India’s Full Membership Talks with the International Energy Agency (IEA)

Context: The International Energy Agency has confirmed that discussions with India regarding full membership are currently underway.

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• India had formally requested full membership in October 2023, and in February 2024, ministers from IEA member countries agreed to initiate discussions on India’s request.
  • India had earlier joined the IEA as an associate country in 2017.
• The IEA also announced that Colombia has officially joined as the 33^rd full member, while Vietnam has joined as an associate country.

Significance of India’s Full Membership

• India is the world’s third-largest crude oil importer and one of the fastest-growing major energy consumers, making it central to future global energy demand dynamics.
• Full membership would give India voting rights and decision-making participation within the IEA’s governance structure, strengthening its role in shaping global energy policy.
• Membership would enhance India’s participation in collective energy security mechanisms, including maintaining emergency oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net imports and participating in coordinated emergency response mechanisms.

About the International Energy Agency (IEA)

• The IEA was established in 1974, in the wake of the 1973-1974 oil crisis, to help its members respond to major oil supply disruptions.
• IEA’s mandates include tracking and analysing global key energy trends, promoting sound energy policy, and fostering multinational energy technology cooperation.
• Full IEA membership requires a country to be a member of the OECD. India is currently not an OECD member, making this a key institutional hurdle.

Nordic Nations Move to Elevate Greenland under Helsinki Treaty

Context: Nordic countries are revising the Helsinki Treaty to grant equal status to autonomous territories, strengthening Arctic cooperation and strategic interest in Greenland.

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• Nordic government ministers met in Denmark on 18 February 2026 to discuss a historic overhaul of the Helsinki Treaty.
• The Nordic countries are a region in Northern Europe and the Arctic, comprising Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, along with the autonomous territories of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland.
• The proposal aims to grant equal and full participation rights to Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland within Nordic cooperation structures.
• These territories have long demanded equal status but were previously excluded from high-level discussions on security and issues such as the Ukraine war.
• Greenland boycotted the Nordic cooperation format in 2024 due to exclusion from security deliberations.

Historical Background of the Helsinki Treaty

• In 1962, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Norway adopted the Helsinki Treaty to institutionalise Nordic regional cooperation.
• The treaty established frameworks for collaboration in economic, social, cultural and legal matters among Nordic states.
• Over time, autonomous territories such as Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland gained limited participation but were not granted equal decision-making status, especially in security matters.

Greenland’s Importance

• Greenland’s strategic importance has risen significantly due to Arctic shipping routes, rare earth mineral deposits, and increased occupation threat from the US.
• Greenland also hosts the U.S. Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base), underscoring its geopolitical importance.

India Assumes Chairmanship of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

Context: Recently, India assumed the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) for the 2026–2028 term at the 9th Conclave of Chiefs of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium convened at Visakhapatnam.

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• The conclave brought together Chiefs of Navies and Heads of Maritime Security Agencies from 33 countries.
• The Indian Navy assumed the Chairmanship of IONS from the Royal Thai Navy.
• India returned to the leadership role after 16 years, having earlier held the inaugural chairmanship from 2008 to 2010.
• The Philippines was formally inducted as an Observer state in IONS, expanding the forum’s outreach and engagement.
• Oman joined the IONS Working Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
• India announced plans to conduct the IONS Maritime Exercise and continue deployment of IOS SAGAR to member countries.
• India also proposed structured Maritime Information Sharing Workshops to enhance interoperability and professional exchange.

About the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

• The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium is a voluntary initiative that brings together navies of the Indian Ocean Region.
• The forum was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008 to enhance maritime cooperation among littoral states.
• The symposium aims to promote mutual understanding and trust among regional navies.
• The forum provides a platform to discuss maritime security challenges, including piracy, terrorism, trafficking and disaster response.
• IONS is not a military alliance but a consultative forum, and its decisions are consensus-based and non-binding.

Microsoft Elevate for Educators

Context: Microsoft has launched “Microsoft Elevate for Educators”, a major initiative to train 2 million (20 lakh) teachers across 2 lakh educational institutions in India by 2030. 

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• The programme began with the coverage of 75 CM SHRI schools in Delhi and was rolled out initially in 10 schools of Delhi.
• Teachers received hands-on training in using Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant Microsoft Copilot to improve lesson planning, classroom delivery, and student engagement.
• The tool helped in designing posters, infographics and presentations while shifting classroom focus from rote memorisation to critical thinking and analysis.
• The AI tool assists educators in analysing student performance data to identify learning gaps and generate customised assessments and feedback mechanisms.
• The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Directorate General of Training and various State Education and Skilling Departments to ensure coordinated and system-wide implementation of AI integration in schools and training institutions across India.
• The programme aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, which mandates the introduction of Artificial Intelligence and Computational Thinking from Grade 3 onwards, starting in the 2026–27 academic session.

