Daily Current Affairs - 14 & 15 September 2026
Updated: Sep 17
Today’s Top Current Affairs for UPSC: Key national and international developments explained for Prelims and Mains, with quick revision points and practice questions.
BRICS Summit 2026: Technology, Critical Minerals and the Global South
At the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi (September 12–13, 2026), technology, critical minerals, trade and resilience emerged as major themes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that the “weaponization of technology and critical minerals” could obstruct shared development, while Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a BRICS open-source AI community to deepen cooperation in large language models and other AI applications.
The summit was held under India's theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” (RICS). Modi said these four pillars guided India's 2026 BRICS presidency.
What Did the New Delhi Declaration Agree On?
The New Delhi Declaration is significant because the expanded BRICS membership reached consensus despite major geopolitical differences.
On trade, BRICS criticised trade-restrictive measures inconsistent with WTO rules and condemned unilateral coercive measures contrary to international law, including certain unilateral and secondary sanctions.
It also backed reform and restoration of a fully functioning two-tier WTO dispute-settlement system.
On terrorism, the declaration specifically condemned the April 22, 2025 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed.
It called for zero tolerance and cooperation against the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorist financing and safe havens, while rejecting double standards.
On West Asia, BRICS expressed deep concern over escalating tensions, called for maximum restraint and dialogue, and stressed protection of civilians, civilian infrastructure and safeguarded peaceful nuclear facilities.
It also emphasised maintaining global trade, supply chains and energy flows.
AI and Critical Minerals: New Areas of Strategic Competition
Weaponisation of technology broadly refers to using control over technologies, components, intellectual property, digital infrastructure or supply chains as geopolitical leverage—for example through export restrictions or denial of access.
Critical minerals have similar strategic importance because technologies such as batteries, semiconductors, renewable-energy systems and advanced electronics depend on secure mineral supply chains.
The Declaration therefore called for reliable, diversified, resilient and fair critical-mineral supply chains, while preserving countries' sovereign rights over their mineral resources.
Xi's proposal adds another dimension. China said it would pioneer a BRICS AI open-source community, support cooperation in developing and applying large language models, organise AI training and build an open AI ecosystem.
His wider five-part initiative covered open and inclusive AI, trade and investment facilitation, digital-industry cooperation, intelligent manufacturing, and science and technology cooperation.
Open-source AI generally makes important elements of an AI system—such as model weights or software code—available for others to use, study or modify, depending on the licence.
It contrasts with proprietary/closed systems, where access to underlying technology is substantially restricted.
For developing countries, greater access can lower entry barriers and support local-language and locally relevant AI.
But dependence on foreign chips, cloud infrastructure, models and standards can create new strategic vulnerabilities.
BRICS, Global South and India's Priorities
The Global South is a political-economic term broadly referring to developing and emerging countries, particularly across Asia, Africa and Latin America; it is not a precise geographical category.
India used its BRICS presidency to promote practical cooperation, including:
BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for infectious diseases,
Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework, Incubator Network,
proposed Startup Innovation Fund,
MSME Cooperation Portal and Network on Digital Agriculture using AI,
geospatial technologies and Digital Public Infrastructure.
Financial cooperation also remains incremental rather than a move towards a single BRICS currency.
The Declaration records discussions on trade settlements and investment using local currencies, subject to national priorities and with explicit recognition that there is “no one-size-fits-all approach”.
The objective is faster, cheaper, accessible and safer cross-border payments.
This captures both BRICS's opportunity and limitation: its expanded membership gives it greater economic and geopolitical weight and a stronger platform for Global South concerns, but wide differences among members' strategic interests and political relationships can make consensus and implementation difficult.
Prelims Quick Revision
18th BRICS Summit: New Delhi, September 12–13, 2026.
India's BRICS 2026 priorities: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (RICS).
New Delhi Declaration: principal leaders' declaration of the summit.
BRICS condemned the April 22, 2025 J&K terrorist attack and referred specifically to cross-border movement of terrorists, financing and safe havens.
BRICS supports diversified and resilient critical-mineral supply chains.
Xi proposed a BRICS AI open-source community and cooperation on large language models.
