Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for January 2, 2026. If you missed the January 1, 2026, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanceMains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.What’s the ongoing story: SMOKING IS set to turn more expensive from February 1 with higher price increases for filters and longer cigarettes. The government late Wednesday night notified the new duty rates for tobacco products including cigarettes and cess rates for paan masala.Key Points to Ponder:— What is cess? How is it different from other taxes?— What is the compensation cess under the GST regime? Why is it removed?— What is the National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD)?— What is the excise duty?— What are the major central taxes?— What are the major changes brought under the GST 2.0?Key Takeaways:— Cigarette makers estimate the increase in additional levies to be 20-30 per cent, but they are not sure if they will pass on the burden to the consumers immediately, or in installments. Investment analysts, on the other hand, said prices could rise by anywhere between 15 per cent and 40 per cent in response to the duty increase.— The stock markets took note of the higher tax incidence with share prices of cigarette makers ITC and Godfrey Phillips India plummeting almost 10 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively, on the National Stock Exchange.Story continues below this ad— The imposition of additional duties over and above the 40 per cent slab under GST 2.0 marks a transition from the earlier compensation cess levy under the original GST regime.— The duty structure on cigarettes is complex. As it exists now, the total duties could be broken down into four parts: basic excise duty of Rs 5-10 per 1,000 sticks, National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD) of Rs 230-850 per 1,000 sticks, GST of 28 per cent, and a compensation cess.— The compensation cess had two components: an ad valorem levy ranging from 5-36 per cent and a flat levy ranging Rs 2,076-4,170 per 1,000 sticks. In general, filters and longer cigarettes attracted higher duties, and cigars, cheroots and cigarillos, the highest.— From February 1, the compensation cess component will be knocked out. This has been more than made up by a higher GST rate of 40 per cent, and excise duties ranging from Rs 2,050-8,500 per 1,000 sticks. The NCCD remains the same as earlier.Story continues below this ad— Citing a World Bank article from July 2025, they said India’s total tax incidence on cigarettes is approximately 53 per cent of the retail price, falling significantly short of the 75 per cent rate recommended by the World Health Organization.— Apart from cigarettes, paan masala, too, will attract a 40 per cent GST rate along with a ‘Health Security se National Security Cess’. The GST Council decided to increase the GST rate on paan masala from 28 per cent to the statutory ceiling of 40 per cent, and therefore the remaining portion of the existing tax burden is being shifted to the machine-based cess under the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025,” an official said.— Also, the central excise duty on chewing tobacco, jarda scented tobacco and gutkha, when manufactured with the aid of a packing machine and packed in pouches, will be levied on the basis of capacity of production from February 1.— Finance Ministry sources said both paan masala and tobacco are evasion-prone, machine-driven sectors where actual production is difficult to measure, and therefore a capacity-linked levy is better.Story continues below this ad— GST provides the value trail by showing how much was sold and at what price, while cess provides the capacity trail by telling how much could have been produced, the sources said.— For other tobacco products, the excise duty on hookah has been notified to be 33 per cent, while a rate of 60.5 per cent has been notified for homogenised tobacco, preparations containing chewing tobacco and snuff. The duty rate is higher at 82 per cent for chewing tobacco and jarda scented tobacco. Smoking mixtures for pipes and cigarettes will attract 279 per cent duty.ALSO READ | Knowledge Nugget: India–US Thorium Fuel partnership and its significance for UPSC exam— Last month, the government introduced two legislations in Parliament to bring in higher excise levy on tobacco and related products, and the ‘Health Security se National Security Cess’ on paan masala.Do You Know:— Compensation cess was introduced to help states make up for the revenue they lost during the initial 5 years of GST implementation. This came under the GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017. Subsequently, its levy was extended till March 2026, to service the loans raised during the Covid years for providing GST compensation to the states.Story continues below this ad— FM said that, “ Pan masala, cigarettes, gutkha, and other tobacco products such as chewing tobacco, products like zarda, unmanufactured tobacco and beedi will continue at their existing rates of GST and compensation cess, where applicable, until the loan and interest payment obligations under the compensation cess account are completely discharged.”