UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 24 January 2026 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 3:
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State of Finance for Nature 2026
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):
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IICDEM & Adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026
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Trucks-on-Trains
Facts for Prelims (FFP):
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Global Future Councils (GFCs)
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Graça Machel Wins Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace 2026
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PLI Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners & LED Lights)
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Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole)
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Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) – Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
Mapping:
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Muna Island
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 24 January 2026
GS Paper 3:
State of Finance for Nature 2026
Source: UNEP
Subject: Environment
Context: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the State of Finance for Nature 2026 report, warning that nature-negative finance (US$7.3 trillion) vastly outweighs nature-positive investment (US$220 billion).
About State of Finance for Nature 2026:
What it is?
- The State of Finance for Nature (SFN) 2026 is the fourth edition of a flagship report that tracks global capital flows related to nature.
- It provides a financial assessment to help policymakers and businesses transition from an economy that erodes its nature bank account to one that invests in Nature-based Solutions (NbS)—actions that protect, restore, and sustainably manage ecosystems to address societal challenges
Key Findings in the Report:
- Massive Finance Gap: To meet global Rio Convention targets, NbS investment must increase 2.5 times to US$571 billion annually by 2030.
- Nature-Negative Dominance: Annual finance flows harming nature reached US$7.3 trillion in 2023, representing roughly 7% of global GDP.
- Public Subsidies: Governments provided US$2.4 trillion in environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS), primarily for fossil fuels (US$1.13 trillion), followed by agriculture and water.
- Private Sector Impact: Private capital flows to nature-negative sectors totaled US$4.9 trillion, concentrated in utilities, industrials, and energy.
- Public Finance as Main NbS Driver: Of the US$220 billion in NbS finance, 90% (US$197 billion) comes from public sources, mostly through domestic expenditure.
- Slow Private NbS Growth: Private investment in NbS is only US$23.4 billion, with biodiversity offsets and certified commodity supply chains being the largest contributors.
- Interdependence of Risks: At least half of the global economy is moderately or highly dependent on nature, making the nature crisis a direct threat to financial stability.
Success:
E.g. Eight agreements from 2021–2024, including deals in Ecuador, Belize, and Gabon, unlocked significant funds for local conservation.
- Sustainable Bonds for Biodiversity: Growth in debt instruments with nature-focused Use of Proceeds.
E.g. United Utilities (UK) issued a GBP 300 million bond for peatland and riverbank restoration.
- Innovation in Real Economy Sectors: Using nature to replace harmful industrial processes.
E.g. Use of bacteria-infused self-healing concrete to extend building life and fungi-based leather in apparel.
E.g. Over 730 organizations have adopted the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework.
Failures:
- Persistence of Harmful Subsidies: Global failure to repurpose trillions in EHS that drive degradation.
E.g. India continues to provide significant fertilizer and power subsidies for agriculture, which can lead to groundwater depletion and soil degradation if not managed sustainably.
- Biodiversity Offset Implementation Gaps: Offsets often fail to provide genuine net gains due to weak enforcement.
E.g. India’s National Compensatory Afforestation (CAMPA) is one of the world’s largest offset markets (US$0.86 billion), yet it faces challenges in ensuring that new plantations effectively replace the complex biodiversity lost to development.
E.g. Despite India’s massive renewable energy push, private debt finance for nature-positive restoration projects lags behind traditional infrastructure lending.
- Erosion of Regulatory Standards: Weakening of environmental laws in some jurisdictions creates uncertainty.
E.g. Recent amendments to forest and environmental clearance rules have been critiqued for potentially easing industrial expansion at the cost of sensitive ecological zones.
E.g. As a nature-rich developing nation, India requires massive concessional international finance to meet 30×30 goals, but ODF flows remain insufficient compared to the country’s conservation needs.
Recommendations:
- Reform Subsidies: Redirect the US$2.4 trillion in harmful public subsidies toward regenerative agriculture and clean energy.