The Declaration emphasises accessible, safe, secure, inclusive, reliable and trustworthy AI, particularly considering the needs of the Global South.
BRICS is discussing greater use of local currencies for trade and investment, not announcing a common BRICS currency.
BRICS cooperation operates under three broad pillars: political and security; economic and financial; cultural and people-to-people cooperation.
BRICS decisions operate by consensus, making internal diversity both an important feature and a constraint.
India-China Relations and the ‘Nash Equilibrium’: Why Stability Along the LAC Remains Fragile
The recent improvement in India-China engagement has revived debate over whether the two countries have reached a “Nash equilibrium” along their disputed boundary. The term comes from game theory: a Nash equilibrium exists when no player can improve its outcome by unilaterally changing its strategy, assuming the other player's strategy remains unchanged.
Applied to India-China relations, this is an analytical argument, not an official description of bilateral ties.
The proposition is that neither India nor China can realistically achieve its maximal territorial claims through unilateral action without imposing potentially enormous military, diplomatic and economic costs on itself.
Why the Border Can Be Stable Without Being Settled
The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the line up to which India and China exercise actual control in the disputed border areas.
It is not a mutually agreed and internationally delimited final boundary, and the two sides do not share a common understanding of the LAC at all locations.
This ambiguity contributes to patrol encounters, competing perceptions and the security dilemma: infrastructure and military deployments undertaken by one side for defensive purposes may appear threatening to the other, prompting counter-deployments and further mistrust.
India and China have consequently developed a substantial border-management architecture. Agreements in 1993 and 1996 sought peace and military confidence-building along the LAC; further mechanisms followed in 2005, 2012 and 2013.
After the 2020 eastern Ladakh crisis, military and diplomatic negotiations eventually produced an October 2024 agreement on patrolling arrangements at Depsang and Demchok, which the Indian government said led to disengagement from the remaining 2020 friction points.
Why the 2005 Agreement Remains Important
The 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles remains central to understanding the boundary negotiations.
It says the two countries should seek a “package settlement” covering all sectors of the boundary and that the final settlement should be fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable.
It requires consideration of historical evidence, national sentiments, practical difficulties, strategic interests, geographical features and the interests of settled populations in border areas.
The Special Representatives mechanism, created in 2003, remains an important political channel for exploring a boundary settlement.
India and China have also used military commander-level talks and the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) to manage border problems.
Why ‘Equilibrium’ Does Not Mean Permanent Stability
The Nash-equilibrium analogy helps explain deterrence but should not be treated as proof of lasting peace.
Several developments could change each side's calculation. The eventual succession to the Dalai Lama could intensify disagreement over Tibet and religious authority.
A serious India-Pakistan conflict involving direct Chinese intervention could also transform India's security environment into a more acute two-front challenge.
Infrastructure development is another variable. Roads, bridges, tunnels, airfields and forward logistics improve mobilisation and defensive capabilities, but when both sides expand such infrastructure, each can perceive the other's improvements as reducing its own security.
Thus:
Equilibrium ≠ boundary settlement ≠ trust ≠ guaranteed peace.
The more sustainable objective is to combine credible deterrence, effective border-management mechanisms, diplomatic engagement and eventual boundary negotiations.
Prelims Quick Revision
Nash equilibrium: situation in game theory where no player benefits by unilaterally changing strategy, given the strategies of others.
Associated particularly with mathematician John Nash.
LAC: Line of Actual Control between India and China; it is not the final mutually delimited international boundary.
1962: India-China border war.
1988: Rajiv Gandhi's China visit marked an important phase of normalisation.
1993: Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the LAC.
1996: Agreement on military Confidence-Building Measures along the LAC.
2003: Special Representatives mechanism established.
2005: Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles; envisages a package settlement.
2012: WMCC established.
2013: Border Defence Cooperation Agreement.
2020: eastern Ladakh crisis seriously disrupted border peace.
October 2024: agreement on patrolling arrangements in Depsang and Demchok, followed by disengagement according to the Government of India.
CBMs are measures intended to reduce misunderstanding, accidental escalation and military confrontation.
