Background
The Embassy of India in Doha describes the Indian community in Qatar as around 830,000 strong and vibrant, and records that Indians comprise the largest expatriate community in Qatar. India's diplomatic relations with Qatar were established in 1973, and the year 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of that event; the relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership during the State Visit of the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to India in February 2025. Energy is the spine of the relationship. Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India, which took 10.86 million tonnes of it for US$ 5.61 billion in FY 2025-26, and Qatar is also India's largest supplier of LPG. A long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement was signed in February 2024, during the visit of Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs to India Energy Week; the deal stipulates 7.5 MMTPA of supply by QatarEnergy to Petronet LNG for 20 years starting from 2028. In FY 2025-26 India's bilateral trade with Qatar stood at USD 13.91 billion, made up of Indian exports of USD 1.62 billion and imports of USD 12.29 billion, and in FY 2024-25 it was almost the same at USD 14.14 billion. Hydrocarbons dominate that trade: at US$ 10.81 billion in FY 2025-26 they accounted for 77.71% of overall bilateral trade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Qatar on 14-15 February 2024, his second visit to the country.
Indian community in Qatar:
around 830,000; the largest expatriate community in Qatar
Diplomatic relations established:
1973; the 50th anniversary was marked in 2023
Strategic partnership:
elevated during the Amir's State Visit to India, February 2025
LNG from Qatar (FY 2025-26):
10.86 million tonnes for US$ 5.61 billion; Qatar is India's largest LNG supplier
QatarEnergy - Petronet LNG agreement (February 2024):
7.5 MMTPA of LNG for 20 years starting from 2028
Bilateral trade:
USD 13.91 billion in FY 2025-26 (exports 1.62, imports 12.29); USD 14.14 billion in FY 2024-25
Hydrocarbon share of trade (FY 2025-26):
US$ 10.81 billion, 77.71% of overall bilateral trade
Why it matters for exams: Kerala sends a very large share of the Indian workforce in Qatar, and the community size, the Petronet LNG contract and the bilateral trade figure are the numbers an examiner uses to test the India-Qatar relationship.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
MMTPA Million metric tonnes per annum — The unit in which long-term LNG supply contracts state their yearly volume.
Sale and purchase agreement SPA — The contract that fixes the volume, price basis and duration of an energy supply deal.
Background
Qatar is a peninsula on the Arabian Gulf whose terrain is desert and beach. Its capital is Doha — in Arabic ad-Dawha, which means 'the big tree' — and the city too stands on the coast. The Qatar Atlas of the National Planning Council puts the total land area of Qatar at approximately 11,636.8 square kilometres, a figure calculated from the total zone area for the census of 2020. The peninsula lies between latitudes 24° 27' and 26° 10' North and longitudes 50° 40' and 51° 40' East. Arabic is the official language of the country and Islam is its official religion, with Shari'a, Islamic law, as the principal source of legislation. The ruling line is the Al Thani family: Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, named as the founder of the State of Qatar, took over the affairs of the country after his father died on 18 December 1878, and the present ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, assumed his duties as Amir on 25 June 2013.
Capital:
Doha (in Arabic ad-Dawha, 'the big tree')
Total land area:
approximately 11,636.8 sq km (from the total zone area for census 2020)
Official language:
Arabic
Official religion:
Islam
Principal source of legislation:
Shari'a (Islamic law)
Founder of the State of Qatar:
Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani; took over after his father's death on 18 December 1878
Present Amir:
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, from 25 June 2013
Why it matters for exams: Capital, official language, area and the source of legislation are the standard first-line facts an examiner asks about any Gulf country, and the 11,636.8 sq km area and the 1878 succession of Sheikh Jassim are the details that separate Qatar from its neighbours.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Shari'a — Islamic law, which the Qatar Atlas names as the principal source of legislation in Qatar.
Arabian Gulf — The sea arm between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran, on which the Qatar peninsula sits.
Background
The Kolkata Port is the first Major Port as well as the only riverine port of the country.
It came to be governed by a Trust on 17th October, 1870, on appointment of the Commissioners for Improvement of the Port of Calcutta as per Act V of 1870.
On 3 June 2020 the Union Cabinet gave its approval to rename Kolkata Port as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, after the Board of Trustees of Kolkata Port Trust had passed a resolution to that effect on 25th February, 2020.
