News In Short 16-09-2026

150th Birth Anniversary of Saratchandra Chattopadhyay

Syllabus: GS1/History 

In News

• The Prime Minister has paid homage to Saratchandra Chattopadhyay on his 150th birth anniversary. 

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay 

• Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was a Bengali writer whose work transcended all language barriers, finding acceptance all over India and even abroad.
• He was born in Devanandapur, Bengal, in 1876. Later he was settled in Rangoon (Myanmar) in 1903, where he stayed until 1916. 
• He was connected with the Indian liberation movement and was the President of the Howrah unit of the Indian National Congress between 1921 and 1936. 

Literary Works 

• He had an interest in writing at an early age, and as a youngster he wrote stories such as Korel and Kashinath, a tendency inherited from his father. 
• He produced some of his most prominent works, like Parinita (1914), Biraj Bau (1914) and Palli Samaj (1916).
• He was a revolutionary writer who depicted strong and independent women and defied social conventions.
  • For example, Swami and Charitraheen are two deeply impactful classic novels which attacked superstition, social oppression, and inflexible norms with a focus on the problems of the impoverished and underprivilzged.
• He also authored famous novels like Devdas, Pather Dabi, and Srikanta.
  • Devdas is one of his less critically acclaimed novels, came in 1917 and Pather Dabi depicted revolutionary nationalism and opposition to colonial rule.
  • Srikanta takes its title after the name of its protagonist, Srikanta, who lives the life of a wanderer.

Source:PIB

India-MERCOSUR Cooperation 

Syllabus: GS2/IR  

In News

• India and the South American trade bloc MERCOSUR have launched negotiations to expand their existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to deepen economic relations and create greater opportunities for businesses on both sides.

About MERCOSUR

• The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR, for its Spanish initials) is a regional bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela and Bolivia. 
  • Venezuela was, however, suspended from the group in 2016.

India’s Relations 

• In 2025-26 (April-October), total bilateral trade between India & MERCOSUR countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay stood at $11.84 billion, with exports of $5.22 billion and imports of $6.62 billion.
• India has had a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with MERCOSUR since June 2009, but its scope remains limited.
  • Indian exporters face multiple challenges in the MERCOSUR market, including high tariff barriers, logistical inefficiencies, regulatory complexities, and cultural differences,
• The agreement currently covers around 450 tariff lines from India and 452 from MERCOSUR, with tariff concessions ranging between 10% and 100%.

Source: HT 

India Preparations For EU’s Carbon Tax

Syllabus: GS2/IR; GS3/Environment 

In News

• India has accelerated preparations for exporters to meet the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) by creating a Committee on Export Readiness for EU CBAM involving key ministries, regulators and industry groupings. 

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

• It is a carbon-related tax on some imports, designed to minimise “carbon leakage” by ensuring that the carbon cost of imported goods is in line with that incurred by EU manufacturers. 
• It aims to prevent carbon leakage, so that the carbon cost of imported goods reflects their underlying emissions, complements the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and encourages cleaner production. 
• It was in a transitional phase from 2023 to 2025 and entered its definitive regime on 1 January 2026, including obligations such as importer approval, emissions reporting and the purchase and surrender of CBAM certificates. 
• It applies to certain carbon-intensive imports in the cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, energy and hydrogen industries.

Stance of developing countries 

• Emerging countries such as India and China have challenged the EU’s CBAM as a potential unilateral and discriminatory trade measure that might weaken the export competitiveness of emerging economies and put the responsibility of climate action on them. 
• They also emphasise the notion of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) in the global climate framework. 

Source: ET

Kishau Multipurpose Project

Syllabus: GS3/Irrigation Infrastructure

Context

• Recently, six Yamuna-basin States signed an agreement on the long-pending Kishau Multipurpose Project, bringing the stalled project closer to implementation.

About Kishau Project

• The Kishau Multipurpose Project is a proposed dam on the Tons River, along the Uttarakhand–Himachal Pradesh border.
• The project had remained stalled for over eight years and involved Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.
• The project has been declared a National Project. Around 90% of the financial burden for the water component will be borne by the Union Government, while the remaining 10% will be shared by participating States according to the Yamuna Water Agreement (1994).

Source: IE

CoBRA Battalion

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• 2006-batch IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar, popularly known as the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’ for her counter-insurgency work in the Northeast, has become the first woman officer to head the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit. 

About CoBRA

• CoBRA, or Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, is one of CRPF’s most specialised operational formations. 
• Raised in 2008-09 for high-risk missions in jungle and guerrilla warfare environments, the force is trained for long-range patrols, intelligence-based operations, ambushes, counter-ambushes and operations in areas where improvised explosive devices pose a major threat.
• The force has been deployed extensively in anti-Maoist operations across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra, where commandos operate in dense forests and difficult terrain.
• CoBRA comprises 10 battalions, headed by an Inspector General (IG) who oversees their administrative control, selection, training and logistical support. 

Source: IE

Exercise Yudh Abhyas

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• The opening ceremony of the 22nd edition of the India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ was held at Auli in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

About

• It is an annual bilateral military exercise between India and the US inaugurated in 2002.
• The exercise aims to enhance both armies’ joint military capability to employ Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, with an emphasis on infantry-dominated operations.
• Other Exercises with the US: Important bilateral exercises include Yudh Abhyas (Army), Vajra Prahar (Special Forces), Malabar (Navy), Cope India (Air Force), and Tiger Triumph (tri-services).
  • Red Flag, RIMPAC, CUTLASS Express, Sea Dragon, Milan are some of the Multilateral Exercises in which the two countries participate. 

Source: AIR

Himalaya Approaching a Tipping Point

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• A recent study has warned that accelerating Himalayan glacier loss is pushing the region towards “peak water” by mid-century, with major implications for water security and disaster risks.

About Peak Water

• Peak water refers to the point at which glacier melt initially increases river flows but eventually reaches a maximum, after which declining glacier volume causes river flows to decrease.
• More glacier melting does not mean more water forever; once glaciers shrink substantially, their contribution to rivers begins to fall.

Key Findings 

• Glacier loss: Himalayan glaciers are losing mass 65% faster than a decade ago, according to the Systemiq study.
• Limited monitoring: Only 21 glaciers are currently monitored on the ground out of an estimated 40,000 glaciers across the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region.
• Economic significance: Himalayan systems underpin more than 20% of India’s GDP, making the region critical to India’s water, food and economic security.
• Disaster vulnerability: Although the Himalayan region constitutes around 18% of India’s land area, it accounts for roughly 35% of the country’s natural disasters.

Source: TH

Asia Cup

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• India defeated Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final in Dubai, securing a record-extending eighth Asia Cup title. 

Asia Cup (Cricket)

• It is a biennial international cricket tournament in which national teams from Asia compete for a continental championship. 
• The first edition was played in 1984 following the inception of the Asian Cricket Conference, the precursor to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), in 1983. 
• Since 2016, the Asia Cup has alternated its playing format between One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). 
• The ACC launched the women’s Asia Cup in 2004. 
• As of 2026, the Indian cricket team has won the most men’s Asia Cup titles, followed by Sri Lanka. 
• The tournament is also considered the most prominent Asian cricket competition and features member countries of the ACC as well as select associate member countries.

Source: AIR