22 June 2026

UPSC GS 2

Mombasa Declaration

1. News: Fifteen countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific have adopted the Mombasa Declaration to strengthen international efforts against illegal fishing.

2. About Mombasa Declaration: 

a. The Mombasa Declaration is a multilateral commitment aimed at combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, which poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems, fish stocks, and the livelihoods of millions of people dependent on fisheries.

b. The declaration calls on governments to improve transparency in the fisheries sector by enhancing access to information related to fishing vessels, ownership, and licensing, while strengthening data-sharing mechanisms to better monitor fishing activities and enforce regulations.

c. It is named after Mombasa, the host city of the 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC).

3. Signatory Countries: Among the more than 30 countries represented at the summit, the following 15 countries signed the declaration: Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, Dominican Republic, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and South Korea.

4. Key Features:

a. Promotes greater transparency in fisheries governance.

b. Encourages public access to information on fishing vessels, ownership structures, and fishing licences.

c. Strengthens cooperation and data sharing among countries to improve monitoring and enforcement.

d. Seeks to curb Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

e. Supports sustainable fisheries management and marine conservation.

5. Link with Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency:

a. The declaration reinforces support for the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, a framework consisting of 10 policy principles designed to improve fisheries governance through practical and low-cost reforms. Key reforms include:

i. Modernisation of vessel registries.

ii. Publication of fishing authorisations.

iii. Improved transparency in fisheries data.

iv. Stronger accountability mechanisms.

6. What is IUU Fishing? Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing refers to fishing activities that violate national or international laws, are not properly reported to authorities, or occur in areas where conservation and management measures are absent or inadequate.

7. National Statistical Commission (NSC)

8. News:  The Government of India has recently appointed a new Chairperson and three Members to the National Statistical Commission (NSC).

9. About National Statistical Commission:

10. The National Statistical Commission (NSC) was established in 2005 based on the recommendations of the Rangarajan Commission.

11. Mandate: The Commission serves as the apex advisory body for India's statistical system. It acts as a nodal institution for core statistical activities, while evolving, monitoring, and enforcing statistical standards, priorities, and coordination across the country.

12. Composition: The Commission consists of:

13. A part-time Chairperson.

14. Four part-time Members possessing expertise and experience in statistics and related fields.

15. The CEO of NITI Aayog as an ex-officio Member.

16. The Chief Statistician of India (CSI) serves as the Secretary of the Commission. The CSI is also the Secretary of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

17. Functions of the National Statistical Commission:

18. Identification of Core Statistics: It identifies statistics of national importance that are critical for economic planning, governance, and development.

19. Statistical Standards: It evolves standard statistical concepts, definitions, classifications, and methodologies across different sectors and lays down quality standards for core statistics.

20. Policy Formulation: It advises on national policies, priorities, and strategies relating to the country's statistical system.

21. Technical Guidance: It may constitute professional committees, expert groups, or working groups to address technical and methodological issues in statistics.

22. Data Collection and Dissemination: It develops national strategies for the collection, compilation, tabulation, dissemination, and publication of statistical data, including the release calendar for major datasets.

23. Statistical Coordination: It promotes coordination among various ministries, departments, state governments, and statistical agencies to ensure consistency and reliability of official statistics. 

UPSC GS 3

1. Knob-Billed Duck

2. News:    A Knob-Billed Duck has been recorded for the first time at Pong Lake Wildlife Sanctuary.

3. About Knob-Billed Duck: The Knob-Billed Duck, also known as the African Comb Duck, is a large waterfowl species named after the distinctive knob-like comb present on the bill of adult males.

4. Scientific Name: Sarkidiornis Melanotos

5. Habitat and Distribution: The species occurs in tropical and subtropical wetlands across:

a. Sub-Saharan Africa.

b. Madagascar.

c. The Indian subcontinent.

d. Parts of Southeast Asia extending to Laos and southern China.

e. It inhabits freshwater lakes, marshes, swamps, floodplains, and other wetland ecosystems. The species is largely resident, though local movements occur during the wet season.

6. Features:

a. The Knob-Billed Duck is among the largest duck species in the world. Adults measure about 56–76 cm in length, possess a wingspan of 116–145 cm, and weigh between 1.03 and 2.9 kg.

b. Adults have a white head marked with dark spots, a pure white neck and underparts, and glossy blue-black upperparts displaying greenish and bluish iridescence.

c. A prominent characteristic is the large black fleshy knob on the bill of adult males, which becomes more conspicuous during the breeding season. Males are significantly larger than females.

d. Young birds are duller in appearance, with buff-coloured underparts and brownish upperparts.

7. IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern 

INS Tarkash

1. News:   INS Tarkash, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, recently arrived at Port Victoria during its operational deployment in the South-West Indian Ocean Region.

2.  About INS Tarkash:

a. INS Tarkash is a state-of-the-art stealth guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy. It is the second vessel of the Talwar-class guided missile frigates.

b. The Talwar-class frigates are modified versions of the Russian Krivak III-class frigates and were designed and built in Russia.

c. INS Tarkash was constructed at the Yantar Shipyard and commissioned into the Indian Navy on 9 November 2012 at Kaliningrad. It subsequently joined the Western Naval Command on 27 December 2012.

3. Features:

a. Dimensions and Displacement: INS Tarkash has a displacement of about 3,850 tonnes, a length of 124.8 metres, a beam of 15.2 metres, and a draught of 4.2 metres.

b. Propulsion and Endurance: Powered by four gas turbines, the ship can attain speeds exceeding 30 knots. It has an operational range of about 4,500 nautical miles and can remain deployed for approximately 30 days without replenishment.

c. Crew: The ship carries a complement of around 253 personnel.

d. Stealth Capability: INS Tarkash incorporates advanced stealth technologies and a specially designed hull structure that significantly reduces its radar cross-section, making detection by enemy radars more difficult.

e. Weapons and Sensors: The frigate is equipped with advanced sensors and weapon systems capable of addressing threats in air, surface, and underwater domains. Its arsenal includes:

4. BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

a. Surface-to-air missile systems.

b. 100 mm naval guns.

c. Close-in weapon systems (CIWS).

d. Torpedoes.

e. Rocket launchers.

f. Advanced fire-control systems.

g. A key distinction from the earlier Talwar-class ships is the integration of BrahMos missiles in place of the Russian Klub-N missile system.

5. Aviation Capability: The ship can operate:

a. One Ka-28 Helix-A anti-submarine warfare helicopter, or

b. One Ka-31 Helix-B airborne early warning helicopter.

Facts for Prelims

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

1. News:  World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought was observed globally on 17 June to raise awareness about the need for international cooperation in combating desertification, land degradation, and drought.

2. About World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought: The day is observed annually on 17 June to promote public awareness of efforts to address desertification and the impacts of drought, and to highlight the importance of sustainable land management.

3. History:

a. Desertification was recognized as one of the major challenges to sustainable development during the Rio Earth Summit held in 1992.

b. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, a legally binding international agreement that links environmental protection with sustainable development through improved land management.

c. The UN also proclaimed 17 June as the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.

4. Theme for 2026: “Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.”

a. The theme highlights the importance of rangelands, which are often undervalued despite their critical contribution to biodiversity conservation, food security, climate regulation, and livelihoods.

b. The 2026 observance also aligns with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.

5. What are Rangelands?

a. Rangelands are vast natural landscapes dominated by grasses, shrubs, forbs, and other native vegetation.

b. They support grazing livestock, wildlife, and diverse ecosystems and are generally unsuitable for intensive crop cultivation due to factors such as low rainfall, poor soils, or rugged terrain.

6. Key Features of Rangelands:

a. Cover nearly 50% of Earth's land surface.

b. Support the livelihoods of approximately 2 billion people, including pastoralists and Indigenous communities.

c. Provide nearly 70% of global livestock feed.

d. Serve as important habitats for wildlife and biodiversity.

e. Function as major carbon sinks and contribute to climate regulation.

f. Act as freshwater catchments for many of the world's rivers and wetlands.

7. Factors Affecting Rangelands: The condition of rangelands is influenced by:

a. Climate variability and climate change.

b. Grazing intensity and management practices.

c. Land-use changes.

d. Human encroachment and habitat degradation.

8. Rangelands in India:

a. India possesses about 121 million hectares of rangelands, ranging from the Thar Desert to the alpine meadows of the Himalayas.

b. According to the UNCCD's Global Land Outlook Thematic Report, land used for grazing constitutes nearly 40% of India's total land area, including:

c. Grasslands: about 17%.

d. Forest lands used for grazing: about 23%.