- Mandatory Disclosure: Enact laws requiring all large companies and financial institutions to disclose nature-related risks and impacts.
- Scale Blended Finance: Use public funds to de-risk private investments in NbS through guarantees and co-financing.
- Integrate NbS into Budgets: Embed nature-based infrastructure into national fiscal frameworks and green budgeting.
- Ensure Equity: Protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, ensuring they are co-creators and beneficiaries of nature finance.
Conclusion:
The 2026 report serves as a final warning that the global economy is in the red, with a 30:1 bias toward destroying nature rather than protecting it. Achieving a nature-positive future requires an urgent Big Nature Turnaround to repurpose US$7.3 trillion in harmful flows into a trillion-dollar transition economy. Only by embedding nature into every financial and governmental decision can we safeguard the ecosystems that underpin all human well-being and economic growth.
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 24 January 2026 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
IICDEM & Adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026
Context: The Election Commission of India concluded the International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 in New Delhi with the unanimous adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026 by over 40 Election Management Bodies (EMBs).
About IICDEM & Adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026:
What is the Delhi Declaration 2026?
- The Delhi Declaration 2026 is a consensus-based global framework adopted by EMBs to strengthen democratic processes through cooperation, innovation, and measurable actions, with periodic reviews and a follow-up meet scheduled for 3–5 December 2026 at India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi.
Key features of the Delhi Declaration 2026:
- Unanimous global adoption by EMBs, lending high normative legitimacy.
- Five-pillar architecture covering the full electoral cycle.
- Institutional follow-through: periodic reviews and annual engagement.
- Knowledge co-creation: global encyclopaedia and thematic reports.
- Technology with trust: measured adoption to counter misinformation.
Five pillars of the Delhi Declaration 2026:
- Purity of Electoral Rolls
- Emphasis on complete, accurate, and law-compliant voter lists.
- Focus on universal photo identity and inclusion of all eligible electors.
- Conduct of Elections
- Commitment to free, fair, participative, inclusive, and transparent elections.
- Stakeholder-centric election management.
- Research and Publications
- Use of Technology
- Harnessing digital tools to facilitate voters and officials while safeguarding integrity.
- Sharing India’s experience with ECINET, including co-development for other EMBs in local languages and legal contexts.
- Explicit focus on countering misinformation.
- Training and Capacity Building
- Knowledge-sharing, professional training, and exchange of transparent practices through IIIDEM.
- Building long-term institutional capacity of EMBs.
Relevance for UPSC examination
- GS Paper II – Indian Polity & Governance
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- Constitutional bodies: Role and independence of ECI
- Electoral reforms: voter rolls, technology, misinformation, transparency
- International cooperation in democratic governance
- GS Paper IV – Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
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- Electoral integrity, trust, transparency, and institutional ethics
- Ethical use of technology in public institutions
Trucks-on-Trains
Context: Indian Railways, through its Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) network, is scaling up the Trucks-on-Trains (ToT) service to shift long-haul freight from roads to electrified rail.
About Trucks-on-Trains:
What is Trucks-on-Trains?
- Trucks-on-Trains (ToT) is a multimodal freight service under the DFC that allows loaded trucks to be carried on specially designed flat wagons for the long-haul rail leg, while trucks handle only the first- and last-mile by road.
Aim:
- Enable a strategic modal shift from road to rail for long-distance freight.
- Reduce logistics costs, fuel consumption, and emissions.
- Decongest highways and improve supply-chain reliability.
- Integrate road agility with rail efficiency under a national multimodal logistics vision.
Key features:
- Multimodal integration: Combines road flexibility with high-speed, electrified freight rail.
- Dedicated Freight Corridor backbone: Operates on high-capacity, fully electrified DFC routes.
- Time efficiency: Cuts transit time from ~30 hours by road to ~12 hours via ToT.
- Competitive pricing: Transparent weight-based tariffs; GST exemption for milk tankers, aiding perishables.
