Article 44 (DPSP) directs the State to endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code; Uttarakhand became the first state after Independence to implement a UCC (27 Jan 2025), covering marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships while Scheduled Tribes are exempt; in 2026, Gujarat also passed a UCC Bill.
Current context: Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that UCC would be introduced in all BJP-led NDA-ruled states before 2029 - this is a political commitment/statement, not a nationwide legal deadline.
Interlink: https://t.me/bpscweb/43808
Interlink: https://t.me/bpscweb/41800
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Current context: Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that UCC would be introduced in all BJP-led NDA-ruled states before 2029 - this is a political commitment/statement, not a nationwide legal deadline.
Interlink: https://t.me/bpscweb/43808
Interlink: https://t.me/bpscweb/41800
#CA2026
🕸️BPSC WEB🕸️
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BRICS Summit 2026: India’s Chairship
1. Context
1. 18th BRICS Summit will be hosted by India in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026.
2. 2026 BRICS Chair: India; theme - “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
3. India seeks to make BRICS more practical, inclusive, development-oriented and implementation-focused, with emphasis on tangible outcomes rather than declarations.
2. BRICS: Evolution & Expansion
1. Began as BRIC; first BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2006; first summit- Yekaterinburg, Russia (2009).
2. South Africa joined in 2011, converting BRIC into BRICS.
3. Major recent expansion brought Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE into the grouping, followed by Indonesia in January 2025. (Group of 11 members presently)
4. Expansion has increased BRICS’ economic and diplomatic weight but also created challenges of greater diversity of foreign-policy priorities and regional interests.
3. India’s Four-Pillar Approach
R-I-C-S:
1. Resilience: strengthen economies and institutions against supply-chain disruptions, climate risks, health emergencies and geopolitical shocks.
2. Innovation: AI, fintech, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and data-driven systems.
3. Cooperation: trade, development finance, policy coordination and institutional cooperation.
4. Sustainability: climate action, green finance, energy transition and sustainable development.
4. Economic & Trade Agenda
1. Focus on strengthening the multilateral trading system with WTO at its core, MSME internationalisation and global value chains.
2. Proposed BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal to connect businesses, technology centres, financial institutions, training organisations and policymakers.
3. BRICS Incubator Network: link start-up incubators and facilitate access to partners and opportunities across BRICS economies.
4. India has proposed a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to support financing for early- and growth-stage start-ups.
5. Global Value Chains Action Plan 2026–2030: seeks resilient, efficient and diversified value chains with better market access and investment opportunities.
5. Agriculture & Food Security
1. Proposed BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture - cooperation in AI, geospatial technologies, DPI and data-driven agricultural solutions.
2. Global Forum on Farmers’ Rights in Seed Systems: dialogue on farmers’ rights, traditional knowledge and seed systems.
3. Proposed BRICS AGRIN – Agro-Inputs, Genetic Resources and Information Network for cooperation in seeds, agricultural inputs and genetic resources.
4. Significance: shifts BRICS agricultural cooperation from government-level engagement towards farmer-centric and technology-driven cooperation.
6. Health Cooperation
1. Focus areas include universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness, digital health, affordable medicines, vaccines and medical technologies.
2. Proposed mechanisms for mental-wellness cooperation, coordinated through NIMHANS, can broaden BRICS health cooperation beyond infectious diseases.
7. Energy & Climate
1. Cooperation covers renewable energy, hydrogen, biofuels, energy storage, critical minerals, carbon-capture technologies, energy efficiency and digitalisation.
2. BRICS Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage, Gurugram - intended to facilitate knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and pilot projects.
3. BRICS Voluntary Principles for Climate-Resilient Urban Infrastructure: integrate climate/disaster risks into urban planning, investment, construction and maintenance.
4. Proposed BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network and BRICS Urban Mobility Hub for sustainable urban development, training and pilot projects.
8. Digital & Technology Agenda
1. Digital cooperation cuts across the 2026 agenda - DPI, AI, digital agriculture, digital health, smart grids, digitally delivered services and digital skilling.
2. Proposed BRICS Digital Public Infrastructure Repository for knowledge-sharing and pilot projects involving DPI.
3.
1. Context
1. 18th BRICS Summit will be hosted by India in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026.
2. 2026 BRICS Chair: India; theme - “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
3. India seeks to make BRICS more practical, inclusive, development-oriented and implementation-focused, with emphasis on tangible outcomes rather than declarations.
