UPSC Mains Current Affairs for 10 February 2026

India–Seychelles Relations – Expanding Maritime Partnership to Sustainability and Strategic Cooperation

February 10, 2026

India-Seychelles Relations Latest News

The Indian Prime Minister and Seychelles President (Patrick Herminie) held bilateral talks in New Delhi, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations and coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Seychelles’ independence.
The visit—within 100 days of President Herminie’s victory—underscores the strategic weight Seychelles attaches to India amid evolving geopolitics in the Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR).
The two countries adopted a Joint Vision for Sustainability, Economic Growth and Security through Enhanced Linkages (SESEL) and signed multiple agreements across sectors.

Strategic and Maritime Cooperation - The Core Pillar

Defence and maritime security:
- It remains the central pillar of bilateral ties, and collaboration includes -
  - Maritime surveillance
  - Defence capacity development
  - Counter-piracy operations
  - Combating international crime and maritime threats
  - Protection of critical Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs)
- The cooperation assumes greater importance given rising piracy and economic offences in the strategic Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and growing geopolitical contestation in the region.
Colombo Security Conclave (CSC):
- Seychelles was welcomed as a full member of the CSC.
- Originally formed in 2011 by India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives; CSC later expanded to include Mauritius and Bangladesh.
- The inclusion of Seychelles strengthens regional efforts towards -
  - Maritime domain awareness
  - Regional stability
  - Cooperative security architecture in the IOR
- This aligns with India’s broader SAGAR doctrine and Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).

Joint Vision (SESEL) - Broadening the Partnership

The adopted Joint Vision for Sustainability, Economic Growth and Security through Enhanced Linkages (SESEL) expands cooperation beyond security into sustainable development.
Key areas of cooperation:
- Marine research and ocean governance: Ocean observation, maritime scientific research, data-sharing mechanisms.
- Climate action and renewable energy: Cooperation in renewable energy solutions, climate resilience initiatives for small island developing states (SIDS).
- Health cooperation: Pharmacopoeial collaboration, strengthening healthcare systems.
- Digital transformation: Support in digital governance and capacity-building, enhancing e-governance frameworks.
- Meteorological cooperation: Technical and scientific collaboration between meteorological authorities.
- Capacity-building: Training programmes for Seychelles civil servants, institutional strengthening initiatives.
- Cultural and people-to-people ties: Cultural Exchange Programme (2026–2030); tourism cooperation, with India emerging as a growing market.

Economic and Developmental Assistance

Special economic package: India announced a $175 million Special Economic Package, comprising $125 million Line of Credit (rupee-denominated) - remaining amount as grant assistance.
The package will support:
- Public housing, infrastructure, mobility, maritime security, and capacity-building.
- This reflects India’s model of development partnership without conditionalities, especially for small island nations.

Geostrategic Significance

WIOR: Critical for global trade and energy flows. Seychelles’ strategic location enhances India’s maritime reach.
Countering extra-regional influence: Strengthening ties helps balance growing external powers’ presence in the IOR. Reinforces India’s role as a net security provider.
Blue economy and SIDS diplomacy: Seychelles, as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), is central to climate diplomacy, sustainable ocean governance, and blue economy initiatives.
People-centric diplomacy: Shared democratic values, historical and cultural linkages, and emphasis on inclusive development.

India-Seychelles Relations

Overview:
- Today, India-Seychelles relations embody close friendship, understanding and cooperation.
- Diplomatic ties were established with Seychelles after its independence in 1976.
- With a significant presence of Indian Diaspora in Seychelles, cultural contacts between the two countries have been primarily community-driven with support from the two governments.
Key aspects:
- Trade: India exported goods worth US$ 64.88 million and imported goods worth US$ 8.96 million from Seychelles during 2022-23.
- Energy and environment: A Blue Economy Protocol between India and Seychelles was signed in 2015.
- Development assistance: An important aspect of bilateral cooperation revolves around various development assistance programs extended to Seychelles under ITEC, ICCR and IAFS.
- Defence and security: India is a key security partner for Seychelles, helping with coastal surveillance, radar systems, and joint exercises like 'LAMITIYE'.

Challenges

Geopolitical competition in the IOR: Rising strategic competition may complicate smaller states’ balancing strategies.
Climate vulnerability of Island States: Seychelles faces existential risks from climate change, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events.
Maritime security threats: Piracy resurgence; drug trafficking; Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
Economic dependence on tourism: Seychelles’ economy remains vulnerable to global shocks.