Several Indian major ports have been renamed in this way: Nhava Sheva Port Trust was renamed as Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in the year 1989.
Tuticorin Port Trust was renamed as V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust in 2011.
Kandla Port Trust was renamed as Deendayal Port in 2017.
Present name:
Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata
Governed by a Trust from:
17th October, 1870
Enabling Act:
Act V of 1870
Union Cabinet approval for renaming:
3 June 2020
Distinction:
First Major Port and only riverine port of the country
Why it matters for exams: The renamed major ports are a favourite matching set, and Kolkata is the one port an examiner can describe as both the first major port and the only riverine port.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
Major Port — A port of India administered under central law rather than by the state government.
Riverine port — A port built on a river rather than on the open coast, so ships must sail upstream to reach it.
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
The State Election Commission of the Union Territory has appointed returning officers and assistant returning officers for all 35 wards of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
State Election Commissioner Vijay Dev issued the notifications on October 13, in consultation with the Chandigarh Administration.
Nine officers will act as electoral registration officers and returning officers-cum-scrutinising officers, each for a group of wards.
Pradhuman Singh has wards 1 to 4, Nitish Singla, Director of School Education, wards 5 to 8, and Khushpreet Kaur wards 33 to 35.
Three officers have been designated as reserve returning officers.
A separate notification names assistant electoral registration officers, who will also serve as assistant returning officers.
Wards:
35
Officers for ward groups:
9
Reserve returning officers:
3
Notifications issued:
October 13, 2026
Why it matters for exams: Municipal elections are conducted by the State Election Commission under Part IXA of the Constitution, a frequent polity question.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
SEC State Election Commission — Constitutional body that conducts panchayat and municipal elections; Article 243ZA covers municipalities.
RO Returning Officer — The officer who receives nominations, conducts the poll in a constituency and declares the result.
ERO Electoral Registration Officer — The officer responsible for preparing and revising the electoral roll.
DANICS Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service — A central civil service cadre whose officers serve in Delhi and the Union Territories.
13 October 2026
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday reviewed arrangements for the Darbar Move, the shifting of Jammu and Kashmir's capital between Srinagar and Jammu.
He directed JKRTC and the Traffic Department to move employees and records over two days, October 31 and November 1.
The capital moves from Srinagar to Jammu every year in the first week of November.
The 150-year-old practice was started by Dogra Maharaja Gulab Singh.
Commissioner Secretary of the General Administration Department M Raju presented the convoy plan.
A Winter Secretariat will function in Srinagar, with monthly rosters for Ministers and Administrative Secretaries from November.
Convoy dates:
October 31 and November 1
Winter capital:
Jammu (from first week of November)
Started by:
Dogra Maharaja Gulab Singh
Age of practice:
150 years
Why it matters for exams: The Darbar Move, J&K's twin capitals and the Dogra rulers are frequent state-focus and history questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Darbar Move — The twice-yearly shifting of Jammu and Kashmir's seat of government between Srinagar (summer) and Jammu (winter).
JKRTC Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation — The public road transport undertaking of Jammu and Kashmir.
Gulab Singh — Founder of the Dogra dynasty that ruled the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
13 October 2026
The 13th All India Sustainable Mountain Development Summit was held from October 12 to 14 at the Shalimar Convention Centre of SKUAST-Kashmir in Srinagar.
Its theme was "Contouring Sustainable Himalayan Landscapes for Inclusive Viksit Bharat", and it was jointly organised by SKUAST-K and the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI).
Deliberations centred on the draft Jammu & Kashmir Sustainable Mountain Development Policy 2026.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said preserving the Himalayas is a national responsibility.
He said DST has identified three centres for Himalayan climate research, at the University of Kashmir, Sikkim University and Tezpur University, under the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem.
He added that India's weather radar network has grown from 16 radars in 2014 to 50, with another 50 planned under Mission Mausam.
Summit dates:
October 12-14, 2026
Venue:
Shalimar Convention Centre, SKUAST-K
Policy under discussion:
Draft J&K Sustainable Mountain Development Policy 2026
Weather radars:
16 (2014) to 50
Why it matters for exams: Himalayan ecology, NAPCC missions and state-level mountain policy are linked environment topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SKUAST-K Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir — The agricultural university of the Kashmir division, with its campus at Shalimar, Srinagar.
NMSHE National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem — One of the missions under India's National Action Plan on Climate Change, handled by the Department of Science and Technology.