2. BRICS: Evolution & Expansion
1. Began as BRIC; first BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2006; first summit- Yekaterinburg, Russia (2009).
2. South Africa joined in 2011, converting BRIC into BRICS.
3. Major recent expansion brought Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE into the grouping, followed by Indonesia in January 2025. (Group of 11 members presently)
4. Expansion has increased BRICS’ economic and diplomatic weight but also created challenges of greater diversity of foreign-policy priorities and regional interests.
3. India’s Four-Pillar Approach
R-I-C-S:
1. Resilience: strengthen economies and institutions against supply-chain disruptions, climate risks, health emergencies and geopolitical shocks.
2. Innovation: AI, fintech, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and data-driven systems.
3. Cooperation: trade, development finance, policy coordination and institutional cooperation.
4. Sustainability: climate action, green finance, energy transition and sustainable development.
4. Economic & Trade Agenda
1. Focus on strengthening the multilateral trading system with WTO at its core, MSME internationalisation and global value chains.
2. Proposed BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal to connect businesses, technology centres, financial institutions, training organisations and policymakers.
3. BRICS Incubator Network: link start-up incubators and facilitate access to partners and opportunities across BRICS economies.
4. India has proposed a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to support financing for early- and growth-stage start-ups.
5. Global Value Chains Action Plan 2026–2030: seeks resilient, efficient and diversified value chains with better market access and investment opportunities.
5. Agriculture & Food Security
1. Proposed BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture - cooperation in AI, geospatial technologies, DPI and data-driven agricultural solutions.
2. Global Forum on Farmers’ Rights in Seed Systems: dialogue on farmers’ rights, traditional knowledge and seed systems.
3. Proposed BRICS AGRIN – Agro-Inputs, Genetic Resources and Information Network for cooperation in seeds, agricultural inputs and genetic resources.
4. Significance: shifts BRICS agricultural cooperation from government-level engagement towards farmer-centric and technology-driven cooperation.
6. Health Cooperation
1. Focus areas include universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness, digital health, affordable medicines, vaccines and medical technologies.
2. Proposed mechanisms for mental-wellness cooperation, coordinated through NIMHANS, can broaden BRICS health cooperation beyond infectious diseases.
7. Energy & Climate
1. Cooperation covers renewable energy, hydrogen, biofuels, energy storage, critical minerals, carbon-capture technologies, energy efficiency and digitalisation.
2. BRICS Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage, Gurugram - intended to facilitate knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and pilot projects.
3. BRICS Voluntary Principles for Climate-Resilient Urban Infrastructure: integrate climate/disaster risks into urban planning, investment, construction and maintenance.
4. Proposed BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network and BRICS Urban Mobility Hub for sustainable urban development, training and pilot projects.
8. Digital & Technology Agenda
1. Digital cooperation cuts across the 2026 agenda - DPI, AI, digital agriculture, digital health, smart grids, digitally delivered services and digital skilling.
2. Proposed BRICS Digital Public Infrastructure Repository for knowledge-sharing and pilot projects involving DPI.
3.
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Core idea: use technology as an instrument for inclusive development and South-South cooperation, rather than treating digital cooperation as a separate sector.
9. Logistics & Global Value Chains
1. BRICS Logistics Supply-Chain Cooperation Framework: improve resilience and sustainability of transport and logistics systems.
2. Global Value Chains Action Plan 2026–2030: promote diversification and greater intra-BRICS cooperation.
3. Particularly relevant amid geopolitical disruptions, protectionism and vulnerabilities exposed in global supply chains.
10. Skills & People-to-People Cooperation
BRICS CONNECT envisages cooperation in capacity-building, new skills and labour-market preparedness, alongside academic, faculty and traditional-knowledge exchanges.
11. Core Challenge for India
The central challenge is converting an increasingly diverse 11-member BRICS into a consensus-based platform capable of producing implementable outcomes despite differences among members on geopolitical and economic issues.
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9. Logistics & Global Value Chains
1. BRICS Logistics Supply-Chain Cooperation Framework: improve resilience and sustainability of transport and logistics systems.
2. Global Value Chains Action Plan 2026–2030: promote diversification and greater intra-BRICS cooperation.
3. Particularly relevant amid geopolitical disruptions, protectionism and vulnerabilities exposed in global supply chains.
10. Skills & People-to-People Cooperation
BRICS CONNECT envisages cooperation in capacity-building, new skills and labour-market preparedness, alongside academic, faculty and traditional-knowledge exchanges.