Security dilemma: one state's attempts to increase its security can make another state feel less secure, triggering countermeasures.
The “Nash equilibrium” description is an author's analytical framework, not an India-China agreement or official government terminology.
Anganwadi Centres: Building the Foundation of India’s Human Capital
India’s Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) form the grassroots infrastructure for nutrition, maternal support and early childhood development.
Their importance has again come into focus with the 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah, launched on 9 September 2026 under the theme “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari”, emphasising community participation in improving nutrition and early childhood care.
More than 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres currently provide services to over 7.5 crore children and 1.10 crore pregnant and lactating women, according to the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
From ICDS to Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme was launched in 1975. Its Anganwadi Services have subsequently been reorganised under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, which integrates nutrition support, early childhood care and education, Anganwadi infrastructure and POSHAN Abhiyaan.
Through AWCs, eligible beneficiaries receive six major services: Supplementary Nutrition, pre-school non-formal education, nutrition and health education, immunisation, health check-ups and referral services.
Importantly, immunisation, health check-ups and referral services are delivered in convergence with the National Health Mission and public-health infrastructure, rather than independently by Anganwadi workers.
This convergence makes the Anganwadi worker a critical frontline link connecting families with nutrition, health and early-learning services.
Why Nutrition and Early Learning Must Go Together
The early years are crucial for physical growth, cognitive development and later learning. Government policy therefore treats the first 1,000 days—from conception through roughly the child's second birthday—as a critical “window of opportunity” for nutrition and development.
Maternal nutrition is consequently inseparable from child nutrition. Poor nutrition during pregnancy can affect foetal growth, while inadequate feeding, disease and poor sanitation during infancy can contribute to stunting, wasting, underweight and micronutrient deficiencies.
The Anganwadi system increasingly combines nutrition with early learning. Under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, the government has introduced Navchetna, the national framework for early childhood stimulation from birth to three years, and Aadharshila, the national curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for children aged three to six.
This is particularly important for educational equity: access to quality early stimulation and pre-school learning can help children from disadvantaged households enter formal schooling with stronger foundational abilities.
Supplementary Nutrition and Community Participation
Under Mission Poshan 2.0, supplementary nutrition is provided through Take-Home Rations (THR), morning snacks and Hot Cooked Meals (HCM).
The 2026 guidelines place greater emphasis on dietary diversity, quality protein, healthy fats and seven essential micronutrients, in accordance with revised nutrition norms under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
The 2026 Poshan Maah theme also shifts attention from merely delivering government benefits towards community ownership of Anganwadis.
Parents, Panchayati Raj institutions, self-help groups and local communities can help monitor entitlements, food quality, attendance and inclusion.
Such participation matters because the persistent challenges facing AWCs are not only nutritional.
They include variations in infrastructure and service quality, frontline-worker workload and training, effective convergence with health services, reliable growth monitoring, pre-school education quality and reaching vulnerable families.
Strengthening Anganwadis therefore represents an investment not merely in welfare delivery but in human-capital formation—linking maternal health, nutrition, early childhood development and school readiness within a single community-level institution.
Prelims Quick Revision
ICDS launched: 1975.
Anganwadi Services are now part of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
Mission Poshan 2.0 is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
Six Anganwadi services: supplementary nutrition; pre-school non-formal education; nutrition & health education; immunisation; health check-up; referral services.
The last three health-related services operate through convergence with NHM/public-health infrastructure.
POSHAN Abhiyaan: launched on 8 March 2018.
9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah: launched on 9 September 2026; theme — “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari.”
Navchetna: early stimulation framework for birth–3 years.
Aadharshila: ECCE curriculum for 3–6 years.
Supplementary nutrition includes THR, morning snacks and Hot Cooked Meals.
Nutrition norms are linked to Schedule II of the National Food Security Act, 2013.
Possible Mains Question
Anganwadi Centres are no longer merely supplementary nutrition centres but constitute the foundation of India’s early childhood development architecture. Discuss their role in improving nutrition, early learning and human-capital formation, and suggest measures to strengthen community participation in their functioning.
India-EU FTA: Steel Quotas, Cars and the CBAM Challenge
The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could significantly reshape bilateral trade in steel and automobiles.