Way Forward

Institutionalising: Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) through real-time data-sharing.
Deepening: Blue Economy cooperation, including sustainable fisheries and marine biodiversity protection.
Expanding: Renewable energy partnerships tailored to SIDS needs.
Strengthening: Multilateral maritime frameworks, particularly through the CSC and IORA.
Enhancing: Digital and governance partnerships for resilient institutions.
Leveraging: India’s Vision MAHASAGAR and SAGAR doctrine to build a cooperative Indian Ocean architecture.

Conclusion

The India–Seychelles partnership is evolving from a traditional defence relationship into a multidimensional strategic partnership encompassing sustainability, digital transformation, climate action, and economic growth.
As maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean, their collaboration contributes not only to bilateral development but also to the broader architecture of peace, stability, and inclusive growth in the WIOR.
In the emerging geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific, Seychelles remains a key pillar of India’s maritime vision, reinforcing India’s aspiration to be a credible and responsible security and development partner in the region.

Source: IE

India–Seychelles Relations FAQs

Q1: What is the strategic significance of Seychelles in India’s Indian Ocean policy framework?

Ans: Seychelles’ strategic location in the Western Indian Ocean makes it central to India’s SAGAR and Vision MAHASAGAR initiatives.

Q2: What is the role of the Colombo Security Conclave in strengthening maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region?

Ans: It institutionalises regional maritime collaboration through maritime domain awareness, counter-piracy coordination, etc.

Q3: How does the India–Seychelles Joint Vision (SESEL) reflect a shift?

Ans: The SESEL framework expands ties beyond defence to renewable energy, climate resilience, digital transformation, health, etc.

Q4: What is the importance of India’s development partnership model in its engagement with SIDS?

Ans: India’s concessional Lines of Credit and grant-based assistance without conditionalities enhance goodwill, sustainable development, etc.

Q5: What are the major maritime security challenges in the WIOR and India’s response to them?

Ans: Rising piracy, IUU fishing, trafficking, and geopolitical competition are addressed through defence cooperation, maritime surveillance, etc.

Form 7 Controversy and Electoral Roll Revisions in India

February 10, 2026

Electoral Roll Latest News

Concerns have emerged over the alleged misuse of Form 7 applications during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, leading to large-scale deletion of voters’ names across several States.

Electoral Rolls and Their Importance in Indian Democracy

Electoral rolls form the foundation of India’s democratic process, ensuring that every eligible citizen has the right to vote.
Prepared and updated under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, these rolls are periodically revised to include new voters and remove ineligible entries.
The credibility of elections depends heavily on the accuracy, transparency, and fairness of this process.
Any large-scale error or manipulation can directly impact political representation and voter confidence in the electoral system.

Form 7 and Its Legal Framework

Form 7 is a statutory mechanism used to object to the inclusion of a person’s name in the electoral roll.
Under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, objections can be raised on specific grounds such as death, duplication of entries, shifting of residence, ineligibility due to age, or lack of citizenship.
Earlier, objections could be raised only by voters from the same polling booth.
However, a 2022 amendment expanded the scope, allowing any voter within a constituency to file objections.
While intended to improve roll accuracy, this change also increased the risk of misuse.
To prevent abuse, rules mandate verification by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), especially when an individual files more than five objections.

Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a comprehensive exercise undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to update electoral rolls in select States and Union Territories.
Phase II of the ongoing SIR has covered nearly 51 crore voters across multiple regions, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and others.
The revision follows a compressed timeline, involving enumeration forms, objections, verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and hearings before final publication of the rolls.

Nature of the Form 7 Controversy

The controversy centres on the bulk filing of Form 7 applications, allegedly without the knowledge or consent of the voters concerned.
Opposition parties have accused organised actors of misusing Form 7 to systematically delete the names of eligible voters, thereby distorting the electoral process.
Reports from States such as Rajasthan and Gujarat have highlighted cases where individuals claimed that Form 7 applications were submitted in their names without their involvement.
This has raised serious concerns about impersonation, procedural lapses, and administrative oversight.

Scale of Voter Deletions

According to draft electoral rolls released during the SIR, around 6.5 crore voters were removed from the rolls across nine States and three Union Territories.
These deletions reduced the total electorate from about 51 crore to 44.4 crore in the affected regions. The removed voters were categorised as ASD (Absent, Shifted, Dead/Duplicate).
The highest number of deletions was reported from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Critics argue that the sheer scale of deletions, combined with a tight revision schedule, raises questions about the adequacy of verification and grievance redressal mechanisms.

