Daily Briefing Current Affairs

GS-3ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE AND POST-FACTO REGULARISATION

The Supreme Court Didn't Ban Regularising Violations - It Banned Doing It By Memorandum

The Supreme Court's Vanashakti judgment has closed the existing administrative routes for regularising projects built without prior environmental clearance while explicitly preserving Parliament's delegated statutory power to design a fresh, safeguard-bound mechanism, reshaping the legal landscape for thousands of pending violation cases across India.

Sub TopicTHE VANASHAKTI JUDGMENT, SECTION 3 EPA POWERS AND THE…SourceSUPREME COURT OF INDIA, THE…
UPSC Relevance9/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views36,165
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GS-3GAGANYAAN THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM

Why ISRO Chose a Heat Shield That's Designed to Destroy Itself

With Gaganyaan's first uncrewed test flight approaching, ISRO has detailed how the crew module's ablative thermal protection system will shield astronauts from re-entry temperatures of up to 1,800°C, a critical safety system with zero margin for error since atmospheric descent cannot be aborted mid-flight.

Sub TopicABLATIVE HEAT SHIELDS AND RE-ENTRY ENGINEERING FOR…SourceTHE HINDU, ISRO, CIVILS DAILY
UPSC Relevance9/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views35,620
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GS-3ENERGY SECURITY AND OIL IMPORT DEPENDENCE

$106 a Barrel, Same Amount of Oil - Why India's Energy Bill Jumped 43% Without Buying Any More Fuel

Fresh PPAC data for April-July 2026 shows India's oil and gas import bill surging 43.4% year-on-year, with the entire increase traced to price rather than volume, underlining how exposed the economy remains to supply disruption through the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing West Asia crisis. India's net oil and gas import bill surged by 43.4% to $57.8 billion between April and July 2026 due to the West Asia crisis and…

Sub TopicSTRAIT OF HORMUZ DISRUPTION AND INDIA'S RISING CRUDE OIL…SourcePPAC, INDIAN EXPRESS, THE PRINT
UPSC Relevance8/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views28,177
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GS-3NUCLEAR LIABILITY AND CIVIL NUCLEAR SECTOR REFORM

The Rule That Quietly Decides Who Pays If a Reactor Ever Fails

The DAE's draft rules under the SHANTI Act, released on August 14, 2026, set up a five-year expert review mechanism for nuclear liability caps just as the underlying law faces a Supreme Court challenge over how far it shifts financial risk away from equipment suppliers and onto operators and the public.

Sub TopicSHANTI ACT DRAFT RULES, GRADED LIABILITY CAPS AND THE…SourceDAE, INDIAN EXPRESS, PRS INDIA…
UPSC Relevance8/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views30,803
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GS-3FISCAL POLICY AND TAX REVENUE RISKS

The Buffer Economy - How RBI's Dividend Is Covering for a Tax Reform That Hasn't Paid Off Yet

Fresh Controller General of Accounts data for the first quarter of 2026-27 has shown that the tax rationalisation carried out in GST and personal income tax last year has not yet delivered the base-widening effect the government expected, forcing it to lean on RBI dividends, a new cess and duty increases to keep its fiscal deficit target within reach.

Sub TopicRBI DIVIDENDS, TAX BUOYANCY COLLAPSE AND FISCAL DEFICIT…SourceTHE HINDU, INSIGHTS ON INDIA, PIB
UPSC Relevance8/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views35,019
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