and the protection of their sovereignty and stability as non-negotiable.
He called for redoubled efforts to secure navigation in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and to protect energy and water facilities and civil infrastructure.
Qatar will keep working with its GCC partners and international and regional partners.
Stance on GCC security:
non-negotiable
Session:
55th annual session of the Shura Council
Why it matters for exams: The GCC is Qatar's key regional grouping, and the Strait of Hormuz is the Gulf's most asked chokepoint.
UPSC
In plain words
GCC Gulf Cooperation Council — A regional grouping of six Arab states of the Gulf, of which Qatar is a member.
13 October 2026
On 2 October 2026 the Union Home Ministry announced that 28 places and features in the Union Territory of Ladakh were identified with standard names on the official map of the Survey of India.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China has never recognised the Union Territory of Ladakh and called the move illegal and invalid.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Union Territory of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India and that no amount of denial by China can change this.
He said the places were identified in consultation with the Union Territory of Ladakh and local stakeholders, to help the public recognise them accurately.
The list covers 10 peaks, two passes, three mountains, seven land areas, two glaciers, two water bodies, a valley and a river.
Places and features named:
28
Home Ministry announcement:
2 October 2026
Peaks in the list:
10
Why it matters for exams: India-China boundary questions, the 2019 reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir and the role of the Survey of India are common exam links.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
Survey of India National mapping agency — The country's oldest scientific department, which prepares the official maps.
LAC Line of Actual Control — The de facto boundary between Indian-held and Chinese-held territory.
13 October 2026
The Ministry of Defence said on 13 October 2026 that the multi-purpose vessel Samarthak will be commissioned into the Indian Navy on 16 October 2026 at the Naval Base in Karwar.
Samarthak is the first of four multi-purpose vessels being inducted into the Navy.
It was built by Larsen and Toubro Ltd under the Make in India initiative, and its integrated combat suite combines indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems.
It is designed primarily for maritime surveillance and patrol; it can also undertake low intensity maritime operations, serve as a target deployment and trials platform and act as a mothership for unmanned and autonomous systems.
It can be converted into a limited hospital ship and used for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as salvage operations.
Its crest features an Indian elephant emerging from the waves, standing for strength, intelligence and agility, and the ministry translates its motto as victory is our sole aim.
Vessel:
Samarthak
Commissioning date:
16 October 2026
Place:
Karwar
Builder:
Larsen and Toubro Ltd
Vessels in the class:
4
Why it matters for exams: Ship names, their builders and their commissioning bases are asked almost every year in defence-related questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Commissioning — The formal ceremony that puts a warship into active naval service.
Mothership — A large vessel that carries, launches and recovers smaller craft or unmanned systems.
HADR Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief — Naval operations that carry aid, medical help and rescue teams after a disaster.
13 October 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on 13 October 2026 with Karel Havlíček, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.
The two sides reviewed defence industry cooperation and welcomed the successful setting up of several joint ventures.
They agreed to take the cooperation further through the India-Czech Joint Defence Committee.
The release linked this cooperation to the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
The ministers also discussed current peace and security issues and agreed that more cooperation is needed to maintain stability in the region.
Havlíček is on a four-day visit to India and will also tour industries in Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Indian minister:
Rajnath Singh
Czech dignitary:
Karel Havlíček
Mechanism agreed on:
India-Czech Joint Defence Committee
Length of visit:
Four days
Why it matters for exams: Bilateral defence mechanisms and the ministers who lead them are standard one-mark material in general studies papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Aatmanirbhar Bharat — The Union government's self-reliance drive, which in defence means building more equipment within India.
Joint venture — A company formed by two or more firms, often from different countries, to run a shared business.
Joint Defence Committee — A standing bilateral body through which two governments plan and review defence cooperation.
13 October 2026
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, held a telephone call with Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia. During the call he condemned the Houthi group's attacks on civilians and on civilian and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. He affirmed the UAE's full solidarity with the Kingdom and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding its security and stability. The two ministers also discussed the latest regional developments and efforts to maintain the security and stability of the region. The call followed a statement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 12 October that called the continued attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia.
UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Saudi counterpart:
Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Airport named in the UAE statement:
King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh
Why it matters for exams: The names and titles of the UAE and Saudi foreign ministers, and the airport at the centre of the attacks, are easy factual questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MoFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs — The UAE ministry that issues the federation's official statements on events abroad.
Sovereignty — A state's exclusive right to control its own territory, which an attack from outside is said to violate.
13 October 2026
The United Kingdom's Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, told MPs on Monday that the incident at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire was "almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard" and "highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran".
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband summoned Iran's ambassador to say that "Britain will not tolerate threats on our soil". The Foreign Office sanctioned two Iranians, including the head of Iran's counterespionage operations, with travel bans and asset freezes.
Iran's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Seyed Ali Mousavi, said Tehran was not involved and was willing to cooperate with British authorities.
In a statement late on Monday, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the United Kingdom had failed to provide sufficient evidence and described the claim as a "clumsy false flag operation".
A police operation began after officers were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the base in the early hours of 27 September 2026. Seven men, all in their 20s, were arrested and later bailed, and no one has been charged.