Mission Mausam — The Union government's mission to upgrade weather observation and forecasting.
13 October 2026
Argentina has asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to order the United Kingdom to halt an offshore oil project near the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
The Hamburg-based tribunal announced the request on Tuesday.
Argentina wants the Sea Lion development in the North Malvinas Basin stopped while an arbitration case it launched on 28 September is under way.
The UN lists the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) as a non-self-governing territory.
Britain has administered the islands since 1833; Argentina claims sovereignty, and the two countries fought a war over them in 1982.
President Javier Milei had given London a two-week ultimatum over the project.
Tribunal:
ITLOS, Hamburg
Project:
Sea Lion, North Malvinas Basin
Arbitration launched:
28 September
British administration since:
1833
Why it matters for exams: ITLOS, UNCLOS dispute settlement and the Falklands dispute are classic world-affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ITLOS International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea — The court set up under UNCLOS to settle disputes over the law of the sea, seated in Hamburg.
Non-self-governing territory — A territory the UN lists as not yet having attained a full measure of self-government.
13 October 2026
UN Secretary-General António Guterres presented a $3.3 billion programme budget proposal for 2027 on Tuesday.
The proposal is a cut of $40.8 million and is 1.2 per cent below the 2026 approved level.
He presented it to the General Assembly's Fifth Committee, made up of all 193 Member States, which handles administrative and budgetary matters.
Under the UN80 Initiative he proposed post relocations across 12 entities, the largest to Nairobi, and the downgrading of 14 senior positions.
For the first time the budget includes standard-cost adjustments from the outset, so there will be no separate recosting later.
He said efficiency alone cannot fix the liquidity crisis and that Member States must pay their dues in full and on time.
Proposed 2027 budget:
$3.3 billion
Cut:
$40.8 million (1.2 per cent)
Committee:
Fifth Committee, 193 Member States
Senior posts downgraded:
14
Why it matters for exams: The General Assembly's main committees, UN financing and the UN80 reform drive are common UPSC topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Fifth Committee Administrative and Budgetary Committee — The General Assembly committee of all Member States that deals with UN administration and budgets.
UN80 Initiative — The Secretary-General's reform drive to make the UN Secretariat more efficient, launched as the UN neared 80 years.
Recosting — Re-calculating a budget later in the year for changes in prices and exchange rates.
13 October 2026
Justice Amit Bansal of the Delhi High Court has held that strictly applying the restrictions of Section 37 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 may not be justified where the seized quantity is only marginally above the commercial threshold.
The case is Sunny v. State of NCT of Delhi, Bail Appl. 2008/2026, with the order dated 13 October 2026.
The seizure was 259.3 grams of morphine, against a commercial quantity threshold of 250 grams under the NDPS Act. The FIR was registered under Sections 8 and 21 of the Act.
The Court granted regular bail under Section 483 read with Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
It reasoned that the applicant had been in custody since 6 July 2025, that the investigation was complete, that the chargesheet had been filed and prosecution evidence was about to begin.
The Court relied on Article 21 and on the principle that undue delay in trial can justify bail even under Section 37, and said such cases call for a more nuanced assessment.
Judge:
Justice Amit Bansal
Case:
Sunny v. State of NCT of Delhi, Bail Appl. 2008/2026
Seizure:
259.3 grams of morphine
Commercial quantity threshold:
250 grams
In custody since:
6 July 2025
Why it matters for exams: Section 37 of the NDPS Act and the small, medium and commercial quantity thresholds are standard questions, and here the exact figures of 259.3 grams against 250 grams make the point concrete.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NDPS Act Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 — India's law on narcotic drugs, which fixes small, medium and commercial quantities.
Section 37 Bar on bail for commercial quantity offences — The NDPS provision that makes bail harder where the quantity involved is commercial.
13 October 2026
Justice Amit Mahajan of the Delhi High Court has held that allotting public grounds for Ramleela on a first come, first serve basis cannot be countenanced.
The case is Rays of New Beginning Foundation v. Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board & Ors., neutral citation 2026:DHC:9064, reported on 13 October 2026.
The petitioner had held the Ramleela Dussehra Mahotsav at Chunk-C Ground, Shivaji Place, Raja Garden, New Delhi in 2023 and 2024, and its application for 2026 was rejected under guidelines that called for first come, first serve allotment.
