Prelims Focus 28th September 2026

28/09/2026

17 3 minutes read

Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY)

In News: Elderline, under the Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY), has handled more than 29 lakh calls, providing over 8.67 lakh interventions involving guidance, emotional support and field-level assistance.

Core Component: Elderline (14567)

Nature: A national, toll-free helpline (14567) serving as a one-stop platform for the elderly.
Performance: Received over 29 lakh calls since launch, executing 8.67 lakh field interventions for rescue, guidance, and emotional support.
Implementing Agency: Managed by the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) across 32 States/UTs.

Key Objectives & Mechanism

Holistic Support: Provides information on pension, legal issues, and medical care, along with immediate psychological counselling.
Field Rescues: Facilitates the rehabilitation of homeless, abandoned, or abused senior citizens into state shelter homes.
Collaboration: Operates via State Connect Centres, linking seniors with local administrative, legal, and healthcare authorities.

Exercise VARUNA

In News: The Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Trishul arrived at Toulon, France, to participate in the 24th edition of Exercise VARUNA, the premier bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian and French Navies.

Key Highlights & Scope

Location: Conducted off the coast of Toulon, France, emphasizing cross-hemisphere deployment capabilities.
Phases: Divided into a Harbour Phase (professional interactions, tactical seminars, and sports exchanges) and a Sea Phase (advanced multi-domain naval operations).
Drills: Encompasses complex surface maneuvers, anti-submarine warfare, advanced air defense exercises, and tactical cross-deck helicopter operations.

Strategic Significance for India

Interoperability: Enhances mutual understanding, tactical synergy, and best-practice sharing between both high-tech navies.
Indo-Pacific Alignment: Strengthens the Indo-French Strategic Partnership, a vital pillar for ensuring maritime security, freedom of navigation, and stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond.
Operational Reach: Validates the Indian Navy’s blue-water capability to sustain long-range deployments and execute joint operations far from home waters.

QUAD-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission

In News: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Shaunak sailed from Chennai to Perth, Australia, in connection with the QUAD-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission.

The first ‘Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission’ was initiated by the Quad countries.
It is targeted at improving maritime interoperability and professional interactions between the governments of India, Australia, Japan and the US.
The mission has been undertaken by six officers, known as ‘Sea Riders’, who have set sail on board the Shaunak.
It is aligned with the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement, which restated the QUAD’s commitment to a Free, Open, Inclusive and Rules-Based Maritime Order in the Indo-Pacific.

Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT)

In News: The Ministry of Finance has finalized the revision of India’s Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and invited the Cabinet Secretariat for approval.

Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) essentially is an agreement between two countries for investment protection by investors from one country in the other country.
It offers certain legal protection against government action to foreign investors and, under specific conditions, offers foreign investors the right to access international arbitration in cases where they are unable to obtain justice from domestic courts.
Under the current framework (2016 Model), a foreign investor must first wait five years before commencing an arbitration against India under a treaty.

Gulbarga Tur Dal

In News: A flag-off ceremony was held for the export of one MT consignment of GI tagged Gulbarga Tur Dal to Maldives by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in Karnataka.

Gulbarga Tur Dal or Kalaburagi Togari Bele is a pigeon pea variety also called Arhar Dal or Toor Dal, which is grown in the Gulbarga region of Karnataka.
The State of Karnataka is the largest tur dal-producing state in the country, accounting for more than 40 per cent of the National production, whereas Kalaburagi district alone accounts for the maximum production of the State.
In 2019, Gulbarga Tur Dal got the Geographical Indication (GI) registration and has been given the status of having a unique taste and quality.