The United Kingdom and 28 other countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, France and Germany, issued a joint statement condemning violent attacks by Iran.
The United Kingdom designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation in July 2026.
Iranians sanctioned:
two, with travel bans and asset freezes
Date of the incident:
27 September 2026
Joint statement:
the United Kingdom and 28 other countries
Why it matters for exams: Iran's relations with European states, the IRGC's designation and the practice of summoning an ambassador are standard international relations questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
RAF Royal Air Force — The United Kingdom's air force; RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire has long been used as a forward operating location by the United States air force.
13 October 2026
The UK Maritime Trade Operations said on Wednesday 7 October 2026 that a tanker sailing off the north coast of Qatar reported being struck "by multiple projectiles". The vessel was in the Gulf, about 500km (300 miles) west of the Strait of Hormuz.
The same day Tehran said transit routes in the strait that Iran deems illegal would soon be closed, in reference to a southern pathway hugging Oman's coast.
Mohammadreza Naqdi, an adviser to the Revolutionary Guards' Commander, said: "The strait of Hormuz is closed, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have full control over it."
The United States secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the same day that Iran had "lost complete control" of the strait, adding: "There's almost as much oil flowing out now as there was before this conflict began."
In the week to 5 October 2026 there were at least 12 attacks on oil, liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas tankers around the strait, and the price of Brent crude topped $100 per barrel.
Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei said on the night of 11 October 2026 that a shuttle system moving oil out of the strait in smaller vessels was an explicit target, saying: "the strait is under Iran's control, and we manage it."
The strait has been largely closed to shipping since 28 February 2026.
Brent crude price:
above $100 per barrel
Tanker attacks, week to 5 October:
at least 12
Strait largely closed since:
28 February 2026
Why it matters for exams: The Strait of Hormuz, its neighbouring Gulf states and the bodies that report shipping incidents are frequent map and current-affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
UKMTO UK Maritime Trade Operations — A British naval body that collects and publishes reports of incidents involving merchant ships.
IRGC Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — A branch of Iran's armed forces with its own naval force in the Persian Gulf.
13 October 2026
UN News reports that the United Nations Secretary-General appealed on 6 October 2026 for an end to the United States-Iran war as he began an official visit to Pakistan.
"From Islamabad, I want to send a loud and clear message to all parties," Antonio Guterres told journalists in the capital. "End the conflict. Return to diplomacy. Fully restore navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law."
The UN says the crisis began in late February 2026 following joint United States-Israeli strikes on Iran, after which Tehran launched counter attacks on targets in Gulf countries and Jordan and blocked transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
The UN describes the strait as critical for global trade in crude oil, fertilisers and liquefied natural gas, and says hundreds of ships and their crews have been stuck at sea for months.
Guterres said Pakistan's efforts "helped deliver the 17 June Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, the subsequent ceasefire, and the framework for further negotiations".
Date of appeal:
6 October 2026
Place:
Islamabad, Pakistan
Earlier agreement credited:
17 June Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding
Why it matters for exams: The Strait of Hormuz and the UN Secretary-General's appeals on it are standard questions on West Asia and world geography.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Strait of Hormuz Strait of Hormuz — The narrow sea passage between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula that is the only sea route in and out of the Persian Gulf.
13 October 2026
The Indian Navy will commission the indigenously built multipurpose vessel Samarthak at the naval base in Karwar on 16 October 2026. Larsen and Toubro Limited built the vessel under the Make in India initiative, and it is the first of four multipurpose vessels being inducted. Samarthak has been designed mainly for maritime surveillance and patrol duties. It can also support low-intensity maritime operations, serve as a target deployment and trials platform, act as a mothership for unmanned autonomous systems, and carry out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The vessel can be partly converted into a hospital and used for rescue work during natural disasters. It carries indigenous weapons, sensors, radar and electronic systems. Its crest shows an Indian elephant rising from the waves, and its motto is Vijayartham Ekanishthata, which the Ministry of Defence renders as meaning that victory is the sole objective.
Commissioning:
16 October 2026, Karwar
Builder:
Larsen and Toubro Limited
Place in class:
First of four multipurpose vessels
Why it matters for exams: Ship names, their builders and their classes are a recurring factual question in defence current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
HADR Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief — Naval missions that deliver relief and rescue after a disaster.
13 October 2026
India hosted the first ministerial-level meeting of BIMSTEC Home Ministers in New Delhi, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Ministers and delegations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand took part, and the Union Home Secretary led the preparatory Senior Officials' Meeting. The fourth BIMSTEC Summit of 2018 had agreed to hold such meetings of Home Ministers, and at the sixth Summit in Bangkok on 4 April 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed India to host the first one. The ministers approved the BIMSTEC Convention against Trafficking in Persons, the BIMSTEC Plan of Action on Drug Control covering narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals, a Memorandum of Understanding on Capacity Building to Combat Money Laundering and Terror Financing, the BIMSTEC Plan of Action on Illicit Financial Flows and Their Prevention and an Action Plan on disaster preparedness in the Bay of Bengal region. Five priority areas of cooperation were set out: drug control, counter-terrorism and legal cooperation, return of fugitive offenders, cybersecurity and cybercrime investigation, and institutional cooperation and capacity building. Amit Shah said a BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre, proposed by the Prime Minister at the sixth Summit, is planned to be set up at Jamnagar in Gujarat, and he urged member countries to take part in making the proposed centre operational. The meeting adopted the Delhi Declaration, which sets out principles of information sharing, mutual legal assistance, extradition and capacity building.