Key Features of the Initiative

• The programme represents the first rollout of Microsoft Elevate for Educators in Asia.
• The initiative adopts a system-level approach by partnering with central and state education institutions to translate policy into classroom practice.
• The initiative emphasises responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence in classrooms.
• The programme positions teachers as the anchor of AI adoption to ensure human judgment remains central to education.

The Three Pillars of Elevate for Educators

• Credentials: Microsoft will introduce new educator credentials aligned with national frameworks and the AI Literacy Framework. These credentials will support teachers across schools, polytechnics, vocational institutions, and higher education in partnership with institutions of national importance.
• Community: The initiative will build a network of two million educators to promote peer learning and collaboration. It will offer professional recognition through a progressive achievement model across regions and disciplines.
• Capacity: Microsoft will support the creation of AI Ambassadors, Educator Academies, AI Productivity Labs, and Centres of Excellence across 25,000 institutions. The programme aligns with national digital platforms such as DIKSHA and Skill India Digital Hub to ensure training and institutional readiness before AI tools are introduced in classrooms.

World Day of Social Justice

Context: The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (DoSJE) commemorated the World Day of Social Justice at National Law University, New Delhi.

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• In 2026, the World Day of Social Justice is commemorated under the theme “Renewed Commitment to Social Development and Social Justice”.
• The 2026 observance follows the Second World Summit for Social Development and the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration.
  • The Doha Political Declaration reaffirms the commitments of the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development.

About the World Day of Social Justice

• World Day of Social Justice is observed every year on 20 February.
• The Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, and was first celebrated in 2009.
• The observance promotes efforts to tackle poverty, unemployment, social exclusion and inequality.
• The 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development identified poverty eradication, full and productive employment, and social integration as the three core pillars of social development.
• The Day highlights the need for macroeconomic frameworks that generate decent work, living wages and universal social protection.

Access Pass for Fishing in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Context: Recently, the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying launched the access pass for fishing in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at Veraval in Gujarat.

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• The Government of India launched the Access Pass for Fishing in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone across all 13 coastal States and Union Territories.
• The launch follows the notification of the Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone Rules 2025 under the Territorial Waters Continental Shelf Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act 1976.
• The Rules were notified on 4 November 2025 to provide a legal and institutional framework for sustainable fishing in the EEZ.
• The initiative operationalises the Union Budget 2025–26 announcement that aimed to promote sustainable utilisation of fisheries resources in the EEZ and high seas.
• The Minister emphasised that fish catch by Indian vessels in the EEZ and high seas is duty-free as announced in the Union Budget 2026–27.

Access Pass under the EEZ Rules

• The Access Pass is a key instrument under the EEZ Rules to empower Indian fishers to sustainably harvest high-value oceanic resources. It aims to:
• support the transition from near‑shore to deep‑sea fishing,
• promote fisher organisations into cooperatives and FFPOs,
• enhance incomes through higher catch, better prices and export-compliant practices such as traceability and certification.

Salient Features of the Access Pass

• Protection for Small and Artisanal Fishers: Traditional non-motorised fishing crafts are exempted from the requirement of an Access Pass. Only mechanised fishing vessels (approx 64,000) and large motorised vessels above 24 metres are required to obtain the Pass. This ensures that small and artisanal fishers remain protected and their livelihoods safeguarded.
• Upgraded ReALCRaft Digital Platform: The ReALCRaft platform has been upgraded to support a seamless and user-friendly Access Pass process. ReALCRaft is already widely used by States/UTs and fishers for vessel registration and licensing.
• Zero-Fee, Fully Online Access Pass: The Access Pass is issued free of cost, entirely through the ReALCRaft portal in a time-bound and transparent manner. Once approved, the Pass is delivered digitally to the fisher’s registered mobile number or email, ensuring transparency and ease of access.
• Single‑Window System for Global Exports: The ReALCRaft portal is integrated with the MPEDA portal for Catch Certificates and with EIC for Health Certificates, creating a unified single‑window digital ecosystem. This integration enhances traceability, reduces procedural delays and facilitates access to premium international seafood markets.