— Tobacco use remains one of the gravest public health threats the world has ever faced, claiming over eight million lives annually. Of these, more than seven million deaths result from direct tobacco use, according to the Global Burden of Disease study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:Knowledge Nugget: What is GST Council, and what were key decisions taken during its 56th meeting?Knowledge Nugget: Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report – Must know insights for UPSC ExamPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:Story continues below this ad(1) The sales tax you pay while purchasing a toothpaste is a (UPSC CSE 2014)(a) tax imposed by the Central Government(b) tax imposed by the Central Government but collected by the State Government(c) tax imposed by the State Government but collected by the Central Government(d) tax imposed and collected by the State GovernmentRelief package may have set stage for Govt exit from Vodafone Idea, stake sale in worksSyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanceStory continues below this adMains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.What’s the ongoing story: The Union Cabinet’s nod for a relief package to Vodafone Idea may set the stage for the government’s potential exit from the beleaguered telecom operator. Also under active consideration is the possibility of bringing in an investor from the private sector, top government sources, who did not wish to be named, told The Indian Express.Key Points to Ponder:— What is the status of the telecom sector in India?— What is the adjusted gross revenue (AGR)?— Know about the dispute regarding gross revenue calculation?— What are spectrum fees in telecom?— What are the challenges facing the telecom sector in India?Story continues below this ad— The telecom sector in India has witnessed financial distress due to regulatory burdens and intense competition. ElaborateKey Takeaways:— The Cabinet’s decision Wednesday to freeze the debt-ridden telecom operator’s hefty adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues of Rs 87,695 crore for the next five years affords visibility over future liabilities, a precondition put forth by the private sector, the sources said.— Two big corporate groups had evinced interest at different points in time, the sources said. An internal yardstick for the government to exit would be that it would have to sell its stake at a profit. But no decision has been taken on the path to be taken for sale of government equity, the sources said.— The government had acquired 49 per cent stake in Vodafone Idea in February 2023 in lieu of the company’s interest dues. Beyond this 49 per cent equity, the new investor could eventually take majority control after the stake sale goes through, it is learnt.— A senior official had earlier said the government was concerned about the highly concentrated nature of India’s telecom sector and it would ostensibly like to have multiple players in this “critical sector,” for which Vodafone Idea needs to be “a viable player”. But its precarious financial situation has raised concerns about its survival in the competitive telecom marketplace.— The freezing of the adjusted gross revenue dues of Rs 87,695 crore and a rescheduling of their repayment by the Cabinet comes after the Supreme Court allowed the government to reassess the telco’s statutory dues earlier this year.— The Cabinet’s relief package to the telecom operator allows it to reschedule the statutory dues payment over a 10-year period from FY32 to FY41. The AGR dues for FY18 and FY19 shall be payable by the telecom operator over the period FY26 to FY31 without any change.— Of the AGR dues that Vodafone Idea owes to the government, annual payments of Rs 18,000 crore were supposed to start in March 2026. However, the company had approached the Supreme Court related to the AGR issue, and said if it was not able to secure relief from the payments, it would pose a big question mark over its financial stability and jeopardise the government’s stake in the company.— In a petition in the Supreme Court earlier this year, Vodafone Idea had contended that it needed the relaxation, failing which its planned investments will not happen and any hopes of an improvement in its operational performance would be dashed. Including penalties and interest, its total liabilities to the government are estimated at around Rs 2 lakh crore.ALSO READ | Knowledge Nugget: How Zehanpora excavation reveals Kashmir’s Buddhist past for your UPSC exam— With such a heavy cash burden and declining revenues and subscriber base, the company may not have enough cash flows to pay the dues. Hence, the Cabinet decision is being seen as a big boost for the company, which has been struggling to raise money from the market as investors stay away due to its high AGR obligations.— This was the second lifeline the government offered to the struggling company. As part of its 2021 relief package for the company, the government had in February 2023 approved the conversion of Rs 6,133 crore of Vi’s interest dues into equity.Do You Know:— Telecom operators are required to pay licence fee and spectrum charges in the form of ‘revenue share’ to the Centre. The revenue amount used to calculate this revenue share is termed as the AGR.— The financial condition of the telcos deterioration started in 1999, when the government decided to shift from a fixed to a revenue-sharing model for the telecom sector. Telecom players would pay a certain percentage of their AGR, earned from telecom and non-telecom revenues, as licence and spectrum fee.— The easing of this regulatory environment led to a number of players entering the fray. At its highest, India had more than 14 national and regional telecom service providers.’— In 2003, the Department of Telecom (DoT) raised the demand for AGR payments. It said all revenue earned by telcos as dividend from subsidiaries, interest on short-term investments, money deducted as trader discounts, discount for calls and others, which was over and above the revenue from telecom services, would be included for calculation of AGR.