11. Core Challenge for India
The central challenge is converting an increasingly diverse 11-member BRICS into a consensus-based platform capable of producing implementable outcomes despite differences among members on geopolitical and economic issues.
#CA2026
#SUMMIT
#GS1mains
BRICS: New AI, Trade & Financial Initiatives
1. China’s Open-Source AI Initiative:
1. China proposed to lead creation of a BRICS AI open-source community and open AI ecosystem.
2. Focus: cooperation in developing and applying Large Language Models (LLMs), specialised AI seminars, training and capacity building.
3. It follows China’s World AI Cooperation Organisation initiative aimed at wider international AI cooperation.
4. China’s approach contrasts with the relatively closed/proprietary models of major US developers, while promoting open-source and inclusive AI.
2. Five Trade & Technology Proposals by China:
1. Trade and Investment Facilitation Initiative.
2. Digital Industry Cooperation Initiative.
3. Intelligent Manufacturing Cooperation Initiative.
4. Science & Technology Talent Initiative.
5. AI cooperation/open-source ecosystem.
3. Other Key Proposals
1. BRICS Special Economic Zone Partnership: intelligent portal, coordinated policies and greater trade/investment cooperation.
2. BRICS Forum on Trade in Services: proposed for the following year to identify new drivers of economic and trade cooperation.
3. BRICS Digital Ecosystem Cloud Platform: digital-skills training, technological exchanges and industrial cooperation.
4. Intelligent Manufacturing Initiative: cooperation on smart factories, standards, manufacturing transformation and upgrading.
5. BRICS Engineer Cultivation Alliance: talent development and mutual recognition of standards.
#CA2026
#GS1mains
#SUMMIT
1. China’s Open-Source AI Initiative:
1. China proposed to lead creation of a BRICS AI open-source community and open AI ecosystem.
2. Focus: cooperation in developing and applying Large Language Models (LLMs), specialised AI seminars, training and capacity building.
3. It follows China’s World AI Cooperation Organisation initiative aimed at wider international AI cooperation.
4. China’s approach contrasts with the relatively closed/proprietary models of major US developers, while promoting open-source and inclusive AI.
2. Five Trade & Technology Proposals by China:
1. Trade and Investment Facilitation Initiative.
2. Digital Industry Cooperation Initiative.
3. Intelligent Manufacturing Cooperation Initiative.
4. Science & Technology Talent Initiative.
5. AI cooperation/open-source ecosystem.
3. Other Key Proposals
1. BRICS Special Economic Zone Partnership: intelligent portal, coordinated policies and greater trade/investment cooperation.
2. BRICS Forum on Trade in Services: proposed for the following year to identify new drivers of economic and trade cooperation.
3. BRICS Digital Ecosystem Cloud Platform: digital-skills training, technological exchanges and industrial cooperation.
4. Intelligent Manufacturing Initiative: cooperation on smart factories, standards, manufacturing transformation and upgrading.
5. BRICS Engineer Cultivation Alliance: talent development and mutual recognition of standards.
#CA2026
#GS1mains
#SUMMIT
❤2
BRICS: Russia’s New Proposals
1. BRICS Insurance Mechanism: Russia proposed a new insurance mechanism for BRICS members to facilitate trade/projects and reduce vulnerability to external financial and insurance restrictions.
2. BRICS Grain Market: Russia proposed a collaborative grain-market initiative among BRICS members, aimed at strengthening agricultural trade and food security.
3. Context: Proposals came amid Western sanctions restricting insurance services for vessels transporting Russian energy, highlighting the importance of alternative financial and trade mechanisms.
Takeaway: The Insurance Mechanism and Grain Market are Russian proposals; they should not be confused with existing fully operational BRICS institutions.
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#SUMMIT
1. BRICS Insurance Mechanism: Russia proposed a new insurance mechanism for BRICS members to facilitate trade/projects and reduce vulnerability to external financial and insurance restrictions.
2. BRICS Grain Market: Russia proposed a collaborative grain-market initiative among BRICS members, aimed at strengthening agricultural trade and food security.
3. Context: Proposals came amid Western sanctions restricting insurance services for vessels transporting Russian energy, highlighting the importance of alternative financial and trade mechanisms.
Takeaway: The Insurance Mechanism and Grain Market are Russian proposals; they should not be confused with existing fully operational BRICS institutions.