The Court said the policy is marred with blemishes, that no notice or publication had set out a specific application window, and that preference for societies which hosted the festivities in earlier years could create a de facto monopoly.
The first respondent, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, was directed to conduct a reasoned review of the applicable instructions and to frame comprehensive guidelines each year for allotting grounds for Ramleela and similar cultural or religious events, before allotment begins.
The Court did not cancel the existing 2026 allotment because the festivities were about to start, and disposed of the petition.
Judge:
Justice Amit Mahajan
Citation:
2026:DHC:9064
First respondent:
Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board
Ground in dispute:
Chunk-C Ground, Shivaji Place, Raja Garden, New Delhi
Why it matters for exams: DUSIB is one of Delhi's own statutory bodies, and a court holding a first come, first serve allotment policy unreasonable is a clean administrative-law point.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DUSIB Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board — A Delhi government board that handles shelters, slum areas and certain public lands in the capital.
De facto monopoly A monopoly in practice though not in law — A situation where one party in practice controls something even without a legal right to do so.
13 October 2026
The Quanzhou Intermediate People's Court in Fujian province, south-eastern China, announced sentences on 13 October 2026 against members of what it called the Wei family criminal gang, which ran scam compounds in Myanmar. Three members, Wei Huairen, Chen Dawei and Liao Jingfang, were sentenced to death; Wei Huairen was found guilty of several crimes including murder. Three others received life sentences, and fifty-five more were given prison terms ranging from three years and three months to twenty-four years. The crimes included drug trafficking, organised prostitution, illegal casino operations, telecommunications fraud and the murder of at least two Chinese nationals. The court said the operations netted more than 1.8 billion US dollars. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the gang ran fourteen large-scale compounds and lured thousands of Chinese nationals to Myanmar with promises of high wages. The International Organization for Migration estimated in July that scam centres in South-East Asia employ up to 300,000 workers.
Court:
Quanzhou Intermediate People's Court, Fujian
Death sentences:
Three: Wei Huairen, Chen Dawei, Liao Jingfang
Life sentences:
Three
Other prison terms:
Fifty-five, from three years three months to twenty-four years
Proceeds:
More than 1.8 billion US dollars; fourteen large-scale compounds
Why it matters for exams: Cross-border cyber-scam compounds, trafficking of workers and the Kokang border economy are now a standing security and migration topic for the region.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Scam compound Scam compound — A guarded site where trafficked workers are made to run online fraud operations.
Telecommunications fraud Telecommunications fraud — Cheating people of money through calls, messages or online contact.
IOM International Organization for Migration — The United Nations agency that works on migration.
13 October 2026
Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman met under United Nations auspices in the UN Protected Area, in what the United Nations described as a positive atmosphere. The meeting was reported in the United Nations political affairs roundup of 13 October 2026. The same roundup records that Hanna Tetteh, head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, was scheduled to brief the Security Council the following morning on political and security developments, and that the Quintet of the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League, IGAD and the African Union is consulting Sudanese civilian and political groups, including Somoud in Addis Ababa, to prepare an inclusive Sudanese-led political process.
Greek Cypriot leader:
Nikos Christodoulides
Turkish Cypriot leader:
Tufan Erhürman
Venue:
The UN Protected Area
UNSMIL head:
Hanna Tetteh
Quintet on Sudan:
UN, EU, Arab League, IGAD, African Union
Why it matters for exams: Cyprus is a standing United Nations file, and the UN Protected Area and the Quintet on Sudan are the sort of named mechanisms examiners ask to be matched to their region.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UN Protected Area United Nations Protected Area, Nicosia — The United Nations-controlled zone in Nicosia used for talks between the two Cypriot communities.
UNSMIL United Nations Support Mission in Libya — The United Nations political mission that supports Libya's political transition.
IGAD Intergovernmental Authority on Development — An eight-country regional bloc in the Horn of Africa and East Africa.
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
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, announced plans for an International Arbitration and Mediation Institute on its campus at an estimated cost of ₹30 crore.
The proposed HNLU International Arbitration and Mediation Institute (HIAMI) is expected to be launched in early 2028, the university's silver jubilee year.
Vice-Chancellor Professor V. C. Vivekanandan announced it on 11 October 2026 at the end of a two-day international conference on arbitration held on 10 and 11 October.
HNLU signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC), Hyderabad, at the inaugural ceremony.
The UNCITRAL National Coordination Committee, India, was the institutional and knowledge partner of the conference.