Under the draft deal released by the European Commission, India has secured access for about 1.64 million tonnes (mt) of steel across 16 product categories, while European carmakers would receive substantially greater access to India's automobile market.
The broader FTA negotiations were concluded in January 2026.
According to the Government of India, the agreement provides preferential access across 97% of EU tariff lines, covering 99.5% of trade value, while sensitive sectors retain varying degrees of protection.
Steel: Why the 1.64 mt Quota Matters
A Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) allows a specified quantity of imports to enter at a lower or zero tariff; imports beyond the quota face a higher tariff.
It therefore differs from complete tariff elimination, where the preferential tariff applies irrespective of quantity.
According to the draft arrangement reported for steel, India's total access of around 1.64 mt comprises roughly 0.69 mt of FTA-specific quota and 0.95 mt available through an MFN component, where Indian exporters must compete with suppliers from other countries.
The quotas span several products, including higher-value categories such as metallic-coated sheets and stainless hot-rolled quarto plates.
This matters because Indian steel exporters now face not only conventional tariffs and quotas but also the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
CBAM entered its definitive phase on 1 January 2026 and covers carbon-intensive sectors including iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen.
EU importers must account for embedded emissions and surrender CBAM certificates whose price is linked to the EU Emissions Trading System.
For India, this strengthens the case for moving from relatively carbon-intensive commodity steel towards cleaner and higher-value-added products.
Investment in energy efficiency, renewable electricity, low-carbon production technologies and reliable emissions measurement could increasingly determine competitiveness in European markets.
European Cars: Liberalisation Through Quotas
Automobiles illustrate India's calibrated approach to tariff liberalisation rather than unrestricted market opening.
According to the draft terms reported, the EU would initially receive a TRQ of 100,000 completely built-up internal-combustion and non-plug-in hybrid cars, rising to 160,000 by the tenth year. For comparison, India reportedly imported only 17,191 cars from the EU in 2025, meaning the initial quota is almost six times that level.
Concessions for battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and other eligible technologies would begin only in the fifth year and apply to vehicles priced at €20,000 or above.
The reported quota begins at 20,000 vehicles, rises to 50,000 in year 10 and 90,000 from year 14.
Such phased liberalisation attempts to balance competing objectives: consumers gain greater choice and competition, European manufacturers obtain market access, while India's domestic automobile and EV industries receive time to adjust.
The government's broader assessment is that quota-based automobile liberalisation could also encourage European companies to manufacture in India and export from India, while reciprocal access creates opportunities for Indian-made vehicles in Europe.
Why the FTA Matters for Indian Manufacturing
An FTA is an agreement under which participating economies reduce or eliminate trade barriers on substantially all trade between them, while retaining their own trade policies towards non-members.
The India-EU agreement could deepen India's participation in Global Value Chains (GVCs) by reducing the cost of accessing European markets and encouraging investment, technology transfer and integration of Indian suppliers with European production networks.
Government estimates indicate particularly strong opportunities for labour-intensive industries such as textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, marine products, engineering goods and gems and jewellery.
However, greater market access will not automatically translate into exports: Indian producers must increasingly meet European standards on quality, sustainability, product safety and carbon emissions.
The steel-CBAM interaction illustrates this new generation of trade policy particularly well: market access increasingly depends not only on tariffs, but also on environmental standards and regulatory compliance.
Prelims Quick Revision
FTA: agreement providing preferential trade liberalisation among participating economies.
TRQ: lower/zero tariff applies up to a specified import quantity; a higher tariff applies beyond it.
MFN: Most-Favoured-Nation principle under the WTO framework generally requires equal trade treatment among WTO members, subject to permitted exceptions such as FTAs.
India has reportedly secured about 1.64 mt of steel access across 16 categories under the draft India-EU arrangement.
Of this, about 0.69 mt is FTA-specific, while around 0.95 mt is through an MFN component in which India competes with other exporters.
CBAM definitive regime: operational from 1 January 2026.
CBAM initially covers iron & steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen.
CBAM certificate prices are linked to EU ETS allowance prices.
India-EU FTA negotiations were concluded in January 2026.
