UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 06-10-2026

One Liners 06-10-2026

Polity & Governance

CoE for classical languages

Education Ministry approves five new Centres of Excellence for studies in classical languages.

• Objective – The initiative will provide dedicated institutional support for advanced academic research, preservation and digitisation of linguistic and literary heritage, and wider dissemination of knowledge relating to these Classical Languages.
• The establishment of these five Centres marks a significant step towards strengthening the institutional ecosystem for the study, research and preservation of India’s Classical Languages.
• Approved by – Department of Higher Education, Union Ministry of Education.
• Approved Centres of Excellence
  • Classical Assamese – Tezpur University, Assam
  • Classical Bengali – Visva-Bharati University, West Bengal
  • Classical Marathi – Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra
  • Classical Pali – Central University of Odisha, Sunabeda, Odisha
  • Classical Prakrit – Central University of Gujarat, Vadodara, Gujarat.
• Focus areas –
  • Providing dedicated institutional platforms for advanced research, scholarly work and academic engagement;
  • Preservation and digitisation;
  • Wider dissemination of classical language heritage; and
  • Strengthening regional academic ecosystems.

International Relations and Issues

El Alamein Joint Declaration

Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia issue a declaration on Red Sea governance, state sovereignty and water rights.

• El Alamein Joint Declaration – A joint declaration signed by the leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan at a Quadrilateral Summit in New Alamein City, Egypt.
• Objective – To forge a unified front to coordinate regional security and address major flashpoints in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
• The agreement is widely viewed as a coordinated geopolitical realignment in the Horn of Africa, notably excluding and pushing back against recent unilateral maritime and dam policies pursued by Ethiopia.

Core regional issues in the declaration

• State Sovereignty & Non-Interference – The leaders reaffirmed respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity and rejected interference in the internal affairs of regional states under any pretext.
• Red Sea Governance – The governance of the Red Sea should remain the exclusive responsibility of the littoral (coastal) states, while affirming the principle of freedom of international navigation in the Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
• Position on Somaliland – Rejected the recognition or support for Somaliland.
• Sudan Issue – Reaffirmed support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity and rejected the creation of parallel entities.
• Nile Water Rights – The leaders called for respect for international law governing transboundary rivers, including the Nile.
• They opposed unilateral measures that could affect the existing water uses of Egypt and Sudan.

Super Intelligence Force

US President Donald Trump has announced the formation of a new Super Intelligence Force.

• Super Intelligence Force – A new federal task force designed to oversee and coordinate U.S. artificial intelligence policy.
• Objective – To ensure that America continues to lead the world when it comes to artificial intelligence.
• Goals – Coordinate federal engagement with consumers, tech companies, public interest groups, religious organisations, and critical infrastructure providers to maintain global U.S. leadership.
• Head / AI Czar – Led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton.
• Key Members – Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor.
• Reporting Line – Reports directly to President Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
• Timeline – The team has 120 days to review risks, opportunities, and federal responsibilities regarding the technology.
• Terminology Change – To replace the terms "Artificial Intelligence" and "AI" with "Super Intelligence" and "SI" in official documents.

Economy

India’s 1^st MICE incentive portal

Recently, the Odisha government has launched India’s first MICE incentive portal to boost business tourism.

• MICE – Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions.
• Aim (MICE portal) – It is designed to promote Odisha as a destination for corporate conventions and simplify the process of applying for financial incentives by event organisers and tourism operators.
• MICE tourism – Involves organised group travel for professional, commercial and networking purposes, including meetings, conferences, exhibitions and incentive trips.
• It is expected to facilitate faster approvals for MICE events, destination weddings, sports events and cultural heritage-related ventures.
• Significance – MICE Incentive portal rollout makes Odisha the 1^st state in the country to establish a dedicated digital mechanism to market its destinations for corporate conventions and streamline financial incentive applications from event organisers and tourism operators.

Security

Exercise Mountain Guardian, 2026

Recently, the India-UAE Joint Military Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 commenced in Uttarakhand.

• Ex. Mountain Guardian – It is a joint military exercise between India and UAE.
• Location, 2026 – Commenced at Foreign Training Node, Chaubatia, Uttarakhand.
• Aim – To enhance interoperability, mutual understanding and cooperation, with a focus on Mountain Warfare.
• Participation – A total of 92 personnel, with equal representation from both Armies, participated.
• Women officers and combatants from both Armies are also participating in the exercise across specialist roles.
• Activities undertaken – Joint planning, tactical drills, firing practices, establishment of surveillance grids, drone operations, physical endurance training, rock climbing, obstacle training and integrated field exercises and technology-enabled operations.
• Significance – Strengthen military-to-military cooperation between India and the UAE and reinforce the bonds of friendship and trust between the two nations.