#GS1mains
#CA2026
#SUMMIT
BRICS CONNECT
1. Full form: BRICS Cooperation Network for Capacity Building, Employability and New Skills and Technologies.
2. Adopted: July 2026, under the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ framework.
3. Purpose: Technical cooperation and knowledge exchange on jobs, skills and social security.
4. Four focus areas: Social security; female labour-force participation; employability & skills mapping; technology for workers’ well-being.
5. It complements the BRICS Virtual Liaison Office, which facilitates cooperation and knowledge-sharing on social security.
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#GS1mains
#SUMMIT
1. Full form: BRICS Cooperation Network for Capacity Building, Employability and New Skills and Technologies.
2. Adopted: July 2026, under the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ framework.
3. Purpose: Technical cooperation and knowledge exchange on jobs, skills and social security.
4. Four focus areas: Social security; female labour-force participation; employability & skills mapping; technology for workers’ well-being.
5. It complements the BRICS Virtual Liaison Office, which facilitates cooperation and knowledge-sharing on social security.
#CA2026
#GS1mains
#SUMMIT
❤1
BRICS at 20: Why it Matters for the Global South
Context: The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026, marking two decades of BRICS cooperation. India’s chairship emphasised resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability and a stronger voice for the Global South.
Significance of BRICS
1. Voice of Global South: Provides emerging and developing economies greater space in global governance and seeks more representative multilateral institutions.
2. Changing global economic weight: The 11 BRICS members account for about 49.5% of world population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade, reflecting the shift towards a more multipolar economic order.
3. Alternative development architecture: Institutions such as the New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) broaden development-finance and financial-safety-net options rather than relying exclusively on Western-led institutions.
4. Pragmatic cooperation despite differences: BRICS does not require complete political or strategic convergence; members can cooperate on development, finance, energy, technology and sustainability while managing bilateral disagreements.
5. Strategic autonomy: Its diversity enables countries to pursue cooperation without necessarily becoming part of a military or ideological bloc; BRICS cooperation formally spans political-security, economic-financial and people-to-people pillars.
Key Challenges
1. Internal contradictions: India–China differences and divergent geopolitical interests among members can constrain consensus.
2. Economic asymmetry: China’s substantially larger economic weight can create concerns over disproportionate influence within the grouping.
3. Institutional limitations: BRICS remains a relatively flexible grouping; translating summit declarations into sustained implementation is a continuing challenge.
4. Western scepticism: BRICS is often viewed through the prism of whether it challenges’ the Western-led international order, whereas its members also emphasise reform of existing multilateral institutions.
Way Forward
Strengthen NDB and financial cooperation —> expand practical cooperation in technology, energy and resilient supply chains —> develop mechanisms to manage intra-BRICS differences —> pursue UN and global financial-governance reforms —> maintain BRICS as a development-oriented platform rather than a confrontational bloc.
Conclusion: BRICS’ long-term relevance will depend less on becoming an “anti-West” coalition and more on whether it can convert the growing economic weight of the Global South into effective, inclusive and development-oriented multilateralism.
#GS1mains
Context: The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026, marking two decades of BRICS cooperation. India’s chairship emphasised resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability and a stronger voice for the Global South.
Significance of BRICS
1. Voice of Global South: Provides emerging and developing economies greater space in global governance and seeks more representative multilateral institutions.
2. Changing global economic weight: The 11 BRICS members account for about 49.5% of world population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade, reflecting the shift towards a more multipolar economic order.
3. Alternative development architecture: Institutions such as the New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) broaden development-finance and financial-safety-net options rather than relying exclusively on Western-led institutions.
4. Pragmatic cooperation despite differences: BRICS does not require complete political or strategic convergence; members can cooperate on development, finance, energy, technology and sustainability while managing bilateral disagreements.
5. Strategic autonomy: Its diversity enables countries to pursue cooperation without necessarily becoming part of a military or ideological bloc; BRICS cooperation formally spans political-security, economic-financial and people-to-people pillars.
Key Challenges
1. Internal contradictions: India–China differences and divergent geopolitical interests among members can constrain consensus.
2. Economic asymmetry: China’s substantially larger economic weight can create concerns over disproportionate influence within the grouping.
3. Institutional limitations: BRICS remains a relatively flexible grouping; translating summit declarations into sustained implementation is a continuing challenge.
4. Western scepticism: BRICS is often viewed through the prism of whether it challenges’ the Western-led international order, whereas its members also emphasise reform of existing multilateral institutions.