- Environmental benefits: Significant reductions in CO₂, NOₓ, particulate matter, diesel use, and road dust.
- Operational resilience: Less affected by fog, rain, and extreme weather than highways.
- Scalability: New Flat Multipurpose (FMP) wagons and expansion to more Origin–Destination terminals.
Relevance for UPSC examination
- GS Paper III – Infrastructure, Transport & Environment
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- Logistics efficiency & multimodal transport
- Energy security and emission reduction
- Dedicated Freight Corridors and rail-led growth
- GS Paper II – Governance & Public Policy
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- Role of public sector enterprises like Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) in national infrastructure delivery
- GS Paper IV – Ethics & Human Interface
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- Worker safety, reduced driver fatigue, public welfare through safer transport
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 24 January 2026 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Global Future Councils (GFCs)
Source: DD News
Subject: International Organisation
Context: The United Arab Emirates and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have signed an MoU for Dubai to host the annual Global Future Councils (GFCs) meetings for the next five years.
About Global Future Councils (GFCs):
What are the Global Future Councils?
- The Global Future Councils (GFCs) are the World Economic Forum’s flagship multistakeholder knowledge network, designed as time-bound, invitation-only think tanks that generate forward-looking insights on emerging global challenges and opportunities.
Established in: 2013 (as part of WEF’s future-oriented knowledge architecture)
Organisations involved: World Economic Forum
- Strategic partner host (2026–2030): United Arab Emirates
Aim of the Global Future Councils:
- To identify emerging trends, risks, and technologies shaping the global future
- To translate expert knowledge into actionable policy-relevant insights
- To support governments and institutions in building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development models
Key features:
- Invitation-only & time-bound: Members serve two-year terms (current term: March 2025 – December 2026).
- Interdisciplinary approach: Councils bring together diverse expertise to address complex, interconnected challenges.
- Evidence-based outputs: Emphasis on data, research, and facts rather than opinion.
- Policy integration: Council insights feed directly into WEF initiatives and the Davos agenda.
- Scale:
- ~37 thematic councils (2025–26 term)
- 700+ experts currently involved
- 900 councils and 12,000+ experts engaged since inception
Core operating principles:
- Interdisciplinary collaboration & systems thinking – Bridging silos to address cross-cutting global challenges.
- Fresh ideas and innovative thinking – Scanning emerging issues, frontier technologies, and future risks.
- Expertise and evidence – Grounding global cooperation in research-backed insights.
Graça Machel Wins Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace 2026
Source: TH
Subject: Miscellaneous
Context: Graça Machel, a globally respected humanitarian and women’s rights advocate from Mozambique, has been selected for the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development (2026).
About Graça Machel Wins Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace 2026:
What is the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development?
- The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is an international award conferred annually on an individual or organisation for outstanding creative contributions to global peace, nuclear disarmament, equitable development, and human welfare.
When and why was the Prize instituted?
- Year of institution: 1985
- Instituted by: Government of India
- Administered by: Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, New Delhi
The Prize was created to commemorate the global vision and leadership of Indira Gandhi, particularly her commitment to peace, non-alignment, and justice in international relations.
What are the core objectives of the Indira Gandhi Prize?
The Prize seeks to uphold and promote ideals consistently championed by Indira Gandhi, including:
- International peace and nuclear disarmament, especially in a divided world order
- Equitable global development with emphasis on South–South cooperation
- Expansion of human freedom, dignity, and social justice
- Use of science, technology, and knowledge for human welfare, not militarism
These objectives align with India’s post-colonial foreign policy ethos and leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Who is eligible for the Prize?
- Eligible candidates:
- Individuals or organisations
- Eligibility conditions:
- No distinction of nationality, race, religion, or gender
- Only living persons may be nominated
- Who can nominate?
- Parliamentarians
- Past awardees
- Jury members
- Reputed national or international organisations
- Legislators from UN member states
How is the Indira Gandhi Prize selected?
