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Daily Current Affairs – 21 August, 2026

    Supreme Court’s New Ruling on the Definition of ‘Industry’

    Context

  • The Supreme Court has ruled that the definition of “industry” under the Industrial Relations Code (IRC), 2020 must be interpreted independently and will not automatically be governed by the landmark 1978 Bangalore Water Supply judgment.

    • The 1978 Bangalore Water Supply Judgement

  • In Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. R. Rajappa (1978), a seven-judge bench, adopted a broad interpretation of “industry” under Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
  • The judgement evolved the Triple Test, under which an activity could qualify as an industry when it involved:
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    India and Japan: Deepening Cooperation

    In News

  • India and Japan  signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on Maritime Security Cooperation and agreed to deepen operational cooperation including information sharing, naval exercises, ship repair and logistics support.

    • Historical Linkages of India-Japan Ties 

  • The historical links between India and Japan go back to the 6th century with the introduction of Buddhism into Japan, which fostered a strong cultural affinity among the Japanese.
  •  In 1949, after World War II, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru presented a symbol of optimism to Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo: an elephant. 
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    Gaganyaan’s Thermal Protection System

    Context

  • The Gaganyaan mission will require India to demonstrate the safe re-entry of a crew module carrying astronauts, making its Thermal Protection System (TPS) one of the most critical technologies for ensuring crew safety during the return journey to Earth.

    • Why is Thermal Protection Critical During Re-entry?

  • Handles extreme heat: During Gaganyaan’s return from LEO, the capsule enters the atmosphere at hypersonic speed, converting most of its kinetic energy into intense heat. Plasma temperatures can reach 1,800°C, which could damage the spacecraft.
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    Crop Cutting Experiments and the Credibility of India’s Agricultural Data

    Context

  • The NSO's 'Annual Report on Improvement of Crop Statistics (ICS) Scheme, 2023-24' has flagged serious procedural lapses in Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs), the backbone of India's crop production estimates.

    • How Production Estimates Are Derived?

  • Final production = Area under crop × Average yield per hectare.
  • Yield is estimated solely through CCEs, where crop from a scientifically selected plot is harvested, threshed and weighed to derive yield per hectare, which is then scaled up to district, state and national levels.
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    Government Notifies New Indigenisation List

    Context

  • The Ministry of Defence notified the sixth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL), comprising 405 items with an estimated business potential of Rs 3,070 crore.

    • About

  • The list is notified by the Department of Defence Production (DDP) and covers Line Replaceable Units (LRU), sub-systems, sub-assemblies, spares, components and raw materials for key defence platforms.
  • These include Advanced Light Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter, Chetak and Cheetah helicopters; fighter jets including the Su-30MKIs, Jaguars and MiG-29s; the Light Combat Aircraft and AL-31FP Engine. 
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    News In Short 21-08-2026

    Context

  • The 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting was held in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.

    • About

  • Zonal Councils are statutory bodies established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, to promote cooperation and coordination on issues involving two or more States or between the Centre and States. 
  • The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of the Zonal Councils, while the Chief Minister of one of the member States serves as Vice-Chairman on a rotational basis. 
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