— The telcos approached the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), which in July 2006 ruled the matter must be sent back to the regulator TRAI for fresh consultation.— TDSAT rejected the government’s contention, and the Centre moved the Supreme Court. While the case was still ongoing, in 2012, the Supreme Court cancelled 122 telecom licences in the 2G scam case. This prompted a revamp, with spectrum now allocated through auctions.— In 2019, the Supreme Court gave the first verdict in the case, holding that DoT’s definition of AGR was the correct one, and that the telcos must pay the AGR, interest and penalty on non-payment.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:Explained: What is AGR? How will it impact Airtel, Vodafone Idea?Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(2) Which of the following is/are the aims/aims of the “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India? (UPSC CSE 2018)1. Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did.2. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centers within our national geographical boundaries.3. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centers.Select the correct answer using the code given below:(a) 1 and 2 only(b) 3 only(c) 2 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3 NATIONAfter missing multiple deadlines, Gaganyaan’s first uncrewed mission likely to lift-off by MarchSyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanceMains Examination: General Studies-III: Science and Technology- Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology; Awareness in the fields of IT and spaceWhat’s the ongoing story: The timeline for the country’s human spaceflight programme has been a moving target — with another year passing without the first of three uncrewed missions taking off despite a revised deadline.Key Points to Ponder:— Know in detail about the Gaganyaan mission— What are the key features of India’s Manned Mission to Space?— What is the significance of the Gaganyaan mission?— What are the reasons for the delay in the mission?— What is the Crew Module Thermal Protection System?— What are the major achievements of ISRO in recent years?— What are the other important space missions of the ISRO?— Read about the Indian Space Research Organisation.— What are the challenges India faces in establishing a long-term human spaceflight program?Key Takeaways:— Now, as per the new timeline, the first uncrewed mission — HLVM3 G1/ OM1 — is likely before March this year. This mission will use an unpressurised crew module to demonstrate the complete mission — the human-rated launch vehicle will put the spacecraft in a low earth orbit, ensure re-entry of the crew module, a smooth splashdown and recovery of the module.— The Gaganyaan mission — first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 2018 — was initially targeted for 2021 as India celebrated its 75th year of Independence. The mission got delayed during the pandemic as the space agency encountered supply chain and manufacturing challenges. The deadlines set afterwards were also missed. The Gaganyaan mission — first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 2018 — was initially targeted for 2021 as India celebrated its 75th year of Independence.— ISRO commenced its “official launch campaign” for the Gaganyaan mission in December 2024. A launch campaign is essentially the period of intense activity ahead of a lift-off when the satellite is brought to the spaceport and integration of the launch vehicle starts.— Though the uncrewed mission is yet to take off, several tests and qualifications of systems and materials have been completed. Various motors of the crew escape system — the high altitude motor, low altitude motor and jettisoning motor — have been tested.— The system has been designed to remove the crew safely from the crew module in case of an emergency. The Crew Module Thermal Protection System has also undergone testing. So has the 10-parachute system that will be responsible for slowing down and safely bringing down the astronauts for a smooth splashdown.— The space agency carried out the integrated air drop test to check the entire parachute system as well as several other tests for four different types of parachutes under normal as well as extreme situations.— Initially there were three missions planned under the Gaganyaan programme — two uncrewed and one crewed — which was later expanded in 2024. Under the revised programme there will be eight missions — two crewed and six uncrewed. The eight missions will also include setting up of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, initially meant for 2028.NEW IN OUR LIST | Beyond Trending: What is proxy war?— As per the current timeline, the first uncrewed mission is scheduled for the first quarter of this year; the first crewed mission is likely to happen only by late 2027 or early 2028, meaning the rest of the missions will be further delayed.Do You Know:— The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has prepared a 4,000-page document detailing the experience of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on the Axiom-4 mission, the training that he and fellow astronaut Prashant B Nair underwent, and the learnings of the ISRO team present in the US through the mission. ISRO chairman V Narayanan said these learnings would be applied for training astronauts for India’s Gaganyaan programme.— Only three nations — the US, Russia and China — have a human spaceflight programme of their own. Shubhanshu Shukla’s flight, which came about on the back of the 2023 announcement, is thus being seen as another preparatory step ahead of the Gaganyaan mission.