Pragati 2026
- A joint military exercise involving 13 nations, including India and Sri Lanka, has commenced in Meghalaya.
- The joint military exercise, codenamed ‘Pragati 2026’, has begun at the Umroi Military Station in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
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- Thirteen nations—India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam—are participating in this exercise.
- The exercise is scheduled to span two weeks, focusing on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and dense forest terrains.
- The objective of this exercise is to strengthen defense ties through joint training and cultural exchange.
- ‘Pragati’ is the acronym for ‘Regional Armies’ Cooperation for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region’. The exercise is being conducted in a spirit of equality, friendship, and mutual respect.
IOS SAGAR Initiative
- Context: With the return of INS Sunayna to Kochi on May 20, 2026, the Indian Navy has successfully concluded the IOS SAGAR initiative.
About the IOS SAGAR Initiative
- IOS SAGAR is a multinational maritime initiative aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation, interoperability, and collective security within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
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- 16 friendly nations participated in this deployment: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Maldives, Mozambique, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and the United Arab Emirates.
- The initiative was conducted under the theme “One Ocean, One Mission.”
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- IOS SAGAR reflects India’s maritime vision:
- SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.
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- MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
- gislative Assembly, which comprises 234 members, there is a limit of 35 ministers.
- Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 (PCPNDT Act)
- Tamil Nadu Private Clinical Establishments (Regulation) Act, 1997
PM-KUSUM
- PM-KUSUM Scheme is a government initiative that supports farmers in installing solar power systems on farmland for self-use and selling surplus electricity to the grid, while also replacing diesel pumps with solar pumps and solarising existing grid-connected pumps.
- The main aim of the scheme is to promote clean energy in agriculture, reduce dependence on diesel, and improve farmers’ income through renewable energy generation.
- It helps farmers use solar-powered irrigation systems, making farming more eco-friendly and cost-effective, while also allowing them to earn by selling extra electricity to DISCOMs.
National Investigation Agency
- The National Investigation Agency is a special agency set up in India to investigate terrorism and related crimes.
- The headquarters of this agency is located in New Delhi.
- The agency has the power to investigate terrorism-related crimes in any part of India, without prior permission from the state governments.
- After the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, the NIA was established by the ‘National Investigation Agency Act, 2008’ enacted by the Parliament.
- Under the Police Act, 1861, the Central Government can create a special agency called the ‘National Investigation Agency’ to investigate and prosecute the crimes listed in the Schedule to the Act.
- If the Central Government so directs, this agency can also investigate crimes committed outside India.