TRQs allow governments to liberalise sensitive sectors gradually instead of immediately eliminating all protection.
Possible Mains Question
The India-EU Free Trade Agreement demonstrates that contemporary trade agreements extend beyond tariff reduction to questions of climate regulation, technology and global value chains. Examine with particular reference to steel, automobiles and the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
BRICS New Delhi Declaration: Fossil Fuels, Energy Security and Opposition to Carbon Border Measures
The New Delhi Declaration, adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12, 2026, placed energy security alongside climate action, arguing that countries need different pathways to decarbonisation depending on their development needs and national circumstances.
The declaration supports a just, orderly, equitable and inclusive energy transition, while recognising a continuing role for a diversified energy mix that includes renewables, nuclear power, hydropower, hydrogen, bioenergy and fossil fuels.
This position is particularly relevant to developing economies such as India, where rapidly growing electricity demand, industrialisation and universal access to affordable energy must be pursued alongside emissions reduction.
Why BRICS Still Recognises a Role for Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels—primarily coal, petroleum and natural gas—are carbon-rich energy sources formed from ancient organic matter. Their combustion is a major source of anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions.
BRICS does not reject the energy transition. Rather, the New Delhi Declaration argues for nationally determined pathways based on different circumstances, capabilities and development priorities.
It recognises a wide range of technologies and sources—including renewables, fossil fuels, nuclear energy, hydropower, hydrogen, low-carbon technologies and energy storage—as relevant to achieving energy security and the Sustainable Development Goals.
This reflects the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC): climate change is a shared challenge, but countries have different historical responsibilities and different financial and technological capacities to address it.
The BRICS position also stresses affordable finance, technology and support for developing economies.
Earlier in 2026, BRICS Energy Ministers similarly recognised that developing countries require adequate time, resources and policy space while pursuing sustainable development.
Why BRICS Opposes Carbon Border Measures
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) seeks to put a carbon price on the embedded emissions of certain carbon-intensive goods imported into the European Union.
Its definitive regime began in 2026.
The EU's rationale is to reduce carbon leakage—a situation in which production relocates to countries with weaker carbon constraints or EU consumers substitute imports produced under less stringent carbon-pricing regimes.
For India and other developing economies, however, CBAM raises concerns about trade competitiveness, equity and policy space.
Carbon-intensive exports such as iron and steel can face additional costs in the European market, while developing countries may have fewer financial and technological resources to rapidly decarbonise production.
The New Delhi Declaration consequently opposed what it described as unilateral, punitive, discriminatory or protectionist measures inconsistent with international law and expressed concern about unilateral carbon-border measures.
The dispute therefore reflects a larger question in global climate governance: how should the world prevent carbon leakage without transferring a disproportionate share of transition costs to developing countries?
Balancing Climate Action With Energy Security
The BRICS position should not be interpreted as arguing for unrestricted fossil-fuel dependence. The Declaration simultaneously reaffirms climate commitments and emphasises energy efficiency, renewable energy, cleaner technologies, smart grids, storage and diversified energy systems.
For developing countries, an effective transition therefore involves expanding renewables and grids, improving storage, reducing energy intensity, developing cleaner industrial technologies and gradually reducing dependence on high-carbon fuels—while maintaining reliable and affordable energy.
This approach is described as a just transition because the costs and benefits of decarbonisation must account for workers, vulnerable households, energy access and differing national capabilities.
The core BRICS argument is thus not fossil fuels versus climate action, but that the pace and composition of the transition should reflect energy security, developmental requirements, equity and CBDR-RC.
Prelims Quick Revision
Fossil fuels: primarily coal, petroleum and natural gas.
18th BRICS Summit: New Delhi, September 12–13, 2026.
BRICS supports just, orderly, equitable and inclusive energy transitions.
BRICS recognises the importance of balanced and diversified energy mixes based on national circumstances.
CBAM: EU mechanism applying a carbon price to embedded emissions in specified imported goods.
Carbon leakage: relocation/diversion of carbon-intensive production because of differences in climate policies or carbon costs.
CBDR-RC: Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities.
CBDR-RC is an important principle under the UNFCCC climate regime.
