Prelims Focus 10th July 2026

Chola Antiquities Returned From Australia 

In News: Three stolen 11th-12th century antiquities from Tamil Nadu are being returned to India from Australian museums. The repatriated items include a Chola-era bronze Bhadrakali trident, a granite Nandi idol, and a basalt Kartikeya sculpture. This return was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s summit in Australia. 

• These three pieces of India’s cultural heritage are coming home: 
  • Bhadrakali Trident: An 11th-century ceremonial metal trident bearing the image of the goddess Bhadrakali, originally from the Sri Kasiviswanathaswamy Temple in Kollumangudi (Thiruvarur district).
  • Nandi Idol: A majestic 11th-to-12th-century granite sculpture of the sacred bull, Nandi.
  • Kartikeya Sculpture: A 12th-century basalt idol depicting the six-headed deity Kartikeya (Murugan).
• The items were historically trafficked out of India and housed in the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. 
• A provenance review concluded they had not been lawfully exported. 
• In a reciprocal gesture, India is voluntarily returning the ancestral remains of an Australian First Nations ancestor to Australia. 

BRICS Adopted Guwahati Declaration

In News: The BRICS nations adopted the Guwahati Declaration during the BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting in Guwahati, Assam. The declaration aims to strengthen international cooperation to combat illicit drug trafficking, synthetic drug proliferation, and related transnational organized crime. 

Four Key Pillars of Declaration

• Real-Time Intelligence Sharing: Emphasizes faster, borderless, and mutual trust-based exchange of information to dismantle criminal syndicates. 
• Technology and Innovation: Promotes the use of digital tools, AI-driven profiling, and data analytics to counter darknet markets and virtual asset misuse. 
• Controlling Synthetic Drugs: Targets the rise of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and the diversion of precursor chemicals used to make synthetic drugs. 
• People-Centric Demand Reduction: Balances law enforcement with public health by prioritizing de-addiction, rehabilitation, and awareness, especially for vulnerable youth.

Hummus Trail

In News: A rights organisation has filed a ‘war crimes’ complaint with India against an Israeli soldier spotted along ‘hummus trail’.

• The Hummus Trail is an unofficial name for the chain of places in India that are particularly attractive to young Israelis. 
• These locations are also likely to feature Hebrew signage, Israeli cafes, Chabad houses, and accommodations, making it all the more comfortable for visitors to navigate.
• Background
  • Each year about 80,000 Israelis visit India, including former military conscripts.
  • The “Tiul Gadol” (The Big Trip) is typically a 6-12-month post-service experience and is regarded as a rite of passage in Jewish culture.
  • Israel set aside 4 million NIS in 2026 to bolster tourism ties with India.

Guwahati Declaration

In News: The Guwahati Declaration has been adopted by the BRICS countries recently.

• The declaration urged the increased cooperation of the BRICS countries in the context of changing trends in drug trafficking.
• They voiced their worries about the emergence of synthetic drugs and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), the misuse of technologies and digital platforms, apart from the exploitation of maritime routes by transnational criminal syndicates.
• Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia and the United Arab Emirates were the countries that participated in the meeting held in Guwahati.

Download as PDF