Member countries taking part:
7
Declaration adopted:
Delhi Declaration
Proposed disaster centre:
Jamnagar, Gujarat
Why it matters for exams: A first-ever ministerial mechanism in a regional grouping India leads, with a named declaration and a named centre, is standard material for questions on India's neighbourhood diplomacy.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
BIMSTEC Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation — A regional grouping of seven countries around the Bay of Bengal.
13 October 2026
The Council of the European Union on 12 October 2026 adopted a decision establishing the European Union Support Mission in Lebanon, known as EUSM Lebanon.
The mission is set up under the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy and is given an initial mandate of three years.
Its purpose is to strengthen Lebanese defence and security institutions.
The establishing act is Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/2296.
A separate Council decision will launch the mission once operational planning is complete.
The decision was taken at the Foreign Affairs Council, chaired by High Representative Kaja Kallas.
Mission:
EUSM Lebanon
Established on:
12 October 2026
Initial mandate:
three years
Legal act:
Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/2296
Why it matters for exams: A new named CSDP mission, with its legal basis and mandate length, is the kind of fact asked about EU external action.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
CSDP Common Security and Defence Policy — The part of EU foreign policy under which the Union runs civilian and military missions abroad.
13 October 2026
On 13 October 2026 the Supreme Court sought the Intelligence Bureau's assessment of the security and law-and-order risks of transferring a convict from Tihar Jail in Delhi to a high-security prison in Punjab.
The case is Jagtar Singh Hawara v. Government of NCT of Delhi and Ors., W.P.(Crl.) No. 403/2024, Diary No. 36064/2024, before Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale.
Hawara is a convict in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
His counsel said the plea is only for a transfer, so that he can meet his elderly and seriously ill mother, and is not a request for release.
The Delhi and Punjab governments opposed the transfer, citing security concerns and a Ministry of Home Affairs advisory on moving high-risk prisoners between States.
The Court said it would decide the plea after receiving the Intelligence Bureau's inputs, and passed no final order.
Case:
Jagtar Singh Hawara v. Government of NCT of Delhi and Ors.
Case number:
W.P.(Crl.) No. 403/2024
Bench:
Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale
Agency asked for inputs:
Intelligence Bureau
Why it matters for exams: Inter-state transfer of prisoners, the role of the Intelligence Bureau and Ministry of Home Affairs advisories are examinable internal-security and governance points.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IB Intelligence Bureau — India's internal intelligence agency, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Writ petition (criminal) — A petition in a constitutional court seeking relief in a matter arising from criminal law or custody.
Background
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) functions under the Department of Defence Research and Development (DD R&D) of the Ministry of Defence.
DRDO was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the Technical Development Establishments (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO).
It was then a small organisation with 10 establishments or laboratories.
Its vision is to empower the nation with state-of-the-art indigenous defence and security technologies and systems.
Strategic systems and platforms developed include the Agni and Prithvi series of missiles, the light combat aircraft Tejas, the multi-barrel rocket launcher Pinaka and the air defence system Akash.
Its motto is "Balasya Mulam Vigyanam", which means the source of strength is science.
Formed in:
1958
Establishments at formation:
10
Parent department:
Department of Defence Research and Development
Motto:
Balasya Mulam Vigyanam
Why it matters for exams: DRDO's origin, parent department and flagship systems are routine defence and science-and-technology questions in UPSC and Kerala PSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DD R&D Department of Defence Research and Development — The department of the Ministry of Defence under which DRDO functions.
Pinaka Multi-barrel rocket launcher — A DRDO-developed multi-barrel rocket launcher named among its strategic systems.
Akash Air defence system — A DRDO-developed air defence system.
Background
Chapter VII of the UN Charter is titled Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression (Articles 39-51).
Under Article 39 the Security Council determines the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, and decides what measures shall be taken.
Article 41 covers measures not involving the use of armed force, which may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations and the severance of diplomatic relations.
Article 42 allows action by air, sea, or land forces if the measures in Article 41 would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate.
Article 47 establishes a Military Staff Committee to advise and assist the Security Council on its military requirements.
Article 51 preserves the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security; measures taken in self-defence must be immediately reported to the Security Council.
Chapter VII articles:
Articles 39-51
Measures not involving armed force:
Article 41
Action by air, sea or land forces:
Article 42
Self-defence:
Article 51
Why it matters for exams: Exams ask which Charter articles cover sanctions, force and self-defence, and the difference between recommending and deciding measures.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Article 41 Measures not involving the use of armed force — May include interruption of economic relations and severance of diplomatic relations.
Military Staff Committee Committee under Article 47 — Advises and assists the Security Council on its military requirements.