Just transition: transition towards lower-carbon development while considering workers, communities, affordability and developmental needs.
BRICS energy cooperation also covers renewables, nuclear energy, hydrogen, bioenergy, storage, smart grids and low-carbon technologies, not only fossil fuels.
Copper Prices Surge: Why the Red Metal Is Becoming Strategically Important
Global copper prices have surged to record levels in 2026, with the rally reflecting more than expectations of stronger economic growth. According to the report, three-month copper futures on the London Metal Exchange (LME) touched $14,708 per tonne on September 8, 2026.
A major immediate factor is concern that prospective US tariffs on refined copper could alter trade flows and tighten inventories in markets outside the United States.
The broader trend is structural. The International Energy Agency (IEA) notes that copper prices reached record highs amid tight supply conditions, while its 2026 outlook projects that announced projects may still leave a roughly 25% copper supply gap in 2035 under its stated-policies scenario.
Why Copper Is Called ‘Dr Copper’
Copper combines high electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance and ductility, making it indispensable to electricity networks, buildings, industrial machinery, electronics and transportation.
Electrification is making it even more strategically important. EVs, renewable-energy systems, transmission networks, charging infrastructure and data centres require substantial quantities of copper.
The IEA projects copper to record the largest absolute volume growth among key energy minerals, adding around 7 million tonnes of demand by 2040.
Copper is therefore sometimes called “Dr Copper” because its widespread industrial use can make its price a rough indicator of economic activity.
Rising prices can accompany stronger manufacturing and construction demand.
However, the relationship is not automatic. Prices can also rise because of supply disruptions, tariffs, inventory movements, currency changes or financial speculation.
The present rally illustrates this limitation: higher copper prices need not mean that the global economy itself is accelerating.
Tariffs, Trade Diversion and the Current Price Rally
The US-China trade environment has added a geopolitical dimension to copper markets.
The report notes that the United States had already imposed a 50% tariff on certain semi-finished copper products and copper-intensive derivative products, while refined copper remained exempt.
Expectations of possible future restrictions on refined copper can encourage traders to move metal towards the US before new measures take effect.
Such movements can create regional inventory imbalances.
In other words, copper prices may rise even when the underlying global growth outlook remains uncertain.
Longer-term supply constraints reinforce the pressure. Copper mines face declining ore grades, high capital requirements and long development periods.
The IEA's 2026 assessment therefore expects supply deficits to persist through 2035 despite improvement in the project pipeline.
From Copper Ore to Refined Copper
The copper value chain is important for Prelims:
Copper ore → Copper concentrate → Smelting → Anode copper → Refining → Copper cathode → Wires, rods, sheets and other products
Copper ore is naturally occurring rock containing copper minerals and substantial unwanted material. After crushing, grinding and beneficiation, the copper content is concentrated to produce copper concentrate. Further smelting and refining eventually produces high-purity refined copper, commonly in cathode form.
India's vulnerability lies particularly upstream. The Ministry of Mines' Copper Vision Document says about 90% of India's copper-concentrate requirement was met through imports in FY2024, with this dependence projected to reach around 95% by FY2030. In 2023, Indonesia, Chile, Peru and Panama together accounted for roughly three-quarters of India's concentrate imports.
Securing copper therefore requires a combination of domestic exploration and mining, diversified overseas sourcing, recycling and urban mining, efficient material use, overseas mineral partnerships and adequate domestic processing capacity.
Prelims Quick Revision
Copper symbol: Cu; atomic number 29.
Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat and is highly ductile and corrosion-resistant.
Major uses: power grids, electrical equipment, construction, electronics, transport, EVs, renewable energy and data centres.
LME: London Metal Exchange, an important global market for base-metal trading and price discovery.
Copper's broad industrial use gives rise to the nickname “Dr Copper”, but its price is not a perfect economic indicator.
Ore ≠ concentrate ≠ refined copper; they represent different stages of the copper value chain.
India depends heavily on imported copper concentrate for primary copper production.
Hindustan Copper Limited is India's vertically integrated public-sector copper producer and the country's principal domestic copper-ore miner.