Way Forward
Strengthen NDB and financial cooperation —> expand practical cooperation in technology, energy and resilient supply chains —> develop mechanisms to manage intra-BRICS differences —> pursue UN and global financial-governance reforms —> maintain BRICS as a development-oriented platform rather than a confrontational bloc.
Conclusion: BRICS’ long-term relevance will depend less on becoming an “anti-West” coalition and more on whether it can convert the growing economic weight of the Global South into effective, inclusive and development-oriented multilateralism.
#GS1mains
New-Delhi-Declaration-2026-1.pdf
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BRICS New Delhi Declaration 2026
Context: XVIII BRICS Summit, New Delhi, 12–13 September 2026; theme - “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Cooperation rests on three pillars: political-security, economic-financial, and cultural/people-to-people.
Key Outcomes of New Delhi Declaration :
1. Reformed Multilateralism: Push for greater Global South representation in the UN, UNSC and Bretton Woods institutions; stronger voice for EMDCs in global governance.
2. Economic Architecture: Supported WTO reform and a fully functioning two-tier dispute-settlement mechanism; pursued IMF quota/governance reform and greater representation of developing economies.
3. Financial Cooperation: BRICS Payment Task Force exploring interoperable cross-border payments and greater use of local currencies for trade and investment.
4. Financial Safety Net: Strengthening the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA); new BRICS members may join voluntarily.
5. Global South Financing: BRICS Multilateral Guarantees initiative seeks to mobilise private capital, improve creditworthiness and lower financing costs for development projects.
6. AI & Digital Governance: Commitment to implement the BRICS Leaders’ Statement on Global Governance of AI; emphasis on safe, inclusive, trustworthy AI and equitable access to AI resources, particularly for the Global South.
7. Digital Public Infrastructure: Proposal for a BRICS DPI Repository and pilot DPI projects; focus on sovereign, secure and interoperable digital ecosystems.
8. Energy Transition: Emphasis on just, orderly and equitable energy transition, smart grids, energy storage and hydrogen cooperation; critical-mineral supply chains should ensure benefit sharing and value addition in resource-rich countries.
9. Climate & Disaster Resilience: Adopted Guidelines for Disaster Management Early Warning Data Integration and Voluntary Principles for Climate-Resilient Urban Infrastructure.
10. Innovation & Industry: Strengthened PartNIR; established BRICS Incubator Network and considered a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to promote Industry 4.0 and startup-led growth.
#GS1mains
Context: XVIII BRICS Summit, New Delhi, 12–13 September 2026; theme - “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Cooperation rests on three pillars: political-security, economic-financial, and cultural/people-to-people.
Key Outcomes of New Delhi Declaration :
1. Reformed Multilateralism: Push for greater Global South representation in the UN, UNSC and Bretton Woods institutions; stronger voice for EMDCs in global governance.
2. Economic Architecture: Supported WTO reform and a fully functioning two-tier dispute-settlement mechanism; pursued IMF quota/governance reform and greater representation of developing economies.
3. Financial Cooperation: BRICS Payment Task Force exploring interoperable cross-border payments and greater use of local currencies for trade and investment.
4. Financial Safety Net: Strengthening the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA); new BRICS members may join voluntarily.
5. Global South Financing: BRICS Multilateral Guarantees initiative seeks to mobilise private capital, improve creditworthiness and lower financing costs for development projects.
6. AI & Digital Governance: Commitment to implement the BRICS Leaders’ Statement on Global Governance of AI; emphasis on safe, inclusive, trustworthy AI and equitable access to AI resources, particularly for the Global South.
7. Digital Public Infrastructure: Proposal for a BRICS DPI Repository and pilot DPI projects; focus on sovereign, secure and interoperable digital ecosystems.
8. Energy Transition: Emphasis on just, orderly and equitable energy transition, smart grids, energy storage and hydrogen cooperation; critical-mineral supply chains should ensure benefit sharing and value addition in resource-rich countries.
9. Climate & Disaster Resilience: Adopted Guidelines for Disaster Management Early Warning Data Integration and Voluntary Principles for Climate-Resilient Urban Infrastructure.
10. Innovation & Industry: Strengthened PartNIR; established BRICS Incubator Network and considered a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to promote Industry 4.0 and startup-led growth.
#GS1mains
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Sanjukta Parashar, 47, a 2006 batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has become the first woman officer to head the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)’s special counter-insurgency and asymmetrical warfare unit, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA).
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