Verification Process and Safeguards

Once a Form 7 application is submitted, Booth Level Officers are required to conduct physical verification.
In cases of alleged death, confirmation from neighbours and a death certificate are necessary.
If a voter is reported absent, BLOs must conduct multiple visits to confirm relocation.
Affected voters are entitled to receive notice and attend hearings before final deletion.
Appeals against ERO decisions can be filed with the district magistrate within 15 days of the roll publication.
Despite these safeguards, concerns persist about their effective implementation under time pressure.

Concerns and the Way Forward

At the core of the controversy lies the risk of voter disenfranchisement, particularly among marginalised and economically weaker sections.
Filing a false declaration under Form 7 is a punishable offence under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Experts suggest stricter scrutiny of bulk applications, improved digital tracking, longer verification timelines, and enhanced transparency to restore trust in the electoral revision process.
Ensuring balance between roll accuracy and voter protection remains crucial.

Source: TH

Electoral Roll FAQs

Q1: What is Form 7 used for?

Ans: It is used to object to the inclusion of a person’s name in the electoral roll on specified legal grounds.

Q2: What triggered the current Form 7 controversy?

Ans: Allegations of bulk and fraudulent filing of Form 7 leading to mass voter deletions during the SIR.

Q3: What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?

Ans: A large-scale electoral roll revision exercise conducted by the Election Commission in select States and UTs.

Q4: How many voters were reportedly deleted during the SIR?

Ans: Around 6.5 crore voters were removed from draft electoral rolls across multiple regions.

Q5: What legal action applies to false Form 7 declarations?

Ans: Filing a false declaration is punishable under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

PMO Directives on PM CARES: Why Lok Sabha Questions Are Not Admissible

February 10, 2026

PM CARES Latest News

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has informed the Lok Sabha Secretariat that questions or matters related to the PM CARES Fund, the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF), and the National Defence Fund (NDF) are not admissible under Lok Sabha rules.
The PMO cited Rule 41(2)(viii) and Rule 41(2)(xvii) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha to state that such questions and discussions cannot be taken up in Parliament.

PM CARES Fund, PMNRF and NDF: What Are These Funds

The PM CARES Fund was set up on March 27, 2020, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was created to deal with emergency and distress situations and to provide relief during crises such as public health emergencies.
- Full name: Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund
- Legal status: Public Charitable Trust
- Registered under the Registration Act, 1908, in New Delhi
- Fund balance (March 2023): ₹6,283.7 crore (as per latest available report)

Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF)

The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund was established in January 1948, originally to assist refugees displaced from Pakistan after Partition.
Over time, its scope expanded and it is now primarily used to:
- Provide immediate relief to families affected by natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, and earthquakes
- Assist victims of major accidents and riots
The fund is financed through public contributions and is controlled by the Prime Minister’s Office.

National Defence Fund (NDF)

The National Defence Fund is dedicated to the welfare of Armed Forces personnel, including paramilitary forces, and their dependents.
It is
- Used for financial assistance and welfare measures
- Administered by an Executive Committee
- Chaired by the Prime Minister, with the Defence, Finance, and Home Ministers as members

Common Feature

All three funds:
- Are controlled or administered by the Prime Minister’s Office
- Receive voluntary public contributions
- Operate outside the Consolidated Fund of India, which has implications for parliamentary scrutiny

Government’s Stand on PM CARES Fund: Past Position Explained

Public Charitable Trust, Not a Statutory Body - In January 2023, the Union government told the Delhi High Court that the PM CARES Fund is a public charitable trust, not created under the Constitution or by any law enacted by Parliament or a State legislature.
Not ‘State’ Under Article 12 - The submission came in response to a plea seeking to declare PM CARES a “State” under Article 12 to ensure transparency.
- The Centre argued that the trust is neither owned nor controlled by the government, and that trustees holding public office do so for administrative convenience, not governmental control.
RTI Act Not Applicable - The government’s affidavit further stated that since PM CARES is not constituted under law or the Constitution, it does not qualify as a public authority under the Right to Information Act, and therefore is outside the RTI framework.