The IEA's latest 2026 outlook projects a roughly 25% gap between expected copper supply and primary supply requirements in 2035 under its stated-policies scenario.
Supply security is increasingly important because copper sits at the intersection of energy transition, industrial policy and geopolitics.
Possible Mains Question
Copper is increasingly becoming a strategic resource rather than merely an industrial commodity. Discuss in the context of the global energy transition, geopolitical trade tensions and India's dependence on imported copper concentrate.
Saudi East-West Oil Pipeline Shutdown: Why It Matters for India
Saudi Arabia's temporary shutdown of its East-West crude oil pipeline, or Petroline, after reported attacks has created another vulnerability in global energy supplies at a time when West Asian shipping routes are already under severe pressure.
The pipeline is strategically important because it allows Saudi crude to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, carrying oil from the kingdom's eastern producing region to Yanbu on the Red Sea.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) identifies the East-West pipeline as one of the principal alternatives to Hormuz.
It runs from the Abqaiq oil-processing centre to Yanbu and has a normal capacity of around 5 million barrels per day (b/d), with capacity temporarily expanded to about 7 million b/d in 2019.
Why Petroline and the Maritime Chokepoints Matter
The geography explains the strategic importance.
Persian Gulf → Strait of Hormuz → Gulf of Oman → Arabian Sea
is the conventional route for much of the Gulf's petroleum exports. The East-West pipeline instead moves Saudi crude overland from Abqaiq to Yanbu on the Red Sea, reducing dependence on Hormuz.
Historically, Hormuz has been the world's most important oil chokepoint. EIA data show that around 20.9 million b/d of oil passed through it in the first half of 2025, while approximately 89% of crude oil and condensate transiting Hormuz went to Asian markets.
China, India, Japan and South Korea were the largest destinations.
However, Yanbu does not eliminate all maritime risks.
Tankers carrying oil from the Red Sea towards Asian markets generally have to pass through the Bab el-Mandeb, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea.
For Europe-bound cargoes, the Red Sea also provides access towards the Suez Canal/SUMED system.
Mayun (Perim) Island, located in the Bab el-Mandeb, is therefore strategically significant because of its position within this narrow maritime gateway.
Houthis and the Red Sea Security Problem
The Houthis, or Ansar Allah, are a Yemen-based armed movement that controls significant territory in Yemen.
They have received support from Iran and are commonly associated with Iran's broader network of regional partners, although they retain their own political and military objectives.
Houthi attacks on commercial shipping since late 2023 demonstrated the vulnerability of the Bab el-Mandeb.
Shipping companies diverted vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing voyage times, freight costs and insurance expenses.
EIA estimates show Bab el-Mandeb oil flows fell from about 9.3 million b/d in 2023 to 4.1 million b/d in 2024.
The reported 2026 developments involving the Houthis and Mayun Island therefore matter because risks to Hormuz + Petroline + Bab el-Mandeb can constrain several alternative routes simultaneously.
Why India Is Particularly Vulnerable
India's vulnerability comes primarily from its high dependence on imported crude oil.
A prolonged disruption does not necessarily mean India will physically run out of crude: Indian refiners source oil from a diversified range of countries and can seek replacement barrels.
The more immediate problem is price.
If Saudi supply through Yanbu becomes constrained, refiners may have to compete for alternative crude.
Simultaneous insecurity around major West Asian routes can also raise tanker freight and insurance costs.
An oil-price shock then moves through the Indian economy:
Higher crude prices → larger import bill → pressure on trade/current account → possible rupee pressure → higher fuel and transportation costs → wider inflationary pressures.
This is why an international oil shock is sometimes described as an external tax on the Indian economy: India pays more abroad for essentially the same energy requirement.
Long-term resilience therefore requires diversified suppliers and routes, adequate Strategic Petroleum Reserves, higher domestic production where viable, refinery flexibility, renewable-energy expansion, electrification and greater energy efficiency.
Prelims Quick Revision
East-West Pipeline/Petroline: Saudi Arabian crude-oil pipeline operated by Saudi Aramco.
Route: Abqaiq → Yanbu on the Red Sea.
Normal capacity: approximately 5 million barrels/day.