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:What the success of Gaganyaan could mean for Indian scienceHow a private US spaceflight will help power India’s first human mission GaganyaanPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(3) Find the incorrect statements about the Gaganyaan Mission of India. (MPSC 2020)1. Four pilots from the Indian Air Force were shortlisted to be astronauts of Gaganyaan.2. They will be trained at Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Centre in Russia.3. This mission was announced by the Prime Minister in 2014.4. It is scheduled for 2022 with a team of 5 crew members and a month-long stay in space.(a) 1, 2, 3, 4(b) 2, 3,4(c) 3, 4(d) 2, 3Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the “Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre which contributed to the successful launch from Sriharikota. (UPSC CSE 2023)THE EDITORIAL PAGEBetween India and EU, a carbon gap and an FTA bridgeSyllabus:Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisationMains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.What’s the ongoing story: Ajay Srivastava writes: From January 1, Indian steel and aluminium exports to Europe face higher costs and shrinking margins. Under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the EU will tax imports based on the carbon emissions generated during production.Key Points to Ponder:— What is the CBAM?— What is the objective of adopting CBAM by the EU?— What are India’s reservations against CBAM?— What is the status of the India-EU trade deal?— What can be the impact of the EU’s CBAM on India’s exports?— What is presented as climate action is also a tool for industrial protection and revenue generation. Analyse.Key Takeaways:— The new tax could wipe out 16-22 per cent of the actual prices received, force contract renegotiations, and weaken the presence of Indian products in the EU — a market that absorbs about 22 per cent of India’s steel and aluminium exports.— The strain is already visible. In FY2025, India exported $5.8 billion worth of steel and aluminium to the EU — 24 per cent lower than the previous year — despite no carbon tax.— The decline began after new EU rules took effect in October 2023, requiring exporters to report plant-level carbon emissions under CBAM’s transition phase. Compliance costs, data gaps, and verification hurdles forced many Indian firms to scale back exports well before CBAM formally became a tax.— CBAM extends the EU’s carbon pricing system to imports. In Europe, companies pay for their emissions under the EU Emissions Trading System. CBAM imposes a similar cost on foreign producers to prevent companies from shifting production to countries with weaker climate rules.— It covers steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity, and hydrogen, with more sectors likely to be added over time. The UK also plans to introduce a similar system. India has criticised CBAM as violating multilateral norms and called for such measures to be debated in broader international forums, not imposed by one trading bloc.— CBAM liability is calculated using two factors: The amount of carbon emissions generated during production and the EU carbon price, currently around €80 per tonne of CO2. If a country already charges companies for their emissions, the EU reduces the tax. But since India does not have a nationwide carbon tax, Indian exporters must pay the full CBAM charge unless special exemptions are agreed later.— Indian exporters do not pay the carbon tax directly at the EU border. The EU importer pays it by registering under CBAM, calculating emissions, and buying CBAM certificates. In reality, however, the cost is passed on to Indian exporters. EU buyers demand lower prices to cover the CBAM costs.— Although EU importers are required to submit CBAM certificates only in 2027 and not in 2026, this delay reflects only administrative timelines. It does not reduce the tax burden.— The numbers explain why CBAM hits so hard. Producing one tonne of steel using the coal-based Blast Furnace–Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) route emits about 2.4 tonnes of carbon. At an EU carbon price of €80, this equals €192 per tonne in CBAM costs. Buyers are unlikely to fully absorb this.— CBAM will also force the rewriting of export contracts. European buyers will likely add clauses that allow CBAM costs to be deducted from prices, demand verified plant-level data, and reopen pricing negotiations if EU carbon prices change.— Under CBAM, the EU will charge about €80 per tonne of CO2, even on imports from developing countries. By comparison, China’s carbon price is only about 10 per cent of the EU level, and India’s future price will also be much lower. While rich countries can afford higher climate costs, poorer economies cannot.— The irony is: Steel and aluminium, which account for about 10 per cent of global carbon emissions, are now the most protected sectors in the developed world. The US already imposes a 50 per cent import tariff, and the EU will soon add a new carbon tax. What is presented as climate action is also a tool for industrial protection and revenue generation.ALSO READ | Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik | How rasa, India’s aesthetic theory, explains flavours of emotions across arts— India must find a resolution for CBAM under the ongoing FTA negotiation with the EU. Domestically, India should strengthen carbon accounting frameworks and support cleaner production.