Estimated cost:
₹30 crore
Expected launch:
Early 2028
MoU partner:
IAMC, Hyderabad
Why it matters for exams: Arbitration and mediation institutions are tied to India's push for faster dispute resolution and appear in law and governance questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UNCITRAL United Nations Commission on International Trade Law — The UN body that develops rules on international trade law, including arbitration.
Arbitration Settling a dispute through a neutral arbitrator — A way of resolving disputes outside regular courts.
13 October 2026
The US State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to India and Uzbekistan from 17 to 22 October 2026.
In Uzbekistan he will join the C5+1 Ministerial in Samarkand, which brings the United States together with five Central Asian countries.
He will then visit Mumbai and Jamnagar, meet senior government officials and discuss enhanced energy cooperation.
Jamnagar is home to Reliance Industries' refinery, the world's largest single-site refining complex, which can process 1.4 million barrels of crude oil a day.
Mr Rubio will also meet business leaders to promote commercial investment and economic cooperation.
Visit dates (India and Uzbekistan):
17 to 22 October 2026
Indian cities:
Mumbai and Jamnagar
Jamnagar refinery capacity:
1.4 million barrels a day
Why it matters for exams: Visits by senior US officials and India's energy partnerships feed directly into international-relations and economy questions.
UPSCSSCBank
In plain words
C5+1 US plus five Central Asian states — A diplomatic platform that brings the United States together with the five Central Asian countries.
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.
Background
The International Telecommunication Union, or ITU, is the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies. Its membership is made up of 194 Member States and more than 1000 companies, universities and international and regional organisations, which join as Sector Members. The Union is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has regional offices on every continent. It is the oldest agency in the UN family, established in 1865 to manage the first international telegraph networks, and its mandate has since widened to voice telephony, radiocommunications, communications satellites and, most recently, artificial intelligence. The ITU facilitates international connectivity in communication networks: it allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that let networks and technologies connect, and works to improve access to digital technologies in underserved communities. Its work is organised in three sectors, Radiocommunication, Standardization and Development, with a General Secretariat. The Union states that 2.2 billion people, largely in developing countries, remain unconnected. Under its Strategic Plan the Member States have set two strategic goals, universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation, and the organisation's top five officials are elected by Member States at the Plenipotentiary Conference.
Member States:
194
Sector Members:
Over 1000 Sector Members
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Established:
1865, to manage the first international telegraph networks
Why it matters for exams: Which agency hands out radio spectrum and satellite orbits, where it sits and that it is the oldest UN agency are all standard one-mark facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
ITU International Telecommunication Union — The UN specialised agency for information and communication technologies.
Sector Member Sector Member — A company, university or organisation that joins the ITU alongside its Member States.
Radio spectrum Radio spectrum — The range of radio frequencies that the ITU allocates among users and countries.
Background
The African Union is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African continent. It was officially launched in July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity, which existed from 1963 to 1999. The OAU itself was created in May 1963, when 32 Heads of independent African States met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to sign its Charter. The Sirte Declaration, issued by the OAU Heads of State and Government on 9 September 1999, called for the establishment of the African Union to accelerate continental integration. The work of the Union is carried out through several principal decision-making organs: the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the Executive Council, the Permanent Representatives Committee, the Specialised Technical Committees, the Peace and Security Council and the African Union Commission. Citizens and civil society take part through the Pan-African Parliament and the Economic, Social and Cultural Council, known as ECOSOCC. Judicial, legal and human rights matters are handled by bodies that include the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, the AU Commission on International Law and the AU Advisory Board on Corruption, along with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. The Union is also working towards three continental financial institutions: the African Central Bank, the African Investment Bank and the African Monetary Fund. Agenda 2063 is its blueprint and master plan for long-term socio-economic transformation. The African Union Commission is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Member states:
55
Predecessor:
Organisation of African Unity (1963-1999)
Headquarters of the Commission:
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Long-term framework:
Agenda 2063
Why it matters for exams: The membership figure, the predecessor organisation and the names of the AU's organs are the examinable core of any question on African regional cooperation.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
OAU Organisation of African Unity — The continental body that preceded the African Union.
ECOSOCC Economic, Social and Cultural Council — The African Union organ through which civil society takes part in its work.
Agenda 2063 Agenda 2063 — The Union's strategic framework for Africa's long-term development.