Prelims Focus 2nd May 2026

02/05/2026

9 4 minutes read

Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR)

In News: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully conducted the maiden salvo launch of the indigenous Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) on April 29, 2026. This landmark trial took place at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal.

Key Highlights of the Trial

Salvo Capability: For the first time, two missiles were launched in quick succession from a single Sea King helicopter platform.
Precision Targeting: The missiles successfully achieved waterline hits, demonstrating the high accuracy required to disable enemy vessels effectively.
System Validation: All test objectives were met, with performance data verified via radar, electro-optical systems, and telemetry deployed at the Integrated Test Range.

Technical Specifications of NASM-SR

The NASM-SR is India’s first indigenous air-launched anti-ship missile.

Strike Range: Approximately 55 km.
Speed & Flight: Subsonic (approx. Mach 0.8), featuring sea-skimming capabilities to evade radar detection.
Guidance Systems: Includes an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker, fibre-optic gyroscope-based navigation, and a high-bandwidth two-way data link for real-time target updates.
Warhead: Designed with a 100 kg warhead.
Operational Roles: Intended to replace older foreign systems like the British Sea Eagle, providing rapid-response precision strikes from naval helicopters.

Strategic Significance

This successful salvo launch marks a major milestone in India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative in defence. It significantly enhances the Indian Navy’s offensive power by allowing helicopters to overwhelm enemy maritime targets through saturation attacks.

Vikram VT-21

In News: On April 25, 2026, India’s DRDO unveiled the Vikram VT-21 Advanced Armoured Platform (AAP), a next-generation infantry combat vehicle (ICV) designed to replace the ageing BMP-2 fleet and support network-centric warfare.

Key Features and Capabilities

The Vikram VT-21 acts as a digital node for enhanced situational awareness, featuring AI-driven targeting and real-time data sharing capabilities for connected operations. Developed by VRDE, Tata Advanced Systems, and Bharat Forge, the platform is available in tracked and 8×8 wheeled configurations.
Armament & Protection: It features a 30 mm crewless turret, 7.62 mm machine gun, and the ability to fire Nag ATGMs. The vehicle provides STANAG Level 4-5 protection with a V-shaped hull.
Performance: Powered by a 720–750 hp engine, it is fully amphibious.

Past Risk and Return Verification Agency (PaRRVA)

In News: Securities and Exchange Board of India has operationalised the Past Risk and Return Verification Agency (PaRRVA) to provide more transparency and investor protection in financial markets.

A SEBI-approved verification process named as PaRRVA is aimed at:
- Certify the history of past risk and returns of market intermediaries.
- Normalise the presentation returns approach.
- Present comparable, credible and transparent information to investors.
Mandatory Enrolment and Compliance: Investment advisers and research analysts have three months to enrol with PaRRVA, and two years later only performance data validated by PaRRVA can be disclosed in the course of public communication.
Importance: The investors will also have access to proven and reliable information, which decreases risks of misinformation and mis-selling.
Application in Advertisements: Market intermediaries are allowed to utilize the certified performance metrics by PaRRVA in advertising but in such a manner that the promotions made are authentic and adhere to the SEBI regulations.

Prosopis juliflora

In News: The invasive species Prosopis juliflora which has long posed a threat to the biodiversity of the Banni grassland in Kutch, will be converted to methanol.

Prosopis juliflora is listed as one of the top 100 invasive species in the world.
It is soon to be exploited in producing green methanol and the fuel required by ocean-going ships.
The British initially brought the plant in the 1920s to make the capital of Delhi green and the Gujarat forest department in 1961 to end the encroaching salt desert in the Rann.
This weed will become the feedstock in the first green methanol production plant in India, which will initially be used to power ocean-going vessels.

Human Genome Decoder Rhapped

In News: J. Craig Venter was one of the main scientists who helped to decode the human genome but died at the age of 79.

The total amount of the DNA that exists in the nucleus of each human cell, and which contains the genetic code of growth and development and life of that particular cell is known as the Human Genome.
It contains approximately 3.05 billion base pairs of four chemical bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and guanine (G), which hybridise specifically (A with T and C with G).
The sequencing of a genome is the method of finding out the precise sequence of these base pairs.
Genome sequencing has found extensive applications in medicine and population health to identify genetic disease, detect disease risk (including numerous single-gene diseases such as cystic fibrosis and thalassemia) and also aid prenatal diagnosis. It can also empower future technologies like CRISPR-based gene editing, liquid biopsies to detect early cancer and large-scale population research with AI to understand the causes and treatments of diseases.
Sequencing is useful in the control of infectious diseases to track down the pathogens and mutations. In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have learned about transmission and developed diagnostic tests and are also able to monitor new variants and support vaccine development thanks to rapid sequencing of the genome of the virus.

Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report.

In News: On National Panchayati Raj Day (24 April 2026), the Ministry of Panchayati Raj published the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report (FY 202324).

- Participation: A total of 97.3% of the 33 States/UTs submitted validated data to participate by submitting 2.59 lakh Gram Panchayats across 33 States/UTs.
  - 3,635 Panchayats are Front Runners.
  - 1.18 lakh Panchayats (=45.7%) are Performers.
  - Top performing themes:
  - Poverty-free & enhanced livelihoods
  - Healthy Panchayats.

About PAI 2.0

- PAI 2.0 is the first countrywide, data-driven framework in India to determine the performance of Gram Panchayats, which is based on 150 indicators and 230 data points.
- It correlates with the Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals and appraises Panchayats on nine major aspects such as poverty, health, child welfare, water, environment, infrastructure, social justice, good governance and women empowerment.
- Gram Panchayats are further differentiated into five types of performance based on their composite PAI scores, namely: Achiever (A+: 90 and above), Front Runner (A: 75 to below 90), Performer (B: 60 to below 75), Aspirant (C: 40 to below 60) and Beginner (D: below 40), so that meaningful bench