01 April 2026

1. Balirajgarh Site

Ø News:   The Archaeological Survey of India has recently initiated fresh excavations at the Balirajgarh site in Bihar.

Ø   Geographical Location: The Balirajgarh site is situated in the Madhubani district of Bihar.

Ø Mythological Importance:

o The site holds strong mythological associations.

o Local traditions identify it as the capital of the legendary King Bali.

Ø Historical Importance: It is believed to have functioned as an important administrative centre of the ancient Videha Kingdom.

Ø Protected Monument: In 1938, the Archaeological Survey of India declared the site a monument of national importance under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904.

Ø Phases of Excavation: The site has been excavated in five phases between 1962 and 2014.

Ø Cultural Findings:

o Excavations have revealed antiquities belonging to five distinct cultural phases.

o These include the Northern Black Polished Ware period, the Sunga period, the Kushan period, the Gupta period, and the later Pala period.

2. Shyamji Krishna Varma

Ø News:   The Prime Minister of India recently paid tribute to Shyamji Krishna Varma on his death anniversary.

Ø  About Shyamji Krishna Varma:

o Shyamji Krishna Varma was born on 4 October 1857 in Mandvi town of Kachchh district in Gujarat.

o He was an Indian freedom fighter, a trained lawyer, and a journalist.

o He became the first President of the Bombay Arya Samaj.

o He was a follower and admirer of Dayanand Saraswati.

Ø Contributions of Shyamji Krishna Varma:

o Indian Home Rule Society: 

§ He established the Indian Home Rule Society in London in 1905.

§ The organisation aimed to advocate self-rule for India under British colonial rule.

§ It received support from prominent leaders such as Bhikaji Cama, Dadabhai Naoroji, and S R Rana.

o India House:

§ He founded India House in London.

§ It functioned as a residential facility for Indian students between 1905 and 1910.

§ It also served as a centre for promoting nationalist ideas among Indian students in Britain.

o The Indian Sociologist:

§ He launched a monthly publication titled The Indian Sociologist in London.

§ The journal acted as a platform for spreading nationalist thought and political awareness.

3. Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Ø News:   As tensions escalate involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, strategic focus has shifted toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint.

Ø  About Bab el-Mandeb Strait

o The term Bab el-Mandeb translates to Gate of Tears in Arabic.

o This name reflects the history of numerous shipwrecks in the region.

Ø Location and Connectivity:

o The strait is situated at the southern end of the Red Sea.

o It lies between Yemen on the Arabian side and the Horn of Africa on the African side.

o It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and subsequently the Indian Ocean.

Ø Geographical Separation: The strait separates the Arabian Peninsula in the northeast from the African continent in the southwest.

Ø Strategic Linkage: It forms a vital maritime corridor linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

UPSC GS 2

4. E-commerce Moratorium

Ø News:   More than 200 global business organisations have jointly called for extending the E-commerce Moratorium under the World Trade Organization.

Ø Definition:

o The E-commerce Moratorium is an international agreement among WTO member countries.

o It prohibits the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions.

Ø Scope of Coverage: It applies to cross-border digital transactions such as software downloads, e-books, music and movie streaming, and video games.

Ø Origin:

o The moratorium was first introduced in 1998 during the WTO’s Second Ministerial Conference held in Geneva.

o It was adopted as part of a declaration aimed at promoting the early growth of digital trade.

Ø Temporary Nature: Although initially intended as a temporary measure, it has been renewed approximately every two years at successive WTO ministerial conferences.

Ø Recent Extension: It was last extended for a period of two years during the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in 2024.

Ø Current Status: The moratorium is scheduled to expire during the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

UPSC GS 3

5. Solar Radio Burst (SRB)

Ø News:   Researchers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics have made an important advancement in explaining a long-standing scientific question related to solar radio bursts.

Ø Definition: A solar radio burst refers to a powerful emission of radio waves that is associated with solar flares.

Ø Origin and Occurrence: These emissions are typically detected in radio wavelengths during solar transient events such as coronal mass ejections and solar flares.

Ø Physical Nature:

o Solar radio bursts are direct indicators of accelerated electrons present in the Sun’s atmosphere.

Ø Wavelength and Observation

o These bursts are observed across a broad spectrum, ranging from millimetre to kilometre wavelengths.

o This corresponds to frequencies extending from gigahertz to kilohertz levels.

Ø Spatial Interpretation:

o Observations at shorter wavelengths indicate regions closer to the solar surface.

o Observations at longer wavelengths correspond to regions located farther away from the Sun.

Ø Types Based on Morphology:

o Solar radio bursts are classified into five major categories.

o These include Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV, and Type V bursts.

Ø Impacts of Solar Radio Bursts

Ø Effect on Earth’s Environment:

o These solar phenomena directly influence the near-Earth atmospheric environment.

Ø Impact on Navigation Systems:

o They can disrupt Global Navigation Satellite System signals.

o This occurs by reducing the signal-to-noise ratio and may even lead to loss of signal lock.

6. IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX)

Ø News:   The Indian Navy recently hosted the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX) Table Top Exercise 2026 at the Maritime Warfare Centre under the Southern Naval Command in Kochi.

Ø  About IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX): The exercise concentrates on non-traditional maritime security challenges and complex operational situations.

Ø Objective:

o It aims to enhance coordination among participating navies.

o It seeks to improve information sharing, streamline decision-making, and validate maritime security frameworks.

Ø Participating Countries: The exercise includes participation from Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Timor-Leste.

Ø Significance:

o The exercise reinforces the importance of IONS as a major platform for regional maritime cooperation.

o It contributes to strengthening maritime security mechanisms and maintaining stability in the Indian Ocean Region.