— CBAM marks a structural shift in global trade, not a temporary compliance hurdle. For Indian exporters, survival in the EU market will depend on how quickly they adapt to carbon pricing, data discipline and contract restructuring. As carbon becomes a trade currency, competitiveness will increasingly be measured not just in cost, but in emission levels.EXPLAINED: As EU carbon tax kicks in, India’s metal exports face price threat— While a formal dispute has already been launched by Russia in May last year and joined by other developing nations, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned that the application of a CBAM could impact the development of poorer countries and reduce their opportunities for export-led development, particularly if countries with carbon taxes and greener production processes are exempted from the CBAM— While developed nations argue that CBAM barely extends the similar standards that the EU imposes on domestic industry to the rest of the world, developing nations have said that it violates Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) – a core principle in international environmental law recognised by the WTO.— CBDR entails that while all countries share responsibility for addressing global environmental challenges, their obligations and policy space may differ according to their levels of development, historical contributions to environmental degradation, and capacity to respond.— To tackle CBAM, Indian exporters have sought assistance from the government for compliance with CBAM, which will necessitate the use of arc furnaces, a cleaner method for iron production using steel scrap compared to blast furnaces that are commonly used in India.— They have also asked the government to seek a carve-out for MSMEs during the ongoing India-EU trade deal negotiations, which are expected to be concluded early this year. However, the EU has said that CBAM is not on the negotiating table as it is not a trade measure.Do You Know:— In India, the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) is enacted to suit a developing nation’s model as against the system in Western countries that deals with absolute emissions.— The CCTS, launched in 2023, is to create a framework for the trading of carbon credits, to facilitate the reduction of emissions in energy-intensive industries, and to support India’s climate commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:Knowledge Nugget: What is Carbon Tax and why is it important for UPSC exam?As EU eases climate trade rules under US pressure, India to press for similar reliefPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(4) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023)Statement-I: Carbon markets are likely to be one of the most widespread tools in the fight against climate change.Statement-II: Carbon markets transfer resources from the private sector to the State.Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct EXPLAINEDA shift in the climate narrative as Paris pact comes under scrutinySyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessmentWhat’s the ongoing story: It had taken less than 10 years for efforts to begin to dismantle the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The Paris Agreement, successor to the Kyoto Protocol, does not face any immediate threat of being dismantled, but its role as the global treaty to organise an effective response to climate change has come under scrutiny, as it completed 10 years in November. Questions have been raised about its ability to deliver results, its approach and architecture, and even its relevance.Key Points to Ponder:— What is the Paris Agreement?— How is it different from Kyoto protocol?— What steps have been taken by the countries to meet the Paris agreement?— What were the major outcomes of COP30?— Understand the role of developed and developing countries in tackling climate changeKey Takeaways:— The disillusionment did not begin with the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement early in 2025, though it did play an important role. Increasingly, countries, particularly in the developing world, started to realise that while the treaty placed several obligations on them, such as mandatory climate actions and submissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, it failed to deliver the enabling resources, in terms of money and technology, that it had promised.— As a result, 2025 marked the beginning of a perceptible shift in the narrative around climate change, with developing countries making a more forceful assertion of their rights and requirements. This was evident at the annual COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil.— Developing countries, led by influential large economies such as China, India, Saudi Arabia and Brazil itself, got two of their long-standing demands included in the final outcome. They also blocked any reference to a language on fossil fuel phase-out that the European Union and some other countries had pushed for.— This demonstrated a shift in power dynamics at COP30. Simply put, large developing countries could force their way through in the absence of the US. China emerged as the most crucial actor, playing a more decisive role in climate conversations. Given that it plans to start cutting its emissions, China — the world’s largest GHG emitter — could fill the leadership void created by the US.— This design of the Paris Agreement was not a result of naivete. It was built on purpose by developed countries as a way to escape from the Kyoto Protocol.— The 1994 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol had identified the countries that were primarily responsible for causing global warming through their historical emissions.