- Selection authority: International Jury
- Jury size: 5 to 9 members
- Decision method: Consensus
- Nature of decision: Final and binding
The jury may choose to divide the prize or withhold it if no suitable candidate is found.
What does the award consist of?
- Prize money: ₹10 million (₹1 crore) or equivalent in foreign exchange
- Components:
- Cash prize
- Formal citation
- Trophy made of Haematite Jasper, the stone used at Indira Gandhi’s samadhi (Shakti Sthal), featuring a Jaipur miniature–style silver-rimmed portrait
- Funding source: Endowment provided by the Government of India to the Trust
- Frequency: Annual.
PLI Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners & LED Lights)
Source: News on Air
Subject: Government Scheme
Context: The Government of India has selected five companies in the fourth round of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods, involving a committed investment of ₹863 crore.
About PLI Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners & LED Lights):
What is the PLI Scheme for White Goods?
- The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods is a central sector scheme that provides performance-linked financial incentives to companies manufacturing key components of Air Conditioners (ACs) and LED lights in India, based on incremental sales.
Launched in: FY 2021–22, with implementation till FY 2028–29.
Nodal organisation:
- Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- Monitoring authority: Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS), chaired by the Cabinet Secretary
Target segments (PLI Scheme for White Goods):
Air Conditioners:
- High-value intermediates: Capital- and technology-intensive core inputs like compressors, copper tubes, aluminium foils that drive value addition and reduce import dependence.
- Low-value intermediates: Supporting electronic and mechanical parts such as PCB assemblies, BLDC motors, service valves and cross-flow fans essential for AC functionality.
- Sub-assemblies (IDUs & ODUs): Integrated components for Indoor and Outdoor Units, enabling deeper domestic supply-chain integration.
LED Lights:
- Core components: Critical electronic elements like LED chip packaging, ICs, resistors and fuses that determine efficiency, lifespan and performance.
- Other components: Enabling parts such as LED drivers, engines, modules, mechanicals and wire-wound inductors, supporting end-product manufacturing.
Key features:
- Financial incentive: 4%–6% incentive on incremental domestic sales encourages scale-based manufacturing growth.
- Base year (FY 2019–20): Serves as the benchmark to measure incremental investment and sales performance.
- Incentive period: 5 years + 1-year gestation allows time for capacity creation before reward linkage.
- Eligibility: Limited to greenfield or brownfield manufacturing investments to ensure real asset creation.
- Mandatory thresholds: Firms must meet both investment and sales targets to qualify, ensuring accountability.
- Priority criteria: Core component manufacturing and large investments are favoured to deepen value chains.
- Fund-limited design: Incentives are capped at Cabinet-approved outlay, ensuring fiscal discipline.
Coverage and scale:
- Total outlay: ₹6,238 crore, reflecting focused but strategic industrial support.
- Beneficiaries: 85 companies selected across four rounds, indicating strong industry response.
- Expected investment: Around ₹11,198 crore, signalling crowd-in of private capital.
- Expected production: Nearly ₹1.9 lakh crore, enhancing domestic manufacturing output.
- Employment impact: Significant direct and indirect job creation across electronics and appliance value chains.
Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole)
Source: ETV
Subject: Species in News
Context: A rare Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole) has been camera-trapped for the first time in Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, indicating improving habitat and prey conditions.
About Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole):
What is it?
- The Asiatic Wild Dog, commonly called the Dhole (Cuon alpinus), is a wild canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is a highly social, pack-hunting top predator that plays a key role in regulating herbivore populations.
Habitat and distribution:
- Preferred habitats: Dense forests, forest-grassland mosaics, and hilly/undulating landscapes with adequate prey.
- India: Found mainly in central Indian forests and the Western/Eastern Ghats, typically within or near large protected landscapes where prey base is strong.
- Ecological requirement: Needs large, connected habitats because packs range widely and depend on continuous prey availability.