Its strategic purpose includes providing a route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.
Strait of Hormuz: between Iran and Oman; links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman/Arabian Sea.
About 20.9 million b/d of oil passed through Hormuz in 1H2025.
Bab el-Mandeb: between Yemen and the Horn of Africa (Djibouti/Eritrea); connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea.
Mayun/Perim Island: strategically located in the Bab el-Mandeb.
Houthis/Ansar Allah: Yemen-based armed movement supported by Iran.
Suez Canal: connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean.
Cape of Good Hope: major alternative route when Red Sea/Suez transit is disrupted, but entails longer voyages and higher costs.
India is particularly exposed to international oil shocks because of its high crude-import dependence.
Ramanathaswamy Temple: The Cultural Backdrop of the BRICS Summit 2026
The Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu came into focus after its famous pillared corridor was used as a cultural backdrop at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. Beyond its contemporary diplomatic symbolism, the temple is important for UPSC because it connects religion, architecture, the Ramayana tradition and the political history of southern India.
Located on Rameswaram Island in Ramanathapuram district, the temple is dedicated to Shiva as Ramanathaswamy and is revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples.
The Ramanathapuram district administration also describes the site as representing a confluence of Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.
History and Architecture of Ramanathaswamy Temple
The present temple complex is the product of construction and expansion over several centuries rather than the work of a single ruler.
The Tamil Nadu government's Ramanathapuram district account states that construction of the grand temple began under Sethupathi Maravar rulers from around the 12th century, with subsequent rulers contributing to its development.
The wider region itself passed through the influence of the Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagara-Nayaks and later the Sethupathis of Ramanathapuram.
Its most celebrated architectural feature is the extensive pillared corridor, particularly the Third Corridor.
The district administration records dimensions of approximately 197 metres east-west and 133 metres north-south and describes it as the longest such corridor in Asia.
The temple also has a prominent 38-metre gopuram and elaborately carved pillars, characteristic of the monumental temple-building traditions of southern India.
Ramayana Tradition and Religious Significance
According to the religious tradition associated with Rameswaram, Rama worshipped Shiva here following his campaign in Lanka.
Local tradition holds that Hanuman was sent to obtain a lingam for worship. When his return was delayed, Sita fashioned a lingam, which became the principal Ramanathaswamy lingam; another lingam associated with Hanuman was subsequently installed nearby.
These accounts belong to the temple's religious and local traditions and should be understood as such rather than as independently established historical events.
Another important feature is the temple's association with 22 sacred theerthams, or holy water bodies/wells, where ritual bathing forms part of the pilgrimage tradition.
Nearby Agni Theertham, on the seashore in front of the temple, is also regarded as sacred.
Rameswaram's location gives it additional cultural importance: it lies close to the Indian coastline facing Sri Lanka and is strongly associated in tradition with the Ramayana's Lanka narrative and Rama Setu.
Cultural Heritage as an Instrument of Diplomacy
Using Ramanathaswamy Temple imagery at the BRICS Summit illustrates the role of cultural diplomacy—the use of a country's heritage, traditions, art and civilisational narratives to communicate its identity internationally.
For India, such symbolism can complement conventional diplomacy by presenting the country not only as a contemporary economic and geopolitical actor but also as a civilisation with a diverse historical and cultural inheritance.
For UPSC, however, the more important takeaway is the temple itself: its location, Jyotirlinga status, association with Shaivism and the Ramayana tradition, long corridors and connections with the historical rulers of the Tamil region.
Prelims Quick Revision
Ramanathaswamy Temple: Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu.
Principal deity: Shiva (Ramanathaswamy).
It is counted among the 12 Jyotirlinga temples.
Closely associated with the Ramayana tradition and Rama's worship of Shiva.
Represents an important meeting point of Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.
Famous for its monumental pillared corridors.
Third Corridor: approximately 197 m east-west and 133 m north-south.
Temple complex developed through contributions made over several centuries.
The region historically came under the Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagara-Nayaks and Sethupathis.
The temple is associated with 22 sacred theerthams.
Swami Vivekananda is recorded as having offered prayers at the temple in 1897.
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