— These countries, a group of about 40-odd developed nations, were made responsible for the clean-up by making targeted emission cuts. That is because, besides being the main polluters, they were also rich and capable. Other countries were asked to contribute, but no targets were assigned to them.— At the root was the famous principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC) that is the bedrock of international climate law. Though they all signed on to the Kyoto Protocol, developed countries quickly realised their folly, and began to undermine the agreement.— The US, the world’s leading emitter at that time, did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol. After a decade-long effort, developed nations managed to replace the Kyoto Protocol with the Paris Agreement. A job that was specifically assigned to a few countries in the Kyoto Protocol became a voluntary contributory task for everyone.— The experience of the Paris Agreement so far shows that when it is everyone’s responsibility, it is actually no one’s responsibility. The world is nowhere close to meeting the 2030 milestones on emissions reductions.— India spoke out first, as it is one of the countries that feels most constrained by the compulsion to control its emissions. It is home to one-sixth of humanity, with a very low per capita income. The endeavour to rapidly raise the income and prosperity of its people cannot happen without an increase in emissions.— Although, as a developing nation, India is not expected under the Paris Agreement to immediately start reducing its emissions, not doing so can have other punitive and restrictive implications. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduced by the EU to disincentivise imports of carbon-intensive products is a case in point. India said it was morally wrong to impose the same emission standards on both developing and developed countries.Do You Know:— The 30th edition of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30), the annual two-week climate talks, concluded in Belem, Brazil on 22nd November 2025. The Presidency has framed this year’s conference as the “implementation COP,”—was meant to focus less on what the world must do, rather on how to make it all happen.— The conference ended with the adoption of the Belem Political Package. However, the final statement diverged significantly from the earlier draft by removing references to a fossil fuel phase-out and instead focusing on a two-year process to negotiate climate finance, including Article 9.1 obligations. India has welcomed the key outcomes from the conference.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:Knowledge Nugget: What happened at COP30 in Brazil? 10 key takeaways for your UPSC ExamPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(5) With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE 2016)1. The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go into effect in 2017.2. The Agreement aims to limit the greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 2°C or even 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.3. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate $1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change.Select the correct answer using the code given below.(a) 1 and 3 only(b) 2 only(c) 2 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:Discuss global warming and mention its effects on the global climate. Explain the control measures to bring down the level of greenhouse gases which cause global warming, in light of the Kyoto Protocol, 1997. (UPSC CSE 2022)ALSO IN NEWSIkkis: The story of 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal & the Battle of BasantarDuring the height of the Battle of Basantar in 1971, with his tank up in flames, the young officer, all of 21 years of age and six months into service, had been ordered to abandon his tank. 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal refused, taking down one more Pakistani Patton before being hit again. He died on the battlefield.The bravery of 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal, one of the many heroes of the 1971 India-Pakistan War, will be picturised in Ikkis (21, a reference to the age at which he died in battle), starring Agastya Nanda in the lead role.AI Summit prep goal: Beat G20, officials toldWith Delhi set to host the AI Impact Summit, Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, in a recent meeting, has directed agencies to revamp areas around Bharat Mandapam, IGI Airport and major tourist hubs across the city, officials said on Thursday.The AI Impact Summit is scheduled for February 15 to 20. The main inaugural event will be held on February 19 at Bharat Mandapam.‘Acid’, ‘dirty water’, ‘foul stench’: Before Indore deaths, complaints fell on deaf ears; bureaucracy kept pipes from getting fixedSewage mixed with drinking water has led to at least eight deaths in Bhagirathpura, while more than 200 have been hospitalised as the Madhya Pradesh authorities now rush to control the damage. Prima facie, the cause appears to be a toilet built on a drinking water line with no safety tank underneath. Officially, the administration has so far linked four deaths and 212 hospitalisations to the contamimated water.But what happened in Bhagirathpura was not an unforeseen catastrophe. Municipal records, helpline data, and testimonies from residents and officials reveal how ignored warnings and stalled bureaucratic processes contributed to the incident. PRELIMS ANSWER KEY1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (b)Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for December 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com