IUCN Red List: Endangered (EN)
Key characteristics:
- Pack hunter: Typically hunts in cooperative groups, relying on teamwork rather than solitary ambush.
- Prey preference: Medium-to-large ungulates such as chital, sambar, deer, etc.
- Highly social: Lives in clans/packs with cooperative care of young; strong coordination during hunts.
- Distinctive identity: Reddish coat, rounded ears, and specialised dentition adapted for meat-shearing.
- Competition: Coexists with tigers and leopards; overlaps in prey but often differentiates through hunting strategy and pack behaviour.
Significance:
- Presence suggests good prey base + habitat quality + reduced disturbance.
- Adds another apex/meso-level predator, improving trophic balance and biodiversity stability.
Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) – Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
Source: TH
Subject: Schemes in News
Context: India’s Advanced Chemistry Cell–Production Linked Incentive (ACC-PLI) scheme has fallen behind schedule, with only 1.4 GWh battery capacity commissioned against a target of 50 GWh by 2026, as per a recent analytical report.
About Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) – Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme:
What is the ACC-PLI scheme?
- The ACC-PLI scheme is a central sector incentive programme to promote domestic manufacturing of advanced battery cells (such as lithium-ion cells) used in electric vehicles (EVs) and grid-scale energy storage, reducing India’s dependence on imports.
Announced in: October 2021
Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Heavy Industries
Aim and objectives:
- Create 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing capacity.
- Build a local battery supply chain (cells, components, materials).
- Reduce strategic dependence on imported batteries (especially from China).
Key features of ACC-PLI Scheme (Concise)
- Total outlay (₹18,100 crore): Government financial commitment to scale up domestic advanced battery manufacturing.
- Performance-linked incentive: Subsidy linked to actual battery cells sold, ensuring output-based support.
- Incentive cap (~₹2,000/kWh): Sets an upper limit on per-unit support to control fiscal cost.
- Minimum investment (₹1,100 crore): Ensures only serious, large-scale manufacturers
- Domestic value addition mandate: Compels creation of a local battery supply chain.
- Target technology: Focuses on Advanced Chemistry Cells (like lithium-ion) critical for EVs and energy storage, excluding conventional lead-acid batteries.
- Selected beneficiaries:
- Ola Electric, Reliance New Energy, Rajesh Exports chosen via competitive bidding.
- Hyundai Global exited, reducing effective allocated capacity.
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 24 January 2026 Mapping:
Muna Island
Source: NT
Subject: Mapping
Context: Rock art dated to at least 67,800 years ago has been identified on Muna Island, Indonesia, making it the oldest known cave art in the world.
About Muna Island:
What is Muna Island?
- Muna Island is a large island in Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, known for its limestone landscapes, archaeological richness, and Austronesian cultural heritage. It is administratively divided into Muna, West Muna, and Central Buton regencies.
Location:
- Situated south-east of Sulawesi and west of Buton Island
- Lies in the Flores Sea, along the Wallacea biogeographical zone—a key corridor between Sunda (Asia) and Sahul (Australia–New Guinea).
Key geological features:
- Dominated by limestone karst formations with caves and rock shelters.
- Presence of speleothems (calcium carbonate deposits), which enabled U-series dating of cave art.
- Hilly terrain with elevations up to ~445 metres.
Discovery of ancient rock art:
- At Liang Metanduno cave, a hand stencil was dated using laser-ablation U-series dating of calcite layers overlying the pigment.
- The art has a minimum age of ~67.8 thousand years, older than similar cave art in Europe and western Indonesia.
- The motifs include hand stencils, some with intentionally modified fingers, indicating advanced symbolic expression.
Significance:
- World archaeology: Establishes Muna Island as the site of the oldest known cave art globally.
- Human evolution: Suggests that early Homo sapiens possessed complex symbolic and artistic capacities during their dispersal.
- Migration studies: Strongly supports the northern maritime route of early human migration from Southeast Asia to Sahul (~65 ka).
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