Supreme Court’s Ruling on the PM CARES Fund

In August 2020, the Supreme Court of India refused to direct the transfer of money from the PM CARES Fund to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
The Court held that the two are “entirely different funds” with distinct objectives and purposes, leaving “no occasion” for such a direction.
The Court noted that:
- The NDRF is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) under specific guidelines
- The PM CARES Fund, being a public charitable trust, does not fall under those guidelines, and therefore no CAG audit can be mandated

Why Lok Sabha Questions on PM CARES, PMNRF and NDF Are Not Admissible

The PMO has directed the Lok Sabha Secretariat not to admit questions or matters related to the PM CARES Fund, PMNRF, and the National Defence Fund on the ground that these funds are entirely financed through voluntary public contributions.
Since they do not receive any allocation from the Consolidated Fund of India, they fall outside the scope of parliamentary scrutiny under Lok Sabha rules.
This reasoning aligns with the Centre’s earlier position before courts that these funds are non-statutory, trust-based entities, not government funds subject to legislative oversight.

Rules Cited to Bar Lok Sabha Questions on PM CARES, PMNRF and NDF

The PMO informed the Lok Sabha Secretariat that questions or matters related to PM CARES Fund, PMNRF and the National Defence Fund are not admissible under specific provisions of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.

Rule 41(2)(viii): Not a Government Concern

This rule bars questions that do not relate primarily to the concern of the Government of India.
The PMO argued that since the three funds are financed through voluntary public contributions and are not part of the Consolidated Fund of India, they do not fall under the government’s primary administrative domain.

Rule 41(2)(xvii): Outside Government Control

This provision states that questions cannot raise matters under the control of bodies or persons not primarily responsible to the Government of India.
The PMO maintained that these funds operate as independent trusts, and hence are not directly accountable to the government in a manner that would permit parliamentary questioning.

Source: IE | IE

PM CARES FAQs

Q1: What do the PMO directives on PM CARES state?

Ans: PMO directives on PM CARES clarify that Lok Sabha questions on PM CARES, PMNRF and NDF are not admissible under Rules of Procedure governing parliamentary business.

Q2: Why are PMO directives on PM CARES linked to parliamentary rules?

Ans: PMO directives on PM CARES rely on Rule 41(2)(viii) and 41(2)(xvii), which bar questions not primarily concerning the Government of India or bodies not accountable to it.

Q3: How does funding structure justify PMO directives on PM CARES?

Ans: PMO directives on PM CARES argue these funds rely entirely on voluntary public contributions and receive no money from the Consolidated Fund of India.

Q4: What has been the government’s legal position supporting PMO directives on PM CARES?

Ans: PMO directives on PM CARES align with the Centre’s stand that PM CARES is a non-statutory public charitable trust, not a “State” under Article 12.

Q5: What is the constitutional implication of PMO directives on PM CARES?

Ans: PMO directives on PM CARES effectively limit parliamentary oversight by classifying PM CARES, PMNRF and NDF as trust-based entities beyond routine legislative questioning.

Tracing Tamil’s Centuries-Old Presence in Malaysia: History Beyond Migration

February 10, 2026

Tracing Tamil’s Centuries-Old Presence in Malaysia Latest News

During his first foreign visit of 2026 to Malaysia, PM Modi highlighted the deep-rooted presence of Tamil, underscoring that it is not just a diaspora language but a public and historical language in Malaysia.
Spoken across schools, temples, media, and cultural spaces, Tamil predates both the Malaysian nation-state and colonial rule.
Its arrival was driven by centuries of maritime trade, labour migration, settlement, and cultural continuity, rather than modern policy.
This long civilisational history explains why nearly three million people of Indian origin—predominantly Tamil—form one of Southeast Asia’s most visible and well-established diasporas.

Before Plantations, There Were Ships: Tamil Roots in the Malay World

Ancient Maritime Links - Long before British rule, maritime routes connected India’s Coromandel coast with ports along the Malay Peninsula, especially Kedah and the Strait of Malacca.
- These links date back well before the 1st century BCE, facilitating sustained contact across the seas.
Trade, Settlement, and Culture - Commerce in spices, textiles, and forest goods moved both ways—and so did people. South Indian merchant guilds formed semi-permanent settlements, built temples, and left Tamil inscriptions, embedding culture alongside trade.
Religious and Social Exchange - Cultural exchange accompanied commerce, carrying Hindu and Buddhist practices into local societies. These were durable ties, not fleeting visits, shaping local religious and social life.
Tamil Muslim Communities - Tamil Muslim traders—including Rowthers and Marakkayars—settled, intermarried locally, and remained. Place names, rituals, and customs still reflect these early arrivals.
Before the Colonial Reorganisation - As noted by historians, Tamil presence was already woven into the region’s social fabric before European powers arrived. The British later reorganised and scaled up these movements—but did not begin them.

