28th September 2026

Explanation - It is a multilateral platform established by India to enhance cooperation with the Pacific Island countries. It was established in 2014 during the Prime Minister of India’s visit to Fiji Member countries — FIPIC includes 14 of the island countries – Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. In line with the "Act East Policy", through FIPIC, India has primarily focused its efforts on the Pacific Islands. Economic Cooperation — At this moment, total annual trade of about $300 million between the Indian and Pacific Island countries, whereas exports are around $200 million and imports are around $100 million. FIPIC Summits held — Since from 2014 three FIPIC summits have been held, 1st 2014 (Suva, Fiji), 2nd 2015 (Jaipur, India), 3rd 2023 (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea). Key Initiatives of India related to FIPIC — Setting up of a special USD one million fund for adapting to climate change and clean energy, establishing a trade office in India Pan Pacific Islands e-network to improve digital connectivity, Visa on arrival at Indian airports for all the 14 Pacific Island countries, Cooperation in space technology applications for improving the quality of life of the islands, and training to diplomats from Pacific Island countries.

Explanation - It is the first comprehensive, legally binding global treaty adopted by consensus by 193 UN member states. It was adopted by member states of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2024 to strengthen global cooperation in combating cybercrime. It is the first universal legally binding instrument to strengthen collective defences against cybercrime. Purpose: To promote international cooperation, strengthen measures to prevent and combat cybercrime, and support capacity-building, particularly for developing countries. It entered into force last year after securing the required threshold of 40 member-state signatures. By the end of 2025, 93 countries had signed the convention. India has signed this treaty. The convention was developed by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Explanation -
GCI 2026 Highlights —

• New York has taken the top spot in the index.
• India Specific Findings:

Explanation - It is an annual report published by Oxford Economics, a leading global economic advisory firm.

The index ranks 1000 cities across the world based on five major factors: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance.

The rankings are designed to look at both a city's present performance and its future potential.

• London has been ranked second, followed by Paris at third, Seattle at fourth, and San Francisco at fifth.
• Around 100 Indian cities feature among the 1,000 major cities evaluated worldwide.
• Delhi has the highest overall ranking at 268, followed by Bengaluru at 311, Mumbai at 330, Chennai at 381, Hyderabad at 421, and Pune at 427.
• 55 Indian cities have secured spots among the world's top 100 fastest-growing city economies.
• Delhi is currently the world’s 63rd-largest city economy. Oxford Economics projects that it could become the 14th-largest by 2050, with economic output exceeding USD 2 trillion.
• Delhi’s strongest performance came in the Human Capital category, where it ranked 13th globally, ahead of Toronto, Seoul, and Beijing.
• Mumbai is India's leading city for corporate headquarters, ranking 23rd globally on that measure.
• Mumbai's city economy, currently the world's 99th-largest, could rise to 36th-largest by 2050.
• Bengaluru climbed 20 places to 311th globally and was named a ‘City to Watch’, recording the biggest improvement among India’s six largest metropolitan cities.
• Bengaluru is also among the 10 fastest-growing cities globally by forecast GDP growth.
• Chennai and Hyderabad ranked 16th and 15th worldwide, respectively, for forecast GDP growth.
• The primary reason behind Indian cities ranking below the 250th position in the overall index is the lack of adequate infrastructure and quality of life.
• Indian cities rank very low in terms of income equality.
• Delhi ranks second globally for having the worst air quality.

Explanation - It is an integrated digital platform designed for rating of digital connectivity of properties across residential, commercial, and government properties. It was launched by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. Objective: To encourage property managers to build digitally connected and future ready smart properties and assess whether properties are equipped with robust digital infrastructure, enhancing user experience for tenants, residents, and businesses. The platform provides a public interface for consumers to view the properties rated for digital connectivity. It brings Property Managers (PMs) registered Digital Connectivity Rating Agency (DCRA) and consumer onto a common digital interface.

Features — Property Managers — They can register their properties in category of Public, Government, Commercial, Private etc., submit rating applications, upload the prescribed information and documents, select a registered DCRA and track the status of their application through the platform. The platform supports both constructed and under-construction properties. Registered DCRAs — They can access assigned applications, undertake assessments, record observations and test results, manage supporting documentation and complete the rating process in accordance with the prescribed framework. Field assessments will be facilitated through a dedicated DCRA mobile app. Consumers — They can search for a rated property by property name, certificate ID or location. They can view the property’s digitally signed rating certificate and verify its authenticity through the QR code provided on the certificate.

Explanation - World War II (1939–45) was fought between the Allied Powers (Great Britain, the Soviet Union, the United States) and the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan). Japan was the last Axis power to surrender, in September 1945. The UN Charter, drafted toward the war's end and in force from October 24, 1945, contains numerous references to "enemy states." The Allies — who drafted the Charter and later took permanent UN Security Council (UNSC) seats — designed it as a mechanism to counter any re-emergence of militarism or fascism in the defeated Axis powers, without needing UNSC approval each time. In other words, the UN Charter's "enemy state" clauses (Articles 53, 77, 107) let Allied powers take military or preventive action against defeated WWII Axis nations without needing prior UNSC authorisation.

Where it Appears? The term features in three Articles: 53, 77, and 107. Article 53: Permits enforcement action against an "enemy state" through regional arrangements without prior Security Council authorisation — an exception to the normal rule requiring UNSC approval for such action. Paragraph 2 defines enemy state as any state that was an enemy of a Charter signatory during World War II. Article 107: States that nothing in the Charter invalidates or blocks action taken against a WWII enemy state by the governments responsible for such action as a result of that war. In effect, it gives the Allied Powers a legal right to act against defeated Axis states without UNSC approval. Article 77(1)(b): Concerns the "trusteeship system" applied to territories detached from enemy states after WWII. Under the Charter, the UN was to establish an international trusteeship system (Article 75) for "trust territories" — places whose peoples had not yet attained full self-government (Article 73). There were 11 such territories, across Africa and the Pacific Islands.