News In Brief 11-11-2026

Sacred Relics of Shakyamuni Buddha Arrive at Thubchog Gatsel Ling (TGL) Monastery

Syllabus: GS1/History

Context

• The sacred relics of Shakyamuni Buddha arrived at Thubchog Gatsel Ling (TGL) Monastery and were enshrined for public viewing.

About

• Thubchog Gatsel Ling (TGL) Monastery is also known as Lower Gompa, located in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The exposition is being organised by: The Ministry of Culture, the National Museum, the Arunachal Pradesh government and the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
• The Bomdila exposition follows the conclusion of a seven-day public exhibition at Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, popularly known as Tawang Monastery. 
• Following the Bomdila programme, the sacred relics will be taken to the Golden Pagoda in Namsai.

Shakyamuni Buddha

• Shakyamuni Buddha refers to Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
• He was born as Siddhartha Gautama at Lumbini (present-day Nepal) around the 6th century BCE.
• He attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya (Bihar), delivered his first sermon at Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) and attained Mahaparinirvana at Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh).

Relics of Shakyamuni Buddha

• Buddhist relics are sacred physical remains or objects associated with Gautama Buddha. They primarily include:
  • Physical relics: Bone fragments, teeth and other bodily remains of Buddha.
  • Objects associated with Buddha: Items believed to have been used by him.
  • Relics associated with his life: Sacred objects and places connected with important events in his life.
• Excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), between 1971 and 1977, uncovered two reliquary caskets containing 22 bone relics.
  • Of these 22 relics, 20 are preserved at the National Museum, New Delhi, and two at the Indian Museum, Kolkata.
  • They originate from excavations at the Piprahwa stupa in Siddharthanagar district, Uttar Pradesh.
• In recent years, sacred relics have travelled to Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, reinforcing spiritual and cultural ties across Asia.

Source: PIB

US’s Freedom of Navigation ops Against India

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• The United States conducted three Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) challenging Indian maritime claims in fiscal year 2025.

Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs)

• The US FON Programme began in 1979. 
• Aim: To protect US freedom of navigation, overflight and other lawful uses of the seas against what the US considers excessive maritime claims by coastal states.
• The programme combines diplomatic protests with operational assertions by US military forces. 
• The programme emerged during negotiations over the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which was adopted in 1982. 

Maritime Claims of India which US Contest

• Territorial sea: India requires prior notification for foreign warships and submarines entering its territorial waters.
  • The US contests such requirements, arguing that warships are entitled to innocent passage.
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): India maintains that foreign states must obtain its consent before conducting military exercises or manoeuvres in its EEZ and continental shelf.
  • The US rejects this interpretation, arguing that military activities are among the freedoms available to other states in an EEZ.
• Contiguous zone: US contests India’s assertion of security-related jurisdiction in the contiguous zone beyond its territorial sea.
• Baselines and Historic Waters: US disputes certain Indian baseline claims, including straight baselines around Lakshadweep, and India’s declaration of historic waters in parts of the Palk Strait, Palk Bay, and Gulf of Mannar.
• The US also disputes several of India’s maritime boundary arrangements with neighbouring countries.

Source: IE

Sales Tax

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

In News

• A seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court reaffirmed the constitutional power of States to impose additional sales tax or surcharges, resolving the three-decade-old Arjun Flour Mills reference.

What is Sales Tax?

• Sales tax is an indirect tax levied on the sale or purchase of specified goods within a State.
• It is generally calculated as a percentage of the transaction value or turnover.
• It was first introduced in Madras Province in 1938 under C. Rajagopalachari.

Constitutional Provisions

• Entry 54, State List: Empowers States to levy tax on the sale or purchase of specified goods, subject to constitutional provisions.
• Article 246: Distributes legislative powers between the Union and States.
• Entry 92A, Union List: Deals with taxation of inter-State sales.
• Article 269: Provides for the levy and collection of certain inter-State taxes by the Union.

Evolution of Sales Tax

• Sales tax was largely replaced by Value Added Tax (VAT) during 2003–2005.
• GST was introduced in 2017.
• States continue to have taxation powers over specified products, including alcoholic liquor for human consumption and petroleum products outside GST.

Supreme Court’s Key Clarification

• The dispute concerned whether States could impose an additional surcharge on existing sales tax.
• The Court reaffirmed that:
  • States can impose additional sales tax or surcharges within their legislative competence.
  • A surcharge calculated on existing sales tax does not automatically become a different category of tax.
  • Sales tax is based on taxable transactions or turnover, not business profits. Therefore, it cannot be treated as income tax under Entry 82 of the Union List.

Source: TH

Rare B⁰ Meson Decay: New Evidence from CERN

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T

In News

• Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) have reported evidence of an extremely rare particle decay in which a B⁰ meson transforms into two muons (one positively charged and one negatively charged).

What is B⁰ Meson Decay?

• B⁰ meson: A subatomic particle belonging to the meson family, made up of a quark and an antiquark.
• Decay: An unstable particle transforms into other particles over time.
• Muon: An elementary subatomic particle similar to an electron but approximately 207 times heavier.
  • In this rare process, a B⁰ meson decays into two oppositely charged muons.

Why is it rare?

• The Standard Model predicts that approximately 1 in 10 billion B⁰ mesons undergo this particular decay.
• Such rare processes are important because even small deviations from theoretical predictions may indicate the presence of undiscovered particles or interactions.

Significance of the Discovery

• Testing the Standard Model: Provides an opportunity to test theoretical predictions with greater precision.
• Search for New Physics: Deviations in rare particle decays could indicate undiscovered particles or interactions.
• Understanding the Universe: Helps scientists understand the fundamental behaviour of matter.
• Constraining New Theories: The observed results, being consistent with Standard Model predictions, can constrain certain proposed extensions of the theory.

What Does 3.2 Sigma Mean?

• Sigma represents the statistical significance of an experimental observation.
• A 3.2 sigma result indicates evidence for a possible signal, but it is below the conventional 5 sigma threshold generally required to claim a discovery in particle physics.

Source: TH

Kamikaze UAVs 

Syllabus: GS3/Defence 

In News 

• The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is working on a plan to add ‘kamikaze drones’, to its operational arsenal for counter-insurgency operations

Kamikaze Drones 

• Kamikaze combines two Japanese words: “kami” means “divine” and “kaze” means “wind.”
• It originated from a powerful typhoon in 1281 that destroyed a Mongol invasion fleet, saving Japan from invasion.
• During World War II, the term became popular for Japanese pilots who deliberately crashed their aircraft into enemy naval ships in suicide attacks. 
• Today, it refers to suicide attacks using drones or other means and also describes people who take extreme risks without concern for their own safety.

Key Features

• Loitering Capability: Can remain airborne for extended periods to monitor and identify targets.
• Precision Strike: Can target bunkers, enemy positions, radar installations and mobile targets.
• Navigation: Use GPS, NAVIC and other navigation technologies, along with EO/IR sensors.
• Low Detectability: Their small size and low-altitude flight can make detection difficult.
• Cost-effectiveness: Relatively inexpensive and can be deployed in coordinated groups.

Significance for India

• Counter-terrorism: Helps target concealed terrorist positions in forests and difficult terrain.
• Military Advantage: Strengthens precision-strike and surveillance capabilities.
• Reduced Risk: Limits direct exposure of security personnel to hostile positions.
• Self-reliance: Promotes indigenous defence manufacturing under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Source: HT