Akash air defence missile system

Defence Secretary confirmed that India has exported Akash to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, following Armenia as the system’s first foreign customer.

• Akash – It is an indigenous short-range surface-to-air missile system designed to protect vulnerable areas and points against aerial threats.
• Developed by – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Manufactured by – Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
• Dimension – The missile is about 5.87 metres long, weighs around 710 kg and uses command guidance.
• Operating range – 4.5 km to 25 km
• Altitude – Engages targets at altitudes ranging from 100 metres to 20 km.
• The system is configured on mobile platforms and can operate in either group or autonomous mode.
• It also has built-in electronic counter-countermeasures, or ECCM, intended to improve its resistance to electronic jamming.
• Engage multiple targets simultaneously and is fully automatic, with the overall system built for mobility and rapid deployment.
• Its listed target set includes helicopters, fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Advanced variants

• Akash Prime – Designed for operations in high-altitude regions above 4,500 meters and equipped with an indigenous radio-frequency seeker.
• Akash-NG (Next Generation) – Features upgraded radar and guidance technologies.

Species

New Lizard Species in Peru’s Andes

• Scientific name – Liolaemus archipensis
• Location – Found at an altitude of more than 4,800 meters (15,750 feet) in the southern Andean region of Arequipa in Peru, which is home to 296 species of lizard.
• Size – The lizard measures between six and eight centimeters (2.4-3.2 inches).
• Appearance – Has distinct colouration depending on sex. Females have square-shaped spots on their backs, while males have oblique spots and white scales that help them blend into their rocky surroundings.
• Diet – The lizard feeds on plants and small arthropods, including spiders, beetles, true bugs and insect larvae.

Sports

Ahmedabad Marathon Joins World Athletics Global Calendar

• The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon has been included in the World Athletics Global Calendar ahead of its 10th edition on November 29, making performances at the race eligible for consideration in World Athletics Rankings.
• World Athletics – It is the global governing body for athletics, overseeing the sport across 214 Member Federations and setting the standards for international athletics competitions.
• Headquartered – Monaco.
• Global Calendar – Brings recognised competitions from around the world and gives athletes, federations and the wider athletics community a common global reference point.
• Adani Ahmedabad Marathon – It began as a local event with a few thousand participants and has grown dramatically, attracting over 24,000 runners in its previous edition.
• Categories – Features multiple categories, including the Full Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), a 10K run, and a 5K run.
• The recognition reflects the standards behind the event, including course measurement and certification, race operations, medical preparedness, timing and results, elite athlete management, and compliance with applicable athletics and anti-doping regulations.
• #Run4OurSoldiers initiative – A decade-long annual tradition dedicated to honouring the courage and sacrifice of India's Armed Forces, who frequently run alongside civilian participants.
• Significance of listing – It brings Ahmedabad into the international road-racing calendar, giving the city a place on the global circuit of recognised races.
• The milestone comes as Ahmedabad prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, adding to the city's growing sporting profile.

Miscellaneous

International Coffee Day, 2026

• Observed on – October 1, 2026, officially recognised by the United Nations General Assembly.
• The event has been celebrated by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) and its member states since 2015.
• Theme – “Celebrating Coffee, Honouring the People Behind Every Cup”, led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), paid tribute to the massive value chain—from farmers and pickers to roasters and baristas
• Campaign – “Coffee is Part of the Solution" driven by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), utilising the coffee sector to drive sustainable development, build economic resilience, and tackle climate risks faced by agricultural communities.

India’s major coffee-growing regions

• Traditional areas (Western Ghats) – Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu. These account for about 96% of India's coffee production.
• Karnataka alone contributes roughly 70% of India's coffee production.
• Non-traditional areas (Eastern Ghats) – Andhra Pradesh & Odisha.
• North-East – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
• Coffee Board identifies the Eastern Ghats and North-East as emerging coffee-growing regions.

International Day of Non-Violence, 2026

• Observed on – October 2, 2026, marking the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Established by – UN General Assembly on June 15, 2007, the day promotes peace and non-violence through education and public awareness to build a culture of peace and tolerance.
• Represented by "The Knotted Gun" sculpture by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd at UN Headquarters.