A Century of Labour: How Plantation Migration Shaped Tamil Malaysia

Colonial Demand and Mass Migration - While early trade brought the first Tamils, British colonialism brought them in large numbers.
- Plantation capitalism in Malaya—rubber estates, railways, tin mines, and ports—created huge labour demands.
- Recruiters turned to the Madras Presidency, using the kangani system to bring bonded groups of workers.
Life on the Estates - By the early 20th century, hundreds of thousands of Tamil labourers had arrived. They cleared forests, tapped rubber, and built infrastructure, often living in cramped estate lines with low wages and limited mobility.
- Recruitment slowed by 1910 amid criticism, but a permanent community had formed.
Oppression—and Endurance - As historian Carl Vadivella Belle noted, colonial labour life was marked by oppression and brutalisation. Yet within estates, Tamil society showed resilience—temples, Tamil schools, local presses, festivals like Thaipusam, and cinema sustained cultural life.
Language as the Community’s Spine - Tamil became the anchor of continuity. Over generations, estate communities produced teachers, clerks, traders, and later professionals, enabling social mobility beyond plantations.
Post-Independence Urban Shift - After 1957, families moved to cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang for education and stable jobs. The transition expanded—rather than diluted—Tamil institutions.
A Public Language, Not a Memory - Today, Tamil schools, newspapers, television, radio, and cinema thrive in Malaysia. The language remains publicly visible, making PM Modi’s observation about Tamil in “education, media, and cultural life” a structural reality, not a sentimental nod.

The Political Moment: Diplomacy Built on a Deeper History

In his address, PM Modi framed the three million–strong Indian diaspora in Malaysia as a “living bridge” between the two nations.
He announced practical measures—social security agreements, easier visas, and the rollout of India’s digital payment interface in Malaysia—to deepen people-to-people ties.
The Cost of Migration and Settlement
- Citing historian Carl Vadivella Belle, the scale and human cost of migration is stark:
  - At Merdeka (1957), Indians numbered 858,616, with 62.1% locally born
  - Between 1860 and 1957, around 4 million Indians entered Malaya and 2.8 million left
  - Much of the 1.2 million net immigration was lost to disease, exhaustion, malnutrition, and hazards

Strategic Signalling, Cultural Resonance

Choosing Malaysia as the first foreign visit of 2026 signalled Southeast Asia’s importance to India’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
Yet the most resonant note of the speech was cultural, underscoring how language and lived history continue to anchor bilateral ties more powerfully than strategy alone.

A Diaspora That Feels Local: Tamil Life in Malaysia

In parts of Kuala Lumpur where Tamil is widely spoken, the boundary between “Indian” and “Malaysian” fades.
Families rooted for five or six generations see their histories tied to local estates and neighbourhoods, not distant villages in Tamil Nadu.
Festivals and politics are distinctly local, even as the language carries echoes of the old coast across the sea.
Malaysia’s Tamil community stands apart from newer diasporas. Shaped first by maritime trade, then empire, and finally nationhood, it is a historical community.
Tamil here feels inherited rather than imported, sustained across generations.

A Bond Older Than States

The Tamil–Malaysia connection predates governments: ships before steamers, temples before treaties, schools before summits.
Long after speeches fade, this older current endures—steady, lived, and visible in everyday language and life.

Source: IE | ToI

Tracing Tamil’s Centuries-Old Presence in Malaysia FAQs

Q1: Why is tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia historically important?

Ans: Tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia shows Tamil arrived through ancient maritime trade, long before colonial rule, embedding language and culture deeply in local society.

Q2: How did trade shape tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia?

Ans: Tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia highlights Coromandel–Malacca trade routes, merchant settlements, temples and inscriptions that created durable cultural and social ties.

Q3: What role did colonialism play in tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia?

Ans: Tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia includes mass migration under British plantation capitalism, which expanded Tamil communities through labour systems like the kangani system.

Q4: Why did Tamil survive as a public language in Malaysia?

Ans: Tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia shows continuity through schools, temples, media, cinema and festivals, preventing the language from fading into private memory.

Q5: How does diplomacy reflect tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia today?

Ans: Tracing Tamil’s centuries-old presence in Malaysia explains why modern diplomacy recognises Tamil as a living cultural bridge, not merely a diaspora identity.